Deception In The End Times

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 will deceive 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 to deceive, if possible, even God's chosen ones." Matthew 24:24 (NLT)

What's most interesting about this passage is not that false messiahs and false prophets will appear in the end times. We've witnessed such people firsthand in every generation since Christ first spoke these words.

What stands out concerning these false prophets and false messiahs is that their great signs and wonders will be so amazing they will be capable of deceiving God's chosen ones (if such were possible). These aren't everyday signs and wonders. They must truly be 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 to Timothy:

"For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want 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 seems counterintuitive, it's true. People will believe in the signs and wonders they witness because they want 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 itching ears with exactly what they want to hear. In the years leading up to Christ's return, the world will be misled by the greatest false prophet in human history, the Antichrist.

Deception By The Antichrist

Spiritual deception will be rampant during the seven year rule of the Antichrist. According to the prophet 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 to the world's problems. Paul tells us that those who become caught in the Antichrist's web of deceit will 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 they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than 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 being tricked. Instead, they will be condemned because, knowing the truth, they chose evil instead. To this end, the miracles of the Antichrist will play a pivotal role in the demonic deception that will cause the world to gather for battle against the Lord. In the Book of Revelation, John describes these evil forces as able to perform "miracles":

"He did astounding miracles, even making fire flash down to earth from the sky while everyone was 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 of the world to gather them for battle against the Lord on that great judgment day of God the Almighty." Revelation 16:13-14 (NLT)

These passages make it clear that demonic forces will perform astounding miracles in the last days. But what will these miracles be? And if "even the elect of God" could be fooled by them, how can average people protect themselves from being deceived?

To find out, let's first examine what the bible has to say about the true Messiah.

Miracles Of The Messiah

Hundreds of years before Jesus of Nazareth walked the earth, the prophet Isaiah recorded for posterity some of the miraculous signs and wonders the Messiah would bring forth. Let's look at a few of these:

"And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will 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 He performed. Following encounters with Jesus, the mute could speak, the deaf could hear, the paralyzed could walk, and the blind could see. As a result, many placed their faith in Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah.

In addition to these miracles, Isaiah looked forward to a time when the Messiah would personally rule 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 fight against 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 fulfilled immediately following His Second Coming.

These Messianic characteristics recorded by Isaiah - the ability to heal afflictions, perform miracles, 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 large is ripe for deception. Many of the same miracles and Messianic attributes which have prompted people 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 and miracle healings to trick the world into following a false messiah? Would this really be effective? Wouldn't the same people who remain skeptical of the miracles of Jesus also be skeptical of someone else?

Jesus Himself issued a warning which provides us with the answer:

"For I have come to you in my Father's name, and you have rejected me. Yet if others come in their own name, you gladly welcome them. No wonder you can't believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don't care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God." John 5:43-44 (NLT)

In the end times, most of the world will reject Jesus as the Messiah. But they will gladly follow someone else who comes in his own name. The Antichrist will deceive most of the world into following him.

But how will he do this?

One way he could do this is by exhibiting many of the same Messianic attributes highlighted by Isaiah. And it may surprise you to learn that an emerging technology will endow the one who possesses it with the ability to perform the very same miracles we just examined.

The Deceptive Potential of Molecular Manufacturing

In earlier writings, we've examined the enormous power of molecular manufacturing (MM). This technology 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 will provide humanity with unprecedented power.

If the Antichrist were to administer the world's molecular manufacturing capability, he could easily rule the entire world. And the abilities of this revolutionary technology would provide him with a powerful means for deceiving its people.

Perceived Peace On Earth

As stated in a previous article, the development of molecular manufacturing will inevitably lead to a global government given the severe consequences of competing nation states having simultaneous possession of this powerful technology. With a single unified government, and the inability of conventional arms to counter the immense power of MM, it will appear to most people that war is forever a part of humanity's past.

However, only Jesus Christ can bring a lasting world peace. Without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, man's fallen nature consumes him with a desire to acquire what he does not have. This is the root cause of all human conflict:

"What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Isn't it the whole army of evil desires at war within you? You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous for what others have, and you can't possess it, so you fight and quarrel to take it away from them. And yet the reason you don't have what you want is that you don't ask God for it. And even when you do ask, you don't get it because your whole motive is wrong - you only want what will give you pleasure." James 4:1 (NLT)

Despite the continuation of this wickedness in the heart of humanity, the world could appear to be at peace due to the extraordinary power of a global government in possession of molecular manufacturing. Such circumstances could lull the population of the world into believing this false peace 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 Christ

It's easy to see how a Christ-rejecting world could fall prey to the deceptions of the Antichrist. With the 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 human's physical body. These devices could be used to regenerate cells, tissues, organs, and even entire systems within the human body. As a result, nearly every healing miracle performed by Christ will be available during the era of molecular 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.
and
5) 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 Isaiah's most famous messianic prophecies:

"Say to those with fearful hearts, 'Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.' And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing 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 Wine

Even 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 where chemical 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 commonly found 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 Fish

Essentially every element necessary to create a loaf of bread or a fish is present in dirt. With the molecular blueprint for a fish or a loaf of bread, a nanofactory could rearrange the molecules found in a small pail of dirt (discarding those molecules which are unnecessary) and create a fish or a loaf of bread. With enough dirt, a person in possession of a nanofactory could feed five thousand people. In fact, the number of fish or loaves of bread that could be created is only limited by the amount of dirt available for use.

Now can you begin to see how the world could be deceived?

Miracles Molecular Manufacturing Can Not Counterfeit

However, despite its tremendous power, molecular manufacturing will never be able to replicate all the miracles of Christ. Pharaoh's magicians derived great power from deception and trickery, but ultimately, their parlor tricks lacked the true power of God. In similar fashion, molecular manufacturing will enable humans to counterfeit some of God's greatest miracles. But in the end, molecular manufacturing lacks true spiritual power. Its usefulness only applies to the physical world.

Let's study some examples:

Casting Out Demons

The New Testament records that, on a number of occasions, Jesus cast out evil spirits. The Book of Mark provides one such account:

"Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit began shouting, 'Why are you 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. At that, 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 of new 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 of molecular manufacturing is strictly confined to the physical world. And since this world is temporal in nature, its power is only a matter of perception. Its power is not real. Nevertheless, most of the world will be deceived by it.

Knowing this, why would the world place its faith in anyone but Jesus Christ?

Raising the Dead

Molecular 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 and healthy lifestyles. But again, this power will only extend to the physical world. True life comes from God, and once a person's soul leaves his body, it belongs to Christ, whether or not that person acknowledges His power or not:

"And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it's 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 he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son. And he has given him authority to judge everyone because he is the Son of Man. Don't be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God's Son, and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment. I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment 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 Sins

Molecular manufacturing will provide humanity with unprecedented power to manipulate what God has already created. But the earth remains cursed, and mankind still retains its sinful nature. As such, ability to control the physical world will have no bearing on man's ability to overcome the sins of the world. Man and his technology are powerless in this respect. For as the Book of Mark demonstrates, only Jesus has the power to forgive sins:

"While he was preaching God's word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn't bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, 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 exclusive domain of God. No matter how powerful humanity believes itself to be, it can never redeem itself in the 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?

Conclusion

The end times will be a time of great spiritual darkness, cultivated by the demonic deceptions of the Antichrist. Molecular manufacturing could be one of the tools at his disposal, with its perceived ability to end war, cure physical ailments, and literally turn dirt into an abundance of material objects.

In such a world, it's easy to see how people could be mesmerized by such power. But placing one's faith in technology or human beings - or anything other than God Himself - leads only to destruction.

Unfortunately, this will be the choice of the end times generation. Human beings will become drunk with their own power, believing themselves to be superior to God Himself. This arrogant mindset combined with unimaginably powerful technology will eventually lead to a physical confrontation between fallen mankind and the King of kings, Jesus Christ. The prophet Isaiah foresaw this day, as well as the futility of those who would place their faith in that which is merely human:

"Don't put your trust in mere humans. They are as frail as breath. What good are they?" Isaiah 2:22 (NLT)

This is a brilliant observation, instructive to any generation. Instead of placing your faith in fallen mankind and the material things of this world, put your faith in Jesus Christ. If you do, God promises 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 you've built your life? Or do you trust in the things of this world? If so, you're only setting yourself up to be deceived.

Britt Gillette is the founder of End Times Bible Prophecy and the author of multiple books. Receive his book 7 Signs of the End Times for FREE when you sign up for his free Substack.

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