He gave the warning in advance, marking out with prophetic foresight the sure dangers to the very end so they would be recognized and fulfilled as waymarks. The warning was given to guard His followers against deception before His coming, so they would not rush on blindfolded accepting messages that are not true. He foretold that false christs and false prophets would arise showing great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, the very elect. He foretold false claims that He is here or there, in the desert or in the secret chambers, and commanded to believe it not and go not after them, for His coming will not be hidden or local but open and universal like lightning shining from east to west. His warnings are to be studied continually and proclaimed because their fulfillment proves His coming is at hand, and to be met with watchfulness and readiness, for His coming will be unexpected.
Setting in Olivet Prophecy
Behold, I have told you before belongs to the prophetic discourse given after a day of demanding work shortly before entrance into Gethsemane, in answer to the disciples' question about the sign of His coming and the end of the world. That answer traces important events in the history of the world and the church from His first advent to His second. Those events include Jerusalem's destruction, persecution under pagan and papal powers, the darkening of the sun and moon and the falling of the stars, followed by His coming in His kingdom and the account of two kinds of servants who await Him.
The discourse describes together the destruction of Jerusalem and the final events surrounding His coming. It warns in advance about false claims and deception, false Christs and false prophets with great signs and wonders to deceive, joining the dangers at Jerusalem's destruction with the perils preceding the second advent. It is also for those living in earth's last days.
The disciples did not then understand how the two sets of events were connected. Jerusalem's foretold destruction serves as a type of the world's final destruction by fire. The warning looked beyond the apostolic church, for the persecution His followers would face extends from His departure until His return in power and glory into later ages.
The prophecy sketches the history of the present dispensation to the complete restitution of all things, with special attention to the closing scenes of this world's history. It follows the church through warfare and suffering to promised redemption and on to the final triumph of God's people, the destruction of Satan and all his followers, the total and eternal extirpation of evil from the universe, and the renovation of the earth as the everlasting inheritance of the saints when the great controversy is concluded. Understanding prophecy as a connected sequence, fulfilled literally in the rise and fall of kingdoms and in the signs of the times, gives faith greater clarity and force. It has also been held that He will come invisibly as a thief to secretly take the saints and later return with them to Jerusalem, where the Jews will have returned and people will still be able to repent.
Forewarning Against End-Time Deception
Behold, I have told you before means He told beforehand with prophetic eye reaching down to the very end of earth's history, marking out and specifying the very things that would take place in the last days as sure coming dangers. The signs and waymarks foretold in Matthew 24 show that His words will surely come to pass and are to be recognized when fulfilled. The warnings and predictions of the chapter are being fulfilled now and therefore are to be studied continually and brought before believers and unbelievers. Their unmistakable fulfillment proves His coming is at hand, decides eternal destiny, and calls the church to arouse, so ministers and teachers are to set aside matters of lesser consequence and present these prophecies.
The advance warning about events surrounding His second coming was given to guard followers against deception before His advent. He lifted the danger signal beforehand, giving advance specification of false messages and deceptions, so that the people of God will carefully study His words about the last days, read and understand them, and not rush on blindfolded receiving messages that are not true. His warning calls them to be on guard and not let anyone mislead them by false claims and counterfeits so convincing they might deceive even the elect.
What He foretold beforehand is that false christs and false prophets would arise showing great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, the very elect. False christs and false prophets would perform great signs and wonders and claim that Christ was in a particular place, but His followers were not to believe them. His coming would instead be as open and visible and universal as lightning shining from east to west across the sky.
He foretold false reports and claims that He is here or there, in the desert or in the secret chambers, and commanded to believe it not and to go not forth after them. The warning means believers must not follow or believe such claims that He has appeared in a particular place, but must reject them and recognize that His coming will be unmistakable. Jesus had already told His disciples about these deceivers so they would not be deceived or led astray by them.
The going forth of deceivers and false prophets in the latter days to draw away disciples after them brings more danger than persecution, and the warning against them is repeated several times. Christ cautioned His disciples to be wide-awake regarding the signs of the times and gave decided instruction on what to do to be prepared for coming events rather than satisfying curiosity about matters they could not handle with profit. That instruction comes down through the centuries to the present time and belongs especially to the people concerned in the last days who stand faithful to the truth specified in Revelation.
Manner of Christ's Coming
Behold, I have told you before is advance warning about the second coming to guard against deception before the advent, foretelling beforehand so that followers would not be deceived when false christs and false prophets arise showing great signs and wonders seeking to deceive, if possible, the very elect. It forbids believing false reports and claims that He is here or there, in the desert or in the secret chambers, and commands to go not forth after them and to believe it not. His coming will not be hidden or local or confined to a particular place, but open and universal and unmistakable like lightning shining from east to west across the sky. That warning applied first to the destruction of Jerusalem, when false prophets deceived many and led great numbers into the desert and mountain solitudes with claims of miraculous power by magicians and sorcerers, and it applies also to the last days as a sign of the second advent. Even now the claim He is in the desert is heard from thousands going into the desert hoping to find Christ, and the claim He is in the secret chambers is heard from gatherings professing communion with departed spirits, which is Spiritualism.
Scripture's testimony about the universally visible manner of His coming enables diligent students who love the truth to identify the deceiver and to reject false christs and prophets even when they perform great signs, because claims of Christ appearing in a particular place contradict what was foretold. The real second coming will not be secret or confined to a place, but will be visible to the whole world. It will be personal in the clouds of heaven, not merely His coming to each person at death and not presence in a secret place, and teachings that reduce it to those claims divert people from His personal return.
The beforehand warning equips God's people to recognize Satan's impersonation of Christ as false and to reject competing here-there claims. In the final deception Satan himself will personate Christ with majestic glory and subtle, captivating influence, appearing like Christ and declaring himself to be the Son of God, performing great wonders. That impersonation will deceive those who rejected the truth into believing that Christ has come, bringing competing claims that Christ is here, there, and somewhere else.
Forms of Predicted Deception
The beforehand telling covers first the destruction of Jerusalem, when false prophets deceived many and led great numbers into the desert and mountain solitudes with claims of miraculous power by magicians and sorcerers, and the same deception stands as a sign of the second advent when Satan inspires groups to deceive. Even now the claim that He is in the desert is heard from thousands going into the desert hoping to find Christ, and the claim that He is in the secret chambers is heard from gatherings professing communion with departed spirits, which is Spiritualism. Christ commands to go not forth after them and to believe it not, because His coming will not be hidden or local.
Seducers with pleasing, fanciful, scientific problems must be guarded against more carefully than any other peril, because their specious errors dim spiritual perception, undermine confidence in God's truth, and make it impossible to distinguish truth from error. This danger presses especially upon those with little experience of the Holy Spirit and limited spiritual knowledge, whom the enemy disguised as an angel of light leads into false paths unless they are on guard. The unwary are thus drawn into doctrinal errors so specious that, if possible, the very elect would be deceived. Claims that He is present in one place or another are no sound reason to accept them while people trample God's commandments, and claims that Christ or truth has appeared must not be accepted without careful watchfulness.
The day-line theory is one of Satan's fictions and devisings to bewitch the senses, confuse minds, discourage and lead astray, and the beforehand telling arms believers to give it no credence and to stand fast on the plain word of God concerning the Seventh-day Sabbath. After the truth has been proclaimed as a witness to all nations, every power of evil is set in operation and minds are confused by many voices claiming Christ is here or there, claiming to have truth and a message from God with great light. With that confusion come the removing of the landmarks and an attack to tear down the pillars of faith.
That confusion prepares for a more decided effort to exalt the false sabbath in contempt of God by supplanting the day He blessed and sanctified, to be enforced by an oppressive law. At that time Satan and his angels work wide awake and intensely active through human agents with lying wonders to obliterate the knowledge of God. This takes place while the mighty angel that lightens the earth with his glory proclaims the fall of Babylon and calls God's people to forsake her. The foretelling also includes that Satan will come as Christ working with all deceivableness of unrighteousness among those binding themselves together in parties, confederations and secret societies to gain their ends, amid awful confusion and disorder when transgression has almost reached its limit and men set human judgment against God, while God still presides over the world and His purposes toward His rebellious subjects will be fulfilled.
Study and Proclaim Prophecy
The beforehand telling means what was foretold would be recognized when it happens, and for that reason the warnings and predictions of Matthew 24 are to be studied continually and brought before both believers and unbelievers because they are being fulfilled now. Its prophecies are to be explained to people as important truths that affect their destiny.
Ministers and teachers are to set aside matters of lesser consequence and present these prophecies, because they decide the eternal destiny of souls. Their unmistakable fulfillment proves that Christ's coming is at hand and calls the church to arouse.
The chapter is an outline of events to come upon the world, including the perils of the last days, given as advance warning of coming peril so that people heed the warning and prepare for what is coming. That warning applies to the last days, when cities face calamity and those perishing in sin must be warned. Cities whose inhabitants dishonor God and reject His messengers will face judgment, and the world must be warned because the end is near.
The advance notice about the signs of the times given while He was on earth was meant to give instruction to those who would believe afterward to help them prepare for the great conflict and to recognize those signs and not ignore the evidence of His return. That instruction comes down through the centuries to the present time, cautioning disciples to be wide-awake regarding the signs and giving decided instruction on what to do to be prepared for coming events. The warnings about perils surrounding the Christian church belong especially to the people concerned in the last days who stand faithful to the truth specified in Revelation, so in this age of the world those signs must be discerned and require reaching a higher standard.
The fulfillment of the signs of the times should awaken people from lethargy and spur them to act on their responsibility to carry the truth to places not yet reached. Amid claims that He is here or there, His followers who have been warned beforehand are to hold firm confidence in God's Word. Faith connects the past with the present and points to the future.
Watchfulness and Personal Preparation
The chapter sets forth His second coming together with warnings to watch and be ready, because that coming will be unexpected. The warning was given beforehand precisely so it would be heeded, and so people would prepare for what is coming upon the world, including the perils of the last days. He did not satisfy curiosity about the secret time of His coming, but bade His followers take heed to His words, prepare themselves for that great event, faithfully perform their individual duty, and give His warnings to others. That charge was to be wide-awake regarding the signs of the times, with decided instruction on what to do to be prepared for coming events, rather than pursuing matters they could not handle with profit. The instruction comes down through the centuries to the present time, belonging especially to those concerned in the last days who stand faithful to the truth specified in Revelation.
With prophetic eye He looked down to the very end of earth's history and marked out the very things that would take place, lifting the danger signal beforehand as an advance specification of sure coming dangers, especially false messages and deceptions. Therefore His people are to carefully study His words about the last days, to read and understand them, and not rush on blindfolded receiving messages that are not true. They must stay alert and discern claims that purport to come from heaven rather than accepting them without evidence. Claims purporting to come from God must be tested carefully against Scripture, with heed to His already-given warning about deception and false claims concerning where He is and where truth can be found, so as not to be caught unawares.
Because He told this before, those who know the truth should be preparing, for the end is very near. What will soon break upon the world will come as an overwhelming surprise and great terror, in the last great scenes of the closing drama of the world. That foretold scene includes Satan coming as Christ, working with all deceivableness of unrighteousness among those binding themselves together in parties, confederations and secret societies to gain their ends. It unfolds amid awful confusion and disorder, when transgression has almost reached its limit and men have set human judgment against God, while God still presides over the world and His purposes toward His rebellious subjects will be fulfilled.
He gave the warning in advance, marking out with prophetic foresight the sure dangers to the very end so they would be recognized and fulfilled as waymarks. The warning was given to guard His followers against deception before His coming, so they would not rush on blindfolded accepting messages that are not true. He foretold that false christs and false prophets would arise showing great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, the very elect. He foretold false claims that He is here or there, in the desert or in the secret chambers, and commanded to believe it not and go not after them, for His coming will not be hidden or local but open and universal like lightning shining from east to west. His warnings are to be studied continually and proclaimed because their fulfillment proves His coming is at hand, and to be met with watchfulness and readiness, for His coming will be unexpected.
Setting in Olivet Prophecy
Behold, I have told you before belongs to the prophetic discourse given after a day of demanding work shortly before entrance into Gethsemane, in answer to the disciples' question about the sign of His coming and the end of the world. That answer traces important events in the history of the world and the church from His first advent to His second. Those events include Jerusalem's destruction, persecution under pagan and papal powers, the darkening of the sun and moon and the falling of the stars, followed by His coming in His kingdom and the account of two kinds of servants who await Him.
The discourse describes together the destruction of Jerusalem and the final events surrounding His coming. It warns in advance about false claims and deception, false Christs and false prophets with great signs and wonders to deceive, joining the dangers at Jerusalem's destruction with the perils preceding the second advent. It is also for those living in earth's last days.
The disciples did not then understand how the two sets of events were connected. Jerusalem's foretold destruction serves as a type of the world's final destruction by fire. The warning looked beyond the apostolic church, for the persecution His followers would face extends from His departure until His return in power and glory into later ages.
The prophecy sketches the history of the present dispensation to the complete restitution of all things, with special attention to the closing scenes of this world's history. It follows the church through warfare and suffering to promised redemption and on to the final triumph of God's people, the destruction of Satan and all his followers, the total and eternal extirpation of evil from the universe, and the renovation of the earth as the everlasting inheritance of the saints when the great controversy is concluded. Understanding prophecy as a connected sequence, fulfilled literally in the rise and fall of kingdoms and in the signs of the times, gives faith greater clarity and force. It has also been held that He will come invisibly as a thief to secretly take the saints and later return with them to Jerusalem, where the Jews will have returned and people will still be able to repent.
Forewarning Against End-Time Deception
Behold, I have told you before means He told beforehand with prophetic eye reaching down to the very end of earth's history, marking out and specifying the very things that would take place in the last days as sure coming dangers. The signs and waymarks foretold in Matthew 24 show that His words will surely come to pass and are to be recognized when fulfilled. The warnings and predictions of the chapter are being fulfilled now and therefore are to be studied continually and brought before believers and unbelievers. Their unmistakable fulfillment proves His coming is at hand, decides eternal destiny, and calls the church to arouse, so ministers and teachers are to set aside matters of lesser consequence and present these prophecies.
The advance warning about events surrounding His second coming was given to guard followers against deception before His advent. He lifted the danger signal beforehand, giving advance specification of false messages and deceptions, so that the people of God will carefully study His words about the last days, read and understand them, and not rush on blindfolded receiving messages that are not true. His warning calls them to be on guard and not let anyone mislead them by false claims and counterfeits so convincing they might deceive even the elect.
What He foretold beforehand is that false christs and false prophets would arise showing great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, the very elect. False christs and false prophets would perform great signs and wonders and claim that Christ was in a particular place, but His followers were not to believe them. His coming would instead be as open and visible and universal as lightning shining from east to west across the sky.
He foretold false reports and claims that He is here or there, in the desert or in the secret chambers, and commanded to believe it not and to go not forth after them. The warning means believers must not follow or believe such claims that He has appeared in a particular place, but must reject them and recognize that His coming will be unmistakable. Jesus had already told His disciples about these deceivers so they would not be deceived or led astray by them.
The going forth of deceivers and false prophets in the latter days to draw away disciples after them brings more danger than persecution, and the warning against them is repeated several times. Christ cautioned His disciples to be wide-awake regarding the signs of the times and gave decided instruction on what to do to be prepared for coming events rather than satisfying curiosity about matters they could not handle with profit. That instruction comes down through the centuries to the present time and belongs especially to the people concerned in the last days who stand faithful to the truth specified in Revelation.
Manner of Christ's Coming
Behold, I have told you before is advance warning about the second coming to guard against deception before the advent, foretelling beforehand so that followers would not be deceived when false christs and false prophets arise showing great signs and wonders seeking to deceive, if possible, the very elect. It forbids believing false reports and claims that He is here or there, in the desert or in the secret chambers, and commands to go not forth after them and to believe it not. His coming will not be hidden or local or confined to a particular place, but open and universal and unmistakable like lightning shining from east to west across the sky. That warning applied first to the destruction of Jerusalem, when false prophets deceived many and led great numbers into the desert and mountain solitudes with claims of miraculous power by magicians and sorcerers, and it applies also to the last days as a sign of the second advent. Even now the claim He is in the desert is heard from thousands going into the desert hoping to find Christ, and the claim He is in the secret chambers is heard from gatherings professing communion with departed spirits, which is Spiritualism.
Scripture's testimony about the universally visible manner of His coming enables diligent students who love the truth to identify the deceiver and to reject false christs and prophets even when they perform great signs, because claims of Christ appearing in a particular place contradict what was foretold. The real second coming will not be secret or confined to a place, but will be visible to the whole world. It will be personal in the clouds of heaven, not merely His coming to each person at death and not presence in a secret place, and teachings that reduce it to those claims divert people from His personal return.
The beforehand warning equips God's people to recognize Satan's impersonation of Christ as false and to reject competing here-there claims. In the final deception Satan himself will personate Christ with majestic glory and subtle, captivating influence, appearing like Christ and declaring himself to be the Son of God, performing great wonders. That impersonation will deceive those who rejected the truth into believing that Christ has come, bringing competing claims that Christ is here, there, and somewhere else.
Forms of Predicted Deception
The beforehand telling covers first the destruction of Jerusalem, when false prophets deceived many and led great numbers into the desert and mountain solitudes with claims of miraculous power by magicians and sorcerers, and the same deception stands as a sign of the second advent when Satan inspires groups to deceive. Even now the claim that He is in the desert is heard from thousands going into the desert hoping to find Christ, and the claim that He is in the secret chambers is heard from gatherings professing communion with departed spirits, which is Spiritualism. Christ commands to go not forth after them and to believe it not, because His coming will not be hidden or local.
Seducers with pleasing, fanciful, scientific problems must be guarded against more carefully than any other peril, because their specious errors dim spiritual perception, undermine confidence in God's truth, and make it impossible to distinguish truth from error. This danger presses especially upon those with little experience of the Holy Spirit and limited spiritual knowledge, whom the enemy disguised as an angel of light leads into false paths unless they are on guard. The unwary are thus drawn into doctrinal errors so specious that, if possible, the very elect would be deceived. Claims that He is present in one place or another are no sound reason to accept them while people trample God's commandments, and claims that Christ or truth has appeared must not be accepted without careful watchfulness.
The day-line theory is one of Satan's fictions and devisings to bewitch the senses, confuse minds, discourage and lead astray, and the beforehand telling arms believers to give it no credence and to stand fast on the plain word of God concerning the Seventh-day Sabbath. After the truth has been proclaimed as a witness to all nations, every power of evil is set in operation and minds are confused by many voices claiming Christ is here or there, claiming to have truth and a message from God with great light. With that confusion come the removing of the landmarks and an attack to tear down the pillars of faith.
That confusion prepares for a more decided effort to exalt the false sabbath in contempt of God by supplanting the day He blessed and sanctified, to be enforced by an oppressive law. At that time Satan and his angels work wide awake and intensely active through human agents with lying wonders to obliterate the knowledge of God. This takes place while the mighty angel that lightens the earth with his glory proclaims the fall of Babylon and calls God's people to forsake her. The foretelling also includes that Satan will come as Christ working with all deceivableness of unrighteousness among those binding themselves together in parties, confederations and secret societies to gain their ends, amid awful confusion and disorder when transgression has almost reached its limit and men set human judgment against God, while God still presides over the world and His purposes toward His rebellious subjects will be fulfilled.
Study and Proclaim Prophecy
The beforehand telling means what was foretold would be recognized when it happens, and for that reason the warnings and predictions of Matthew 24 are to be studied continually and brought before both believers and unbelievers because they are being fulfilled now. Its prophecies are to be explained to people as important truths that affect their destiny.
Ministers and teachers are to set aside matters of lesser consequence and present these prophecies, because they decide the eternal destiny of souls. Their unmistakable fulfillment proves that Christ's coming is at hand and calls the church to arouse.
The chapter is an outline of events to come upon the world, including the perils of the last days, given as advance warning of coming peril so that people heed the warning and prepare for what is coming. That warning applies to the last days, when cities face calamity and those perishing in sin must be warned. Cities whose inhabitants dishonor God and reject His messengers will face judgment, and the world must be warned because the end is near.
The advance notice about the signs of the times given while He was on earth was meant to give instruction to those who would believe afterward to help them prepare for the great conflict and to recognize those signs and not ignore the evidence of His return. That instruction comes down through the centuries to the present time, cautioning disciples to be wide-awake regarding the signs and giving decided instruction on what to do to be prepared for coming events. The warnings about perils surrounding the Christian church belong especially to the people concerned in the last days who stand faithful to the truth specified in Revelation, so in this age of the world those signs must be discerned and require reaching a higher standard.
The fulfillment of the signs of the times should awaken people from lethargy and spur them to act on their responsibility to carry the truth to places not yet reached. Amid claims that He is here or there, His followers who have been warned beforehand are to hold firm confidence in God's Word. Faith connects the past with the present and points to the future.
Watchfulness and Personal Preparation
The chapter sets forth His second coming together with warnings to watch and be ready, because that coming will be unexpected. The warning was given beforehand precisely so it would be heeded, and so people would prepare for what is coming upon the world, including the perils of the last days. He did not satisfy curiosity about the secret time of His coming, but bade His followers take heed to His words, prepare themselves for that great event, faithfully perform their individual duty, and give His warnings to others. That charge was to be wide-awake regarding the signs of the times, with decided instruction on what to do to be prepared for coming events, rather than pursuing matters they could not handle with profit. The instruction comes down through the centuries to the present time, belonging especially to those concerned in the last days who stand faithful to the truth specified in Revelation.
With prophetic eye He looked down to the very end of earth's history and marked out the very things that would take place, lifting the danger signal beforehand as an advance specification of sure coming dangers, especially false messages and deceptions. Therefore His people are to carefully study His words about the last days, to read and understand them, and not rush on blindfolded receiving messages that are not true. They must stay alert and discern claims that purport to come from heaven rather than accepting them without evidence. Claims purporting to come from God must be tested carefully against Scripture, with heed to His already-given warning about deception and false claims concerning where He is and where truth can be found, so as not to be caught unawares.
Because He told this before, those who know the truth should be preparing, for the end is very near. What will soon break upon the world will come as an overwhelming surprise and great terror, in the last great scenes of the closing drama of the world. That foretold scene includes Satan coming as Christ, working with all deceivableness of unrighteousness among those binding themselves together in parties, confederations and secret societies to gain their ends. It unfolds amid awful confusion and disorder, when transgression has almost reached its limit and men have set human judgment against God, while God still presides over the world and His purposes toward His rebellious subjects will be fulfilled.