What if spaceships arrived from “other” worlds?
As they land, dazzling beings step off the ships, claiming to be representatives from the rest of the universe. Their leader, a majestic being, appears around the world healing people, speaking soothing, beautiful words, and calling the world to rest and worship together. He says he is Christ and is calling our world back to worship of God.
Would you still believe?
The last great delusion is soon to open before us. Antichrist is to perform his marvelous works in our sight. So closely will the counterfeit resemble the true that it will be impossible to distinguish between them except by the Holy Scriptures. By their testimony ever statement and every miracle must be tested.
Great Controversy pg. 593.1
Find account in Revelation 13:11-18
Rev. 13:12 “…He performs great signs so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.”
The Bible tells us that around the world, mighty miracles will be performed. Shouts of triumph swell from millions of people, “Christ has come, Christ has come!” The sick are healed, great miracles follow behind him. Countries are brought back together.
But, his worship contradicts a key truth of the Bible. When every logical reason point to the Bible as being wrong, would you still believe?
The Bible continues:
Revelation 16:13,14
“And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”
The inhabitants of this planet, 7 Billion + people, are swept away by the charasmatic message.
Mistaking power for greatness, the believe this must be Christ.As the world is taken in, he commands the world to worship him on Sunday. With great excitement, the world obeys the comment. Who doesn’t want to see the rift between countries healed, the sick raised up?
Would you still believe?
He claims to be Christ, and that God’s law has been changed. A groundswell movement pressures congress, presidents, and world assembles to act. Laws are passed. The divisions, the fighting—all of it seems to disappear. Muslims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Atheists—all are coming together. A wave of unity sweeps across the World.
But there is a problem. It isn’t based upon the Bible, instead, it arises from miracles and perceived power. Yes, he is powerful, yes he is persuasive, but no, he does not speak according to the Word.
The deception is almost overwhelming.
For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.Matthew 24:24
How do know we will still believe? Those who know God, love God, and build a realtionship with God in His way, are the only ones who stand firm in the coming crisis.
As Satan is calling the world to worship another god, our heavenly Father sends a message to the world calling them back to worship Him as their creator.
Then I saw another angel, flying in the midst of heaven…Saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”Revelation 14:6-7
God’s message quotes directly from the one command that is based upon and centered around a relationship with Jesus. Notice with me Exodus 20:8-11.
Verse 11, “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.”
It’s about the relationship
The Sabbath is the one commandment that enshrines the very essence of what it means to rest, trust and follow Jesus. Why does Satan come and say the Sabbath has been changed to a different day? Because he hates God and he hates humanity. If he can split the world away from the Sabbath, he can cut at the root of all Christian experience, the relationship between God and His people.
But those who “follow the lamb wherever he goes” are not deceived. Revelation 14:12 makes it clear:
“Here is the patience of the saints, here are this who keep the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus.”
At the end, when every foundation of truth is under attack, the Sabbath stands as a memorial of God’s creative power and His desire for an intimate relationship with His people.
As evolution is on the rise,
The Sabbath stands as the monument to the creative power of God.
As Violence and evil are on the rise
The Sabbath stands as a monument of God’s perfect world.
As men and women are swept away in evil,
The Sabbath stands as a monument to His power to recreate the heart.
As our lives become heavily burdened with stress and perplexity,
The Sabbath Stands as a monument of the rest we can have in Jesus.
When everything else is crumbling,
The Sabbath Stands!
The war of 1812 had taken its dreadful toll. Several weeks prior the British had attacked Washington, D.C. The Capitol, the Treasury, and the President’s house had been burned to the ground. As the morning of September 13, 1814, dawned, the British began their onslaught against Fort McHenry. As the rain fell in torrents, shells and rockets relentlessly pounded the fort in the Baltimore Harbor. For 25 long, dreadful hours the bombardment continued.
From a ship in the harbor, Francis Skott Key watched with great anxiety. Writing later, he said, “It seemed as though mother earth had opened and was vomiting shot and shell in a sheet of fire and brimstone,” As darkness enveloped the harbor, Key saw only red erupting in the night sky. Given the scale of the attack, he was certain the British would win. The hours passed slowly, but in the clearing smoke of “the dawn’s early light” on September 14, he saw the American flag—not the British Union Jack—flying over the fort, announcing an American victory.
With great emotion, he began to pen the words:
Say, can you see
By the dawn’s early light
What so proudly we hailed
At the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars
Through the perilous fight
O’er the ramparts we watched,
Were so gallantly, yeah, streaming?
And the rockets’ red glare
The bombs bursting in air
Gave proof through the night
That our flag was still there
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave
Like the flag of old, the Sabbath still stands.
Through the terrible onslaught of all the hosts of Evil, the barrage of mortar fire from Hell itself—The Sabbath still stands!
It stands as a memorial of a God who loves His people
It stands as a testimoent to a God who is serious about a relationship with them.
It stands as a memorial of His creative power, His saving power, and His love.
Why is this the final test at the end?
Those who love God, are saved by Him
Those who are saved by Him, worship Him.
Those who worship Him build a deeper relationship with Him
And only those who have built a deeper relationship with Him, are able to see through the deceptions at the end.
This is why the Sabbath has such prophetic significance.
Oh, I want to enter into the rest of Jesus on His day.
How about you?
