There is coming a pernicious deception of such great proportions the whole world will be duped.
God calls it a ‘strong delusion.’ The Merriam-Webster dictionary, defines delusion as, “an implication or inability to distinguish between what is real and what only seems to be real, often as the result of a disordered state of mind’…’something that is falsely believed or propagated.’ Delusion stems from the Greek feminine noun, planē, meaning ‘a deceptive belief.’ Never have truer words been spoken. The definition is apt, considering the magnitude of coming deception for those left behind, after the rapture. They will be unable to discern between what is ‘real’ and a facade of grandiose proportions, with all power, signs and lying wonders of Satan. They will not just believe ‘a’ lie, but ‘the lie,’ of acknowledging Satan and his angels as their creators, instead of God.
The false propagation of aliens as our progenitors will be the nucleus of the coming delusion.
We should never forget, one of the warnings Christ gave regarding the end of the age, was to, ‘take heed that no one deceives you” (Mat 24:4). Technically he was addressing the Jews primarily in this passage, as the Olivet Discourse, only infers the rapture, seeing the church was not birthed until the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2-Click here to find out more), however Christ’s warning is even more prescient today.
In the Twinkling of an eye
In a nutshell, the coming deception is thus; in a moment, in the ‘twinkling of an eye,’ possibly in excess of one billion people will instantly, be removed from the earth. This is known as the rapture of the church by evangelical Christians, but to the uninitiated, the sudden disappearance of huge swaths of the population, will change how people perceive reality itself.
In some parts of the world, it will be nighttime, and for others, daytime, but the sudden evacuation of the church, will require an explanation that only governments can provide. The ensuing chaos, in the wake of such an exodus will provide opportunities for greater control of the population, for those who do not want another ‘crisis to go to waste.’ The need to bring swift solutions will be paramount and the answers provided will be pure evil because the Antichrist will offer them willingly.
The Rapture Passages
There are three passages that describe the rapture of the church: 1st Corinthians 15, 1st Thessalonians 4, and 2nd Thessalonians 2. Our focus will be the third chapter. I urge you to read the other two chapters prior to proceeding further, so you are familiar with our imminent departure from the earth. If you want to learn more about the rapture, you can click here.
The church will never see the tribulation because it is a time of God’s ‘wrath’ (Rev 14:10, Rev 14:19, Rev 15:1, Rev 15:7 & Rev 16:1), and we (the Church) are not appointed to ‘wrath’ (1st Thess 5:9). Wrath is only preserved for God’s enemies (Nahum 1:2), the unrighteous, the ungodly and children of disobedience (Rom 1:18, Rom 2:5, Eph 5:6, Col 3:6). In contradistinction, we (the Church) are ‘sons of God,’ not enemies of God (Mat 5:9, Luk 20:36, Rom 8:14;19, Gal 3:26).
Defining Terms: Day of Christ vs Day of the Lord
The ‘Day of Christ’ and the ‘Day of the Lord’ are not synonymous. This has caused great confusion down the years and this delineation is evident in the King James Bible and those translations which honor the Textus Receptus. A review of scriptural passages concerning the Day of Christ, clearly reveals it is a time when the church meets Jesus and involves our judgment at the Bema Seat of Christ (in Heaven). The ‘Day of the Lord’ is a one thousand year period of time, commencing just prior to Christ’s Second Coming, and continues through the millennial reign of Christ. This ‘Day’ (of the Lord) includes the seven-year tribulation period and ends with the destruction of the current heaven and earth (2 Pet 3:10).
The Day of the Lord is mentioned 25 times in scripture and is described as a ‘terrible’ and ‘dreadful’ time of judgment for the ‘heathen’ (Joel 2:31, Eze 30:3, Mal 4:5 et. al.). The Day of the Lord will come ‘as a thief’ (1st Thess 5:2, 2 Pet 3:10), to the unsaved, because they are spiritually blind. The Day of the Lord is ‘darkness, not light’ (Amos 5:18) and comes upon the ‘proud and lofty’ (Isa 2:12). In contrast, the Day of Christ is a time of light and reward for service to Christ.
The seven-year tribulation is described as Jacob’s trouble (Jer 30:7). The ‘trouble’ is for the Jewish nation, and those left behind, not the church. Hence, the Day of Christ is something a believer looks forward to but they will never experience the Day of the Lord. The delineation between the Day of Christ and the Day of the Lord is also evident in the NKJV, MEV, Geneva and Tyndale Bibles. Here are scriptural verses which pertain to the ‘Day of Christ:’
Philippians 1:6 – “I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 1:10 – “That you may approve things that are excellent so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.”
Other scriptures regarding the Day of Christ: Phil 2:16, 1st Cor 1:7, 1st Cor 3:13, 1st Cor 5:5, 2nd Cor 1:14, 2nd Tim 1:12, 2nd Tim 1:18 and 2nd Tim 4:8.
Scriptures regarding the Day of the Lord: Isa 2:12, Isa 13:6, Isa 13:9, Jer 46:10, Eze 13:5, Eze 30:3, Joel 1:15, Joel 2:1, Joel 2:11, Joel 2:31, Joel 3:14, Amos 5:18, Amos 5:20, Obad 15, Zeph 1:7, Zeph 1:14, Zech 14, Mal 4:5, Acts 2:16-21, 1st Thess 5:2 and 2 Pet 3:10.
Therefore, in all of scripture, the church is told to look for the ‘Day of Christ,’ never the tribulation or the Antichrist.
Bear this in mind when we review our key passage shortly.
Historical Background: 2nd Thessalonians
The Epistles to Thessalonica were some of the very first the Apostle Paul wrote (51-52 A.D.). Galatians was his very first letter, written two years prior. Paul wrote 1st and 2nd Thessalonians from Athens, a place he visited shortly after leaving Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-15). Paul was writing to ‘brethren’ i.e., those in Christ Jesus.
The purpose for 2nd Thessalonians was to pacify the concerned brethren because of a forged letter, circulating within the region on Paul’s behalf, stating the rapture had already taken place. Some scholars contend this fake letter, was written by Hymenaeus and Philetus (2 Tim 2:17-18), but we can only speculate. Do not forget, Paul had already explained the rapture (‘gathering together unto Him’) in his first letter (1st Thessalonians 4:13-18), so the church was very familiar with this ‘mystery,’ revealed to Paul, in the Saudi Arabian wilderness, following his conversion on the road to Damascus (Click here to find out more about the mysteries of God).
2nd Thessalonians 2:1–12: The Key Passage
I now present to you the key text of our study, with my emphasis added (in RED):
“1 Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and concerning our gathering together unto Him (i.e., the Rapture), we ask you not to let your mind be quickly shaken or be troubled, neither in spirit nor by word, nor by letter (fake letter) coming as though from us, as if the day of Christ (gathering together in heaven, i.e. the Rapture) is already here.
3 Do not let anyone deceive you in any way. For that ‘Day (of Christ)’ will not come unless a falling away (Rapture) comes first, and the man of sin (Antichrist) is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself as God (Abomination of Desolation-Mat 24:15).
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you, I told you these things (concerning the Rapture in my first letter to you, viz 1st Thessalonians). Now you know what restrains him (Antichrist) that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already working. Only He (the Church) who is now restraining him (Antichrist) will do so until He (the Church) is taken out of the way (via the Rapture).
8 Then the lawless one (Antichrist) will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth, and destroy with the brightness of His presence, even him, whose coming is in accordance with the working of Satan with all power and signs and false wonders (UFO’s anyone?)
10 and with all deception of unrighteousness among those who perish, because they did not receive the love for the truth that they might be saved. Therefore, God will send them a strong delusion, that they should believe the lie:
12 that they all might be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (in other words, unbelievers left in the aftermath of the tribulation are at the mercy of demonic deception because they willfully refused the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ during the time of Grace).”
Falling Away or Catching away – Spiritual Departure or Physical Departure?
The first point, is that if the ‘falling away’ is an apostasy or moving away from the faith, this has been happening from day one. Ever since Christianity was conceived, many have left the faith on an ongoing basis. To presume there is one big mass apostasy, coming up, is a strange presumption to begin with. Granted there are doctrines of devils causing many to stray in the ‘latter times’ (1st Tim 4:1), but these ‘last days’ have been transpiring for two millennia (Heb 1:2).
Secondly, Paul calls it ‘the’ falling away. This implies a time bound component as ‘the’ is a definitive article.
Thirdly, it is important to realize the noun form of the Greek word used for ‘falling away’ (apostasia) can refer to a physical departure in other parts of scripture (Acts 21:21).
Fourthly, the verb form of the same word for apostasia (aphistemi) is found 15 times in the New Testament and in only three instances, does that verb mean a ‘spiritual departure.’ Therefore, in the majority of instances, the verb form means a physical departure (75% of the time). The context of Paul’s letter is to address, the concern of church members, who thought they’d missed the rapture, therefore a physical departure or falling away is requisite, prior to the revealing of the Antichrist. Paul uses six different Greek words to describe the rapture in his writings and there is great variety in his description of the rapture. We are grateful to Dr. Andy Woods for his research regarding the noun and verb forms of apostasia.
Scholars testify to a physical departure
In addition, Dr. Thomas Ice and Dr. Tim LaHaye of the Pre-Trib Institute, also hold this view of ‘’falling away’ as a physical departure, along with famous Lexicons such as, Liddell and Scott, Arndt and Gingrich, Moulton and Milligan and Lampe. Other scholars who hold this view include, John Dawson B.A., John Lineberry, B.A., Rev. J. R. Major M.A., John Parkhurst, Robert Scott, James Donnegan M.Div., Dr. Roy Hicks D.D., E. Schuyler English, Stanley Ellison and Gordon Lewis.
Another strong proponent of the viewpoint that ‘falling away’ means departure, is Kenneth Samuel Wuest (1893–1962). He was a noted Greek scholar of the mid-Twentieth century and professor of New Testament Greek at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, having published over a dozen books on the New Testament. Here is an excerpt of his New Testament translation:
“Do not begin to allow anyone to lead you astray in any way, because that day shall not come except the aforementioned departure [of the Church to heaven] comes first and the man of the lawlessness is disclosed [in his true identity], the son of perdition, he who sets himself in opposition to and exalts himself above everyone and everything…” (2nd Thess 2:3-4:).
The Bibles Speak for themselves
Further acceptance of this ‘departure’ viewpoint is expounded by C.J. Lovik, who recognized that in the six English Bibles prior to the King James Authorized Version (1611), the translation for “falling away” was either ‘departure or departing,’ but never ‘apostasy;’ they are:
- Wycliffe Bible (1394)
- Tyndale Bible (1526)
- Coverdale Bible (1535)
- Crammer Bible (1539)
- Breeches Bible (1576)
- Geneva Bible (1608)
Therefore, for two hundred and seventeen years, the English Bibles identified ‘falling way’ as the physical departure of church, (i.e., in the rapture), instead of ‘rebellion’ from the faith.
For some unknown reason, the King James scribes changed the text from this traditional viewpoint.
Even Jerome in his Latin vulgate (400 AD), renders the word apostasia, as the Latin word discessio i.e., ‘departure!’ Some scholars contend Theodore Beza might have been responsible for making the change from departure to rebellion in the English translation of the King James. It appears Beza was John Calvin’s successor, and a fan of Scholasticism, having a preoccupation with pre-destination. Due to Beza’s Calvinistic beliefs, he would have been amillennial and the implication is, he switched the translation of the Greek Word to suit his own convictions.
The Fake Rapture: New Age Deception
What if I were to tell you, the devil has been busy within the realm of New Age thinking. So busy in fact, he has concocted a counterfeit rapture, explaining the precise reason why people might disappear overnight. This has been pushed by New Agers for decades, and many church folk are not aware of this. Their thinking is in anticipation of a false Christ, whom they call Maitreya, who is not the true Messiah who gave His life to redeem humanity, but one who will unite everyone in a ‘collective consciousness.’ This charlatan is no doubt, the Antichrist himself.
Johanna Michaelson is an ex-New Ager who has since turned to Christ. She writes in one of her books, Like Lambs to the Slaughter: Your Child and the Occult, about famous New Age intellectual and promoter John Randolph Price, whose spirit guide, predicts the number of human beings ‘taken’ will be significantly higher than one billion; “Asher, the spirit guide of John Randolph Price, a moving force behind the New Agers’ ‘World Instant of Cooperation’ (on December 31, 1986, in which thousands of mediators worldwide simultaneously concentrated on world peace hoping to cause a critical mass launching into the New Age) told him that two billion people who didn’t go along with the New Age would be wiped off the face of the Earth during the coming cleansing.”
Evidently the devil has known about the rapture for eons, but his disciples are only just catching on. What we identify as the rapture, they call a ‘cleansing’ and ostensibly for the earth’s benefit.
Barbara Marciniak, author of Bringers of the Dawn, estimates a much lower number, “The people who leave the planet during the time of Earth changes do not fit in here any longer, and they are stopping the harmony of Earth. When the time comes that perhaps 20 million people leave the planet at one time there will be a tremendous shift in consciousness for those who are remaining.” Once again, the ‘harmony of earth’ is of primary concern to the pagan instead of their relationship with God. By thinking unilaterally and not revering earth, Christians have become sinners in the eyes of the New Age and they will be eradicated for it.
Earlyne Chaney channels a demon who goes by the moniker, Kuthumi. In Chaney’s book, Revelations of Things To Come, this entity speaks about the need for a ‘cleansing.’ “The Mother Deva (Mother Earth) realizes that her matter must be ‘purified’. Her akashic ethers must be cleansed of the dark thought forces.” The removal of Christians will be explained away, due to their lack of harmony with mother earth, which is something the United Nations also propagates in it’s global policies. But, do these New Agers know their precious earth is about to be burnt to ashes (2 Pet 3:10)?
Paganism repackaged
Teilard de Chardin (1881-1955) was a French philosopher and paleontologist known for his theory that man is evolving, mentally and socially, toward a final spiritual unity by blending science and Christianity. He was a personal mentor to Robert Muller, the former Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations. Consequently the United Nations is entrenched in New Age Philosophy, which explains their earth focused stratagem and their disdain for orthodox Christianity.
Chardin once quipped, “I can be saved, only by becoming one with the universe.” This is the embodiment of the New Age mantra. Their frame of reference is always toward the creation, instead of the creator (Rom 1:25). Because they have exchanged the truth for a lie, they will be deceived by ‘the lie’ (i.e. that aliens are their creators instead of God).
This explains why in recent years there has been such a focus on earth-centric governmental policy and societal constraints, driven by the United Nations, limiting man’s impact on the environment, from which their salvation comes.
To the New Ager, earth is precious, to the Christian, earth is soon to be kindling (2 Pet 3:10).
Interstellar Space travel is a fantasy
Considering the nearest star system Alpha Centauri, which is 4.37 light years away, it would take 18,000 years to travel there at the speed of light. Just so you know, the speed of light is 186,000 miles per second. So, let us presume for a moment, 18,000 years ago an alien chose to visit earth from a nearby star system. Bear in mind, Earth is one of 4108 confirmed exo-planets in the universe by some scientist’s estimation. As there are billions of stars with the potential for planets in close proximity, the unconfirmed count is likely much greater, but our alien friend still chose Earth.
Let us also assume, this physical being or alien, (whom we will call Frank), randomly chose earth, knowing it was habitable and sat in his nuclear or atomic driven vehicle, for 18,000 years patiently waiting to finally set eyes upon Coney Island. Lest we forget, his craft, surely requires some measure of maintenance over that duration, not to mention refueling. He also needs a vast food supply and a means of disposing bodily waste for the duration, even at warp speed. Frank would also require an infinitesimally long lifespan otherwise he’d surely be dead on arrival. Also, how did Frank know our earth was habitable before embarkation and our atmosphere conducive to his respiratory make up? Why choose earth, from so many planetary options?
Scientists acknowledge that space travel over cosmic distances would take an incredibly long time to an outside observer, and with vast amounts of energy required. However, there are reasons to hypothesize that faster-than-light interstellar space travel might be feasible. David Eicher, Editor in Chief of Astronomy Magazine has been exploring the possibility of space travel since 1995, concluding how impossible and dare I say asinine, it is for little green men to successfully travel even from the nearest star, if indeed they are physical beings. Eicher states, “with an ion propulsion engine, (the best technologically feasible idea we now have), we could travel to the nearest star in something like 75,000 years.”
Right now, the mass media has already commenced the narrative that aliens are getting ready for a visit. Former pilots and credible witnesses are pointing toward an imminent appearance of our so-called ‘space brethren,’ who will hopefully come in peace. Even Pope Francis has offered to baptize them when they appear. Why on earth is President Obama talking about aliens? Politicians do nothing by accident. There is clearly an agenda afoot.
Can Black Holes provide a shortcut?
Many science fiction writers claim black holes might provide a ‘faster than light’ opportunity, in the form of a portal, bypassing interstellar travel altogether, yet this hypothesis remains unproven and highly implausible. A black hole (the remnant of a dying star) is a region of space-time where gravity is so strong, nothing, including light or other electromagnetic waves has enough energy to escape it. At the center of a black hole lies a gravitational singularity, a region where space-time curvature becomes infinite. It is believed this curvature can cause time to slow down greatly, albeit no means to travel across the universe has been verified. There is potential to slow down time as one approaches a dying star, but no tangible evidence that Frank can shorten his arduous journey.
Considering the physical and logistical constraints, it is inconceivable for interstellar space travel to be achievable by a physical entity, which means there is only one obvious conclusion; these visiting aliens, must be spiritual in origin and explains why they are able to appear and disappear in an instant.
They will believe ‘the’ lie
Please bear in mind, when it comes to UFO’s, 98% of sightings can be explained as natural phenomenon, such as drones, weather balloons, light refraction etc. The focus of this article is the remaining 2% of sightings which cannot be explained by natural means. Aliens may claim to have come from other planets, but they are in fact, demons and/or fallen angels, and most assuredly, liars, because their father is a liar (Jn 8:44). The History Channel’s Ancient Alien Series (now in its 19th season), harps on, day and night, positing that aliens seeded life on this planet in the ancient past.
These entities are not physical but metaphysical in origin. Evil angels have been visiting planet earth for thousands of years. This phenomena is nothing new.
Panspermia is the theory that microorganisms or biochemical compounds from outer space are responsible for life on earth and possibly other parts of the universe. It is the premise for Ridley Scott’s 2012 film, Prometheus, which grossed $403 million worldwide and further embedded, the Panspermia concept into the human psyche. Panspermia is nothing new; it appeared in the writings of French nobleman, diplomat, and natural historian Benoît de Maillet (circa 1743), who believed life on Earth was “seeded” by germs from space, falling into the oceans. The modern version of Panspermia however, will take on a much darker tone, and will likely be announced by little green men on the White House lawn.
Genesis 6 is the ‘go to’ chapter for angelic incursion and the unsanctioned offspring of giants, which are half angel, half human hybrids. One third of the angels fell with Lucifer, one third are still present in the heavenlies and will soon be cast down to earth in the tribulation period (Rev 12:10). Click here to find out more about giants and their origin.
Truth is, these angels have attempted to sow their seed into the earth on several occasions and will do so again, in the not too distant future.
The Seed of the Serpent: Gen 3:15
Any minute now, aliens will claim to be our makers. As LA Marzulli likes to say, ‘when we go up, they show up.” The ‘they’ in this context are the demons and/or fallen angels, masquerading as our benevolent creators. On the day I write this article, NASA released a report detailing their desire to ‘shift the conversation about UAP’s (aka UFO’s) from sensationalism to science.’ In other words, to shift the public’s thinking, that UFO’s or future alien visitors are not just fantasy, but real. In addition, only yesterday, the Mexican government did an open reveal of two fossilized aliens, purportedly one thousand years old…is it just me, or are things getting crazy out there?!
One day this great lie, seeded over the past century, will be thrust onto the world in a time of chaos and great anguish. The lie will succeed because it has infiltrated our multimedia, via movies and TV shows, for decades. Those remaining on the earth, following the rapture, will be unable to discern between that which is real and false. This lie is timeless, for it is the original lie of the serpent. It is his final attempt to bruise Christ’s heel but to no avail.
The removal of the church (the restrainer) from the earth will facilitate unrestrained evil and opportunities for deception will be boundless.
It is not my aim to prepare you for what is to come, but rather, that you escape it.
Have you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ? If not, click here to find out more…
Author: Carl G. M. Joseph
Bibliography:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panspermiahttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-j-eicher/ufos-visit-earth_b_3709611.html
Klein, Blomberg & Hubbard Jr., Introduction to Biblical Interpretation (Revised and Updated, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, TN., 2004), 49.
Barbara Marciniak, Bringers of the Dawn: Teachings from the Pleiadeans, Bear and Co., 1992
Alien Encounters, by Chuck Missler and Mark Eastman, Koinonia House, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, 1997, pp. 185-200.
Lovik, C.J., The Prophecy Watcher Magazine (Prophecy Watchers, OK City, OK., Sep 2015 edition), 16.
James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997).
Dr. Andy Woods, The Falling Away: Spiritual Departure of Physical Rapture?: A Second Look at 2 Thessalonians 2:3 (Dispensational Publishing House (February 21, 2018)
Dr. Douglas D. Stauffer, Reviving the Blessed Hope of Thessalonians (McCowen Mills Publishers (March 18, 2016))
https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/19/politics/barack-obama-ufos/index.html
https://www.npr.org/2023/09/14/1199451892/uap-ufo-new-nasa-report-science-roadmap
https://www.jpost.com/science/article-726819
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