The Strong Delusion
"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, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." II Th 2:8-10 (KJV)
I have always wondered what this verse meant. What is that strong delusion that that will deluded the masses? What could be so powerful that even the elect could be fooled if possible? Please allow me to paint a picture.
Imagine that you are in the Tribulation and a man comes to power that amazes the world. He has all the answers. Some will wonder if he is an alien, a god from a higher plain, or whatever. The Jews will have may debates over the fact that he may actually be the Messiah come to protect them. For the first 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation there will be a lot of endless speculation as the world watches him very closely.
This man will go out to win war after war and the world will cherish him as the greatest man of peace the world has ever known! Nothing will seem to stop this modern Messiah.
"And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer." Rev 6:2
(KJV)
"And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many..." Dan 8:25
(KJV)
Now here is the picture I want to paint for your imagination to ponder. Imagine at the height of his power on earth he is suddenly receives a gun shot wound to the head and is dead. Let's say that for 3 days he lays in state as the world's cameras watch the public procession viewing his dead lifeless body. The world weeps and and now feels that all is lost without him. All is lost. Or is it?
Suddenly and without warning the cameras show that his eyes are now open staring upwards. The people nearest to the coffin draw back shocked and breathless. Now there is movement in the coffin as he is seen to move his head up and down in a circular motion in the partially open coffin. Women scream in fear as they grab their young children. Two guards are seen shaking as they drop their rifles to the floor.
Now to the horror of the crown and all the live cameras, the antichrist now begins lift the body lid of the coffin and proceeds to climb out. With tears of fear in their eyes Catholic men begin to drop to their knees giving the sign of the cross.
In the next moment the antichrist turns and faces the world's cameras. He now begins to utter the greatest speech that the world has ever heard. He now declares that he is not a god of the New Age but the only true God of the universe and that there is none like him.
Now here is my question. Who in the world that is perishing at that time will not fall down upon their knees in worship? The world will now rejoice as never before.
"And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? Rev 13:4
(KJV)
The final delusion will be that satan is the one and only true God. All others will be concidered false including Jesus Christ. There is coming a time when the world will worship at the feet of the beast and satan.