“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works,” 2 Corinthians 11:13-15.
As I said in Part 1 of this article, I set out to expound the verses above and apply them to an impious email from one purporting to be a female ‘minister’ of the gospel.
It will be seen in that first article that the silly woman who attacked me, mocked young girls for wearing berets as they sang in church. She seemed totally unaware that a head covering is commanded in Scripture for a lady engaged in public worship in the house of God, 1 Corinthians 11:4-6.
She but confirms that she is one of the ‘Bible-rejectors’ who abound today and who can blithely call themselves ‘servants of God’!
I am moving on to note how that from the dawn of this Christian age, the devil has been actively corrupting the truth of God by his evil agents who creep into unsuspecting churches (Jude 3-4) and who transform themselves into what is professed to be “ministers of righteousness.”
We now take up the second part of the study.
THE GREAT SATANIC DECEPTIONS, SEEN THROUGHOUT THE AGES, WILL INTENSIFY AT THE CLOSE OF THIS AGE.
Just as the devil’s past deceptions have been very successful, to the beguiling of countless millions through his denials of the gospel, though utterly failing to overthrow or hinder the eternal purpose of God, so the truth that I have just stated is one the devil has sought to deny, conceal and deride!
1. However, Scripture clearly declares this truth about the last days. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come,” 2 Timothy 3:1. I have before stated that the Greek word translated ‘perilous’, appears in only one other place in the New Testament. It appears as the English word ‘fierce’ in Matthew 8:28. “And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.”
These two men are exceeding fierce because they were possessed and controlled by devils!
The character of these devils is seen in that when permitted of Christ to enter a herd of pigs, after departing at Christ’s command from the poor men, they “went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters,” verse 32.
The Lord permitted this action in order to demonstrate the evil intend of the evil spirits. Like their ‘master’, the devil, who was “a murderer from the beginning,” John 8:44.
2. Further evidence of this period of increased satanic activity is found in the Book of the Revelation. “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time,” Revelation 12:10-12.
I have underscored some words which I would have you particularly note for I believe they give a clear indication when these things are happening.
1. It takes place when the devil knows he has but a ‘short time’. The devil’s position as ‘the god of this world’, (2 Corinthians 4:4) will end at the return of Christ to rule and reign. Thus we find in the chapter which reveals details of that great event Revelation 20, the following: “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season,” Revelation 20:1-3. I again have underlined some important words. They tell us that the devil will “deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled.”
During the Millennial Reign of Christ, the world will be delivered from the deceits of the devil.
Thus, when we are told in Revelation 12:10-12, that the devil ‘knows’ he has but a short time, it means that the events of those verses take place but a short time before the return of Christ.
2. During that ’short time’, the devil will be in a great wrath. His time of cunning and craft is nearly over. I believe we can find out the exact duration of that ‘short time’. The Saviour spoke of a time of “great tribulation” (Matthew 24:21), when He was explaining to the disciples “the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world” or “age” as it should be translated.
Duration
3. That duration of that period of tribulation is given us elsewhere in Holy Scripture. “And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time,” Daniel 7:24-25.
“And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished,” Daniel 12:7.
“But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months,” Revelation 11:2.
“And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days,” Revelation 12:6.
“And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 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? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations,” Revelation 13:1-7.
There is a repetition of a ‘duration’ in these verses. A time and times and the dividing of time; forty and two months; a thousand two hundred and threescore days. Those three dimensions all amount to the same time period – three and half years.
* It is the time the ‘beast’, the Antichrist, is permitted of God to continue his reign over the territories and nations which comprise the old Roman Empire.
* It is the period in which the Antichrist will be allowed to “make war with the saints”.
* It is the time in which the people of Israel will suffer under Antichrist. It “shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.”
* It the time when the Antichrist and his allies shall ‘tread down’ “the holy city (Jerusalem) . . . foot forty and two months.”
* It is the time at the end when a remnant of Israel will flee “into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.”
Rev Ivan Foster (Rtd)
Thursday, 21st March 2025
(Part 3 will follow in a few days.)