Will the world’s ‘Christians’ recognize Jesus when He returns?

Artist’s portrayal of Jesus’ return

Will most people that profess Christ recognize Jesus when He returns?

World Net Daily editor Joseph Farah, correctly, seems to doubt that:

When the Jewish people finally received their Messiah, the vast majority did not recognize Him.

When He returns, will Christians make the same mistake?

That’s the fear WND founder Joseph Farah expressed in an interview with Paul McGuire on “Apocalypse and the End Times” on GodTV. It was part of a wide-ranging conversation about how the last days will be far different than what many believers expect.

“Who is Jesus and how is he going to come back?” Farah asked. “You know, a lot of people missed Jesus the first time He came. Most of the Jews did not recognize Him as their Messiah. They had a misunderstanding of how the Messiah was going to come. And they were going a lot by man’s teaching rather than going back to the Scriptures. And I wonder, when Jesus does come back, if many people in the church are going to miss Him too.” …

“This Jewish guy is going to come back, on the Mount of Olives as prophesied, and He’s going to become King of Israel,” Farah said wryly. “And the whole world is going to center around Israel at this point. Are they going to recognize him? Or are they going to be fooled by an imposter that we call the Antichrist who is going to do all kinds of signs and miracles, et cetera?”

Truly becoming knowledgeable about the Bible and the roots of the Christian faith is a passionate concern of Farah’s, who urges all believers to examine their beliefs.

“More than a billion people in the world call themselves Christians – how many of them are authentic Christians?” he asked. …

“Did Jesus come to start a new religion? No – he preached only to the House of Israel during his earthly ministry. The Apostles did initially also and only later, decades later perhaps, did they recognize that perhaps Gentiles could be part of this, and it’s such a blessing that we are. The notion of replacement theology is why Israel still is the most controversial country in the world today.” …

He mourned the average Christian’s lack of knowledge about the Millennial Kingdom and the earthly rule of Jesus.

“If you ask the average Christian about that, they have no understanding,” he explained. “We’ve got to perfect and redeem this world. To bring it back to the Garden of Eden – that’s the goal, that’s what Jesus is coming back to do, and to rule and reign from Jerusalem with a rod of iron.

“Are people prepared for this sweet Jesus that they read about in the New Testament to rule and reign from Jerusalem with a rod of iron? These are questions I think it’s important for Christians to challenge themselves with.” 01/28/17 http://www.wnd.com/2017/01/how-christians-will-recognize-jesus-again/#Tv3LCrfs88QtYzZc.99

Joseph Farah, a non-Roman Catholic, is correct that relatively few who profess Christ believe in the millennial reign of Jesus, even though the Bible teaches it (Revelation 20:4-6; see also Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism?). Few understand that Jesus will rule with a rod of iron (Revelation 12:5, 19:15). And even less understand the good news of the Kingdom of God. And most are sorely ignorant of the true history of the faithful Christian church (Jude 3; for details check out Continuing History of the Church of God and Where is the True Christian Church Today?).

What about Roman Catholics?

Well, officially they do not believe in the millennial reign, in spite of the fact that it admits that many of their claimed early saints taught the millennium. Now they strongly condemn this belief as a doctrine of Antichrist:

676 The Antichrist’s deception already begins to take shape in the world every time the claim is made to realize within history that messianic hope which can only be realized beyond history through the eschatological judgment. The Church has rejected even modified forms of this falsification of the kingdom to come under the name of millenarianism, especially the “intrinsically perverse” political form of a secular messianism. (Catechism of the Catholic Church. Imprimatur Potest +Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. Doubleday, NY 1995, p. 194).

It should be noted that the millennial teaching appears to be the only doctrine associated with Antichrist that is condemned in the current official Catechism of the Catholic Church (which is the first new one in hundreds of years). The one that has the imprimatur of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger who is now called Pope Emeritus and was Pope Benedict XVI.

While some Catholic writings are correct, certain contradictory Roman Catholic writings/prophecies teach that Antichrist:

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

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), 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.

Thus, it appears that certain private Catholic prophecies have been given to warn the world that when Jesus comes He will be the Antichrist. 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).

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.

This is part of why all who profess Christ need to understand who the true Church has been from the beginning, who the true Church was in the intervening years, and who the true Church actually will be in the end (for more details, please go to the History of Early Christianity page, and/or the free online booklets Continuing History of the Church of God and Where is the True Christian Church Today?).

Furthermore, it needs to be understood that some Catholics also seem to teach the ones that those of us in the COG consider to be the two witnesses will be announcing Antichrist (e.g. Birch, p. 556) and that during the time we in the COG call the Great Tribulation there will be supernaturally fed people opposed to the Catholic church dwelling in caves that will be “the advance guard of the son of perdition” (Hildegard of Bingen. Scivias. Paulist Press, Mahwah (NJ), p. 301).

Sadly, many Catholic prophecies and writings apparently are directed against those in the protected Philadelphia remnant of the Church of God and against Jesus Christ. Many pronouncements by supporters of Martin Luther did as well. Those that do not understand the truth about Jesus, church history, and prophecy will be deceived. But YOU do not have to be.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Christ or Antichrist? 1961 article by David Jon Hill, originally published in the old Good News magazine.
Will You Be Deceived by Antichrist? 1964 article by David Jon Hill, originally published in the old Good News magazine.
Satan’s Plan Does Satan have a plan? What is it? Has it already been successful? Will it be successful in the future? Here are links to a two-part sermon series: What are Some of the Parts of Satan’s Plan? and Satan’s Plan is More Dramatic than Many Realize.
Do Certain Catholic Prophecies About Antichrist Warn Against Jesus? Will the final “Anti-Christ” be Jewish, insist on Saturday, be opposed to the trinity, and bring in the millennium? Certain Catholic writings indicate this, while others take a different view, but what does the Bible show? A related sermon is Will Jesus Christ be called the Antichrist?
Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies? People of all faiths may be surprised to see what various Roman and Orthodox Catholic prophets have been predicting as many of their predictions will be looked to in the 21st century.
Is There A Secret Rapture for the Church? When and Where is the Church Protected? What does the Bible really teach? Does the Church flee or is it taken up just prior to the great tribulation? Who really is left behind? There is also a YouTube video with information Did Jesus Teach a Pre-tribulation Rapture?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2018, 2019, or 2020? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2018 o 2019? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation begin in 2018?
The Times of the Gentiles Has there been more than one time of the Gentiles? Are we in it now or in the time of Anglo-America? What will the final time of the Gentiles be like? A related sermon is available and is titled: The Times of the Gentiles.
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. There is also a video on the subject: Might Petra be the Place of Safety? Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2026 or 20xx? There is also a video titled The 6000 Year Plan: Is the end of humanity’s reign almost up? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
Protestant and Church of God views of the United States in Bible Prophecy Is the USA mentioned in Bible prophecy? Some Protestants say yes, while others say no. What does the Bible really teach? Learn the truth about this. There is also a video available: Is The United States Mentioned In Bible Prophecy?
Dangerous Protestant Prophetic Errors What are some errors that various Protestants hold to that will tend to prevent them from knowing when the Great Tribulation will begin? A related video is titled Ten Dangerous Protestant Prophetic Errors.
The Dangerous Rise of Preterists Has the Great Tribulation finished? What was the view of early Christians? Why is the preterist view dangerous? A related sermon video is titled Preterism: You’ve Gotta Be Kidding…Right?
Wormwood and Planet Nibiru Will the Earth be devastated by Planet X or Comet Encke? Here is a link to a related YouTube video Could Comet ISON be Wormwood of Bible Prophecy?
The Elijah Heresies Does the Bible teach that there will be a future Elijah? Must it be Herbert W. Armstrong? Two related sermons are available Elijah: Prophecies and Heresies and Elijah, Herbert W. Armstrong, and CCOG.
Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament? Does the Bible require a rebuilt Jewish Temple? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Por qué no se requiere un templo judío en Jerusalén? Here is a link to a sermon titled The Temple, Prophecy, and the Work.
The Red Heifer, Jewish Beliefs, and the End of the World The Temple Institute is watching a ‘red heifer.’ Why might this be important in the sequence of end time events? Here is a related link in the Spanish language Novilla roja descubierta en EE.UU. e Instituto del Templo está interesado en ella. Here is a related video in English The Red Heifer and the End of the World.
Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There have been many false leaders–here is some of why you should be concerned about them. Here is a related article in the Spanish language ¿Por qué estar preocupado acerca de falsos y heréticos líderes?.
How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God There are many false prophets. How can Christians determine who is a true prophet? There is also a sermon-length video titled How to determine if someone is a true prophet of God. Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Cómo determinar si alguien es un verdadero profeta de Dios?
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.