False Messiahs and Anti-Christs

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INTRODUCTION

As we have said over the last two weeks, you cannot even begin to understand this most confusing work until you have understood Matthew 24, which serves as a prequel to Revelation, the answer key, if you will, for all of the symbols and signs that proliferate this apocalyptic text. So, as an introduction to the book of Revelation, we will be camping out in Matthew 24 for a few weeks so that when we open up John's Apocalypse, everything will begin to make much more sense. 

Last week, we laid a detailed foundation and context for Matthew 24, examining three particular threads to see how each of them pointed to the doom soon to befall Jerusalem. The first thread we examined was the eschatological statements of John the Baptist, how he was the end-time prophet coming in the Spirit of Elijah to prepare the people of Jerusalem and Judea for the great and terrifying "Day of the Lord." The second thread was Jesus' teachings, miracles, sermons, parables, and the showdown He had with the Pharisees in the final week of His life, all pointing to a sudden and calamitous ending soon coming upon the city that kills the prophets. According to Jesus, God will uproot the city like a withered fig tree (Matthew 21:19), take the Kingdom away from them because they have been fruitless (Matthew 21:43), give it to a new people who will bear its fruit (Matthew 21:41), setting their city on fire with the armies God chooses to send (Matthew 22:7), and leaving their Temple abandoned and ripped apart brick by brick (Matthew 23:38 and Matthew 24:2). Alongside these two themes, we also saw how Matthew weaves together Old Testament references like the curse motif from Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26, showing how Jesus is unleashing the full fury of God's covenantal wrath on the worst generation of covenant breakers. In sum, all of Matthew's Gospel and everything contained therein is aimed at the exact same target: the near-coming doom of Jerusalem.

Because of this, none of what we have seen so far, even remotely, has to do with esoteric events that will happen in the distant and uncertain future. Jesus is speaking about clear events that would occur in the lifetime of those listening to His words. Because of this, Jesus gave His apostles clear and unmistakable signs to be on the lookout for so they could know when all of these things were getting close to happening. Remember, these men would live in the city Jesus pronounced doom over. They would spend the next 40 years pouring out their lives, preaching urgently, calling men and women to repent like deckmen pleading with women and children to get into the lifeboats as the Titanic sank. For this reason, those men would need to know how the next forty years would play out when the final disaster would overtake the city so they could warn all the other Christians when to flee the city and abandon it to destruction. This is precisely what Jesus will be teaching His disciples in Matthew 24. 

A CONFUSING MARCH TO OLIVET

The weight of everything they had seen and heard clung to them as they left the city. It was as if time itself slowed when Jesus cursed the fig tree. The disciples had watched in horror as life drained from the tree before their eyes, its leaves withering as if cursed by death itself. But it wasn't just a tree. They knew that now. When Jesus turned and pointed toward Jerusalem, the message was clear: Like this tree, the city was doomed. Fruitless. Uprooted.

Their hearts beat heavily in their chests as they followed Jesus through the streets, walking toward the Temple where He would deliver scathing parables that sent shivers down their spines. His words weren't just teachings; they were declarations of war. Each parable cut through the tension in the air like a blade, condemning the city and its leaders, promising judgment—promising fire. "The armies will come," Jesus had said, "and they will burn this city to the ground." The disciples exchanged nervous glances, each one wrestling with fear and disbelief. How could this happen to Jerusalem, the city of God? How could the Temple fall?

As Jesus went toe-to-toe with the Sanhedrin, they stood nearby, anxious, feeling the danger pulse through the crowd. Their minds raced, trying to reconcile the Messiah who had spoken of peace with the one now pronouncing woes on the city and its leaders. The tension was unbearable. Then, when He said that God would abandon the Temple, it felt like the ground had shifted beneath their feet. The very heart of their faith, the Temple, reduced to rubble?

They struggled to grasp it. They felt like a knot was tightening, with no way to untangle it. Every word from Jesus' lips seemed like a nail in the coffin, sealing the fate of the city they had grown up revering. And when He finally said it was time to go, they could hardly process all that had just been declared.

They marched in bitter silence out of the city, leaving through the eastern gate, the noise of Jerusalem fading behind them. As they walked, their eyes were drawn to the temple complex towering over them, its gleaming stones reflecting the late afternoon sun. It was too much for one of them to bear. One of the disciples, his voice shaking, pointed to the Temple in desperation. "Look, Teacher, at the buildings..." He wasn't pointing because Jesus hadn't seen them—He had been right there. No, this was different. It was a plea, a last attempt to understand. Could this really be destroyed? Could God allow His own house to be torn down?

But Jesus' reply offered no comfort. "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down." The words landed like stones themselves, heavy and immovable. The disciples understood now. They had heard Him correctly. The confusion swirling in their minds was not a misunderstanding but a bitter realization. God was going to destroy the Temple.

Again, they marched silently, the weight of it all pressing upon them as they climbed the path to the Mount of Olives. The city lay below them now, the Temple still gleaming but somehow less majestic, less permanent, as though it had already begun its descent into ruin. Finally, when they could bear it no longer, a few of them approached Jesus as He sat, the weight of the day's pronouncements heavy on their hearts.

With their minds reeling, they asked Him three questions, hoping for clarity, for some sense of understanding amidst the chaos:

"Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"

Their questions hung in the air as they waited for Jesus to respond, desperate for answers to settle their stormy hearts. But those questions would not calm the storm; they would only reveal a greater one to come.

And that is where we'll begin to unpack Matthew 24…

THREE VERY REASONABLE QUESTIONS

Still in shock over Jesus' prophecy about the Temple, the disciples had burning questions that needed answers. The idea of the Temple being left desolate and destroyed was almost unimaginable for them. Sitting with Jesus on the Mount of Olives, they needed clarity and asked three crucial questions. Each of these questions is key to understanding Matthew 24, and as we unpack them, we'll see that the only consistent hermeneutical method for interpreting this passage is through a preterist lens—understanding that these events were fulfilled in the first century, not in some distant future.

The disciples asked: "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3). Let's break down each question and demonstrate how they lead us to a preterist understanding of the text.

1. WHEN WILL THESE THINGS HAPPEN?

The disciples' first question was directly tied to Jesus' shocking declaration that the Temple would be destroyed. They were asking about the timing of this specific event: When would the Temple—the symbol of God's dwelling among His people—be torn down? They weren't thinking of some far-off future cataclysm; their concern was immediate and local. The Temple represented the center of their religious life, and the thought of its destruction was deeply troubling.

From a preterist perspective, we understand that this question refers specifically to the events that would unfold in their lifetime, culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in A.D. 70. This was the "when" they were asking about. Jesus' prophecy was fulfilled exactly as He described when the Roman armies, led by Titus, besieged and destroyed Jerusalem. This is the only interpretation that makes sense in light of the disciples' question—they were asking about an event they expected to witness, not something thousands of years later.

2. WHAT WILL BE THE SIGN OF YOUR COMING?

The second question is often sorely misunderstood. Many assume that when the disciples asked about Jesus' "coming,"they referred to His final coming at the end of human history. But this is not what the disciples had in mind. In fact, it could not have been further from the point of what they were asking. Far from pausing their urgent discussion on the life-changing catastrophe that would happen to their beloved city to sequester a little teaching on the end of human history, they continued their line of thinking by wondering when Jesus would return in judgment against the city. He had just left the city. Now, they were wondering when and how He would amass His armies and overtake it! 

While it is likely that the disciples envisioned a physical return, where Jesus would ride a war horse and besiege the city with His loyal soldiers, Scripture provides ample room for God to come invisibly in judgment upon a nation. The language of "coming on the clouds" or "coming against" a people is not new to the Bible. In fact, it is deeply rooted in the prophetic literature as a way of describing God's divine intervention in human affairs, particularly in judgment. In Isaiah 19:1, we read, 

"Behold, the LORD is riding on a swift cloud and is about to come to Egypt; the idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence." - Isaiah 19:1

Here, God is coming invisibly against Egypt, using physical human armies from other nations as His chosen weapon of judgment to destroy them. In this sense, we would be wrong to interpret Isaiah 19 as a physical coming of God to earth. That is not the point. The point is that God's "coming" is a coming in judgment. This is what Jesus will be doing to Jerusalem. 

Similarly, in Micah 1:3, the prophet declares against Samaria and Jerusalem, "For behold, the LORD is coming forth from His place. He will come down and tread on the high places of the land." This language may seem to indicate that God will be coming in the flesh to dole out judgment on Samaria and Judah, but this, again, is not a physical coming. This is God's warlike presence coming in judgment against His people who have defamed His name.

Throughout the Old Testament, God's "coming" is often used metaphorically to describe His acts of judgment against nations. In Jeremiah 4, for instance, God 'comes' against Judah, riding a cloud of destruction by raising up the Babylonian armies. God indeed 'came,' yet the only visible evidence was the Babylonian sword. Similarly, in Ezekiel 30, God's "coming" against Egypt employs the imagery of clouds and wrath, but the tangible reality was the Assyrian army marching against Egypt. The same is true for Tyre and Sidon—God's "visitation" meant a foreign army crushing them. Whether against Babylon (Isaiah 13), Edom (Isaiah 34), or Egypt (Ezekiel 30), God's wrathful 'coming' was invisible, but His judgment was executed through a natural, human army.

In Matthew 24, Jesus speaks of a coming when He will unleash Rome's armies upon Jerusalem to judge the godless city. This wasn't a visible, physical return in the flesh but an invisible coming in judgment, much like God's Old Testament judgments. The 'signs' the disciples asked about were indicators of this judgment's nearness. In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus lays out the specific signs they should look for as this retribution approaches.

3. WHAT ABOUT THE END OF THE AGE?

The third question, "What will be the sign of the end of the age?" is perhaps the most misunderstood. Many people today interpret this question as if it were speaking about the end of the world, but this would have been nonsensical to the disciples. Imagine if someone you loved told you to flee your city because a meteor would hit it in the next few years. There are lots of questions that could make sense as a reasonable follow-up. Things like, when is this going to happen? How will I know the meteor is drawing near? And other relevant information that affects my life and my experience. But, what would be a complete waste of time would be asking about things that will not happen for 2000 years. It would be like saying: "Hey, when will this happen to me? And… While you are answering that question, can you tell me about things that will happen to people I will never know, at a time I will never live, on the side of the world I may not even know exists, concerning times and cultures I cannot even comprehend, about events you are clearly not even referencing? Please, tell me a little bit about that!" That would be utterly inconceivable and would likely have exposed the disciples as raving mad, on the level of a poached egg, as C.S. Lewis once famously retorted. 

The disciples were not asking about the end of human history or events that would happen in the twenty-first century. Instead, they asked about the end of the Jewish age—the age of the Old Covenant, symbolized by the Temple, priesthood, and sacrificial system. They wanted to know when that era would end and when the new era would begin, where God would no longer dwell in that house on top of Jerusalem's hill but would dwell inside the hearts of believers. A time when men would no longer hand off their sacrificial animal to a priest but would be represented by Jesus directly before the Father. 

From this, we can clearly see that when the disciples were asking about the "end of the age," they were not thinking about the end of the material world. With the destruction of their Temple looming, they wanted to know when the Mosaic era of temples, priests, and sacrifices was ending. Would the old way of relating to God die alongside the Temple? And if yes, what would replace it? Those were reasonable questions that futurists have distorted to their liking, injecting lunacy and a lack of sensibility into the text that is unwarranted. The preterist interpretation of Jesus' words in Matthew 24 alone fits the passage's context and the questions the disciples were asking.

Now, I want us to examine how Jesus begins answering their question. Instead of telling them about things that would happen at the end of the world, Jesus tells them things that would start happening to them. Beginning with the first sign of Jerusalem's destruction, which is the rise of false teachers and false messiahs! 

SIGN 1: THE APPEARANCE OF FALSE MESSIAH'S

The first evidence Jesus gives His disciples to indicate that His judgment coming against Jerusalem is drawing nigh is the sign that false teachers and messiahs will be coming and will mislead many people away from Jesus. This is not a general warning to every Christian generation to be on the lookout for false teachers, which is, of course, a suitable warning that we should take seriously today. But common sense and basic logic will tell us that Jesus was not referring to the seeker-sensitive movement, the New Apostolic Reformation, and modern-day charlatans like T.D. Jakes, Bill Johnson, Steven Furtick, and others. He was speaking about a first-century rise of false teaching and false messianic figures that would characterize their era and lead many people astray. 

This is what Jesus says: 

"See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many. - Matthew 24:4-5

Here, Jesus uses the Greek word blepete (βλέπετε), which means "to watch carefully" or "be on guard." This tells us that Jesus expected His disciples to pay attention to their world and their times because the false messiahs would be coming to mislead them and not to mislead us thousands of years later. With that, Jesus is not giving them passive instructions but a call for ongoing and continual awareness. The fact that Jesus uses this phrase shows that He expects His disciples to be alive, alert, and engaged as these events occur in space and time and that they will be able to warn others not to follow after these men and be led astray from Christ. 

A BIT ABOUT "MESSIAHS"

Before I open up the rest of the New Testament and extra-Biblical attestations to prove that a proliferation of false messiahs did occur in the first century, I would like to give just a bit of history on why it happened. To do that, I want to talk about what the word "messiah" means, what expectations the word brings, and the historical events that created a messianic vacuum. Then, in conclusion, I want us to look at how Jesus' prophecy in Matthew 24 came true with shocking accuracy.

THE MEANING OF THE WORD MESSIAH

The word for Messiah originally comes from "χριστός" (khris-tos') in the Greek and "הַמָּשִׁיחַ" (maw-shee'-akh) in the Hebrew. Instead of those words meaning a single person called "the Messiah," both words originally meant "a person who was anointed for specific service." For instance, in the Old Testament, there were three kinds of people, or better stated, three particular offices that one would be anointed for in Israel. There was the anointed high priest, who oversaw the worship of God at the Temple. There was the anointed king, who made sure the enemies of God did not triumph over God's people in the land. And then there were the anointed prophets, who called the people to repentance whenever they broke covenant with YHWH.

As you can already tell, the word "Christ," which means Messiah, wasn't invented to talk about Jesus, nor is it His middle name. Instead, Jesus stepped into an ancient word that was applied to men like Moses, David, Elijah, and many others to show that they were anointed for service in God's Kingdom. However, unlike all of those Old Testament men who faithfully served in one or maybe even two of the roles (e.g., Moses was both prophet and leader, akin to a king), Jesus was the only man who was anointed into all three offices as the true and perfect Prophet, Priest, and King. For example, Melchizedek, in Genesis 14:18, was both "king of Salem" and "priest of God Most High," serving as a king and a priest, which uniquely prefigures Christ, as Hebrews 7:17 tells us that Jesus is a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek, connecting the king-priest typology directly to Christ's eternal kingship and priesthood. Similarly, Samuel served as both prophet and priest, offering sacrifices and mediating for Israel (1 Samuel 7:9-10) while also being explicitly called a prophet (1 Samuel 3:20), though he never served as king. While most known for his kingship, David also acted as a prophet, writing prophetic Psalms that pointed to the coming Messiah (Acts 2:30), even though he never held the priestly office.

Yet despite these examples, no one in the Old Testament held all three offices simultaneously. This separation of roles—prophets who spoke God's word, priests who offered sacrifices, and kings who governed—highlights the limitations of these leaders and foreshadows the coming of the ultimate Messiah, Jesus, who would unite all three roles perfectly. For instance, Deuteronomy 18:18 looks forward to a coming prophet who will lead the people of God forever, and Zechariah 6:12-13 prophecies that there will be a coming king ruling on His throne, who will also be an anointed priest, uniting these two offices. So, if you are keeping count, Jesus will be the Prophet, Priest, and King, the only one to ever hold all three messianic anointed offices. As Prophet, He will reveal God's will and teach the people God's truth perfectly (John 1:18). As Priest, He would offer Himself up as the final sacrifice and would continue to intercede for His people in heaven's perfected Temple (Hebrews 7:25-27). And as King, He would reign over all creation with justice and righteousness until all of His enemies are made a footstool for His feet (1 Corinthians 15:25; Revelation 19:16). 

This was the Messiah that the first-century Jews should have been looking for—one who would be simultaneously prophet, priest, and king. Yet, while the Jews lacked clarity on the WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHY, and HOW of this coming Messiah, they seemed to understand very clearly about the WHEN. Reading passages like Daniel 9:24-27, known as the "Seventy Weeks" prophecy, they were expecting the Messiah to arrive at some point in the first century. The reason for this is simple. Daniel's prophecy laid out a clear timeline, pointing to the arrival of an Anointed One, the Messiah, who would come after 69 weeks of years (or 483 years) from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem. Since every good Jew knew the date Cyrus made this decree, simple math made them conclude that the Messiah was coming in the first century. This produced a fever pitch of messianic excitement.

FIRST CENTURY MESSIANIC FERVOR

By the time Jesus burst upon the scene, many were trying to guess this coming Messiah's identity and role. Many were wondering if this Messiah would be an anointed king who would overthrow Rome's tyranny and lead His people into a golden age of the Kingdom. You can see glimpses of this in Jesus' own day when they seized Him and tried to make Him messianic King (John 6:15) or when they shouted Hosanna when He rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey (John 12:13). In the same way, others were looking for an anointed prophet who would lead the people into a revival of true religion. Perhaps you will remember the Pharisees questioning John, trying to ascertain if he was this messianic prophet that Moses had told them about (John 1:21). Or the woman at the well, who was looking forward to the coming of this prophetic figure (John 4:25). Still yet, others were looking for a final end-time priest, one who would cleanse the people of their sins and usher in an era of resurrection for the Jewish people. We pick up on these kinds of vibes when Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, prophesied that God would "raise up a horn of salvation" to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins (Luke 1:68-79), language reminiscent of priestly work. You may also remember the Pharisees challenging Jesus' priestly credentials for His cleansing of the Temple in John 2. They were asking for proof that He was the messianic priest who had come to revive their temple religion. 

Furthermore, the Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered at Qumran, also reflect that many Jewish groups (such as the Essenes) expected an end-time priest to arise within the first century, purifying the people and leading them into an era of righteousness. These varied expectations all point to the messianic fervor that was thick in the air as the people awaited the arrival of the ultimate anointed one—who they thought would be either an anointed prophet, priest, or king. Sadly, they not only missed the fact that one was coming to unite all of these offices together into one Messianic ministry, but they also missed that this one would be their covenant God coming in the flesh to rescue them. As a result, the first-century Jews feverishly looked for carnal messianic figures to fit their agenda and became adept at producing a litany of false messiahs to hurry up and fulfill the prophecy. 

THE MESSIANIC VACUUM AFTER THE DEATH OF CHRIST

After the death and resurrection of the true Messiah, the Jewish expectation for a messianic figure did not wane but only wildly increased. According to prophecies in Daniel, the general sentiment was that the Messiah would show up in the first century and would lead the people to freedom against Rome. This is why Jesus so firmly warned the disciples not to follow the false messiahs because He knew they would be coming and that under their ministry, Rome would turn on them and utterly squash them. 

Jesus said: 

"See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many. - Matthew 24:4-5

He says just a few verses later: 

Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. - Matthew 24:11

And again in verse 23

Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'There He is,' do not believe him. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance. So if they say to you, 'Behold, He is in the wilderness,' do not go out, or, 'Behold, He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe them. - Matthew 24:23-26

Jesus' words are unmistakably clear—He warned that many false messiahs and prophets would come, attempting to mislead the people. This was a warning to His disciples, pointing directly to events that would unfold within their generation. There is no ambiguity here; Jesus believed that numerous false Christs would rise during that time. We now need to answer whether Jesus was right about this. Were there indeed false messiahs in the first century? Or was Jesus a false prophet?

To settle this, we will begin by citing extra-biblical historical sources that affirm Jesus' prediction and demonstrate that false messiahs indeed arose, leading to the catastrophic destruction of Jerusalem. Let's examine the historical record to determine whether Jesus' words were fulfilled.

THE EXTRA-BIBLICAL PROOF

While it is often difficult to find proof for events that happened in the Ancient world, described within the writings of their contemporaries, the rise of false messiahs is not one of those occasions. Case in point, a few years after Jesus ascended into heaven, a Jewish historian named Josephus describes a revolt that broke out in Samaria and was led by a self-proclaimed messianic upstart. Because the people were already looking for a messianic figure to lead them out of bondage to Rome, this man quickly gathered up an army of angry hopefuls within his ranks, having them follow him into the wilderness, which is precisely where Jesus told His followers not to go following would be anointed ones. It was in that wilderness where the messianic upstart would prepare that mob for the assault on the Roman guards, who were stationed at the top of Mount Gerizim. Josephus tells us that no sooner than the insurrection began, Pontius Pilate (the same man who oversaw the crucifixion of Jesus) squashed that pitiful rebellion and killed many thousands of people who participated in it (See Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, 18.85-87). Jesus warned them, and His prediction came true with unrivaled accuracy. But there is more. 

A few years later, in 44 A.D., a Jewish fraud convinced a crowd of people that he was the Messiah and led them through the wilderness to the river Jordan, where they all met their untimely demise. This same Jewish historian, named Josephus, recounts it for us this way:

"It came to pass, while Fadus was procurator of Judea, that a certain charlatan, whose name was Theudas, persuaded a great part of the people to take their effects with them, and follow him to the river Jordan; for he told them he was a prophet, and that he would, by his own command, divide the river, and afford them an easy passage over it. Many were deluded by his words. However, Fadus did not permit them to take any advantage of his wild attempt but sent a troop of horsemen out against them. After falling upon them unexpectedly, they slew many of them, and took many of them alive. They also took Theudas alive, cut off his head, and carried it to Jerusalem." - Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 20.97-98

It is important to note that Josephus was not only an eye-witness to these events but that he was also a Pharisee and priest. He was not a sympathizer of Christ or a lover of Christians but instead was hoping for the true Messiah while watching the proliferation of false ones. To think that Josephus records this rise of false prophets and false messiahs, which clearly contributed to the downfall of Judah, must have been an especially bitter and ironic end for him to preside over. He was waiting for a Messiah who would bring freedom and life. He witnessed false messiahs bringing slavery and death while rejecting the Crucified and Resurrected Lord of glory.

As the days drew closer to the destruction of Jerusalem, Josephus records that there was another false messianic uprising. He says:

"There were many who deceived and deluded the people under the pretense of Divine inspiration, but were in fact for the procuring of innovations and the changes of government. These men prevailed with the multitude to act like madmen, and went before them into the wilderness, pretending that God would there show them the signals of liberty." - Flavius Josephus, Jewish War 2.259

Just as Jesus predicted, the Pied-Piping false messiahs would lead many like rats away to the slaughter. Josephus continues this story with a specific example that happened in 58 A.D., just ten years before the Jewish war began. Josephus says:

"There was an Egyptian false prophet that did the Jews more mischief than the former; for he was a cheat, and pretended to be a prophet also, and got together thirty thousand men that were deluded by him; these he led them round about from the wilderness to the mount which was called the Mount of Olives. He was ready to break into Jerusalem by force from that place, and if he could but once conquer the Roman garrison and the people, he intended to rule them by the assistance of those guards of his that were to break into the city with him." - Flavius Josephus, Jewish War 2.261-262

In a separate work, Josephus describes the awful end this rebellious lot had fallen into.

Now when Felix was informed of these things, he ordered his soldiers to take their weapons, and came against them with a great number of horsemen and footmen from Jerusalem, and attacked the Egyptian and the people that were with him. He slew four hundred of them, and took two hundred alive. The Egyptian himself escaped out of the fight, but did not appear anymore. And again the robbers stirred up the people to make war with the Romans, and said they ought not to obey them at all; and when any persons would not comply with them, they set fire to their villages, and plundered them. - Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 20.170-171.

During this period of forty years, the Jewish people only grew in their madness. Instead of turning from their sins, learning their lessons, submitting to Rome, and keeping their nation, the people kept producing false messiahs they could follow to their deaths. For instance, about a year later, another would-be-messiah figure arose in the land, leading the people into the wilderness, promising freedom to the Jews, so that the Roman governor Festus had to violently put them down. Josephus tells us:

"Festus sent forces, both horsemen and footmen, to fall upon those that had been seduced by a certain impostor, who promised them deliverance and freedom from the miseries they were under, if they would but follow him as far as the wilderness. Accordingly, those forces that were sent destroyed both him that had deluded them, and those that were his followers also." - Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 20.188

At this point, you may notice a theme. Every recorded false Messiah called for the people to join them in the wilderness (like Moses), and most required followers to cross over the Jordan River (like Joshua) to begin a new conquest upon the heathens. This time, they would be conquering Romans instead of Canaanites. But, just like that generation who died in the wilderness all those years before, they too would have their blood staining the sands of the arid wilderness, incapable of the success they sought. 

There can be no doubt, based on what we have already seen, that Jesus' prophecy concerning the rise of false messiahs was dramatically fulfilled in the events of the first century. It can also be seen how deadly it would have been for those who followed Him to get caught up in all that chaos and confusion. One can scarcely imagine how grateful the disciples must have been that Jesus warned them in advance. One should also wonder how absurd it is when futurists ignore plain history and pretend these signs apply to us and our generation. 

Nothing additional is needed to validate Matthew 24 as a past event. But, since the topic is so interesting and Jesus' prophecy was so profoundly fulfilled, let me take a moment and brag on Jesus a bit more by sharing how the New Testament also proves the accuracy of Jesus' prophecy. 

THE NEW TESTAMENT PROOF

ACTS 5

Within the book of Acts, we see early signs of Jesus' prophecy in Matthew 24 coming to fulfillment. In Acts 5:36-37, the respected Jewish leader Gamaliel speaks about false messianic figures who had already risen and misled the people, saying:

"For some time ago, Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men joined up with him. But he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census and drew away some people after him; he too perished, and all those who followed him were scattered." — Acts 5:36-37

Here, Gamaliel references two well-known instances of false messianic figures: Theudas, who claimed prophetic authority, and Judas of Galilee, who led a tax rebellion against Rome. Both fit the description Jesus gives of false leaders rising up and deceiving many (Matthew 24:4-5). These men claimed to be deliverers of Israel, leading people into a wilderness and astray with promises of liberation from Roman rule. Gamaliel's warning clearly indicates that the rise of false messianic movements was already underway within the apostolic era.

REVELATION 1-3 

In the early chapters of the book of Revelation, written to the historical churches of Asia Minor in the 1st century, we find further evidence of Jesus' prophecy being fulfilled through the rise of false messianic movements. These churches were already battling false teachers and prophets, many of whom claimed divine authority but were leading people astray—precisely the kind of deception Jesus had warned about.

For example, in His letter to the church at Ephesus, Jesus commends them for resisting false apostles:

"I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false." — Revelation 2:2

These "false apostles" were more than just errant teachers; they were individuals who claimed anointing and authority from God, promoting themselves as spiritual leaders. In this way, they functioned as false messianic figures within the church, presenting a counterfeit form of leadership that imitated messianic roles. Jesus' commendation of the Ephesians for their discernment shows how the early church was already contending with the very kind of deception that Jesus had predicted.

Similarly, in His letter to Pergamum, Jesus rebukes them for tolerating the teachings of Balaam, a symbol of false prophets who lead God's people into idolatry (Revelation 2:14). Likewise, in His letter to Thyatira, Jesus warns against the influence of Jezebel, a self-proclaimed prophetess who was leading many astray into immorality and false worship (Revelation 2:20). These false prophets, like Balaam and Jezebel, acted in ways akin to false messiahs by leading people into error and immorality while claiming spiritual authority, adding to the growing fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy.

THE EPISTLES

The New Testament epistles are saturated with warnings about false teachers, prophets, and deceptive leaders, all contributing to the fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy in Matthew 24:4-5. For example, in Jude 1:3, the church is called to contend for the true Gospel because many false messianic messages have gone out, confusing many! In Jude 1:12, these false teachers are described as "clouds without water," "Hidden reefs in your love feasts," and "dead trees that are doubly dead." These metaphors capture their emptiness and lack of substance, revealing that they are deceptive and that their doctrines will lead to death. These false teachers claimed authority within the church, acting as spiritual guides but offering nothing of actual value. Jude warns that these individuals had "crept in unnoticed," distorting the grace of God and leading people into licentiousness.

"For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ." — Jude 1:4

These false leaders were not just heretical teachers; they were part of a broader false messianic movement that was happening in fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy. They promoted a version of grace that led people into sin while claiming divine authority. Jude's harsh condemnation of their influence aligns with Jesus' warnings about false messiahs, showing that the early church had to contend with these deceptive figures from within.

Here is another example coming out of the book of Philippians. In Philippians 3:2, Paul warns the church about a specific group of false teachers, whom he refers to as "dogs":

"Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision." — Philippians 3:2

These "dogs" were likely Judaizers, false teachers who insisted that Gentile Christians must submit to Jewish laws, particularly circumcision, to be saved. These individuals, while not claiming to be messiahs themselves, brought a false messianic message that distorted the Gospel of Christ. They claimed a new way of salvation that was not anointed by God, essentially promoting a false path to redemption. Paul's use of the term "dogs," a derogatory term in Jewish culture for those who are impure, which underscores the gravity of their deception. This message was so egregious that Paul calls it an "anathema" in the book of Galatians (Galatians 1:8) and writes that entire book to deal with their damnable theological blunder. 

BETWEEN FALSE MESSIAH'S AND ANTI-CHRISTS

In his epistles, the apostle John warns of the rise of a sect of false teachers who denied the incarnation of Christ, referring to them as "antichrists." It's crucial, however, to understand that the term "antichrist" (ἀντίχριστος) does not refer to a single individual but to a movement of "anti-christos"—or to say that in a different way, a movement of false messianism. Since "Christ" in Greek means Messiah, the term "antichrist" does not actually point to a man who disguises Himself as a new Jesus but to all who attempt to initiate a false Messianic movement. In fact, "antichrist" is nothing more than a Johannine synonym for the term "false prophet" (ψευδοπροφήτης) used by Jesus in Matthew 24. Both terms describe the same phenomenon: figures who claim messianic authority but who lead the people away from the one true Christ.

John says it this way:

"Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour." — 1 John 2:18

John tells us that it is the last hour! The last hour of what? Human History? Well, if that is what he was referring to, then he is more liberal than Nancy Pelosi in his use of the term hour. Instead of believing the ridiculous, we must understand that John is saying the same thing Jesus says. The end of the Jewish age was coming, and by the time John wrote this epistle, it was the last hour. One of the premier signs that this was the case was the rise of antichrist false messiahs who were proliferating the early church. This is not a prophecy about a man who becomes the embodiment of pure evil and pulverizes the Jews during a 7-year future tribulation. I can think of few interpretations more cockamamie and so outlandish as that. Instead, this is John's way of confirming the prophecy Jesus gave in Matthew 24:5. His sharp rebuke of it shows that Jesus' prophecy was undeniably being fulfilled.

In 2 John 1:7, John reiterates this threat:

"For MANY deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist." - 2 John 1:7

John says that many antichrists and false messiahs have come. Unsurprisingly, our incarnate God, who lived among us in the flesh, was correct in His prophetic utterance. What is more shocking is how many evangelicals look at His prophecy and still await a future fulfillment. 

In nearly every New Testament letter, we find warnings about false teachers, prophets, and false messianic movements. From the "dogs" in Philippians to the "clouds without water" in Jude to the "antichrists" in John's epistles, the fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy is undeniable. These deceptive leaders rose in the church's early years, spreading false messianic messages that misled many, just as Jesus had predicted.

The evidence is overwhelming: Jesus' words in Matthew 24 were not a distant prediction for some far-off future. They were a vivid and immediate reality for the first-century church, and the rise of false messiahs and movements during that time provides irrefutable proof that His prophecy came to pass exactly as He said it would.

THE JEWISH WAR AND THE FALSE MESSIANIC KING

The case is clear after all the evidence we've examined: false messiahs swarmed the first century, just as Jesus predicted in Matthew 24. But before we wrap this up, there's one final story we can't ignore—one that brings Jesus' prophecy into sharp focus. Enter Menahem ben Judas, a man whose rise and brutal fall captures the essence of the messianic chaos that gripped Jerusalem and led to its destruction.

Menahem wasn't just any rebel; he was the son of Judas of Galilee, founder of the Zealot movement, a group dedicated to resisting Roman rule through violent revolt. When rebellion against Rome erupted in A.D. 66, Menahem saw his moment to claim the messianic throne. He gathered a band of followers and stormed Masada, where they looted Herod's armory, seizing weapons to arm his militia. In Josephus' dramatic account, Menahem returned to Jerusalem "in the state of a king,"a self-proclaimed Messiah, ready to lead Israel to freedom.

But this wasn't just a power grab but a brazen bid for messianic glory. Menahem quickly took control of critical areas in Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount, declaring himself not only military leader but also high priest—the ultimate combination of king and priest, a messianic move to deliver the Jewish people from Rome. His ambitions, however, were matched only by his arrogance and brutality. Rival Jewish factions, already divided, soon turned against him. Menahem's reign, brief as it was, ended in torture and death at the hands of his own people.

Menahem's downfall is a chilling fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy in Matthew 24:4-5, where He warned of false messiahs who would lead many into ruin. Menahem, like so many others, led his followers to their doom, accelerating the downfall of Jerusalem and making it all the more vulnerable to the crushing might of Rome.

Menahem's rise and bloody demise stand as one of the clearest examples of the false messiahs Jesus warned about. His audacious claims, his seizure of the Temple, and his violent end all mirror the very warnings Jesus gave His disciples. The Jewish War, filled with chaos, division, and destruction, ultimately fulfilled Jesus' prophecy in Matthew 24.

To deny this is to turn a blind eye to Scripture and history. Jesus' prophecy wasn't about a distant future; it was a direct warning to His disciples, fulfilled within their generation with devastating accuracy.

CONCLUSION

Today, we have journeyed through the chaos and destruction of Jerusalem, through the rise of false messiahs and the bloody collapse of a city cursed for rejecting its true King. We've seen Jesus' prophecy unfold with stunning clarity. His words in Matthew 24 were not distant speculations about a future unknown to us—they were immediate, accurate, and deadly relevant to His disciples.

We have seen how these prophecies were confirmed by Josephus, as confirmed by Biblical books like Revelation, Acts, Philippians, Galatians, and 1 and 2 John. The manifest testimony of Scripture and history is that the first century Christians faced a proliferation of false teachers and false messiahs, who were the architects of bloody uprisings, rebellions, and insurrections, which ultimately provoked Rome into all out war. Jesus, in His perfection and wisdom, not only called for the destruction of Jerusalem, but He accurately prophesied the very engine that God would use to fuel the Roman's battering rams. Because of these violent uprisings, the Temple was torn apart brick by brick, not one stone was left upon another, the streets ran ruby red with the blood of Jewish men, and Jerusalem's golden age came to a permanent, violent, and never-ending end. This is precisely what Jesus predicted. 

What does this mean for us? It means that Jesus' words are true and that we should worship Him for this dramatic fulfillment of prophecy instead of doubting Him and thinking this will still occur within the future. It also means that we are finished for today, having successfully proved that all of these things happened in the church's first dramatic and turbulent century. Next week, we will look at more signs of the impending doom that was looming over first-century Jerusalem, but until then, God richly bless you, be of good cheer, and rest in the sufficiency of Scripture. Do not be deceived or misled by the premillennial and dispensational false teachers who run amuck like joy police trying to make you into twice the son of Chicken Little. Instead, work hard for Jesus, pick up your hammer and build, get out your sword and fight for the beauty and glory of our King, because our King wins! He has defeated the apostate Jerusalem; He has toppled over secular Rome, and He will keep reigning until every enemy is under His feet. Believe that and work toward that. God bless you!