 So let's begin reading at verse 15. I'll read to verse 18. We'll get into our study, Matthew chapter 24 beginning at verse 15 reading to verse 18 Now we'll go into a prolonged introduction. I have to give to you layers of information in order for us to understand the context and so I'll read these verses then I'm going to give you a Long introduction I'm going to ask you to listen to me as I'm sharing with you to lay those layers in order that you'll get a better View of what is what is being spoken of here and in these verses so beginning in Matthew 24 at verse 15 therefore When you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place Whoever reads let them understand Then those who are in Judea flee to the mountains Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house and Let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes As we look at Matthew 24, let me remind you and again I'm going to lay some foundation for us so that we can move into a better understanding of what Jesus is speaking of here in Matthew 24 We know that in Matthew 24 Jesus is answering a question that has been posed by Peter James John and Andrew The question that they had asked is found in verse 3 of chapter 24 when they said Tell us when will these things be and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the H So Jesus is answering this question and he begins to outline conditions That will exist prior to his return He started with events that begin in what is called the church age and he said these are signs There'll be an increasingly widespread spiritual deception. There will be wars on an international scale there will be famines there will be pestilence and Earthquakes and this will all be on the increase in verse 8 Jesus said These are the beginning of sorrows. In other words, these things are the initial indicators that there is more to come soon Now Jesus initially outlined general conditions that would exist When we got to verse 9 the word tribulation was introduced He said then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you and you will be hated by all nations for my name sake and so the word tribulation needs to be considered for a moment because on the one hand there is a Tribulation that every believer encounters when you look at the word tribulation in the original language because we need to remember that The original New Testament a language was Koine Greek common Greek When you look at the word tribulation in the original language It literally speaks of affliction. It speaks of anguish distress trouble and Persecution that's how the word is generally used and so on the one hand believers experience affliction as part of our normal Christian life You see to believers Jesus was stating that they would be delivered up to tribulation and even be killed But this tribulation speaks of the kind of tribulation that Believers do encounter you see suffering for righteousness sake is part of the cost of following Jesus Christ and John 16 Jesus said at verse 33 He said these things I have spoken to you that in me you may have peace in the world You will have tribulation, but be of good chair. I have overcome the world So under general life conditions Afflictions are part of what believers will endure We do endure tribulation and as we do so God works in us and he teaches us through it Romans 5 verse 3 says not only that but we also glory and tribulations Knowing that tribulation produces perseverance and so we actually have our faith refined and strengthened and It demonstrates the reality of it as we persevere through these various afflictions we go through that's part of their normal Christian life In second Corinthians chapter 1 verse 4 Paul said God comforts us in all our tribulation That we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God And so as you go through the afflictions of following Christ and there are many that you will endure You have your faith purged You are strengthened and then you're able to encourage other people who go through the same Somebody once said God whispers to us in our pleasures Speaks in our consciences But shouts in our pains It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world So believers in the days preceding the return of Jesus will endure tribulation Now during the time specifically referred to as the tribulation it becomes intense There's anything there's something that'll occur I'll point it out again in just a moment, but it's called the rapture and After the rapture there'll be intense persecution against believers and during this time believers converted During the tribulation will increasingly be persecuted There will be false believers who will be exposed and will inform on genuine Christians Deception will be increasing lawlessness will abound But in spite of all of this the gospel will continue to be faithfully preached through genuinely converted believers as well as other means that the Lord uses After the rapture there will be a seven-year period called the tribulation So this time spoken of as the tribulation is also referred to as the time of Jacob's trouble as well as Daniel's 70th week and it can be broken into two sections Tribulation and great tribulation. You'll see that in just a moment. And so what is this tribulation that is spoken of? well, let me give to you some very Basic things some foundational information in order for us to understand what Jesus is speaking about when we get to verse 15 Here's some foundational information five things about the tribulation one the tribulation in scripture is The final judgment of God on a Christ rejecting world It's the final judgment of God on a Christ rejecting world You need to remember that the church is not judged along with a Christ rejecting world because we didn't reject him In Romans chapter 5 verse 9 Paul said it like this He said much more than having now been justified by his blood. We shall be saved from wrath through him You see in in Revelation chapter 6 there are those who are crying out saying save us from the wrath of the lamb The tribulation is God's pouring out of his wrath on a Christ rejecting world, but the church will not be part of it It is also secondly a relatively brief period of time. It lasts seven years You see that in Daniel chapter 9 verse 27 as well as Revelation 11 Revelation 12 as well as Revelation 13. It's relatively brief third It is a period of unrestrained spiritual delusion and human wickedness if we think it's bad now It's going to get worse later It says in verse 12 here in chapter 24 because lawlessness will abound the love of many will wax cold and so it'll be an unrestrained time of wickedness a Fourth thing is that it is a time of Israel's greatest suffering You see that in verses 21 and 22 of this chapter Then there will be great tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time No, nor shall ever be and unless those days were shortened no flesh would be saved But for the elect's sake those days will be short It'll be a time of great suffering and finally it occurs between the rapture and the second coming of Jesus Christ now Last week I mentioned the rapture This is an event again that will occur prior to the tribulation in 1st Thessalonians 4 16 and 17 It says the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of an archangel With the trumpet of God the dead in Christ shall rise first Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air Thus we shall always be with the Lord There are those who will say that there's no such thing as a rapture They'll say you Christians use the term rapture and you can't even find it in the Bible see when you look at 1st Thessalonians 4 It speaks concerning being caught up. It doesn't say raptured and thus they'll say it doesn't say rapture It says caught up and thus you've made up or invented Something that isn't even found in Scripture when we need to know that the New Testament used the word harpatsu The word harpatsu in the Greek speaks of seizing or taking something forcefully away When the New Testament was translated into Latin The Latin word was used to describe the Greek word harpatsu and the Latin word is where we get the word rapture from And so the Bible speaks concerning an event called the rapture. There is nothing Prophetically that needs to be fulfilled until that event takes place. I was with Pastor Chuck Smith Before he went to heaven and he and I were on up on the to every man and answer program that is broadcast on K wave and Pastor Chuck was normally on that answering biblical questions and on Occasion you would ask others to come and join him and on this one particular time I went with him and and joined him and I Had a great time one of the questions that was asked Came in from a caller from Chino. I still remember that I was seated across from Pastor Chuck and and they said we have a caller from Chino and this was years ago now and and so the voice comes over the phone and says hi pastor Chuck and I wanted to ask you a question and as I was seated there. I thought I recognized that voice I'd like to ask you about tattoos pastor Chuck is it a sin to get a tattoo and Chuck answers and says no, it's not he says. I don't know why you would but no it's not a sin He said thank you pastor and I said wait a minute David. It was my son. I Said I Said I said it may not say you can't get a tattoo, but it does say honor thy father and thy mother, okay? But we were answering questions together and one of the questions that was asked was What needs to be? Accomplished in terms of just the prophetic overview What is the next prophecy that that will be fulfilled in and Chuck? Immediately pointed out that the next prophecy in the Bible that needs to be fulfilled will be the rapture The rapture is there's nothing that is to be fulfilled prior to that That's the reason why we use the word eminence We believe that that is something that is imminent. It's about to happen. It's just even at the door The next thing that happens is the rapture of the church We are not entering into the pouring out of the wrath on a Christ rejecting world because we did not reject Jesus Christ When Jesus was speaking in the book of Revelation in chapter 3 He gave a promise to the church of Philadelphia He said in Revelation 3 since you have kept my command to endure patiently I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth The church will be kept from the trial that comes on the whole world We're gonna be taken when Jesus removes the church and then he begins to pour out his judgment on those who have rejected him So when we get to verse 15 here in chapter 24 He says therefore When you see the abomination of desolation spoken by Daniel the prophet Standing in the holy place now notice whoever reads let him understand Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house and let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes and So as the Lord is speaking here He's pointing out that the church will be kept from the hour of trial But he's giving now a key sign that's related to his second coming notice He said in verse 15 again when you see the abomination of desolation He's not speaking to these men by the way He's speaking to future believers because notice how it says in verse 15 whoever reads let him understand This is to future believers Remember that he had been questioned already concerning when the temple and all would be destroyed Because the temple was destroyed and yet he's speaking as if the temple is in existence Because it will be rebuilt in the yet future and that's why those of us who are reading need to understand these things and So he's speaking here concerning the abomination of desolation notice prophesied by Daniel standing in the holy place Let me develop this with you a little bit further prior to the rapture Prior to the rapture comes a progressive promotion of deception this deception will permeate the world and This deception promotes a rejection of the gospel during the church age Believers are to continue to live the gospel and evangelize but over time the church will be infiltrated with false Believers Jesus and Matthew 13 referred to them as as tears So the purity of the church begins to be compromised with sin becoming Acceptable and that's already taking place in our day. By the way sin has become acceptable. I was with several pastors recently back east and We were conversing concerning the condition of the church One of them was mentioning to me And I won't give any names because I don't think it's proper to do that at this point But it was mentioning to me concerning some well-known television personalities and how It was a there was a there was a cruise that was set up for Christian TV personalities and worship leaders. This is just this happened recently and They were sharing with me about the condition of the church and they were saying that there was one particular Person who went on that cruise who's a worship leader well known and While he was there several of and if I gave you the names of these people you'd know They had an open bar and these TV personalities younger guys were busy drinking and one of them got so drunk He turned to this other fella and said to him Man, I'm gonna have a hangover tomorrow How about you and this other young man said no, I won't have any hangover. I don't drink and It was in the context of conversation of how certain things have infiltrated the church and become acceptable to the degree That even those who are well known for promoting on TV messages Are very often not living out those messages and they're living in a carnal way And what we have today and this can kind of sounds I know it's gonna sound Hateful and this and that and that's okay I'm used to that. I'm a very hateful guy But that's a bottom-line kind of thing is that The church because it isn't being taught Because the church isn't being taught The word and because people no longer endure healthy teaching they don't want to put up with it They want to hear things that tickle their ears because that is true and Paul said it I'll show you that in just a moment. What happens is we begin to judge the reality of whether or not God is present Not based on whether the people actually are being formed into the image of Christ Not not based on whether the people who attend that church actually are sincere in their faith and are and are Maturing in the things of God not based on the things that you see that are actually what we call the marks of the church In the book of Acts chapter 2 verses 42 through 47 where they were Constantly steadfast in the Apostles doctrine breaking a bread in prayers where God was moving they were in fellowship It was just a wonderful wonderful thing the church in the early date was was was being used by God in mighty ways And and the gospel was flowing from Judea Samaria And and into the uttermost parts of the earth well the church is in the last day is getting caught up with the Infiltration and what happens is through the delusion of false teachers It ceases living in a holy fashion and because it is ceasing to live in a holy fashion It's actually not giving the message that will save people and so what he's speaking about is that there'll be a Deception that takes place and it promotes a rejection of the gospel and that believers will be Are supposed to continue to live in the gospel and evangelize but the purity of the church begins to be compromised with sin Because it becomes Acceptable this is all coming through according to verse 11 false teachers false teachers who continue to arise and false teachers who continue leading people astray and as mentioned first Timothy 4 verse 1 the spirit clearly says that in later Times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons This promotion of deception is fueled by the influence or the spirit of the Antichrist in first John 4 3 it says every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God This is the spirit of the Antichrist which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world this influence encourages the rejection of Jesus and results in the accepting of Antichrist and This rejection is propagated by false prophets and it leads to the worldwide acceptance of this figure that is referred to as the Antichrist so after the rapture false prophets continue to abound they continue promoting Antichrist at that time The man of sin will be revealed. He is called the son of perdition When you read your Bible you see the Antichrist We know him best by that term, but he's also referred to as man of sin also called son of perdition He is the lawless one He's referred to as the beast the little horn the wicked one and also the willful king and this one's going to be accepted Because the world will be prepared for him by false prophets when you look at your Bible You discover that he begins in a non-threatening way. He develops a following and It is at that time that he signs a covenant with Israel the first few years the first three and a half years or so of his quote-unquote Rule is he'll be looked at as being a man of peace He even is going to broker some kind of covenant with the nation of Israel It says in Daniel 9 27 he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week But in the middle of the week he shall bring it in to sacrifice an offering So that tells us that there will be a covenant that is signed that allows sacrifice and offering to take place and yet That temple is not rebuilt. It's not built yet So that tells us it's the last the day last days that he's speaking about and he says in the wing And on the wing of abomination shall be one who makes desolate even until the consummation Which is determined is poured out on the desolate. That's what Jesus is speaking about in verse 15 when he says the abomination of desolation I've mentioned to you that the covenant covenant most likely will include the rebuilding of the Jewish temple But in the middle of the week in the middle of the tribulation which is broken into tribulation and great tribulation in the middle of The week he breaks the covenant. He's going to demand worship in the temple He's going to declare himself to be God and second Thessalonians 2 verse 4 it says he will oppose and will exalt himself Over everything that is called God or his worship so that he sets himself up in God's temple proclaiming himself to be God To perpetuate that He has an image that is made and his images commanded to be worship in Revelation 13 verses 14 and 15 it says the false prophet deceives those who dwell on the earth by these signs Which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast Telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast that the image of the be should both speak and cause as many as Would not worship the image of the beast to be killed This makes up the abomination of desolation spoken by the prophet Daniel Is it possible for something like that to happen today? Absolutely. Was it possible during the day of the writing of the gospel that there could be an animated statue of some sort that speaks and People would actually do homage to No, this is something that happens in the last days and that's why we would get this Addendum whoever reads let them understand Somebody said Jesus was not giving warnings to the disciples themselves or to their generation, but to believers in the end time who would read this and Would need to be strengthened That when this happens by the way, Israel is going to be taken by surprise and intense persecution Will begin in 1st Thessalonians 5 3 while people are saying peace and safety Destruction will come on them suddenly as labor pains on a pregnant woman and they will not escape Antichrist declares himself God that precipitates the three and a half years of great tribulation This occurs in his last three and a half years. What are you to do? Well verse 16 Let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains Let him who's on the housetop not go down to take anything out of the house Let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. What are they supposed to do? They're supposed to not be caught up with material things They are in immediate danger Antichrist is set up operational headquarters in Jerusalem So those in Judea are to flee you're to run for safety you're to take flight In order to escape the danger not every Jew will be successful in escaping But some will and they will be converted in Zechariah 13 8 and 9 It says in the whole land declares the Lord two-thirds will be struck down in parish Yet one-third will be left in it this third I will bring into the fire I will refine them like silver and test them like gold They will call on my name and I will answer them I will say they are my people they will say the Lord is our God We have seen Holocaust in in the history of the United States This will be intense persecution to the destruction of so many those who survive and trust in him Will be his covenant people Jeremiah 31 33 and 34 says this this shall be the covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those days says the Lord I will put my law and their inward parts righted in their hearts And will be their God they shall be my people they shall teach no more every man his neighbor And every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them And to the greatest of them says the Lord for I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin No more So God is going to provide a place for them to flee to notice with me in verse 16 It said let let then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains When you look at revelation chapter 12, especially right around verse 14 It speaks of God preparing a place for them To be safe When you combine that with Isaiah 16 1 through 4 it appears that God is going to open up a place in Jordan And the place that he will open up is going to be in a city called Petra And there will be those who flee into Jordan And are protected in Petra In Isaiah 16 it says verses 1 through 4 send the lamb to the ruler of the land from Petra to the wilderness to the mount of the daughter of Zion for it shall be a wandering bird thrown out of the nest So shall be the daughters of Moab which is Jordan at the fords of the Arnon Take counsel execute judgment make your shadow like the night in the middle of the day Hide the outcast do not betray him who escapes let my outcast dwell with you. Oh Moab Oh Jordan be a shelter to them from the face of the spoiler for the extortioner is at an end devastation ceases The oppressors are consumed out of the land so he says flee and they will flee from Judea and many of them more than likely will cross And go into Jordan notice how it says in verses 17 and 18 Let him who's on the house top not come down to take anything And not to return from the fields to pick up anything. Don't go and get back get your clothes In other words, no material possession is worth the risk of being caught and killed Don't go back for it What do you have in other words that is worth losing your life over? What is it that you have what will a man give an exchange for a soul? Jesus said And he's saying i'm warning you in advance these things are going to take place The persecution is going to be intense. There will be people who are slaughtered You're going to be fleeing you need to get out. You need to get away Don't even come down from your patio. That's over your roof where you where you sit during the summer and it's cool Much cooler than being in the house get out if you're in a field and you hear these things are taking place Don't return to pick up something just leave. What do you have that matters to you more than your life? And that's the whole thing. He's basically saying don't cling to the things that can't save you This is another thing that we by way of application today should should remember And and and yet we we don't sometimes we don't remember that that the things we have Though they're they're nice to have but they also perish with the using and we fail to remember that Sometimes we really do think that if we get that cabin or if we get that car or if we get that pool If we get that whatever it's going to make us happy and yes, of course There's certain satisfaction and there's nothing wrong with having that cabin There's nothing wrong with having the nice car or the pool of course not But when that becomes my life goal and I think that by having these things i'm going to be satisfied Then it just takes a little while for you to be able to obtain a goal and to realize That it really it doesn't satisfy all it does is what your appetite for something else. That's all it does You save your nickels in your dimes and you buy that car that you want it so badly It's got to be this car. It's got to be this model. It's got to have these things You finally save for a few years you finally get the model and then the new model comes out the next model year And you go, oh man, if I'd have waited one year I'd be able to have instead of 400 horsepower. I'd have 450 horsepower. Oh, and it's and that's what we do That's what we do and I've said this more than once, you know the junkyards And trash places are are filled with our treasures the things that we really needed to have And once we got them we had them for a while. We put them in the trash and now there's somebody else's treasure That's what we do and that's so basic. That's so commonsensical and yet the church Has to be reminded of that Somebody said the possessive clinging to things must be torn from our souls in violence Even like when jesus expelled the money changers from the temple has to be expelled from our souls Because it is so entrenched So God is heard Of the evil that has taken place in Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities and he's come to see What has taken place and there's a man Who has come to sojourn in Sodom Who has actually become a person who sits at the gate He has a family His soul Peter tells us was a righteous soul That was vexed constantly by the sinfulness of the city that he lived in Angels come and speak to him and say You need to get out and you need to get out now Because god's bringing judgment He's got a family wife children some daughters who are married He begins to speak to them say we got to get out of here Because the evil is coming and god's judgment is going to deal With this We need to go And two of his daughters who are married say No, there's no way we're going to stick behind but he's got two unmarried daughters and he's got a wife She's not even mentioned. She's just misses lot And she leaves with him But the bible very distinctly says that as they had left the precincts they had been told Not to look back But to get out Because judgment it was going to fall and the bible speaks how lots wife Turned to look and was caught in the judgment When I first read that as a young believer, I thought just turning in looking But when you begin to study the passage and you look into the commentators in the original language You discover something it wasn't that she glanced over her shoulder just to make sure nobody's following Is that she planted herself in such a way as to long to return to the place she had just been delivered from In other words, her body wasn't in the city, but her heart remained there And because her heart remained in that place she was caught in the judgment of that place Just because somebody comes to a church doesn't mean their heart isn't still in Sodom That's the point and that's why Jesus said in Luke 17 32 remember lots wife Remember her Remember lots wife, and then he said whoever tries to keep his life will lose it whoever loses his life will preserve it Remember lots wife become detached from this age Don't leave your roof to go and get something don't leave your field to come and retrieve something when you hear these things that take place Fully because it's coming and that's what the Lord is saying here Notice how he says in verse 19. What are those who are pregnant and those who are nursing babies in those days? It's going to be difficult for them. That's why he says woe unto them It's going to be difficult. You mamas and pregnant women will not be able to move quickly Pray that it's not on the Sabbath he goes on Why or winter? Why because winter brings severe conditions and and on the Sabbath that tells us that the Sabbath is Enacted because legalistic Jews will impede their flight And then he says in verse 21 In verse 21, then there will be great tribulation such as not been since the beginning of the world until this time No, nor ever shall be unless those days were shortened. No flesh would be saved But for the elect's sake those days will be shortened There will be great tribulation in daniel 12 verse 1 there will be a time of distress such as not As as has not happened from the beginning of nations until now great tribulation Great tribulation the escalating judgments on man The the judgments demonstrating the wrath of god They're enumerated for you if you'd like to read about it on your own in revelation chapter 6 through 19 Yet he says the elect's sake This speaks of redeemed Israel as well as Gentile converts unless those days were shortened The earth would be annihilated Now he goes and finally Verse 23 if anyone says to you look here is the christ are there do not believe it For false christ and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive if possible Even the alexi i have told you beforehand Therefore if they say to you look he's in the desert do not go out Look he's in the inner room do not believe it For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west So also will the coming of the son of man be for wherever the carcass is there the eagles will be gathered Together If someone says verse 23 look here's the christ people have fled to the mountains They're going to hear rumors that jesus returned false prophets Will be performing miracles In an attempt to draw people out Again, there are many today Who look to miracles as evidence that god exists and indeed god performs miracles. There's no doubt about that But the world is already being set up to receive the false prophets And the antichrist because the miracle is looking for some kind of proof that there is a god And in many people's minds The supernatural is always an evidence of the reality of god And sometimes you will have people who believe in things that are not in the bible But they say well, I have to believe it because I've seen it or I've experienced it myself When in fact because they're not taking scripture and and using scripture as As the proof text for whether or not you can believe those things. They just believe based on their emotion It's interesting how that when the day of pentecost had fully arrived You see it in the book of acts On the day of pentecost that had fully arrived and the people had been baptized in the holy spirit And the hundred and twenty who were there in an upper room according to acts chapter two Spelled out of that upper room and they were speaking in in supernatural languages languages that had been given to them by By the gifting of the spirit himself. They were unlearned languages but They were speaking in the tongues of so many people who were there And asked they even so far as to ask the question how how how can they speak this way having never learned our language And when this is all happening, there's a mocking that takes place. Oh, they're just filled with new wine In other words, they're drunk when the apostle peter stands up to speak and that great pentecost sermon He begins by saying these men are not drunk as you suppose It's too early in the morning the bars aren't even open And then he does this he gives a scriptural Explanation this is that which was spoken of by the prophet joe who said Any supernatural manifestation must have a scriptural explanation And unfortunately because people today don't know scripture They fall for the deception And they're going to be saying oh christ is here, but jesus is saying no you're in hiding They're going to try and lure you out Because you desire to be released from all that's going on and to see me Do not do it You see under the pressure of the time they want to be with him False signs and wonders will occur in order to catch genuine believers It's satan's last effort to destroy them In second chrithians 11 13 Paul said such men are false apostles deceitful workmen Masquerading as apostles of price and no wonder for satan himself masquerades as an angel of light It is not surprising then if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness Their end will be what their actions deserve in verse 26. He simply says do not believe it Why well verse 27 He says for as the lightning comes from the east flashes to the west So also will the coming of the son of man be it's going to be sudden And it's going to be obvious It is going to be sudden and it is going to be visible It isn't going to come through people saying oh christ is here. It's going to be something everybody sees In revelation chapter 1 verse 7 it says this look he's coming with the clouds Every eye will see him Even those who pierced him all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be amen Every eye will see him We will see him and he's saying when he comes it's going to be obvious It's not going to be that he's in a desert. It's not going to be that he's in the inner room It's going to be something you'll see it. It's sudden and it's obvious Keep that in mind because I've mentioned this to you before but it bears repetition The Jehovah's Witness an organization that goes door to door and talks about the last days and this and that Well, Jehovah's Witnesses are taught that in 1914 Jesus received his crown and began to reign invisibly One of their periodical says this I'm quoting their periodical although it occurred invisibly to our human eyes in the heavens Yet it was in the year 1914 That they were given to the son of man all that rulership dignity and kingdom They believe that Jesus received his crown and began to reign invisibly in 1914 Jesus said no Jesus said it's going to be sudden and it's going to be obvious and all people will see I'm not doing this invisibly I'm not doing this in hiding. It will be done openly And he finally says in verse 28 wherever the carcass is there the eagles will be gathered together Remember that an eagle is really a vulture It's carrion. They feast on the dead He's saying that the world will be reduced to a lifeless corpse lying unburied Surrounded by the end of the great tribulation the world will have been terribly judged You'll be like a lifeless carcass in a wilderness And ultimately Jesus will be its judge That's why Hebrews 10 31 speaks in this way. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God He has said to us I tell you these things in advance Let not your heart be troubled. Neither let it be afraid Do you believe in God? believe also in me My father's house or many mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go and prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you I'll come again into you and receive you unto myself That where I am There you may be also The next prophecy to be fulfilled is Jesus taking the church to be with him These things are not things that you have to go through I've been asked do you think that this is soon? And I have to say what Jesus said is coming is even at the door Is it soon? Yes. Well, didn't you believe that when you first got saved back in 1970? Yes Well, it's been a long time Yeah, that simply means is coming as sooner Just means it's even closer Are you ready is the question? Are you ready? Listen, you may look at this as being just kind of just something in some old book It's absolutely true We are seeing Days that are evil We are seeing things today aren't we that We're not even mentioned in polite society 50 years ago 60 years ago There are things on tv. You just regularly tv that you turn on And you see today unfiltered uncensored That you would you would never have seen even in your parents generation in my generation I mean we come from a time some of us come from a time when when not that many people even had tvs I come from a time when we actually went to my aunt's house to watch color tv We didn't have color tv and she had a huge tv. It was 19 inches Amazing And we saw the beetles on it We come from a time when lucille ball and desi arnez on the i love lucy show They didn't even sleep in the same bed and yet somehow they had little ricky. We never figured that went out It was just that way, wasn't it? I mean that's the way it was You didn't have toilets flush until archie bunker flushed the toilet In all in the family and that was looked at as revolutionary tv So the things that some of you who are younger have grown up with Has calloused your soul You're callous to things you're used to seeing things like janice jackson Popping out of her top on the super bowl and things of that nature Where people they used to go and they would they actually police actually arrested Jim Morrison from the doors for lewd behavior on a stage You used to go to college to learn Things that would help you in life. We live in a different time You didn't parade For perversions You didn't give people permission to believe that if you want to be a male even though you're a female That's what you feel you are We have come into crazy days crazy days That are looked at as being normal and when people like me stand up and say you realize of course that we should pity those who are So deceived my heart goes out to them because they're so messed up But that view has always been recognized as kind of kind of crazy way to think It's an improper way to think because it's not real I mean I could stand up here right now and tell you that i'm a six foot eight black NBA player and if I want to believe that who are you to tell me i'm wrong That's what I believe It's you're you're gonna believe your eyes or you're gonna believe me And that's that's what we're living in right am I wrong am I wrong? It's crazy But we have come we have come to a place where we accept anything Anything that comes down the pipe we believe it I don't Because I have a book that is inspired by god who teaches me truth And helps to separate the darkness from the light We have not been deceived We believe god's word god never lies he tells the truth because Because of that when we speak the truth we are haters Remember with me that in the early days of the church We were called haters of mankind And the reason we were referred to as haters of mankind it was a charge against the church Part of the reason is because we actually spoke what the bible said concerning life And oh we were so opposed to what was being said by the common intelligentsia of the day Well, guess what that's happening to this day. So anybody who stands up and says the kinds of things that A man like myself and and like like some of you in this room when you stand up and say no, I don't believe that I believe this Are you gonna believe that stupid old book? You really believe that? And the answer to that is Well, yes, I do Yes, I do Listen, if you don't believe in god who can preserve his word My god doesn't lie and my god is able to preserve his word It's the most important thing in the universe the word of god It's a message whereby a man must cling to in order to be saved Are you saying that if there is a god? He's not capable of giving us his word He is capable of giving us his word not only that he is capable of transforming lives by his word and by his power And that's why we're prepared and that's why we will not accept the antichrist We will receive jesus christ because listen my children and my grandchildren now my grandchildren They will receive either jesus christ or antichrist I'm raising them to receive jesus christ the true christ who will set them free that comes from this book. That's how it works