The Olivet Discourse: Jesus warned about a false Christ.
Jesus Christ. He was and always will be the only Christ. In the biblical context, the word ‘Christ’ means the ‘Messiah’ or the ‘anointed’ one. Kings and priests were anointed with oil and set apart for the work of God. But the anointed one or Messiah was to be a unique individual. There would only be one. There have been imposters over the span of centuries but God’s Word would recognize only one.
Ever since the fifteenth verse in the Book of Genesis, mankind has been looking for a ‘chosen one’ who would come to the earth. He would break the curse of the fall and crush the head of Satan. Eve thought her first son, Cain, would be the one to break the curse. She was mistaken. Instead, Cain became the first murderer. Many imitators followed until the arrival of Jesus, the humble carpenter from Galilee. Among the three verses below we see the Genesis verse in which God predicts an offspring born of a woman who would defeat Satan. In the two verses in Matthew, we see something that many of the prophecy watchers missed. The Chosen One would also be God’s Son.
The Messiah, God’s Chosen One
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him, I am well pleased.”
While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him, I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
In Matthew’s discourse, which we find in chapters 24 and 25, it begins with a warning. The Lord tells his followers to be wary of deception.
Don’t be deceived he said.
That message is rightly pushed forward to today and to any who desires to heed that warning. Today, the truth is subject to the whims of the one who is doing the telling or the one who does the listening. We make up our own opinions about what is really true.
Another false Christ will arrive in these later days. God knows the timing of his arrival. It is a fruitless effort to try to predict the who or when of this prophecy. Though many will continue to do so until he arrives.
But the Apostle Paul was clear when he predicted someone’s arrival in the last days. Paul referred to that someone as a ‘he.’ That person, a male, would stand in the temple of God and make a claim of deity. He will be the last false Christ.
He will be the person known as the Antichrist.
2 Thessalonians 2:4
He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
A video worth your time
Joel Richardson and Alan Kurshner engage in an excellent conversation covering this portion of the Olivet Discourse. It’s well worth your time to see what these two respected scholars have to say.
Matthew 24:23 Don’t follow a false Christ.
“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.”
The famous historian, Josephus, was silent regarding this subject of false Christs. If there was someone who made that claim during the time of the Roman destruction of Jerusalem, he never mentions it. See the comment below.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
The narrative of Josephus, while speaking of many “deceivers” claiming divine authority (Wars, ii. 13, ? 4), is silent as to any pretenders to the character of the Messiah.
I make that point because many teachers suggest that the prophecies in Jesus’ discourse were fulfilled in the first century. There are a lot of problems with that theory. One of them is the lack of a claim by anyone to be the Messiah after Jesus’ departure. There don’t appear to be any first-century males standing in the temple of God claiming to be God during the Roman destruction.
Paul’s prophecy will see fulfillment in the future. Expect it.
Matthew 24:24 Did a false Christ arrive in 70 AD?
“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.”
Here’s another problem for the preterist version of Bible prophecy. Jesus warned about false Messiahs. He said they would perform great signs and wonders. John, in the Book of Revelation, mentions these signs and wonders and the individuals who perform them. He also identifies the false Christs. They’re demons.
Revelation 16:14
They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.
Take note of the bold words in John’s passage. That is clearly a passage that refers to the end of the age. It’s the battle of Armageddon.
Paul gives us further detail about the “he” that was mentioned in a previous verse.
2 Thessalonians 2:9
The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie
Matthew 24:25 Jesus, the true Christ, gave this warning.
“See, I have told you beforehand.”
This simple message from the Lord is intended for every person who has ever heard this message. You’ve been warned. We all have. When that false Christ stands in the temple of God and declares that he is God, it will be too late for most people. Those who are awake and aware will understand.
Matthew 24:26 Don’t believe when the false Christ arrives
“So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.”
There is no doubt in my mind that the Lord was dropping clues to help us understand these future events. In my Isaiah commentaries, there are many passages that mirror the same events found here in Matthew. In this verse, the Lord refers to the wilderness. Enemies would arrive from the wilderness, and in these words, we see that false Messiahs will also arrive from the wilderness. Isaiah says the wilderness of Edom will endure a great punishment for coming against the Chosen People.
Jesus said don’t believe the claims of a false Christ appearing in the wilderness. John said they would be demons.
Matthew 24:27 The unmistakable sign of the true Christ
“For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”
When Jesus, the Chosen One returns, there will be no doubt it’s him. The skies will light up in unmistakable brilliance. The citizens of the world will know. A secret meeting with a demon in the wilderness is a fast ticket to hell and a very bad career move. 🙁
Matthew 24:28 An obvious sign of death.
“Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”
This verse has led scholars to make many differing opinions as to its meaning. I’ll add my own view which is different than most other views I’ve read or heard. That doesn’t make it right, but we’ll see in the end, won’t we?
Context: Jesus was talking about false Christs. He warned about deception. Don’t believe the false claims or the signs and wonders.
When vultures circle in the sky, it’s well-known what that means. A dead body is near. The circling vultures is a sign of a dead body. The dead will follow the claims of demons. The spiritually dead who reject the claims of Christ will follow the false signs in the wilderness. The false claims of divinity and the signs and wonders of the false Messiahs will be like vultures circling in the sky. The walking dead, those who will look for a false Christ, will be under the sign of the circling vultures.
Those signs will be limited in scope. The sign of the true Messiah will stretch from horizon to horizon.
When Jesus comes, the world will know he has arrived.
Let me know what you think.