Culver Community Church

Pastor Chris Sweeney

Sermon Notes

February 03, 2019

Matthew 24:4-8 – The Beginning of the End

Remember these three questions were one in the disciples’ minds.  To illustrate this point let me read from Isaiah 61 (an amazing Messianic text!) – the very scripture that describes the Messiah and the very scripture that Jesus read in His home town Synagogue to introduce His ministry.

{Isaiah 61:1-2a} The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, {2} to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor . . .

and then Jesus stopped “Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on Him.  He began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."” (Luke 4:20-21 NIV)  He stopped because that is all He would do on this visit.  The remainder would be saved for next time.  But there is more -

. . . and the day of vengeance of our God [the Day of the LORD], to comfort all who mourn, {3} and provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of His splendor. {4} They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. {5} Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards. - Isaiah 61:2b-5 NIV

The chapter goes on but you get the idea.  The prophet and all who read this naturally assumed that Messiah would do all of this in one visit, one advent.  Likewise, before we get started I want to remind us that Jesus is our source, the Bible (the Holy Spirit inspired Word of God) is without error and we must be careful to read what is written (no more and no less).  This is one of those controversial sections where people try to push onto the text their own preconceptions in order to prove they are right. 

Let us start from the bottom up.  In verse 8 Jesus uses a common description used by the Rabbis of Jesus’ day for the troubles expected before Messiah comes (also used in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5).  We are familiar with labor pains because every woman who delivers experiences them (thanks Adam, Eve and sin) – today we are cleaver with our drugs and procedures but the pain is still there, just covered up.  This illustration however is more than just about the pain, it describes (as 1 Thessalonians 5 does) a sudden and unexpected nature.  Jesus’ return (question # 2 of 3) and The End will come like a thief in the night.  Just as a pregnant woman knows that the delivery is coming, but has no way to know when – so is the events surrounding the Rapture, the Tribulation and The End!  Which is why they wanted signs to understand.  They expected the answer to be today, tomorrow or maybe in a few weeks!  They were ready to start watching for the signs right away!  In fact, they had already been asking ‘when will the Kingdom come?’ for quite some time!  In these two chapters, Jesus will let them down, telling them that it’s not going to happen yet.

This comparison to labor pain tells us more about how the signs will come.  First, some have tried to say that these signs are happening now or that these signs applied to the time leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem (remember Matthew does not deal with that).  We are in the last days, that is certain but as we wait like a pregnant woman there are no labor pains until the time of delivery has come (as in Isaiah 13:6-11 & 1 Thessalonians 5:5).  Labor does not begin at conception, nor does it happen throughout the nine months of pregnancy!  Do not be confused about this, these signs individually are symptoms of sin in the world, they are all around us at various times and places.  Second, at the beginning, labor is less intense and the time between the contractions is far apart.  Once the beginning of these signs kick in, there will be a ‘ramping up’ of the level of intensity and frequency until things are as bad as they have ever been (vs. 21)!  This will continue until The End until Jesus’ arrival.

So what are the signs?  In the first part of this chapter, Jesus gives the beginning of The End.  Since He is dealing with a Jewish audience, in terms of this question He does not deal with the Rapture (we have to go to the epistles for that).  These signs are the start to what we call the Tribulation, Daniel’s last week of years – the time when the Antichrist is revealed right before the Last Battle (Armageddon) and Jesus’ triumphant return!  These signs are predetermined by God, not something new that Jesus gave off the top of His head.  They mirror the information given by the prophets of the Old Testament (especially Daniel who lays them out in order) and they match the book of Revelation.

False messiahs and deceivers: Interestingly, there are some who argue for an alternative translation – that many will come in My name, claiming that “I [Jesus] am the Messiah” – while still being deceivers.  I don’t believe that is the intent based upon the context and other texts regarding End Time ‘signs’.  We sure have had more than enough of both kinds!  And new ones are being added to the list all the time!  Since the days Jesus, and even before, men (and some women) have been claiming to be the Messiah.  They have claimed to heal, do miracles, to teach and even lead rebellions (like the one that ending in Jerusalem’s destruction!)  Some have garnered large followings like the Rev. Sung Myung Moon or Jim Jones.  Others are relatively local and small scale.  There is one pretender in Australia who claims that his partner is Mary Magdalene.  Another in Siberia is a retired (possibly fired) traffic cop named Vissarion.  In 2011, one tried to assassinate President Obama by firing nine shots at the White House.  One is even a cross-dressing former British spy named David Shayler!  They come from every corner of the world – South Africa, Tokyo, the Philippines, Canada and even the US (Florida & New Mexico)!  There is also no shortage of ‘preachers’ who claim ‘Jesus is Messiah’ who preach a message that is really from the pit of hell, teaching a gospel of works or something worse!

However, the deceptions that begin the Tribulation and the Great Deceiver will be a sign of The End.  In Revelation 6 we see him come as the first seal is broken as the rider on the white horse.  This is an imposter, who is trying to impersonate the true Rider coming on a white horse whose robes are dipped in blood, Jesus the conqueror (Revelation 19).  The imposter who has a crown and bow (but no arrows) comes to reign through peace (lying peace), deceit and intimidation.  Daniel 11 calls him the willful king (the nature of sin – our will over God’s), who we know as the Antichrist – coming to power with great deception.  This sign/warning comes with a command “Watch out that no one deceives you”!

Wars and rumors of wars: What’s new with this?  Nothing!  There have always been wars in the world – it is remarkable when there is a day (even one day) without active fighting somewhere.  However, after the religious and political deceptions of the Antichrist come, you have the world beginning to kill itself in massive slaughters that will lead up to Armageddon.  Daniel predicts the movements in chapter 11 – kings from all four corners of the globe will come against the willful king.

In Revelation 6, verse 3-4:  “. . . Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.”  The false peace established by the antichrist is taken from the earth and they all begin to kill each other.  Jesus tells those found in that time prophetically (“you”) “but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen” because the only way to get to The End (the restoration and blessings of the Kingdom) is to go through all these pains.  So “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom” (what’s the difference one group has a king the other doesn’t) - - - but even that is not the end, it is just the first pains of childbirth (but the end is still to come).

There will be famines and earthquakes in various places (Luke adds pestilences):  Famine often follows close behind war!  The destruction of the battles, the loss of crops, the farmers pulled from the fields to fight - - - it all adds up to not enough food to go around.  Then add damage by earthquakes and disease/insects – the world of that day will be unrecognizable!

{5} When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. {6} Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "Two pounds of wheat for a day's wages, and six pounds of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!" {7} When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" {8} I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth. - Revelation 6:5-8 NIV

This sounds and is brutal!  One fourth of the population will be slaughtered – and that is just the beginning!  This is God’s judgement on the sin of the world as we read from Isaiah 61 “the day of vengeance of our God [the Day of the LORD]”.  But again, the only way to get to the Kingdom, The End is to go through.  God is allowing the consequences of sin, the Devil and all of his forces to have their day (no longer restrained) and it will tear the world apart.  If God had not shortened this time, no one would survive – but there is hope coming “the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (vs 13) – next time!