Recapitulation
In Matthew 24 and 25, Jesus departed the temple for the last
time and climbed the western slope of the Mount of Olives with his
disciples. In our last study, we
examined Jesus’ reply to his disciples’ awe at the sight of the beautiful temple
complex below them. He predicted the
coming devastation of the city and temple within a generation. This was fulfilled in 70 AD under the Roman
general Titus.
The Disciples’ Questions
As His disciples had heard Jesus’ enigmatic prophecies at
various times during His ministry, they were trying to understand what the
Messiah, the prophesied Anointed One, was planning regarding the kingdom of
heaven He had preached. These prophecies
about destruction and His death did not seem to fit all they had previously
understood. So they asked Him three
questions, as recorded in Matthew, Mark, and Luke: (1) When will these things
happen? (2) What will be the sign of
your coming? (3) And (what will be the
sign) of the end of the age?
When will these things happen?
Matthew takes the question “When will these things
happen?” as a general question about the future in light of Jesus’ preaching
about the coming kingdom of heaven and His prophecies regarding His death. (Only Luke records specific details about the
destruction of Jerusalem in Lk 21:20-23.) The last two questions Matthew views
as closely related as we shall see.
Overview of the Interadvent Age
There is so much here that we have divided this material
into four sequential studies. In this
study, we are examining verses 3-14
which are an overview of what is happening in the world between Jesus’ first
and second advent.
NOTE:
Some scholars say these words refer to the tribulation period
(or to the first half of it) but looking back from our present vantage point
His prophecy certainly does describe the events of the last two thousand years
quite well. The tribulation period will
share some of these characteristics but with greatly increasing intensity and
eventually with cataclysmic proportions.
Jesus has two very different sets of instructions for the interadvent
age and the tribulation period.
General Progress of History before the End
Jesus’ words in our passage through verse 14 do not lay down
any specific signs or events that must happen – just what scholars call the
general progress of history BEFORE the end times. The fulfillment of the great commission in
verse 14 may seem to be a specific sign but it is actually an ongoing and
moving target that only our sovereign Lord will know when it is complete. Each new generation as well as every language
needs to hear the gospel. When the time
is right “then the end will come.” All
these things are precursors to the end times not specific signs about
the end times as we shall see.
Eight Disturbing Characteristics
Jesus gives eight generally disturbing characteristics of
this age—the age we are living in now.
Notice that the intensity of these evil or disturbing characteristics
will increase as time goes by but, that as awful as some of these things may
get, they are not the end. This
is a warning to those who might see the sign of the end of the age in some of
these nine characteristics.
1) False
Christs
The first sign is “false christs” (24:4-5). “Many will come in My Name” and claim to be
the Messiah. He warns them to “watch
out” so that no one might mislead them.
Many will be misled—they won’t watch out.” Later, in 24:23-27, He will elaborate on
this. 24:27-30 tells us specifically
that there will be no question when Jesus actually returns. The whole world will see. He will come with lightning accompanied by
the darkening of the heavenly bodies, stars falling from the sky, and the laws
of celestial mechanics will be upset.
His glory will be seen by everyone.
More on this future event in a later study. Meanwhile, there will be counterfeits.
2) Wars and
Rumors of Wars
The second sign is “wars and rumors of wars” (24:6-7a). He says not to be alarmed not because these
events won’t be frightening but because they are not the end.
3) Famines
The third sign is “famines” (24:7b). KJV adds “pestilence” which is often the
cause of famines.
4) Earthquakes
The fourth sign is “earthquakes” (24:7c). They will be in
“various places.”
Jesus points out that these are “the beginning of birth
pangs (or pains or sorrows).” They are
not the end but something that has to happen before the end—like labor
pains. It hurts and you wish it would be
done with but there is no telling how long it will take.
5) Persecution
The fifth sign is “persecution,” death, and betrayal of
believers (24:9-10). You will be “hated
by all nations” for the sake of My Name.
This will not be confined to a few places. Some who earlier had professed to follow
Christ will fall away under the persecution and will betray other secret
believers. This will engender hatred
among people who are supposed to love one another.
6) False
Prophets
The sixth sign is “false prophets” and deception (24:11). They are not false christs but false prophets
that claim to speak for Christ. They
will deceive many people.
7) Lawlessness
The seventh sign is “lawlessness” and many believer’s love
will grow cold (24:12). This period will see lawlessness increase and be a
major influence in society for many believers’ love to grow cold much as in Jesus’
letter to the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2:4-5. Their passion for spiritual truth will
continue but not their ardor for Jesus and fellow believers.
Jesus points out that those who are true believers will
persist in their faith and will be saved.
This is not a warning about loss of salvation but a description of those
who will be saved. The lawlessness and
cold faith of some will not stop true believers from seeing it through. This is true not only today but all the way
through to the end.
8) Gospel
Proclaimed Everywhere
The final sign is preaching the “gospel of the kingdom”
through the whole earth “to all the nations” (24:14). This is the final characteristic of the
interadvent age. The twelve apostles
took the gospel throughout the then known world and by the third century most
of Europe and North Africa and the Middle East had heard in spite of terrible
persecution. Today, the gospel has been
preached on all continents and in every country – though perhaps not in every
language yet. Still the job of language
translation for the last few hundred unwritten language groups goes on at a
furious pace now with the help of computers.
In spite of fierce opposition, the effort to proclaim the gospel everywhere
continues apace.
Then Comes the End
And then the end arrives—not necessarily when each of these
signs have been completed—but it is the next step. In looking back at history, all of these
things have been happening an in ever-increasing intensity ever since Jesus
spoke these words.
What are we to do?
Jesus’ message to those of us in this inter-advent age is threefold:
(1) Watch out for deceit from false christs and false
prophets so be faithful and endure because many will fall away betray you or
mislead you or deceive you and
(2) Don’t be alarmed by bad news as if that means the end is
here—that Jesus has already come—and
(3) Let your affection for one another and for Christ not
grow cold and continue to proclaim the gospel.
You live like He could come back at any moment but plan like we
have a thousand years left. This is what
we mean by the imminent return of Christ.
© 2018 Eric Thimell
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