Have you bought into the great end-time deception? Part 1
(Part 1 of a 2-part article regarding the deception many accept as truth about the end-times.)
It seems that many believers are running everywhere else to find the answers to their end-time questions except the Bible. As you ponder the following three questions, allow them to challenge your end-time thinking.
Do you understand the end-times that Jesus, Paul and John taught?
Do you understand the times we are living in today?
Do you understand what it will take to stand until the day Jesus returns?
Do you understand the end-times that Jesus, Paul and John taught?
As you consider the first question, think about this. Have you been reading Matthew 24 and Mark 13 as gospel truth or have you slipped into the left behind, pre-tribulation rapture fiction? Or worse yet, have you latched on to believing that Jesus is taking over society now?
There are five key points that Jesus makes in the first 31 verses of Matthew 24.
In verses 4-5 we read that there will be a great deception leading up to the return of Jesus; this deception will be specifically designed to lead believers into a false gospel.
In verses 6-14, we read that there will be signs increasing in frequency that will lead believers into worry, fear and falling away.
The beast of Revelation mentioned thirty-two times in book of Revelation is also known as the man of peace, the man of sin, and the antichrist.
In verse 15, we see that ‘the man of peace’ or ‘the beast of Revelation’ mentioned in Daniel 9:27, comes to the Jewish temple and proclaims himself to be God and demands worship. This abomination starts the desolation or the ‘Great Tribulation’. This act is mentioned in Mark 13, 2 Thessalonians 2, and Revelation 13.
In verses 15-26, a great tribulation will begin when this man of peace stops the Jewish sacrifices and demands to be worshipped. Because of his great deception the whole unsaved world will worship this man as ‘God’ on earth. He is hailed as the new messiah and believing Christians who refuse to worship him and receive his mark will first, be shut out of the internet banking system and then hunted down and killed (also read about this in Revelation 13).
In verses 27-31 we see that immediately after this great tribulation period (about 3 ½ years) the fulfillment of the return of Jesus will take place and the church will be gathered from the four corners of the earth in what we call the rapture.
Jesus’ return will be the end of life on planet earth as we know it. The Great King, Jesus Christ, will rule and believers that have stood firm will reign with Him.
Do you understand the times we are living in today?
As you consider the second question and your understanding of the times that we are living in right now, you will see that the way you look at the world has everything to do with the answer to question one. Do you really believe the Matthew 24 and Mark 13 narrative?
If you believe that you will be raptured before the great tribulation, congratulations, you have bought into the most deceptive church narrative of the last hundred years. According to this message you can eat, drink, and be merry, because you will never suffer persecution or the horrors of the beast kingdom. You will fly away, suddenly without any warning beforehand.
The challenge with the American teaching of the rapture
The challenge with this American teaching is two-fold. First, believing Christians all over the world are suffering persecution at various levels right now. To be a believer in many countries like China, India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East (just to name a few), means severe economic and collective persecutions. Many believers suffer imprisonment, beatings, and death for the gospel
Second, there is not one verse in the Bible that says Jesus will return before the rapture. The secret rapture does not fit in with the rest of scripture in any way. Rather, the Bible teaches about suffering, persecution, and hardship for believers.
In the book of Revelation, the church is mentioned nineteen times. It is written for the church during tribulation. In chapters 2 and 3, Jesus promises rewards to each of the seven churches; yet they are only for those who have ears to hear and who overcome the kingdom of darkness.
Telling people to have ears or an ear to hear was a very popular saying of Jesus. It was also a warning because we can, by our will, close our ears and refuse to listen and fall into serious judgment.
Understanding the times means to wake up from our slumber (deception) and humbly accept the word of God that we hear and read. We must not only love the Bible verses that speak of blessing, but also love the verses of warning, correction, rebuke, and judgment. To love God includes loving what He has already spoken to us through His word.
(In Part 2 of this article, we will consider the third question, Do you understand what it will take to stand until the day Jesus returns?)
