Deception and the end times | Poal: Say what you want.

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in the book of revelation, this same warning appears as the first seal, also known as the first of the four horsemen of the apocalypse:

now i john saw when the lamb opened one of the seals; and i heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, "come and see." and i looked, and behold, a white horse. and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer. (revelation 6:1-2)

comparing jesus' comments in matthew 24 with these verses in revelation 6, it becomes apparent that this horseman is not christ proclaiming the true gospel but a counterfeit spreading the news of a false messiah. for instance, this horseman carries a bow, but in every case, christ is pictured with a sword (see revelation 1:16; 19:15). jesus interprets this horseman for us in matthew 24:5: "for many will come in my name, saying, i am the christ, and will deceive many."

the apostles frequently caution us to remain on guard against lies. paul writes in ephesians 5:6, "let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of god comes upon the sons of disobedience." in an obviously end-time passage, he warns:

now, brethren, concerning the coming of our lord jesus christ and our gathering together to him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of christ had come. let no one deceive you by any means. . . . (ii thessalonians 2:1-3)

he continues later in the chapter:

the coming of the lawless one is according to the working of satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (verses 9-10)

peter speaks of "destructive heresies, even denying the lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. and many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed" (ii peter 2:1-2). he later predicts that "scoffers will come in the last days, . . . saying, 'where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation'" (ii peter 3:3-4). the apostle jude echoes these statements in his epistle (jude 4, 17-18).

john warns christians about deception being a hallmark of the antichrist, signs of which were already popping up in his time:

little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. . . . i have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. . . . these things i have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. . . . little children, let no one deceive you. (i john 2:18, 21, 26; 3:7)

god paints the time of the end as a period of rampant deceit. his concern is primarily spiritual, since recognizing, knowing, and following the truth is absolutely necessary to our salvation. however, we must also be on guard against secular, political, and cultural deceptions because they can affect our approach and reaction to the truth.

It is no coincidence that the first warning jesus gives about "the sign of his coming and the end of the age" is, "take heed that no one deceives you" (matthew 24:3-4). in fact, warnings about deception are frequent throughout his olivet prophecy (verses 4-5, 11, 23-26, 48). the time of the end, it seems, will be one of falsehood and deceit. in the book of revelation, this same warning appears as the first seal, also known as the first of the four horsemen of the apocalypse: now i john saw when the lamb opened one of the seals; and i heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, "come and see." and i looked, and behold, a white horse. and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer. (revelation 6:1-2) comparing jesus' comments in matthew 24 with these verses in revelation 6, it becomes apparent that this horseman is not christ proclaiming the true gospel but a counterfeit spreading the news of a false messiah. for instance, this horseman carries a bow, but in every case, christ is pictured with a sword (see revelation 1:16; 19:15). jesus interprets this horseman for us in matthew 24:5: "for many will come in my name, saying, i am the christ, and will deceive many." the apostles frequently caution us to remain on guard against lies. paul writes in ephesians 5:6, "let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of god comes upon the sons of disobedience." in an obviously end-time passage, he warns: now, brethren, concerning the coming of our lord jesus christ and our gathering together to him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of christ had come. let no one deceive you by any means. . . . (ii thessalonians 2:1-3) he continues later in the chapter: the coming of the lawless one is according to the working of satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (verses 9-10) peter speaks of "destructive heresies, even denying the lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. and many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed" (ii peter 2:1-2). he later predicts that "scoffers will come in the last days, . . . saying, 'where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation'" (ii peter 3:3-4). the apostle jude echoes these statements in his epistle (jude 4, 17-18). john warns christians about deception being a hallmark of the antichrist, signs of which were already popping up in his time: little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. . . . i have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. . . . these things i have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. . . . little children, let no one deceive you. (i john 2:18, 21, 26; 3:7) god paints the time of the end as a period of rampant deceit. his concern is primarily spiritual, since recognizing, knowing, and following the truth is absolutely necessary to our salvation. however, we must also be on guard against secular, political, and cultural deceptions because they can affect our approach and reaction to the truth.

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