Man’s Delusion of Godhood - Part 2

In the first four trumpet judgments of Revelation 8, we see how the foundations for life on earth are being increasingly destroyed. According to verse 11, many people die after drinking the water, which was rendered bitter.

And finally, with the sixth trumpet (Rev 9:15), one third of what remains of humanity perishes. Doing the math, this would mean that half of humanity perishes through the judgments of Revelation 6 and 9. And, the shocking thing is that the rest of the people do not repent (Rev 9:20).

Death and mourning also come (Rev 18:8), in connection with the judgment on the great whore Babylon, this economic and inter-religious power. And, at the end, those who haven’t turned from their wrong ways will face the second death, the lake of fire, where they will be handed over to God’s eternal judgment (Rev 20–21).

The Book of Revelation shows how death and the power of Hades come upon a deluded humanity, which believes it can overcome death. Everything that man plans without (and thus against) God ultimately becomes his downfall.

Let us turn to the issue of people’s self-determination concerning their time of death. There have always been suicides, and we should handle this topic with caution and not make sweeping judgments. Suicide often brings burdens and questions for those left behind, which can include the Church. But if people believe in the principle that they have a right to determine their time of death, that’s another thing altogether. The Bible shows us in many places that all of life, including the time of death, is in God’s hands. In light of this, we should also mention so-called assisted suicide. It is nothing other than a declared right to suicide. Euthanasia, on the other hand, is functionally the murder of a person, also through administering certain drugs or substances. This was carried out cruelly on many mentally ill and disabled people under the Third Reich.

The right to suicide is being propagandized more and more in the West. Now we will read about the fifth trumpet in Revelation 9:1-12. The abyss opens and darkness invades, tormenting only people for five months—not the plant world. Note that these predictions could come true both figuratively and literally. In a way, the fifth trumpet also reminds us of the title of Dave Hunt’s book Occult Invasion. Revelation 9:6 describes something remarkable. During this terrible torment, people seek death and want to die at all costs. But death flees from them, and they cannot die.

This judgment makes it unmistakably clear who alone holds the key to death and the realm of the dead. Man’s delusion of his own godhood, of being able to decide for himself about life and death, has consequences which fall back on him. He is judged for it. Granted, this isn’t the only reason for the judgment, but in light of a culture of self-determined death, what the Bible reveals is simply horrifying.

Man’s delusion of godhood and climate ideology

At this point, the debate isn’t about all of climate ideology, with its models and expectations for the future. It’s about a fundamental core question. In discussing issues of climate, it is seen as an intrinsic quality of the earth. In other words, the very framework excludes an active God, who is above all and also works through the forces of nature, as we read in the Bible. Instead, man presumes to be able to discern everything himself, and then influence and regulate it accordingly—as if he could control the climate like a thermostat. People also imagine that they can predict the climate far into the future, even though they can’t even reliably forecast the weather a few months out, despite all their scientific knowledge. This is another way in which they’re putting themselves in God’s place.

In fact, we find major climate changes in Revelation—not just the certain variance that has always existed within the divine limits set in Genesis 8:20-22. These are actual catastrophic eruptions and tremors. But they’re not related to excessive CO2 levels or diesel emissions. Revelation 11:18 provides the key phrase in God’s judgment:

“The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”

On the surface, one might assume that the earth’s destruction will come about from coal-fired power plants or something similar. And, it’s true that a humanity far from God treats creation carelessly. (But please don’t misunderstand this as a stance against coal-fired power plants.) But mankind without God puts creation in the place of the Creator. This is the predominant expression seen today. The creation confuses itself with the Creator.

When we read Revelation, we realize that this destruction is a result of sin and rebellion against God. Think of Revelation 9:21, where people don’t repent of their murder, sorcery, sexual immorality, or theft. Or Revelation 17:5, where end-time Babylon is described as the mother of earth’s abominations. We read the same thing in the Old Testament:

“The earth staggers like a drunken man; it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again” (Isa 24:20).

Sin and spreading darkness are what will ultimately cause the earth and humanity to tremble under God’s judgment.

Man’s delusion of his own godhood, which he pursues through climate ideology and nature mysticism, surrounds us everywhere today. Let’s also note that the judgments prophesied in Revelation can be fulfilled both figuratively and literally. With the first four trumpets in Revelation 9, the foundations of life—the seas and waters, and the plant world—are deeply shaken. With the fourth trumpet in verse 12, there are cosmic tremors, accompanied by a partial darkening of the light. If a third of our sunlight fails, this could initially result in a corresponding cooling of the climate. Exactly the opposite of what people today would have calculated far in advance.

In Revelation 11:6, with the appearance of the two witnesses, we see that authority over the weather, the waters on earth, and the earth in general is in God’s hands. He gives this authority to his two witnesses so they can implement their plagues.

Revelation 16 is about the bowl judgments of God. The second and third bowls also hit the sea and water sources. As we read in verse 6, this is judgment for the shed blood of the saints and prophets. I mentioned earlier that after chapter 9, there could be a cooling of the earth when the sun’s light is darkened by a third. In Revelation 16:8, the opposite happens. With the outpouring of the fourth bowl of wrath, people are scorched by the heat and fire of the sun. Finally, in verse 12, the sixth bowl dries up the Euphrates to clear the way for the kings of the east.

So, we see how the earth and mankind will eventually be shaken by climate events and natural disasters. This appears to be happening in completely conflicting ways, when we think first of the possible darkening of the sun, and then of the heat and fire. In this way, the delusion of godhood in the form of climate ideology results in man’s destruction, and it becomes clear who is in charge and should be feared.

A small note on this: These days, so-called renewable energies are being touted as the great cure-all. But they could quickly become a thing of the past. A whole series of European countries are forging ahead with plans for new nuclear power plants, because there’s just no other way. There’s nothing wrong with renewable energies being used in the right proportions, but when we consider the thousands upon thousands of wind turbines that the ideologues are touting, it reminds one of the four angels who hold back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind blows over the earth, the sea, or through any tree (Rev 7:1). Of course, the context makes it clear that this prophetic imagery concerns holding back God’s next judgments. But such a prophecy could also come true literally: There will be complete calm on the earth for a period of time. That would be a disaster for all wind energy production. Again, I’m not saying that it will be fulfilled this way. But if we look at humanity’s whole mindset and development against the backdrop of Revelation, we can see how God allows man’s delusional desires to fall back on him as judgment. This is reminiscent of Psalm 2, which says that He who dwells in heaven laughs and mocks the vain efforts of those who fight against Him. At the same time, we also see the great seriousness of God’s coming judgment, which will shake everything to its foundation.

The spiritual alternative

It’s not enough for us to recognize this development: Man, deluded regarding his own godhood, puts himself in God’s place, culminating in the emergence of the Antichrist. Nor is it enough for us to sit back and console ourselves that the Church will be raptured before these judgments take place (or at least from the midst of them, depending on your point of view). The “lovers of self” spoken of in 2 Timothy 3 don’t just appear after the Rapture; this is a sinful character trait innate to mankind that matures in the last days, culminating in the appearance of the Antichrist. And verse 5 clearly shows us that it doesn’t absolve Christianity either:

“Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”

In 2 Thessalonians 2:4, where the man of lawlessness who sits in God’s temple is spoken of, we’re not just seeing the emergence of the Antichrist. We’re also seeing a fundamental principle of the last days, which has already become clear prior to the last week of years (the time of the Tribulation): man putting himself in God’s place. He claims for himself the position and honor that belong to our Lord alone. Then the Lord becomes only a means to an end, so that we are content and our wishes fulfilled. He is degraded to a kind of butler, who should serve us and ensure we are kept as comfortable as possible.

In that respect, we are all at risk, because this basic feature is inherent in our ego. And, it’s reinforced and honed today by all the talk of self-realization that is practically in the air we breathe—including in many components of so-called Christian psychology. We must always be on guard against ourselves and let God’s Word guide us.

The alternative to this delusion of godhood and self-indulgence is also found in Revelation. It is one of the main themes of the book, running through its length. In this case, it’s less important whether it concerns John’s circumstances at the time of writing, or the seven churches, the perfected Church in heaven, or the overcomers from the Tribulation. It’s far more important that we recognize this basic feature, evident from the first five words of the book itself: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.” It’s about us recognizing His glory and greatness, and being filled and changed by it.

Consider how the Apostle John fell down before his exalted Lord in the first chapter. He was the disciple whom Jesus loved, according to the Gospel of John. The church in Ephesus had abandoned its first love for Jesus, and was therefore being called to repentance. And Christ was even standing at the door of the church in Laodicea, despite all their pious undertakings and their conviction of their own spiritual faultlessness. The alternative is to love Him, to recognize Him, to give Him honor, to repeatedly bow before Him, and to allow Him to correct us.

Revelation 4 and 5 proceed with the worship of God and the Lamb, the exact opposite of self-idolatry. God is worshiped because of His omnipotence, holiness, and eternal rule. He is worshiped as the Creator, for whose sake all things were and are created. The twenty-four elders cast down all of the crowns He had given them at His feet. All glory belongs to the Lord. It’s about Him, not us. Then the Lamb is worshiped, because He bought people for God from every tribe and tongue and nation with His own blood, and made them a kingdom and priests.

In Revelation 7, we find the overcomers from the Tribulation, who testify that salvation belongs to our God and the Lamb alone. This passage also specifically emphasizes the throne of God, as do chapters 4 and 5, showing the reality of His absolute rule and sovereignty. In Revelation 14, we see the 144,000 from the tribes of Israel, who sing a new song before the throne of God.

In Revelation 19, we find the only instance of “Hallelujah” in the New Testament, and it’s repeated three times. God is being worshiped for His righteous judgment on the whore of Babylon. Salvation, glory, honor, and power belong to Him alone. Then verse 5 says,

“And from the throne came a voice saying, ‘Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great.’”

It’s always about God Himself and what Jesus has done for us: what has been given to us in Him. Honoring Him, glorifying Him, fearing Him, loving Him, knowing Him—that is the great alternative to all the self-adulation and delusions of godhood. The worship of God that we read about in Revelation, should already be an increasing reality today: in our daily lives, in a life lived to the glory of God. It will give us a completely different perspective in the face of so many dark developments. This orientation then leads to the perfection described in Revelation 22:3-5, where it says of the heavenly Jerusalem:

“No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

Our reign with Him will only come at the end. But even today, we still want to be serving Him and recognizing Him more and more, even if we don’t yet see Him.