We’re going to go verse by verse through Matthew Chapter 24. This is the end times events according to Jesus Christ. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Every word that comes from Jesus is pure truth, pure gold, and pure wisdom.
Introduction To End Times Events
Jesus wasn’t vague about the end times. He gave us a full chapter—Matthew 24—where He lays out the order of events before His return. This is not coded in mystery. These are the plain words of Jesus Christ, and if you believe the Bible, you’ll believe this timeline. We’re going to walk through every verse, line by line, letting Scripture interpret Scripture. No outside sources. No tradition. Just the Word of God.
Section 1 – The Temple Will Fall
Matthew 24:1-2
And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
Jesus leaves the temple and prophesies its destruction. The disciples are admiring the temple’s buildings, but Jesus knows their beauty means nothing.
God is not impressed with buildings.
This is the same temple He just declared desolate in Matthew 23:38. Every stone would be thrown down. God would judge that place because they rejected His Son.
This sets the stage for the disciples’ next question—because if the temple will be destroyed, then what else is coming?
Section 2 – The Disciples Question and the Beginning of Sorrows
Matthew 24:3
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
They ask three questions:
1. When will the temple be destroyed?
2. What’s the sign of Your coming?
3. And what’s the sign of the end of the world?
Now watch what Jesus Christ says?
Matthew 24:4-5
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Jesus starts by warning about deception—not earthquakes or plagues—but false Christs. Why? Because spiritual deception is the most dangerous. That’s first according to Jesus.
Matthew 24:6-8
And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Now He outlines the beginning of sorrows: war, famine, disease, earthquakes. These are not the end—they’re just the start. Jesus says all these things must come to pass but the end is not yet. Again, wars and rumors of wars. Famines or prolonged periods of food shortages and widespread hunger.
Pestilences or deadly widespread diseases or plagues. Earthquakes also. War, famine, disease, and earthquakes in many different places. But this is just the beginning of sorrows. The end times will begin with false Christs and deception. We’ll see wars, hunger, disease, and earthquakes. That is the beginning of the end.
Matthew 24:9
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
Now you, as a Christian, will be delivered up to be killed. All nations will hate the people who trust in Jesus Christ.
Matthew 24:10
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Christians will be offended. They will betray one another. They shall hate one another. People once aligned will turn on each other. We need to remember these things and not turn on each other.
Matthew 24:11
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
We see false prophets deceiving. Jesus began in verse 4 with a warning to not allow man to deceive you. And now we see this again in verse 11. Use the word of God, the Bible, so you are not deceived.
Matthew 24:12
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Love will wax cold because of more and more iniquity in the world. For example, in this area, iniquity is abounding. People are stabbing, shooting, killing, and murdering. Love will decrease. Now, as we reach the next verse, I want you to understand the context of this chapter. We are talking about end times events.
Some of us could be here for the end times events while others won’t be. This might not happen for hundreds of even thousands of years. Again, we are talking about end times events. When you hear this next verse, make sure you understand that.
Matthew 24:13
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Enduring to the end is speaking of you not dying in your flesh. Verse 22 says, “And except those days be shortened, there should no flesh be saved.” In other words, all Christians would be dead if Jesus didn’t come back sooner. So, this verse is speaking of people living during these end times events. Most will be killed. Those who endure will not die.
This isn’t teaching a works based salvation. Notice this deception because Jesus just warned us about being deceived. People will pull this verse out of context and try to use it to teach you must do good works to be saved. This is pure and utter evil straight from the devils.
Jesus warns of coming persecution, betrayal, and a flood of false prophets. But in verse 13, He tells the believer to endure. This isn’t about getting saved by works—it’s about staying faithful in the middle of tribulation. This isn’t God’s wrath that is occurring at this time. This is tribulation caused by the world and by Satan against God’s people.
God isn’t killing his people here. This is Satan going after God’s people. Remember, we are going verse by verse through Matthew 24 and not adding anything.
Matthew 24:14
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
And He says something powerful in verse 14: the gospel will go into all the world before the end comes. Even during tribulation, the Word will not be stopped. God’s words will never be stopped. The Gospel will be preached in all the world, and every person will have the opportunity to believe the Gospel or reject the Gospel.
We’ve seen the temple falling, deceivers, wars, famine, pestilences, and persecution of Christians. Let’s move to the next section of Matthew Chapter 24.
Section 3 – The Abomination of Desolation and Great Tribulation
Matthew 24:15
When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
Here is the turning point. The abomination of desolation marks the middle of Daniel’s 70th week—3.5 years in. That’s when the tribulation turns into great tribulation. This is when the antichrist reveals himself and sets up something blasphemous in the holy place.
Daniel’s 70th week is 7 years in duration. But the entire 7 years is not equal to the tribulation. The tribulation ends during the 7 year period and then we see God’s wrath being poured out. But, the abomination of desolation is said to be in the midst of the 7 years or the middle. That would be 3.5 years into the 7-year period or Daniel’s 70th week.
And remember, we went over the Feast of the Blowing of the Trumpets and I believe that to be a prophecy that is fulfilled at the Abomination of Desolation. That’s why we’re going over these end times events now. The final three feasts of the Lord are prophecies that teach us of the end times events.
Matthew 24:16-19
Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
When the abomination of desolation comes, this is what you should do. Jesus gives instructions. The antichrist is revealed and sets up blasphemous things within the holy place.
Matthew 24:20-22
But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
The world is in tribulation. Believers are going through tribulation. Jesus is speaking to believers. Tribulation is turned to great tribulation at the abomination of desolation. Again, this is not God’s wrath yet. This is the antichrist producing tribulation with Satan giving him power to do so.
Jesus says to flee. Don’t pack. Don’t grab a bag. Get out. The danger will be so severe that if God didn’t cut it short, no one would survive. But for the elect’s sake—those who believe—He shortens it. The great tribulation will be shortened or all believers, the elect, would die.
Jesus is going in order for us. This isn’t out of order. Let’s look at the next section of this chapter.
Section 4 – False Christs and the Visible Return of Christ
The return of Jesus Christ is getting closer and closer. Jesus is leading us up to this. Even during this time of great tribulation, Jesus warns us about the deception that will be happening.
Matthew 24:23-25
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before.
If we were living during this time, we would know the return of Jesus is getting close because of all the signs that have come to pass in this chapter. But Jesus still warns us. If someone says Jesus is here or there, BELIEVE IT NOT.
These false prophets and false Christs will do great signs and wonders. Understand this. Don’t be fooled. Devils can do great signs and wonders.
Matthew 24:26-28
Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
Jesus warns again and again: don’t fall for counterfeits. If someone says Christ is in the desert or in hiding, don’t believe it. When Jesus comes, it will be as obvious as lightning splitting the sky. Don’t fall for any deceptions. You might trust this person or that person. You might trust these celebrity preachers. Don’t do it. Trust the word of God.
Matthew 24:29
Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
And notice verse 29—“Immediately after the tribulation”—not before. After the tribulation, the sun goes dark, and the moon shall not give her light.
And again, the Bible doesn’t say AFTER Daniel’s 70th week. The Bible says after the tribulation. The tribulation is not equal to Daniel’s 70th week. The tribulation occurs during Daniel’s 70th week because it’s a part of the end times events. And this is very important because watch the next verse.
Matthew 24:30
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
After the tribulation, the Son of man who is Jesus Christ is seen coming in the clouds of heaven. This is his second coming. And the Bible is very clear. This happens once the tribulation is over. And when is the tribulation over? It is over when the sun and moon are darkened. A false Christ will return before the sun and moon are darkened and before all these other things come to pass.
At his second coming, what happens next according to Jesus Christ?
Matthew 24:31
And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
This is the rapture. It is a Latin word, rapturo, which means to seize, snatch, or catch away suddenly. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 says “then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.” That’s exactly what happens right there.
First, the people in heaven are gathered together with Jesus and receive new bodies. Then those which are left and endure to the end through the Great Tribulation will be caught up together with them.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Every eye sees Him. There is no secret pre-tribulation rapture anywhere in the Bible. And then, He gathers His elect. That’s the rapture, and it happens after the tribulation, just as the Bible says.
Conclusion To Sermon 1: Matthew 24:1–31
We’ve just walked through the most detailed, direct, and explosive prophetic teaching Jesus ever gave.
He told us:
- The temple would fall—and it did.
- Deception would increase—and it is.
- Tribulation would begin—and it’s coming.
- The abomination of desolation would mark a turning point in world history.
- And after that tribulation—not before—the sky goes black, the world stands still, and the sign of the Son of man appears.
And when He appears, every eye will see Him. Not spiritually. Not symbolically. Literally. Publicly. Universally.
“They shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
That is our hope. That is our warning. And that is our King.
What does this mean for us right now?
- We cannot afford to be deceived.
False prophets will not look false. False Christs won’t wear horns. If you don’t know the real Jesus through His Word, you might follow the wrong one. - We must expect persecution.
Jesus never said you’d get raptured out before it gets bad. He said, “You shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.” They will be hunting you and trying to kill you. Are you ready for that? - We must preach the Gospel boldly.
Before the end comes, Jesus said: “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world.” That’s our mission. Don’t watch the news more than you preach the truth. - We must be watching.
The sky will break. The clouds will part. And the same Jesus who was taken up will come down. When He does, will you be ashamed? Or ready?
Closing Challenge:
You’ve now seen the first half of Jesus’ timeline. You know the sequence. You know the warnings. The only question now is:
Are you watching? Are you working? Are you ready?
Because the next part of the sermon—starting in verse 32—isn’t just prophecy. It’s personal.
Jesus shifts from describing events to asking how YOU will respond.
We’ll pick up there next time.
Until then—stay awake. Stay bold. Stay faithful.
“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”
Let’s pray.
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