 Matthew chapter 24. And we are spending some time on Sunday evenings in a series we're entitling our future foretold where we are looking at prophetic texts in the New Testament with a specific reference to the end of days and the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. And so with that we come again to the Olivet Discourse. Matthew chapter 24. And I want to read the text to us again just to set the stage. And I thought that considering what we've covered so far looking at the Olivet Discourse and some of the difficulties with the timing of these events that a summary might be in order. So I hope to do that in the time that we have. The time is always short. I hope to do that in the time that we have this evening and then we'll pick back up again next week with verses 15 through 28 specifically. So let's read the text. I want you to just follow along the text with me very carefully. And then as we go through the text together we want to take a careful and specific look at some of the issues that we're dealing with with respect to the timing in particular. So let's look at Matthew chapter 24 beginning in verse one. Then Jesus went out, departed from the temple. And his disciples came up to show him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, Do you not see all these things? Assuredly I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another that shall not be thrown down. Now as we sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately saying, Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? And Jesus answered and said to them, Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name saying, I am the Christ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars and see that you are not troubled. For all these things must come to pass. But the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines, pestilences and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you. You will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations. And then the end will come. Therefore or then or so. When you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place, whoever reads let him understand. And 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, but woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days. And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time no nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved. But for the elect's sake, those days will be shortened. Then anyone says to you, look, here's the Christ or 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 elect. See, I have told you beforehand, therefore, if they say to you, look, he is in the desert, do not go out or look, he is in the inner rooms, 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. Let's pray. Father in heaven, we're thank you for this opportunity tonight again to come to this text and to study your word together. Thank you, Lord, for your glorious and gracious and merciful condescension to reveal these things to us in your word. Help us, Lord, by your spirit to understand them and to live in light of them for your glory in Jesus' name. Amen. I wear Matthew chapter 24. And specifically tonight, what I thought we would do is from verses one through 28, give us sort of an overview, catch us up to speed with where we are in the text so far and set the stage for a specific discussion of the signs that we will do next week in verses 15 to 28. So we're continuing our study of eschatology Sunday evenings during Sunday school during our small group times. In particular Sunday evenings, we've been unpacking beginning to unpack prophetic texts in the New Testament with specific reference to the end of the age and the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in a series that we've titled our future foretold. Tonight, we're once again in Matthew chapter 24 and the Lord's Olivet discourse. And before we look further at verses 15 to 28, we want to give a summary again of where we are at this point in the development of this passage. So look carefully with me at the text. Okay. Lord's Olivet discourse in Matthew 24 is set within a context of clear and coming judgment. And we've established that fact in the prior sermons, woes against the religious elite, pronouncements against the religious elite, as we see in Matthew chapter 23, the parable of the wicked vine dressers, the symbolic withering of the fig tree, the robbing of the widows might, so to speak, by the Pharisees, all of this in the context of a clear and coming judgment, rising to a climax, so to speak, with the Lord's pronouncement just before this passage in verse 38, verse chapter 23, verse 38, that their house then is left to them deathly. There is a context here of clear and coming judgment to judgment against Israel, a judgment against temple Judaism, and there will be specifically a coming judgment against the temple itself where the temple will be destroyed. And in the context of this coming judgment, the Lord is on the Mount of Olives with his disciples, and they, his disciples, draw his attention to these impressive buildings that make up the temple complex. So Jesus responds to them in verse two. Do you not see all these things that you're marveling at, so to speak? They're marveling at the temple complex in these buildings. Do you not see all these things? Assuredly I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another that shall not be thrown down. The Lord is pronouncing here in verse two the coming destruction of the temple, the coming judgment. The disciples clearly understand it to be that way. We both have the context of judgment that has preceded Matthew chapter 24. We have their understanding of the destruction of the temple and what that entails. They're familiar with what the destruction of the temple implies. They're familiar with what that judgment is. They've seen it before. And so the disciples, thinking this way, right? Thinking this way, then ask the Lord to essentially two questions. Aware that the Lord is referring to a coming judgment, and that judgment on Israel, specifically with respect to the destruction of the temple, and associating this coming judgment with the end of the age, and the return of the Lord, his disciples ask two questions then in verse three. First of this, tell us when will these things be? These things, if you look at the nearest antecedent of these things, the nearest antecedent is the coming judgment, specifically the destruction of the temple. Not one stone will be left upon another. Tell us, Lord, when will these things be? That's the first question. Second question is this. What will be the sign, singular, that word is singular, what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? They viewed those things together. In fact, they would have seen all of these things together as a complex of events. The coming judgment, the destruction of the temple, and now the sign of your coming and the sign then of the end of the age. It's obvious that the disciples here thought of eschatological events, end times events, the end of the age, the second coming of the Lord, as a single complex of events occurring together at the end, right? In their minds, that's sort of where their focus is heading at the end. Now the Lord corrects their thinking in that when he gives his answer, it is a complex of events, several things that will take place, and some of these things occur together at the end, but there will be a substantial delay involved before the end comes. So what comes next then is the Lord's answer beginning in verse 4, right? That's very important to note if you're putting the pieces of this together and you're thinking through how this fits and especially with what is coming later as we continue to study the book of Daniel during small groups, so we continue to look at prophetic texts on Sunday night, we're looking at our future hope on Sunday mornings, really important to begin to put this together, okay? In response to their question, in verse 3, these things beginning in verse 4, these things that the Lord begins to describe in verse 4, describe events that precede and accompany the destruction of the temple in AD 70, right? I think with me for a moment, they ask the question, when will these things be? What are these things are considering? The coming judgment, the destruction of the temple, that which Jesus Christ has just said, not one stone of that temple will be left upon another, and what will be the sign singular of your coming and the end of the age? The Lord begins to answer, these things are described for us beginning in verse 4, and these things both precede and accompany the destruction of the temple in AD 70, and this is where it's important to connect. They simultaneously explain events and circumstances that continue even in our own day and will continue, right? So I want you to see that with me. They both refer to those events that both precede and accompany the destruction of the temple, and they explain and describe events that have occurred and continue to occur even until our own day and will occur until the Lord comes back, right? So note this with me, beginning with the Lord's answer in verse 4, verse 4, Jesus answered then and said to them, take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name saying, I am the Christ and will deceive many, right? Now, think with me, this is the first of the signs, the first of the descriptions that the Lord gives us beginning in verse 4, descriptions of these things, and that is certainly, what he says in verse 5 is certainly a warning that describes both our age, our time, the days in which we live, and the time immediately preceding the Lord's return, but that's also something that marked the days prior to the destruction of the temple in AD 70. Let me give you one example quickly. Turn with me to Acts chapter 5, Acts chapter 5, and what I'm trying to do now is take a look specifically at what the Lord says, what the Lord is describing in these verses, and show us that these things that the Lord is describing were both characteristic of that time immediately preceding the destruction of the temple that the Lord has in mind, right? Not one stone will be left upon another, but they also mark our day, their characteristic of our day, and they will be characteristic of this age until the Lord returns, okay? The Lord says in verse 8 that these are the beginning of sorrows. They're going to be increasing in severity and increasing in frequency, but the end is not yet, the Lord says, right? So look at Acts chapter 5, drop down with me to verse 33. Now the disciples just arrested, they have rebuked them and said that they should not teach in the name of Jesus Christ anymore, and essentially the disciples say, we're not going to listen to you, we're going to obey the Lord. They are furious. Look at verse 33. When they heard this, the council, they were furious and plotted to kill them. Verse 34, then one in the council stood up a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and he commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while, and he said to them, men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. For some time ago, Judas rose up. If you read Josephus, during this time period, there were many who came who claimed to be messianic-like persons, messianic-like figures. There were many who claimed to be Christ during that time. There's a list of those, not just Judas. Here are two listed. For some time ago, verse 36, Judas rose up claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about 400, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. After this man, verse 37, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census and drew away many people after him. These are messianic-like figures. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. Now I say to you, keep away from these men, let them alone. For this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing. But if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it unless you even be found to fight against God. The point of us taking a look at that text in Acts chapter 5 is to show that even at that time, there were Christ-like or messianic-like figures that rose up with the intention of drawing away disciples after themselves, right? So this, what we see back in Matthew chapter 24 then, verse 5, characteristic both of that day and age and our day and age. Many will come in by name saying, verse 5, I am the Christ, and will deceive many. According to the Lord's warning, that will continue. It will ramp up increasing in severity and increasing in frequency, like birth pangs, right? The beginning of sorrows or the beginning of birth pangs. Now that's going to increase until the end. Look with me at verse 6 then. Let's continue. Verse 6, and you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled. For all these things, again, there's the use of that term, right? All these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. If you think about the time they're proceeding and accompanying the destruction of the temple in 8070, there were wars and rumors of wars. There were famines, pestilences, and earthquakes. There was a severe famine in Jerusalem prior to the destruction of the temple, where it is said that women in Jerusalem were eating their own children because they were starving to death in the city. Right? A severe famine. There was a severe earthquake in Pompeii killing thousands. This all happened prior to 8070. Right? These things have continued to happen and will continue to happen. As we get to John's Apocalypse, the revelation, we're going to see more examples of famines and pestilences that occur even at the end. There will certainly be more. These things, again, as the Lord says in verse 8, are the beginning of sorrows, the beginning of birth things. They will increase both in frequency and in severity and then at the end the end will come. Okay? The Lord explains there, if you look at verse 8, these are the beginning of sorrows. Now, it's apparent to this point, it's apparent from the Lord's statement, there will be a lengthy or significant delay between the onset of these characteristics, these characteristic occurrences or events, and the end of the age. Right? He continues to say, and then the end is not yet. The end is not yet verse 6. These are the beginning, only the beginnings of sorrows. Verse 8, verse 13, he who endures to the end. In other words, the end is not yet. Somewhere out in the future, he who endures to the end will be saved. There's a delay being marked here. So we have what is clearly being stated in Matthew chapter 24 are the events that proceed and lead up to the destruction of the temple in 8070. We're not one stone is left upon another. And then those events continue. They mark our current age. They mark the age of the church, the age of tribulation as described in the Bible. Paul says in Acts chapter 14, it is with much tribulation that we must enter the kingdom of heaven and it continues to mark our age and will mark our age until the end comes. Okay. So now next I want you to see this age will be marked, it is marked by significant persecution. Look at verse 9, verse 9, Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you. You will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. But doesn't that sound very reminiscent of the Lord's instruction to the disciples in the upper room, right? In John chapter 15, John chapter 16, the Lord preparing his own disciples for this tremendous persecution that's coming. This tremendous persecution certainly came upon those disciples. And that persecution continues to come on disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our day and age is marked by that persecution. In fact, I'd heard of testified here recently that 2017 marked the greatest persecution of the Lord's church in the history of the church. And in our recent time, there's been more persecution against the Lord's people, against the Lord's church than there has been at any other point in history. And there's been some substantial persecution in the history of the church, right? So they're going to deliver you up, verse 9, to tribulation and kill you. You will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. That is as much a warning to you and I as it was a warning to them. And it will be a warning for those during this age, as much as it was a warning to them, okay? Many, verse 10, will be offended, will betray one another and will hate one another. Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. Isn't that the truth today? These verses describe certainly the day in which the Lord Jesus Christ lived that age that preceded and accompanied the destruction of the temple. They certainly mark our age, our day as well. Verse 12, and because lawlessness will abound, love of many will grow cold, right? And instantly our memories are brought to Revelation chapter 2 and the rebuke of the Lord against the loveless church in Ephesus, and that continues even to this day, okay? And then the Lord exhorts in verse 13, but he who endures to the end shall be saved. Again, these events certainly took place preceding 8070, and these events continue in our day, and they continue to ramp up in both frequency and severity, and will do so until the end. However, this age, this time period, the time period in which we live, is marked specifically by the preaching of the gospel. The preaching of the gospel specifically marks the church age, the age of the church. It marked both their day, those events preceding the destruction of the temple in 8070, and it marks our day. So from the first advent of the Lord Jesus Christ, until the Lord's return, the church preaches the gospel. Verse 14, and this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come, right? Again, nothing here that would lead us to believe that these events are specifically and only referring to that which is future from verses 4 to 14. Deals with both those events that precede in the company, the destruction of the temple, and our age currently leading up to the end of the age, as it's stated in verse 14, right? This preaching of the gospel, at that time, the preaching of the gospel went all over the known world at that time. All over the Roman Empire, the gospel was being preached, right? You could almost say that that gospel of the kingdom was fulfilled in the preaching across the known world at that time in the Roman Empire. As we know, things have continued, the gospel is continuing to be preached, is continuing to be preached now, and will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come, right? Now note again with me, note again, in response to their question in verse 3, in response to their question in verse 3, these things beginning in verse 4 describe events that precede in a company the destruction of the temple in AD 70. However, these things beginning in verse 4 also simultaneously explain or describe events, these events and circumstances that continue even in our day. Do you see? Even in our day, all these things, verse 8, are the beginning of sorrows. The beginning of sorrows began with the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ to the right hand of the Father and the preaching of the gospel to all the world. That was the beginning and that beginning has continued. It continues through our day today, okay? These things then mark the time preceding the destruction of the temple, and these things have continued now for 2,000 years, marking the age in which we now live, and they will continue increasing in frequency and severity until the Lord comes, right? Then, look at verse 15, then un is the word there. It's a logical inference conjunction. It means then or therefore or so. What we're to do when we see therefore beginning in verse 15 is we're to draw a logical inference from the preceding statement in transition to the next, right? He's transitioning from one subject, so to speak, to the next subject. In other words, verse 14, this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the witness in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come, then therefore, right? So, verse 15, when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, whoever reads them understand, flee, right? Then the end will come verse 14, so in here verse 15 is the sign, is the sign. When they ask the question, back in verse 3, what will be the sign singular of your coming? The Lord then in verses 4 to 14 lists many events, describes many characteristics of this church age in which we now live, many things being described there. The sign, the singular sign being referenced by that singular term in verse 3 is the singular abomination of desolation that we see in verse 15, all right? Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation, that's the sign spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, whoever reads them understand and let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. And we spent a little bit of time last week speaking about what that abomination of desolation entails. Let me go a little bit more specific with respect to the timeline, all right? The Lord now beginning in verse 15 begins to answer the second part of their question. What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? What will be this complex of events, the sign of this complex of events that includes your coming and the end of the age, right? The particular and singular sign given by the Lord in verse 15 is the abomination of desolation. I believe the most natural reading of the text would indicate that the Lord then begins to explain what they should look for regarding the end of the age verses 15 through 28 and the coming of the Son of Man in verses 29 through 31. Look at those with me. Again, the end of the age verses 15 through 28 and the coming of the Son of Man verses 29 through 31. I want us to see this, right? In the very same way that we just described those events in verses 4 to 14 and how those events described in verses 4 to 14 include those that preceded and accompanied the destruction of the temple in 8070 and have continued into our day, right? Continue to our day. In the very same way, aspects of the Lord's answer here in verses 15 to 28 describe events that also precede and accompanied the destruction of the temple in 8070 and foreshadow those events that will come at the end of the age, right? The same thing is being done. They simultaneously, if you will, explain events and circumstances that will occur at the end of the age. In other words, these are what we see here in some cases are foreshadowing near and far fulfillments. There's a foreshadowing, a near-referent, of a far-referent or a far fulfillment. Now, some believe, some believe when they look at Matthew chapter 24, that literally all of Matthew chapter 24 is future from verse 3 or verse 4 to the end is entirely future. Most premillennial dispensationalists would hold to that view. We've already seen from verses 4 to 14 that's clearly not the case, right? Clearly not the case. Very easily, very squarely, the most natural reading of the text is to look at the destruction of the temple in 8070, all right? Some believe that the events of Matthew 24 are entirely past, entirely past. Again, for, I think, very compelling reasons we wouldn't consider that all of these points are entirely past. Some believe that the events described in 15 through 28 are entirely past. We'll look at that some in just a moment. Let me give you some reasons why in Matthew chapter 24, specifically verses 15 to 28, some of these things have specific reference to the destruction of the temple in 8070 and some foreshadow events that take place at the end of the age and why that's important, all right? You may want to jot these down and then just consider this text in your own study during the week. We'll come back to it next week when we have more time. This segment of text, verses 15 to 28, obviously referring to in some parts the end of the age. Again, I think the Lord is answering the second part of their question, what will be the sign of your coming in the end of the age? The first sign being pointed to in verse 15 is the abomination of desolation, all right? Look with me quickly at Daniel chapter 9. Let me give you one reason why I believe that this particular sign is pointing to this particular event as yet future and yet this event foreshadowed both prior to the destruction of the temple in 8070 and foreshadowed in the destruction of the temple in 8070, okay? In other words, a near-referent maybe and a far-referent one way to think about it. Daniel chapter 9, in Daniel chapter 9 as we're studying Daniel in our small groups, Daniel chapter 9 refers to the fourth kingdom, right? And there is an abomination of desolation associated with the fourth kingdom. That's referred to if you look at verse 26, verse chapter 9 verse 26, after 62 weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself. The people of the Prince who is to come shall destroy the city in the sanctuary. We're going to get into all of this. The end of it shall be with a flood until the end of the war, desolations are determined. Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering, and on the wing of abomination shall be one who makes desolation, one who makes desolate, even until the consummation. That depends on what your view of what that word consummation is referring to. If you view that as being a consummation of all things, then this abomination of desolation comes prior to the end. If it comes prior to the end, I believe that it does in Matthew chapter 24, that is foreshadowed by many abominations of desolations in the past. We saw an abomination of desolation both in the third kingdom in our study of Daniel. We'll see that also in the fourth kingdom. We saw that with Antiochus Epiphanes. We also see that in the fourth kingdom under the Roman oppression, with Titus sacking Jerusalem in 8070, and we'll see that abomination of desolation again at the end. Again, one reason that I believe the events in Matthew chapter 24 are pointing, at least in this case, to a far referent or a far fulfillment. If you look with me again back at Matthew chapter 24, the great tribulation is described in verse 21 as being such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time no nor ever shall be. Now to Jerusalem or to the Jews at that time before the Jews were wiped out, so to speak, Jerusalem was sacked, that was a terrible time of tribulation. Again, I believe that the words of the Lord in verse 21 speak to a level of tribulation such as has not been seen yet and are reserved for that tribulation reserved for the end of the age. If you line that up with Daniel chapter 9 and the covenant made in the middle of the week and then comes a great tribulation, I believe that this tribulation is the one being referenced and yet still future, right? If you look at the next verse 22, chapter 24 verse 22, unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved, but for the electric, those days will be shortened. I believe that's in reference to the great tribulation at the end of the age. Look at verse 23, then if anyone says to you, look here is the Christ or there do not believe it. For false Christ and false prophets will rise, show great signs and wonders to deceive even if possible the elect. See, I've told you beforehand, as we've seen already from Acts chapter 5, many false Christ have arisen, but there is a particular characteristic mark of the end of the age as being that false Christ will arise in increasing numbers with increasing effectiveness, showing great signs and wonders that are so great. In fact, they would deceive if possible, even the elect. And so I believe again that that's a mark specifically of those end days, not solely a or only a reference to those days proceeding and accompanying the destruction of the temple in 8070, but also a reference to the end of the age and of the coming of the Son of Man. You look at verse 28, carcasses and vultures are referenced to the end, Revelation chapter 19. If you look at verse 29, the Lord says that immediately day, immediately after the tribulation of those days, after the tribulation of what days? Those days of the end, right? Immediately after that is the coming of the Son of Man. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear verse 30 in heaven. All the tribes of the earth will mourn and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Again, Pastor Rick and I were talking about this earlier that often in the Old Testament, the destruction of cities or the coming judgment is described in cataclysmic terms, right? The sun not showing, not giving its light, the moon being turned to blood, darkness over the face of the earth, right? These cataclysmic signs being used to describe a coming judgment, right? I believe that all of those are four shadowing signs of the ultimate coming judgment at the end of the age when the Son of Man returns, okay? Again, this is all pointing forward. Verse 33, verse 33, when you see again all these things, you know these things described in verses 15 to 28, these things described beginning in verse 29, you know that it is near. What is it that it is referring to? It's referring to the end of the age and the coming of the Son of Man that goes back to their second question. It is that day, that hour, which the Son of Man has no knowledge he says, right? Therefore, not referring to those events that took place preceding 8070, it is referring to that day the Son of Man returns, right? Even in Luke chapter 21, Luke chapter 21, Luke makes reference to armies surrounding Jerusalem. Here, if you look at verses 24, verse 16, so to think with me, Luke making reference to armies surrounding Jerusalem, verse 16 making reference to those who were in Judea fleeing to the mountains. Let me ask you, when the Son of Man returns, is there anyone or anywhere to flee? No, it's a global event, right? So again, these are, what the Lord is describing are events that are specific to an accompany, the destruction of the temple, the sack of Jerusalem in 8070, but those events have foreshadowing significance, these things that will happen at the end of the age. Does that make sense, right? So, Luke refers to armies surrounding Jerusalem. In verse 16, those who were in Judea fleeing to the mountains. Let him who was on the house top not go down to take anything out of his house. Let him who was in the field not go back to get his clothes. Those were all references, again, to a specific people at a specific time in a specific place. At the sack of Jerusalem, there wasn't time to go back from the field to your house to get your jacket, right? You were instructed to flee, but these, again, are near reference or foreshadowing of an ultimate end of times event, or an end of age description that the Lord is also giving us to us here in verses 15 to 28, right? And again, these events also described by John in Revelation. Now, in that sense, right, you have both verses 4 to 14 explained or describing the age between the Lord's first coming and his second coming. Those events taking place, proceeding and accompanying the destruction of the temple, even to our own age. Now, in verses 15 to 28, you have specific reference given to both those events that proceed and accompany the destruction of the temple in 8070 and point future to the end of the age and the time of his coming. We see what the Lord has in mind here with the Olivet Discourse in Matthew chapter 24. Specifically, verses 4 to 14, clearly referring to the church age, the current age of tribulation, an age during which the gospel of the kingdom has preached the beginning of birth pangs that both increase in severity and frequency. And then you see in verses 15 to 28, clearly referring to those events of a great tribulation, proceeding the end of the age, proceeding the coming of the Son of Man. And these events are foreshadowed by 8070, but they do not occur then in full. The last of the birth pangs comes at the end, so to speak, and then the Lord comes back. Makes sense? All right, so it gives us sort of an overview of the timeline of events, how we're to see how this time fits together. We'll talk more about those signs in verses 15 to 28, beginning next Sunday evening. The application for us is, would be this, that in the same way, those disciples would have sat on the Mount of Olives with the Lord Jesus Christ and would have understood clearly what was about to come upon them. And they persevered until the end, even giving their lives for the cause of Christ, giving their lives for the kingdom. The application for us is the same. The Lord tells us beforehand, He describes for us the events that are taking place, the events that are going to come, and He tells us persevere as they did, right? We have them as great and glorious examples to us. We're to persevere to the end. He says, He who endures to the end will be saved. So we're to trust the Lord, persevere in preaching the gospel. This gospel of the kingdom will be preached to all the world, to all nations, then the end will come. So hang in there, right? Don't throw in the towel. Don't be discouraged. Don't be fearful. Don't be doubtful. Trust the Lord, even in the midst of great difficulty, great adversity. Let's pray. Father in heaven, Lord, thank you for this text. Please help us, Lord. These are sometimes difficult things to understand, sometimes difficult to put the pieces together in order to clearly understand exactly what's being referred to. And we see in many ways in which the text is speaking specifically of the disciples in that day and those events that preceded that terrible event, the destruction of the temple, or the sacking of Jerusalem. And yet we see also the great and terrible day of the Lord prophesied here, being foreshadowed here, being told of here, that will come those signs, those circumstances, those characteristic events that accompany the end of the age and the coming of the Son of Man. Help us, Lord, as your people to be prepared for those events. Help us not to doubt and help us to trust. Empower us by your spirit to understand your word, to obey your word, to trust you and to do what you've called us to do. Help us, Lord, to faithfully preach the gospel as you called us to during this time, that we may work in the cause of your kingdom until you return for your glory, God, in Jesus' name. Amen.