Chapter 1
Global Deception:
-control flow of information evil can rapidly advance their agendas
-concealed by powerful elites, organizations, and governing authority, or the unexplainable level of secrecy
-misleading information has permeated in our culture and around the globe
-deception is continually at work through conversations, thoughts, and actions of those who reject the very concept of God from their belief systems
-Jesus warned that there would be tremendous spiritual deception in the last days
Daze of the Last Days:
-What are the last days?
“Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15).
-events that happen in what we call the last days are part of what we call Bible prophecy or biblical eschatology
-Bible prophecy is God writing the future in advance so that we know what lies ahead
-Bible reveals details about the last days so we are not stressed or wondering what is coming
-it helps us prepare so that we will be ready
Signs of the Last Days: scripture says that men:
-would be haters of God
-would be lovers of pleasure
-would be lovers of lust and evil
-would be lovers of things of the world
-become loveless and uncaring toward the general population
-no God no rules
-demonic doctrines will flood our world
-widespread apostasy
-departure from faith
-demonic powers take over the church pulpits
-corrupted gospel’s messages
**God’s Word has gone missing in many houses of worship today
-Ministries are preaching messages of self-centeredness, prosperity, and me-isms
-preachers have departed from biblical orthodoxy
-preachers embracing a secular form of Christianity
-believers can’t distinguish between right from wrong
**spiritual realities, only one way to know the truth is the Bible
-it is inerrant, perfect, never-changed Word of God
-the whole counsel of God is from the Bible
-only way to to fight deception
Events of the last days:
-designed to validate God
-designed to validate the Bible
“The fact that the Bod of the Bible tells us what is going to happen before it comes to pass validates that He exists, He alone is God, and He will accomplish all that He desires.”
Psalm 119:105
"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."
-designed to validate Jesus
-Jesus Christ has been under attack since He entered the world
-Satan hates Christ
-Jesus never hid he would be crucified
-prophetic events validate who Jesus is
John 13:19
“I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am.”
Exodus 3:14
God said to Moses, “I am who I am.[a] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
Revelation 1:8
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
-designed to validate Messiah’s identity
Daniel 12:4
“But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.”
-Jewish
-Jesus’ birthplace
Micah 5:2
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans[a] of Judah,
out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from old, from ancient times.”
Matthew 2: 4-6
“When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.”
Psalm 40: 6-8
Sacrifice and offering you did not desire- but my ears you have opened burnt offerings and sin offerings[b] you did not require. Then I said, “Here I am, I have come- it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.”
Hebrews 10: 5-10
“Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, my God.’
John 1: 1-4, 14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
**Bible= Face of God
-designed to get your attention
-deception
-nations at war
-drought-producing famines
-kingdoms against kingdoms
-race against race: ethos (greek) ethnic
-pandemics
-earthquakes
John 16:33
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
-We cannot be a spectator Christians
Luke 21:26
“People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.”
James 5: 2-3
“Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.”
***Wrong: “They don’t apply to me because I’m saved. I won’t be here after the rapture to see what happens during the tribulations.”
Matthew 24: 4-8
“Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.”