“Signs of the Times” in the Words of Jesus   The Days of Noah (P2)

Review: Jesus ministry consisted of living and moving among the Jews from Nazareth throughout Judea, Samaria, and at times on the other side of the Jordan (Perea). He performed many miraculous signs including raising the dead.  Yet religious leaders, still asked for signs. Last week we examined the first reference to “days of Noah” when Jesus traveled through towns and villages in Perea. Today the discussion of “end times” goes deeper when His disciples asked Him questions about when the events He described would take place.

Location: Jesus and His disciples were leaving the temple in Jerusalem and traveled the short distance to the Mount of Olives where He answered their questions.

The Second Days of Noah reference (Matthew 24: 1-39)

“Jesus left the temple area and was going on His way when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. But He responded and said to them, “Do you not see all things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”

[This is the reference to the utter destruction of the temple (Herod’s temple) by the Roman general Titus who was the son of Vespasian who began the siege of Jerusalem during the first Jewish revolt. He became Emperor after the cruel Nero died.  So Titus continued in his place. The siege lasted for years and in 70 AD they broke thru the walls and began killing Jews indiscriminately. When they arrived at the temple soldiers set it on fire and began to destroy it.  Oddly enough, Josephus who was an eyewitness said that Caesar tried to stop them from doing so but the hatred of the Jews by the Romans for so many years of killing and animosity would not stop—defying Caesar himself. He said there was so many Jews killed in the temple that blood ran down the steps.]

3And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age? 4And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 5For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will mislead many  people. 6And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against  kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains.

9“Then they will hand you over to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10And at that time many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. 11And many false prophets will rise up and mislead many people. And because  lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will become cold. 13But the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved. 14This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

The Abomination of Desolation

15“Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place—let the reader understand 16 then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 17Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get things out of his house. 18And whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 19But woe to those women who are pregnant, and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20Moreover, pray that when you flee, it will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath.

21For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will again. 22And if those days had not been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘He is over here,’ do not believe him. 24For false christs and false prophets will arise and will provide great signs and wonders, so as mislead if possible, even the elect. 25Behold, I have told you in advance. 26So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them.  27For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

The Second Coming of Christ

29“But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. 31And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET BLAST, and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

Does any of this have meaning or applications to us as Christians today? 

• Don’t listen to and get led astray by false teachers, even false messiahs. Jesus even mentions the fact that believers (elect) could fall away.
• Remain calm and positive. Whatever happens is in the hand of God and we know the Bible points to all these things as the end draws nearer. We are the only light of salvation left in the dark world.
• Explain this generation will not pass away
  • The temple was destroyed in 70 AD in their lifetimes but the other events are yet to come
  • Or the word generation can be translated age as in age of man
• Jesus said He, as Jesus, does not know the exact day and time.
• Then He makes the days of Noah analogy again. They kept on indulging themselves, paying no attention to what was going on around them – caught up totally in their own lives- not listening to God’s truth being preached by many like me who plead for them to repent and be saved. But they ignore those pleas, now and in that time, and are swept away to hell like the flood that overwhelmed and overtook all the people outside the ark in Noah’s day.
• Christ is our ark. In Him alone do we have deliverance from sin and safe passage thru this life to our place in Heaven with Him…wherever it is! 

Invitation. The teachings of Jesus are clear; His signs obvious. You can follow those in the days of Noah to complete and utter destruction like those swept away by the flood. OR you can be like the Pharisees and insist Jesus is not the Messiah and follow them to the same end – Hell.  I plead you wake up and see the truth. Jesus is Who He said.  No one else died so brutal a death to save you from your sins. Come to your senses as the Prodigal Son did. Confess your sins, repent, and come to your Father Who awaits with open arms to receive you.

For Christ’s sake and your own,