This is a study of Jesus being sure of the world's end. He told of many thing to happen, but when the whole world has heard the Gospel, then will come the end.

1. JESUS WAS SURE OF THE WORLD'SEND
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
MATT 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be
preached in the whole world as a testimony to all
nations, and then the end will come.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
The GospelWitness
Matthew 24:14
R. Tuck
The expression, "in all the world," can only mean the "world" as men then
thought of it. Our Lord's statement is verified in the factthat there was
"hardly a province of the vast Roman empire in which the gospelhad not
been preachedbefore the destruction of Jerusalem." The "world" is an
altogetherlargeridea to us; but the gospelhas to be preachedto "all the
world" as we apprehend it. The Apostle Paul uses very broad terms. He
speaks ofthe gospelas having gone out into all the earth (Romans 10:18);as
being present in all the world; and as having been preachedin the hearing of
every creature which is under heaven (Colossians1:6, 23). A difficulty is
suggested. These representations do not seemto match the facts in the
apostolic age orin any other age. The gospelhas not actually reachedevery
part of the earth yet; and it has been effective unto the salvationof but a
minority of the human race. Some have thought they could find explanation in
the limitation "for a witness;" as if the conversionof "all nations" were not

2. the designof the gospelpreaching. This idea may, however, be presented in an
exaggeratedform. We may see the reasonable sensesin which the gospelis a
witness to all nations.
I. THE GOSPELWITNESSIS A WITNESS FOR GOD. The right knowledge
of God comes, always has come, always must come, by revelation. A creature,
limited by the sensesand sense relations, cannotreachthe apprehension of
unseen things without help. Such a creature, having the help of revelation, is
yet constantlydisposedto materialize its apprehension: this is seenin the
disposition to make visible symbols of the unseenGod. This tendency takes the
coarserforms of idolatry, and the more refined forms of philosophy. The
gospel, then, is a witness, because itis a fresh and corrective declarationof
what God is, what God thinks, and what God requires.
II. THE GOSPELWITNESS IS A WITNESS AGAINST IDOLATRY. This
may be illustrated by St. Paul's work at Lystra and at Athens. Take such
points as these.
1. Preachthe gospel, and men see that the true Godasks for love. So it
witnesses againstallreligions of fear.
2. Preachthe gospel, and men see that the true Godcan only be served by
righteousness. So it witnessesagainstallimmoralities of rites and ceremonies.
III. THE GOSPELWITNESS IS A WITNESS CONCERNINGMEN. Preach
it, and the "thoughts of many hearts will be revealed." It will prove
everywhere a "discernerof the thoughts and intents of the heart." What is
strange is that, wherever the gospelis preached, men are discoveredto
themselves, and know that they are sinners. That is the beginning of the gospel
mission. - R.T.
Biblical Illustrator
And this gospelofthe kingdom shall be preachedin all the world for a
witness.

3. Matthew 24:14
The gospelof the kingdom
J. Cumming, D. D.
I. "GOSPEL" — goodnews, God spell — the information God has to tell us.
An epitome of the news. Familiarity with the message takesawaysits edge,
and blunts its impressions.
II. It is not merely a gospel, goodnews, but a gospelOF SOMETHING VERY
SPECIFIC — of a kingdom. This kingdom is composedfirst of moral and
next of personalelements — "The kingdom of God is not," etc. Who are the
personalsubjects of this kingdom? Men of every rank and every clime. The
gospelis not so cramped as we sometimes think.
III. This kingdom, thus composed, SHALL OVERFLOW ALL KINGDOMS.
Heathendom is gradually dying out over all the world. Mahometanismis
almost gone;the crescentwanes overall the earth, etc. The gospelshall be
preachedto all the world as a witness. Notto convertall nations, etc.
(J. Cumming, D. D.)
The con. trolling influence of the gospel
R. Watson.
I. The kingdom of Christ, as a kingdom of control, set up in the hearts of His
followers.
1. It controls the opinions. They who are under this kingdom are obliged to
believe all the truths of the Bible.
2. It controls the will. God makes it criminal to choose the evil and refuse the
good.
3. It controls the belief of mankind. The subjects of this kingdom are called
upon to trust in Christ, and in Him only, for salvation.

4. 4. It controls the affections — "Thou shalt love," etc. It controls the temper,
pride, and all those feelings which are akin to it.
II. THERE IS INFINITE MERCYIN SUCH CONTROL.
1. Without it the opinions of mankind have ever been tossedto and fro by
every wind of doctrine.
2. There is mercy in a control being exercisedoverthe will. Man is in a
wilderness of sin, etc.
3. Were it not for this, every man might form a system of belief for himself,
etc.
4. Man's affections are collectedto one point.
III. The gospelshallbe preachedfor WITNESS.Of human depravity. Of the
method of reconciliationwith God, etc.
(R. Watson.)
The gospelof the kingdom
J. Burns, D. D., Anon.
I. The SUBJECT ofthe text. The gospel. The gospelof the kingdom.
II. The MODE of its communication. The gospelofthe kingdom is to be
"preached." It must be preached freely, plainly, affectionately, faithfully.
III. The EXTENT of its diffusion. The whole world stands in need of it. The
gospelis the only remedy for it. It is expressly designedfor all.
IV. The greatEND OF ITS PUBLICATION, As a witness. It shall witness to
man's mind, state, etc.
1. The responsibility of having the gospelpreachedto us.
2. Our duty to labour for its diffusion among those who possessit not.

5. (J. Burns, D. D.)
I. The King is our Lord Jesus Christ,
II. The seatof this kingdom is the soul.
III. The spirit of this kingdom is wise and beneficent and holy. Every kingdom
has its peculiar character.
IV. The progress ofHis kingdom is unostentatious;irresistible, yet noiseless,
like many of the mightier forces in nature.
IV. The boundaries of His kingdom are the boundaries of the dwellings of
human kind.
1. Submit to Christ as a King.
2. Seek the extension of His kingdom by personalexertions, by pecuniary
contributions, by payer.
(Anon.)
The gospela witness
H. Melvill, B. D.
1. That there are ends to be answeredby the publication of the gospel, over
and above the gathering in of a remnant from the mass of human kind. The
statementis simply that the gospelis to be preachedfor a witness.
2. We are bound to ascertainthe nature of this witness, in order that we may
understand the responsiblenesslaidon all who ever heard the gospel, and the
ends which are answeredby its publication.
3. You are sufficiently acquainted with the nature of the gospelto regard it as
an authoritative accountof all that is benevolent, and all that is awful in Deity.
4. It is not an uncertain and unaccredited witness, but one which carries with
it its credentials in all its marchings over the face of the globe.

6. 5. The witness of the gospelhereafter. The gospelis now a witness to warn and
direct; hereafterit will accuseand condemn.
(H. Melvill, B. D.)
The universal witness
The preaching of the gospelthroughout the world testifies —
1. To the unchanging mercy of God. He is the same as He was before the flood
— would have been warned of the end of their evil courses. Menshall be
without excuse.
2. To the characterand mission of Christ. Men who acceptthe gospelshall
prove that He is the Saviour.
3. To the invincible hostility of men. They shall have in their own characters a
vindication of God's pastjudgments.
Universal adaptation of the gospelto men's needs
Dr. Duff.
The gospelis a plant which is not affectedby earthly changes. It is the same in
the temperate as in the torrid zone, and as in the frigid. It does not seemto be
scorchedby heat, or benumbed by cold. Age does not diminish the freshness
of its bloom; soil does not affect its nature; climate does not modify its
peculiar properties. Among the frost-bound latitudes of North America, and
the burning sands of Africa, or the fertile plains of India, we find it still
shooting up the same plant of renown, the same vine of the Lord's right-hand
planting, the same "tree of life," raised up from the beginning of time, "whose
leaves were for the healing of the nations," and under which all kindreds, and
tribes, and tongues, and people shall one day rejoice, when privileged to take
shelter under its all-covering shade, and draw refreshing nourishment from
its perennial fruits.

7. (Dr. Duff.)
Vitality of the gospel
C. H. Spurgeon
See what vitality the gospelhas!Plunge her under the wave, and she rises the
purer from her washing;thrust her in the fire, and she comes out the more
bright for her burning; cut her in sunder, and eachpiece shall make another
church; behead her, and like the hydra of old, she shall have a hundred heads
for every one you cut away. She cannot die, she must live; for she has the
powerof God within her.
(C. H. Spurgeon)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(14) Shall be preached in all the world.—The words must not be strained
beyond the meaning which they would have for those who heard them, and
they were certain to see in “allthe world” (literally, the inhabited earth, as in
Luke 2:1; Acts 11:28)neither more nor less than the Roman empire; and it
was true, as a matter of fact, that there was hardly a province of the empire in
which the faith of Christ had not been preachedbefore the destructionof
Jerusalem. Specialattentionshould be given to the words, “a witness unto all
the nations,” i.e., to all the Gentiles, as an implicit sanctionof the work of
which St. Paul was afterwards the great representative. So taken, the words
prepare the wayfor the great missionof Matthew 28:19.
BensonCommentary

8. Matthew 24:14. This gospelof the kingdom — Namely, of the kingdom of
God; shall be preachedin all the world — Notuniversally; this is not yet
done; but in general, through the severalparts of the world, and not only in
Judea. And this was done by St. Paul and the other apostles, before Jerusalem
was destroyed;for a witness to all nations that I am the Christ. And then shall
the end come — Of the city and temple: that is, when all nations shall, or may
be convinced, by the preaching of the gospel, ofthe crying sin of the Jews in
crucifying the Lord of glory; then shall the justice of God bring these dreadful
judgments upon that people. The Acts of the Apostles, it must be observed,
contain only a small part of the history of a small number of the apostles,and
yet evenin that history we see the gospelwas widely disseminated, and had
takenroot in the most considerable parts of the Roman empire. As early as in
the reign of Nero, as we learn from Tacitus, (Annal., l. 15.)the Christians
were grown so numerous at Rome as to raise the jealousyof the government,
and the first generalpersecutionwas commencedagainstthem, under
pretence of their having setfire to the city, of which the emperor himself was
really guilty, but wished to transfer the blame and odium of the actionon the
poor innocent Christians. Clement, who was contemporary and a fellow-
labourer with Paul, says of him, (see his 1stEpistle to the Corinthians,) that he
was a preacherboth in the eastand west, and that he taught the whole world
righteousness. And if such were the labours of one apostle, though the chief of
them, what were the united labours of them all? It appears indeed from the
writers of the history of the church, that before the destruction of Jerusalem
the gospelwas notonly preached in the LesserAsia, Greece,and Italy, the
greattheatres of action then in the world; but likewise propagatedas far
north as Scythia; as far south as Ethiopia; as far eastas Parthia and India; as
far westas Spain and Britain.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
24:4-28 The disciples had askedconcerning the times, When these things
should be? Christ gave them no answerto that; but they had also asked, What
shall be the sign? This question he answers fully. The prophecy first respects
events near at hand, the destruction of Jerusalem, the end of the Jewish
church and state, the calling of the Gentiles, and the setting up of Christ's
kingdom in the world; but it also looks to the generaljudgment; and toward

9. the close, points more particularly to the latter. What Christ here said to his
disciples, tended more to promote caution than to satisfytheir curiosity; more
to prepare them for the events that should happen, than to give a distinct idea
of the events. This is that goodunderstanding of the times which all should
covet, thence to infer what Israelought to do. Our Saviourcautions his
disciples to stand on their guard againstfalse teachers. And he foretells wars
and greatcommotions among nations. From the time that the Jews rejected
Christ, and he left their house desolate, the sword never departed from them.
See what comes ofrefusing the gospel. Those who will not hear the messengers
of peace, shallbe made to hear the messengers ofwar. But where the heart is
fixed, trusting in God, it is kept in peace, and is not afraid. It is againstthe
mind of Christ, that his people should have troubled hearts, even in troublous
times. When we lookedforwardto the eternity of misery that is before the
obstinate refusers of Christ and his gospel, we may truly say, The greatest
earthly judgments are but the beginning of sorrows. It is comforting that some
shall endure even to the end. Our Lord foretells the preaching of the gospelin
all the world. The end of the world shall not be till the gospelhas done its
work. Christ foretells the ruin coming upon the people of the Jews;and what
he said here, would be of use to his disciples, for their conductand for their
comfort. If God opens a door of escape, we oughtto make our escape,
otherwise we do not trust God, but tempt him. It becomes Christ's disciples, in
times of public trouble, to be much in prayer: that is never out of season, but
in a specialmanner seasonable whenwe are distressedon every side. Though
we must take what Godsends, yet we may pray againstsufferings; and it is
very trying to a goodman, to be takenby any work of necessityfrom the
solemn service and worship of God on the sabbath day. But here is one word
of comfort, that for the elect's sakethese days shall be made shorter than their
enemies designed, who would have cut all off, if God, who used these foes to
serve his own purpose, had not setbounds to their wrath. Christ foretells the
rapid spreading of the gospelin the world. It is plainly seenas the lightning.
Christ preachedhis gospelopenly. The Romans were like an eagle, and the
ensign of their armies was an eagle. Whena people, by their sin, make
themselves as loathsome carcasses, nothing canbe expectedbut that God
should send enemies to destroy them. It is very applicable to the day of
judgment, the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in that day, 2Th 2:1. Let us

10. give diligence to make our calling and electionsure; then may we know that
no enemy or deceivershall ever prevail againstus.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
And this gospelofthe kingdom shall be preachedin all the world - The
evidence that this was done is to be chiefly derived from the New Testament,
and there it is clear. Thus Paul declares that it was preachedto every creature
under heaven Colossians1:6, Colossians 1:23;that the faith of the Romans
was spokenof throughout the whole world Romans 1:8; that he preachedin
Arabia Galatians 1:17, and at Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum
Romans 15:19. We know also that He traveled through Asia Minor, Greece,
and Crete;that he was in Italy, and probably in Spain and Gaul, Romans
15:24-28. At the same time, the other apostles were not idle; and there is full
proof that within thirty years after this prophecy was spoken, churches were
establishedin all these regions.
For a witness unto all nations - This preaching the gospelindiscriminately to
"all" the Gentiles shall be a proof to them, or a witness, that the division
betweenthe Jews andGentiles was about to be broken down. Hitherto the
blessings ofrevelation had been confined to the Jews. Theywere the special
people of God. His messages hadbeen sent to them only. When, therefore,
God sent the gospelto all other people, it was proof, or "a witness unto them,"
that the specialJewisheconomywas at an end.
Then shall the end come - The end of the Jewisheconomy;the destruction of
the temple and city.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
CHAPTER 24
Mt 24:1-51. Christ's Prophecyof the Destructionof Jerusalem, and Warnings
Suggestedby It to Prepare for His SecondComing. ( = Mr 13:1-37;Lu 21:5-
36).
For the exposition, see on[1355]Mr13:1-37.
Matthew Poole's Commentary

11. So saith Mark, Mark 13:10. Some think that the end mentioned in the close of
this verse refers to the destruction of Jerusalem;others, that it refers to the
day of judgment. If we take world (as it is often taken)for the Gentiles in
opposition to the Jews, synecdochically, the whole being put for a great part, it
is most certain, that before Jerusalemwas destroyed, the gospel, whichis here
calledthe gospelof the kingdom, either because it shows the way to the
kingdom of God, or because it is that sacredinstrument by which Christ
subdueth men’s hearts to himself, was preachedto the world, that is, to the
Gentiles, and that to a greatpart of them. Paul alone had carriedit from
Jerusalemto Illyricum. The Romans’faith was spokenof throughout the
world, Romans 1:8. Paul saith it was preached to every creature, Colossians
1:23 Romans 10:18 15:16 Colossians1:6 1 Timothy 3:16. But others choose by
the end here to understand the end of the world.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
And this Gospelof the kingdom,.... Which Christ himself preached, and which
he called and sent his apostles to preach, in all the cities of Judah; by which
means men were brought into the kingdom of the Messiah, orGospel
dispensation; and which treatedboth of the kingdom of grace and glory, and
pointed out the saints' meetness forthe kingdom of heaven, and their right
unto it, and gives the best accountof the glories of it:
shall be preached in all the world; not only in Judea, where it was now
confined, and that by the express orders of Christ himself; but in all the
nations of the world, for which the apostles had their commissionenlarged,
after our Lord's resurrection; when they were bid to go into all the world, and
preach the Gospelto every creature; and when the Jews put awaythe Gospel
from them, they accordinglyturned to the Gentiles;and before the
destruction of Jerusalem, it was preachedto all the nations under the heavens;
and churches were planted in most places, through the ministry of it:
for a witness unto all nations; meaning either for a witness againstall such in
them, as should rejectit; or as a testimony of Christ and salvation, unto all
such as should believe in him:

12. and then shall the end come;not the end of the world, as the Ethiopic version
reads it, and others understand it; but the end of the Jewishstate, the end of
the city and temple: so that the universal preaching of the Gospelall over the
world, was the last criterion and sign, of the destruction of Jerusalem;and the
accountof that itself next follows, with the dismal circumstances which
attended it.
Geneva Study Bible
And this {d} gospelof the kingdom shall be preached in all the {e} world for a
witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
(d) Joyful tidings of the kingdom of heaven.
(e) Through all that part of the world that people live in.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
Matthew 24:14. Having just uttered the words εἰς τέλος, Christ now reveals
the prospectof a most encouraging state ofmatters which is immediately to
precede and usher in the consummation indicated by this εἰς τέλος, namely,
the preaching of the gospelthroughout the whole world in spite of the hatred
and apostasypreviously mentioned (Matthew 24:9-10 ff.); ὅτι οὐδὲν τῶν
δεινῶν περιγενήσεται τοῦ κηρύγματος, Euthymius Zigabenus. The substantial
fulfilment of this prediction is found in the missionary labours of the apostles,
above all in those of Paul; comp. Acts 1:9; Romans 1:14; Romans 10:18;
Romans 15:19; Matthew 28:19;Colossians1:23;Clem. 1 Corinthians 5.
τοῦτο τὸ εὐαγγ.]According to de Wette, the author here (and Matthew 26:13)
so far forgets himself as to allude to the gospelwhich he was then in the actof
writing. The τοῦτο here may be accountedfor by the factthat Christ was
there and then engagedin preaching the gospelof the Messiah’skingdom,
inasmuch as eschatologicalpredictionundoubtedly constitutes an essential
part of the gospel. Consequently:“hoc evangelium, quod nuntio.”

13. ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ οἰκουμ.]must not be limited to the Roman empire (Luke 2:1), but
should be takenquite generally: over the whole habitable globe, a sense which
is alone in keeping with Jesus’consciousnessofHis Messianic mission, and
with the πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσι which follows.
εἰς μαρτύριον, κ.τ.λ.]in order that testimony may be borne before all nations,
namely, concerning me and my work, howevermuch they may have hated you
for my name’s sake. The interpretation of the Fathers:εἰς ἔλεγχον, is
therefore substantially in accordancewith the context (Matthew 24:9), though
there was no need to import into the passage the idea of the condemnationof
the heathen, which condemnationwould follow as a consequenceonly in the
case ofthose who might be found to reject the testimony. There are other
though arbitrary explanations, such as. “ut nota illis essetpertinacia
Judaeorum” (Grotius), or: “ut gentes testimonium dicere possintharum
calamitatum et insignis pompae, qua Jesus Messiasin has terras reverti
debeat” (Fritzsche), or: “ita ut crisin aut vitae aut mortis adducat” (Dorner).
καὶ τότε] and then, when the announcement shall have been made throughout
the whole world.
τὸ τέλος]the end of the troubles that are to precede the Messiah’s advent,
correlative to ἀρχή, Matthew 24:8. Comp. Matthew 24:6; consequently not to
be understood in this instance either as referring to the end of the world
(Ebrard, Bleek, Dorner, Hofmann, Lange, Cremer), which latter event,
however, will of course announce its approachby catastrophesin nature
(Matthew 24:29) immediately after the termination of the dolores Messiae.
Expositor's Greek Testament
Matthew 24:14 asserts the same thing with regard to the preaching of the
gospelof the kingdom: time for preaching it in the whole world, o all nations,

14. before the end. Assuming that the terminus is the same this statement seems
inconsistentwith that in Matthew 10:23. But the aim is different in the two
cases. Onthe earlieroccasionJesus wishedto ensure that all Israel should
hear the gospelbefore the end came;therefore He emphasisedthe shortness of
the time. Here He wishes to impress on the disciples that the end will not be
for a goodwhile; therefore He emphasises the amount of preaching that can
be done. Just on this accountwe must not strain the phrases ἐν ὅλῃ τ. οἰκ.,
πᾶσιν τοῖς ἔθ. They simply mean: extensively even in the heathen world. But
they have the merit of setting before the disciples a large programme to
occupy their minds and keepthem from thinking too much of the coming
catastrophe.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
14. preachedin all the world] Cp. ch. Matthew 10:23 and Colossians 1:5-6,
“the gospel;which is come unto you, as it is in all the world.” The principle is
at last establishedthat the Gospelmay be preachedto Jew and Gentile alike.
Bengel's Gnomen
Matthew 24:14.[1039]Τοῦτοτὸ Εὐαγγέλιοντῆς Βασιλείας, THIS Gospelof
the Kingdom) sc. which Jesus preached.—ἥξει, shallcome)The verb ἥκειν
does not signify merely to approach, but to arrive, nay, actually to be
present.[1040]—τὸτέλος, the end) spokenof in the following verses, onwhich
accountwe find οὖν, therefore, in the next verse. Before that end, Peter, Paul,
and others alluded to in Matthew 24:9, had concluded their apostolate.
[1039]κηρυχθήσεται)This was accomplishedbefore the destruction of
Jerusalem. Colossians1:23.—V. g.
[1040]ἔρχομαι denotes progressto, or arrival at, a place;ἥκω, that the
progress has been effected, and the arrival taken place;so that ἥκω must be
rendered, not I come, but I am come.—(I. B.)
Pulpit Commentary

15. Verse 14. - This gospelof the kingdom. The goodnews of the coming of
Messiah's kingdom- what we call in short, "the gospel" - "that God was in
Christ reconciling the world unto himself" (2 Corinthians 5:19). He calls it
"this" (Matthew 26:13), because it is that which he preached, which it was the
objectof his incarnation to set forth. In all the world (e)n o%lh"" th = ""
oi)koume/nh"", in all the inhabited earth). Before the taking of Jerusalem, the
gospelhad been carried into all parts of the then known world. We have very
uncertain information about the labours of most of the apostles, but if we may
judge of their extent from what we know of St. Paul's, we should say that very
few quarters of the Romanworld were left unvisited. "Their sound went out
into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the inhabited world"
(Romans 10:18). St. Paul testifies that the gospelwas preachedto every
kingdom under heaven(Colossians 1:6, 23). He himself carried it to Arabia,
Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, Illyricum, Rome, Spain (see Romans 15:19, 24, 28;
Galatians 1:17; Philippians 1:13, etc.). A witness unto all [the] nations. That
both Jews and Gentiles might have the opportunity of receiving or rejecting
Christ. The witness should be for or againstthem according to the use made
of this opportunity. If the gospelthus delivered contained this utterance of our
Lord's, the fulfilment of the predictions would lead to belief in him, and could
fail to win acceptance onlyby reasonofinvincible prejudice or wilful
perversity. Shortly, the truth is that the gospelwill be everywhere offered, but
not everywhere received. And then, when all these signs, especiallythe one last
named, shall have appeared, shall the end come, primarily of Jerusalem,
secondarilyof this world or this age. Nothing is said of the effect of missionary
efforts in early days or in time to come. We know that there was no national
conversionin the primitive era, howevercommon individual conversionmay
have been. So in the present age we are not to expect more than that Christian
missions shall reachthe uttermost parts of the earth, and that all nations shall
have the offer of salvation, before the final appearance ofChrist. The success
of these efforts at universal evangelizationis a mournful problem. "Whenthe
Son of man cometh, shall he find the faith upon the earth?" (Luke 18:8).
Vincent's Word Studies
World (τῇ οἰκουμένη)

16. Lit., the inhabited. The whole habitable globe. Rev., in margin, inhabited
earth.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCEHURT MD
Matthew 24:14 "This Gospelof the kingdom shall be preachedin the whole
world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come: kai
keruchthesetai(3SPFPI)touto to euaggeliontes basileias enhole te oikoumene
eis marturion pasin tois ethnesin kai tote echei (3SFAI) to telos:
This gospel:Mt 4:23 9:35 10:7 Ac 20:25
Shall be preached:Mt 18:19 Mk 16:15,16 Lu 24:47 Acts 1:2 Ro 10:18 15:18-21
16:25,26 Col1:6,23 Rev14:6
Then: Mt 24:3,6 Eze 7:5-7,10
Amplified And this goodnews of the kingdom (the Gospel)will be preached
throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then will
come the end.
THEN THE END
WILL COME
What is the end to which Jesus refers? If we let context rule our
interpretation, the end to which Jesus refers is the end of the age, which is the
initial question askedby the disciples (Mt 24:3).

17. Gospel(2098)(euaggelionfrom eú = good+ aggéllo = proclaim, tell) is literally
goodnews or glad tidings. In the NT euaggelionis used only of God's message
of salvationin three senses (1)actof proclamation(preaching the gospel)
(1Cor4:15), (2) the work of evangelization(spreadof the gospel)(Phil 4:3), (3)
the contentof the messageas an offer of salvation(good news)(Ro 1:16)
(Adapted from Friberg - Analytical Lexicon). In secularGreek it originally
referred to a reward for goodnews and later became the goodnews itself. The
word euaggelionwas commonlyused in the first century as our words "good
news" today. The idea then and now is something like this - “Have you any
goodnews (euaggelion)for me today?” This was a common question in the
ancient world. In ancient secularGreek euaggeliondescribedgoodnews of
any kind and prior to the writing of the New Testament, had no definite
religious connotationin the ancient world until it was takenover by the "Cult
of Caesar" whichwas the state religion and in which the emperor was
worshipped as a god (see more discussionof this use below).
Gospelof the kingdom - This specific phrase is found only 4x in the NT, three
times by Matthew (Mt 4:23, 9:35, 24:14)and once by Luke (Lk 16:16). Most
writers agree that the Gospelof Matthew is directed towarda Jewish
audience and here we see Jesus use this phrase in the context of a description
of the time of the end. While we cannotbe dogmatic, we know that every
kingdom has a king, and it is as if Jesus'is saying the goodnews of the
kingdom will be followedby the goodnews of the coming of the King, even the
King of kings (Rev 19:11-15, 16-note)to setup His Millennial Kingdom.
Kingdom (932)(basileia from basileus = a sovereign, king, monarch) denotes
sovereignty, royal power, dominion. Basileia is used most often in the NT to
describe God's (Christ's) rule and reign, a rule and reign which in turn most
often described by the phrases kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God.
Although some scholars attemptto differentiate these terms, it is more
reasonable (as discernedfrom the context) to considerthese two phrase as
synonyms. Kingdom of heaven is found only in the Gospelof Matthew (32
times) and Kingdom of God is used in the other Gospels (66 times including 4
times in Matthew), 6 times in Acts, and 8 times by Paul. Mostobservers
conclude that Kingdom of Heaven is used by Matthew whose Gospelwas
addressedprimarily to a first century Jewishaudience that for the most part

18. would not (and still do not, especiallythe orthodox) vocalize the Name "God".
Jesus'beganHis ministry proclaiming the Gospelof the Kingdom (See Tony
Garland's discussion- The Arrival of God’s Kingdom) by which, if one
receives it and believes it, gains entrance into the Kingdom of God/Heaven,
which is simply another way of saying one is "saved" by grace through faith
(Jn 3:3, 5, Mt 18:3).
Shall be preached- There is no doubt about this proclamation's
consummation! Jesus sounds a note of certainty using this future tense verb. It
is as goodas done! Yes, the Gospelwill encounter greatopposition and
resistance,but Christ's goodnews will go forth to all the nations. And what
does this signal? When the global proclamationof the Gospelis achieved,
Jesus will return and bring an abrupt curtain down on this present age. And
so the end of the age (Mt 24:3) will come when the mission is completed. See
discussionbelow on how this "missionpossible" is to be completed -- the
answermay surprise you.
Shall be preached(proclaimed) (1Th 2:13-note). He gave the people exactly
what the Emperor bade him give, nothing more, nothing less. He did not dare
add to the messageortake awayfrom it. Should this not be the example and
pattern every preacherand teacherof the holy gospelof God seeks andstrives
to emulate, yea, even doing so with fearand trembling! ("not as pleasing men
but God, who examines our hearts" see 1Th2:4-note)
The original meaning of the root word kerux was a "herald at the royal
court."
This Gospelof the kingdom shall be preachedin the whole world - This
passageis frequently used in missionary conferencesto exhort the attendees to
take the Gospelto the ends of the world in order to fulfill Jesus'Great
Commissionto "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations." (Mt
28:19)I wholeheartedagree with the exhortation in those conferencesto GO
to the lost. The question that arises is will our taking the Gospelto "allthe
nations" bring about "the end" of this age? To answerthat question, we need
to look at another way Jesus'words in Mt 24:14 might be interpreted. To do
so let's first look at John's incredible vision in Revelation14:

19. And I saw another angelflying in midheaven, having an Eternal Gospelto
preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and
tongue and people; 7 and he said with a loud voice, “FearGod, and give Him
glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who
made the heavenand the earth and sea and springs of waters.” (Rev14:6-7-
commentary)
If one reads John's words literally, it is clearthat this angel (aggelos/angelos=
messenger)will preachthe Gospelof the Kingdom in the whole world. And if
one observes Revelationcarefully, it is very clearthat there is chronological
progressionin many of the chapters. And Revelation14 is inserted at a time
which would correspondto the mid-point of the last SevenYear period
preceding the horrible time of the 3.5 year GreatTribulation. But evenif one
did not agree with that timing, anyone who interprets Revelationliterally
would agree that this worldwide proclamationof the Gospelis very near the
end of this age, whichis brought about when Jesus returns in Revelation
19:11-16. Therefore Iwould submit that Rev 14:6-7 could be the fulfillment of
Jesus'prophecy in Mt 24:14. Pleasedo not misunderstand - Jesus was quite
clearin Acts 1:8 declaring that "you shall receive powerwhen the Holy Spirit
has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in
all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotestpart of the earth.” And so
every believer should be involved in some way(going, sending, praying, giving
all in the power of the Holy Spirit) so that the Gospelpenetrates evento the
remotestpart of the earth!
GLOBAL PROCLAMATION
OF THE GOSPEL
In Revelation14 John's vision of an angelin midheaven clearly links the
worldwide proclamationof the Gospelwith the end of the age. Recallthat
"the end" that the disciples askedaboutin Mt 24:3 was the end of the age.
While the globalproclamation of the Gospelis not calleda sign, it certainly
will be seenby everyone on earth and it occurs in Revelation14 after the
Antichrist has set up his rule (Rev 13:5), so it clearlyis in the time of the

20. tribulation and most likely the great tribulation (very possibly at the midpoint
of the lastseven years).
THE SIGN OF THE GLOBAL GOSPEL
AND THE END OF THE AGE
THE SIGN
THE END
This Gospelof the kingdom shall be preachedin the whole world
THEN
the end will come
An angelwill preach the eternalGospelto those who live on the earth
Revelation14:6-7
The King of kings returns
bringing this age to an end
Rev 19:11-16
Jon Coursonagrees writing - Sometimes I hear preachers saythat, on the
basis of this verse, we must evangelize the world so Jesus cancome back. I
personally don’t believe that is a correctunderstanding of this Scripture.
Jesus will come back at a time already appointed by the Father. Surely the
gospelis to be preached, and surely we are to participate in the process. But
the secondcoming is not dependent upon us, for the greatestexplosionof
evangelismthis world has everseenwill not take place until after we’re gone.
Revelation7:3-8, 9, 14 tells us that after the Rapture, 144,000 Jewish
evangelists will be anointed. Moses andperhaps Elijah will come back on the
scene, working miracles and calling down fire from Heaven (Rev 11:3ff - Ed:
Note that the identity of the two witnessesis not clear!See Chart on Identity
of Witnesses). (JonCourson's Application Commentary)

21. Tony Garland makes an interesting observationof the preaching of the
eternal Gospel - Although it is the Church’s mandate to preach the gospelto
every creature (Mark 16:15;Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8) and to make disciples of all
nations (Mt. 28:19), it will not be her who ultimately fulfills the words of Jesus
concerning the Gospelreaching the entire world prior to the end: Why?
Becauseshe will be absentfrom the earth at the time of the end, having been
takenin the Rapture." (A Testimonyof Jesus Christ - Revelation14)(Bolding
added)
John MacArthur - Just before the bowl judgments (Ed: All 6 bowls are
poured out in Rev16:1-21)are poured out and the final greatholocaust
begins, and just before the increasinglyrapid birth pains issue in the
kingdom, God will supernaturally presentthe Gospel to every person on earth
(Ed: Referring to Rev14:6)....Thatwill be the final and total evangelizationof
the world, miraculously proclaimed from heaven. After that proclamation
man’s day will be finished, his rebellion will be over, and his opportunity for
salvationwill be over, because then the end shall come. (MacArthur New
TestamentCommentary) (Bolding added)
Warren Wiersbe adds that "Revelation7:1–8 teachesthat God will choose
and seal144,000Jewishevangelists (Ed:In fairness, they are never actually
calledevangelists in the text, but that may indeed be their function) who will
carry the kingdom messageto the ends of the earth (cf the "harvest" in Rev
7:9, 14). This verse does not teachthat the Gospelof God’s grace must be
spread to every nation today before Jesus canreturn for His church. It is the
Lord’s return at the end of the age that is in view here." (Bible Exposition
Commentary) (Bolding added)
Whole (3650)(holos)means all, complete in extent, amount, time or degree =
all, altogether, everywhit, throughout, whole. Jesus usedholos in His piercing
question "What will it benefit a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his
life? Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?" (Mt 16:26, cp Mk 8:34-
38, Lk 9:25) In Matthew 26:13 (Mk 14:9) Jesus declared"I assure you:
Wherever this Gospelis proclaimed in the whole (holos) world (kosmos), what
this woman has done will also be told in memory of her." This exactphrase
"whole world" (holos oikoumene)is used by John - "And the great dragon

22. was thrown down, the serpent of old who is calledthe devil and Satan, who
deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels
were thrown down with him." (Rev 12:9)
World (3635)(oikoumene)the feminine participle present passive of oikeo = to
dwell or abide) describes the inhabited portion of the earth, exclusive of the
heavens above and hell below. The Romans used oikoumene in their secular
writings to refer to the Roman Empire, for to them their empire equated with
the whole world. Finally, in some NT contexts oikoumene was used to refer to
the inhabitants of the world (see below Acts 17:31, 19:27, Re 12:9-note)
Although John uses a different word, the truth is that "The whole world
(kosmos)lies (keimai) in the powerof (under the swayof) the evil (poneros =
wicked)one.” (1Jn 5:19-note)And what is the "key" that unlocks the door of
the jail cell and sets free those under the dominion of Satan? The Gospelof
Jesus Christ is the only answerto man's sin problem and devil's deceptionand
rule over fallen men's souls.
Testimony (3142)(marturion) refers to "an objective act, circumstance, or
statementthat serves as a means of proof evidence = testimony, witness."
(Friberg) Webster's Dictionary says testimony is "something that someone
says especiallyin a court of law while formally promising to tell the truth;
proof or evidence that something exists or is true." (See also Testimony -
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words) or Testimony - Baker's
EvangelicalDictionaryof Biblical Theology)
Nations (Gentile) (1484)(ethnos gives us our word "ethnic")in generalrefers
to a multitude associatedwith one another, living together, united in kinship,
culture or traditions and summed up by the words nation, Gentiles (especially
when ethnos is plural as in this verse), people (much like "people groups" in
our modern missionaryvernacular).
THE CONSUMMATION
OF THE AGE
Then (5119)(tote) helps identify sequence. The globalproclamation, then at a
specific time which Jesus says is the end of this presentevil age.

23. The end - Notice the repetition of the phrase the end keyexpressionof time in
Matthew 24, where it occurs 4 times - Mt 24:3, Mt 24:6, Mt 24:13, Mt 24:14.
End (5056)(telos)means an end, term, a termination, a completion, a
consummation, a goalachieved, a result attained, or a realization.
Richards on telos - The Greek word group (teleō [verb], telos [noun]) has two
basic emphases. The primary conceptof “end” is that of achievementof an
intended goal. Particularly in eschatologicalpassagesthe NT picks up the
thought of process implicit in the OT. But the NT draws our attention to the
conclusionof the process.Thatend is an extremity, but it is an extremity
infused by purpose. Nothing is random; nothing is purposeless. Whenthe end
comes, it will bring the achievementof all of God’s purposes. The end will be
marked by the consummation of God’s plans. The other conceptimplicit in
the Greek words indicating “end” draws our attention to persons or to things
that have reachedan intended goal. In a limited but realsense, achieving a
goalmeans that a thing or personis completed, or perfect. Thus “perfect” in
the NT does not suggestsinlessness orflawlessness;rather, it is a mature stage
of development in which one’s potentials are achieved.
Will come (2240)(heko)means to have come, to have arrived (Lk 15:27 of the
prodigal son's arrival), to be present. Heko is used especiallyto express the
certainty of future events happening, which is the sense in our present passage
(cp the certain future events describedin 2Pe 3:10 = "the Day of the Lord will
come like a thief", Rev 18:8 = "plagues will come" on Babylon). See also
numerous examples of this "futuristic" sense in the Septuagint uses below.
Paul predicts that in the lastdays (the end of the GreatTribulation) "the
Delivererwill come from Zion. He will remove ungodliness from Jacob." (Ro
11:26). Hebrews uses heko three times all referring to Jesus - His first coming
(Heb 10:7, 9, cp 1Jn5:20) and His Secondcoming (Heb 10:37, cp similar
promises of Jesus'return = Rev 2:25, 3:3; Ps 97:9 describes His Second
Coming = "He is coming to judge the earth").
Jesus uses heko in His prophetic promise to the nation which rejectedHim at
His first advent - "Behold, your house is left to you desolate;and I sayto you,
you shall not see Me until the time comes (heko)when you say, ‘BLESSED IS

24. HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’” (Lk 13:35) Jesus
predicted “And I sayto you, that many shall come from eastand west, and
recline at the table with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of
heaven." (Mt 8:11) In Mt 23:36 Jesus predicted" “Truly I say to you, all these
things shall come upon this generation." In Lk 12:46 Jesus says "the master of
that slave will come on a day when he does not expect." In Luke 19:43 Jesus
predicts the fall of Jerusalemin 70 AD declaring that "days will come upon
you when your enemies will throw up a barricade againstyou, and surround
you and hem you in on every side." In John 2:4 Jesus referring to His
crucifixion declared"My hour has not yet come." Jesuspromises that "All
that the Father gives Me will come to Me." (Jn 6:37) Jesus declares to the
unbelieving Jews "Iproceededforth and have come from God." (Jn 8:42)
In the Septuagint, the first use of heko is Ge 6:13 - “The end of all flesh has
come before Me." In Ge 18:10 Jehovahpromised that He would "surely
return (Lxx is 2 words - epanastrepho - turn back + heko = will come). The
psalmist cries "My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come
and appearbefore God?" (Ps 42:2) The psalmist writes "I will lift up my eyes
to the mountains; From where shall my help come?" (Ps 121:1)
As described above heko is often used in a futuristic context as illustrated in
the following passages.
Josephcorrectlypredicts "sevenyears of famine will come." (Ge 41:30) God
says "the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me." (Ex 3:9) God promises
that when Israelmakes an altar of earth for Him "I will come to you and bless
you." (Ex 20:24). Israelis promised that "All these blessings will come upon
you and overtake youif you obey the LORD your God." (Dt 28:2) As Joshua
was preparing to pass on he predicted "It shall come (Lxx = heko)about that
just as all the goodwords which the LORD your God spoke to you have come
upon (not heko here) you." (Joshua 23:15)In a Messianic psalmwe read
"Then I said, "Behold, I (Jesus)come;In the scrollof the book it is written of
me." (Ps 40:7 quoted in Heb 10:7) The Antichrist "will come to his end, and
no one will help him." (Da 11:45) Jeremiah31:12 describes the promised
future regathering of Israelto their land when "They will come and shout for
joy on the height of Zion." In Ezek 38:8 there is a prediction of restorationof

25. Israelto her promised land in the last days - "in the latter years you will come
into the land that is restoredfrom the sword." Malachi3:1 predicts the first
coming of Messiah"And the Lord, whom you seek, willsuddenly come to His
temple." The prophet Zechariah foretells of a future day in the Millennium or
1000 yearreign of Messiahwhen "many peoples and mighty nations will come
to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalemand to entreatthe favor of the
LORD." (Zech 8:22) Compare a description of this same time in Isa 2:2 =
"Now it will come about (Lxx = estai= will be) that In the last days The
mountain of the house of the LORD Will be establishedas the chief of the
mountains, And will be raised above the hills; And all the nations will stream
("shall come" - Lxx = heko)to it." The psalmist also describes this glorious
future day "All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before
You, O Lord, And they shall glorify Your name." (Ps 86:9)
Friberg of heko summarized - (1) of persons;(a) as the result of moving
toward and reaching a point be, come, arrive (Lk 15.27);(b) as being in a
place be here, be there (Heb 10.7);(2) impersonally, of events happen, take
place, come (Jn 2.4);used especiallyto express the certainty of future events
happening (2Pe 3.10)
BDAG of heko summarized - (1). to be in a place as the result of movement to,
have come, be present, of persons (a). with mention of the starting point = Mt
8:11; Lk 13:29. Ro 11:26. (b). with mention of the goal= Jn 4:47; go to one’s
death 1 Cl 16:9. To have come to someone. (c)Absolute - Mt 24:50;Lk 12:46;
15:27;Jn 8:42; Heb 10:7, 9 (d) of the coming of a worshiperto deity = Jn 6:37;
Rev 15:4. (e) Of a solemn appearance = be here = Jn 8:42. (2) To make an
appearance orcome to pass, come, oftime (Ezek 7:12) or of events = Mt
24:14;Jn 2:4. Of information, reports . Of the reign of God 2 Cl 12:2. until the
time comes when Lk 13:35. Upon someone (Is 47:9; of the final tribulations
Mt 23:36;Lk 19:43.
NAS usage of heko - come(17), comes(1), hadcome(1), has...come(1), has
come(2), have come(3).

26. Heko - 26x in 25v - Mt 8:11; Mt 23:36;24:14, 50; Mark 8:3; Luke 12:46;
13:29, 35;15:27; 19:43;John 2:4; 4:47; 6:37; 8:42; Ro 11:26; Heb 10:7, 9, 37;
2Pet3:10; 1John5:20; Rev2:25; 3:3 (twice), Rev 3:9; 15:4; 18:8
Heko - 212 verses in Septuagint - Ge 6:13; 18:10;41:30; 42:7, 9; 45:16, 18;
46:31;47:4f; Exod 3:9; 18:23;20:24; Lev 13:9; 14:35;Num 22:36, 38; Deut
12:9, 26;28:2; 32:17; 33:2; Josh2:3; 9:6, 9; 23:15; Judg 16:2; 1 Sam 2:34, 36;
4:6f, 16; 9:12; 10:3, 7; 15:12;16:2, 5; 20:19; 22:5; 23:7; 25:8; 26:3f; 29:6, 9f; 2
Sam 3:23; 14:32; 17:12;1 Kgs 8:42; 13:21;19:15; 2 Kgs 8:7; 20:14; 23:18;1
Chr 12:17;2 Chr 20:2; 32:2; 35:21; Neh 2:10; Esth 4:15; Job 3:24; 4:5; 15:21;
16:22;Ps 37:13;40:7; 42:2; 50:2; 65:2; 68:31;86:9; 98:9; 101:1; 102:13;
109:17;121:1;126:6; Prov 6:3, 11; 24:25, 34;Eccl5:15; Song 2:8; Isa 2:2;
3:14; 4:5; 7:17; 8:21; 10:3, 28f;13:6; 18:6; 19:1; 27:13;30:28; 32:19;35:4, 10;
37:3; 39:3, 6; 42:9; 45:20, 24; 47:9, 11; 51:11;59:19f; 60:1, 4ff, 13; 61:5; 66:15,
18, 23; Jer1:15; 2:3, 31;3:18; 4:12, 15f; 5:12; 6:3, 26;8:16; 10:9; 16:19;
17:26;23:17, 19; 25:31;30:23; 31:12;32:24, 29; 36:14;40:4; 46:18, 22; 47:5;
48:8; 49:36; 50:4f, 27, 31; 51:13, 33, 53, 60;Ezek 7:2, 5ff, 12, 25;21:25, 29;
23:24, 42;24:14, 26; 30:4, 9; 32:11;33:33; 38:8f, 11, 15; 39:8; 47:9; Dan 4:23;
9:26; 11:7, 21, 24, 29f, 39, 44f; Hos 6:3; 9:7; 13:13; Joel1:15; Amos 8:2; Mic
1:15; 4:8, 10; 7:4, 12; Hab 1:9; 2:3; 3:3; Hag 1:2; 2:7; Zech 6:10, 15; 8:20, 22;
14:5, 21;Mal 3:1
CRITIQUE OF A PRETERIST
INTERPRETATIONOF Matthew 24:14
R T France in one of the "highestrated" commentaries (cf Challies and
Ligonier) interprets the events in Mt 24:4-22 as primarily past history, and it
therefore not surprising that he encounters considerable difficulty explaining
Mt 24:14 as an event fulfilled in the past writing that "This saying comes
unexpectedly here, not only because it provides a note of hope and triumph in
an otherwise threatening context, but also because, like Mt 26:13, it already
envisages a world-wide proclamation of the goodnews....Inparticular, this
passagedoes notspeak of worldwide evangelization as the cause of the “end,”
but as a necessarypreliminary. And we have arguedat Mt 24:6 that the “end”
(telos)in view here is not the “end (sunteleia) of the age” but the destruction

27. of the temple, which happened long ago. In what sense, then, would the good
news of God’s kingdom be heard “allover the world” before that event
occurred?" (Bolding added) France then twists the literal meaning of Jesus'
words in factgoing so far as to "suggestcautionin interpreting it too
literally...The point is that the gospelwill go far outside Judea, as indeed it
certainly did in the decades following Jesus’resurrection.....Unlessone insists
on a woodenly literal meaning for the phrase, the goodnews of God’s
kingdom was indeed being proclaimed “all overthe world” before the temple
was destroyed." (Ed: France defends his assertionwith reference to Col 1:6,
Ro 16:26, Ro 10:18, 15:18-24)So France goesto considerable length to avoid a
literal interpretation of "to the whole world." He adds to Jesus'words. Jesus
did not state the Gospelwould "go far outside Judea!" A normal reading of
the text is clear-- Jesus meantthe whole world and then the end would come,
the end of the age, not the end of the Temple. This critique of France's
analysis is presented as an example of what happens when one adheres to a
preterist interpretation, and is forced to "massage"the literal meaning in a
vain attempt to try and make it fit with one's preconceivednotions.
As as aside if one compares France'sinterpretation in NICNT published in
2007 with his earlier 1985 commentaryon Matthew (Tyndale NT
Commentary), it seems that he has changedhis view writing "In one sense
Paul could claim long before AD 70 to have ‘fully preached the Gospel’in a
large area of Asia and Europe (Ro 15:19), and at many times since then
similar claims could have been made with reference to an area far wider than
the oikoumene knownin Jesus’time. But Jesus’words allow no such
calculation. (Ed: Not if one reads them literally which it looks like France in
fact did in 1985!)The end cannotcome until the Gospelhas reachedfar
outside the Jewishworld, but that gives us no warrant for deciding when it
must come." I agree with his 1985 comments!Notice that in 1985 when
France interpreted Mt 24:14 literally, he did not equate "the end" with the
destruction of the Temple as he did in 2007 whenhe choose to interpret Jesus'
words non-literally! So here is the point of this critique: While France's highly
rated 2007 NICNT commentaryon Matthew has some goodmaterial, one
needs to keepa Bereanmindset (Acts 17:11-note)and be very careful when
reading his comments on eschatologicalpassages!

28. PreteristAlbert Barnes commented(in the 1880's)on"Then shall the end
come" explaining that this refers to "The end of the Jewisheconomy;the
destruction of the temple and city." Not only does he take Mt 24:14 out of the
context of the originalquestion about the "end of the age" (Mt 24:3), but he
incorrectly states this is the "end of the Jewisheconomy." I wonder how he
would explain the rebirth of the "Jewisheconomy" in May, 1948 whenIsrael
became a nation after almost 2000 years ofnot being a nation (cp Isaiah 66:8 -
"Cana land be born in one day?" Answer = Yes!)
Dr. Jack L. Arnold
Lesson#2
THE PRESENTAGE
Matthew 24:4-14
I. INTRODUCTION
The world is such a mess today that concernedpeople are crying out. “What
on earth is this world coming to?” Theywant answers to complex problems
in a world that is raising only questions to the ultimate end of all things.
Christians have some solid answers in a generalway to the direction in which
the world is headed. The Christian’s hope is in the prophetic scriptures, for

29. they know that God’s Word is inspired, and they can have confidence in it.
The Bible speaks about many things concerning the end times, and Matthew
24 and 25 tells us many truths about God’s plan for Israeland indirectly gives
us some hints about the present age in which we live. NOTE: When Christ
speaks to His disciples these wonderful truths of the Olivet Discourse he is
speaking to them as a representative group. At the time He spoke to them
they were Jewishbelievers and they had practically no understanding of
Church truth. As such they representedthe nation of Israeland the great
majority of the Olivet Discourse concerns God’s future for the Jew. However,
after the Cross and Pentecost, these same disciples became part of the
Church. The Church is a unique body of believers raised up by Godto fulfill
the task of spreading the gospelmessage andthe kingdom messagein the
intervening period before the end times and the secondadvent. Therefore,
this discourse includes truth for the Church in relationto this present age,
and also truth for Israel in relation to the end time and the secondadvent of
Christ when Israelwill have her kingdom.
In verse 3 the disciples askedour Lord two prophetic questions which have
never been fulfilled in history. The first question is “What shall be the sign of
thy coming,” and He answers this question in verses 27-51. The other
question is, “What shall be the sign of the end of the world: (consummation of
the age). The Lord answers this question in verses 15-26 whenthe
“abomination of desolation” shallbe set up in the Jewishtemple. From other
scriptures, we conclude that this will be setup in a future rebuilt temple in
Israelin the middle of the Tribulation period.
II. DETERMINING THE FACTS ABOUT THE PRESENT AGE
(24:4)
“And Jesus answeredand said unto them, Take heedthat no man deceive
you.” -- Our Lord does not answertheir two basic questions immediately but

30. he begins to speak about the present age. The present age extends from the
first advent of Christ to His secondadvent, and how long this age will be only
God knows but we do know that it has extended over 1971 years already.
The first keyto this sectionis found in verses 6,8, 14. Christdescribes some
generalcharacteristicsofthis presentage and says, “the end is not yet” and
“these are the beginning of sorrows” and“and then shall the end come.”
Christ is very concernedthat His disciples be not deceived(24:4). He implies
that the end is a long way off from the time of the Olivet Discourse, and
during this intervening period His disciples may be deceived. This will be a
time of greatuncertainty as to the meaning of events. It will be very easyto
be tricked and mislead. The note of uncertainty is repeatedtwice. In verse 5
He says, “And shall deceive many,” and in verse 11 Christ again repeats,
“And shall deceive many.”
POINT: We who are true believers in the Church of Jesus Christ must be
alert not to be led astray. We must test and try all teaching by the Bible. We
must be alert to false teaching, for the dominant note of this present age is one
of deceit and confusion.
III. DECEIPHERINGTHE COURSE OF THE PRESENT AGE
(24:5-14)
Introduction: It should be noted that some prophetic scholars feelthat verses
4-14 belong totally to the Tribulation period which is yet future in God’s
program for the world. However, basedon the context of this chapter, it
seems much more logicalto apply this to the present age. The circumstances
mentioned in verses 5-14 are characteristicsofentire present age and are

31. therefore not signs of the end of the age. These events precede the sign of the
end of the age, but are not signs in themselves of the end time. NOTE:
However, it seems only logicalthat these characteristicsofthe present age will
be intensified as we draw near to the end of the age. NOTE: The events of the
present age are warned againstbecause theycan be tremendous perils to a
Christian’s faith in Jesus Christ. These happenings are threats to faith that
may mislead people into confusion and error.
The ThreatOf Counterfeit (24:5): “Formany shall come in my name, saying,
I am Christ; and shall deceive many.” -- During the present age there will be
many false Christs. These are not open atheists, pagans and agnostics but
those who are counterfeits within the body of believers in Jesus Christ. They
oppose realChristianity in the name of Christ. NOTE: Throughoutthe
history of the Church there have been many false cults who claimed to have
the truth within their groups. But within the last one hundred years, there
has been a tremendous upsurge of cultists. Groups such as Mormonism,
Christian Science, and JehovahWitnesses are having a “hey-day.” They are
outwardly Christian in language and have great zealbut their messageis
antichristian, rejecting the true Christ of scripture (I John 5:18). These cults
are a greatthreat to genuine faith in Christ, and those who follow them are on
the road to destruction.
The ThreatOf War (24:6, 7a): “And ye shall hear of wars and rumor 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 againstnation, and kingdom against
kingdom.” -- Christ is saying that the present age will be filled with wars and
rumors of war. He is not talking about any specific war or revolution, but the
present age will be a time when there will never be peace on earth and men
will be plagued with the fearof the misery of war. NOTE: It is pure folly
when men seize upon every great waror rumor of war to claim these are signs
of the Lord’s return. However, as we go down towards the end time we can

32. expectmore devastating wars and rumors about war, but no war is a sign of
Christ’s coming.
The ThreatOf Natural Calamity (24:7b): “And there shall be famines, and
pestilences, andearthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of
sorrows.” -- Since the beginning of this presentage natural calamities have
been happening all over this world. NOTE:However, as we move on towards
the end time people have become more aware ofnatural disaster. An
earthquake in California, Peru or Pakistanthat kills many thousands is made
known in the world today in a matter of minutes. NOTE: Certainly natural
calamity is a threat to faith, for it is difficult to speak of loving God while men
are suffering from starvation, homelessness, diseaseand death because of
some earthquake, flood or famine. Of course, the Biblical answeris that God
is a sovereignGodand permits things to happen which somehow works for
His own glory and the goodof His elect. Godhas control of all things, but He
does not always tell His creatures why He does certain things. Genuine faith
believes that God has a purpose in all things.
The Threatof Persecution (24:9, 10): “Thenshall they deliver you up to be
afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations ffor my
name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another,
and shall hate one another.” -- Religious persecutionhas been part and
parcelfor true Christians for 2000 years. It all began with Stephen and
James, and in the first and secondcentury Christians were burned as torches
thrown to the lions, mangled by wild beasts and killed by gladiators. In the
16th and 17th centuries where the Reformationwas at its peak multiple
thousands of Christians were burned at the stake, buried alive, drowned by
force, tortured and thrown in prison for their stand for Jesus Christ. NOTE:
Did you know there are martyrs for the Christian faith even today? Statistics
tell us that at leastfive Christians died last week in Mexico alone for their
Christian convictions. Do you realize that more Christians have been
martyred for Christ in the 20th century than in any other century in church

33. history, including the first three centuries of the Church? Multitudes of
Christians were slaughteredin Europe in World War II. In North and South
Korea, Christians have given their lives by the thousands. It is known that at
least3 million Christians have suffered martyrdom in China since the
Communist takeover. Some authorities claim that over 12 million Christians
have been annihilated in Russia and other Sovietcontrolled countries in
EasternEurope. Since Christianity began, no generationhas seensuch
worldwide persecutionas is now in progress. NOTE: Persecutionis always a
threat to faith, for when it comes millions are proven to be only churchmen
and not Christians. However, martyrdom also has a way of making the
Church strong.
Threat Of False Prophets (24:11): “And many false prophets shall rise, and
shall deceive many.” -- A false prophet does not necessarilyhave to be a
religious man. It could be anyone who speaks withgreat authority --
philosophers, professors, scientists andstatesmen. The true prophet upholds
the authority of God and speaks in the name of God. The false prophet
upholds the authority of man and speaks only - on a human level. These false
prophets are humanists with their self-centered, man-centeredphilosophies of
human works which make man more important than God. NOTE:
Humanism is a greatthreat to faith, for it presents lofty ideals about man
which are attractive, but ultimately all humanistic philosophy brings man to
the point of despair.
Threat Of Lawlessness (24:12,13): “And because iniquity shall abound, the
love of many shall wax (grow) cold. But he that shall endure to the end shall
be saved.” -- The present age is characterizedby lawlessness andthis lawless
spirit will increase as we go on towards the end time. NOTE:The new
morality or situation ethics has led to an overthrow of all absolutes in morality
and now all ethics are relative as to what an individual thinks is right and
wrong. God is left completely out of the picture. Lawlessnessis always a
product of relativism in morality. Lawlessnessproduces cynics who are hard,

34. indifferent and callousedand life has no real meaning apart from God.
NOTE: Lawlessnessis a threat to real faith, for it makes man think that he is
the supreme authority for life and God. The result of relativism is always
despair and the death of hope. NOTE: The words, “But he that shall endure
to the end shall be saved”, are very often misunderstood. He is not talking
about enduring to the end of the age, for most believers will have died before
the end of the age comes. Jesus is talking about enduring or persevering to
the end of one’s life. During this present age, the truly savedpeople will see
through all the threats to one’s faith and stand true for Jesus Christ. POINT:
This verse does not mean if one hangs on to the end of life and has been moral
and goodthat he will be saved. No! Christ is talking about the perseverance
of the saints. In fact it is just the other way around. If he is truly saved, then
he will endure to the end and the factthat he so endures makes it obvious to
all that he is saved. No! Christ is talking about the perseverance ofthe saints.
In fact it is just the other way around. If he is truly saved, then he will endure
to the end and the fact that he so endures makes it obvious to all that he is
saved.
The Task OfTrue Believers (24:14): “And the gospelofthe kingdom shall be
preachedin all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end
come.” -- During the present age there is to be world-wide preaching of the
gospel. This is the gospelof the kingdom. It includes the forgiveness ofsins
and eternallife and the right to enter into Christ’s kingdom on earth and this
kingdom will extend into eternity when this gospelmessageis preachedas a
testimony to all nations, then shall the end of the age begin. This is in no way
a sign for the Rapture of the Church, for we know that the ultimate task of
preaching the gospelwill not be completed until the Tribulation saints and the
144,000 Jews evangelize the world (Rev. 7). NOTE: This verse tells us that
the chief business of the Church is the preaching of the gospelto the world.
No man can judge when God will count the task completed; but when God
sees it completed, “then the end will come.” NOTE: It is significant to note
that this presentgenerationis the first generationin twenty long centuries of
which it may be unreservedly said that the gospelis being preached through
out the whole world to all nations. NOTE: This verse is a mandate to

35. Christian missions to the whole world. It is obvious that the whole world will
not receive Christ but the whole world is to have a testimony. When Christ
gave the GreatCommission(Matthew 28:19, 20), He promised His disciples
(and that includes you and me, Beloved)that He would be with them “even
unto the end of the world.” The word “world” should be translated “age”.
We have the promise of Christ that He will be with us unto the end of the age.
Let us believe Him and taken the goodnews of the gospelto all men in every
nation that we may hastenthe return of Christ for His Church.
IV. CONCLUSION
For you here this morning without Christ as your Lord and Savior, I want to
warn you that Christ is coming back to this earth to judge sinners and
establishHis kingdom.
If Christ should appear to you today, either in his secondadvent or through
death, I want to ask you one question: “Are you prepared to meet God?”
WILLIAM BARCLAY
The Coming Of The King (Matthew 24:3; Matthew 24:14;Matthew 24:27-28)
24:3,14,27,28His disciples came to him privately, when he was sitting on the
Mount of Olives. "Tellus," they said, "when these things shall be. And tell us
what will be the sign of your coming, and of the consummation of the age."

36. "The gospelwill be proclaimed to the whole inhabited world, for a testimony
to all nations--and then the end will come.
"Foras the lightning comes from the eastand shines as far as the west, so
shall be the coming of the Sonof Man. Where the body is, there the vultures
will be gatheredtogether."
Here Jesus speaksofhis SecondComing directly. The New Testamentdoes
not everuse the phrase the SecondComing. The word which it uses to
describe the return of Christ in glory is interesting. It is Parousia;this word
has come into Englishas a description of the SecondComing; it is quite
common in the rest of the New Testament, but in the gospels this is the only
chapter in which it occurs (Matthew 24:3, Matthew 24:27, Matthew 24:37;
Matthew 24:39). The interesting thing is that it is the regular word for the
arrival of a governorinto his province or for the coming of a king to his
subjects. It regularly describes a coming in authority and in power.
The remainder of this chapter will have much to tell us about it, but at the
moment we note that, whateverelse is true about the doctrine of the Second
Coming, it certainly conserves two greatfacts.
(i) It conserves the fact of the ultimate triumph of Christ. He whom men
crucified on a cross willone day be the Lord of all men. For Jesus Christ the
end is sure--and that end is his universal kingship.
(ii) It conservesthe factthat history is going somewhere. Sometimes menhave
felt that history was plunging to an ever wilder and wilder chaos, that it is
nothing more than "the record of the sins and follies of men." Sometimes men
have felt that history was cyclic and that the same weary round of things
would happen over and over again. The Stoics believedthat there are certain
fixed periods, that at the end of eachthe world is destroyed in a great
conflagration;and that then the same story in every littlest detail takes place
all over again.
As Chrysippus had it: "Thenagainthe world is restoredanew in a precisely
similar arrangementas before. The stars again move in their orbits, each

37. performing its revolution in the former period, without any variation.
Socratesand Plato and eachindividual man will live again, with the same
friends and fellow-citizens. They will go through the same experiences and the
same activities. Every city and village and field will be restored, just as it was.
And this restorationof the universe takes place, not once, but over and over
again--indeed to all eternity, without end." This is a grim thought that men
are bound to an eternaltread-mill in which there is no progress and from
which there is no escape.
But the SecondComing has in it this essentialtruth--that there is "one divine
far-off event, to which the whole creationmoves," and that event is not
dissolution but the universal and eternal rule of God.
Matthew 24:9-14: “Jesus Tells His Disciples The Signs Of The Times Leading
Up To His Coming, Part 2”
by
Jim Bomkamp
Back Bible Studies Home Page
1. INTRO:
1.1. In our last study, we lookedat the beginning of Jesus’Olivet
Discourse
1.1.1. We saw that Jesus’openand broad rebuke of the Phariseesand Scribes
and the 7 or 8 ‘woes’which He pronounced over them were the context for
Jesus’discourse

38. 1.1.2. We saw that as Jesus and His disciples were leaving the city and
walking towards the Mount of Olives, that as the disciples were admiring the
beauty and grandeur of the temple, that Jesus told them shocking news: one
day not one stone would be left upon another of the temple
1.1.3. We saw then that later Peter, James, John, and Andrew came privately
to Jesus and askedHim 3 questions, and that Jesus’Olivet Discourse is really
the answerto those 3 questions:
1.1.3.1.Whenwill these things be (the destruction of the temple and of
Jerusalemitself)?
1.1.3.2.Whatwill be the sign of Your coming (this is not a reference to the
Rapture of the church, but to Jesus’SecondComing at the end of the 7 yr.
Tribulation of the book of Revelationwhen He is setting up His Millennial
Reignupon the earth)?
1.1.3.3.Whatwill be the sign of the end of the age (when He will usher in His
Millennial Kingdom)?
1.1.4. We saw that misinterpretations of the prophesies of Jesus in Matthew
24 occur primarily for a few reasons:
1.1.4.1.People lose sightof the context in which Jesus’disciples askedHim the
three questions
1.1.4.2.People lose sightof the content of the questions themselves
1.1.4.3.People’spreconceptionsconcerning prophesythrows them off; we
discussedthe four major viewpoints concerning eschatology
1.1.4.3.1.AmillenialView
1.1.4.3.2.PostmillenialView
1.1.4.3.3.HistoricalPosition
1.1.4.3.4.PremillenialView
1.1.5. We saw that if we hold to the premillenial position of eschatologyand
simply keepin mind the contextin which Jesus’disciples askedHim the three

39. questions, as well as the content of the questions themselves, that we will see
that chapter 24 of Matthew is not hard to interpret correctly
1.1.6. We saw that the only thing that is difficult about interpreting chapter
24 of Matthew is knowing exactly where the divisions exist betweenJesus’
answers to the three questions which His disciples askedHim
1.1.6.1.Jesus gives us first ‘GeneralSigns’which will be occurring with
increasing frequency all through history, and which will occurin much more
dramatic fashion during the 7 year Tribulation Period of the book of
Revelation
1.1.6.1.1.However, we don’t exactlyknow where the ‘GeneralSigns’end and
where Jesus’list of ‘Cataclysmic Signs’begins
1.1.6.2.Jesus gives us next a list of ‘Cataclysmic’ Signs which shall signalHis
SecondComing and the end of the presentage when He will usher in His
Millennial Kingdom
1.1.6.2.1.These signs are also describedin the book of Revelationwith the
description of the 3 sets of judgments: SealJudgments, Trumpet Judgments,
and BowlJudgments
1.1.6.3.Wesaw thatMatthew didn’t recordJesus’answerto the ‘when’
question concerning the destructionof the temple and Jerusalemitself, which
occurredin 70AD, however we saw the answeris recordedin Luke’s gospel,
Luke 21:20, “, “20 “But when you see Jerusalemsurrounded by armies, then
recognize that her desolationis at hand.””
1.2. In our study today, we will continue with Jesus’discourse as He
unveils to us the rest of the ‘signs’ that will accompanyHis SecondComing
and the end of the present age
1.2.1. In verse 8, Jesus said that these were the ‘beginning of birth pangs’,
and in saying this Jesus is indicating to us the way in which the signs that He

40. has given us will occur, just like the pains of childbirth for a woman they will
begin slowly and then the frequency of the occurrence and calamity of the
signs will quickly increase in their frequency and the amount of destruction
with which they occur
1.2.1.1.Inregardto the way in which these ‘birth pangs’will occur, Jon
MacArthur points out that the
1.2.1.1.1.‘SealJudgments’(Rev. 6:1-8:6) unfold over a period of years
1.2.1.1.2.the ‘Trumpet Judgments’ (Rev. 8:7-9:21) over a much shorter period
of time, perhaps as short as a number of weeks
1.2.1.1.3.the ‘BowlJudgments’(Rev. 16:1-21)occurover an even shorter
period of time which may be as short as a few days or even hours
2. VS 24:9-10 - “9 “Thenthey will deliver you to tribulation, and
will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on accountof My name. 10
“And at that time many will fall awayand will deliver up one another and
hate one another.”” - Jesus tells His disciples that before His SecondComing
that there will be a tremendous persecutionthat will occur
2.1. Reasonsfor why I believe that this signof Jesus’does not relate to
the ‘Church Age’ Period
2.1.1. While it is true that the church has undergone a tremendous amount of
persecutionduring its history, and that it is also true that throughout the
world there are actually more martyrdoms occurring among Christians today
than at any other time, I do not think that this is a ‘GeneralSign’, nor do I
believe that the primary reference of this sign pertains to the period leading
up to the destruction of the temple and of Jerusalemitselfin 70AD
2.1.1.1.According to the ‘Voice of the Martyrs’ broadcasts, there have been
more martyrs in the church around the world in the last 50 years or so than in
all of the previous years combined, so I could be wrong in believing that this

41. sign relates to the period of time during the 7 yr. Tribulation before the
SecondComing of Christ.
2.1.2. Eventhough there is much persecutionof Christians around the world,
I do not think that you canlook at Christians throughout time, nor even today
really, and saythat they are ‘hated by all nations on accountof Jesus’Name’.
2.2. I believe that these verses referspecificallyto the believers in Christ,
including Jewishbelievers, who come to salvationduring the 7 yr. Tribulation
Period of the book of Revelation
2.3. Jesus says that ‘they will deliver you to tribulation’, and this word
for ‘tribulation’ is ‘thlipsis’ in the Greek, and it means ‘a crushing pressure,
distress, oppression, orpersecution’, and it is used in the New Testament
books to refer to the trials and persecutions that Christians face at the hands
of those of this fallen godless worldthat is rejecting its maker.
2.4. Jesus says that His disciples will be ‘killed’ during this time
2.5. Jesus says that they will be ‘hated by all nations for His Name’s
sake’, orbecause they belong to Him, therefore Jesus is referring to believers
in Christ.
2.6. In Mark 13:9, his accountof Jesus’Olivet Discourse revealsthat
Jewishbelievers in Christ are being persecutedand martyred in this sign, for
He says that they will be flogged‘in the synagogues’, “9 “Butbe on your
guard; for they will deliver you to the courts, and you will be floggedin the
synagogues, andyou will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a
testimony to them.””
2.6.1. Luke 21:12 concurs with Mark 13:9 concerning the tribulation
referring to persecutionof Jews since it also mentions the synagogue.
2.7. In the book of Revelationthere is prophesied that during the 7 yr.
Tribulation Period that there will be many martyred for Christ:
2.7.1. Whenthe fifth sealis broken, we read in Rev. 6:9-11 about martyrdom
of Christians occurring in massive numbers, “9 And when He broke the fifth
seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because

42. of the word of God, and because ofthe testimony which they had maintained;
10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and
true, wilt Thou refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who
dwell on the earth?” 11 And there was given to eachof them a white robe; and
they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number
of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed evenas they
had been, should be completed also.”
2.7.2. In Rev. 7:14 we read of the martyrs that have come out of the Great
Tribulation, “14 And I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he saidto me,
“These are the ones who come out of the greattribulation, and they have
washedtheir robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.””
2.8. Jesus tells us also that there are many who are ‘false Christians’
whose true colors are revealedduring the 7 yr. Tribulation Period, for the
intense persecutionof the church causes them to fall awayfrom Christ, and in
order to save their own lives they betray their fellow Christian friends to the
governing authorities.
2.8.1. Jesus says also thatthese false believers will hate those who are trying
to walk faithfully with Christ.
2.8.2. In Matthew 13:20-21, in Jesus’Parable of the 4 Soils of those who
receive the Word of God, Jesus describes false believers whose soilis that on
‘rocky ground’ who falls awayimmediately when persecutionfor the faith
occurs, “20 “And the one on whom seedwas sownon the rockyplaces, this is
the man who hears the word, and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he
has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or
persecutionarises because ofthe word, immediately he falls away.””
2.8.3. In Mark 13:12, Mark reveals that in this discourse Jesus also
mentioned how that family members shall betray one another during this
massive persecutionof believers that will occur, “12 “And brother will deliver
brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against
parents and have them put to death.””

43. 2.8.4. The issue that will force the persecutionof Christians during the 7 yr.
Tribulation Period of the book of Revelationis that every personon the face
of the earth shall be forced under fear of death to receive ‘the mark of the
Beast’upon their foreheadand hand, and yet the Lord says that those who
receive the mark will not end up in heaven:
2.8.4.1.InRev. 13:7,17, we see that the Anti-Christ (also known as the Beast)
comes to powerand that he is given power to make war with the saints and to
‘overcome them’ (which indicates that he will martry them) and that everyone
is forced to take the ‘Mark of the Beast’orthey will not be able to buy or sell
anything , “7 And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to
overcome them; and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and
nation was givento him…and he provides that no one should be able to buy or
to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beastor the
number of his name.”
2.8.4.2.InRev. 14:11 we see that everlasting destruction is promised those who
take the Mark of the Beast, “11“And the smoke of their torment goes up
forever and ever; and they have no restday and night, those who worship the
beastand his image, and whoeverreceives the mark of his name.””
2.8.4.3.InRev. 16:2 we see how one of the BowlJudgments afflicts those who
have takenthe Mark of the Beast, “2 And the first angelwent and poured out
his bowl into the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant sore upon
the men who had the mark of the beastand who worshipedhis image.”
2.8.4.4.InRev. 19:20 we see that everyone who receivedthe Mark of the Beast
is throne into the Lake of Fire to spend eternity in hell, “20 And the beastwas
seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his
presence, by which he deceivedthose who had receivedthe mark of the beast
and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake
of fire which burns with brimstone.””
2.8.4.5.InRev. 20:4 we see that all of those from the 7 yr. Tribulation who did
not receive the Mark of the Beastwill be resurrectedto ‘reign with Christ for
a thousand years’, “4 And I saw thrones, and they satupon them, and
judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been

44. beheadedbecause of the testimony of Jesus and because ofthe word of God,
and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received
the mark upon their foreheadand upon their hand; and they came to life and
reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”
3. VS 24:11 - “11 “And many false prophets will arise, and will
mislead many.”” - Jesus gives His disciples another sign, ‘many’ false
prophets will arise
3.1. In Matt. 7:15-16, Jesus told His disciples to beware of ‘false prophets’
and that they would know false prophets ‘by their fruits’, “15 “Bewareofthe
false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are
ravenous wolves. 16 “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not
gatheredfrom thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they?””
3.2. There are many scriptures in the New Testamentwhich warn us as
Christians to beware of ‘false prophets’, including the following:
3.2.1. 1 Timothy 4:1: “4:1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times
some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and
doctrines of demons.”
3.2.2. 2 Peter2:1: “2:1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just
as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretlyintroduce
destructive heresies, evendenying the Masterwho bought them, bringing
swift destruction upon themselves.”
3.2.3. 1 John4:1: “4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits
to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out
into the world.”
3.3. Later in this chapter, in Matt. 24:24, a sectionthat specificallydeals
with the signs that will be occurring just before Jesus’SecondComing, Jesus
warned againto beware of false prophets coming, but there He says that they
will be able also to perform greatsigns and wonders, “24 “Forfalse Christs

45. and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to
mislead, if possible, eventhe elect.”
3.3.1. During the 7 yr. Tribulation Periodof Revelation, the Antichrist (or
Beast)has for his right hand man a man who is called, “The False Prophet”,
and his job is to deceive the people of the world as he is the Campaign
managerand Public Relations Directorforthe Antichrist, and as such he
becomes the masterspinster in the media who is used to swaypeople’s
opinion. See Rev. 20:19, for instance.
3.3.2. The ‘elect’referred to by Jesus in this verse has to refer to those who
are God’s people who have come to faith in Christ for salvation.
3.3.2.1.The ‘elect’will come close to being deceivedthemselves.
3.4. In Mark’s accountof these words by Jesus, he includes in Mark
13:22 that Jesus saidthat ‘false prophets’ and ‘false Christ’s’ would arise, “22
for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and
wonders, in order, if possible, to lead the electastray.”
3.5. There always has been ‘false prophets’ and ‘false teachers’in the
church, howeverit is clearthat during the 7 yr. Tribulation Periodof the
Book ofRevelationthat deceptionis going to be occurring at a much greater
rate.
3.5.1. In 2 Thess. 2:3-4, we see that there is also going to be a great‘apostasy’
or ‘falling away’that is going to happen in the church before the Antichrist
comes upon the scene during the 7 yr. Tribulation of the Book of Revelation,
and this will come about as a result of the false prophets that will come upon
the earth at that time, “3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not
come unless the apostasycomes first, and the man of lawlessnessis revealed,
the sonof destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called
god or objectof worship, so that he takes his seatin the temple of God,
displaying himself as being God.”
3.5.1.1.This is what Paul wrote to Timothy about in the scripture I quoted
above, 1 Timothy 4:1.

46. 3.5.1.2.This deluding influence is also prophesiedin 2 Thess. 2:11 (see verse
quoted below)
3.5.1.3.This may occuras a result of the church being raptured up to heaven
before the 7 yr. Tribulation Period begins. Those who will be left in the
churches at that time never knew Christ in a person way, as their Lord and
Savior, and yet the church will continue on in after that point. Continuing on,
the non-regeneratedchurch leaders will just lead people into further
deceptionconcerning truth.
3.5.1.4.There has beenmuch speculationabout what the nature of the ‘great
deception’ that will occurall over the earth will consistof, but the fact is that
from the scriptures we do not have any really goodclues concerning it.
3.5.1.4.1.Some have speculatedthat it may have some connectionto aliens and
flying saucers, and that the devil may cause something like the Antichrist to
land in a flying saucerand then for him to say that we now know the creator
of life in our galaxy, that it is these aliens, and then everyone would worship
the Antichrist and these aliens. Many Science-Fictionmovies have already set
the stage forpeople to believe such a lie as this. Again, this is only speculation
that I have given to stimulate us to think about what this deceptioncould
possibly consistof.
4. VS 24:12 - “12 “And because lawlessnessis increased, most
people’s love will grow cold.”” - Jesus gives the sign that ‘lawlessness’ will be
increased, and that as a result people be loveless
4.1. As people turn awayfrom the Lord and go their own way, which is
what ‘lawlessness’means, their lives getwrapped up in themselves to such a
degree that all they think about is ‘me, me, me’. As result we see every day
that people have lost ‘natural affection’for eachother.
4.1.1. Ontelevisionit is not unusual today to see a woman arrestedfor having
murdered her children.

47. 4.1.2. We see countlessstories ofpeople committing serialand mass murder
across the world.
4.1.3. We see families brokenup and many people who are anti-socialas well
as sociopathic.
4.2. Even though this is something that is very prevalent in our world, I
don’t think that we canlook back over history and see this sort of thing
increasing at an exponential rate. In fact, in the days of the early church, we
see that there was much self-absorptionamongstthose of the Romanand
Grecianculture, and this led to a loss of natural affection.
4.3. I think that this sign is one that will be occurring during the 7 yr.
Tribulation Period of the Book of Revelation, for after the church is Raptured
up from the earth the ‘restraining force’will be removed, and when it is
removed there will be a massive increase in the loss of natural affectionof
people for eachother.
4.3.1. In 2 Thess. 2:6-12, Paulwrote about the restraining force that will be
removed from the earth, which I believe is ‘the church’ which is going to be
Raptured, and when the church is removed from the earth, those in the world
will have their consciencesfreedso that they become even more self-centered
and wicked, “6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he
may be revealed. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is alreadyat work;only he
who now restrains will do so until he is takenout of the way. 8 And then that
lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His
mouth and bring to an end by the appearance ofHis coming; 9 that is, the one
whose coming is in accordwith the activity of Satan, with all power and signs
and false wonders, 10 and with all the deceptionof wickednessfor those who
perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11
And for this reasonGod will send upon them a deluding influence so that they
might believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did
not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.”

48. 5. VS 24:13 - “13 “Butthe one who endures to the end, he shall be
saved.”” - Jesus tells His disciples that the one who endures to the end shall
be saved
5.1. In the New Testament, there is taught a doctrine that has been called,
‘The Perseverance ofthe Saints’, and what it means is that genuine believers,
though they may stray awayfrom the Lord at times, will eventually live and
remain faithful to the Lord in this life, and not turn awayin disobedience and
falling awayfrom the Lord in our lives.
5.1.1. The one who remains faithful to the Lord all the days of his life, he is
the one who will enter into God’s kingdom. See Matt. 7:21.
5.1.2. If a personperseveres faithful unto the end in Christ, this is not the
means of his salvation, it is the result of a genuine conversion.
5.1.3. In the New Testamentthere are severaldifferent places in the scripture
where God warns us that the one who shall inherit salvationis the one who
will endure faithfully to the end:
5.1.3.1.InHebrews 3:6, the author of the book exhorts us that we are God’s
house (or temple) if we hold fast our confessionofour faith and confident
hope in Christ firm until the end, “6 but Christ was faithful as a Son over His
house whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boastof our
hope firm until the end.”
5.1.3.2.InHebrews 3:14 it is written that we have been partakers ofChrist if
we hold fast our assurance ofsalvationfirm until the end, “14 Forwe have
become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance
firm until the end.”
5.1.3.3.InRomans 11:22, the apostle Paul wrote about the kindness and the
severity of the Lord and how that we will experience His kindness if we
continue in His kindness, otherwise we will be cut off from Christ, “22 Behold
then the kindness and severityof God; to those who fell, severity, but to you,

49. God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut
off.”
5.1.3.4.In1 Cor. 15:1-2, the apostle Paulwrote about we can be salved if we
hold fast the word of the gospelwhich was preachedto us, “15:1 Now I make
known to you, brethren, the gospelwhich I preachedto you, which also you
received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold
fast the word which I preachedto you, unless you believed in vain.”
5.2. Even though it is true that remaining faithful unto the end is a
characteristic ofone who will inherit salvation, I believe that here in these
apocalyptic signs being taught by Jesus, I believe that ‘physical deliverance’is
what is promised.
5.2.1. During the 7 yr. Tribulation Periodof the Book ofRevelationit is
prophesied that those of the nation of Israel who have come to faith in Christ
during the Tribulation Period will be supernaturally protectedduring that
time. One of the symbols in the book of Revelationis that of ‘the woman’, and
‘the woman’ always relates to Israelthroughout the book. In Revelation12:1-
6, we see that the nation of Israelwill be protected throughout the latter half
of the 7 yr. Periodwhen the tribulation and judgments are greatestupon the
earth, “12:1 And a greatsign appearedin heaven: a womanclothed with the
sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; 2
and she was with child; and she *criedout, being in labor and in pain to give
birth. The Red Dragon, Satan 3 And anothersign appeared in heaven: and
behold, a greatred dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his
heads were seven diadems. 4 And his tail *sweptawaya third of the stars of
heaven, and threw them to the earth. And the dragonstood before the woman
who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her
child. The Male Child, Christ 5 And she gave birth to a son, a male child,
who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up
to God and to His throne. 6 And the womanfled into the wilderness where she
*had a place prepared by God, so that there she might be nourished for one
thousand two hundred and sixty days.”

50. 5.2.1.1.So,the Jewishbelievers in Christ will be saved from the Tribulation
and from death, which is also a fulfillment of this promise.
5.2.2. Thoughthere will be many Christian martyrs during the 7 yr.
Tribulation, as we have already seenprophesied in the book of Revelation, it
is also the case that God will protect many believers Jew and Gentile alike
who come to faith in Christ, and are faithful to Him throughout the restof the
Tribulation.
6. VS 24:14 - “14 “And this gospelof the kingdom shall be preached
in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall
come.”” - Jesus tells His disciples that before the end time that the gospelwill
be preached to all of the nations
6.1. It has often been taught by the church that what hinders Christ from
returning to the earth is that the gospelmust be preachedto all of the nations
before Christ returns. However, the early church preached the gospelto all of
the nations of their then knownworld, and today I believe that there is the
preaching of the gospelthat is occurring to some degree in every nation of the
world, whether by radio waves orin personby God’s people. Though the
church has taught this, it has never been clearjust how far and wide the
gospelmust be preachedfor this prerequisite for the Lord’s return to occur.
Well, it is important that we preachthe gospelto all of creation, for this is the
GreatCommission for the church (Matt. 28:19), however I believe that the
event that is being mentioned here is something that is mentioned in the book
of Revelation. In the latter part of the 7 yr. Tribulation Period of the Book of
Revelationthere is an event that occurs where the gospelis preachedby one of
God’s angels to all of the world.
6.1.1. Jesus revealedto the apostle John in Revelation14:6-7 about this angel
who is going to preach the gospelto the entire world just before Christ
returns in His SecondComing, “6 And I saw another angelflying in
midheaven, having an eternalgospelto preach to those who live on the earth,
and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; 7 and he said with a
loud voice, “FearGod, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment

51. has come;and worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and
springs of waters.””
JOHN BROADUS
A corrective to the false signs, Revelation2:14; Mark 13:10. Notwithstanding
the persecutionfrom without and the false teaching and diminished love
within, the gospelwill be everywhere preached; then, and not till then, will the
end come. This gospelofthe kingdom, the goodtidings (Rev. Ver. margin)
that the Messianic kingdomor reign is near (see on "Matthew 4:23";see on
"Matthew 3:2"), which the Saviour was and long had been engagedin
proclaiming. Compare the beginning of our Lord's preaching in Galilee,
Mark 1:15. Preached, kerusso, seeon"Matthew 4:17". In all the world, more
exactly, in the whole inhabited (earth), as in Rev. Ver. margin. This term,
oikoumene, is repeatedlyused in Luke (and Acts), not elsewhere in the
Gospels. Fromit comes the modern Popishphrase, "an oecumenicalcouncil,"
one whose members gather from all the inhabited earth. This statement, that
the gospelshallbe preached in the whole inhabited earth, and the following
expressionfor a witness unto all (the) nations, could be regarded as a
hyperbolical prediction of what was fulfilled before the destruction of
Jerusalem, evenas Paul wrote to the Colossians (aboutAD. 68), concerning
"the gospelwhich ye heard, which was preachedin all creationunder
heaven." (Colossians 1:23, RevVer) It will evidently be fulfilled much more
thoroughly before the secondcoming of Christ; yet Paul's phrase, and the
apparent primary reference here to AD. 70 as 'the end,' should restrain
theorizers from insisting that the secondcoming of Christ cannot take place
until this has been fulfilled with literal completeness. Fora witness, or,
testimony, in order that testimony may be offered them concerning the
Messiahand his salvation, such as they may believe if they will.

52. CALVIN
14. And the gospelofthe kingdom will be preachedthroughout the whole
world. Our Lord, having delivered a discourse whichgave no small occasion
for sorrow, seasonablyadds this consolation, to raise up minds that were cast
down, or to uphold those which were falling. Whatevermay be the
contrivances of Satan, and how numerous soevermay be the multitudes which
he carries away, yet the gospelwill maintain its ground till it be spread
through the whole world. This might indeed appear to be incredible; but it
was the duty of the apostles, relying on this testimony of their Master, to
cherish hope againsthope, and, in the meantime, to strive vigorously to
discharge their office. As to the objectionbrought by some, that to this day
not even the slightestreport concerning Christ has reachedthe Antipodes and
other very distant nations, this difficulty may be speedily resolved;for Christ
does not absolutelyrefer to every portion of the world, and does not fix a
particular time, but only affirms that the gospel—which, allwould have
thought, was immediately to be banished from Judea, its native habitation
would be spreadto the farthest bounds of the world before the day of his last
coming.
For a testimony to all nations. He describes this to be the end of preaching; for
although
God has never left himself (ἀμάρτυρον)without witness,
(Acts 14:17,)
and although in specialmanner he testified to the Jews concerning himself, yet
it was a testimony remarkable beyond all others when he revealedhimself in
Christ; and therefore Paul says, that he was manifestedin due time, (1
Timothy 2:6,) because this was the proper seasonforcalling the whole world
to God. Let us, therefore, learn that, whereverthe gospelis preached, it is as if