Matthew 24:23
““Then if any man tells you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or, ‘There,’ don’t believe it.”
What does Matthew 24:23 mean?
Jesus is warning his followers not to fall for false claims about where he is or who he is. In the final times before his return, there will be people who confidently declare they've found the messiah or know exactly where Jesus is hiding, and Jesus tells us flatly: don't trust them. This warning comes during a time of upheaval and fear, when people are desperate for answers and easy to deceive. By telling us in advance that these false messiahs will come, Jesus is actually protecting us from being swept away by deception when we're most vulnerable and searching.