MARANATHA (Series)THE QUESTION

WHEN?Matthew 24

THE QUESTION:“‘TELL US’, THEY SAID, ‘WHEN WILL THESE THINGS HAPPEN?’” Matthew 24:3

When will Jesus come back? When will the world end? When will the rapture take place? When will Israel believe?

Matthew 24:33-39

“Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation (that sees these things) will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened…. No one knows about the day or the hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered into the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. This is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.”

Matthew 24:42-44

“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.”

SUNDAY: TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM

MONDAY: CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE (2ND TIME)

TUESDAY: ANNOUNCES DEATH,JUDAS CONTRACTS TO BETRAY JESUS

WEDNESDAY: MOUNT OF OLIVES (MATHEW 24,25)THURSDAY: LAST SUPPER (JOHN 13,14)

ON THE WAY TO THE GARDEN (JOHN 15-17)

ARRESTED/TRIALS BEGIN

FRIDAY: CRUCIFIED AND BURIED

SUNDAY: RESURRECTION!

THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST

STAGE 1THE BRIDEGROOM COMES FOR HIS BRIDEREWARDS GIVEN OUTMARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMBMEANWHILE: ON EARTH ANTI-CHRIST SETS UP HIS RULE

STAGE 2CHRIST COMES BACK AND DEFEATS THE ANTI-CHRISTCHRIST SETS UP HIS REIGN FOR 1000 YEARS

DIFFERENT KINDS OF SIGNS TO LOOK

FOR!DIFFERENT KINDS OF ROAD SIGNS:SPEED SIGNSDANGER SIGNSDIRECTIONAL SIGNS

DIFFERENT KINDS OF “END TIMES SIGNS”CULTURAL/SOCIAL SIGNSGLOBAL SIGNSSIGNS OF NATURESIGNS REGARDING ISRAEL

THE SIGN OF SPIRITUAL DECEPTION

“Jesus said, ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” Matthew 24:4,5

“For false Christ's and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect – if that were possible.” Matthew 24:24

THE SIGN OFINTERNATIONAL CONFLICT

“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. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.” Matthew 24:6,7

THE SIGN OF NATURAL DISASTERS“There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. These are all the beginning of birth pains.” Matthew 24:8

THE SIGN OF GREAT

PERSECUTION

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

Matthew 24:9

“At that time many will turn away from the faith and will

betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will deceive many people.”

Matthew 24:10,11

THE SIGN OFWIDESPREAD

APOSTASY

THE SIGN OFWORLD-WIDE EVANGELISM

“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.” Matthew 24:14“…God is not slow concerning His promise (to return) but is patient toward you not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance…. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief (unexpected)….” II Peter 3:9,10

EVANGELISM OF THE WORLD

• WORLD

1900 500 MILLION CHRISTIANS

2000 TWO BILLION CHRISTIANS

• LATIN AMERICA

1900 50,000 CHRISTIANS

2000 137 MILLION CHRISTIANS

• AFRICA

1900 10 MILLION CHRISTIANS

2000 137 MILLION CHRISTIANS

• CHINA

1947 CULTURAL REVOLUTION 750,000 CHRISTIANSTODAY – ESTIMATE BETWEEN 18-200 MILLION

THE SIGN OF JEWISH PERSECUTION

“So, when you see standing in the holy place (Jewish Temple) the abomination that causes desolation, spoken of through the prophet Daniel, let the reader understand…” Matthew 24:15

THE SIGN OF GLOBAL TURMOIL“For then, there will be great distress in the world, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now.” Matthew 24:21,22

THE SIGN OFMIDDLE EAST TURMOIL

“For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” Matthew 24:27

THE SIGN OF FALSE SECURITY

“As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 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; and they know nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them away.” Matthew 24:37-39

SUMMARY1. GOD HAS TOLD US WHEN HE IS COMING BY WAY OF SIGNS

- NOT BY WAY OF YEAR, MONTH, WEEK, DAY, OR HOUR.

“No one knows about the day or hour…” Matthew 24:36

2. GOD HAS TOLD US TO BE READY AT ANY TIME FOR WE DON’T KNOW THE EXACT TIME OF HIS COMING!

“Therefore, keep watch…” (Matthew 24:4)

SUMMARY

SUMMARYGOD HAS TOLD US HOW TO WAIT FOR HIS COMING AGAIN: WE ARE TO WAIT WITH FAITHFULNESS AND WISDOM!

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant whom the master has put in charge…. It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.” (Matthew 24:45,46)

SUMMARYGOD HAS PRESENTED FOR US A BIBLICAL PATTERN

THERE IS GREAT SIMILARITY BETWEEN OUR WORLD AND THE BIBLICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE LAST DAYS

IT ALL ADDS UP: IT CAN’T BE LONG

“When you see these things begin to take place, lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” Luke 21:28