Jesus means that many false claimants will come using His name and declare, 'I am Christ,' and they will deceive many people.
This is the first warning Jesus gives when His disciples ask about the sign of His coming and the end of the age (Matthew 24:3-5). Les Feldick teaches that the primary figure behind this prediction is the Antichrist, a deceptive counterfeit Christ who will eventually reveal himself as Satan's emissary. Jesus repeats the warning later, adding that false Christs and false prophets will perform great signs and wonders in an attempt to deceive even the very elect.
Matthew 24:4-5 — This is the passage where Jesus directly warns that many will come in His name saying, 'I am Christ,' and will deceive many.
In Matthew 24, Jesus answers the disciples' private question about the sign of His coming and the end of the age. His first words are a warning: 'Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.' The Scripture itself uses 'Christ' as the title these deceivers claim. Later in the same discourse Jesus repeats the warning: 'Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.' He explains why: '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.' The Scripture also records that wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes will accompany this period, but Jesus says 'the end is not yet.'
Les Feldick teaches that Matthew 24 is totally tribulation ground, so the warning about many coming in Jesus' name saying 'I am Christ' belongs to the seven-year Tribulation. The main figure behind this prediction is the Antichrist, the counterfeit Christ. He will come on the scene as a deceptive person promising everything the world wants, and then he will soon become the very emissary of Satan. Les connects this to the White Horse rider of Revelation 6. In the same passage, Jesus warns of false Christs and false prophets who will show great signs and wonders. Les explains that their power comes not from God but from the devil. He also observes that Jewish people describe the Messiah they are looking for as a superman with military and economic charisma, and Les tells them they are actually describing the Antichrist. The true Christ, by contrast, will not come from the desert or secret chambers; He will return from heaven at the Second Coming in power and glory.
Yes. In Les's teaching, 'Christ' and 'Messiah' are used interchangeably for these false claimants. When he expounds Jesus' later warning in the same chapter, he says, 'Lo, here is Christ, here is the Messiah.' The title 'Christ' in this warning refers to the promised Messiah.
Les identifies the main figure as the Antichrist, the counterfeit Christ. Jesus says many will come, but the one who fulfills this most completely is the Antichrist. He will appear as a deceptive person promising everything the world wants, then become the very emissary of Satan. Les also links him to the rider on the white horse in Revelation 6.
Les teaches that all of Matthew 24 is tribulation ground, meaning this warning belongs to the seven-year Tribulation, not to the church age. He says today's earthquakes, perplexity, governmental corruption, and ungodliness are not the Tribulation itself; they are preparation, like a stage being set. When the Antichrist signs a treaty with Israel, the Tribulation begins, and it is during that time that false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders.
Jesus says 'take heed that no man deceive you' and warns not to go after claims that Christ is in the desert or in secret chambers. Les explains that the real Christ will not come from those places; He will come from heaven at the Second Coming in power and glory. Believers should also recognize that the signs and wonders performed by false christs come from Satan, not from God.
What Are the Signs of the End Times? Matthew 24 Explained
the prophets," see that's the Old Testament writers, "...of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you." Now that's what prophecy is remember, they were telling of what was coming out in the future. "...
Antichrist's Deception
Les explains that the warning about many saying 'I am Christ' is exactly what the Antichrist will do: he will come as a deceptive person promising what people want, then become Satan's emissary.
False Christs and False Prophets
Les teaches that in the Tribulation, false Christs and false prophets will show great signs and wonders, and their power comes from the devil, not from God.
White Horse Rider
Les connects Matthew 24:5 to the White Horse rider in Revelation 6, calling him the counterfeit Christ and Antichrist who convinces the world he is the Christ.
Israel's Expectations
Les tells Jewish people that the Messiah they hope for — a superman with military and economic charisma — is actually a description of the Antichrist, helping explain why so many are deceived.
True Return from Heaven
Les teaches that the true Christ will not be in the desert or secret chambers; He will return from heaven at the Second Coming, so believers should not follow false reports.
Tribulation Setting
Les establishes that Matthew 24, including the warning about many saying 'I am Christ,' is totally tribulation ground, not the church age.
Preparation Stage
Les says today's increase in earthquakes, corruption, and perplexity is not the Tribulation but the preparation for it, setting the stage for the Antichrist.
Matthew 24:4: And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Jesus begins His end-time answer with a warning against deception, setting up the warning about false Christs.
Matthew 24:5: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
This is the verse the question asks about; Jesus directly says many will claim to be the Christ.
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.
Jesus places the false-christ warning among several end-time events that must happen before the end.
Matthew 24:23: Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
Jesus repeats the warning later, showing how emphatic He is that believers not follow false claims about Christ's location.
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.
Jesus expands the warning, saying the deception will include miracle-working false Christs powerful enough to almost deceive the elect.
Jesus means that false claimants will come using His name and announce that they themselves are the Christ or Messiah. Les Feldick teaches this points to the Antichrist and false christs who will deceive many during the Tribulation.
Jesus says 'many shall come,' but Les identifies the main figure as the Antichrist, the counterfeit Christ. There will also be false prophets and false christs during the Tribulation who work signs and wonders by Satan's power.
In the context of this warning, yes. Les uses both terms interchangeably in his teaching, and in his explanation of Jesus' warning he says, 'Lo, here is Christ, here is the Messiah.'
Jesus says that if it were possible, they would deceive the very elect, meaning believers still surviving in the Tribulation. Les emphasizes this shows how powerful the deception will be, but the word 'if' indicates it will not ultimately succeed.
According to Les, no. Today's earthquakes, perplexity, corruption, and wickedness are preparation, not the Tribulation. The Tribulation begins when the Antichrist signs the treaty with Israel.
Watch the Teaching: What Are the Signs of the End Times? Matthew 24 Explained