BIBLE STUDY MANUALS: MATTHEW CHAPTER 24

MATTHEW CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

INTRODUCTION

When will the massive temple buildings in Jerusalem be utterly destroyed? What signs will be evident when He is coming?

What signs will mark the end of this present world system?

Chapter 24, and for that matter chapter 25, contain our Lord's answer to His disciples' three questions about His appearing as the Messiah King to establish His millennial kingdom on the earth and the events surrounding this appearing.

When read and taken in the light of all of the passages related to the doctrines spoken of in our Lord's answer, we then have as clear a picture as possible today of the events leading up to our Lord's return and of the destruction of the temple. Author John MacArthur aptly describes the Jewish mindset at the time that the disciples asked our Lord their questions:

[The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Matthew 24-28; Moody Press; Chicago; 1989; pp.7-8]:

"In the minds of the Jews of Jesus' day, the time was ripe for the Messiah's coming. They had suffered persecution and subjugation for many centuries and were at that time under the relentless power of Rome. When John the Baptist appeared on the scene, reminiscent of the preaching and lifestyle of Elijah, the people's interest was intensely piqued. And when Jesus began His ministry of preaching, with unheard of authority and of healing every sort of disease, many Jews were convinced that He was indeed the Messiah. When He rode into Jerusalem on the colt, the crowds were beside themselves with anticipation, and they openly hailed Him as the Messiah, the long awaited Son of David (Matt. 21:9).

At that point, however, Jesus' ministry rapidly and radically departed from their expectations. According to their thinking, the next steps would be the gathering of the nations against the Messiah and His dramatic and effortless victory over them.

That idea apparently was also still in the minds of the Twelve. Jesus' many predictions that He must suffer, die, and be resurrected had simply not registered with them. In some way or another they either had discounted those teachings or had rationalized and spiritualized them into being something other than literal, physical, and historical realities...........................

In fairness to the disciples, the Old Testament prophets also saw the Messiah's coming and establishing His kingdom as a single event. The church age was a mystery to them, a mystery, as Paul explained, 'which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested' (Rom. 16:25-26). Because Israel had obviously experienced tremendous tribulation, because Jesus declared Himself to be the Messiah and identified John the Baptist as His forerunner, and because He had accepted the Messianic acclaim of the people a few days earlier, the disciples understandably thought that the sequence of events would continue as they expected. They were now certain that Jesus' next move would be to demonstrate His inexorable power over the nations that would soon rise up against Him."

[Mt 24:1-3]:

(v. 1) "Jesus left the temple and was walking away when His disciples came up to Him to call His attention to its buildings."

(v. 2) " 'Do you see all these things?' He asked. 'I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.' "

(v. 3) "As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. 'Tell us,' they said, 'when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?'" Our Lord has just finished speaking strongly to the Jewish leaders, finishing with a statement that the house of Israel will be left desolate - will be laid to waste:

[Mt 23:37-39]:

''' " O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see Me again until you say, 'Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord.' " '''

This message did not immediately sink into the minds of the disciples for as they walked by the awesome and magnificent temple buildings they called His attention to the wonder of those buildings as if our Lord had not spoken a word - especially a word which would adversely effect those very buildings.

BKC p.77, (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Walvoord & Zuck, Victor Books, 1988), perhaps expresses the disciples' mentality: "What could possibly happen to such impressive buildings, especially to the temple of God?"

John MacArthur states, (Op. Cit., p.8):

'''As they were leaving Jerusalem, "the disciples came up to point out the buildings" to Jesus. The other two synoptic Gospels point out that they were pointing to "the temple" in admiration, saying, "Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!" (Mark 13:1; cf Luke 21:5).'''

''' "The temple" and its adjunct "buildings" stood on the top of a mount. A massive retaining wall on the south and west sides helped support the mount itself as well as the temple. The temple was awe inspiring by any standards, but to a group of common men from rural Galilee it must have been a breathtaking marvel. They could not conceive how such an enormous structure could have been built or decorated so magnificently. The Roman historian Tacitus reported that it was a place of immense wealth, and the Babylonian Talmud said, 'He that never saw the temple of Herod never saw a fine building.' Some of the stones measured 40 feet by 12 by 12 and weighed up to a hundred tons, quarried as a single piece and transported many miles to the building site.'''

'''The disciples were perhaps wondering how such an amazing edifice, especially one dedicated to the glory of God, could be left desolate, as Jesus had predicted.'''

As Jesus continues to walk away from the temple and toward the Mount of Olives, He brings His disciples back to reality when He responds directly to their awe about the temple buildings:

[Mt 24:2 KJV]:

" 'See ye not all these things?.......

[In other words, "do you really see everything - not only the buildings but what is going on in the world around them?" Note that the Greek word for "things" is neuter whereas buildings in the Greek is feminine, thus indicating that our Lord is not referring to the buildings but to His earlier discourse about the house of Israel becoming desolate]

[Mt 24:1-3 cont]:

[Mt 24:2]:

"Verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.' "

Scripture records no further conversations especially between the Lord and His disciples from the point in time when Jesus began walking away from the temple until He sat down somewhere on the Mount of Olives. That is to say, little of import was said after He prophesied the temple's utter destruction. He went through the eastern gate of Jerusalem, crossed the Kidron valley and then finally ascended the nearby Mount of Olives and sat down.

During this time of travel the disciples evidently were pondering what our Lord had just said. Heretofore, they had been convinced that the Lord was going to bring in the kingdom momentarily: Here are several passages which illustrate the point that people in general as well as the disciples thought that our Lord was going to bring in the kingdom of God immediately:

[Lk 19:11]:

"While they were listening to this, He went on to tell them a parable, because He was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once."

Even after our Lord's Resurrection during His appearances with the disciples and just before His Ascension into heaven, the disciples still asked:

[Acts 1:6]:

"So when they met together, they asked Him, 'Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?'"

Returning to Matthew chapter 24:

Mt 24:3 then indicates that there was a private moment which the disciples sought with Jesus in order to ask the question:

[Mt 24:3]:

"As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. 'Tell us,' they said, 'when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?'

The disciples seemed to express in their threefold question an imminency in their expectation of the coming kingdom.

They asked:

(1) When will the temple be destroyed.

(2) What will the sign of your coming to bring in the kingdom.

(3) What will be the sign of the end of the age?

MacArthur states, (op. cit., p.10):

"The "coming" that the disciples had in mind was not a second coming. They saw His "coming" just as the Old Testament prophets had seen and predicted it, compressed into an unbroken series of events that would occur over a relatively short period of time.

"Coming" translates "parousia" which has the basic meaning of presence and secondarily carries the idea of arrival. The disciples' question might therefore be paraphrased, "What will be the sign of Your manifesting Yourself in Your full , permanent presence as Messiah and King?"

There is apparently no prevailing thought in the disciples' minds that our Lord would be leaving even for a short period much more that He would not return for several thousand years. And then the final part of the disciples' threefold question:

(3) What will be the sign of the end of the age?

What will indicate that the end of the present world system has begun to occur?

The phrase "end of the age" does not refer to the end of a particular time period in history. Rather it points to the final end of the present world system.

Lets compare Mt 13:37-43 to fix the meaning of the term "end of the age":

[Mt 13:37-43]:

"He answered, 'The One who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are the angels. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.' "

[Mt 24:3a]:

"As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. 'Tell us,' they said, 'when will this happen, [the destruction of Jerusalem]:

Matthew does not answer the first question of when will the temple be destroyed relative to 70 A.D. The book of Matthew does not focus on the 70 A.D. period of time when the temple will be destroyed. Matthew's focus remains on the time of the tribulation and into the kingdom age and on the King Himself: the Lord Jesus Christ. So Matthew skips our Lord's answer to the first question relative to 70 A.D. and moves on to questions two and three. Luke however does record our Lord's answer to this question:

[Lk 21:6-7; 20-24]:

(v. 6) " 'As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.' "

[And then after recording our Lord's answer to the disciples' first question as to when the temple of Jerusalem will be destroyed in the immediate future, author Luke then proceeds to record the disciples' second and third questions and our Lord's prophetic answer]:

(Lk 21:7) " 'Teacher,' they asked, 'when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?' "

(Lk 21:20) "When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near.

[In 70 A.D., just about 40 years later, Roman Emperor Titus had Jerusalem besieged. Many who heard our Lord's words may have still been alive at that time and recalled His prophecy. Note that author Luke records our Lord's answer; and the answer is historically a two-fold one:

1) Fulfillment in the immediate future

and

2) Fulfillment again in the distant future.

This same thing will happen in the Tribulation period when the Roman empire is under the Antichrist. (Prophecies in the Bible often have short term and long-term fulfillments indicated within the same prophetic statement)]

(Lk 21:21) Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the city get out, and let those who are in the country not enter the city.

[People in Judea in 70 A.D. and then again those who live there during the future Tribulation are to flee into the mountains - not to go into the city. Josephus the Jewish historian recounts how during this awful siege in 70 A.D. the Romans so thoroughly blockaded the city that starvation led to mothers eating their children, death became so common that corpses were regularly thrown over the Jerusalem walls, and thousands were finally slaughtered, others taken into slavery or dispersed once the Roman Army broke into the city. This is also a picture of what will happen in the Tribulation period]:

(Lk 21:22) "For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written."

[Note that the phrase "all that has been written." must refer to all that "has been written" in Scripture about the future destruction of Jerusalem in the Tribulation period as well as that which happened in 70 A.D. Therefore this statement includes the destruction of Jerusalem in the future tribulation period as described in O.T. Scripture, which period occurs just before the kingdom begins. For much of what has been written in Old Testament Scripture as well as New Testament applies to the end times and not to 70 A.D. or any time that has already become history. Cp Dan 9:25-27; Rev 11:1-2.]

(Lk 21:23) "How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people".

(Lk 21:24) "They will fall by the sword and be taken as prisoners to all nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled."

Note the phrase "until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled." is yet future and cannot apply to just the A.D. 70 destruction of Jerusalem because the times of the Gentiles were not yet then and still are not yet fulfilled. See commentary on Dan 9:25-27 & Rev 11:1-2 below.

As Dr McGee expresses it, (op cit., p. 342):

"Again the Lord is drawing a miniature picture of what it is going to be like in the last days. There are those who claim it could not happen a second time. It happened once, friend; that is a matter of history. The Lord said it would happen, and it did. He said it will happen again, and I believe He is right."

~~~dan9v27

[Dan 9:24-27]:

(v. 24) "Seventy 'sevens'.........................

[70 x 7 - 490 years. Daniel would be thinking in terms of years because a number of other Scripture passages indicate that 70 years was a period of time in which God dealt with the nation Israel, (Cp Jer 25:11-12; 2 Chron 36:21). The Israel people thought in terms of sevens, ("heptads"):

one week - seven days

every 7th yr-sabbath rest year(Lev25:1-7)

the Year of Jubilee - the next yr after seven 'sevens' or 7x7 - 49 years(Lev 25:8-12)

Therefore "Seventy 'sevens' " must mean seventy sevens of years or 70 x 7 = 490 years. "Seventy sevens" could not mean days or weeks, that would be too short of a time for all of the events in the prophecy to happen. And history proves this out since 490 days and 490 weeks have already transpired without the fulfillment of the prophecy occurring. If days were meant rather than years then the words in Hebrew which are translated in English as "of days" would have also been added as it was in Dan 10:2-3.

It must mean sevens of years also because Israel had not been letting the land lie fallow every seventh year as commanded by God, (Lev 25:1-7). This made a total of 70 sabbatical years which were not honored by this time in Israel's history. It would now require 490 years of time for God to enforce this command as per His Word, (Lev 26:34-35), and provide for the land being left fallow every 7th year, (70 sabbatical years missed x 7 = 490 years)

Finally, the most basic of proofs that "seventy 'sevens'" refers to years is to test it out by calculating it by years and then examining what happened in the future to see if the prophecies were precisely fulfilled. The following verses do just that when the timespan of years is calculated in:

(v. 24 cont.) "Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy."

[So God has decreed that there will be a period of 490 years of Jewish history until there will be:

1) a "finish" to "transgression" - a finish to Israel's willful disobedience will be brought to an end.

2) "an end of sin" - the Hebrew word hatam" = "an end of" = a completion of in the sense of ending. The context of this passage in Daniel combined with the examination of other passages which are about the same doctrine, (see *** below), indicate that the phrase "an end of sin" means a sealing up of - a final ending of the problem of unpunished sin with the satisfactory amount of punishment.

(***The concept of sealing up of sin is clearly taught in Dt 32:34 & Job 14:17).

3) atonement "for wickedness" = payment for sins - this specifically refers to our Lord's once for all time atonement for the sins of the whole world, (Ro 3:21; I Jn 2:2; Hebrews chapter 9).

4) a bringing in of "everlasting righteousness"

"to bring in" - in the verb form in this passage "to bring in" = to cause to come in. This refers to the causing to come in by God of a period of everlasting righteousness. This can only refer to that period of time in history beginning with the millennium. There is no other period in history which has everlasting righteousness.

5) a sealing up - a fulfilling, finally, of all "visions and prophecy" in Scripture. All visions and prophecies in Scripture will be sealed, i.e. fulfilled and completed and thereby sealed up as completed, no longer applicable for fulfillment.

6) An anointing of - the enthronement of "the Most Holy", the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of Lords. This will occur beginning at the period of the millennium.

[Dan 9:24-27 cont.]:

(v. 24 cont.) "Seventy 'sevens' [490 years] are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy."

So this 490 year period which leads into the millennium will begin at the time when king Artxerses issues a decree to rebuild Jerusalem:

(v. 25) " 'Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem...

[Artaxerxes Longimanus, king of Babylon, issued a decree to permit Nehemiah to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem. King Artaxerses did this on the Jewish calendar month and day of Nisan 1, 445 B.C., (cp Nehemiah 2:1-8)]

(v. 25 cont) " 'Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One...

["Anointed One" = "Christos" (Greek) = The Lord Jesus Christ]

[...until the Anointed One, the Ruler, comes = until our Lord appears in His First Coming to present Himself as Ruler of the world. He will inevitably be rejected as Ruler and crucified]:

(v. 25 cont) " 'Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the Ruler comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens' ...

["there will be seven 'sevens'" = 7 x 7 = 49 years]

["and sixty-two 'sevens'"' = 62 x 7 = 434 years = a total of 483 Jewish calendar years x 360 days/yr = 173,880 days]

(v. 25 cont) " 'Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the Ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens' It [Jerusalem] will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble....

["times of trouble" = Jerusalem was rebuilt back in ancient times by Nehemiah in "times of trouble" and it will also be rebuilt during the tribulation period "in times of trouble" - a double fulfillment of prophecy which is typical in God's word. Note that here is where a quantum leap of time is about to take place in this passage in the book of Daniel]:

(v. 26) After the sixty-two 'sevens'...

[After the period of 434 years - which occurs after the period of 49 years, i.e. after a total of 483 years]

(v. 26 cont) "After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One [Jesus Christ] will be cut off but not for Himself. ["karat" = cut off, executed as a criminal]

["but not for Himself" = He was executed as a criminal, but not executed for something He did Himself. The Messiah Jesus Christ, (Christ = "Anointed One"), died for our sins, not for anything He did Himself. At the end of the stipulated period of 483 years which begins from the time when Nehemiah received the decree from Artaxerxes to rebuild Jerusalem on Nissan 1, 445 B.C. At the end of this 483 year period to the very day is our Lord's presentation of Himself as Messiah when He rode into Jerusalem on a young donkey - Sunday, April 6, 32 A.D., (Mt 21:1-11). Shortly thereafter, the text says: "After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will be cut off..." So after this presentation of Himself as Ruler on Palm Sunday April 6, 32 A.D., the Lord Jesus Christ, the "Anointed One" would be crucified as a criminal as the prophecy in Daniel predicted. Note that there is a time span of approximately 2000 years between the preceding part of verse 26 when our Lord was crucified, which we have just discussed, and the next part of verse 26 which follows. The text in the book of Daniel does a quantum leap in time of approximately 2000 years from when our Lord was "cut off" - crucified - to the period in which the Antichrist lives: the Tribulation, bypassing our age - the church age]:

(v. 26 cont.) [Then] The people of the ruler [the Antichrist] who will come will destroy the city [of Jerusalem] AND THE SANCTUARY. [of the temple] THE END [of human history as we know it] will come like a flood. War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.

(v. 27) He [the Antichrist] will confirm a covenant with many [Israel] for one 'seven'

[This seven years when added to the previous total of 483 years - 490 years. This is the period of time indicated in Daniel 9:24, ("Seventy sevens" = 70 x 7 = 490 yrs). This 490 year period will pass and then there will be the end of the age - the end of human history as we know it. It will also be 490 years of the period of the Mosaic Law until the end of the age of human history as we know it today and until our Lord's Sedond Coming. Our Lord's Second Coming will have been interrupted by approximately 2000 years of the church age - of the age of grace. Note that Scripture and history have proven out that this last seven years of the 490 year period of the Mosaic Law Age are interrupted by approximately 2000 years of the church age]

(v. 27 cont.) In the middle of the 'seven...

["the 'seven'" = the last 7 years of the tribulation period - the last 7 years of the Mosaic law period]

(v. 27 cont.) "In the middle of the 'seven', he [the Antichrist] will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing [of the temple] he will set up AN ABOMINATION THAT CAUSES DESOLATION, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.' "

So the Antichrist will be the main impetus behind the persecution of believers - both Jewish believers and Gentile believers. Notice that he puts himself up as god in the temple in Jerusalem to be worshipped and will not stand for anyone worshipping the one true God of the universe. He will persecute all who will not worship him, Jews and Christians alike.

This time by the Antichrist.

Note also that Daniel prophesies that "THE END" (when the Anointed One Jesus Christ returns) will come in 490 Jewish calendar years, (Dan 9:24). According to history only 483 years have passed from the month of Nisan, (March-April) 445 B.C. when Nehemiah was given a decree by Persian ruler Artaxerxes to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem to the 10th of Nisan, (April 6), A.D. 32, ("Palm Sunday"). April 6th, A.D. 32 was the time of Passover when the Anointed One, Jesus Christ officially offered Himself as and was rejected as the Messiah by Israel, (Mt 21:1-11). At that time He was "cut off", i.e. crucified, (the punishment a criminal would receive). This temporarily suspended the ticking away of this 490 year prophecy - interrupted by 2000 years of church age.

There are therefore SEVEN years to go in this 490 year period before our Lord's Return. This is a 490 year period which is a period especially marked by the Mosaic Law rule of life including temple worship - all exclusively focused on the nation Israel - the church not at all being involved in this future 7 year period. This last seven years has been separated from the first 483 years by approximately 2000 years of Church age history. The 490 year clock will again start ticking as soon as the church age is completed at the Rapture.

Dave Hunt commented on the prophecies of Daniel in the December 1992 edition of the periodical entitled "The Berean Call", (Bend, Oregon, pp. 1-2):

'''Through the writings of Jeremiah, Daniel learned that the Babylonian captivity would last 70 years (Dan 9:2). God had commanded that each seven years the Hebrew slaves should be set free, debtors forgiven and the land given a one-year sabbath of rest (Ex 21:2; Dt 15:1,2,12; Lv 25:2-4). For 490 years Israel had disobeyed this precept. As judgment, Jews became slaves of Babylon while their land rested the 70 years of sabbaths it had been denied. [490 = 7 x 70]

While confessing this sin, pondering and praying, Daniel was given the revelation that another period of 490 years (70 weeks of years) lay ahead for his people and for Jerusalem (9:24). At the end of that time all of Israel's sins would be purged, all prophecy fulfilled and ended, and the Messiah would be reigning on David's throne in Jerusalem. These 70 weeks of years (490) were to be counted "from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem" (v. 25). That crucial date is given to us in Scripture.

Nehemiah tells us that it was "in the month Nisan [March], in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king" ...[Nehemiah 2:1-8]... ...that he received the authorization to rebuild Jerusalem. When the day of the month was not given the first day was intended.

There were several Artaxerxes, but only one, Longimanus, who ruled more than 20 years - from 465-425 B.C. Thus we have the key date from which this incredible prophecy was to be calculated: Nisan 1, 445 B.C.

At the end of 69 of these "weeks" (7 x 69 = 483 years) "Messiah the Prince" would be made known to Israel (Dan 9:25) and then "be cut off [slain] but not for Himself" (v. 26). Counting 483 years of 360 days each (the Hebrew and Babylonian calendar), a total of 173,880 days from Nisan 1, 445 B.C., brings us to Sunday, April 6, 32 A.D. ON THAT VERY DAY, now celebrated as Palm Sunday, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a young donkey and was hailed as Messiah the Prince! (Zechariah 9:9 was fulfilled at the same time.)...............

...........April 6, 32 A.D. was, on the Hebrew calendar, 10th of Nisan. On that day the passover lamb was taken from the flock and placed under observation for four days to make certain that it was "without blemish." During the same four days, Christ, Whom John the Baptist had hailed as the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (Jn 1:29), was likewise on display before Israel. On the 14th of Nisan, "the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel was to kill it [the passover lamb] in the evening [between 3:00 and 6:00 P.M.]" (Ex 12:3-6). It was during that precise time period that Jesus died on the cross!'''

This still leaves seven years of history under Mosaic Law focused spiritually on the nation Israel until Jesus comes again! Those remaining seven years are none other than the seven year Tribulation period.

~~~dan9v27

[Mt 24:3 cont.]:

Let us now consider the text in Matthew with respect to our Lord's answer to the disciples' three questions. Keep in mind that Matthew's focus is on the future tribulation time and our Lord's second coming:

(Mt 24:3) "As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. 'Tell us,' they said, 'When will this happen [when Jerusalem will be destroyed], and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?'

It is also especially evident in Revelation chapter 11 that Jerusalem will again be trampled upon in the future tribulation period. This correlates with Luke's account of the temple's destruction in Lk 21:20-24 which states that Jerusalem will "be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled":

[Rev 11:1-2]:

"I [The Apostle John] was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, 'Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshippers there. But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. THEY WILL TRAMPLE ON THE HOLY CITY FOR 42 MONTHS.' "

This passage in Revelation speaks of a literal historical happening: the trampling on Jerusalem for 3 1/2 years beginning at the midpoint of the 7 year tribulation period.

This seven year tribulation period then completes the required seven years of the 490 year period until the end of the age and the beginning of the kingdom. This 3 1/2 years or "42 months" will mark the end of world domination by Gentiles, the end of the tribulation period and will mark the beginning of our Lord's Return and the ushering in of the kingdom which Matthew focuses on. (Cp Rev 13:5; Dan 7:25; 12:11).

Matthew's answers to the disciples' last two questions focus historically on the period of the tribulation. There are a least seven evidences in Scripture in this passage by Matthew pointing to a yet future period rather than 70 A.D. or any other period other than the tribulation:

(1) "Birth pains" which have not yet occurred in history as our Lord described them - especially not all in the same period of time:

[Mt 24:3-8]:

(v. 3):

" 'All these are the beginning of birth pains' "

John MacArthur states it this way, (op cit., p.15):

"...labor pains do not occur at conception or throughout pregnancy but just before birth. The figure of birth pains therefore would not have been appropriate to represent either the destruction of Jerusalem, which occurred very near the beginning of the church age, or the church age as a whole.....

.....labor pains do not begin until shortly before delivery time, and they occur with increasing frequency until the baby is born. In the same way, the events connected with the Lord's Return will not begin until just before His Return, and they will occur with increasing rapidity, building to an explosion of catastrophic events. The same epoch is pictured in the book of Revelation, as the seal judgments unfold over a period of perhaps years (See 6:1-8:1-6), the trumpet judgments over a much shorter period of time, perhaps weeks (see 8:7-9:21; 11:15-19) and the bowl judgments over a period of perhaps a few days or even hours (see 16:1-21)."

(2) "endure until the end" - This phrase in Mt 24:14 sets the time of our Lord's answer to the future and another age. For the disciples did not live to the end of the age. Furthermore, all church age believers will be raptured before the end times begin, (end times - the tribulation period), (I Thes 4:13-18). So this phrase can only apply to saints of the tribulation period whose faith in Christ as Savior and faithful walk with Him providentially secures their endurance and thereby preserves their physical lives to the end of the age so that they will be alive and able to enter into the kingdom as the first subjects of our Lord's earthly reign. (Unfaithful believers and divinely appointed martyrs will have already physically perished and will have already entered into the Lord's presence in heaven).

(3) "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all nations...." - This phrase in Mt 24:14 rules out any period of time in history heretofore, (up to this time). The gospel has yet to reach billions of people even today with mass media technology.

Therefore as our Lord implied in verse 14 and as verified in Rev 14:6-7, there will yet be a future worldwide instantaneous and miraculous declaration of the gospel of the kingdom to every individual on the face of the earth. This has never happened before:

[Rev 14:6-7]:

(v. 6) "Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth - to every nation, tribe, language and people.

(v. 7) He said in a loud voice, 'Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship Him Who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.' "

[Note that the contexts within this passage and other passages indicate that God will continuously provide the complete gospel of salvation via His angels and man during this period of tribulation]

(4) "the abomination of desolation: (v.15) - is yet future, (Dan 9:27), and is predicted to occur just before our Lord returns. This rules out what happened in 70 A.D.

(5) The fifth indicator is the conditions of the world which our Lord describes as leading up to the end of the age. These conditions of tribulation are to be the WORST EVER in human history. The book of Revelation describes these same conditions in greater detail.

(6) Number six indicator is historically yet future:

[Mt 24:29-30]:

" 'Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.' "

"At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory."

(7) And finally, indicator #7: verses 32-35 of Matthew 24 in which our Lord speaks of a fig tree:

[Mt 24:32-35]:

(v. 32) " 'Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.

(v. 33) Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.

(v. 34) I tell you the truth, this generation [the generation that is living during the time of these end time events] will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

(v. 35) Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.' "

MacArthur comments, (Op Cit p.16):

'''Just as the budding leaves of a fig tree signal that summer is near, so the occurring of these events Jesus mentions here will signal His imminent return. "This generation", that is the generation living during the time of those endtime events, "will not pass away until all these things take place." The signs of Matthew 24-25 will be fully experienced within one generation, a generation that could be no other than the generation living when Christ returns.'''

The events of Matthew 24-25 are "unique to the end times in detail, in sequence, in scale and in extent. Some of the events such as the disruption of the physical universe (24:29), will be completely unique." (MacArthur, Op Cit., p.16).

Many have focused on our Lord's use of the word "you" (2nd person) and state that this applies exclusively and only to the disciples - to their generation. However, it is standard proceedure for prophetic statements to be made in such a way that it is pictured as happening in the present times - that those actually hearing the prophecy from the lips of our Lord or a prophet is pictured as living in the end times. Those who would actually be addressed as living through whatever is prophesied are not even born yet but the statement addresses them as if they were.

MacArthur puts it this way, (Op Cit., p. 17):

'''The Old Testament prophets frequently addressed messages to people yet unborn, some of whom would live hundreds of years in the future. God picked up the prophet as it were, and transported him to the time of which he was to prophecy, and he spoke as if he were standing directly before those future generations...............

Jesus was saying, in effect, "You who are alive at that time....."

Compare the following prophecy:

[Zech 9:9 was written in the 6th century B.C. - BEFORE CHRIST, yet the author writes as if people of his time are observing something 600 years in the future!]: [Zech 9:9]:

"Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion [Israel]! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

Cp Isa 33:17-24; 66:10-14.

Let's move on to the next few verses in Matthew chapter 24:

Verses 4-8 of Matthew chapter 24 parallel to a comparable extent the events following the opening of the seven seals in Revelation chapter six so we will quote the comparable verses of Revelation 6 with the corresponding Matthew text.

[Mt 24:4-5]:

"Jesus answered: 'Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, claiming 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many."

And the ultimate deceiver, the Antichrist who will deceive many

[Rev 6:1-2]:

"I [John the Apostle] watched as the Lamb [Jesus Christ] opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, 'Come!' I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider [the Antichrist] held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest."

Scoffield, (Oxford NIV Scoffield Study Bible, 1967, Oxford University Press, p.1320, footnote #1):

"The rider on the white horse is not Christ. Those who identify this rider with Him consider the passage a prophecy of conquest by the Gospel. But no crown was given to the Lord as the proclamation of the Gospel began, and the terrible world events which accompany the other three riders (vv. 3-8) do not imply an earlier conquest by Christ."

[Compare Dan 9:26b-27]:

"The people of the ruler [the Antichrist] who will come will destroy the city [of Jerusalem] and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. He [the Antichrist] will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven' [with Israel for 7 years]. In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. [Thus breaking his covenant with his evil treachery] And on a wing [of the temple] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him."

Our Lord commands, as reported in Mt 24:4-5, that one who is living in the end times of the tribulation should be on his guard that he not be misled by any of the numerous false Christs who will appear on the scene - numbers like never before. Many will indeed be deceived:

[Mt 24:23-24]:

"At that time......

["At that time" refers back to Mt 24:21 which pictures a period of "tribulation unequaled from the beginning of the world"]

.......At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect - if that were possible."

Jesus is warning all men living at that time - during the tribulation - about this "birth pain" which signifies that the age of the Gentiles is in its final days. This does not include a direct warning to people living in other ages. Believers of the church age for example will either have died or been raptured before the tribulation begins, (1 Thes 4:13-18).

With the number of deceivers in the tribulation so much the greater than in any other age - with that number will grow the number of vulnerable people who being subject to such staggering catastrophes on the earth they will desperately seek anyone with answers - right or wrong - ultimately they will be subject to the Antichrist. Believers of the church age through whom God the Holy Spirit worked as a restraining influence will have been gone in the Rapture, (2 Thes 2:7 & 4:13-18).

Evil will now have its uninhibited day.

[Mt 24:6-7a]:

(v. 6) " 'You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.'

(v.7a) Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom..

[Rev 6:3-4]:

"When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, 'Come!'

Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword."

There will be such a degree of hot wars, economic and political wars and just plain rumors of conflicts everywhere that this is why Scripture reflects this condition of this "birth pain" in a form of the future tense of the Greek verb 'mello' which carries the idea of future, relentless, incessant, hearing of and occurrences.

MacArthur, (op cit., p. 18):

"Following the analogy of labor pains, the implication is that the conflicts will increase both in number and intensity as the return of Christ approaches, until they explode into a grand holocaust of bloodshed and carnage."

No one who lives on the earth during the tribulation period will escape the consequences of wars and rumors of wars. All nations and all kingdoms will be involved.

[Compare Dan 11:36-45]:

(v. 36) " 'The king....... [of the Roman empire, the 10 as yet future European nations, (cp Dan 7:24). At this point in Daniel's prophecy he leaps ahead in time from Antiochus Epiphanes whose career was described in vv.21-35, overleaps the church age to the end times and begins describing the future Roman empire of 10 European nations and the one who only could be the Antichrist]

(v. 36 cont) " 'The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place.

(v. 37) He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers....

[This ruler will be the final ruler of the last Gentile empire - the final Roman Empire and will be a Gentile himself. Compare: "the little horn" in Dan 7:8, 24b. He has no allegiance to any of the religions of his fathers - to any of their gods.]

(V. 37 cont) He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers, or for the one desired by women.....

["He will show no regard......for the One desired by women" - no regard for the Messiah. The Antichrist repudiates the messianic hopes of Israel in order to place himself as god over them. It was the traditional hope of every woman that she would give birth to the Messiah as prophesied in O.T. Scripture]

...............nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all.

(v. 38) Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses [war]; a god unknown to his fathers [Satan] he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts.

(v. 39) He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price,

(v. 40) At the time of the end the king of the South [Egypt with Libyians and Nubians, v. 43] will engage him in battle, and the king of the North [Russia + allies, Ez 38 & 39] will storm out against him with chariots and calvary and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood.

(v. 41) He will also invade the Beautiful Land. [Israel]. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Amon [Jordan] will be delivered from his hand.

(v. 42) He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape.

(v. 43) He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Nubians in submission.

(v. 44) But reports from the East and the North will alarm him,

[a great army from the East, 200 million strong, (China already has an army that large), moving to battle the Antichrist and another from the North, (Russia again), coming to do battle in the valley of Armageddon, Rev 9:16]

(v. 44 cont) and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many.

(v. 45) He will pitch his royal tents between the seas

[he will now set up in Israel between the Mediterranean & Dead Seas]

(v. 45 cont) "He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain [Jerusalem]. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him."

[Mt 24:6-7a cont.]:

(v. 6) " 'You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.'

(v.7a) Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom..

MacArthur writes, (Op. Cit., p.20-21):

"Consistent with Daniel's description, Zechariah prophesied that the Lord "will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished, and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle." (Zech. 14:2-3)........

But before the Lord comes to acomplish that final conquest, the Antichrist and the forces of the north, south, and east will engage in ruthless combat and succeed in slaughtering a third of the world's population. In the face of that unparalleled carnage man's last vestige of hope will vanish and stark terror will rule the day. Only believers who hold fast to the Lord will have the divinely-given strength and courage to avoid being petrified with fear."

[Mt 24:7b-8]:

"There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains."

[Rev 6:5-6; 12-14]:

[Famines - Rev 6:5-6]:

"When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, 'Come!' I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, 'A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and wine!' "

[Earthquakes - Rev 6:12-14]:

"I watched as He opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place."

Famines and earthquakes have occurred throughout history but not to the great extent as those which are the birth pains of the end times: "A quart of wheat for a day's wages........every mountain and island was removed from its place." - as indicated in the parallel passages in Revelation. And consider this earthquake which will occur just before our Lord's second coming:

[Rev 16:18-20]:

(v. 18) "Then there came flashes of lightening, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake.

(v. 19) The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of His wrath.

(v. 20) Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found.

(v. 21) From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible."

Note the accompanying signs in Rev 6:12-14, previously quoted, which occur at this future time - they have definitely not occurred in history yet and are therefore yet future:

(Rev 6:12b) "The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red,

(Rev 6:13) and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind.

(Rev 6:14) The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place."

[Mt 24:9-12]:

" 'Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me."

At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,

[Rev 6:9-11]:

"When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the Word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, 'How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?' Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed."

The context implies a widespread - worldwide handing over: "you will be hated by all nations". The "you" does not apply to the disciples to whom our Lord was speaking nor to church age believers who are ALL raptured out of the world (1 Thes 4:13-18; 5:9) before the tribulation of God's wrath begins with the opening of the first seal and our Lord's release of the rider on the white horse (Rev 6:1-2). Our Lord is speaking prophetically to all people who become believers during the end times - ESPECIALLY JEWISH BELIEVERS. That period of time about which our Lord was prophesying is the 7 year tribulation period and no other age because the entire scenario that Jesus Christ is painting in His prophecy fits no other age.

The Greek word "paradidomi" in verse 9 which is translated "will be handed over" is used as a technical term for being arrested by those in authority, (cp Mt 4:12 - same word). How widespread the persecution will be to have public authorities directly involved in the arrest of tribulation believers! The persecution of believers will never be so widespread or so pervasive as in the tribulation time. The temporary or localized persecutions of the past - even in ancient Rome - do not qualify under this description of persistent, worldwide, pervasive, persecution of Jew and Gentile alike. These persecutions will originate largely from the Antichrist who breaks his covenant with Israel and reverses his role as protector of the Jew to persecutor!

Mark provides more details:

[Mk 13:9]:

"You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of Me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them."

And from the Old Testament, Daniel prophesies about the same period in which these persecutions will occur relative to the actions of the Antichrist:

[Dan 7:25]:

"He [the Antichrist] will speak against the Most High [God] and oppress His saints and try to change the set times and the laws. [i.e., institute his own system of absolute rulership] THE SAINTS WILL BE HANDED OVER TO HIM FOR A TIME, TIMES AND HALF A TIME"

["TIME" = 1yr + "TIMES" = 2yrs + "HALF A TIME" = year = 3 1/2 years total]

[Compare Dan 9:24-27, (again)]:

(v. 24) "Seventy 'sevens'.........................

one week - seven days

every 7th yr-sabbath rest year(Lev25:1-7)

the Year of Jubilee - the next yr after seven 'sevens' or 7x7 - 49 years(Lev 25:8-12)

Therefore "Seventy 'sevens' " must mean seventy sevens of years or 70 x 7 - 490 years. "Seventy sevens" could not mean days or weeks, that would be too short of a time for all of the events in the prophecy to happen. And history proves this out since 490 days and 490 weeks have already transpired without the fulfillment of the prophecy occurring. If days were meant rather than years then the words in Hebrew which are translated in English as "of days" would have also been added as it was in Dan 10:2-3.

Finally, the most basic of proofs that "seventy 'sevens' " refers to years is to test it out by calculating it by years and then examining what happened in the future to see if the prophecies were precisely fulfilled. The following verses do just that when the timespan of years is calculated in:

[So God has decreed that there will be a period of 490 years of Jewish history until there will be:

1) a "finish" to "transgression" - a finish to Israel's willful disobedience will be brought to an end.

2) "an end of sin" - the Hebrew word hatam" = "an end of" = completion of in the sense of ending. The context of this passage in Daniel combined with the examination of other passages which are about the same doctrine, (see *** below), indicate that the phrase "an end of sin" means a sealing up of - a final ending of the problem of unpunished sin with the satisfactory amount of punishment.

(***The concept of sealing up of sin is clearly taught in Dt 32:34 & Job 14:17).

3) atonement "for wickedness" = payment for sins - this specifically refers to our Lord's once for all time atonement for the sins of the whole world, (Ro 3:21; I Jn 2:2; Hebrews chapter 9).

4) a bringing in of "everlasting righteousness"

6) An anointing of - the enthronement of "the Most Holy", the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of Lords. This will occur beginning at the period of the millennium.

[Dan 9:24-27 cont.]:

So this 490 year period which leads into the millennium will begin at the time when king Artxerses issues a decree to rebuild Jerusalem:

(v. 25) " 'Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem...

(v. 25 cont) " 'Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One...

["Anointed One" = "Christos" (Greek) = The Lord Jesus Christ]

[...until the Anointed One, the Ruler, comes = until our Lord appears in His First Coming to present Himself as Ruler of the world. He will inevitably be rejected as Ruler and crucified]:

["there will be seven 'sevens'" = 7 x 7 - 49 years]

["and sixty-two 'sevens'"' = 62 x 7 = 434 years - a total of 483 Jewish calendar years x 360 days/yr = 173,880 days]

["times of trouble" = Jerusalem was rebuilt back in ancient times by Nehemiah in "times of trouble" and it will also be rebuilt during the tribulation period "in times of trouble" = a double fulfillment of prophecy which is typical in God's word. Note that here is where a quantum leap of time is about to take place in this passage in the book of Daniel]:

(v. 26) After the sixty-two 'sevens',...

[After the period of 434 years - which occurs after the period of 49 years, i.e. after a total of 483 years]

(v. 26 cont) "After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One [Jesus Christ] will be cut off but not for Himself. ["karat"= cut off, executed as a criminal]

(v. 27) He [the Antichrist] will confirm a covenant with many [Israel] for one 'seven'

[This seven years when added to the previous total of 483 years = 490 years. This is the period of time indicated in Daniel 9:24, ("Seventy sevens" = 70 x 7 = 490 yrs). This 490 year period will pass and then there will be the end of the age - the end of human history as we know it. It will also be 490 years of the period of the Mosaic Law until THE END OF THE AGE OF HUMAN HISTORY AS WE KNOW IT TODAY AND UNTIL OUR LORD'S SECOND COMING. Our Lord's Second Coming will have been interrupted by approximately 2000 years of the church age - of the age of grace. Note that Scripture and history have proven out that this last seven years of the 490 year period of the Mosaic Law Age are interrupted by approximately 2000 years of the church age]

(v. 27 cont.) In the middle of the 'seven...

["the 'seven'" = the last 7 years of the tribulation period - the last 7 years of the Mosaic law period]

Note that the words "THE END will come like a flood": in Daniel 9:26 quoted in column one; and note the words "until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled." in Luke 21:24 quoted on page 4. These two phrases indicate that the end of the Gentile control of the world and the beginning of the kingdom - with Israel as the ruling nation and our Lord as Ruler - has not come yet. And it obviously did not come in 70 A.D. So what our Lord prophesied as happening to Jerusalem and the temple is yet future. At that future time, Jerusalem and the sanctuary will again be destroyed. This time by the Antichrist. Note also that Daniel prophesies that "THE END" (when the Anointed One Jesus Christ returns) will come in 490 Jewish calendar years, (Dan 9:24). According to history only 483 years have passed from the month of Nisan, (March-April) 445 B.C. when Nehemiah was given a decree by Persian ruler Artaxerxes to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem to the 10th of Nisan, (April 6), A.D. 32, ("Palm Sunday"). April 6th, A.D. 32 was the time of Passover when the Anointed One, Jesus Christ officially offered Himself as and was rejected as the Messiah by Israel, (Mt 21:1-11). At that time He was "cut off", i.e. crucified, (the punishment a criminal would receive). This temporarily suspended the ticking away of this 490 year prophecy - interrupted by 2000 years of church age.

[Mt 24:9-12 cont.]:

(v. 9) " 'Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me."

(v. 10) At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,

(v. 11) and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.

(v. 12) Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold"

[Mk 13:9]:

"You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of Me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them."

Persecution of tribulation believers - of both Jewish believers and Gentile believers - will be worldwide from all sectors of society: unbelieving Jews will persecute believers, ("synagogues"); and unbelieving Gentiles will do likewise, ("local councils... governors and kings"). All of this will be viciously promoted by the Antichrist.

BKC, op. cit., p.76-77:

"At the middle point of the seven-year period preceding Christ's second coming, great distress will begin to be experienced by Israel. The Antichrist, who will have risen to power in the world and will have made a protective treaty with Israel, will break his agreement at that time (Dan 9:27). He will bring great persecution on Israel (Dan 7:25) and even establish his own center of worship in the Temple in Jerusalem (2 Thes 2:3-4). This will result in the "death" of many Jews... This will result in the "death" of many Jews and "many" people departing "from the faith". Believing Jews "will" be betrayed by nonbelievers (Mt 24:10), and "many" will be deceived by rising "false prophets" (cf. Mt 24:5; Rev. 13:11-15). "Wickedness" will "increase" causing "the love of most" people (for the Lord) to "grow cold."

The birth pains of worldwide persecution of saints, will be followed by another and closely ensuing birth pain: widespread denial of their faith by true believers and also by false professors of faith in Christ as a result of the persecution, (Mt 24:10). Many believers will physically perish in the Tribulation and go home early to be with the Lord as a result of their unfaithful behavior and God's resultant discipline of them. This is just as it happens today in the church age. Sad to say, there is nothing like the hatred a fallen believer can demonstrate toward a faithful saint:

[Mt 24:10]:

"At that time many will turn away from the faith.............................................

[which signifies that they had saving faith in the first place. It is either saving faith which is "the faith" that is described here or it is no faith at all - THAT AFTER ALL IS THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION]

[Mt 24:10 cont.]:

NIV: "At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other."

KJV: "And then shall many be offended, and shall betray [deliver up] one another, and shall hate one another."

MacArthur states, (Op. Cit., p.26):

"The defecting false believers.................

[MacArthur states 'The defecting false believers' because he maintains (contrary to Scripture) that believers do defect and were never truly saved because of lack of commitment to the Lord. This is neither Scriptural nor true]

[MacArthur cont.]:

"The defecting...believers....in the end time will not be satisfied simply with leaving the church but will join in its persecution.

"They will deliver up one another and hate one another, (Mt 24:10). God's people will be betrayed by those who once were a part of their fellowship but who become offended at Christ when the cost rises too high......... [As the Apostle Peter once did, (Mt 26:69-end), but he never lost his salvation or had to prove it out by committment in order to have eternal life]

[MacArthur cont.]:

[Note that if they had the things of God in their heart which is a result of trusting in Christ as Savior then according to God's Word they were and will always be saved, even inspite of their turning from their faith. See "]

[MacArthur cont.]:

"God's people will be betrayed by those who once were a part of their fellowship but who become offended at Christ when the cost rises too high. Both to save their own skins [their physical lives] as well as to vent the hatred for the things of God they have always had in their hearts they will turn informer and persecutor. At that time, Jesus said, "brother will deliver brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death." (Mark 13:12; cf Luke 21:16). Not only within the assembly at large but within individual families, those who do not truly belong to Christ will turn against those who do.................... [and many of those who truly do belong to Christ will also persecute their own brothers in Christ] .........even to the point of betraying their own children and parents into martyrdom."

Scripture states in numerous passages that it is at one solitary point in time that an individual is saved for eternity when he trusts alone in Christ alone - without any evidence of discipleship of Christ required whatsoever. This is especially true when one is first born again and has not yet developed one's newly born capacity to be a disciple. (Compare Eph 1:13-14; 2:8-9; Jn 3:16; 5:24; 6:47; I Jn 5:9-13; Gal 3:2; etc). At the point in time when a person exercises his faith in Christ as Savior, Scripture says that he is permanently indwelt and sealed by God Himself - God the Holy Spirit. The believer becomes permanently 'in Christ' and thereby his salvation is absolutely guaranteed no matter what the believer does. Let's examine this critical passage about the indwelling Spirit:

[Eph 1:13-14]:

(v. 13) "And you [the Gentile believer] also.......

[also = in addition to the Jewish believer]

(v. 13 cont) "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation ........................ [at that moment in time when you heard the gospel of salvation]

(v. 13 cont) "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, HAVING BELIEVED.......................

[AT THAT VERY MOMENT IN TIME WHEN YOU BELIEVED]

(v. 13 cont) ...HAVING BELIEVED, YOU WERE MARKED IN HIM [IN CHRIST], WITH A SEAL, THE PROMISED HOLY SPIRIT, WHO IS A DEPOSIT GUARANTEEING OUR INHERITANCE UNTIL THE REDEMPTION ........ [God the Holy Spirit is our deposit guaranteeing eternal life in heaven until the final act of redemption - our transformation into righteous beings for all eternity]:

(v. 13 cont.) ...HAVING BELIEVED, YOU WERE MARKED IN HIM [IN CHRIST], WITH A SEAL, THE PROMISED HOLY SPIRIT,

(v. 14) WHO IS A DEPOSIT GUARANTEEING OUR INHERITANCE UNTIL THE REDEMPTION OF THOSE WHO ARE [NOW AT THIS MOMENT] GOD'S POSSESSION [FOREVER] - to the praise of His glory."

Note that there are numerous passages which urge believers not to live like the unbelieving world - otherwise there will be discipline and loss of rewards. Cp. Eph 5:1-14; Gal 5:16-21). To continue on in Matthew chapter 24.....

Related to the two birth pains of worldwide persecution and apostasy is the deception of so many people who have no anchor of faith in Christ to secure themselves to and no divine viewpoint from the Bible to rely on in such disastrous times - including wayward believers:

[Mt 24:11]:

"And many false prophets will appear and deceive many people."False prophets have appeared throughout history but not like in the end times when people will be willing to grab onto anything in light of the overwhelming series of endless disasters that will have been occurring on the earth. Without the restraining of God the Holy Spirit primarily through the body of believers of the church age who have been translated to heaven in the Rapture, there will be little restraint of evil and false doctrines:

[Rev 9:20-21]:

"The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshipping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood - idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts [ "magic arts" - "pharmakia" ], their sexual immorality or their thefts."

"pharmakia" - sorcery, magic arts closely related to the use of mind-altering drugs.

ENDURING TO THE END:

There are mentioned three causes of apostasy in our Lord's discourse on the Mt of Olives: persecution and false doctrine through false Christs, false prophets which have been previously mentioned and then the third: love of sin.

[Mt 24:12]:

"Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,"

Without restraint, the temptations to sin will be magnified and many will choose to succumb rather than resist and flee.

MacArthur, (Op. Cit., p.27):

"The lawlessness will be diabolically aggressive and unabashed. Rather than trying to hide their sins, people will flaunt

them, and such gross evil will draw many people, including some professed [and also true] believers, away from whatever interest in the things of God they may once have had."

[II Tim. 3:1-5]:

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.

People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them."

[Mt 24:13 NAS]:

"but the one who endures to the end, it is he who shall be saved."

"saved" - "sothesetai" - to be saved, rescued, to be preserved safe and unharmed, delivered from physical death In this context salvation to eternal life is not in view:

(1) Many believers in this period were martyred and spoken of as in heaven before the period of the tribulation ends (Rev 15:1-4). Obviously those believers who were martyred did not endure to the end yet they were saved in the sense of eternal life.

(2) Those believers who endured to the end would of course be eternally saved. But would this exclude the believers who were martyred for their faith because the martyred believers did not physically endure to the end? No. The word saved refers to being delivered from physical death which everyone else will suffer at the end of the tribulation who did not trust in Christ as Messiah Savior.

Compare other passages in Scripture which deal with the physical life or death of a believer based on how faithful or unfaithful is one's walk with God:

[Jas 2:14]:

"What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works?

Can that faith save him?"

What use ("ophelos" = profit, advantage) is it, fellow believers, for anyone to profess to have faith ("pistin" = profess,affirm), if he has no DIVINE GOOD WORKS to show for it? Answer demanded by context and greek grammar - NO GOOD AT ALL

James then asks the question: "Can such faith save him?"

Answer demanded by context and grammar: NO!

James is not talking here about salvation from hell. He and his readers were born again (Jas 1:18), they had faith in the Lord of glory (Jas 2:1), they had the privileges of prayer (Jas 4:2-3), and he repeatedly calls them his brethren (Jas 1:2,9,16,19; 2:1,5,14-15; 3:1,10,12; 4:11;5:7,9,10,12, & 19). Born again believers are always in view in this passage.

In chapter one of the Book of James, the author establishes the context and meaning for James 2:14 ..............

((Jas 2:14) "What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no workCan that faith save him?" ):......... Here are a number of passages in James chapter one which establish the meaning of Jas 2:14:

[Jas 1:12]:

"Blessed is a man

[a man who is a believer cp 1:2-11]

who perseveres under trial

[only believers are put under trial- Jas 1:2-4]

for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life

[only believers receive the crown of life & only if they are faithful]

which the Lord has promised to those who love Him,

[Believers will not all be faithful in their love for the Lord. Jesus said to Philip and by application to all believers: "If you love Me you will keep My commandments" (Jn 14:15). Many believers will not keep our Lord's commandments. Scripture testifies to this in many places, cp I Jn 1:8; Gal 6:1-3; Jas 1:19-21; I Cor 3:1-3; Eph 5:1-14)]

[Jas 1:13-15]:

'''Let no one [believer] say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one [believer] is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is fully matured... [apotelestheisa = having come to an end, to maturity]

...and when sin is fully matured it brings forth [physical] death [in that believer]. [Jas 1:18-21]:

(v. 18) "He chose to give us[believers]birth... [becoming spiritually born again]

He chose to give us birth through the word of truth

["the word of truth" = the gospel]

that we might be a kind of first fruits of all He created.

(v. 19) "So that,...........

["hoste" = so that, as a consequence of your salvation, your new birth -refer back to v.18]

(v. 19 cont) "So that...

[as a consequence of your salvation]

So that, my beloved brethren,

[my beloved brethren believers]

let every man [believer] be quick to hear, [a ready listener] slow to speak, slow to anger;

(v. 20) for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.

(v. 21) Therefore [you believers] put aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in a humble spirit receive the word [which] implanted [in your heart] is able to save your souls" ["your souls" = "psuchas" = your physical lives]

["psuchas" = souls = the essence which differs from the body and is not dissolved by death, (Cp. Mt 10:28). In this context, the "soulish life" which is lived on earth, (life as directed by one's soul), will be saved if the believer turns from living a sinful life and thereby will not die physically before his time].

[Cp Lk 6:9]:

"And Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do evil, to save a life, [ d soul], or to destroy it?"

The word for "life" in Lk 6:9 above, ("psuchen"), is the same word that is translated as "souls" in Jas 1:21, ("psuchas"). Compare also Mk 3:4 same word "psuchen" = translated as life.

James tells fellow believers in verse 1:21 quoted in column #1 on this page to put aside all immoral behavior and obey God's word "which [God's word] "is able to save your souls." [with the result that one does divine good works]. He refers to saving your life relative to physical death, to rewards in heaven and to the true value of your soul - your physical life - to God on earth....instead of wasting your life on earth with the temporal, immoral or trivial.

Jas 1:19-21 is definitely not a salvation passage. The two conditions given, not practicing sinfulness and receiving God's word with respect to living righteously are repeatedly given in Scripture as conditions FOR BELIEVERS TO MEET FOR DISCIPLESHIP & NOT FOR UNBELIEVERS TO SATISFY IN ORDER TO BE SAVED. James and all the authors of Scripture call upon believers to avoid sinning and to apply God's word in order to grow as believers, to please God, to avoid temporal discipline and to lay up treasure in heaven. Compare the following passages to verify that Scripture does indeed instruct and command believers not to sin and to stay in fellowship with the Lord: Acts 20:27-38; Ro 12:9-15:3; I Cor 9:24-27; 2 Cor 5:9-10; Eph 4:17-31; I Tim 6:11; 2 Tim 2:21-36; Titus 3:1-8; Heb 13:1-9; Jas 5:7-12; and finally, I Pet 1:13-16; 2:1-2.

The key to understanding James' epistle is understanding that James is saying that believers are to serve God and not instead serve themselves or instead their fellow man. James is telling fellow believers in 1:19-21 that they must give up their sinful lifestyles and start obeying God's word in order to save themselves from losing their lives on earth - from physical death which includes the cutting short of the time the soul spends on earth in the physical body doing the Lord's work. For the soul departs from the body upon physical death. If nothing was produced by that soul while in the physical body due to a sinful lifestyle then that soul has wasted himself and will have nothing to show for his time on earth - his life will have been worthless.

Nothing he did will be saved in heaven for all eternity!

Thus we have arrived at the true meaning of James 2:14 which was discussed on page 16:

[Jas 2:14]:

"What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him?"[from premature physical death and loss of eternal rewards?]

[Mt 24:13 NAS cont.]:

"but the one who endures to the end, it is he who shall be saved."

Compare other passages which deal with the subject of the physical death of a believer, of not "enduring to the end" of one's appointed years on earth due to a sinful lifestyle. The following passages indicate the consequences to a believer for a persistently sinful lifestyle, a life without much divine good production:

[I Cor 8:9-11]:

A Christian perishes, (dies), due to a weak conscience and his consequent sin

[I Cor 11:28-30]:

A believer dies physically because he violates the sharing in the Lord's supper with serious mental attitude sin. [I Jn 5:16-17]:

The sin that leads to physical death IN A BELIEVER is indicated as a truth.

[Lev 10:1-2]:

Aaron's sons Nadab & Abihu die immediately of their sin before the altar of the Lord.

[Acts 5:1-11]:

A husband and his wife physically die due to sin.

Although immediate death of believers due to sin is not the norm, Scripture warns that sin will cut a life short:

[Ez 18:4, 20]:

The soul that sins shall (physically) die, ("nephesh" = soul, the invisible & immaterial life principle of a living being. Cp Gen 2:7.

[Pr 10:27]:

The fear of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.

[Eccl 7:17]:

Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool - why die before your time?

[Pr 11:19]:

"The truly righteous man....................

[the believer who stays in fellowship with the Lord]

attains [longer physical] life,

["life" = "hayl" (Hebrew) = physical life]

but he who pursues evil, [whether believer or unbeliever] goes to his [physical] death" [before his time].

[Pr 14:27]:

"The fear of the Lord.......

[fearing & thereby obeying Him]

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life,

["fountain" = a source, a well, a spring]

[life = "hayl" (Hebrew) = physical life]

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death,"

[snares of death d those traps, i.e. lures, which tempt a believer to sin and thus hasten one toward physical death].

[Jas 1:15]:

Sin when it is full grown in the believer brings forth physical death.

[Jas 5:19-21]:

The believer who enables another believer who is sinning as a matter of course in his life to turn his life around will save that sinful believer's soul, i.e. save his physical life.

There is much to be said for the value of the inner peace and joy which obedience to God's word brings. This inner peace and joy provides a longer life of better quality than the life-shortening-depreciating value of turmoil, guilt, bitterness, anger, etc which disobedience to God's word brings.

Finally, let's ask the question if any of this benefit to longer life can apply to unbelievers or even to salvation unto eternal life in heaven. Is James speaking to unbelievers in his letter? Is James speaking about eternal life? All of the exhortation James does to his readers to repent and clean up their lives cannot apply to unbelievers. Unbelievers cannot accomplish this because they cannot please God, they are slaves to sin and do not have the capacity to repent and clean up their lives, (compare Ro 8:5-8). Therefore James' appeal must be to fellow brethren believers. Furthermore, since the destiny of every believer is eternal life in heaven no matter what, (Jn 5:24, 6:47; Ro 8:1; Jas 1:18; Eph 4:30 and I Jn 5:9-13), then James cannot be referring to eternal damnation-death in hell. He is not therefore referring to salvation to eternal life but to saving oneself from physical death.

So, returning to our passage in Matthew:

[Mt 24:13 cont]:

"but the one who endures to the end, it is he who shall be saved."

The believers of the tribulation period who are faithful - who endure in their walk with God to the end - will physically survive the tribulation ordeal and will continue to remain physically alive in their natural bodies and begin life in the millennium period under Christ's rule. Not so for unfaithful believers who will not physically survive but go home to be with the Lord prematurely, suffering a tremendous loss of eternal rewards in heaven. Also, those believers whom God has chosen to be martyrs will also not physically survive until the end, but will receive the tremendous crown of rewards for giving up their life for the Lord and all that that entails in eternity. Finally, at the end of the tribulation, physically surviving unbelievers will be put to death by our Lord and then cast into the Lake of Fire for eternal condemnation.

[Mt 24:14]:

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."

As previously indicated, this verse rules out any period of time in history heretofore. The gospel has yet to reach billions of pe