MATTHEW 24:1-14
3. “(Many) shall hate one another.” So few will be kind, tender, and loving. Dissension and division will prevail in the
last days. Most will begrudge what another has or is doing or is not doing. Such has been the case down through the centu-
ries. Too often the church has experienced one person’s disliking and opposing another person. Envy, greed, concern for se-
curity and recognition—all the sins of selfishness—have caused too many to stand against another’s position, beliefs, abili-
ties, leadership, and on and on. Unfortunately, criticism and judging, dissension and division among believers has been and
is one of the most visible traits of the church, both locally and universally. Christ says that such hatred will increase and in-
tensify in the end times.
Thought 1. Why are professing Christians sometimes “offended” by Christ? Some of the reasons would be...
g120 fear of ridicule g120 fear of persecution
g120 fear of abuse g120 fear of not having
g120 fear of being ignored g120 fear of losing position, security, wealth, and power
g120 fear of not fitting in
All these, and many other reasons, will be taking their toll in the last days.
Thought 2. The two things that God and Christ desire above all others from the believer are love and unity.
1) Love is basic.
“And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his son Jesus
Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment” (1 Jn.3:23; cp. Jn.13:34-35;
15:12; 15:17).
2) Unity is basic.
“And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Ho-
ly Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be
one, as we are” (Jn.17:11).
“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through
their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also
may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which
thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and
thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou
hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me” (Jn.17:20-23).
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(24:11) Leaders, False—Teachers, False: The sixth sign is the rise of false leaders offering false hope. Christ makes
two points.
1. “Many false prophets shall rise.” They will be prophets; that is, they will claim to preach and teach the message of
God. Jerusalem, facing the crises of its last days, experienced a great number of false prophets arising; and each had his own
message about how the people could be saved.
“Now, there was then a great number of false prophets suborned by the tyrants to impose upon the
people, who denounced this to them, that they should wait for deliverance from God; and this was in order
to keep them from deserting, and that they might be buoyed up above fear and care by such hopes. Now, a
man that is in adveristy does easily comply with such promises; for when such a seducer makes him believe
that he shall be delivered from those miseries which oppress him, then it is that the patient is full of hopes
of such deliverance” (Josephus, Wars. 6. 5:2).
A false teacher is one who develops his own way, truth, and life for people to follow rather than follow Jesus as the way,
the truth, and the life. The church has always had its false teachers: teachers who presented what they wished instead of what
Christ said; teachers who taught their own ideas instead of the truth of Christ; teachers who attached people to themselves in-
stead of attaching them to Christ.
2. “Many shall be deceived.” There are several reasons why a person is deceived.
g159 A person’s frantic hope for deliverance causes him to search for a savior and to grasp at almost anyone who ap-
pears on the scene.
g159 The humanistic desire to better and strengthen oneself and to impose and control one’s destiny causes a person
to look to leaders who offer hope and a better world.
g159 The evidence of signs, wonders, power, reasonableness, logic, knowledge, and help causes a person to follow
leaders who demonstrate unusual abilities.
False teachers are both within and without the church, and they shall increase as the last days of the world approach (cp. 2
Cor.11:13; 2 Th.2:1f; 1 Tim.6:3).
“Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now
are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but
they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us; but
they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us”
(1 Jn.2:18-19).
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many
false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that
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