A STRONG DELUSION – PART 1

The word DELUSION, according to the dictionary, describes “an idiosyncratic belief or impression maintained despite being contradicted by reality or rational argument“. Another source, WebMD, says it is “an unshakable belief in something that isn’t true“. These are very relevant definitions; now consider how the bible defines strong delusion: 

These lines of scripture state clearly that this delusion is from God, and this delusion is qualified as “strong“, indicating a firm belief in a LIE. Something along the lines of vain confidence in deceit. Remember, that this unfortunate event is just as well a promise as other promises in the Bible, therefore its fulfillment is equally certain. Backing up to few verses before (verse 32 Thessalonians 2:3'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;), the Holy Spirit had earlier warned in this same chapter that there would be a “falling away” from the faith of Christ, that would precede the second coming of Christ. 

We oftentimes form an image of who God is based on sentiments and our personal representation of who He should be. This perception of God only exists in our imagination. We should never picture God outside His word—“The Bible”. Please read this with an open mind then make your conclusion on the above question. 

Delusion Types

Usually, God works in types and patterns as Paul alluded in Galatians 4:24Galatians 4:24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.. Just about everything God promises to do today, he had illustrated in the scriptures. He showed examples of strong delusion in many accounts in the Holy scriptures. 

There is a delusion impacted by God for a greater Purpose; like the one placed on the Jews according to Romans 11:25Romans 11:25For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.: 

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

—Romans 11:25

Jesus the Messiah, after carrying out an unusual act of whipping the merchandisers of the gospel in the temple, was asked by the religious church leaders of His days: “…what sign shows thou to us seeing that you do these things’’? (John 2:18John 2:18Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?). He went on to give them a response: “Destroy THIS temple, and in three days I will raise it up’’. Remember that He left no doubts in their minds about the temple He was referring to, as He was right around the second Jewish temple when this question was asked shortly after He just concluded the whipping of the gospel merchants. Using the specific word; ”THIS”, He could only have been logically referring to the Second Temple. Even though He knew full well they did not understand the temple He referred to, He did not attempt to explain any further to say “No, I meant the temple of my body, please don’t get me wrong“.

Following His statement, they replied: “46 years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in 3 days” (John 2:20John 2:20Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?). Could you ponder for a minute on why He didn’t explain such controversial statements to help their understanding of Him? Or why He chose to use an analogy He knew they would find really offensive, confusing and would get them farther away from recognizing Him as the Messiah? He was blinding them! This is the same reason for which He codified His words in Parables and would never explain the meanings to them, even though they came all the way to listen to Him. This is a type of strong delusion—One impacted for a greater purpose.

There is also a second delusion sent as a result of a lack of Love for the Truth which is self-inflicted and is usually God’s judgment upon a repeated refusal of the Truth. This is the type of delusion we see with the Gentiles—the non-Jewish nations. 

In many ways, Ahab types the spirit that is at play in the Last Day nominal Christianity—a people who have repeatedly refused God’s way and insist upon worshipping God their own way. Ahab had a prophet Elijah who repeatedly spoke the mind of God to him but he remained obstinate and declined God’s only accepted way of worship. Despite all the vindications God gave the ministry of Elijah, Ahab refused the Truth. Nonetheless, to satisfy his religious appetite, he gathers 400 Prophets (2 Chronicles 18:52 Chronicles 18:5Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramoth–gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king's hand.) to himself to tell him just what he likes to hear. You may recall what he replied to Jehoshaphat’s request for another Prophet who could speak God’s mind (2 Chronicles 18:6-72 Chronicles 18:6-76. But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might enquire of him?
7. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may enquire of the Lord : but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imlah. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.): He says  “There is yet one man, but I hate him, for he never prophesied good unto me, but evil’’. What he really meant, in essence, is He never prophesied to him what he liked to hear. Although Micaiah, the prophet in this context, preaches or prophesies God’s mind; that isn’t Ahab’s desires.

If this isn’t exactly what is obtainable in the church world today, I wonder what else is. Didn’t the Holy Spirit in Paul prophesy of the “latter times”  in 2 Timothy 4:1-32 Timothy 4:1-31. I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2. Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3. 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; with emphasis on verse 3: “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers (just as Ahab gathered his 400 prophets) to say what their itching ears want to hear”.

As the scriptures cannot be broken, nothing else follows such a repeated resistance to Truth, then the release of the spirit of deception from the Lord himself: this is a form of judgment. “And for this cause, God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.”  Taking a close look at the word LIE as mentioned here, you should see that it is seen by its recipient as Truth, hence the word “Believe”. 

In a similar fashion, see how God responded to Ahab’s refusal of the Truth of God from the mouth of Elijah the Prophet with a lying spirit. 1 Kings 22:20 NIV1 Kings 22:20And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?’ “One suggested this, and another that.

20. And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?’ “One suggested this, and another that.
21. Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’
22. “ ‘By what means?’ the Lord asked. “ ‘I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,’ he said. “ ‘You will succeed in enticing him,’ said the Lord . ‘Go and do it.’
23. “So now the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours. The Lord has decreed disaster for you.”

—1 Kings 22:20-23 NIV

In the next rotulus, we will continue this thought line and also see how these examples apply to us at this end of time.