END-TIME DECEPTION
Harlot Babylon
The False Prophet
Harlot Babylon
There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. (Revelation 17: 3)
The Antichrist
The False Prophet
Harlot Babylon
"who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so he sits as God in the temple of God.
(2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)
The False Prophet
The False Prophet
The False Prophet
"And he performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people"
(Revelation 13:13)
Deception In the Last Days
Take Heed You are Not Deceived!
The End-Time Battle is for Truth
Bible prophecy warns that the period leading up to the Great Tribulation will be a time of increasing religious deception. We are encouraged to test and discern the spirit behind any teaching and examine it in line with scripture.
Take heed that no-one deceives you, “For many will come in my name, saying I am the Messiah.” Then many false prophets will arise and deceive many. (Matthew 24:11)
The Bible warns us to discern false prophets and teachers by the fruit of their lifestyle. Even though they have great arguments and scriptures to uphold their beliefs, their destructive teaching lead many away from the true faith. Jesus described them as ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing’.
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. Therefor by their fruits you will know them. (Matt 7:15)
Many will be unable to discern between truth and error in the last days. The end-time battle is for truth, as Satan’s greatest weapon is deception. We need to know God’s word so we can recognise and avoid it. Part of God’s end time purpose is to uphold the truth and help others caught up in deception.
We must therefore reject these false teachings, and “earnestly contend for the faith which was once and for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3)
Paul urges Timothy to confront false teaching, as certain men in the Ephesian church were teaching false doctrine which was contrary to the gospel. (1 Timothy 1:3)
“There will be false teachers among you who will secretly bring in destructive heresies even denying the Lord.” (2 Peter. 2:1-1)
Loyalty to any fellowship or church includes challenging teachings that are not in the Bible, even from qualified and well-known teachers. The dangers of apostasy are in the book of Jude. False teaching is deceptive and can be very subtle!
Apostasy:
Apostasy is false teaching that prevents people receiving salvation, it is a falling away or a departing from the true faith. It rejects or distorts some of the fundamentals of the Christian faith.
Errors:
Errors are teachings that hinder believers from receiving the fullness of what God has intended. Many teachers within mainstream church teach error. Even though teachings are based on biblical truth, they are not taught in proper balance with other scriptures.
To focus on truth and accept the false will not accomplish God’s purpose. Compromised truth is lies disguised as truth!
Does your church follow biblical teaching?
· Is the cross central to preaching?
· Is Jesus acknowledged in prayer and teaching?
· Are human traditions stronger than biblical truth?
· Is Jesus acknowledged as the only one who forgives sin?
· Is truth compromised for the sake of peace
False Doctrine
One false doctrine leads to another false doctrine. Satan can give false visions, miracles and prophecies to deceive people away from the true gospel. Satan comes disguised as an angel of light. To avoid being deceived, we must test everything in line with scripture.
Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. (2 Corinthians 11:14–15)
Published July 2019
Harlot Babylon
The Woman on the Beast
The Bible warns us of the increase in religious deception prior to the return of Christ. Attempts are being made by world religious leaders to unite all faiths for the sake of world peace, a ‘Universal religion of tolerance’ referred to in Revelation 17 as Harlot Babylon.
I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast ….The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. The name written on her forehead was a mystery: babylon the great the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth. I saw the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. (Revelation 17: 3-6)
The woman that sits on the beast is a global religious, political and economic network that is supported by the Antichrist in Revelation 17:3. She is seated on, and being carried by the beast (Antichrist). She is adorned with gold, precious stones and pearls which indicates its wealth. She has great prominence, arrayed in purple, which is symbolic of a royal status. Despite her appearance, her cup is filled with abominations, which indicates its evil and wickedness.
She has true hatred towards those who stand for Christ, and persecutes and wars against them. The true church and dedicated followers of Jesus Christ will be her greatest enemy, as she is "drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus." (Revelation 17:6)
Multitudes are deceived and seduced by her. She sits on many nations (waters), deceives and controls the world’s most powerful leaders, with her good works, wealth, promises of peace, prosperity and religious movement of unity to bring an end to all wars.
So, who is the God going to be worshipped in the new one world religion? This could be when the False Prophet arises and points towards a false Christ, the Antichrist. We know from scripture that the Antichrist will eventually declare himself to be God, this could be a new God, a universal God of all religions!
He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God. (2 Thess. 2:4)
She is referred to as a ‘GREAT WHORE’, or ‘HARLOT’ in some translations of the Bible. A harlot is unfaithful by having adulterous relationships. Being unfaithful to God is adopting false and unbiblical doctrines, and worshipping other Gods. "With whom the Kings of the earth have committed fornication (Revelation 17:2).
The harlot system will be hated and eventually destroyed by ten kings who serve under the Antichrist. The Antichrist destroys the Harlot in the seven-year tribulation period.
The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, …. The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. (Revelation 17: 12,16)
The Harlot system will deceive many with supernatural power, “For by your sorcery all nations were deceived (Revelation 18:23). The harlot system is an attempt to weaken our religious beliefs through compromise and religious tolerance. For Christians to be part of a harlot religion, they will first have to deny some of the main doctrines of the Christian faith. As their conscience towards their original beliefs will have already been weakened by refusing to hold onto the truth, they will come under a ‘strong delusion’.
The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore, God sends them a strong delusion. (2 Thessalonians 2 9-12)
Compromised truth is lies disguised as truth! Ensure your beliefs are based on scripture to keep you from deception. The Harlot Bablyon will be a system that acts as a forerunner to prepare the nations for the Antichrist’s global system detailed in Revelation 14: 9-11.
Published July 2019
The Antichrist
The Impersonation of Christ
To avoid being deceived by the Antichrist in the last days, it is important to know who the real Christ is, as the world will look to a leader to take control of all the increasing turmoil. According to Bible prophecy, a man appears on the world scene claiming to be Christ (the Antichrist), many will be deceived and follow him. He will emerge as a leader prior to the end of age, before the return of Christ (Revelation 19:16). Although there has been much speculation over past years on the identity of the Antichrist, the Bible only gives specifics of how we will eventually be able to identify him in the last days.
"who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God."
(2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)
The Antichrist will appear as a physical man who Satan works through, along with another man, referred to as the ‘false prophet’. The three are the false (counterfeit) trinity. Through measuring Bible prophecy, he will probably already be in the world today. He will rise to power as a political and religious leader with great diplomatic skills, masquerading as a ‘man of peace’. He will deceive the Jewish people into a 7-year peace treaty with other nations and will be acknowledged as ‘the one who brought peace to the Middle-East’. But after 3½ years he will betray them, by stopping daily sacrifices in the Jerusalem temple. He will gain political power and spiritual authority over all nations through his global network.
It is important to be aware of how the Antichrist will emerge and operate in these last days, which is why the Bible gives us so much detailed information. Through studying Bible prophecy, we should be able to discern what is taking place in current global affairs. Anyone who thinks they cannot be deceived by Satan schemes without Christ and the truth of the Bible is already deceived. Only those who hold a desire for the truth will be able to escape the powerful delusion of the Antichrist. He will deceive many with his global system, who will believe it to be the solution to world peace.
Paul warns of being deceived by the promise of false peace. The Antichrist will promise world peace which has never been achieved. But this will only be an illusion of peace and safety, it will be a new era with a global network. Many will respond with great enthusiasm. For a short time, this will appear to be successful. One aspect of false prophecy throughout the Bible was the promise peace and prosperity in a time of pending judgment.
“When they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape” (1 Thessalonians. 5:3)
One of the heads of the Beast in Revelation receives a fatal wound which is miraculously healed. This is a resurrection of someone or something being brought back to life, which receives global media coverage, as ‘the world’ is so amazed they follow him.
One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. (Revelation 13:3)
A fatal wound is mentioned three times, Revelation 12, 13, & 14 which is sword-inflicted. This takes place in the middle of the tribulation period. Some believe this to be a resurrection of the Roman empire, re-emerging as a false Christian church, others believe it to be a physical wound, a head injury, possibly inflicted by either an accident or an assassination attempt.
The Antichrist will perform many counterfeit miracles with his supernatural power, but this miracle will be the one that deceives many into following him. Revelation 13 could imply that the Antichrist is killed. His impersonation of Christ could involve a false death and resurrection. Whatever this event will be, it will appear supernatural and play an important part in the Antichrist’s global deception.
Published July 2019
The False Prophet
A False Gospel Points The Way to A False Christ
Although the Bible mentions the rise of many false prophets in the last days, it refers to one false prophet in particular, mentioned in Revelation 13:11-15. This is the ‘second beast’ that emerges from the earth who is part of the great end-time deception, the man who works alongside the Anti-Christ. The False Prophet is given the same authority as the Anti-Christ (Revelation 16:13, 19:20, 20:10). Satan uses them both as instruments to carry out his end-time purpose.
Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast whose mortal wound was healed. (Revelation 13:11-12)
The False Prophet is portrayed as a lamb but has a mouth like a dragon. Jesus throughout Revelation is portrayed as the lamb, the dragon is identified with Satan. This implies the False Prophet will be a great speaker with a powerful message, his wickedness will be hidden with good works and a message of peace. He will deceive many with counterfeit signs and wonders. The Bible tells us that along with the Anti-Christ, their deception and apostasy are so great, it causes many worldwide to be deceived.
And he performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. (Revelation 13:13-14)
His miracles will include calling down fire from heaven in public view, just as Elijah did on Mount Carmel, which will be one of the miracles done by the ‘Two End Time Witnesses’ (Revelation 11). The False Prophet will promote and advertise the Anti-Christ by presenting himself as an ‘Elijah’. The False Prophet will establish a worship movement in which the Anti-Christ and Satan can both be worshipped globally.
The False Prophet will enforce worship of the’ Image of the Beast’ and will act as overseer of the Antichrist’s empire showing great loyalty. He will be the administrator of his global system, which will include imposing the ‘Mark of the Beast’. The False Prophet will have great political power and influence as well as global authority, as he forces ‘all people’ to receive the mark on their right hand or the forehead. He has authority to enforce severe penalties on those who refuse to take the mark, which will include the death penalty.
It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name. (Revelation 13:16-17)
The False Prophet and the Anti-Christ appear as actual people, as they are both cast alive into the Lake of Fire when Jesus returns (Revelation 19:20)
Published July 2019
