When Jesus’ disciples asked Him what the signs of the end of the age would be, Jesus said the first one would be deception… “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many shall come in My name, saying, ‘I am Christ, and shall deceive many” (Matthew 24:4).
But the Gospel of Mark states this same conversation even stronger… “Take heed that no one deceives you: for many shall come in My name, saying, ‘I AM’ and shall deceive many” (Mark 13:5,6).
“I AM” is a specific name of God. It means: The Ever-Existing One. The God who Was, Is, and Evermore shall be. When God called Moses to lead the children of Israel out of slavery, He said to Moses, “I AM THAT I AM. You shall say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent you… this is My name for ever” (Exodus 3:14,15).
It made the religious leaders of Jesus’ day furious that He claimed this name. But Jesus told them… “I say to you, that you shall die in your sins: for if you believe not that I AM, you shall die in your sins… before Abraham existed, I AM” (John 8:24,58).
This world still tries to reduce Jesus to a prophet, an angel, or merely some moral teacher – anything but God in human form (1 Timothy 3:16) – but Jesus’ resurrection ends all debate. Only He who is Eternal Life could defeat death and rise again.
Jesus Himself encourages us with the promise of His return… “Fear not: I AM Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, who Is, and who Was, and who Is To Come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8).
All the earth shall give individual account to what they have done with Jesus. Stand firm in who Jesus is and share Him with joy!
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