MATTHEW 24:1-14
3. Christ then says in essence, “But there is a tenth sign, a sign that you should see and for which you should watch.
And this tenth sign He discusses at some length. He says: “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation...”
(v.15-28).
a. It shall launch the worst tribulations the world has ever seen (v.15-22).
b. It shall cause a frantic search for the Messiah and false prophets, that is, for a great deliverer (v.23-26).
c. But know this: the return of Christ will not be in an isolated place or done in secret (v.26). His return will be as
lightning: it will be quick, stretching across the sky and visible to all (v.27-28).
4. Christ then says, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days” He shall return (v.29-31).
Many Biblical scholars point out great similarities between what Christ says about the end time and sections of Revelation
(Mt.24; Mk.13; Lk.21; Rev.6:1-7:1; 7:1; 8:1; 11:15; 16:1-21.)
1. There seems to be a similarity between the structure of what Christ says and the book of Revelation in dealing with
the end time (see notes given in paragraph above).
g120 The beginning of sorrows: preliminary ....corresponds to ...The Seven Seals (Rev.6:1-17)
g120 sorrows, trouble and evil in society and na-
ture; yet world evangelism continues
(Mt.24:5-14).
...The Seven Trumpets, the bowls, and
g120 “The Great Tribulation”: unparal- ....corresponds to the beast (Rev.8:1-18:24).
leled...trials (Mt.24:15-28).
g120 “The Son of Man coming” ....corresponds to ...The Final Triumph of Christ
(Rev.19:1-22:21).
2. There seems to be similarity between “the beginning of sorrows” (Mt.24:5-14) and the seals of Revelation (Rev.6:1-
17). The end of the world will not come all at once. The future will be filled with wars, natural disasters, persecutions, and
the claims of false deliverers (messiahs). And at the very end, there will be an increase and intensification of the signs. But
this is not all. There is to be a terrible sign: the appearance of the rider on the white horse (see note—Rev.6:2); “the abomina-
tion of desolation” (AV), “the desolating sacrilege” (RSV), “the man of lawlessness” (2 Th.2:3); the “little horn” (Dan.7); the
Antichrist. This person will afflict the people of God beyond imagination.
3. There seems to be a similarity between “the great tribulation” spoken of by Christ and the seven trumpets, the seven
bowl judgments, and the beast covered by Revelation.
4. Others point to a great similarity between “the beast” (Antichrist) pictured time and again in Revelation and “the
abomination of desolation” spoken of by Christ (see DEEPER STUDY #2—Mt.24:1-31).
DEEPER STUDY # 2
(24:1-31) End Time: three other things will help in understanding what Christ is doing in this passage.
1. It will help to remember that Jesus is preparing His disciples for His death and departure from this world and pre-
paring them to carry on after He is gone. His immediate disciples were to face some terrible times, ranging all the way from
personal trials brought on by their witness for Christ to national trials involving the utter destruction of their nation. And it
would be generations stretching into centuries before He returned to earth. No one knew this at that time—But He did. So He
needed to prepare His future disciples as well. They, too, were going to face all kinds of trials; and there was always the dan-
ger that His disciples might tire waiting for His return. They were to see and experience so much trouble in the world their
faith might falter. They, along with many in the world, might begin to ask:
“Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they
were from the beginning of the creation” (2 Pt.3:4).
What Christ does is use this occasion to reveal some of the events that are to take place upon the earth during “these last
days,” the days of the church (Acts 2:16-17; 1 Jn.2:18). By knowing some of the events, His disciples will be better prepared
to endure and to keep alive their hope for His return.
g159 They will know that God is not caught off guard. God is still on the throne and still in control of the events.
g159 They will not be caught off guard themselves. They will know what to expect in this corruptible and sinful
world. When the events happen, they will not be as likely to become discouraged.
g159 They will be challenged to keep themselves ever so close to God in order to be as strong as possible in facing
the trials coming upon earth.
g159 They will be encouraged to place their hope in God and in the new heavens and earth and not in this corruptible
world. They will be “looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior
Jesus Christ” (Tit.2:13).
2. Remembering that Jesus is dealing with two questions will also help in understanding what is being said. He is answer-
ing the questions: When will the temple be destroyed and what shall be the sign of His return and of the end of the world?
Note something. Christ is dealing with the end of the temple and with the end of the world, the destruction of the temple
and the destruction of the world. He is covering the signs, the events that both cause the judgment and occur during the
judgment of the temple and the world. What is the point? Simply this. The Scripture teaches that the same signs and events
cause the judgment of anything. That is, the events (sins) that cause judgment upon one thing are the same events that will
bring judgment upon everything else. Thus, the signs that surround the destruction of Jerusalem are much the same as the
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