The Scoffing Church

By Dene McGriff

“Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” (2 Peter 3:4)

A pall of apathy seems to have descended upon the American church these days.  No one talks about the coming of the Lord except at funerals when the reality of death, priorities and eternity slap you in the face with a wake-up call.  Other than that most people just keep on slugging through life as if it will never end.  We all know one day we will go off to the great by and by, but as the country song says, “Everybody wants to go to heaven—they just don’t wanna go now.”  But as to an excited anticipation of Jesus return, it just doesn’t exist anymore.  You don’t hear it from the pulpit.  You don’t hear Christians talking about it.  Everyone is just too busy to care.

There used to be a time when Christians were eagerly anticipating Jesus’ return.  I’ll never forget listening to my older sister back in about 1950 speak of the miracle that had just occurred in the Middle East.  Jews were back in the Promised Land.  After more than 2000 years, Israel was a nation.  Surely this was a sign that “this generation would not pass away until all these things were fulfilled.” (Matthew 24:34)  The Lord was going to return, possibly in my lifetime.

In 1960, I was off to college and was captured by the Jesus movement.  We brothers would sit around for hours excitedly talking about prophecy and what it would mean to our generation.  In 1967 we sat glued to the television for six days watching Abba Iban describe Israel’s plight—then Jerusalem was taken by the Israelis.  The idea that we were a step closer to His return inspired us.

A Sad History of Misses

Along came Hal Lindsey’s “The Late Great Planet Earth” in 1970 and interest in prophecy sky rocketed, attracting academics, kooks and so-called prophets.  Now they had something to go on –a real date –1948.  Now we could just do the math.  If Israel was the blooming fig tree of Matthew 24 and “this generation” would not pass until all these things, including the return of Jesus were fulfilled, and if a generation was 40 years, then 1988 was the year!  Woops!  Maybe it was 1967 when Jerusalem and the West Bank were incorporated in Israel after the 6 day war.  That brings us to 2007!  Double Woops!  Or maybe it was 1980 when Jerusalem was declared the capital???  That would take us to 2020.  Who knows?

You get the point.  Not only were these dates wrong, but there were many more misses, all of which discredited Bible prophecy to such an extent that pastors began to shun the whole subject like the plague.  There was no better way to lose credibility than to declare a date and be wrong!  But something else has happened to the Western evangelical church.  The clergy have divided into several camps: 1) There are those who strongly believe in the pre-tribulation rapture of the church which basically means Christians are “up and out of here” before any of the major events of the last seven years get underway.  This position perhaps unwittingly leads to apathy – who really cares if we aren’t going to be here anyway?   2)  The “Preterists” now led by Hank Hanegraaff, the Bible Answer Man, believe the prophecies of Revelation were all fulfilled with the destruction of the temple in 70 AD.  3)  Then there are the “Dominionists” who believe the church should take dominion over the earth and then Jesus will return.  4)  There are many more positions, but a growing number just don’t see it as happening any time soon.  One friend, a local pastor, thinks it may be several hundred years out, but the bottom line to these folks is that it just doesn’t affect our lives now.  Rick Warren has declared that prophecy is none of our business and something we shouldn’t be concerned about in the Purpose Driven Life (pp 285-286).  He’s not the only one.  The sentiment is growing.  Ignorance and apathy abound when it comes to prophecy.

Prophecy is of no Concern to Us

“Scholars” believe the question is purely academic.  The church has been called to evangelize so the emphasis every Sunday is the gospel message and a “seeker friendly” church.  You go into the average church today and you get Bible teaching or topical sermons with little mention of prophecy even though it represents a third of the Bible!  Frankly they scoff at people who are into Bible prophecy for any of the reasons mentioned above.  Underlying it is a weariness and wariness with the subject.  Frankly, who cares?  It either happened already as Hank Hanegraaff claims, or we’ll know when we rapture.  To get caught up in prophecy is to dabble in conjecture, to play a guessing game.  It is ignoring the problems of our times – the culture wars, immorality, poverty, and economic uncertainty.  We have way too many things to concern us than to speculate on difficult to understand subjects like prophecy – ten headed monsters, beasts coming out of the sea, plagues – way too much to wrap our heads around.

At the level of the people (the laity in contrast to the professionals), it is all they can do to make it to church once or twice a week.  They are struggling so much in their everyday lives, striving to keep their jobs (amongst layoffs and furloughs), pay their bills, get the kids to soccer, swimming, baseball, mow the lawn, play with the dog, spend time with the wife, keep up with the latest TV… and they have time to worry about the Second Coming?  They can barely make it from one day to the next!  Life has become overwhelming!  Besides, Christians have been talking about His coming for years and where is He?  Give me a break!  You can’t just sit on your duff and wait for something to happen when they’ve been playing the same waiting game for the past 2,000 years!

This generation is suffering from prophecy fatigue.  Here we have all the arrows pointing in the right direction and nada, nothing, zero, zip!  Hold on a minute.  What is the main characteristic of the last days?  Deception!  Things are not as they appear to be.  The whole thing has been rigged to throw us off (just ask Dracma). How does this deception work?

Why Prophecy is Not Understood

Few clergy understand prophecy because, unfortunately, most Bible Schools and Seminaries deprecate the topic, or whatever they’ve been taught was within the context of a world-view (e.g., “Colonial Europe”) so out-dated as to be utterly irrelevant given the immediate plight of present history.  Every generation of Christians tried to understand Bible prophecy through the prism of their own world view (political, economic and cultural) which has resulted, for most, in a Eurocentric interpretation of Scripture.  Doug Krieger has done some fabulous in-depth analysis on this “stagnant phenomenon.”  Please see The Prophetic Sequence or Antichrist: Reflections of the Desolator or my work on Recognizing Deception.  Christian scholars have made huge mistakes trying to understand prophecy because the timing wasn’t right.  In one of the most prophetic books of the Old Testament written about 600 B.C., it says, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.” (Daniel 12:9)  In military intelligence, this is called “need to know.”  Daniel was given incredible visions of the last days, but then tells the readers that the words are sealed until the time of the end.  What does that mean?  It simply means that these prophecies will not make any sense until the time of the end.  Try and interpret them during 19th Century Europe and Napoleon is surely the Antichrist, mid 20th Century and it is Hitler and so on.  (Again, please see Doug’s work on the Antichrist.)  There have been more theories than you can shake a stick at.

If one is to understand last days prophecy, you need to be sure you are living in the last days before you try and figure it out.  This accounts for why so many people feel prophecy is either irrelevant or completely discredited because the time was not right.  At the very least, most Christians would agree that Israel has to go back to the land and become a nation with Jerusalem as her capital.  Now we can begin to understand but even then, events are unfolding daily and certain prophesy may not be understood until things happen.  We look at the Bible and see that there is obviously a huge conflict brewing in the Middle East which culminates in the Gog Magog War.  Again, please see Doug’s thorough work on “Antichrist and the Gog Magog War.” 

Each generation needs to take a fresh look at prophecy, especially the last one.  When you are looking at a page on the computer – say, Bloomberg.com, the numbers are changing so rapidly, you can’t see them unless you refresh your screen.  We need to constantly refresh our prophetic screen in the light of the Bible and the world around us.  The closer we get to the “end” we will either see more clearly or be more deceived than ever.

Our preconceptions control what we see and how we see it.  Teachings have been handed down by respected clergy.  Who are we to question them?  They are the experts, not us.  The problem is, they have to keep their congregations happy.  If they were to start sharing scary prophecy or unpopular teachings, they wouldn’t have a job.

An example is our attitude toward our country which is revered from the pulpit.  Most pastors teach that America was chosen by God to bless the nations—even going so far as to suggest that we are “God’s redeemer nation.”  There is a certain mystique about America among Christians that America was chosen as a city set on a hill to be the light to the world and as with any myth there is a bit of truth and a lot of error in that thinking.   I was at a banquet last week and the speaker almost transitioned from British to “American Israelism” saying that Israel had lost the promise and we inherited their promises.  A less popular position held by well known preachers such as Dave Wilkerson believe America needs to be judged for its many sins.  Besides, America is a problem for those who are into prophecy.  It isn’t mentioned and therefore should not exist.  Like Carthage, America must be destroyed, wiped off the prophetic map because it just doesn’t fit!  In other words, the City Set on a Hill, that “Golden Cup in the hand of the Lord” has become nothing more than a vile and decrepit type of Babylon the Great, a Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the earth!  Wow!  Wilkerson ought to know – no wonder he’s fed up to here witnessing every day Babylon on the Hudson’s degradations from the middle of Time’s Square, NYC.  Only thing she’s good for is judgment – if the Wall Street bandits don’t get you, then raunchy materialism, consumerism and pure unadulterated filth will!  Yes, if ever there were something “full of abominations” it’s Babylon the Great…so let’s get rid of this once “City set on a hill” which ought to be hid from us all!

Can’t We All Just Get Along?

It’s hard, well frankly, it’s downright impossible for most God-loving, red-blooded Americans to “give it up” – listen, the Titanic is sinking – and no matter what you think will put Humpty Dumpty back together again, it’s not in the cards.  This appears to be what George Barna in his latest missive, The Seven Faith Tribes, is trying to do—salvage the unsalvageable.  In trying to keep America from falling any further into a moral abyss, Barna advocates:

“Sadly, Christians in America are not seen as loving, but we currently have a window of opportunity to demonstrate our love in the midst of the hard times, confusion, and cultural chaos facing the nation.  Achieving positive outcomes, though, requires that Christians work in harmony with non-Christians—and do so without a covert evangelistic agenda.  The best evangelism is that which emanates from people’s respect for our character and lifestyle.  Unfortunately, the public perception of our character and lifestyle is one of the major reasons why our evangelistic efforts in the United states have been so ineffective in the past quarter century.  Those who do not follow christ watch those who do and see little reason to follow suit.  So rather than seek to honor god by doing more of the same, which has not produced much fruit, it is time for us to take stock of reality and reinvent ourselves—as disciples of Christ who love the world, rather than argue the world, into god’s presence. 

“I believe that the most appropriate and effective means of doing so is by allowing people to make their own spiritual choices, with devout Christians simply peacefully coexisting with those who choose to believe differently.  That can happen only if we mutually agree to focus on the things that we have in common rather than get ugly over the things that make us distinct.  In other words, we need to stop competing, comparing, complaining, and condemning, and we must start cooperating, communicating, collaborating, and contributing.  It’s time to stop fighting and start loving.  It’s time to stop taking and start giving.” (The Seven Faith Tribes, George Barna, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. 2009)

So, Barna is out to unite dedicated Christians with “casual Christians” with morally concerned Jews, Mormons, Pantheists, Muslims and even “spiritual skeptics” in a grand cause to redeem the unredeemable – making her, once again, that bright city set upon that mystical hill which cannot be hid.  I ask one simple question:  “What fellowship has light with darkness?”  Whoops!  Can’t be disagreeable here, might offend someone who could join me in the grand cause of redeeming America.  And, what about the Second Coming of Christ to judge Babylon?  Let’s not go there, instead, man the bilge pumps on the Titanic to keep her afloat; who knows, maybe the rivets will hold.  Listen, this isn’t “American hate-speak” – come September 2009, 650,000 Americans will have exhausted their 79 weeks of unemployment insurance – and Obama’s $1.8 Trillion (and counting) will be the greatest deficit spending in the history of this Titanic (W. Bush’s wasn’t even $500B).  Talk about moral depravity and the greed of the merchants of the earth – who now delight in driving every man, woman and child left in this downturn into economic oblivion!  You wonder why the Pope is advocating a one-world economic system posthaste – from his lips to your ears:

“There is a strongly felt need... for a reform of the United Nations Organization, and likewise of economic institutions and international finance, so that the concept of the family of nations can acquire real teeth... there is urgent need of a true world political authority.” (The Last Days @ http://signsofthelastdays.com/archives/pope-benedict-we-need-world-government)

Yes, can’t we all just get along….

Prophetic Babylon

There is a great world power referred to as prophetic Babylon that dominates the world militarily, economically and even in terms of religion and the identity of that country is hidden to most.  The king (or head) of this country is the Antichrist who signs the “Treaty of Hell and Death” with Israel, a defense treaty that marks the beginning of the Seventieth Week of Daniel (Daniel 9:27).  I would refer you to “In Search of Babylon”, a book I wrote about five years ago but it is still relevant.  Whether America (the most “Christian” country, largest economy and most powerful military in the world) is prophetic Babylon or not, we will know if and when a leader signs a mutual defense treaty/pact with Israel.  I can’t imagine any other country that would and could defend Israel, can you?

It is almost impossible for us Americans to even imagine this possibility because we have been so brain washed as to our own goodness in the world defending truth, justice and democracy around the world.  Having spent my life traveling throughout the world, it is interesting to note that other people, even Christians in other countries don’t have so much trouble imagining it.  Again, it wouldn’t be deceiving if it were easy.  Could America be the 800 pound prophetic gorilla in the room that no one sees?  And, oddly enough, those sincere brethren, like David Wilkerson or Kristie Johnson, who do see it, have got to get rid of Babylon the Great before the real action of Daniel’s Seventieth Week comes down—can’t imagine why, maybe they just can’t handle Antichrist coming up out of the ten horns, as the Eleventh Horn, that younger kingdom and that the King of latter-day Babylon is actually the Antichrist?  Having Antichrist coming out of the United States of America as the King of Babylon, King of Tyre, is so distasteful to most patriotic Americans that it’s simply overwhelming—who would have imagined it?  That which we feared the most has come upon us!

We enter the realm of “deception” when everything we have ever been taught; when everything we hold dear and everything we believe with all our heart is not true.  This will be the greatest deception of all time and the vast majority will go along.  Only those enlightened by the Spirit of God will see through it.  The fact of the matter is that American Christians have been set up for deception because their pastors neither understand nor teach prophecy.  Many expect to rapture early on.  Others expect the Antichrist to rise up out of Europe, Germany, the Middle East (as a Jew from Syria or a Moslem) or the Catholic Church.

The deception is all around us on our TVs, newspapers, magazines, movies, internet and even our churches which ignore prophecy at their own peril.  The economy is falling apart around us and families are afraid, hunkering down, working harder, paying off debt, trying to hold on to the “good life.”  There is an economic tornado approaching every one of us, but few see it coming.  We are deceived.

The Scoffing Church

The result of the great deception is the scoffing church:  “Where is the promise of His coming/” (II Peter 3:4)  We scoff at prophecy.  We scoff at the naysayers.  We scoff at Israel.  We scoff at those who don’t believe that America is God’s gift to the world.  We scoff at those who think the church is lukewarm.  We scoff at Christians who dare attack our sacred beliefs and our beloved country.  We scoff at words written thousands of years ago as irrelevant and out dated.  We scoff at the Holy Spirit’s conviction.  We believe our trusted elders and clergy and scoff at any who would question them.  We scoff by ignoring the Bible, ignoring the warnings.  Where is the hope of His coming?  He has delayed too long.  All the prophets so far have been proven to be false so why listen to any?  Jesus will get here when He gets here.  Why worry?  Let’s all just band together for the greater good and forget about all this prophetic negativity.  I trust that when the time comes, He’ll take care of me—that’s all that matters, isn’t it?

Broad is the way that leads to destruction (or in this case “deception”) and there are many that go in it. (Matthew 7:13)  A few of my close friends (going back to the ‘60s) still believe God is speaking to this generation because we, above all others before, have a “need to know.”  But most of the younger generation scoff at prophecy (or give it lip service) and few are listening or even care “what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”  They are either into survival, the good life or being good church goers.

And one day the scoffers will turn on true believers and deliver them up thinking they are doing God a favor.  There are three types of people – the masses, the scoffers and the witnesses:  unbelievers, the deceived apostate “believers” and the martyrs (lit. “witnesses”) who stand for the testimony of Jesus.  People are clueless, deceived or overcomers.  Which one will you be?

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

Revelation 12:11