Preface: So do believers know yet what the scriptural falling away and the great delusion might be....signifying that which will come before the coming of our Lord and Savior and King? No we do not. We should know....we should be able to discern....(but we do not)....'a' falling away that is happening now....for in essence the church in this now political climate where our hope is in power and strength and not in Jesus....and not in the Holy Spirit....has 'fallen away'....but the final falling away will be much greater than that. As for the 'delusion' .....Donald Trump is indeed 'a' great delusion that has bewitched the church. In him is a genuine biblical false prophet....for he has flattered us into blindness for eight years now....and he is 'an' antichrist in that he has taken our minds off of our Savior....but whether or not he is that great delusion....that has yet to be determined. If you doubt or outright disagree with my statement that a falling away is already in progress....there is really nothing much that I can do to help you see this other than to ask you to examine yourself....where is your hope right now? You will surely say Christ but remember that you are to examine yourself. I submit to you that your real and present hope is in....not only a man....but a vile and foul lifelong liar and deceiver...a destroyer....a man who would throw you and your faith....and Israel....and anyone and anything.....under the bus so to speak....if the circumstances demanded it in his world that revolves only around his business interests and his own perceived glory. The following post is from this past July 2. Our pastors today....the vast majority of them....are afraid to bring up anything of the nearness of Jesus....other than pithy little comments meant to assuage and not stir....or to say anything negative about the great hope of today in Donald Trump....for they would receive much opposition....and many would leave their church. I do know of Christians....many Christians....but I do not know of any Christian friend or close acquaintance....who will say that we are indeed there....and that Jesus and His mighty angels....are already mounted so to speak....with their swords unsheathed....for they consider it to be obedient and humble to feign ignorance. They think that in not being concerned that they are showing trust in Jesus....but do not realize that they instead are showing no trust in the many warnings of Jesus in His very Word....nor are they being obedient in His commands to be vigilant and awake. Consequently they wind up promoting this false prophet....and false hope.
Are You Still Sleeping And Resting
The long and short of it is....it is already in process....the coming of the Son of Man in power and glory and righteous judgment. We are most definitely as in the days of Noah.
Oh you say....but God's word tells us that we will not know the day or the hour? Luke 9:51 reads like this...."Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem." The time had come. It was just after Jesus entered Jerusalem to palm branches and shouts of Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD....that Jesus said to His disciples....this in John 12:23...."The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified." The time had come....the hour had come!
Jesus laid it all out for us in what is called....The Olivet Discourse. The journey to Jerusalem from Capernaum was the culmination of the ministry of Jesus. He gave one astounding parable after another on the way....and brought the hammer down on the Pharisees. The disciples knew that something was up....and they out-and-out asked Jesus...."Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of your coming, and the end of the age?"
Is this not the question? When? Jesus told His disciples....this two-thousand years ago....."But of that day and hour no one knows, no, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." (this was right after Jesus mentioned the days of Noah) That's all we need right...."no one knows"....when does the Steeler training camp begin? But Jesus followed this with...."Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming." He went on to say that if the master of the house did know the hour the thief would come that he would have protected his house....and then Jesus said...."Therefore you also be ready...."
Just after Jesus entered Jerusalem....after He said...."The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified"....He said...."Now is the judgment of this world..." Once again the theme....the time had come!
Friends....this is the time....this is the hour....of the coming of the Son of Man. 1948 was the most obvious starting point. What is happening in Israel right now....which began on the last day of Sukkot....last October....is totally unprecedented in the short history of modern day Israel. We underestimate this at our own spiritual peril. Israel is in legitimate...existential danger right now....unlike it had ever been. This alone should send us to our knees in prayer....into self-examination....and anticipation of what will transpire as Jesus returns!
Just before they came to get Jesus in the garden....He took Peter and James and John off to pray....but then had to say to Simon...."Simon, Are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour. Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation." He came a second time...."Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold the hour is at hand..."
To summarize where all of this is in God's Word....you might start to read at Luke 9:51....and read through to the end of chapter 21. Then you might want to read Matthew 24 and 25...no....start with chapter 23.....and then Mark 13....these....with Luke 21....being the three variations of the Olivet Discourse. One last thing....In John....you might want to read in John....beginning with chapter 14 to chapter 18 verse 6....for this describes the same evening.
