Christ's Kingdom and the End Times

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #366 ~

Knowing God is most important in your life. And knowing God is knowing who He is, His identity, and what He is like, His character, and what He does, His purpose. God’s word is filled with stories of people who knew God. Enoch knew God’s presence and walked with Him. Abraham knew God’s goodness and trusted Him. Moses knew God’s holiness and obeyed Him. David knew God’s love and worshiped Him. Mary knew God’s mercy and trusted Him. Peter knew Jesus is Lord and lived for Him. Paul knew God’s grace and died for Him. These believers and others like them knew God, and therefore loved Him and served Him. And God wants you to truly know Him, to have a close walk with Him, and to forever do what is good, right, and true. 2 Chron. 31:20-21 

A person first knows God’s identity, character, and purpose when he is born again. “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil. 3:8). “God… is the One who has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6). “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent” (John 17:3). Eternal life is an eternal relationship with the living God, is knowing Him personally, spiritually, experientially, and eternally. 

Eternal life, knowing God, is not based on the ways of the world, the teachings of men, or the lies of the devil. It is not obtained by having money, fame, fun, power, or friends, but by knowing God and having Him fill your life with His love, joy, peace, and purpose. (Luke 6:24-26). Jeremiah says: “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast of his might, and let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises love, justice, and righteousness on earth.” Jeremiah 9:23-24

Eternal life, the Christian life, is forever experiencing the life of God. Peter tells us, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us… that… you may become partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pet. 1:2-3.) Living the Christian life is being a partaker of this divine life, is knowing God and experiencing His grace, His power. “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever.” (2 Pet. 3:18). Make it your goal to know God the Father and Jesus Christ, His Son.  

What does it mean to know God? First, it means you know who He is, His identity. You know that God is the Creator, the One who made the entire universe and everyone and everything in it. You learn that He is the Lord of all, of all beings, people, and things. You know He is your spiritual and heavenly Father. You understand that He is the Judge, that He knows every thought, word, and deed, and decides what is right and wrong, and rewards the righteous and punishes the unrighteous. You believe that God is a Giver of what is good, that He blesses and empowers you for His purposes and glory. Isaiah 43-45

You know that Jesus is the Lord of all. You know He is the Creator. You know He is the Savior, for He saves you from sin. You learn that He is your Redeemer, for by His death, He buys you out of slavery, rescuing you from the devil. You believe that He is the Reconciler, enabling you to be a friend of God. You know He is the Head of the church, the leader of the church. You understand that He is the Judge. And you realize He is the King, for He rules His kingdom. 1 Cor. 15:24-28, Heb. 1

You know that the Holy Spirit is your Helper, for He helps you to live for God. You believe He is the Creator. You understand that He is your Teacher, for He teaches you what you need to know and do. You learn that He is your Leader, guiding you in a godly and purposeful way. You see that He is your Strength, giving you the power to do what is right. You know He is the Sanctifier, for He makes you holy. John 14:16, 16:13; Rom. 8:14

Second, you know what God is like, His attributes and character. You understand that God is self-existent, that He never came into being, that He forever exists in and of Himself. You realize He is self-sufficient, He does not need anything from anyone; You know that He has all He needs – all power, wisdom, love, etc. You understand that He is immutable, never changing in His character or plans, and therefore always dependable and trustworthy. You know that He is omnipotent, having all the power to fulfill all His plans, to do whatever He desires. You believe He is omniscient, knowing all that can be known about everyone and everything, past, present, and future. Ps. 139

You know God is omnipresent, He is everywhere, not necessarily in a physical way, but in a spiritual way. You believe He is wise, always making the best decisions regarding everyone and everything; He has devised perfect plans and He fulfills them. You understand that He is faithful, He never forgets and never fails to do what He has planned, and that’s because He is wise, omniscient, powerful, and sovereign. You realize He is just, always doing what is holy, what is in accordance with His word and character; He metes out justice for sin, either by Christ’s atoning death for those who believe in Him, or by eternal wrath in hell for those who reject Him.

You know God is good, He is kind, benevolent, generous, a blessing to all, especially to believers. You know He is merciful and forgiving, not giving a person what he deserves. You understand that God is gracious, giving to a believer the grace he does not deserve to do whatever He has planned for him to do. You know He is loving, that He is always thinking about His people; that He is always concerned, patient, caring, and available. You believe He is holy – He is unique, unlike anyone else; and that He is sinless and perfect, forgiving those who repent and who believe that Jesus died to pay for their sins, and then rose from the dead.

You know God is eternal, that He has always existed and will never cease to exist. You learn that He is incomprehensible, never able to be completely understood, for He never fully reveals Himself. You realize that He is transcendent, that He is above all things and exalted above all things; and that He can never be contained or limited by His creation. You believe that He is sovereign, supreme, and has all authority, perfectly ruling the universe so as to carry out His divine will. You know that He is glorious, great, majestic, divine, beautiful, magnificent, and awesome, words describing the sum of His attributes and character, and inspiring the glory and praise that is due Him and Him alone.

Third, you know the purposes and plans of God, the triune God, by knowing that He is Lord, Father, Head, Creator, Giver, Savior, Judge, King, Helper, Teacher, Leader, Sanctifier, etc. And God’s character, His omniscience, power, wisdom, love, justice, sovereignty, glory, etc., enable Him to carry out His purposes and plans.

Knowing God’s identity, who He is, and His character, what He is like, and His purposes, what He does, is essential if you are to know your identity, if you are to have character, and if you are to fulfill God’s purposes. And I am not talking about head knowledge, but knowing God experientially, knowing Him in a personal way. You can only walk with God, you can only love Him, trust Him, obey Him, and have a good relationship with Him, if you know Him. It was only because Peter knew God that he was a man of God and lived his life for Him. In the very last verse of his very last epistle Peter commands us, “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 3:18

The identity, character, and purpose of God is also illustrated by the word “name.” Ps. 9:2 – “I will sing praise to Your name.” Ps. 9:10 – “Those who know Your name will put their trust in You.” Ps. 20:7 – “We will remember the name of the Lord.” Ps. 29:2 – “The glory that is due His name.” Ps. 54:1 – “Save me, O God, by Your name.” Ps. 72:17 – “His name shall endure forever.” Ps. 89:16 – “In Your name shall they rejoice.” Ps. 102:21 – “Declare the name of the Lord.” Ps. 116:13 – “Call upon the name of the Lord.” Ps. 124:8 – “Our help is in the name of the Lord.” God’s name, His identity, character, and purpose, is the basis for everything, from praising to preaching to praying. Jesus said, “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:14). So pray “in Jesus’ name.”

One reason a Christian struggles and does not grow, love, and serve God like he should is because he does not truly know God. Hosea rightly and strongly states, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” (Hos. 4:6). He goes on to say, “So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord” (Hos. 6:3).Ultimately, it is God Himself who enables us to know Him. “I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord and they will be My people and I will be their God” (Jer. 24:7). Paul prays for the Ephesian believers to grow in knowing God – “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.” Ephesians 1:17

You can know a gazillion things in this information age, but most importantly, you must know God. You must know He is Lord; you must know His love; and you must know His purpose. This is especially true in this post-Christian culture, in these increasingly lawless times, and in the years leading up Christ’s coming and the rapture of the church. Knowing God in an intimate way in the tough years ahead is what you need more than anything else! But what should you do to grow in your relationship with God, in your experiential knowledge of Him?

* Determine to know God. Be like Paul who said, “I want to know Christ.” Phil. 3:10
* Study God’s word, specifically the stories and truths that reveal His identity, character, and purpose.
* Think about God’s identity, God’s character, and God’s purposes.
* Observe the lives of godly Christians, and get with them, and learn from them.
* Read Christian biographies, and read good books on God’s attributes.
* Pray for yourself and others that you grow in your relationship with God, in your experiential knowledge of Him.

“I am the good shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me” (Jn. 10:14). “Love is from God and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God” (1 Jn. 4:7). “The Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so we may know Him who is true.” 1 John 5:20

P.S. We finished a 9-part series on Matthew 24, a most important chapter that speaks at length about the troublesome days ahead. That’s why I wrote this post, to stress our need for having a good, solid relationship with God. Here is a post about how He will be our strength during the years ahead – “God Will Keep You Strong to the End.”  

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #365 ~ 

Matthew 24:3 – “What will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?” The disciples knew they were living in an age ruled by Gentiles, and that Jesus, who had been with them for nearly three years, was the Christ, the King who would defeat their enemies and begin ruling over Israel and the entire world. But they wanted to know when, and so they ask Jesus to give them signs that would alert them to the end of this age and His coming. 

Their questions for Jesus are extremely relevant, especially in these end-times, and He answers them in Matt. 24:29-31. But before that, He tells them many things that will happen in the years leading up to His coming. Jesus does this because He does not want you to be caught off guard, but to be expecting Him, and looking forward to being with Him. In this post, I focus on the end of this age, Christ’s coming, and the rapture of the church as described in Matt. 24 and other related verses. 

There are three points I must make before we begin looking at Matthew 24:
* Christ’s coming occurs after the end of this age. Jesus answers the disciples’ questions by saying the skies go dark (Matt. 24:29), signaling the end of this age – and then after that, the skies light up, signaling His coming (Matt. 24:30-31). So the coming of Christ is just after the end of this age. 

* The rapture of the church is the first thing to happen at Christ’s coming. 1 Th. 4:15 says, “We who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord…” 1 Th. 4:17, the classic rapture verse, says, “We who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds…” There is the exact same wording in the first part of both vss. 15 and 17, and equating them makes it clear that the rapture takes place at Christ’s coming. This is also seen in Matt. 24:29-31 and 2 Thess. 2:1. 

* Believers are glorified at Christ’s coming. “… so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming” (1 Cor. 15:22-23).The phrase “made alive” means to be glorified – and vs. 23 explicitly says this occurs at Christ’s coming. 1 John 2:28, 3:2 also explain that we will be glorified at Christ’s coming. “When He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming… We know that when He appears (at His coming), we will be like Him.” And to be like Jesus is to be glorified. Note Phil. 3:20-21.

Let’s now look more closely at the end of this age and Christ’s coming:
Matthew 24:4-8. Jesus wants us to know that these birth pains, the deception, wars, rumors of wars, famines, and earthquakes, are “not yet the end” (vs. 6), that the end of the age and Christ’s coming is not yet, is not imminent, is not right at the door (vs. 33). Vs. 8 says the occurrence of “these things are merely the beginning of birth pains” – that is, much more needs to happen before this age comes to an end. 

Matthew 24:9-14 focuses on Christians who are experiencing tribulation, and I believe it’s great tribulation, for vs. 9 says they (unbelievers) “will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations.” During this time of tribulation, Jesus instructs us to preach the “gospel of the kingdom… to all the nations, and then the end will come” (vs. 14).It’s after great tribulation and the preaching of the gospel to the whole world that the end is come, that this age is over, and Christ returns to rapture the church. 

Matthew 24:13 tells us, “The one who endures to the end, he will be saved.” Again, we read about the “end”, and the one who perseveres, who overcomes to the end of the age will be saved. The word saved is not speaking about spiritual salvation, but about physical deliverance, that Christians who endure to the end of this age will be rescued from an evil world – and then glorified. James 5:7 also talks about endurance – “Be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord.” The word patient is similar to endure, and God encourages us to not quit, to be patient, to keep going until the Lord’s coming. 

Matthew 24:15-21 focuses on the Jews. Vs. 15 speaks of the “abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel.” The setting is Jerusalem, and the Antichrist defiles, desecrate the Jewish temple, for he “takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God” (2 Th. 2:4). Dan. 9:27 predicts that this takes place in the middle of Daniel’s 70^th week, at the 3½ year mark. 

2 Thessalonians 2:1-10 says that the coming of Christ is after the coming of the Antichrist. Vs. 1 speaks of “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him.” From vss. 2-4, we learn that the Antichrist is revealed for who he really is when he desolates the temple, and that this occurs before Christ’s coming and the day of the Lord. This is confirmed by vs. 8: “That lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming, that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan.” 

These verses make it abundantly clear that the Antichrist comes, is revealed, and then Christ comes, and He returns to gather all the believers. Since the Antichrist desolates the temple at the midpoint of Dan. 70^th week, then Christ’s coming must take place sometime after this. So it happens during the 2^nd half of the 70^th week, but we don’t know when, we don’t know the day or hour. 

Matthew 24:22-27. Great tribulation begins in Jerusalem and spreads to the elect, to the chosen, to those in the world who aren’t worshiping the Antichrist – and it’s the worst persecution ever (Matt. 24:9, Rev. 13:14-17). And the devil does all these signs and wonders to deceive, to mislead people (Rev. 13:11-13). One of his goals is to get the elect to believe that Christ is already on earth. But that’s a lie. To convince us that He’s coming in the skies, Jesus says, “Just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (vs. 27). Like lightning, Christ’s coming is seen in the sky above, and it’s sudden, dramatic, brilliant, and unmistakable. Matt. 24:30 

The evidence is clear that Christ’s coming (vs. 27) is after the Antichrist’s coming (vs. 15), and that Christians are living on earth during the evil rule of the Antichrist and his persecution of the church. But then Christ comes to save them out of this world, to glorify them, and take them to Himself. 

Matthew 24:29-31. The disciples’ questions are answered. So what do we learn? 1) Great tribulation is cut short by God. 2) Skies go dark, the sign of the end of the age. 3) Christ’s shekinah glory, a brilliant light, the sign of Christ’s coming, precedes His coming and shatters the darkness. 4) Those on earth “see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.” 5) There’s a great trumpet sound, and Christ sends His angels to gather the elect from the “four winds (believers on earth) and from one end of the sky to the other (believers in heaven).” Note Mark 13:27. 

Matthew 24:32-36. All these things (22, in fact) must occur before the end of this age and Christ’s coming. The people who see and hear about these things know the general time of His coming. And God has appointed a specific generation of believers who will witness all these things and sense that Christ’s coming is drawing near (Heb. 10:25). So we can know the general time. We also know that His coming happens after the midpoint of Dan. 70^th week, but we don’t know the specific time. Jesus stresses the point that we don’t know the day or hour for it’s stated 6 different times, Matt. 24:36, 42, 44, 50; Matt. 25:13; Mk. 12:32. But we can know the season, the general time of Christ’s coming, and I believe it will be our children’s or grandchildren’s generation. 

Matthew 24:35 – “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” This emphatically emphasizes the truth, supremacy, power, and eternality of God’s word. This kind of verse is rare, is scarcely found in God’s word. And it could be in any chapter, highlighting the truth of that chapter. But it’s here in Matt. 24, pounding home the reality of these few verses, and of the entire chapter. This eschatological, exclamation point is shouting, “Listen up, Jesus is coming back and He told you what happens before His return. He told you because He doesn’t want you to be surprised by the birth pains and great tribulation, and so you are excited and looking forward to His return – and are telling others about it!” Christ’s 2^nd coming is the most exciting, most important thing to happen since His 1^st coming, and God wants you to be ready, waiting, and doing His work! Rev. 22:7, 12, 20 

Matthew 24:37-41 – “The coming of the Son of Man will be like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage…” In the final years before Christ’s coming, unbelievers are living like everything is normal. But they are evil, hate Christians, and turn them in to the authorities (vss. 9-12). They mock Christians, saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?” (2 Pet. 3:4). We live in a sinful world, but it will be much worse in the last days, especially when that lawless man, the Antichrist, is ruling the world and persecuting Christians. 

So unbelievers are eating, drinking, buying, and selling, oblivious to what is about to happen (Lk. 17:28). Suddenly, the skies grow dark, but are immediately lit up by Christ’s coming. The sinners, in great shock and scared to death, know they cannot escape from Jesus Christ, the Almighty God, the holy Judge, the King of the world. “Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left.” Christians are saved from a very wicked world, taken off the earth, and glorified!!! 

A generation of Christians living on earth will witness all these events leading up to the end of this age and the coming of Christ. There will be the beginning of birth pains; the Antichrist is revealed at the midpoint of Dan. 70^th week; and there’s great tribulation. Then sometime in the next 37 months, Christ comes back. At that time, He gathers all God’s children to Himself, and takes them home to heaven. “… and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6 

1 Thess. 2:19-20 – “Who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming. For you are our glory and joy.” 1 Thess. 3:13 – “… that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.” 1 Thess. 4:15 – “We who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep… we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them…” 1 Thess. 5:23 – “May the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved compete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

P.S. Here is an article that shows you the importance of Christ’s second coming: “Over 100 New Testament Verses on Christ’s Second Coming.” I would also encourage you to use the search bar to look for posts on the rapture, and there are many of them.

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #364 ~

Matthew 24, the single most important end-times’ chapter, concludes by contrasting the lives of saints and sinners. The believer lives for Christ, expects His soon return, and is eternally blessed. The unrepentant unbeliever lives for self, is not expecting His return, and will be eternally cursed. 

Matthew 24:42 – “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.” No one but God knows the day and hour of Christ’s coming, but we can know the season, the general time. That’s because vss. 4-30 tell us 22 different things that must occur in the years leading up to His coming. So what is Jesus’ instruction? Be on the alert – be awake, aware, and looking for these things to happen, and by doing this, you can sense, you can “see the day drawing near” (Heb. 10:25). “We are not of night nor of darkness; let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.” 1 Thess. 5:5-6 

Being on the alert is not just a physical thing. At its core, it’s spiritual in nature, it’s being holy and godly. We can only be truly excited, expecting, and looking for our Lord’s return if we are living a holy life. (1 Pet. 1:13-16). “Do this, knowing the time, that it’s already the hour for you to awaken from sleep, for now salvation is nearer to us than we believed. The night is almost gone and the day is near. Therefore, let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light…” Rom. 13:11-14 

Matthew 24:43 – “If the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and not allowed his house to be broken into.” This is not saying that Christ is a thief, but that He is coming like a thief. Just like a thief does not announce when he is breaking into a house, Christ has not told us the exact time of His coming and, in fact, He Himself does not know (Matt. 24:36). So you can’t be alert to the specific time of Christ’s coming for God has not told you the time. God does not want you to set your alarm for the exact day and hour of Christ’s coming, and be sinful and worldly in the meantime. 

Matthew 24:44 – “For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.” God wants you to be ready, prepared, and living a holy life in these last years leading up to Christ’s coming. You must be ready because you do not know the exact time of His coming, and also because He will be “coming at an hour when you do not think He will.” So don’t spend your time trying to figure out the day or hour of Christ’s coming. 

Christ tells you many details leading up to His return, and He wants you to see these events so you can be ready and alert, so you can be excited and looking forward to His coming. I am thankful God did it this way, that He did not tell us the exact time of His coming, but the general time. He knew that if He did, we’d be more tempted, more prone, more wanting to live a worldly life up until that last month or two before Christ’s return. 

It’s like having a friend come to your place sometime in the afternoon, and you don’t know when. But you know he’s coming in a time span of several hours, and you are looking forward to seeing him, and you are waiting for him. And your place is ready, is clean, and the table is set, and the food is ready. Think how this relates to the end-times. As I have said, many things are taking place in these final years before Christ’s return. But the event that should really get your attention as to when He is coming is the revealing of the Antichrist at the midpoint, the 3½ year mark of Dan. 70^th week. Know that great tribulation, the great persecution of Jews and Christians, begins soon after the revealing of the Antichrist. And this persecution lasts a little while but God cuts it short, and then this age comes to an end, and Christ returns to rapture the church. Matt. 24:15, 22, 29-31 

The last 3½ years of Dan. 70^th week is comprised of great tribulation affecting the church, the rapture, and God’s punishing wrath upon unbelievers. We don’ know how long tribulation lasts, but one aspect of God’s wrath lasts exactly 5 months (Rev. 9:5). And 3½ years is 42 months, and 42 – 5 = 37. Since the Antichrist desolates the temple at the midpoint of Dan. 70^th week, then Christ must come sometime in the next 37 months, but surely many months less than that – and that’s because great tribulation goes on for a little while, but we don’t know how long. The point I am making is that God wants you to be ready and alert during these end-times, specifically during the birth pains (Matt. 24:4-8), and especially after the Antichrist is revealed (Matt. 24:15) at the midpoint of Dan. 70^th week. 

Matthew 24:45 – “Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom His master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time?” God is addressing Christians, and He calls you a slave, which means you are to be serving Him full time, 24/7. You are owned by God, the most loving Master in the universe, and you are to work day and night for Him. And God has good works, special assignments for you to do. Esth. 4:14, 1 Cor. 6:19-20, Eph. 2:10 

The work God wants you to do usually relates to your spiritual gift(s). “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Pet. 4:10). In addition to a spiritual gift(s), God has given you money, time, talents, and energy. As God’s slave and steward, you are to use these things for His purposes and glory. “You turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven… who rescues us from the wrath to come.” 1 Thess. 1:9-10 

Christ instructs you to be faithful, to be reliable, dependable, and trustworthy, and to be sensible, to be wise, prudent, and discerning, doing what is best with what God has entrusted you. Don’t take lightly the gifts and abilities God has given you for His work, for your work in serving others. So how do you respond to Christ’s question, “Who then is the faithful and sensible slave…?” Tell Him that you are His slave, His servant. Say to Him, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8 

God has given you a divine stewardship and responsibility in the work of Christ for this momentous time in history. And He wants you to be like John the Baptist, to help “prepare the way of the Lord” (Lk. 3:4). It won’t be long before Christ returns to rapture the church and take over the world. That’s when you and everything else will suddenly and wonderfully change. “We will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.” 1 Cor. 15:52, Acts 3:20-21 

Matthew 24:46-47 – “Blessed is that slave whom His master finds so doing when he comes? Truly I say to you that He will put him in charge of all His possessions.” The Christian who is serving God, who is faithfully doing His work until Christ’s return, will be blessed, recognized, and rewarded with more work, important responsibilities in the kingdom ages. “Well done, good slave; because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.” Luke 19:17 

Matthew 6:1-8, 16-21 talks about serving God in secret, specifically, giving, praying, and fasting. It could also be praising, trusting, and obeying God, studying His word, etc. “When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you” (Matt. 6:18). It’s truly amazing that God will reward you for everything you think, say, or do for Him. 

There’s much more on this important subject of rewards than people realize: “He who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to what he has done” (1 Cor. 3:8). “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance” (Col. 3:23-24). “Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.” Rev. 22:12 

Matthew 24:48-51 – “If that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ and begins to beat his fellows slaves and eat and drink with drunkards, the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect, and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” The actions and consequences of sinners, of unrepentant unbelievers, are the complete opposite of the saved, of true believers. 

These sinners, these Christ-rejectors, are evil, are children of the devil, and will be punished when Christ comes back. Those on earth at the end of this age will go through the Day of the Lord, the devastating trumpet and bowl judgments (Rev. 8-9, 16); then they go to hell, to Hades, for 1,000 years (Lk. 6:23, Rev. 20); and then they will be “thrown into the lake of fire.” Rev. 20:11-15 

“Depart from me accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matt. 25:41). “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matt. 25:46). “The Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.” 2 Thess. 1:7b-9 

Wow! What a chapter! Matt. 24, more than any other chapter, describes what is happening in the end-times and at Christ’s coming, and you must learn these things. And tell family, friends, and fellow church members. And be expecting, watching, and waiting for Christ’s return. And be looking for these events signaling His return. And encourage fellow believers when you see them happen. Most of all, be looking for Christ to come back in the clouds, for then you will be glorified, and finally and forever be with Him and other believers. “Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 7:12

P.S. Here are two good posts, one about how to live for the Lord in the end-times, and the other about the rewards He gives us for living for Him: “How Then Should We Live in the End Times?”, and “Earthly Work that Results in Heavenly Rewards.”

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #363 ~

Christ’s coming is the primary theme in Matt. 24 which, in my opinion, is the most important, must-read end-times’ chapter in the Bible. We are slowly working our way through this very instructive and important passage. We have already talked about Christians, Jews, and the rapture of the church at Christ’s coming – and today we are seeing what God says about the unrepentant unbeliever.

Matthew 24:37-38a – “The coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage…” Lk. 17:28, a related passage, states, “It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building.” In the last years before Christ’s coming, the unsaved are going along like usual, are living their “normal”, everyday lives – eating, drinking, marrying, giving in marriage, buying, selling, planting, and building. They aren’t expecting God to intervene and put a stop to what they are doing, and then pour out His wrath on them.

Matthew 24:37-38a talks about sinners in the end-times, and many more verses describe what they are like. In Lk. 6:23-26, Jesus says they are seeking fortune, food, fun, and fame. In Lk. 12:19, He tells us, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” Rev. 13:3-4 talks about the sinner’s relationship with the devil. “The whole earth (not the elect) was amazed and followed after the beast (Antichrist); they worshiped the dragon (Satan)… and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?’” These non-Christians are definitely not worshiping God – they are worshiping the devil (Rev. 13:13-14); and they are not obeying God – they are doing what the devil wants them to do.

Revelation 13:16-17 speaks of another beast, the false prophet (Rev. 19:20), the Antichrist’s right-hand man. He causes the unsaved to take the mark of the beast, “a mark on their right hand or on their forehead.” Only when a person worships the devil and takes the mark is he “able to buy or to sell.” But know that the Holy Spirit will not allow any of God’s elect to take the mark. 1 Cor. 3:16

Revelation 18 is a sobering chapter about satisfied sinners in the end-times, about idolaters, those who truly love the world. Rev. 18 is the kind of passage that should put the fear of God in you. In it, we find out that “Babylon the great”, a dwelling place of demons and evil spirits, describes the kingdom of Satan in the last years of this age. “Her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities” (vss. 4-5). “She glorified herself and lived sensuously.” vs. 7

We learn that the music, wealth, food, cars, furniture, clothes, merchants, and manufacturers of the world will be no more, that “all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you” (vss. 11-14). We discover that “in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her is strong” (vs. 8). This world is worldly now, but in her final few years, she will be extremely worldly. But God says, “Woe, Woe.” Rev. 18:16

2 Tim. 3:2-4 identifies some of the sins of unbelievers, specifically that they are “lovers of themselves, lovers of money… lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” Sadly, the ungodly don’t understand the consequences of their sin, what happens if they don’t repent. As in the days of Lot and Noah, they don’t realize that there are disastrous, cataclysmic events from which they won’t escape, and that they will then be cast into hell, an eternally painful and punishing fire (Matt. 25:41, 46). “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:31). “Our God is a consuming fire.” Heb. 12:29

Matthew 24:14 – “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.” You wonder if these last days’ sinners had heard the gospel. We know some people are being born again, but most people in the world are rejecting God (Matt. 7:13). They don’t understand that Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty for peoples’ sins and was raised from the dead, and that if they repent of their sins and believe in Him, they would be forgiven, receive eternal life, and be children of God. (Rom. 5:8, Mk. 1:15, Jn. 1:12-13). Instead, they turn from God, ignoring the evidence of the creation (Rom. 1:18-22) and the fact of the flood. “Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man…” (Rom. 1:23). “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” Rom. 1:25

Ephesians 4:18 says that the lost are “darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God… because of the hardness of their heart”. When the unrighteous don’t believe God and his word, they are “darkened” in their thinking. Because of unbelief, they don’t understand the gospel and that sin has consequences, that they will be punished at the end of this age, and forever and ever. Luke 3:9, 17; Rev. 20:15

Matthew 24:12 – “Because lawlessness is increased, most peoples’ love will grow cold”. The unrepentant are extremely lawless, rebellious, and wicked in the end-times. Jn. 3:18 tells us, “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness, for their deeds were evil.” The corruption, sensuality, immorality, and depravity on this earth in the last years is similar to what occurred in the days of Lot and Noah. Mk. 7:20-23, Rom. 1:24-32, Gal. 5:19-21, and 2 Tim. 3:1-4 list specific sins that were true back in their day, are true today, and will be even more accepted, prevalent, blatant, and “legal” when the Antichrist is ruling in the last days of this age.

2 Peter 3:3-6 helps us understand what many unbelievers will be thinking and saying. “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creating.’ For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed being flooded with water.”

John 15:20 – “If they persecute Me, they will also persecute you”is what Jesus told us. The sinners are mocking, ridiculing, laughing at, and persecuting Christians. Peter told us, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you, but to the degree that you share in the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation.” 1 Pet. 4:12-14

What happens when God has had enough, when wickedness in the world is filled up to the brim? Matthew 24:38-41 – “They were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then there will be two men in the field, one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill, one will be taken and one will be left.” In the days of Noah, sinners were doing normal, everyday activities right up to when the rain from above and the waters from below began covering the earth. What immediately followed was that Noah and his family were saved from the flood, from God’s wrath, but a world of sinners was judged, was punished by the flood, by God’s holy wrath. Gen. 6:9-13

Luke 17:29-30 gives us Lot’s example – “On the day that Lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.” The unsaved in the time of Lot did not understand what was coming. They were so godless, so hardened, so deep in their sin, and they had no idea what would be happening.  

The stories of Lot and Sodom, and of Noah and the world, illustrate what happens to believers and unbelievers at Christ’s coming. The unbelievers, oblivious to God, are going along living their sinful lives. Then once again, this world is filled up with sin, and this age comes to an end. Suddenly, Christ returns to rapture the church, and God begins to punish the sinners. Luke tells us that God’s mercy on saints and His justice on sinners are back-to-back events, and occur on the same day. In fact, Rev. 8:1 tells us that only 30 minutes separate the two, the rapture of the church and the beginning of God’s wrath upon the unrepentant.   

Matthew 24:40-41 give examples of what this looks like. There are two stories of two people working together, and in each case, one is saved and one is lost. Without warning, the world goes dark but is then lit up by Christ’s coming, and immediately the saved are gone, glorified, and with their Savior. But the lost are in shock, terrified, and scared to death. “There will be signs in sun, moon, and stars… men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world” (Lk. 21:26). “The kings… and the rich… and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves… and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb’” (Rev. 6:15-16). The ungodly realize that God, the Judge, sees them, and that they cannot escape, and that He will soon pour out His wrath on them.

At Christ’s coming, there is a sudden separation of those who are saved and those who are lost, of believers and unbelievers. For the saints, it’s the best day of their lives, and for the sinners, it’s their worst day. For the children of God, they are with Christ and the believers, and will be blessed forever. For the children of the devil, they are with the wicked, and will be punished forever. 

As a Christian, you need to know what Matt. 24 is telling you will take place in the last years of this age. If God has you here, know that it will be a very tough time, a time of great evil, hate, persecution, and martyrdom, a time when the Antichrist rules the earth. But know that it’s a very short time compared to being forever with Jesus in heaven in a glorified body and with believers (2 Cor. 4:17-18). Yes, you may experience Satan’s wrath on earth for a little while, and you may, like Lot, be “oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men” (2 Pet. 2:7), but it’s nothing compared to experiencing God’s everlasting wrath in hell.

If you are on earth at that time, remember that the Spirit is in you, and that God will give you an abundance of peace, strength, and hope. So keep believing, keep loving, and keep persevering to the end. “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:44). “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations… lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:19-20).“Encourage one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Heb. 10:25). “In a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay” (Heb. 10:37). And remember the last verse of the book of Revelation, of God’s word – “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all. Amen.” Rev. 22:21

P.S. Knowing about the unbeliever in the end-times is a motivation for sharing the gospel with them, and for personal holiness. Here are three important posts about the unbeliever – “What About the Unrighteous Unbeliever in the End Times?”, “Sinners and Saints in the End Times”, “They are Scared to Death.”

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #362 ~

Let me be clear from the start. We do not know the exact time of Christ’s coming, but we do know the general time, the overall sequence of events leading up to His coming and the rapture of the church. This is the message of this post and what each of you need to clearly understand.

Matthew 24:32 – “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near…” A parable is a story that communicates, that illustrates a spiritual truth. This story is about a fig tree whose branches are becoming tender and are growing new leaves. When this happens, we know for certain that summer is near, that it’s coming soon.

Matthew 24:33 – “… so you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.” When we see the things happening that Jesus spoke about in vss. 4-30, we know His coming is near, that He is right at the door, that He will soon rapture the church. It’s not saying Israel is the fig tree and that becoming a nation in 1948 is the sign that Jesus’ coming is near, but it’s a lesson about how we can know the general time, the season of His return.

Likewise, Luke 21:28-33 tells us the parable of the fig tree, but its lessons are more specific. First, we learn that our redemption is near, for it is at Christ’s coming that we are redeemed, that we are delivered from our fleshly body and are glorified. Second, we learn that the kingdom is near, for Christ is the King, and it is at His coming that He begins His kingdom on earth. Rev. 11:15

Here is a list of the things from Matt. 24:4-30 that must occur before Jesus’ coming. There’s deception, false Christs, wars, rumors of war, famines, earthquakes, great tribulation, martyrdom, hate, apostasy, betrayal, lawlessness, an unloving world, Christians persevering, preaching the gospel, the abomination of desolation (Antichrist is revealed), Jews fleeing from Judea, false prophets, signs and wonders, great tribulation shortened, the sign of the end of the age, and the sign of Christ’s coming.

These 22 things must take place before Christ returns to rapture the church. Christians need to know that there’s this sequence of end-times’ events – that this one thing happens, and then this next thing happens, and so on. And Christians should expect them to happen, look for them to happen, see them happen, and be encouraged when they do happen, for each of them is a signpost pointing to Christ’s coming.

I need to remind you of Daniel’s 70^th week, a 7-year timetable of prophetic events (Dan. 9:24-27). It starts with the confirming of a treaty between the Antichrist and Israel; at its midpoint, the 3½ year mark, the abomination of desolation occurs and the Antichrist is revealed; at its endpoint, a large remnant of Jews is saved. The 22 things listed in Matt. 24 take place during this week. I believe that wars, famines, etc. begin sometime before Dan. 70^th week and continue into the first half of that week (Matt. 24:4-8). I also believe that the building of the Jewish temple occurs during the first half of this week. Most importantly, Christ returns to rapture the church sometime during the last half, the last 3 1/2 years of this week, a time known only to God the Father. Matt. 24:36

Matthew 24:34 – “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” We read about all these things taking place, and now we learn that there will be a select, special group of people living during a certain period of time who will not pass away until they see all these things happen. When they see them happen, they know they won’t have to wait long to be with Jesus, for they see “the day drawing near” (Heb. 10:25), that “their redemption is drawing near” (Lk. 21:28), that “the kingdom of God is near” (Lk. 21:31), and that “He (Christ) is near” (Matt. 24:33).

When Jesus said these things, He was speaking like a prophet. He was talking to the apostles, to His disciples, but He was also speaking to a future generation of disciples who needed to be alerted, who needed to know these things would be taking place, and who were to be watchman (1 Chr. 12:32, Ex. 3:17). So Jesus is talking to a future “you”, and this is us, and our children, grandchildren, and great-children. As I look at God’s eschatological word and observe the world around us, I believe it is in the coming decades that Christ will return to rapture His church. This is an amazing and astounding truth, a sobering but exciting reality that a future generation of Christians will, not long from now, see, not just a few of these things take place, but “all these things take place.” Matt. 24:34

This is what Jesus tells you in Matt. 24: “See to it that no one misleads you” (vs. 4); “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened” (vs. 6). “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations” (vs. 9); “When you see the abomination of desolation… “(vs. 15); “If anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ’… do not believe him” (vs. 23); “Behold, I have told you in advance” (vs. 25); “when you see all these things, recognize that He is near” (vs. 33); “be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming” (vs. 42).

Matthew 24:35 – “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” That heaven and earth, as we now know it, will pass away, will not exist forever, is a momentous, unfathomable event. This is contrasted with the ultimate truth, that God’s holy, eternal, perfect, personal, prophetic word will never pass away. God is emphasizing the power, the supremacy, the certainty, the necessity of His word, specifically, in this area of eschatological truth.  

Matt. 24:35b, in its immediate context, is reinforcing the truths of vss. 33-35a, that all these things are going to take place because God’s word said they would (vss. 4-30), including the fact that heaven and earth will pass away (Ps. 102:25-26, Rev. 21:1). God also said they would occur before Christ’s return to rapture the church, and that there’s a generation of believers who will see them happen. Not only that, but all these things will happen because God will cause them to happen. Is. 46:9-11, Eph. 1:9-11

We must also see Matt. 24:35 in its larger context, for God placed it right in the middle of this critical end-times’ chapter. But why did God do it? To convince you that His eschatological word is true, absolutely, 1000% true; to stress the extreme importance of end-times’ truth at this time in history; to help you see that the prophetic truth in Dan. 9; Matt. 24; Mk. 13; Lk. 17, 21; Rom. 8, 11, 15; Eph. 1; Phil. 3; 1 Th. 4-5; 2 Th. 1-2; Tit. 2; James 5; 1 Pet. 1; 2 Pet. 3; 1 Jn. 2-3; and Rev 1-22 is no small thing, no minor doctrine, but a major doctrine, and must be seen and taught as such, especially for those living in these last years before Christ’s coming, and specifically for that generation who will be watching all these end-times’ events. 2 Tim. 4:1-2

I hope you are realizing that Christ’s coming is not imminent, that it can’t happen at any moment, that it can’t happen today, tomorrow, or next year. Nothing in God’s word says that no signs or prophesied events need to occur before the rapture. In fact, it says just the opposite. It’s telling you that all these things listed in Matt. 24 must take place before Christ’s coming and the rapture. And I hope you understand that the rapture is the 1^st event at His coming. All these things spoken of in vss. 4-30a take place before Christ’s coming and the rapture of the church which do not happen until vss. 30b-31. This truth is also taught in 1 Cor. 15:22-23; 1 Thess. 4:15, 17; 2 Thess. 2:1-9; 2; and Rev. 6:1 – Rev. 7:14.

As I just said, Matt. 24 explicitly says that “all these things” will occur before Christ’s coming and the rapture, and that we will see them happen. Heb. 10:25 tells us that we will “see the day drawing near”, which means we will be literally seeing these events happening in the world that Matt. 24 says are leading to Christ’s returns to rapture the church. 2 Thess. 2:1-10 says that Christ’s coming and the rapture of the church take place after Antichrist’s coming. Christians living on earth at this time will see the Antichrist before they see Jesus and before they are raptured.

Many Christians believe that the rapture of the church is imminent. But that is not true, for nothing in God’s word says it is true, and many verses tell us that it is false. The imminency of Christ’s coming must be recognized as error. And it is not without harm, for it causes Christians to think they won’t be here when the Antichrist is revealed, and that they won’t experience great persecution. Our loving Father wants us to know what will be happening and not be surprised.

Matthew 24:36 – “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” I am amazed that some people set a specific date for Christ’s return when Matt. 24:36 makes it clear that no one but the Father knows the exact time. No date is given to us in Matt. 24 or any other place in the Bible. What we do understand, what is clearly explained in vss. 32-34, is that we can know the season, the general time period of Christ’s return. Again, that’s because Christians living on earth in the very last years of this age will witness all these Biblically identified events leading up to Christ’s coming.

We have spent a lot of time in this and recent posts talking about different events that are happening before Christ’s coming. Some of these events, like more wars, increasing lawlessness, and great tribulation, are general in nature. But some are specific, like the abomination of desolation by the Antichrist, for this is a singular event occurring at a precise time, the 3½ year mark of Dan. 70^th week. Those who are here when this happens know that Christ’s coming is less than 37 months away (Rev. 9:5 — 42 months – 5 months = 37 months) – but we don’t know the exact time.

2 Thess. 2:4 refers to a Jewish temple in Jerusalem, but there’s no temple at this time. When we see this temple being built, we can say that Christ is coming very soon. But we can never say we know the day or the hour of His coming. As time goes on, we will be getting closer to Christ’s return and more Matt. 24-described events will be happening, giving us more and more certainty and confidence that “He is near.” Finally, we will see the sign of the end of the age and the sign of Christ’s coming, and we will say that He is “right at the door.” Matt. 24:33

What an exciting time to be alive, for Christ is returning soon to rapture the church. God gives us a needed and sufficient outline of what will be taking place before that happens. That’s because He loves you and really wants you to know the general time and sequence of end-times’ events. He doesn’t want you to be ignorant, worldly, afraid, confused, in error, or sleeping, but to be knowledgable, holy, courageous, discerning, wise, and wide awake when Christ comes back. And God wants there to be watchman in every family and church, ones who know His prophetic word and how it relates to events in the world. Might you be one!!! “Consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds… encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Heb. 10:24-25

P.S. Here are some important posts about the timing of Christ’s coming and the rapture of the church: “When Does the Rapture Take Place?”, “Antichrist Revealed, and Then the Rapture – 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4”, “When is Christ Returning to Rapture the Church?”

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #359 ~

The coming of the Antichrist is before the coming of Jesus Christ. Now God’s word has much to say about the Antichrist, the most devilish man to ever live on earth. This wicked man hates all people, especially Christians and Jews. And he is called the Antichrist (1 Jn. 2:14) because he is against Christ and wants to take His place, to be in charge. He is also called the little horn (Dan. 7:13), a king (Dan. 8:23), the prince (Dan. 9:26), the Assyrian (Mic. 5:5), the man of lawlessness, the son of destruction (2 Th. 2:4), and the beast (Rev. 13:3-4).

God’s word has much more to say about Christ, and His coming. And Matt. 24 contains critical information about what happens before His coming – and you need to know these things. There are “birth pains” affecting people in various parts of the world – deception, earthquakes, wars, famines, plagues, and hyperinflation (vss. 4-8). This describes the present condition of our world, this end-times’ stage that leads to the end of this age and Christ’s coming. These “birth pains” are to wake us up, to alert us to the fact that Christ will be coming soon. Then there is great tribulation, the world-wide hate, persecution, and martyrdom of Jews and Christians. Vss. 9-14

Today we are looking at Matt. 24:15-22, which focuses on the Jews. This is one of five side-by-side passages of Jews and Christians (Lk. 21:12-24, 2 Th. 2:1-10, Rev. 7:4-17, Rev. 12:13 – Rev. 13), evidence that God’s end-times’ work with the Jews coincides and is in conjunction with His end-times’ work with the church. And what happens to the Jews, as described in vss. 15-22, leads to, precipitates the great, global persecution of Christians that is described in vss. 9-14.

Matt. 24:15 – “Therefore when you see the Abomination of Desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand)…” Jesus is referring to Daniel’s prophecy in Dan. 9:24-27, and the prince, the person in vss. 26-27, is the Antichrist. It’s at the beginning of what we call Dan. 70^th week that this prince confirms a 7-year treaty with the Jews. Then there’s the “Abomination of Desolation” and it occurs at the midpoint, at the 3½ year mark of this significant, prophecy-packed 70^th week. That the Antichrist desolates the temple means that he has broken the treaty with the Jews, and that is very bad news for the Jews.

At this point in time, there is no temple in Jerusalem, and that it will be desolated tells us that a new one will be built in the near future, another sign that Christ is coming soon. I believe the holy place is referring to the most sacred part of the temple, the place of God’s presence. Now an “abomination” is an object of disgust, of abhorrence and, Biblically, it means ungodly, idolatrous. And this “Abomination” causes “Desolation”, the devastation, the desecration, the defilement of this holy place.

2 Thess. 2:3-4, speaking of the same event, says it this way, “Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.” So the Antichrist is revealed and discerning Jews and Christians realize that this proud, godless person in the Jewish temple is this great enemy of God who had been prophesied by the prophets. They see that the Antichrist is strongly opposed to God, so much so that he openly defies God, and exalts himself above God, acting and speaking like he is God. “He opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle.” Rev. 13:6

2 Thess. 2:1-4 also tells us that the Antichrist must be revealed and must desolate the temple before Christ’s coming and the day of the Lord. That is, the coming and revealing of the Antichrist must occur before the coming and revealing of Christ. The phrase, “With regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together with Him” (vs. 1), states that the rapture of the church occurs at Christ’s coming. Since the Antichrist is revealed before His coming, then he desolates the temple and is persecuting Jews and Christians before the rapture. Many Christians don’t want to hear this, but it’s true. And Paul emphasizes this truth by saying, “let no one in any way deceive you.”

Here are two more points from Matt. 24:15. We are informed that we will see the “Abomination of Desolation.” This doesn’t mean we will be in Jerusalem and be watching it happen but because of our present technology, we will see it on our TV’s, the internet, or our phones. And God wants us to see it for He wants to warn us that the Antichrist is alive and about to begin ruling this world, and about to begin persecuting and killing Jews, and then Christians.

Then there’s the phrase, “Let the reader understand.” The conclusion to vs. 15 exhorts us to not just read it but to understand it. Throughout history Christians have read this verse, but now that we are in the end-times, it’s imperative to understand the present-day relevance of these words. And it’s not just saying the Antichrist is alive but that he has been revealed for who he really is, and that he will be going on the warpath, he will be persecuting and murdering the elect (vss. 21-22). Do you see that God is alerting His people to the fact that life on earth will soon be extremely difficult? (Rev. 12:13, 13:3-10). The good news is that this tribulation won’t last long before Christ returns to rapture the church, which will happen within three years after the Antichrist is revealed.

Matt. 24:16-21 – “Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains…” What happens after the devil possesses this wicked man, this Antichrist? This devil, this God-hater, uses this evil man to do his devilish work. This godless Antichrist also hates God and His people, both Jews and Christians. Full of rage and wrath, he sends his armies after some of the Jews, those who are god-fearing and expecting the Messiah to come. But they are not yet true believers, ones who recognize that Jesus is the Messiah, and who repent of their sins and believe in Him.

Now most Jews are ungodly and deceived and stay in Israel, for they don’t realize that this sharply dressed, smooth talking, “super” man is the Antichrist. But he is a fake, the most evil man to ever live on earth. These Jews may even think he is the Messiah, but he can’t be, for he is a Gentile and not a true Jew, not a descendant of Abraham. And his desire is to usurp the throne of the rightful King, and be worshiped by the world. Matt. 4:8-9, Rev. 13:4-5

So God instructs the Jews to run for their lives, and to not go back home, for that would mean certain death at the hands of the enemy. Rev. 12:12-13 describes this time of terror: “Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time. And when the devil saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman (the Jews)who gave birth to the male child (Jesus).”

God tells us that the flight of the Jews will be extremely difficult, especially for women and children, and some will die. But a good-sized remnant will escape and be protected from this great tribulation, a persecution “such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will” (Matt. 24:21, Zech. 13:7-9). And those who escape, those whom God physically saves from the Antichrist will be spiritually saved at the end of Daniel’s 70^th week. Is. 45:17, Jer. 31:31-34, Dan. 9:24, Rom. 11:25-27

I must say it again – this persecution of Jews leads to the persecution of Christians. The great tribulation we learn about in Matt. 24:21-22 is followed by the great tribulation of Christians that we read about in Matt. 24:9. Rev. 12:17 tells us the exact same thing – “The dragon was enraged with the woman (the Jews), and went to make war with the rest of her children (the Christians),who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.”

In summary, the coming of the Antichrist (vs. 15) and great tribulation (vss. 9, 21-22) take place before the coming of Christ (vss. 27: 30-31). Now Matt. 24:22 tells us that this great tribulation caused by the Antichrist is cut short, and Matt. 24:29-31 then states that Christ comes after this tribulation is cut short, at which time He raptures the church. “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened… the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky… they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds… and He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.” Amen! Amen! Amen!

P.S. This Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the victory of God over sin, death, and hell. And it is the resurrection power of God that results in our justification, sanctification, and glorification. Here are three posts on this most important subject: “Christ’s Resurrection Means the Best is Yet to Come”, “The Answer to Death is Christ’s Resurrection”, and “The Life-and-Death-Changing Results of the Resurrection.”

By Steven J. Hogan

~ A Saturday Morning Post #358 ~

Most of you have seen a movie about an existential threat that could result in the annihilation of this planet – a nuclear war, a massive meteor, an invasion from aliens. This may be interesting and entertaining to watch, but it’s fiction. But God speaks the truth, and He has told you all you need to know about what will happen on this earth in the years leading up to Christ’s return and immediately after, and it’s catastrophic and apocalyptic, and all part of God’s pre-determined and perfect plan. And Matt. 24 gives you more vital information about the end-times and Christ’s coming than any other chapter in the Bible.

The disciples ask Jesus for signs about the end of this age and His coming (Matt. 24:3), and He answers them in Matt. 24:29-30. But Jesus shares many other things that need to take place before that happens. In the last post we learned there will be deception, wars, earthquakes, and famines – and that all “these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.” Matt. 24:4-8

Then there’s vss. 9-14, an extremely weighty passage describing what Christians will experience in the last few years before Christ’s return to rapture the church. Let me summarize what it says: so-called Christians are falling away from the faith, and there’s more deception, and lawlessness like never before, and true Christians are being betrayed, persecuted, and martyred on a global scale. The Christians are to preach the gospel until the end of the age, and those who persevere, who survive, are saved, are raptured into heaven to be with Christ. Let’s now look carefully at this extremely important end-times’ passage.

Matt. 24:9 – “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.” I cannot think of a more sobering, more challenging, more intense verse in all of Scripture. The word “Then” tells us that what is written in vss. 9-14 comes after the birth pains (vss. 4-8). The specific timing of these vss. is clarified by the next section (vss. 15-22), which is about the Antichrist desolating the temple at the midpoint (3½ yrs.) of Dan. 70^th week. Shortly after this unholy desecration, the devil, working through the Antichrist, goes after the Jews and greatly persecutes them, and this is great tribulation (vss. 21-22). As explained in Rev. 12:13-17, this is followed by the persecution of Christians. Since believers are being martyred and since it’s on a global scale, then we must conclude that vs. 9 is also speaking of great tribulation.

The enemy’s motivation to murder is fueled by the hate they have for God. Jesus told us, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you… all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake” (Jn. 15:18, 21). It’s obvious that increasing numbers of sinners aren’t holding back in their disgust, their disdain for believers, and it’s leading not just to hate speech, but to physical violence. We can see that this hate for Christians is getting worse and worse in this world, and will eventually lead to believers being killed all over all this earth (Rev. 6:9-11, 12:17, 13:4-8). “Keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:36

The next three verses give more reasons for this unbridled, unrestrained hate of Christians.
Matt. 24:10 – “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.” In this world there are weak churches, churches that don’t faithfully teach the whole counsel of God. There are also so-called churches, and these aren’t real churches for they don’t preach the gospel, that people are sinners whose only hope is to repent, and believe that Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty for their sins, and rose again. Rom. 3:23, 5:8, 6:23, 10:9-13

When there are birth pains (Matt. 24:4-8), deceptive signs (2 Th. 2:9-12), people being forced to worship the Antichrist or die (Rev. 13:15), people having to decide whether to take the mark of the Beast or not be able to buy or sell (Rev. 13:16-17), then so-called believers, people who think they are Christians but are not, will fall away, will apostatize, will leave their weak or so-called churches and begin following the Antichrist (1 Jn. 2:18-19, Rev. 13:4). The polarization, the division in this world in the last few years of this age will be stark, be black and white – people will be for Christ or against Christ, for Christians or against Christians, for the Antichrist or against the Antichrist.  

One of the most difficult things in the end-times will be when your own family members spew out hate, and turn against you, and turn you in to the authorities. “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death” (Matt. 10:21). “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household” (Matt. 10:34-36). This may even happen to you. But God will give you the grace to keep following Christ, to love and forgive, and to keep sharing the gospel.

Matt. 24:11 – “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.” Another reason for so much hate against Christians is that so-called religious leaders will be misleading and deceiving people. Out of utter hate for God, these fakes, these hypocrites, will be speaking lies about Jesus Christ and the gospel, and they will be defaming, will be slandering God and His children. The result is that a great many naïve and foolish people will believe their lies and betray true Christians, even their own family members.

Matt. 24:12 – “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.” Like never before, we are seeing lawlessness in our country. Leaders and all kinds of people are breaking the law, and it’s getting much worse. 2 Tim. 3:14 tells us, “Evil men and imposters will go from bad to worse.” We are witnessing the beginning years of depravity, people with no conscience, people who have lost their minds, who are crazy, who have totally rejected God. Without question, many wicked people are calling “evil good, and good evil.” Is. 5:20

The result is that “most people’s love will grow cold” which means there will be little to no kindness, or patience, or forgiveness, or gentleness, or empathy, but instead hate, anger, selfishness, abuse, slander, malice, and just plain meanness. This will be seen in families, in relationships, in the work place, and out on the street. And when the Antichrist is revealed and ruling the world, it will be much worse for he is the “the man of lawlessness” (2 Th. 2:3), the chief perpetrator and promoter of lawlessness, the one who enforces laws that are lawless.

Matt. 24:13 – “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.” All over the world believers will be dying for the Lord, be martyred for their faith, but a large remnant will endure, will persevere to the end. By means of God’s Spirit, word, love, power, by means of the church, and by means of their faith, hope, and obedience, they will continue on until the end of the age, at which time they are saved, are glorified. “He will keep you strong to the end so that you are blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful.” 1 Cor. 1:8-9

We usually think of “save” in a spiritual sense, that God spiritually saves a person from sin, death, and hell. In this context, it means physical salvation, that God enables a person to survive, to make it through this tough, intense great tribulation and therefore, is alive on earth when Christ returns, and he is saved, he is raptured and becomes like Christ (Rom. 8:29, 1 Jn. 3:2). So vs. 13, along with vss. 31, 41-42, are rapture verses. “We who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” 1 Th. 5:17, Rev. 7:14

In view of what Jesus says in vss. 9-13, what should Christians do? Vs. 9 would indicate that we need to know God’s love, and be battling, be overcoming for Him (Rom. 8:35-39, Eph. 6:10-18). Vs. 10 suggests that we must not be naïve, but wise, and be praying for our enemies. Vs. 11 is saying that we need to counter the lies of the devil with the truth of God’s word. Vs. 12 is telling us to be holy, to not live like the world, but to love both the saved and the lost. Vs. 13 instructs us to not grow weary, to not give up, but to keep going, to endure, to persevere to the very end of this age. Finally, there’s vs. 14, the conclusion to this most critical passage for Christians.

Matt. 24:14 – “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Your primary job in these last years is to preach the gospel, to tell people the good news, the message of salvation, how they can be saved from sin, death, and God’s wrath on earth and a fiery, eternal punishment in hell (Rev. 8-9, 16, 20:15). So do your part, and as God gives you opportunities, tell people this kingdom message about their entire life, their eternal life, and that it means loving and serving the King of kings, and being blessed forever and ever. Ps. 23:6; Lk. 21:12-15; Jn. 3:5, 3:16; Col. 4:2-6

Jesus Christ is leading churches, believers, and mission teams in this final global evangelistic effort – and it’s encouraging that the gospel is being proclaimed all over the world. It won’t be long before that last person hears the gospel and is saved, and it’s the end of this age and the church is fully grown (Matt. 16:18, Eph. 2:19-22). At this point, Jesus Christ returns for His bride and raptures her from the earth, and all believers from all time will be gathered to Him, and together, they will be taken home, will go to heaven. Jn. 14:1-3

Here are some concluding thoughts:
* You don’t want to ignore, or hope this message goes away, or believe it isn’t relevant to you, your family, and the church, or think that you will be raptured before this happens. Jesus Christ clearly states: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” Matt. 24:35
* God knows everything and is sovereign over all who will be on earth in these last years. Rom. 8:28

* Christ personally trains all believers who are on earth in the end-times. Ps. 18:30-36, 144:1
* This passage is God’s warning to you about these final years, and to be forewarned, to know what will happen, is to be forearmed, to be truly ready for that time. “Take heed, behold, I have told you everything in advance.” Mark 13:23, Ezek. 33:7, Rom. 13:11-14

* Throughout history, believers have undergone great tribulation, but in the end-times it won’t be local but global, unlike anything we have ever seen before. Acts 8:1 (Act 11:19), 2 Cor. 11:21-29
* Those of you on earth in these last days must see this as a great privilege, a great honor to be here to love, to serve, to suffer, and to survive or be martyred for the Lord. And remember that God will give you all the grace you need and that the Holy Spirit is in you. Matt. 28:19-20, Eph. 1:13-14, 1 Cor. 6:19, 2 Cor. 9:8, 1 Pet. 2:21

* I can’t emphasize, I can’t stress enough the importance of taking to heart all that Jesus tells you about the future. Know and understand these things, and share them with your friends, fellow church members, and family – especially your children and grandchildren. 2 Tim. 4:1-2
* “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” Jude 24-25

P.S. I spoke about great tribulation, and many Christians believe they will not experience it, but that’s not true. Here are two posts that clearly explain why Christians will go through this severe persecution in the end times: “Christians Will Go Through Great Tribulation” and “The Pre-Tribulation Rapture Teaching is False.”