Thanks for joining us as we receive Jesus’ own answers to those three questions He was asked privately in verse 3 of Matthew 24.
The First: WHEN shall these things be - this temple grinding.
Second question: SIGN of this Israel-seeing-you coming of yours.
The Third: Also about SIGN but of the end of the age.
For the first time, I was going to see how Jesus went about answering these questions. And it’s puzzling they were not answered in the order they were asked. Any relevance? You can rest assured that Jesus attended to these questions by answering them in the order the events would actually unfold. Now take a keen look: the last question was answered first, followed by the first question and then the second question turned out to be the last answered.
Jesus started out with THE SIGN OF THE END OF THE AGE. Consider that THE AGE here is best defined by the audience to which this question is addressed. And that audience is nothing short of the world system, sparing no nation. While it’s quite tempting to think He was referring to the end of the earth here, that this earth wouldn’t have passed away at the fulfillment of this sign brushes that aside. Neither was He speaking exclusively to Jews of any dispensation as we would soon see that this first sign is global. Global in the sense that it addresses how His church which consist of the Jews and Gentiles will endure to the end of the age. This age is the one Jesus said ,'I'm with you always, even to the end of the age'. We are about to find out He was simply speaking of what signals the end of this global system governed by mankind first without any antichrist or beast.
Without parables just yet, Jesus spoke expressly on this first sign of end of the age right from verse 4 to 14. It’s actually a sign pregnant with many signs. He was quick to begin with the sign of deceit. Warning of fake Christs, perhaps paraded as His successors or usurpers, He established that deceit is atop the vices in devil’s trick bag. And it’s your knowing the truth, proving all things by the discerning Spirit of truth, the Helper who interprets what God says about you in His word is what makes you free. It would not be by giving attention to what God didn’t say about you. Remember Eve was deceived by what God didn’t say.
Next baby sign in line is that of wars itself and then rumors of more wars to come with a caution that these aren't even the end. Jesus Himself spoke of International conflicts down to Kingdom roots and said these are still no way near the age end. By the time nature comes into play with pestilence, famine and earthquakes in diverse places which might get trivialized as global warming, He said sorrows had just began.
Then He added the chilly shocker in verse 9: ‘They will kill you’. That was Jesus to His disciples who were already longing for His return even before His departure. You could feel that yearning for His return in John’s tone while writing the Revelation of Jesus from the Island of Patmos. Right from the opening verse, he said event must shortly happen and sustained it till verse 4 of the last chapter. You wouldn’t feel it any less in Paul when he said, ‘we shall all not sleep’. Certainly, every believer want to be in that death defying rocket of believers that beat the gravitational force. The yearnings is also not lost on the early church up to Robert Liardon's roll call of God's Generals and now. But Jesus shocked this twelve first with that gruesome sign; ‘they will kill you’ and the killers would even think they are doing God a service.
He pressed on to the next sign of the end. Tribulation: with surging hatred of His disciples for His name sake, many believers then would pick offense. Offense, snowballed into hate among brethren would brew betrayals within the church. And worse is the compounding new tide of False prophets. Where global legal system is beckoned, it will fail. Then most would wax cold in their love of God. This is where I believe the first four chapters of the Book of Revelation of Jesus for the Churches comes in handy. For instance, the Church at Ephesus had lost her first love. And Paul asked, what shall separate us from the love of Christ, shall tribulations?
This is the time when wax cold love shows we are doubting His coming. Then we see ourselves gradually on the side of those making proverbial mockery of Christ coming, which too is a baby sign. Do you really stop expecting the return of someone you truly love? At this point, it's endurance in love like Jesus encouraged the Philadelphia church that will last. Little wonder He said we shall see tribulations but should be of good cheers, He overcame the world. That comforting Spirit that’s not of fear but of love, power and sound mind is what would see us through witnessing of the gospel of the Kingdom to all of the nations. That’s the mother sign defining the end of the age upon which Christ will return. While doubts abound if there’s any nation left where this gospel of the kingdom hasn’t been witnessed, ours is to be living witnesses of this kingdom gospel to the uttermost end of the earth.
So what then is that Gospel of the kingdom?
Popularly called the good news but I bet you it's the best news ever. It’s that Jesus’ coming, right from His first to the second is not to scare you. Aren’t there enough scare in this world already? It’s so that where He is you may be also. The gospel of the kingdom began from the Holy Spirit of love and sound mind banishing virgin Mary’s fear, that Jesus was born in flesh in the Manger as the lamb set to take out our sin on the cross by death. That His death made Him sin in our place and that same Spirit resurrected Him on the third day and He’s coming again.
This gospel of the kingdom is that He perhaps tarries just so you would be witnessed to, and be a part of those caught up. Isn't it good He waited for you, also to witness to others and not be ashamed of the gospel because it’s the power of God unto salvation.
This gospel of the kingdom is that we are living witnesses under the cloud of witness of His resurrection power. We experience this Kingdom daily because it’s within us and we can’t wait till that kingdom come fully and His will is done on earth as it in heaven.
As you live out this gospel of the Kingdom in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, join us again as we look at the next question in BICQ 2.
Edited by: Odunayo Olashore
EDITORIAL - INK AIRERS
Salem Otto : Ghana
Jeremiah Ishaya : Nigeria
Oluwatobi Shoyoye: Nigeria
Racheal Olusanya : England
Odunayo Olashore: Canada
Olusola Olusanya : England
BLOG YOUR FEEDBACKS, Further correspondence to be updated, https://www.facebook.com/bicqmag/ , WhatsApp +2348171997711