Prophecy

==== ====The Truth About The Last Days, Antichrist, The Rapture, More.http://www.teachingfaith.com/content.cfm?id=304==== ====According to bible, the end times will be marked by widespread deception, counterfeit miracles,and the appearance of false prophets. Each of these evils will contribute to an atmosphere that willdeceive an untold number of people throughout the world.Almost 2,000 years ago, Jesus warned us about this time period:"For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as todeceive, if possible, even Gods chosen ones." Matthew 24:24 (NLT)Whats most interesting about this passage is not that false messiahs and false prophets willappear in the end times. Weve witnessed such people firsthand in every generation since Christfirst spoke these words. What stands out concerning these false prophets and false messiahs isthat their great signs and wonders will be so amazing they will be capable of deceiving Godschosen ones (if such were possible). These arent everyday signs and wonders. They must trulybe astounding to have such an affect!These signs and wonders will deceive people who believe they are supernatural acts of God.Instead, they will be of satanic origin. Paul revealed the reason for this deception in his letter toTimothy:"For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. Theywill follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching earswant to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths." 2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NLT)In the last days, people will be fooled because they want to be. Although this seemscounterintuitive, its true. People will believe in the signs and wonders they witness because theywant to believe the lies and false promises that accompany them.Ultimately, a lot of people will be hoodwinked by a master of deception who will feed their itchingears with exactly what they want to hear. In the years leading up to Christs return, the world willbe misled by the greatest false prophet in human history, the Antichrist.Deception By The AntichristSpiritual deception will be rampant during the seven year rule of the Antichrist. According to theprophet Daniel, the Antichrist will be a master of deception:"He will be a master of deception and will become arrogant; he will destroy many without warning."Daniel 8:25 (NLT)

Like every false messiah before him, the Antichrist will convince his followers he is the answer tothe worlds problems. Paul tells us that those who become caught in the Antichrists web of deceitwill be guilty because they freely choose to enjoy evil while denying the truth:"He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because theyrefuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. So God will cause them to be greatlydeceived, and they will believe these lies. Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil ratherthan believing the truth." 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 (NLT)Those who will be deceived are not innocent victims. They will not be condemned simply for beingtricked. Instead, they will be condemned because, knowing the truth, they chose evil instead. Tothis end, the miracles of the Antichrist will play a pivotal role in the demonic deception that willcause the world to gather for battle against the Lord. In the Book of Revelation, John describesthese evil forces as able to perform "miracles":"He did astounding miracles, even making fire flash down to earth from the sky while everyonewas watching." Revelation 13:14 (NLT)"And I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs leap from the mouths of the dragon, the beast,and the false prophet. They are demonic spirits who work miracles and go out to all the rulers ofthe world to gather them for battle against the Lord on that great judgment day of God theAlmighty." Revelation 16:13-14 (NLT)These passages make it clear that demonic forces will perform astounding miracles in the lastdays. But what will these miracles be? And if "even the elect of God" could be fooled by them, howcan average people protect themselves from being deceived?To find out, lets first examine what the bible has to say about the true Messiah.Miracles Of The MessiahHundreds of years before Jesus of Nazareth walked the earth, the prophet Isaiah recorded forposterity some of the miraculous signs and wonders the Messiah would bring forth. Lets look at afew of these:"And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lamewill leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!" Isaiah 35:5-6 (NLT)During the ministry of Jesus, the people of Israel experienced first hand the miracles Heperformed. Following encounters with Jesus, the mute could speak, the deaf could hear, theparalyzed could walk, and the blind could see. As a result, many placed their faith in Jesus ofNazareth as their Messiah.In addition to these miracles, Isaiah looked forward to a time when the Messiah would personallyrule over the nations of the world, settling their disputes and ending war forever:"The Lord will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes. They will hammer

their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fightagainst nation, nor train for war anymore." Isaiah 2:4 (NLT)Although this prophecy was not fulfilled in the first coming of Jesus Christ, it is certain to be fulfilledimmediately following His Second Coming.These Messianic characteristics recorded by Isaiah - the ability to heal afflictions, performmiracles, and create peace on earth - point to one historical person, Jesus Christ. One day soon,He will return to establish everlasting peace on earth. But until that day arrives, the world at largeis ripe for deception. Many of the same miracles and Messianic attributes which have promptedpeople to put their faith in Jesus Christ could also be used by Satan to deceive the world.What if Satan and his minions were to appear on earth, using promises of world peace andmiracle healings to trick the world into following a false messiah? Would this really be effective?Wouldnt the same people who remain skeptical of the miracles of Jesus also be skeptical ofsomeone else? Jesus Himself issued a warning which provides us with the answer:"For I have come to you in my Fathers name, and you have rejected me. Yet if others come intheir own name, you gladly welcome them. No wonder you cant believe! For you gladly honoreach other, but you dont care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God." John5:43-44 (NLT)In the end times, most of the world will reject Jesus as the Messiah. But they will gladly followsomeone else who comes in his own name. The Antichrist will deceive most of the world intofollowing him. But how will he do this?One way he could do this is by exhibiting many of the same Messianic attributes highlighted byIsaiah. And it may surprise you to learn that an emerging technology will endow the one whopossesses it with the ability to perform the very same miracles we just examined.The Deceptive Potential of Molecular ManufacturingIn earlier writings, weve examined the enormous power of molecular manufacturing (MM). Thistechnology will effectively provide humanity with total control over all matter in the physical world.Able to break and create chemical bonds with atomic precision, molecular manufacturing willprovide humanity with unprecedented power.If the Antichrist were to administer the worlds molecular manufacturing capability, he could easilyrule the entire world. And the abilities of this revolutionary technology would provide him with apowerful means for deceiving its people.Perceived Peace On EarthAs stated in a previous article, the development of molecular manufacturing will inevitably lead to aglobal government given the severe consequences of competing nation states havingsimultaneous possession of this powerful technology. With a single unified government, and theinability of conventional arms to counter the immense power of MM, it will appear to most peoplethat war is forever a part of humanitys past.

However, only Jesus Christ can bring a lasting world peace. Without the indwelling of the HolySpirit, mans fallen nature consumes him with a desire to acquire what he does not have. This isthe root cause of all human conflict:"What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Isnt it the whole army of evil desires at warwithin you? You want what you dont have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous forwhat others have, and you cant possess it, so you fight and quarrel to take it away from them.And yet the reason you dont have what you want is that you dont ask God for it. And even whenyou do ask, you dont get it because your whole motive is wrong - you only want what will give youpleasure." James 4:1 (NLT)Despite the continuation of this wickedness in the heart of humanity, the world could appear to beat peace due to the extraordinary power of a global government in possession of molecularmanufacturing. Such circumstances could lull the population of the world into believing this falsepeace is eternal and deceive most of the world into worshiping the Antichrist:"They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they worshiped the beast."Revelation 13:4 (NLT)Can you begin to see how the world could be deceived?Counterfeiting the Miracles of ChristIts easy to see how a Christ-rejecting world could fall prey to the deceptions of the Antichrist. Withthe aid of molecular manufacturing, the Antichrist could replicate many of the miracles of Christ.Molecular manufacturing will enable the construction of nanoscale devices capable of repairing,rebuilding, and restoring almost every aspect of a humans physical body. These devices could beused to regenerate cells, tissues, organs, and even entire systems within the human body. As aresult, nearly every healing miracle performed by Christ will be available during the era ofmolecular manufacturing. Just a few of the capabilities of MM are listed below:1) Restoration of vocal abilities for the mute.2) Reversal of paralysis for those with spinal cord injuries.3) Restoration of sight for the blind.4) Restoration of auditory abilities for the deaf.and5) The curing of just about any physical disease now afflicting humans.In effect, molecular manufacturing will herald an era in which "the blind will see, the deaf will hear,the lame will walk, the mute will speak, and the sick will be healed."

This is reminiscent of one of Isaiahs most famous messianic prophecies:"Say to those with fearful hearts, Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroyyour enemies. He is coming to save you. And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blindand unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak willsing for joy!" Isaiah 35:4-6 (NLT)According to Isaiah, all this will happen when "God comes."Can you begin to see how the world could be deceived?Turning Water Into WineEven the ability to turn water into wine will be possible with molecular manufacturing. Remember,naturally occurring chemical processes create both water and wine. With molecular manufacturing,humans will have the ability to break and create chemical bonds at the precise location wherechemical reactions occur. With the proper software application, a special purpose nanofactory,and the availability of all the elements necessary to form the chemical compounds most commonlyfound in wine, MM could easily transform water into wine.Is it any wonder the world could be deceived?Feeding 5,000 With 5 Loaves of Bread and Two FishEssentially every element necessary to create a loaf of bread or a fish is present in dirt. With themolecular blueprint for a fish or a loaf of bread, a nanofactory could rearrange the molecules foundin a small pail of dirt (discarding those molecules which are unnecessary) and create a fish or aloaf of bread. With enough dirt, a person in possession of a nanofactory could feed five thousandpeople. In fact, the number of fish or loaves of bread that could be created is only limited by theamount of dirt available for use.Now can you begin to see how the world could be deceived?Miracles Molecular Manufacturing Can Not CounterfeitHowever, despite its tremendous power, molecular manufacturing will never be able to replicate allthe miracles of Christ. Pharaohs magicians derived great power from deception and trickery, butultimately, their parlor tricks lacked the true power of God. In similar fashion, molecularmanufacturing will enable humans to counterfeit some of Gods greatest miracles. But in the end,molecular manufacturing lacks true spiritual power. Its usefulness only applies to the physicalworld.Lets study some examples:Casting Out DemonsThe New Testament records that, on a number of occasions, Jesus cast out evil spirits. The Bookof Mark provides one such account:

"Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit began shouting, Why areyou interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are -the Holy One sent from God! Jesus cut him short. Be quiet! Come out of the man, he ordered. Atthat, the evil spirit screamed, threw the man into a convulsion, and then came out of him.Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. What sort ofnew teaching is this? they asked excitedly. It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!The news about Jesus spread quickly throughout the entire region of Galilee." Mark 1:23-28 (NLT)As the true Messiah, Jesus had total power over the spiritual realm. However, the power ofmolecular manufacturing is strictly confined to the physical world. And since this world is temporalin nature, its power is only a matter of perception. Its power is not real. Nevertheless, most of theworld will be deceived by it.Knowing this, why would the world place its faith in anyone but Jesus Christ?Raising the DeadMolecular manufacturing, with its ability to repair and regenerate human cells, tissues, and organs,will promise an indefinite extension of the human lifespan as well as perpetual youthful andhealthy lifestyles. But again, this power will only extend to the physical world. True life comes fromGod, and once a persons soul leaves his body, it belongs to Christ, whether or not that personacknowledges His power or not:"And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed its here now, when the dead will hear my voice -the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live. The Father has life in himself, and hehas granted that same life-giving power to his Son. And he has given him authority to judgeeveryone because he is the Son of Man. Dont be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming whenall the dead in their graves will hear the voice of Gods Son, and they will rise again. Those whohave done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise toexperience judgment. I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, myjudgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will." John 5:25-30 (NLT)Knowing this, why would the world place its faith in anyone but Jesus Christ?The Power to Forgive SinsMolecular manufacturing will provide humanity with unprecedented power to manipulate what Godhas already created. But the earth remains cursed, and mankind still retains its sinful nature. Assuch, ability to control the physical world will have no bearing on mans ability to overcome thesins of the world. Man and his technology are powerless in this respect. For as the Book of Markdemonstrates, only Jesus has the power to forgive sins:"While he was preaching Gods word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on amat. They couldnt bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roofabove his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing theirfaith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, My child, your sins are forgiven." Mark 2:2-5 (NLT)

No matter what level of power human beings achieve, forgiveness of sins will remain the exclusivedomain of God. No matter how powerful humanity believes itself to be, it can never redeem itself inthe eyes of God. Only the blood of Jesus Christ grants an individual forgiveness of his sins.Knowing this, why would the world place its faith in anyone but Jesus Christ?ConclusionThe end times will be a time of great spiritual darkness, cultivated by the demonic deceptions ofthe Antichrist. Molecular manufacturing could be one of the tools at his disposal, with its perceivedability to end war, cure physical ailments, and literally turn dirt into an abundance of materialobjects.In such a world, its easy to see how people could be mesmerized by such power. But placingones faith in technology or human beings - or anything other than God Himself - leads only todestruction.Unfortunately, this will be the choice of the end times generation. Human beings will becomedrunk with their own power, believing themselves to be superior to God Himself. This arrogantmindset combined with unimaginably powerful technology will eventually lead to a physicalconfrontation between fallen mankind and the King of kings, Jesus Christ. The prophet Isaiahforesaw this day, as well as the futility of those who would place their faith in that which is merelyhuman:"Dont put your trust in mere humans. They are as frail as breath. What good are they?" Isaiah2:22 (NLT)This is a brilliant observation, instructive to any generation. Instead of placing your faith in fallenmankind and the material things of this world, put your faith in Jesus Christ. If you do, Godpromises you will not be disappointed:"And anyone who believes in Him will never be disappointed." 1 Peter 2:6 (NLT)Is this the foundation upon which youve built your life? Or do you trust in the things of this world?If so, youre only setting yourself up to be deceived.Britt Gillette is the author of BrittGillette.Com, a Christian website examining bible prophecy andemerging technology. Visit his site to learn more about end time deception.Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Britt_Gillette

==== ====The Truth About The Last Days, Antichrist, The Rapture, More.http://www.teachingfaith.com/content.cfm?id=304==== ====

Prophecy

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