Matthew 24:4-6 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 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
This lesson from Christ Jesus was taught to His closest followers during the last week of His time here on this earth. In the preceding verse, they had asked Him to reveal to them the signs of the end of the ages. What Christ Jesus said to the disciples was more cautionary in the body than to satisfy their curiosity. This warning was to prepare them for what was about to occur in Jerusalem and the tribulation they would face when Jesus had ascended back to heaven. His primary message to the followers of that day and His followers down through the ages was to watch out for false teachers and false prophets. His message was that we all should be fitted with the readiness from the Gospel of peace. The message from Jesus in this verse of scripture is that we should not allow Satan's hordes and multitudes of followers that will bombard us daily with false teachings to fool us. The only way to take up our shield of faith is that we are immersed daily in the Holy Word of God. To not be deceived by these evil pretenders, we must see the difference between Godly truth and Godly wisdom and what the world sees as truth and wisdom. The truth and wisdom of the world depends on what humanity sees as truth, which shifts with the sands of time and worldly philosophy. Worldly truth, which is relative truth, swings back and forth like the pendulum of a clock, never resting on the center of absolute truth, which is Godly truth.
When humanity rejects the "Gospel of peace" (Ephesians 6:15), they will have to endure the message of war. This war is not against "flesh and blood" (Ephesians 6:12) but against the evil of Satan, who seeks to draw as many people away from Christ Jesus as he can. Satan realized that He could not stop the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross that would redeem humankind from the second death, so he is attempting to keep as many as possible away from the only way to salvation, Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior (John 14:6). However, by a consecrated prayer life and a committed study of the Word of God, along with surrender and service to God and others, we will be able to make our calling and election sure (2 Peter 1:10). With this comes the assurance that we will not be deceived by any enemy or deceiver.
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