February 7
Exodus 19-20
Psalm 18:43-50
Proverbs 4:14-17
Matthew 24:1-14
Signs of the End
“And at that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will deceive many. And because lawlessness is multiplied, most people’s love will grow cold.” Matthew 14:10-12 LSB
This passage is a part of a series of events that Jesus described in response to questions about the signs of the end times. We have no way of knowing when Jesus will return to take His children to be with Him before the seven-year tribulation occurs on earth, but it is clear we are beginning to see the things that Jesus described to His disciples. At that time, many who once claimed to be followers of Jesus will fall away. Their commitment to Christ will be revealed as insincere because they are unwilling to pay the high price that comes with it. Some will betray and turn away from those they once called friends, perhaps to escape alienation or persecution. Many will act in hatred and animosity. In the last few decades, something has changed. It is no longer popular or advantageous to boldly profess that you are a Christian. There was a time when many people went to church and “claimed” to be a Christian because it was the socially accepted, respectable thing to do. Politicians professed Christianity to get votes. People went to church to make connections for their business. That is no longer the norm. I’m not suggesting that those were good things, but rather I’m just pointing out that societal perceptions have changed. Satan has succeeded slowly but surely in changing the overall opinion and impression people have of Christians. As a result, we can clearly see how the persecution of Christians described by Jesus in these passages is not only possible but likely to occur in the not-too-distant future.
“False prophets will arise and will deceive many.” While there have been false prophets in every age, there does seem to be a definite increase in the number of false teachers and the number of those they are able to deceive. Satan is very smart. He knows how to twist the truth just a little so that it sounds good but is a lie. The only way to guard against the lies and protect ourselves from false teachers is to be very familiar with the truth. God has given us His Word as the authoritative guidebook. It is complete and provides everything we need to navigate this life, but we have to know what it says and then we have to follow it. Jesus then described a time of lawlessness. We only need to turn on the news to see lawlessness at work all around us. The last statement is chilling, “People’s love will grow cold.” Cold love is a lack of warmth, passion and commitment in relationships. This suggests a love that is superficial or obligatory. True love comes from Christ and those who do not know Christ do not understand that deep and abiding love. Any love they do feel will grow colder and colder in the last days and everyone will look out for their own interests to survive. It is hard to watch as those we loved and trusted fall away in their delusions, but we must remain firm in our faith and continue to grow in our relationship with the Lord so that we will be found faithful when He returns.
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