Matthew Chapter 24 {The Concept in Chapter 23 really continues no real Chapter break until between verses 2-3} 24:1~~Now Jesus turned around and walked {out on them} and kept on walking out from the temple {passing all these items that spoke of Him - JESUS separated Himself from religion - HE LEFT} . . . His disciples came to show Him the temple buildings. {Note: CHRIST is the bread of Life   Christ is the light of the World   Christ died on the cross - brazen altar   Christ is the cleanser of the believer - brazen leaver (sp)} {Note: Now the disciples have watched all this maybe even understanding a little, but not all Jesus was saying. So to break the tension, in embarrassment, the disciples try to cover it all up by 'changing the subject' and they are impressed with the buildings/'trappings of religion'}. 24:2~~And He {Jesus} answered them, "Stop looking at the these things {an order}. I {Jesus} tell you the truth {point of doctrine}, not one stone will be left here on another . . . all will be torn down." {Note: These were made of huge blocks of marble and were made to last. What Jesus prophesized was amazing . . . and speaking against the temple was blasphemous and punishable by death. This made them uneasy and they shut up . . . for a little while.} {The Olivet Discourse {Chapters 24-25} {3 Questions from the Disciples} The Signs of the New Age} 24:3~~As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, His disciples sneaked up to Him on the sly/privately and kept on saying, "{1} Tell us when these things will happen {the temple stones torn down - the answer is recorded in Luke 21:20-24}, and {2} what will be the sign of Your coming {Matthew 24:27-51 He answers this} and {3} what will be the sign of the end of the {Jewish} age {This is answered in Matthew 24:9-26 - answered before 2 because the Tribulation comes before the 2nd Advent of Christ}?" {Note: Matthew does not give the answer to #1. It is given in Luke 21:20-24 and is of course 70 AD, 5th cycle of discipline.} {Characteristics of the Church Age- Verses 4-8 - False signs of the Tribulation} {Verses 4-5 Operation Deceit} 24:4~~Jesus answered them, "BEWARE . . . Make sure that no one deceives you {through human viewpoint - knowing doctrine protects you from deceit}." 24:5~~"For many {apostates} will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ', and they will lead many astray." {Keep an RMA in ALL circumstances - example 1 - War Time} 24:6~~"And you will hear of wars {hot wars} and rumors of wars {cold war}. Take care not to be frightened, because this must happen {must be wars until Christ returns}, but the end is not yet." {Note: Don't let the threat of war frighten you. Relaxed Mental Attitude always. 'Rest in the Lord' . . . 'cast your cares on Him' . . . "the battle is the Lord's".} {Keep an RMA in ALL circumstances - example 2 Time of Catastrophe} 24:7~~"Nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines and earthquakes in many places." 24:8~~"All these things are the beginning of sorrows/intolerable anguish {literally as in 'birth pains' - the trials of the Church Age will precede the birth of the Tribulation}." {Note: All of these trials are COMMON to all of the Church Age! They do not mean the Tribulation is here! Take in doctrine . . . apply it. Keep your RMA! Occupation with Christ! Keep on having and holding the high ground of spiritual maturity!} {Signs of the End of the Age -Verses 9-26 (3rd Question in Verse 3 Answered)} {1st sign - Anti-Semitic attacks from outside the Jewish Race} 24:9 "Then {during the tribulation - when the end of the age comes} they {anti-Semitic} will deliver you into tribulation . . . and will kill you. You will be hated by all the nations because of My name (see Revelation Chapter 12 where this is amplified)." {2nd sign - Attacks from inside the Jewish Race} 24:10~~"And, then the many {Jews} will receive offense from each other . . . and {amplification} they will betray and hate one another {Jews against Jews . . . includes/ is mostly racial Jews against born-again/regenerate Jews - see Revelation Chapter 7}." {Apostasy in Israel during the Tribulation - Verses 11-12} {3rd sign - False Prophets and Wide Spread Ignorance of Doctrine} 24:11-12~~"And many false {Jewish} prophets will appear and will deceive the many . . . 24:12~~ and because lawlessness {from ignorance of the word of God} will be prevalent, the love {for God} of many {born again Jews} will grow cold." {Note: In the time the bible was written, the 'law' was primarily the Old Testament Scriptures with taboos added to it. To be lawless meant to be ignorant of the law or refuse to follow it.} {Note: If you do not know doctrine, you can not know God. If you do not know God, you can not 'love' God. It is a pseudo-love unless you really know God first - I Corinthians 2:16 - the Bible is the Mind of Christ. If you do not know doctrine, you will cool off and grow cold toward Him.} {Deliverance to the Mature Believer - 'One who 'endures to the end'} 24:13~~"But, in contrast, the believer who endures to the end {through Bible doctrine} {hupomeno} will be {physically} delivered {Zechariah 14:1-4; Isaiah 63:1-6}." {Note: 'Hupomeno' does mean one who 'endures to the end' means the end of the Tribulation. From Philippians, we also learn that the one who 'endures to the end' is the sign of a mature believer - he seizes and HOLDS the high ground to the end. And God delivers mature believers either through adversity or out from adversity. } {SideNote: Hupomeno also can mean to 'remain behind' so this would say those who remain behind to the end will be delivered. RBT says that means that in the Tribulation, one crack up and you are dead - you can not rely/depend on your emotions - not how you feel, but what the Word says.} {4th sign - Evangelism in the Tribulation} 24:14~~"And this good news {euaggelion} of the kingdom will be preached throughout the entire world as a testimony to all the {Gentile} nations, and then {after the full evangelization of the world} the end {of the Jewish age} will come." {Note: 'Euaggelion' is the Greek word for 'good news' and is used for 'gospel'. When it refers to the Good news that Jesus Christ died for YOUR sins on the cross and all you need do is put your Faith in Christ for salvation, then it is the GOOD NEWS or Gospel of Christ.} {Note: There will be four methods of evangelism in the Tribulation: the 144,000 Jews of Rev.7, the witness of Tribulational saints (Rev.14: 12-13), the two witnesses will evangelize the world, apparently by television (Rev.11: 1-14), and the angels at the end of the tribulation (Rev.14: 6-7).} {5th Sign of the Tribulation - International Religion infiltrates Israel} 24:15~~"So when you see 'the abomination of desolation'-spoken about by Daniel the prophet {Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11} . . . standing {histemi} in the holy place (whoever reads/discerns/studies/analyzes . . . keep on understanding it {an order}!) . . . " {Note: The abomination of desolation is an image of the Roman dictator who commands a Ten (10) nation confederation of Western Europe. He will hold together his empire just as the Augustus Caesar held his empire together as a god. His image will be put up in the Holy of Holies at the halfway point of the tribulation.} {Note: 'Histemi' does mean to stand. It is in the perfect tense and that makes it have a strong meaning. It means when the Jewish believers in Jerusalem in the Tribulation see this sign . . . they should head for the Mountains! SideNote: At the end of the Tribulation, they are told to stay and fight (Zechariah 14:1-4). The can survive IF they keep their heads and can apply the right doctrine to the right situation!} {Application of Doctrine to Experience} 24:16~~ . . . "Then/at that time {when you see the idol go up} those {believers} in Judea must escape to the mountains." {Note: The mountains were the Edom, Moab, and Ammon mountain ranges (Dan.11: 41) because those who fled here are safe when the King of the North comes through with his army.} 24:17~~"The one on the roof {where gardens were in the ancient world} must not go down to take anything out of his house {don't stop to pack! - Get OUT!}."  24:18~~"And the one in the field {today would be those at work in the office} must not go back to get his clothes/garments/cloak." 24:19~~"Woe to those who are pregnant and to nursing mothers in those days!" {Note: They will be miserable in the travel but travel anyway and you will survive!} 24:20~~"Pray that your flight will not be in winter {roads impassable} or on a Sabbath {highways clogged}." 24:21~~"Then/at that time {the last 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation will be terrible -and those who flee will avoid it} there will be great Tribulation/persecution, unlike anything that has happened from the beginning of the world until now, or ever will happen." 24:22~~"And if those days had not been reduced in number {a little less then the full 7 years}, no flesh would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be reduced in number {they will be in the mountains a little less then the 3 1/2 years}." {Don't live by Emotions in the Mountains - live by the Word! Verses 23-26} 24:23~~"Then if anyone says to you - maybe he will, maybe he will not - 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There He is!' do not believe him {they are to stay in the mountains until Jesus comes to get them - Isaiah 63: 1-6}." 24:24~~"For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs {see II Thessalonians 2: 7-10 and includes performing miracles and 'speaking in tongues' just as it is used today to suck in people} and wonders to lead astray (if possible) even the elect." {Jesus' I TOLD YOU SO verse} 24:25~~"Remember, I {Jesus} have told you {perfect tense - told in the past with results that go on forever} ahead of time." 24:26~~"So then, if someone says to you, 'Look, He {Jesus} is in the wilderness,' do not go out'; or 'Look, He {Jesus} is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it." {Note: Jesus will come to get them per -Isaiah 63: 1-6} {Signs of the Second Advent - Verses 27-51 - 2nd question in Verse 3 Answered} 24:27~~"For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, that is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be." {Note: 4 Characteristics of the lightning analogy: 1)Lightning travels at great speed, 2) it can be seen by everyone (Rev.1:7),3) it warns of a coming storm {baptism of fire judgment}, 4) it disturbs and frightens people (Rev.6:15-17).} {1st Sign of the 2nd Advent - the Slaughter in the Armageddon Campaign} 24:28~~"Wherever the carcass {a body fallen in battle} is, there the vultures will be gathered.{See Revelation14:20;19:17; Ezekiel39:17}" {2nd Sign of the 2nd Advent - Celestial Disturbances} 24:29~~"Immediately after the tribulation of those days, 'The sun will be darkened {means absolutely NO light at all - compete darkness}, and the moon will not reflects its light . . . the meteors will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken.' " {Note: There are many passages on the Day of the Return of Christ to the Earth - Isaiah 13: 9-10; Ezekiel 32: 7-8; Joel 2:10-11 and 3:15; and Amos 5:18 Zechariah 14:6; Matthew 24:29; Luke 21:25-27 Revelation 6:12.} {Note: Two reasons for the complete blackout of light: 1) protection of Jewish armed forces under unbeatable odds- the enemy can not move without some light and 2) as an analogy to the cross.} {3rd Sign of the 2nd Advent - Re-gathering of Israel} 24:30~~"Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the land {Jews} will weep {with tears of joy}. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power {to re-gather them} and great glory." {Note: Also see Zechariah 12: 11-14 - the crying is from joy not sadness.} {4th Sign of the 2nd Advent - Resurrection of the Jewish believing dead} 24:31~~"And He {Jesus} will send His angels with a loud trumpet blast, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." {Note: The gathering of the elect here is gathering the Jewish believers who that this point are in heaven. It refers to the resurrection of the dead born again Jews of the entire Jewish age (pre-Church Age were originally in the Earth in "Abraham's bosom", but Christ took them with Him into heaven. Next we also have the Tribulational believing Jews who died/were martyred . . . but this does not include the church age Jews. See Daniel 12:13 and Isaiah 26:19-20} {Note: There are four resurrections in this order: 1) Jesus Christ is the 'first-fruits' and was the first person resurrected (I Corinthians 15:3). There were others who were resuscitated but they died again - after resurrection you no longer can die, 2) The Church (I Thessalonians 4:16-18; I Corinthians 15:51:58; I John 3:1-2; Philippians 3:21; John 14:1-3 etc.) at the Rapture. 3) At the Tribulation and the 2nd Advent - Resurrection of Israel of the Past and the Jewish Martyrs of the Tribulation, (Daniel 12:13; Isaiah 26:19-20; Revelation 20:4; and Matthew 24:31) and 4) Any who die in the millennium (like for capital punishment) they will be resurrected at the end of the Millennium.} {Note: This explains Peter in Acts 2:29 referring to David's body still being in his tomb - no resurrected body yet. And, it also explains Moses and Elijah coming back as the two Tribulational witnesses and being killed. If they were in resurrected bodies they could NOT die.} {2nd Illustration of the 2nd Advent} {The Parable of the Fig Tree - Success of the Evangelistic Jews in the Tribulation} 24:32~~"LEARN from a teacher {manthano} . . . this parable from the ultimate source of the fig tree {and this is a command} . . . whenever its branch {title for Jesus} is about to sprout {2nd Advent} and put on leaves {evangelism}, you know that summer {2nd Advent} is near." {Note: Manthano means to learn from a teacher - NOT to learn on your own. To learn from an instructor.} {Note: The sprouting branch is the 2nd Advent. Leaves are Israel's evangelism in the tribulation.} {Summary of the Answer to the Question in Verse 3 - Signs when the 2nd Advent is here} 24:33~~"So too, when you see all these things . . . KNOW from the experience of learning {be oriented to the plan of God through the knowledge of bible doctrine} that He is near . . . even at the doors/gates." {Principal Given - Israel HAS a Future - Verses 34-36} 24:34~~"A point of truth/doctrine, this {Jewish} race will not pass away until all these things occur." {Note: This is a challenge to Satan and is a reason for Anti-Semitism.} Continued ************************************************ This page is sponsored by Kenneth Sidley, CPA, an Orange County California CPA (949) 706-3133. This page also sponsored by Moxxor For Pain Free Living. Moxxor is a highly concentrated Omega 3 product that has reduced inflammation in this writer. Please go to this website to read more about Moxxor.