God's Work with Planet Earth

Stage 4 of God’s Work with Planet Earth will start when Jesus returns. But before we get to that world-changing event there are things leading up to it which we should be aware of.

The Disciples’ Questions

Jesus’ disciples were bubbling over with questions, so they asked several at once. Jesus answered them all in Matthew chapter 24, but people get confused about which answers are for which questions.

“Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” Matthew 24:3

• “These things” = the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem Jesus predicted in verse 2
• “Your coming” = Jesus’ return, as He had promised to them
• “end of the age” = end of this sinful world

Jesus started with a warning against deception (verse 4 & 5), then He began to tell them what would happen in the future.

• False Christs would come and deceive many people (v. 5)
• “Wars and rumors of wars” “but the end is not yet” (v. 6)
• “famines, pestilences, earthquakes in various places” (v. 7)
• Persecution, and God’s people hated by all nations for Jesus’ sake (v. 9)
• Many would be offended, betray each other, hate each other (v. 10)
• Many false prophets would deceive many people (v. 11)
• “because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold” (v. 12)
• When the gospel has reached the whole world, the end will come (v. 14)

The Destruction of the Temple & Jerusalem

At this point Jesus addressed their first question about when the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem would come.

• When the “abomination of desolation” which Daniel the prophet spoke about would be seen standing in the “holy place”, “let all those in Judea flee to the mountains” (v. 15 & 16)

These verses have been interpreted (and misinterpreted) many ways. But Jesus referred to Daniel, and in the book of Daniel, the abomination of desolation is split into three related times.

• The looting and destruction of Solomon’s temple by the Babylonians (in 597 – 586 BC) (Daniel 1:1-2)
• The destruction of the second temple and Jerusalem by Titus and the Romans (in 70 AD) (Daniel 9:25)
• The final abomination of desolation is the adoption of pagan beliefs and practices into the Christian church during the Dark Ages (538 – 1798 AD) (Daniel 8:13, 11:31, 12:11)

The common thread between all of these was Satan attacking God’s people and His church to destroy them. (Revelation 12:13-15). And all three came as a result of God’s people rejecting Him in one way or another (idolatry, rejecting Messiah, corrupting His commands).

In Matthew 24:16, Jesus said specifically that those in Judea should take the opportunity to escape. Because this was a prediction of the future, it couldn’t possibly be the first desolation listed above. Because it specifies Judea, it could not possibly be the final abomination of the Christian church, which was later based in Rome and not Judea.

Historically, Rome subdued revolts in Galilee and came close to attacking Jerusalem in 67 AD. But they withdrew because of political trouble in Rome. In 70 AD the Romans returned and destroyed Jerusalem and the second temple. Because the Christians remembered Jesus’ prophecy and warning, they escaped Jerusalem between 67 and 70 AD, before its desolation.

Signs of End Times

In Matthew 24:21, Jesus, still answering the multiple questions of His disciples, returned to signs of the end.

• A great tribulation (time of trouble) like never before (v. 21)
• If God allowed this time to go on, “no flesh would be saved”. But for the sake of His people, God will intervene. (v.22)
• False prophets and false christs will deceive many people, even God’s people if it is possible. (vs. 24)
• People will claim that Christ has come somewhere on earth, but Jesus warned not to believe it (v. 23 & 26) “See I have told you before hand” (v.25)
• Jesus said His coming would be like lightening flashing from the east to the west (the whole sky) (v. 27)
• Sun and moon darkened, stars fall from heaven. (v. 32) (These signs were fulfilled between 1780 and 1833, but we’ve seen partial or regional eclipses and star showers since then. (See also Joel 2:31)

Daniel also received explanation from an angel:

“But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” Daniel 12:4

Compare the 1800s and 1900s to the preceding centuries. Look how fast global travel, technology, and availability of information have “increased” in just the last 100 years!

Timing of Jesus’ Coming

In verses 36, 42, 44 Jesus emphasized that no one can know when He is coming back. It will be sudden and unexpected, though not secret. Paul wrote about Jesus’ Second Coming in a similar way.

“But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.” 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3

In Matthew 24:37-39, Jesus compared His return to the days before the global flood of Noah’s time. Everyone was “eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage” (doing everyday things) and not listening or paying attention to warnings, so they never expected until they were swept away by the flood waters.

Behavior of people in the “last days”

The Apostle Paul gave a long warning about what would happen in “the last days”.

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” 1 Timothy 3:1-5

This goes along with Jesus saying “because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:12) Do you recognize this behavior in our time today? It’s everywhere!

“But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” 2 Timothy 3:13

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” 1 Timothy 4:3

Peter’s warning talks about people denying that Christ will even come at all.

“knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 2 Peter 3:3-4

There is a conflict in the world between Christ and Satan, and this is the reason for the angry persecution against innocent people who follow God. The behavior might be literal and physical, but it is spiritually inspired by Satan and his fallen angels.

“We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” 1 John 5:19

Birth Pains Increasing

What we see going on in the world right now is a ramping up of these signs before Jesus comes. Sure, there’s always been wars and disasters, but the “birth pains” are growing in frequency and intensity.

“…sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman…” 1 Thessalonians 5:3

The LORD shall go forth like a mighty man; He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war. He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud; He shall prevail against His enemies.
“I have held My peace a long time, I have been still and restrained Myself. Now I will cry like a woman in labor, I will pant and gasp at once.” Isaiah 42:13-14

It seems obvious the world is going through these labor pains leading up to the end of this world as we know it, but why would God cry in anguish over what He will do?

“For the LORD will rise up … that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.” Isaiah 28:21

God is a Creator, not a Destroyer, and so destroying a world infected by sin is a “strange act” for Him.

“Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die…?’ Ezekiel 33:11

Summary

Supernatural signs in the Environment:

• Sun darkened, moon turned blood red, stars fall (meteor showers)
• Wars and rumors of wars
• Famine, pestilence (pandemics), earthquakes

Persecution & Deception:

• God’s people persecuted and hated by “all nations” for Jesus’ sake
• False teachers, false prophets, false christs. Claims that Christ has come somewhere on Earth.
• Many people will be deceived

Signs in Human Behavior:

• Many people will be “offended”, betray each other, hate each other
• “because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold”
• People will become “lovers of self, lovers of money”, “lovers of pleasure”
• They will be proud and boasters, headstrong and haughty
• Unloving, unforgiving, traitors, slandering others
• Brutal and lacking self-control
• They will mock and scoff, denying that Christ will come
• They “willfully forget” that God created the world, nearly destroyed it with the Flood, and has reserved the world for fire on the day of judgement (2 Peter 3:5-7)