"And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:" Mark 13:5
The bible is replete with warnings against deception. In the parable of the soils,otherwise known as the the parable of the sower, Jesus spoke about what He called the deceitfulness of riches, and here, He warns about allowing oneself to be deceived. Whatever form the deception comes in, it is Satan's mastercard against humanity. By it, he plunged the human race into its present demise, and by it, he will bring his victims into eternal misery.
But he is only able to deceive people who are either ignorant or greedy for gain or power. To accomplish his plan to deceive, he uses human instruments who have bought his lies, and by them, propagate more lies to the ignorant and discerning. The responsibility of warding off deception is ours, and this can only be done by knowing the truth and taking heed to it.
In the context of our verse, Jesus was making reference to false prophets who will come false claims that they are the mouthpiece of God, yet, God did not send them. These are the most deadly instruments that Satan is using to destroy the lives of people in our age. This is why each person should be armed with the ability of identifying the voice of God. The day of the 'prophet and the people' is gone. Today, whatever a prophet says that God told him can be verified because all of God's people have the Holy Spirit living in them. Only believers who are not walking with the Holy Spirit can be deceived.
"But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things." Mark 13:23
Toni
