Mercy Series

The end was coming and Jesus knew it and He tried to prepare His Disciples and His followers for the inevitable … not only His horrible death on the cross and what will happen to them once He was gone … but He was also preparing them … and us … for the inevitable.

“Beware that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, I am the Messiah!’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs. Then they will hand you over to be tortured and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another, and hate one another. … And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come. So when you see the desolating sacrilege standing in the holy place, as was spoken by the prophet Daniel …, then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; the one on the housetop must not go down to take what is in the house; the one in the field must not turn back to get a coat. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a sabbath. For at that time there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’ or ‘There He is!’ – do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Take note, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. … Immediately after the suffering of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; and the stars will fall from Heaven, and the powers of Heaven will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in Heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see ‘the Son of Man coming on the clouds of Heaven’ with power and great glory. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to the other. … But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of Heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:4-27, 29-31, 36).

“But about that day and hour no one knows” (Matthew 24:36). It’s not a question of “if,” my friends, but a question of “when,” amen? And to illustrate the need to be prepared, Jesus tells His Disciple and followers the parable of the 10 bridesmaids:

“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do know you.’ Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour” (Matthew 25:1-13).