Every group and even within each group are differing opinions on the end times. Because there are so many different beliefs in the church, those denominational distinctives prove that God has turned His face from the church. The same applies to those who consider themselves independent and not denominational. They may do things differently, but their core beliefs found in the fine print are the same as the denominations they say they are different from. As we see in the Old Testament, God turned His face from His people when they rebelled. Ezekiel 39:23 “And the nations will know that the people of Israel went into exile for their sin, because they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies, and they all fell by the sword. 24 I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their offenses, and I hid my face from them.”
When God turns His face away from His people, enemies then have the power to defeat them as we see throughout scripture. It was not supposed to be this way, but this is seen on the curse side of Deuteronomy 28:25 “The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will come at them from one direction but flee from them in seven, and you will become a thing of horror to all the kingdoms on earth.” Leviticus 26:17 “I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you. 36 “‘As for those of you who are left, I will make their hearts so fearful in the lands of their enemies that the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight. They will run as though fleeing from the sword, and they will fall, even though no one is pursuing them. 37 They will stumble over one another as though fleeing from the sword, even though no one is pursuing them. So you will not be able to stand before your enemies. 38 You will perish among the nations; the land of your enemies will devour you. 39 Those of you who are left will waste away in the lands of their enemies because of their sins; also because of their ancestors’ sins they will waste away.” (Read all the curses – Deuteronomy 28:15-68; Leviticus 26:14-45) When it came to our enemies, it was supposed to be Deuteronomy 28:7 “The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.” Leviticus 26:7 “You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. 8 Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you.” (Read all the blessings – Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Leviticus 26:1-13)
Not only were we not supposed to be defeated by our enemies, sickness was not supposed to be rampant in God’s people, but rebellion brings these upon God’s people. Deuteronomy 28:20 “The Lord will send on you curses, confusion and rebuke in everything you put your hand to, until you are destroyed and come to sudden ruin because of the evil you have done in forsaking him. 21 The Lord will plague you with diseases until he has destroyed you from the land you are entering to possess. 22 The Lord will strike you with wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, with blight and mildew, which will plague you until you perish. 23 The sky over your head will be bronze, the ground beneath you iron. 27 The Lord will afflict you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors, festering sores and the itch, from which you cannot be cured. 28 The Lord will afflict you with madness, blindness and confusion of mind. 29 At midday you will grope about like a blind person in the dark. You will be unsuccessful in everything you do; day after day you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you.”
After Israel crossed the Red Sea on dry land and the Egyptian army was destroyed, they still grumbled against God, but even then God said to them that if they listened and obeyed, He would bless them. Exodus 15:22 “Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.) 24 So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?” 25 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink. There the Lord issued a ruling and instruction for them and put them to the test. 26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.” The people saw the power of God firsthand and still grumbled. Their unbelief is why those counted in the first census died in the desert. Numbers 14:22 “Not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times— 23 not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. 29 In this wilderness your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census (Numbers 1:46 “The total number was 603,550) and who has grumbled against me. 30 Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.”
The Jews will soon be celebrating Passover April 1-9, 2026, instead of Easter because they still refuse to believe Jesus is their King and Messiah. Not only did they not believe, but they also murdered their own Savior who came to set them free. John 19:14 “Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews. 15 But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” “Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. 16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.” Not only did they reject their king and have him murdered, but they also refused to listen to the own words they said they believed. Deuteronomy 30:19 “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.” They were filled with so much unbelief, they even called down curses on their own children. Matthew 27:23 “They shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” 24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” 25 All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!” Today the Jews have a veil over their eyes just as Paul said. 2 Corinthians 3:14 “Their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” Paul would also say, Acts 13:46 “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.” Now the church, which is a combination of Jew and Gentile because the disciples were Jews who became Christians. Acts 11:26 “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.” Galatians 3:26 “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
Think back to Exodus 15:26 “He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.” Obviously, disease came to them just as it has come to the church. Look at all the sick people in the church. We will be talking more about healing in relationship to the false end time doctrines that are rampant in the church. Not only did Israel, Judah and the Jews reject the word of the Lord, the church has done the same and has followed other gospels like Israel and Judah followed other gods. Scripture makes it very clear what happens when God’s people reject His word. The curses in the verses above are then released. Exodus stated “I am the Lord, who heals you.” Matthew 8:16 “When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases.” Something to ponder is why so many try to convince you that healing is not part of God’s plan for His disciples when scripture states that it is. Mark 6:6 “Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. 7 Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. 8 These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9 Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. 10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 They went out and preached that people should repent. 13 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.” Just above this we see the answer to why most reject what scripture clearly states. Mark 6:5 “He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith.” Because of that unbelief and rebellion, deception and delusion are also behind this lack of healing in the church.
Over the next few days, we are going to be looking at some of the deception and delusion around the end times that has decimated the church. We will also look at healing and the unbelief that goes with it. Just to be clear, these topics are just a few of the false teachings that have permeated the church. The only thing ecumenical about the church is that false teachers and the other gospels unite the church. That is definitely not good. While many do not believe some of the things we will be talking about, they still are following other gospels and remain powerless and do not seek God to turn His face back to the church. Jesus said Mark 16:20 “Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.” Signs are not accompanying the word, so that means other gospels are being taught.
Jesus made it clear that there should not be the confusion about the end times that we see in the church. Jesus said John 14:15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth.” Jesus then says John 16:13 “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.” Since God does not lie, the Spirit of God will not be telling different groups different truths; that would be satan! As we have been talking about, satan deceives by distorting what God clearly states. Daniel said Daniel 8:12 “Because of rebellion, the Lord’s people and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground.” So now we have one group with their distinct views and another group with completely different views and another group… on the end times, yet they all say they believe Jesus to be their Lord and Savior. That means a different jesus is worshiped and other gospels are followed.
The problem is each group believes and teaches they are the way, truth and life. By saying this they believe that God is present and eternal life guaranteed to those who adhere to their teaching. Of course, you must believe what they are teaching to be truth without question. The reality is there is no such thing as being ecumenical or interdenominational. If there was unity, there would be less groups, not more. Today there is no church that is teaching the true gospel. Yes, that is a bold statement and yes people get really grumpy when this is said. The easy way to see that the church is not the church Jesus started and gave power to at Pentecost is there is no power and the church is not doing as Jesus did. The rest of Mark 16 said Mark 16:15 “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” Just before Jesus said this, He rebuked the disciples for their unbelief. Mark 16:12 “Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. 13 These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. 14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.”
The church still refuses to believe God’s word. The church looks nothing like the Gospels and Acts, nor is there the power we see in the Gospels and Acts. The Gospels were a prelude to show the power the church would have. Acts was about the church acting in that power. Matthew 4:23 “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them.” Matthew 10:1 “Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.” Acts 5:12 “The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.” Acts 8:5 “Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.” Paul is still saying to the foolish church, Galatians 3:1 “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? 4 Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? 5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?”
False teachers are everywhere, and other gospels / doctrines of demons have been accepted as truth without question and refuse to repent. Our enemy satan has decimated the church and there are very few survivors. Jesus said, Matthew 24:22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive.” Isaiah 9:13 “But the people have not returned to him who struck them, nor have they sought the Lord Almighty. 14 So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day; 15 the elders and dignitaries are the head, the prophets who teach lies are the tail. 16 Those who guide this people mislead them, and those who are guided are led astray.” This still applies to the church. Millions of people are dying without ever knowing the truth and those who should have told them the truth are dying thinking they were speaking the truth.
We are already living in the end times. The disciples were teaching that we were already living in the end times. The disciples taught with urgency that these days were the end times. At Pentecost Peter said, Acts 2:15 “These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.” 1 John 2:18 “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.” 1 John 4:3 “This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.” 1 Peter 4:7 “The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.” 2 Timothy 3:1 “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.” 2 Peter 3:8 “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
The disciples were not wrong as some teach, but preached with urgency, just as we should still be doing today. It doesn’t matter that over 2000 years have passed; you only have your lifetime and most do not know how long that will be. When you die, the end will be upon you and you do not want to be unprepared for that day. As you just read, it has only been a couple of days for God. Many have become complacent, and some are saying, where is this ‘coming?” 2 Peter 3:3 “Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” When you die, that is it and there are no second chances. When the rich man died and ended up in hades, Luke 16:27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
Jesus rose from the dead, people have been warned and people still do not believe and false teachers are as widespread as ever. There will be many who believed what they were taught and those who taught them will end up like this rich man. The false prophets who led millions astray will not be able to change what they taught and even after their deaths, people will still be deceived by their false teaching. I have heard many people praise false prophets who have died and they continue to be deceived and deluded by their teaching. It will only be when they end up in blackest darkness that they will understand. Jeremiah 23:20 “In days to come you will understand it clearly. 21 I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message; I did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied. 22 But if they had stood in my council, they would have proclaimed my words to my people and would have turned them from their evil ways and from their evil deeds.” 2 Peter 2:17 “These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error.” Luke 13:25 “Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.” Matthew 25:41 “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” Just something to ponder. Where do you think the teaching, from within the church, that hell does not exist or God will never let you end up there comes from. The answer is satan.
