Deceived
Olivet Discourse • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains. 9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Perils of the Olivet Discourse….
Deception is at the heart of this discourse and here we find Perils that we will encounter in society…and these perils will rule over human minds and hearts until the end comes…these are not the signs that the end has come, yet the birth pains…as Jesus warns…
In fact there it isn’t until we get to v14 that we see the first sign of his coming that the end is here…and that is when the Gospel is preached as a witness to all the nations…everything else that leads up to that moment that we just read are just signs of the times…
Peril #1) False Messiahs
Peril #1) False Messiahs
Watch out that no one deceives you.
For many will come in my name, claiming, I am the Messiah...
Jesus is saying…hey, guys…don’t be deceived by these false teachers. Theses false messiah’s, these false prophets that will come after me…claiming to have my authority or even claiming to me the Messiah.
Is this talking about a future great deception?
Or is this talking directly to the disciples…
DUAL FULFILLMENT PROPHECY…
Many prophetic words have a duality or a double meaning…
One for the immediate listener and one for the future.
Isa 7:14 - Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel. This was a prophecy about Isaiah's wife but was also applied to Mary and Jesus as per Matt 1:23.
Joel 2:28-32 is an example of a prophecy that was fulfilled at Pentecost in Acts 2 but which appears to be capable of eschatological fulfillment again in the period before Jesus returns
Hos 10:8 is about the wicked asking to be destroyed by rocks and mountains is a prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem; but it also receives a dual application by Rev 6:15-17 at the end of time when Jesus returns.
The prophecy about Gog and Magog in Eze 38 concerns the punishment meted out to these pagan nations in OT times. However, it is given a second impetus in Rev 20:8 in the time after the 1000 years.
Mal 4:5 predicts the arrival of Elijah the prophet before the “Day of the Lord” and the NT claims fulfilment in places like Matt 11:13, 14, 17:11-14, Mark 9:12, 13, Luke 1:17 as John the Baptist. However, the “great and terrible day of the Lord” (Mal 4:5) clearly also has eschatological fulfilment and confirmed by the indirect allusions to Elijah in the book of Revelation.
Ps 22 is about the loneliness and isolation of David as were many of his psalms. However, it has been correctly understood by many, including Jesus Himself, as Messianic, as conformed by Matt 27:43, 46, Mark 15:34. Many Jewish interpreters also understood this Psalm as messianic.
And here this is one of them…
4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.
There are many prederists who believe because of the events that took place before the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem in AD 70 that these events are fulfilled. Therefore they have no significance in the end game.
But that is not what we believe…
YES THESE THINGS HAPPENED AND JESUS WAS GIVING A PROPHETIC WARNING TO HIS DISCIPILES ABOUT THINGS THAT WOULD HAPPEN IN THEIR LIFETIME BUT ALSO FOR US AS WELL…
For instance, a few years after Jesus ascended into heaven a revolt broke out in Samaria led by a self-proclaimed messianic figure. This man called many of the people to follow him out into the wilderness before ascending Mount Gerizim with ambitions for war. A first-century priest, historian, and eye-witness to the downfall of Jerusalem tells us that Pilate (the same man who oversaw the crucifixion of Jesus) squashed that rebellion and killed many thousands of people who participated in it (See Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, 18.85-87).
A few years later in 44 AD, a Jewish fraud convinced a crowd of people that he was the messiah, and led them through the wilderness, to the river Jordan, where they all met their untimely demise. This same Jewish historian, named Josephus, recounts it for us this way:
“It came to pass, while Fadus was procurator of Judea, that a certain charlatan, whose name was Theudas, persuaded a great part of the people to take their effects with them, and follow him to the river Jordan; for he told them he was a prophet, and that he would, by his own command, divide the river, and afford them an easy passage over it. Many were deluded by his words. However, Fadus did not permit them to make any advantage of his wild attempt, but sent a troop of horsemen out against them. After falling upon them unexpectedly, they slew many of them, and took many of them alive. They also took Theudas alive, cut off his head, and carried it to Jerusalem.” - Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 20.97-98
It is important to note that Josephus was not only an eye-witness to these events but that he was also a Pharisee and priest. He was not a sympathizer of Christ or a lover of Christians, but instead was hoping for the true messiah while watching the proliferation of false ones. To think that Josephus records this rise of false prophets and false messiahs, which clearly contributed to the downfall of Judah, must have been an especially bitter and ironic end for him to preside over. He was waiting for a Messiah who would bring freedom and life. He witnessed false messiahs bringing slavery and death.
As the days drew closer to the destruction of Jerusalem, he says
“There were many who deceived and deluded the people under the pretense of Divine inspiration, but were in fact for the procuring of innovations and the changes of government. These men prevailed with the multitude to act like madmen, and went before them into the wilderness, pretending that God would there show them the signals of liberty.” - Flavius Josephus, Jewish War 2.259
Just as Jesus predicted, the Pied-Piping false messiahs would lead many like rats away to the slaughter. Josephus continues this story with a very specific example that happened in the year 58 AD, just ten years before the Jewish war began. Josephus says:
“There was an Egyptian false prophet that did the Jews more mischief than the former; for he was a cheat, and pretended to be a prophet also, and got together thirty thousand men that were deluded by him; these he led them round about from the wilderness to the mount which was called the Mount of Olives. He was ready to break into Jerusalem by force from that place; and if he could but once conquer the Roman garrison and the people, he intended to rule them by the assistance of those guards of his that were to break into the city with him.” - Flavius Josephus, Jewish War 2.261-262
In a separate work, Josephus describes the awful end this rebellious lot had fallen into.
Now when Felix was informed of these things, he ordered his soldiers to take their weapons, and came against them with a great number of horsemen and footmen from Jerusalem, and attacked the Egyptian and the people that were with him. He slew four hundred of them, and took two hundred alive. The Egyptian himself escaped out of the fight, but did not appear anymore. And again the robbers stirred up the people to make war with the Romans, and said they ought not to obey them at all; and when any persons would not comply with them, they set fire to their villages, and plundered them. - Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 20.170-171.
It’s like the hobbits…we’ve had one breakfast yes, but what about second breakfast…
I don’t think they know about second breakfast…
Chris’ post…man robbed of gun at gunpoint guns down robber with second gun…
gun theif—i have your gun
hobbit- you have one gun but what about the second gun
So yes, we believe that there will be more and more deception as time goes on. And as people
1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.
1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.
1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
How will we know?
Who do we call a false teacher?
Who do we call a false prophet?
Remember the Parables of the Kingdom that we went through…
Matthew 13
of the Wheat and the Weeds…
Who’s job is it to weed out
The birds of Prey
The Darnel…
The yeast that the woman hid?
Peril #2) Wars and Rumors of Wars
Peril #2) Wars and Rumors of Wars
Matthew 24:6–7 (NIV)
6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
Not any specific war or revoltion but that wars and rumors of wars will continue throughout the ages.
Peril #3) Natural Calamity
Peril #3) Natural Calamity
7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
Peril #4) Persecution
Peril #4) Persecution
9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Peril #5) Apostacy & Cyncism
Peril #5) Apostacy & Cyncism
10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,
Deconstructionism
Paul & Demus
14 Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings.
24 And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.
9 Do your best to come to me quickly, 10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
The world is a seductive mistress and will do her best to draw you away from Christ.