Season 5 Podcast 15 The Stories of the New Testament, Matthew Ch 24 “The Sign of Thy Coming and the End of the World Pt B.”

Season 5 Podcast 15 The Stories of the New Testament, Matthew Ch 24 “The Sign of Thy Coming and the End of the World Pt B.” In last week’s podcast we examined Matthew 24 as it related to the Second Coming of Christ. We used the Book of Revelation to shed light on Matthew 24. This week we shall continue that discussion. In Matthew 24: 22-28 we read. “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.” Satan is the great counterfeiter. When Christ actually comes there will be no ambiguity. In Revelation 1 John gives us the following description of his Second Coming. “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” (Revelation 1:7) “And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.” (Revelation 1:13-14) In Matthew 24: 29-30, Christ describes the extraordinary weather conditions that will occur prior to his appearing. “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Notice that in the above John said, “immediately after the tribulation of those days.” In Christian terminology it is known as “The Great Tribulation.” In review The Great Tribulation will have wars, rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes. And those are just the beginning of sorrows. The saints will be killed and hated of all nations for believing in Christ. There will be betrayal, hatred, false prophets, abounding iniquity, love growing cold. It is the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel. There is no precedent in the history of the world for the intensity of tribulation. Unless the days are shortened no flesh could be saved. And that is the prelude to the conditions quoted above. John the Revelator refers to the above even as the opening of the sixth seal. “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. (Revelation 12-14)