The Falling Away
by Mike Ratliff
1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 NKJV)
I confess that for many years that 2 Thessalonians 2:3 seemed to me “not to fit” with the Eschatology that I was being fed on a regular basis. I even heard one very well known “Prophecy Expert” say that the “falling away” in v3 was describing the secret Rapture of the Church. Nowadays, with my work in this ministry, it has become apparent to me that more and more of once solid “evangelicals” and their ministries are joining the ranks of the apostate. Not only that, the “quasi-Christians” that once seemed to at least feel guilty because of their fleshly lifestyles are now viewing those of us who remain firmly fixed in our obedience to our Lord as “crazy” or “legalistic” or “judgmental” or even “dangerous.” They seem to have no issue with calling themselves “Christian” while living fleshly, sinful lifestyles. I believe that this move into apostasy that is called “the falling away” by Paul is well underway.
“The falling away” in Greek is a term used to refer to military, political, or religious rebellion. The context of this passage, however, makes it clear that this is a religious defection. This defection is described as that of following the man of sin, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. The way vv3-4 are worded indicates that this “falling away” is a specific event, not a general apostasy. However, the general apostasy that we are seeing now, which in various forms has always existed, is becoming more and more deliberate. The specific event will be the revealing of the man of sin as “god,” however, the drastic apostasy shift we are seeing now could very well be a preparation for the main event in the very near future. This specific falling away or apostasy is “The Great Apostasy” described in 1 Timothy 4.
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth (1 Timothy 4:1-3 NKJV)
The lawless one whom the apostates follow in his self-exhalation as god blasphemously assumes the place of God on earth. That place is reserved for Jesus Christ, but this person usurps that position and declares himself to be god. The growing apostasy that seems to be setting the table for the appearance of the lawless one is awaiting one event that will set the falling away into motion.
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. (2 Thessalonians 2:5-7 NKJV)
The term “taken out of the way” means “a stepping aside.” It means that whatever or whoever the restrainer is, is not removed, but simply taken out of the way. This event will happen right as the lawless one is revealed (2 Thessalonians 2: 
and this will begin The Day of the Lord. This coincides with the opening of the Seventh Seal on the Scroll in Heaven.
Now, that is the Great Apostasy, or The Falling Away, or the Rebellion. We have already looked at the Scarlet Woman and that the makings of a world religion made up of all religions except for genuine Christianity that is being formed. This world religion will follow after the lawless one who is the Scarlet Beast upon whom the Scarlet Woman rides. Are the building blocks in place for this? I believe we are seeing unprecedented growth in apostasy in our time. I listened to the Mike Corely program today as he interviewed a Romanian evangelist who was saved when the Communists still controlled his country. He said that even then, American missionaries were in his country planting churches and presenting the gospel. However, lately, much of the preaching they are hearing from some American missionaries does not contain the gospel found in the Bible. He wanted us to pray that the American Church would cleanse its spring. In other words, clean up the pollution of the non-Gospel that is prevalently preached in American Churches. He did say that one exception to this was the missionaries they received from Heartcry Ministries that is run by Paul Washer. He said that when those missionaries preach they hear the genuine gospel and people are Born Again, regenerated, as they hear the truth.
I read “THE EMERGENT CHURCH: IMAGINE AN INCLUSIVE NEW EVANGELICAL GLOBAL FAITH WHERE EVERYONE’S ALREADY SAVED” today at Apprising Ministries and watched the video at the end. It was from this that I knew that I must write about the Great Apostasy this evening. I pray that you do watch the video because I believe you will agree with me that the drive to unite all religions into one is becoming very strong, well defined, and more generally accepted by the majority of professing Christians than we ever thought possible. It is one of the most deceiving messages I have ever seen. I believe God showed me through this and my study of Eschatology that we are seeing the pieces come together for the Falling Away. What should we do? We should pray and study our Bibles to show ourselves approved to teach and preach and minister. When the falling away happens and the lawless one revealed, those who are in Christ on this earth at that time will be the persecuted. We must not fear this, but become prepared in our obedience. Soli Deo Gloria!
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Sobering. Hebrews tell us that we will not escape if we let these things “slip”. The ultimate and most powerful deception will be fueled by the carnal love of man masquerading as the love of God.
Very timely Mike, God seems to be using you lately with an unusual anointing. Keep puting the horn to your lips!
I’d be curious to know who the prophecy expert was who made that blunder so I can avoid him.
I talked to a leading prophecy teacher last year and we concluded that when the final apostasy comes, the church will not fall into it, the “apostasy bucket” will be full and it will only need a little more to overflow. I fear that we are in the time when the bucket is being filled.
Rick,
Yes, “The ultimate and most powerful deception will be fueled by the carnal love of man masquerading as the love of God.” Indeed! and well said brother. That is what we are seeing isn’t it? I will continue and I pray that you will as well brother!
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
John H,
Well, if you must know.
It was J.R. Church. I haven’t paid any attention to him in over a decade.
The Remnant of the visible Church, which is the Invisible True Church will not Apostatize. I agree with that, but many in the Visible Church who are not genuine will and I think already are in a form of it. Yes, I too believe we are in that time.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
Powerful Mike……..we agree with you on this. Isn’t it coming soon that most of the ‘leaders’ in the countries are going to be ‘changing’ here pretty soon?
This is a thoughtful and thought provoking post, Mike.
I have much to say on this subject since Biblical prophecy is one of my passions, but I won’t delve into it here in your comments thread. This being said, prophecy certainly occupies a special place within scripture since it is nothing less than the Almighty’s seal of truth and a sure witness that He alone is God.
Only the One True Living God of the Holy Bible could reveal with absolute accuracy the precise details of events that would occur in both the near and distant future; conclusively proving that He alone foreordains and unfolds that very future by His own power and authority.
Man is constantly searching for what he defines as “truth”, yet according to scripture he is utterly dead in trespass and sin and by his own power, reason, and intellect is unable to come to the actual truth contained in the Holy Writ. Man is a spiritual zombie walking blindly through his days never realizing that he’s but an animated, spiritually dead corpse fit for nothing but destruction apart from the truth of the ages, Christ crucified.
I once heard a pastor speaking on Christ calling forth Lazareth and explaining how we, like Lazareth are dead and cold as stones until Christ calls us forth, and how it is by His call alone that we are able come forth and be quickened unto life. That preacher went on to say something that stuck with me. He asked; “Why do you think Jesus called Lazareth forth by name? Why didn’t He just say ‘Come forth!’? After all, He could have done that. I’ve thought about that question and decided it was because if Jesus had simply said ‘Come forth!’ then every corpse in those tombs would have risen and walked out at the command of Christ.”
That’s good preaching right there…
I saw Jack van impe interpret the great falling away as the rapture also. He said we christians were going to literally fall away from the earth. Pretty strange stuff.
Thanks Paul and yes I agree with you on that one.
Coram Deo, Yep, I’ve heard that one before too. Very powerful.
Fred, Yep, pretty poor exegesis on top of that.
Mike,
I believe we are in the falling away. I don’t know how long the falling away will last before the anti-christ is revealed. Paul from the post above mentioned the leadership that is about to change. I too think about the leadership change in this country. It has already changed so much with just a shift in power let alone the presidential change to come. I believe we will see a great deal of change for the worse, meaning against God and His will. I believe much of America’s power will be given to the World, handed over to councils, perhaps a 10 leader council. When this happens, be looking for the one in their midst. The little horn. The anti-christ. He will kill three council members (Ethiopia, Lybia, and Egypt). Then we will know who anti-christ is. This could easily take place in the next few years or sooner. If we hand over power to a 10 member council and someone steps up in that council suggesting a seven year peace agreement, your guess will be pretty good who that man will turn out to be (anti-christ). I had a dream last night that I was to run and hide in the mountains. I’m sure it was due to all of my end-time reading but in the future, who knows? Has anyone else read about Josephus and his account of how the early christians knew when exactly to leave Jerusalem in 70 A.D.???
Love in Christ,
Rachel
Mike,
Thanks for the excellent post. The erroneous interpretation of this passage and of the term “falling away” has prepared the ground for many unsuspecting believers to be swept away when the flood comes. Instead of presenting it as the warning it is, preachers have rather presented it as the way out.
Indeed, we are already witnessing the apostasy in varied forms, as our churches are swept with idolatrous and mystic practices coated with nice sounding Bible words, a concentration on the world rather than on Christ and heaven, and much more.
We must keep sharing and presenting clearly divided teaching of the Bible as we see the day approaching.
Stay blessed, all.
With Van Impe’s embrace of Rome, his comments about falling away are kind of ironic. And, for me as well, it’s been a long time since I listened to anything of JR’s.
Rachel,
Yes, let’s WATCH as Jesus instructed us. I have read that part in Josephus. There were signs in the sky, etc. and Titus setup an image of his father, who was then Emperor of Rome, in the Temple. But when they say the Romans surrounding city, they fled. Of course that last part is from Eusibus.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
JohnH,
Van Impe has made his living on proclaiming his version of the end times. It is his business not a ministry. J.R. Church actually preached in my old church in OK in the late 1980’s. That was when Prophecy in the News was really big. I haven’t heard a word from him since the Rapture didn’t happen in 2000 like he had been predicting forever. I think the last time I watched his show was during the first Gulf War in 1991 and he was going gaga over Psalm 91 and his book Hidden Prophecy in the Psalms, which, by-the-way, I found in a box just the other day. It went into the trash.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
My parents used to listen to Jack Van Impe from way back in the 1960s. I went to a big Van Impe “revival” meeting at the Michigan State Fair in the early 1970s. If I remember right, he always figured that the Rapture would happen in 1981 because Israel became a nation in 1948 so 40 years added to that (for the last generation) makes 1988 the year of the Second Coming. But the 7-year Tribulation had to occur before the Second Coming sooooo …that makes it 1981, the year of the Rapture. Of course, it didn’t happen and Jack Van Impe dropped out of sight for a while.
Somehow he “revived” himself sometime during the 1990s and was more or less a Pope-idolizer
I’ve run the whole gamut from pre-trib dispensationalist to Christian Reconstruction/preterist and now to Historist of the Reformers.
But one question still is on my mind…..What about the 144,000 who are supposedly like big-time evangelizers in the end-times? Any thoughts on that?
Timothy,
I am preparing to write about the 144,000 as soon as I get through the first six seals. In fact the 144000 appear right after the sixth seal is opened and prior to the seventh seal. Pray that I will be able to exposit this correctly.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
Yomi,
Excellent comment! I agree with your synopsis completely.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
Mike I read your blogpost and all I could think was, “Yup.” =)
Btw, one question:
This coincides with the opening of the Seventh Seal on the Scroll in Heaven.
So the timing of the 7th seal being opened (which begins in the 7 trumpet and 7 bowl judgments) is aligned with the Antichrist setting himself up as “God” at the halfway point of the 70th week? Makes sense, I just haven’t looked at the relation myself recently.
Also yes, praise God for the few faithful still out there preaching the true gospel like HeartCry does.
For those of you who support missionaries and missions, please do take care to see that your support is going to actual missionary work and outreach and not some big organization that just does peer-pressured altar calls and cheap faith easy-believism techniques. Remember that we are responsible for the resources God has provided us so we must be good stewards to the extent that we research and “invest” it wisely in the Kingdom work.
Wake,
The opening of the seventh seal is followed very quickly by the seven trumpets. The seventh trumpet is followed very quickly by the seven bowls. When I taught through this for two years back in the early 1990’s we came up with this:
The first six seals are the birth pangs that will lead to the severe birth pangs that are contained in the seventh seal. The seventh seal contains the seven trumpets. The seventh trumpet contains the seven bowls. By the seventh bowl the birth pangs come to completion and then God will cause the earth to give birth to the Age to Come, the Kingdom of God in fulfillment when Christ comes to set up His kingdom which has no end.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
Regarding the 144,000 my only recommendation is to be certain to exegete it carefully. It is very clear that they are Jews. It likely relates very closely to God’s spiritual restoration of the nation of Israel in the end as seen in Ezekiel, Isaiah, etc, in fulfillment of the new covenant with those to whom it was first delivered (the Jews). This spiritual outpouring and divine sealed protection of these elect plays a key role in end time events and should not be relegated to the ’spiritual’ or ‘figurative’ as some want to do.
Rachel:
Paul from the post above mentioned the leadership that is about to change. I too think about the leadership change in this country. It has already changed so much with just a shift in power let alone the presidential change to come.
Yes but not just in this country but everywhere. A new UN leader was just put in. A new pope began not that long ago and there is an old (unbiblical and thus to not be taken with much consideration) prophesy says the next pope will be a key figure and possibly the False Prophet. hehe
We also have strong spiritual movements at work in the major religions where each are awaiting “messiah” who will be found in the Antichrist and his False Prophet. The muslims eagerly await the Madhi - their messiah - and Iran is fomenting a strong belief that he will appear soon. The new agers await their “Christ” as described in depth in the excellent online resource http://www.inthenameofpurpose.org . There is a belief that he will arise soon. The Catholics will easily follow a False prophet or Antichrist coming from Rome and the Vatican, and if the aforementioned “prophecy” about the next pope being such, that also could be soon. All of these will align with the one figure who does arise and that is how all these major world religions will so easily be brought together and unified.
And you are correct that the power in the US is shifting and not just in the way you mean but also how the role of president under Bush has gained enormous power it was never designed to have. The president can now unilaterally do (and prevent other parts of the government from doing) much more than it was originally designed to do.
Btw, regarding the 10 leaders or 10 nation confederacy, please avoid trying to line them up with actual countries today as Scripture does not spell them out specifically.
Mike: Yes, that’s my understanding of the relation between the seals, trumpets, and bowls as well, however I do make the distinction that Christ reigns for a literal 1,000 years from Jerusalem here on this Earth, at the end of which Satan is unleashed from the abyss where he was placed for those thousand years, and he brings the nations of the world to battle against Christ in Jerusalem and Christ is victorious, Satan is thrown into the eternal lake of fire with his followers, and then this Earth is dissolved to its elements as the new heavens & new earth are formed which is the home of the righteous forever in the presence of God. (Rough outline in one handy run-on sentence. :D)
Wake,
Christ’s Kingdom has no end. That is what I meant. The 1000 years may or may not be literal, but we do know that after a period of time with Christ reigning with a rod of iron, Satan will be released to deceive the nations. That does not end in any way Christ’s Kingdom or His rule. It simply sets up how God is going to create a New Heaven and and a New Earth.
Personally, I desire to bypass all of this and simply be with my Saviour for eternity. How about you?
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
And speaking of 40 years (in relation to the baseless claim of Christ’s return in 1988)…
It will soon be 40 years since Israel regained Jerusalem. It would not be unreasonable to anticipate interesting things happening over the next 12-18 months related to Israel, as 40 years has always been a significant timeframe for God’s dealings with the Jews.
Nice related article:
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55324
Wake, Thanks for the link. Very interesting indeed.
THE APOSTASY in II Thessalonians 2 seems to me to be “THE” because it is “THE” revealing of “THE” Antichrist (not many apostasies and many antichrists). This certainly is a profound event as you have stated well. And the way things are progressing we may well be on a fast track to the fulfillment of this prophecy. The only question I have is this: In which “temple” does this event take place? Many prophecy students say a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. Of course, the only way Daniel 9 can be fulfilled is if this is true. But although the same “man of lawlessness” will be at the center of both the fulfillment of Daniel 9 and II Thess. 2 - do I then assume that these two different prophetic Scriptures are fulfilled at the same moment in history - that is half way through the tribulation? Is it not possible that the temple in Daniel is a physical temple and the temple in II Thessalonians is the visible temple of God upon the earth (church) which place is supposed to be where Christ dwells with His own. And that “SEAT” has now been usurped by the “man of lawlessness” as he “displays” (He does not make the statement: I AM GOD!) himself as the head (leader) thus mocking and blaspheming God himself?
I have attempted to write about this possible scenario at http://www.atrueandfaithfulwitness.com/antichrist.htm
Please consider giving some thought and study to this view.
Mike: You are correct that Christ reigns forever. Amen!
There is no reason to take the 1,000 year physical reign of Christ on this Earth (that begins with his physical return in like manner as He ascended) as anything other than literal. There is no reason to spiritualize random passages in Scripture, as that is an inconsistent hermeneutic and dangerous path to take when exegeting.
More so unreasonable since there is prophecy in Scripture as to what will happen thereafter (the great white throne judgment, Satan cast into lake of fire, also too the unregenerate, and the new heavens & the new earth being made for the righteous who are then given their glorified bodies to live with Christ forever in the new heavens & earth.) So we know that after the 1,000 year reign things will in one sense end and yet begin again.
Remember that any who entered directly into the millennial kingdom at the second coming of Christ will have yet to receive their glorified bodies (hence why they can procreate during the millennium and hence why there can still be people who will rebel) and thus will receive their new body at the end of the 1,000 year physical reign of Christ before being brought to the new heaven & new earth.
It might also help to remember that during Christ’s 1,000 year reign sin is still at work as there is unbelief and thus the people of the nations which Satan will rouse to war. Clearly this is not the same situation as the eternal reign of Christ in the new heaven & new earth.
It is interesting to me, especially given how little time seems to be left before the end, that this Earth has existed for very nearly 6,000 years, and a 1,000 year reign of Christ will bring it to right around 7,000 years of existence. It was created in 6 days with 1 day rest. The 1,000 year reign is also like a rest, as the rightful King is ruling and during that time Jerusalem will be at peace and the Jews will be in their land experiencing it as it was intended for them.
A day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day, indeed. Just a very nice juxtaposition and another sign of the orderly way in which God creates and plans things out - and an example of the beauty we can miss if we don’t accept the words at face value (i.e. 1,000 means 1,000.)
I don’t want to stray too far from the theme of your post but in regards to Jerusalem…..
I do believe that the present War On Terrorism in the Middle East is really a War To Establish The Vatican On The Temple Mount. If you ever read the late Tupper Saussy’s book, “Rulers Of Evil,” you would realize the USA was established by and set up like the Catholic hierarchy. We are really fighting the Vatican’s wars.
David,
I don’t think this is a literal temple, but the temple within each heart. Those who fall away place the lawless one in their heart as God instead of Christ as God because of the delusion sent to them by God. The Lawless one places himself in the place of God. Until we have concrete evidence of another temple then I think we have to hold off demanding that one be built. If one is erected in Jerusalem then watch out, but I still think this is metaphorically speaking of what each person holds in their hearts to be God.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
Wake,
Brother, why don’t we wait until I get a chance to exposit these things. You placed so much stuff in your comment that I have heard from COMMENTATORS for so many years that I refuse to accept any of that stuff until I see it in scripture.
This series is not going to be a rehash of what everyone and their dog has being saying about eschatology for the last 50 years or so. I have already said that when I committed to doing this that I was not going to read ANY COMMENTARIES on this until after I expounded the scripture. So, let’s hold off on this sort of speculation. You can hold your beliefs about this, that’s fine, but don’t try to force them on this study okay?
Scripture is the only reliable source we have, not men’s opinions, to get this right.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
Timothy,
I confess that I know very little about this. However, I know that the US Government is not the Messianic state that so many Christians seem to think it is. It is nothing but a secular godless government. That synopsis wouldn’t surprise me though.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
Mike, I had no intention of forcing an opinion. However the concept of a consistent hermeneutic when approaching Scripture is key to understanding it properly. It is just a straightforward reading of Scripture in context and I am encouraging you not to stray from that as covenantalists are sadly wont to do.
I was only intending to encourage you to approach the text at face value and not with the presupposition than any prophecy written by God will not be fulfilled literally (especially since everything fulfilled to date has been).
I generally don’t read commentaries either, fwiw. If what I have said happens to agree with what was written by a well respected long-dead author who was much a more knowledgeable and studied man in the Word than I, I don’t see why that’s reason to write it off. If anything that seems like it might support that what is said was accurate.
Regards.
Wake,
That’s okay. I understand, but I don’t want you to be too upset if my exposition of these scriptures is contrary to what you believe. I’m not saying it will be, but I am holding off on my position on much of this until I do the work.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
Mike,
You said: “I even heard one very well known “Prophecy Expert” say that the “falling away” in v3 was describing the secret Rapture of the Church.” I can give you a whole catalogue of ‘prophecy experts’ and preachers who have insisted on that.
The word translated “falling away” there is apostasia, literally a defection (as you already pointed out), a revolt, apostasy, and is used consistently in the New Testament of religious apostasy. How anyone can twist that to mean a secret rapture beats me.
The more I studied 2 Thessalonians and the prophecies given by Jesus, the more I knew I had been sold a pack of lies.
looking forward to the rest of your study, and I’ll do a bit myself.
Stay blessed, all.
Yomi,
Yes, brother I too was sold that pack of lies for many years. However, God is opening our eyes isn’t He? Yes, by all means study this. That is really the point of this series. I want to encourage all reading this to dig into the Word asking God to show you the truth free from any filters of man-made scenarios and speculations. Yomi, I look forward to reading the results of your study as well.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
Wake - When it comes to prophecy one man’s accurate hermeneutics is another man’s wresting. In this arena there is a wide range of Christ loving and Bible believing Christians who have many different perspectives about the chronology and the degree of imagery as opposed to literal events.
It is edifying for us to discuss and challenge each other because prophecy stirs the Spirit and increases our desire for Him. I believe that the parameters for legitimate discussion is wide but the one line of demarcation that must not be compromised is that Jesus is coming visibly back to this earth to rule and reign. Any reduction of that truth to imagery is where we must part company.
Good post Mike!
Thanks Rick and well said brother!
Timothy Bell,
Not to stray to much from topic as it will be covered soon but the 144,000 are sealed jews. Jews, meaning not christians. They are sealed for their own protection. Christians are sealed with the Holy Spirit during this time so we are already sealed by God. As far as the Jews evangelizing, how can they, they don’t know Jesus. How can anyone introduce Jesus to anyone else when they don’t know Him? This is why I see the 144,000 evangelizing as not making any sense. I will comment more when Mike does his post on this.
Wake,
Yes, I completely agree with all of your obseravations of religious leaders and governments worldwide preparing to accept the anti-christ. Thank you for laying it out so well.
Also you said “Btw, regarding the 10 leaders or 10 nation confederacy, please avoid trying to line them up with actual countries today as Scripture does not spell them out specifically.”
Actually it is in the scriptures. And when I saw it I couldn’t believe it. Later I read some writings by Hippolytus I believe, and he confirmed the interpretation as the same.
Daniel11:43 “He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Nubians in submission.”NIV (The Nubians are the Ethiopians.)
“43But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver and over all the precious things of Egypt, and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall accompany him [compelled to follow his steps].” Amplified
“and over all the precious things of Egypt; and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.” in several other versions.
I appreciate you wanting to state only what is in scripture. I agree. We must look to the scriptures alone for answers. Please know I have done exhaustive study on this subject and would not make a comment like that without scripture. I greatly respect your desire to keep to the word only. If I do not list a scripture to back something up, please ask me for it. I will do the same so that we may all be edified or corrected.
In Christ,
Rachel
Rachel, I appreciate all the input you give here. Please do not stop. I have found that it is very easy to ignore certain scripture when on the trial of something else. I think that is where a lot of the false teaching about eschatology has come from. I think we should be as careful as we can with this. That is why we are moving so slowly right now…along with, and more importantly, God has me doing it this way. I can only write as I receive direction.
In Christ
Mike Ratliff
Mike,
Thank you for your encouragement. I hope I haven’t jumped too far ahead on anything. I look to scripture alone to see the truth of His coming and all the signs that precede His arrival. I did later discover writing of the early church which verified what had already been given to me through scripture and the illumination of the Holy Spirit. These writings only brought comfort, the truth came only from the scriptures. I know you are the same.
Love in Christ,
Rachel
Amen Rachel!
Rachel, to help answer your question:
As far as the Jews evangelizing, how can they, they don’t know Jesus. How can anyone introduce Jesus to anyone else when they don’t know Him?
Well quite logically if God spiritually regenerates 144,000 Jews and seals them with divine protection, I imagine they can be quite effective witnesses for the gospel. =)
As far as the second part of your question, I haven’t met Jesus in person yet but I can be an effective witness because of the Holy Spirit within me. Since it says the 144,000 elect sealed will be evangelizing (the rest of the Jews or possibly even all of the nations), we know they will. If the Bible says it will be so, we know it will be so.
We might not know the details of how they are able to do so, but based on how we were saved and can in turn witness for Jesus, I don’t think it would be unexpected for part of their sealing to include the Holy Spirit being placed either upon them (in the old covenant style) or placed within them (in the new covenant style) (the details depending on which way you view the covenants - as the new superceding the old or as the old still being applicable to the Jews as some say, just without any need for animal sacrifices since Christ fulfilled the law and conquered sin by His shed blood and thus no longer are blood sacrifices needed).
Regards.
Dear Wake,
You said: “Since it says the 144,000 elect sealed will be evangelizing (the rest of the Jews or possibly even all of the nations), we know they will. If the Bible says it will be so, we know it will be so.”
Please give me the scripture for this. I have never seen it.
In Christ,
Rachel
Yomi, thank you for going to the trouble of showing us the Greek of “falling away.” I was sold that same story years ago and from one much older and “wiser” in the Lord than me. When I looked it up in Strong’s, I was befuddled at how someone like my mature Christian friend could have swallowed it without question. It goes to show you that it’s not about intelligence or age, but about trusting the Holy Spirit within you and seeking the Truth in the Word for yourself. I learned a valuable lesson from having a teacher who trusted so heavily in men’s writings…I now question everything that I hear and look in the Word for myself.
Mike, such a great article! It really is scary - reading your article coupled with a video I just saw about how the gospel is not even the gospel anymore… I love when I hear something over and over and I know it is the Lord making sure I am hearing Him. He is alive!
Once Confused,
I have gone through the same situations. The Holy Spirit is so good. Where is this video on the gospel not being the gospel anymore? Do you have a link to it?
Rachel
Once confused, Amen and thanks for the encouragement.
Hi Rachel! I’m glad I came back here and saw your question. I don’t think you can post links in here, or the comment will automatically be blocked. I have to tell you, I’ve been saved since 1992, and I was humbled at seeing this video when I saw such a simple explanation of how Jesus witnessed to people vs. how we do today, and I realized that today’s “gospel” had infiltrated my own thinking. Just when you think you’re only following Scripture…
I am going to email Mike personally and ask him to give you my email address, and see if I can post that link or send it to you directly.
Love in Christ,
Sharon
Thank you Sharon.
Love in Christ,
Rachel
[...] that is called “the falling away” by Paul is well underway.’–excerpted from “The Falling Away” article by Mike [...]
The verse clearly states that the man of sin will deceive himself that he is God by standing in the temple of God. Satan knows if the temple in Jerusalem was rebuilt, it would be spiritually meaningless. So since we are the real temple now, The man of sin will somehow inhabit us. It is the only thing that really lines up with word, regardless of what Grant jeffrey and company says. There is many possibilities to achieve this, but I believe it will have to do with taking the mark or some kind of vaccination.