Several years ago, in the winter (2009), Chicago experienced heavy snowfalls. A man and his wife had over a foot of snow piled up on the roof of their two-story home. Then they had a thaw. One evening when he returned home from work, he noticed that a thick sheet of ice and snow was hanging over the edge of the roof like a glacier hanging over a cliff. Their driveway runs right alongside the house, and one of their cars was parked directly underneath the overhanging ice.
The man thought to himself, “When that ice falls, it may land on our car.” However, he did nothing. Their driveway was filled from end to end, single file, with four family cars, and he would have to get permission from the police to park overnight on the street. The temperature was supposed to fall below freezing that night, and it didn't look as though the glacier was ready to fall yet. He thought, “We have lived in our home for 20 years and never had a chunk of ice fall on a car.”
The next morning when he went out to the car to leave for work, he looked up at the roof and noticed that the glacier was still there. That night when he came home from work after another warm day, the glacier was still in place. He thought to himself, “Just to be safe, I should at least pull my car as far as possible to the left side of the driveway.” But he was tired and cold and hungry, so he decided to go in for dinner. “I’ll move it later tonight,” he said to himself. He mentioned the overhanging glacier to his wife. The night passed, and he went to bed.
The next morning when he went out to the car to leave for work, he looked up and noticed that the glacier was still hanging over the edge of the roof. “I don't have time to mess with the cars,” he thought. Moving four cars would take more than five minutes, and he would be late for work. he drove away hoping that for one more day nothing would happen.
His wife, however, had not forgotten about the glacier. When she went outside, she saw the glacier hanging two stories above their car and decided to move it. First, she decided to go in the house and take care of food cooking on the stove, and then she would come back out and move the car. A few minutes later as she stood in the kitchen, she heard a crash on the side of their house. She ran outside. The glacier had fallen, landing on their car and shattering the front windshield (www.PreachingToday.com).
My dear friends, we live in a day and age when the “ice is about to fall.” The signs are “hanging over the roof,” so to speak, and a big crash is coming! Please, pay attention to those signs, which Jesus described for us in Matthew 24.
The last time we were together, we saw the signs He gave us for the end of the age, a 7-year time of tribulation before Jesus returns to rule and reign from David’s throne in Jerusalem. Those signs include: wars and rumors of war; famines and earthquakes; the persecution of God’s people; fake news leading many people astray; increased lawlessness; and the spread of the gospel around the world. Like never before, all these signs are increasing, which can only mean the Tribulation is about to fall. And if that’s true, then Jesus’ coming to rule and reign on this earth will soon follow.
If you have your Bibles, I invite you to turn with me to Matthew 24, Matthew 24, where Jesus gives more specific signs for His Second Coming. In verses 4-14, He described the signs for the end of the age. Now, starting in verse 15, He describes the signs for His Second Coming.
Matthew 24:15-16 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains (ESV).
Jesus says flee when you see “the abomination of desolation.” Run when you see the desecration of the Temple in Jerusalem. In other words, as His coming approaches...
ESCAPE THE WRATH TO COME.
Now, this “abomination of desolation” is that which Daniel talked about at the end of Daniel 9. There, Daniel speaks of a “prince who is to come” who will establish a 7-year peace treaty with Israel. Revelation 11 tells us that the temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem by that time, perhaps as part of this 7-year peace treaty. However, halfway through those seven years, this “prince” will break that treaty, stop the temple sacrifices, desecrate the temple itself, and proclaim himself to be God (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).
Historically, a Syrian prince, Antiochus Epiphanes, desecrated the Jewish temple in 167 B.C. At that time, he built an altar to the pagan, Greek god Zeus in the Temple and sacrificed a pig on it (Josephus The Antiquities of the Jews 12.5.4). 236 years later, the Roman Army overran the city of Jerusalem, desecrated the temple, and totally destroyed it in 70 A.D. Those were horrible times for the Jews living in Judah at the time.
However, those two events only foreshadow what a coming world ruler will do halfway through the time of the end. This world ruler is none other than the antichrist (also described in 2 Thessalonians 2 and Revelation 13). And this antichrist, possessed by Satan himself, will create a virtual hell on earth immediately after he desecrates the Temple in Jerusalem. That’s why those in Judah should flee at the time without even taking the time to pack.
Matthew 24:17-19 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! (ESV)
Pregnant women and those with tiny babies will be overrun, because they cannot get away fast enough. The same is true for those who have to escape in winter or on the Sabbath.
Matthew 24:20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath (ESV).
Winter restricted conditions for travel, which immobilizes most armies. And Jewish Law prohibited riding horses and other means of transportation on the sabbath. It even limited how far a person could walk, which was less than half a mile (Craig S. Keener, IVP Bible Background Commentary; Chadwick and Freeman, The New Manners and Customs of the Bible, on Acts 1:12).
Jesus says when the antichrist desecrates the temple in Jerusalem, run without taking the time to pack, and hope it’s not in the winter or on the Sabbath...
When the Taliban overtook Afghanistan and captured Kabul, the capital city, last Sunday (August 15, 2021), tens of thousands of people were unable to escape their reign of terror. They killed women in the streets, went door-to-door to kill those sympathetic to American soldiers, and locked the country down. Even now, there are thousands of Afghans at the airport trying to get out on US transport planes, and the Taliban is doing everything they can to block anybody else from getting to the airport, which has been secured by over 6,000 US troops.
The Afghani people are living in terror, but that is only a glimpse of what the antichrist will do when he overtakes Judea and desecrates the Jewish temple. There will be no escape, so Jesus says get out while you can!
Matthew 24:21-22 For then there will be great tribulation, 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 human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short (ESV).
“The elect” in this context are God’s chosen people, the Jews (Psalm 105:6, 43; Isaiah 42:1; 43:20; 45:4; 65:9, 15). God will cut short those days of “great tribulation” to spare His chosen people, the Jews, from complete annihilation. The prophet Daniel predicted 1,290 days of Great Tribulation for the Jews (Daniel 12:11-12), but the Book of Revelation shortens that time by 30 days to 1,260 days (Revelation 12:6; 13:5). I don’t know if that’s what Jesus meant when He said, “Those days will be cut short,” but He is very clear. God will limit their time of suffering.
Now, even though this refers to God’s chosen people, the Jews, at a time yet future, I believe God limits the suffering of all His people from every tribe and nation (Revelation 5:9). So, if you’re in pain, please find comfort in the fact that God has determined the exact number of days for your suffering, and He will not allow you to suffer one day more. In fact, He may even cut short those days for your sake.
God loves you. That’s why Jesus warns you to flee the wrath to come. Now, for those living in Judea at the time, they must literally flee to survive. But for those who are living today, they too have an opportunity to escape the wrath to come long before the antichrist desecrates the temple.
1 Thessalonians 5:9 says, “God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST” (see also 1 Thessalonians 1:10). You can escape the wrath to come, whether it’s the tribulation wrath or the wrath of hell, simply by putting your faith in Jesus Christ.
In the spring of 2014, Golden Winged Warblers fled from their breeding ground in the Cumberland Mountains of eastern Tennessee, where they had only just arrived. More than 24 hours later, a storm that spawned 84 confirmed tornadoes and killed at least 35 people struck the area. All told, the warblers travelled 900 miles in 5 days to avoid the historic tornado-producing storms.
How did the golden-winged warblers know in advance that a storm was coming? Well, meteorologists have known for decades that tornadic storms make a very strong infrasound that can travel thousands of miles from the storms. And it just so happens that that infrasound is exactly the same frequency the birds are most sensitive to hearing. So scientists surmise that the infrasound from this tornadic storm alerted the birds (“Birds sensed severe storms and fled before tornado outbreak, Science Daily, December 18, 2014; www.PreachingToday.com).
Now, you don’t need an infrasound to alert you that a storm is coming. Jesus has already alerted you. So escape the wrath to come by putting your faith in Him. Trust Christ with your life. Cry out to Him and ask Him to save you from your sins (Romans 10:13), and He will! Escape the wrath to come! And...
IGNORE THOSE WHO SAY JESUS HAS ALREADY COME.
Disregard those who claim the Messiah is hiding out somewhere. Discount those who assert a secret return of the Savior.
Matthew 24:23-27 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, 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 shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man (ESV).
Christ’s coming will be like lightning flashing across the sky. Everyone will see it, so refrain from following after any secret messiahs.
Matthew 24:28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather (ESV).
Jesus’ return will be very visible. It will be at the place of the last battle, the battle of Armageddon, where He will defeat His enemies and they will become food for vultures (Ezekiel 32:4–6; 39:17–20; Revelation 16:12-16; 19:17-18). When Jesus returns, He will return as the victorious King, obvious to all, friend and foe alike, so disregard all other imposters!
Now, that’s good advice for those who will live during the Great Tribulation, and it’s good advice for you and me today. There are many leaders who claim to save you if you follow them, but there are very few who are worth following.
In his book Immeasurable, Skye Jethani writes:
Compare two leaders. Leader A lifted an entire nation in a time of despair. He mobilized his people against unimaginable odds with a clear vision and inspiring passion. He launched a movement that has impacted literally everyone alive today. He set in motion an industrial and scientific revolution that produced the first computer, the first jet airplane, began human exploration of space, and unlocked the mystery of nuclear energy. Almost every aspect of the modern world has, in one way or another, been influenced by this man. By the time he died at the age of only 56, everyone on the planet knew his name. Without a doubt, Leader A changed the world.
Leader B lived during the same era. In fact, he died just 21 days before Leader A, but his life was very different. At the height of his influence, Leader B ran a school with just 100 students. He wrote a few books but was not widely regarded. He was beloved by his friends and family and had a reputation for being both intelligent and faithful, but at the time of his death almost no one knew his name, and most considered his life's work unfulfilled—including Leader B himself.
So given the choice, which leader's strategies would you rather study? Which leadership conference would you rather attend—the one featuring a keynote address by Leader A or the one with the small workshop in a back hall led by Leader B? If you are inspired by the world changing effectiveness of Leader A, congratulations! You've chosen Adolf Hitler. Leader B was Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor that the Nazis executed for his relentless opposition to Hitler (Skye Jethani, Immeasurable: Reflections on the Soul of Ministry in the Age of Church, Inc., Moody Press, 201), pages 21-22; www.PreachingToday.com).
My dear friends, be careful who you follow especially in these days before Jesus comes again. As His coming approaches, escape the wrath to come, ignore those who say Jesus has already come, and...
LOOK FOR SIGNS IN THE SKY.
Watch for a darkening sun, a disappearing moon, and stars which seem to fall from the sky. Anticipate celestial changes immediately preceding Christ’s glorious return.
Matthew 24:29-30 “Immediately after the tribulation 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 the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, 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 (ESV).
Jesus will come “on the clouds of heaven,” a reference to the hosts of angels (as in the Dead Sea Scrolls), to the cloud of God’s shekinah glory (as in the Old Testament), or to literal clouds (Craig S. Keener, IVP Bible Background Commentary). However He comes, it will be unmistakably glorious, even as it causes the whole world to mourn.
In Zechariah 12:10, God says, “I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn."
When the Jews see Jesus at His second coming, they will realize the horrible mistake they made when they rejected Him as their Messiah, delivered Him up to Pontius Pilate for crucifixion, and refused to believe in Him even after He rose from the dead.
At that time, they will see the nail prints in His hands, and they will repent of their hostility towards Him. Then Jesus will save them and bring them into His Kingdom.
Paul says of the Jews, “A partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way ALL ISRAEL WILL BE SAVED, as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob; and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins’” (Romans 11:25-27).
God still has a plan for His chosen people, His elect, the Jews. Even though they rejected Jesus at His first coming, at His Second Coming, they will welcome Him, and God will keep His promise to forgive them of all their sins (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
The Jews will mourn in repentance when they see Jesus. The rest of the world will mourn in despair, because they know judgment has come (Revelation 1:7; 6:15–17).
Revelation 6 says, “Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?’” (Revelation 6:15-17).
When Jesus comes again in glory, the whole world will mourn either in repentance or in despair.
Matthew 24:31 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 (ESV).
This is NOT the rapture of the church. This is God gathering His chosen people, the Jews, back into the land after they had scattered all over the world to escape the antichrist (Matthew 24:15-16; Ezekiel 37:9-14; Zechariah 2:6-12).
When Jesus comes again, the whole world will mourn, and He will gather His chosen people, the Jews, back into their land with a loud trumpet sound. In the Old Testament, trumpets announced the accession of kings, and signaled God’s people to gather. And that’s exactly what will happen when Jesus comes again. He will ascend to the throne of David in Jerusalem, and Jews will gather from all over the world to welcome their King.
Craig Keener notes that in Jesus’ day, the Jews regularly recited a prayer, which mentions this future gathering of Israel at the sound of a trumpet (Craig S. Keener, IVP Bible Background Commentary).
Jesus will come with great fanfare and glory to make all things right. That’s where all the trouble in this world leads, and believing that helps you enjoy the present a little more.
Conventional wisdom says you don’t want to ruin a good story by learning about the end in the middle of the story itself. A movie is a whole lot more fun to watch, or so we think, if we don’t know how it ends before we watch it. That’s why we appreciate the movie or book reviewers who give us a “spoiler alert” at the beginning of their reviews.
But a recent study done at the University of California, San Diego, suggests that spoilers don't spoil stories. Instead, they might even enhance our enjoyment of a story. The study ran three experiments based on 12 short stories. 30 people read each version of the story, one with a spoiler alert at the beginning and the other which kept readers in suspense until the end. Surprisingly, the researchers found that participants preferred the “spoiled” versions of suspenseful stories.
For example, in one case, researchers told participants before reading the story that a condemned man's daring escape is all just a fantasy before the noose snaps around his neck. That spoiler alert helped them enjoy the story even more (ScienceDaily, "Spoiler Alert: Stories Are Not Spoiled by 'Spoilers,'" ScienceDaily.com, 8-11-11; www. PreachingToday.com).
Well, here in Matthew 24, we have the end of the story: Jesus comes with great fanfare and glory to make all things right. Let it help you enjoy your story even though the middle of it seems all wrong.
As Jesus’ coming approaches, escape the wrath to come, ignore those who say Jesus has already come, look for the signs, and
KNOW THAT HE IS COMING SOON!
Realize that Jesus could come in your lifetime. Grasp the fact that He is near!
Matthew 24:32-35 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away (ESV).
Even though the world will end, Jesus’ words will remain forever. He will accomplish them exactly as He said, and He said that the generation that sees these signs will see His Second Coming.
Now, we may or may not be that generation, because the signs of Jesus’ coming start with antichrist desecrating the temple in Jerusalem, and there is no temple yet in Jerusalem. However, the stage is set for all these things Jesus talked about to happen. The world, as never before, is looking for a leader with answers. The Jews have everything they need to build a temple, and you hear about false messiahs all the time these days, so we could be that generation.
We see a foreshadowing of those signs, but not the signs themselves yet. Even so, we don’t look for signs as much as we look for the Savior (Phil. 3:20), because Jesus can come for His church at any time. As we’ll see next week, there are no preceding signs for the rapture of the church. There are preceding signs for the end of the age (vs.4-14). There are preceding signs for Christ’s coming (vs.15-35), but there are no preceding signs for when believers today disappear from the earth to meet the Lord in the air (vs.36-41).
Tell me. Are you ready to go? I hope so, because the signs of Jesus’ coming are casting their shadows today.
As Jesus’ coming approaches, escape the wrath to come by trusting Jesus with your life, ignore those who say Jesus has already come, look for the signs, and know He is coming soon, perhaps even in your lifetime.
In the early part of the 20th Century, British laborers depended on a “knocker-upper” to wake them in the morning for work. They had moved from the country where they kept time with the seasons. Now, in the big cities, they not only had to adjust to dangerous, fast-paced industrial work; they had to adjust to new schedules. They could buy alarm clocks at the time, but the clocks were expensive and unreliable. So companies hired “knocker-uppers” to pass by working class buildings in the pre-dawn hours and rap on the windows of those who needed to get up for work.
Author Paul Middleton writes, “Life for the employed was forever balanced on a knife edge. Being late for work could mean instant dismissal and a speedy spiral for those workers and their families into poverty, homelessness and destitution.”
The job went obsolete around a hundred years later, as alarm clocks became more affordable and reliable, and working conditions improved (Josh Jones, “When the Alarm Clock Was a Person,” Flashbak.com, 1-12-20; Paul Middleton, “Mary Smith – The Knocker Upper,” Anomalien.com, 5-2-19; www.Preaching Today.com).
I don’t know about you, but I hear God’s knocker-upper coming down the street. Please, as we approach Christ’s coming, wake up before it is too late. The Bible says, “The hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed” (Romans 13:11).
