Matthew 24:6-8 (ESV)
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 these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
After Jesus had taught in the Temple and called out the religious leaders for their hypocrisy, He and the disciples left the Temple. But on the way out, Jesus speaking about the Temple, stated this:
Matthew 24:2 (ESV)
But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
Subsequently the disciples asked when these things might happen. That is the context for the above verses. We don’t know when this time will come but we do know what the beginning looks like. The beginning looks like today. Wars, rumors of wars, famines and earthquakes in various places are all indications for the beginning of the end. We don’t know when but we do know it is coming. It is often referred to in Scripture as the hour of God’s wrath. Note the following in this section alone:
Matthew 24:36 (ESV)
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
Matthew 24:44 (ESV)
Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Matthew 24:50 (ESV)
the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know
Matthew 25:13 (ESV)
Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
John adds to this in his letter called The Revelation:
Revelation 3:10 (ESV)
Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.
Revelation 3:10 (ESV)
Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.
Revelation 9:15 (ESV)
So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind.
Revelation 14:7 (ESV)
And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
Revelation 14:15 (ESV)
And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.”
Revelation 17:12 (ESV)
And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast.
Revelation 18:10 (ESV)
They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,
“Alas! Alas! You great city,
you mighty city, Babylon!
For in a single hour your judgment has come.”
Revelation 18:17 (ESV)
For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste.”
And all shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off
Revelation 18:19 (ESV)
And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out,
“Alas, alas, for the great city
where all who had ships at sea
grew rich by her wealth!
For in a single hour she has been laid waste.
We don’t know when, but we know what and how long. It will be devastating. Jesus spoke of what it looks like throughout Matthew 24-25. We need to look for it and be prepared for it.
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