And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Jesus opened His answer about the overthrow of the temple and the sign of His coming and the end of the world with a charge to stay alert and refuse to be led astray. Many will come claiming His name and power, with miracles and wonders so convincing they would mislead even the elect if that were possible. That misleading work appeared before Jerusalem fell, has continued through the ages, and grows stronger in the last days alongside wars, famines, earthquakes, persecution, and love grown cold. Safety lies in standing firmly on God's Word, watching as for an unknown hour, enduring to the end while the gospel is carried to all nations. Therefore the prophecy is to be studied, understood, and proclaimed loudly to all as the final warning that His coming is near.
Discourse Setting and Scope
Jesus answered the disciples' private question about when the temple would be thrown down and what would be the sign of His coming and of the end of the world with a solemn warning to guard against deception about the end. The warning stands first in His answer and calls His followers to take heed, stay alert, and not be led astray or misled by claims made in His name. Many will come in His name claiming to be Christ, and many false Christs and false prophets will rise and deceive many, so His coming will need to be remembered as unmistakable and not to be confused with such claims or signs. His answer then outlines important events in the history of the world and the church between His first and second advents, including wars and rumors of wars, nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom, famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places, persecution and killing and hatred for His name, offense and betrayal and hatred among people, growing lawlessness and abounding iniquity causing the love of many to grow cold, with the world growing worse rather than better, yet those who endure to the end will be saved. All these troubles must happen but the end is not yet, and they are only the beginning of sorrows, while the gospel of the kingdom must be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations before the end comes. He did not satisfy curiosity about the secret time of His coming but told His followers to heed His words, prepare themselves for that great event, do their individual duty faithfully, give His warnings to others, and keep vigilance amid the trials and spiritual dangers preceding the end.
The warning belongs to the teaching in Matthew 24 and 25 describing His second coming to this world, when the Son of man comes in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory and sends His angels with a great sound of a trumpet to gather His elect. That coming is as the days of Noah before the flood, its day and hour no man knows, and it gives the warning to watch and be ready while portraying the condition of the church at His coming. The closing teaching about those who await His coming is continued in the parable of the ten virgins. The discourse, with its predictions and warnings, was given shortly before He entered Gethsemane, after the Pharisees pressed Him with questions, when He was weary from the day's work.
The great prophecy beginning with this warning sketches the history of the present dispensation to the complete restitution of all things, tracing important events in the history of the world and church from His first advent to His second. It dwells especially on the thrilling and momentous closing scenes of this world's history as the church passes through warfare and sufferings to promised redemption. It reaches through humiliation, reproach, suffering, and persecution for His followers from His departure until His return, as the enmity directed against Him is turned against those who believe in Him, covering the whole dispensation and introducing a history of the church's warfare through to its final redemption. Its end is the final triumph of the people of God, 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.
The prophecy concerns both events before the coming of the Son of man and Jerusalem's destruction. Such false claimants announcing deliverance for the Jewish nation with claims to work miracles appeared between His death and the siege of Jerusalem, and similar deceptions will recur in the last age. Jerusalem's destruction also serves as a type of the world's final destruction by fire, so that the events surrounding Jerusalem's overthrow will happen again.
The instruction about the signs of the times was given to help later believers recognize the dangers ahead and prepare for the great conflict. Its cautions about the signs of His second coming call His people to heed the warning against deception, remain faithful watchmen, attend to prophecies as they are fulfilled, discern the events taking place, and watch and wait for His return rather than remain idle or be surprised and unready. Its prophetic view reaches to the last days, when Christ saw the actions of both saints and sinners and wept for them, and when people reject heaven's light, His warnings, and God's messengers. God's servants are not to fear when people call their earnest message fanaticism, but are to proclaim that God is present.
Deceivers and Deceptions Foretold
Take heed, stay alert, and guard against being deceived or led astray, for many will come in His name claiming to be Christ, and many false Christs and false prophets will rise and deceive many. The warning calls Christ's followers not to be misled by such claimants or signs, but to beware amid the trials and spiritual dangers preceding the end, remembering that His coming will be unmistakable, with signs and wonders so deceptive they could mislead even the elect if alertness fails. These false messiahs claim to work miracles and announce that deliverance for the Jewish nation has come, and many are misled by them.
The going forth of deceivers brings more danger to disciples than persecution, a caution repeated several times to keep them wide-awake regarding the signs of the times. In the latter days seducers urge wonderfully pleasing, fanciful, scientific problems upon the unwary, bringing specious errors ingeniously prepared to dim the spiritual perceptions of those with little experience of the Holy Spirit and those satisfied with limited spiritual knowledge. Their entrance undermines confidence in truth and makes it impossible to distinguish truth from error, and unless believers are on guard the enemy disguised as an angel of light leads them into false paths. False prophets appear and draw away disciples after them, and those who stand faithful in this time of peril meet doctrinal errors so specious that, if it were possible, the very elect would be deceived.
The deception includes claims that Christ will return invisibly and secretly take the saints, against which the signs of the times and fulfilled prophecy give a clearer basis for understanding His coming. It includes wrongly attributing disasters and other signs of His near approach to causes other than the true cause, failing to discern God's restraining work, while strife will intensify when God releases the angels restraining the four winds after His servants are sealed. In the setting of the signs of the times the same warning applies as lawmaking powers seek to exalt Sunday.
Believers must beware of being ensnared by eagerly accepting everything that comes in the form of visions, dreams, and messages from God. Such claims must not be accepted or endorsed without unmistakable evidence but tested with discernment and firm reliance on God's Word as solid rock, with every soul tested and every faith and doctrine tried by the law and the testimony. The need is especially urgent because delusions and deceptions multiply as the end nears, with trials of this kind coming not only from without but from within the ranks.
The warning also covers self-deception caused not by lack of light and evidence but by malignity, jealousy, prejudice, pride, and minds clouded and warped by envy and unholy passion that will not come to the Word for decision. Religious rulers repeat the same false reasoning as the Jewish leaders, who used their authority to instill their own false interpretation and buried truth beneath doctrines, maxims, and traditions. They taught the people to expect Christ as a great outward conqueror to break the Roman yoke and to reign in glory from sea to sea, while pride kept them from believing the prophecies of a humble man of sorrows acquainted with grief. Finding no outward show of a conqueror in Jesus they turned from Him, resisted His words, worked to counteract His influence, and by that very opposition fulfilled the prophecy of His suffering.
Fulfillment Across the Ages
Take heed against deception was first fulfilled by false messiahs who arose between Christ's death and the siege of Jerusalem, claiming to be Christ, professing to work miracles and announcing that deliverance for the Jewish nation had come, by whom many were misled. The same kind of deception was practiced through the ages and will recur in the last age of the world, for the warning applies throughout history and the events surrounding Jerusalem's overthrow will happen again. As the end approaches satanic delusions increase, with people deceived by false claims about Christ in answer to the disciples' private question about the end of the world.
Its predictions are being fulfilled today and are fast fulfilling in the present time, showing that Christ's coming is at hand and the end of all things is near. The signs foretold for the last days in Matthew 24:3-14 are fast fulfilling, yet are now so common they are scarcely considered. We are living in the last days at an important period in God's work, with the signs of the times being fulfilled and the need to be ready and waiting for Christ's appearing.
Accompanying the deception are wars and rumors of wars, nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom, famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places, persecution and killing and hatred for His name, offense and betrayal and hatred among people, and abounding iniquity causing the love of many to grow cold with growing lawlessness. The world grows worse rather than better, but those who endure to the end will be saved. The nations are angry, the time for the dead to be judged has come, stormy times lie ahead, the Spirit's restraining influence is being withdrawn, and disasters and other signs of His near approach are wrongly attributed to causes other than the true cause by those who fail to discern God's restraining work. Strife will intensify when God releases the angels restraining the four winds, after His servants are sealed.
Jesus did not satisfy curiosity about the secret time of His coming but told His followers to heed His words, prepare themselves for that great event, do their individual duty faithfully, and give His warnings to others. Instead of matters they were unprepared to handle He gave decided instruction on what to do to be prepared for coming events, cautioning His disciples to be wide-awake regarding the signs of the times. That instruction comes down through the centuries to the present time, with warnings about perils always surrounding the Christian church belonging especially to those concerned in these things.
Vigilance and Faithful Readiness
Take heed is a call to vigilance amid the trials and spiritual dangers that precede the end, to guard against being deceived by many coming in Christ's name, false Christs and false prophets whose signs could mislead even the elect, remembering that His coming will be unmistakable. The signs of the end are given as warnings to prepare God's people to recognize danger rather than be surprised, so to remain watchful rather than let the day overtake unexpectedly, for indifference to them is sinful. The Lord understands the trials of His followers in the dangers of the last days and the time of trial, and will not leave them to the enemy.
Because the hour of the Lord's coming is unknown, believers must watch and be ready as for a thief in the night, learning nearness by the fig tree and the certainty of Christ's words though heaven and earth pass away. They are to be the faithful and wise servant giving meat in due season, not the evil servant who says his lord delays his coming, smites fellow servants and eats and drinks with the drunken, and is cut asunder with hypocrites in weeping and gnashing of teeth. Safety is planting the feet securely on the Word of God as solid rock, with every faith and doctrine tried by the law and the testimony, testing claims of visions, dreams and messages rather than eagerly accepting everything or endorsing without unmistakable evidence, especially as delusions multiply near the end from without and from within the ranks. In the dangers of the last days they must not listen to the enemy's schemes but be guided by God's Spirit, and God's commandment-keeping people must reject worldly policies, alliances and plans and draw strength from God rather than from those who disobey His commandments. Those who humble themselves and keep their eyes fixed on God will be safely hidden with Christ in God, and when Christ appears will appear with Him in glory, even as the signs Christ foretold are seen in the world's condition while the Spirit's restraining influence is being withdrawn.
All these troubles must happen but the end is not yet and they are only the beginning of sorrows: wars and rumors of wars, nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom, famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places, persecution and killing and hatred for His name, offense and betrayal and hatred, abounding iniquity causing the love of many to grow cold, and growing lawlessness, so the world grows worse rather than better. He who endures to the end will be saved, and the gospel of the kingdom must be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations before the end comes. Curiosity about the secret time of His coming is not satisfied; instead followers are to heed His words, prepare themselves for that great event, do their individual duty faithfully, and give His warnings to others.
Those perishing in sin must be warned with the last message of mercy, and all entrusted with the talent of means must invest that treasure lent by the Lord to advance His work and sustain gospel work in cities, holding up faithful workers by giving. Spending lent money in self-gratification or living to gain worldly riches is a poor investment ending in eternal loss, when trusted earthly things crumble into dust. Only through self-denial, sacrifice of earthly riches, giving all to Christ, much tribulation, and warring the good warfare without laying down weapons until Christ bids rest can the eternal inheritance be secured. The signs of the times read in the light of prophecy show the great day of the Lord is right upon us, so the message of mercy and warning must go forth to awaken the world from its sleep of death, and ministers must keep the day of judgment before the people and watch for souls with unceasing vigilance and diligence, weeping between the porch and the altar and bringing minds to decision. They are to confront opposition where false witnesses invent lies with strengthened faith because Christ has overcome the world, while those who will not hear and give heed are deceived to serve Satan and turn to the world and make shipwreck of faith, becoming blank and cheerless and without God and without hope like the inhabitants of the old world.
Proclaiming the Warning Worldwide
The prophecies of Matthew 24 are to be studied and brought to the attention of all, both believers and unbelievers. They are to be explained as important truths that affect destiny and decide the eternal destiny of souls, so ministers and teachers are to present these truths and leave matters of lesser consequence. The chapter is to be read carefully as a warning to prepare and to warn others that the end is near. Its prophecies are being fulfilled today, showing that Christ's coming is at hand, and His people are to attend to prophecies as they are fulfilled, watching and waiting for His return rather than remaining idle.
The warning to take heed against deception is to be read and repeated to the world now. It is to be carried as the final warning to those who have not yet heard it, so that people are not left ignorant of the coming event or unprepared to meet it. The people of the world need to be enlightened about this fulfillment so they are not deceived, by books containing the light of present truth taken to them in many languages and carried to all parts of the world. The warning must be proclaimed now with a loud voice because tremendous issues are before the world and there is no time to lose. God's householders are to prepare the way for His advent by helping in every possible way those for whom He gave His life.
The third angel's message is the last warning to be proclaimed before the Son of man is revealed, and the signs given show that His coming is near. The warning exposes the danger of deception by making clear the nature of the sin that brings God's judgments, so people can understand the danger and escape it. God works through human agents to fulfill prophecy and to make sacred, eternal truth plain amid false teachings and delusions.
The teaching portrays the condition of the church at His coming and arouses earnest zeal in the heart of the true believer. It calls the church to arouse as it sees unmistakable fulfillment, and God's people need to be aroused to a vivid sense of the times assured to come, when signs are now so common they are scarcely considered. That fulfillment should rouse people from lethargy and awaken responsibility for their work. The work given to believers is to continue until it is finished. God's servants are not to fear when people call their earnest message fanaticism, but are to proclaim that God is present.
The verse stands as part of Jesus' teaching on the signs of the Second Coming and His outline of the last chapters of earth's history, which are rapidly fulfilling. It therefore belongs to an urgent call to heed the warning and prepare for His coming rather than remain indifferent to the signs. It warns that people must guard against being led astray as the signs are fulfilled. Because Satan works with great power and uses unrighteous deception, the warning message must be given without delay.
Jesus opened His answer about the overthrow of the temple and the sign of His coming and the end of the world with a charge to stay alert and refuse to be led astray. Many will come claiming His name and power, with miracles and wonders so convincing they would mislead even the elect if that were possible. That misleading work appeared before Jerusalem fell, has continued through the ages, and grows stronger in the last days alongside wars, famines, earthquakes, persecution, and love grown cold. Safety lies in standing firmly on God's Word, watching as for an unknown hour, enduring to the end while the gospel is carried to all nations. Therefore the prophecy is to be studied, understood, and proclaimed loudly to all as the final warning that His coming is near.
Discourse Setting and Scope
Jesus answered the disciples' private question about when the temple would be thrown down and what would be the sign of His coming and of the end of the world with a solemn warning to guard against deception about the end. The warning stands first in His answer and calls His followers to take heed, stay alert, and not be led astray or misled by claims made in His name. Many will come in His name claiming to be Christ, and many false Christs and false prophets will rise and deceive many, so His coming will need to be remembered as unmistakable and not to be confused with such claims or signs. His answer then outlines important events in the history of the world and the church between His first and second advents, including wars and rumors of wars, nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom, famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places, persecution and killing and hatred for His name, offense and betrayal and hatred among people, growing lawlessness and abounding iniquity causing the love of many to grow cold, with the world growing worse rather than better, yet those who endure to the end will be saved. All these troubles must happen but the end is not yet, and they are only the beginning of sorrows, while the gospel of the kingdom must be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations before the end comes. He did not satisfy curiosity about the secret time of His coming but told His followers to heed His words, prepare themselves for that great event, do their individual duty faithfully, give His warnings to others, and keep vigilance amid the trials and spiritual dangers preceding the end.
The warning belongs to the teaching in Matthew 24 and 25 describing His second coming to this world, when the Son of man comes in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory and sends His angels with a great sound of a trumpet to gather His elect. That coming is as the days of Noah before the flood, its day and hour no man knows, and it gives the warning to watch and be ready while portraying the condition of the church at His coming. The closing teaching about those who await His coming is continued in the parable of the ten virgins. The discourse, with its predictions and warnings, was given shortly before He entered Gethsemane, after the Pharisees pressed Him with questions, when He was weary from the day's work.
The great prophecy beginning with this warning sketches the history of the present dispensation to the complete restitution of all things, tracing important events in the history of the world and church from His first advent to His second. It dwells especially on the thrilling and momentous closing scenes of this world's history as the church passes through warfare and sufferings to promised redemption. It reaches through humiliation, reproach, suffering, and persecution for His followers from His departure until His return, as the enmity directed against Him is turned against those who believe in Him, covering the whole dispensation and introducing a history of the church's warfare through to its final redemption. Its end is the final triumph of the people of God, 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.
The prophecy concerns both events before the coming of the Son of man and Jerusalem's destruction. Such false claimants announcing deliverance for the Jewish nation with claims to work miracles appeared between His death and the siege of Jerusalem, and similar deceptions will recur in the last age. Jerusalem's destruction also serves as a type of the world's final destruction by fire, so that the events surrounding Jerusalem's overthrow will happen again.
The instruction about the signs of the times was given to help later believers recognize the dangers ahead and prepare for the great conflict. Its cautions about the signs of His second coming call His people to heed the warning against deception, remain faithful watchmen, attend to prophecies as they are fulfilled, discern the events taking place, and watch and wait for His return rather than remain idle or be surprised and unready. Its prophetic view reaches to the last days, when Christ saw the actions of both saints and sinners and wept for them, and when people reject heaven's light, His warnings, and God's messengers. God's servants are not to fear when people call their earnest message fanaticism, but are to proclaim that God is present.
Deceivers and Deceptions Foretold
Take heed, stay alert, and guard against being deceived or led astray, for many will come in His name claiming to be Christ, and many false Christs and false prophets will rise and deceive many. The warning calls Christ's followers not to be misled by such claimants or signs, but to beware amid the trials and spiritual dangers preceding the end, remembering that His coming will be unmistakable, with signs and wonders so deceptive they could mislead even the elect if alertness fails. These false messiahs claim to work miracles and announce that deliverance for the Jewish nation has come, and many are misled by them.
The going forth of deceivers brings more danger to disciples than persecution, a caution repeated several times to keep them wide-awake regarding the signs of the times. In the latter days seducers urge wonderfully pleasing, fanciful, scientific problems upon the unwary, bringing specious errors ingeniously prepared to dim the spiritual perceptions of those with little experience of the Holy Spirit and those satisfied with limited spiritual knowledge. Their entrance undermines confidence in truth and makes it impossible to distinguish truth from error, and unless believers are on guard the enemy disguised as an angel of light leads them into false paths. False prophets appear and draw away disciples after them, and those who stand faithful in this time of peril meet doctrinal errors so specious that, if it were possible, the very elect would be deceived.
The deception includes claims that Christ will return invisibly and secretly take the saints, against which the signs of the times and fulfilled prophecy give a clearer basis for understanding His coming. It includes wrongly attributing disasters and other signs of His near approach to causes other than the true cause, failing to discern God's restraining work, while strife will intensify when God releases the angels restraining the four winds after His servants are sealed. In the setting of the signs of the times the same warning applies as lawmaking powers seek to exalt Sunday.
Believers must beware of being ensnared by eagerly accepting everything that comes in the form of visions, dreams, and messages from God. Such claims must not be accepted or endorsed without unmistakable evidence but tested with discernment and firm reliance on God's Word as solid rock, with every soul tested and every faith and doctrine tried by the law and the testimony. The need is especially urgent because delusions and deceptions multiply as the end nears, with trials of this kind coming not only from without but from within the ranks.
The warning also covers self-deception caused not by lack of light and evidence but by malignity, jealousy, prejudice, pride, and minds clouded and warped by envy and unholy passion that will not come to the Word for decision. Religious rulers repeat the same false reasoning as the Jewish leaders, who used their authority to instill their own false interpretation and buried truth beneath doctrines, maxims, and traditions. They taught the people to expect Christ as a great outward conqueror to break the Roman yoke and to reign in glory from sea to sea, while pride kept them from believing the prophecies of a humble man of sorrows acquainted with grief. Finding no outward show of a conqueror in Jesus they turned from Him, resisted His words, worked to counteract His influence, and by that very opposition fulfilled the prophecy of His suffering.
Fulfillment Across the Ages
Take heed against deception was first fulfilled by false messiahs who arose between Christ's death and the siege of Jerusalem, claiming to be Christ, professing to work miracles and announcing that deliverance for the Jewish nation had come, by whom many were misled. The same kind of deception was practiced through the ages and will recur in the last age of the world, for the warning applies throughout history and the events surrounding Jerusalem's overthrow will happen again. As the end approaches satanic delusions increase, with people deceived by false claims about Christ in answer to the disciples' private question about the end of the world.
Its predictions are being fulfilled today and are fast fulfilling in the present time, showing that Christ's coming is at hand and the end of all things is near. The signs foretold for the last days in Matthew 24:3-14 are fast fulfilling, yet are now so common they are scarcely considered. We are living in the last days at an important period in God's work, with the signs of the times being fulfilled and the need to be ready and waiting for Christ's appearing.
Accompanying the deception are wars and rumors of wars, nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom, famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places, persecution and killing and hatred for His name, offense and betrayal and hatred among people, and abounding iniquity causing the love of many to grow cold with growing lawlessness. The world grows worse rather than better, but those who endure to the end will be saved. The nations are angry, the time for the dead to be judged has come, stormy times lie ahead, the Spirit's restraining influence is being withdrawn, and disasters and other signs of His near approach are wrongly attributed to causes other than the true cause by those who fail to discern God's restraining work. Strife will intensify when God releases the angels restraining the four winds, after His servants are sealed.
Jesus did not satisfy curiosity about the secret time of His coming but told His followers to heed His words, prepare themselves for that great event, do their individual duty faithfully, and give His warnings to others. Instead of matters they were unprepared to handle He gave decided instruction on what to do to be prepared for coming events, cautioning His disciples to be wide-awake regarding the signs of the times. That instruction comes down through the centuries to the present time, with warnings about perils always surrounding the Christian church belonging especially to those concerned in these things.
Vigilance and Faithful Readiness
Take heed is a call to vigilance amid the trials and spiritual dangers that precede the end, to guard against being deceived by many coming in Christ's name, false Christs and false prophets whose signs could mislead even the elect, remembering that His coming will be unmistakable. The signs of the end are given as warnings to prepare God's people to recognize danger rather than be surprised, so to remain watchful rather than let the day overtake unexpectedly, for indifference to them is sinful. The Lord understands the trials of His followers in the dangers of the last days and the time of trial, and will not leave them to the enemy.
Because the hour of the Lord's coming is unknown, believers must watch and be ready as for a thief in the night, learning nearness by the fig tree and the certainty of Christ's words though heaven and earth pass away. They are to be the faithful and wise servant giving meat in due season, not the evil servant who says his lord delays his coming, smites fellow servants and eats and drinks with the drunken, and is cut asunder with hypocrites in weeping and gnashing of teeth. Safety is planting the feet securely on the Word of God as solid rock, with every faith and doctrine tried by the law and the testimony, testing claims of visions, dreams and messages rather than eagerly accepting everything or endorsing without unmistakable evidence, especially as delusions multiply near the end from without and from within the ranks. In the dangers of the last days they must not listen to the enemy's schemes but be guided by God's Spirit, and God's commandment-keeping people must reject worldly policies, alliances and plans and draw strength from God rather than from those who disobey His commandments. Those who humble themselves and keep their eyes fixed on God will be safely hidden with Christ in God, and when Christ appears will appear with Him in glory, even as the signs Christ foretold are seen in the world's condition while the Spirit's restraining influence is being withdrawn.
All these troubles must happen but the end is not yet and they are only the beginning of sorrows: wars and rumors of wars, nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom, famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places, persecution and killing and hatred for His name, offense and betrayal and hatred, abounding iniquity causing the love of many to grow cold, and growing lawlessness, so the world grows worse rather than better. He who endures to the end will be saved, and the gospel of the kingdom must be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations before the end comes. Curiosity about the secret time of His coming is not satisfied; instead followers are to heed His words, prepare themselves for that great event, do their individual duty faithfully, and give His warnings to others.
Those perishing in sin must be warned with the last message of mercy, and all entrusted with the talent of means must invest that treasure lent by the Lord to advance His work and sustain gospel work in cities, holding up faithful workers by giving. Spending lent money in self-gratification or living to gain worldly riches is a poor investment ending in eternal loss, when trusted earthly things crumble into dust. Only through self-denial, sacrifice of earthly riches, giving all to Christ, much tribulation, and warring the good warfare without laying down weapons until Christ bids rest can the eternal inheritance be secured. The signs of the times read in the light of prophecy show the great day of the Lord is right upon us, so the message of mercy and warning must go forth to awaken the world from its sleep of death, and ministers must keep the day of judgment before the people and watch for souls with unceasing vigilance and diligence, weeping between the porch and the altar and bringing minds to decision. They are to confront opposition where false witnesses invent lies with strengthened faith because Christ has overcome the world, while those who will not hear and give heed are deceived to serve Satan and turn to the world and make shipwreck of faith, becoming blank and cheerless and without God and without hope like the inhabitants of the old world.
Proclaiming the Warning Worldwide
The prophecies of Matthew 24 are to be studied and brought to the attention of all, both believers and unbelievers. They are to be explained as important truths that affect destiny and decide the eternal destiny of souls, so ministers and teachers are to present these truths and leave matters of lesser consequence. The chapter is to be read carefully as a warning to prepare and to warn others that the end is near. Its prophecies are being fulfilled today, showing that Christ's coming is at hand, and His people are to attend to prophecies as they are fulfilled, watching and waiting for His return rather than remaining idle.
The warning to take heed against deception is to be read and repeated to the world now. It is to be carried as the final warning to those who have not yet heard it, so that people are not left ignorant of the coming event or unprepared to meet it. The people of the world need to be enlightened about this fulfillment so they are not deceived, by books containing the light of present truth taken to them in many languages and carried to all parts of the world. The warning must be proclaimed now with a loud voice because tremendous issues are before the world and there is no time to lose. God's householders are to prepare the way for His advent by helping in every possible way those for whom He gave His life.
The third angel's message is the last warning to be proclaimed before the Son of man is revealed, and the signs given show that His coming is near. The warning exposes the danger of deception by making clear the nature of the sin that brings God's judgments, so people can understand the danger and escape it. God works through human agents to fulfill prophecy and to make sacred, eternal truth plain amid false teachings and delusions.
The teaching portrays the condition of the church at His coming and arouses earnest zeal in the heart of the true believer. It calls the church to arouse as it sees unmistakable fulfillment, and God's people need to be aroused to a vivid sense of the times assured to come, when signs are now so common they are scarcely considered. That fulfillment should rouse people from lethargy and awaken responsibility for their work. The work given to believers is to continue until it is finished. God's servants are not to fear when people call their earnest message fanaticism, but are to proclaim that God is present.
The verse stands as part of Jesus' teaching on the signs of the Second Coming and His outline of the last chapters of earth's history, which are rapidly fulfilling. It therefore belongs to an urgent call to heed the warning and prepare for His coming rather than remain indifferent to the signs. It warns that people must guard against being led astray as the signs are fulfilled. Because Satan works with great power and uses unrighteous deception, the warning message must be given without delay.