When I was young, back before Al Gore invented the Internet, information was much harder to come by. Browsing for information meant going to libraries filled with rows and rows of books and racks of magazines. While magazines covered a cornucopia of every interest imaginable, the coolest thing for a young boy of my age was the wacko, other-worldly advertisements in the back of the magazines.
One could find sea monkeys, x-ray glasses, magic tricks, stamps and coins from across the world, world travel brochures, to name a few of the items. One ad that caught my eye was for FREE books, anything free was unheard of, and from the Soviet Union no less! I sent a letter requesting the books, which unbeknownst to me, would be my first taste of propaganda, aside from the commercials we got on our two TV stations.
Months later I received many small booklets all attesting to the glory of Soviet Communism. The title of one booklet, still sticks in my mind today, The Five Year Plan for All – All for the Five Year Plan! This booklet outlined how the Soviet Union’s five year centralized economic plan would bring forth a utopian prosperity where all comrades would share equally in work and reward.
I now know it was a lie, wrapped around a false premise. It stemmed from Carl Marx’s communist credo, itself derived from a quote of Louis Blanc, “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” Years later the Soviet “systemic lie” ended with the collapse of their empire under an overwhelming flood of free market economy societal pressures.
Today’s earth dwellers are being primed for the end times with two of Satan’s underlying “systemic lies” he is planting for his end-time kingdom. One lie, “For World peace to come, we must have peace in the Middle East,” is political preparation for the coming Antichrist. The other lie, “For World Peace to come, we cannot tolerate intolerance,” is spiritual preparation for the coming False Prophet.
The first lie Satan is working has been with us for decades with the various Middle East Peace Accords, and the constant drumbeat of the woeful plight of the Palestinians. His other lie has been formed more recently with born-again biblical Christianity being singled out as the most intolerant, hate-filled religion on the earth.
Paradoxically, the mass media (yet another tool of Satan) somehow ignores the constant stream of Muslim violence and terrorism that occurs across the globe. To be sure there will be other lies spewed forth by Satan, but I will focus on these two.
Shortly after the believing church is raptured, the world will start hearing slogans akin to: “The Seven Year Peace for All – All for the Seven Year Peace!” and “Tolerance is Godliness!” These slogans will of course not be the exact mantras used by Satan, but similar ones will be used as pillars of his PR campaign. Satan will be crafting his best lies since he first beguiled Eve, because his Tribulation end game will depend on these lies, and he will spin them beautifully.
As Bible savvy folks know, Jesus Christ and the prophet Daniel both tell us that the Antichrist will make a seven-year peace treaty with Israel and the world, and then break that seven-year peace plan at the three and one-half-year point by declaring himself God (Matthew 24:15; Daniel 9: 27).
In this one act the Antichrist will expose both of these great lies. The truth is this: There will be no peace, nor religious tolerance. The Antichrist will immediately begin his efforts to exterminate the Jews (Revelation 12:13), the post-Rapture Christians of all kindreds, and tongues, and nations (Revelation 13:7), and the adherents of the Great Harlot of the Babylon religion (Revelation 17:16).
However, prior to his mid-Tribulation point unveiling, the Antichrist’s true agenda will be hidden to most of the Christ rejecting world (as he spoon-feeds his lies to the biblically ignorant, or spiritually hardened).
Satan’s, “The Seven Year Peace for All – All for the Seven Year Peace!” and “Tolerance is Godliness” lies will work during the first half of the Tribulation because these types of “systemic lies” have worked in the past. If you want to see what is in store for mankind in the end times, look at the black and white films which document the rise and early years of the closest proto-type we have seen to the Antichrist, Adolf Hitler.
In those clips you will see great masses of people who with fervent adoration cheer in exaltation as they gaze upon their Fuhrer. In close-ups you can actually see the jubilation and glee upon their faces. Women faint. Men cry. Nazi Storm-troopers hold back the masses from rushing Hitler’s podium just to be closer to their messiah.
Be aware as you watch the now disturbing, macabre images, all you see was built upon Hitler’s “systemic lie” that “the racially pure Arian race is superior.” Hitler’s lies eventually led to war on an unprecedented global scale, leaving entire nations in ruin, and tens of millions in casualties. And his lies resulted in the systematic extermination to over 11 million people, of which 6 million were Jews.
As horrendous and apocalyptic as these tragic events were they are but a small foreshadowing of the cataclysmic blood-bath that will accompany the Antichrist’s “systemic lies” where hundreds upon hundreds of millions of people will be slaughtered (Revelation 13:15 ).
Like Hitler, the Beast’s reign will be formulated in cabinet rooms and board rooms on a foundation of lies. Then these lies will be feed in a constant stream to the masses, until the Antichrist’s power is consolidated to the point where his true nature is revealed.
One of the foremost goals a rising totalitarian regime seeks to accomplish is seizing control over all media outlets. Satan’s guiding hand was clearly evident in Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia as he honed his “manipulation of the masses” propaganda skills. Their “lies” need to be repeated, and repeated, and repeated to the point that the “lies” are perceived as the truth.
Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44), and he will put Joseph Goebbels, or the White House spin-masters to shame—as he skillfully uses both legacy media and social media to shape his liar’s message.
Satan’s “The Seven Year Peace For All – All For The Seven Year Peace!” and “Tolerance is Godliness” slogans will permeate the world: plastered on billboards, bumper stickers, broadcast over the airwaves and cable TV, pop-up on your Internet browser, and be tweeted globally.
Many of the Antichrist’s devotees, oh and there will be tens if not hundreds of millions of them, will gladly pass along his “lies” to all the people they know (Revelation 13:14).
Again reference the hero worship of Hitler, or the more recent messiah musings over Obama during his first election campaign. (His “lies” will mesmerize the masses. Ladies will faint. Men will cry.)
In 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12, God will somehow add support to the God deniers in their deception:
“And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
Satan’s lies will saturate, and his control will suffocate. His message will be effective!
A key part of Satan’s plan will be to ensure that his version of the truth (his lie), is the sole version of the truth presented to the planet. His loyal demons and earthly henchmen will be dedicated to ruthlessly crush all competing truth across the globe. Reminiscent again of Hitler’s time and his Brown-shirted thugs, gangs of Antichrist goons will hold rallies to burn subversive books, music and films (Bibles and anything Christian will top their burn lists).
In the digital landscape, any mass monitoring technologies that the United States has, and unfortunately utilizing against it own citizens, will be absorbed by the Antichrist. He will use these tools to control mankind like never before.
The Antichrist will wrestle control of the Internet from the UN (thanks US government for giving over control!), and will implement digital search and destroy teams to monitor and police subversive elements’ websites, computers, and servers; all “eliminated for the good of world peace and tolerance.”
While Rapture Ready and other Christian sites will attempt to present the true gospel in a post-rapture world, Satan will soon control all aspects of the Internet and literally exterminate everything and anyone putting out the gospel truth to a mass audience. With the born-again church, and those troublesome Bible believing end times prophecy hawks all raptured, will anyone be able to present the gospel of salvation?
Yes, the Word will go out. God is in control! As always, Satan is only allowed to work within the hedges arranged by God (Job 1:10). Despite Satan’s foulest efforts the gospel will go forth. And in power! In fact, we are told in the Scripture that during the 70th week of Daniel, the gospel will be received by a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues (Revelation 7:9).
With a global population of over 7.2 billion, more people will become believers during this time than in any other in the history of mankind. Beyond direct actions of the angels, and messages of voices heard in the heavens during the unfolding of the judgments of God, there will be three ways God will spread the gospel during these seven tumultuous years.
Other Christians
Though not directly stated in Scripture, it can be assumed the Rapture will have a dramatic impact on fence-sitters in our churches, many of whom immediately repent and believe. Being unorganized and quickly relegated to the sidelines by the now unfettered demonic influences in the world’s governments (2 Thessalonians 2:7), it is doubtful new Christians will be able to muster a collective voice.
New believers “going public” will be ostracized, and marked for later action, if they do not immediately “disappear into the night” Gestapo style. As in the past, believers will be forced to move underground as they come to the understanding that their faith and spreading the gospel now becomes their most critical mission in life.
Performing the Great Commission will rapidly become very personal, very private, and very deadly. This time harkens back to the early days of Christianity where persecution from the Roman Empire drove believers to meet in secret locations, and use symbols like the fish for hidden messaging.
As in the days of my youth, information will be much harder to come by, as the Internet and social media sites become hostile battlegrounds and enemy territory. Content will be censored and closely monitored, with all users and their “personal” communications being screened for rebellious political and religious elements. As with terrorists today in the end times, “honey pots” and “sting sites” will be used to trap or identify Christians in order to track them back to a whole “rat’s nest” of Christians.
To survive Christians will learn to turn off their e-Readers, i-Pads and i-Phones, and use an old fashioned pen and paper, and read hard copy Bibles. Many will opt to go off the grid. (Note: If you know a hardened, unsaved love one buy them a Bible, or better yet fill a trunk full of Bibles with some solid Christian literature. Then tell them, should you and millions of others suddenly disappear, open the trunk because their life depends on it. This may be your only way to reach them.)
Public presentation of any biblically valid gospel will be strictly banned. As experienced in the Soviet Union, churches will be shuttered, converted or burned. With that said, you can rest assured that there will be an ample supply of TV preachers adding to Satan’s lies with a watered down message from some dubious bible.
As the Tribulation advances, and as the Beast tightens his noose he will fully implement the Mark of the Beast (Revelation 13:17), and for many Christians martyrdom will be the sole remaining option (Revelation 14:11-12).
However, despite the persecution countless millions will be saved through the message passed on from fellow Christians risking their lives to spread the Word. Blessed be those who die in the name of the Lord from that point on.
Two Witnesses from Revelation 11:3-13 At some point in the first half of the seven years, God sends His Two Witnesses whose gospel message cannot be quenched by the Antichrist’s propaganda machine. In fact any who tries to stop their message will face immediate immolation.
The Two Witnesses preach the gospel in power and magnificence for 1260 days in Jerusalem. The Antichrist controlled media networks will only give the witnesses negative reporting, so unless God miraculously arranges a satellite uplink they will only be heard locally.
But somehow, in some way the Christian underground will smuggle video or audio files and push their message to the believers and help spread the gospel. One thing the Antichrist news network will merrily show is the Two Witnesses lying dead for 3 and 1/2 days at the end of their witness.
Their negative media coverage will end when a mysterious glitch keeps them from turning off global coverage as the Two Witnesses are resurrected and are lifted up into heaven. Despite Satan, the Two Witnesses’ message will go forth and inspire multitudes, including a 144,000 Jews who hear their message in person.
The 144,000 The Two Witnesses will in all likelihood inspire the 144,000 divinely sealed and protected Jewish super evangelists, who will speak in all tongues and travel to all the untouched corners of the Earth (Revelation 7:3-8). In Zechariah 8:23 we are given a glimpse of 144,000 super evangelists:
“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.”
Traveling in pairs, they will lead the mother of all gospel crusades. Throughout the world Satan will have to deal with a lone spiritual campfire turning into a blaze which then encompasses a whole area. As soon as he snuffs out the Christians in one part of the globe, another people, tribe or tongue will catch spiritually afire. Unlike God, Satan and his minions cannot be everywhere at once; so his propaganda team and head-severing lackeys will be in a constant reactive mode.
As Christ was able to slip away from the crowds, these Spirit-sealed 144,000 will be constantly eluding Satan’s snares; remaining just one step ahead of capture. They will be able to finish the Great Commission given to the church long ago; preaching the gospel to the ends of the earth.
As the end times close upon us, Satan and his minions will furiously paint over the truth with their evil to mask the Antichrist’s pending apocalypse of death and destruction. Their bold lies will culminate in convincing countless legions of men and women to welcome death itself, by taking the mark of the Beast.
Blessedly, during Daniel’s 70th Week multitudes will hear the truth and respond to God’s message of salvation through believers, the Two Witnesses, and the 144,000 Jewish evangelists. God will triumph! The Truth will prevail!
Oh, during this period of trial there is one other way to come to knowledge of God’s saving grace which I failed to mention. As it is possible today, God’s grace can be accessed directly by reading the Bible. The Bible tells us we can be born again through belief in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior who was crucified, died and rose again on the third day.
As raptured believers we will never have to face the full force of propaganda thrust upon the earth by the Antichrist during the final seven years. The Lord has not appointed us to wrath. Come Lord Jesus!
P.S. Post-Rapture, the best thing you could have done for an unmovable, unsaved loved one is get them a Bible, and instruct them should a mass disappearance occur — “Read it.”
God Bless!