MATTHEW 24, MARK 13 & LUKE 21 EXPLAINED!

THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES

&

THE END OF THE AGE

The Mount of Olives rises above Jerusalem to the east. From its slopes a person can look down into the city and see the Temple. Prophet Zechariah predicted that the Messiah would stand on this very Mountain when He returns to set up His eternal Kingdom… 14:1-4. 

About 15 years before Jesus was born [20 B. C.], Herod the Great began to remodel and build the Temple which had stood for nearly 500 years since the days of Ezra.. 6:14, 15. Herod made the Temple one of the most beautiful buildings in Jerusalem, not to honor God, but to appease the Jews whom he ruled. The magnificent building project was not completely finished until A. D. 64. On this very Mount, Jesus’ Olivet Discourse, prophecy that no one stone would be left on another was fulfilled in A.D. 70, when the Romans completely destroyed the Temple and the entire city of Jerusalem. 

The disciples wanted to know when the Temple would be destroyed. But Jesus gave them a prophetic picture of that time including events leading up to it. He also talked about future events connected with His return to judge all people. In the above chapters, Jesus predicted both near and distant events without putting them in chronological order. Some of the disciples lived to see the destruction of Jerusalem and this event would assure them and us that everything Jesus predicted at this sitting would also happen. Consequently, Jesus’ warning about the future would then teach us to live in the present by being alert and prepared. Are we? 

It is impossible to improve on Truth as shown by the Source of all truth, the Holy Spirit. You will hear me repeat over and over again the knowledge concerning the days we are in and the imminent return of Jesus Christ. There are questions the disciples asked Jesus: 1. when would this take place:- when will there not be one stone left upon another [this has already taken place]. 2. what would be the sign of His coming: in perspective, Jesus’ reply was, "birthpains"! ... “All this is but the beginning [the early pains of the birth pangs of the intolerable anguish]. These birth pangs would be: many will come in (on the strength of) Jesus name [appropriating the name which belongs to Him], saying, I am the Christ (the Messiah), and they will lead many astray... Matthew 24:5.

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened or troubled, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.. v6. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in place after place... v6, 7. Then they will hand you over to suffer affliction and tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake... v9. Then apostasy will follow - many will be offended and repelled and will begin to distrust and desert Him Whom they ought to trust and obey and will stumble and fall away and betray one another and pursue one another with hatred...v10.  Many false prophets will rise up and deceive and lead many into error...v11. The love of the great body of people will grow cold because of the multiplied lawlessness and iniquity...v12. And this good news of the Kingdom (the Gospel) will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then will come the end... v14. 

DURING THE BIRTHPAIN [Matthew 24:23-28] 

Jesus said, "See, I have warned you beforehand". If anyone says to you then, behold, here is the Christ (the Messiah)! Or, there He is! Do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise, and they will show great signs and wonders so as to deceive and lead astray, if possible, even the elect - God's chosen ones. So if they say to you, behold, He is in the wilderness (desert), do not go out there; if they tell you, behold, He is in the secret places or inner rooms, do not believe it. For just as the lightning flashes from the east and shines and is seen as far as the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be – unmistakable. Christ’s coming will be obvious; no one will doubt that it us He. If you have to be told that the Messiah has come, then He hasn’t. Wherever there is a fallen body (a corpse), there the vultures (or eagles) will flock together…Job 39:27-30. The signs we see indicate that the end is not far off. 

The third question the disciples asked was: what will be the sign of the end, the completion, the consummation of the age as we know it? The Tribulation began in September 2019 because this is the time I began to see the white and red horses of Revelation Chapter Six. The black horse came in January 2020 and the green-grey horse following closely. Jesus answer to His Disciples was, “when you begin to see many deliberately attempt to deny and mock the reality of the presence of God”, this will be a sure sign of the beginning of the end. Matthew 24:15 as predicted by Daniel 12 :11, 12, is confirmed by Jesus - this [the deliberate attempt to mock and deny the Presence of God] will begin between January 2024 and March 2024. We have less than 2000 days remaining to Rapture... much, much less. From now, things begin to thicken as Bible prophecies are fulfilled. There is another plague more deadly than Covid-19 coming. As I keep hearing bees buzz, the plague will sting like bees. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not come down and go into the house to take anything. And let him who is in the field not turn back to get his overcoat.

From the fig tree learn this lesson: as soon as its young shoots become soft and tender and it puts out its leaves, you know of a surety that summer is near. So also when you see these signs, all taken together, coming to pass, you may know of a surety that He is near, at the very doors. Truly I tell you, this generation, the whole multitude of people living at the same time, in a definite, given period will not pass away till all these things taken together take place. The sky and earth will pass away, but Jesus’ words will not pass away.

ON RAPTURE DAY

THE COMING of the SON of MAN [Matthew 24:29-31] 

Immediately after the Tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken – this is Revelation 6:12-17 in waiting… [Isaiah 13:10; 34:4; Joel 2:10, 11; Zephaniah 1:15]. We are at verses seven and eight right now. The Great Tribulation will begin soon after the Church has been withdraw in Revelation 7:1-8 and after the Lamb breaks the 7th seal Chapter Eight of John’s revelation. From the Lamb’s countdown, we are less than a day to the revealing of Christ. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn and beat their breasts and lament in anguish, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory [in brilliancy and splendor…Revelation 1:7. On the 30th day of October 2019, I was given a vision: I saw a great fish coming in the clouds and suddenly, it ducked on to the earth. 

The nations of the earth will mourn because unbelievers will suddenly realize they have chosen the wrong side. Everything they have scoffed at will be happening and it will be too late for them to change sides – it will be swift with no opportunity for last-minute repentance or bargain. The Choice we have made will determine our eternal destiny. In the parable of the Ten bridesmaids, we learn that every single person is responsible for their own spiritual condition. When Jesus returns to take His people, we must be ready. Spiritual preparation cannot be bought or borrowed at the last minute. Our relationship with the King must be our own. After these, Jesus will then send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect (His chosen ones) from the four winds, even from one end of the universe to the other… Revelation 7:2-4. At that time two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the hand mill; one will be taken and one will be left… Matthew 24:40-41. 

 IMPORTANT NOTE - Matthew 24:19-22

I would like that you consider and meditate this verse, “And alas for the women who are pregnant and for those who have nursing babies in those days”! At the sound of that last trumpet, ALL saints [alive or dead] will be taken. All children will be taken! Those who are pregnant at that time, will find that they are not! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath because if both of the pilots will be born again, who will land that aircraft? The Holy Spirit will also leave the earth as He delivers the Bride to her Betrothed. When He, the Holy Spirit is out of the way, the antichrist will take over the earth. I would not want to be left even for a second on the earth. 

There will be great affliction, distress, and oppression such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, and never will be. Also Daniel 12:1; Joel 2:2. But, God is in control of even the length of persecutions. He will not forget His people, “And if those days had not been shortened, no human being would endure and survive, but for the sake of the elect (God's chosen ones) those days will be shortened” – He will not forget His people as the saints are withdrawn at the Rapture. This is all we need to know about the future to motivate us to live rightly now. 

BE WATCHFUL

Although we know the season we are at, it is good that we don’t know exactly when Christ will return. If we knew the precise date, we might be tempted to be lazy in the Kingdom of God. Worse yet, we might plan to keep sinning and then turn to God right at the end… we are known as the last-minute people… Matthew 24:36-39,42-44; Genesis 6:5-8; 7:6-24. Heaven is not our only goal, we have work to be done here in this Kingdom. We must keep doing it until death or until we see the unmistakable return of our Savior. Watch therefore, give strict attention, be cautious and active, for you do not know in what kind of a day whether a near or remote one your Lord is coming. Had the householder known in what part of the night, whether in a night or a morning watch the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have allowed his house to be undermined and broken into. You also must be ready therefore, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him.

Then, Jesus gave a parable or parallel of: The Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant... “Who then is the faithful, thoughtful, and wise servant, whom his master has put in charge of his household to give to the others the food and supplies at the proper time”? The Lord is asking us to spend the time of waiting taking care of His people both within His Kingdom and outside it. This is the best way to prepare for Christ’s return… Matthew 24:45-51.

The picture of the persecutions and natural disasters is gloomy, but ultimately it is a course not for worry but for great joy. We are citizens of the coming Eternal Kingdom, and as we see these happenings, we know that the return of our King is near and look forward to His reign of justice and peace. 

Come Lord Jesus!