By Christine Darg

Jerusalem Channel

Just as the Mark of the Beast brand and all the technology to provide subcutaneous devices already exists, so also a counterfeit hybrid world religion is being formed in our lifetime.

Eventually all roads will lead to the final false prophet, the ultimate of all the false prophets.

When the New Testament speaks of false prophets, the Greek word for false is pseudo meaning a phoney, a sham, lie, a false teacher who will lead many astray. 2 Thessalonians 2:11 warns that not loving the truth will result in a great delusion.  We hear constantly that we’re living in a post-truth generation, but the battle for truth is generational; it’s not a spectator sport but we all should be involved.

Our times demand that we petition the Almighty for the utmost discernment. The gift of the discerning of spirits is priceless and even can become a matter of life and death.

LORD, grant each one of us the gift of the discerning of spirits for the End Times!

It never ceases to amaze me how many links I receive on a daily basis from people throughout the world–whether it be by email or the social media–of various teachers that they want me to watch or listen to. Sometimes I’m asked to discern the links; at other times the links are sent to me as if they to be received as Gospel truth to be swallowed if I have the time and patience to listen or watch all of them!

On top of everything, we have the current ongoing war of the fact checkers, but who checks the checkers?

The diligent do their own research!

The great British Bishop from Liverpool, one of my favourites to study,  J.C. Ryle shared the following eight symptoms of false teaching (from his book Warnings to the Churches.)

1. There is an undeniable zeal in some teachers of error–their “earnestness” makes many people think they must be right.

2. There is a great appearance of learning and theological knowledge–many think that such clever and intellectual men must surely be safe to listen to.

3. There is a general tendency to completely free and independent thinking today–many like to prove their independence of judgment by believing the newest ideas, which are nothing but novelties.

4. There is a wide-spread desire to appear kind, loving, and open-minded–many seem half-ashamed to say that anybody can be wrong or is a false teacher.

5. There is always a portion of half-truth taught by modern false teachers–they are always using scriptural words and phrases, but with unscriptural meaning.

6. There is a public craving for a more sensational and entertaining worship–people are impatient with the more inward and invisible work of God within the hearts of men.

7. There is a superficial readiness all around to believe anyone who talks cleverly, lovingly and earnestly, forgetting that Satan often masquerades himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14).

8. There is a wide-spread ignorance among professing Christians–every heretic who speaks well is surely believed, and anyone who doubts him is called narrow-minded and unloving.

Ryle continued: “All these are especially symptoms of our times. I challenge any honest and observant person to deny them. These tend to make the assaults of false doctrine today especially dangerous and make it even more important to say loudly, “Do not be carried away with strange doctrine!”

My goodness, if Ryle said that 100 years ago, how much more relevant are his words now!

The good news is that the Gospel says that believers have an anointing that teaches us and warns us and shows us things to come. One of my favourite verses for our hour is Psalm 124: 7-8, “Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.”

This is the season of repentance in the Jewish world and never has repentance been more needed! According to the Hebrew for Christians website, tomorrow, the Sabbath between Rosh Hashanah (i.e., Yom Teruah) and the solemn fast of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) is called Shabbat Shuvah (שַׁבַּת שׁוּבָה) – that is, “the Sabbath of Return.” It is called “shuvah” because the Haftarah (i.e., Hosea 14:1) begins, Shuvah Yisrael ad Adonai Elohekha (שׁוּבָה יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד יְהוָה אֱלהֶיךָ): “Return, O Israel, unto the LORD your God!” As the first Shabbat of the new year, Shabbat Shuvah is intended to “set the tone” for the rest of the year.

Meanwhile, the Intercessors for Israel website wrote today that the “world is deeply – and at times viciously – divided over what to do about coronavirus … and sadly, so is the Body. Yet this should not be. Where is the love for each other that we are supposed to have to show that we are Yeshua’s disciples (John 13:35)? Where is the grace which allows us to follow Messiah Yeshua as He directs us individually (John 21:20-22)? Why are we an exact replica of the world when it comes to this issue, and so much more?

  • We declare Psalm 134:3 on the Body: YHWH who made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion.
  • Bring great strength to the Body of Messiah to walk in the light of Your truth that regardless of what we see or hear, or of the differences we have – our God still reigns (Psa. 24:1; 103:19; Isa. 52:7b)!
  • Lord, help us to lower the flames of differing opinions and anoint us to walk in love (Eph. 5:2).
  • Vaccinate Your Body against the virus of hatred, division, deception and pride (1 Pet. 5:5-7).”