I'm sorry to say I think he really believes his own words.
Anyway a little thought ...
When the Big A hits he says - with a sweeping gesture - the anointed "whoosh" are gone!
So an earthly survivor stood there next to him won't know if AM3's lifeless corpse is the result of his being destroyed at Armageddy or his being taken up to rule with JC, Mad Freddy, Ted J. and others of the same overlapping generation that would "by no means pass away"?