Revelation 12:15-16
And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth.
I have anticipated this writing for quite some time. It addresses a very critical matter and reveals a tremendous danger for the saints of God. You will possibly be startled at some of the revelations that come forth in this series. The focus will be upon the extent to which the Christian’s world view, has been shaped by the adversary who is called “the great deceiver.”
Revelation 12:9
And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels (messengers) were thrown down with him.
It should be noted from the beginning of this series that the Greek word translated “angel” is also translated “messenger” in the Bible. This reveals one of the chief functions of angelic beings as they interact with mankind. Yahweh has frequently used angels as messengers to deliver some heavenly communication to mankind.
In the Old Testament we read of Abraham speaking with angelic messengers. We read of Jacob wrestling with the angel and refusing to let go until the angel spoke a word of blessing over him. We read of Gideon conversing with an angelic messenger who was sent to commission him to deliver Israel from her enemies. The parents of Samson had an encounter with an angel who told them that they would have a son, and that he was to live as a Nazarite. Yahweh sent angels to speak often to Daniel, and we even have the names of the angels Gabriel and Michael mentioned.
In the New Testament we find that an angel appeared to Mary telling her that she had ben chosen to bear the promised Messiah. An angel communicated to Joseph in dreams on a number of occasions. The angel told Joseph to not be afraid to take Mary as his wife, informing him that she was pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Later an angel appeared to him warning him to flee with his wife and child to Egypt. When the danger had passed the angel appeared again and told him to return to Israel. The apostle Paul spoke of an angel appearing before him and giving him news that the ship he was traveling in would be wrecked, but all those aboard would survive.
This role of a heavenly messenger is inextricably linked to angelic beings. It should come as no surprise that Satan, having corrupted his ways, utilizes various modes of communication to deceive mankind. The action of Satan as a deceiver of mankind is clearly revealed in Scripture. Satan has been eminently successful in this work. From the very first recorded conversation between Satan and a human in the garden we read of his employment of words to deceive and the awful consequences.
Genesis 3:13
Then Yahweh God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
Throughout the Bible the words of Satan are pictured as something that mankind consumes. This is foreshadowed in the words of Eve, the mother of all living. She said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” In the last book of the Bible we read that when the dragon spews forth a river of water from his mouth (words of deceit), the earth “opened its mouth and drank up the river.” Thus, from the opening book of the Bible, to the very end, we see Satan engaged in pouring forth words that mankind consumes to his great hurt and loss.
This function of Satan as a great deceiver is shared by men and women who are in league with him. The devil grants to unrighteous men the ability to speak words of deception that they might gain control over mankind. The book of Revelation figures Satan as the great dragon giving authority to a world ruler. This world ruler is marked by his subversive and perverse speech.
Revelation 13:1-8
And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore... And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?" There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.
What the wise Christian should understand is that this work of deceiving the nations is not merely a matter for the very last days of mankind. It will reach a crescendo at the end of the age, but it has been going on apace ever since Satan first spoke words of deception to mankind in the Garden. Today, having satisfied myself of the truth of this matter, I declare that the saints of God, even the elect, are subject to this work of delusion. Satan has persuaded mankind of many falsehoods. He has led the church to imbibe poisoned waters. There is not a realm of life in which this deception cannot be observed to have infiltrated the minds and thinking of believers.
The apostle Paul, writing to the Hebrew saints of the first century spoke the following warning.
Hebrews 13:9
Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefitted.
Note the parallel employment of the words “strange teachings” and “foods.” Doctrines and thoughts are compared to foods that mankind consumes. Satan has been setting a table for mankind, and especially for the chosen of God, for long ages. He is a master at getting men and women to eat the very deadliest poisons that lead to ruin and destruction.
Note this connection between teaching and foods again in the following passage.
Revelation 2:20
But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.
The book of Revelation is written in symbolic speech. Eating things sacrificed to idols is a figure of speech meant to convey the thought that the church had been consuming doctrines of demons. There are prophets and prophetesses in the church today who are speaking perverse things that come from Satan. The end result of the church imbibing this poisoned food and drink is immorality and a darkened understanding. Satan has succeeded in replacing truth with lies, and forming in the minds of men and women everywhere falsehoods and deceits that are accepted as truth.
In this writing I will mention some specific examples of the falsehoods widely adopted by men and women in the church. I do not doubt that the majority of the readers of this series will find that they have been led astray by the deception spewing forth as a great flood from the mouth of Satan. His instruments of deception are legion. The entire earth is being flooded with lies. The success Satan has enjoyed in deceiving the nations will only end when he is chained and cast into the abyss.
Revelation 20:1-3
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer...
Understand what is stated here. Satan will be bound at a future date to keep him from that work he has been doing with profound effect. Satan deceives the nations. You and I dwell in these nations. We are surrounded by a deceived population. In many ways the deceptions embraced by society have been adopted by the saints. The whole world lies in the power of the evil one. Deceived people do not know they are deceived. Mankind’s actions and judgments are predicated upon what they believe. When they have swallowed a lie, people depart from the will of God.
II Corinthians 11:3
But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray...
Paul’s fears are well founded. The church has been led astray. Indeed, the condition of the church in these last days is far worse than that of the virgin church of the first century. The apostle foretells the wretchedness of the church in the end of the age when the work of Satan has come to its full fruition.
II Timothy 4:3-4
For the time will come when they (men in the church) will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.
Who is the author of false doctrines, and of the myths and fables the church has embraced? It is none other than Satan, the great deceiver. It is a tragic truth that in a majority of churches today the lessons being taught, and the doctrines being delivered, were written by Satan. Sound doctrine, that which originates in the mind of the Father, is not endured by the churches, which is to say they will not tolerate it.
We live in a perilous hour when men prefer lies over truth, and this is the condition in the church as well as out. I have often written of the Christian’s rejection of the disciple’s cross, a message of suffering, and of self-denial. The church has rejected the afflicted path that alone leads to life. They have amassed to themselves preachers of ease and prosperity, willingly turning a deaf ear to that truth that can save them.
What will be shown in this teaching series is that the deceptions of Christians go far beyond doctrines of the kingdom of God. Christians have been drinking the poisoned water of Satan that spills from the television, that is broadcast over the radio, that is channeled through the Internet, and which comes forth as a flood through books, magazines, billboards, and a veritable smorgasbord of media. Some very big lies have been swallowed by the unwary.
It is my hope that by exposing the pervasive nature of lies in this world, the overcomers in Christ might be alert to the deception that is all around them. It is my hope that some might be awakened by these words and by the revelations and examples set forth.
Like a blind man who is given vision for the first time, the experience can be traumatic, even unsettling. It is a frightening event to have one’s delusions stripped away and to be confronted with the truth. Yet, even a difficult truth is preferable to pleasant lies.
Revelation 13:9
If anyone has an ear, let him hear.
May you be blessed with peace and understanding as you read.
Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
Parables Blog: www.parablesblog.blogspot.com
Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 804
Montezuma, GA 31063
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