Today, countless churches and religious groups exist, but every believer must seriously consider whether their church is truly established by the Spirit of God—or is, in fact, a false church set up by Satan.

Jesus already warned, “There will be many wolves in sheep’s clothing” (Matthew 7:15), and to discern their true nature, one must understand the history of Old Testament Israel, beginning with David. This is because that history serves as the prophetic pattern for the “spiritual Israel”—the history of the church—which began with Jesus.

1. David, Solomon, and the Foundation of the Church

1) David and the Foundation of the Church of Jesus
David laying the foundation of the temple (1 Chronicles 22:7–10) is not just a historical event. In the New Testament, it prophetically foreshadows Jesus calling the twelve apostles (Matthew 10:1–2) and establishing the church’s foundation upon them (Ephesians 2:20). David’s temple foundation represents the apostolic foundation of the “spiritual temple” that Jesus would establish after the cross.

2) Completion of Solomon’s Temple and the Early Church
Solomon completing the temple according to David’s instructions (1 Kings 6:14; 8:1–11) foreshadows the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2), the unity of apostles and believers, and the establishment of the early church—the “heavenly temple.” Just as God’s glory filled the temple at its dedication (1 Kings 8:10–11), the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost, birthing the church (Acts 2:1–4).

3) Division, Corruption, and the Fulfillment of Prophecy
The Division of Israel: When Solomon fell into idolatry in his later years (1 Kings 11:4–13), Israel split into the northern kingdom (Israel) and southern kingdom (Judah). This history prefigures the post-New Testament division of the church into the Eastern (Jerusalem-centered) and Western (Rome-centered) churches.

Corruption and Decline of the Western Church: Just as the northern kingdom fell to Assyria after succumbing to idolatry under King Ahab (2 Kings 17:7–18), the Western church (Rome) became corrupted—distorted doctrines, secular alliances, and departure from the truth.

After Absorbing the Eastern Church: Like Judah’s eventual destruction by Babylon and ensuing captivity (2 Kings 25), the Western church, after absorbing the East, grew increasingly secular and corrupt.

The “Captivity” of Catholicism: The Middle Ages—marked by the Inquisition, witch hunts, and the sale of indulgences—fulfilled the prophetic hardships experienced by Israel in Babylonian exile (2 Chronicles 36:17–21).

Thus, Catholicism became the spiritual “Babylon,” displaying the apostasy the Bible warns about for the last days. The history of Israel is the spiritual shadow of church history and is the key to discerning the corruption, division, and true nature of modern churches and false religions.

2. The Reformation, New Denominations, and the Continuation of Prophecy

1) Luther, Calvin, and Reformers—The Medo-Persian Fulfillment
Luther, Calvin, and the Reformers, standing against the corruption of the medieval Catholic Church, proclaimed “Scripture alone” and “salvation by faith.” This corresponds to Daniel’s prophecy of the Medo-Persian empire (Daniel 5:28, 8:20), which overthrew Babylon and established a new order. Like Medo-Persia freeing Israel from Babylon, the Reformers opposed “spiritual Babylon” and brought new spiritual liberation.

2) Advent Movements and New Sects—The Greek Empire and Its Division
After the Reformation, various new movements and sects arose, including William Miller’s Adventist movement, Seventh-day Adventists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and “feast-keeping” sects. This parallels the rise and division of the Greek Empire after Medo-Persia (Alexander the Great, Daniel 8:21–22; 11), as Protestant denominations splintered into various groups, each pursuing different theologies—sometimes moving further from truth, sometimes repeating religious experiments.

In this way, the appearance of Reformers and later sects shows the ongoing fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecies about the rise and fall of empires within the spiritual Israel, the church.

3. Modern Heresies and the Rise of the Antichrist

Groups like the World Mission Society Church of God fulfill the biblical type of Antiochus IV (Daniel 8), a figure representing the Antichrist. Antiochus IV set up foreign gods in Judah, defiled the temple, abolished God’s law and feasts, and forced idolatry (Daniel 8:9–12; 11:31). Similarly, WMSCOG repackages its leaders and doctrines in the name of God, distorts the Bible’s essence, and imposes false eschatology and commandments on its followers. This proves the reality of false prophets and the era of spiritual confusion described in the Bible (Matthew 24:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:3–4; Revelation 13). The Bible warns that the Antichrist will appear in the last days to desecrate God’s temple and truth, deceiving many. The existence of groups like WMSCOG is a sign that the Antichrist prophecies are being fulfilled within church history. Revelation 11 speaks of two witnesses filled with the Spirit; all who come before them are thieves and robbers.

4. Conclusion: Examine the Church through Biblical Prophecy

Ultimately, while all churches may outwardly be called “the church of God,” when viewed through biblical prophecy and history, some are shown to be established by Satan. True discernment comes not through tradition or human judgment but through the lens of prophecy and the flow of redemptive history. Every believer must examine the reality of their church in this light—asking whether it manifests the work of the Holy Spirit or is a false church caught in Satan’s schemes.