Actually, Jesus’ disciples did us the favor of asking Him this very question. Knowing they were with the man who would ultimately bring it on, they were just as curious as we are about how it will manifest. And while Jesus spoke to the rulers and crowds in stories and parables He was usually up front with His Disciples. What He answered in response to their question is recorded in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. Let’s see what he says.
Jesus said to take heed that no one deceives us, as many will come claiming to be Him, and many will be deceived. He tells us not to go after these people. He says that there will be wars and rumors of wars, that nations and kings will rise up against each other. There will be earthquakes, famines, troubles, fearful signs, and great signs from Heaven. He tells us not to be troubled because these things must happen before the end. These He describes as the beginning of sorrows, the birth pangs.
He goes on to say that we will be delivered up to tribulation and be killed, we will be brought before councils, synagogues, rulers, and kings for His sake as a testimony, but not to worry beforehand what to say because the words will be given at that time by the Holy Spirit. We will be hated by all nations, and many will turn away and betray each other - even among family - and we’ll be put to death. He tells us that with patience we will possess our souls, and He warns again that false prophets will rise up to deceive many. Love will grow cold and be lost among the hardness of man, and lawlessness will abound. But the Gospel will be taken to all the world as a witness. He tells us to endure until the end and we’ll be saved.
He warns that when we see Jerusalem surrounded by armies it’s desolation is near. And when we see that desolation those in Judea should flee, to the point where those out should not stop to take anything with them. Those who are pregnant and nursing will have woe, and we are to pray that it not happen in the winter or on the Sabbath. He calls it a time of great tribulation, such as has never been seen before or will be again; a day of vengeance so that all that has been written can be fulfilled. He says again that many will be felled by the sword and led captive to the nations, and that Jerusalem will be trampled. Unless those days are shortened, He adds, no flesh will be saved, but for the sake of His people they are shortened.
He says again not to believe the false christs and prophets who perform great signs and wonders, who are able to deceive even God’s people if possible. We are told not to go look for them, and to take heed of this, because He has told us He will come like lightning for us.
After the Tribulation the sun is darkened, the moon is not lit, the nations are distressed and in perplexity, and the sea and the waves roar. The stars have fallen from the sky and man’s heart will be shaken, as are the powers of the heavens.
Then His sign will appear in the heavens, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn when they see Him coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. With a trumpet the angels will gather the elect from the four winds and the farthest parts of the earth and heavens.
We are told to be watchful, for just as we know when summer is near, we will know when the end is near.
There we have it, a mouthful indeed but straight from Jesus Himself. We’ll use this discourse as ‘base camp’ as we continue to explore the issue, but for now there’s a few things worth digesting.
First is that Jesus is discussing here not the end of the world, but the end of an age. Religious history has been marked by different ages, or dispensations in church speak, as God reveals different parts of His personality to mankind in different ways over time. We are currently in the Church age, that period of time which began with Christ’s ascension and will end when He returns. This is what we are talking about here, the time immediately preceding His return to earth, not the earth’s end.
Most notable is that Jesus told His disciples not that these things will happen, but that they will see them happening, and know by seeing them happen that He is near. We’ll talk about that some more later.
One viewpoint holds that many of these prophecies are fulfilled and therefore don’t apply to those alive in the end time. For example, Jerusalem was surrounded and laid desolate by the Romans in 70 AD. But think hub and rim, and those counter reflecting mirrors - God’s Word has an eternal-to-time-and-back exposure to it that gives it both immediate application, and future implication. That is what’s behind the phenomenon of history repeating itself. Yes Jerusalem was sacked, the fact is it has been many times, and it will be again in the end. The only thing with the tribulation sacking is that it’ll be a little more sacked than ever before. As are and will be of all the tribulation events.
Jesus describes here a time He calls ‘birth pangs and tribulation’, which most of us lump together as The Great Tribulation. These words conjure up terrible images of death and destruction. What are all these events and more importantly, why do they happen? What is the Great Tribulation?
Jesus said to take heed that no one deceives us, as many will come claiming to be Him, and many will be deceived. He tells us not to go after these people. He says that there will be wars and rumors of wars, that nations and kings will rise up against each other. There will be earthquakes, famines, troubles, fearful signs, and great signs from Heaven. He tells us not to be troubled because these things must happen before the end. These He describes as the beginning of sorrows, the birth pangs.
He goes on to say that we will be delivered up to tribulation and be killed, we will be brought before councils, synagogues, rulers, and kings for His sake as a testimony, but not to worry beforehand what to say because the words will be given at that time by the Holy Spirit. We will be hated by all nations, and many will turn away and betray each other - even among family - and we’ll be put to death. He tells us that with patience we will possess our souls, and He warns again that false prophets will rise up to deceive many. Love will grow cold and be lost among the hardness of man, and lawlessness will abound. But the Gospel will be taken to all the world as a witness. He tells us to endure until the end and we’ll be saved.
He warns that when we see Jerusalem surrounded by armies it’s desolation is near. And when we see that desolation those in Judea should flee, to the point where those out should not stop to take anything with them. Those who are pregnant and nursing will have woe, and we are to pray that it not happen in the winter or on the Sabbath. He calls it a time of great tribulation, such as has never been seen before or will be again; a day of vengeance so that all that has been written can be fulfilled. He says again that many will be felled by the sword and led captive to the nations, and that Jerusalem will be trampled. Unless those days are shortened, He adds, no flesh will be saved, but for the sake of His people they are shortened.
He says again not to believe the false christs and prophets who perform great signs and wonders, who are able to deceive even God’s people if possible. We are told not to go look for them, and to take heed of this, because He has told us He will come like lightning for us.
After the Tribulation the sun is darkened, the moon is not lit, the nations are distressed and in perplexity, and the sea and the waves roar. The stars have fallen from the sky and man’s heart will be shaken, as are the powers of the heavens.
Then His sign will appear in the heavens, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn when they see Him coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. With a trumpet the angels will gather the elect from the four winds and the farthest parts of the earth and heavens.
We are told to be watchful, for just as we know when summer is near, we will know when the end is near.
There we have it, a mouthful indeed but straight from Jesus Himself. We’ll use this discourse as ‘base camp’ as we continue to explore the issue, but for now there’s a few things worth digesting.
First is that Jesus is discussing here not the end of the world, but the end of an age. Religious history has been marked by different ages, or dispensations in church speak, as God reveals different parts of His personality to mankind in different ways over time. We are currently in the Church age, that period of time which began with Christ’s ascension and will end when He returns. This is what we are talking about here, the time immediately preceding His return to earth, not the earth’s end.
Most notable is that Jesus told His disciples not that these things will happen, but that they will see them happening, and know by seeing them happen that He is near. We’ll talk about that some more later.
One viewpoint holds that many of these prophecies are fulfilled and therefore don’t apply to those alive in the end time. For example, Jerusalem was surrounded and laid desolate by the Romans in 70 AD. But think hub and rim, and those counter reflecting mirrors - God’s Word has an eternal-to-time-and-back exposure to it that gives it both immediate application, and future implication. That is what’s behind the phenomenon of history repeating itself. Yes Jerusalem was sacked, the fact is it has been many times, and it will be again in the end. The only thing with the tribulation sacking is that it’ll be a little more sacked than ever before. As are and will be of all the tribulation events.
Jesus describes here a time He calls ‘birth pangs and tribulation’, which most of us lump together as The Great Tribulation. These words conjure up terrible images of death and destruction. What are all these events and more importantly, why do they happen? What is the Great Tribulation?