Signs of the End - Don't Be Deceived
Signs of the End – Don’t Be Deceived
Jesus said the end of times was to begin. How come we are still in the beginning and how far in the beginning are we? Are we close to the end of times? We certainly don’t know and cannot with certainty answer any of those questions. Any attempt to be precise to a date is anti-Christ. We are given enough guidance to live in these end-times, therefore, we are not confused but we must not be deceived.
For sure with certainty, Jesus is coming back soon as He said. Be ready.
Let’s hear what Jesus said regarding signs of the times and the end of the age.
Matthew 24:1-14: “Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”
The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all[a] these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences,[b] and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.
11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
What do we learn so not to be confused and not deceived?
First, the temple was completely destroyed in A.D. 70, as Jesus said; so every other prediction of Jesus is coming to fulfillment.
Second, many will come in the name of Christ claiming they are the Christ. Many have already come and more are coming.
Jesus said, “Take heed.” Be warned. In our day, they come in the form of ‘prosperity gospel’ preachers.Jesus repeatedly talked about the false prophets who will deceive many. Deception is not obvious otherwise it is no longer deception. Deception comes with truth but always has material lie. A glass cup that has 99.5% of water and 0.5% of deadly poison is still poison.
One sure way to avoid deception is to know the truth from the lies. We must study and meditate on God’s Word so that anything contrary will be obvious to us. Bankers study the true dollar bill to know counterfeits.
One of the troubling statements by Christ is that “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” This is the love for God and love for other people. We are in the age of lawlessness and it is affecting everything around us including the church. Have you and I become so desensitized and grown so cold? There are senseless killings including killings of innocent babies in the womb at the altar of convenience.
One quick way to measure our coldness is what we are doing about the next statement of Jesus. He said, the Gospel will be preached in all the world before the end. Are we so love cold that we don’t even care that people are headed to hell? Even the ‘rich man’ in hell (Luke 16:19-31) cared; how much us? He wanted people to go tell his brothers “so that they will not also come to this place of torment.” Hell is real. Do we believe it? Do something.
Jesus also said it will not be easy to live in these times for there will hatred of believers and persecutions for His “name sake.” But Jesus also said, to be of good cheer for He has overcome, John 16:33.
We must not be deceived but dispel lies by living as witnesses of Christ and preaching His saving Gospel. We are not to be afraid for Jesus said He will be with us all the way to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).
False prophets are everywhere including the media and entertainment. Anything that takes away our trust in God is false. Jesus is the only way to God and to heaven.
Thank you Jesus for warning us. Help us not to be deceived. Thank you God the Holy Spirit who lives in us and will lead/guide us into all truth. Help us to preach this gospel to all the world starting with our neighbors, co-workers, family, friends and foes. Amen.
Jesus is surely coming again. Are you ready for Him? Have you trusted Him?
Jesus said the end of times was to begin. How come we are still in the beginning and how far in the beginning are we? Are we close to the end of times? We certainly don’t know and cannot with certainty answer any of those questions. Any attempt to be precise to a date is anti-Christ. We are given enough guidance to live in these end-times, therefore, we are not confused but we must not be deceived.
For sure with certainty, Jesus is coming back soon as He said. Be ready.
Let’s hear what Jesus said regarding signs of the times and the end of the age.
Matthew 24:1-14: “Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”
The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all[a] these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences,[b] and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.
11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
What do we learn so not to be confused and not deceived?
First, the temple was completely destroyed in A.D. 70, as Jesus said; so every other prediction of Jesus is coming to fulfillment.
Second, many will come in the name of Christ claiming they are the Christ. Many have already come and more are coming.
Jesus said, “Take heed.” Be warned. In our day, they come in the form of ‘prosperity gospel’ preachers.Jesus repeatedly talked about the false prophets who will deceive many. Deception is not obvious otherwise it is no longer deception. Deception comes with truth but always has material lie. A glass cup that has 99.5% of water and 0.5% of deadly poison is still poison.
One sure way to avoid deception is to know the truth from the lies. We must study and meditate on God’s Word so that anything contrary will be obvious to us. Bankers study the true dollar bill to know counterfeits.
One of the troubling statements by Christ is that “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” This is the love for God and love for other people. We are in the age of lawlessness and it is affecting everything around us including the church. Have you and I become so desensitized and grown so cold? There are senseless killings including killings of innocent babies in the womb at the altar of convenience.
One quick way to measure our coldness is what we are doing about the next statement of Jesus. He said, the Gospel will be preached in all the world before the end. Are we so love cold that we don’t even care that people are headed to hell? Even the ‘rich man’ in hell (Luke 16:19-31) cared; how much us? He wanted people to go tell his brothers “so that they will not also come to this place of torment.” Hell is real. Do we believe it? Do something.
Jesus also said it will not be easy to live in these times for there will hatred of believers and persecutions for His “name sake.” But Jesus also said, to be of good cheer for He has overcome, John 16:33.
We must not be deceived but dispel lies by living as witnesses of Christ and preaching His saving Gospel. We are not to be afraid for Jesus said He will be with us all the way to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).
False prophets are everywhere including the media and entertainment. Anything that takes away our trust in God is false. Jesus is the only way to God and to heaven.
Thank you Jesus for warning us. Help us not to be deceived. Thank you God the Holy Spirit who lives in us and will lead/guide us into all truth. Help us to preach this gospel to all the world starting with our neighbors, co-workers, family, friends and foes. Amen.
Jesus is surely coming again. Are you ready for Him? Have you trusted Him?
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