Matthew 24:9-14: “Jesus Tells His Disciples The Signs Of The
Times Leading Up To His Coming, Part 2”
by
Jim Bomkamp
1.
INTRO:
1.1.
In our
last study, we looked at the beginning of Jesus’ Olivet Discourse
1.1.1.
We saw
that Jesus’ open and broad rebuke of the Pharisees and Scribes and the 7 or 8
‘woes’ which He pronounced over them were the context for Jesus’ discourse
1.1.2.
We saw
that as Jesus and His disciples were leaving the city and walking towards the
Mount of Olives, that as the disciples were admiring the beauty and grandeur of
the temple, that Jesus told them shocking news:
one day not one stone would be left upon another of the temple
1.1.3.
We saw
then that later Peter, James, John, and Andrew came privately to Jesus and
asked Him 3 questions, and that Jesus’ Olivet Discourse is really the answer to
those 3 questions:
1.1.3.1.When will
these things be (the destruction of the temple and of
1.1.3.2.What will be
the sign of Your coming (this is not a reference to the Rapture of the church,
but to Jesus’ Second Coming at the end of the 7 yr. Tribulation of the book of
Revelation when He is setting up His Millennial Reign upon the earth)?
1.1.3.3.What will be
the sign of the end of the age (when He will usher in His
1.1.4.
We saw that misinterpretations of the prophesies of
Jesus in Matthew 24 occur primarily for a few reasons:
1.1.4.1.People lose
sight of the context in which Jesus’ disciples asked Him the three questions
1.1.4.2.People lose
sight of the content of the questions themselves
1.1.4.3.People’s
preconceptions concerning prophesy throws them off; we discussed the four major viewpoints
concerning eschatology
1.1.4.3.1.Amillenial
View
1.1.4.3.2.Postmillenial
View
1.1.4.3.3.Historical
Position
1.1.4.3.4.Premillenial
View
1.1.5.
We saw that if we hold to the premillenial position of
eschatology and simply keep in mind the context in which Jesus’ disciples asked
Him the three questions, as well as the content of the questions themselves,
that we will see that chapter 24 of Matthew is not hard to interpret correctly
1.1.6.
We saw that the only thing that is difficult about
interpreting chapter 24 of Matthew is knowing exactly where the divisions exist
between Jesus’ answers to the three questions which His disciples asked Him
1.1.6.1.Jesus gives
us first ‘General Signs’ which will be occurring with increasing frequency all
through history, and which will occur in much more dramatic fashion during the
7 year Tribulation Period of the book of Revelation
1.1.6.1.1.However, we
don’t exactly know where the ‘General Signs’ end and where Jesus’ list of
‘Cataclysmic Signs’ begins
1.1.6.2.Jesus gives
us next a list of ‘Cataclysmic’ Signs which shall signal His Second Coming and
the end of the present age when He will usher in His
1.1.6.2.1.These signs
are also described in the book of Revelation with the description of the 3 sets
of judgments: Seal Judgments, Trumpet
Judgments, and Bowl Judgments
1.1.6.3.We saw that
Matthew didn’t record Jesus’ answer to the ‘when’ question concerning the
destruction of the temple and Jerusalem itself, which occurred in 70AD, however
we saw the answer is recorded in Luke’s gospel, Luke 21:20, “, “20 “But
when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation
is at hand.””
1.2.
In our study today, we will continue with Jesus’
discourse as He unveils to us the rest of the ‘signs’ that will accompany His
Second Coming and the end of the present age
1.2.1.
In verse 8, Jesus said that these were the ‘beginning
of birth pangs’, and in saying this Jesus is indicating to us the way in which
the signs that He has given us will occur, just like the pains of childbirth
for a woman they will begin slowly and then the frequency of the occurrence and
calamity of the signs will quickly increase in their frequency and the amount
of destruction with which they occur
1.2.1.1.In regard to
the way in which these ‘birth pangs’ will occur, Jon MacArthur points out that
the
1.2.1.1.1.‘Seal
Judgments’ (Rev. 6:1-8:6) unfold over a period of years
1.2.1.1.2.the ‘Trumpet
Judgments’ (Rev. 8:7-9:21) over a much shorter period of time, perhaps as short
as a number of weeks
1.2.1.1.3.the ‘Bowl
Judgments’ (Rev. 16:1-21) occur over an even shorter period of time which may
be as short as a few days or even hours
2.
VS 24:9-10 - “9
“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will
be hated by all nations on account of My name. 10 “And at that time many will
fall away and will deliver up one another and hate one another.”” - Jesus tells His disciples that before His Second
Coming that there will be a tremendous persecution that will occur
2.1.
Reasons for why I believe that this sign of Jesus’ does not relate to the
‘Church Age’ Period
2.1.1.
While it is true that the church has undergone a tremendous amount of
persecution during its history, and that it is also true that throughout the
world there are actually more martyrdoms occurring among Christians today than
at any other time, I do not think that this is a ‘General Sign’, nor do I
believe that the primary reference of this sign pertains to the period leading
up to the destruction of the temple and of Jerusalem itself in 70AD
2.1.1.1.According to the ‘Voice of
the Martyrs’ broadcasts, there have been more martyrs in the church around the world
in the last 50 years or so than in all of the previous years combined, so I
could be wrong in believing that this sign relates to the period of time during
the 7 yr. Tribulation before the Second Coming of Christ.
2.1.2.
Even though there is much persecution of Christians around the world, I
do not think that you can look at Christians throughout time, nor even today
really, and say that they are ‘hated by all nations on account of Jesus’ Name’.
2.2.
I believe that these verses refer specifically to the believers in
Christ, including Jewish believers, who come to salvation during the 7 yr.
Tribulation Period of the book of Revelation
2.3.
Jesus says that ‘they will deliver you to tribulation’, and this word for
‘tribulation’ is ‘thlipsis’ in the Greek, and it means ‘a crushing
pressure, distress, oppression, or persecution’, and it is used in the New
Testament books to refer to the trials and persecutions that Christians face at
the hands of those of this fallen godless world that is rejecting its maker.
2.4.
Jesus says that His disciples will be ‘killed’ during this time
2.5.
Jesus says that they will be ‘hated by all nations for His Name’s sake’,
or because they belong to Him, therefore Jesus is referring to believers in
Christ.
2.6.
In Mark 13:9, his account of Jesus’ Olivet Discourse reveals that Jewish believers in
Christ are being persecuted and martyred in this sign, for He says that they
will be flogged ‘in the synagogues’, “9 “But be on your guard; for they will deliver you
to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand
before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them.””
2.6.1.
Luke 21:12 concurs with Mark 13:9 concerning the tribulation
referring to persecution of Jews since it also mentions the synagogue.
2.7.
In the book of Revelation there is prophesied that during the 7 yr.
Tribulation Period that there will be many martyred for Christ:
2.7.1.
When the fifth seal is broken, we read in Rev. 6:9-11 about martyrdom of
Christians occurring in massive numbers, “9 And when He broke the fifth
seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because
of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; 10
and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true,
wilt Thou refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the
earth?” 11 And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told
that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their
fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been,
should be completed also.”
2.7.2.
In Rev. 7:14 we read of the martyrs that have come out of the Great Tribulation, “14 And I
said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who
come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made
them white in the blood of the Lamb.””
2.8.
Jesus tells us also that there are many who are ‘false Christians’ whose
true colors are revealed during the 7 yr. Tribulation Period, for the intense
persecution of the church causes them to fall away from Christ, and in order to
save their own lives they betray their fellow Christian friends to the
governing authorities.
2.8.1.
Jesus says also that these false believers will hate those who are trying
to walk faithfully with Christ.
2.8.2.
In Matthew 13:20-21, in Jesus’ Parable of the 4 Soils of those who receive the Word of God,
Jesus describes false believers whose soil is that on ‘rocky ground’ who falls
away immediately when persecution for the faith occurs, “20 “And
the one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears
the word, and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no firm root in
himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises
because of the word, immediately he falls away.””
2.8.3.
In Mark 13:12, Mark reveals that in this discourse Jesus also mentioned how that
family members shall betray one another during this massive persecution of
believers that will occur, “12 “And brother will deliver brother to death, and
a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put
to death.””
2.8.4.
The issue that will force the persecution of Christians during the 7 yr.
Tribulation Period of the book of Revelation is that every person on the face
of the earth shall be forced under fear of death to receive ‘the mark of the
Beast’ upon their forehead and hand, and yet the Lord says that those who
receive the mark will not end up in heaven:
2.8.4.1.In Rev. 13:7,17, we see that the
Anti-Christ (also known as the Beast) comes to power and that he is given power
to make war with the saints and to ‘overcome them’ (which indicates that he
will martry them) and that everyone is forced to take the ‘Mark of the Beast’
or they will not be able to buy or sell anything , “7 And it was given to him to make
war with the saints and to overcome them; and authority over every tribe and
people and tongue and nation was given to him…and he provides that no one
should be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the
name of the beast or the number of his name.”
2.8.4.2.In Rev. 14:11 we see that everlasting
destruction is promised those who take the Mark of the Beast, “11 “And
the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest day
and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the
mark of his name.””
2.8.4.3.In Rev. 16:2 we see how one of the Bowl
Judgments afflicts those who have taken the Mark of the Beast, “2 And
the first angel went and poured out his bowl into the earth; and it became a loathsome
and malignant sore upon the men who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped
his image.”
2.8.4.4.In Rev. 19:20 we see that everyone who
received the Mark of the Beast is throne into the Lake of Fire to spend
eternity in hell, “20 And the beast was seized, and with him the
false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived
those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image;
these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.””
2.8.4.5.In Rev. 20:4 we see that all of those
from the 7 yr. Tribulation who did not receive the Mark of the Beast will be
resurrected to ‘reign with Christ for a thousand years’, “4 And I
saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw
the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony of Jesus and
because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his
image, and had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand;
and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”
3.
VS 24:11 - “11
“And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many.”” - Jesus gives His disciples another sign,
‘many’ false prophets will arise
3.1.
In Matt. 7:15-16, Jesus told His disciples to beware of ‘false prophets’ and that they
would know false prophets ‘by their fruits’, “15 “Beware of the false prophets,
who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 “You
will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor
figs from thistles, are they?””
3.2.
There are many scriptures in the New Testament which warn us as
Christians to beware of ‘false prophets’, including the following:
3.2.1.
1 Timothy 4:1: “4:1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times
some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and
doctrines of demons.”
3.2.2.
2 Peter 2:1: “2:1 But
false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false
teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even
denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.”
3.2.3.
1 John 4:1: “4:1 Beloved,
do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from
God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
3.3.
Later in this chapter, in Matt. 24:24, a section that specifically deals with the signs
that will be occurring just before Jesus’ Second Coming, Jesus warned again to
beware of false prophets coming, but there He says that they will be able also
to perform great signs and wonders, “24 “For false Christs and false prophets will
arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible,
even the elect.”
3.3.1.
During the 7 yr. Tribulation Period of Revelation, the Antichrist (or Beast)
has for his right hand man a man who is called, “The False Prophet”, and his job is to deceive
the people of the world as he is the Campaign manager and Public Relations Director for
the Antichrist, and as such he becomes the master spinster in the media who is used to
sway people’s opinion. See Rev. 20:19,
for instance.
3.3.2.
The ‘elect’ referred to by Jesus in this verse has to refer to those who
are God’s people who have come to faith in Christ for salvation.
3.3.2.1.The ‘elect’ will come close
to being deceived themselves.
3.4.
In Mark’s account of these words by Jesus, he includes in Mark 13:22 that Jesus said that ‘false
prophets’ and ‘false Christ’s’ would arise, “22 for false Christs and false
prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order, if possible, to
lead the elect astray.”
3.5.
There always has been ‘false prophets’ and ‘false teachers’ in the
church, however it is clear that during the 7 yr. Tribulation Period of the
Book of Revelation that deception is going to be occurring at a much greater rate.
3.5.1.
In 2 Thess. 2:3-4, we see that there is also going to be a great ‘apostasy’ or ‘falling
away’ that is going to happen in the church before the Antichrist comes upon
the scene during the 7 yr. Tribulation of the Book of Revelation, and this will
come about as a result of the false prophets that will come upon the earth at
that time, “3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will
not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is
revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every
so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of
God, displaying himself as being God.”
3.5.1.1.This is what Paul wrote to
Timothy about in the scripture I quoted above, 1 Timothy 4:1.
3.5.1.2.This deluding influence is
also prophesied in 2 Thess. 2:11 (see verse quoted below)
3.5.1.3.This may occur as a result
of the church being raptured up to heaven before the 7 yr. Tribulation Period
begins. Those who will be left in the churches
at that time never knew Christ in a person way, as their Lord and Savior, and
yet the church will continue on in after that point. Continuing on, the non-regenerated church
leaders will just lead people into further deception concerning truth.
3.5.1.4.There has been much
speculation about what the nature of the ‘great deception’ that will occur all
over the earth will consist of, but the fact is that from the scriptures we do
not have any really good clues concerning it.
3.5.1.4.1.Some have speculated that it
may have some connection to aliens and flying saucers, and that the devil may
cause something like the Antichrist to land in a flying saucer and then for him
to say that we now know the creator of life in our galaxy, that it is these
aliens, and then everyone would worship the Antichrist and these aliens. Many Science-Fiction movies have already set
the stage for people to believe such a lie as this. Again, this is only speculation that I have
given to stimulate us to think about what this deception could possibly consist
of.
4.
VS 24:12 - “12
“And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.””
- Jesus gives the sign that
‘lawlessness’ will be increased, and that as a result people be loveless
4.1.
As people turn away from the Lord and go their own way, which is what
‘lawlessness’ means, their lives get wrapped up in themselves to such a degree
that all they think about is ‘me, me, me’.
As result we see every day that people have lost ‘natural affection’ for
each other.
4.1.1.
On television it is not unusual today to see a woman arrested for having
murdered her children.
4.1.2.
We see countless stories of people committing serial and mass murder
across the world.
4.1.3.
We see families broken up and many people who are anti-social as well as
sociopathic.
4.2.
Even though this is something that is very prevalent in our world, I
don’t think that we can look back over history and see this sort of thing
increasing at an exponential rate. In
fact, in the days of the early church, we see that there was much
self-absorption amongst those of the Roman and Grecian culture, and this led to
a loss of natural affection.
4.3.
I think that this sign is one that will be occurring during the 7 yr.
Tribulation Period of the Book of Revelation, for after the church is Raptured
up from the earth the ‘restraining force’ will be removed, and when it is
removed there will be a massive increase in the loss of natural affection of
people for each other.
4.3.1.
In 2 Thess. 2:6-12, Paul wrote about the restraining force that will be removed from the
earth, which I believe is ‘the church’ which is going to be Raptured, and when
the church is removed from the earth, those in the world will have their
consciences freed so that they become even more self-centered and wicked, “6 And
you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he may be revealed. 7 For
the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will
do so until he is taken out of the way. 8 And then that lawless one will be
revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an
end by the appearance of His coming; 9 that is, the one whose coming is in
accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,
10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they
did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 And for this reason
God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is
false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth,
but took pleasure in wickedness.”
5.
VS 24:13 - “13
“But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved.”” - Jesus tells His disciples that the one who
endures to the end shall be saved
5.1.
In the New Testament, there is taught a doctrine that has been called, ‘The
Perseverance of the Saints’, and what it means is that genuine believers,
though they may stray away from the Lord at times, will eventually live and
remain faithful to the Lord in this life, and not turn away in disobedience and
falling away from the Lord in our lives.
5.1.1.
The one who remains faithful to the Lord all the days of his life, he is
the one who will enter into God’s kingdom.
See Matt. 7:21.
5.1.2.
If a person perseveres faithful unto the end in Christ, this is not the
means of his salvation, it is the result of a genuine conversion.
5.1.3.
In the New Testament there are several different places in the scripture
where God warns us that the one who shall inherit salvation is the one who will
endure faithfully to the end:
5.1.3.1.In Hebrews 3:6, the author of the book
exhorts us that we are God’s house (or temple) if we hold fast our confession
of our faith and confident hope in Christ firm until the end, “6 but
Christ was faithful as a Son over His house whose house we are, if we hold fast
our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.”
5.1.3.2.In Hebrews 3:14 it is written that we have
been partakers of Christ if we hold fast our assurance of salvation firm until
the end, “14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the
beginning of our assurance firm until the end.”
5.1.3.3.In Romans 11:22, the apostle Paul wrote
about the kindness and the severity of the Lord and how that we will experience
His kindness if we continue in His kindness, otherwise we will be cut off from
Christ, “22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell,
severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness;
otherwise you also will be cut off.”
5.1.3.4.In 1 Cor.
15:1-2, the
apostle Paul wrote about we can be salved if we hold fast the word of the
gospel which was preached to us, “15:1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel
which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by
which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you,
unless you believed in vain.”
5.2.
Even though it is true that remaining faithful unto the end is a
characteristic of one who will inherit salvation, I believe that here in these
apocalyptic signs being taught by Jesus, I believe that ‘physical
deliverance’
is what is promised.
5.2.1.
During the 7 yr. Tribulation Period of the Book of Revelation it is
prophesied that those of the nation of
5.2.1.1.So, the Jewish believers in
Christ will be saved from the Tribulation and from death, which is also a
fulfillment of this promise.
5.2.2.
Though there will be many Christian martyrs during the 7 yr. Tribulation,
as we have already seen prophesied in the book of Revelation, it is also the
case that God will protect many believers Jew and Gentile alike who come to
faith in Christ, and are faithful to Him throughout the rest of the
Tribulation.
6.
VS 24:14 - “14
“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a
witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.”” - Jesus tells His disciples that before the end
time that the gospel will be preached to all of the nations
6.1.
It has often been taught by the church that what hinders Christ from
returning to the earth is that the gospel must be preached to all of the
nations before Christ returns. However,
the early church preached the gospel to all of the nations of their then known
world, and today I believe that there is the preaching of the gospel that is
occurring to some degree in every nation of the world, whether by radio waves
or in person by God’s people. Though the
church has taught this, it has never been clear just how far and wide the
gospel must be preached for this prerequisite for the Lord’s return to
occur. Well, it is important that we
preach the gospel to all of creation, for this is the Great Commission for the
church (Matt. 28:19), however I believe that the event that is being mentioned
here is something that is mentioned in the book of Revelation. In the latter part of the 7 yr. Tribulation
Period of the Book of Revelation there is an event that occurs where the gospel
is preached by one of God’s angels to all of the world.
6.1.1.
Jesus revealed to the apostle John in Revelation 14:6-7 about this angel who is going
to preach the gospel to the entire world just before Christ returns in His
Second Coming, “6 And I saw another angel flying in midheaven,
having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every
nation and tribe and tongue and people; 7 and he said with a loud voice, “Fear
God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; and worship
Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.””