"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." --Galatians 5:19-21
March 2020 flipped the script for many of us right? 4 years ago many lived in fear, never knowing what would come next. But if we could compare this year with 2020, what has changed? There is still pestilence, wars, murders, sexual immorality, covetousness, malice, and so much more! Open up your bible with me and let us take a look at Matthew 24 to prove why:
Verses 1-4
Here, the disciples are asking Jesus what shall be the sign that the end of the world is coming. And by the end of the world, it would mean when Jesus Christ shall come to the earth to judge those that are just and unjust. However, the main idea for the first four verses of this chapter is eternal life can only be found in one name: Jesus Christ. If you read Daniel 2, you will see that Daniel describes an image in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. There, Daniel describes a timeline for all the nations of the world, leading to the very end of man.
(Head of Gold) Babylon (Known for their hanging gardens)
(Chest of Brass) Medo-Persians (remember Queen Esther?)
(Waist of Gold) Greece (Alexander The Great)
(Legs of Iron) Rome (Ceasar, Remember The Great Roman Catholic Church?)
(Feet of Miry Clay and Iron) The 10 Kingdoms of Divided Rome (Today's Europe: Daniel 7:24)
Jesus said in verse 2 "There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down". While it is believed that what Jesus meant was the future destruction of Jerusalem (Matthew 23:36-38 & Luke 13:34-35), what I thought connected was the stone that was cut out without hands in Daniel 2 to destroy the image that Nebuchadnezzar dreamed of, which would destroy all the empires listed above.
When Jesus comes with power and great glory, the things of earth and heaven will be destroyed. In the end, God will make a new earth, where man, God, AND angels can dwell. The wolf and lion will lay side by side with the lamb. There, evil will cease to exist.
But Jesus says while that destruction will come, we must not be deceived. But what does this mean?
Verses 5-8
Numerous individuals will declare, "I am Christ" which correlates with verses 23-28. This serves as a compelling argument against the occurrence of the rapture. Jesus Christ will not manifest on earth clandestinely to retrieve his followers. Such an eventuality could imply a lack of divine justice. Why would there be a heavenly record if not to distinctly delineate the saved from the unsaved? Just as a judge doesn't render a verdict in solitude with the defendant, but with witnesses and legal representation, the glory of God and Jesus Christ (our advocate in the heavenly realm) will be witnessed by many as they gather the chosen elect for heaven. Hence, it's imperative to emphasize that God will appear from the sky, unlike a trespasser who intrudes into homes, taking away righteous people without the unjust knowing.
Christ states there shall be wars and rumors of wars, nations rising against nations, pestilence, famines, and earthquakes in diverse places. Here are some news article titles that were posted online recently:
A New Mexico man has died after contracting the bubonic plague; Here's what we know (March 12th,2024; USA Today)
Scoop: Senior US General to visit Israel to coordinate an Iran attack threat (April 11th, 2024; Axios.com)
Devastation in Gaza as Israel wages war on Hamas (April 11th, 2024; CNN)
First Senior Biden official says famine has begun in Gaza (April 11th, 2024; CNN)
New Jersey, New York City rocked by rare 4.8 magnitude earthquake and aftershocks (April 6th, 2024; ABC News)
How recent but clear is this prophecy! With the war in the Middle East and the war at home politically, biblically, and morally, the world seems to be going in a downward spiral. But God says that these events are only just the beginning of "sorrows".
Verses 9-14
Why shall they deliver you and me to be afflicted? Jesus Christ knew that at the end of days, evil would rise greatly on the earth, as in the days of Noah (verse 37). People will be persecuted and ridiculed for the sake of believing in Christ, as Noah was. That is why Jesus in John 17 prays "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word". Christ prayed for us because while his disciples would have been persecuted for His name, he knew that there would be many others in the future who would meet the same fate.
Verses 15-22
Matthew 16:25 can explain these verses. "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it". Christ warns us that when the time shall come when the commandment abiding daily sacrifice has been trodden upon as described in Daniel 9:9-13, Matthew 24:15 tells God's elect to flee. They should leave everything behind. There will be no time to pack everything and leave. That is why whoever finds a way to preserve his life, like packing all they need and leaving when the instruction was to leave all behind, will lose his life. Christ gives us a means of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13), but if we choose to not follow we will be left lost without the gift of eternal life (John 17:2).
Verses 29-42
The parable of the fig tree, the events in Noah's time that relate to our own, and the parable of two men in the field show us why we truly should be ready at all times: we do not know the day/time of our Lord's coming. But does Christ mean to open your window and look at the sky 24 hours a day? If you read Matthew 25, you'll see that preparing means intentionally preparing one's mind and body to be reformed, to read the word of God, and to stay watchful of the Son of Man as did the wise virgins to be fully prepared for the bridegroom. Verses 43-51 exclaim this lesson since with every sin, there is a consequence. When we fail to prepare, we fail to make our election to heaven sure (2 Peter 1:10).
So why has nothing changed from 2020 to 2024? Because Iniquity shall and will always abound as noted in Matthew 24: 10&12 says"And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another...And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold". However, even though this world will increase in iniquity, we have a choice to stay true to God even when we are brought up to be afflicted, and maybe even killed. My prayer for you is that the Lord will soon come to take us away from this sinful place. Let us stay faithful.
-------
If you found value in this blog, consider commenting on this page & subscribing for weekly updates! Feel free to share your prayer requests or suggest topics you'd like to see covered. Stay blessed!
Amen! Wonderfully written sister. May God’s message never grow dim in our hearts🙏🏾