(The Bible on the return of Jesus, part 3)

Last week we read from Matthew chapter 24, and saw some amazing signs that have already taken place in this world! Signs that Jesus said would be seen just before He comes back to this world. (read part 1 and part 2 of this series if you haven't already)

But can this be really true? There are many people who have claimed that the end of the world is coming.... and that Jesus will return on such and such a date, and the world will end. Yet the day of their predictions have come and gone, and nothing happened. So we need to be very careful not to speculate or guess anything when we are studying this important topic.

The Bible says in Isaiah 40:8 that "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.". Man's predictions, are just like grass and flowers! And his predictions will fail, just like the grass and flowers will fade. But it is different with God. God is the eternal and all-knowing one, and can see future events, and has given us the Bible to show us what we need to know, and to prepare us for whatever will happen.
And the word of our God shall stand forever!

Only the Bible holds the keys for us to understand the soon coming of Jesus and the end of the world.

Lets read some more from Matthew 24.

v9 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.

Here is a question: in this verse, who is "they" and "you" referring to?

The last reference to people was in verse 7, "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom". So "they" must still be referring to nations and/or kingdoms. Also this is confirmed in verse 9 where it reads: "ye shall be hated of all nations"

And "you" was who Jesus was talking to, His disciples. A disciple means a follower, or someone who receives instruction from another. Aren't we all disciples of Jesus? Yes!

So now lets look at Matthew 24:9 again.
"Then shall they (nations) deliver you (followers of Jesus) up to be afflicted, and shall kill you (the followers of Jesus) and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake"

What an awesome time is coming! We haven't seen this prophecy (a prophecy is "a declaration of something to come") fully fulfilled yet. But the Bible says that there is coming a time, when God's people, those who truly follow and love Him, will be hated by the rest of the world, and the rest of the world will seek to kill them. This is not a happy thought, but a solemn sign. When we see this sign, we will know that the coming of Jesus is very near.

v10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
At this time, many people will become offended (displeased or angry), and there will be a lack of trust in the world. So much so that people will betray one another and hate each other.

v11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
Again, just like we read earlier (last week) about false Christ's, we are told that false prophets will rise and many will be deceived into believing lies (things that are false).

v12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Iniquity means unrighteousness or sin.
So because sin or unrighteousness abounds in this world, the love of many shall wax cold.
Wax means to gradually become something else, or to gradually change. The love of many people will gradually become cold. People will cease to love each other as they should and as God has instructed.

So what have we seen so far? A world that hates God's followers, a world that is lacking trust, who's inhabitants are betraying each other, and a world that is lacking true love as it's people are becoming colder and colder.
Again this is not a pretty picture.

But don't stop here, yes although the world is falling apart, although people are becoming more wicked as they choose to turn away from God, even though all these things are happening, we have hope! The true follower of God has hope!

v13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Dear reader, don't pass this precious promise by. Remember that if we endure unto the end, and remain faithful to God.... ....no matter what happens to us, or to this world, no matter what men may try to do to us, God has promised that "we shall be saved".

To be continued....