THE ANTICHRIST, HISTORY AND MODERN DAY PROPHETS.
Here we are again. I've woken up from the illusion that there is a cure for religious imbecility and idiocy. They are like viral diseases in every respect: transmitted from one human being to another, they cause great damages to their hosts, they are incurable and always break out at some points in history. Take for instance the issue of false and fake prophets who rise and command large followership, it didn't start today, 'it have tayed'( in 9ja pidgin accent). In Acts 5:33-39 Gamaliel mentioned two of such charlatans, Theudas and Judas the Galilean. Characteristically, they rise, trend for a while and then disappear. Typical of viruses. How about "powerful men of God" syndrome? Na todayyyyy(excuse my 9ja bent), oya hear from St Paul himself: I FEEL A DIVINE JEALOUSY FOR YOU, FOR I BETHROTHED YOU TO CHRIST TO PRESENT YOU AS AS A PURE BRIDE TO HER ONE HISBAND. BUT I AM AFRAID THAT AS THE SERPENT DECEIVED EVE BY HIS CUNNING, YOUR THOUGHTS WILL BE LED ASTRAY FROM A SINCERE AND PURE DEVOTION TO CHRIST. FOR IF SOMEONE COMES AND PREACHES ANOTHER JESUS THAN THE ONE WE PREACHED, OR IF YOU RECEIVE A DIFFERENT SPIRIT FROM THE ONE YOU RECEIVED, OR IF YOU ACCEPT A DIFFERENT GOSPEL FROM THE ONE YOU ACCEPTED, YOU SUBMIT TO IT READILY ENOUGH. I THINK THAT I'M NOT IN THE LEAST INFERIOR TO THESE SUPERLATIVE APOSTLES. EVEN IF I AM UNSKILLED IN SPEAKING, I AM NOT IN KNOWLEDGE. 2COR 11:2-6.
Notice that Paul mentions "different Jesus, different spirit and different gospel". It didn't start today, as early as apostolic period false men of God were in business and they always targeted Christians who were already converted, they don't go to unbelievers to make converts, they poach already existing churches. Same thing today. Also notice that they usually brag about their charisma and power and abilities, even St Paul suffered it. They regarded Paul as inferior because he couldn't speak with the enthralling and seductive skill they possessed. This is Paul who converted the unbelievers and built a church from scratch, here are "anointed parasites" who have come with hypnotic charisma to take away Paul's spiritual children, and boy did they succeed. It didn't start today.
The outbreak of the coronavirus has given these breed of men of God another opportunity to spawn more "difderent Jesus, different spirit and different gospel" firstly, they are now alleging and spinning all kinds of idiotic conspiracy theories. Like the viruses they are, they are effectively and destructively infecting the minds of their followers and unsuspecting listeners. Some have said that the virus was created to end church gathering, others say the virus are demons and can only be defeated by prayer and casting(not like I don't believe in the power of prayers anyway), others are saying its God's punishment on the world for sins, some say it's the precursor to the rapture and the Antichrist. Well, there's no space for analysis of these claims, I'll just confront you with history.
Viral diseases break out. Covid-19 is not the first, it may not be the last or the worst.
There was HIV/AIDS. It debuted in 1976 and has so far consumed 36 million lives. Today, it's still with us but manageable. There was the Flu pandemic of 1968, it boasts of 1million lives. Asian Flu of 1956-1958 ate 2 million lives. Brace up, the next one is a monster. It is the Flu pandemic of 1918, this dude was a 'badass' killer, it took between 20-50 million lives in the wake of its onslaught. 25 million deaths were recorded in the first 25 weeks of its sinister entry. That means it gleefully slaughtered an average of 4.5 million people in a month. Corona is still a learner, in fact corona is still playing amateur league, and may it remain there in the name of Jesus Christ. Then far back, there was the Justinian plague of 541-542 AD, 25 million people. The deadliest in the recorded history of mankind is the black death, 1346-1353. It killed between 75-200 million people. That's almost half of the world population then. Antichrist didn't show up, Christianity didn't die, rapture did not take place and humanity recovered and thrived. Stop listening and swallowing what these "anointed ignoramuses" tell you. Compare these disease and covid-19, it hasn't even killed a fraction of what these others did and it won't by God's grace. Now, the reason COVID-19 hasn't killed more people than it has done so far despite its ninja like transmission is because of better health systems and medical knowledge available to humanity. It is not by some grandstanding and swashbuckling prophecies and declarations of so called powerful men of God After every outbreak there is a certain advancement in human knowledge and skills, and this is God's grace for me. Bible says my people perish for lack of knowledge. I consider every breakthrough in medical science, every hygiene skills that promote health an act of grace. God has used these to preserve humanity more than "anointed oils and handkerchiefs' of these men of God.
So, by the testimony of history, this will pass away too. Don't let anyone make you a zombie with fear of imminent apocalypse. The world will end one day, but no one knows and this coronavirus isn't the penultimate.
ANTICHRIST
Chai, besides nibbling at the bubbles of naivety of ignorant Christians, I also enjoy that incredulous look on their faces when I tell them something contrary to what they have been believing. See, ANTICHRIST is not one powerful guy who will surface one day and control politics and economy and then give everyone 666 before they can live. I'm sure many of you hold this view. Issorite. Such a person doesn't exist and will not. Let's see the bible: 1Jn2:18-29: "Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that Antichrist is coming, so now many ANTICHRISTS have come, therefore we know that it is the last hour. THEY( the antichrists) went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us...... Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son..... " Una don hear ba, this is the biblical use of the term the Antichrist. The church fathers used it to describe anyone who preaches false doctrines. Jesus warned his disciples to beware of false prophets who will impersonate him and do miracles in His name, yet they are the Antichrists. My dear, every generation has its share of Antichrists, we have ours, some of them have pulpits and large followers. They are everywhere.
MODERN DAY PROPHETS
Fr Sebastian Sanni often says that the Bible of a fake prophets robs faster than the gun of armed robbers. He's absolutely right. Some of them are deadlier than this coronavirus because they have infected people with fear and falsehood. They have brainwashed people and sold a Christianity that is toxic and poisonous. One of their stock and trade is prophecy. Well, it's up to people out there to use their God given brain. Why would same God reveal different causes of the virus to different prophets, why would same God reveal different dates of the end of the virus to different prophets? Some dates have even expired. In one city you have hundreds of prophets giving different prophecies and they all claim its from same God, issorite, let their customers keep believing
APOSTLE SULEIMAN
He has posted a viral video where he made allegations which he claimed are revelations from God. The one wey concern me na where him say God tell am say coronavirus is an attempt to create a new world order and Pope Francis is one of the masterminds. Wallahi God don suffer, God is seriously on trial for disparate revelations. Isn't this the same prophet who said few days ago that God revealed to him that Coronavirus will go as it came, an announcement that was greeted with thunderous 'Amen' response from his sheep and loud applause? How did God sleep, woke up and changed the whole story? How Pope Francis also sacrificed Italy is what I don't understand. Poor Pope Francis, he is not the Prime Minister or president of Italy, he has lost many priests to the virus. So Apostle Suleiman wants us to believe this second version of "what God told me" and forget the first? Issorite, coronavirus seems to be doing more damages than health problems.
FINALLY
Avoid the extremes of fear and carelessness. Follow the hygienic tips of Medical experts. Obey the social distancing order. Pray very well for yourself, the victims of the coronavirus and for our medical workers. Avoid modern day fake prophets like this virus. I dey come

Good read. I have given up on most of the so called Men of God. Worse is even followership with eyes wide shut.

Nice write up @op,let's hope they listen cus' left to me ,a strongly believe that most 'christains' have been Bewitched or brain washed.

Bad belle...


Abeg no rubbish our very own apornstle suleman

Good analysis @op

lacum:
THE ANTICHRIST, HISTORY AND MODERN DAY PROPHETS.
.............. Avoid modern day fake prophets like this virus. I dey come

I love you my dear Priest, Fr. Oluoma. May God open the eyes of our people so that they will see and understand, and then be liberated in their thoughts.

I like this !!!


CC
Holydunamis
Petra1
Anas09
Jeromejnr

Am a devout catholic and felt bad when he mentioned pope francis. My problem here is africans are very unintelingent and unreasonable. Sulieman after reading a possible chimeese conspiracy theory and watching the fight b/w the repub/dems in us coming election starts permutation of possible outcome. These people will start shouting amen. One market woman said today their pastor said covid19 is from the marine kingdom.

frosbel2:
I like this !!!


CC
Holydunamis
Petra1
Anas09
Jeromejnr

Why did you mention me here?
I need you who claim to have know scriptures to pick every point made in that op and defend it by scriptures.
Empty words.

One of the impacts this Corona will have is an exposure of Pentecostal religion in Africa especially Nigeria as a religion carved out Christianity with the use of the Bible as a tool for for modern capitalism. The religion of men like oyedepo, suleiman, pastor Chris etc. i use to give these guys benefit of doubt before, but by recent events it clear most of these guys are not born again. They have perfected the skill of oratory, seduction and psychology to create that delusion of their kind of positvist gospel. See the mind game apostle Suleiman has been playing in recent time to score public credibility.

My own is, if I was in authority I will bundle all these pentecostal pastors to the frontlines of the hospitals, to NCDC confirmed cases, to perform that their miracle here and now, we need to see and believe.

.Anyone who can't do that should just stop deceiving the vulnerable public.