I can’t imagine living at a time when deception is greater than it is now, but the Bible says that just such a day will exist during the time of the antichrist.
Those who reject the words of Scripture become easy prey for the wiles of the devil; they believe many things are not true. We see the words of 2 Timothy 2:13 lived out all around us as never before; there, Paul says that “evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”
Sadly, the lie that “all is well” has invaded many churches, even those that claim to be Bible-believing. Despite the multitude of signs that tell us the wrath of the Day of Lord is ever so close, a majority of Christians remain unaware that they live in the last days.
As I reflect on 2022, the illusion of peace that’s become the hope of many saints saddens me. This deception has come about through false teaching concerning the end times, which prevents them from recognizing the signs of the rapidly approaching Tribulation period.
Viewpoints Close the Eyes of the Saints
Let’s begin by looking at some of the various teachings regarding the end times that give believers a false illusion of peace in our time.
- The Rebranding of Premillennialism
During the past several years, I have become aware of several churches that hold to a type of premillennialism that’s far different from what Bible-believing ones taught during the twentieth century. Whereas the Bible teaches the restoration of a glorious kingdom to Israel, today’s updated version denies this while still maintaining a belief of Jesus’ future reign, which may or may not include a literal belief in the words of Revelation 20:1-10. Most often, it does not.
In churches that rebrand premillennialism, you will not hear sermons that reflect the signs of the times in which we live. Instead, the messages frequently deny the reality of Jesus’ soon appearing as well as the reality of the seven-year Tribulation.
The new premillennialism might include a “role” for Israel, but it’s not the reign of Jesus over the nations seated upon the “throne of David” in Jerusalem, which God’s Word promises the descendants of Jacob in passages such as Jeremiah 33:23-26, Zechariah 14:9-21, Isaiah 9:6-7, and Luke 1:30-33.
- Replacement Theology
Many churches adhere to the more traditional form of amillennialism, replacement theology, which teaches that there’s no thousand-year reign of Jesus because the church has replaced Israel and thus inherited all its physical promises, albeit in a spiritual sense. Similar to the rebranded form of premillennialism, they see the church as God’s physical kingdom and regard the book of Revelation as something far different than a book of prophecy, which it claims to be (Revelation 22:6-10).
Replacement theology lies at the heart of all other errant viewpoints on the end times. If one combines the church age with the kingdom promises God made to Israel, it always leads to further errant teaching, always.
- Kingdom Theology
Replacement theology emphasizes that the church is now God’s kingdom. Those who adhere to Dominion Theology, or what many refer to as the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), take this a step further.
The proponents of NAR teach that since the church is God’s kingdom, it will eventually defeat all the evil in the world and usher in the peaceful conditions of the Millennium before Jesus returns to earth.
They rely on “new revelation” to the church. However, what they teach contradicts what the Bible reveals about the Lord’s defeat of wickedness during the seven-year Tribulation and Jesus’ glorious return to earth before the Millennium.
- Preterism
Many of those who hold to the preceding viewpoints claim that the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:4-28 have already happened; they are past history. Preterism extends this faulty interpretation by teaching that Jesus has already returned to earth in AD 70 as He promised to do in Matthew 24:29-31. Rather than regard most of Matthew 24:4-31 as already fulfilled, preterists regard the entire passage in this way.
I include this blatant false teaching to show how the failure to distinguish between the church and God’s promises regarding his future kingdom on the earth, the restoration of Israel during the Millennium, cascades into many errant teachings that lead to the denial of the “blessed hope” of the Gospel (Titus 2:11-14) and sometimes even to the subversion of the Gospel itself.
“Peace, Peace, When There Is No Peace”
In Jeremiah 6:14, the prophet records the Lord’s complaint regarding the spiritual leaders of the people in Judah. He wrote that they “have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.” The sense is that of applying a superficial salve that not only failed to address the hurts of the people but also promoted a false sense of security despite the threat posed by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians.
I believe the words of this passage apply to church leaders and writers that promote doctrines that close the eyes of the saints to the dangers posed by the Satanic globalists. They do not proclaim “peace, peace” as did the false prophets in ancient Judah, but by their silence, they fail to warn those that they lead of the great dangers that exist in our time. They repeat the errors of the false prophets and priests of Jeremiah’s day.
I know that the majority of those who read my posts are fully aware of all the signs that tell us the seven-year Tribulation is ever so near, which means the Rapture could happen at any moment (the sooner, the better).
I go to this place of warning again, however, because of my sadness for believers who never hear about their joyous hope in Jesus’ soon appearing.
As a result, many Christians don’t recognize the great evil that masquerades behind the mask of good intentions of the globalists and most government leaders. Beneath the many benevolent-sounding words lies the spirit of the antichrist taking people down paths that lead to lawlessness, chaos, destruction, and certain death.
The prevailing message of peace in our time prevents believers from seeing behind the veil of deception to the working of our dreadful enemy. They fail to recognize the extensive stage-setting for the kingdom of the antichrist that’s so rampant throughout the world.
The Way of Wisdom
I love the contrast between the way of wisdom and that of folly in Proverbs 9. I’m not saying this chapter speaks directly to the end times; it does not. However, it’s something I believe we can apply to it.
In the book of Proverbs, wisdom reveals the person of Christ. We trust the words of wisdom because they come from Him (2:6), are righteous (8:8-9), and bring blessing and “life” to us (8:34-35).
In Proverbs 9:13-18, the “woman Folly” sits in front of a nondescript house offering “stolen water” and “bread.” Her seductive ways appeal to a great many, but in the end, her ways lead to death.
Compare that to what Wisdom offers (9:1-5). Her magnificent house has “seven pillars,” and she provides so much more than a meager meal. Those who accept her invitation feast on meat from a freshly butchered animal and wine. She offers “insight” or “understanding,” which signifies greater discernment in all things pertaining to the wisdom of God’s Word.
I believe we can apply the fabulous feast offered by Wisdom, aka Jesus, to our hope of eternity, beginning with the Rapture and the receipt of our immortal and imperishable bodies. In 1 Corinthians 15:51-58, the Apostle Paul clearly says that not all believers will die, but many will be alive at the time of Jesus’ appearing. After that, our experience in eternity will far exceed the happiness of our very best day here below.
On the other hand, teachings that see the church as God’s physical kingdom have great appeal. Many Christians don’t want to hear that the Rapture might interrupt their cherished aspirations. Perhaps this is why so many flock to churches that assure them “all is well” and avoid any suggestion that the Lord’s appearing might suddenly interrupt their future plans. They hear wonderful sermons and leave with the assurance that all is well for the remaining years or decades of their lives.
However, in reality, they settle for a meager meal that fails to satisfy. The “full preterists” believe we are already in the eternal state. Many of the other viewpoints postulate a continued existence on this earth devoid of the glories of the New Jerusalem or a new earth.
It’s rare to hear any mention of the glorious, immortal bodies that the Lord will give us at the time of the Rapture.
The way of wisdom revealed in the Proverbs leads to a belief in what the words of Scripture tell us about our imminent hope and our reign with Jesus when He rules the world from a gloriously restored Israel. It’s not bread and water but rather a fabulous feast that we will enjoy forever.
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My book, The Triumph of the Redeemed-An eternal Perspective that Calms Our Fears in Perilous Times, is available on Amazon. If you desire assurance regarding the validity of the pre-Tribulation Rapture and the restoration of a kingdom for Israel, this book is for you.
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