In this blog post I want to look at Matthew 24 to see what we can expect as the end of the world draws closer. We need to watch and be prepared as Jesus instructs us to in Matthew 24 verse 42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
In Matthew 24 it is recorded that the disciples come to Jesus and ask him "what will be the sign of Thy coming and of the end of the world?" That is exactly our questions today.
I have posted Matthew 24:1-44 at the bottom of our study for your easy reference.
So first off as Jesus answers these questions He tells us to be careful to not be deceived. Jesus says many will come and pretend to be Jesus and thereby deceive many people by this deception. Notice that Jesus uses the word "many" - many will come pretending to be Christ and many will fall for it and be deceived. In order to not be deceived we need to be very familiar with the genuine. That is why it is so very important to stay ever so close to the Lord in prayer and in Bible reading and in our devotion to Him. He can and will keep us in the truth and prevent us being deceived as we put our full trust and weight upon Him.
Next Jesus tells us to be on the lookout for wars and rumours of wars. We are not to be troubled or afraid as we see the countries threatening each other - this only tells us that Jesus is coming soon!! Today there are many threats of war around us - Syria is threatening Israel, North Korea is threatening the US and others, Iran is threatening Israel and so on it goes. So today we do see wars and rumours of wars in reality. BUT Jesus says the end is not yet!!
Jesus tells us that we will see famines, pestilence and earthquakes in various places. Famines are such as droughts and floods - things that cause the food supply to diminish. Pestilence are diseases and viruses that cause illnesses and disease often spread by birds and animals, but would also include cancer etc. And then also earthquakes - the earth quaking and shaking. Jesus says these are the beginnings of sorrows - sorrows that will increase in intensity and frequency just as the labor pains of a mother giving birth to a child.
Next we learn that we must be ready to endure persecution due to our faith in the Lord Jesus. Jesus says that the love of many will grow cold and even family members will betray one another. This is very sad but we need to realize and accept the fact that some of us who are Christians will actually be imprisoned and put to death for our faith. This seems unreal to many of us in such a time as ours but we also know from history that this has happened before and so we need to set our hearts on Jesus now. We need to make the decision that no matter how tough things get, we will not deny our faith. If we must give our life for the Lord, we can rest assured that we will be safe in the arms of Jesus in life and in death. " absent from the body is present with the Lord".
Next we learn that the gospel must first be preached to the entire world before the end of the world is here. I believe I have heard that this has been fulfilled already. Through internet, TV and radio the gospel has gone out to the whole world. As Christians we have been sent out to spread the gospel to the entire world!
Next Jesus goes on to talk about the "abomination of desolation". A prelude phase of this was fulfilled when Antiochus IV desecrated the temple in Jerusalem and set up an idol in it and in 70 AD when Titus destroyed Jerusalem and set up an idol to mock the Jews. A similar event will occur again as the end of the world draws near when the antichrist enters the temple and sets himself up as god there.
Jesus tells us that these will be horrific times of tribulation. Verse 21 tells us that then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no nor ever shall be. So we can see hard times will come upon this earth before the end of the world is finally here.
Again and again Jesus stresses the fact that there will be many false prophets and false christs as it also says again in verse 24 - For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch that ifit were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. We should take these warnings to heart and be on the alert for false teachers and people in high places who claim to be able to fix every problem.
Jesus says " Behold I have told you before." Jesus tells us these things in advance so that we can be watchful!
So what will it look like when the end is here and Jesus returns? Verse 27 has our answer -
For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
We have all seen lightening flash across the sky... so also will the appearing of Jesus be.
Verses 29 and 30 describe the scene : The sun will be darkened, the moon will not give light and the stars will fall - no one will miss seeing this happen!! Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Jesus brings a word of warning to each of us in verses 42 and 44. We are to be alert and watching for his return - verse 42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. and verse 44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
We do not know the day or hour when Jesus Christ will return and when the end of the world will be here but we can see that day is getting ever closer. What we need to do is to make sure we are walking with the Lord daily, and that we not allow the world and its pleasures to be a distraction to our faith. Be faithful to the Lord in your own personal life and in witnessing to the lost whenever you can. Keep looking up - The King is coming!!
Matthew 24:1-44
And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.
26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
