Although it is as yet still unpublished, enthusiastic readers are telling others about the book’s message.

"The Apostasy’s" Biblical Message

To help Bill’s unpaid and unofficial public relations team, I asked him to tell me more about "The Apostasy," starting with the book’s Biblical message.

By e-mail he said, "‘The Apostasy’ is about the times that we live in now, and the events and signs that the Bible tells us will happen right before the rapture and the ushering in of the anti-Christ. I believe we are living in the last days – I call it the ‘Terminal Generation.’ It’s the generation that began in 1948 with the birth of the nation of Israel, and will not end before the return of Jesus to take His church from this earth."

Bill referred to Daniel 12:4, a Bible verse talking about knowledge formerly hidden that will be revealed only in the "last days." He added that the verse talks about people who are "desperately seeking knowledge," as he put it.

"What they will be desperately seeking is not worldly knowledge, but the knowledge that was sealed up until God is ready to reveal it those it will affect in the last days," Bill said. "To those who seek it, their knowledge shall increase in recognizing the signs and events. They will not be fooled by the deceptions of Satan."

"The Apostasy" focuses on the Biblical text of II Thessalonians chapter two. Bill explained that he interprets the Scriptures here to mean that in verses 1-3 before the taking of the church to be with Jesus and the subsequent appearance of the anti-Christ, there is a "falling away," by many people from their religion.

The Greek word used is one that means abandonment, as in the result of a sudden and traumatic event, that will cause some of those who formerly followed Jesus to fall away from their faith

Bill said, " This ‘apostasy’ is not some gradual moral decline as some have taught in the past, but in the original Greek text the definite article ‘the’ is used, connecting this apostasy to a specific event.

In the Latin text, Bill told me, the word ‘rapere’ is used to describe this apostasy. He pointed out that rapere is the root word for raptor, describing the kind of animal that strikes quickly.

"Paul does not tell us exactly what will happen to cause this apostasy," Bill said, "but later on in the same chapter he tells us it will be a part of a series of ‘signs and lying wonders.’ Then later on he says it will be a ‘strong delusion.’

Bill added, "‘The Apostasy’ is a fiction story based on many prophetic scriptures that explains what this coming delusion might very well be."

UFO’s and "The Apostasy"

I told Bill that a number of people have been intrigued by the UFO hovering over the church on the cover of book and asked him to explain the significance behind that.

He said that "The Apostasy" reveals the truth behind the UFO phenomenon by showing how Satan might try and explain away the rapture.

"I mean just think about it, if the rapture happened today, how would the world explain it?" "Bill said, "They certainly aren't going to admit that Jesus came back and took all those people. A popular explanation could be that UFO’s took them. That is why Satan has promoted the UFO phenomenon since around the time that Israel became a nation, and he realized that this is the last generation."

He added, "The biggest part of the whole UFO awe and fear is the alien abduction syndrome. If many in the world believe that aliens came and took some humans, then it will be a lot easier for the anti-Christ to unite all the nations in a one world order to fight against the threat from outer space."

The beginning of "The Apostasy" fascinated me. Bill began the book with anti-Christ being born in 1963 to a young virgin sequestered away in a convent located high in the mountains of Italy. I asked Bill if he could explain this a little more.

He said, "The anti-Christ will be the product of an earthly woman and Satan himself, a ‘Rosemary’s Baby,’ or what the Bible describes as a ‘Nephilim.’ ‘Nephilim’ are the offspring of the unnatural union of demons and human women, as shown in the Biblical book of Genesis chapter six verses 1-4." That aligns with the UFO syndrome. Satan tries to counterfeit everything God does. His man of sin will claim to be the Messiah to the Jews. It is only sensible to see that he will falsely claim to be of virgin birth."

I asked Copeland if there was a reason for his portraying the anti-Christ as being born in Italy.

He said it is because of his understanding of the Scriptures. In Daniel chapter 9 verse 26, Copeland said, in a description of the coming anti-Christ there is a statement that his followers will be those who destroy the city (Jerusalem) and the temple after the Messiah came the first time. That destruction, Copeland reminded me, occurred in 70 A.D.

"Those people were the Romans, hence the anti-Christ will have a Roman or Italian heritage," Copeland said.

Supernatural Warfare

As I read through the book I was struck with Copeland’s descriptions of supernatural warfare between demons and angels over some of the book’s characters. I asked Copeland to explain that a little more.

Bill said the Bible tells him that we do not fight flesh and blood, but rather demonic forces, or Satan’s fallen angels.

"As a Spirit-filled Christian," Bill said, "I am now a part of that supernatural realm. I am not a mere human having a supernatural experience, but a supernatural being having a human experience while I am still here on earth. We need to understand that the enemy is defeated and has no power over us. He can only lie to us. If we have the wisdom of God that we can only get by believing His Word, we will never fall for the lies of Satan. The spiritual warfare goes on around us continually. I have painted a picture of that warfare as it pertains especially to Satan's plan for his kingdom he wants to set up here on earth ruled by the anti-Christ."

A Literal or Allegorical Understanding of the Scriptures?

Bill admitted that "The Apostasy" requires a literal interpretation of Biblical prophetic events. There are a number of Christians who would sharply disagree with his interpretation of end times events, saying that much of what the Bible is talking about when it refers to the last days should be interpreted allegorically. I asked Bill what he would say to those people who hold that alternative viewpoint.

He said, "Almost one third of the Bible is considered prophetic, and most of those prophecies have been fulfilled to the letter – and all literally. Why would we consider that God would suddenly change His way of proving who He is by telling us the future so we can be prepared for it by making it allegorical in nature?"

A Sequel?

I asked Bill if he has planned a sequel to "The Apostasy." He said that it is the first part of a trilogy, and he has already completed writing the second book.

"Those who have read the draft of the second book like it even more than the first. And the third? I am still working on that," he said.

Bill said he is not yet certain when the second book will be available.

" I have already received letters from people who have just recently ordered the first book asking me that same question," he said. "I can't say at this time. I really need to find a publisher for the first book before I can have the means to get the second book out there. I covet the prayers of those who will join with me in asking the Lord to bring me the right publisher in His time."

Ordering "The Apostasy"

"The Apostasy" may be ordered for $19.95 + $4.95 for postage by writing to Bill Copeland, 34428 Yucaipa Blvd. Ste. E-159, Yucaipa, Calif. 92399-2474.

Bill Copeland is a prophetic end times speaker and head of men's ministries at Victorious Living Christian Center in Pomona, California. He may be contacted by e-mail at revbillcopeland@yahoo.com