23 “Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. 25 See, I have warned you about this ahead of time.

26 “So if someone tells you, ‘Look, the Messiah is out in the desert,’ don’t bother to go and look. Or, ‘Look, he is hiding here,’ don’t believe it! 27 For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man[ e ] comes. 28 Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near.[ f ]

Matthew 24:23-28 (NLT) 中文

Major signs

Last passage, Jesus told His disciples (us) a key sign of the end times, the coming of the “abomination of desolation”. Today’s passage tells us another key sign – His return in the sky. And He warns us to watch out that we are not deceived by false Messiahs.

False Messiahs

What is a “false Messiah”? It’s, “a pretender who claims to be the One sent from God to save humanity…  Even within the last century, certain men such as Jim Jones, Sun Myung Moon, and David Koresh have risen to prominence by claiming to be God or His right-hand man.” (gotquestions.org) Jesus says they (and false prophets) will be able to perform “great signs and wonders”. I’m not sure if these guys did, but by claiming to be God’s Savior, they are false Messiahs. 

We actually don’t need to look far to see them today. Do you know preachers who twist the truth of the Bible to their own advantage? They actually seek fame, power, wealth by claiming some lie about Jesus or Christian life and leading many astray. The best example I can think of is Joel Osteen. 

Obvious return

When Jesus comes again, it will be very obvious. There will be no way to miss, “as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west”. It will be some sort of world-wide event that all will see. It will be indisputable.

How respond? 

How are we to respond? First, don’t be deceived! We need to be on our guard. Critically evaluate their teaching against the Bible like the Bereans of the NT (Acts 17:11) who carefully examined the teaching of the Apostle Paul, of all people!

RЯeflection

• Are you following a popular on-line, TV pastor? Do they say things that make you feel good and sound right? Maybe they’re very convincing and use phrases or teachings you have heard before. But be careful for they may be adding in quite unbiblical lies, like Joel Osteen. If the Spirit is in you, He will guide you to all truth. But we have to read and study the truth so we can know the lie.