Cedric Fisher: "earnestly contending for the faith."

When the Eagles Gather

Cedric Fisher – February 26, 2019

I have no doubt that the temporal realm is in its final years before the Second Coming of Christ. There are indications that the world system is prepared for the Antichrist’s revealing. Concurrently, much is occurring and changing in the religious sector that indicates the emergence of the False Prophet. In order to clearly portray what is getting ready to occur it is helpful to present the general state of Christianity.

The State of Christianity
Christianity, the religion, has substantially come under the spells of diabolical and clever users and abusers. Subsequently, the lack of biblical character disqualifies it as a universal body of people devoted to following Christ. Reduced to a mere title symbolizing what’s left of the 2000-year-old religion, it is in imminent danger of collapsing from the weight of its apostasy. As a grass-covered layer of topsoil over a massive sinkhole, shallow roots are all that hold its facade together. Why are professing Christians so unaware of the impending catastrophe? Why are the ones who are aware so disinterested? Their minds are closed by apathy, and their ears and eyes are dull with denial.

It appears most professing Christians love religion more than a relationship with God, and they love doctrines more than truth. Furthermore, the flames of their love became dying embers before the heretics and hirelings arrived. Their present complacency, apathy, and lethargy sustain heretics and hirelings in their positions. Consequently, numerous branches of heresy flow like dirty water from a broken pipe. The sum of it all has produced an unbridled spirit in professing Christians that has spread like a virus.

A Broken Moral Compass
Consequently, the spiritual atmosphere is turning loathsome. Discarding moral restraints unleashed scores of ministers to commit sexual sins, including sex crimes against children, and other great wickedness. For every vile incident revealed, it is likely many more episodes of that same unrestrained evil remain hidden. Mark my words—the revelations about the profusion of sexual abuse, pedophilia, adultery, pornography, and other wickedness in churches and by ministers, will increase.

According to a recent Barna report, “Most pastors (57%) and youth pastors (64%) admit they have struggled with porn, either currently or in the past.” Approximately 2/3 of professing Christian men view porn. Furthermore, Barna reported. “Overall, 21 percent of youth pastors and 14 percent of pastors admit they currently struggle with using porn.”

It is indicative that the moral compass guiding Christians for eons is broken. However, very few high profile leaders are risking their reputations and positions to stand against the apostasy. They are very busy trying to remain relevant. Relevancy in a time of apostasy is becoming a facilitator of it. Woe to the sinfully deaf and dumb condition of the body of Christianity! Who can unstop its ears, heal its scaly eyes, and restore its dead compassion?

Imminent Implosion
The failure to stem the invasion of wickedness in Christianity is symptomatic of a great, spiritual, anemia. How can Christianity not implode? I must add that putting great effort behind a political leader to ensure security from secular danger will not prevent Christianity from imploding. Political security is no better than the thick cloud of apathy covering a great valley of prayerless, non-committed, professing Christians. The piercing and alarming truth is that Christianity is being prepared to collapse in confusion and fear-driven acquiescence to the False Prophet. It will produce little or no opposition on the day that the Man of Sin arrives.

The Coalescing of Culture and Religion and the Global Church
Obviously, the secular and religious sectors are quickly nearing readiness for each to be dominated by an unprecedented evil leader. When Antichrist manifests, he will gain economic and political control of 7.53 billion people. However, he would be unable to capture such power without an alliance with the False Prophet. I remember reading that a Communist leader remarked after Gorbachev’s Perestroika something to the effect, “Communism did not fail—it merely failed to include religion.” Someone might argue that Communism is a religion. Perhaps, but it has no viable god. When mankind makes a god there is a thin line between it and a devil. It will be no different when Antichrist comes into power, but people will not realize that fact.

Antichrist will not make the mistake of rejecting religion. He will curry support from the False Prophet, leader of the global church. A “woman” will ride the Beast (Revelation 17:3-6). The Global Church will provide the semblance of having a viable god. Billions of people will willingly bow and worship the god of the New World Order.

The Roman Catholic Church already calls itself the Universal Church. Thus, a Global church has been in the process of formation for some time. It simply has the onerous problem of Protestantism and competition from Islam. Without a hint of discretion, Pope Francis is pandering and offering concessions to Islamic leaders. The Pope recently signed an agreement with a popular Imam described as a “declaration of fraternity, calling for peace between nations, religions, and races.” The Vatican released a new logo, which is a cross and a crescent, for the Pope’s visit to Morocco. According to the Vatican they “are symbols of Christianity and Islam which highlight the interreligious relations between Christians and Muslims.” The symbol certainly seems to be the symbol of Chrislam; an ominous sign that the association the Roman Catholic hierarchy seeks with Islam is gliding smoothly to culmination.

The Pope presently controls 1.2 billion Roman Catholics. If Islam conflates with Roman Catholicism and comes under the Pope’s control. That would be another 1.5 billion for a total of 2.7 billion under his command—approximately 36% of the world’s population. Furthermore, there is a major effort by influential individuals to reunite Protestantism with the RCC. Both religious sectors have been flirting with New Age paganism for some time, which could be the factor to unify them. If the world’s religions merged with Roman Catholicism, and my calculations are correct, it would give the Pope religious control of 77% of the world’s population, or 5.79 billion people.

Islam’s “Apostasy”
It is proper to question if such a thing as an amalgamation of Islam and Roman Catholicism is even remotely possible. I believe that it depends on who the pope is when the possibility arrives. Please indulge my speculation. Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rahi is of Lebanese descent and speaks fluent Arabic. He is considered a dark horse candidate for the next pope. However, there are other Lebanese Cardinals, Cardinals in Iraq, Pakistani, Syria, et cetera. There are also Arab priests from which Pope Francis could create an Arab Cardinal who could become a candidate for pope. Additionally, a situation is unfolding in the Mideast that could be a factor in a merger.

Currently in process is a significant religious shift involving Muslims that on the surface appears to be stunning good news. By some estimates as many as 16.5 million Muslims converted to Christianity. Various reports, including information by Open Doors USA, explain that Muslims are converting to Christianity after a visitation by a man claiming to be Christ. I contacted Open Doors USA and asked them, “What did Christ look like?” They did not respond to that question or any follow-up correspondence concerning why they are promoting the testimonies of the visitation.

The fact is, no one knows what Christ looks like. So how do we know if it is actually Christ appearing to Muslims? First, it does not agree with God’s word. When Christ left, He sent another Comforter, the Holy Spirit, who convicts sinners and draws them to repentance. It does appear likely that He would take over the Holy Spirit’s work.

Second, there is the fact that millions of Muslims converted to Christianity are joining the Roman Catholic Church. Considering the “declaration of fraternity” between the world’s two largest religions, if that trend continues what is left to prevent a merger between them? If the fruit of those encounters leads Muslims into Roman Catholicism, it is extremely improbable that Christ (or God) had anything to do with it.

Third, Christ warned that a powerful deception such as the Muslim visitation would occur. He warned that it would be clever enough that if possible the very elect would be deceived. It is the reason I questioned Open Doors about promoting the Muslim’s claim to have been personally visited by Christ

“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it.” (Matthew 24:24-26)

Then He described how His Coming would manifest. Christ first makes it clear that He is not going to return in a number of visitations, Instead, His return will be once, ubiquitous, and instantaneous, as lightning flashes across the sky.

“For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matthew 24:27)

Therefore, we have to consider that Christ was/is not the man appearing to Muslims.

Where Eagles Gather
After that passage, Christ made a puzzling statement as an explaination that His Coming will occur at the end of the age. It is further proof that He is not appearing to Muslims to convert them to Roman Catholicism.

“For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.” (Matthew 24:28)

Scholars and theologians disagree about the meaning of this verse. Some say that the “eagles” are the believers and the “carcass” is Christ. I do not believe that Christ would refer to Himself during His glorious appearing as a “carcass.” Certainly, the Believers will instantly be with the Lord at the Parousia. However, they will have “joy unspeakable and full of glory,” which is not suggested by “eagles gathered around a carcass.’ Obviously, Christ is referring to something other than Himself and the saints in His statement.

We should consider the context and geographical backdrop at the time of His statement. He referred to His Second Coming immediately before He made the “eagles” statement. Additionally, He was sitting on the Mount of Olives overlooking the venue where He will open a large valley for Israel to flee through, and defeat the armies that pursue them (Zachariah 14:3-5).  Finally, the Scriptures are clear that He is coming with vengeance and flaming fire.

“… since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.” – 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10

Thayer’s Greek Lexicon indicates (as does Strong’s Concordance) that the Greek word for “eagles” should be translated as “vultures.” Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words also indicates that “eagles” should be interpreted as “vultures.”

“In Mat 24:28; Luke 17:37 the vultures are probably intended. The meaning seems to be that, as these birds of prey gather where the carcass is, so the judgments of God will descend upon the corrupt state of humanity.” (Vine’s)

The “eagles” statement is obviously intended to make it clear that when He appears it will be with vengeance to wreak havoc on the enemies of God.

“Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. Thus the Lord my God will come, and all the saints with You.” Zachariah 14:3-5

“Wail, for the day of the Lord is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty.”
“Behold, the day of the Lord comes, cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and He will destroy its sinners from it.”
“Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth will move out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts and in the day of His fierce anger.” – Isaiah 13:6, 9, 13

Undoubtedly knowing the words of Christ, Apostle Paul also denounced deceivers who insisted that Christ had already come.

“Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.” – 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2
The Great Deception
It should be concluded that the central focus of eschatology, the Parousia, will also be the focus in the great, end-times battle, between truth and deception. Whoever controls the perception of the Parousia will control the minds of billions of professing Christians. Therefore, if we place everything in order, a great deception begins to emerge.

The context is the end times and the false christs that will arrive to deceive many. Antichrist and the False Prophet will ascend to power while working spectacular signs and wonders and deceive many. Adherents of false religions will join many professing Christians under that deception. The intent of the deception is that to convince them that Christ has come. If professing Christians, and even many individuals mired in false religions, believe that Christ has come, it would make the true Coming of Christ completely unexpected (Luke 12:40).

I can see a scenario where the tandem masters of deception, one in control of the secular realm and the other in control of religion, proclaim that the Antichrist is a deity. The fact is, individuals who have rejected love for truth will already be convinced of the Antichrist’s deity when he manifests “all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception.” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10)

However, here is the point I am attempting to make. The Antichrist will seat himself in the temple and declare that he is God. Because of the great lying signs and wonders, billions of people will accept the Antichrist’s claims. However, there is a stunning twist in that narrative. God is invisible. Therefore, how can they believe that the Antichrist is God when God is not seen? The answer is that God in the flesh is Christ. The Antichrist will claim to be God in the flesh, i.e., Christ.

The False Prophet will support that lie and convince his followers to believe that Antichrist is Christ. Thus, worshipping billions may believe that the Parousia has occurred and Christ is on His throne. Numerous Jews may also believe that he is the Messiah.

Millions of apostates will believe the lie without question. Weak and unprepared professing Christians that remained in denial and apathy throughout the precursory period will cave to the pressure to agree. Faced with the prospect of brutal suffering, confused as to why they are even in such a predicament, and bamboozled by the lying signs and wonders, they will abandon their belief in the Parousia.

The consequence is they will no longer believe in and watch for the Second Coming of Christ. Instead, billions of deceived individuals will be led to worship a false Christ.

Conclusion:
We should decide if we are in the period when this scenario could occur. There is no doubt that apostate Christianity and false religions are converging. Deceived and deluded professing Christian leaders are giddily courting ecumenism with the RCC. The New Age Movement has infiltrated into high levels of leadership in Christianity. Millions of professing Christians are buying New Age literature disguised as Christianity. Millions more are entering the Christ consciousness via Contemplative Spirituality. The Charismatics and Pentecostals are lured and being deceived by the New Apostolic Reformation’s demonic lying signs and wonders. New Christianity, apostate from the onset, is in the process of formation by major professing Christian leaders.  They all are set on a course of amalgamation with the RCC and quite possibly Islam.

Concurrently, deceived and deluded masses in the world system are converging around extremely wicked individuals. In the United States, influential entertainment figures, large corporations, diabolical politicians, et cetera, have thrown off moral restraints. It seems that every week a new outrageous wickedness is foisted on the nation. Conversely, politicians have not ended the epidemic of pedophilia, sex trafficking, and other satanic blights on civilization. Instead, it appears that they have joined an all-out war on godliness. In States that they control they have passed or are attempting to pass legislation to murder babies after they are born.

The abortion industry is responsible for the most cold-blooded brutality of human death in the history of the world. Their infant murder count exceeds all the wars that have ever been fought. There have been 1,524,594,894 surgical abortions in the world (with one abortion each second, that number changed immediately as I typed it). It is abundantly clear when the coalition of world leaders erects the thrones for government and religion, it will install two architects of the most brutal tyranny since Hitler, Lenin, Mao, and PolPot combined. Is not the world nearing judgment?

What is exceptionally ominous is that numerous influential Christians, Churches, and Denominations, have loosely united to join with unrestrained eagerness the secular stampede to normalize and legalize wickedness. They are agreed on homosexuality and in some cases transgenderism. How long will before widespread support for pedophilia and abortion becomes the new normal in Christianity? I cannot help but believe that Christianity is in a free-fall into apostasy.

The great majority of professing Christians want to fit in with the world system. They want to have “Egypt” and the “Promised Land” but they do not wish to cross the river into full commitment. Furthermore, they refuse to be accountable and to fight the great fight of faith. Instead, they crave easy believism and compromise that puts them diametrically at odds with Christ and His Righteousness. And all indications are that they consider truth to be the embarrassing and awkward conservative at their liberal party.

As billions are unwittingly being prepared for the False Prophet and Beast with delirious anticipation, nothing remains in their way. Ignored or erased are the historical barriers to unbridled wickedness based on Judeo-Christian values. They cannot recognize the checks by the Holy Spirit, and cannot feel conviction. They are deaf to warnings by the watchmen, truth speakers, and prophets. Embedded with deception, under a great delusion, apostate and damned because they rejected love for truth, and drunken on liberty from all righteous restraints, they will run until they reach the place and time “where eagles gather.”

I encourage the Believers to be the Remnant. Let no one steal your identity and lure you to conform to avoid stress and hardships. Christ will appear when He said that He would. He is not coming to sit on a throne created by Satan, but will sit at the right hand of God. Christ exhorted that in our patience we will possess our souls (Luke 21:19). The Apostle James declared:

“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” – James 5:7-8

15 Comments

  1. Nancy

    Cedric, excellent albeit sobering commentary on the state of Christianity. I was really grieved while reading through this even though much of it I am already aware of. It’s just down right disturbing.

    Could you explain to me what you meant by the following: “and they love doctrines more than truth.” Are you talking about denominational doctrines or are you talking about Biblical doctrines in Scripture? I’m just a bit confused.

    Also, what I have always been a bit suspect about is that both Muslims (Quran) and Catholics worship The Queen of Heaven (aka Lucifer) and use similar rosary/prayer beads. Now is that a coincidence or was this by design if you catch my drift? Not sure how true this is but I do remember reading that the Jesuits (Vatican) created Islam and that those in the Vatican are actually crypto Jews (Synagogue of Satan). They want Jerusalem! I’m not talking about God’s remnant (the little flock), but those who say they are Jews but are not. Anyone can google Alberto Rivera, a jesuit priest who revealed some things before he was murdered. I bring all this up because even with what you shared in your commentary, Cedric, the rabbit hole is sooooooooooooo deep! No doubt, interesting days we are living in and for those with eyes to see and ears to hear, the veil is lifting and it’s not pretty. God Bless you and yours!

    • C.H. Fisher

      Hi Nancy, you asked about my statement, “People love doctrine more than truth.”

      In the N.T., the primary Greek words for “doctrine” are didaskalia, which means teaching or instruction, and didach?, which means teaching or that which is taught. The purest truth is teaching by God’s word to which all doctrines must yield. However, Christianity is rife with false doctrines that are particular to each denomination, independent organizations, churches, or individuals. Many of them are based on someone’s opinion. After a couple of generations those doctrines become sacrosanct. Thus, people cling to their doctrines instead of God’s word.

      However, in Matthew 16:12, Christ warned His disciples to beware of the doctrine of the Pharisees.

      In Ephesians 4:14, Paul warned about being “carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men.”

      Paul exhorted Timothy. “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” (1 Timothy 4:16)

      No matter what they were taught as a child, what their parents or grandparents believed, or what their favorite televangelist believes, people should be willing to make God’s word the absolute and unshakable standard for what they believe.

      I hope that helps clarify my statement that, “People love doctrine more than truth.”
      C.H.

      • ken Hall

        C.H…..I found the following couple of paragraphs by doing a Google search of “doctrine versus dogma” and the search revealed mostly Roman Catholic results.

        Although in many contexts “dogma” and “doctrine” are used interchangeably, in technical theological contexts “dogma” has a narrower meaning: a doctrine which has been given official status by a religious body. Especially in the Catholic Church dogmas are required beliefs whereas many other less firmly established beliefs are only doctrines.

        Nonspecialists writing about religion often ignore the distinction, and call a doctrine which has not received such official status a “dogma.” Since only some doctrines are dogmas but all dogmas are doctrines and since “dogma” often has negative connotations, it’s safer in non-technical religious contexts to stick with “doctrine.”

        The above statement is sourced from a Catholic site. I do not see the word dogma in the Holy Bible. That is why when I am talking about what I consider to be ‘false doctrine’, I say dogma. The RCC is rife with various dogmas and they say a dogma is sacrosanct. I believe and teach that OSAS is a dogma of the Protestant church. It is ‘sacrosanct’ in major ‘denominations’. OSAS is not a Bible ‘doctrine’ which I consider to be Bible truth. It is mans’ re-inventing of their perceived idea of the salvation process and perceived guaranteed ‘glorification’. I will even go as far as to say the teaching of OSAS could be a “doctrine of demons”. The dogmas associated with denominations such as the RCC like transubstantiation, purgatory, confession, the rosary, Mary worship, etc. are extra-Biblical dogmas. The TULIP is a reformed dogma (false doctrine). The teaching of OSAS is a baptist(mainly) dogma. True doctrine is Bible truth, dogmas are mans inventions or pet peeve theories (or the doctrine of demons).

        I hope I did not muddy the water too much. Much blessings to you and yours, C.H.

  2. Karen

    “Why are professing Christians so unaware of the impending catastrophe? Why are the ones who are aware so disinterested?”

    I’ve asked myself similar questions. What I’ve come to see is that the present state of the Protestant church, infiltrated by error and unclean spirits in both the evangelical and charismatic camps, has been allowed by the Lord. It has happened because we were so content and complacent. It is easy to look back and think that all was going so well xx number of years ago (1930’s? 1950’s? 1970’s? …). There were good things in those times but there were also things that we had written out of the church.

    For example, what about deliverance? Jesus delivered as many people as he healed. When he sent out the 12 they were told to preach, heal, and cast out demons (Matt. 10:8). When he sent out the 70 they obviously did the same because they came back rejoicing that even the demons were subject to them (Luke 10:17). Finally, just before his ascension, he tells his disciples to “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel … these signs will accompany those who believe in my name they will cast out demons” (Mark 16:17). And that is what they did – “The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those with unclean spirits, and they were all healed” (Acts 5:16). Obviously casting out evil spirits was the norm for Jesus, his disciples and the early church. What about 20th century Christianity? Oh, maybe the odd preacher or two – definitely regarded as odd by most. A great many taught that it was not for today, not necessary today, very rare, etc., and definitely not to be done by just any Christian.

    That is only one example – What about true sanctification, that Jesus didn’t just come to bring us forgiveness of sins but deliverance from the power of sin? What about having clergy – the whole problem of a church organization that is not at all Biblical? What about turning water baptism into nothing more than a rite? baptism in the Holy Spirit into an automatic something you already had?

    When you stand back and look at it, we had created a system that appeared (to us and we hoped, God) to satisfy all that he commanded us to do while carefully reasoning our way out of all the really uncomfortable parts of it. Or else we subscribed to things in theory but in actual fact did not live as though we believed them. How many of us have acted as though it was impossible for us to fall away even though we said we didn’t believe in “once saved, always saved?”

    I believe that God in his mercy has brought all these things upon his church to test us, to make it very uncomfortable for us, in order that we will be shaken awake and forced to contend for the faith. We need to desperately seek him and the truth and be willing to go wherever he takes us and admit where we have been wrong and blind.

    I don’t know if his return is soon or not. Jesus told us that no one, not even he himself, knew. What I do know is that I am called to stand for the truth and the gospel in my generation just as every Christian has through all time. Many of them also thought they were in the last days and were wrong. Maybe we will be wrong too, or maybe we will indeed be the last ones. Regardless, our job is still the same: know, stand, speak and live the truth of the gospel.

    • Linda

      Amen!

      Another thing the ‘church’ wants nothing to do with is growing in holiness! But that is our calling. Separation from the world and sin and being filled with the Holy Spirit and what is pleasing to God.

  3. Toni DePaoli

    Most excellent article. We’ve speculated that the verse in Matthew 24 about the vultures describes what will happen when the rapture occurs. Our bodies do not go to be with the Lord, our soul and spirit does. Therefore, when he calls us home, we get a new “tent”. That is why, all of a sudden, you’ll have a billion bodies lying around for vultures to attack. We will go through the tribulation…up to a certain point. The wrath of God is not meant for God’s people. We are shocked at the deception in the church. We have a Discipleship Counseling ministry. We’ve done this for 28 years. We try to align the lives of saints with God’s Word. There is SO much sin in the camp. So much deception. Judgment has begun in the house of God. I don’t even want to sneeze wrong or it will be on the six o’clock news. Thanks for the great piece. It’s refreshing to hear even if the message is a hard one to listen to.

  4. Nancy

    Thank you, Cedric, for clarifying. Amen!!

  5. Linda

    Bear with me here folks….

    The pope is the antichrist. How do I know? There are gifts of the Spirit for that. But aside from that, if anyone would disagree, I challenge them to give me one reason why they would think it is not so.

    I keep seeing comments to the affect of: “This one must be the false prophet, so the antichrist must be just around the corner.” But they have it backwards. The antichrist rises before the false prophet. Rev. 13 Then this one: “But… but… the rapture must come first!” First? Before what? 2 Thess. 2 says just the opposite, the rapture cannot come until the antichrist has been revealed. (See verses at teh bottom.) Even aside from pre trib, post trib, mid trib, pre wrath, etc., that is a Biblical fact we cannot get around. The fact is, there is nothing in the Bible that can be used to claim the contrary, there is nothing else that has to happen first. It does not mean that he is, but nothing can be used to say he isn’t. People just grasp at things because reality has become an inconvenient truth to most. Having the sequence wrong does lead to deception regarding the end times. The fact is, we are much further along than many ever thought.

    The problem? People are listening to false commentaries about the end times events, and even fictional and deceptive novels and movies. Then the line gets blurred as to what they actually read in the Bible and what they didn’t. To use an example, we have wolves today telling us that it is okay to take the mark of the beast (and still be saved), and that has been in the Left Behind series too. On the other hand, in the Bible we see the total opposite, it is impossible to take the mark of the beast and still be saved, all those who do land in the lake of fire.
    Rev. 14. Who will you believe???

    It seems to always come down to that same fork in the road. The Bible gives the narrow way of carrying our cross daily. Psst! Psst! The devil whispers to us that there is an easier way… you don’t really need to suffer for your faith… you can still be saved even though denying Jesus… because after all… He loves us that much… right? They obviously haven’t read Matthew 10; 32-33. That is our end of the relationship; loyalty to Jesus. And yes, we do have an end of it, but the devil has done a lot of work to cover that fact up too with false doctrines!

    So far we have had at least 20 years of ‘the great apostasy.’ All things have been coming together for the one world religion, government, and economy. The Antichrist has been revealed. Many are already flocking to him. There is yet more to be done by him of course, it’s not over yet. Then there will be some big world shaking events. He may switch seats but his identity remains. The false prophet will rise and point humanity to the antichrist. From there things will escalate even faster than they are now. The mark of the beast. Open persecution of Christians (who are still here, just not under God’s wrath, same as Noah). All the events of tribulation, judgments poured out. Many martyrs for the faith over this time. Some will live to the rapture before full wrath and destruction falls and sweeps the rest all away. Yes, circumstances surrounding Israel as well. In the end God restores paradise.

    We already see most of this every day and events leading up to it. Natural disasters will only increase. Persecution of the church will increase. Sin will increase. Deception, the delusion, and apostasy will increase. (But of course they will call it a ‘great awakening’). Even the very elect can be deceived.

    But even if someone knew nothing about any of this… Suppose they just were born again yesterday. They know the true gospel. They have the Holy Spirit and the joy of their salvation and fellowship with God. If someone came up to them and asked them to take the mark of the beast that swore allegiance to the devil, I’m pretty sure they would turn it down and face persecution. The mature Christians have no excuse either.

    But the question of the hour is: Are YOU prepared to stand for Jesus, until the end, in the face of brutal persecution? The early Christians were, as were the saints throughout the whole church age who suffered persecution and martyrdom to no end. But are YOU? When the fullness of the storm of persecution against Christians is unleashed, will you stand strong for Jesus no matter what, or will you cower? Will your knees buckle because you were not spiritually prepared? Is there still sin in your life? Have you begun to slumber in the comfort zone? Are there material things of this world that you have an unhealthy relationship with? (There will not be access to ipads in prison.) Have you lost your first love? NOW is the time to get right with God. We might not have tomorrow anyway.

    “Now we beseech you, brethren, 1{by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him}, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for 2{that day} shall not come, except there come 3{a falling away} first, and 4{that man of sin be revealed}, the son of perdition…” 2 Thess. 2; 1-3

    Note that the parts in braces labeled ‘1’ and ‘2’ are referring to the same event. It also says that this day cannot come before the falling away, and the revealing of antichrist. See braces labeled 2, 3, and 4 for this connection. Further, the event is referred to as one and the same, the appearing of Christ and the rapture, not two separate appearings (one pre trib and one later). And all of the events in ‘3’ and ‘4’ will occur before Christ’s return and the rapture. The road to deception begun to be laid long before most people think.

    “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. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.” Revelation 13; 11-12
    (The antichrist rises first, then the false prophet. It’s an unholy trinity mirror image of each person’s job.)

    “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
    And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. [Any questions?]
    Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.” Revelation 14; 9-13

    Ready or not, it is coming.

  6. Friend

    Thank you Pastor for this much needed message. We do not hear it enough from pulpits…sad to say. Recently read about the upcoming legislation called The Equality Act. The intent is to amend the Civil Rights Law of 1964 to include protection for all the sexually defiant behaviors of Satan. If passed, then the persecution of Christians will increase.

    Your concluding remarks are spot on!

    • Lillia

      I am not surprised that this is coming. I work in public schools and want to share an inside perspective. I don’t do anything that is contrary to the Lord, and even sneak in some things at times from a Christian perspective. But the time has come that I need to evacuate and this is the last year for me. Anyway, every year around January they do the history of Martin Luther King Jr. At first the books and materials just focused on racial equality and justice in that way, which I totally support. But recently I have noticed a shift in the terminology. There is more focus on terms like civil rights, ‘equality’ in general (equality is a term used by sodomites to justify themselves, such as ‘marriage equality’), and on not discriminating, etc. In several subtle ways the shift is being made and the bridge built to simply roll in civil ‘rights’ for gay marriage and that whole spectrum of sin on the platform built by this struggle for racial equality. All they have to do is add one more stripe to their civil rights rainbow for this to be complete. And this is found in materials prepared for education, which shows how the groundwork was being laid intentionally for a long time. I also heard that in May they were going to vote in CA about bringing indoctrination for sodomy into the public schools under ‘health’ education, most likely sex education. Yes, persecution will increase for us as Christians and our calling is to stand strong regardless of how dark the days get.

      • Friend

        Linda, thank you for sharing your information. Very sad for the children. In NJ, a law passed /about to pass that forces lgbt history into curriculum. They get to study Harvey Milk and more. How long will God be merciful to this country?!

  7. Cheryl

    EXCELLENT ARTICLE! We are so close, so very close to Tribulation staring Americans square in the face, it’s scary. It is imperative that our doctrine is sound, that our relationship is solid with Christ, and that our hearts are prepared for a time like we’ve never seen on this earth before.
    As FRIEND said, our persecution is going to increase greatly probably sooner than we think. It’s time to get serious, time to prepare to endure to the end.

  8. Rhonda Williams

    Linda,
    I am only asking for a short, quick answer but would you please tell me where in The Left Behind series does it say that people can take the mark and still be saved. I have not read these books but would like to know which book in the series has this spoken of. Thank you.

    • C.H. Fisher

      I believe that it was first presented with the character “Chang” in the book “The Mark” and continued in the book “Desecration.” Jerry Jenkins’ response when questioned is as follows.

      Q: How is it possible for Chang to be saved after receiving the double mark?
      A: “God looks on the heart,” replied Jerry B. Jenkins. “He was a believer first, and thus, always.”

      • Rhonda Williams

        Thank you so much Cedric. I’m glad I now have knowledge of this being in the series of books.

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