Everybody wants to know the future and so some follow predictions, consult horoscopes or mediums but only the Bible has got it right every time. The disciples could not comprehend that the Temple would be destroyed. The Romans were not destroyers of Temples, yet the Temple still was destroyed.

1 – The deceptions of counterfeit Christs (vs. 4-5)

There is to be great deception. See 1 John 4:1-3. Although Jesus warned about it, people are still being deceived. There are many false Messiahs. So many people have claimed to be Christ. There have been 1,100 people in the last 50 years.

2 – The divisions of continuing conflicts (vs. 6-7)

Man has still not solved the problem of war. He has had plenty of time and two world wars to come to his senses. There is still war. There is Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan for example. It has been estimated that around 600 million people have been killed in war throughout history and half of that number in the last century. War includes bombing, hijacking and terrorism. There has been more war in our generation than at any other time in history. Much of it is cantered around Jerusalem.

3 – The disasters of cataclysmic consequence (vs. 7)

There are three:-

• Famines – You might have thought that with modern farming and genetic engineering that there would be no more famines in the world. Not only is there a problem in production but also in distribution. We cannot get the food to the people who need it. We don’t have the level of food storage today that we had in the past. The land that can be harvested is being used to its potential. Without it being rested (fallow) it will become infertile. The problem has been mostly caused by the recent population explosion.
• Pestilences – We find a vaccine for polio and it seems that we will find a cure for all diseases. Then along came AIDS, SARS and Ebola. Jesus said there would be an abundance of pestilences or diseases marking the time of His Return. We also have the problem of biological and chemical warfare.
• Earthquakes – It seems like the Earth is heaving in birth pains. There has been devastating earthquakes in Iran and Indonesia in the last few years.

4 – The defamation of committed Christians (vs. 9-10)

Jesus said that religious persecution will happen in the End Days and it will centre on Christianity. It is happening throughout the World. It has happened and is happening in Communist and Muslim countries. In the western world, Christians are being persecuted in the media.

5 – The distortion of Christless cults (vs. 11)

When someone doesn’t believe in Christ then he will believe in anything. There is plenty of faith in the world. There is plenty of philosophy that seeks to find a unity in all religions.

6 – The disposition of carnal coldness (vs. 12)

This cold heartedness is brought about by these false teachers who have taken away moral limits. There is lust, rather than love. There is iniquity and no law to control it. Iniquity will abound in the last days.

7 – The discharge of Christ’s commission (vs. 13-14)

The gospel is to be preached throughout the world. The gospel will not save civilisation or all people. The gospel is to be preached to the whole world. This has been done. It may not be to every person but to all nations. It has been estimated that 850 million people have seen the Jesus film alone. You can hear the gospel on the Internet.

All of these things are the beginning of birth pains. (vs. 9). When the birth pains multiply and intensify then you know that something is about to come forth. The number and intensity of these things are increasing. Jesus Christ is coming back soon. Are you ready?

Categories: Matthew