Selling False Expectations

Jesus warned of coming deceivers who will mislead many by pointing to natural and manmade disasters as signs of his imminent return.

Jesus began his final discourse with a sharp warning: Beware of the “many deceivers” who will come and spread false information about his return, including rumors of wars, earthquakes, and other calamities. They will “deceive many.” Likewise, “false prophets” and “false anointed ones” will propagate lies about the whereabouts and the “coming of the Son of Man.”

The Storm is upon us!

The New Testament warns of an apostasy before the Day of the Lord caused by the Son of Destruction, the Man of Lawlessness.

The New Testament warns us that before Jesus returns, his Church will be invaded by deceivers, including “false anointed ones” and “false prophets.” Before “the Day of the Lord” begins, we will be confronted by “the Man of Lawlessness,” whom the Apostle Paul links to “the Apostasy,” the great “falling away” from the faith.  That time is upon us.

Lying Signs and Wonders

God performs supernatural acts for His people but signs and wonders of themselves are no guarantee of Divine Approval.

Many “prophetic” voices are claiming that God is about to pour out tremendous “signs and wonders” the likes of which no man has ever seen, supernatural displays so overpowering that billions of souls will prostrate themselves in repentance before the awesome power of God. Indeed, this super revival will be defined and characterized by mighty signs and wonders.

The Beast's Power

The False Prophet employs economic pressure to coerce men and women to swear allegiance to the Beast from the Sea.

The “False Prophet,” the “Beast from the Earth,” uses economic force against men who refuse to swear fealty to the World Empire, and the “mark of the Beast” is his tracking and enforcement mechanism. The ability to impose monetary penalties and sanctions on nations and individuals is key to the political power of the First Beast.

The Ultimate Impostor

The False Prophet will mimic the Lamb’s servants and sell the Beast from the Sea as the Lamb to the world – Revelation 13:11-18.

Jesus warned of coming deceivers - “false prophets” and “false messiahs” determined to hoodwink the “elect.” In the Book of Revelation, this satanic effort finds its ultimate expression in the “Beast from the Earth,” also called the “False Prophet.” He is a clever imitation of Christ’s true servants and is part of Satan’s final “war” against the people of the “Lamb.”

Famine in the Land

The contemporary church suffers from a famine for hearing the words of God, but it is a self-inflicted wound.

Many credible men of God have warned over the years that the Church will experience a “famine for the word of God.” I initially took this to be a prediction that the Bible would be suppressed even in Western-style democracies as governmental authorities persecuted the Church. The actual famine we see today is something rather different.

Mistaken Prophets?

In recent years, the world has witnessed significant prophetic failures by the “apostles” and “prophets” who dominate the Charismatic Movement. One of these predictions was so spectacularly wrong that several “prophets” found it necessary to issue public apologies. Alas, their “repentance” and public exposure have not stopped them and their deceptive activities. They simply repackage themselves and rebrand their “ministries.”

Prophetic Failures

After decades of disappointed expectations and false predictions, it is time to reexamine popular ideas about the last days and the return of Christ.

In my youth, I was greatly impressed by the book, ‘The Late Great Planet Earth’, authored by Hal Lindsey. It was exciting to discover that Bible prophecies were being fulfilled before our eyes and reported in the daily news headlines, or so we were told.