L. A. Marzulli was recently on Prophecy Watchers talking about what he is mainly known for: the UFO phenomenon (see video below).
When I say I agree with him on UFO’s, I am speaking generally in that genuine UFO phenomenon is demonic in origin. This interpretation is nothing new. If, for example, you grew up in an Independent Fundamental Baptist tradition as I did, this is what you were taught, that UFOs are manifestations of the realm of darkness, demonic in origin intended to lead people away from the true and living God. I still believe this.
I also believe with Marzulli that as we approach the very last days, the world will see much more frequency of UFO phenomenon, which may be one of Satan’s schemes to set up a major delusion for the world to dupe the masses into following the Antichrist.
We can only speculate exactly how this will happen. It may happen—and we should not rule this out—that Satan will deceptively make the world think that the Antichrist is some extraterrestrial god-like figure. Regardless, Scripture does give us a couple of clues that might suggest UFO related phenomenon: “He [false prophet] performed momentous signs, even making fire come down from heaven in front of people” (Rev 13:13). See also “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect” (Matt 24:24).
And as we know, the world is already tantalized and fascinated by UFO phenomenon, so we should not be surprised that the world will completely give allegiance to and worship an earthly (or non-earthly) leader that would be associated with another realm. In other words, we should expect the world to have zero discernment.
But, Marzulli himself is deceived because as his ministry is warning how UFOs are setting up the great delusion for the world to embrace the system of Antichrist, Marzulli himself is inadvertently setting up the church to be deceived by teaching them through his pretribulationalism that the church will be raptured before the Antichrist arrives. In other words, in Marzulli’s theology, the church will be gone, and only the world will be here to witness the Antichrist’s arrival.
It is a sad irony for someone such as Marzulli warning of the great deception coming on the world, while at the same time enabling a deception of setting up the church to be vulnerable for the Antichrist’s system by teaching Christians that they will not be here when the Antichrist arrives.
When the pretribber has been told all his or her life by teachers they trusted such as Marzulli that they will not be here when the Antichrist arrives, imagine how vulnerable they will be for the Antichrist. They will fall into the Thessalonian despair when they will “be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come” (2 Thess 2:2). They will think they have missed the rapture and falsely think they will experience the day of the Lord’s wrath.
When pretribs witness the Antichrist appear on the world’s scene (and they will, along with the last generation of the church), many will be shocked and fret and be shaken thinking that the Lord had already come and taken the church. A time when they should have bold faith and steadfastness in adversity, will be instead a time of them shrinking back, neck-hair raising scared, and defeated.
If you warn the church of the coming deception, make sure you are not deceived yourself and thereby deceive the church. False teaching has consequences.
