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Matthew 24 The End Times and the Second Coming

1 Signs of the End of the Age
Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings.

2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you.

5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.

6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.

7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.

9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.

10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,

11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.

12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,

13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

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.

15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—

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

17 Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house.

18 Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak.

19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!

20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.

21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.

22 If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.

24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.

25 See, I have told you ahead of time.

26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the desert,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.

27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

29 “Immediately after the distress of those days
“‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

30 “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.

31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

32 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.

33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.

34 I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

36 The Day and Hour Unknown
“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark;

39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.

41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.

44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?

46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.

47 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’

49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.

50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.

51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

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Analysis of Matthew Chapter 24

Matthew Chapter 24 is a remarkable discourse of Jesus, often referred to as the Olivet Discourse. This chapter contains prophecies about the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, warnings and signs of the end times, and the themes of vigilance and readiness for the coming of the Son of Man. Below, we provide an in-depth analysis of Matthew Chapter 24, exploring its key verses and overall message.

Verses 1-2: The Prediction of The Temple’s Destruction

In these opening verses, Jesus predicts the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem:

Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

Here, Jesus challenges his disciples’ focus on the physical grandeur of the temple. The prophecy of its destruction indicates a coming judgment and foreshadows significant change for the Jewish people. Historically, this prophecy was fulfilled in AD 70 when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and its temple. This event is critical, as it marks a shift from an old covenant centered around the temple to a new covenant, signaling the rise of a spiritual household of faith.

Verses 3-14: The Beginning of Birth Pains

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

In verses 3-14, Jesus outlines the signs that will precede the end times. The disciples’ questions lead to a detailed response from Jesus about the nature of the end of the age and His second coming. Jesus cautions against deception:

“Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come… All these are the beginning of birth pains.”

Jesus speaks of false prophets, wars, famines, and earthquakes. These troubling events are referred to as the “beginning of birth pains,” symbolizing the onset of tribulation that will precede the culmination of God’s redemptive plan. It is noteworthy that Jesus advises remaining vigilant but not alarmed, implying that these events serve as precursors, not the final end.

Additionally, Jesus emphasizes the global proclamation of the gospel:

“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.”

This verse highlights the mission of the Church to spread the gospel to all nations, reinforcing the idea that the end times will not occur until this divine mandate is fulfilled. This establishes the link between global evangelism and the eschatological timetable.

Verses 15-28: The Great Tribulation

These verses delve into the severity of the tribulation period:

“So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains… For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.”

The “abomination that causes desolation” is a reference to Daniel 9:27, 11:31, and 12:11. This term historically referred to events such as the desecration of the temple by Antiochus Epiphanes and later actions by Roman authorities. Jesus appropriates it to describe a future event that signals an unprecedented tribulation.

The emphasis here is on the unparalleled nature of this tribulation, a period marked by profound suffering and chaos. The instruction to flee underscores the imminent danger and the necessity for swift action by believers during this period. Jesus also warns of false Christs and prophets who will emerge, performing signs and wonders aimed at deceiving many:

“For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”

This caution is critical, emphasizing the need for discernment among believers to avoid being led astray by these false claims and miraculous displays.

Verses 29-31: The Coming of the Son of Man

After the tribulation, Jesus describes the cosmic disturbances and His return:

“Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken. Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven… And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”

This apocalyptic imagery signals the divine intervention in human history and the culmination of God’s redemptive work. The darkening of celestial bodies and other cosmic upheavals serve as signs of the end times, pointing unmistakably to the imminent return of Christ. Jesus’ return is depicted as a public, visible event accompanied by a loud trumpet call, gathering His followers from across the earth. This portrays a personal, triumphal return that fulfills the promise of His second coming.

Verses 32-35: The Lesson of the Fig Tree

Jesus uses the example of the fig tree to teach about the discernment of signs:

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.”

Just as the budding of the fig tree signals the coming of summer, the appearance of the foretold signs should alert believers to the approaching end times. The lesson here is about being attentive and aware, understanding that the fulfillment of these signs indicates the nearness of Christ’s return. Jesus emphasizes His point by assuring the certainty of His words:

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

This declaration underscores the reliability and eternal nature of Christ’s words, offering assurance amidst the described turmoil.

Verses 36-41: The Unpredictability of The Day and Hour

Jesus continues by addressing the uncertainty of the exact timing of His return:

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father… Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”

He compares His second coming to the days of Noah, highlighting the sudden and unexpected nature of the event. People will be going about their daily lives, oblivious to the coming judgment, similar to how the flood caught Noah’s contemporaries by surprise. This reinforces the need for constant vigilance and preparedness among His followers:

“Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.”

These verses underline the selective nature of the gathering of the elect during Christ’s return. The separation of individuals serves as a vivid illustration of the severe and personal nature of divine judgment and redemption.

Verses 42-51: The Call to Watchfulness and Faithfulness

In the final section of the chapter, Jesus emphasizes the importance of watchfulness and faithful service:

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

Jesus uses the analogy of a thief in the night to illustrate the sudden and unexpected arrival of the Son of Man. This urges believers to stay spiritually alert and prepared at all times, living in a way that reflects readiness for Christ’s return.

The chapter concludes with a parable about a faithful and wise servant:

“It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns… But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

This parable highlights two kinds of servants: the faithful and the wicked. The faithful servant, who conscientiously performs his duties, will be rewarded upon the master’s return. Conversely, the wicked servant, who exploits his master’s delay to indulge in misconduct, will face severe punishment. This serves as an exhortation to continual diligence and integrity, reinforcing that the uncertainty of the timing of Christ’s return should motivate, rather than slacken, godly living.

Conclusion

Matthew Chapter 24 presents a comprehensive picture of eschatological events, characterized by both warning and hope. Jesus’ discourse blends immediate historical predictions, such as the destruction of the temple, with ultimate end-time prophecies that encompass His second coming. The chapter reiterates themes of vigilance, discernment, faithfulness, and readiness. Believers are called to live with an eternal perspective, prioritizing spiritual alertness and adherence to Christ’s teachings amid life’s uncertainties.

Philippians 3:20 encapsulates the spirit of this chapter: “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 24 aim to prepare His followers to anticipate and be ready for His return, fostering a life marked by faith, hope, and steadfastness.