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This is David Bay, Director of Old Paths Ministries.
And this is the Cutting Edge, a radio program dedicated to warning and informing God's people. We are committed to the study and exposition of the inerrant, inspired and authoritative Word of God. The views expressed belong to us, and are not necessarily shared by this station.
The moral bankruptcy of our society is well-documented.
But, few people understand why we have become morally bankrupt. However, when we look at society through the eyes of God, through the Bible, we can easily see why we are facing the unprecedented troubles today. This study of America through the eyes of God is what we will always try to do here; stay with us for some eye- opening truths.
Before we get started on today's theme, False Faith, we want to take a very private and informal poll. If you believe that we are, indeed, living in the End of the Age, please raise your hand. Thank you, I thought that most of you would agree with me. This world has entered into the final stage, where Anti-Christ is very close to appearing to begin the final stage of history called the Tribulation period.
Since the vast majority of our listeners agree that we are living in the end of the age, several critical factors come into play. Once we understand these factors in their proper context, namely today's events, we can better understand the events of the day and the leaders causing these events to unfold. Turn with me to the book of Revelation, chapter 13, starting with verse 11. The context in this chapter is the description of both the Anti-Christ, described in verses 1-10, and the False Prophet, described in verses 11-18. We want to focus on the False Prophet.
"And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon."
We know this beast is the False Prophet because he is described as "having two horns like a lamb", a perfect description of the True Jesus Christ. Over and over in the New Testament, Jesus is described as the "Lamb of God" or the "Lamb that taketh away the sins of the world". This is clearly a religious leader of a church which calls itself Christian. This prophetic description also strongly indicates that the peoples of the world perceive this religious leader to be genuinely Christian. However, this man is not genuinely Christian; rather, in his heart of hearts, he is Satanic, as evidenced by the descriptive words, "he spake as a dragon". The word, "dragon" is clearly speaking of Satan. Turn with me to Revelation 20:2, where God makes this meaning very clear.
"And he (an angel) laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan..."]
This false religious leader, whom Bible scholars call the False Prophet, is far different on the inside than he is on the carefully groomed outside. On the inside, he is demonically possessed, serving Lord Satan completely; on the outside, Madison Avenue techniques have been employed to make it appear to the peoples of the world that he is a genuine Christian. He will deceive the peoples of the world and it is he who leads the world into the worship of Anti-Christ, both openly through worshipping the image of Anti-Christ and secretly through the imposition of the economic system involved in taking the mark.
Now turn with me to Revelation 17:12-17. In this passage, we see that the political leaders of the world, described as the ten horns or ten kings, cooperate with both the Anti-Christ and the False Prophet to deliver the world to Satan. However, we see that the ten kings hate the false prophet so much they turn on him and totally destroy him. However, the point which we want to make, loudly and clearly is that the characteristics of the ten political kings and the False Prophet are identical. They all are very different on the outside than on the inside. They all appear very calm normal, patriotic, and sincere on the outside, just like "good ole boys". But, on the inside, they are filled with demonic beings, who want only to deliver the world for Anti-Christ, to bring into full completion his kingdom, called the New World Order. Please, please, please, keep this in mind as you evaluate the leaders of America today, especially President Bill Clinton. The President of the United States is planned to be the leader of Nation #1 of their 10-Nation Global Reorganization Plan. Therefore, the President will be the one of the 10 horns of this passage. He will appear normal on the outside, but will be demonic on the inside. Since Bill Clinton may be the President who leads us officially into the New World Order, he is this type of person. Do not be deceived.
Furthermore, do not be deceived about the lesser leaders in our country and around the world who are fully supportive of the drive to the New World Order. We believe it highly probable that they, also, are cut out of the same cloth as the leaders of the 10 Super Nations of Anti-Christ. In fact, Master D.K., writing in the "Externalisation of the Hierarchy", repeatedly states that the members of the Logos have carefully selected the many thousands of leaders who will be responsible for actually bringing the world into the New World Order. This statement means that Satan has carefully selected these leaders. For example, we know that Vice-President Al Gore is an avowed Mother Earth worshipper, as is clearly evident in his book, "Earth In The Balance" and by his many statements of faith to New Age gatherings over the past 20 years. Gore is definitely not the Southern Baptist he is purporting to be. We believe that most of the members of Congress have likewise been carefully chosen to serve in their capacity in this moment of time. Most of them openly support the New World Order, and they have been able to secure their political victories only because they have been supporters of this drive.
The Reverend John MacArthur reported in one of his taped messages that a former member of the New Age Movement, a former ardent supporter of the New World Order, who was now a Born-Again Christian, told him emphatically that many of the officials of the United Nations are demonically possessed. After our lesson several weeks ago concerning the original demonic plan for the United Nations, we cannot be surprised that many of its officials are demonically possessed. However, what is true for the gander is true of the goose. United States' officials have always been very supportive of the United Nations, especially the members of the Clinton Administration. Do not be deceived.
Now, let us return to our subject of the False Prophet. He is pictured as being truly Christian, but he is inwardly Satanic. How could the Christian Church have been so invaded with Satanic falsity masquerading as Truth that this scenario could have come into reality? Let us begin this study from a Biblical source. Turn with me to 1 Timothy 4:1 as Paul predicts, through the power and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils..." Simply put this is a prophecy that at the End of the Age, some Christian leaders shall depart from the Truth they once held dear and begin to teach doctrines which demons teach. Paul then gave two examples of such demonic doctrines, and these examples should make everyone sit up and take notice, because they seem to speak directly to the condition of the Roman Catholic Church. The two examples which Paul gives of doctrines that demons teach are :
* Forbidding to marry
Nowhere in Scripture does one find the teaching that people should abstain from marriage, even priests. However, one does find this doctrine of priestly celibacy consistently in Pagan religions.
* Commanding to abstain from meats
Again, Scripture simply does not teach that people should not eat meats. Under the Old Covenant, God classified some meats clean and some unclean, but nowhere do we find vegetarianism advocated. Again, one does find the teaching of Vegetarianism quite consistently in Pagan and Satanic circles.
Notice the description Paul gives in verse 2 of the spiritual condition of the people who have strayed from the Truth of the Gospel and are now teaching demonic doctrines in the place of Biblical Truth. Paul says they "..speak lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron." This condition literally means that these men will no longer feel the working of the Holy Spirit in their lives convicting them of sin and error and urging repentance. Rather, these men, living in the End of the Age, will be beyond the influence of the Holy Spirit. As such, they will be easily susceptible to the control of Satan. Doesn't this scenario sound terribly close to the assertion we made last week, that the leaders of our country and of the world today have likely committed the Unpardonable Sin as a result of their involvement in Secret Societies? These men would have had their consciences seared as with a hot iron, also.
Now, let us turn to 2 Thessalonians 2 to see the practical result of this departure of certain Christian leaders from the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We will find that the end result of this departure from the Truth is truly earth shattering. This departure from the Truth of Jesus Christ will open the door for Anti-Christ to arise. Look with me at this passage, "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or troubled...that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition."
The Greek word for "falling away" in this passage is "apostasia", from which we get our current word, "Apostasy". Apostasy literally means, departure from known truth. Bible scholars use this word to refer to the End Time condition whereby Christian leaders, who once knew the Truth, depart from it knowingly and deliberately. According to the passage which we quoted above, Anti-Christ cannot arise until and unless the True Christian Church deliberately and knowingly departs from the Truth of Jesus Christ. Once the Church does depart, however, the Biblical stage is set for Anti-Christ to appear. In other words, the Christian Church is the one road block which Anti-Christ cannot overcome. All he can do is wait, hoping that the current leadership of the Christian Churches will begin to lead their flocks into the critical departure from the Truth. Therefore, Christian Churches hold the key to the appearance of Anti-Christ.
Thus, we should be very alarmed when we realize that the majority of Christian Churches have been departing from the absolute Biblical Truth since the late 1800's. Today, this departure is so wide and so deep that the stage seems set for Anti-Christ to appear. We have spoken extensively about this departure from the Faith, and we do not have the time to go into it in depth. However, a brief overview does seem to be in order. There are critical ways in which this departure from the Truth has been manifested by Christian leaders. Not every leader has exhibited all these characteristics, but they generally believe and practice in one or more.
Once these many denials have taken deep root, the world quickly reaches the place where actual accommodation with the Satanic world begins to occur. This accommodation with Satan quickly degenerates into outright acceptance by so-called Christian leaders. This acceptance produces the stench of a dead and decaying body, the body of the formerly great Christian Church.
We are at this stage now, as the following News Brief demonstrates so dramatically. The Boston Globe, July 18, 1993, carried a story entitled, "Latter-day witches find a Seat in Salem". This story reports that the Salem Religious Leaders Association had just voted to admit into their ranks a new minister from a new congregation. The new minister's name was Shawn Poirier, and he was the high priest of the Rosarian Order of Wicca. Mr. Poirier is a practicing witch!
The article continues to report that "he joins Episcopals, Catholics, Jews, and even an evangelical Methodist" on this ministerial council. The council has met since the early 1950's to discuss matters of faith, to plan charitable activities in the town, and to provide mutual support for pastors. This council began originally as a Protestant Pastors council, which is barely acceptable, because it means that these pastors were willing to sweep aside the doctrinal differences which separated them for the sake of unity. However, at this point, the differences were far more minor than they are now. At least, these Protestant ministers could at least agree on the major tenants of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
But, the erosion of the holiness and separateness which Jesus demands had begun. In the early 1970's this council voted to accept Roman Catholics into their midst. This action was a true breach of the wall, because Roman Catholics have long incorporated Paganism into their Christian foundation. They have been teaching a salvation by works and through persons other than Jesus Christ alone for over 1,000 years. The body of dead Christian liberal churches was beginning to smell.
However, this action of inviting a practicing witch to participate in the activities of the Salem Religious Leaders Association thoroughly shows the advanced stage of death and decay. No one can any longer deny it. At least, one of the Protestant ministers had the courage to admit it. The Rev. Wilkinson, the rector at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, was quoted as saying that, while the decision to welcome Shawn Poirier into the group was a relatively easy one, it was the culmination of an "evolutionary process". At last we have someone who is willing to admit the truth. We human beings are creatures of progression, just as Paul warned in 1 Cor 5:6, "...know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?" Jesus and the Apostles used leaven as the symbol of false teaching. Paul is saying here that just a little false teaching ruins the entire loaf of bread. A true church can be destroyed by the introduction of just a little false teaching. When you see the introduction of vast quantities of "doctrines that demons teach", as the End Time prophecy calls it, you know that the body of Christian Churches who accepted this false teaching is dead and decaying. This action of accepting a witch into the minister's town council is just a major sign of the times.
Finally, make no mistake about the true grounds on which this witch was accepted. The Rev. Wilkinson, quoted above, boldly stated that "The association does not necessarily mean...that we are endorsing witchcraft. It just means that we're recognizing it as a valid faith tradition..." You know we are at the end when a "Christian" leader will verbalize the lie straight out of the pit of Hell, that witchcraft -- the worship of Satan -- is a "valid faith".
Now that the majority of Christian Protestant Churches have joined with Roman Catholicism in departing from the Truth and the Narrow Way of the Gospel, the Anti-Christ is waiting in the wings. He is preparing his dramatic appearance. The Guiding Spirits of the New Age leaders are predicting his soon appearance. These predictions are producing tremendous excitement among followers of the occult today. What does the Bible say as to the timing of his appearance? In Daniel 2:7-8, in the prophecy of the Ten Horns, we see a very specific sequence of events.
This is precisely the plan for the New World Order. They have created a reorganization of the world into 10 Super Nations. The European Economic Community, officially established on December 31, 1992, is Nation Number Two. Now, only one Super Nation remains to be established, the Nation listed first, called North America. The NAFTA Treaty, now before Congress, establishes this nation. Then, all the United Nations has to do is to meet and formally vote life into the entire 10-Nation structure. Then, the New World Order plan parallels Biblical prophecy when it then calls for Maitreya the Christ to arise to take control of the newly created political and economic structure of the world.
And the Christian Churches allowed it to happen. Those leaders who lead the way to liberalization will stand before Jesus Christ on the Day of the White Throne Judgment, and will have to suffer mighty eternal judgment for their role in preparing the way for Anti-Christ. And, won't they all be surprised? For it seemed so logical and so normal to open their arms to other Christian churches first, to the Roman Catholics second, and to Satanism last. Never before have Jesus' prophetic words concerning the White Throne Judgment in Matthew 7:21-23 taken on such meaning. When these men protest their eternal judgment, saying, "Lord, why aren't we going to Heaven? Why, we did such great works in your name. We cast out demons, we preached the Plan of Salvation, we did many mighty Christian works, all in Your Name." Jesus' awful reply will echo down through eternity: "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity".
This is the terrible reality facing every leader of so-called Christian apostate churches today. And while it is certainly horrible, there is another horrible result of this willful departure from the Christian Truth. Remember the prophecy of Daniel, quoted above, where three of the ten Super Nations of Anti-Christ are destroyed? Since America is leading the rush into the New World Order, and since we are definitely the leader of Nation Number One, it is certainly possible that we are one of the nations to be destroyed. This possibility increases dramatically when you factor in the fact that God always delivers the greater punishment to the individual or nation who rebelled against the greater spiritual Truth. Certainly, America has been exposed to the greatest spiritual Truth ever known -- the Truth of Jesus Christ -- and we have been saturated with this Truth on a scale unlike any nation existing today.
America is prime for physical judgment. We believe God will deliver this judgment upon America in precisely the same manner as He delivered it upon Israel, as recorded in the Major Prophets. Turn with me to Ezekiel 9, as God foretells how He is going to destroy Israel. God gives a vision in which He calls forth seven men from Heaven. Six of these men carry the double bladed axes of execution; one man is dressed in linen and carried an inkhorn rather than an execution axe. These seven men entered the Temple and stood by the brasen, or bronze, altar. Bronze is typically used in the Bible as a symbol of God's judgment, so we know that these men are on a mission of judgment.
As these men were standing before the bronze altar, the Glory of God raised up above the cherubim on which It had been resting, and moved over the Temple threshold. Then, God gave these seven men His execution instructions. He said to the man who carried the ink bottle,
"Go through the midst..of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof". In other words, God was setting a mark on upon the foreheads of every person in Jerusalem who truly loved Him and who obeyed His commandments. Like Lot before the destruction of Sodom, their souls agonized over the many sins they saw being committed in their midst. Isn't it comforting to know that God does know His own people, and that He will take great pains to ensure that none of them will be destroyed with the wicked in judgment?
Then, God gives His instructions to the six executioners, "Go after him (the man with the ink bottle) through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: Slay utterly old and young, both maids and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark..." God's judgment against these Israelites was the most severe imaginable. He showed no pity, killing small children, young virgins, women and old people, without mercy. This scene is reminiscent of the instructions God gave to Israel when they conquered the Promised Land. In this instance, we know the reason God ordered everyone to be killed among the Pagan population, even the babies. God knew that if any of the Pagan population survived, it would not be long before they returned to the Pagan worship of Satan which their parents had practiced. So it is here. God knew that He could not spare any Israelite who had practiced sins of abomination in Jerusalem and in His Holy Temple.
But, then God told His executioners where they were to start their slaughter, and this revelation should send a massive torrent of shudder to cascade down the backs of every person in America today. God ordered, "Begin at My sanctuary". God's judgment was to begin with the sin and apostasy in His church. God's warning to the liberal churches and their ministers today, who are busily denying the key doctrines of the Bible could not be more clear. Repent now, while Today is still called Today, while the Grace and Mercy of God is still in effect. Repent and turn. God's judgment is not far away.
And when Congress ratifies the NAFTA treaty, we know with great certainty that God's judgment is very close. Since we believe that the Economic Babylon which God so graphically destroys in Revelation 18 is the United States, let us end our program here. In Revelation 18:8, Jesus foretells, "Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death and mourning and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God Who judgeth her." Jesus then further narrows down the time frame in which this Economic Babylon is destroyed, in verse 17, to one hour.
No nation has ever been destroyed in one hour. Only nuclear weapons can deliver such destruction. And, make no mistake about the fact that the world today is far more unstable and dangerous than it has ever been. America could suffer nuclear annihilation from any one of many small and large nations in today's world.
And when it happens, God will somehow ensure that His judgment will begin with His false, liberal church.
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