Well, here I am. Between getting my latest book finished and released and a very crazy schedule the past several weeks, I am now able to do some blog writing tonight. Yea!
Have you been watching the news lately? Have you noticed that things seem to be racing towards a period of time long ago prophesied of events we can now see on the horizon, and in some cases are here even as I write this? That period of time I am referring to is the seven-year tribulation period prophesied in the Bible. We are seeing some of the events prophesied thousands of years ago coming into fulfillment within the next year or so. For example, we are told that during the tribulation period everyone will have to have a mark of identification by which they will buy and sell, what is often times referred to as the “mark of the beast” as mentioned in the book of Revelation, and unbeknown to many there is currently a push to have everyone worldwide, not just in the USA, implanted with an electronic chip for identification and financial transactions by the end of 2017. We are also seeing a push by many religious leaders to merge all the religions of the world, including Christianity, into one religion, or at least create a platform that allows all the religions to work together and to acknowledge many ways to the same god. In recent months we have seen a major shift in the world financial markets as a growing number of countries are shifting the strength of their currencies from the dollar to the Chinese currency. And, in order for there to be a one-world government the United States has to be brought down enough so that not only will its influence be greatly reduced, but the United States would have to give up its sovereignty as a nation to facilitate a one-world government, and we’re seeing the United States literally imploding upon itself in a large number of ways putting it into such a position when looking at things globally. We’re seeing increasing turmoil within the Middle East politically, as well as increasing tensions and conflicts militarily, and a greater push to isolate and divide Israel. Oh, and let us not just think of the civil wars that are taking place there, and Iran’s race to a nuclear bomb with the promise of using it against Israel and the USA, but also the increasing threat and influence of ISIS and their inhumane brutality beyond the Middle East.
What I just mentioned doesn’t even take into account the role nature has in this. We’re seeing very erratic and unpredictable weather all over that is out of sync with the recognized seasonal and regional norms, the increase in famines and pestilence, and the growing threat of disease and plagues. Yes, there have been numerous concerns regarding “global warming” and “climate change”, and more specifically blaming humanity for it, but it has been found to be a fraud of sorts used as a tool to help facilitate a one-world government. While it has been seen in recorded history that nature generally shifts back and forth in cycles resembling what we’re experiencing now, nature is also in a form of labor pains getting ready to wreck havoc with humanity in a variety of ways. There has been, in addition to what has already been mentioned, a dramatic increase in volcanic and strong earthquake activity even in places where it generally hasn’t been an issue.
What is all of this telling us? Even the world knows that life as we know it is quickly racing toward a climatic time when life as we know it will no longer be, yet they will be quick to deny the prospect that all of this is a fulfillment of Bible end-time prophesy. If that is not bad enough, what is worse is the deception many within the church have embraced who should know better but choose to deny that reality. When we talk of the deception within the church, we need to first realize that was the first thing Jesus warned us about in Luke 21. The Apostle Paul goes even further and talks of a great falling away of Christians in the last days, and how that many will follow teachers with itchy ears to hear what they want to hear and what sounds good. What are some of the deceptions found in the church today?
When we talk of the deceptions within the church, one of the most prominent ones is the idea that things are only going to get better, or at least for the Christian it will be even though the rest of the world will go upside down figuratively speaking. Very little is said or taught of end-time events and how we need to be mindful of them, something that Jesus commanded us to do, but instead much is said about how we are to be blessed and prosper, to grow in our faith to have less issues to deal with in our lives, and to focus almost exclusively on God’s grace, love and mercy. While it is true that God desires to bless and prosper us, for us to grow in our faith and to rest in His grace, love and mercy, to avoid or not take into account what the Bible tells us regarding the days we have entered into will only lead to disaster for many in the church. For those given the role of shepherding or teaching the body of Christ who only speak of the good things and avoid anything about these last days, they are in essence presenting a very incomplete gospel. Many think that God’s plan for the redemption of mankind was concluded when Jesus arose from the dead, but in actuality God’s plan for the redemption of mankind will not be concluded until the end of the 1000-year reign of Christ here on earth. The seven feasts that God instituted in Leviticus, not for Israel but for Himself, outline God’s plan of redemption for mankind, and of those seven only four have been fulfilled to date. So, one of the deceptions is the ignorance of Bible prophesied end-time events while focusing on that which tickles the ears of the hearer.
Another deception is found in the rejection of the rapture of the church. Even though the word ‘rapture’ is not found in the English Bible, the teaching and picture of the rapture for the church can be seen throughout the Bible. The rapture is our blessed hope, something that is also seen in the feasts. Many people argue against teaching or promoting the belief of a rapture referring to it as a doctrine of escapism, and while I agree some have taken this view of escapism to an extreme that they’re not occupying their time here properly, Jesus promoted the idea of escapism when He told us to “watch and pray that we are counted worthy to escape all things that will come to pass” (Luke 21:36). In that one verse Jesus tells us to watch for the signs of the times and that which is coming, and also to pray that we are counted worthy to escape those things that are coming. We can’t really do that if either through ignorance or ones decision to reject such teaching we focus on the positive’s we addressed in the previous paragraph. Hey, if Jesus commands us to “watch” and to “pray we are counted worthy to escape”, then it’s something we should really look at and take heed of. If we won’t tell others about the times we are in and what is on the horizon, along with the hope we have in being raptured up before these things come to pass, then we are not being His ambassadors as we should be and are setting up others for failure with an incomplete and sometimes warped gospel.
There is another deception regarding the rapture many are buying into “hook, line, and sinker”, and that is the idea that all who call themselves Christians will be raptured up, but Jesus strongly countered that way of thinking in Matthew 7:21-23. The rapture is only for those who have been watching and preparing as a bride for His return. Some have argued that the Church is not the Bride of Christ, but since the Bible is strongly and concisely clear that the Church is the Bride betrothed to Christ then I can’t help but ask what Bible they are reading from since it’s not the Christian Bible. If one doesn’t believe that the Church is the Bride of Christ, then what guarantee do they have that they will be raptured up when the rapture is strictly for the Bride who has prepared herself for Him? It doesn’t matter the voice or who appears to us, even if they are an angel of light, if what is said is in conflict with the written Word then it is not of God. In other words, God will never contradict His own Word to us, no matter how nice and good it sounds, and if it does conflict with scripture then it needs to be rejected as coming from someone other than God, Himself.
Anyways, we need to wake up and take a look around us of what is going on, and to be aware of some of the deceptions infiltrating the church in these last days. This is not the time to be ignorant of the times we are in and the explosively fast fulfillment of end-time prophesies, or to fall victim to doctrines and beliefs that keep us from clearly seeing things as they are so we can prepare for the return of our Savior and groom, Jesus Christ. There is enough in scripture to get a pretty accurate picture of the times we’re in and what is coming down the pipe, so to speak, and we shouldn’t be afraid of to teach and share this with others as it could make the difference as to how ready they are for His return.
John Johansson
