In a society that is increasingly willing to blur moral lines for the sake of justifying evil, Isaiah 5:20 doesn't sound crazy anymore. “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” A Minnesota State Representative sparked outrage by suggesting that LGBTQ youth should have access to pornographic websites for “educational” purposes. “They’re almost jubilant about being able to use these laws to ban young people from accessing content that could be educational if they are queer,” they said, commenting on a bill that would require age verification for adult websites, a measure intended to protect minors from sexually explicit content. The argument that pornography could serve as an educational tool for children is morally and spiritually wrong on so many levels. This representative also claimed that queer youth are not receiving adequate sex education. First, regardless of how one identifies, the basic realities of human anatomy remain the same in how body parts work and are discussed in sex education. Second, the scientific literature is clear:"One factor that may play a role in risky sexual behaviors is pornography viewing. [...] condom use is rarely depicted in pornographic scenes [...] Viewers who consume pornographic content – especially younger viewers – may learn from and model these behaviors (10), contributing to less condom use among sexually active populations at risk of STIs." Finke's argument is utterly demonic. Pornography is destructive to begin with. It distorts sex by separating it from covenant, intimacy, and responsibility. It distorts consent by portraying performance over mutual respect. It distorts relationships by reducing human beings, made in the image of God, to objects for consumption. Now imagine a generation of children being told to go to porn sites to “learn” about sexuality. What will they learn? That intimacy is transactional. That bodies are commodities. That aggression is normal. That self-gratification replaces self-control. That love is irrelevant as long as desire is satisfied. That is not education. That is conditioning. When children are exposed to pornography, it doesn’t “educate” them; it shapes them. It trains their brains before any moral compass can be formed and bypasses their ability to learn boundaries. It teaches them scripts for behavior long before they understand covenant, responsibility, or spiritual consequences. Scripture consistently emphasizes purity, self-control, and living honorably:"It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God;" 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 And Psalm 82:3-4 commands: "Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked." Exposing children to sexually explicit content is a direct contradiction to this divine instruction. From a moral perspective alone, society has the solemn duty to protect those who cannot yet discern right from wrong. Attempting to frame pornography as “educational” inverts good and evil. Exactly what Isaiah warned against. Proper guidance fosters righteousness; exposure to adult content fosters confusion, desensitization, exploitation, and spiritual harm. How Did We Get Here? Part of the reason people are feeling so empowered to even suggest such demonic things and honestly believe they can get away with it is that accountability has been utterly eroded in society. High-profile cases involving powerful elites have shown that influence and money can bend justice with nothing more than a few words and a few dollars thrown in the right direction, while twisting moral and legal boundaries for their own gain. When those at the top appear untouchable, moral lines begin to erode everywhere else. At the same time, too many churches, spiritual leaders, and Christians have fallen away from Biblical principles, adding to this demonic corruption bleeding over this world. They are compromising with the world instead of standing firm in truth. They should be ashamed of themselves, and I hold them to higher standards than this and accountability for not checking under the fur. (Matthew 7:15) When right and wrong, morals, and common sense are disregarded, it emboldens others to push boundaries in more and more harmful ways. These people believe they can bend morality, definitions, and common sense without consequence because they are allowed to. And if we keep allowing it, the question becomes unavoidable: where does it end? Does it end when children are harmed under the banner of "progress"? When innocence is sacrificed to ideology? This was never really about partisan politics or left versus right. It is about good versus evil, about innocence set against Satan himself. Pornography is not education. It is exploitation dressed up as enlightenment, and our children deserve better than this. © Jane Isley Sources: New York Post National Library of Medicine

Why Did God Create the Devil? One Believer's Honest Wrestling with Sovereignty, AI, and the Adversary's Purpose Why did God create the devil, and what does that question reveal about the nature of divine sovereignty, human will, and the enemy we face every day? This thought-provoking piece wrestles honestly with some of the deepest tensions in Christian theology, from God's omniscience and the origin of the Adversary to the surprising ways our modern struggles with technology mirror an ancient spiritual battle. If you have ever sat with a question too big for a simple answer, this article was written for that moment. Pull up a chair and read slowly. Personal Struggle with Faith and Technology God has answered my prayers by breaking my heart with whatever breaks His. This morning, after an in-depth conversation with my husband about a discipleship reading plan titled “Discipology,” I became overwhelmed with emotion regarding my past failures in sharing the Gospel. I grieved for those loved ones who have yet to accept this greatest of all gifts — the saving knowledge of Christ. It was baffling to both of us just how emotional I became over circumstances that, in reality, remain outside of my control. Another topic weighing heavily on my mind is the origin of the Devil. If God is truly sovereign, as we discussed in church this weekend, why did He create Satan? Why has He allowed him to exist and exert such influence for centuries? As I write this, I find myself battling two distinct temptations. The first is the temptation to plagiarize — to lean heavily on the work of others and fail to credit them. And by “others” I mostly mean AI… which leads to the second temptation to let AI virtually write the majority of this complex piece for me, slipping into a slothful haze that lacks the original confidence I once held dear as a writer. What began innocently as a tool for grammar and spell-checking is quickly evolving into an uncontrollable monster. It whispers the same types of lies as the Father of Lies (John 8:44), suggesting that the voice of an algorithm is superior to my own. The Scope of Divine Omniscience To address this inquiry, we must first ask: “Was God aware of Satan’s coming defiance?” Biblical truth confirms that the Lord is omniscient, possessing absolute knowledge. As seen in Job 37:16, Psalm 139:2–4, 147:5, Proverbs 5:21, Isaiah 46:9–10, and 1 John 3:19–20, there is no limit to His understanding; He perceives all of time — past, present, and future — with total clarity. When we examine the scriptural descriptions of the Almighty — noting He is “perfect in knowledge” and that “His understanding has no limit” — it becomes evident that His intellect is not just superior to ours, but infinitely so. He possesses a complete awareness of all things. Should His knowledge be anything less than absolute, it would imply a fundamental flaw in His divine character. Since the very nature of the Lord demands the perfection of every attribute, any such deficiency would contradict His deity. Consequently, regarding our initial inquiry, we must conclude that yes, God was fully aware that Satan would eventually turn against Him. Purpose Behind the Adversary’s Existence Shifting focus, we ponder: “What was the Lord’s purpose in bringing Satan into existence, fully aware of his future insubordination?” This investigation is complex, as it seeks a “why” for which the Scriptures seldom provide a comprehensive explanation. However, we may still seek fundamental clarity. Given the Lord’s absolute omniscience, if He brought Satan into existence with full foreknowledge of his fall, then this rebellion was inevitably woven into His sovereign design from the start. To suggest otherwise would be to deny the perfect divine nature we have explored. First, we must recognize that the Lord’s perception of Satan’s turning is distinct from His compelling him to do so. Lucifer was granted free will and remains responsible for his own decisions. The Almighty did not create him in a fallen state; rather, He created him as a being of goodness (Genesis 1:31). As we contemplate why the Lord allowed Satan’s existence despite his future defiance, we should reflect upon these additional truths: Prior to his transgression, Lucifer was created for a purpose that was both righteous and flawless. The subsequent defiance of the adversary does not diminish the original divine intention, nor does it transform the Lord’s essentially good design into something malicious. Furthermore, the Lord’s absolute sovereignty encompasses even the fallen state of the adversary. The Almighty remains capable of directing the enemy’s wicked deeds to ultimately fulfill His own sacred and eternal purposes (1 Timothy 1:20, 1 Corinthians 5:5). The divine architecture of redemption was established in eternity past (Revelation 13:8); by its very nature, deliverance necessitates an affliction to be rescued from. Remarkably, the very anguish introduced by the enemy served as the instrument through which Christ, in His human form, achieved the status of the perfect Redeemer: “In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God… should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what He suffered” (Hebrews 2:10). From the onset, the Lord’s redemptive design through the Messiah explicitly encompassed the total dismantling of the adversary’s endeavors (1 John 3:8). Peace in Divine Mystery In the final analysis, the specific motivations behind the Lord’s decision to bring Lucifer into existence remain a divine mystery. While we may feel inclined to speculate that a world without such an adversary would be superior, such conclusions are fundamentally imprudent. To assert that our finite wisdom surpasses His sovereign governance of the universe is to repeat the adversary’s own transgression — presuming to exalt oneself above the Most High (Isaiah 14:13–14). Ultimately, my struggle with the temptation of AI — much like the ancient defiance of the adversary — is a test of surrender. When I am tempted to bypass the hard, authentic work of human connection for the “perfect” shortcut offered by technology, I am reminded of the complexity of God’s sovereignty. Just as He permits the adversary to exist to fulfill a grander, redemptive architecture, perhaps these digital trials are permitted to refine my heart. Discipleship is not a matter of efficiency, but of faithfulness; it requires a vulnerability that algorithms cannot replicate. By resting in the truth that God is sovereign over both the enemy’s schemes and my own digital shortcuts, I am freed to pursue the messy, authentic work of sharing the Gospel, trusting that His perfect purpose will be accomplished. I am deeply humbled by the realization that while AI can mimic polish, only God provides truth. While technology is a helpful resource, it is not a substitute for the soul. I entrust every aspect of my mortal life and immortal soul to my God in Heaven, whose wisdom is infinitely greater than any creation of man. P.S. I intentionally omitted links to the Bible references. Feel free to research them on your own — “Seek, and ye shall find” (Matthew 7:7). Reflections How can recognizing God’s absolute sovereignty over both the adversary and our own struggles change the way you approach your daily temptations? In what ways does relying on artificial tools for “perfection” potentially distract you from the messy, authentic vulnerability required for true discipleship? Reflecting on the purpose of the adversary’s existence within a redemptive design, how can you find peace in the aspects of your life that currently feel like unresolved mysteries? © 2026 Nora Gwen. Want more content like this? Explore more articles in Rethinking Doctrine. Why did God create the devil is ultimately a question that leads us not to a theological dead end but to a deeper surrender. If this article stirred something in you, whether doubt, comfort, or a renewed sense of awe at God's sovereignty, share it with someone who is wrestling with the same questions. The conversation is worth continuing. If this article stirred something in you, you might also appreciate this: 👉 From Doubt to Encounter: When God Became Real to Me A 21-year-old shares his raw, honest journey from intellectual faith to a tangible encounter with God — a powerful companion read to the questions raised here. Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

If the whole point of Christianity is that Jesus rose from the dead, why do we keep Him nailed on the cross then? This is a fair question to ask and think about. Our faith is unique from all other faiths. Jesus died for us so that we could be reconciled to God and enter heaven, and His resurrection is the key to that. Jesus is alive and very well. He’s not hanging on the cross anymore, and He’s not dust in a tomb somewhere. So why do we have images of Him on the cross? Hanging, partially nude, and sometimes completely nude (I will be getting to that), suffering and frozen in the moment of His death? Like I said, it’s a fair question to be asking. Now, while there is a group that widely uses this, that is not my target audience because there are Christians from all denominations all over the world who do this with the cross. This is for anyone who still sees Christ on that cross in their living room. What You See Shapes What You Believe If the predominant image of Jesus in your everyday environment is one of His suffering and still on the cross, that affects how you see and relate to Him in your everyday life. What we repeatedly see shapes what we come to expect and what we believe. Over the years, I’ve come across a large number of people through conversations, reading, or hearing their experiences who believed that Jesus couldn’t or wouldn’t help them. Several of those times, there was also a cross with Christ still on it, dying, in agony, and suffering somewhere in their story. That was the image they associated with Him, not the empty tomb. This is not about ignoring what He did and went through for us; Christ bears the scars as proof of what He did for us. We should be thinking about it at times, and let it hit us like a brick crap house every so often. It should bring us to our knees with gut-wrenching tears to understand that He did that so we, the imperfect humans, can go to heaven. But…….get up off your knees and live, because He is alive. His command is to go forth and make nations. How are you going to do that when you are busy looking backwards at a cross still showing Him hanging on it? Real Thoughts & Reactions I remember my first reaction to seeing a picture of Christ still on the cross, also, He was painted as fully naked. I looked at the picture and remember thinking along the lines of “why didn't He get off? I though He was stronger than that, maybe He’s not?” Yeah, to say I was confused and also highly embarrassed that I saw Jesus naked is an understatement. “His eyes were closed, but his face looked sad. Defeated. […] That’s when it hit me: no wonder he couldn’t protect me and my sisters […] He was too tiny, too frail, and too powerless to do anything about it.” I. M. Koen “Images mislead us. They convey false ideas about God. The very inadequacy with which they represent him perverts our thoughts of him, and plants in our minds errors of all sorts about his character and will. … It is a matter of historical fact that the use of the crucifix as an aid to prayer has encouraged people to equate devotion with brooding over Christ’s bodily sufferings; it has made them morbid about the spiritual value of physical pain, and it has kept them from knowledge of the risen Savior.” (1) “…The pathos of the crucifix obscures the glory of Christ, for it hides the fact of his deity, his victory on the cross, and his present kingdom. It displays his human weakness, but it conceals his divine strength; it depicts the reality of his pain, but keeps out of our sight the reality of his joy and his power.[…]” (challies) Psychology 101 Psychological factors are happening here. Actually, there are a lot of different psychological things going on. I promise to try to keep it concise and to the point. Mere Exposure Effect, identified by Psychologist Robert Zajonc and confirmed across more than 200 experiments. The finding was quite simple, the more we are exposed to something, the more familiar it becomes, and that familiarity can shape our attitude toward it, often without us consciously thinking about it. All we have to do is see it repeatedly. Next, we have Terror Management Theory (TMT). This research shows that when people are repeatedly reminded of death, they often become more defensive, anxious, and resistant to ideas that challenge their existing beliefs. Mortality reminders can push people to cling tighter to what feels safe, despite what the truth is or not. Then I found this nugget: brain imaging studies found that death reminders decreased activity in the regions of the brain associated with open, reflective thinking. As a side note to these, think of social media as an example; we know that what we see every day has an effect on us, it's not even something that is debated; it is something that is known and proven. What we see every day affects us. Did You Know? And I’m betting you didn’t know this, that in the early centuries, Christians rarely, if ever, had crosses showing a crucifixion with a depiction of some kind of male body. Many sources say it is because it was too jarring or too fresh to them, in a sense, because they weren’t that far removed from the era that did crucifixions. And I agree, I can absolutely see that being a part of it. The more graphic and emotionally triggering images of Christ on the cross developed gradually over time. But something important happened in the 16th century. During the Reformation, many reformers rejected religious images completely. In response to that, the Catholic Church reaffirmed the use of sacred images, which helped solidify their continued role in Catholic devotion. (Council of Trent; Session 25) Shameful Depictions That’s the psychology and history side of things. For those who still feel the need to defend keeping Christ on the cross, I want to ask a few simple questions. If someone you loved died today, and their body was exposed or partially clothed, would you want that image put on display? Would you want people looking at it, studying it, returning to it over and over again? Or would you want their dignity preserved? The Romans stripped Jesus as a form of humiliation and public degradation, meant to strip a person of dignity and humanity. A strategically placed loincloth does not change that reality or make it ok. So why preserve that moment of His suffering, His body exposed, His dignity stripped, and center your attention on it? Why is Jesus still on the cross in your living room when the whole point of our faith is that He is not there anymore. “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay” Matt 28:6 © 2026 Jane Isley. Want more content like this? Explore more articles in Rethinking Doctrine. Sources & References: Wikipedia — Terror Management Theory Psychology Today — Terror Management Theory Simply Psychology — Mere Exposure Effect Wikipedia — Mere Exposure Effect Merriam-Webster — “Propaganda” definition PubMed (PMID: 28486837) — fMRI study on mortality salience and self-reflection Catholic Review — crucifix / devotional imagery in Catholic tradition Catholic Standard — crucifix and Catholic practice discussion Council of Trent (Session 25) Challies — Why You Should Not Wear a Crucifix The Conversation — historical crucifixion depiction of Jesus Wikipedia — Caravaggio Encyclopaedia Romana (University of Chicago) — Roman crucifixion context Greg Reese (Substack) — symbolism and subconscious perception

The word Moses picked changes the whole story There is a small but mighty passage in the Bible, and it’s basically ignored, and with the amount of deception satan is raining down on this world these days, I think it is time to pull this out and show you the very real and tangible power that satan has that so many underestimate. “ Each one threw down his walking stick. Each stick turned into a snake.”₁ Plain Jane, It Was Not Satan is the master of deception, illusion, and lies. What is going to make this dissection even more interesting is that you will learn it wasn’t regular, plain Jane snakes either that day. In Hebrew, three different words are traditionally translated to “snake,” each one carries its own definition and meaning that helps you understand context and a story’s full depth. This is most definitely one of those times you want to rabbit hole a word. Nachash (נָחָשׁ) — the “regular” word for snake/serpent Tannin (תַּנִּין) — dragon/sea monster/large serpent Saraph (שָׂרָף) — “fiery/burning” serpent Moses Chose His Words Deliberately At the battle of the staffs, all the staffs involved turned into tannin, but before that, in Exodus 4:3, when God and Moses were essentially doing a practice run, Moses’s staff was referred to as a nachash. Moses wrote this, so it is not like two different people used the wrong words; he was there, and he chose his wording for a reason. I don’t think, although I could be wrong, that these snakes turned into something physically different than normal; it's about what the word means, and this showdown comes down to two equally important things. What Tannin Really Means Tannin carries enormous weight to anyone who knows Scripture; it can be both literal (big aquatic creatures) or figurative (a primordial chaos creature, a symbol of darkness and forces in direct opposition to God). God created the tannin in Genesis 1:21, but satan cannot create, so what was going on here? First, you have to understand this wasn’t some minor showdown. Not only did God transform a staff, but Pharaoh’s magicians did too; not only that, but they did it with more than one staff. So many against one. And here is where this gets a chef’s kiss. God uses that same word later in Ezekiel 29:3 to describe Pharaoh: “Pharaoh Hophra, I am against you.King of Egypt, you are like a huge monster…” So think about what happened that day, the magicians stood before Pharaoh and produced tannins, the same word God would later use to describe their own king. They were invoking the symbol of the man they served without even knowing it. And God’s tannin swallowed theirs whole. Important Thing 1 Satan can and does manipulate our physical world and can perform “miracles.” Job is a prime example; not only did satan manipulate the environment around Job, but he also, at one point, caused a windstorm that brought down a building, killing all of Job’s children. There's too much sugarcoating out there for my taste when it comes to people understanding this. Satan is more than capable of performing wonders and illusions that fool even the most educated people out there. You realize satan will do as he is bidden to keep the lie and deception going that pulls you away from God, right? Important Thing 2 Why did God turn the staff into what is considered a symbol of darkness? Because He owns it. Satan can only ever counterfeit what God created. The difference between the two that day wasn’t what appeared; it was the source behind it. “So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind….” One was a counterfeit manifestation of dark power from satan. The other was the real thing, called up by God who made it, and swallowed up the counterfeit versions. Don’t Skip Past These Words There are a couple of important Hebrew words to consider as you think about this interaction. Pharaoh didn’t ask for a “miracle” in the way we know them; he asked for a “wonder.” And Moses and Aaron’s staff didn’t eat the Pharaoh’s; it swallowed them. Mopheth (מוֹפֵת) — Sign, wonder, miracle (an awe-producing, wonder specifically carrying the idea of intimidation; something that demands to be seen and cannot be ignored) Oth (אוֹת) — Sign, token, mark, miracle (a sign that points to God; can be an ordinary object or event; its purpose is to direct attention toward God) Think of it this way with these two. Oth is like a road sign, its entire purpose is to point you somewhere, aka God. And Mopheth is not a road sign. It is the thing that stops you dead in your tracks and makes your jaw drop before you can even think about where it’s pointing. Oth can be any ordinary object or daily activity as well as an unexpected divine action, but its basic nature is always to point people to God. Mopheth describes God’s supernatural activity, a special manifestation of His power. But, and this is so important. False prophets can also perform Mopheth. Deuteronomy 13:1–3 specifically warns about this. Pharaoh didn’t ask for a road sign pointing to God. He asked for a “mopheth, “ an overwhelming, awe-producing display of power; it was also a deliberate and cocky move on his part. (I’ll show you at the end God’s clap back to that one) Bala (בָּלַע) — To swallow, engulf, consume (It is violent, engulfing, sudden, and the total elimination of something.) Akal (אָכַל) — To eat, ate, eaten (the everyday word for eating food or the act of eating food) Here’s the difference between these two words. Akal is what you do at dinner. It is the ordinary eating of food; something goes in, and then that something is gone. A person “akals” a meal. It is the everyday, regular word for one thing taking in another thing. Now, Bala is something else entirely. Bala is what the Earth did when it opened up and swallowed Korah’s entire rebellion whole in Numbers 16. It is what the great fish did to Jonah. It is the word Moses chose in Exodus 15 when the Red Sea swallowed Pharaoh’s army. Bala means something ceases to exist in a sudden, violent, and very complete manner. So when Moses wrote that Aaron’s staff “swallowed” the magicians’ staffs, he did not use the dinner table word. He used the annihilation word; it was a preview of what was to come. Last But Not Least: The Epic Clap Back “…Confront him on the bank of the Nile, and take in your hand the staff that was changed into a snake.”² No one is ever going to convince me that God doesn’t have a sassy and spicy side, and right here is Exhibit A. Laughing aside, once you get what just happened there, this story, and that one word, tannin, cannot be ignored. Satan produced the Hebrew equivalent of a cosmic monster (monsters, actually), and he did it through human hands. Satan’s power and influence are ignored and downplayed way, way too much these days. People think satan and his horde just knock on walls or give people goosebumps late at night, and yeah, he does because that’s part of the tactic, making people think he’s not the being he is described as. And when people won’t even read their Bible, they won’t be able to recognize an Oth from a Mopheth, and satan is counting on that. © 2026 Jane Isley Want more content like this? Explore more articles in Word Studies. Sources: Exodus 7:10–12 Exodus 7:15 Deuteronomy 13:1–3 Genesis 3:1 · Numbers 21 (nachash) · Job 1:18–19 · Ezekiel 29:3 · Genesis 1:21 · Exodus 7:9 (mopheth) · Exodus 7:15 · Bala Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

On May 8, 2026, the Trump administration released 162 declassified UAP files. Around the same time, several well-respected church leaders publicly said they attended private meetings with unnamed believers who claimed high-level security clearances in military and intelligence circles. The point: Something big dropped, some church leaders got a heads-up, and now everyone is scrambling. What Does Any of This Mean? It means satan is going to have an absolute heyday, and I knew it the moment I heard these files were going to be released. So as people start to ramp this up and spiral down, here is a number that should be keeping every church leader up at night. Only 6% of self-identified Christians hold a biblical worldview. That means 94% of people who call themselves Christian are caught with their pants down right now and about to enter a world of pure deception, riddled with fear and have absolutely no Biblical leg to stand on. We already lost the ability as a culture to define what a woman is, what a child in the womb is, or what our God given sexual design looks like. The church (as a whole) largely rolled over on every single one of those, laziness, silence, and Scripture twisted into a pretzel to validate whatever the culture demanded that week. You really think this stops here? You really think a UFO file drop is going to be handled any differently by a church that has spent years surrendering ground it was never supposed to give up? What Was The Real Intention? I’ll be honest, I have mixed feelings about these meetings and why they happened. I find them murky and ill-timed with everything else going on in the world. What I do notice is that every church leader I could find who was in one of these meetings has a significant social media platform. Was that intentional to manufacture fear? I do not know yet. I am not singling out any specific person here because there was a notable variety of religious leaders at these meetings, but if you have these platforms, if you have these congregations, if people look to you to understand the Word of God, why the scramble now? Why is this the moment the church decided to start “preparing” people? Shouldn’t that have been happening from day one? There should never have been a need for private meetings with church leaders if they were actually doing their job, and if I’m being really blunt, if they were following Scripture, they never would have attended these meetings at all. The 94% walking into this without a biblical foundation did not get there by accident. That lands squarely at the feet of church leadership that was more concerned with keeping their pockets lined and people comfortable than keeping them grounded in Scripture. Yes, this also lands on people to stand up and question things being fed to them and redevelop missing critical thinking skills, but a whole hell of a lot just fell hard on the shoulders of church leaders who are more concerned with being cozy. What Is Going To Happen 1) People are going to question God on every possible level, and why wouldn’t they? It’s not like only 94% of Christians barely know Scripture, let alone how many don't know how to find a book or chapter in it. 2) The normalization of “aliens,” aka demons, because that is what is actually happening here, and this is going to accelerate. This has been building for decades through Hollywood, television, books, gaming, and entertainment. Satan has been softening you up for this moment for a very long time. In the meantime, Old Testament Elohim and New Testament Demons is exactly the kind of grounding you need right now before you go any further down that rabbit hole. The problem is not that people will encounter this information. The problem is that they have been so thoroughly conditioned to find it fascinating instead of spiritually alarming that they will not even recognize what they are looking at. This is not normal, and it has never been normal. Slapping the word alien on it does not change what it is. 3) The worst thing that is going to happen out of all of this is that people are going to be deceived on a global scale. Scriptural Truth The Bible was never once silent on this topic. Ephesians 6:12 NIV: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Principalities and powers. Spiritual forces of evil. That is the biblical description of what is in those files. People just gave it a different name and a press release. 2 Thessalonians 2:9–10 NIV: “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.” "Signs and wonders that serve the lie." Read that again slowly. Do not miss any of this while you are busy panicking about “aliens.” And just so you know, an alien would probably be a lot nicer than a demon; confusing the two as different beings is a costly mistake. The Remnant I genuinely do not care what is in those files. I am not worried, and I am not losing any sleep over “aliens” because I know exactly what they are and who wins, and it is not them. What I care about is the staggering number of people who are going to be deceived by this because nobody built them a foundation to stand on. The Christian church failed. Not in a small way, but in a massive, generational, brutal, inexcusable way. This is no longer a nation filled with Christians; it is a nation with a remnant, the 6% left who read Scripture, and the rest are walking into this with their pants down. That is just horrifying to think about. Read your Bible, people. I get it, we are in an age where things have massively accumulated into people struggling to even think for themselves, let alone read or do math, and not to mention being pumped full of addictive additives daily with social media. But that excuse can only take you so far. You are fully capable of opening your eyes, asking questions, getting down and dirty, breaking a mental sweat, and reading Scripture. For the church leaders, I pray you get this one right. The deception is not coming. It is already here. © 2026 Jane Isley Want more content like this? Explore more articles in Culture & Faith. Sources: Perry Stone UFO Briefing Claims - Charisma Magazine Pentagon UAP Files Released May 8 2026 - USA Herald Religious Leaders Told Prepare Now - End Time Headlines Newsweek - Pastor Meeting and Eric Burlison Response American Worldview Inventory - Cultural Research Center, Arizona Christian University, conducted by Dr. George Barna Crosswalk - Survey Finds That Only 6% of Professing Christians Have a Biblical Worldview USA Herald - Multiple Pastors Claim U.S. Military Intelligence Officers Secretly Briefed Them To Prepare Their Congregations For UAP Disclosure Charisma - Viral Claims of Secret Government Briefing to Pastors Ignite Fierce UFO Disclosure Debate Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

“What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come to torment us before the time?” Matthew 8:29 We read that line too quickly. We imagine little cartoon devils trembling. But first-century Jews did not imagine cartoonish imps. When a Jew heard the word daimonion, “demon," they did not picture Disney villains, red tights, or pitchforks. They heard something older, they heard elohim. And when an Israelite used the word elohim, they did not mean “the one true God.” They meant any inhabitant of the spiritual realm ,  any being whose nature was non-human, non-corporeal, powerful, and divine in rank. Yahweh is Elohim ,  but not the only elohim. And when the New Testament says Jesus cast out daimónia, the connection is deliberate: Jesus was driving out rival spiritual beings ,  rival gods. This is the story beneath the story. This is what makes the Gospels electric. This is why the spirits screamed. Because when Jesus stepped onto the scene, the gods panicked. This is the story of when the gods bowed. Understanding the Old Testamant Elohim and New Testement Demons We have been taught to think too small. Modern Christianity inherited a tiny demonology. We’ve reduced “demon” to: ✔️ a fallen angel ✔️ a mischievous imp ✔️ a tempter ✔️ a nuisance But Scripture presents something far more staggering. If the Old Testament calls members of Yahweh’s heavenly host elohim, and the New Testament calls those same entities daimonia, then the Gospels are not stories of Jesus chasing away annoying spirits. The Gospels record Jesus waging open war on the gods of the nations. When Jesus rebukes a demon, He is not flicking away a mosquito. He is overthrowing another power. He is dethroning a spiritual prince. He is reversing Genesis 11. He is invading Psalm 82 territory. We have been reading a multiverse battle in black-and-white. The Old Testament Context: Elohim Means More Than ‘God’ Let’s clear the ground. The word elohim in Hebrew is not a name. It is a category. It means: a resident of the spiritual realm. Here are biblical examples: • “You shall have no other elohim before Me.” (Exod 20:3) ~ There are other elohim, but they are not Yahweh. • “For Yahweh is the great God above all elohim.” (Ps 95:3) ~ If Yahweh is “above” them, they exist, but He outranks them infinitely. • “The sons of God (bene elohim) came before Yahweh.” (Job 1:6) ~ These are divine beings. • “God takes His stand in the council of elohim.” (Ps 82:1) ~ There is a divine council of spiritual rulers. Every one of these beings is an elohim. Yahweh alone is haElohim , the Most High God, uncreated, eternal. The biblical writers were not polytheists. They simply recognized the supernatural world as populated, structured, and hierarchical. Yahweh is in a class of His own. But other elohim exist,  and they rule nations (Deut 32:8 — 9). When Israel turned to idols, they weren’t just turning to statues. They were turning to the spiritual beings behind the idols (Deut 32:16 — 17; Ps 106:36 — 37; 1 Cor 10:20). These beings ,  the elohim of the nations ,  became rebel powers. In the New Testament, these same beings appear under a Greek label: daimonia — demons A Shift From Elohim to Daimonia: Not a New Category, Just a New Language When Jews in Jesus’ day spoke Greek, they needed a word that matched the Old Testament’s elohim category. They used daimonion. In Greek literature, a daimon is not necessarily evil. It is a powerful spiritual being — divine, intermediary, ruling, influencing. The first-century audience understood daimónia = spiritual powers. So the New Testament did not shrink the unseen realm. Christians did. The apostles simply used the Greek word that captured the same conceptual world as elohim. Thus: • Psalm 96:5 (LXX): “All the gods (elohim) of the nations are daimonia.” • Deuteronomy 32:17 (LXX): “They sacrificed to daimonia, not to God.” There it is ,  front and center. The New Testament’s “demons” are the Old Testament’s “gods.” They are elohim, dethroned by Yahweh, condemned in Psalm 82, but still influential until the Messiah comes. This is why the Gospel narratives explode with supernatural warfare. Jesus isn’t just healing bodies. He is reclaiming territory. He isn’t just telling demons to leave. He is forcing gods to kneel. The Birth of Jesus Was a Declaration of War From the moment Jesus is born, the elohim realm knows something has shifted. Angels fill the sky not with lullabies, but with military announcements: “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth…” (Luke 2:14) Peace does not come unless a stronger kingdom arrives to break the power of the old. The spiritual realm trembles. Herod ,  not just a wicked king, but a pawn of spiritual rulers , goes into a murderous frenzy. Simeon and Anna prophecy because heaven is stirring. Something is happening that threatens every power, throne, principality, and dominion. The Son of God has entered the turf of the enemy. Why the Demons Always Recognize Jesus Before the Humans Do Humans are slow. The disciples need years. Crowds misunderstand. Pharisees resist. But the spiritual beings? They understand instantly. They cry out: “We know who You are!” “Have You come to destroy us?” “Son of the Most High God!” Why? Because they know Psalm 2. They know Psalm 82. They know Daniel 7. They know the prophecy of the Son of Man who would take dominion and strip the nations’ rulers of authority. They know the seed of the woman has arrived. They know the One who will crush the serpent’s head is walking toward them. So they bow ,  not in worship, but in terror. Jesus terrifies demons because He outranks them. He commands the elohim realm by nature, not by delegation. When Jesus speaks, the gods obey. Every Exorcism Is a Throne Room Event Watch carefully what happens in every Gospel exorcism. The pattern is unmistakable: 1. The demon sees Jesus. 2. The demon reacts violently. 3. The demon acknowledges Jesus’ authority. 4. Jesus commands. 5. The demon obeys. This is courtroom language. Legal language. Throne-room language. They shrink back because He carries the authority of the Most High. This is why the crowds say: “What new teaching is this? With authority He commands unclean spirits, and they obey Him!” (Mark 1:27) No one had ever done this. Israel had exorcists, yes. But Israel never had a King who could walk into a region and empty it of its gods. Jesus’ command is not magical. Not ritual. Not formulaic. It is ontological. He commands because He is Lord. This is Yahweh in flesh stepping into the domain of the lesser gods and stripping them of power. Every exorcism is a dethronement ceremony. The Gerasene Demoniac: The Gods Beg Permission Mark 5 is the clearest example. A man possessed by a legion of daimónia lives among tombs, territory of the dead, the domain of dark powers. Jesus steps off the boat. Instantly the powers react: “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?” Notice the title: Son of the Most High God. This is language used by non-Israelite nations to speak of Yahweh. The gods are confessing: “We know who Your Father is. We know You outrank us. We know You have arrived as Judge.” Then the unthinkable happens: They beg Him for permission. The elohim of the nations — fallen, corrupt, territorial rulers — stand before Jesus and ask: “Please do not torment us.” “Please do not send us out of the region.” “Please send us into the pigs.” They cannot move without His word. They cannot relocate without His approval. This is the moment when the veil tears. This is the moment that reveals the cosmic hierarchy: Jesus is Lord. Every other spiritual being is creature. The pigs rush into the sea,  the symbolic reversal of Egypt’s army drowned in judgment , and Jesus stands victorious on Gentile soil. The gods have bowed. Why Jesus’ Ministry Is Filled With Exorcism, But the Old Testament Isn’t Here is a mystery that confused readers for centuries: Why are there almost no exorcisms in the Old Testament? Why do they explode in the New Testament? The answer: Because the King had not yet arrived to reclaim the nations. Until Jesus came, the rebellious gods,  the elohim of the nations,  still held legal jurisdiction. God had disinherited the nations at Babel (Deut 32:8 — 9). He gave them over to lesser rulers. Israel alone was Yahweh’s inheritance. But when the Messiah comes, the boundaries shift. When Jesus appears, He invades Gentile turf. He begins reclaiming what was lost. He binds the “strong man” (Mark 3:27). He spoils his goods. This is why Jesus’ ministry is filled with exorcisms. It is a sign: The Most High has come to take back the world. Jesus Isn’t Casting Out Demons  He’s Rewriting the Cosmic Map. Every time Jesus casts out a demon, He is not performing a trick. He is redrawing the spiritual geography of earth. He is doing Psalm 82 in real time: “Arise, O God, judge the elohim…” He is throwing down the rulers of the nations: • He heals the sick → reversing death • He cleanses lepers → reversing impurity • He casts out demons → reversing the dominion of foreign gods • He announces the Kingdom → reversing the exile of humanity The cross is the climax. The resurrection is the victory shout. Pentecost is the global takeover. The Gospel going to the Gentiles is the invasion of the nations formerly ruled by rebel elohim. This is why Paul calls them: • principalities • powers • thrones • dominions • rulers of this age And then says: Christ is above every one of them. (Ephesians 1:20 — 23) When the gods Bowed: The Temptation Narrative The temptation in the wilderness is not about Jesus resisting a few sinful ideas. It is about Jesus being confronted by the god of this world. A ruler offering kingdoms he actually governs. Satan shows Him all the kingdoms of the earth. He says: “They are mine to give.” Jesus does not disagree. Because they were, in a limited sense, under his and other elohim’s rule. But when the Son refuses the shortcut, the path is set: He will take the nations back not by compromise, but by conquest. Not through worshipping a lesser elohim, but through destroying them. Not by bowing to a creature, but by making creatures bow to Him. The Cross: The Public Humiliation of the Gods Paul says something wild in Colossians 2:15:“He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, triumphing over them in the cross.” This is courtroom language. This is military parade language. The cross looks like defeat to humans. It looked like victory to the powers. But it was their undoing. The cross was the moment Yahweh in flesh bound the gods of the nations, took away their legal authority, and stripped them publicly. They lost: • the right to accuse • the right to rule • the right to control nations • the right to blind minds • the right to enslave humanity They bowed. Because the Son of God had triumphed. The resurrection is the declaration: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” (Matt 28:18) Not some. Not partial. All. Every elohim knows it. Pentecost: The Nations Are Reclaimed Pentecost is not a random holiday. It is the reversal of Babel. At Babel: God divided the nations. At Pentecost: God reunites them under Christ. Tongues are not a charismatic party trick. They are a military signal: Messiah is taking back the nations once ruled by the gods. The nations previously under the administration of lesser elohim (per Deut 32) are now hearing the Gospel. The gods are losing territory. Their reign is ending. They bow because they cannot stop the Kingdom. The Early Church: Living Proof the Gods Have Fallen Why did exorcism continue as one of the most expected signs of the Kingdom in the early church? Because the church is the embassy of the new King. Wherever Christians go, idols fall. Wherever the Gospel goes, the gods lose jurisdiction. Wherever the Spirit goes, the rival powers retreat. Paul says: “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers…” We wrestle. But we win. Because Christ sits above them. Because the gods have bowed. Because their authority has been broken. The Christian is not fighting for victory. The Christian fights from victory. What It Means Today Your Struggle Is Not Psychological Only, But Cosmic. This theology is not academic. It is not theoretical. You feel it when: • you wrestle with generational patterns • you feel spiritual heaviness over a city • you encounter idolatrous systems • you meet people tormented by dark forces • you confront the demonic in addiction, hatred, or oppression You are not dealing with cartoons. You are dealing with spiritual powers,  lesser elohim ,  who resist the rule of God. But the good news is the same: Jesus already made them bow. He is Lord. They are subject. You belong to the King. The Final Scene: Every Elohim Will Bow in Judgment Psalm 82 ends with the death sentence of the gods: “You will die like men…” This is not a metaphor. They will lose their immortality. They will be judged. They will be cast down permanently. Revelation shows the end: • The dragon cast into the lake of fire • The beast destroyed • The false prophet judged • The nations reclaimed • The New Jerusalem ruling over all Christ reigns. Humanity ,  redeemed, resurrected, glorified ,  rules with Him. The gods that once oppressed humanity are gone. The Kingdom is restored. Eden is restored. The world is restored. And Yahweh alone is worshiped. Conclusion: Jesus Is Not Exorcising Demons — He Is Expelling gods We have read the Gospels as if Jesus were doing small things. But He is doing the biggest thing imaginable. He is unseating the spiritual rulers of the world. He is taking back the nations. He is forcing the gods to kneel before Him. Every exorcism is a coronation. Every healing is a sign of a new Eden. Every word He speaks echoes through the unseen realm. The gods bow because they must. The gods bow because they fear Him. The gods bow because He is Yahweh in flesh, and He has come to reclaim His world. And today? They still bow. Because Jesus Christ is Lord  of heaven, of earth, and of all the elohim. Seeing the connection between Old Testament elohim and New Testament demons reveals the cosmic scale of Jesus’ authority. Amen. © 2026 Jeff Barlatier (Doctoral Candidate)MDiv candidate Want more content like this? Explore more articles in Rethinking Doctrine. Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

What Scripture Says About Alien Encounters The conversation around UAPs and alien encounters is louder than ever, and most of it completely ignores what Scripture has to say. Debra Hodges connects the dots between what people are experiencing and what the Bible has been telling us all along. This one is worth your time. Introduction The Internet and YouTube, especially, are full of content on end-times Bible prophecy, which includes intense accounts of spiritual warfare and great deception. A lot of people are interested in extraterrestrial aliens these days. The U.S. government now has an office that investigates UAPs (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) called The AARO (All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office). The DoD released the “FY24 Annual UAP Report,” covering over 1,600 UAP incidents occurring from May 2023 to June 2024. This report attributed most of the sightings to balloons, drones, or atmospheric phenomena. Some of the cases remained unexplained, but the report confirmed that no evidence of extraterrestrial life or technology had been found. Background As Christians, we already know from the Bible that another dimension to reality exists, a spiritual dimension, containing both benevolent and malevolent beings. Scripture affirms that humanity is not alone, but it does not describe non-human intelligent beings as space aliens. Instead, the Bible speaks of: Angels and Fallen Angels (Psalm 82; Daniel 10) Demons with intelligence and intent (Mark 1:23–26) Supernatural beings capable of physical manifestation (Genesis 6; Job 1) Scripture repeatedly warns that deception will increase toward the end of the age: “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14) End-times deception will include lying signs and wonders (Matthew 24:24) Some people in modern society assume that extraterrestrial life exists and that it will be discovered eventually. How should we respond to their assumption? Should we try to argue them out of their belief? That would be an exercise in futility. Using Scripture, we can defend our view of alien encounters as encounters with beings from the demonic realm. The “Aliens = Demons/Fallen Angels” View Christian authors such as Hugh Ross (astrophysicist), Chuck Missler (Bible teacher and former Navy engineer), and Michael Heiser (PhD biblical scholar) all agree that the best explanation for people claiming to have experienced alien encounters is demonic deception. The following examines their reasoning for this claim. Chuck Missler emphasized that the Bible presents a multi-dimensional reality in which spiritual beings operate in invisible realms. “The Bible is a book about a supernatural reality that intersects our own. UFO phenomena fit better into an interdimensional model than an extraterrestrial one.”— Chuck Missler, Cosmic Codes He claims that UFO behavior, such as the sudden appearances and disappearances of aircraft that defy the laws of physics, is incompatible with interstellar space travel but consistent with interdimensional beings. This category aligns with biblical descriptions of angels and demons. “Angels are not constrained by time, space, or mass in the way physical creatures are. UFOs exhibit similar properties.”— Chuck Missler, Alien Encounters Hugh Ross argues that deception is the dangerous hallmark of demonic activity. He says that in our scientifically advanced culture, spiritual beings presenting themselves as “aliens” is far more believable than believing they are evil demons. “Given the Bible’s description of demons as deceptive beings, it makes sense that they would appear as technologically advanced extraterrestrials rather than as mythological creatures.”— Hugh Ross, Lights in the Sky & Little Green Men Hugh Ross has investigated many alleged alien encounters and noticed an unusual detail: many people reported that their encounters stopped when the name of Jesus Christ was invoked. Ross also noted that supposed alien encounters were strikingly similar to cases of demonic oppression. Sleep paralysis and immobilization Telepathic communication Sexual or reproductive themes Psychological trauma Obsession or fear following encounters “There are documented cases where calling upon Jesus immediately ended the experience — something difficult to explain if these entities are merely biological creatures from another planet.”— Lights in the Sky & Little Green Men Dr. Ross writes about how UFO/UAP phenomena exhibit characteristics of an interdimensional reality and states in his book “Lights in the Sky and Little Green Men”: UFOs are often reported to: Appear and disappear suddenly Pass through solid objects Defy known laws of physics What Messages Do These Entities Communicate? People who say aliens have abducted them or have had some contact with non-human intelligent beings say the encounters have the following themes in common. Humanity is evolving beyond Christianity Jesus was merely an enlightened teacher Sin and judgment are outdated concepts Advanced beings are genetically engineered humans L. A. Marzulli, an American author and documentary filmmaker, is best known for his work researching UFO/UAP phenomena and supernatural claims. He uses this research in his interpretation of Bible prophecy and states that the messages conveyed in alleged alien encounters directly contradict the gospel, thereby revealing the source. This aligns with biblical warnings that false spirits will seek to undermine core Christian doctrines (1 John 4:1-3). “The message is always the same — deny the deity of Christ, deny salvation through the cross, and replace it with a counterfeit narrative.”— L. A. Marzulli, On the Trail of the Nephilim Marzulli and Missler both agree that aliens are the perfect end-time disguise, ideally suited to today’s society. Marzulli connects this directly to end-times prophecy, suggesting UFO disclosure by authoritative sources could be used to explain away events such as the Rapture. “Aliens may become the ultimate explanation for biblical prophecy in a world that rejects God.”— L. A. Marzulli, Days of Chaos Dr. Hugh Ross stresses that the goal of this deception is not curiosity, but the erosion of Biblical authority. This is clearly in line with Satan’s character and plans. Conclusion These authors emphasize that, rather than living in fear, Christians should practice discernment and avoid sensationalism. They advise Christians to: Test the spirits (1 John 4:1) Anchor understanding in Scripture Avoid being fascinated by signs apart from Christ The idea that aliens may actually be demons or fallen angels in disguise is a sound argument held by respected Christian thinkers and supported by Biblical narratives. Scripture reminds believers that the greatest threat is not out there somewhere among the stars, but spiritual deception close to home. For Christians, the ultimate question is not “Are we alone in the universe?” The Bible already answers that. The real question is: Whose voices will we trust? © Debra Hodges First published in the Mustard Seed Sentinel on Medium. Recommended Reads: Does the Bible Talk About Aliens? Why the Real Question Is "Are Aliens Demons" Why the modern alien obsession is really a definitions problem, and how Scripture reframes the question entirely. Old Testament Elohim and New Testament Demons: The Powers Jesus Confronted The word study behind it all, how elohim and daimonia describe the same spiritual beings across both Testaments. Hidden in Plain Sight: Recognizing Demonic Influence Today What it looks like to recognize that same demonic activity hiding in ordinary, everyday life right now. Resources Hugh Ross — Lights in the Sky & Little Green Men Chuck Missler — Alien Encounters, Cosmic Codes L. A. Marzulli — On the Trail of the Nephilim, Days of Chaos, The Watchers series

Spoiler alert! If you haven’t seen this movie yet and you want to, you may want to skip this article, because I’m going to talk about several scenes in it. Spielberg’s new film, released to the public the same day that the Pentagon released a new set of declassified UFO files, is meant to capitalize on public interest and suggest that humanity is on the verge of “first contact”. The declassified material offers no proof of alien life or craft but leaves it to the public to make up their own minds about extraterrestrial life. [1] Background The movie capitalizes on modern society’s UFO anxiety and some people’s suspicions that aliens and their craft have been discovered, and the government has been hiding this evidence for decades. The movie suggests that aliens seeded life on Earth and emphasizes how this knowledge would affect people’s faith and humanity’s place in the universe. It also includes scenes where a man and a woman are shown remembering when aliens abducted them as children and imparted advanced knowledge to them. The young girl develops an extreme capacity for empathy, and the young boy gains an extreme knowledge of mathematics, which Hugo (the main character’s spiritual guide and protector) describes as “the language of the universe.” Unrealistic Scenario The boy (Daniel) grows up and works for a shadow government contractor, “Wardex,” who has been capturing and experimenting on live aliens for decades. He wants to expose them for covering up this evidence because he believes the public “has the right to know”. He steals highly classified documents and goes on the run. The girl (Margaret) grows up in Kansas City and becomes a TV meteorologist. She eventually meets up with Daniel, where he shows her footage of aliens being experimented on to get her to agree with his plan of exposing Wardex. The footage shows an alien screaming in agony throughout the procedure, which makes no sense, considering how advanced the aliens are supposed to be. If they were that advanced, they surely would have worn a medical tag around their neck listing the type of anesthesia they could tolerate in an emergency. An Old Lie Repackaged as Truth Disclosed The movie suggests that these advanced aliens desire to give humanity this advanced knowledge to usher in a new age of enlightenment and enable people to be like gods. What does this sound like to you? To me, it echoes the same lie the serpent told Eve in the garden, “You will be like God” (Genesis 3:5, BSB). The film subtly suggests, through science fiction, that the Creator of the universe can be replaced by aliens with godlike powers. Christians have known for centuries that we are not alone in the universe. The entire Bible speaks of another realm existing, replete with spiritual beings who, like humans, have free will to choose good or evil. Many Christians believe that aliens are actually demons doing Satan’s bidding, who are doing a good job of perpetrating this deception. For more proof of this, please see my article “Aliens or Demons?” Interstellar Travel Is Not Routine In several scenes, you see footage of crashed alien spaceships and live aliens, making it seem like interstellar travel is as routine as taking the subway to work. But real science makes it clear that the vast distances between stars make reaching them impossible. Research shows that the fastest rockets we have can probably reach up to 150,000 miles per hour. At that speed, it would take astronauts about 72,000 years to reach Alpha Centauri, the nearest star to our sun. [2] Science fiction writers imagine we could reach the stars via wormholes, but there’s no scientific proof that they exist or that travel through them would be possible. [3] Humanity’s longing for space exploration may simply be a manifestation of our longing to be with our Creator, because as the Bible says: "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end" (Ecclesiastes 3:11, NIV). Unidentified Does Not Mean Alien For years now, no verified proof of alien spacecraft or extraterrestrial beings has been produced. Recently released declassified information about UAPs (unidentified aerial phenomena) only shows that these sightings are unidentified, not extraterrestrial. This film attempts to exploit these government disclosures to persuade people that aliens have already contacted humanity. This film may stir people up to think we’re missing out on advanced knowledge due to a supposed intentional cover-up of the evidence. In reality, the supernatural is real because God is real. So what is behind all these reports of alien encounters and abductions? The Bible explains that demonic beings can deceive humanity by appearing as higher beings offering forbidden knowledge. For Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14, BSB). This film glorifies the idea that it’s the aliens’ job to enlighten humanity with a counterfeit gospel of cosmic knowledge and evolution. That’s why Jesus said, See to it that no one deceives you (Matthew 24:4, BSB). And that’s why Paul warned us not to let the gospel of Christ be replaced with another gospel. "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another, but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:6–9, KJV). Conclusion Disclosure Day is full of action, visually stimulating, and emotionally stirring, but it’s definitely spiritually misleading. It feeds people’s egos by giving them hope for the betterment of mankind through extraterrestrial beings rather than the true source of light and truth, Jesus Christ. People need to see that the truth about mankind and its future has already been disclosed to us; the Bible records this disclosure from cover to cover. In it, God revealed the truth about Himself, about us, and about His plan of redemption to secure our eternal destiny. Aliens have not and never will save us. Our salvation has already come in the person of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World (John 8:12, BSB). © 2026 Debra Hodges. Want more content like this? Explore more articles in Culture & Faith. Want to dig deeper into this topic? "Aliens or Demons? A Biblical Look at What's Really Affecting Us" The government is releasing files. But are they telling us the whole story? Here's what Scripture says is really behind it all. "Does the Bible Talk About Aliens? Why the Real Question Is 'Are Aliens Demons'" Little green men might be Hollywood's invention, but the Bible has been talking about "aliens" all along, just not the way you'd expect. References 1. Pentagon begins releasing new files on UFOs and says people can “make up their own minds.” (2026, May 8). PBS News. 2. StenBlog. (2024, December 4). How long would it take to get to the nearest star? | Sten’s Space Blog. 3. News. (2024, October 15). Interstellar Space Travel: But why not dream? Mind Matters. 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The Question Nobody Wants to Admit I know you’ve asked yourself that question more times than you’ll ever admit. In the mirror, after a loss, when someone overlooked you again, when you gave your all, and it still wasn’t enough. It’s a question that haunts achievers and dreamers alike…”Am I enough?” Enough to be loved? Enough to be chosen? Enough to be celebrated? We dress it up with confidence, drown it out with distractions, or bury it beneath work, but it keeps resurfacing. Every time we scroll through someone else’s highlight reel, success suddenly seems to be slow, and we begin to feel unseen. The harsh reality is that that question isn’t innocent. It’s a thief!! It steals your joy, your peace, and your ability to see your own worth. It makes you chase validation that was never meant to define you. The Silent Standard That’s Draining You Our world constantly measures worth in terms of followers, beauty, and wins. You could have ten compliments and still obsess over the one person who didn’t clap. You could be doing better than you were last year and still feel like you’re losing. Why? Because comparison doesn’t let you rest, it keeps saying, “Do more, be more, prove more.” But no matter how much you achieve, it will always shift the finish line, and it’s like running on a treadmill that never stops until you’re breathless, empty, and wondering why joy feels so far away. You Were Never Supposed to Earn "Enoughness" Along the way, we learned to treat worth like a reward… "If I succeed, I’m enough." "If they love me back, I’m enough." "If everything goes right, I’m enough." But being enough was never something to achieve; it was something to accept. Scripture says: “I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” ~Psalm 139:14 You were designed in divine confidence. You are already God’s masterpiece and not a mistake that needs constant fixing, but a creation that’s unfolding beautifully in time. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus…” ~Ephesians 2:10 You don’t need to prove your value to people who only see fragments of your story. Your worth was settled long before anyone had an opinion. You are enough, not because the world says so, but because you were created with intention. Your existence is proof that you were meant to carry light in this world, even if you’re still learning how to shine it. The Moment You Stop Chasing Freedom begins when you stop chasing “enough” and start embracing who you already are. It’s not about pretending everything’s fine; it’s about deciding that your worth isn’t up for debate. You start to walk differently when you stop performing for approval. You start to breathe again when you realize that you’re not behind, you’re becoming. Growth takes time, healing takes time, too, but when we speak of identity? That’s settled. You are already enough. Not a work in progress, trying to qualify, but a soul unfolding into its fullness. A Reminder for Every Time You Forget When the doubt creeps in, remember this: You are not the sum of your likes, your losses, or your lapses. Those don’t do you for a single second. You are a story still being written, and so no single moment defines you. You were never meant to be totally perfect; you just need to be present. So today, I need you to stop asking if you’re enough. Start asking if you’re being true. Because when you live from truth, “enough” stops being a question and starts being who you are. If this spoke to you, take a moment today to pause and breathe. You don’t have to earn your worth. You already are enough. Drop a thought in the comments and tell me one truth you’re choosing to believe about yourself again. Stop letting the lie of “not enough” run your life. That’s the devil. Stand up and reclaim your voice. You owe it to yourself and to the One who made you to live like you already are what you’ve been chasing. © Favour Want more content like this? Explore more articles in Knowing God. "What God says about your worth was never waiting on your performance, your highlight reel, or anyone's approval to make it true." Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.

Faith, Truth, and Paradoxes Christianity is full of paradoxes. It is both exclusive and inclusive. Exclusive, because Jesus Christ boldly declared that the only way to God is through Him. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6, NIV) In this statement, Jesus claims to be Truth itself. He embodies Truth, and as God Himself, He is the source of Truth. Truth, by its very nature, is exclusive. For example, all of the following statements are true with only one correct answer. The password to my online bank account is: ________________________. 2 + 2 = 4 Water boils at exactly 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius). Other paradoxes in Christianity (and there are many more than these) include: the concept of the Trinity (one God in Three Persons), Jesus Christ as both the Lion and the Lamb, the principle of losing one’s life in order to find it (the world says, “put yourself first”, but Jesus said, “die to yourself” to find real life), the apostle Paul said that when he was weak, he was actually strong (see 2 Corinthians 12:10). By this he meant that God uses human weakness to display His power, and that dependence on God is the true source of strength, not self-sufficiency. Christianity is also inclusive because Jesus Christ offers salvation to everyone who believes, regardless of their past, background, or failures. The main theme of the book of Romans is that everyone has sinned and is separated from God, but God knew this would happen because of mankind’s free will, and He created a plan to solve this problem from the beginning of the world. "For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile, the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:12–13, NIV) These paradoxes humble us and cause us to realize that God’s wisdom far surpasses ours. The God of the Bible isn’t distant or indifferent. He is personal, loving, and relentlessly pursues us! He loves us so deeply that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for our sins so that we could be reconciled to Him. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16, NIV) Why Do We Need God? Every human being senses a deep longing for meaning, purpose, and connection. We wrestle with questions of origin, purpose, and destiny because we were created by God in His image (Genesis 1:27). We aren’t mere cosmic accidents, nor the result of millions of years of unguided processes coming together to produce us. God breathed His life into humanity (Genesis 2:7) and gave us an immortal soul that will live forever somewhere. He also gave us free will to decide whether we will live with Him or apart from Him. Without God, life becomes a fleeting pursuit of temporary pleasures. We may fill our days with distractions, but our souls remain restless. Augustine famously said, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” As mentioned above, our sin has separated us from God (Romans 3:23). We can’t help but sin because our nature is bent away from God. Because God is perfectly just, sin must be punished. If God didn’t punish sin, He wouldn’t be loving. But because He is perfectly loving, He took that punishment upon Himself in the person of Jesus Christ. Why the God of the Bible? There are many religions in the world, but only one offers a Savior who died for His followers and rose again. Religious figures such as Buddha, Muhammad, and Confucius never claimed to be God incarnate or to have conquered death. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the central evidence of His divine authority and the foundation of the Christian faith (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). Here is a well-researched article that examines the resurrection of Jesus using historical, eyewitness, and scientific evidence: Resurrection of Jesus: A Scientific Review of the Evidence. Christianity is unique from other religions because it doesn’t require rituals or works to earn salvation. It’s not about human effort reaching up to God; it’s about God reaching down to humanity. Salvation is a gift received by faith, not a reward earned by deeds (Ephesians 2:8–9). The Reality of Heaven and Hell Jesus spoke plainly about both heaven and hell. Heaven is the eternal home of those who love and trust Him. It’s a place of unending joy, peace, and fellowship with God. Hell, by contrast, is the eternal separation from God, created originally for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). Many people reject the idea of hell, but disbelief doesn’t erase reality. Just as gravity operates whether we acknowledge it or not, so does God’s moral law. To deny hell is to deny the seriousness of sin and the holiness of God. God wants everyone in the whole world to be saved and live in harmony with Him forever. People use their free will to choose to accept or reject His offer of salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus. "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9, NIV). The Benefits of Knowing God Choosing to follow Jesus isn’t merely fire insurance to avoid judgment; it’s about showing Him how much you love Him and appreciate His sacrifice for you. When you make Him Lord of your life, you promise to take up your cross daily and follow Him, which means committing to obey His teachings. When you accept His free gift of salvation, the Holy Spirit enters your heart, and He will empower you to live a new life and obey God. (Romans 8:11). The Christian life brings peace, joy, and purpose. It gives us a community of believers who support, encourage, and challenge us to grow. Real faith isn’t stagnant; it grows as we love and trust (see Ephesians 1:15–16). God loves us as we are, but He loves us too much to leave us that way. The Bible becomes our guide, offering wisdom, comfort, and direction. The Spirit gives us strength to overcome temptation and courage to face trials. And above all, we gain the assurance of eternal life with the One who created and redeemed us. Why I Choose to Worship the God of the Bible I choose to worship the God of the Bible because He alone is worthy. He is the Creator of the universe, the Sustainer of life, and the Redeemer of souls. I love Him because His love for me is unconditional and because He first loved me (1 John 4:19). I worship Him because He is the Truth. In a world full of shifting opinions, moral relativism, and confusion, God’s Word stands firm. His promises never fail. His character never changes. I worship Him because He gives my life meaning and purpose. I worship Him because He has revealed Himself in the Bible as one God manifested in three persons. He is a personal God, not an abstract force. He is the God who made Himself known by entering history, suffering, and overcoming death for our sake. Conclusion So, do you need God? Yes, I believe so because you were made by Him and for Him. Why the God of the Bible? Because He alone is real, loving, and powerful enough to save. Which one should you pray to? Pray to the Father, through the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Believe in the one true God who invites you into eternal fellowship with Himself. Jesus is knocking on the door of your heart. The question is, will you open the door to Him? "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me" (Revelation 3:20, NIV). © 2026 Debra Hodges Want more content like this? Explore more articles in Knowing God. Related Reading You May Enjoy: Common Objections to Christianity That Don't Hold Up — A look at the popular objections to the faith that sound convincing but fall apart under honest examination. How I Know God Is Real — A personal account of the reasons and evidence behind a confident faith in God. Growing Faith Through Questions — How wrestling with hard questions can deepen faith rather than weaken it. Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Cmd + P (Mac) to print this article or save it as a PDF.