Matthew 24
1. And Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way; and his disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple.
2. But he answered and said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3. And as he sat on the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Jesus was asked when the temple would be destroyed. What would be the sign of His return and of the end of the world.
4. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man lead you astray.
5. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ; and shall lead many astray.
6. And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled: for these things must needs come to pass; but the end is not yet.
7. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines and earthquakes in divers places.
8. But all these things are the beginning of travail.
Jesus says that False Christ’s; wars, famines and earthquakes do not indicate the “end” but the initial pains of a birth. This sets the parameters of the conversation as not being literal. These verses are Jesus instructions about how to avoid following false Christs after the Christians spiritual birth and the subsequent development during the disciples maturation process.Their well being and Jesus concern for them brought about the warning. Jesus warned the disciples of something and then He describes the appearance of the subject of the warning (false Christ’s) as a birth pain. This would be done to keep the false Christ’s from disrupting the birth/growth of Jesus disciples.
The appearance of false Christ’s would causing the disciples to learn to distinguish between the real and the false Christ. So the spiritual development of the Disciples of Christ is the focus of Jesus concern. After the Second Coming of Christ at conversion (Acts 3:19-21) the salvation and subsequent maturation of the follower of Christ continues. This maturation does not require their direction but their endurance and awareness. God forms the disciples into the image of Christ. The development is not directed by the disciple himself. How could a newborn disciple know how to form the nature of Christ. Just as a child grows without the child’s participation in the same way a Christian’s growth is a process directed by God. This development requires only the faithful endurance of the disciple himself to reach the “end”. The end of their faith being the salvation of their souls, 1 Peter 1:9.
1Pe 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. (KJV)
Salvation implies being saved from something. Salvation in this context means being "saved" from God's wrath as it is revealed against ungodliness as Matt 3:7 and Rm 5:9 shows.
Ro 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, shall we be saved from the wrath of God through him.
So Jesus is warning His disciples that after their Spiritual conversion and during the maturation process these things will occur. They must learn to distinguish between true and false Christs etc.
Each of the other events mentioned – Wars, famines and earthquakes would then also be developmental events, the endurance of which would result in a disciple’s salvation. Salvation being defined as – being saved from the wrath of God which would be directed towards the offense of unbelief in God’s true messiah – Jesus Christ, Matthew 3:7 and Luke 3:7.
These spiritualized references indicate the convulsions, which Christians experience as Christ is formed within them. These spiritual events are not indicative of the “end” but of the beginning and continued development of the believer. The spiritual ability necessary to determine if a Christ is real or false is being born or developed within the believer. Travail or birth pains are experienced during the beginning and endurance to the end results in salvation, verse 13. This birth then would be then be birth of a mature disciple of Christ or a person who has been saved (from God’s wrath). This saved person is 180 degrees removed from a person who is not saved from God’s wrath, but has to experience it.
9. Then shall they deliver you up unto tribulation, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all the nations for my name's sake.
10. And then shall many stumble, and shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another.
In verse 10 some of the believers have stumbled/offended God and become sinful. By definition these sinful people would not in this instance be saved from God’s wrath but must experience it. This would then be the abomination, which brings about the destruction or desolation of the stones that make up the temple of God.
11. And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray.
12. And because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall wax cold.
The believers who have stumbled have left their first love. They have derived pleasure from ungodly actions, 2 Thess 2:12. This stumbling however does not mean that they are abandoned. It only means they will experience God's anger directed towards the particular sin they have committed.
2Th 2:12 that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
13. But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.
14. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all the nations; and then shall the end come.
So Jesus summary of Christian development ends here by illustrating the "end" of the faith they began to pursue at their conversion.
He then goes into how to avoid the wrath when they see it happening around them.
After the Gospel is preached the end of a person’s faith comes. The end of a person’s faith is the salvation of their souls. 1 Pet 1:9.
15. When therefore ye see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let him that readeth understand),
The love of many Christian’s will grow cold and they will stumble. When the faithful disciples see the abomination that brings desolation in the Holy place (sinful behavior) they should run to the mountains because God’s discipline (based upon the Law) or desolation is inevitable.
Christian’s have stumbled in verse 10 and verse 15 and began to hate and betray fellow Christians. This is a warning or indication of the abomination (God’s negative judgment/evaluation or the Day of the Lord) being in the holy place or the church. This then is a representation of sin (the abomination) being within the body of believers (temple). The temple is the overall subject of this chapter and the destruction of that temple. The disassembling of the stones of the temple then would represent the discipline of believers. The abomination or sin that is found in the believer’s lives caused the temple to be disassembled. Verse 10 speaks of Christian’s stumbling or sinning. This is the abomination that is found in the temple (or corporate body of believer’s). The abomination of sin within the believer causes the jealousy of God to bring the desolation.
When the faithful disciples notice this abomination of sin within the corporate Church (Holy place) they should flee. This suggests the phrase come out from among them found in Revelation 18:4.
Re 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
(KJV)
The reason that the faithful disciples are encouraged to flee to the mountain (stronghold or God), is so that they do not experience the plagues or discipline that is a natural consequence of the willful sin which some of the believers have stumbled into.
16. then let them that are in Judaea flee unto the mountains:
Judea is the representation of the faithful people of God, just as the people on the rooftop or in the field are as well.
17. let him that is on the housetop not go down to take out things that are in his house:
18. and let him that is in the field not return back to take his cloak.
19. But woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days!
20. And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on a sabbath:
21. for then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be.
The reason for the “woe” in these verses is given in verse 21. There will be great tribulation resulting from the discipline of the sinful brethren and if a believer has trouble fleeing from the presence of sinful brethren they may be caught up in the discipline of their sinful brethren. This is the same thing seen in Revelation 18:4.
22. And except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
Verse 22 is similar to 1 Corinthians 10:13:
1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. {common...: or, moderate}
(KJV)
God will not allow the elect to be tempted beyond their ability to endure the temptation. For the sake of the elect the days of the Lord’s judgement are shortened.
23. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ, or, Here; believe it not.
24. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
25. Behold, I have told you beforehand.
26. If therefore they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the wilderness; go not forth: Behold, he is in the inner chambers; believe it not.
27. For as the lightning cometh forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west; so shall be the coming of the Son of man.
The coming of the Lord will be a quick destructive force.
28. Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
Wherever the spiritually dead body is – (wherever the abomination of sin is found in the Holy place) the scavengers/devourers or demons will gather to bring about desolation.
29. But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
After those days of desolation/tribulation the believer’s will no longer be the light of the world.
30. and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31. And he shall send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
During the time of judgement/evaluation Jesus messengers will come to His desolate temple and revive it (gather it) by causing the angels or messengers (both Good and evil Spirits), from God to gather or facilitate the believers confirmation into Christ image.
32. Now from the fig tree learn her parable: when her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth its leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh;
33. even so ye also, when ye see all these things, know ye that he is nigh, even at the doors.
When the Christian begins to show signs of growth it becomes apparent that it is summertime. Similarly, when the abomination is in the Holy place the judgment will follow.
34. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be accomplished.
35. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
36. But of that day and hour knoweth no one, not even the angels of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only.
37. And as were the days of Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son of man.
38. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,
39. and they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall be the coming of the Son of man.
40. Then shall two man be in the field; one is taken, and one is left:
41. two women shall be grinding at the mill; one is taken, and one is left.
42. Watch therefore: for ye know not on what day your Lord cometh.
43. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken through.
44. Therefore be ye also ready; for in an hour that ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Watching in verse Matt 24:43 is the same Greek word illustrating watchfulness that is encouraged in 1 Thessalonians 5:6. It is being alert so that a Christian does not fall into sin.
1Th 5:6 ¶ Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. KJV
45. Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath set over his household, to give them their food in due season?
46. Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
The coming mentioned in verse 46 is not the Second Coming. The Second Coming occurs at conversion, Acts 3:19-21. This coming is a time of judgement or evaluation. This shows that the Second Coming seen in Hebrews 9:28 is a lifelong process of change. The endurance to the end of this process of change results in salvation, 1 Peter 1:9.
What this means is that although we use the term “saved” as a descriptive term for Christians (those who follow Christ), the term cannot be accurately applied until the person has endured to the “end”.
Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
47. Verily I say unto you, that he will set him over all that he hath.
The Christian’s who are found to be faithful on the Day of the Lord (time of judgement/evaluation) will be rewarded by the Lord.
48. But if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord tarrieth;
49. and shall begin to beat his fellow-servants, and shall eat and drink with the drunken;
50. the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he expecteth not, and in an hour when he knoweth not,
51. and shall cut him asunder, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
If a Christian is not alert or falls asleep they will be hypocrites and will be disciplined as the hypocrites are disciplined.