“See to it that no one misleads you.” (Matthew 24:4)

Jesus’ disciples had just asked Him in :3, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”  It should be instructive to us that the VERY FIRST thing Jesus said to His disciples after they had asked Him about the timing of the events of the end was “See to it that no one misleads you.” Right here at the very outset of His teaching on the end times (what theologians call “eschatology”), Jesus indicates that there will be much misleading information given out, that will steer people in the wrong direction. Thus we should be very wary of “buying into” any system of eschatology.

In :5 Jesus said “MANY will come in My name … and will mislead many.” Note that He did not say that “some” misleading prophets or teachers would come, or “a few”, but “MANY”!  This is exactly what I John 4:1 warns: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because MANY false prophets have gone out into the world.” Notice again: he did not indicate that there would merely be “some” or “a few” false teachers, but “MANY”!

Thus Jesus warned His followers at the outset that a LOT of what would be taught about the last days and His return would be false. We are foolish if we do not remember this, and take a lot of what we hear proclaimed about the end with a great deal of skepticism and more than a grain of salt — and a LOT of Biblical discernment! “See to it that no one misleads you” — every Christian should quote those words to himself before he hears or reads anything taught about the doctrines of the end.