Recently, a group called Heaven's Gate joined the ranks of a number of other recent cults (the Order of the Solar Temple, the Branch Davidians, the followers of Jim Jones) who have sought to leave this world in search of a "better" place by means of suicide.
In response to the mass suicide, Time magazine ran a cover article in its April 7, 1997, issue entitled "Inside the Web of Death." The reporters had this to say about groups like Heaven's Gate: "As predicted, the approach of the year 2000 is coaxing all of the crazies out of the woodwork. They bring with them a twitchy hybrid of spirituality and pop obsession. Part Christian, part Asian mystic, part Gnostic, part X-files." This article also pointed out that the Internet is a powerful tool that is being used to propagate this thinking in a way never thought possible�globally and instantaneously.
What does this all mean? It is clearly a sign of the times?
"And many false prophets will appear and lead many people astray" (Matthew 24:11 NLT).
"But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach their destructive heresies about God and even turn against their Master who bought them. Theirs will be a swift and terrible end. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of them, Christ and His true way will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction is on the way" (2 Peter 2:1-3 NLT).
Clever Deceptions
Why do people buy into these crazy teachings? Don't they know any better? The Bible tells us that in the last days, there will literally be a cult explosion�an ever-growing plethora of every belief system possible except the right one.
The Bible tells us that Satan will:
"Use every kind of wicked deception to fool those who are on their way to destruction because they refuse to believe the truth that would save them. So God will send great deception upon them, and they will believe all these lies. Then they will be condemned for not believing the truth and for enjoying the evil they do" (2 Thess. 2:10-12 NLT).
You know something is popular when you start seeing the knock-offs or imitations. The Devil is not very original. He has always seen the value of copying something, and, in so doing, confusing the issue. It seems that whenever there is a genuine work of the Spirit of God, Satan will have his imitation.
Consider Pharaoh's magicians, who were able to duplicate the miracles of Moses, such as the plague of blood in the Nile, and the plague of frogs (see Exodus 7-8).
Jesus told the parable of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13:24-30). In the story, a man planted wheat in a field, but his enemy came at night and planted tares (or the darnel seed) in the same field. Initially, this tare looks just like the wheat. But as time goes by, it actually uproots the wheat and ultimately destroys it.
These days while God is working, the devil is planting his tares. When they are exposed, people say, "See�they are all hypocrites!" As Peter said, "Christ and his true way will be slandered" through this. Yet, the presence of so many imitations should actually prove that there is an Original.
Whatever we have as Christians, you can be sure that Satan has a counterfeit version:
He has a false gospel that tells you that you can make up the rules as you go.
Along with this false gospel comes a false hope. People think that because they have gone through a certain religious ritual, they are eternally secure.
He has a false messiah. Satan always wanted the top job in heaven, and he has never gotten over losing his once exalted position. In these last days, he will thrust his imitation messiah�the Antichrist� on the world scene.
"And many false prophets :devil:will appear and lead many people :purpleangel:astray" (Matthew 24:11 NLT).
"But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers:angeldevil: among you. They will cleverly teach their destructive heresies:devil:about God and even turn against their Master who bought them. Theirs will be a swift and terrible end. Many will follow their evil teaching:devil: and shameful immorality:angeldevil:. And because of them, Christ and His true way will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction is on the way" (2 Peter 2:1-3 NLT).
"Use every kind of wicked deception:devil: to fool those who are on their way to destruction:angeldevil: because they refuse to believe the truth that would save:angel: them. So God will send great deception upon them, and they will believe all these lies. Then they will be condemned for not believing the truth and for enjoying the evil they do" (2 Thess. 2:10-12 NLT).
Some have confused the rider of the white horse in verse two with Jesus, but the rider is actually the Antichrist.
For following his appearing is not a kingdom of righteousness, but a time of wickedness and sorrow. Masquerading as the Messiah, he wears a crown, while Jesus wears many crowns (Rev. 19:12). In the Greek translation, the crown worn by the rider of the white horse refers to the crown of victory worn by a conqueror. The crowns Jesus wears in Revelation 19 refer to crowns of royalty.
A Conqueror Bent on Conquest
When a victor triumphantly entered a newly conquered kingdom, he would invariably ride a white horse. The Antichrist will deceitfully establish himself, then show his true colors.
This coming world leader, the Antichrist, will come at economically difficult times. There will be war in different parts of the world, and he�through some brilliant political moves along with an incredible charisma�will be able to do what no other has ever done: bring economic solidity to the world's monetary system and bring world peace. Through peace, he will deceive many. He will even get the Jewish nation and the Arab nations to sign a peace treaty, paving the way for the long awaited third temple.
His accomplishments will be so spectacular, so far reaching and unprecedented, that many will hail him as the Messiah himself. But we are warned in Scripture that he is a deceiver.
The Man of Sin
The Antichrist will be history's vilest embodiment of sin and rebellion:
"Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that Day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness [sin] is revealed, the man doomed to destruction" (2 Thess. 2:3).
The Wicked One
Scripture says,
"And then the lawless [wicked] one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of His coming" (2 Thess. 2:8).
"Lawless one" can be translated "wicked." The Antichrist totally opposes every law of God. Half way into his power play he will show his true colors, rebuilding the temple and committing the abomination of desolation (Daniel 12:11; Matt. 24:15). He will show himself to be a blood-thirsty dictator who will make Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Saddam Hussein look like lightweights in comparison.
Dictators rarely take over nations by brute force. Political or economic problems almost always pave the way for tyranny. This has already proven true in history. Rome set the precedent, seeking out nations who were in political and economic turmoil. They came with seemingly benevolent gestures, only to suppress them later and demand worship of Caesar.
Adolph Hitler did the same. In 1930, Germany was in desperate financial straits. Inflation was so bad, literally thousands of people were virtually starving. Communists stirred up riots in the streets, and there was general chaos.
Then Adolph Hitler came on the scene�a voice of authority in the midst of chaos. He spoke of a people of destiny and promised glories to come. But it was not meant to be.
Hitler was but a pale version of the Antichrist who will work through a revived Roman empire. For he, like the Romans and Hitler, will bring answers politically, militarily, and economically, and he will persecute Jews and Christians.
Satan's Unholy Trinity
The Antichrist will not act alone. He will have his side-kick, the false prophet:
"Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone" (Rev. 19:20).
Here we see Satan's unholy trinity:
Satan, imitating God (and, for a short time, having the worship of people worldwide)
The Antichrist masquerading as the Son
The false prophet impersonating the Holy Spirit
The Work of the Antichrist
The Antichrist will bring about a new religious system that will accommodate everyone. We are currently in the midst of a cult explosion. Whether it be Dianetics, EST, goddess worship, reincarnation, astrology, holistic healing, or any of a hundred consciousness raising techniques of our day�the modern age is on a search for some mystical divine unity. The times are ripe for a world religion.
The Antichrist will harness the world's economic system. Revelation 13:16-18 says,
"He required everyone�great and small, rich and poor, slave and free�to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name. Wisdom is needed to understand this. Let the one who has understanding solve the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666" (NLT).
Modern Technology and the Last Days
Before computers were such a vital part of our lives, it was hard to imagine how this prophecy could be enforced. In our generation, we have seen the developments of all the parts of the electronic system necessary for one person to wield total economic control: credit cards, debit cards, smart cards, ATM, etc. Now we have supercomputers that are so fast, they can perform thousands of operations on each person's files in the world every second.
Satellites can link the whole world together instantly, receiving unbelievable amounts of data simultaneously. Fiber optics make the wires that service our homes and computers able to carry thousands of conversations, video images, and data transfers at the same time. The Internet links large and small businesses around the globe together instantly. In addition, we all have several numbers assigned to us (Social Security, driver's license number, etc.) that enable people to easily access our records.
Modern technology has made it possible for the Antichrist to do what the Bible predicts: to literally control the right of individuals to buy and sell. For example, we can buy most of what we need by use of our ATM debit or credit cards. Cards, however, can be lost.
This problem could be solved, however, by inserting tiny electronic transponders (chip implants) somewhere in our body. (This has already been done with livestock and household pets). Thus, the stage is set for the mark of the beast.
A Hopeful Thought . . .
As I mentioned in the beginning, these are but signs of the times.
If the Antichrist is getting close, then the return of Jesus Christ for His people is even closer.
The Antichrist cannot be revealed until after the church is removed. Are you ready for that great event? Keep in mind these prophetic words of Jesus:
"Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption:angel: draws near" (Luke 21:28).
Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
� 1 Timothy 4:13
The Bible warns us that, among other things, one of the signs of the last days will be the existence of false prophets, false apostles, false teachers, and even lying wonders.
If that is not a description of the times we are living in, then I don't know what is. I have never seen more false teaching and greater biblical illiteracy among Christians than I am seeing today. I am amazed at how many believers are lacking in the very basics of Christian theology. Hosea's cry for his day rings true for ours as well: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge . . . " (Hosea 4:6). How we need the Word of God. How we need to know the Word of God.
The only way we will ever know the true from the false is by having a good knowledge of the Scripture. Jesus commended the awakened believers in the church of Philadelphia who were keeping His Word (see Revelation 3:8). He also commended this church for their perseverance and promised to keep them from the hour of trial (see verse 10).
In addition to false teaching, another sign of the last days will be that "some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons" (1 Timothy 4:1). In the days ahead, there will be trials and temptations. We need to remember that our adversary, the devil, is out there trying to bring us down.
Are you keeping God's Word right now? I believe the church, in many ways, has strayed from this today. And as a result, we are not making the difference we ought to make. We need to persevere and keep His Word.
"Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, 'First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.' "
� Matthew 13:30
Ananias and Sapphira had a choice: They could give a lot to the early church, or they could give a little. Nothing was required of them, but they decided to act as though they were giving a lot when they really were not. This was a sin of hypocrisy.
The Bible also says they lied to the Holy Spirit. This was a specific sin against the Spirit of God. Ananias and Sapphira found out that you can't fool God. It is interesting that the name Ananias means "God is gracious," but he found out that God is also holy. The name Sapphira means "beautiful," but her heart was ugly with sin. It is easy for us to condemn Ananias and Sapphira for their dishonesty. But maybe we need to examine our own lives to see if our profession is backed up by our practice.
The devil loves to counterfeit the genuine. He appears to operate by the adage, "If you can't beat them, join them." He has his tares among the wheat. There are false Christians. There are false preachers. There are false teachers, false apostles, and false prophets. There are Ananiases and Sapphiras in our ranks. The Judas Iscariots are out there too. They go to the same churches as we do. They live in the same neighborhoods. They go to the same schools.
But one of these days God, who knows all hearts, will separate the wheat from the chaff and the true from the false. It is not for us to do, however. It is for Him to do.
"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."
� Matthew 7:13-14
Many people today have essentially believed a watered-down gospel that deletes the message of repentance. They believe in an all-caring, nonjudgmental God who requires no repentance or a change in their lifestyle. They will say things like, "I believe in Jesus Christ, but my God is not judgmental. My God would never send a person to hell. But I am a Christian."
Yet they cannot have it both ways. They can't make it up as they go.
There are many people, even in the church, who hold to a watered-down belief. This diluted gospel may be the most dangerous plague the church is facing today, because it gives a sense of false assurance to the person who believes it.
The Bible speaks of false prophets who give false assurance. In Jeremiah 6:14, God says, "They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, saying, 'Peace, peace!' when there is no peace."
It would be like going to the doctor when you are having a heart attack, and having the doctor tell you, "Oh, you are fine. You are being so dramatic! You will be OK."
There are ministers today who say, "God loves you and everything is fine. You can do whatever you want and live however you want to live. Let's just love one another and have a great time."
But that is a false gospel. Yes, God loves us. Yes, God receives any person who comes to Him. But He asks us to repent. He asks us to turn from our sins. If we are not willing to do so, then we are not experiencing biblical faith. And thus, we are not going to receive what the Bible describes as genuine salvation.
Keep this in mind: if you see a lot of imitations out there, an original exists somewhere in the midst of all the copies. The devil only floods the market with imitations in order to keep people from the one and only true God.
Seek the original, open up God's Word. Only then will you discover truth.
"For false christs and false prophets :devil:will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect:angel:."
� Matthew 24:24
Did you know that the devil can do so-called "miracles"? Of course, they are not the same kind of miracles that God does, but they resemble them. When Moses went into the court of Pharaoh and was performing certain signs to confirm that he was sent by God, Pharaoh's magicians were able to duplicate a number of them, including turning water into blood. But what is interesting is that Pharaoh's magicians were only able to duplicate some of the miracles of Moses, but certainly not all of them.
So if a miracle is done through an individual, it doesn't necessarily prove that he or she is a Christian. Sometimes God can work through flawed vessels. We know that King Saul prophesied, yet he was a wicked man who ultimately consulted with a medium and died in rebellion against God. Judas Iscariot was sent out with the disciples initially and was casting out demons along with them. Yet we know that he ultimately betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. So it could have been God's power working despite King Saul and Judas Iscariot. And sometimes God works despite who we are or what we are.
However, it also could have been Satan's power at work. So we can't simply let miracles convince us someone is sent by God. The Bible tells us that when the Antichrist comes on the scene in the end times, he will deceive people through lying wonders and devilish miracles (see Matthew 24:23�25). So if someone comes along and says that we have to listen to what they have to say because they are doing miracles by the hand of God, just maybe those are devilish miracles. We must measure what they have to say according to the Word of God.
