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False Anointed Ones at the End Time: Difference between revisions
False Anointed Ones at the End Time (view source)
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In his sermon, The Anointed Ones At The End Time (65-0725M), William Branham quoted Matthew 24:24: | In his sermon, The Anointed Ones At The End Time (65-0725M), William Branham quoted Matthew 24:24: | ||
:''For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great | :''For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.<ref>New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Mt 24:24.</ref>'' | ||
He then stated: | He then stated: | ||
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“This generation” is used frequently in Matthew’s gospel for Jesus’ contemporaries, especially in a context of God’s impending judgment: see Matt. 11:16; Matt. 12:39, 41–42, 45; Matt. 16:4; Matt. 17:17 and especially Matt. 23:36 where God’s judgment on “this generation” leads up to Jesus’ first prediction of the devastation of the temple in Matt. 23:38. | “This generation” is used frequently in Matthew’s gospel for Jesus’ contemporaries, especially in a context of God’s impending judgment: see Matt. 11:16; Matt. 12:39, 41–42, 45; Matt. 16:4; Matt. 17:17 and especially Matt. 23:36 where God’s judgment on “this generation” leads up to Jesus’ first prediction of the devastation of the temple in Matt. 23:38. | ||
It may safely be concluded that if it had not been for the embarrassment caused by supposing that Jesus was here talking about his | It may safely be concluded that if it had not been for the embarrassment caused by supposing that Jesus was here talking about his future return, no one would have thought of suggesting any other meaning for “this generation,” such as “the Jewish race” or “human beings in general” or “all the generations of Judaism that reject him” or even “this kind” (meaning scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees). Such broad senses, even if they were textually possible, would offer no help in response to the disciples’ question “When?” | ||
This reference is clearly to the destruction of the temple, which did, as a matter of fact, take place some 40 years later while many of Jesus’ contemporaries must have been still alive. Therefore, all interpretations that this is talking about the end-time must be laid to rest. Matthew 24:34 refers to the same time-scale as Matt. 16:28 (which was also concerned with the fulfillment of Daniel 7:13–14): “some of those standing here will certainly not taste death before …” (see also Matt. 10:23, with the same Daniel reference: “you will not go through all the towns of Israel before …”). We can therefore also conclude that all of the portion of Matthew 24 preceding verse 34 also relates to Jesus contemporaries.<ref>R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publication Co., 2007), 930.</ref> | This reference is clearly to the destruction of the temple, which did, as a matter of fact, take place some 40 years later while many of Jesus’ contemporaries must have been still alive. Therefore, all interpretations that this is talking about the end-time must be laid to rest. Matthew 24:34 refers to the same time-scale as Matt. 16:28 (which was also concerned with the fulfillment of Daniel 7:13–14): “some of those standing here will certainly not taste death before …” (see also Matt. 10:23, with the same Daniel reference: “you will not go through all the towns of Israel before …”). We can therefore also conclude that all of the portion of Matthew 24 preceding verse 34 also relates to Jesus contemporaries.<ref>R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publication Co., 2007), 930.</ref> | ||
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Various proposals have been made, including the church, the Jewish race, humanity as a whole, or the last generation before the end. None of these is convincing. | Various proposals have been made, including the church, the Jewish race, humanity as a whole, or the last generation before the end. None of these is convincing. | ||
Jesus is not speaking of his ultimate return. He is referring to the time between his resurrection and the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. | '''Jesus is not speaking of his ultimate return. He is referring to the time between his resurrection and the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D.''' | ||
==Does "False Christs" mean "False Anointed Teachers"?== | ==Does "False Christs" mean "False Anointed Teachers"?== | ||
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:''Now, '''anointed one, is, “one with a message.”''' And the only way the message can be brought out is by one that’s anointed, and that would be a prophet, anointed, '''“there shall rise false, anointed teachers.”''' A prophet teaches what his message is. Anointed teachers, but '''anointed people with false teaching.''' Anointed ones, “Christs,” plural; “prophets,” plural. And if there is such a thing as a—a Christ, singular, then these would have to be “anointed ones,” that their prophecy of what they were teaching would be the difference, because they are anointed ones, anointed.<ref>William Branham, 65-0725M - The Anointed Ones At The End Time, para. 23-25</ref> | :''Now, '''anointed one, is, “one with a message.”''' And the only way the message can be brought out is by one that’s anointed, and that would be a prophet, anointed, '''“there shall rise false, anointed teachers.”''' A prophet teaches what his message is. Anointed teachers, but '''anointed people with false teaching.''' Anointed ones, “Christs,” plural; “prophets,” plural. And if there is such a thing as a—a Christ, singular, then these would have to be “anointed ones,” that their prophecy of what they were teaching would be the difference, because they are anointed ones, anointed.<ref>William Branham, 65-0725M - The Anointed Ones At The End Time, para. 23-25</ref> | ||
William Branham takes the Greek word ψευδόχριστος which means “false messiah” and twists its meaning to "false anointed teacher." But that is not what the text says. Jesus could have said "false anointed teacher" but he didn't. The Greek word "χριστός" or "Christ" is | William Branham takes the Greek word ψευδόχριστος which means “false messiah” and twists its meaning to "false anointed teacher." But that is not what the text says. Jesus could have said "false anointed teacher" but he didn't. The Greek word "χριστός" or "Christ" is how the New Testament referred to the "Messiah". This is evident from the following passages: | ||
:''The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found '''the Messiah” (that is, the Christ)'''.<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Jn 1:41.</ref> | :''The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found '''the Messiah” (that is, the Christ)'''.<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Jn 1:41.</ref> | ||
:''The woman said, “I know that '''Messiah” (called Christ''') “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” <ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Jn 4:25.</ref>'' | |||
A much better translation than "false anointed teachers" is "false messiahs" and this is used in some newer translations like the New English Translation (NET): | |||
:''For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.<ref>Biblical Studies Press, The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible (Biblical Studies Press, 2005), Mt 24:24.</ref> | |||
False messiahs made regular appearances in Israel. The book of Acts lists a number of them. Gamaliel mentions “Theudas” who claimed “to be somebody” (Acts 5:36). He describes another false messiah, Judas of Galilee, who “rose up in the days of the census, and drew away some people after him” (5:37). Simon is probably the best known: “Now there was a certain man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city, and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great; and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, ‘This man is what is called the Great Power of God. And they were giving him attention because he had for a long time astonished them with his magic arts’ ” (Acts 8:9–11). | False messiahs made regular appearances in Israel. The book of Acts lists a number of them. Gamaliel mentions “Theudas” who claimed “to be somebody” (Acts 5:36). He describes another false messiah, Judas of Galilee, who “rose up in the days of the census, and drew away some people after him” (5:37). Simon is probably the best known: “Now there was a certain man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city, and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great; and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, ‘This man is what is called the Great Power of God. And they were giving him attention because he had for a long time astonished them with his magic arts’ ” (Acts 8:9–11). | ||
Secular historians record these and other examples of false messiahs and prophets who rose up soon after the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. | Secular historians record these and other examples of false messiahs and prophets who rose up soon after the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. “''Jerome quotes Simon Magus as saying, ‘I am the Word of God, I am the Comforter, I am Almighty, I am all there is of God.’ ...And Irenaeus tells us how Simon claimed to be the Son of God and the creator of angels.''” Eusebius records the words of one Justin and his description of Simon in a communique to Antonine in one of the earliest defenses of Christianity: | ||
:''And after the ascension of our Lord into heaven, certain men were suborned by demons as their agents, who said they were gods. These were not only suffered [permitted] to pass without persecution, but were even deemed worthy of honours by you. Simon, a certain Samaritan of the village called Githon, was one of the number, who, in the reign of Claudius Caesar, performed many magic rites by the operation of demons, was considered a god, in your imperial city of Rome, and was honoured by you with a statue as a god, in the river Tiber—(on an island)—between the two bridges, having the superscription in Latin, Simoni Deo Sancto, which is, To Simon the Holy God; and nearly all the Samaritans, a few also of other nations, worship him, confessing him as the Supreme God. | :''And after the ascension of our Lord into heaven, certain men were suborned by demons as their agents, who said they were gods. These were not only suffered [permitted] to pass without persecution, but were even deemed worthy of honours by you. Simon, a certain Samaritan of the village called Githon, was one of the number, who, in the reign of Claudius Caesar, performed many magic rites by the operation of demons, was considered a god, in your imperial city of Rome, and was honoured by you with a statue as a god, in the river Tiber—(on an island)—between the two bridges, having the superscription in Latin, Simoni Deo Sancto, which is, To Simon the Holy God; and nearly all the Samaritans, a few also of other nations, worship him, confessing him as the Supreme God. | ||
Josephus tells of “a certain impostor named Theudas [who] persuaded a great number to follow him to the river Jordan which he claimed would divide for their passage.” Cuspius Fadus, procurator of Judea, “sent a troop of horse[s] against them, who falling unexpectedly upon them, killed many, and made many prisoners; and having taken Theudas himself alive, they cut off his head, and brought it to Jerusalem.” Dositheus, a Samaritan, “pretended that he was the lawgiver prophesied of by Moses.” There were so many of these impostors preying on the gullibility of the people that under the procuratorship of Felix, “many of them were apprehended and killed every day. They seduced great numbers of the people still expecting the Messiah; and well therefore might our Saviour caution his disciples against them.”.<ref>Gary DeMar, Last Days Madness: Obsession of the Modern Church, Fourth revised edition (Powder Springs, GA: American Vision, 1999), 73–74.</ref> | Josephus tells of “a certain impostor named Theudas [who] persuaded a great number to follow him to the river Jordan which he claimed would divide for their passage.” Cuspius Fadus, procurator of Judea, “sent a troop of horse[s] against them, who falling unexpectedly upon them, killed many, and made many prisoners; and having taken Theudas himself alive, they cut off his head, and brought it to Jerusalem.” Dositheus, a Samaritan, “pretended that he was the lawgiver prophesied of by Moses.” There were so many of these impostors preying on the gullibility of the people that under the procuratorship of Felix, “many of them were apprehended and killed every day. They seduced great numbers of the people still expecting the Messiah; and well therefore might our Saviour caution his disciples against them.”.<ref>Gary DeMar, Last Days Madness: Obsession of the Modern Church, Fourth revised edition (Powder Springs, GA: American Vision, 1999), 73–74.</ref> | ||
==Are false prophets and false messiahs anointed by the genuine Holy Spirit?== | |||
The concept of a false prophet being able to do signs and wonders existed in the Old Testament. Deuteronomy 13:1-5 states: | |||
:''If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, 2 and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” 3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. 5 That prophet or dreamer must be put to death for inciting rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. That prophet or dreamer tried to turn you from the way the LORD your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among you.<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Dt 13:1–5.</ref> | |||
History records that miraculous proofs were, according to Josephus, offered by several of the nationalist leaders prior to A.D. 70: he mentions specifically the parting the Jordan (Ant. 20.97), the collapse of the city walls (Ant. 20.170), the uncovering of Moses’ sacred vessels (Ant. 18.85), as well as more generally “conspicuous wonders and signs” (Ant. 20.168) and “signs of freedom” (War 2.259). These “sign prophets” drew on the biblical tradition of authenticating signs, and NT writers do in fact expect such “signs and wonders” to accompany the true work of God (Acts 2:43; 4:16, 30; 5:12; etc.), even though it is also recognized that divine miracles can be counterfeited (Acts 8:9–11; 2 Thes 2:9; Rev 13:13–14; 16:14).<ref>R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publication Co., 2007), 916–917.</ref> | |||
William Branham taught that this false anointing was actually the Holy Spirit: | |||
:''Now, someone might say to me, “Do you believe that that anointing on those people means that it’s the anointing of the Holy Spirit?” Yes, sir, the genuine Holy Spirit of God upon a person, and yet they are false.<ref>William Branham, 65-0725M - The Anointed Ones At The End Time, para. 28</ref> | |||
But this is not what scripture says. Paul talks about false signs and wonders: | |||
:''The coming of the lawless one is '''by the activity of Satan''' with all power and '''false signs and wonders''', and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Th 2:9–10.</ref> | |||
Pharaoh’s magicians were able to work some false miracles (Ex. 7:11, 22; 8:7), though they soon had to admit that God’s power was greater (Ex. 8:19). Simon the sorcerer in the city of Samaria amazed people with his magic (Acts 8:9–11), but the miracles done through Philip were much greater (Acts 8:13). In Philippi Paul encountered a slave girl “who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling” (Acts 16:16), but Paul rebuked the spirit and it came out of her (Acts 16:18). Revelation 13 indicates that a second beast will rise “out of the earth,” one that has “all the authority of the first beast” and “performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth” (Rev. 13:11–14). But once again a false gospel accompanies these miracles: this power is exercised in connection with the first beast who utters “haughty and blasphemous words.… It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling” (Rev. 13:5–6). | |||
Two conclusions become clear when we look at false miracles in Scripture: | |||
#The power of God is greater than the power of Satan to work miraculous signs, and God’s people triumph in confrontations of power with those who work evil. In connection with this, John assures believers that “he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). | |||
#The identity of these workers of false miracles is always known through their denial of the gospel. There is no indication anywhere in Scripture that genuine Christians with the Holy Spirit in them will work false miracles. In fact, in a city filled with idolatry and demon worship (see 1 Cor. 10:20), Paul could say to the Corinthian believers, many of whom had come out of that kind of pagan background, that “no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except in the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:3). Here he gives them reassurance that those who make a genuine profession of faith in Jesus as Lord do in fact have the Holy Spirit in them. It is significant that he immediately goes on to a discussion of spiritual gifts possessed by “each” true believer (1 Cor. 12:7). | |||
This should reassure us that if we see miracles being worked by those who make a genuine profession of faith (1 Cor. 12:3), who believe in the incarnation and deity of Christ (1 John 4:2), and who show the fruit of the Holy Spirit in their lives and bear fruit in their ministry (Matt. 7:20; cf. John 15:5; Gal. 5:22–23), we should not be suspicious that they are false miracles but should be thankful to God that the Holy Spirit is working, even in those who may not hold exactly the same convictions that we do on every point of doctrine. Indeed, if God waited to work miracles only through those who were perfect in both doctrine and conduct of life, no miracles would be worked until Christ returns.<ref>Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, Second Edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020), 485–486.</ref> | |||
'''Scripture does not teach that false prophets and/or false messiahs are anointed with the genuine Holy Spirit.''' | |||
==Matthew 13:24-30== | ==Matthew 13:24-30== | ||