Verse 22) “And except those days should be shortened. there should no flesh be saved: but for the elects sake those days shall be shortened.” The Great Tribulation will begin a time of trouble that the world has never seen, followed by an even worse time of trouble, the seven vials of the wrath of God. The elect are the saved. This time of trouble will be shortened for their sakes to 3 and 1/2 years because they are going to be rescued at the rapture immediately after the 3 and 1/2 years of the Great Tribulation before the seven vials of the wrath of God begins.

Verse 23-28) “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightnings cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.”If anybody told me that Jesus had come back, and was in a secret place in the desert. I would tell them that was not true, because if Jesus had come back I wouldn’t be here. I would be in heaven at the marriage supper of the Lamb in my new body and having a great time at the biggest party and family reunion in history! Jesus warns us again to not be deceived by false prophets and false Christ’s even though the false prophet will do signs and wonders, even pulling fire out of the sky. “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.” (Revelation 13:13,14). When Jesus appears and takes us to heaven it will be fast like a twinkling of an eye, like the lightnings, like the Eagles (the saved) attacking a carcass,( Jesus). Have you ever seen how fast eagles can swoop down and pick up a rabbit and be gone with it? “In a moment in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” (I Corinthians 15:52).

Verse 29,30) “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken; And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Does it say immediately before the tribulation? NO! IT SAYS IMMEDIATELY AFTER !!! You can’t get any clearer than that! Then why do most churches today teach the dangerous false doctrine of Pre-Tribulation Rapture? The Lord has spent so much time in the Scriptures trying to show us the truth yet people don’t get it because they don’t search the Scriptures for themselves because they say this is what we pay the preacher for, and he doesn’t get it himself, because he is taking the word of someone else that taught him. “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:11). Are you more noble? Do you search the Scriptures daily to see if these things are so? So Jesus said; Immediately after the Tribulation, which lasts for 3 and 1/2 years, 42 months, 1,260 days, which begins the day when the abomination of desolation will be placed in the Temple. Then he will appear in the clouds of heaven and resurrect the dead bodies of all the saved and those that are alive at this time, and change our bodies, and take us all to heaven, and all the people still alive on earth will mourn when they see Jesus appear and all the saved people disappear because they missed the rapture, and the wrath of God is coming upon them. The word “then” is another keyword. Immediately after the Tribulation in verse 29 “then” shall appear the sign of the Son of Man (Jesus) coming in the clouds of heaven. So Jesus appears and takes the saved to heaven at this time.

Verse 31) “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet. and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” This is talking about the seventh trumpet in Revelation Chapter 10:7, which is the Rapture, which means “The Gathering Together”.

Verse 32) “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh; So likewise ye when you shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.” The fig tree is talking about Israel. Even today the fig tree is the national symbol of Israel. Israel became a nation again for the second time on May 14, 1948. Israel was for the most part a barren desert land, but since Israel became a nation again it has become a very fruitful country in fact it is one of the top exporters of fruit in all the world. “He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud and fill the face of the world with fruit.” (Isaiah 27:6). “The fig tree”, Israel, is definitely being built up and putting forth leaves. So the harvest, or rapture is near. “When the Lord shall build up Zion. (Israel) he shall appear in his glory.” (Psalm 102:16) These are the very words that Jesus spoke in Matthew 24 verse 30, “appear” and “glory.” “I will open rivers in high places and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water and the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness the Cedar, the shit-tah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together: That they may see,and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this,and the Holy One of Israel hath created it. Produce your cause. saith the Lord: bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. Let them bring forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come.” (Isaiah 41:18-22). Another amazing prophecy about Israel being built up as a sign of the soon coming of the Lord is found in (Isaiah 11:11-14).“And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time torecover the remnant of his people, which shall beleft, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Path’ -ros, and from Cush, and from E’-Iam, and from Shi’-nar, and from Ha’-math, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcast of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. The envy also of E’-phra-im shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah. shall be cut off: E’-phra-im shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex E’-phra-im. But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Phi-lis’-tines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon E’-dom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.” The second time God brought back the Jews to Israel was in 1948. This is when Israel became a nation again after they were scattered throughout the world, after Rome destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 A. D. Hitler persecuted and killed so many Jews which drove them out of Europe and all over the world to come to Israel. The first time the Jews were scattered by Babylon in 586 B.C. Until Artaxerxes king of Persia gave the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem in 457 B.C. And the Jews came back to rebuild the street and wall of Jerusalem.( see our Daniel 9 Class). Also today there are no more south and north tribes called E’-phra-im and Judah, but Israel is one nation today. In verse 14 it says, “But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Phi-lis’tines toward the west.” This amazing prophecy was fulfilled in 1967 during the 6 day war when the Israeli jets flew over the Gaza Strip ( the Philistines toward the West), and attacked the Egyptian Air Force and destroyed it, and destroyed their tanks and trucks and armies in the Sinai desert as they were on their way to attack Israel. God spoke through Isaiah around 750 BC about jet airplanes! The fig tree, Israel, is definitely being built up. This is an important sign of the end and the coming of Jesus Christ.

Verse 33) “So likewise ye,when you shall see all these things know that it is near even at the doors.” Jesus is coming soon! It is time to get ready. When someone we really like is coming over to visit us we get all excited, and get our house cleaned up to greet them, and then they arrive at our door step and we hurry to open the door and receive them. How much more should we be like this for the Lord? We know he is on his way.

Verse 34) “Verily I say unto you. This generation shall not pass until all these things be fulfilled.” This generation has seen most of these things come to pass, wars, earthquakes, famines, pestilences, the Gospel being preached worldwide, but there is still a lot to go. The next major sign we’re looking for is the confirming of the covenant. Which starts the last seven years, and the Abomination of Desolation being placed in the soon to be rebuilt Jewish Temple at Jerusalem, which starts the last 3 1/2 years or 42 months or 1,260 days. Remember these time periods are based on the Hebrew calendar of twelve 30 day months in a year. So the generation that sees all these events happen will not pass away until Jesus comes back.

Verse 35 and 36) “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” God is going to make a new heaven, and a new earth, and the old heaven and earth will pass away, but Jesus’s Word will never pass away! Only God knew when Jesus was coming back, when Jesus spoke these words to his disciples. “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:9-11).

Verse 37-39) “But as the days of No’-e were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that No’-e entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Things got pretty bad in Noah’s day, so bad, that God wanted to destroy men off of the face of the earth, which he did in the flood, but spared Noah and his family to carry on the human race. So Jesus said people would be carrying on just like in the days of Noah and knew not what is getting ready to happen to them.

Verse 40-42) “Then shalt two be in the field; the one shall be taken and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill, the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” When the rapture happens all the saved people will instantly disappear and be taken to Heaven. Can you imagine the shock and chaos this will cause? What if the Pilot and Co-pilot were raptured during their flight?

Verse 43-51) “But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meet in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And show began to smite his fellow-servants. and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he look if not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Some people who are raptured will be in shame when they see Jesus. Don’t let it happen to you. Would you like to hear the Lord say to you: “Well done thou good and faithful servant” enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” ? Then just be a good and faithful servant until the Lord takes you.“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” (Daniel 12:2,3) “Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”  (Matthew 6:19-21).

Say this prayer to be saved: Jesus, I want to know you, and to live forever in Heaven, I know I have made mistakes and done bad things- and I am sorry. Please forgive me. I know I don’t deserve it, but I accept your love and I accept you as my Saviour. Please come into my heart and life and fill me with your Holy Spirit and give me peace. Amen.

Verse 1, 2) “And Jesus went out and departed from the Temple: and his disciples came unto him for to show him the buildings of the Temple. And Jesus said unto them. See ye not all these things? Verily I say unto you. There shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down.” Jesus had just finished blasting the scribes and Pharisees and Sadducees in Matthew chapter 23, telling them that they were hypocrites and blind guides, and serpents, and vipers. Then he left the Temple and his disciples came to him wanting to show him some beautiful buildings that were built as part of the Temple. Jesus told them that there wouldn’t be one stone of the Temple that would not be thrown down. This prophecy from Jesus was fulfilled in 70 A.D. when Titus the Roman General marched on Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple, and when the Temple burned, the gold in the Temple melted through the cracks of the bricks, and Titus ordered his soldiers to take each stone and scrape the gold off. This fulfilled what Jesus predicted. The earthen retaining wall still remains today. It is called the Wailing Wall were Jews go to pray, but was not part of the Temple itself, but it held up the dirt that the Temple area was built upon.

Verse 3 -5) “And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately. saying tell us. when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming. and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them. Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name. saying, I am Christ and shall deceive many.”Jesus warns us many times not to be deceived. There are so many false religions. And cults, and isms, and false prophets, and false churches, out there trying to deceive people. That is why you really need to know the word so you won’t be carried away by some false doctrine. “If they speak not according to this word. it is because there is no light in them.” (Isaiah 8:20b). “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you. let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:8).

Verse 6-8) “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass. but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines. and pestilences, and earthquakes in diverse places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” The Bible tells us; “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse. deceiving, and being deceived.” (2 Timothy 3:13). Things are not going to get better as evolution teaches, but worse and worse as evil men are inventing more and more ways to destroy themselves and the world. Jesus doesn’t want you to be worried as things get worse, because that means the return of Jesus is getting closer and closer. Jesus warned us of all these plagues and pestilences that are coming upon the world seemingly out of nowhere even now, such as HIV, SARS, H1N1, Enterovirus, Ebola, zika virus and many other pestilences which are coming upon the world, which is another sign of the end times, along with all the devastating earth quakes we are having around the world like never before. Many of these plagues and pestilences are said to be created by evil men themselves.

Verse 9-12)“Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted. and shall kill you: and you shall be hated of all nations for my namesake. And then shall many be offended. and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise. and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound. the love of many shall wax cold.” Persecution of believers has been around every since Jesus was upon the earth during his public ministry, but it will be getting worse as the anti-christ and his forces try to destroy God’s people and the truth that they teach. These verses are becoming more and more true and fulfilled as the Time of The End draws closer.

Verse 13) “But he that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved.” Some false doctrine teachers try to use this verse to say you can lose your salvation, if you don’t endure unto the end. The fact is, you have to rightly divide the word of truth. (II Timothy 2:15 ). You can’t just take one or two verses and make a whole doctrine out of it. You have to take the whole Bible and all the Scriptures on a particular subject to understand the full meaning of it. Yes those that endure unto the end will be saved and rescued when the Lord appears and takes us up at the rapture, but so will also those that don’t endure because they were killed, or they backslid, and denied the Lord. There are also other things to be saved from besides Hell, like being saved from being raised to everlasting shame and contempt, because of denying the Lord, or not serving him. Everyone who has been saved will be taken up when the Lord appears.

Verse 14) “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” This sign is certainly being fulfilled now by satellite, T.V., Radio, word-of-mouth, print, and Internet so that the world will have the message and be without excuse, because there are still many who have not heard the Gospel even once. Why should anyone hear the gospel twice when some have never even heard it once?

Verse 15) “When ye therefore shall see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION, spoken of by Daniel the prophet. stand in the holy place, ( whoso readeth, let him understand).” The word “when” is a keyword to remember as we go forth into our study of Matthew Chapter 24. Mark Chapter 13, and Luke Chapter 21 are also accounts of this teaching from Jesus. The ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION is more clearly brought out in our teachings on the book of Daniel, and Revelation. Jesus said,”for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.” (Luke 16:15b). So this particular abomination is the worst ever of all abominations and it makes all the other abominations desolate in comparison. Also the anti-Christ and the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION will outlaw and seek to destroy all other religions. It will stand in the Temple. Many believe that the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION may be some type of a computerized robot image of the anti christ that will speak and cause all who do not worship this image to be killed.( Revelations 13:15).

Verse 6-20) “Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the house top not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child. and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your fight be not in the winter. neither on the sabbath day.” The word “then” is another keyword that goes along with ”when” in verse 15. In other words when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing in the Temple, which will probably be a widely publicized event. Then it is time to flee, especially at this time in Jerusalem. The Jews strictly enforce the Old Testament laws of the Sabbath day, and no travel will be allowed. Also it will be hard for those who are pregnant or have babies at this time.

Verse 21) “For then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time. no,nor ever shall be.” The word “then” in this verse is another keyword that goes along with “when” in verse 15, and the word “then” in verse 16. In other words when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing in the Temple, then it is time to flee, and then the great tribulation begins, the last 3 and 1/2 years or 42 months, or 1,260 days. (Remember the Hebrew calendar has twelve 30 day months).

Say this prayer if you want to be saved: Jesus, I want to know you, and to live forever in Heaven, I know I have made mistakes and done bad things- and I am sorry. Please forgive me. I know I don’t deserve it, but I accept your love and I accept you as my Saviour. I believe you died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead. Please come into my heart and life and fill me with your Holy Spirit and give me peace. Amen.