THE BEGINNING OF SORROWS
AND SIGNS OF THE END
The
Disciples were so excited about the glory of the Temple as they departed it
with Jesus. They were boasting of all
the goodly stones and gifts that it was adorned with. Jesus didn’t seem as
excited as they were when He proclaimed there would not be left one stone upon
another that shall not be thrown down. (Mark
13:2)
Others were nearby and heard Jesus’ words. The Disciples knew people were upset (remember, those words were brought as witness against Jesus to have Him crucified) so they waited until they were alone on the Mount of Olives before asking Him privately,
Tell us,
when shall these things be?
And what shall be the signs of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Matthew
24:3
The word
translated as ‘world’ means = an age, specially a messianic period (G165)
We know
that things are winding up rapidly for the coming of Jesus. We have been in the
Messianic period and are seeing the signs showing the evidence that we are in
the Last Days. So, what signs are we
seeing and what are we to continue to look for?
Jesus
began to expound to them what signs to look for as the end grew nearer. To get a complete and better understanding of
the signs Jesus said to watch for, we are going to compare the 3 Gospels which
give accounts of Jesus’ words…. Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21.
First thing He warned against was
deception… Take heed that no man deceive you. For many
shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. (Mt 24:4 + Mk 13:5 + Lk 21:8)
We think “how could anyone fall
for that?” Unfortunately, there have been many who have fallen prey to that
spirit of deception…
There was a man in Florida named
Jose’ Luis de Jesus Miranda who claimed to be Jesus Christ reincarnated and
also the antichrist at the same time. Surprisingly,
he had a large Hispanic following. He
was born in Puerto Rico, was a former heroin addict and convict, a divorced
father of 4, who moved to Florida and remarried. Yet, many fell for his
deception and lavished him with expensive gifts. I’m not sure exactly when he began to
proclaim himself as messiah, but he died in 2013.
In 1979, while Alvaro Theiss was
fasting in Brazil, he began to believe he was the reincarnation of Jesus
Christ. He garnered a small following of
mostly women who pushed him around on a rolling cart with a throne on top.
There are many more surprising
numbers of reports of self-proclaimed messiah’s rising and garnering followers.
Jesus warned DO NOT BE DECEIVED!
That’s the first sign. Then, He said…
|
And ye shall hear of wars (fighting) |
But when ye shall hear of wars Lk 21:9 |
These
things have been happening off and on over the past 100 years.
The end is not yet…. Jesus said: ***BUT DON’T BE TERRIFIED***
Jesus does not want this to make us afraid, but rather spiritually aware.
|
For nation shall rise against nation,
|
For nation shall rise against nation,
|
Then said He unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and
kingdom against kingdom. And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, Lk 21:10-11 |
We
have been seeing these things take place off and on for several years. And we
will begin seeing it on a greater scale as the coming of Christ draws nearer
and nearer.
He warned:
* nation (meaning: race, tribe or people – g1484) will rise against nation
(race)
* and kingdom (realm) against kingdom (realm)
* Famines (we may see famine on a greater scale after 2020’s mass slaughter of
pigs and cows and farmland
slowly disappearing.)
* Pestilences (plagues, diseases …. we are seeing them grow and increase in
number and frequency in
occurrence)
* Earthquakes in various places (they are increasing as the earth groans and
travails in pain together waiting
for our redemption that is drawing nigh. Rom 8:21-23)
* Troubles – this means disturbance of water or of a mob (g5016) We have seen both over the past several
years and especially last year…. Flood after flood, hurricane after
hurricane, mobs and riots. These all
show us Jesus is coming soon! Be ready!
* Fearful sights – Frightening things! I think we can all think of many
happenings that fit this description
* Great signs from heaven…
- We can see and think of
many
-
Lightning struck the Washington Monument on Aug 15, 2021. The damage was so extensive that it is
taking longer to repair than first estimated.
That same monument was struck on
June 7, 2020 as well. Think God is
trying to get people’s attention?
- Tornadoes and hurricanes
are increasing in occurrences
-
People have been reporting strange lights in the sky for decades.
Jesus
said: All these are THE BEGINNING OF SORROWS.
We can see from these
descriptions that we have been in the beginning of sorrows for a while, yet so
many were unaware.
THEN…. (Mt 24:9 + Mk 13:9 + Lk 21:12)
·
They’re going to afflict Christians (afflict means
to put pressure on)
·
Some will be taken to court (been seeing that
happening for several years)
·
Some will be beaten within the Church (church
shootings?)
·
Some will be cast into prison (China but even in
the US & Canada last year)
·
Some will be brought before rulers and kings for
the Name of Jesus
Many
shall be OFFENDED and BETRAY one another and shall HATE ONE ANOTHER
·
We have seen a lot of people getting offended and
hating one another over this last year over piddly differences concerning to mask
or not to mask/ or vax or not to vax / or shut the church doors tight or don’t.
There is a difference between expressing your views and being hateful toward
someone because that person is not doing things their way.
·
People have been betraying friends and neighbors
over this past year by reporting Churches for gathering and holding Church, or
families having ‘too big of a gathering’ while it’s ok in their eyes to gather
in masses at other events and stores.
·
Christians in foreign countries have endured their
friends and family reporting them to the government for years because they are
Christians.
·
The list goes on.
I felt to post and issue a warning last year concerning the spirit of
division that was running rampant in our world and sadly even within the Church
body as a whole. It’s not of God. Jesus
was warning us so we could watch and guard our hearts not to fall prey to this
divisive spirit
·
You can see how easily it will be for Scripture to
be fulfilled: brother shall betray brother to death, and the father the son;
and the children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to
be put to death.
·
When that spirit of strong delusion gets hold of a
person, it breeds hate in a heart that grows until they hate even their own
family members.
·
I just saw a news report of a teacher who was
fired after her first day of school because she was teaching hate to the
students and trying to get them to hate their parents. She was ranting to the students that they
needed to realize how ‘stupid’ their parents were. And how her parents were so stupid. She told them they are all smarter than their
parents. That spirit of division and
hate is growing and spreading.
·
BECAUSE iniquity (sin) shall abound, the love of
many shall wax cold. People no longer
love or care about others as we used to see.
But he that shall endure
(persevere) to the end, the same shall be saved! (Mk 13:13)
AND MANY
FALSE PROPHETS SHALL RISE AND SHALL DECEIVE MANY
Matthew records Jesus warning against False prophets and false Christs THREE
times in this Gospel (Mt 24:5, 11, 23-25)
Not ‘There
will be’ but there IS a strong spirit of delusion that IS running rampant in
this endtime hour. Many and
even some backsliders are being deceived by it.
That
spirit of deception is so strong that Jesus warned in Mt 24:24 - False Christs
and false prophets will show great signs (miracles) and wonders (omens);
insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Elect means chosen (g1588)
This word is used to address ALL born
again Christians, whether they are Jew or Gentile. Rom 8:33, 16:13 + Col 3:12 + 1 Tim 5:21
This is
why it is imperative to be prayed up and full of the Holy Ghost, walking in the
Spirit and not after the flesh so we can rightly discern what spirit a person
is of.
Just
because they seem to be working miracles and maybe even reading your mail does
NOT mean they are of God. DISCERN THE
SPIRITS so you won’t be deceived!
Then Jesus said…
Mt 24:14
- And this Gospel of the Kingdom SHALL be preached in all the world for
a witness unto all nations ….
We are seeing this happening.
There are underground missionaries preaching and teaching the Gospel of
Jesus in these dangerous countries thought to be closed – That’s what happened
in Afghanistan.
Internet also makes it
possible to reach those who were formerly thought to be unreachable because of
government restrictions.
AND THEN SHALL THE END COME
Meaning: after all that is the start
of the end.
There are
things that still have to transpire according to Jesus.
NOTICE: There is no mention of the Church being
raptured out or gone yet. The Church /
Christians will endure everything mentioned to this point.
Jesus warned:
|
When ye therefore shall see the
abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the Holy
Place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Cross reference: Daniel 9:27 |
And when ye shall see Lk
21:20 |
Jesus
warned: when you see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the
desolation thereof is nigh. (Lk 21:20)
We have
been seeing everything else up to this point fulfilled. Now, we are to watch and keep our eyes on
what is happening in Jerusalem. In the
meantime, these other signs will continue to occur and become more
frequent.
Those who
are in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas of Judaea are warned to flee to the
mountains, not looking back once they see the armies beginning to invade Jerusalem. This will begin a time of GREAT TRIBULATION
such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever
shall be.
This may
be when the time of persecution warned of in Revelation 13 occurs – wherein the
beast makes war with the saints to overcome them. And he will put to death those who will not
worship the image of the beast.
It is the
same TIME OF TROUBLE that Daniel foretold in Daniel 12:1-2…..
And at
that time shall Michael stand up,
the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people:
and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a
nation
[even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered,
every one that shall be found written in the book.
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
some to everlasting life, and some to shame [and] everlasting contempt.
It’s going to be a time of GREAT
TRIBULATION and TROUBLE. So much so that
Jesus said He would shorten those days or else no flesh would be saved. But for the elect’s sake, THOSE DAYS SHALL BE
SHORTENED. (Mt 24:22)
Jesus again warned of signs in
the heavens…
|
But in those days, And the stars of heaven shall fall, Mk
13:24-25 |
And there shall be signs in the sun, Men’s hearts failing them for fear, Luke
21:25-26 |
Luke 21:27 continues…..
AND THEN shall they see
the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
AND WHEN these things (everything
mentioned in the previous verses – when you see these things) begin to come to pass, THEN LOOK UP, and LIFT UP YOUR HEADS; FOR
YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWETH NIGH!
THIS GENERATION SHALL NOT PASS….
What did Jesus mean by
generation? Many ‘generations’ have
passed since those words were spoken. We
have to look at the Strong’s to see what the original meaning of the word
was. The word translated as ‘generation’
actually meant ‘age/period of time’.
So this period of time (the
Messianic age) shall not pass until all these things are fulfilled.
THEN THE TRUMPET IS GOING TO
SOUND…..
He’s going to send 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! (Mt 24:31)
Jesus
compared the signs of the End to that of a fig tree…. You can tell that summer
is coming when the tree begins to put forth leaves. In the same way, you can look at these signs
and know that Jesus’ coming is near, even at the door! (Mt 24:32-33)
We may
not know the day or the hour, but we can see the signs that it’s near.
Unfortunately,
the world and sadly even some within the Church who will be unaware that the
Day is near and won’t be ready as the 5 foolish virgins were not ready.
Matthew 24
37 - But
as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 - For
as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 – And
knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming
of the Son of man be.
People
are going to be going about life as usual, unaware of the signs of the
times. Just as it happening even now….even
with the Church, those who are supposed to be part of the Bride of Christ.
Jesus
warned in Luke 21….
34 - And
take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with
surfeiting (to desire something no more = not desire Jesus or Church as
they should or used to?), and drunkenness (intoxicated
= people are drunk on entertainment and desiring to hear or watch what makes
them feel good), and cares (distractions) of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
35 – For
as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36 – WATCH
ye therefore, and PRAY ALWAYS, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all
these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
That is
not referring to being raptured out before the Tribulation as some
believe. Jesus is saying: If you stay
prayed up and watching, walking in the Spirit and not distracted by the cares
of this life or drunk on entertainment, He will keep you from the Hour of
Temptation that is coming upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the
earth (His Spirit will keep you from falling into sin just as He did for the
Church in Philadelphia – Rev 3:7-13)
It’s
going to take us being FULL of the Holy Ghost to get us through these last
days!
TWO SHALL
BE IN THE FIELD….
What did
Jesus mean by this? “Then shall two be
in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the
one shall be taken, and the other left.”
(Mathew 24:40-41)
Some take
this to support a pre-tribulation rapture view.
So, is that what this means?
1.
Notice this is verses 40 & 41 which are AFTER
the verses of Jesus’ return mentioned in verses 29 -31.
2.
The word ‘taken’ means ‘received, to receive near’
(g3880)
3.
The word ‘left’ means ‘send away, forsake’
This is
AFTER Jesus’ return when He’s going to cast all those who worshipped the image
of the beast and took his mark into the Lake of Fire. Some will be received because they were
accounted worthy. Others will be
rejected and sent away because they loved the world more than they loved Jesus.
Jesus
again warns in Matthew 24:42
WATCH therefore: for ye know not what hour
your Lord doth come.
Watch means keep awake, be
vigilant! This is no time to be lukewarm
or cold in our prayer life!
A couple weeks ago, as we were
recording, I heard the computer shut down.
I had plugged it in, thought the power was flowing, but the surge protector was
not turned on.
We come to Church sometimes and appear to be plugged in – hands are raised,
eyes closed, mouth singing along with the music,
BUT is the power flowing? Or are we just going through the motions?
If we’re not feeling the current
of the Holy Ghost moving through us, we need to push through until we do.
We have got to stay FULL of the
Holy Ghost! We’re too close to the end!
Don’t let Him find us sleeping
when He comes!
Verse 44 – Therefore, be ye also
ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh!
WE NEED TO BE READY! Whether we
meet Jesus in death or in the air….we never know when that time may be. We just need to be READY!
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