Cosmic Deception
By Chuck Missler
A deception of cosmic proportions is coming. It won’t be just a false doctrine, a defective world-view, or one of the tragic “isms” so prevalent today. It will include a comprehensive global leadership backed by supernatural powers and capabilities that will overwhelm the imagination of the world at large. And it will be authenticated by miracles—great signs and lying wonders.
The Bible has more to say about this coming period than it does about any other period of history, including the time when Jesus walked the shores of Galilee and climbed the mountains of Judea. Much has been written, from many viewpoints, about the conditions which will be pending at the “end times” as predicted in the Bible. Few things are as controversial. But if one considers the texts seriously, some clear perspectives emerge. We believe that the arrival and involvement of “aliens” will likely play a key role.
The Intimate Briefing
Four disciples approached Jesus privately to inquire about his Second Coming, and this resulted in a detailed answer which is so important that it is recorded in three of the four Gospels. Jesus opened this famous discourse with the admonition,
“Take heed that no man deceive you” – Matthew 24:4
The first thing Jesus wanted the disciples to understand is that the primary sign that will accompany the days before he comes is DECEPTION. Jesus went on to give the signs that would precede his coming:
“For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows” – Matthew 24:5–8
It’s important to note that Jesus said that many would be coming in his name and that they “shall deceive many.” It is often assumed that a single individual, the “Antichrist,” will come on the scene to deceive the world. However, in this text Jesus points out that there will be many coming in his name, claiming to be “a Christ,” and will undertake a deception of unimaginable proportions. The Coming World Leader will likely be the leader of those who, claiming to be a Christ, will deceive the world with supernatural power.
The Apostle Paul amplified the true nature of the coming deception:
“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God” – 2 Thessalonians 2:1–4
Paul was attempting to comfort the anxious Christians in Thessalonica because they had heard a rumor that Jesus had already come a second time. In the letter, he tells them that Jesus will not come until two things occur. First there is to be a great “falling away.” This falling away (apostasia in the Greek), according to the structure of the language, seems to suggest a sudden forsaking or defection from the Biblical world-view.
Regarding the coming apostasy Hal Lindsey states,
“The first event which precedes the Day of the Lord is ‘the apostasy.’ This word (apostasia in Greek) means to deliberately forsake and rebel against known truth from and about God. The definite article before the term ‘apostasy’ clearly indicates that it is a definite event, not just a progressive rebellion. The article also points out that this fact had been taught to them before. There are many New Testament warnings about a progressive apostasy in the last days which would grow in intensity within professing Christendom…But ‘the apostasy’ is a reference to a climactic event when the professing church will completely revolt against the Bible and all of its historical truths.
“This ultimate act of apostasy on the part of professing Christendom sets the stage for the second great sign, which apparently happens almost simultaneously…the unveiling of the Antichrist.”
While the exact nature of this event is not revealed by the Apostle Paul, the result is that millions of ostensible Christians will be deceived into believing that the Biblical world-view is wrong. They will forsake God, the Bible, and faith in Jesus Christ.
The second event that must occur before the return of Jesus Christ is the coming of the “man of sin…the son of perdition.” This Coming World Leader will be so powerful and so cunning that he will exalt himself above all that is worshiped. This is a remarkable statement. This includes Jehovah, Allah, Buddha, and Krishna, etc. Incredibly, he will be received and worshiped by the world as the savior, the one who is able to bridge the gulf that has separated religions, science, and philosophy for thousands of years. How will he accomplish the feat?
After the great falling away, Paul tells us, the Coming World Leader will accomplish the deception with lying signs and wonders:
“And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” – 2 Thessalonians 2:8–12
The effects of the signs and wonders are catastrophic. For those who would not receive the love of the truth, Jesus Christ, God will send them a “strong delusion” so that they would believe a lie. The effect of the lie is discussed by Paul in the book of Romans:
“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen” – Romans 1:21–25
The effect of believing the lie is that men will worship the creation (“the creature”) rather than the Creator.
Finally, regarding the coming deception, Jesus said that it would be so powerful that even his elect (believers in Jesus Christ) would be deceived for a while.
“Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before” – Matthew 24:23–25
Again we see that Jesus wants us to understand that there will be many false Christs who will perform signs and wonders.
The fact that Biblically literate followers of Jesus Christ will potentially be deceived is very disturbing. What kind of deception could deceive even the very elect? For reasons that will become evident, the widespread deception associated with the forthcoming climax will be more than simply philosophical or theological deviations promulgated on the unsuspecting masses. Every belief system that has ever existed or could exist is here now; and yet, God’s elect are not led astray by these mere “isms.” We believe that it will take a powerful display of visible, even palpable supernatural signs and wonders. In effect, we believe that the deception will involve a worldwide series of physical manifestations by Satanic forces in a convincing display that will persuade the five senses that what one is seeing is indeed true.
We believe that one’s five senses will not help in discerning whether the events are a Satanic deception or a benevolent God-ordained revelation. Only spiritual discernment will betray the true nature of the lying signs and wonders that will come upon Earth in those days.
Ultimately, the deception will involve the entire world-view of the planet Earth—even to bringing the nations of Earth into a climactic, ostensibly interplanetary war! And the armies of the world will be gathered by specific spirit beings established for that very purpose.
The Rush Toward Globalism
Earlier we highlighted the emergence of a major global empire as the time of the “end” approaches. It would seem that the tide toward a socialistic, centralized, “New World Order” is setting the stage. It has become fashionable—especially in the U.S. and in Europe—to deem the sovereign “nation-state” as obsolete, to promote multiculturalism over any traditional heritage, and to assume that the ultimate destiny of the planet Earth is a unified global governance.
The reader will recall that one of the primary messages given to alien contactees is that mankind must unify into a one-world government. While the Bible is clear that this global unity will ultimately be brought about by the Coming World Leader, all over the world hundreds of millions of people look to the arrival of highly advanced, benevolent alien entities to accomplish this goal. Could there be a connection here?
King Nebuchadnezzar’s Remarkable Dream
In Daniel 2, Daniel interprets a troubling dream of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. (Fortunately, the interpretation of this strange dream is quite explicitly laid out for us in the text. The reader is encouraged to review this very readable chapter for himself.)
In this dream there was a large, shiny metallic image with a head of gold, arms and chest of silver, belly and thighs of brass, and legs and feet of iron. The feet were further notable in that there the iron was mixed with “miry clay.”
A stone “cut without hands” struck the image at its feet, it crumbled, and then the stone grew into a mountain which filled the whole earth. Strange dream, indeed.
Fortunately, Daniel interprets this for us. In fact, later in Daniel’s life, he received another series of visions (recorded in Daniel 7) which, although using entirely different idioms, covered the same subject matter. These visions yield much of the essential background which illuminates the book of Revelation.
The large metal image turns out to be a time line of the sequence of four major empires which will dominate the planet Earth until the time when God sets up his own government. The era covered is referred to as “the times of the Gentiles.”
The head of gold represented Babylon under the rulership of Nebuchadnezzar. This was the empire extant at that time.
The silver portion of the image referred to the empire which would conquer Babylon, that is, the Persians. The fall of Babylon is detailed in Daniel 5. (Daniel himself rose to prominence in the Persian Empire. The magi visiting Bethlehem some centuries later would reflect Daniel’s tutelage.)
The brass portion of the image represented the empire that would subsequently conquer the Persians, namely the Greeks. (Alexander the Great’s career was so detailed in Daniel 8 that when that passage was presented to him upon entering Jerusalem, he spared the city.)
The iron of the image represented the empire which would ultimately conquer the Greeks, namely the Romans. It is interesting that the Roman Empire ultimately split into two (two legs of the image?). More significantly, who conquered the Romans? The answer: no one.
About a.d. 476, the Roman Empire broke into pieces. Throughout subsequent European history, each piece has made a bid for global dominion without fully succeeding. The Dutch, the French (under Charlemagne and later Napoleon), the Germans (under Bismarck and later Hitler), the Spanish with their Armada, the English as “mistress of the seas,” all have had their day in the sun. But none of them really established suzerainty in the sense that the Romans did.
Daniel’s portrayal suggests that these “pieces” will ultimately recombine before the end. This theme is echoed in many other passages and is one of the reasons that some Bible commentators have, for centuries, looked for an ultimate “revival” of the Roman Empire, in some form, at “the time of the end.” (Some suggest that the current moves within the European Union may be setting the stage for this final government.)
This final empire — represented by the ten toes of iron mixed with miry clay — is the subject of many passages dealing with the final climax. It will be in the days of the ten toes that the “stone cut without hands” will smite the image and set up God’s own government upon the earth. This “stone” will be reviewed in chapter 14.
The Return of the Nephilim?
Even our common expression “the idol has feet of clay” apparently comes to us from this classic passage. But what is represented by the “miry clay?” It seems to be strangely mixed—but not completely—with the iron in the dream. The term “miry clay” refers to clay made from dust, a Biblical idiom which suggests death. (The Rephaim, a tribal term for some of the giants, is also a term often translated “death.”) What makes this famous prophecy especially suggestive for our exploration here is the strange allusion in verse 43:
“And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay” – Daniel 2:43
Switching to a personal pronoun, they “shall mingle themselves with the seed of men…” This is extremely suggestive when viewed in the light of the warning of our Lord heading this chapter, ostensibly directing us to look more closely at Genesis 6. Just what (or who) are “mingling with the seed of men?” Who are these Non-seed? It staggers the mind to contemplate the potential significance of Daniel’s passage and its implications for the future global governance.
Could this be a hint of a return to the mischief of Genesis 6? Are “aliens” and their hybrid offspring part of the political makeup of this emergent world empire? Are the UFO incidents part of a carefully orchestrated program to lead us toward a political agenda?
Or has it started already? Are the UFOs and increasingly widespread abductions part of the preparations for this scenario? Is the alleged “hybridization program” on which John Mack and others expound part of a Satanic plan to infiltrate the coming global government with “alien” Satanic forces? Are these aliens or their offspring part of the move toward a global government that we already see in motion, both here in the U.S. and in Europe?
The Coming World Leader
The centralized global government, not surprisingly, will ultimately be taken over by a dictator the likes of which the world has never seen. He apparently will be the most attractive, commanding, winsome presence ever to command the world stage. He is alluded to by 33 different appellations in the Old Testament and 13 in the New Testament.
Unfortunately, he is commonly called by one of the most misleading of these labels, “the Antichrist.” This is widely misunderstood as it would focus on the idea that he is “against Christ,” which he, indeed, will be. However, the Greek term antichrist really means “pseudo-Christ” or “in place of” Christ. He will be an impostor, posing as Christ.
The Genealogy of the Antichrist
History is littered with speculations as to the identity of this final Coming World Leader. There are numerous justifications to assume he will be a Gentile. There are also many reasons to view him as Jewish. Others have suggested that he will be Judas Iscariot resurrected from the dead. Some have even promoted President John Kennedy or Henry Kissinger. Surprisingly, a number of prominent Bible teachers—Hal Lindsey and Dave Hunt as examples—have publicly stated their view is that this leader will either be an alien or he will boast of alien connections! Remarkably, in addition to Daniel 2:43 there are many startling clues in the Bible that seem to connect the Coming World Leader to Satan and his “alien” forces.
The Seed of the Serpent
In the first book of the Bible we find an intriguing clue to the possible lineage of the coming Antichrist. In Genesis 3, we find the story of the fall of man. The setting is the garden of Eden, where God had placed a tree called “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” God had placed Adam in the garden and told him that he could eat of the fruit of every tree except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17). However, one day Satan (the serpent) came to Eve and tempted her to eat of the forbidden tree.
It’s interesting to note that the first thing Satan said to Eve was, “Hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Genesis 3:1). This was the first tactic of the enemy — to question the word of God. Satan went on to promise Eve that if she would eat of the tree, she would not “surely die.” Instead, she would be like God; she would have incredible knowledge, “knowing good and evil.” Immortality, deity, and incredible knowledge. What a deal Satan promised Eve! So, she ate of the forbidden fruit and thus began the fall of mankind.
In Genesis 3:14–15 we read the response of God as he, so to speak, takes Satan to the woodshed:
“And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” – Genesis 3:14–15
This is one of the most pivotal portions of scripture in the entire Bible. It sets up the battle between the seed of the woman (a prophecy of the virgin birth of Jesus Christ) and the seed of Satan. A casual reading of this text will miss a disturbing textual insight. The Hebrew word translated seed is the word zera, meaning “offspring, descendants, posterity, and children.” Satan is going to have seed! Who is the seed of Satan, and what is his future destiny? We get another hint in the New Testament.
The Son of Perdition
We saw earlier, in Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians, a description of the Coming World Leader:
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God” – 2 Thessalonians 2:3–4
After the falling away Paul states that “the man of sin…the son of perdition” will be revealed. This is a fascinating insight that may relate to the very parentage of the Antichrist himself. The word translated “son” is the Greek word huios, which is used in a general sense to mean “a male offspring.” In a wider sense it means “descendant, posterity, child.” The word translated “perdition” is the Greek word apoleia, meaning “utter destruction, destroy.” This word comes from the same Greek root from which we get “Apollyon,” one of the names of Satan found in Revelation 9:11.
“And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon” – Revelation 9:11
According to Greek scholars this one called Destroyer, Abaddon, and Apollyon is the “minister of death and the author of havoc on the earth” — none other than Satan himself!
The composite we can draw from these verses is disturbing indeed. We have examined in detail the intrigues of Genesis 6, where the fallen angels consorted with the “daughters of men” and produced supernatural offspring, the “mighty men which were of old, men of renown.” If the fallen angel interpretation is indeed a valid description of the state of affairs in Genesis 6, then it is likely that Satan, as a fallen angel himself, must also have the ability to cohabit with a human female. By definition any offspring produced by such an ungodly union would be the seed of the serpent and the son of perdition!
While this scenario may seem farfetched, it is neither unique nor without additional Biblical support.
Demoniality
The notion that the Antichrist would be born by the union of an incubus and a human female dates back at least several hundreds of years to the Middle Ages. During the Middle Ages there were hundreds of recorded accounts of men and women who had allegedly consorted with demonic forces. This fact is even confirmed by St. Augustine of Canterbury (b.?-d.604), founder of the church in southern England.
“It is a widespread opinion, confirmed by direct or indirect testimony of trustworthy persons, that the Sylvans and Fauns, commonly called Incubi, have often tormented women, solicited and obtained intercourse with them. There are even Demons, which are called Duses [i.e., lutins] by the Gauls, who are quite frequently using such impure practices: this is vouched for by so numerous and so high authorities that it would be impudent to deny it.”
Such unions, called demoniality, were forbidden by the Church and frequently resulted in excommunication, witch trials, and being burned at a stake.
At the end of the 17th century, Fr. Ludovicus Maria Sinistrari de Ameno (1622–1701) of the Franciscan Order wrote a lengthy treatise on the copulation of demonic entities with human beings. In the manuscript De Daemonialitate, et Incubis, et Succubi he discussed the historical fact of such unions and showed that a number of Early Church fathers supported the view that the “sons of God” in Genesis 6 were indeed fallen angels. Regarding the parentage of the Antichrist Fr. Sinistrari states:
“To theologians and philosophers, it is a fact, that from the copulation of humans (man or woman) with the demon, human beings are sometimes born. It is by this process that Antichrist must be born, according to a number of doctors [theologians]: Bellarmin, Suarez, Maluende, etc.,..the children generated in this manner by the incubi are tall, very strong, very daring, very magnificent and very wicked…”
In Passport to Magonia, Vallee points out a fascinating statement by the 18th-century theologian R. P. le Brun regarding the offspring of such unions (Nephilim) and the origin of the Antichrist:
“If the body of these children is thus different from the bodies of other children, their soul will certainly have qualities that will not be in common to others: that is why Cardinal Bellarmin thinks Antichrist will be born of a woman having had intercourse with an incubus.”
The notion that fallen angels can consort with a human female and produce viable offspring is quite startling and indeed foreign to most of us in the 20th century. However, in the Middle Ages it was a common-enough occurrence that there was much discussion among theologians regarding the physical mechanism employed by such spirit entities.
There will no doubt be many who will find the entire thesis (that angels can manifest physically and consort with humans) presented herein impossible to believe. The skeptic will likely argue that “angels are spirit beings that have no physical bodies, so the entire thesis is absurd.” While we don’t know how it is done, we should not underestimate the power of Satan and his minions. If Satan and his minions were capable of this in the days of Noah, there is every reason to believe that they still are.
The fact is that angels do manifest themselves in physical form throughout the Bible and the annals of history. How they do it is not explained. However, angels, including fallen ones, do have the power to manipulate matter and reshape it into a multitude of forms, including life! (We will discuss this in detail in the next chapter.) Suffice it to say that if angels can appear physically; take men by the hand; fight with men; and form eyes, ears, skin, etc., then the manifestation of reproductive organs is also within their capabilities.
The Return of the Nephilim
If the Antichrist does arise from such a union, then from a Biblical perspective, he would be a Nephilim (“fallen one”). While this notion may seem radical, it turns out that there is additional Biblical evidence that the Nephilim will play a major role in the end-times scenario.
In the book of Isaiah, chapters 13 and 14, we read of the destruction of the city of Babylon in the context of the last days of planet Earth. During the time of Daniel and Ezekiel (sixth century b.c.) the city of Babylon was the greatest city on Earth. Its walls were reportedly over 200 feet tall and so thick that the Babylonians conducted chariot races on the top of the city walls.
Over a hundred years before the Babylonian empire was replaced by the Medo-Persian Empire, the prophet Isaiah foretold that the city of Babylon would be destroyed. It is commonly assumed that the destruction of Babylon occurred centuries before Christ by the Medo-Persian, Greek, and Roman Empires. However, this was not the case. The city was never destroyed; it simply decayed into ruin over many centuries. One of the major prophetic themes of the end times involves the sudden destruction of the rebuilt city of Babylon.
Regarding those days the prophet Isaiah wrote,
“The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amos did see. Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles. I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness” – Isaiah 13:1–3
The term “mighty ones” is the Hebrew word gibborim and is the same term used in Genesis 6 for the Nephilim. It was understood by ancient scholars to be a synonym for the giants (Nephilim) of old.
This is evident in the Greek translation of Isaiah 13:
“The vision which Esaias [Isaiah] son of Amos saw against Babylon. Lift up a standard on the mountain of the plain, exalt the voice to them, beckon with the hand, open the gates, ye ruler. I give command and I bring them: giants are coming to fulfill my wrath, rejoicing at the same time and insulting…For behold! the day of the Lord is coming which cannot be escaped, a day of wrath and anger, to make the world desolate, and to destroy sinners out of it…And Babylon, which is called glorious by the king of, the Chaldeans, shall be as when God overthrew Sodoma and Gomorrah…It shall never be inhabited, neither shall any enter into it for many generations: neither shall the Arabians pass through it—nor shall shepherds at all rest in it. But wild beasts shall rest there; and the houses shall be filled with howling; and monsters shall rest there, and devils shall dance there and satyrs shall dwell there; and hedgehogs shall make their nests in their houses. It will come soon, and will not tarry” – Isaiah 13:1-3, 9, 19–22, Septuagint Version
If the ancient translators’ understanding of the Hebrew text of Isaiah is correct, then it seems to follow that the Nephilim will be returning in the last days of planet Earth and the city of Babylon will become the habitation of “monsters, devils and satyrs!” These are terms which for centuries have been understood to be synonymous with physical manifestations of fallen angels!
This disturbing look at the future of Babylon is echoed in the book of Revelation:
“And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, ‘Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird!’” – Revelation 18:2
Could it be that the city of Babylon, which was the original region of Satan’s rebellion against God, will be inhabited in the last days by Satanic entities masquerading as modern-day aliens? Time will tell.
Nimrod: A “Type” of Antichrist?
Throughout the Bible we see that the Holy Spirit uses dramatic stories that scholars call “types” or “models” as a way of revealing the nature, mission, or destiny of Jesus Christ. God even declares this through the prophet Hosea:
“I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes [models or types], by the ministry of the prophets” – Hosea 12:10
The lives of Moses, Joseph, and the sacrifice of Isaac in Genesis 22 are but a few examples. However, in the book of Genesis we have the story of Nimrod who, according to many scholars, is a typological model of the Antichrist.
Nimrod, whose name means “the rebel,” was the son of Cush and lived after the Flood. Nimrod’s rebellion, which was in open revolt against God, was exemplified by his leadership of a great confederacy of peoples. This confederacy consisted of a unified “one world” government with a common language. He was founder of an ungodly, idolatrous, pagan religious system from which most of the subsequent pagan religions emerged. ExtraBiblical records indicate that he set himself up as god and was even worshiped by the ungodly nations as the “god of gods.”
Nimrod, the king of Babylon, had his headquarters in Babylon. It is interesting to note that the Coming World Leader is called “the king of Babylon” (Isaiah 14:4), and in the book of Revelation he is connected with “mystery Babylon” (Revelation 17:3-5). Nimrod’s supreme ambition was to make a name for himself. All of these characteristics parallel the resume of the Coming World Leader, who will “exalt himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4).
There is an additional aspect of the story that we find very provocative. Nimrod is called a “mighty one” in the text of Genesis 10:8.
“And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth” – Genesis 10:8
This is provocative because the title “mighty one” is the very same Hebrew word, gibborim, that is frequently used as a synonym for the Nephilim! While we do not know whether he was a Nephilim, it is interesting that in order to complete the typology of the Antichrist, the Holy Spirit inspired Moses, the author of Genesis, to use the very same synonym for the Nephilim!
The Alien Connection
In addition to the Biblical evidence for Antichrist’s lineage, some striking parallels emerge when we compare the nature and mission of the Antichrist with the reported nature of our 20th-century alien visitors.
As we plunge into the literature regarding the nature and purpose of our modern-day alien visitors, we find that they are usually viewed as having the answers we need to resolve our predicament and survive into the centuries to come. This belief emerges because of their incredible mastery over the laws of physics and the seemingly supernatural powers they possess.
The ability to perform “signs and wonders” and provide answers for mankind’s problems are characteristics shared by the Antichrist as well. He will have a global plan that is so incredible that he will be embraced as a technological savior.
Finally, when we examine the message given to alien contactees, we find they promote globalism, ecumenism, personal immortality (reincarnation), pantheism (“you will be like gods,” Genesis 3:15), moral relativism, and the notion that the Bible is not the word of God. These are beliefs that Satan himself, through the ministry of the Antichrist, will promote during the coming global confederacy.
When we think about the supernatural characteristics of the Antichrist, an interesting question arises. What will he tell the world about the source of this power and knowledge? If he were to state that his power came from God, he would likely be rejected by those in the secular, scientific community. If he were to boast that his power was from the forces of darkness, his would not likely be well received by the masses. We believe that it is very likely that the Coming World Leader will boast of a connection with the powerful, god-like alien entities who have, it is believed, overcome the problems of poverty, famine, disease, war, and the pain of cultural and religious division.
These “saviors” will have a plan to unify mankind, and they will provide the Coming World Leader with the answers we need to solve our global predicament. The plan will be backed up by the power to supersede the laws of physics and perform, in effect, supernatural signs and wonders. When such a man arises on the scene with a message of love, unity, and peace, along with the answers we need backed up by supernatural signs and wonders, the peoples of the world will willingly set aside their differences, lay down their weapons to follow him, and even worship him as god!
Even a casual perusal of the UFO and New Age literature reveals that millions of people are expecting the coming New Age Messiah to have an alien connection. Many, including a number of UFO cults, believe that the Coming World Leader will be a hybrid, half-human, half-alien Avatar. According to these groups, this was the case with Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, etc. So the pattern is set.
In his book The Day the Gods Came, George King discusses the origin, power, and mission of the Coming World Leader. According to King, the information about the coming Avatar was “telepathically relayed” to him from “the voice of God—Itself.”
“There will shortly come Another among you. He will stand tall among men with a shining countenance. This One will be attired in a single garment of the type now known to you…He will approach the Earth leaders. They will ask of Him, His credentials. He will produce these. His magic will be greater than any upon the Earth—greater than the combined materialistic might of all the armies. And they who heed not his words shall be removed from the Earth. This Rock is now Holy—and will remain so for as long as the world exists. Go ye forth and spread My Word throughout the world, so that all men of pure heart may prepare for His Coming.”
There is a lot we can glean from this message. According to King, the coming Avatar will apparently be of tall stature. Secondly, he will be endowed with magic powers, and those who do not heed “his words shall be removed from the Earth.” Again we see the theme of the coming evacuation of the malcontents, the “dark forces” who refuse to go along with the plan!
The extraterrestrial origin of this coming Avatar is clearly implied by King only a few paragraphs later:
“The Declaration states quite definitely that there will be no mystery about the birth of the next world Avatar as there was about the birth of Krishna, Buddha, Jesus and others. This majestic Being will come among men dressed in the one piece suit usually worn by the Intelligences from other Planets…He will openly approach the Earth leaders; He will make His origin known to them but they will not believe Him. However, He will have great powers which, by Karmic Law, He will be allowed to use in order to demonstrate to all men beyond all doubt, the Authority empowering Him to carry out His great Mission on Earth…The power of this Being will be greater than mankind has ever seen before in any single humanoid frame. So vast will it be as to be almost terrible, for, as the Declaration states: ‘They who heed not His words, shall be removed from the Earth.’ This means that those who cannot follow the teachings of Truth. Peace and Spirituality will pass from this Planet on to a younger One in order to learn from the experiences they deserve for those who will not follow the next Avatar will not be ready for the Golden Age…The Initiation [sic] of Earth has been given. Mankind should spare no efforts to help prepare the way for the next great Cosmic Event—for the next Master. Who—WILL COME.”
The belief expressed by King that the Coming World Leader will have an extraterrestrial connection is obviously implied by his statement that they will not believe him when he tells the world leaders his origin. This claim is illustrative of the New Age literature regarding the origin and nature of the Coming World Leader and can easily be confirmed by a casual perusal of this literature. Indeed, the New Age literature often declares that the supernatural power and knowledge of the Coming World Leader is a direct result of his connection with “highly evolved” extraterrestrial entities.
The Time of His Coming
We happen to be among those who believe that the Coming World Leader will not be revealed until after the Rapture (evacuation) of the Church. As we have seen, this view is not inconsistent with the messages given by New Agers declaring that the New Age and its Messiah cannot occur until the dark forces (the Church) are removed.
In chapter 9, we discussed the doctrine of the Rapture (rapturo in the Latin) of the Church. This mystery, we are told, will be a sudden conversion — “we shall all be changed”; our bodies will be changed from a corruptible, earthly state to a heavenly, incorruptible state. According to the Apostle Paul, this event will occur “in a twinkling of an eye.” What we did not discuss was the timing of this event in relation to the arrival of the Coming World Leader. This is discussed by Paul in his second letter to the Thessalonians.
“Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth and destroy with the brightness of his coming” – 2 Thessalonians 2:5–8
We believe that the restrainer referred to in this verse is the Holy Spirit working through the Church. Paul states that once “he who now restrains…is taken out of the way…the lawless one will be revealed.” We know that the Holy Spirit will not be taken out of the world, because during the Tribulation (the last three and one-half years of Daniel’s 70th week) he will be working in the lives of Christians who are converted after the Rapture. The point is that the Holy Spirit—working through the Church—is restraining the forces of darkness, and he may be restraining far more than we can imagine! The removal of this restraining force (the Church empowered by Holy Spirit) will allow Satan free reign once the troublemakers are removed.
We can’t help but point out that Satan has not spent any time trying to explain away the view that the Church will be taken out after the arrival of the Antichrist and the completion of the Tribulation!
The “Mission” of the Coming World Leader
As we examine the Biblical text, we discover that the primary goals and purposes of the Coming World Leader are to set himself up as the leader of a global confederacy of nations, to cause people to fall away from the Biblical world-view and to usurp the worship and adoration due to Jesus Christ, to exalt himself above all that is called God, and to bring the world to battle against Jesus Christ and his followers in the Battle of Armageddon.
To accomplish these goals he must bridge the gaps created by nationalism, religion, science, and philosophy. At the same time, he must discredit, ostensibly, the Christian world-view of a personal Creator and saving faith in Jesus Christ. The Coming World Leader must also somehow convince the world that Jesus Christ is the enemy when Christ returns in the clouds!
When the World Will Be as One
Throughout the centuries many have attempted to unify the world into a cohesive, global confederacy. However, these attempts at world empires have fallen short. Although it’s an oversimplification, one of the primary reasons for this failure is that previous dictators attempted to win the world over by military force. Obviously, this method has proved incapable of accomplishing world unification. Though it may result in considerable territorial gains, rather than unifying disparate groups, subversion by military means only serves to deepen the divisions and resentment between those with ethnic and religious differences.
For the Coming World Leader to rise to prominence and unify the world will require him to exploit, at a minimum, the following four stratagems.
First, it is well-known that out of the ruins of catastrophe and anarchy there arises a desire for a strong leader who can unify the masses and heal the wounds of conflict. Consequently, a global shock that shakes the foundations of existing paradigms is almost certain to be introduced (or exploited) by Satan to take advantage of this instinct in order to raise up his global leadership in the last days.
Second, after the initial shock a powerful plan and a “rational” explanation for the global events will be needed to soothe the fears of the masses and bring order, understanding, and hope for the future out of the existing chaos. Without hope the plan will not be embraced. Without understanding there can be no sense of order or unity, and fear will remain prevalent. In effect, he must shock but reassure at the same time.
Third, for any global scheme to take hold the Coming World Leader must have a plan to deal with the malcontents.
Finally, because there will be skeptics among the religious and scientific communities, unification behind the Coming World Leader must and will be accompanied by supernatural signs and wonders. Without such signs he would likely be viewed as just another politician.
Unification through Peace
Remarkably, unlike previous would-be world dictators, the Coming World Leader will rise to power primarily by peaceful methods. This is confirmed in the eighth chapter of Daniel:
“And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand” – Daniel 8:23–25
The precarious nature of this peace is confirmed by Paul the Apostle in his first letter to the Thessalonians:
“For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape” – 1 Thessalonians 5:3
The peace and safety temporarily accomplished in the first half (3.5 years) of Daniel’s 70th week will likely be ushered in by the Coming World Leader after a global disturbance. Although the employment of peace as a part of his plan will certainly reassure the masses and help to quiet the nonconformists, this peace will, however, prove to be false and short-lived. Ultimately, the result of this “peace plan” will be the death and destruction of many. The question we would like to consider is, what kind of catastrophe or global disruption will precede the unification and false peace brought by the Coming World Leader?
Of course, the number of possible scenarios is endless. Some suggest that a global economic collapse or war in the Middle East will necessitate the Antichrist’s arrival. Others suggest a global environmental crisis as the source of unification. Still others suggest that it will be the Rapture of the Church or open alien contact that will be so shocking and so disruptive that a leader with answers will arise.
The Effect of Open Alien Contact
An occurrence of open ET contact would obviously have staggering sociological and psychological effects on mankind. While we can only speculate what these effects might be, a number of prominent people have expressed their belief that it would be a powerful unifying force for the nations of the world.
On September 21, 1987, President Reagan, in his address to the 42nd General Assembly of the United Nations, made a startling statement regarding the unifying effect of an “alien threat”:
“Perhaps we need some outside, universal threat to make us recognize this common bond. I occasionally think how quickly our differences world-wide would vanish if we were facing an alien threat from outside this world. And yet, I ask you, is not an alien force already among us?”
More recently, in an address to the Bilderbergers meeting in Evian, France, on May 21, 1992, according to USA Today and other newspapers, Henry Kissinger stated:
“Today Americans would be outraged if UN troops entered Los Angeles to restore order; tomorrow they will be grateful! This is especially true if they were told there was an outside threat from beyond, whether real or promulgated, that threatened our very existence. It is then that all peoples of the world will pledge with world leaders to deliver them from this evil. The one thing every man fears is the unknown. When presented with this scenario, individual rights will be willingly relinquished for the guarantee of their well-being granted to them by their world government.”
Even Hollywood promotes the notion of global unification through open extraterrestrial contact. In the 1996 movie First Contact, members of the Star Trek team discuss the effect of the first open contact with aliens in the year 2063. Regarding the importance of this first contact, Counselor Troi, the Star Trek team’s resident New Age counselor, states that the first open contact with extraterrestrials “unites humanity in a way that no one ever thought possible when they realize that they’re not alone in the universe. Poverty, disease, war; they’ll all be gone in the next 50 years.”
In his book Messengers of Deception, Jacques Vallee discusses the power of the UFO phenomenon to change lives, inspire awe, and the hope of “salvation from above”:
“I believe there is a machinery of mass manipulation behind the UFO phenomenon. It aims at social and political goals by diverting attention from some human problems and by providing a potential release for tensions caused by others. The contactees are a part of that machinery. They are helping to create a new form of belief: an expectation of actual contact among large parts of the public. In turn this expectation makes millions of people hope for the imminent realization of that age-old dream: salvation from above, surrender to the greater power of some wise navigators of the cosmos.
Here Vallee has put his finger on the mystical and religious side of the UFO phenomenon. Recognizing our inability to rescue ourselves from the human predicament of poverty, pain, suffering, death, and disease, there is an inherent tendency for us to seek salvation from a “greater power,” a higher, nonearthly source. In times past this yearning was primarily fulfilled by a relationship with God. However, with the widespread, institutionalized abandonment of Judeo-Christian principles in the 20th century, millions of people have begun to look to the supernatural UFO phenomena and their associated, god-like alien entities as the higher source of salvation for mankind.
Tragically, on March 26, 1997, this was played out in the suicide-deaths of 39 members of the “Heaven’s Gate” UFO cult in Rancho Santa Fe, California. Led by Marshall Applewhite, known as “Do,” the 39 members of the cult believed that aliens from the “kingdom of heaven” were about to make open contact with mankind by evacuating the “faithful” from the surface of the planet. Believing that the world is on the threshold of global cataclysms, they decided to expedite their exit by “shedding their containers” in an effort to join a UFO they believed was traveling behind comet Hale-Bopp!
The tragic lesson here is that while the UFO phenomenon has the ability to engender tremendous personal devotion and self-sacrifice, it also has the ability to perpetrate a massive deception.
As we have seen, the UFO phenomenon has come to be seen by many as a scientifically acceptable replacement for God. Logical constraints of the “God is an astronaut belief” notwithstanding, for those who have rejected traditional religious beliefs, the UFO phenomenon has become an elixir for millions. This deception is a replacement to fill the God-shaped void possessed by all mankind and a powerful device which stirs emotions and thoughts of salvation from above.
We believe that the cultural preparation (or deliberate conditioning) of the world to view our alien visitors as powerful and highly evolved saviors makes the UFO phenomenon the perfect motif for the Antichrist to exploit when he ascends to power. His ability to perform supernatural signs and wonders, his comprehensive plan for the peaceful unification of mankind, and his connection to or origin from god-like alien entities will engender the masses to follow him into the biggest deception in history.
Open ET Contact and the Church
In chapter 8 we pointed out that the pace of events (wars, pestilence, earthquakes, famine, etc.) in the last days was likened by Jesus to the process of pregnancy, labor, and childbirth. This presents a potentially disturbing scenario for the Church in the last days.
We pointed out that long before the true labor ensues there will be a period of very intense, potentially deceptive, false labor pains that are virtually indistinguishable from the real thing. This presents the frightening scenario that at least a portion of the quickening pace of events (the false labor pains) will be experienced by the Church.
Does this mean we will see extensive persecution, global cataclysms, and the early stages of a well-orchestrated global deception that will cause men to doubt the Biblical world-view and exchange it for something more socially and scientifically palatable? We already are! Worldwide, Christians are being killed by the thousands annually. As we read earlier, the pace of events is quickening dramatically as we approach the end of the 20th century.
But could this scenario mean that we may see proof of alien reality or open contact before the Church is taken out? We believe that this is a distinct and disturbing possibility.
Jesus said that the coming deception would be so powerful that it would deceive, if possible, the very elect. As we have said, we believe to deceive the very “elect” it will take a convincing display of powerful, but lying signs and wonders. While this deception will be associated with an ecumenical, universalistic, “all roads are the same” message, such a message alone is not sufficient to explain the effect on the Church. Indeed, something radical, even unbelievable, must happen to cause millions of Bible-believing Christians to abandon their faith for a while…