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.
WILL THE COURAGEOUS TRIBULATION SAINTS SUFFER THE WRATH OF GOD??
God has always allowed His people to suffer tribulation and trials because they purify and perfect their faith and will gain countless eternal rewards when Jesus Christ is *REVEALED. There are over 40,000 saints martyred every year and the main culprit is no longer just Islam and the RC Church. Millions of saints were martyred by the Communist atheist countries after 1917 in Russia and after 1948 in China and then in North Korea and Vietnam. Many more millions were killed by Japan 1937-1945 and by the Fascists in Italy and Germany 1922-1945. Romans 8:35-37: �Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?... For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us!� I Peter 1:6-8:���In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is *REVEALED.��
I Peter 2:20b,21: �But if you suffer for doing good and endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow IN HIS STEPS.� I Peter 4:12,13: �Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But REJOICE that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is *REVEALED!� Rev 2:10: Jesus says, �Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the Crown of Life.� Read other persecution verses: Matthew 5:10-12; Romans 5:3; Heb 13:35-40; 2 Tim 3:12; 2 Cor 1:7-10; I Thess 3:3,4; Phil 1:29; Phil 3:10; Rev 12:11; Rev 13:9,10 & Rev 14:13.
������ The courageous and faithful Tribulation saints will *NOT* be hurt by God�s *WRATH* as shown in Rev 14:9-11; 15:1,7; 16:1,19; or in any of the 7 trumpet or 7 bowl plagues as explained in Rev 9:4,20,21 and Rev 16:2,4-6,9,10,21; or in any of the plagues of God�s 2 witnesses as per Rev 11:6,10; or in *ETERNAL HELL*: Rev 14:9-11: �If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he will drink of the wine of God�s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of *HIS WRATH*.� He will be tormented with burning sulfur and the smoke of their torment rises forever and ever.�
The pre-tribs often confuse the wrath of God with the persecution from the anti-christ. They are not the same thing. The wrath of God is intended for the ungodly and will be poured upon them and them only. The Lord knows His target and He never misses. Jesus warned in Matthew 10:28, �And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.�
In Rev 18:1-24 we read about the plagues that will destroy the headquarters of 666 during the Great Tribulation. This evil city on 7 hills {See Rev 17:9} is called �Babylon� which Peter implied was the nickname for Rome in 2 Peter 5:13. In Rev 18:4 a voice from Heaven will order God's saints to stay away from Babylon {Rome-That great seaport-Rev 18:17-19} so that they will not participate in her sins or be hurt by God's wrath which will completely destroy Rome with many horrific plagues. There are 260 verses from Revelation chapters 6 thru 20 and 128 of these verses or 49% tell of the wrath of God to unbelievers, 666, his False Prophet and Rome. However, not even one of these verses tells of any wrath of God toward His courageous Tribulation saints. Even pre-tribbers and mid-tribbers reluctantly agree that believers during the Great Tribulation will be exempt from the wrath of God. :applause::angel::peace:
�WHAT WILL BE THE SIGN IF YOUR COMING AND THE END OF THE AGE??�
Matthew 24:3:: The disciples asked Jesus, "What will be the sign of your coming and the END of the age?
Matthew 24:7b,8 tells about events to occur JUST BEFORE the Great Tribulation mentioned in Matt 24:9-13.
In Matthew 24:7b,8 Jesus says, �There will be FAMINES and EARTHQUAKES {Like Japan} in various places. These are the BEGINNING of birth pains.� And in Luke 21:9 Jesus prophesied "When you hear of wars and REVOLUTIONS {Such as Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Algeria, Syria, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Iraq etc} do not be frightened. These things must happen first." With the WAR in Libya causing oil prices to skyrocket the cost of transporting greatly inflated food prices caused by the greatest wheat and corn FAMINES in history will skyrocket even higher. Food riot REVOLUTIONS are rapidly spreading in the Mid East; throughout Europe and the rest of the world as the cost of a loaf of bread already costs a full days wages for over 2 billion people {as per Rev 6:6} in over 60 countries. **AND THEN**......
� Matthew 24:3,9-13:� The disciples asked Jesus, �What will be the sign of your Coming and the end of the age?? Jesus answered�.. {During the 1260-day Great Tribulation} �Then *YOU* will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and *YOU* will be hated by all nations because of Me.� At that time many will turn away from the Faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of *MOST* will grow cold,{THE GREAT APOSTASY} but he {The Called, Chosen & Faithful-Rev 17:14b} who stands firm to the End will be saved.�
The pre-tribbers claim that the "YOU" in Matthew 24:9 above are Jews only and that much of Matthew was only written for Jews like Matthew chapters 5-7. Which is of course completely ridiculous since Jesus said to His 11 Apostles in Matthew 28:19,20 �Go and make disciples of *ALL NATIONS*�teaching them to obey *EVERYTHING* I commanded you!�� {Read John 12:48 & John 14:23}� I John 2:3,4,6:� �We know that we have come to know Him {Jesus} if we obey His� commands.� The man who says, �I know Him,� but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him� Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.� According to Rev 12:17 the Tribulation Saints will also �Hold to the testimony of Jesus!�
� Now the pre-tribbers claim that the phrase �His elect� in Matt 24:31 & Mark 13:27 refers only to Jews which is, of course, ridiculous and is refuted in Romans 10:12: �For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile�the same Lord is Lord of all.� Galatians 3:28,29: �There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise!!� Read Ephesians 2:11-22!! See �GOD'S ELECT� in 2 Tim 2:10, Titus 1:1 and 1 Peter 1:1,2.
Hebrews 11:39,40: These {OT saints mentioned in Heb 11:4-38} were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planed something better for US {NT Saints} so that only TOGETHER WITH US {NT saints} WOULD THEY {OT saints} BE MADE PERFECT.�{Receive new heavenly bodies-See I Cor 15:49-52 & Hebrews 11:10,14-16 & Daniel 12:1,2,7b}:applause::angel::peace:
