Yesterday my daughter Kaelie and I were flipping through TV channels and came across a show called "Inside A Cult" on the National Geographic channel. The show was about a cult called Strong City that allowed a reporter access to its property and interviews with some of the people there. Its leader, Michael something-or-other, was predicting Judgement Day on October 31, 2007.
This guy called himself a "Messiah"and had his followers completely convinced that he knew what he was talking about, that they were the only safe ones and the rest of the miserable world was going to be wiped out. It was disturbing to see how these people clung to him, how the teenagers giggled at suggestions by the reporter that they had been brainwashed and could be in danger.
The Bible warns of false prophets, which this guy Michael clearly was. Besides the fact that Judgement Day did not occur last Halloween, we have the words of Jesus himself to help us identify false prophets.
"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marraige, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man...Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come." (Matt. 24:36-39, 42)
In doing some internet searching, I found Strong City's website. Not only did this Michael guy wrongly predict "the end," he goes so far on the website to say "I am the Word of God." John 1:1 says "In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God." So in effect, this guy is saying he is God.
I went further into the website to read some blog posts from other curious/concerned visitors such as myself. Many quoted Scriptures and asked questions intended to trip this guy up and expose him for what he is. He was able to quote Scripture back in ways to suit his purposes and make him sound frighteningly believable...almost. Reading the whole sickening thing really drove home the point to me how critical it is for Christians to study and know God's Word, to be prepared to share it correctly at every opportunity.
It was a blessing that I happened to come across this TV show just a couple of weeks after I had studied the Matthew passage above in Bible Study Fellowship. Kaelie, who did not know what a cult was, had some questions. I was able to not only explain to her about cults and their dangers, but to also share God's truth with her so that she will be able to identify as false prophets those who make such brash predictions. I'm so thankful to God for giving us his Word!
Do not let yourself be deceived, stick to the Word and live each day for the Lord!
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