Friday, November 17, 2017,
“Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth…And he exercises all the authority of the first beast…He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven…He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed” (Rev. 13:11–15). This end-time revelation is much closer than you think. Are you discerning of it?
Now this 11/16/2017 headline from CBN News, “Former Google Exec Says Artificial Intelligence is ‘God,’ Creates New Religion.” The article continues, “According to paperwork filed with the IRS, this new church, called ‘Way of the Future,’ will focus on: ‘the realization, acceptance, and worship of a Godhead based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) developed through computer hardware and software’…the church will try to ‘develop and promote the realization of a Godhead based on artificial intelligence and through understanding and worship of the Godhead, contribute to the betterment of society.’” This is the spirit of antichrist at work.
The Spirit of God said through King Solomon, “That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun” (Eccl. 1:9). History repeats itself. And God said, “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies” (2 Peter 2:1).
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” (1 Tim. 4:1). In much of today’s church it’s evident that ancient Israel’s history of unbelief is repeating itself via false teachers and false prophets.
To the Pharisees and Sadducees of Jesus’ day who sought the vain glory and praise of men rather than discerning the signs of the times, Jesus said, “Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times” (Matt. 16:3). And to the non-discerning church of our late hour which ignores the signs of the end-times, Christ says exactly the same.
The large majority of ancient Israel’s followers of God could not discern that Jesus was their long-awaited Messiah. Because of false teachers they expected someone charismatic and wildly popular who would gloriously deliver them from Roman oppression rather than “the virgin shall conceive…Immanuel” (Isa. 7:14), who would come “lowly and riding on a donkey” (Zech. 9:9).
Due to false teachers in Jesus’ day many of God’s people had created a false messiah; a messiah who did not come according to their expectations. The fatal result of their failed expectations and non-discerning heart was their cry of deep offense: “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” (John 19:6).
Today, like then, many false teachers teach the people a false message of the returning Messiah via a pre-trib rapture. And once again a false expectation sown in the hearts and minds of many will result in hatred one of another because Messiah won’t be present to receive their wrath, but returns for His own “Immediately after the tribulation” (Matt. 24:29–31), and not before.
Because of unbelief the expectations of many Christians will be shattered, and “then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another” (Matt. 24:10). Why? – because the true Messiah will not return according to the pre-trib rapture expectations promised by false teachers. The offense that occurred at Jesus’ first advent will be repeated at His second advent.
The days of tribulation are near when the world, including Christians, will see God’s Word fulfilled, saying, “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it” (Zech. 12:2–3).
So, what can you do to avoid the coming offense and sudden “falling away” (2 Thess. 2:3) when Antichrist is revealed as foretold by the Spirit through the apostle Paul? First, repent of unbelief, and believe “the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:9) for His return and gathering of His saints. Second, prepare by teaching yourself and your loved ones to endure to the end, “at the last day” (John 6:40) when Christ raises the righteous dead at “the first resurrection” (Rev. 20:4–6).
Third, put away from yourself any teachings that do not agree with the teachings of Christ, our true Messiah, “whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21), knowing that the “restoration of all things” does not occur until the last day of this present age.
Only at the time God restores all things, will, “the Lord Himself descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:16–17).
I implore you in the love of Christ, do not believe false teachers who ignore Jesus’ testimony for the gathering of saints. They have their reward of wealth and popularity teaching the false hope of the pre-trib rapture. They’ve changed the Messiah of the Bible, they teach heresy! Be wise in Christ. The pre-trib rapture is a spiritual poison. Come out from among them; be not complicit!
False expectations leading the offense in Jesus’ day at His first advent, will be repeated at His second. Satan has worked deceitfully to create multiple scenarios of Jesus’ return, including the pre-trib, mid-trib, pre-wrath, and post-millennial rapture of the saints, but there’s only one truth.
“Immediately after the tribulation…He [Christ] will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matt. 24:29–31). This is the testimony of Jesus Christ, and you will do well to heed His Word, discern the present time and prepare accordingly, because anything else will fail you.
“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed’ (1 Cor. 15:51–52); but “he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36). Do you believe Him?
Marlin J. Yoder
Thank you Marlin for your being a 21st century John the Baptist crying in the wilderness of this wayward world and much disinformation propagated by most of the organized church leaders in America. Like John the Baptist you have for many years preached repentance where needed and revealed false demonic doctrine meant to deceive and to destroy the masses when required.
As we approach the end time events predicted in advance by Jesus in Matthew 24 and also revealed in advance in the book of Revelation, the message of enduring to the end takes on a whole new and very special meaning for all those desiring to live godly in Christ Jesus in these possible end times. For as the apostle Paul stated, “Those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus, shall [not may] shall suffer persecution.” Are we ready!!!
Marlin, your estimation of the religious leaders of Jesus’ day is a most accurate spiritual estimation of many if not most of the so-called religious pretenders espousing what they have been taught to teach from their having attended religious but not spiritual institutions of earthly education. May God have mercy on them and forgive them for many do not know what they are doing or the eternal damage they are creating in the lives of so many!
And in their not correctly searching and or studying the Scriptures to show themselves approved by God rather than their being approved by man, they have been spiritually blinded to the discernment available to the signs or seasons of the times in which we find ourselves in this end time generation. But according to Paul writing in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, concerning the times and seasons of the end, we as true discerning Christians have not been left in the shadow of darkness.
Paul admonishes us in verse 8 of the above text by stating, “But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith [true biblical faith] and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.” Paul continued; “But God did not appoint us [true enduring to the end believers in Jesus] to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ…” This emphasizes your closing remarks today Marlin from John 3.36; “But he [or she] who does not believe the Son [Jesus] shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him [or her].”
But, so we do not make the same mistake as the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, a note of warning should be addressed concerning our not being appointed to wrath. A cursory review of past history clearly reveals many Christians having been the target and recipient of the wicked wrath of our fellow man, of which is continuing and will continue as lawlessness abounds in the earth. Also, a cursory reading of prophecy reveals the many Christians who have and will also continue to personally experience the wrath of the antichrist and his demonic end time representatives will increase according to Jesus and other biblical scribes.
Therefore, as true Christians let us truly discern the signs of the times from a biblical perspective and not a human perspective. Let us continue to seek first God’s kingdom through our earnest study of Scripture while enduring to the end of our lives or enduring to the end of this end time age. And finally, let us by all means be found in the end looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith who is our most faithful enduring to the end example!
In Him Always, Brother Mike…