No talk of last days be complete without a discussion of Matthew 24 where Jesus laid out the signs of those last days of man before He returns, just as He said he would.
Many men in history have tried to go outside of the bible and predict or state when the end of man's rule on earth will come. This is a huge mistake as ONLY in the pages of God's Word can we begin to see and understand His plan and timeline.
Trying to cling to the Holy Word alone; we have posted the entire Matthew 24 chapter and let's go through it together. (see the *** and my comments on those verses in blue)
And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. 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.
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?
*** Keep in mind the setting is in Israel as they passed the Temple of God in Jerusalem.
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
*** One of the signs we are in the last days is people saying He is the Christ and teaching much deception. Today unlike any other time, we are flush with false doctrines and wolves as mainstream popular teachers. We see in America (on every corner) denominational falsehoods taught as doctrine. Please go to our main ministry site: www.dontperish.com
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.
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
All these are the beginning of sorrows.
*** Jesus is telling us that another sign is wars raging, famines, earthquakes and pestilences.
There has been over 140 wars on earth since the United Nations was formed in the 1940's. (Israel is the key and today we see many nations lining up to oppose/attack her. We will post more on this in the future.) Some experts say we have also seen a marked increase in earthquakes in recent years. No one could contest that terrible famines in the 19th and 20th centuries have been experienced along with many more pestilences (Greek root word Loimos.... it means disease) today many people are commenting how cancer, aids, heart disease and other killers are seemingly growing quickly in our time. While it is true all of this have been present in man's past; ALL of these are happening "at the same time today" and that is a key. He then tells us this is only the beginning of sorrows.
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. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
***Christ is telling us that you will be hated for your faith and today we indeed see a growing hatred of God's Word and the true Christian faith. Again He mentions false teachers as a major sign repeated here. He tells us love will grow cold (and we sure see that) but those who ENDURE to the end will be saved. (So much for the people who claim a Calvinistic eternal security.)
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.
*** It is interesting to note many say we are "just about" at the place where the gospel message has been translated and taken to most all areas of the earth. Again this is happening while ALL these other things are happening and that is a key.
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)
*** This portion if Matthew is talking about when the antichrist stands in the temple and proclaims himself as god. This is found in Daniel 9 and we will cover that in future posts.
Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
*** Here Jesus is speaking about the very time many people are dreading...the Great Tribulation and unless the days are cut short all life will cease on earth. It is a terrible time like no other before.
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
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.
Behold, I have told you before.
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.
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.
*** This is the third warning of false teachers that will be about deceiving and telling people here is the Christ or there and we are told don't believe them. Did you know there are false ministries today (Bill Johnson and Bethel Church in Redding California claiming God is visiting there in a glory cloud? Look it up will you? Search bethel glory cloud.) This is happening today indeed! When Christ returns it will be no secret event and the world will know it. Keep reading.....
For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
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.
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.
*** His return will not be a secret or a event only seen by a few. It will be a world wide event so don't be deceived by false teachers.
Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
*** Again the key is when ALL these things come to pass, not a few or some but ALL at the same time and we tell you that has only begun to happen in our time. How exciting indeed!
Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
*** When we see all these things come to pass; that generation won't pass away till He returns. Could we be that generation?
But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
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,
And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
*** We find this very interesting His referencing Noah. In that day people mocked him and no one other than Noah and his family were saved. Perhaps no other time in the modern Christian history of man has more people rejected His Word and are living seemingly blind to His truth and return, than today with all the other signs around us as well. It was not that long ago that being an atheist or a sodomite was to be a total heretic and social malcontent, and yet today it is the "in things". We are in the days of Noah just as Jesus said it would be and the storm clouds are forming on the horizon.
Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
*** We see a warning to always be on the watch as we don't know just when His time to return is near. By these verses and others we see it is honoring to God that we be mindful and ready; not just slothful, lukewarm or lazy in our faith before Him.
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.
Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
***Jesus is telling us to ALWAYS be about the faithful good works and life of a follower of His till He returns even though we know not when. That is the fruit and mark of a true Christian; are you His everyday and in ALL ways or just at Sunday and Wednesday religious services of man made religion?
But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
***The final warning of Matthew 24 from the Lord is that if you are caught at His second coming and are not looking for Him; meaning not living for Him (being obedient, holy and faithful to His Word) you will be "cut off" and then you will weeping and gnashing of teeth. This is indeed describing hell as seen from other verses in the gospels. (see Matthew 8, Matthew 13, Luke 13)
So what can we take away from this brief view of the Lord's signs of the last days?
It is wars, disease, natural disasters, world chaos and massive spiritual deception that marks His soon return. When you see all these things happening "at the same time" His return is near. In order to be blessed and faithful to what Revelation 1:3 tells us we should be watching the events unfold around the world, seeing if those things are coming to pass. We are not to be about this world's carnal pleasures or fleshly entertainment (Romans 12:2) and we are to have every thought captive for Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5) till He comes for us. We are to always be aware of who we are and how we are living in Him. Lastly we are to proclaim His gospel to all mankind and look for the glorious hope we have before us....the return of Jesus Christ. In that day (the Lord's Day) He will deal with evil, rule the His creation (the earth) and receive His Holy bride (the church).
Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. Revelation 1:3
Are you ready for His glorious return today and watching for Him by these signs?
Or will you be cut off and cast out; with a gnashing of your teeth as you where not ready at all?
There is hope found in Christ alone not man made ways or denominational religion that is false as our website exposes in many places.
Please see these links that will help you in the truth of God's Word and into eternal life to come.
God be praised
www.dontperish.com
Many men in history have tried to go outside of the bible and predict or state when the end of man's rule on earth will come. This is a huge mistake as ONLY in the pages of God's Word can we begin to see and understand His plan and timeline.
Trying to cling to the Holy Word alone; we have posted the entire Matthew 24 chapter and let's go through it together. (see the *** and my comments on those verses in blue)
And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. 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.
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?
*** Keep in mind the setting is in Israel as they passed the Temple of God in Jerusalem.
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
*** One of the signs we are in the last days is people saying He is the Christ and teaching much deception. Today unlike any other time, we are flush with false doctrines and wolves as mainstream popular teachers. We see in America (on every corner) denominational falsehoods taught as doctrine. Please go to our main ministry site: www.dontperish.com
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.
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
All these are the beginning of sorrows.
*** Jesus is telling us that another sign is wars raging, famines, earthquakes and pestilences.
There has been over 140 wars on earth since the United Nations was formed in the 1940's. (Israel is the key and today we see many nations lining up to oppose/attack her. We will post more on this in the future.) Some experts say we have also seen a marked increase in earthquakes in recent years. No one could contest that terrible famines in the 19th and 20th centuries have been experienced along with many more pestilences (Greek root word Loimos.... it means disease) today many people are commenting how cancer, aids, heart disease and other killers are seemingly growing quickly in our time. While it is true all of this have been present in man's past; ALL of these are happening "at the same time today" and that is a key. He then tells us this is only the beginning of sorrows.
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. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
***Christ is telling us that you will be hated for your faith and today we indeed see a growing hatred of God's Word and the true Christian faith. Again He mentions false teachers as a major sign repeated here. He tells us love will grow cold (and we sure see that) but those who ENDURE to the end will be saved. (So much for the people who claim a Calvinistic eternal security.)
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.
*** It is interesting to note many say we are "just about" at the place where the gospel message has been translated and taken to most all areas of the earth. Again this is happening while ALL these other things are happening and that is a key.
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)
*** This portion if Matthew is talking about when the antichrist stands in the temple and proclaims himself as god. This is found in Daniel 9 and we will cover that in future posts.
Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
*** Here Jesus is speaking about the very time many people are dreading...the Great Tribulation and unless the days are cut short all life will cease on earth. It is a terrible time like no other before.
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
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.
Behold, I have told you before.
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.
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.
*** This is the third warning of false teachers that will be about deceiving and telling people here is the Christ or there and we are told don't believe them. Did you know there are false ministries today (Bill Johnson and Bethel Church in Redding California claiming God is visiting there in a glory cloud? Look it up will you? Search bethel glory cloud.) This is happening today indeed! When Christ returns it will be no secret event and the world will know it. Keep reading.....
For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
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.
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.
*** His return will not be a secret or a event only seen by a few. It will be a world wide event so don't be deceived by false teachers.
Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
*** Again the key is when ALL these things come to pass, not a few or some but ALL at the same time and we tell you that has only begun to happen in our time. How exciting indeed!
Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
*** When we see all these things come to pass; that generation won't pass away till He returns. Could we be that generation?
But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
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,
And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
*** We find this very interesting His referencing Noah. In that day people mocked him and no one other than Noah and his family were saved. Perhaps no other time in the modern Christian history of man has more people rejected His Word and are living seemingly blind to His truth and return, than today with all the other signs around us as well. It was not that long ago that being an atheist or a sodomite was to be a total heretic and social malcontent, and yet today it is the "in things". We are in the days of Noah just as Jesus said it would be and the storm clouds are forming on the horizon.
Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
*** We see a warning to always be on the watch as we don't know just when His time to return is near. By these verses and others we see it is honoring to God that we be mindful and ready; not just slothful, lukewarm or lazy in our faith before Him.
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.
Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
***Jesus is telling us to ALWAYS be about the faithful good works and life of a follower of His till He returns even though we know not when. That is the fruit and mark of a true Christian; are you His everyday and in ALL ways or just at Sunday and Wednesday religious services of man made religion?
But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
***The final warning of Matthew 24 from the Lord is that if you are caught at His second coming and are not looking for Him; meaning not living for Him (being obedient, holy and faithful to His Word) you will be "cut off" and then you will weeping and gnashing of teeth. This is indeed describing hell as seen from other verses in the gospels. (see Matthew 8, Matthew 13, Luke 13)
So what can we take away from this brief view of the Lord's signs of the last days?
It is wars, disease, natural disasters, world chaos and massive spiritual deception that marks His soon return. When you see all these things happening "at the same time" His return is near. In order to be blessed and faithful to what Revelation 1:3 tells us we should be watching the events unfold around the world, seeing if those things are coming to pass. We are not to be about this world's carnal pleasures or fleshly entertainment (Romans 12:2) and we are to have every thought captive for Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5) till He comes for us. We are to always be aware of who we are and how we are living in Him. Lastly we are to proclaim His gospel to all mankind and look for the glorious hope we have before us....the return of Jesus Christ. In that day (the Lord's Day) He will deal with evil, rule the His creation (the earth) and receive His Holy bride (the church).
Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. Revelation 1:3
Are you ready for His glorious return today and watching for Him by these signs?
Or will you be cut off and cast out; with a gnashing of your teeth as you where not ready at all?
There is hope found in Christ alone not man made ways or denominational religion that is false as our website exposes in many places.
Please see these links that will help you in the truth of God's Word and into eternal life to come.
www.dontperish.com