Mount Olivet Discourse -
Part 5
by Paul George
Matthew 24:23-26
In the midst of the greatest time of upheaval and chaos in
the history of the world, Jesus reminds his disciples that
even then the most important thing in life is one’s
relationship with Christ. As this passage moves into the
events of the second half of the tribulation, the number one
priority is to avoid deception.
It is important to avoid deception during the latter half of
the tribulation because this is the time in which the
antichrist, also known as the beast in Revelation, begins
his global rule and requires all to take the mark of the
beast in order to by or sell (Revelation 13:17). This is
such an important time in history that God sends angelic
messengers to specifically preach the gospel to the entire
world and warn them of the consequences of accepting the
mark of the beast (Revelation 14:6-13). This is an important
time because individuals alive at this time will determine
their eternal destiny based on their response to the gospel
and antichrist appeal to take his mark.
Matthew 24 and Mark 13 are generally parallel to one another
on this passage, while Luke 21 totally omits this text.
Matthew and Mark speak of a future tribulation, while Luke’s
focus is primarily on first century events.
Matthew 24: 23-25 reveal two major points about false
Messiahs. First, the false Messiah will not be visible and
out in the open. Second, the false Messiah will do miracles
in order to mislead and deceive many.
Verse 23 speaks of the impending appearance of the Messiah.
Here, our Lord is setting up a contrast between the false
and the true. The false program of antichrist will be laden
with rumor and innuendo, but the genuine coming of Messiah
will be clear to all (v. 27). Why does Jesus come back to a
warning about deception in this passage after having already
addressed the issue in Matthew 24: 4-5, 11?
Following the evacuation of Judea, the false messengers of
Satan will find it necessary to attempt to infiltrate those
who have fled to the mountains. First, they will claim that
Christ has already appeared (Matthew 24:23). In order to
bolster such claims, they “shall show great signs and
wonders” so that their counterfeit ministry “If possible”
might deceive the very elect. Obviously, this will fail, yet
the attempt will be made.
This passage is parallel to Paul’s writings in 2
Thessalonians 2 and John’s words in Revelation 13. Both
passages speak of Antichrist’s deceptions. While Matthew
24:26 says that the elect will not be deceived, 2
Thessalonians 2:9-12 says that the non-elect will be
deceived. “The one whose coming is in accord with the
activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false
wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those
who perish, because they did not receive the love of the
truth so as to be saved. And for this reason God will send
upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe
what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did
not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness" (2
Thessalonians 2:9-12). “Not only will the apostate part of
the Jewish people be deceived by theses lying wonders, but
also the apostate part of Christendom, left behind after the
rapture of the church has taken place, will be deceived and
swept away in the great judgments of that coming day.
Interestingly Jesus says concerning these false
announcements; “Do not believe!" This demonstrates that a
believer should not just believe anything that comes down
the pike, but it does matter what you believe.
Just as there are true prophets who prepare the way for the
true Messiah, so also, Satan will have false prophets to
prepare the way for his false Messiah often known as the
antichrist. In fact, it is often said that the term
“antichrist" only appears in 1 John (2:18; 4:3). This is
true. However, the use of “false Christs” in verse 24 is
similar to the language for antichrist in 1 John.
The “false Christs” clearly is a reference to the
antichrist, which is also known as the beast and the man of
sin and the man of lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2). The
reference to “false prophets" would certainly include the
false prophet of Revelation 13:11-18. Revelation 19:20
summarizes the career and destiny of the false prophet as
follows: “And the beast was seized, and with him the false
prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he
deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and
those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive
into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.”
Jesus is looking toward a time that has not yet taken place
in history. He is looking forward to the time of the
tribulation where the Jewish remnant will have fled to the
hills. The false prophets and Messiahs attempt to draw them
out of their hiding, but true believers will not fall for
it, because Jesus is warning them ahead of time about this
tactic.
Here we have the same words, great signs and false prophets
and false Messiahs perform wonders that describe the
miracles of Christ and His apostles. Does this mean that
Satan is merely deceptive, in that, he makes men think that
they see a genuine miracle? On the other hand, should this
be understood as happenings that cannot be understood based
on merely human powers? The second view seems to be the
right answer, these are genuine miracles, because every time
there are statements about these false miracles the language
used is that they actually do these things, as we have in
this passage “will show great signs and wonders." If the
false prophets and messiahs were just tricking people into
thinking that they were doing miracles with smoke and
mirrors the scripture would have used language that
indicates this. Instead, it uses words and phrases that say
that they are actually doing these things.
For example, look at some of the satanic miracles performed
by the false prophet in Revelation 13. “And he performs
great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of
heaven to the earth in the presence of men" (v. 13). "And he
deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs
which was given him to perform in the presence of the beast,
telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the
beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life"
(v. 14). "And there was given to him to give breath to the
image of the beast, that the image of the beast might even
speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the
beast to be killed" (v. 15). These are the words of actual
events, not slight of hand.
It appears that God grants temporary power to these false
prophets and Messiahs so that they will be used of God to
attract all unbelievers to themselves in unbelief. This is
what is meant in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 when it says, "the
one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan,
with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the
deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they
did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved" (2
Thessalonians 2: 9-10). Paul tells us the reason is that
“God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they
might believe what is false, in order that they all may be
judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in
wickedness. However, His elect will not be deceived, because
Jesus has warned them in advance to watch out for these
false miracles.
Matthew 24:26- 27
Previously, Jesus has been warning the Jewish remnant during
the second half of the seven-year tribulation to watch out
for spiritual deception. Jesus referenced " the elect"
(Matthew 24:24) for the second of three times in which that
term is used in this passage, which refers to the Jewish
remnant who will come to Christ during the tribulation.
Jesus continues His instruction and warnings to “the elect"
in Matthew 24:26-28.
Matthew 24:27 seems to indicate that Jesus is somehow
participating in Jerusalem’s destruction. This is exactly
the point. Jesus came “like lightning" to set Jerusalem
“aflame all around." If you recall, it was Titus, as God’s
representative agent, who set the temple on fire and leveled
the edifice. In a.d. 70 God sent Rome to fulfill a similar
task. Our Lord forewarns His disciples that His coming to
that judgment-scene would be conspicuous and sudden as the
lightning-flash which reveals itself and seems to be
everywhere at the same moment.
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