The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. Matthew 23:11-12 NIV
But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Matthew 24:36 NIV
Read Matthew 23 and 24.
I feel so angry when I see a false minister of the Gospel take advantage of his position and manipulate his followers merely to feed his pride or greed or to fuel his need for power. I have seen some twist the Word of God into a pretzel, or to take portions of it out of context so that it seems to support the false message they are trying to convey. They know the buzz words to use, the tone of voice, the gestures, the facial expressions, and the emotions that will get the people hyped up and excited. Their followers become so devoted to these leaders that they don’t realize they are being deceived.
I cannot even begin to tell you how angry this makes me! It is such an offense to the Lord that I love and serve, and it is utter disrespect for the Word of God! I see people being led astray in the name of God, but is really the work of Satan to draw these “sheeple” astray. We must be so careful about who we follow and to check their teachings against the Holy Scriptures.
I won’t judge most preachers of the Gospel; that is God’s place. I understand that we are all human and may make mistakes, and I don’t want to ever speak out against God’s anointed. However, I will boldly stand against the blatant deceivers who are wolves in sheep’s clothing, seeking to devour others in order to build their own following. On the surface, they may appear to have it all together. They look righteous and are well-versed in religious talk. But, beware! Looks can be deceiving!
That was what was going on in chapter 23 of Matthew. The Pharisees were the televangelists of Jesus’ time. They had the huge tassels hanging from their prayer shawls, and they had massive prayer boxes attached to their arms to impress others with their “piety.” They loved the attention they got as they wore their long robes and sat in places of honor in public. They were into titles and labels, expecting to be called “Rabbi.”
Jesus condemned such an attitude! They were all a bunch of show-offs; there was no authenticity at all! Jesus called them hypocrites. They only performed their religious acts for people to see them and give them praise, but their hearts were far from revering God. They crushed the people with heavy religious burdens, but they did nothing to help. They nitpicked about the minute parts of the law, but they missed the most important aspects of the law, such as justice, mercy, and faithfulness.
Jesus called them “blind guides.” They themselves were lost, and they were leading other people astray. Jesus warned not to seek titles or to be puffed up with pride, for the pride will certainly be humbled. On the contrary, the truly humble will be exalted! If we want to be truly great, we must become a servant.
Jesus then gives a powerful illustration. What a foolish thing it would be to wash only the outside of a dish but leave the crud stuck to the inside. How gross! That is what the Pharisees were like. They were like hardened egg yolks stuck to the inside of the plate, while only the pretty outside of the plate was showing. Ew!
Worse yet, they were like white washed tombs. They looked clean and beautiful on the outside, but they were only full of dead men’s bones on the inside. What good does it do to maintain only the part one can see if you are full of corruption on the inside where it really matters? Yep! Jesus had the Pharisees pegged perfectly!
Jesus then looked toward Jerusalem, and His heart was full of distress and sadness. If only they had recognized their Savior, but now it was too late!
Jesus then described some of the most intense signs of the end of the age. Nation would rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes, and many terrible signs indicating the end of time. Then the Son of Man will return in the clouds with power and great glory, and He will gather His elect from all over the world! How exciting!
Verse 14 is my favorite verse of this chapter: “And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.”
Jesus warned that many will claim to be the Messiah, but don’t be deceived. Just like we observe the fig tree to identify seasons, we need to know how to recognize the signs of the Lord’s return so that we won’t be misled. We need to keep a close watch because His return will be much like the great flood in Noah’s day. People were eating, drinking, and living their lives like normal, but suddenly, without expectation, they were swept away and destroyed. In the same way, two men will be working together in the field. One will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding flour at the mill. One will be taken and the other left.
Just as a homeowner would protect his home if he knew a burglar was coming, we need to keep watch just as diligently. Be ready at all times because no one knows the day or the hour, not even Jesus Himself, when God will say, “Son, go get your bride!” Let’s be sure that when He returns, He will find us faithful!
