9. The counter-revivals of the end-times

We maintained also, that even those so-called heathen religions can therefore contain some God-inspired truths. But it is only in the scriptures of the Bible that God, for more than 1000 years and through more than 40 different authors, has systematically worked to present how he intended that we should find the meaning of life and the purpose of creation.

From the Bible we also see that God's enemy the Devil continually tried and still tries in various ways to counter and to destroy what God does. Ever since the end of the 1800's, therefore, spiritual counter-movements in opposition to Christianity have increased in both number and scope.

Counter-movements represent various forms of lies, false doctrines, and evil spiritual influences, everything from the lies of the 2nd seal, to the demonic torments of the 5th trumpet:

1. On one end of the scale is found atheism, which openly denies God, and on the other end we have devil-worship, which openly worships Satan. Atheism, which also openly denies humanity's spiritual dimension, got a flying start through the theory of evolution at the end of the 1800's. With the support of communism, it then within 50 years almost totally ruled the political and scientific arenas across a third of the world. After the second world war, Albania became the first country where the national government openly boasted that they had liberated the people from Christianity. But after the fall of communism, the whole world could see on TV the evil which had been brought in instead. Satanism and devil-worship has always existed, but in the later years they will experience a renaissance, especially through certain rock musicians.
2. Between the above extremes, we have a renewed interest in a whole spectrum of old and new religions. After the second world war, a wave of heathen religions began to make their way into Europe. Western youth who were a part of the hippie culture traveled to the Far East in order to study Hinduism and Buddhism. But more than anything, Europe began to take in a large-scale immigration of Muslims, for example, who eventually established their own mosques in several cities, which used to be completely "Christian". It is very important that we Christians do not just see them as a threat, but also as a new possibility to spread the message of Jesus. (In illustrated series 1, is therefore a formal comparison between these 4 religions in the Maxi-text of illustration 2.8)
(Note: under translation)
3. A greater threat is probably posed by all the New Age-inspired thinking which currently is creeping in via the mass media and through various forms of occult activity. Among these is included even the renewed interest in ancient Greek mythological gods, witches, and Viking-age shamanism. Perhaps the most remarkable thing is that the weekly press, which after the second world war didn't give the Christian faith much more column space, has so uncritically opened up to astrology. Here, westerners can believe themselves to be so enlightened that they deny belief in the living God, but nevertheless believe that dead stars determine their destiny.
4. However, the most dangerous of all is when the Devil deceptively comes into a Christian setting disguised as an angel of light, and attempts to imitate what God has begun to do. In this case, we must pray for spiritual discernment so that we are not deceived.
5. The final great Devil-inspired out-pouring of evil spirits will occur in connection with the fifth trumpet. It will be a counter-revival which releases all the evil spiritual forces from hell itself. As I see it, the reason for allowing all of these to plague and to possess every person who has hardened their hearts to the gospel is not primarily a punishment from God, but rather a final attempt at awakening them to consider and repent.
6. However, it will also be the driving force for the last great persecution of Christians. In this regard, however, the following promise of Jesus is especially relevant: "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matt. 16:18) On the surface, what happens could then appear to be a defeat in many places across the earth.-

but in the unseen world, God's church will probably on that occasion actually celebrate one of its greatest victories of all time.