In our daily meditations on the Scriptures, we ponder the prophecies concerning the days leading up to the Second Coming of Christ. The disciples asked Jesus, "When will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3). Christ’s response served as a warning that there would be a time of great deception: “Watch out that you are not deceived” (Luke 21:8). We are currently living in that period of deceit. Our enemy, Satan, has individuals strategically positioned who have gained control over various influential roles in politics, media, religion, education, big pharma, food, and other sectors. From these positions of authority, they advance anti-God philosophies such as evolution, worldly values, and deceptive strategies, all with an agenda to push society toward more significant degradation. The enemy seeks to corrupt and control minds.
Believers in Christ are engaged in a spiritual battle that will intensify until Christ returns. Because of the deceptive tactics employed, we must firmly grasp the truths of Scripture and give no credence to the manipulation methods of the enemy in the media, television, and the Internet. Not everything we see on TV is harmful, but we should approach anything on the airwaves with a healthy dose of skepticism. All should be measured against the standard of God's Word. Think for yourself! The Word of God instructs us not to believe everything we hear but to test the spirits:
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 (1 John 4:1).
Every spirit that does not confess that Jesus has come in the flesh is not of God and should be recognized as the spirit of the Antichrist (1 John 4:1-3). When the disciples asked Christ about the sign of His soon coming, Jesus first spoke of deception and people who embrace false religions:
21At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. 22For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 23So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time (Mark 13:21-23, Emphasis added).
Scripture clearly states that someone will emerge on the world stage in the days, months, or years to come, positioning himself as a Messiah or Christ-like figure. In the passage above, Mark tells us that the individual we are discussing will be a master of deception. He will be a charismatic leader who tackles complex global issues, possibly even resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict. Scripture indicates that he will establish himself in God's temple, declaring himself to be God and demanding worship (2 Thessalonians 2:4). In this writer's view, this act of desecrating the temple suggests that a temple is yet to be constructed in Jerusalem.
Revelation 13:8 tells us, "All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names are not written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb." Doesn't it make you wonder how many people will be deceived into following this leader who is opposed to God?
The best way to avoid deception is to know the true Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. When the Word and Spirit of God guide our lives, we will easily recognize the counterfeit. Those who belong to the Shepherd are sensitive to His voice (John 10:4). True believers will possess discernment when the false Messiah appears, and no one can snatch them from the Father’s hand (John 10:29).
Prayer: Father, I want to know you and the love of the Lord Jesus Christ revealed in the Scriptures. Come into my life, fill me with your Spirit, and grant me discernment and a passion for the Truth. Keith Thomas
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