Christ's Warning

Jesus gave vital information enabling us to avoid deceptions propagated by false prophets and other deceivers.

The final sermon of Jesus warns his followers about “the many deceivers” and “false prophets” who will work tirelessly to mislead them, among other things, by disseminating false information about his return and the end of the age. Constant vigilance is vital if we wish to avoid deception and apostasy.

The Church has been plagued by false teachers since its founding. The early church struggled to identify and resist pagan philosophies like Neoplatonism and Gnosticism, for example. It remains the same today, only the details of the deceptions vary over time, and technological innovations provide new methods for propagating lies.

[Photo by Traworld Official (Malaysia) on Unsplash]

Jesus began his sermon on the Mount of Olives with a stern warning: “Beware lest anyone deceive you.” Liars and charlatans will come in his name and “deceive many.” Likewise, “many false prophets” will appear, not just a few. Deceivers will target the “elect,” and the stress in Christ’s words is on the term “many” - (Matthew 24:4-11, 24:23-24, 24:26).

These deceptions include false information about “the coming of the Son of Man” and “the conclusion of the age.” False prophets will claim that the Messiah “is here” or “there,” or that he is “in the wilderness” or “in the secret chamber.” They will set false expectations about the imminence of Christ’s return, claiming that “the season is near” - (Matthew 24:23-26, Luke 21:8).

Disciples will “hear of wars and rumors of wars.” False teachers will point to conflicts between nations, earthquakes, famines, and similar calamities as evidence of the rapidly approaching return of Jesus.

Wars, seismic activities, and famines occur with regularity; however, they are not indicators of the nearness of Christ’s return. Jesus classified them as “birth pains,” evidence of the inevitable end of the present world order, not of its proximity. Nevertheless, “the end is not yet.” Catastrophic events such as wars and earthquakes cannot be used to calculate the timing of the end - (Matthew 24:4-6).

When Jesus does appear, it will be sudden, unexpected, and unmistakable. All men will see it and understand, one way or another:

• “Behold, I have told you beforehand. Therefore, if they say to you, Behold, he is in the wilderness; go not forth. Behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning comes forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west, thus, the coming of the Son of man will be” – (Matthew 24:25-27).

• “And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven. And then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” – (Matthew 24:30-31).

• “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For you yourselves know accurately that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they will say, Peace and Security, then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they will not escape” – (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3).

ONLY GOD KNOWS

Jesus warned that “no one knows the day or hour, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, except the Father alone.” The term “alone” in the clause is emphatic in the Greek text. The Father is the only exception to the rule. Men and women who claim to know that day’s timing are mistaken, deceived, or liars. Jesus repeated this warning at least four times in his sermon.

Moreover, believers cannot know “on what kind of day” the Son of Man will come. Christ is coming “at an hour you do not expect.” The version of this saying in the Book of Mark adds that we do not know “when the season is” - (Matthew 24:42-44, 24:50, 25:13, Mark 13:32-35).

Jesus warned his disciples again just before his Ascension. They asked when he would restore the kingdom. He replied:

• “It is not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father has put in His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” - (Acts 1:7-8).

The Greek nouns translated as “times” and “seasons” in the preceding passage are in the plural number. They cover every possible way we might wish to demarcate time. This information is known only to the God and Father of Jesus Christ - (Acts 1:7-8).

Rather than decode prophetic timetables, we must concern ourselves with proclaiming the Gospel to the nations. Until Jesus appears, we are tasked with preaching the Gospel, and we must remain prepared for his sudden arrival precisely because we do not know the timing of that day - (Matthew 24:14, 24:42-44, 25:13, Mark 13:32-36).

Jesus did not provide us with a timetable for calculating the timing of his return. However, he gave clear and emphatic warnings about deceivers, false teachers, and false prophets that will plague his Church with false claims about the future. Therefore, we must “beware lest anyone deceives us,” and we become one of ”the many” members of God’s elect deceived by lies and false expectations.

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SEE ALSO:

• Thief in the Night - (Just as unprepared men were destroyed by Noah’s Flood, so unrepentant men and apostates will be overwhelmed by destruction when Jesus arrives)

• Knowing Times and Seasons - (Instead of calculating times and seasons, followers of Jesus must always be prepared for his sudden arrival)

• Deceivers and Disasters - (Jesus warned of coming deceivers who will mislead many and spread false information about his return)

• Signs and Seasons - (Paul does not provide detailed information about the times and seasons since the Lord will arrive like a thief in the night – 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3)