“Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.” (1 John 2:18)
According to Ed Mazza, who posted his story on the HuffPost on Monday, September 18, 2017, 2:34 AM PDT, there is yet another doomsday date. A false prophet by the name of David Meade has set Saturday, September 23, 2017 as the date for the Rapture, or translation of the Church into heaven, thereby marking the beginning of a period of great tribulation for the world. Technically, David Meade is merely a foolish and erring professing Christian.
On Sunday morning at one minute past midnight, Meade will officially become a false prophet, worthy of severe judgment by God. He will be proven to be a liar, just like all the other charlatans are who set dates, or allude to general dates.
Some prophetic pundits play it safe, and declare that the world will not last another 5, 10, 15, or 20 years. But the world continues and so they too come perilously close to being numbered among the false prophets. Some prophetic pundits are specific, such as David Meade. His calculations have led him to declare that the Rapture is to occur 33 days after last month’s eclipse, The Washington Post reported his logic. “Jesus lived for 33 years. The name Elohim, which is the name of God to the Jews, was mentioned 33 times [in the Bible],” Meade told the newspaper. “It’s a very biblically significant, numerologically significant number. I’m talking astronomy. I’m talking the Bible … and merging the two.”
What led Meade to embrace this date is the passing of the planet Nibiru, by the Earth, on September 23, 2017. The world won’t end, “but the world as we know it is ending,” he told the Post.
The practical problem with this fantastic prediction is that, according to NASA, Nibiru doe not exist. “Nibiru and other stories about wayward planets are an Internet hoax,” the space agency said on its website a few years ago when similar doomsday predictions went viral. “There is no factual basis for these claims.”
Realistically, “Meade’s views are not endorsed by Roman Catholic, Protestant or eastern Orthodox branches of Christianity,” Fox News reported.
More importantly, Jesus Christ does not endorse the sensationalism and nonsensical rantings of David Meade. Jesus warned against men like him. “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.” (Matt. 24:24)
Consider the signs of a false prophet.
First, a false prophet can sometimes perform a magical act while pretending to perform a miracle. Only God can perform a true miracle. Men can only produce lying signs and wonders.
Second, a false prophet will make predictions that do not come true. “And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? 22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.” (Deut. 18:21-22)
Third, a false prophet will try to deceive the elect, so that their hearts are turned from the Lord. “If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,
2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; 3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.” (Deut. 13:1-4)
Hearts are turned from the Lord when prophetic pundits sensationalize Biblical passages, and then what they say does not come to pass. In this way, the Bible appears to be discredited, and the God of the Bible untrustworthy. People are led astray. Those who lead people astray are worthy of eternal damnation. “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:18-19)
Fourth, a false prophet will produce fruit that reveals his true character. Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” (Matt. 7:15-18)
The fruits that are produced are the works that are made manifest. A false prophet will not produce the fruit of the Spirit, which is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustworthiness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Gal. 5:22-23) Rather, the false prophet will produce the fruits of the Devil, manifested in self-love, being boastful, and arrogant. (2 Tim. 3:1-7)
Fifth, a false prophet will have many followers. “Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! For so did their fathers to the false prophets.” (Luke 6:26) Because the simple gospel truth has been rejected, God has sent a lie, and thus liars, for people to believe. Dispensationalism, with its Rapture teaching, with its fear mongering, with its contempt of the Church, with its fascination with the signs of the time, is God’s judgement upon the world. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2 Tim. 4:3-4) “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:” (2 Thess. 2:11)
Sixth, a false prophet loves money. Prophetic books sell. Prophetic seminars are eagerly attended by gullible individuals who are willing to pay speakers a lot of money to display their charts, show their clever videos, and talk about the end of the world. Financial greed motivates a false prophet. “For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.” (Jer. 6:13) “There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof.” (Ezek. 22:25) David Meade wants to sell his books. He knows that millions of Christians are gullible, and so he has found a niche audience, and he is more than willing to make merchandise out of them. His most recent book is called “Planet X — The 2017 Arrival.”
Church of the Living God, do not be alarmed. Do not listen to the silly and false prophets like David Meade. Flee from Dispensational teachers and their prophetic punditry. Do not be deceived any more. Enjoy Saturday, September 23, 2017 without fear. You are not going to suddenly disappear from the Earth, unless you are foolishly looking up into the heavens while crossing a street instead of looking for oncoming traffic. Then, well, you might be in trouble.
