A TIME OF DECLARATION #34

A TIME OF DECLARATION

Today's text is Matthew 24:14.

Jesus gave an answer to the disciples question.  The question was raised in response to the statement Jesus made.  

The statement was startling: This temple and city will be destroyed.  

Like you, if you had heard this would have wanted to know what The disciples wanted to know: When? When will this happen?  What?   They wanted know the signs as to be prepared.  We have talked about 10 very distinct signs that Jesus gave. Within these first 14 verses we have seen these 10 signs.  All of which are warning of the approaching tribulation period.  We have looked at these over the course of the past 6 weeks but lets look at a snap shot today:

Number 1: A TIME OF DECEPTION.  Matthew 24:5

Number 2: A TIME OF DISSENSION. verse 6–7

Number 3: A TIME OF DEVASTATION. verse 7

Number 4: A TIME OF DISEASE.  verse7

Number 5 A TIME OF DISASTERS.  verse 7 

Number 6: A TIME OF DEATH. verse 9

Number 7: A TIME OF DISLOYALTY. verse 10

Number 8: A TIME OF DELUSION. verse 11

Number 9: A TIME OF DEFECTION. verse 12

But today I want to look at a  Time of Declaration.

This is a two fold declaration.  the antichrist will declare some thins, and the prophets of God will declare somethings.  God will not leave his world without a witness. 

Read Matthew 24:14.  
And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

These 10 things are the events that we can expect to take form in the days preceding the rapture and at the beginning of the tribulation.  Here is the question for our day:  Pastor Steven those ten things are all present with us now.  How do we know if the time is approaching?    

Keep in mind these 10 things will continue to multiply and progress as the first 3-½ years of the great tribulation unfold. 

The key to understanding how all of this will happen is found in the illustration used by Paul to describe this time. Paul is talking about the day of the Lord!  

Consider 1Thessalonians 5:1 Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 5:2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.  5:3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

I want you to notice what this passage says about birth pains. Labor pains do not begin until shortly before it is time to deliver. They occur with increasing frequency until the baby is born. My wife and I have eight children.  Almost with every child born into our home my wife experienced something known as Braxton Hicks contractions otherwise known as false labor.  

Through the pages of history sometimes I read and wonder if this world hasn't experienced these Braxton Hicks contractions in a real spiritual sense?   Maybe we are experiencing them today, and maybe we are not. 

When a woman who is expecting a baby experiences Braxton Hicks contractions although it's not true labor it does indicate that labor is soon to come. In the same way, the events connected with our Lord's return will not began until just before his return, and they will continue to occur with increasing repetitions, building up to an explosion of catastrophic events. 

I believe it is best to interpret Matthew 24:1-15 in this way…  these are the birth pains leading up to the tribulation period.  So do we see them now?  Yes, how do we know?  Well open your eyes!  These things will grow in intensity, and they will happen more and more rapidly, and they will happen closer together!   

In Matthew 24:15 Christ describes a major change in the intensity of the tribulation. The first 3 ½ years are over.  These first 3 1/2 years have been a time of false peace that was experienced and enjoyed, and the jews were happy, and the world was content.   But half way through,  the Abomination of Desolation occurs and that event, changes everything.  This was Daniel’s term for it.  

Here is what is interesting: Up until the time of Jesus most people assumed that the prophecy in Daniel had been fulfilled.  If you remember Antiochus Epiphanies who was the Syrian king in 175 BC.  This evil king hated the sacrifices in the Temple that the Jews offered and he invaded their land, and he came in and defiled the temple and he set up an altar and pagan idol to Zeus. he sacrifices pigs on the altar of God, and makes a mockery of the jews worship. If you remember Judas Maccabeus he leads a revolt and over throws Antiochus and the Seleucid Empire.

Then  in the Gospels, Jesus brings up the term again, in this conversation with his disciples.  Regarding the signs and times of his second coming.  Indicating as I have argued to you that there is often a double fulfillment of biblical prophecy!  

Jesus said you have heard about this Abomination of Desolation that Daniel described and you know what happened in history!   However, that was only a foreshadow,  there is coming a time in the future when the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Daniel will occur again on a greater scale.    This event, triggers warfare, death, and evil that will mark the next 3 ½ years.   

Listen, let the reader understand: out there in the future, Jesus says there is coming a  man who is called in the Bible as The Antichrist.  He will be a shrewd political leader who grows in prominence to lead the entire world.  This man will bring peace and then break the peace treaty that he is made with the nation of Israel.   He will set himself up as God, in the temple, demanding worship from all mankind. 

He will end all Jewish sacrifices in the Temple and desecrate the Holy place and this becomes utterly detestable to the Jewish people.  They will realize that they were wrong, but it will be too late.

The prophet Daniel warned about this in Daniel 11:31, 36 and in Chapter 12:9–11.  When this day comes everyone will be required to worship him.