Matthew 24:1-14 Part III
Last week we looked at the six birth pains that will occur at the beginning of the tribulation as described by Jesus Himself…they were given as a response to the disciples’ question concerning the destruction of the Temple.
Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age? [3]
So…beginning in Matthew 24 Jesus begins to give them the events that will precede His second coming…nothing to do with the rapture.
We’ve talked about the Rapture before…the time when God removes all Christians from the earth…how do you think that is going to be explained worldwide?
For those who are not Christians and who are left behind at the Rapture…God will send them a strong delusion and they will believe it…
God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false [2 Thess. 1:11]
Things that happen today cause people to make misleading statements every time something happens in the world…they ignorantly—not knowing—attempt to immediately tie it to Matt. 24.
Everything I shared with you last week concerning the six signs that happen in just three and half years…that’s why when people said WWI was the beginning of the Tribulation it doesn’t coincide with what the Bible says…same with WWII.
All six signs will happen in just 3 and a half years:
1) Deception by False Christ’s
2) Disputes and Warfare Among the Nations
3) Devastation Throughout the World
4) Deliverance of Believers to Tribulation
5) Defection of False Believers
6) Declaration of the Gospel to The Whole World
See how chaotic things will be…all these signs will obviously overlap each other adding to the chaos…not since the world was created will things be so totally disruptive…and despite the many modern-day prophets that want to give you the date this all begins…they are all clueless…no one knows the date. [24:36]
But of that day and hour no one knows not even the angels of heaven, nor the son, but the Father alone
In fact, things could continue on as they are for another 2000 years…BUT…we may not know the day when it starts…but we do know what will be the single event that will start everything in motion…when you see this you know it’s started.
Here’s the ‘when’ part of the ‘what’ and ‘when’ will be the sign of Your coming.
Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation …standing in the Holy place” [24:15]
That’s the when…that is the single incident that will trigger the final seven years of history as we know it…this is the event that starts the beginning of the six birth pains…it is the appearance of the abomination of desolation.
If you were to ask a group of Christians to list perplexing passages in the Bible…it wouldn’t take long for someone to mention [Matt. 24] …who and what is this person called the abomination of desolation?
First of all, what is an abomination? …what abomination does Jesus have in mind? …is it one that belongs to only His generation?
This person…this guy who is the called the abomination of desolation…the man of lawlessness…the anti-Christ…he’s called by a lot of different names…is a real person…this person is now somewhere secretly in the world waiting to be revealed.
So, hold on a second…if no one knows when the tribulation will start does that mean that this person is capable of living for thousands of years?
Here’s something you need to know about Satan…he’s a created being…as such he has limitations…he is not like God…God is:
Omnipotent…God does whatever He pleases. having unlimited power, He has total controlover everything.;
Omniscient…God knows everything from the beginning to the end.
And because God knows everything from the beginning to the end…He is
Omnipresent…God is present everywhere both in place and in time.
Too often people think that Satan has the same attributes as God…that he’s equal with God…far from it…and because Satan can’t see into the future, he only knows what is going on this very instant…and no further.
So…if he doesn’t know the future which means he doesn’t know when the tribulation will start…how does he know who the anti-Christ will be?
Here’s how that works…in every generation since Jesus was born…for the past 2000 years Satan has always had a man in waiting…that man eventually dies…he has another in waiting…that man eventually dies…and so on it goes…for the past 2000 years there has always been the anti-Christ waiting to come forward.
And when the time is right…God will allow Satan to reveal that man…he will become the second most influential person in the history of the world.
It is the revealing of this man…the abomination of desolation that triggers the birth pains that will be followed by a time of indescribable horror in the world that will focus on the nation of Israel.
There are two events that must happen before the Tribulation begins…first is the revealing of the abomination of desolation…and second:
when you see the abomination of desolation …standing in the Holy place” [24:15]
That’s the key…the Holy place is the temple…just so you know…currently there is no temple…so…again…any attempt to tie what’s going on in the world today to Matthew 24 and the tribulation is premature.
Until there’s a Temple in Jerusalem there won’t be an anti-Christ…there won’t be any birth pains…and there certainly won’t be a tribulation.
Look what Jesus says… [verse 15] …let the reader understand…Six hundred years before Jesus’ birth the angel Gabriel tells Daniel what will take place at the end of time…if you’re familiar with what Gabriel tells Daniel you know it’s the exact same thing Jesus is telling the disciples.
QUESTION…How do I know if the Bible’s true…because some pastor tells you it is…if someone asks you to prove the truth of the Bible what would you say?
Could say… “We know the Bible is true by faith.” …while that answer may sound pious…it’s not very practical or logical…let me help you out…you’re not going to win a discussion with that answer…nor is it a correct application of Scripture.
Three things that prove the Bible’s true: Consistency…Archaeological discoveries and Science.
Consistency is one evidence that the Bible is factual…despite being written by more than 40 different writers over a time span of 2,000 years…there is no disagreement …no difference of opinions…no contradictions between any of the writers.
What Gabriel told Daniel is exactly what Jesus is telling the disciples.
Despite the thousands of manuscripts that have been found throughout the centuries all around the world…there is no error between the different texts…they have been accurately transmitted throughout the ages.
Archaeological discoveries have confirmed many events and places in the Bible once thought to be merely myths are real…for hundreds of years the account of Jericho was thought to be just a story until the excavation of Jericho revealed that the walls did indeed fall as described in the book of Joshua.
Archaeological discoveries prove places mentioned in the New Testament…once thought to be only names…such at Bethlehem…Capernaum…and Nazareth did exist.
Science has confirmed what the Bible centuries ago revealed [Isaiah 40:22] …that the universe is expanding…scientists did not discover such expansion until 1920s.
The discovery that the Earth is round is given to Aristotle…historians note that it is quite possible that someone before him was aware of the Earth’s round shape…yea maybe Job who wrote 2000 years before Jesus was born said that the earth is round.
The Bible is accurate in every detail…I want you to know that what has been recorded in Matthew 24 are factual events that will one day take place…you can believe they will occur based on proven evidence from the past that testifies to the truthfulness of the Bible.
What has been written will happen in the future…not just say to you ‘trust me’ and have you do it…I’m not selling used cars here.
Therefore, when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION then there will be a great tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the would until now, nor ever will [24:15 /21]
The term tribulation used here describes the entire eschatological seven-year period …but more specifically to the time known as the ‘Great Tribulation’ which is the last half of the tribulation [21].
Why is the tribulation divided into two sections…because as bad as the first half will be the second half is even worse.
At the three-and one-half year mark the Antichrist will put an end to the sacrifices in the temple…he will set up an idol in his honor and require people to worship it…sounds a little like Nebuchadnezzar…he will declare himself the dictator of the world. [Daniel 9:27/ Rev.6:1–2] …the Jews will rebel…and the game is on…the war will commence. [Rev. 6:3–4]
Jesus said that this will be the most awful time in all history…we think of the wars, plagues, famines, and genocide that has occurred down through history…it’s sobering to think this will be far worse than what has ever happened.
A time when God pours out His wrath on the world, it will be truly a great tribulation… [Rev 9:18] a third of mankind will be killed…. [Rev. 6:7-8] says one-fourth of the people on earth will die.
Why the Tribulation…why would God do this…what purpose does it serve…God is God…isn’t there some other more peaceful way to work this out?
The Tribulation is a future time in history when God will accomplish three things:
At the final battle…the Battle of Armageddon, Israel will be surrounded by the armies of the world and will be losing the battle…just when Israel is on the brink of total defeat Jesus is going to come back…when He comes, the Jews will accept Jesus as the Messiah and run out to meet Him.
2) This is Satan’s last attempt to destroy Israel and thwart God’s plans.
For Satan, the destruction of Israel is a matter of self-preservation…throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry Satan did everything he could to stop Jesus from fulfilling His earthly ministry.
For Satan and the Antichrist their goal throughout these entire events is to destroy the Jewish people…Why…Satan believes that if he can destroy the Jews, then he will be able to prevent the second coming…and keep God from sending him to hell.
Satan’s read the book…he knows what his ultimate fate will be…he’s just trying to keep it from happening.
3) God’s patience runs out
The Tribulation is God’s judgment on the unbelieving, godless inhabitants of the earth (Rev.6 – 18). Are people really that bad…yes they are.
Last Monday Elaine and I went and visited Advice and Aid…they offer an alternative to Planned Parenthood and abortion…honestly…I could not work there, it’s too stressful…it’s too depressing…it’s too upsetting…too heartbreaking…it’s too everything…those ladies are counseling women on life and death.
While we were there one of the ladies brought in a cupcake with a candle on it…it represented a baby that had been born…a woman who decided birth over death.
That candle represented the 221st baby born this year instead of being aborted.
Something I shared with those ladies…Planned Parenthood is but one example that people are really that bad…it’s not that the people working at Planned Parenthood are morally wicked…it’s a reflection of the calloused mindset people have regarding the unborn.
It is estimated that 70,000 people seek abortion care in the United States each month…statistics indicate that 65 percent of women who have abortions self-identify as Christians…abortions is one of the most commonly performed procedures in the United States.
It’s a sad reflection on our country that during the COVID-19 pandemic churches were forced to close but when abortion clinics were included in that ban, they went to court to prevent what they saw as—another opportunity to undermine reproductive rights and keep pregnant people from accessing abortion care.
Forget the positive influence churches have made in their communities by helping
…the needy—we partner with Helping Hands of Olathe
…the poor—we partner with Mission Southside to provide for the poor
…distributing food—we partner with New Hope providing food for those in need
…assisting the homeless—we housed 40-50 people every night for four months
…assisting with support groups—we provided a place to meet for Narcotic Anonymous
…teaching children the gospel—over 20 years our church has had AWANA
This church has and is doing every one of those…Planned Parenthood’s single reason for staying open is to accommodate abortion care.
Abortion is just one instance in how we as a nation…as a Church…as Christians have compromised Biblical beliefs by living like the world…God is serious about our not compromising His Word with the values of the world.
In [v37] Jesus gives us an illustration of how wicked people will be at His coming …making a comparison between the time of His second coming and Noah.
For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.
This verse says that at the second coming of Christ, people will be just like in the days of Noah…does this mean that there’s a laundry list of issues that are similar to what was being done in Noah’s days…that we can make a comparison of then to now? …not really.
There is however a single primary point that Christ emphasizes between the time of Noah and His second coming…in both instances…in both Noah’s day and in His second coming it is the suddenness and the unpreparedness that He’s emphasizing.
Jesus is saying that the days of Noah were exactly the same as it will be the time of His return.
The unprepared of Noah’s day were so absorbed in pleasing themselves…going about their business…going through life compromising their faith all the while ignoring the warnings of God’s Word…it’s the same today.
Here’s the tragedy…perhaps the most sobering statement in this whole passage is that “they did not understand” [39] …they did not put two and two together… until the flood came and took them all away [39] …up until that time they were clueless…Jesus said, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be [39].
BUT…there is a BUT…even in the midst of the most horror filled time in the history of the world…God is still a people person:
Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved: but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short [24:22]
So, what does the phrase no life would have been saved mean…there are two views that are worthy of consideration and they revolve around the meaning of the term “no life.”
Is it referring to the Jewish remnant…or does Christ have in mind all humanity?
I think both…with respect to a physical deliverance it is referring to the survivors who come out of the Tribulation and will live on earth during the millennium… secondly, it’s referring to the salvation of the Jews who will accept Jesus at His second coming.
Jesus then sums up what we’ve been talking about for the past three weeks:
Therefore, be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming [42]
For the remained of chapter 24 Jesus emphasizes the need to be ready for His coming.
The mystery for me is not what is written in the Bible…that’s no mystery… Jesus has laid out in exact detail what will happen at some time in the future.
The mystery is how can people go lackadaisically through life…not even considering the events that will one day take place…and even worse…that Jesus is coming soon and there is a day of reckoning for every person who has ever lived?
A time when every person will be called to give account for their actions…to pay one’s debts so to speak…to determine where you will spend eternity.
I don’t preach hell fire sermons…you don’t scare people into heaven…the idea that Hell is a place everyone who doesn’t believe in Jesus eventually goes is NOT in the Bible…Hell is for Satan and his angels [Matt: 25:41].
The Bible reveals the fairness of God even in deciding on people’s eternal fate…
But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating [Luke 12:48]
This verse clearly indicates there will be gradations of punishment even in ‘hell’… that punishment will be proportional to the knowledge rejected…everyone does not go to the same place…or endure the same level of punishment.
BUT…it is still a place separated from God…that is hell…that is not God’s desire for anyone… and it doesn’t have to be…accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior will guarantee that one day you will either be lifted up out of the grave or taken physically from the earth to meet Jesus and be with Him eternally.