Revelation Chapter 16
Before we continue on with our prophecy concerning the sixth plague, let us take another look at what we had learned from the texts quoted from Matthew 24, 2 Thess 2, and Deuteronomy 13.
The point was made that if properly understood these particular texts would serve as warnings of what is to come, that they would greatly aid us in overcoming the deceptions soon to befall the world. But there is more to it than this, understanding WHAT precisely those deceptions consist of is also very important.
As you recall the Lord promised that the Philadelphian stage of the Church would escape this “hour of trial” or “hour of temptation”, coming upon the world, that it was reserved for the next stage, the Laodicean stage. This is very important for us as we are living in this stage of the church and (depending upon our age) will shortly enter into this hour of temptation, thus it is very important that we well consider the warnings outlined in the three key texts which were quoted and look to see what might be the nature of these deceptions.
If we review the key points of these texts, we believe we can somewhat deduce just what some of the specific deceptions may consist.
The reason we bring this up here is that it goes to the point of our Lord’s statement made in Verse 11, which we will get to shortly when we continue with our look at the sixth plague.
Beginning with our text from Matthew 24 Verse 24 the Lord warned us of what these deceptions would consist of, i.e., “great signs and wonders”, this was for the most part repeated in the apostle Paul’s prophecy found in 2 Thess 2:9 where he describes these deceptions as “signs and lying wonders”. Deuteronomy 13:1 also describes these deceptions as “a sign or a wonder”.
So, what is a “sign” and what is a “wonder”?
A “sign” Greek: seemion is an evidence, proof or indication of something, a “wonder” is a marvel, some kind of miraculous work, event or miracle. These could be good or bad.
But here the Lord warns us that these “signs” and “wonders” are to be used as deceptions to deceive the world, the church, thus they are stated in the apostle Paul’s prophecy in 2 Thess 2:9 as “signs and LYING wonders”. Thus these are bad.
What kinds of signs and lying wonders should we expect to see?
We hinted at a few of these in our previous post, viz.,
Miraculous healings, cures from diseases and sickness, possibly even fringed resurrections, thus deceiving many into believing that the resurrection is taking place, but of course those properly informed of God’s plan, i.e., “The times and the seasons”, will not be deceive by these things even though they take place:
Why?
Because they know that now, during this Gospel Age is not the time for these things, these things are reserved for the next age as promised, during the times of the restoration of all things.
The New Creation (the true Church) walks by faith, NOT by sight and would not presume to test the Lord with physical signs and miracles to confirm their faith at this time. Only a “wicked and adulterous generation (the false or professing church) seeks after a sign” (or evidence), some kind of miracle in which to confirm their faith. (Matt 16:4)
Performing wonderful works (signs and lying wonders) is one of the oldest tricks of Satan and his minions, and as expressed in the text taken from 2 Thess 2:9 he is expected to use all his power in multiplying these signs and lying wonders during the “hour of temptation” this in order to deceive (to attempt to stumble the Lord’s true people). This is the whole purpose of these deceptions to somehow thwart God’s plans and thus prolong his reign over this world. He has no need to worry about deceiving the world they are already his, for he is the god of this present evil world. As for the professing church (orthodoxy, the church nominal) they have already been groomed and deceived by the blind guides of Christendom to accept the deceptions coming. In fact, it will be they who will be the ones ascribing these various signs and wonders to the Lord and proclaiming these as evidence that the Lord’s kingdom has arrived.
But the Lord’s true people forewarned of these coming deceptions know better. These know first and foremost that the Gospel age is one of faith, not of sight, and that the Lord has given no indication anywhere in the scriptures that this is to change here at the end of the age. Thus, these know that any such sign or wonder preform here at the end of the age is of the Adversary, a deception meant to stumble their faith.
These understand that the kingdom (the true kingdom) cannot begin until first the Church is complete, until all the true saints have made their calling and election sure and have gone beyond the Vail. That according to “the times and the seasons” the true healing of the world, “the times of the restoration of all things” (Acts 3:21) cannot take place until the Church is complete. “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.” (Rom 8:19)
“For now the sons of God are unrevealed; the world knows them not, even as it knew not their Master; and though the world, indeed, looks forward with a vague hope to a golden age of blessing, the Apostle points out that all their earnest expectations must wait for the time when the Church, the sons of God, shall be glorified and shall be manifested as the kings and priests of God's appointment, who shall reign over the earth during the Millennial age (more specifically during the Mediatorial reign), for the blessing of all the families of the earth, according to the riches of divine grace as revealed by God in his promise to Abraham, saying: "In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." (Gal. 3:8, 16, 29)
Now someone might ask:
Will there be a physical or visible manifestation of our Lord during the hour of temptation possibly to stumble the faith of some?
Whether or not the Adversary attempts such a deception we know not, but anything is possible. However, we know that our Lord’s Parousia (presence) is an invisible occurrence, that he is a spirit being of the highest order the express image of the Father in whom no man has seen nor can see (1 Tim 6:16). That he himself warned us of such a deception when he stated in Matt 24 Verse 23, “If anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it.”
“If they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ (Representative of a physical or fleshly return to the deserts of Palestine) do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”
“As the bright-shiner [the Sun] comes out of the East [and can neither be confined to a solitary place nor to a private room], but shines [everywhere] even unto the [remote] West, so shall the presence [Greek Parousia] of the Son of Man be.” (Verses 26 and 27)
We will continue with our look at the sixth plague in our next post.
