When Jesus was asked about the sign of His return, He listed a series of events which must happen first. He began by warning against deception, saying that many would come in His name, saying, “I am the Christ,” and will deceive many (Matthew 24:4-5). They would come to say several things: They would admit that Jesus was the Messiah, but they would deceive many by proclaiming a false Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:4) who had come to do away with His Father’s Commandments (Matthew 5:17), including the law against fighting and killing in war. They would also claim that they would be Jesus—as the man of sin will do (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4), sitting in the Temple of God, pretending to be God or Jesus who had allegedly returned in his person. Thirdly, they would also proclaim that they are “the Christ” in the sense of “the Messiah”—the Savior or the Deliverer, as so many have claimed in the past and are claiming today.
Christ repeated His warning later on when offense, betrayal and hatred would run rampant (Matthew 24:10). He told us that then “many false prophets will rise and deceive many” (Matthew 24:11). Many claiming to work for God would deceive many, causing lawlessness to abide and the diminishing of God’s love in His people (verse 12). All of this was to occur when the Gospel of the Kingdom would be preached in all the world, and THEN the end of this present evil society will come (verse 14).
We have undoubtedly reached the beginning of that time period (verses 32-34). There are many political and religious leaders, tyrants and despots today who claim or are being viewed as the Savior of mankind, or at least of their countries over which they rule. There are quite a few who have national ambitions of greatness and expansion, of conquering lands which are not their own. But when we warn about this in our StandingWatch programs, sermons and our literature, we are met, at times, with rejection and outright hatred, and sometimes, this even includes viewers and listeners who claim to be in the Body of Christ. Betrayal to government officials might be next, and undoubtedly, hatred will increase, as Christ proclaimed that we will be hated by all nations for His name’s sake (verse 9). Yes, we will continue to proclaim the message of the Gospel which Christ brought—that none of the political or religious leaders are our Savior, and that only Jesus Christ is the One who will come back to establish God’s Kingdom and Rule here on earth and to bring us peace and make an end to war.
What we are observing now are the beginning of sorrows (verse 8), but we have to endure to the end in order to be saved (verse 13). We have to resist all political and religious propaganda which proclaims a false message, lest we be deceived.
When the beast manifests himself in Europe, most people will follow and even “worship” him (Revelation 13:12) and “his image” (Revelation 19:20); but not those who believe the Truth and recognize him as for what he is (Revelation 13:8). But those who resist will be persecuted and might even be killed (Revelation 13:15) … hatred of their fellow man will have reached a climax.
God’s warning to us is loud and clear: Come out of Babylon with its false religious and political teachers and doctrines (Revelation 18:4); and do not even touch anything what is unclean, and then—only then—will God the Father accept us as His sons and daughters (2 Corinthians 6:17-18).