The Great Deception

by Dene McGriff

How could this possibly happen? Consider for a moment the position of Tim LaHaye, Dave Hunt and the other dispensational Christians who are convinced that the church will rapture before the tribulation. They believe that the church era ends with the rapture and the Lord turns his attention back to the Jews.

So, what if the church doesn't rapture and the following scenario occurs? Israel is attacked and America comes to her rescue. The two nations sign a mutual defense treaty and Christians hail the new peace. The walls Israel has built up are torn down and Christians rejoice because America has once again supported the nation of Israel. The Bible clearly tells us that the Antichrist signs a treaty with Israel (described in Daniel 9:27). What if this is that treaty and the church is still there?

This scenario is completely discounted because no one believes that America could have a role in prophecy, especially in an evil way (since we have always been one of the good guys standing for truth, justice and the American way). They expect the Antichrist to come from Europe and believe that America isn't even mentioned in prophecy, so even if this were to happen, it would not be an important event.

But there is only one country that is Israel's friend that has the offensive military capability that could make such a defense pact work. Please read the book entitled "In Search of Babylon." Could it be that a sort of European country (one with a European heritage, laws, and language) that grew to dominate Europe is the little horn of Daniel 7?

The average pre-trib Christian won't get it. After all, they are still here and America is a fine, Christian nation. Even though dispensational scholars realize that this treaty marks the beginning of the tribulation, most won't recognize it. Christians will get caught up in a patriotic fever because America has sided once again with Israel.

They will believe that God has chosen America for just this hour to stand against godless Islam and stand with Israel. This further enrages the Islamic nations who rise up against Israel and you have the Gog-Magog War, which is discussed in great detail on our website. The Antichrist takes credit for the miraculous victory and continues to wage war in the region - no doubt bringing democracy and capitalism to the downtrodden masses of the world.

The pre-trib Christian will view this as a marvelous victory, and others will see America as fulfilling her destiny bringing the kingdom of God to the earth as the church and state ride roughshod over evil Islam. Unfortunately, there will be a few Christians caught in the cross fire - those few who understand prophecy and clearly see what is really happening. These will be labeled enemies of the church and state and will eventually be rounded up and eliminated.

Most Christians will fall into one of three groups: 1) the "cut and run" pre-tribbers; 2) those who think America is the chosen nation to bring the kingdom of God to the earth and 3) those who don't care about escaping the tribulation but will pay any price to be a testimony.

They (the pre-tribbers) want to have their cake and eat it too - the good life (split level homes, cruises, soccer, SUV's and all) - only to be plucked out of the world before the going gets rough. They have every expectation of either escaping or ushering in the kingdom by force. They have no thought to stand and testify at the cost of losing everything including their lives.

In the book of Revelation, the word "testimony" is used eleven times. In Chapter 1, it refers twice to the "testimony of Jesus." In Chapter 6:9, it refers to the "testimony they had maintained." In Chapter 11:7, they "finished their testimony." Chapter 12:11 sums it up by saying, "They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death."

The root of the word "testimony" in Greek is "marturia" or the word for martyr. In these verses, we see the saints overcoming because they are willing to give up everything, even their lives. These are the few who have not been deceived and are willing to give up their lives for the testimony of Jesus. These are the saints who seek no gain in this world but are willing to follow the saints of old to an ignoble and unfair death.