Many Will Fall Away

 

Jesus spoke to his disciples about His second coming while sitting on the Mount of Olives. They had asked him, “What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Mt 24:3). Jesus mentioned several signs, but one in particular intrigues me. He said that many will turn away from their faith, and fall into disbelief and hatred.

“At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Mt 24:10-13)

Can you imagine such a thing, Christians falling away from the faith at the end of the age?  What in the whole wide world could cause such a thing? What kind of delusion could be so deceptive and so powerful?

Jesus described the falling away using the Greek word, “skandalizo”, meaning that believers will be tripped up by a snare, causing them to stumble and fall away. Can you imagine a snare, or a scandal, so great that they will begin to distrust and desert the One whom they previously trusted and obeyed. Furthermore, they will betray and hate each other. Christians turning on one another – it boggles my mind.

Jesus seems to mention two causes for such a scandal. First, many false prophets will arise and deceive the faithful. This is talking about preachers and teachers in the church who lead the faithful into error on such a magnitude that it causes despair and giving up on God. The second cause is the unbridled increase in wickedness, perhaps referring to the lawless buildup to Armageddon (II Thes 2), or to a massive societal breakdown (2 Tim 3:1-3). This unbridled wickedness will cause the love of believers to grow cold. They will reason, “God has lost control of this world, why should I trust Him anymore?” They will lose hope and faith. I am not making that up. Jesus predicted it.

Consider a similar occurrence at the first advent of Jesus, when the disciples fell away the day Messiah was crucified (Mt 26:31). The Jews were scandalized and deceived for centuries, believing that Messiah would establish a sovereign and everlasting kingdom when He came. Jesus, though, told His disciples repeatedly that He must be betrayed and killed, and then rise again. But they never heard Him -- in one ear and out the other. They had trusted Jesus to be Messiah. But that hope was for naught, they thought, when Jesus was arrested and crucified. They deserted Jesus and fled (Mt 26:56). Their impenetrable bias was not displaced until Jesus appeared to them.

Just what is the false teaching that will scandalize the faith of Christians at the end of the age, causing them to fall away. Fact is, the false teaching is already in place. For nearly two hundred years now, Christians have been indoctrinated that they will be raptured before a seven-year Great Tribulation. They have been taught that all the evil of Antichrist and the judgments of God will then unfold during that period, while they are long gone. How confusing it will be for Christians when America is “consumed by fire” (Rev 17:16), and we are faced with “death, mourning, and famine” (Rev 18:8) -- while we are still here on earth, futilely hoping for an early rapture. Christians will be desperately confused when world events don’t happen the way they were led to believe. Confusion will lead to dismay, despair, then disbelief, and they will hate those who still trust God.

Many people say to me, “God is going to do what He is going to do anyways. So why argue over prophecy?” There is one compelling answer. Because many will fall away, deceived and scandalized by false teaching about the end times. God revealed His plan in great detail so that those who believe may stand firm to the end. When the Son of Man comes will He find faith on the earth?

 

Judgment or Rapture?

 

 

“For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household.”

 (I Peter 4:17).

Americans think that we are the most blessed nation of the world. The American dream is proof positive of God’s favor and goodwill to us. We enjoy wealth, pleasure, and leisure like no other nation in history. Be honest, we love it.

Furthermore, American Christians expect to be enjoying the good life right up until the time that Jesus comes to rapture them up. They are convinced that they will not suffer any of the judgments of God upon America or upon the world. Sadly, that kind of thinking is so enticing. But it stands as an impenetrable barrier to understanding the actual message of Biblical prophecy. America will be judged. In fact, America will be destroyed. And Christians will not escape that judgment, like we have been led to believe.

Amos, the prophet, said to Israel, to the whole family that God brought up out of Egypt: “You only have I chosen of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your sins.” (Amos 3:2). The Jews were God’s chosen people -- called out, loved, blessed, and protected. But they suffered judgment, over and over. First, as slaves in Egypt for 400 years. Then they were raided by the Midianites, the Philistines, and enemies all around. The northern kingdom was slain and deported by Assyria. The southern kingdom was taken captive to Babylon. They were suppressed by one empire after another, but God always delivered them. In 70 AD, one million Jews were slain and the temple and city burned to the ground. They were dispersed to the four corners of the earth for 2000 years. Then came the Holocaust, in modern times, when Jews were imprisoned and killed by the millions in Nazi Germany. What do you think? Was God asleep at the helm, letting all this happen?

American Christians look forward to the second coming of Christ, but in two installments. They expect to be raptured before any tribulation, turmoil or persecution. They cannot conceive of being caught in the crosshairs of God’s judgment on America. In reality, though, the coming of the Lord will be a singular occurrence, not a two-part event. The rapture of the saints will occur after death, mourning, and famine have overtaken us (Rev 18:8). Most American Christians are like the Jews of old, to whom Amos prophesied: “Woe to you who long for the day of the Lord! Why do you long for the day of the Lord? That day will be darkness, not light” (Amos 5:18).

We have been hood winked into believing a lie, thinking that we will escape the judgment upon America. God told Jeremiah to tell Judah that they were going to be destroyed by the sword, famine, and plague. Jeremiah complained that the false prophets were telling them the opposite, that God was going to give them lasting peace. Guess who the people believed. God responded to Jeremiah, “those preachers were not sent by me. In their sermons, their books, and their teachings they are handing out deceiving lies and delusions” (cf. Jeremiah 14: 12-16).

And there you have it. I think we are in the same situation as in Jeremiah’s day. We believe a lie. We expect peace, safety, and wealth until the very day we are raptured off of the swim deck of the cruise ship. But God is warning us, prepare for death, mourning, and famine (Rev 18:8). Which are you expecting next on the horizon? Judgment, or rapture?