Jesus Tells About the Future – Part 1
Good day to each of you reading about Matthew 24 and the clues Jesus gave his disciples on his return.
Prophecy is such an interesting subject for we all have our thoughts on when our Savior will return.
You are correct that no one knows the exact time as to when Jesus will appear, but he gives clues to this fascinating puzzle and I wish to share some observations from the word.
After reading Matthew 24, Jesus then speaks in parables to the crowd, the evil ones and disciples as He uses one of the most interesting parables found in Matthew 25:1-13. It is so true that the Bible is like a key that opens so many doors.
As you read this parable, this will put an exclamation point on how Jesus tells the future to his disciples and uses this parable of the Ten bridesmaids as a wonderful example of being watchful and prepared.
How about a few funny quotes:
“My mother always used to say: The older you get, the better you get, unless you’re a banana.”
Betty White of Golden Girls
“When your mother asks, ‘Do you want a piece of advice?’ it is a mere formality. It doesn’t matter if you answer yes or no. You’re going to get it anyway.”
Erma Bombeck
“I want my children to have all the things I couldn’t afford. Then I want to move in with them.”
Phyllis Diller
“Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes.”
Jack Handey
“I haven’t spoken to my wife in years. I didn’t want to interrupt her.”
Rodney Dangerfield
And, “You know you’ve reached middle age when you’re cautioned to slow down by your doctor, instead of by the police.”
Joan Rivers
I do hope you have enjoyed a bit of humor from some funny folks.
I have been listening to the Republican presidential debate and each of the five candidates have talked about how they would handle the border, the abortion issue, the immigrants, the economy, the taxes, the food shortage, the Middle East, the evil axis consisting of China, Iran and Russia, high gas prices, school education, government spending & government debt and social security.
Christian, did you hear anything about Prayer and Bible Reading in the schools, a National Day of Prayer or how they would first consult the Almighty God on all issues.
Why is it that they shy away from religious issues, especially issues that affect Christians and tackle the above issues from the answers provided in the Bible.
Christians, in general, are quiet, and many are afraid of the ramifications from the government or from groups that are anti-Christian or do not believe in the total word of God.
We can not take certain passages from the Bible to fit our lifestyle or because it steps against my lifestyle or “what feels good at the time”.
I urge you strongly to take a stand on what the Bible says—not what I say, but the BIBLE—we may not agree on all points but we must take a stand for what the Bible says and the problems above would go away.
The solution is simple and it is found in 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV) 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Don’t you want America to be healed? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the issues above could be fixed? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to know that the forces of evil would shake in their boots if they messed with America and would have deal with God?
We need God’s protection, God’s blessings and God as the “I AM” – Fellow Christian we are being called by his name- Prayer is the vehicle to God and He will hear from heaven, forgive our sin (personally and nationally) and heal our land.
Please urge those in office to put 2 Chronicles 7:14 into action and heal our land and put men and women into offices with the same beliefs in God first.
As we tackle the subject: Jesus tells about the future, turn to Matthew 24 as the basis for this timely subject.
I will use the three specific books, Matthew, Mark, and Luke to provide clues as to Jesus second coming.
Turn to Matthew 24: 3 where Jesus is sitting on the Mount of Olives and talking with four of his disciples. Mark 13:3 provides a double witness to this important event.
This important event leads us back to the Old Testament where Zechariah predicts that the Messiah (Jesus) would again return on the Mount of Olives after his resurrection.
Turn to Zechariah 14:1-4 (NIV) to get the total picture— A Day of the Lord is coming, Jerusalem, when your possessions will be plundered and divided up within your very walls.
2 I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. 3 Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle. 4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.
As the end of the age approaches, it is so fitting to know where Jesus will come. Yes, this earth and the place will be the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem and split in two from east to west.
Jesus, physically, that is his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives to establish his physical kingdom.
The disciples asked the question as to when Jesus will return—who were the disciples? Turn to Mark 13:3 (NIV) where it shows Peter, James, John and Andrew asking the question.
Of the three mentioned passages, Mark makes the direct mention of the four specific apostles and that they asked Jesus privately on the Mount of Olives.
Jesus, in each of the three gospels makes the same exact statement, “Watch out that no one deceives you.” This is so important for it gives us a direct warning that Satan and his minions are placed on this earth to deceive both you and me.
Earlier, in Matthew, we read where Satan tried three times to deceive our Lord and that Satan will use both Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus in Matthew 26 and Peter in Matthew 16:23 & 26 for both were deceived.
Jesus tells us that men coming in Jesus’ name with their false claims, wars, rumors of wars, nations against nations, kingdoms against kingdoms, famines and earthquakes are the beginning of birth pains.
The above verses 4-8 give us a world view of the what the earth will experience before the establishment of the kingdom.
Look at verses 9-14 for this gives us the ingredients of the destruction of a nation: Christians will be handed over, persecuted and put to death for standing with Jesus, be hated by all nations because of standing with Jesus, at that time many will turn away from Christianity and betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive the people. Wickedness will increase greatly; false teaching and loose morals will grow sharply.
Look at Matthew 24:9 for in the Ferrar Fenton version it says Then they will hand you over to persecution and they will put you to death, and you will be hated by all the heathen because you bear my name.
Who is the heathen? Simply, those who do not believe in Christ, the un-believers and those who do not wish to be saved—See John 3:16-17.
The result for the true Christian: verse 13: (NIV) but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Peril, strife, sin, betrayal and the destruction of God’s commandments, laws, statutes and judgements have happened and will continue to happen, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Please turn to Matthew 24:14 for the next clue to the puzzle— 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Internet, television, radio, computers, communications, are various ways to get the gospel out to the whole world. Think how far we have come from the dial-up phone, three major channels on the television, AM radio, the fax machine, and the telegraph to sending a message instantly via e-mail across the world.
Wouldn’t you agree that we have seen world communication explode in the past twenty years? The gospel is reaching all nations, all lands, and all areas throughout the world.
This is another major clue that the end will come and Jesus will return.
In closing of part 1, times are going get tougher, Christians will face more and more persecution, and many will be like the parable of the four soils as written in Matthew 13.
Let us stand firm to the end for God says in John 14:15-17 (KJV)
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
May you bless God in all that you say and do!
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