STAND FIRM: Drones, UFOs or What? - A Biblical Consideration

      I know this sounds strange, but I’m not even a weird guy. I don’t know why the Lord has burdened me to write about the weird stuff. I’m not even a science fiction fan. Yet, here we are, diving into one of the strangest topics yet. And for me, that’s saying a lot!

      Right now, the news is buzzing (pun intended) with stories of drones, UFOs, or unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) over New Jersey and elsewhere. Reports describe overwhelming numbers of unidentified objects if you've somehow missed it. Initially, a government official claimed these were drones sent by Iran and controlled from a mothership off the coast. That explanation was quickly dismissed, leaving the incidents unexplained. This phenomenon has reignited debates about their origins. Some suggest advanced government technology, and others point to something unidentified altogether.

      This isn’t the first time UFOs or UAPs have captured the public’s attention. Over the past few years, declassified government and military documents have brought these mysterious sightings into mainstream conversations. It’s hard to ignore the cultural shift toward "accepting” the idea of UFOs, even for those who’ve been skeptical.

      It seems fairly obvious this thing in New Jersey is some physical drones or something to that effect, but I thought I’d use the buzz of this subject to talk about taking a Biblical look at UFOs. I wish this was an interactive discussion because I’d love to hear your thoughts on UFOs and aliens. No matter what you believe, there’s no denying the cultural impact. Views on UFOs shape worldviews, and beliefs about them influence how people see the world.

      I hope you and those you influence, especially the next generation, have a solid biblical worldview. I believe the Bible doesn’t just answer our questions — it gives us the reality of our world. And I believe it answers the question of how we should understand all this alien stuff. Therefore, more than anyone, Bible-believing Christians should lead the charge in helping others see how the Bible might address it.

      For many, it’s easy to dismiss UFOs and aliens as fiction or hoaxes. But if we’re honest, some stories are hard to refute. People who’ve seen or experienced something often remain convinced it was real. That word — something — is key. I’ll come back to it.

      Even I’ve had experiences that made me pause. Growing up in Ashdown, there were UFO sightings in the Red River Bottoms. My family even went looking a couple of times — though we missed the show and didn’t see anything. I bet some will read this and remember that! Another time, my dad and I saw an unusual fireball while night fishing. I know people who saw something down in the bottoms. We saw somethingwhile fishing. Many more people have experienced somethings that have them even more convinced.

      And there it is again — something. People see or experience something unexplainable and then try to interpret it. This isn’t a new phenomenon. Every culture throughout history has reported strange sightings and encounters. What we call UFOs and aliens today might have been fairies, gnomes or star people in another time. The stories are actually similar, but the explanations have changed.

      Authors like Dr. Chuck Missler and Dr. Michael Heiser have written on a Biblical view of UFOs, and their writings have focused on the deceptive nature of UFO phenomena. They note characteristics like instant acceleration, sharp directional changes and materialization or dematerialization — movements that defy physical laws and seem more spiritual than technological. Accounts of alien abductions add another layer, often describing fear, paralysis and torment. They both have concluded experiences align more closely with biblical descriptions of demonic oppression than extraterrestrial encounters.

      Authors who have written on UFOs and the Bible often point to Ezekiel’s wheel vision. They argue that even in Scripture, we see descriptions that some connect to UFOs. Ezekiel’s vision of a "wheel within a wheel" accompanied by radiant lights and movements beyond natural explanation is one such example. Before modern flight and space exploration, other cultures interpreted similar phenomena as mystical or spiritual events.

      So, what is this something people are experiencing?

      Biblically speaking, I believe the most likely explanation is demonic activity. The Bible tells us demons are real. During Jesus’s ministry, they manifested in ways people could recognize. Scripture teaches they still exist today, so it stands to reason they could manifest now. And if they do, wouldn’t we expect deception to be part of their strategy?

      Many Christian authors have suggested that UFOs could be demonic impersonations — manifestations meant to deceive and mislead. This doesn’t mean everything reported is demonic or that what’s happening in New Jersey right now is a direct spiritual event. But if there’s truly something there without a physical explanation, the Bible points to demons as the most plausible culprit.

      Before we jump to conclusions about aliens or advanced spacecraft, let’s first consider the spiritual reality the Bible reveals. We need to account for what we know is true — the existence of spiritual forces working to deceive and disrupt. And while not every UFO sighting or report has merit, it’s worth grounding our perspective in Scripture as we navigate these strange conversations. I realize I likely haven’t answered any questions, but I hope I’ve given enough pause that we will at least consider what a Biblical explanation of this would be.