Aliens from Outer Space?

By COGwriter

Are there aliens from outer space?

Have any visited the earth?

Are they dangerous?

Could paranormal reports be real?

Is there any proof that aliens from outside the earth have really visited the earth?

A while back, NBC reported that a study concluded that 6% of Americans claim that they were abducted by space aliens (https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/space-aliens-are-breeding-humans-university-instructor-says-scientists-say-ncna1008971) and even more Americans believe in them. Some believe that space aliens are preparing to somehow takeover.

Does the Bible teach that an type of alien army will come to the earth and take over?

Will the world recognize Jesus at His return?

Here is a link to a related sermon: Alien Beliefs and the Return of Jesus.

Here is a related sermon in the Spanish language: Creencias Extraterrestres y el Regreso de Jesús.

Roman Catholic Positions

The Church of Rome is essentially neutral on the possible existence of space aliens.

However, notice the following:

Many Roman Catholic leaders take the possible existence of aliens seriously, and they tend to agree that ET is sinful. (https://getpocket.com/explore/item/how-will-our-religions-handle-the-discovery-of-alien-life?utm_source=pocket-newtab accessed 08/17/19 Originally appeared on Nautilus and was published November 29, 2016)

"ET" stands for extraterrestrial. Meaning an alien from outer space.

The National Catholic Register reported:

February 23, 2018

On Dec. 16, 2017, reports were released by the U.S. Department of Defense of a possible UFO-sighting 13 years earlier. Apparently, in mid-November 2004, two American fighter pilots spotted and filmed an unidentified flying object off the coast of San Diego. The object they saw was about 40 feet long and looked like a giant Tic-Tac. It appeared suddenly at 80,000 feet, then descended toward the ocean and hovered at 20,000 feet, before dropping out of radar range.

There is no explanation for what these two fighter pilots saw and filmed. But the Church has plenty to say, theologically, about the possibility of life in outer space.

“There is no official teaching,” said Father Terry Ehrman, assistant director for the Center for Theology, Science and Human Flourishing at the University of Notre Dame. “But there has been speculation within the Church since the Middle Ages. In the 15th century, people began to ask if there was a plurality of worlds.”

Since 1582, the Vatican has had — with some continuity — an astronomical observatory. With regards to the subject of alien life, it held conferences on this matter in 2009, 2011 and 2014.

Pope Francis said, during a morning Mass in May 2014, “If an expedition of Martians arrives and some of them come to us and if one of them says: ‘Me, I want to be baptized!’ what would happen?”

He said that even if these hypothetical beings were “green men, with a long nose and big ears, like children draw … who are we to close doors?”

The theological questions that emerge on the subject of possible alien life are many: If there is life on other planets, is it intelligent life? If men and women were created in the image and likeness of God, what is the image of God? Would intelligent life on other planets also be in the image of God? ...

Scientific Facts

The question of life on other planets brings up some harsh scientific facts: The chance of life existing on another planet is extremely remote.

According to Angelo Stagnaro, a Catholic journalist with graduate degrees in biological anthropology, the existence of life on another planet is virtually impossible.

“Now, don’t get me wrong. The Church would be happy to have alien life. And we can never limit God’s power. I would be the first booster for alien life. I love Star Trek, but when you crunch the numbers, it’s impossible.”

Scientists know that in order for life to appear on Earth, many conditions needed to exist in a precise and highly timed order. If any one of these factors did not take place, life could not have occurred.

“In order for life to take place, a planet has to be in what is called a ‘goldilocks zone,’” said Father Robert Spitzer, a Jesuit who was the president of Gonzaga University and who founded the Magis Center. “It can’t be too close to the sun or it will burn, or too far because it would be too cold. It has to be a rocky planet and not a gas planet. It must have a magnetic core, like the Earth, so that it can create a magnetosphere which protects the planet from the UV rays of the sun.”

Stagnaro has written about what he calls the “Shem Equation,” regarding 76 factors that need to occur for life to take place on a planet. The chances of these events happening are, according to Stagnaro, “astronomically impossible and intellectually untenable.”

The discovery of thousands of exoplanets in the last couple of years has, of course, reignited the question of life in outer space.

“Some say that there could be 1 trillion exoplanets. I favor the smaller number of 100 billion exoplanets. Any of these planets could have bacterial life. But we still can’t explain how the transition is made from nonlife to life on any planet, from amino acid to cell life,” said Father Spitzer. http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/of-space-aliens-and-the-catholic-faith

The reality is that without Divine intervention, we do not have things go from non-life to life. It took God's breath for dust of the earth to become Adam (Genesis 2:7). Even respected scientists who claim to believe in evolution realize this is impossible (for details, check out the free online booklet: Is God’s Existence Logical?).

Getting back to Roman Catholics, the Archdiocese of Baltimore had the following report:

January 19, 2012

VATICAN CITY – If aliens exist, they may be a different life form that does not need Christ’s redemption, the Vatican’s chief astronomer said.

Jesuit Father Jose Funes, director of the Vatican Observatory, said Christians should consider alien life as an “extraterrestrial brother” and a part of God’s creation.

Father Funes, an Argentine named to his position by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006, made the remarks in an interview published May 13 by the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano. https://www.archbalt.org/vatican-astronomer-says-if-aliens-exist-they-may-not-need-redemption/

Well, it does not appear that the Vatican's astronomer was referring to angels.

That being said, the Vatican has long acted like there may be physical alien beings not on the earth (or visiting space, the moon, or Mars).

Aliens as the USA's Next Religion?

And Protestants?

Many Protestants have historically believed that the USA is a "Christian," predominantly Protestant, nation.

And while many in the USA do claim to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, notice a report that even more seem to believe in aliens:

Survey for National Geographic finds extraterrestrial visits not that crazy an idea to most Americans.

Here are some of the survey's most surprising findings:

-More than three quarters (77 percent) of those surveyed believe there are signs that aliens have visited Earth, and over half (55 percent) think Men in Black-style agents threaten those who report seeing them.

-More than a third (36 percent) believe aliens have already visited.

-Eighty percent believe the government has hidden information on UFOs from the public. https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2012/06/28/most-americans-believe-government-keeps-ufo-secrets-survey-finds

According to a National Geographic survey, 77 percent of all Americans “believe there are signs that aliens have visited Earth”, and according to a recent Harris poll only 68 percent of all Americans believe that Jesus is God or the Son of God.  That means that the number of Americans that believe that UFOs have visited us is now greater than the number of Americans that believe what the Bible has to say about Jesus Christ.  http://thetruthwins.com/archives/more-americans-believe-aliens-have-visited-earth-than-believe-that-jesus-is-the-son-of-god 01/06/2014

Of course, most Americans do not truly know the Jesus of the Bible, they know of/about Him.

Now, if aliens mean spirit-beings like demons, then I too believe that they exist because the Bible teaches that (e.g. James 2:19). But I do not believe that was the intent of the question in the survey by National Geographic.

Apparently various ones in Silicon Valley and other parts of the USA are moving towards an alien-oriented religion:

Belief in aliens could be America’s next religion

Belief in the little green men (or tall, suspiciously Nordic, hyper-enlightened space brethren, depending on whose accounts you believe) has long been a one-way ticket to social disrepute. …

But that seems to be changing. A new book by D.W. Pasulka — professor and chair of the department of philosophy and religion at the University of North Carolina Wilmington — American Cosmic: UFOs Religion, and Technology, focuses not on grassroots investigative societies or marginal cults, but on UFO believers in the halls of power.

Her narrative begins on a drive through the hills with pioneering computer scientist, venture capitalist, and ufologist Jacques Vallee. “Silicon Valley is full of secrets,” he tells her. …

Pasulka documents the end of a long cultural shift regarding UFOs, as it moves from a marginal fringe to a major belief system. Part of this shift is what Jacques Vallee calls the “Invisible College,” the network of credentialed, well-placed researchers seriously investigating the phenomenon. “The phenomenon” is Vallee’s carefully neutral term for the collection of commonly attested events and effects that make up “UFO” sightings. …

Polling shows that 35 percent of Americans believe that extraterrestrials came to earth in the past, and 26 percent believe that aliens have visited in modern times. This in itself does not necessarily make a new religion. Americans also believe, to varying degrees, in ghosts, Atlantis, and telekinesis. But according to Pasulka, UFO beliefs display other classic indicators of religion: sacred sites, sacred revelations, and testimony by credible witnesses to miraculous events. …

The researchers do in fact find an artifact … “The material looked like crumpled tinfoil that was also a type of fabric. It was clumped with dirt and debris.” … Eventually though, a team of scientists determines that the object is highly anomalous, unlike any known material on earth.

“In religious studies, this would be a miracle, either a miraculous object or a miraculous event, such as a healing. Of course, this is not how Tyler and James would speak about the site, but it is my assessment. The sites in New Mexico function as the sacred sites of a new religion… They are the places of a hierophany, where non-human beings descended to earth and left us a ‘donation’ as James, chuckling, once called it.” …

To the degree that alien religion is parasitic on established scriptures and traditions, it resembles what sociologist Daniel O’Keefe calls a magical protest sect. These sects arise when dominant organized religion feels too restrictive or lifeless. They expropriate aspects of the religions they protest, and repurpose them in ways that allow participants to directly manipulate the sacred.

Thus, there’s no need to submit to restrictive ethical codes or interact with desiccated or corrupt ecclesial bureaucracies. 03/18/19 https://theoutline.com/post/7215/american-cosmic-review-aliens-are-extremely-real?zd=1&zi=qu7ntxg6

So, the type of religion being described has no ethical codes and essentially no bureaucracy, so apparently it allows people to believe and act any way that they want.

Its ‘sacred sites’ would seem to be places like Roswell, New Mexico and Area 51 in Nevada.

Before going further, Wikipedia had the following on its List of UFO religions when I checked it today:

The Seekers (aka Brotherhood of the Seven Rays)[14][15][page needed]	Charles Laughead (aka “Dr. Armstrong”) or Dorothy Martin (aka “Marian Keech”)	1953
	Aetherius Society[2][3][10][16]	George King	1955
	Freie Interessengemeinschaft für Grenz- und Geisteswissen-schaften und Ufologiestudien (FIGU)	Billy Meier	1975
	Ashtar Galactic Command[11][12][14]	Thelma B. Terrill (“Tuella“)	1977
	Chen Tao[14][17][18]	Hon-ming Chen	1995
	Cosmic Circle of Fellowship[19]	William A. Ferguson	1955
	Fiat Lux[12][20]	Uriella	1980
	Ground Crew Project[12][14]		1980s
	Heaven’s Gate[10][21][22][23][24]	Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles	1970s
	Industrial Church of the New World Comforter[14]	Allen Michael	1973
	Mark-Age[19][25]	Charles Boyd Gentzel and Pauline Sharpe	1962
	Nation of Islam[26]	Wallace Fard Muhammad	1930
	Nuwaubianism[27][28]	Dwight York	1970s
	Order of the Solar Temple[10]	Joseph Di Mambro and Luc Jouret	1984
	Raëlism[2][3][11]	Claude Vorilhon	1974
	Scientology[3][11][12][13][29][30]	L. Ron Hubbard	1952
	Unarius[10][16][14][31][32]	Ernest Norman and Ruth Norman	1954
	Universe People[33]	Ivo A. Benda	1997
	Urantia movement[16][34]	Spiritual entities	1924 at the earliest and 1955 at the latest
	Church of the SubGenius	Ivan Stang and Philo U. Drummond	1970’s
	Training centre for release of the Atma-energy[35]	Heide Fittkau Garthe	1994

It would seem that some of those would be more organized that what Dr. Pasulka was referring to.

But the sheer number of them shows that many seem serious about their space alien beliefs.

UFOs and Aliens and WCG

Of course, the idea of UFOs, etc. is not new. Here are two items that the old Worldwide Church of God published related to them back in the 1970s:

ENCOUNTERS OF THE WEIRD KIND: THE ELUSIVE UFO

Are we earthlings being visited by extra-terrestrial beings in mysterious UFOs? Millions of Americans apparently believe so. In fact, according to a Gallup poll, the majority of Americans believe that UFOs — unidentified flying objects — are real and “not the figment of people’s imagination.” Moreover, some 15 million Americans claim to have actually seen a UFO.

In a recent survey of members of the American Astronomical Society, an impressive 53 percent said UFOs “certainly” or “probably” should be investigated further and another 27 percent said “possibly” there should be further investigations.

Few subjects generate more fascination than the hotly debated contention that UFOs represent some form of alien intelligence.

Actually, strange and mysterious objects have been seen in the skies for thousands of years. Even the prophet Ezekiel reported seeing an awesome “wheel within a wheel” that has served as an oft quoted precedent for unusual sightings in the heavens.

“The appearance of the wheels and their work was… as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went. As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four. And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them : and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up” (Ezek. 1:16-19).

Ezekiel’s description has often been interpreted as a vision of a “portable throne” of God, complete with representatives of the angelic host.

Whiff of Paranoia

Yet the modern UFO era did not really dawn until just after World War II when Kenneth Arnold, an Idaho businessman and pilot, described a formation of disklike objects skimming through the sky “like a saucer would if you skipped it across water.” From that early account came the term “flying saucer.”

Since that time, UFObia, UFOria, and UFOlogists have proliferated at an amazing rate. Not even veteran pilots are immune. In fact, at one point baffling and ominous reports of “flying saucers” observed over air bases grew so worrisome that the U.S. Air Force launched a full-scale investigation. …

Scientists today generally believe there is a high probability of life on other planetary bodies beyond our solar system. In accepting the evolutionary hypothesis that life on earth arose from random combinations of molecules (which presumably ultimately produced man himself), it has become fashionable, even chic, to believe there must be many abodes of intelligent creatures throughout the universe.

Few scientists, however, accept the idea that UFOs represent visitations by extraterrestrial beings. "We are sympathetic to the view that life may exist on many planets scattered throughout the universe," state the late Dr. Donald H. Menzel and Dr. Ernest H. Taves in their recent book The UFO Enigma. "But it does not follow that our earth is being visited by extraterrestrial spacecraft." According to Menzel and Taves, the tremendous distances involved mean that interstellar travel would be enormously difficult for any would-be space travelers, "no matter how advanced."

But if scientists are optimistic about the chances for life elsewhere in the universe, fundamentalist Christians have generally felt threatened by the prospect of life on other worlds. If extraterrestrial life exists, what happens to the uniqueness of man as a specially created being in the image of God? And how would one understand the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus Christ? Did Jesus die on other planets too? To many fundamentalists, UFOs are far more likely to be angels or demons than life forms from other planetary systems.

“It would seem to me that if there are any flying saucers or UFOs penetrating earth’s airspace, they must be satanic in origin and must be carrying out the program of Satan for these last days,” concludes Dr. Hart Armstrong, president of the Defenders of the Christian Faith.

Yet, perhaps surprisingly, people who are classified as “religious” in the broad sense are actually the most likely to believe in extraterrestrial life and look forward to contact with such creatures, according to a recent study by research psychologist Dr. Paul J. Lavrakas. (Gongsley R. ENCOUNTERS OF THE WEIRD KIND: THE ELUSIVE UFO. Plain Truth, September 1978)

Demonic manifestations are real and some have considered them to be demons. It is not that God could not have any type of life off the earth (the angels, for example, have been to heaven and very likely have been to various planets), but His word does not discuss anything that sounds like a coming encounter with physical beings from other plan.

In an article titled YES There Is Life Out There!, the old Worldwide Church of God also published the following:

Extraterrestrial life consists of hundreds of millions of angels, seraphim (described in Isaiah 6), cherubim, and at God's throne a variety of spirit beings, including the 24 elders — and of course God on his throne and Jesus Christ who sits now at his right hand (Heb. 1:3). There are at least two high-ranking cherubim or archangels, Michael and Gabriel, who oversee God's throne.

God created this vast universe with its galaxies, the stars (suns), the planets and their moons and, in the midst of it all, a beautiful blue and brown jewel in the universe, swaddled in clouds 'of white, glistening against the blackness of darkness — the planet Earth. On earth, God created all physical life forms that exist. The crowning glory of creation is mankind — made in the very image of God the Creator.

The Bible nowhere reveals even the slightest hint any other creation of physical life exists anywhere else in the universe. (Kelly R. Plain Truth Magazine November-December 1983)

Here is something from the late Pastor General of the old Worldwid Church of God:

Widespread occult interest has been both hailed as a break­through in knowledge and as a modern retreat into superstition. Some laud the occult as the only real hope in an age of technology and materialism; others lambast the occult as the most evil sign of the end of the age. …

There is one area of reality we have not heretofore discussed at any great length. This has to do with the existence of spirit beings called demons. In Christ’s day there were those who were possessed by demons (Matt. 8:16, etc.), or by evil spirits. Today there exist certain spiritist sects which are involved in a conscious effort to contact “higher beings,” or “aliens,” and who are constantly looking for ever greater signs and wonders. This kind of spiritism is often little more than an open invitation to demon-possession. (Armstrong HW. The Occult Explosion, booklet, 1974).

And we have seen alien religion(s) and more studies about aliens in the 21st century.

Could There Be Any Truth to Paranormal Claims?

Is all the talk of alien beings just nonsense?

Notice something from the home page of the SETI Institute (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence):

Are we alone in the universe? Are there advanced civilizations that we can detect and what would be the societal impact if we do? How can we better the odds of making contact? These questions are both fundamental and universal. Today’s generation is the first that has the science and technology to prove that there is other intelligence in the cosmos. The SETI Institute’s first project was to conduct a search for narrow-band radio transmissions that would betray the existence of technically competent beings elsewhere in the galaxy. Today, the SETI Institute uses a specially designed instrument for its SETI efforts – the Allen Telescope Array (ATA) located in the Cascade Mountains of California. https://www.seti.org/seti-institute/Search-Extraterrestrial-Intelligence accessed 05/31/19

So, the SETI folks want to act like they are scientists, though they have been around a long time without real success.

Could there be any truth to claims of alien visits, etc. from non-scientists?

UFOs in the Future?

Interestingly, the following report from Forbes in 2019, told of a meeting in Europe about UFOs:

What are scientists doing in Paris?

Today, leading researchers from the fields of astrophysics, biology, sociology, psychology, and history are meeting at the Cité. “Every two years, METI International (METI stands for messaging extraterrestrial intelligence) organizes a one-day workshop in Paris as part of a series of workshops entitled What is Life? An Extraterrestrial Perspective,” said Florence Raulin Cerceau, co-chair of the workshop and a member of METI’s Board of Directors. The scientists are discussing some pretty insane-sounding questions:

• Are extraterrestrials staying silent out of concern for how contact would impact humanity?
• Do we live in a “galactic zoo?”
• Should we send intentional radio messages to nearby stars to signal humanity’s interest in joining the “galactic club?”
• Will extraterrestrial intelligence be similar to human intelligence?
• Did life get to earth from elsewhere in the galaxy (interstellar migration)?

“This puzzle of why we haven’t detected extraterrestrial life has been discussed often, but in this workshop’s unique focus, many of the talks tackled a controversial explanation first suggested in the 1970s called the ‘zoo hypothesis,’” said Raulin Cerceau. Ah yes, the idea that we’re being watched by aliens and … perhaps even being protected by them.

What is the “zoo hypothesis”?

This is a mind-warping idea that there are alien civilizations out there (no, not on Oumuamua) that know all about us, but purposefully hide from us. … “Perhaps extraterrestrials are watching humans on Earth, much like we watch animals in a zoo,” explains Douglas Vakoch, president of METI. “How can we get the galactic zookeepers to reveal themselves?” https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2019/03/18/are-we-in-a-galactic-zoo-protected-by-aliens-scientists-meet-to-investigate-the-great-silence/#3c2cf9461ce7

Well, since God could be considered an alien being, He most certainly watches over those on the earth as the following scriptures confirm:

13 The Lord looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men.
14 From the place of His dwelling He looks
On all the inhabitants of the earth;
15 He fashions their hearts individually;
He considers all their works. (Psalm 33:13-15)

While God does watch over the earth, it is not like aliens looking at a zoo. God has a plan for all of us (see also Why Did God Create Anything?).

Furthermore, those that tend towards the ‘zoo hypothesis’ and other aspects of an ‘alien religion’ do not look to the God of the Bible as the alien force they think exists.

As far as ‘aliens from outer space’ go, some of the beliefs about them can be tied to demonic or angelic visits (see also Are There Really “Aliens” from Outer Space? What are people really seeing?).

But the Bible is clear one is not to make a religion about them (e.g. Colossians 2:18; Revelation 19:10, 22:8-9).

The old Worldwide Church of God published the following:

The whole world will hear and see Jesus coming in great power and glory.
   8. Who will come with Christ? Matthew 25:31, Revelation 19:14. Who else will accompany Christ as He descends from the sky? Zechariah 14:5 (last part), I Thessalonians 4:14-17.
   Christ will be accompanied by a powerful army composed of millions of angels, as well as the "saints" — members of His true Church who will have just become spirit members of God's divine Family.
   9. Will Christ be welcomed by everyone, or will many view Him as an invader from outer space and attempt to fight Him? Revelation 17:14. But will Christ (the Lamb) totally defeat them? Same verse and Revelation 19:11-16.
   Many of earth's inhabitants will refuse to yield to Christ's authority, perhaps thinking He is an enemy alien. They will be angry at Christ and attempt to fight Him. He will therefore have to subdue the world and force humanity, at first, to submit to His rule.
   The nations will finally come to learn, through experience, that the returned Christ is a loving ruler, and that His righteous rule leads to peace, happiness and prosperity. (Sedliacik RH. Youth Magazine, August 1985)

Why would this be?

Because they will NOT recognize Jesus as the Messiah.

The will think He is an alien from space or the Antichrist descending to the earth.

Consider that in light of the following scriptures:

13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. (John 3:13)

16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)

9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven." (Acts 1:9-11)

Jesus will come from the heavens--just like many think an alien would.

Jesus is coming a second time:

28 ... Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. (Hebrews 9:28)

But when Jesus returns, most will not accept Him at first.

Jesus will return from the heavens:

27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near" (Luke 21:27-28)..

So, many will think He is an alien.

Jesus will have others with Him:

14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." (Jude 14-15)

Some will consider that this is an alien invasion.

Also, based upon various Catholic writings (see Do Certain Catholic Prophecies About Antichrist Warn Against Jesus?) many will consider that the returning Son of God is a threat--and be the final Antichrist.

Catholic Prophecies?

Now, while some Catholic writings about the Antichrist are correct, certain contradictory Roman Catholic writings/prophecies teach that Antichrist:

1. Will cite scriptures as proof of His Messiahship
2. Will keep and promote the seventh-day Sabbath
3. Will teach against idols and an idol-related Mass
4. Will teach that the Catholic religion is false
5. Will renumber the Ten Commandments
6. Will be Jewish
7. Will “observe the Jewish rites”
8. Will have supporters who teach against the trinity
9. Will preach the millennial gospel of the kingdom
10. Will preach that there is a coming future opportunity for salvation
11. Will come after thunders, lightning, earthquakes, mountains being level, and great hail
12. Will win the "battle of Armageddon"
13. Will come after the destruction of the Roman Empire
14. Will claim to be the Messiah
15. Will have those that appear to be resurrected saints with him.

Of course, Jesus said scriptures testified who He was (John 5:39), kept the seventh-day Sabbath, taught against idols, never advocated the wearing of crosses on the hand or forehead (cf. Revelation 13:16;20:4), taught that those who held to a religion based upon tradition over the Bible is false, taught all the ten commandments as the Continuing Church of God teaches them, was Jewish (John 4:9-10; Matthew 1:1-3; Luke 3:23-33), kept "Jewish practices" like Passover (Matthew 26:18) and the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2,10; see also Should You Keep God's Holy Days or Demonic Holidays?), has always had non-Trinitarian supporters, taught the millennial gospel of the kingdom, taught that there would be a future opportunity for salvation, shows that thunders/lightning/earthquakes/hail preceded His coming (Revelation 16:17-21), shows that the forces of evil gathered at Megiddo lose (Revelation 16:13-16; 19:17-21), that He will reign after the destruction of the Roman Empire (Revelation 19:2-8), and He will teach He is the Messiah (John 4:25-26). And His Apostles Paul and John were inspired to write that resurrected saints will come with Jesus and reign at His second coming.

Let's see a few specific ones:

Dionysus of Luxembourg (died 1682) Antichrist...will teach that...Saturday is to be observed instead of Sunday (Connor, p.85).

St. Hildegard (died 1179): Antichrist ... His doctrine of faith will be taken from the Jewish religion and seemingly will not differ much from the fundamental beliefs of Christianity, for he will teach that there is one God who created the world, who rewards the obeyers of his commands and trespassers he chastises, who will raise all from the dead in due time. This God has spoken through Moses, therefore the precepts of the Mosaic law are to be kept, especially circumcision and the keeping of the Sabbath (Culleton R. Gerald. The Reign of Antichrist, Reprint TAN Books, Rockford, IL, 1974, p. 127).

Since the Apostle Paul wrote that the dead in will arise when Jesus returns, it looks like the prophecy above is intended to deny Jesus is the Messiah when He returns.

Notice the following Catholic prophecy:

Catholic writer and priest P. Huchedé (19th century): “After having weakened the faith of Christ in the minds and hearts of many, he will proceed to show that the law of Moses still prevails; he will re-establish the Sabbath and all the legal observances; and he will invite the Jews to re-establish their nationality, after which he will declare himself the true messiah; he will endeavor to prove the truth of his assertion from Scripture—he will declare his design of rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple and of bringing the whole world under his dominion…According to St. Cyril of Jerusalem (Cath. 15), he will win the esteem and attachment of mankind by his urbane and unbounded kindness…he will work all kinds of miracles…He will therefore appear as performing miracles similar to all those wrought by Jesus Christ…Antichrist being a Jew, will be circumcised; he will observe the Mosaic law…Then by order of the tyrant the continual sacrifice shall be abolished (Dan. 9:27).  The holy sacrifice of the Mass shall no longer be offered up publicly on the altars.  The Church shall be devastated; the sacred vessels desecrated; the priests shall be scattered…It appears certain, then, that the Roman empire will be completely demolished by Antichrist and that he will substitute another in its place (Huchedé, P.  Translated by JBD. History of Antichrist.  Imprimatur Edward Charles Fabre, Bishop of Montreal.  English edition 1884, Reprint 1976.  TAN Books, Rockford (IL), pp. 17,18,26,54).

But Jesus observed Saturday instead of Sunday. And, He will do miracles. So, He will be considered as an alien and/or Antichrist by many who will believe certain historic Roman Catholic positions.

Some later Catholic prophecy suggests that the Antichrist will be against idols and Mass (Catholic Mass often involves bowing down before one or more statues):

Dionysus of Luxembourg (died 1682) Antichrist will be an iconoclast. Most in the world will adore him. He will teach that the Christian (Catholic) religion is false (Connor, p.85).

St. Hildegard (died 1179): Antichrist... will ridicule the graces of the Church (Culleton. The Reign of Antichrist, p. 128)

ST. ANSELM -- 1109...While Antichrist reigns he will prohibit under the pain of death the offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass (Culligan, p. 131).

Here is another Catholic writing that confirms the concept:

Theodorus Studites, writing against the Iconoclasts, considers their proceedings "the apostasy which must first come, the invasion of Antichrist." (Newman JH. The Protestant Idea of Antichrist. [British Critic, Oct. 1840]. Newman Reader — Works of John Henry Newman. Copyright © 2004 by The National Institute for Newman Studies).

Thus some Roman Catholics seem to teach that there will be iconoclasts which MUST come before Antichrist and that Antichrist will be an iconoclast. But that teaching is simply not taught in the Bible.

The Antichrist, the beast of the earth below, will endorse and push idols:

11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. 12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. 15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. (Revelation 13:11-16)

The final Antichrist will endorse idols, Jesus will not.

Jesus personally taught:

God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24).

But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam...to eat things sacrificed to idols" (Revelation 2:14).

Nevertheless, I have a few things against you, because you allow...My servants to...eat things sacrificed to idols (Revelation 2:20).

And the Apostle John taught:

Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen (1 John 5:21).

14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. 16 I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. (Revelation 22:14-16).

The truth is that Antichrist will accept idols (iconoclasts destroy idols), but Jesus would be opposed to them. (While the scriptures in Daniel 11 about the King of the North indicate that he will exalt himself above all gods, they do not say that the idols will be destroyed. It is important to note that the King of the North is the Beast of Revelation and not the final Antichrist.)

Jesus also taught against the observance of a religion that places more emphasis on tradition that the Bible (details are in the article Tradition and Scripture: From the Bible and Church Writings).

Thus, it appears that certain private Catholic prophecies have been given to warn the world that when Jesus comes He will be the Antichrist (for more details, check out the article Do Certain Catholic Prophecies About Antichrist Warn Against Jesus?). 

This may be part of the reason that the Bible warns that people will be angry and will actually make war against with Jesus when He returns:

18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth (Revelation 11:18).

19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army (Revelation 19:19).

Some will think Jesus is an alien, others the Antichrist.

Thus, I believe that Satan-inspired a lot of false prophecies and improper theology so that those who are not the very elect will be deceived (Matthew 24:24) and will actually fight against Jesus (Revelation 19:19). This is part of Satan's Plan.

The old Radio Church of God published the following:

Catholic Interest in Prophecy…

Satan knows God’s general Plan. He has been at work in the minds of evil and deluded men throughout the ages to lay the groundwork of the GREAT DELUSION ! Though the vials of the wrath of God are poured out on sinful men, their impenitence remains — "AND THEY REPENTED NOT" (Rev. 16:9). They will flee from Christ — even calling for rocks to fall on them, hiding out in caves — RUNNING AWAY FROM GOD!

WHY?

Because of "that man of sin... who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he IS GOD... even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and LYING wonders, and with ALL DECEIVABLENESS." THAT MAN WILL TELL THE WORLD THE BIGGEST LIE EVER TOLD! Into the ears of those who do not have a love of the truth he will pour the LIE that our returning King, JESUS CHRIST, IS THE ANTICHRIST! And they will believe him because God will have sent them a "strong delusion that they should believe a LIE"! (II Thes. 2:3-11). (Hill, David Jon. Will you be deceived by Antichrist? Good News magazine of the Radio Church of God, October 1964).

Yes, people will misidentify Jesus and some will consider Him to be the Anchrist!

Alien Visits?

The Bible is clear that angels and demons have visited the earth. We read this in both the Old and New Testaments.

The Bible is also clear that Jesus will return (cf. Acts 1:11).

Many believe that aliens have visited the earth--and some of those they have considered to have been aliens and/or apparitions have been demonic.

Because few understand the truth about Jesus, church history, and biblical prophecies, many will not recognize Him--nor He they--even those who have called Him 'Lord':

13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)

22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' (Matthew 7:22-23).

Jesus' teachings will be alien to many, and most will fight against Him.. To learn more about how Jesus expected His followers to live check out the free online booklet: Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian. To learn more about lawlessness, check out the free online book: The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast.

Jesus will return with what many may consider to be an alien army:

13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation 19:13-15)

The vast majority of scientists, religious, and everyone else on the earth then will not accept Jesus when He first appears for the second time.

The Bible shows that we have seen aliens from outside the earth visit the earth--and what may be considered as an alien army will essentially take over the earth.

Hopefully, you will not be among those that fight against the returning Messiah.

Here is a link to a related sermon: Alien Beliefs and the Return of Jesus.

Here is a related sermon in the Spanish language: Creencias Extraterrestres y el Regreso de Jesús.

If you are not certain if God is calling you, you may also wish to check out our free online booklet: Is God Calling You?

Thiel B. COGwriter (c) 2019 http://www.cogwriter.com/alien-invasion-jesus-return.htm 2019 2020 1030