13:22Mark 13:22

Christ warned that impostors claiming His name will arise performing impressive supernatural signs in an effort to mislead many, aiming if possible to deceive even His chosen faithful.Ms 35, 1906, par. 15–23+2 This warning belongs to His answer on the Mount of Olives about the fall of the temple and the signs of the end, coming amid wars, earthquakes, famines, persecution, the gospel going to all nations, and great affliction, and standing just before the darkening of sun and moon, the falling of stars, and the coming of the Son of man to gather His elect.Ms 35, 1906, par. 15–23+1 Because these dangers were foretold beforehand, His followers are commanded to take heed, to stay vigilant, and to refuse belief when men claim He is here or there.Ms 35, 1906, par. 15–23+2 What began between His death and the siege of Jerusalem recurs through the ages and reaches its terrible height in the final conflict, when Satan employs the same policy and spirit with more subtle deceptions and more determined and intense assaults than the world has ever witnessed.DA 627.1–3+2 Safety then requires being constantly on guard and settled in the testing truth for the last days, for miracle-working deception will threaten the faithful and sweep in most of the religious world, while those who persist in rejecting mercy will at last meet God's judgment.Lt 57, 1906, par. 7+4

The verse belongs to the answer given on the Mount of Olives to the question of when the temple will fall and what will be the sign of fulfillment.Ms 35, 1906, par. 15–23 It comes after wars and rumors of wars, nation rising against nation, earthquakes, famines, persecution before councils and kings, the gospel published among all nations, betrayal and hatred, the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not, and affliction shortened for the elect's sake.Ms 35, 1906, par. 15–23 It comes before the sun darkened and the moon withholding light and the stars falling and the Son of man coming in clouds with power and glory to send angels to gather His elect, leading to the parable of the fig tree and the command to watch and pray because the day and hour are unknown.Ms 35, 1906, par. 15–23 It is part of the discourse about the signs and fulfillment of coming events connected with divine judgments and destruction.Ms 35, 1906, par. 15–23+1

The verse commands take heed and not to believe claims that Christ is here or there.Ms 35, 1906, par. 15–23 Christ has foretold all these dangers beforehand and calls for vigilance and beware.Ms 35, 1906, par. 15–23+2 That warning against spurious prophetic claims also guards against the fanaticism or selfish exploitation they can encourage.2MR 187.3–188.1

False Christs and false prophets will rise claiming to perform miracles and showing signs and wonders to seduce and mislead many.Ms 35, 1906, par. 15–23+3 Their deceptive miracles threaten the faithful as a test for which believers must prepare.Lt 57, 1906, par. 7 Their work is done with Satan's miracle-working power, deceiving many including most of the religious world, seeking to deceive even the elect if it were possible.Ms 35, 1906, par. 15–23+3

The warning was fulfilled in the interval between Christ's death and the siege of Jerusalem, when false messiahs claiming miraculous power misled many, and the same warning reaches across the ages to the final age of the world when the same deceptions will recur.DA 627.1–3 False prophets arise to counterfeit God's true work and deceive people, as they did in the first century of the Christian church and again in the sixteenth century during the Reformation when they sought to mislead amid reform.GC 186.1 After 1844 fanatical religious movements marked by noisy displays and claims of supernatural power and guidance by the Holy Spirit were such deceptions, by which Satan working miracles deluded those who believed themselves led by the Spirit and sought to mislead even the elect.5MR 108.2–109.1

The verse points to the great final conflict when Satan will employ the same policy, manifest the same spirit, and work for the same end as in all preceding ages.GC xi.1 That last struggle will be marked with a terrible intensity such as the world has never witnessed, with more subtle deceptions and more determined and intense assaults aimed at deceiving even the elect if possible.GC xi.1+1 In that final conflict his deception will work more subtly and his attack press more intensely than before in seeking to lead even the elect astray if he could.GC88 dD.3

Near the end of earth's history Satan's temptations will grow stronger and more numerous, using unrighteous deception and every device to try to deceive even the elect and to hinder people from preparing for what is coming upon the earth.STB 340.1+1 As the hour of God's judgment nears the world will come more and more under evil seducing agencies, with Satan holding full sway over a large class.Lt 62, 1906, par. 1 He centers his determined efforts on those who have had the light of the third angel's message, bringing about through his wiles a condition of things to deceive and draw away even the chosen if possible, so that unless those who know the truth for the last days are established and settled in the truth they will be strongly tempted.Lt 62, 1906, par. 1

Powers of darkness developing in the last days in signs and wonders that would deceive even the elect if that were possible are at work through Spiritualists.RH Apr 1, 1875 They have opened the door to the prince of darkness and allied themselves with him as his honored guest while claiming superior light and power.RH Apr 1, 1875 They claim they can do greater miracles than Christ did, repeating the boast Satan made to Christ of superior strength when Christ had linked Himself to the weakness of humanity to be tempted in all points as man is tempted.RH Apr 1, 1875

Deception will bring in every conceivable thing to mislead, even threatening the faithful as a test for which believers must prepare.Lt 57, 1906, par. 7+1 False christs will appear with Satan's miracle-working power and deceive many, including most of the religious world, in a delusion that would draw away even the elect if that were possible.5MR 352.2 The Lord will certainly take care of His work so that it is kept secure against that effort.Lt 371, 1907, par. 27

Satan's forces are preparing seductive temptations aimed at misleading even the chosen if that were possible, so God's people need words of warning.Lt 364, 1908, par. 2+1 This deception will be carried out through those who have disregarded God's warnings to the church, who under deceptive influence will become exceedingly zealous with very strange manifestations appearing.Lt 364, 1908, par. 2+1 Deceptive influences also work on minds by evil angels using deceptive reasoning, so that people who have been deceived may influence others.STB 71.1

Deception can be so artfully mixed with truth and human carnality that it could deceive even the elect.Ms 70a, 1905, par. 13–14 The danger works by weaving precious truth and beautiful sentiments together with false, misleading theories.Ms 70, 1905, par. 2 Especially deceptive sentiments regarding the personality of God and of Christ would deceive even the elect unless steadfastly repudiated, by misconstruing precious representations of God so they appear to uphold falsehoods originated by the great apostate, mingling what belongs to the revealings of God with specious, deceptive theories of Satan's agencies.Ms 70, 1905, par. 2 Deception of the very elect comes through subtle, underhand, secretive sophistries that gain sympathy and make false words seem genuine, including private persuasion aimed at destroying faith in the testimonies.Lt 258, 1906, par. 3

False christs and false prophets will use signs and wonders to lead people astray, even seeking to deceive the elect, and Jesus has foretold these dangers beforehand so vigilance is called for.2MR 187.3–188.1 Spurious prophetic claims are to be guarded against because of the fanaticism and selfish exploitation they can encourage.2MR 187.3–188.1 Satan can use deceptive influences to lead even God's people astray, and commercialism and chance are among these influences, where giving them room opens the door to great temptation.STB 708.3 Deceptive agents use satanic cunning to lead souls astray, even seeking to deceive the elect, including gaining control of minds and property and drawing people into concealed traps.21MR 68.3–4 Those who persist in this work and reject mercy will face God's judgment when divine patience is exhausted.21MR 68.3–4

As the hour of God's judgment nears the world will come more and more under evil, seducing agencies, with Satan holding full sway over a large class and centering his determined efforts on those who have had the light of the third angel's message.Lt 62, 1906, par. 1 Through his wiles Satan will bring about a condition of things to deceive and draw away even the chosen if possible, so unless those who know the truth for the last days are established and settled in the truth they will be strongly tempted.Lt 62, 1906, par. 1 By taking a noncommittal position toward the testing truths for the time, God's people may make room for Satan to deceive them, so that deception can reach even the elect.14MR 224.1 Safety requires being constantly on guard and preparing for the test.Lt 57, 1906, par. 7+1