What Are the Signs? - Pt 7

 

[Jesus said] For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. (Matthew 24:24–28 ESV).

 

Another sign of the “End of the Age” is the specific work of these “false christs and false prophets.” We’ve already learned that “false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24). “Signs and wonders” is another name for miracles, inexplicable occurrences outside the laws of nature.

 

The Bible teaches us some significant facts about miracles. When God was about to deliver His people out of slavery, He told Moses and Aaron, “I will multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 7:3). God then predicted that the ruler of Egypt, Pharaoh, would challenge them: “Show a miracle for yourselves” (Exodus 7:9). Everything happened just as God said. When Pharaoh challenged Moses and Aaron, the miracle that Aaron performed, through the power of God, was to “cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent” (Exodus 7:10). Directly after, however, Pharaoh ordered “the wise men and the sorcerers,” known as “the magicians of Egypt,” to copy Aaron’s miracle; and “they also did in like manner with their enchantments” (Exodus 7:11).

 

Miracles are not always from God—they can also be counterfeits from Satan. And even though Pharaoh’s magicians aren’t around today, their equivalents are. There are psychics, mediums, and yogis. There are paranormal investigators, ufologists, and spiritual healers. There are Wiccans and New Agers, “Christian” witches! Witchcraft is now a multibillion-dollar industry. They may have different labels for who they’re coming into contact with—whether ghosts, aliens, reincarnations, or even professed angels—but the Bible reveals the single source behind these types of signs and wonders: “They are spirits of demons, performing signs” (Revelation 16:14). The supernatural manifestations accompanying the false christs and prophets of the last days are demons. In fact, it is the end-time false prophet, also known as the second beast from the earth (Revelation 19:20), that convinces the whole world by its signs and wonders to persecute all those who worship God (Revelation 13:13–15).

It is very interesting that Jesus warns us these things will take place in order to deceive many people. The deception comes at the point of providing false hope. After all, if such a wonderous thing can be done by any individual, doesn’t that mean they are powerful enough to save us in our calamitous world? The answer will always be no. There is no one other than Jesus capable of saving us. Our hope must be placed in Him and Him alone. Politicians who claim and sometimes seem to be able to make our lives great can’t save us; preachers who claim to have the answers to all our woes cannot save us… unless they point us to our only Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ!

 

As these voices increase it is a sign that we are nearing the End of the Age and the coming of the Christ!