False Christ

A Key to Not Being Fooled

By Dan Baxley

Some are troubled at the prospect of being fooled into following the False Christ, after all, we are told the False Prophet is able to deceive the whole world.  Let’s read a little from something that is to happen and it is something very frightening indeed, and is a threat to all, even those of the Christian faith. 

(Rev 13:11-4)  And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. And it had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon.  And it exercises all the authority of the first beast before him, and causes the earth and those dwelling in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.  And it does great wonders, so that it makes fire come down from the heaven onto the earth in the sight of men.  And it deceives the dwelling on the earth, because of the miracles which were given to it to do before the beast, saying to those dwelling on the earth that they should make an image to the beast who had the wound by a sword and lived.

It should be noted here, these verses are not referring to the False Prophet but to the Beast ruler.  It is the Beast ruler himself that is able to do miracles and it is he that causes the world to worship the image of the Beast that had existed before him its image.  We know there is a False Prophet (Rev 16:13; 19:20; 20:10), but the verses quoted have to do with the Beast leader, with two horns and exercises all the authority of the first Beast, having all the power of the first Beast government that ruled before. 

It is interesting this Beast appears like a Lamb (lambs do not have horns) with two horns.  The Lamb side of this Beast is like a Messiah, a Beast appearing as a mild little lamb but is really something else.  We see this sweet, peaceful lamb with two horns and we know, horns usually represent authority, kingship.  This Lamb (Beast) appears as one thing but his words reveal otherwise.  Also, notice, again, the two horns?  Horns are a typical sign of authority and we should find it interesting this new Beast appears to be sharing authority, not unlike a President and Vice President.  Let’s stretch this thought a bit more – like a Caliph and an Imam, a Prime minister and a Religious Adviser, or like a King and a Pope.  I’m going with a Caliph and an Imam at this point in history. 

Do Not Count On Miracles

This Lamb Beast with the two horns of leadership is reconstituting a Beast Government that had lived before and this Lamb Beast is able to preform miracles -- grand miracles to deceive.  So, can we then say that "miracles" are a sign of anything or for anything?  No, miracles are not a sign for the believer.  Signs and wonders, as many Christan's call them and seek are just the thing the Lamb Beast will use to deceive.  Signs an wonders are not something you can rely on and believers should be suspicious of any kind of working ministries based on "signs and wonders".  This is the type of thing the Lamb Beast trades in. 

Because of the image of a Lamb is used many have assumed this Beast will be the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church.  While the office of the Pope does seem to fit the False Prophet we have already seen the Lamb Beast is not like the office of the Pope.  This Lamb Beast is resurrecting a Beast Power that appeared to be dead, like, say, the Nazis, just as an example.  The Pope is a singular power while the Lamb Beast is a dual power (the two horns).  These are all speculations, of course, and will only be really understood at or after they appear.  We need to be alert and not count on signs and wonders or miracle as any sign of proof of anything.  Ignore the miracle, have no part in them.  The miracles of YaHshua and of His Apostles was for then and were offered for a proof and to aide in assisting the growth of the Church, but these things are not for today and not for what is to come.  That is not to say there is no such thing among the believers or in answered prayer but that to place one's hope on such things is folly, because even Satan and his agents, and the Beast can do miracles and preform sign and they themselves can appear as "messengers of Light".  We cannot and must not count of such things. 

(2Th 2:8-9) And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

Deception and the Rapture

The fear is being deceived by what is to come.  Much of Christianity is pinning its hope on the Rapture and will not be here when the deception begins.  Those of this belief are unknowingly priming themselves for the deception, or at the least, to becoming “scoffers” abandoning their faith and maybe even following after this Beast able to perform miracles – we will see. 

There is a key, however, and if you keep this key close to your heart you will not be fooled by the miracles of the Beast nor the words of the Prophet.  The ruler and his minister, named in what ever name, will come to a sum – some say 666 and other 616.  Whatever the number it has to do with a name and with an image – we will see. 

The Key is in the words of our Savior and His warning us.  And guess what?  It all has to do with His return, a return that is anything but secret -- a return that will have all eyes looking to the sky. 

The Final Key

(Mat 24:25-27)  Behold, I have told you before.   Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.  For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. KJV

(Mat 24:25-27)  See, I have told you ahead of time. So if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the desert,' do not go out; or, 'Here he is, in the inner rooms,' do not believe it.  For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. NIV

There you have it, the Key that may save you from being fooled into believing in a false Messiah, or even a False Prophet.  If someone has to tell you He is here or He is there then you are not one of His, simple but true, not my words or the words of any other, but the words of our Savior Himself. 

Where does this leave those teaching the “Secret Rapture”?  YaHshua does not lie and His truth is every eye will see, maybe every eye will not really understand what they are seeing, maybe most will think it is the end of the world but one thing is sure, the follower of YaHshua will know and those called will be part of the gathering to meet YaHshua as He returns.  Read the rest –

(Mat 24:27)  For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

Comment:  Lighting does not travel in such a manner but the “sun” does and when looking at the word for “lightening” should be translated as “the sun”.  This also adds much more sense to this verse.  

(Mat 24:28)  Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

Comment:  Another messed up verse.  This would be better understood to read “Wherever there is the body (Christ, Messiah) there will the chicks gather”.  Scholars all have their various explanations of this troubled verse but if you stay with the context, the gathering of the Saints then the changes proposed make much more sense.  See Matt 23:37 for just such and analogy.

(Mat 24:29-31)  Immediately after the distress of those days 'the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.  And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

As a committed believer in YaHshua as Savior you can be sure of this one thing, no one will have to tell you where He is. 

The Middle East is crying out for a democratic rule but with one small hitch – they want a democratic Monarchy.  How is that possible?  Recent events in the Middle East (February 2011) signs were seen and even vocalized this very thing, “We want a democratic Monarchy”.  A Monarch is one with absolute power, a position that is usually held for a life time, so how can this square with a democracy?  

The people want the freedom the West enjoys but they do not want to abandon their heritage either.  The solution is simple, in their eyes, adopt a single ruler but let the people vote for the rule of law and for the law makers.  You could then have a figure head ruler, a Caliph, while having something similar to parliamentary governing body.  This might satisfy most and cause a peaceful period in the Middle East and at the same time lay the ground work for the rise of the Beast.   Food for thought as we watch the events unfold. 

Peace, I pray to you and yours, your servant Dan

servant@yahshuaservant.com