Below is an excerpt from something I have been working on:
“And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains” (Matthew 24:4-8, ESV).
Jesus prophesied that deception will increase in the endtimes. So, he warned the disciples: “Watch out that no one deceives you” (Matt. 24:4b, CSB). When he issued this warning to the first-century disciples, he was at the same time warning the endtimes believers. This warning could also be directed to the world and the Jews, who will enter into Israel’s 70th week (Matt. 24:11, 23-25; Mk. 13:21-23). Many imposters have emerged in these last days who claim they are the anointed one, or that they are the only one anointed (Matt. 24:5; Mk. 13:6; Lk. 21:8). This warning could be an allusion to the wolves in sheep’s clothing who claim they have a special anointing (Matt. 7:15; Phil. 3:2; Col. 2:8; 2 Pet. 3:17). True believers are the anointed of God because they are sealed with the Holy Spirit (1 Jn. 2:26-27), but there are deceivers in the church who usurp their authority and take advantage of undiscerning Christians.
Just because the church of the
living God was not alive when Jesus issued this warning does not mean his
warning is not also for them. If anything, his words were intended more for the
body of Christ who would be alive after Israel’s renewed statehood than anyone
else—except when he warns the Jews to beware of false prophets after they enter
into their 70th week. Remember, Jesus is prophesying about the endtimes. As
said, the apostles and the prophets are the foundation of the household of God
with Jesus being the chief cornerstone (Eph. 2:19-22). The believer-in-Christ
should understand that God the Father was warning his church to be aware and not
be led astray, by false teachers and prophets who teach and prophecy doctrine
that does not line up with endtimes prophecy. Many in today’s church gravitate
to these imposters because they have itching ears and cannot discern truth from
fiction (2 Tim. 4:3-4). Jesus’ warning is issued to the endtimes church for the
simple fact that it is the body of Christ who reads the words of Christ. Jewish
people do not read the words of Christ unless they are curious about him and
are being drawn by the Spirit of God to receive Jesus as Lord—and until the Jew
believes that Jesus is Lord, he cannot understand what is written. Unbelievers
do not read the words of Christ unless they too are being drawn by the power of
the Holy Spirit to receive Christ—and as the Jew, the unbeliever cannot
understand what is written until after he is saved. Therefore, when Jesus warned “Watch
out that no one deceives you,” he was referring, to Christians.
Jesus also informed the endtimes
church that they are: “Going to hear of wars and rumors of wars” (Matt. 24:6a,
CSB). I believe he was specifically referring to the wars Israel has been
involved in during the endtimes. The reason I say this is because Israel is
God’s time clock. The church should keep its eyes on what happens to Israel
during this time. During the years of Israel’s renewed statehood, the church of
God has constantly witnessed Israel at war with its Arab neighbors—the nation
of Israel has had no rest. Since 1948: “Israel has fought many conflicts with
various Arab forces, most notably in 1948–49, 1956, 1967, 1973, 1982, 2006, and
2023–present.”[1] Jesus warns those who read his words to, not be
alarmed because these wars must happen (Matt. 24:6b, c). Then he adds: “But the
end is not yet” (Matt. 24:6d, CSB). What did he mean by that statement? Was he
referring to the end of the world? The end of the church age? Or was he
referring to the end of Israel’s 70th week? Since I believe Jesus prophesied
Israel’s 70th week in Matthew 24:9-31 (Mk. 13:9-27; Lk. 21:12-28), he may have
been referring to the end of Jacob’s trouble (Jer. 30:7)—the end of the
seven-year Tribulation/Israel’s 70th week (Matt. 24:14).
Jesus also warns the church,
Israel, and the world, that ethnic and racial groups will clash and be in
constant conflict with one another once Israel’s sovereign government is
restored in the endtimes (Matt. 24:7ab; Mk. 13:8ab; Lk. 21:10). Much of the ethnic
and racial tension in the endtimes is being promoted by the globalists. These
global government contributors are the mainstream media, progressive
politicians, and Marxist organizations in North America and the European Union.
Famines have increased since 1948
as the globalists have starved the third world so they can claim climate change
is the cause (Matt. 24:7c). They have been redistributing the wealth of North
Americans and the people of the European Union claiming that it is to conquer
climate change. But the truth is, it is to enrich themselves by eliminating the
wealth of the middle class. The carbon tax (the USA, China, Russia, and India,
have no carbon tax), or carbon pricing, has been implemented by the globalists
to mandate the confiscation of wealth through taxes from the middle and lower
classes to widen the gap between the middle-class and the wealthy. The only
people who benefit from the redistribution of wealth are the elite class in the
Western World—the global elites. Jesus also prophesied that the number of
earthquakes will increase in the endtimes (Matt. 24:7d). There are an estimated
20,000 earthquakes a year globally; about 55 per day.[2]
The signs Jesus prophesied would
happen in Matthew 24:6-7, have increased since Israel became a nation again: ταῦτα
ἀρχὴ ὠδίνων (tafta archí odínon) “this is the beginning of punishment” (Matt.
24:8, mGNT). I see these signs as a warning to the church, Israel, and the
world, that the “punishment” – Tribulation Period/Israel’s 70th week – will
occur in the lifetime of those who witnessed Israel’s renewed statehood.
Picture: A Woman Reacts to Hamas Rocket Strikes -- Tel Aviv (Oct. 7, 2023)
Arab-Israeli Wars (Britannica)
