The many references to God’s prophetic timeline have baffled scholars for centuries. They are very confusing and some may never be fully understood until Christ returns. However, we can learn from them and so we will study them one by one. Jesus taught much of what we can understand and referenced both Daniel and Noah in Matthew 24.
Matthew 24:1 And Jesus went out and departed from the temple. And His disciples came to Him to show Him the buildings of the temple. 24:2 And Jesus said to them, Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, There shall not be left here one stone on another that shall not be thrown down.
This is one of the reasons some may be confused about timing. Jesus begins this with a prophecy that will soon come into view, that is the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. But, the rest of the chapter leads into the timing of the end of the world as we know it.
24:3 And as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the world?
This question has been on the minds and lips of true and false believers for thousands of years. I firmly believe that the whole world, deep down in their hearts, knows that this world will someday come to an end, a fiery end.
24:4 And Jesus answered and said to them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
This is a very revealing introduction. The first part of His answer begins with a warning.
24:5 For many will come in My name, saying, I am Christ, and will deceive many.
Notice who will come and how they will come. Not just a few, but many. Perhaps the most revealing verses in the Bible on many and few can be found in the Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 7:13 Go in through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many there are who go in through it. 7:14 Because narrow is the gate and constricted is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
24:6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled, for all these things must occur; but the end is not yet.
24:7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places.
24:8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
You may think, wars and rumors of wars have been a part of every generation throughout history. That is true, but it is especially true during the last days. Jesus clearly states that this is indeed some of the first signs.
24:9 Then they will deliver you up to be afflicted and will kill you. And you will be hated of all nations for My name's sake.
24:10 And then many will be offended, and will betray one another, and will hate one another.
Mark 13:12 And a brother will betray a brother to death, and a father his son. And children will rise up against their parents and will cause them to be put to death. 3:13 And you will be hated by all for My name's sake, but he enduring to the end, that one will be kept safe.
Have you seen any recent evidence like this in the US? Seems like the governors and mayors are encouraging it for this ‘pandemic’.
24:11 And many false prophets will rise and deceive many.
This is the real problem today. The many are indeed the many, or in reality should be called the majority. There are far more false teachers today than true men of God. Unfortunately, those who only come to be entertained and distracted from the worries of the world are clueless and therefore easily misled.
Matthew 7:21 Not everyone who says to Me, Lord! Lord! shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven. 7:22 Many will say to Me in that day, Lord! Lord! Did we not prophesy in Your name, and through Your name throw out demons, and through Your name do many wonderful works? 7:23 And then I will say to them I never knew you! Depart from Me, those working lawlessness.
These are the mis-believers. They do many ‘right’ things, proclaim the name of Jesus without being known by Jesus, and are self-righteous in their self-affirmation of their godliness. But, what does Jesus say to them? Depart! Where? Where do the lawless go; to Hell. Many will come of ‘that’ day, the day of final judgment. This is too late to change their eternal destiny.
24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many will become cold.
This seems like an indictment of the many in our world today.
24:13 But he who endures to the end, the same shall be kept safe. 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world as a witness to all nations. And then the end shall come.
This ends with two truths.
First, you must endure, that is, persevere, contend, struggle and overcome adversity.
Second, the gospel must go out to all the world. Some contend that this occurred during the time of the early church, as it refers to the ‘known’ world not the entire world. That doesn’t make any sense in context of the entire chapter.
That being said, today that may be true. If it is, the soon coming of the Lord may indeed be soon coming. More later.