Jesus warned that the end times would be marked by deception.
When the disciples asked Jesus on the Mount of Olives about the sign of His coming and the end of the age, His first recorded warning was, "Take heed that no man deceive you" (Matthew 24:4). He went on to say that many would come in His name claiming "I am Christ" and deceive many, and that false Christs and false prophets would show great signs and wonders (Matthew 24:5, 24). Les Feldick consistently highlights that deception, not globalism or the Antichrist, is the first thing Jesus warned about.
Matthew 24:4-5 — Jesus' first answer to the disciples' end-time question is a direct command not to be deceived.
Matthew 24:23-24 — Jesus warns of false Christs and false prophets performing signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
Matthew 24:6 — Jesus clarifies that wars and rumors of wars are not the end, but must come to pass.
Jesus’ end-times discourse begins with a warning. When the disciples asked Him privately on the Mount of Olives, "Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" (Matthew 24:3), His first recorded answer was "Take heed that no man deceive you" (Matthew 24:4). He immediately explained, "For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many" (Matthew 24:5). Later in the same discourse Jesus returned to the same warning: "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect" (Matthew 24:23-24). He also told them of wars and rumors of wars, but said, "see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet" (Matthew 24:6).
Les Feldick repeatedly emphasizes that Jesus' end-times warning begins with deception. When the disciples asked Jesus about the sign of His coming and the end of the age, the first word Jesus used was deception. Les teaches that the false teaching and deception flooding our country is part and parcel of the end-times scenario. Les also warns that the world is set up for the biggest deception that has ever hit the human race. People are falling for anything and everything that comes their way, but they refuse to get into this Book and search for the truth. Satan, he says, is the master deceiver and is infiltrating the church with everything but the truth, giving people something less than the truth. In Matthew 24, Les sees the teaching as totally tribulation ground, yet he uses a high-school drama analogy: weeks of practicing, props, and advertising are building up before the curtain ever rises. He also teaches that when things get tough, people turn religious, but false Christs and false prophets will arise showing great signs and wonders, and their power will come from the devil, not from God.
Jesus' first warning was "Take heed that no man deceive you" (Matthew 24:4). He said that many would come in His name saying "I am Christ" and would deceive many (Matthew 24:5). He also warned that if anyone says "Lo, here is Christ" or "there," people should not believe it, because false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders (Matthew 24:23-24).
Les points out that when the disciples asked Jesus for the signs of His coming and the end of the age, the word Jesus started with was deception. Les teaches that deception and false teaching flooding the country are part and parcel of the end-times scenario.
Jesus warned that many will come in His name claiming "I am Christ" and will deceive many. When things get tough, people turn religious, but false Christs and false prophets will arise. Les explains that these false teachers will show great signs and wonders, and their power comes from Satan, not from God. Jesus also mentioned wars and rumors of wars, but said that these are not the end yet.
Les teaches that people must search the Book for truth rather than reading many other books. Believers should be as aware of what isn't said or which Scriptures are ignored as they are of what is said, because biblical teaching can be adulterated by ignoring portions that don't fit a particular teaching. He warns that people are being given something less than the truth, even in the church, but believers are still responsible to know the truth.
Les says he is convinced that Matthew 24 is totally tribulation ground. Yet he uses the analogy of preparing for a high school drama: weeks of practicing, gathering props, and advertising all build up for the night the curtain rises. He also teaches that the deception and false teaching flooding our country is part and parcel of the end-times scenario, showing that present conditions are preparation for that coming tribulation.
Why Unbelievers Can't Understand the Bible — 1 Corinthians 2 Explained
when we bring it into the realm of the spiritual versus the natural. Now again, I always have to go back to poor old Paul when he came up in Athens to Mars Hill. I may have mentioned in a previous program, I don�t remember everything I�ve said, most of it I think, but not everything.
The coming great deception
Les warns that the world is set up for the biggest deception in human history and that Satan is the master deceiver, even infiltrating the church with everything but the truth.
The disciples' question on the Mount of Olives
Les reminds listeners that the twelve asked Jesus about the sign of His coming and the end of the age, and warns against ignoring portions of Scripture that don't fit a particular teaching.
The first word: do not be deceived
Les stresses that when the disciples asked about the signs of His coming and the end of the age, Jesus' first answer was do not be deceived, making deception part of the end-times scenario.
False Christs and false prophets with signs and wonders
Les explains that the end times will bring false Christs and false prophets whose great signs and wonders derive their power from Satan, not God.
Matthew 24 as tribulation ground
Les places Matthew 24 as totally tribulation ground and uses a high-school drama analogy to show that present events are the preparation before the curtain rises.
Messiah impostors and rumors of wars
Les notes that Jesus said many will come in His name claiming to be the Messiah and deceive many, and that wars and rumors of wars are not yet the end.
The word Jesus started with: deception
Les emphasizes that when the disciples asked for signs of His coming, Jesus started out with the word deception, and he urges people to get into the Book rather than read many other books.
Matthew 24:4: And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
This is Jesus' first recorded answer to the disciples' question about the sign of His coming and the end of the age.
Matthew 24:5: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Jesus explains the specific deception: false claimants to the Messiahship will lead many astray.
Matthew 24:6: And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Wars and rumors of wars are part of the events Jesus mentions, but He says they are not the end.
Matthew 24:23: Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
Jesus warns people not to believe even those who point to a visible Christ in the end times.
Matthew 24:24: For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
False Messiahs and false prophets will perform miraculous signs to deceive, but the elect are warned.
When the disciples asked Jesus about the sign of His coming and the end of the age, His first warning was "Take heed that no man deceive you" (Matthew 24:4). Les Feldick emphasizes that Jesus started out with deception.
Jesus said many would come in His name saying "I am Christ" and would deceive many. False Christs and false prophets will show great signs and wonders. Les warns that Satan is infiltrating the church and giving people something less than the truth.
Les teaches that the signs and wonders performed by false Christs and false prophets in the end times will get their power from the devil, not from God.
Les urges believers to search the Book for truth, not just read many other books. He also says believers should be as aware of ignored Scriptures as they are of what is said, so they aren't led away from the truth.
Watch the Teaching: Why Unbelievers Can't Understand the Bible — 1 Corinthians 2 Explained