Matthew chapter 24

Jesus Christ reveals the events that will lead up to his triumphant return in glory at the End of Days. We are to be vigilant and wise and faithful.

 


 

JESUS FORETELLS THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE

 

VERSE 1. Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way. His disciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple.

 

VERSE 2. But he answered them, “You see all of these things, don’t you? Most certainly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone on another, that will not be thrown down.”

be thrown down. In those days, the magnificent Temple would have seemed like an eternal institution. People probably could not have imagined it being demolished. However, in its history, it had already been demolished and rebuilt. Twice, prior to this point in the Bible. Then a few decades after this point in the Bible, the Roman Empire destroyed it again.

Our human institutions, by nature, will end. They do not perpetuate into eternity.

The same can be said of our many denominations and movements. They appear. They grow and prosper. They do great things. They decline. They come to an end.

 

SIGNS OF THE END OF THE AGE

 

VERSE 3. As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?”

 

VERSE 4. Jesus answered them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray.

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

The date of the return of the Lord Jesus is unknown. It will be unexpected. However, some Christians claim to know when it will happen. They are false prophets. Read more »

 

VERSE 5. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will lead many astray.

 

VERSE 6. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you aren’t troubled, for all this must happen, but the end is not yet.

 

VERSE 7. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines, plagues, and earthquakes in various places.

 

VERSE 8. But all these things are the beginning of birth pains.

 

PERSECUTION IS ON THE WAY

 

VERSE 9. Then they will deliver you up to oppression, and will kill you. You will be hated by all of the nations for my name’s sake.

 

VERSE 10. Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another.

 

VERSE 11. Many false prophets will arise, and will lead many astray.

Many false prophets will arise. The number of false prophets will be MANY.

will lead many astray. The number of people led astray will be MANY.

 

VERSE 12. Because iniquity will be multiplied, the love of many will grow cold.

 

VERSE 13. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

 

VERSE 14. This Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

preached in the whole world. In Revelation 14:6, an angel takes the eternal Good News to every person on the planet.

and then the end will come. Many Christians expect the Triumphal Return of Jesus Christ at any moment. That’s a wonderful hope.

However, this verse suggests that Jesus Christ will not return until AFTER his followers have taken his gospel to all peoples on earth.

We Christians have not achieved that yet. Whole tribes and people-groups are still waiting the saving gospel of Jesus Christ, two thousand years later. What are we waiting for?

 

THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION

 

VERSE 15. “When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),

the abomination of desolation. Both the Lord Jesus and the prophet Daniel predict a terrible event called the Abomination of Desolation. Read more »

 

VERSE 16. then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

 

VERSE 17. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take out the things that are in his house.

 

VERSE 18. Let him who is in the field not return back to get his clothes.

 

VERSE 19. But woe to those who are with child and to nursing mothers in those days!

 

VERSE 20. Pray that your flight will not be in the winter, nor on a Sabbath,

 

VERSE 21. for then there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever will be.

 

VERSE 22. Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved. But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be shortened.

those days will be shortened. Most people think this means the number of days will be reduced.

However, it could also mean that time itself will accelerate. The clock will spin faster, so to speak. The days will pass quicker.

 

VERSE 23. “Then if any man tells you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or, ‘There,’ don’t believe it.

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

 

VERSE 24. For there will arise false christs, and false prophets, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones.

Revelation 16:14. for they are spirits of demons, performing signs; which go out to the kings of the whole inhabited earth, to gather them together for the war of that great day of God, the Almighty.

 

VERSE 25. “Behold, I have told you beforehand.

 

BEWARE FALSE MESSIAHS

 

VERSE 26. If therefore they tell you, ‘Behold, he is in the wilderness,’ don’t go out; or ‘Behold, he is in the inner rooms,’ don’t believe it.

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

 

VERSE 27. For as the lightning flashes from the east, and is seen even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

 

VERSE 28. For wherever the carcass is, that is where the vultures gather together.

carcass … vultures. This is interesting. What does it mean? There are lots of interpretations. But none are very convincing.

In the Philokalia, St. Isaiah the Solitary refers to this verse.

 

THE RETURN OF THE SON OF MAN

 

VERSE 29. But immediately after the suffering of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken;

after the oppression of those days. This suggests there will be much turmoil at the end of time, right before the Son of Man appears. When one looks around at the condition of our world today, it is hard to not think that the end is near.

Many people think the time just before the Return of Christ will be an era of cataclysm. However, Paul says it will be when everything is peaceful and secure. Read more »

 

VERSE 30. and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.

the sign of the Son of Man. What is the sign of Jesus Christ? Is it the cross?

 

VERSE 31. He will send out his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

they will gather together his chosen ones. The angels will gather the elect. Who are the elect?

 

THE LESSON OF THE FIG TREE

 

VERSE 32. “Now from the fig tree learn this parable. When its branch has now become tender, and produces its leaves, you know that the summer is near.

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

 

VERSE 33. Even so you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

 

VERSE 34. Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away, until all these things are accomplished.

 

VERSE 35. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

my words will not pass away. The words of Jesus Christ will never go away. They are permanent. They are eternal in scope. Let’s read them and meditate on them. Let’s memorize them and put them into practice.

By God’s grace, we are investing our lives in the words of Jesus. Our Bible Reading Project and our Scripture Memory Project and our Gospel Bytes Project are all aimed at this very thing. The words of Jesus Christ are of permanent value and will never pass away.

The promises of the LORD God never fail! We can count on them. And base our lives on them! Read more »

 

BE VIGILANT

 

VERSE 36. But no one knows of that day and hour, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

my Father only. Not even Jesus Christ knows when he will return in glory. Only God the Father knows.

The date of the return of the Lord Jesus is unknown. It will be unexpected. However, some Christians claim to know when it will happen. They are false prophets. Read more »

 

VERSE 37. “As the days of Noah were, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

 

VERSE 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 ship,

 

VERSE 39. and they didn’t know until the flood came, and took them all away, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

 

VERSE 40. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and one will be left.

 

VERSE 41. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and one will be left.

 

VERSE 42. Watch therefore, for you don’t know in what hour your Lord comes.

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

In the Philokalia, St. Isaiah the Solitary refers to this verse.

 

VERSE 43. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

In the Philokalia, St. Isaiah the Solitary refers to this verse.

 

VERSE 44. Therefore also be ready, for in an hour that you don’t expect, the Son of Man will come.

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

The date of the return of the Lord Jesus is unknown. It will be unexpected. However, some Christians claim to know when it will happen. They are false prophets. Read more »

 

THE WISE AND FAITHFUL SERVANT

 

VERSE 45. “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has set over his household, to give them their food in due season?

 

VERSE 46. Blessed is that servant whom his lord finds doing so when he comes.

 

VERSE 47. Most certainly I tell you that he will set him over all that he has.

 

VERSE 48. But if that evil servant should say in his heart, ‘My lord is delaying his coming,’

 

VERSE 49. and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with the drunkards,

 

VERSE 50. the lord of that servant will come in a day when he doesn’t expect it, and in an hour when he doesn’t know it,

 

VERSE 51. and will cut him in pieces, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. That is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.

 


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MATTHEW

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Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.