A word of Warning, continued

In spite of the fact that we presently reside in the “Time of the End” when the book (Daniel’s prophecy concerning the time of the end) has been unsealed and opened (Dan 12:4, 9, 10; Rev 10:2) many still (even among those begotten of the Lord’s spirit) willingly chose to remain in ignorance of the times and seasons and of impending events soon to transpire. The general opinion is that the study of prophecy is of little value as in comparisons with simply studying the Gospels and epistles and attempting to comform one’s life to such, besides say such, the Lord’s return is still a long ways off.

Question: how did they arrive at this conclusion, viz. that the Lord’s Second Advent was still a long ways off?

Answer: The only way in which this could accurately be discerned for sure is through a thorough study of prophecy in connection with a knowledge of where precisely we stand on the stream of time, which implies a thorough study of the True Bible Chronology, two subjects which go hand and hand and of which most have only given at the very least a passing glimpse.

As for the professing church they have already been given over to the lie, a lie of their own choosing. Having chosen to “suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Rom 1:18), that is to disregard the plain statements of scripture (including prophecy) they have instead been turned to fables, the vain babblings of men and to their delusional teachings concerning the “Time of the End” and etc., the apostasy, the Antichrist, the Second Advent and all the various events surrounding it.

As was stated in Part 31 of our study of 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2, Satan has already cultured much of Christendom to be expecting as certain the very things he plans to use as deceptions.

He is not called the Father of lies for nothing, the Master Deceiver; although his great master work the Papacy received a mortal wound during the Reformation when through the preaching’s of Luther, Zwingli and others, it was showed to be the “mystery of iniquity” “The Man of Sin,” “The Antichrist,” nevertheless since that time that wound has healed to a great extent by the craftiness of the Adversary whereby he has succeeded in luring the Reformers into the same bondage as he had Papacy.

Shortly following the Reformation, “Reformation and cleansing for a time ceased, and, instead of progressing with the cleansing, the reformers gave attention to organizing themselves, and to revamping and re-polishing many of the old papal dogmas, at first so loudly condemned. Thus did Satan decoy the reformers into the very “harlotry” (union of church and state) which they had denounced in the Church of Rome.  And thus the deadly wound which Papacy had received was for a time healed (Rev. 13:3), for how could the Reformers any longer use the Sword of the Spirit against Papacy as a church-state organization, when they themselves were the same (and in essence became an Image of the Beast)?”

As soon as the reformers had pointed out that the Papacy was the Antichrist predicted, the Adversary went to work right away through his deluded servants devising another lie to throw attention off the Papacy, his great master work, and as such the idea was planted that the real (?) Antichrist would appear in the distant future (our day), and that he (an individual rather than it, the Papacy, a system of error) would be received by the Jews and would rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.” Amazingly, this erroneous teaching has become the most popular view in our day, even among the Protestant Churches, whose fathers were the Reformers themselves! Alas if they were alive today what would they think?

And thus it is written:

“The presence (of our Lord Jesus Christ) shall be accompanied by an in-working of Satan with all manner of mighty works and signs and wonders of falsehood, and with all manner of deceit of unrighteousness (deceptive theories and imaginings) in them who are destroying themselves (perishing, should they continue in this course), because the love of the truth (all truth, but partially that dealing with these events) they did not welcome (did not accept, nor heed, but rather suppressed) that they might be saved (spared from these deceptions). And for this reason God will send them (permit to come upon them) strong delusion (deceptive errors), to the end that they should (or will) believe the falsehood. This so that they all should be judged who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness (in errors in falsehoods).” 2 Thess 2:9-11

As was stated in Part 30 of this study, “The intimation is that the severity of the deceptions (testing) will come in relation to whatever proportions of our doctrines (professions, beliefs) include fallacies, errors. Those who have built their faith structure based upon the beliefs and creeds of men (i.e. from wood, hay and stubble) will suffer the most lost.  

Because such refused to consider the truth in respects to these various deceptions all of which were fostered by the Adversary, the Lord will allow them to be deceived by the lie or delusion of their own choosing. Although these delusions may be witnessed by all they will nevertheless be targeted toward the specific errors and/or false theories held by the individual.

Some of the primary errors taught by the professing church will constitute these delusions. Note: although these particular delusions are primarily geared toward the professing church and not the Lord’s consecrated people, nevertheless some of the Lord’s “little ones”, “babes in Christ” who are still trapped in Babylon who have long been fed upon the “husk” of human tradition and man-made theology deprived of the truth are susceptible to falling prey to these delusions even as alluded to in Rev 18:4.

We have only listed a few, the primary ones, but we believe there are others.

1. For the majority because they have failed to properly study and consider the Word of the Lord in regards to the OBJECT and MANNER of our Lord’s Second Advent this delusion will most likely take on the form of some type of fake (visible) manifestation of the Lord one of which naturally will be accompanied by various signs and wonders (healings, cures and fringed resurrections), which they will erroneously ascribe to the Lord.

2. For others their delusion will most likely consist in their belief in the “rapture” in which they perceive in the last days individuals blinking out of existence similar to the Left behind series, this of course we believe can likewise be easily fringed by the Adversary as all power is given him. Satan has “the power of death” (Heb. 2:14) that is to say Satan’s power, like that of a hangman, is a delegated power. Since all men save those in Christ (the spirit begotten) are still under the Adamic condemnation which resides upon mankind, all are still subject to death, how exactly that death takes place whether by war, plague, famine or other natural or possible supernatural causes is inconsequential.

3. Unwilling to accept the testimony of the Scriptures and the word of the reformers as to the true identity of the Antichrist other are awaiting the rise of a literal or physical Antichrist, an individual, this as well as a supposed seven year tribulation especially the latter half of which they erroneously base upon a misapplication of Daniel’s prophecy of the Seventy Weeks. The Adversary will be only too happy to comply as this will provide him with ample opportunity and means to be rid of a great many of the Lord’s true people.

Unfortunately for the minority (both the “feet” members and those of the Great Company class who are acquainted with present truth) who point out these deceptions (some even now) they will be severely tried (persecuted, possibly imprisoned and put to death both symbolically and literally).

As for the delusions which the Adversary may use in his attempt to stumble the Lord’s consecrated people we can only speculate.

It is with the hope that some (those with eyes that see and ears that hear) will take these warnings (Matt 24:24; 2 Thess 2 and Deuteronomy Chapter 13) to heart.

To be forewarned is to be forearmed.

With our next post in his segment we will return to Our Lord’s Great Prophecy as out-lined in Matthew Chapter 24 beginning where we left off at Verse 25.