Beware the Coming Deception of the False Prophet

It's impossible to observe the current chaos in the Middle East and not see how the fall of governments in Algeria, Tunisia, Bahrain, and Libya relate to biblical prophecy. The events in the Middle East point to a consolidated Islamic empire on the horizon. Those who pay attention are not caught off guard by this prophetic sign of the End Times-especially since all the nations experiencing revolutions (Egypt, Libya, and North African countries) one day will be dominated by the Antichrist (Daniel 11:41-43). The Antichrist may be quickly approaching the world stage, with the False Prophet close behind. Many tend to focus on the Antichrist, but his sidekick (also known as the second beast) will cause an equal amount of damage. Apostle John describes the false prophet as, "a beast withtwo horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of first beast (Antichrist) in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. (Revelation 13:11-12)."

Many theologians have contended that whereas Jesus is the true Lamb of God who died for our sins, the False Prophet is a counterfeit lamb that ushers in the worship of the Antichrist by bringing two religions-Apostate Christianity and Islam-under the same banner of one religion. How does he accomplish such a feat when these religions have warred with each other for centuries? Many argue that the False Prophet will not only lead a radical form of Apostate Christianity by renouncing and denying the resurrection and the deity of Jesus Christ, but he will declare himself to be Jesus and tell the world to worship the "real messiah": the Antichrist.

To prepare for such deception, Apostle John cautioned, "By this you may know (perceive and recognize) the Spirit of God: every spirit which acknowledges and confesses the fact that Jesus Christ (the Messiah) actually has become man and has come in the flesh is of God has God for its source; And every spirit which does not acknowledge and confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh but would annul, destroy, sever, disunite Him is not of God does not proceed from Him. This nonconfession is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you heard that it was coming, and now it is already in the world. (1 John 4:2-3 Amplified)"

During these Last Days, people must remain vigilant and prayerful so that they do not become deceived. It is critical for Christians to pray, study the Word of God, and unabashedly question the validity of any claims against the foundations of Christianity. Each of us needs a strong, absolute basis of Biblical scripture, so we will not be deceived by the sprit of the Antichrist. When asked by His disciples what will be the sign of His coming and the end of age, the very first thing Jesus told them was, "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. (Matthew 4-5)" He added, "For false Christ and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect." (Matthew 24:24) The answers provided by Jesus emphasize the intensity of the coming deception. Let's examine a popular theory that has emerged and gained traction over the years. It is known that all three major religions in the world are looking for a coming Messiah: Christians are awaiting the return of Jesus, Muslims are expecting the return of The Mahdi, and Jews are still waiting for their Messiah.

Muslims believe that the Mahdi will come at the end of the age to lead Islam in global dominance and force the submission of Islam upon the Jews and Christians. An interesting observation is that within the Islamic religion, Muslims believe that Jesus the prophet (not the Son of God) will return with the Mahdi. In his book, The Islamic Antichrist, Joel Richardson explains, "In both stories, Jesus returns. On the biblical side, Jesus returns to deliver His people from being persecuted. On the Islamic, a Muslim Jesus tells the Christians of the world, 'You've had it wrong all along. I never said God was my father. I never died on the cross." One would think that such an announcement would send shockwaves throughout the world of Christianity.

Remember, Apostle John's vision shows the False Prophet "speaking like a dragon" meaning that he will be a phenomenal orator with an amazing talent to make his deceitful lies sound like the absolute truth. Some claim that an invalidly elected Pope will declare such lies but no one knows for sure who or how the False Prophet will bring the entire world under one banner of religion. It is vital to test every single spirit, word, and belief that is contrary to the Word of God-especially regarding the deity of Jesus Christ.

Even though the Antichrist tries to run the show based on the book of Revelation, the False Prophet is not without his own show-stopping supernatural powers:

• He will perform great signs and wonders (counterfeit miracles).
• He will make fire come down from heaven.
• He will give breath to the image of the beast. (Matthew 24:24, Rev 13:13-14)

The faith of many believers will be heavily tested during these unbelievable times. It's disheartening to believe that so many Christians will be deceived by the False Prophet. Last month, I came across an article from the Boulder Daily Camera News titled: "Visiting Minister Separates Jesus from Christ." Robin Meyers, a minister of the United Church of Christ told a reporter his vision on how to address humanity in a meaningless world, "We are looking for a teacher, not a savior. Christians do not need to believe in Jesus' ascension into heaven, birth of a virgin, or position as the Son of God." Really? He is being manipulated by the spirit of Antichrist.

As the unrest in the Middle East continues to spiral out of control and we see clear evidence of ancient biblical prophecies coming to pass during our lifetime-take to heart the encouraging words promised by the Lord Jesus Christ, "Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near." (Luke 21:28)