March 1
Matthew 24:1-3
The “temple” referred to in Verse 1 was built by King Herod. (Luke 2:19-20) It was built where Solomon’s temple had been built around 1,000 years earlier. That Temple had been destroyed during the Babylonian invasion and subsequent captivity. Solomon’s temple had been rebuilt after the captivity by Zerubbabel, but that temple was far inferior to Solomon’s. Herod’s temple, an expansion of Zerubbabel’s, was superior to the one rebuilt after the captivity, causing the disciples of our Lord to marvel at its construction. They were so impressed, they wanted to “shew him the buildings of the temple.”
The first prophecy found in the Olivet Discourse had to do with the destruction of Herod’s temple. The destruction would be so great that there would not remain “one stone upon another.” That destruction took place around forty years after Jesus’ prophecy when the Roman general Titus destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD. Please note that Jesus’ prophecy was fulfilled literally, and some of those disciples were still living when that destruction took place.
That prophecy raised questions in the minds of the disciples, thus setting the stage for the remainder of the discourse as Jesus answered those questions with some of the greatest prophesies of the New Testament. Their questions were simple and direct: “…when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” Over the coming days we will be examining this discourse given to the inquisitive disciples. They desired to know what was ahead, and so should we.
March 2
Matthew 24:3-5
Examine the questions of the disciples once again. They asked three things. First, when would the things that Jesus had told them of the future happen, what would be the sign of His coming, and what would be the signs of the end of the world. Jesus had told them earlier of future events that would take place, and He had told them briefly about His Second Coming. The word “world” is the Greek word, “aion” which does not refer to the inhabitable earth, but rather a period of time, an age. Their question was, “What will be the signs of the end of this age?” This introduces Jesus’ prophesies given in the rest of Chapters 24 and 25.
The first thing Jesus said would be seen as signs of these important events would be spiritual deception; “Take heed that no man deceive you.” There has always been the prevalence of spiritual deception, but according to this prophecy it will intensify as we near the Second Coming of Christ. The Apostle Paul declared that “evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” (2 Timothy 3:13) Remember that Satan, the god of this world, is referred to as “a liar, and the father of it.” (John 8:44) In 2 Thessalonians 2, the Apostle Paul is giving a prophecy of end-time events and begins that portion of Scripture with this warning; “Let no man deceive you….”
Part of the deception of that time nearing the end of the age spoken of by our Lord was the prevalence of those claiming to be the Christ. Since the 1900’s, at least 37 individuals have claimed to be the Messiah. These include individuals such as David Koresh and Sun Myung Moon. Most remember Jim Jones, the Pentecostal preacher that eventually moved to Guyana, South Africa, proclaiming himself to be the manifestation of Christ. There have been many such self-proclaimed Messiahs in Far Eastern countries, and they have accumulated many followers.
Beloved, followers of the Lord Jesus MUST be well read in God’s Word, hiding it in their hearts because of the prevalence of false teachers in this important days prior to the Second Coming.
March 3
Matthew 24:6-7
“…what shall be the sign of thy coming” was the question asked by the disciples of the Lord Jesus. He is answering that question in these verses, beginning with the prevalence of deception in those final days leading up to His coming. Next, the Lord Jesus informed His followers of four things that will noticeably increase in the last days; wars, famines, pestilences and earthquakes in divers places. This devotional study will not allow the space it would take to discuss the noted increase of all of the four indicators Jesus referred to, but there are undeniable increases in each. One statistic reveals that more people were killed in military conflicts in the 1900’s than in all of the history of the world combined. The 2000’s are proving to continue that trend. Its hard to image that in our modern world famine would still be a cause of concern, but the facts tell us otherwise. Who could argue about modern day “pestilences,” or diseases being on the rise. Covid 19 still effects the entire planet. Do an internet search of the topic of earthquakes and you will find some rather interesting information about the increase and severity of these natural phenomena. The tsunami we all witnessed in 2004 was the deadliest natural disaster in recorded history, which was caused by an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.2 - 9.3 on seismic magnitude scales. Should we think that these four different types of global realities are just coincidental, are should we consider these as indicators of the very important days in which we are living?
This information was provided by the Lord Jesus for His own in order that they might be knowledgable and prepared. (See John 15:15) Thank God for the light He has given. An honest appraisal of global events of the cast century would testify of the importance of the day in which we are living.
March 4
Matthew 24:8
I personally believe that Verse 8 is a pivotal verse marking a very important prophetic occurrence. Please note the following events and passages dealing with each.
. The Rapture of The Church: John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:51-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 3:10; 4:1-3; 2 Thessalonians 2:1
. The Tribulation: (A Seven-year period of time) Jeremiah 30:7; Daniel 9:27;
12:7; Matthew 24:15-22; Revelation 11:1-2; 12:6
The Second Coming of Christ: Matthew 24:29-30; Revelation 1:7; 19:11-16
Theses are just a few passages speaking of major prophetic events. Many more could be provided from both the Old and New Testaments, but these should suffice. In examining the “signs” of His “coming,” I feel that Verse 8 of Matthew 24, speaking of “the beginning of sorrows,” refers to that time of the Rapture of Christ’s Church and the Tribulation Period, which immediately follows. This will truly be a time of “sorrows” on this planet, especially for God’s chosen people, Israel. It will begin that time referred to in Jeremiah 30:7, “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” However, please do not miss the last of Verse 7, where we read, “but he shall be saved out of it.”
March 5
Matthew 24:9-13
The “time of Jacob’s trouble,” referred to in Jeremiah 30:7, is a future time in which God’s chosen people, Israel, will have to endure a most difficult season, but in that seven year period they will be drawn back to Him through the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember that this session of teaching by the Lord Jesus was occasioned by the disciples beholding the “buildings of the Temple” and the subsequent questions raised by them concerning future events. The Temple was the center of religious Judaism, the most important structure of the Jewish people. The “Tribulation Period” will be a time when the Lord will draw that people back to Himself through the sufferings they will be called upon to endure.
“But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” This is obviously a Tribulation promise, for nothing of the sort is ever mentioned concerning salvation during the dispensation of grace, (Ephesians 3:2) the time in which we are now living. Will many be saved during the Tribulation Period? See Revelation 7:9-17 (Gentiles) and Jeremiah 30:7. See also Zechariah 12:1-14. Technically, the prophesies given in Matthew 24 were given to Jewish followers off the Lord Jesus prior to the birth of the Church. See Matthew 16:18 and Acts 2:1-47. These prophesies concern the natural descendants of Abraham and their plight during the Tribulation Period, “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” (Jeremiah 30:7)
March 6
Matthew 24:14
Some mistakingly interpret this verse as applicable to this era of time in the dispensation of grace. It is not. This verse only finds meaning when interpreted correctly as applied in time to the Tribulation Period.
“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world….”. Note that the message of the Church is primarily the Gospel of Christ, of His salvation made possible through His death, burial and resurrection. See Romans 1:16; 15:19; 2 Corinthians 2:12; 4:4; Galatians 1:7. During the Tribulation Period, the Gospel of the Kingdom, which was preached by the Lord Jesus during the days of His earthly ministry, (Matthew 4:23; 9:35) will once again be proclaimed throughout the world. The message of the Gospel of the Kingdom concerns the Second Coming of Christ when He will set up His literal kingdom upon this earth in fulfillment of many Old Testament Messianic prophesies. Who will be proclaiming this kingdom message during the Tribulation Period? Read carefully Revelation 7. This chapter first introduces the 144,000 “servants of our God,” and the chapter ends with the vision of the “great multitude, which no man could number…which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” The 144,000 will be Jewish witnesses, carrying the message of the Gospel of the Kingdom throughout the world. They will be explaining Christ’s death and resurrection for sin, and His coming again to set up His kingdom. This message will result in the salvation of many precious souls. Even during the world’s darkest hour, our Lord reaches out to save all that will come to Him in faith believing. Blessed Redeemer!
March 7-10
Matthew 24:15
Note: Several days have been allotted for the studying of this verse and the subsequent passages which interpret it. Please take your time to study this section. Run references. Compare Scripture with Scripture. This is one of the most amazing prophesies in all of God’s Word.
Please read Daniel 9:24-27 and note the following in this passage:
1. Time references:
a. 70 weeks: Verse 24
b. 7 weeks and 62 weeks: Verse 25
c. 1 week: Verse 27
2. The people and the place of this prophecy: “Thy people…thy holy city….”
a. “thy people:” Daniel’s people, the Jews.
b. “thy holy city:” Jerusalem, the governmental and religious capital of the Jewish people.
3. The events prophesied in conjunction with the times mentioned.
a. “…the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem….”
b. “…unto the Messiah the Prince….”
c. “…and after…shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself….”
d. “…and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy….”
e. “…and he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week….”
f. “…and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate….”
g. “….even until the consummation….”
4. Time references explained:
a. 70 weeks (the total amount of time allotted for the fulfillment and completion of this prophecy.
(1). Compare with Genesis 29:18, 20-30
(2). A “week” in this context would be similar to saying, “a dozen,” the meaning of which would be 12 of whatever object was being considered.
(3). One “week” equals 7 years, as in Genesis 29.
(4). 70 weeks equal 490 years, or 70 years times 7.
b. The time marker which begins the sequence of events of this prophecy:
(1). “…from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem….” (Read Nehemiah 2:1-8)
(2). While there were several decrees made in the post- exile era, it was this decree by Artaxerxes that was given for the rebuilding of Jerusalem that had been destroyed in the Babylonian invasion. That decree was made around 454 BC.
(3). “…from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince (Jesus Christ) shall be….”
(a). “…seven weeks….” (49 years, the approximate time after the rebuilding decree until the completion of the Old Testament Scriptures with the writing of Malachi.)
(b). “…and threescore and two weeks….” (62 x 7, or 434 years)
(c). Approximately 49 years after the decree of Artaxerxes to rebuild Jerusalem the Old Testament Scriptures were completed with the writing of Malachi’s prophesies. 434 years later, Messiah the Prince was cut off, or crucified, “cut
off, but not for himself….”
(d). Adding the above “weeks,” or groups of seven years each, the total amount of time from the commandment to rebuild Jerusalem until the crucifixion of the Messiah would be 483 years. (49 + 434) This would leave one 7 year period of time for the completion of the entire prophecy of Daniel 9:25-27
5. Daniel’s 70th Week
a. The time marker beginning the final week: “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week.”
(1). “And he…” The Antichrist, “the prince that shall come….”
(2). “the covenant” Obviously a covenant of peace, most assuredly concerning Israel: See 1 Thessalonians 5:3
(3). “for one week” The covenant will be given a time limit or time element of 7 years.
(4). This covenant will officially mark the beginning of the “Time of Jacob’s trouble,” the 7 year Tribulation Period. Compare this with Revelation 6:1-2, which marks the beginning of the Tribulation and the introduction of the Antichrist to the world.
b. “…and in the midst of the week….” This marks the mid-point of the Tribulation Period, the time Jesus referred to as “Great Tribulation,” (Matthew 24:21) the time that is mentioned in several Old and New Testament passages. See the following: Daniel 7:25 (“time” 1 year, “times” 2 years, “dividing of time” 1/2 year); Daniel 12:7; Revelation 11:2 (forty two months - 3.5 years); 11:3; 12:14; 13:5.
Jesus’ warning of Matthew 24:15 clearly refers back to Daniel’s prophecy found in Chapter 9, Verses 25-27. Daniel wrote of “abominations” and that the antichrist will “make it desolate.” Thus, the Lord Jesus prophesied, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand….) What an amazing prophecy!
March 11
Matthew 24:16-21
The “time of Jacob’s trouble” as referred to in Jeremiah 30:7 will truly be a difficult season for the descendants of Abraham. Remember that Verse 15 speaks of the mid-point of the 7 year period of time, and that latter 3 1/2 years is that which our Lord referred to as “great tribulation.” When Antichrist is first introduced to the world, according to Revelation 6:1-2, he will go forth “conquering and to conquer.” He will do so through strength, pictured in the “bow,” but will offer peace through that strength, pictured in the fact that he has no arrows. This agrees with Paul’s prophecy of 1 Thessalonians 5:3 where we read, “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”
It would seem in that the first 3 1/2 years of the tribulation, the world will see antichrist as a mighty deliverer, a messiah type bringer of peace, one that Israel will look to as a fulfillment of messianic prophecy. He may be instrumental in allowing, or in helping to build the Temple again in Jerusalem. That could be part of the covenant he signs with many referred to in Daniel 9. However, by the mid-point of that seven year covenant of peace, antichrist will stand in the newly built Temple, in the “holy place” to declare himself to be God. See Revelation 13. At that point, Israel will rebel against the claims of antichrist, and thus begin their most difficult time of suffering during that 70th week of Daniel’s prophetic vision.
Please note how Jesus described that last three and one-half years of Daniel’s 70th week; “Then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” It will not only effect Israel, but this time will be the “hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” (Revelation 3:10) Thankfully, the Church will be taken out of this world prior to the introduction of the antichrist and the following seven years of unparalleled world-wide events. Thank God for salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!
March 12
Matthew 24:22
Over the past half century or more, there have been many discussions and scenarios presented in which mankind literally destroys himself with weapons of mass destruction. Is that even possible? Yes! In fact, the Lord said that without shortening the days of the Tribulation, “there should no flesh be saved.” If antichrist were allowed to go completely unchecked, there would be mutual destruction in which none could survive. But that will not be allowed to take place. The Second Coming of Christ will cut short the career, the goals and the life of the antichrist. See Revelation 19:11-21 and compare that with Zechariah 12:1-9 and 14:1-12.
The “elect” mentioned in Verse 22 and 24 refers to God’s chosen people, Israel. In that “time of Jacob’s trouble,” our Lord will protect and defend her, and will bring the people to Himself in repentance and faith. See Zechariah 12:10-14. As you watch the modern nation of Israel in the news today, know that Abraham’s descendants are still God’s chosen people, and He will yet redeem them from all their troubles and woes.
March 13
Matthew 24:23-26
We noted earlier the increase of spiritual deception and of would-be Christs, false Christs that have arisen over the past years. This will only increase as we near the Second Coming, and even in the Tribulation Period claims of false Christs will abound. Antichrist is the supreme false Christ, declaring himself to be the incarnation of God the Son. The world will be commanded to worship him, and those who refuse will be an extreme price. Read Revelation 13.
Tribulation saints are warned in these verses to beware false-Christ claims. The claims and signs of antichrist will be so convincing that “if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” There will be great displays of supernatural power by antichrist and the false prophet. Antichrist will be healed of a “deadly wound,” causing the world to wonder after him. He will possess tremendous power through which he will subject the world to his authority. The false prophet will “make fire come down from heaven,” and will perform many convincing “miracles” that will deceive the masses. Thank God for the truth of God’s Word, and the Person of the Holy Spirit that guides us into all truth. (John 16:13)
March 14
Matthew 24:27-28
Please note the vast difference in the Rapture of the Church and the Second Coming of Christ. Passages referring to the Rapture of the Church depict an event that is not witnessed by the world. See John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. His coming for His Church will only be witnessed and experienced by the redeemed. Compare this with passages prophesying the Second Coming. See Verses 27 and 30 with Revelation 1:7. The Second Coming of Christ in power and great glory will be witnessed by the entire world, it will truly a global event that can not be hidden.
Some mock the idea of a “secret coming” of the Lord Jesus to take His Bride out of this world prior to the Tribulation Period. Jesus made a promise to His true Church in Revelation 3:10 saying, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” This event was foreshadowed in the translation of Enoch prior to the flood. (Genesis 5:24) It was also pictured in the rescue of Lot from the cities of the plain prior to their destruction. (Genesis 19:12-22)
Compare Matthew 24:27 with Revelation 19:17-21. Truly the day of the Second Coming of Christ will be a day of wrath, vengeance and Divine judgment, and it will be an event witnessed throughout the entire world. Unlike the Rapture of the Lord’s Church, there will be no speculation or misunderstanding as to the purpose or power displayed when He comes to judge the nations and to set up His kingdom upon this earth. It will be as vivid and shocking as when the “lightening cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west….”
March 14-15
Matthew 24:29-31
These are important time related verses pointing out when the Second Coming of Christ will take place. That this is a reference to the Second Coming is beyond question, for we read, “…they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” This coming is detailed clearly in Revelation 19:11-15. As to the timing, the Second Coming of Christ in power and great glory will take place “immediately after the tribulation of those days.” Compare this with Verse 21. Remember that the Tribulation Period is seven years in length, beginning immediately after the Rapture of the Church and the signing of a covenant by the antichrist. (Daniel 9:27) The latter half, or the last three and one-half years is called “great tribulation” by our Lord in Matthew 23:21.
For further reading on the Second Coming of Christ, see the following passages: Isaiah 2:1-17; 13:1-9; Zechariah 14:1-4; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3; . For an interesting study, examine verses in Scripture that refer to “the day of the Lord.”
Child of God, the Lord has promised His Church that He will deliver Her from the present evil world prior to that horrible time called the Tribulation. (Revelation 3:10) The doctrine of the pre-tribulation Rapture of the Church has certainly come under fire in recent years, but Scripture is plain and His coming for His Church is sure. Keep faithfully serving Him and listening for His upward call!
The “elect” of Verse 31 is a reference to Tribulation saints still living at the time of the Second Coming, which would include the descendants of Abraham, the Jews, and also Gentiles that have been saved through faith in Christ. Turn to Isaiah 11 and read Verses 1-12. Chapter 11 is a prophecy of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus on earth, a literal kingdom that will be ruled by our Lord from Jerusalem. That kingdom will be established after the Second Coming. Isaiah is prophesying about this event in Chapter 11. In Verse 12 we read, “And he shall set up an ensign for the nations (Gentiles), and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.” See also Isaiah 27:13. As noted earlier, along with the return of the Jews to Christ during the Tribulation, many Gentiles will be saved. These will have never heard a clear presentation of the Gospel of Christ prior to the Rapture of His Church, but will hear the message of the 144,000 Jewish witnesses and place their faith in the Lord Jesus. Many will die as martyrs during that horrible time. Those that survive the seven years will be gathered to the Lord at the close of the Tribulation. This is the message of Matthew 24:31; the gathering of the living Gentile believers, and the descendants of Abraham that will still be scattered throughout the nations of the world.
March 16 - 18
Matthew 24:32-35
Given the important subject matter of these verses, we will dedicate several days to their study. Please be sure to read the passages referred to and dealt with in the examination of this parable.
“Now learn a parable of the fig tree….” This parable is still part of the answers given by Jesus to His disciples when they asked, “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” They had been discussing the “buildings of the temple,” the most important structure in religious Judaism, located in the capital city of Jerusalem. These answers are of the utmost importance to God’s chosen people, Israel.
In Old Testament Scriptures, the descendants of Abraham were referred to as the children of Israel (Genesis 32:32; 36:31; 46:8; 50:25). In Exodus alone, the phrase “children of Israel” is found in 119 verses. Israel is referred to symbolically in various ways. In Psalms 80, Asaph wrote of Israel as a “vine” with the following words, “Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.” (Psalms 80:8) See also Isaiah 5:1-7, a prophecy of Israel in which she is called “the choicest vine.” Israel is also pictured in Scriptural symbolism as the “olive.” See Jeremiah 11:12-17. Along with being referred to as a “vine,” and as the “olive” planted by the Lord, Israel is called in the Bible the Lord’s “fig,” or “fig tree.” See Hosea 9:10; Habakkuk 3:17. In Matthew 21:19, the Lord Jesus was on His way to the Temple when He passed a fig tree with leaves but no fruit. He cursed the fruitless tree, and the next day it had withered and died. That fig tree was a symbol of Israel, God’s chosen people that had been fruitless in their relationship with Him. Jesus said, “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” Just as He expected fruit from Israel, the Lord expects fruit from His Church.
The “fig tree” in Matthew 24:32 refers to Israel, God’s chosen people. In the parable, the Lord spoke of a “fig tree” with tender branch that “putteth forth leaves.” He told His disciples that when that happened, “ye know that summer is nigh.” With the fig tree representing Israel, God’s chosen people, the budding of that tree speaks of the resumption of life and growth after a period of dormancy. He was using this very normal occurrence in nature to illustrate an important prophetic truth concerning Israel. Let’s consider first the period of dormancy.
After the death of Solomon, the kingdom of Israel divided. The ten northern tribes formed what was known from that time forward as the Kingdom of Israel. The two southern tribes became known as the Kingdom of Judah. The ten northern tribes, the Kingdom of Israel, were defeated, destroyed and deported by the Assyrian Empire in 712 BC. The southern tribes, the Kingdom of Judah, fell to the Babylonians in 606 BC, officially marking the end of that country as a sovereign, self-governing nation. The “times of the Gentiles” had begun. (See Luke 21:24) The “times of the Gentiles” refers to that time in which Israel would be under Gentile dominion or authority. That “time” started with Babylon, then Persia, Greece and Rome. Beginning in 606 BC, the people that God had delivered out of Egypt and planted in the land of promise ceased being a self-governing nation, finding herself in servitude and bondage to Gentile powers. On May 14, 1948, after over 2500 years of dormancy, the “fig tree,” Israel, budded and brought forth life amidst the kingdoms of the world. The regathering of Israel which began in the late 1800’s and is continuing to this day, the wars that she has fought and the deliverances the world has witnessed, the advancements of modern Israel and the continued struggles she is still enduring to this day are all vivid testimony of the power of God and the fulfillment of prophesies given concerning God’s chosen people. One would have to acknowledge that, like the “budding of the fig tree,” Israel brought forth from the condition of dormancy she had endured for many centuries. Beloved, this is God at work fulfilling His blessed Word.
Jesus taught that when “these things” that He prophesied were seen, the “budding of the fig tree,” “ye know that summer is nigh.” The regathering and rebirth of Israel as a nation was an important indicator of the lateness of the hour prophetically. He went on to say that when that was seen, “This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” A Bible generation is forty years. Was the time marker that began these final prophesies concerning Israel her rebirth in 1948? Or was the regaining control of Jerusalem in 1967 that starting point? I speculate that the thing that truly marked the fall of the Kingdom of Judah was the destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians. In prophecy, we understand that there will yet be another Temple build in Jerusalem, for by the mid-point of the Tribulation period the antichrist will stand in its “holy place” and declare that he is God. While it is true that Israel regained control of Jerusalem during the six day war in 1967, they still do not have complete control of the Temple Mount where the new Temple will be constructed. Perhaps the control of that most important parcel of ground by Israel will mark the point of the beginning of the final drama in Israel’s prophetic journey.
The main thrust of this prophecy is that once those final prophesies begin to see fulfillment, the over all prophetic program for Israel in the last days will see completion quickly. Are these things certain? “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Amen!
March 19
Matthew 24:36
In conjunction with this verse, please read the following passages: Philippians 2:5-11; John 15:13-15. Matthew 24:36 may appear at first to be inconsistent with statements made about the Lord Jesus. For instance, we refer to the Lord Jesus as being very God Incarnate, (1 Timothy 3:16) having all wisdom and power. And, that is true. How then could we explain that as far as the time of His Second Coming, only the Father knew the timing of that event?
There is a word that is used among theologians that describes the voluntary humbling and self-limiting of the Lord Jesus during the days of His earthly ministry. It is the word, “kenosis.” It is taken from the Greek word translated “made himself of no reputation,” in Philippians 2, carrying the thought that the Lord Jesus emptied Himself, deprived Himself of certain Divine traits in His humanity. This included a limiting of Himself in His infinite wisdom. In John 15:13-15, Jesus informed His disciples that all that the Father had given Him, He had shared with His disciples, His friends. In His humanity, if the Lord Jesus had known the day and hour of His Second Coming, He would not have held back that information from His own.
He has not left us in the dark concerning future events, but has blessed us with insight and understanding of what lies ahead for the world, and for the redeemed. It is true that no man knows the day or the hour of His coming, but He has left us much information that enlightens us as to the approach of that glorious event. And with that information that He has provided, we understand that we are so much nearer to that wondrous coming than we have ever been. Amen! Keep looking up, child of God!
March 20
Matthew 24:37-39
A reading of Genesis 6 reveals the great wickedness of Noah’s day, perhaps best summarized by the statement, “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Verse 5) Compare this with Luke 17:22-30. These two prophetic illustrations give a very clear depiction of the great wickedness of our time. “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” (2 Timothy 3:13)
We are living in those days that were prophesied to come prior to the Second Coming of Christ. This generation of Christians have witnessed the apostasy of the professing Christian Church, and the further the professing Church has removed itself from sound, Biblical teaching and practice, the more vile and wretched has the unsaved world become. The “salt” has lost its “savour,” (Matthew 5:13) and the result is catastrophic as can be seen in the unbridled spread of iniquity. One can only imagine the vile wickedness of the world during the days of the Tribulation after the true Church has been raptured out of the world. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12) Be faithful, child of God, the day of wickedness will soon be over and the Righteous Christ shall reign! Amen!
March 21
Matthew 24:40-42
There will be a gathering of Christ’s elect at the close of the Tribulation Period, just as there will be a gathering of Christ’s Church prior to that time of trouble. The gathering of Christ’s Church, the Rapture, will take place just before the Tribulation Period, seven years before the Second Coming in power and great glory. These passages have been pointed out several times just in this devotional series, but are once again given here: John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51-57; 2 Thessalonians 2:1; Revelation 4:1-3.
The gathering of Christ’s elect at the close of the Tribulation is the matter being dealt with in Matthew 24:40-42. Compare this with Matthew 24:31 and Mark 13:27. See also Isaiah 11:1-12; 27:13.
The Second Coming of Christ will be a coming of Divine judgment and an outpouring of His wrath. See Revelation 19:11-15. We have discussed this even in previous studies of this month’s devotions. He will be coming to judge the nations and to set up His kingdom upon this earth. See Revelation 20:1-6 with Daniel 7:9-12. Just prior to this event, the Second Coming of Christ, He will gather together His elect from the four corners of the earth. These known as His “elect” refer to the saved among the Jews still living at the time of the Second Coming who are watching and longing for that glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ.
March 22
Matthew 24:43-44
There are certain books and passages of Scripture that will be of the utmost importance to Tribulation saints, both Jews and Gentiles. Among these will be the Book of Daniel. His prophesies will be of great value and will be greatly cherished by those trusting in Jesus Christ during that “time of Jacob’s trouble.” The Book of Revelation will be cherished by those living during the Tribulation, for its light will brighten their paths, giving meaning and purpose to their sufferings. These passages, along with others such as 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12, Isaiah’s prophesies of the coming King and Kingdom, and Matthew’s prophesies found in Chapters 24 and 25 will be so very important to those trusting Jesus during that “hour of temptation, which shall come upon the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” (Revelation 3:10)
And what is the purpose of these prophesies provided by our Lord? They are given so that Tribulation saints will be prepared, that they might be watching for the coming of the Lord. The same admonition of preparedness is applicable to His Church. We must not sleep away this day of grace, but be ready, watching and listening for His upward call.
March 23
Matthew 24:45-51
This parable is given to challenge the saved of the Tribulation, and truly the saved of every era of time, to be faithfully serving the Lord. God’s people of every era should be faithfully serving their Lord to the best of their ability, utilizing the time He has allotted them fully for His honor and for His glory. While the primary application of this parable is aimed at the saved of the Tribulation Period, it should and must challenge us who are living in the closing days of the dispensation of grace. We must faithfully serve our Lord Jesus, for He is coming soon!
In every era, there have been those who have been professing believers, but who have not in reality possessed a true relationship with the Lord. See Matthew 7:21-23. A horrible judgment is awaiting them, when the Lord shall “appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” This thought, “weeping and gnashing of teeth” depicts the horrors and great suffering awaiting the unredeemed who have rejected the message of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord.
March 24
Matthew 25:1-13
Chapter 25 is a continuation of the answer Jesus gave to the questions of the disciples found in 24:3. It contains two parables and a prophecy of the judgment of the nations, referred to as the judgment of the sheep and the goats.
The first parable of this section is that of the “Ten Virgins.” Please read this parable carefully. The “kingdom of heaven” speaks of Christ’s rule on this earth that will come to its fulness during the one thousand years that He will literally reign on this earth as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. See Revelation 1:7; 19:11-15. The phrase “Kingdom of heaven” is only found in the Book of Matthew, the Gospel that is dedicated to the theme of the King, Jesus Christ, the Son of David. He is the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant found in 2 Samuel 7:12-17.
The message of the parable is “The Son of Man (The Bridegroom) Cometh.” The ten virgins represent those who claim to be followers of the Lord Jesus, five wise and five foolish. From all outward appearances, they seem to be identical. The only difference that distinguishes the virgins is that the five wise virgins have oil in their lamps and the five foolish have no oil. Oil in Scripture speaks of the Holy Spirit. See the following verses: Romans 8:9; Jude 1:17-19; Matthew 7:21-23.
One message that should concern every true child of God is the fact that while the Bridegroom tarried, all of the virgins “slept.” Please note the following: Romans 13:11-12; Matthew 24:42-44. Let us be awake spiritually, looking for the coming of our Lord!
March 25
Matthew 25:14-30
Once again, a warning is given in this parable to those who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ but who do not know Him as Lord and Savior. The servant which had received one talent was called a “wicked and slothful servant” and was banished to “outer darkness,” the place where “there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Compare this with Matthew 7:21-23 and the parable we examined in yesterday’s devotion.
Another message conveyed in the parable is that of faithful service and the rewards given for such by the Lord. In this parable, faithfulness is rewarded by the man that had traveled to the far country upon his return. The traveling man represents the Lord Jesus, and the faithful servants represent true followers of Christ. Note the following passages: Hebrews 6:10; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-7; 2 Timothy 4:8; Matthew 10:42. The challenge for us all is to be faithfully serving our Lord until He returns for us. Amen!
March 26
Matthew 25:31-46
The Judgment Seat of Christ
Before we examine this particular judgment, it will be beneficial to look at other judgments found in Scripture. First, let’s look at the judgment referred to as the “Judgment Seat of Christ.” Please read the following passages: Romans 14:10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:1-10; Revelation 4.
The Judgment Seat of Christ is the judgment of the Church that will take place after the Rapture. In Revelation 4, the Church is represented by the four and twenty elders. See Revelation 5:9. The purpose of this judgment is to determine the rewards to be given to the saved for faithfully serving the Lord. According to Revelation 4:10, those crowns will be cast at the feet of the Savior in adoration and worship of Him and His goodness in providing salvation through His death, burial and resurrection. Beloved, when we stand in His presence redeemed, observing all the beauty that He has prepared, we will be overwhelmed with the reality that we are there simply because of His mercy and grace. It is obvious from the references made to the Judgment Seat of Christ that this is not the judgment being spoken of in Matthew chapter 25 at the Judgment of the Nations.
March 27
Revelation 20:11-15
The Great White Throne Judgment
The Great White Throne Judgment is the judgment of the unsaved. You’ll notice in the passage in Revelation 20 it is the judgment of the dead, both small and great. The dead refers to the unsaved, those who have never known life through the salvation that is in Jesus Christ. This judgment will determine the degree of eternal punishment to be suffered by the unregenerate. The fact that their names have not been recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life is the determining factor of an individual’s presence at this judgment. The purpose of the judgment will not be to determine whether or not an individual is saved. The very fact that they are at that judgment indicates they have never trusted Jesus Christ, as Savior, and have never had their names recorded in his book.
An important observation needs to be made here in reference to salvation and judgment. There will never be a judgment to determine whether or not individuals are saved. The fact is that all are lost, separated from God because of sin. A reading of Romans 3 reveals that the judgment against all humanity as to their loss condition and need for Christ’s salvation has already been made, decreed by God. Statements like the following,“There is none righteous, no not one,“ make that clear. Then in Romans 3:23 we read, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.“ There is, therefore, no need for a judgment to determine whether or not a person is lost. All are lost apart from Jesus Christ. There will never be a judgment to determine whether or not an individual is saved. That determination is made by individuals in this life. The Judgment Seat of Christ will not be for the purpose of determining the salvation of individuals, but the rewards for faithful service of those who have trusted Christ as Lord and Savior. In like manor, the Great White Throne Judgment will not be to determine whether or not individuals are saved, but will be a judgment of the works in this life that will determine the degree of eternal punishment they will endure in the lake of fire that burns with brimstone.
March 28
1 Peter 2:4; Isaiah 53:4-6,11
The Judgment of Believer’s Sins
A question naturally arises when considering judgment, and that being, “What about the believer’s sins? When will believers be judged for their sins in this life?“ As noted earlier, the Judgment Seat of Christ will not be for the purpose of determining whether or not individuals are saved, and neither will that judgment be for the purpose of judging the believer’s sins. The believer’s sins were judged on the cross of Calvary. According to the Apostle Peter, Jesus took our sins to his own body on the tree. (1 Peter 2:4) When Jesus died on the cross, he died for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2) His sacrificial death on Calvary, his blood that was shed for the remission of sins, is appropriated to the believer through faith. (Romans 3:21-22; 5:1)
The answer to the question concerning the judgment of the believer’s sins is hereby answered. The believer’s sins were judged in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ by His death on the cross of Calvary. “Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.” (Romans 4:6-7)
March 29
Psalms 50:1-7; Isaiah 1:24-26; Ezekiel 20:33-44; Malachi 3:2-5; 4:1-2
The Judgment of Israel
The judgment of Israel and of the Old Testament saints will take place at the end of the Tribulation Period, just before the full establishment of Christ’s kingdom on this earth. The purpose of this judgment is to determine those of the Old Testament era of the Jews that will be permitted to enter into the Kingdom era. The coming Kingdom was promised to Israel throughout the Old Testament, but only those deemed worthy will be permitted to enjoy those prophesied Kingdom blessings. Here are just a few of the prophesies given to Israel concerning the coming Kingdom of Christ on earth: Psalms 2:6-12; Isaiah 2:1-5; 9:6-7; 11:1-12; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Zechariah 6:12-13.
March 30
Matthew 25:31-46
The Judgment of the Nations
Now that we have examined other judgments dealt with in Scripture, let’s consider the Judgment of the Nations. This judgment will take place at the close of the Tribulation. just before the setting up of Christ’s kingdom on this earth. This judgment will determine who will be allowed to enter into the kingdom age. This will be a judgment of Gentile nations, and the basis of this judgment will the Gentile nations’ treatment of Israel during the Tribulation and before. This judgment will be a judgment of those who survived the tribulation, who did not receive the mark of the beast, and are living at the time of the second coming of Christ. This is not a judgment to determine salvation, but a judgment to determine access to the Lord’s kingdom of 1000 years upon this earth. Those who have survived the tribulation and are deemed worthy to enter into that kingdom age will be allowed to replenish the earth during that 1000 years of Christ’s reign on the earth.
March 31
1 John 1:1-10
The Believer’s Self-judgment
Matthew 25 closed out the answer of the Lord Jesus to the questions asked by the disciples in chapter 24. In those closing verses of chapter 25, our Lord spoke of the Judgment of the Nations. In order to get a clear understanding of that judgment, we examined other judgments found in God‘s Word. For our last devotional thought in March, let’s look at the believers self judgment as found in 1John 1. While we came to the conclusion that the believer sins were judged upon the cross of Calvary, and that there would never be a judgment in which the believer would give an account for sins, Scripture does declare that the believer’s sins need to be addressed. Judicially, those sins were atoned far through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, but practically in the life of the believer, individual sins and shortcomings need to be confessed before God. John makes it clear that if we deny that we have sin, we are deceiving ourselves. You and I are sinners, and although our sins were atoned for on the cross, we still sin daily through both acts of omission and acts of commission. To deny that is to deny the clear teaching of God‘s Word. Through confession of our sins before God, the believer is judging himself. (See 1 Corinthians 11:31) This judgment is of the utmost importance, for through this judgment we are able to get victory over our sins and to ensure that our fellowship and communion with God isn’t broken or hindered. The Psalmist said, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” (Psalms 66:18) Through the believer’s self- judgment, forgiveness, cleansing and victory over our sin is possible. May the Lord ever help us to examine ourselves in the light of His Word, and then confess and forsake those sins which so easily beset us! (Hebrews 12:1)
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