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For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." (Matt 24:4-5) (200:3) see Again He said: (200:4) "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not." (Matt 24:23)mat*24:23 (200:5) Jesus warned His followers that there would not be one, but 'many' false Christs and false prophets who (200:6) "...shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. (Matt 24:24)mat*24:24 (200:7) It was to protect His followers from error that Christ gave them His three great promises concerning the proof of his return: (1) The Gospel would be preached everywhere; (2) the times of the Gentiles would be fulfilled; and (3) the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel would come to pass. He warned them to 'watch!' with spiritual eyes and ears for these proofs, so that they would not be misled. Christ knew that only the pure in heart would recognize Him in the day of His return. He knew that every Prophet had been called false by His own generation. It had been true of Himself as well. Christ was considered, by the great mass of the people of His day, to be a 'false prophet'. It is written:
(200:8)
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