At the very least, lying is as old as Satan approaching Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Jesus called Satan “a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44). Falsehoods come from Satan and those who use them are taking on the evil one’s character.

When the children of Israel arrived at Mt. Sinai, God gave them Ten Commandments. He wanted them to make these Commandments the foundation of their society. The ninth Commandment reads, “Thou shalt not bear false witness” (Exodus 20:16). So people have a choice: Satan and a lie or God and the truth. And the words people speak reveal what is in their heart (Matthew 12:34).

At the Mount of Olives, when Jesus revealed what the world will be like at the end of the age, He mentioned deceit four times (Matthew 24:4, 5, 11, 24). Many Christians are rightly watching Israel,Jerusalem, natural disasters, advances in technology and the like, but let us not forget to watch for an increase in lying and deception.

Since I believe in the pre-Trib Rapture, I don’t expect to be here when the Antichrist shows up, but I am aware that he will come“after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders” (II Thess. 2:9). He will be a master liar and deceive all those who choose to not love the truth by faking the signs of an apostle (II Thess. 2:12; II Cor. 12:12). He will have a great lie that multitudes will choose to believe (II Thess. 2:11).

Having said that, I have been amazed at how common lying has become lately. I am not talking about Pres. Obama’s promise to cut the deficit in half, or his promise to post all bills on the Internet before they are voted on, or his promise that there wouldn’t be any lobbyists in his Administration, etc., etc., etc. These are old lies. I am talking about three big lies that recently hit the news in about seven days.

The first big lie came when the Israeli press said Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and US Ambassador Dan Shapiro got into a heated shouting match over Pres. Obama’s handling of Iran’s nuclear program. When asked about it, Ambassador Shapiro called the report “silly” and said “the conversations were entirely professional and friendly.” But in an interview a few days later,Rep. Mike Rogers, the Michigan Republican who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, and who was present at the meeting, said the heated shouting match did, in fact, happen.

The second big lie came when U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and head of the DNC told a group of Jewish Democrats that Michael Oren, Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S., told her “that what the Republicans are doing is dangerous for Israel.” When Ambassador Oren disputed what Rep. Wasserman Schultz said, she denied saying it and replied “unfortunately, that comment was reported by a conservative newspaper. It’s not surprising that they would deliberately misquote me.” The problem is that a reporter taped her original statement, her office confirmed the authenticity of the tape and she was caught in her lie.

The third big lie came when the DNC tried to remove God’s name and a declaration that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital from their party platform. Fearing the loss of Christian votes and fat cat Jewish contributions, Democratic officials tried to re-instate these things, but they needed a two-thirds vote to do it. Chairman Antonio Villariaigosa called for the voice vote three times and it was clear that he never got the necessary two-thirds majority, but he declared that he did and the issue passed to the course of many boos.

From my perspective, God wants Jerusalem to be recognized asIsrael’s capital, but He doesn’t want His name tied to a document that supports abortion, homosexuality, same-sex marriage, etc. and He doesn’t want people using crooked votes and lies to get Christian votes and Jewish contributions. That is taking His name in vain (Exodus 20:7). Anyway, lying and twisting the truth by seemingly intelligent people is a growing problem, the work of the Devil, a violation of the Ten Commandments, a danger to our society and a sign that the end of the age is approaching.

FYI: Kindle owners can download eight of my teachings at amazon.com and I would love for you to leave a review.

Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck

I have long believed and taught that if the United States ever abandons Israel, the United States is through as a nation. Well, it looks like it has happened, or at the very least, it is close to happening.

I will come back to this, but I want to share three other opinions first because I want you to know that I believe that it is possible that the Battle of Gog and Magog could be before the Tribulation Period. And, although no one knows the day or the hour of the Rapture, I believe that the Battle of Gog and Magog could be at, or about, the same time as the Rapture.

First, I do not agree with the teaching that Gog is the Antichrist. For example: 1) Gog will die on the mountains of Israel, his body will be devoured by the ravenous birds and beasts of the field (Ezekiel 39:4) and his remains will be buried in the land of Israel (Ezekiel 39:12), but the Antichrist will be cast alive into the Lake of Fire(Revelation 19:20); 2)  God will put hooks into Gog’s jaws and drag him and his army into the Battle of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38:4), but three unclean spirits from the mouths of Satan, the Antichrist and the False Prophet will gather the Antichrist’s army for the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:13); 3) Gog will be the leader of a few nations (Ezekiel 38:5-6) and other nations will question his attack (Ezekiel 38:13), but the Antichrist will be the leader of the whole world (Daniel 7:23; Revelation 13:7-8;Zechariah 14:2) and no one will question his attack; and 4) There will be a second Battle of Gog and Magog long after the Antichrist is cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:8).

Second, I do not agree with the teaching that the Battle of Gog and Magog is the same as the Battle of Armageddon. For example: 1) God will attack Gog’s troops with rain, great hailstones, fire and brimstone and they will kill each other (Ezekiel 38:21-22), but Jesus will attack the Antichrist’s troops with the sword of His mouth (Revelation 19:15); 2) The goal of the Battle of Gog and Magog is to take a spoil and a prey; silver, gold, cattle and goods (Ezekiel 38:13), but the goal of the Battle of Armageddon is to destroy Israel (Revelation 12:15); 3) The Battle of Gog and Magog will end upon the mountains of Israel (Ezekiel 39:2), but the Battle of Armageddon will end in the Valley of Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:2); and 4) Gog’s army will be destroyed on the mountains of Israel before it ever reaches Jerusalem (Ezekiel 39:2), but the Antichrist’s army will temporarily capture Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:1).

Third, although we should not be dogmatic, it looks like the Bible teaches that England, the United States and others will not helpIsrael during the Battle of Gog and Magog. Ezekiel 38:13 reads, “Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?” Not all agree, but many identify the merchants of Tarshish as England and many believe the young lions are those nations that came into being out of England such as the United States, Canadaand Australia. Whoever these self-righteous pretenders are they will question Russia’s invasion, but they won’t lift a finger to help tinyIsrael. Instead of admitting that Russia is seeking a spoil and a prey; instead of admitting that Islam is a religion of jihad and not a religion of peace; they will resort to political spin and diplomatic baloney suggesting that this war has something to do with poverty and hunger.

Now, having said this, let’s get to the point: Pres. Obama and Vladimir Putin have reached an agreement. Russia has pulled her troops out of Syria and notified Syria and Iran that they will receive no more weapons after existing orders are filled. In return, the U.S.has advised Israel that she is on her own and will not receive American help if she attacks Iran’s nuclear reactor and Irancounterattacks Israel. If Israel attacks Iran’s nuclear reactor and, in response, Russia, Iran and others attack Israel at the Battle of Gog and Magog, it is the view of the United States that Israel will be on her own.

Wrong! The attitude of the United States may bring God’s judgment on America, but Israel doesn’t need America’s help. God and the archangel Michael have Israel’s back (Daniel 12:1). God will magnify and sanctify Himself in the eyes of the world and many people will get saved (Ezekiel 38:23). What does Israel need: Faith, courage, grave diggers and fire equipment (Ezekiel 39:9, 12)?

FYI: Kindle owners can download eight of my teachings at amazon.com and I would love for you to leave a review.

Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck