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Author: Stephen Weller
711 words, 4 minutes read time.

Be On Guard For False Christs

Scripture: Matthew 24:26-27; Mark 13:21-23; Luke 17:22-25, 37

With the previous lesson we finished the section on the abomination of desolation in which Jesus spoke about the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place and the great suffering that is coming. With this lesson we will cover a short section about those who claim to be Christ.

^{Lk 17:22} And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. ²³ And they will say to you, ^{Mk 13:21} ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. ²² For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. ²³ But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.

Jesus is talking to his disciples about their coming suffering and tells them they will experience days when they will desire to return to the time they spent with Jesus in Galilee, but they will have to continue to endure in their ministry after Jesus has gone on to be with his Father.

Jesus then explains in the days to come there will be those who will say they have found the Christ, but they will be false christs and along with them will be false prophets who will be able to perform signs and wonders to lead many astray, and if possible, even the elect. Jesus tells them and us to be on guard for these deceivers.

^{Mt 24:26} “So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness.’ ^{Lk 17:23} Do not go out or follow them, or ^{Mt 24:26} ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. ^{Lk 17:24} For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, ^{Mt 24:27} coming from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. ^{Lk 17:25} But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.”

We need to be able to discern who these deceivers are and not go after them. Anyone who comes in a secret or hidden way is not to be followed because when Christ comes, it will be dramatic, sudden and visible to all. His coming will be like a great bolt of lightning that lights up a dark sky that all can see.

Jesus then returns to again explain what is about to happen. He tells them that he must suffer many things and be rejected by those of their generation. Before Jesus comes with his kingdom, he must first suffer and die to purchase our salvation. Those who by grace through faith are born spiritually will then populate the kingdom of God. When that is complete, Jesus will return with those in his kingdom.

^{Lk 17:37} [Then the disciples] said to him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”

Commentators tell us to not try to over-interpret this proverbial statement. The footnotes of the ESV Study Bible for Matthew 24:28 give two suggestions to its meaning: “It probably means simply that, just as people from far away can see vultures circling high in the air, Christ’s return in judgment will be visible and predictable. A similar view is that the vultures suggest the widespread death that will accompany the return of Christ to judge those who have rejected his kingdom. In either case, it will be impossible for people not to see and recognize the return of Christ.”

Conclusion

The devil will do his best throughout the ages to deceive people in an attempt to lead them away from the truth. After the ascension of Jesus, there will be false christs and false prophets who the devil will use to do his work of deception. Then one day he will enter into a man and as the antichrist of Revelation, will deceive many, but his day will be short, and Jesus Christ will return with his kingdom.