One Word
If asked for the one word that describes the entirety of the human experience what would it be? Some might answer noble. That is very optimistic. I suppose that could describe the original intention of the human race but is it our actual experience?
Someone might say suffering. This is certainly a general aspect of sin that would apply to most people. Large or small, most people have had some form of suffering in their lives. Another person might say warfare. Again, this is something that many people have had a part of their lives, yet not everyone has lived in a time of battles in their homeland. What one word could describe the entirety of the human experience from the second human on through to the final person?
If I had to choose one word to describe such a condition I would choose
Deception
Before the first human was born upon the earth, the original man's wife was the victim of deception.
Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” And the woman said, “The serpent beguiled and deceived me, and I ate [from the forbidden tree].” (Gen 3:13 AMP)
Adam was technically and legally responsible. While the man Adam went into the sinful situation with his eyes wide open, the woman was deceived. This has been the inheritance of Adam's family ever since. Every human has received the legal guilt from Adam as well as the inclination of Satanic deception from Eve. Together, the two of them have given permission for sin and deception to come upon all their offspring.
For thousands of years the dual inheritance of sin and deception have touched every human being. The only possible exception would be if a Man could be born without a human father. He would escape the contamination of sin. Evil angel/female human hybrids would not count (Gen 6:4). Only a holy, eternal Spirit could be the father of a human that would be without sin and with an immunity to deception (Matt 1:20). God's plan was exactly that, to send Jesus who could save people from their sins.
In our day, deception is at work in blinding people to the reality of the Gospel (2 Cor 4:4). The true nature of God is misrepresented to people. God is blamed for many evils, both global and personal. Fires and hurricanes are called “acts of God”. Premature loss of children or parents is called “God taking them”. Every person on the planet is faced with the deception of being pressured to have the world view of God being irrelevant or of being our enemy. Recent times are trying to force upon us the idea of aliens from another planet coming to earth to help us or to enslave us. This is a major part of a great deception to hide from people the reality of spiritual beings that plan our harm or destruction.
At the end of time, the predicted 70th Week of Daniel or “The Tribulation Week” will come upon the world. The actual Tribulation is a promise of Jesus. He promised that persecution would be with us to a greater or lesser degree throughout the Church Age. That is two thousand years. More intense but more widespread persecution is a shorter period of time. This Great Tribulation is probably about one year in length. This unique persecution is not 7 years in length. It is the 70th week that is 7 years long.
As this special “week” of God's final dealing with ethnic Israel (and the rest of the world as well) is initiated, it begins with a unique deception. God allows a rider on a white horse to go forth to conquer (Rev 6:2). The rider on the white horse does this with the strangest weapon, false peace. He uses flattery (Dan 11:21) to enslave people who do not even realize they are being conquered. He causes borders of nations to be moved by the use of lying promises of security.
This rider on a white horse carries a bow (Rev 6:2). If this is meant to be a rainbow, it is a symbol of a covenant of peace. If this is understood to be an archer's bow, he does not have any arrows and is again a gesture of peace, though it be fake. The next rider that is released (Rev 6:4) takes away whatever peace there was.
From the very beginning of Adam's family to the very end, the entire human experience has been characterized by deception.
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Rev 20:10)
At the very end of the Millennial reign of Christ, the cause and source of all deception will be permanently eliminated. What is the characteristic of the rule of God?
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever... (Isa 9:7)
The Kingdom of the Father will have come to earth at this time. It will be a reign of real peace. It will be a universe of truth. One of the wonders of this Kingdom will be that there will be not one person there that does not want to be there. Come. Lord Jesus!
Jan 22, 2025