Impostors and Beasts

The New Testament predicts the rise of false prophets who will cause many believers to abandon their faith and betray one another. Jesus warned us to beware of deceivers, the “false Anointed Ones” and “false prophets” who are determined to mislead his followers and destroy the Church from the inside, warnings that are reiterated and expanded in the writings of the Apostles.

Jesus began his discourse on the Mount of Olives with the stern warning: “Beware that no one deceives you!” And many false prophets have come since then, and unfortunately, they have successfully deceived many Christians.

Moreover, the efforts of Satan to seduce churches and believers and turn them against Jesus will intensify during the final years before the return of Christ:

• “For there will arise false anointed ones and false prophets, and they will perform great signs and wonders so that, if possible, even the elect should be seduced. Behold, I have told you beforehand!” – (Matthew 24:24-25).

[Wolf - Photo by Ray Hennessy (New Jersey) on Unsplash]

This same idea is found in the Book of Revelation. Satan will wage war on the Church by sending deceivers, and when necessary, via persecution. This process began in the first century. For example, we read in Revelation that the assemblies of Asia were struggling with false teachings promoted by “false apostles,” “the Nicolaitans,” and “that prophetess, Jezebel” - (Revelation 2:1-29).

The authors of deception in Revelation are the Beast from the Abyss/Sea and the False Prophet. The latter uses religious deception and economic control to compel men and women to swear fealty to the Beast. Additionally, Babylon, “the Great Whore,” uses her influence over world commerce to entice members of the Seven Churches to compromise their testimony - (Revelation 11:4-7 13:1-7, 13:11-18, 18:1-7).

Persecution does occur in the Book of Revelation, but the attacks on the Church most often consist of deception and pressure to compromise. Only those saints who stand firm in the “testimony of Jesus” will endure until the end – (Revelation 12:11, 12:17).

False teachers have deceived many members of Christ’s church over the centuries. They infiltrate congregations with seductive lies and the promises of peace and prosperity. They often use purported supernatural miracles to delude as many believers as possible.

Satan is the mastermind and power behind this age-old plot to destroy the Church of Jesus Christ, primarily through false doctrines smuggled into the Church by deceivers and charlatans.

For example, the Apostle John warned that “the Spirit of Antichrist” was at work already in the first century, and he pointed to the false teachers who had appeared in his congregation as the irrefutable evidence of this fact, deceivers he describes as “many antichrists.” In the end, the product of this effort will be “the Antichrist” – (1 John 2:18-22, 4:1-3).

Paul likewise warns that “the Mystery of Lawlessness” is working tirelessly to prepare the way for the arrival of the Man of Lawlessness. He will cause many believers to abandon the faith – (2 Thessalonians 2:3-12).

If we are not familiar with and committed to the teachings of Jesus and his Apostles, we will remain vulnerable to the deceptions of false prophets and lying apostles. Spiritual discernment is vital - (Matthew 24:4-11, 24:23-24, 24:26).

Deceivers disseminate false information about Christ’s return. They claim Christ “is here” or “there,” “in the wilderness,” or perhaps “in the secret place.” The latter warning of Jesus accurately describes what has become a popular belief in the so-called ‘Charismatic’ and ‘Prophetic’ movements of contemporary Christianity.

Jesus warned us several times of this very thing – the influx into the Church of false prophets. For example:

• “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but within, they are ravenous wolves” - (Matthew 7:15. Compare Micah 3:5).

• “Many will be caused to stumble, and they will betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and seduce many. And because of lawlessness coming to the full, the love of the many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end, he will be saved” - (Matthew 24:10-13. Compare Daniel 8:23-25).

Deception has been a problem since the earliest years of the Church. The Apostle Paul struggled to keep his churches free from false teachings and charlatans throughout his ministry. For example:

• “I know that after my departure, grievous wolves will enter among you, not sparing the flock. And from among your own selves will men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Wherefore, watch, remembering that by the space of three years I ceased not to admonish everyone night and day with tears” - (Acts 20:29-31. Compare Jeremiah 23:1).

• “And that because of the false brethren who came in clandestinely, who entered by stealth to spy on our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage” - (Galatians 2:4).

FALSE EXPECTATIONS

Today’s prophetic impostors set false expectations about the return of Jesus and related events, declaring time and again that “the season has drawn near.” They arrogate to themselves the knowledge that even Jesus does not possess - (Matthew 24:23-26, Luke 21:8).

False teachers spread rumors about wars, earthquakes, and similar calamities, citing them as evidence of the rapidly approaching Day of the Lord. However, wars, seismic activities, and famines have occurred regularly throughout human history, and the same is true of today’s world.

What distinguishes one war or earthquake from another one, prophetically speaking? Such events are not signs by which we may calculate the proximity of the Last Day.  As Jesus said, despite the claims of the false prophets, “the end is not yet” - (Matthew 24:4-6).

The warnings of Jesus are echoed in Second Thessalonians. The Apostle Paul describes the coming “Man without Law, the son of destruction.” This clever deceiver is inextricably linked to the final apostasy that must precede the Day of the Lord. Satan will empower him with “signs and lying wonders” to seduce and hoodwink as many believers as possible - (2 Thessalonians 2:3-9).

The Son of Destruction will “take his seat in the Sanctuary of God,” the ‘naos theou’ (ναος θεου), the term Paul elsewhere applies to the Body of Christ. He will exalt and even deify himself, alienating many believers from the true Messiah - (1 Corinthians 3:16, 2 Corinthians 6:16, Ephesians 2:21).

The seductive words of this lawless man will cause many Christians to perish “because they welcomed not the love of the truth.” The way to avoid apostasy is to cling to the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles, no matter what. Every man and woman who does so will be saved – (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12).

Paul likewise warned Timothy that, in the Last Days, “some men will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons.” In the final years before the return of Jesus, many Christians will reject ‘sound teaching’ – (1 Timothy 4:1).

We see this today as believers and entire congregations are enticed by sensationalism and promises of esoteric knowledge instead of the principles and teachings of Scripture:

• “For the season will come when they will not tolerate sound teaching, but having itching ears, they will heap to themselves teachers after their lusts and turn away their ears from the truth and turn aside to fables” - (2 Timothy 4:3).

• “Evil men and howling impostors will become worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” – (2 Timothy 3:13).

The Greek term translated as “howling impostors” in 2 Timothy 3:13, or ‘goétes’ (γοητες), originally referred to sorcerers and shamans, practitioners of magical rituals designed to manipulate spiritual beings, including angels and demons. Such ancient practices and superstitions are found in many churches today - (1 Timothy 4:1, 2 Timothy 3:13, 4:3. Compare Isaiah 47:12-13).

EXPLOITING GOD’S SHEEP

Peter likewise warned of false prophets who will infiltrate the Body of Christ and rise to prominence in the Church during the last days:

• “But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you, also, there will be false teachers who will privily bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their lascivious doings because of whom the way of the truth will be evil spoken of. And in covetousness will they with feigned words make merchandise of you” – (2 Peter 2:1-3).

Invariably, false prophets are motivated by money, and so, they use their popularity to pick the pockets of unwary saints. Peter’s words accurately describe today’s ‘Prosperity Gospel’, a deception whereby ‘howling impostors’ promise Christians an abundance of wealth as long as they give generously to their “ministries,” a seductive lie and destructive heresy if ever there was one.

In recent years, there has been a sharp increase in the numbers and effectiveness of deceivers. They have lured many Christians astray with covetousness and twisted the Gospel into something alien to the Word of the Cross.

False prophets introduce occult practices, including mysticism, astrology, numerology, and other forms of divination. They turned millions of Christians into partisan cheerleaders for corrupt political movements that are contrary to the Gospel. In such ways, Satan’s servants, who “masquerade as messengers of light,” are preparing Christians for the arrival of the Beast and their submission to him.

The warnings of Jesus, Paul, and Peter are unfolding before our eyes, and apostasy is advancing rapidly. Only time will tell if this is the final apostasy and the moment when “the man without law, the Son of Destruction” is revealed.

[NOTE: Text that is printed in small capital letters represents quotations and verbal allusions of Old Testament passages]

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SEE ALSO:

• Disinformation - (Rumors about the Day of the Lord caused alarm and confusion among the believers of Thessalonica – 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2)

• The Beast is Rising! - (To identify the Antichrist, we must first understand what the relevant biblical passages say about him, his methods, and his objectives)

• The Apostasy - (Paul warned of the coming Apostasy and linked it to the unveiling of the Man without Law when he takes his seat in the Church)

• Imposteurs et Bêtes - (Le Nouveau Testament prédit la montée de faux prophètes qui amèneront de nombreux croyants à abandonner leur foi et à se trahir les uns les autres)