With so many things happening, so fast nowadays. A lot of people want to know, “What is going on?” Are these the signs of the time, which point to the ‘End‘ drawing near?”
Well, Jesus was asked about this during His earthly ministry, (when He walked and talked with mankind as a Man, Himself.) This is what He said…
Teaching follows, which I trust will give you some clarity and insight concerning the “End Times”.
Signs of the End of the Age
Mat 24:3-14 (MKJV) And as He (Jesus) 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? (Sign of Your coming refers to the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ to the earth. The rapture of the Church happens 7 years prior to the 2nd Coming. There are “NO” specific signs concerning the “Rapture of the Church” ! However, we can look at the signs concerning His 2nd Coming and know that the “Rapture” will happen even sooner than that. Seven years sooner, to be exact.)
(Next, the “End of the World” [Greek word is αἰών (aiōn) = age.] So, when is the end of this “Age“? The point which refers to the time when Jesus sets up His millennial reign “1,000 year reign” on the earth. This happens the moment of His 2nd Coming to the earth, where He will reign as “King over all the earth”.)
Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said to them, Take heed that no man deceive you. (Do not be deceived!)
Mat 24:5 For many will come in My name, saying, I am Christ, and will deceive many.
Mat 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.
Mat 24:7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places. (There will be famines ‘lack of food and hunger’ , pestilences ‘diseases and plagues’, and earthquakes in more places than the “normal” places.)
Mat 24:8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. [Greek word for “Sorrows” is ωδινων (odinon) = birth pains.] (i.e. contractions before giving birth.)
Mat 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. (He is speaking to the Jews and His Jewish disciples. No “one” nation has endured more hatred towards it than the Jewish people. Even though this saddens our heart. It proves without a doubt, Jesus knew what was going to happen. But please know this, “All who persecute and attack Israel will be persecuted by God, Himself!)
[ Gen 12:3 And I (God) will bless those that bless you (Abraham and his promised offspring) and curse the one who curses you. And in you shall all families of the earth be blessed. My friends, if we want to be blessed by God, then we need to bless Israel and Its people.]
Mat 24:10 And then many will be offended, and will betray one another, and will hate one another. (Sadly, we are already seeing this happen, as well. But look up for our redemption draws near. These are only some of the contractions/birth pains of the earth, which will have an expectant-end. One where we are delivered or birth to Jesus, at the rapture and the 2nd Coming.)
Mat 24:11 And many false prophets will rise and deceive many.
Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many will become cold. [Greek word for “Iniquity” is ανομιαν (anomian) = with out adhering to the law, lawlessness, wickedness.]
Mat 24:13 But he (or she) who endures to the end, the same shall be kept safe (saved).
Mat 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. [The Greek really makes the meaning of this verse come alive. The word used here for “End” is not the same one we already looked at in verse 3. Instead, it is the Greek word τέλος (tel’-os) = according to Thayer’s definition it means = to end because an appointed finish mark has been reached. That is, because the limit which was set out has been reached and the thing ceases to be.
Wow! Talk about the love, mercy, and grace of God! Jesus speaking to the Jews/disciples states this. Not until every single person has heard the message of the gospel, will the appointed end happen.
We must understand this actually happens on the last day in the tribulation period. Looking back, we know the church was raptured 7 years prior to the day. Even though we don’t know the day and the hour in which the Lord will return for His bride, the Church. We do know that once the rapture happens, you can just start marking it off on the calendar. In 7 years, the end of this age will happen and Jesus Christ will set up His kingdom on the earth.
The next day dawns and now we know, in 6 years and 364 days the Messiah will setup His kingdom.
During the last 2,000+ years the responsibility to evangelize the world was given to the Gentiles. The Jewish time-clock according to Daniel’s prophecy had been interrupted!
The Apostle Paul clearly tells us that the “Dispensation of Grace, the Church age” was a mystery. Not known or understood by the Jewish fathers. Look with me at Ephesians 3:1-9.
The Mystery of the Gospel Revealed
Eph 3:1 For this cause, I, Paul, am the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you nations,
Eph 3:2 if you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given to me toward you,
Eph 3:3 that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I wrote before in few words,
Eph 3:4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
Eph 3:5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit,
Eph 3:6 that the nations should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partaker of His promise in Christ through the gospel. (The gospel message allows the rest of the nations of the world. To be blessed, saved, and redeemed through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the only Begotten Son of God.)
Eph 3:7 Of this gospel I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effectual working of His power.
Eph 3:8 This grace is given to me (who am less than the least of all saints) to preach the gospel of the unsearchable riches of Christ among the nations,
Eph 3:9 and to bring to light what is the fellowship of the mystery which from eternity has been hidden in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ; (Read Romans 16:25-27, as well.)
So, as soon as the rapture takes place the last week of Daniels prophecy can commence. Which also means, the responsibility to evangelize the world goes went back to the Jews. It has mainly been the Gentile nations who have been spreading the gospel message, since the Dispensation of Grace begun.
But now with the Church being removed in the rapture. The main focus sifts back to the Jewish people. With the largest revival ever, taking place, as soon as we are gone.
In the book of Revelation we see, 144,000 Jews will give their lives to the Lord and begin to tell the world about Jesus Christ. Then 7 years later, when the last week (70th week) of Daniel’s prophecy is completed. The “End” will happen as the Jewish people will have finished their mission of telling the world about Jesus Christ.
[*Please note: If you haven’t heard of the 70 weeks of Daniel’s prophecy. Or if you have never been taught on it. No problem! I will briefly cover it here for you. There are 70 weeks to Daniel’s prophecy. It concludes with the Son of God setting up His kingdom here on the earth for a millennia. Each week of prophecy was and is 7 years long. Everything was perfect and fine. All was going according to the prophecy given. Then in the 69th week, of the prophecy, the Messiah would be cutoff or to be spoken literally, He dies.
To keep everything in context, let me show you these 3 verses from the book of Daniel.
Dan 9:24-26 (MKJV) Seventy weeks are decreed as to your people and as to your holy city, to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins, and to make atonement for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.
Dan 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going out of the command to restore and to build Jerusalem, to Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks. (Here we can see a little math is in order. First, we have 7 weeks, then we add 62 weeks, which gives us 69 weeks total, so far.) The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in times of affliction.
Dan 9:26 And after sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself. (Here we must understand the breakdown of the weeks given, so far. The first group is 7 weeks. The 2nd group is 62 weeks and that only leaves one more group, which is a single last week by itself and this totals 70. So then, after the 2nd set or group of weeks, the 62 weeks we see the Messiah will be cut-off. He will die! But He will not die because of anything He did wrong. It’s not for His wrongs, or for Himself, as it’s stated. But it’s for everyone else’s wrongs, as He becomes the “Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world”, Revelation 13:8.) And the people of the ruler who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. And the end of it shall be with the flood, and ruins are determined, until the end shall be war.
For completion sake, let’s look at the next verse in Daniel’s prophecy. This is where the antichrist comes in and sets up his throne. This happens during the last week, the 70th week of prophecy.
Dan 9:27 And he (small “he” not capitalized, which is the antichrist) shall confirm a covenant with many for one week, (one 7 year period). And in the midst of the week (3 1/2 years in) he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease, and on a corner of the altar desolating abominations, even until the end (the appointed end). And that which was decreed shall be poured on the desolator.
Now let’s switch back to Matthew’s gospel and see what Jesus has to say about this time of tribulation. Note: the tribulation is going to be the worst time on the earth, since creation. But it is going to be twice as bad during the last half (2nd set of 3 1/2 years, which is called the “Great Tribulation”).
The Abomination of Desolation
Mat 24:15 Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation , spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand). [Here, Jesus refers back to Daniel’s prophecy, which was given to the Jews, for the Jewish people to have insight.]
Mat 24:16 Then let those in Judea flee into the mountains.
Mat 24:17 Let him on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house;
Mat 24:18 nor let him in the field turn back to take his clothes.
Mat 24:19 And woe to those who are with child, and to those who give suck in those days!
Mat 24:20 But pray that your flight is not in the winter, nor on the sabbath day;
Mat 24:21 for then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world to this time; no, nor ever shall be.
Mat 24:22 And unless those days should be shortened, no flesh would be saved. But for the elect’s sake, those days shall be shortened. (It’s still a 24 hour day. That is not what is being shortened. It is the length of time, which is shortened. As it will only last for a total of 7 years.)
Mat 24:23 Then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ! Or, There! Do not believe it.
Mat 24:24 For false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders; so much so that, if it were possible, they would deceive even the elect.
Mat 24:25 Behold, I have told you beforehand.
Mat 24:26 Therefore if they shall say to you, Behold, He is in the desert! Do not go out. Behold, He is in the secret rooms! Do not believe it.
Mat 24:27 For as the lightning comes out of the east and shines even to the west, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Mat 24:28 For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered.
The Coming of the Son of Man
Mat 24:29 And immediately after the tribulation of those days (or as soon as, the 7 years is over), the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from the heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. Thick darkness will cover the earth for a 24 hour period. No light on earth will be able to penetrate this judgmental darkness. All will be still and cannot move about because of this darkness on the earth. It is and will be, the last chance mankind has to call upon the Lord to be saved.)
Mat 24:30 And then the sign of the Son of Man shall appear in the heavens. And then all the tribes of the earth shall mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of the heaven with power and great glory.
Mat 24:31 And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
Oh praise the Lord! Hopefully, this will help you to understand the love of God towards you. It is not His will that any should perish. If you have never asked Jesus to be the Lord of your life, you can do so now, with this simple prayer.
Pray, confess, and believe this and you will be saved…Dear heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ to the earth. Thank You Jesus for being obedient to the Father, and the plan of salvation. Thank You for taking care of me and all my sins on the cross, by the cleansing power of your Holy Blood.
Jesus, I believe You are God’s Son. I believe You came to this earth, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and took my place of sin and shame on the cross. Every wrong I have ever done, You paid for. However, not only that but my salvation is sealed in You, by the Holy Spirit. Because You were raised back to Life. That resurrection power which raised You back to life, now gives me eternal life, as well.
Thank You Jesus for being my Lord, Savior, and my very best friend, in Your name I pray, in Jesus name, Amen and Amen.
My friend, if you prayed that prayer for the first time or if you are now dedicating your life back to the Lord? Welcome to the family and welcome home. 🙂
If you would drop us a comment or an email and let us know so we can rejoice with you, it would be great. Also, if you want to know more about this subject, we will be completing it in a book in the near future. Just let us know you are interested and we will let you know, when it’s available. Be blessed and have a wonderful day! 🙂
@USA @NorthAmerica @CentralAmerica @SouthAmerica @Africa @Europe @Antarctica @Asia @Australia @Israel @Islands @Oceania @Pacific @Atlantic @Hawaii @Caribbean @Spain @Greece @Italy @Oklahoma @Texas @Missouri @Kansas @Arkansas @Canada @Bahamas
You must log in to post a comment.