Is It Too Late?
Good Morning,
2 Thessalonians 2:11 “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:”
There have always been some people who, on purpose, follow lies and ignore the clear teaching of the Bible, but one day, it will be universal. Due to the refusal to see truth and accept honesty, God will send strong delusions to believe a lie - a big, global lie.
The point is this: mankind can choose to believe lies if they wish; and once they choose a lie, God may help them follow lies.
Isaiah 44:20 “He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?”
In verse 19, God speaks of the folly of making an idol out of wood; part of the wood is used to cook dinner, part of the wood is used to heat the house, and part is used to make a god. God asked if they did not see the folly in this? God says, they hold a lie in their hand, and cannot see it.
Isaiah preached in a time when Israel was held captive to their lies, embraced their deceptions, and ignored the simple truths of the Bible. God assured them that He, as God, would CHOOSE their delusions. God will help them believe and experience all the folly they have imagined.
Isaiah 66:4 “I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.”
If people do not want God, He is very willing to help them follow folly.
He said, "I also will choose their delusions." If people are so vain and rebellious that they choose the gods of this world (money, fame, pleasure) over submission to almighty God, then God will choose their delusions.
As a child of God, one of the most tragic thoughts is that God might harden my heart so I do not see truth or understand what I hear.
John 12:40 “He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
When mankind chooses a lie, God will not force the truth upon them. When people want falsehood, God may not only allow them to travel the path of deception, but He might also help them along the road of deceit and ruin. Three times in Romans 1, God says He gave people up to believe and follow their own lies. What a horrible place to be! I do not want God to give me up to my foolishness!
The person who is self-assured, famous, or of prominent position and speaks with absolute confidence may be helped along their path of deception by God Himself. When God helps someone believe a lie, they are done. We do not want to end up in this place. If we bought a lie, and if we believed something, yet later found out we were completely deceived, or perhaps, we jumped on a bandwagon and found every instrument in the band was out of tune, what are we to do?
Perhaps, there is a path back to seeing clearly and understanding truth. Without waiting, go to God, admit you chose a lie, take the blame, ask forgiveness, and beg for help to gain understanding and clarity. Let God know you will pay whatever price needs to be paid to gain His help in seeing clearly rather than Divine direction to believe a lie.
The Bible warns often about the dangers of believing a lie and choosing the path of wrong. May I assure you that we do not want to end up living this passage.
Psalm 109:17 “As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.”
If we will plead for His mercies to come, admit we followed wrong counsel or wrong desires, and pour the Word of God into our heart, perhaps some clarity will return.
We are fast entering a day when God is closing eyes, silencing prophets, and even blinding eyes to the truth of the Bible; that generation will be utterly ruined.
Isaiah 29:10 “For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.”
vs. 11 “And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:”
These verses talk of rulers whose eyes were closed by God; why? The reason is because the people chose a lie rather than the truth of the Bible. The tragic statement here is that some will want to know what the Bible says, and no one will be able to tell them clearly what it means. God will have sealed the Word. It will be too late!
Israel has lived this passage for the past two thousand years. America is following in their footsteps, not far behind.
Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. (Isaiah 55:6)
Pastor