This Chapter is about delusion and Sophistry in general. The Chapter "BABELSCIENCE" (p. 143) will take a more detailed look at delusion in Modern Science. "AFFLICTION OR RAPTURE" (p. 159) will look at one delusion in Theology.

According to Webster, "delusion" means to mislead; as in to lead from truth into error. The terms "Delude" and "Deceive" are synonyms.

What is this Delusion? It is a lie embracing every field of human endeavor: Philosophy (what people think), Religion (what people believe) Politics and Economics (how people are conquered and ruled) and Modern Science (which opposes God). It will lead all who will not believe the Truth to rebel against God, and death. John 18:37-38, 2 Peter 2:1-22.

Why would God allow mankind to be deceived by such delusion? Having the freedom of choice, they chose not to believe the Truth which has been offered freely to all.

If we love the Truth, we need not fear a lie. As God allowed Satan to test Job, He let Satan bring this lie upon humanity to test us. Satan brings this lie upon mankind in an attempt to destroy the Elect. However, by doing so both he and his followers are revealed. Job 1:8-12, Mat. 24:24.

THE LIE OF HIDDEN TRUTH
While typing one morning this writer was listening to music on a religious radio station. An advertiser began speaking, and these words ruined the atmosphere: "...And you will learn Bible Greek so well you can get in and dig out the truth."

WHAT?! Is the Truth so well hidden in the Word of God that we must "get in and dig it out?" Does it take a college education, a doctorate in "Bible Greek," to be able to find the Truth in God's Word? Wouldn't a good solid Masters degree in King James English do just as well? What about a regular Bachelor's degree in regular American English: would it be possible to find the Truth in God's Word with that? Well, O.K., perhaps one would need a minor in Philosophy and "Religions of the World."

Is there no hope (of finding the Truth hidden in God's Word) for the common man who only has a High School diploma? And what of the self-taught, just barely able to read? Must the common man and the unlearned depend upon The Learned with Doctorates in "Bible Greek" for the Truth? Acts 4:13, 1 John 4:1.

Where is it written that Truth is so well hidden by God the common man and woman has no hope of finding it? Did Y'Shua speak only to the intelligent and educated people of His day, knowing the uneducated plain folks couldn't understand Him anyway? No. He spoke to simple fishermen and carpenters, thieves and harlots. The "Learned" rejected Him, just as they do today. Mat. 21:31-32, Luke 11:52.

Did God say the Truth was hidden in His Word? If so, where is it written, and from whom is it hidden? Is the lie, "the Truth is hidden from God's people," from Satan?

TWO KINDS OF WISDOM
The Lord has clearly indicated there are two kinds of wisdom. The first comes from God. Ps. 111:10, Pro. 2:6, 8:1 to 9:10, James 1:5. The second is false wisdom. It is the kind a man earns for himself, or gets from that source other than God. Exo. 7:11, Dan. 2:2. The wisdom of man is to be confused and made useless. "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise." 1 Cor. 1:19, 27, Isa. 29:14. The wisdom to understand the Word of God is a gift from God. Dan. 2:21-23, 1 Cor. 12:8, James 1:5. Ecc. 2:26, 1 Kings 3:5-15.

Just as man cannot earn salvation, neither can a man earn wisdom. Man is saved by the grace and mercy of God: not by his own efforts. "But we are saved by faith." True, and that's the way we receive wisdom and understanding: by faith. "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith..." James 1:5. God Himself will give us the understanding of His Word. We don't need to know "Bible Greek" or depend on Theologians for it.

HISTORY OF DELUSION
Where did the idea `wise' men could figure out God's "hidden truth" come from? Who would prefer that common men believe Truth was beyond their understanding? Who would benefit if men believed this lie? Satan: and those who count themselves intelligent, wise, educated and full of understanding; who make themselves rich by selling explanations of "hidden truth."

Does every good and perfect gift, including Truth and Wisdom, come from God? Where, then, does all which opposes God come from? Satan.

This lie of hidden truth is an old one. It goes back to a King named Nimrod, and his kingdom of Babylon. The `wise' men of Babylon were Astrologers, Chaldeans, Magi and Sorcerers. It was these `wise men' who gave us the idea of hidden wisdom, and they got it from Satan. It is by Satan's power the magicians do signs and wonders, and they receive their `wisdom' from him.

When Aaron threw down Moses's staff, and it became a serpent, did not Pharaoh's wise men do the same? Yes. By who's power? Satan's. Dan. 2:2, 8:25. Exo. 7:10-12.

At the time Daniel served in Babylon, the King's advisors were Magi, Astrologers and Sorcerers. The Babylonian empire fell to Medo-Persia, which fell to Alexander. At the time of his death the Grecian Empire was divided between his four generals. Rome rose out of one them to rule the world.

But what happened to the wise men? They went with the flow of civilization. First to Persia, then to Greece, then to Rome, then finally back to BABYLON.

SOURCE OF MODERN SCIENCE
The "wise men" and their method of gaining wealth and power can be followed through the world's empires from Babylon to BABYLON. Consider: What is astrology? The study of the stars and the influence they have over the fate of men. Where did modern Astronomy come? From Astrology. Astrology is from Satan and opposes God. Modern Astronomy and Cosmology deny the God of Creation and espouse the gods of Evolution, "Big Bang" expanding universe and multi-reality theories. Who is an anti-Christ? 1 John 2:18.

Who is an Alchemist? One who believes it possible to change one element into another. They serve Satan. Where did nuclear Chemists come from? From Alchemists. They have given us such blessings as PCB, DDT, Dioxin and the nuclear warhead. These men deny the God of Creation, and praise the god of accidental random chance origin and Evolution. Who is an anti-Christ? 1 John 2:22.

What does a Numerologist do? He studies numbers for hidden knowledge to forecast the future. He throws dice or rolls bones and gets his hidden knowledge from Satan. What are Statisticians, Mathematicians and Actuaries? Men who study numbers for hidden trends by which they can forecast the future. Rather than roll bones these wise men toss numbers through computers.

Pythagorean-mathematician-numerologists tell us it is not possible that God created the universe in just six working days, but they praise the god of chaos who, they proudly proclaim, can do anything if given billions and billions and billions and billions and billions and billions and billions and billions and billions and billions and billions and billions and billions and billions of years. Who is an anti-Christ? 1 John 4:1-3.

What about the Sorcerers and Magicians? They use chants and secret potions to influence hidden forces to produce benefits for those who have enough cash. They received their knowledge of these "secret potions" and forces from Satan. Although these men and women have changed their names, like Astrologers and Pythagoreans, they are still with us. We find their potions on modern store shelves promising everything from removing (or growing) hair to winning friends and lovers. Many even use the word MAGIC on the label. Who is an anti-Christ?

NEW NAMES FOR OLD LIES

Early Christians burned books of magic and sorcery. Acts 19:19. The practitioners of the Dark Arts went into hiding as Christianity rose to power. Where did they hide? In nations ruled by those who oppose God. Where did the Renaissance begin. This is not to imply it was a bad thing--not at all. The Magi recognized a good thing and took advantage of it. It began in the seat of the anti-christ: Rome.

Around the 1600's the `wise men' began to change their names. Astrology became Astronomy. The Alchemists changed their names to Chemists, the Numerologists to Mathematicians. Practitioners of the occult arts changed their name from Chaldeans to Natural Scientists. Then in the 1900's they decided they wanted to be known as Modern Scientists. Today they prefer to call their dark art "Technology."

Natural Science grew by practical application to mankind's base lusts. Modern Science made man healthy, wealthy and (seemingly) wise. The results of Modern Science were spectacular: Atomic energy ended a popular war with a fantastic flourish. Technology's nuclear energy promised (lied) cheap power and freedom from defeat, and gave modern Babylon the pride of world rulership. Modern medicine cured man's ills, in self proclaimed "miracle" fashion, and promised much more. ALL WHILE DENOUNCING GOD AND PREACHING EVOLUTION.

THE FRUIT OF TECHNOLOGY
Do not be deceived! Look at the real fruit of Technology. Chemical contamination which kills rivers, lakes and seas; nuclear waste which poisons every living thing. The forests die from acid rain, the air is un-breathable. Has Modern Science done anything good for mankind if, in the final analysis, the death of mankind is its crowning achievement?

Do not be deceived! Those who deny God cannot be from God. If they blaspheme God they must be from Satan. If they destroy humanity they must be our enemy. Didn't Y'Shua tell us the false prophets would come working false signs and lying wonders? Mat. 24:4, 11, 24.

SIGN OF THE END
"For that day shall not come except there come a falling away first..." 2 Thes. 2:3. Before The End comes many who have claimed to be Christians will reject the truth. The wheat will be separated from the chaff. How? Unable to accept the truth of the destruction of this world, which they love, they will prefer to believe Satan's lies of world peace and mankind's ability to save himself.

Two groups are identified by that verse: those who love Truth, and those who do not. Truth is the sword by which all are separated into one group or the other. It is black or white, cut and dried. "Truth" is the literal Word of God. He said He created this world in six days. His word is Truth, so He created the universe in six days, period. He said He would come and this world would end. His word is Truth, therefore this universe is little more than ash.

THE MODERN CHURCH
The Church in the New World grew until the 1900's, when it reached its peak. It began to suffer decline then, falling to Religious Philosophy in the 1950's and 60's. It fell to the modern dark arts: intellectualism, Cosmology and Relativity. It fell to Materialism and the `feel good' religions which promise success and happiness. It fell to the attack of false prophets who rose up when Darwin published his lie of evolution: which is not new, but came from ancient Babylon. ("The waters contained in themselves the seed of life." LAROUSE WORLD MYTHOLOGY, p. 69.)

They didn't make a frontal attack, saying "there is no God." They lied, saying, "He didn't actually create the universe in six literal days, He used evolution, and it took billions of years." They twisted and distorted His Word to fit their purpose. They used "one day is as a thousand years" to imply He meant something different from "there was evening and morning, one day." (Peter meant God was patient toward sinners.) 2 Peter 3:8-9.

They accused God of being deceptive if He created a stratified rock, light before stars, or a full grown man and woman. What unmitigated gall, to put sour for sweet, then commit utter blasphemy and accuse God of an act of deception!

THE FALLING AWAY
So the well educated religious establishment began to fall away after 1880, and will continue to fall away. It is time to separate the chaff from the wheat: those who choose to believe the lie from those who love the truth. Jude 4. The closer we come to The End the more extreme the falling away will become.

Then in the 1960's these wise and learned pushers of the religion of philosophy announced, "God is dead." (TIME, April 8, 1966.) Now they tell us if we don't have a doctorate in "Bible Greek" we can't find the Truth in His Word. Luke 11:52.

THE STRONG DELUSION REVEALED
What is the Strong Delusion? It is every lie Satan ever told. He has lifted up every false god and idol he ever used to deceive mankind and placed them on new polished plastic pedestals to be admired by men who are apparently wise and learned. Taoism, Hinduism, Buddhism; as well as Zoroaster, Tamuz, Ishtar, Mars and Diana; have all been given new sounding "modern philosophies" with which to deceive those who love not the Truth. (THE CRACK IN THE COSMIC EGG, by Joseph C. Pearce. THE HOLY SCIENCE, Swami Sri Yokteswar, Self Realization Fellowship, 74.)

New sounding lies are just old lies in gift wrap. "Peace comes out of the barrel of a gun," "religion is philosophy," "what you believe is truth," "debt is wealth," "man created God," "the Bible is not God's Word" and "man can determine his own destiny" are just lies and nothing more.

DIVIDE AND CONQUER
Can a house divided against itself stand? No. So Satan has done his best to divide the House of God and provoke dissension between Catholics and Protestants; and all Christians against the Moslems and Mormons. He attempts to confuse them all with the Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh Day Adventists--then attack the weak with Edger Cayce and Jean Dixon. Satan sends false prophets preaching "Peace, peace," while he practices ideological warfare.

Can a house divided against itself stand? No. So those who practice abortion and those who believe in reincarnation love those who preach and practice free love. Those who's security is in material goods are loved by those who say there is no soul, no God and no Judgment. Evolution and Technology are at peace with Tao, Buddha, Zoroaster and Tamuz; and all war against the few who believe the literal Word of the God of Abraham. Does not the servant imitate his master? Mat. 10:25, 12:25.

CONCLUSION
After 1880 the false prophets of Evolution and "Big Bang" theory began to infiltrate our Churches and Church schools. They began to teach our children, who eventually became our preachers, these lies of Evolution and the 14 Billion year old universe. Now, for a full generation, Theologians who are deceived by the Strong Delusion of Religious Philosophy and Scientific Sophistry have been teaching us that we must get our understanding of the Word of God from them. Luke 11:52.

God tells us He will give us the understanding of His Word. Pro. 2:6, 9:10, Ecc. 2:26, Ps. 111:10, 119:33-34, 105. Luke 24:45, 1 Cor. 12:8, James 1:5. Mat. 7:7-11, 10:26. Dan. 12:9-10, Eze. 2:9 to 3:3, Rev. 1:1, 10:7-10.

So that the wheat may be separated from the chaff, we must choose who we believe.