The Great Deception

The last of seven articles, "Right At The Door"

No one likes the idea of discovering they have been deceived. That they have been misled, snookered, misguided. When I first came to understand rightly the beast of Revelation 13 and 17 it took me awhile to admit that I must let go of the belief system which I had been taught about a pre-tribulation rapture. It was years later that I came to understand that the whole concept of a Great Tribulation was a roadblock to understanding Revelation accurately. So I don’t expect many who hold to dispensational teaching to accept this concept of a great deception easily. That is why I moved this seventh article from its original spot at number one, so it would not be a complete roadblock to considering the other concepts. Go ahead and wrestle with putting all the pieces together. I did, for years.

In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries a great deception captured the “enlightened” minds of scientists and educators around the world – Darwin’s theory of evolution. In that same time frame another deception captured the minds and hearts of the church. And it is no small matter, considering the end to which it leads. It is the doctrine of the Great Tribulation, a seven year period of alluring calm and then cataclysmic judgment, preceding the Millenium. Once this new concept became a foregone presumption, the debate in America amongst churches and Christians has largely revolved around the timing of the rapture, whether it occurs before, after, or in the middle of the Tribulation. Historically, though, debate centered on the Millenium, whether Jesus would return before the 1000 year reign on earth, after it, or whether it is allegorical.

So why is this doctrine of the Great Tribulation important, other than to win an argument. The answer has to do with spiritual awareness, preparedness, alertness to what lies ahead in God’s plan. God said it himself, “Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). That is the key purpose of Revelation, stated in the preamble: “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw – that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near” ( Rev 1:1-3). Revelation is God’s prophetic dis-closure of the end times (and beyond), so his people can know, be prepared, and be overcomers.

Consider, though, that we who are spiritually minded don’t have a real good track record of understanding God’s prophecy. Think back to how effectively God’s people were prepared by the extensive prophecies of Christ’s first coming. Only a minuscule handful of people recognized the baby Jesus to be Messiah. Even when Jesus did signs and wonders in their midst, still they could not correlate the evidence and testimony with what the prophets had written.

The typical Christian who holds to a pre-tribulation rapture says this of Revelation, “I’m just glad that I’m not going to be here.” I wish I could have a dollar for every time I have heard that said. This subtle view might best be labeled escapism, and it stands in stark contrast to being prepared for great distress. Jesus spoke about the signs of his coming and of the end of the age in Matthew 24. He warned of deception (so great that it will deceive even the elect, if that were possible), persecution, turning away from faith, increase of wickedness, love which grows cold, and great distress. He did not say anything about escaping it.

Whether or not the dispensational view of the tribulation is accurate or a great deception, it would be very wise to know and understand from whence it derived. Agreed? John Darby came up with a new teaching of “end times”, ca 1830, the idea to separate the seventieth week of Daniel’s Messianic prophecy from the previous 69 weeks (Daniel 9:24-27). He came up with the novel idea of setting apart this seven year period to the end of the church age, a unique and theretofore undiscovered dispensation. C.I. Scofield picked up on Darby’s idea and popularized the new teaching in his famous “Scofield Reference Bible” notes, first published in America in 1909. Then Moody Bible Institute and Dallas Theological Seminary put this seed to the wind. Today you can hardly find historical premillenial teaching of the Bible in America. Rather, teaching about the end times centers around colorful, detailed charts of the “seven year tribulation”. Only problem is, it’s not in the Bible. But with all the charts, books, and teachers to propagate it, how would anyone know that?

One of the most important things we need to do is think for ourselves…Biblically think for ourselves. There are countless patterns in the American church community that we just follow, without even asking, “Is that the most Biblical way to do it?” We need to test our actions and our beliefs against Scripture, always. Is it really in The Book? If you were to just sit down, read, and study the Bible for yourself, asking the Holy Spirit to show you the truth, without anyone telling you what they think it means, would you come to the same conclusion? If given the opportunity for an accurate assessment, might you be surprised how many of your beliefs and actions are because someone said that to you?

Take a good look at Daniel 9:24-27 for yourself. The Messianic interpretation of Daniel’s great prophecy would suggest that the Anointed One, Messiah, who will be cut off sometime after the 69th week (9:26), by crucifixion, is the one who will confirm a covenant (9:27), the “new covenant”, and the same one who will bring an end to sacrifice in the middle of the seventieth week (9:27; cf Heb 10:1-18). Accordingly, the 70th week follows the 69th week, sequentially, and the middle of the seven years corresponds to the end of Jesus’ public ministry and his unimaginable crucifixion. If that is true, then this prophecy has nothing to do with an antichrist. But what is considered, historically, to be a grand Messianic prophecy, has been categorically transformed into the great prophecy of the Antichrist -- he being the one who would establish a covenant, with Israel for seven years, and in the middle of that period abruptly put an end to temple sacrifice. For those who want to wrestle with this very difficult passage to interpret, the big question centers on the pronoun, “he”, in verse 27. Does the pronoun refer back to the “anointed one” (9:26-27) or to the ruler who will come and destroy the city and the sanctuary (9:27; namely Titus, in 70 AD, who serves as an antitype of the antichrist)?

The biggest hurdle to letting go of the Great Tribulation is probably not wholly doctrinal, but emotional, as well. It’s scary, very scary -- the thought that I may not escape this time of great distress. I’ll admit that one myself. It’s also an uncomfortable step into ambiguity, like being cut loose from your mooring not knowing where the current will take you. Then there’s this hurdle -- admitting I allowed myself to be misled. Ouch! Some may even fear they are being tempted into heresy if they change what they believe. Yes, it’s life-altering in many ways. But don’t be ensnared by wishful thinking, holding onto beliefs because they might be pleasing to imagine instead of appealing to evidence, rationality or reality.

I hope you enjoy wrestling with God’s prophecy, seeking to understand the realities of the rapidly approaching end of the age. America has enjoyed incredible prosperity for over 100 years, and dominated the world scene unscathed since World War 2. And the church in America has been swept along by it. We have not suffered, we have not been persecuted. We have enjoyed freedoms and tax breaks the like of which the Church has never known. We have grown soft, and fallen into a spiritual stupor. That is not the church to which Jesus wants to return. He wants a very special bride. May we be prepared for hardship, and thereby become all the more anxious and ready for the Lord’s return.

Best Taffy On The Block

The sign in the window caught my attention. Don’t know why. We were just strolling down the sidewalk of Depot Bay, leisurely scoping out each little shop, making our way down to the tiny little inlet to watch the fishing boats go in and out. The sign read, “Best Taffy In the World”. I was still new to Oregon, and was not really aware that coast towns have a unique claim to fame when it comes to salt water taffy. Every beach town in Oregon has at least one prominent candy store, maybe more.

We were on our first little trip to the Oregon coast since moving to Oregon. It was kind of a second honeymoon. So we had lots of time to see the sights. I bought a couple dollars worth of the taffy from the candy store, probably two or three of each and every flavor. We continued down the sidewalk looking in windows and going in a few stores. We happened onto another store with another sign in the window. This one read, “Best Taffy in Oregon”. We got a good laugh. Which sign was really true? We crossed the highway and sat on the seawall and watched the waves crashing on the rocks. And ate a few pieces of our new found Oregon treasure.

Eventually we went back and finished our stroll down the street full of small store fronts. And wouldn’t you know, I found another sign in the window of yet another candy store. This one read, “Best Taffy on the Block.” I stared in amazement, not knowing whether to laugh at it, or admire it. I called Carol back to look at the sign, too, and she was just as amused as I was.

I went into that store and bought a whole pound of taffy. I really can’t say if it was better than the other. I couldn’t tell. I gave away what was left of the first candy, the “best taffy in the world”. I found a true treasure – “The Best Taffy On the Block”!

No big claim to fame, just a humble hard-working candy maker. In fact, I stood there in his store and watched as he pulled the taffy and made the candy. I look back, now, and wonder if the other two stores even made their own candy. They probably imported it from Tennessee or New Mexico, then put a sign in their window claiming to be the best.

Consider this little known medical fact: “The person most at risk for heart disease is not the high-powered executive, it’s the frustrated janitor stuck with existential despair.” Don’t worry about being the best in the world, or best in the state. Just make the best taffy on the block and people will be blessed. God is not impressed, like we are, with big numbers, fancy shows, or our self made claim to fame. He is pleased with his servants who are faithful, even in the small things. Do not despair, my friend.

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant… Therefore God exalted him to the highest place” (Phil 2:5-9)

“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mt 20:26-28)

Burned Biscuits

When I was a girl, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage, and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school.

I don't remember what I told him that night, about school. But I do remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said: "Honey, I love burned biscuits."

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your momma put in a long hard day at work today and she's real, real tired. Besides... a burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!"

I never forgot that little “life lesson”. Life is full of imperfect things... and imperfect people. I'm not the best at anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each others’ faults, appreciating everyone’s best effort, and choosing to celebrate each others’ unique gifts, is one of the most important keys to creating healthy, growing, and lasting relationships.

So...please pass me a biscuit. And yes, the burned one will do just fine!

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly…the tongue that brings healing is a tree of life (Prov 15:1,2,4).

“Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification… Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you” (Rom 14:19, 15:7).

(Author unknown)

Mary, Did You Hear?

She was so young when it all began. Betrothed to be married, yet still a teenager. Mary… a woman more to be esteemed than any other in history. “Highly favored by God”, said the angel, Gabriel. But it was no easy task, nor was it glorious, to be the center piece for God’s greatest miracle, the incarnation.

Mary, did you hear what the angel said to you? “You will bear a son, a baby conceived not by Joseph but by the Holy Spirit of Almighty God. The boy will be named Jesus, Savior of your people, but he will come to be known as the Son of God. Believe it, Mary, for nothing is impossible with God.” But how could she believe? Never before had a virgin given birth. She had never heard the Rabbis and teachers speak of Messiah coming in such a way. To whom could she confide when the pregnancy began? Who would believe her? Perhaps, she thought, her aunt, Elizabeth.

Mary, did you hear what Elizabeth said to you? “Mary, Mary, my dear Mary. You are so blessed. But why me? Why am I so favored to have someone so special come to my home, the mother of my Lord?” Oh Aunt Elizabeth. Through tears of joy Mary hugged and rejoiced that someone understood. Someone believed. Someone knew that it was true. Elizabeth’s unborn son leaped for joy in her womb, and that was enough for two women to believe. Mary stayed there until her pregnancy began to show. Just long enough, too, to witness the birth of Elizabeth’s baby, John, who would one day be the forerunner and baptizer of Jesus. Then she went home, to face family and friends. And to tell Joseph.

Mary, did you hear what Joseph said to you? “When you first told me you were pregnant I planned to divorce you quietly. It was impossible to believe, what you told me. But I was not willing to disgrace you, though that is what the law required of me. But while I considered this, I had a dream. God told me the same thing the angel told you. The baby is truly of the Holy Spirit. And God told me to marry you, and not be afraid of what everyone else would think. He told me, too, to name the boy Jesus. I do not understand, but I do believe. This baby, Jesus, will save us all from sin. Mary, I love you. And I believe.” Now there were three who believed. Three pillars of faith. And Mary could only marvel.

Mary, did you hear what the Magi said to you? “We have come from the east, following a most unusual star. It led us to this home, to this child. Your baby is King of the Jews, a Son of the Most High God.” They bowed before the baby, and worshipped. They left precious gifts, too. But it was because of this visit that the young family moved to Egypt, to escape the sword of Herod. What to believe? Must many baby boys be killed, all because Jesus was born? By a dream, another dream, Joseph knew to leave.

Mary, did you hear what Simeon said to you? She went to the temple, in Jerusalem, for her own purification, and for consecration of her firstborn. The Holy Spirit moved Simeon to take a stroll through the outer court, where a woman with a small baby might be found. Finding and recognizing the promised Messiah, only forty days old, he asked to hold the babe in his own arms. “This child will be extraordinary, causing many to stumble and fall, but others to be raised up into glory. He will reveal the very thoughts of men’s hearts. But, my dear Mary, your heart will be pierced, as by a sword, because of this child.” Through all the confusion, the turmoil, and the broken heart times that Mary would endure, she clung to the belief that her son Jesus was truly God’s redemption for mankind. Simeon, along with Anna, so simple yet faithful, were added to Mary’s growing group of believers.

Mary, did you hear what Jesus said to you? There he hangs, on that despicable cross. Disgraced. Humiliated. The lonely road that began with an angel’s visit now seems to end at the edge of a deep, dark precipice. But through his unbearable pain and anguish your son whispered something to you. Mary, did you hear it? “Dear woman, here is your son. John, here is your mother.” Joseph was gone. Her other sons were yet to believe. But here is a new pillar, one who knows and believes. Such love, tending to his mother Mary, while in the very moment, the very climax of the eternal plan of redemption. Such incredible love. Love born in a stable, nurtured in the home of Mary and a simple carpenter, now crucified on a cross.

God’s perfect plan, and the astounding love of Jesus, the only peace for our troubled souls. Do you believe?

The Seven Cow Wife

Someone once said, God gave to women beauty, and to men He gave strength. The following story illustrates the truths of Ephesians 5 and I Peter 3, truths for men and women, husbands and wives. It is not my own story. It is a story from my “top ten list” of favorites.

The Seven Cow Wife

Johnny Lingo is known throughout the islands for his skills, intelligence, and savvy. If you hire him as a guide, he will show you the best fishing spots and the best places to get pearls. Johnny is also one of the sharpest traders in the islands. He can get you the best possible deals. The people of Kiniwata all speak highly of Johnny Lingo. Yet, when they speak of him, they always smile just a little mockingly.

A couple days after my arrival to Kiniwata, I went to the manager of the guesthouse to see who he thought would be a good fishing guide. "Johnny Lingo," said the manager. "He’s the best around. When you go shopping, let him do the bargaining. Johnny knows how to make a deal."

"Johnny Lingo!" hooted a nearby boy. The boy rocked with laughter as he said, "Yea, Johnny can make a deal alright!"

I wondered. “If he’s all you say he is, why does everyone laugh at him behind his back?"

"Well, there is one thing. Five months ago, at fall festival, Johnny came to Kiniwata and found himself a wife. He gave her father seven cows!"

I knew enough about island customs to be impressed. A dowry of two or three cows would net a fair wife and four or five cows would net a very nice wife. "Wow!" I said. “Seven cows! She must have beauty that takes your breath away."

"She’s not ugly, …" he conceded with a little smile, "… but calling her ‘plain’ would definitely be a compliment. Sam Karoo, her father, was afraid he wouldn’t be able to marry her off. Instead of being stuck with her, he got seven cows. This price has never been paid before. She was skinny and she walked with her shoulders hunched and her head ducked. She was scared of her own shadow. All of the cousins urged Sam to ask for three cows and hold out for two until he was sure Johnny would pay only one. To their surprise Johnny came to Sam Karoo and said, ‘Father of Sarita, I offer seven cows for your daughter.’ "

I wanted fish and pearls, so the next afternoon I went to the island of Nurabandi. I wanted to meet this Johnny Lingo. As I asked directions to Johnny’s house, I noticed Johnny’s neighbors were also amused at the mention of his name. When I met the slim, serious young man I could see immediately why everyone respected his skills. However, this only reinforced my confusion over him.

As we sat in his house, he asked me, "You come here from Kiniwata? Do they speak of me on that island?"

"Yes. They say you can provide me anything I need. They say you’re intelligent, resourceful, and the sharpest trader in the islands."

He smiled gently. "My wife is from Kiniwata. What do they say of her?"

"Why, just … ." The question caught me off balance. "They told me you were married at festival time. They also say the marriage settlement was seven cows." I paused. "They wonder why."

"They ask that?" His eyes lighted with pleasure. "Everyone in Kiniwata knows about the seven cows? And in Nurabandi, everyone knows it too." His chest expanded with satisfaction. "Always and forever, when they speak of marriage settlements, it will be remembered that Johnny Lingo paid seven cows for Sarita."

So that’s the answer, I thought: Vanity.

Just then Sarita entered the room to place flowers on the table. She stood still for a moment to smile at her husband and then left. She was the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. The lift of her shoulders, the tilt of her chin, and the sparkle in her eyes all spelled self-confidence and pride. Not an arrogant and haughty pride, but a confident inner beauty that radiated in her every movement.

I turned back to Johnny and found him looking at me. "She … she’s gorgeous." I said. "Obviously, this is not the one everyone is talking about. She can’t be the Sarita you married on Kiniwata."

"There’s only one Sarita. Perhaps, she doesn’t look the way you expected. You think seven cows was too many?" A smile slid over his lips.

"No, but how can she be so different from the way they described her?"

Johnny said, "Think about how it must make a girl feel to know her husband paid a very low dowry for her? It must be insulting to her to know he places such little value on her. Think about how she must feel when the other women boast about the high prices their husbands paid for them. It must be embarrassing for her. I would not let this happen to my Sarita. You say she is different from what you expected. This is true. Many things can change a woman. There are things that happen on the inside and things that happen on the outside. However, the thing that matters most is how she views herself. In Kiniwata, Sarita believed she was worth nothing. As a result, that’s the value she projected. Now, she knows she is worth more than any other woman in the islands. It shows, doesn’t it? I wanted to marry Sarita. She is the only woman I love. But, I wanted a seven-cow wife."

The original story was copyrighted by Patricia McGerr in 1965, and a similar version printed in Reader’s Digest (February. 1988)

A Seed Tree

He was a logger with years and years of experience. I tried to learn from him as much as I could during the few weeks he worked for me harvesting my timber. He pointed to one exceptionally large Douglas Fir tree and pointed out how much taller it was than all the surrounding trees. There were eighty other exceptionally fine trees harvested within 500 feet of it, but that one tree was stronger, taller, broader, better. He explained how it would be a good seed source for starting good strong seedlings, trees that would grow up with the same genetics.

Tree farming often turns my thoughts to ministry and to leadership. Why does one teacher stand above the many others of his time or locale? How is it that a few teachers are capable of starting huge followings? Jesus, the ultimate teacher, trusted the propagation of his seed to twelve convinced, well-trained disciples. And Christianity has never stopped its spread.

Others have seeded similar followings, but not by the providence of God. Mohammed started the Islam faith in 610 AD and Muslims now constitute the second largest religion in the world, and arguably the fastest growing. Joseph Smith, in the 1830s and 1840s, persuaded a few disgruntled Christians to believe his visions and new ideas, and the Mormon religion has been growing ever since. Ellen G. White, with her prolific writings, laid the groundwork for the start of the Seventh Day Adventist group in 1863, and it continues to grow and to thrive. A friend of mine attends an SDA church and says that whenever they teach they usually teach directly from Ellen White’s writings, not from the Bible. “The Bible is confusing and hard to understand, but she always says it so clearly.”

Even within evangelical Christianity we have teachings that grow widespread, but are a seed born from a suspect tree. Consider the “seed tree” of the teaching of the Great Tribulation. John Darby came up with a new teaching of “end times”, ca 1830, the idea to separate the seventieth week of Daniel’s Messianic prophecy from the previous 69 weeks (Daniel 9:24-27). He came up with the novel idea of setting apart this seven year period to the end of the church age, a unique and theretofore unknown dispensation. C.I. Scofield picked up on Darby’s idea and popularized the new teaching in his famous “Scofield Reference Bible” notes, first published in America in 1909. Then Moody Bible Institute and Dallas Theological Seminary put this seed to the wind. Today you can hardly find historical premillenial teaching of the Bible in America. Rather, teaching about the end times centers around colorful, detailed charts of the “seven year tribulation”. Only problem is, it’s not in the Bible. But with all the charts, books, and teachers to propagate it, how would anyone know that?

By the way, that enormous seed tree was left standing by the logger. With his keen eye he noticed a barely detectable scar on its back side, about 40 feet up. He told me that the wood of the tree was worthless. Someday I’ll cut it down for firewood. Lots and lots of firewood. What a crash it will make when it comes down.

“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire… by their fruit you will recognize them.” (Matthew 7:19-20)

“Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1)