Bible Study - Essentils (7) - The Return of JESUS - Matthew 24 - April 18, 2021

 

Bible Study – Essentials (7) – The Return of JESUS – April 18, 2021

This is lesson seven (7) and our final lesson in our series entitled, “Essentials of Christianity.”

Our focus scripture is Matthew 24:3-8, 29-32, 42-44.

JESUS will return to establish HIS eternal kingdom.

I hope you have read these lessons. They have been exciting to do. They reveal the love GOD has for each person upon earth and HIS desire for each person to be with HIM in eternity. But each person has a choice to make. Choose wisely my brother or sister.

This lesson deals with eschatology or the ends times. JESUS’ disciples were interested in the end-times, especially when JESUS would return to earth to establish HIS Kingdom. Most of us are equally interested and JESUS gives us some insight. Let’s explore!

When we consider the religions of the world, they are based upon some form of works. Hinduism believes in the circle of life. A person dies and if he or she has not reached perfection, the person must cycle back and live life again as a person or as a lower form of life, such as an animal, until he or she reaches perfection. We try to make a religion out of Christianity by focusing upon works. NO PERSON can work hard enough, long enough or be perfect enough to go to Heaven on their own merit. Why do we make it difficult when the plan of salvation is simple; accepting JESUS as our Savior? GOD is not trying to keep us from having the right relationship with HIM. HE welcomes all who come to HIM through faith in JESUS. JESUS paid the penalty for our sin when HE gave HIS sinless life upon the cross by the shedding of HIS blood.

Let’s consider the second coming of JESUS to earth to establish HIS Kingdom.

Let’s read Matthew 24:1-8:

24 As Jesus left and was going out of the temple, his disciples came up and called his attention to its buildings. ² He replied to them, “Do you see all these things? Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here on another that will not be thrown down.”

The engineering feats of mankind are marvels, especially during Biblical times. I can imagine the disciples seeing these massive well-built buildings and thinking how indestructible they looked. JESUS knew their thoughts and responded to them. In essence, these buildings look solid and indestructible but they are “things” and will be destroyed. Don’t place your faith in what man can do but place your hope in what GOD can do. Because the temple was GOD’S House, where people came to worship, GOD did not mean that it was Holy and indestructible. Only GOD is Holy and is The ONE to be worshipped not material things.

JESUS and HIS disciples had relocated from the temple grounds to across the Kidron Valley. From their new location they could likely see Jerusalem, the temple and the surrounding area.

The words JESUS had spoken earlier sparked HIS disciples to ask HIM, “when such destruction would take place,” as we read on -----

Signs of the End of the Age

³ While he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what is the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

This was about 30 AD and from history we know that the temple was destroyed in 70 AD. JESUS had spoken of the “end of the age.”

⁴ Jesus replied to them, “Watch out that no one deceives you. ⁵ For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many. ⁶ You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because these things must take place, but the end is not yet. ⁷ For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines^[a] and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these events are the beginning of labor pains.

Matthew 24:24 - ²⁴ For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

The “elect” are eternally secured by the Holy Spirit.

Let’s consider “the end of the age.” JESUS’ birth, sinless life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension ended the need for the physical sacrificial system. This is beautifully explained in our next scripture.

Let’s read Hebrews 9:11-28:

New Covenant Ministry

¹¹ But Christ has appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come.^[a] In the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands (that is, not of this creation), ¹² he entered the most holy place once for all time, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. ¹³ For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow, sprinkling those who are defiled, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, ¹⁴ how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our^[b] consciences from dead works so that we can serve the living God?

¹⁵ Therefore, he is the mediator of a new covenant,^[c] so that those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance, because a death has taken place for redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. ¹⁶ Where a will exists, the death of the one who made it must be established. ¹⁷ For a will is valid only when people die, since it is never in effect while the one who made it is living. ¹⁸ That is why even the first covenant was inaugurated with blood. ¹⁹ For when every command had been proclaimed by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats,^[d] along with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll itself and all the people, ²⁰ saying, This is the blood of the covenant that God has ordained for you.^[e] 21 In the same way, he sprinkled the tabernacle and all the articles of worship with blood. ²² According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

²³ Therefore, it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves to be purified with better sacrifices than these. ²⁴ For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model^[f] of the true one) but into heaven itself, so that he might now appear in the presence of God for us. ²⁵ He did not do this to offer himself many times, as the high priest enters the sanctuary yearly with the blood of another. ²⁶ Otherwise, he would have had to suffer many times since the foundation of the world. But now he has appeared one time, at the end of the ages, for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of himself. ²⁷ And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment— ²⁸ so also Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but^[g] to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.[1]

YES, when we ask JESUS to forgive us for our sins and to come into our heart believing that HE paid in full for all of our sin, we are Spiritually born into the Family of GOD. GOD is our FATHER and we are HIS Sons or Daughters through the miracle of Spiritual birth. The indwelling Holy Spirit confirms this fact within each Spiritually born believer.

Back to JESUS responding to the question HIS disciples had asked, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what is the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

The passion of JESUS ended the need of the Jewish sacrificial system established by GOD and recorded by Moses. After the birth, death, burial and resurrection of JESUS, JESUS established the “age of grace.” All who place their faith in JESUS are under GOD’S Grace. All Christians live under GOD’S Grace and are secure until HIS second coming to earth or until they die physically.

The disciples wanted to know when the end would come. This was before the crucifixion and resurrection of JESUS. JESUS had taught about the end times. Let’s return to JESUS’ explanation as recorded in Matthew 24:29-31:

²⁹ “Immediately after the distress of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰ Then the sign

of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the peoples of the earth^[h] will mourn;^[i] and they will see the Son of Man (JESUS) coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ³¹ He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

What do we know about the light source of the moon today? It is reflected light from the sun, thus when the “sun will be darkened,” “the moon will not shed its light.”

Nothing in the Bible defies logic or scientific logic. When the balance in the universe is shaken, physical things happen. The universe is in balance and when disturbed order turns to disorder. This is when JESUS will appear. Those who have been Spiritually born through faith in JESUS will be gathered and be taken up to Heaven with JESUS.

What are the four winds? North, East, West, South – NEWS (Good News) – it will be the best news the Christian world has been waiting for since the beginning of creation. The beginning of the redemption of earth and nature.

Now exactly when will this take place? Let’s read on ----

Let’s read Matthew 24:36-44:

No One Knows the Day or Hour

³⁶ “Now concerning that day and hour no one knows—neither the angels of heaven nor the Son^[l] —except the Father alone. ³⁷ As the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. ³⁸ For in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah boarded the ark. ³⁹ They didn’t know until the flood came and swept them all away. This is the way the coming of the Son of Man will be. ⁴⁰ Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding grain with a hand mill; one will be taken and one left. ⁴² Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day^[m] your Lord is coming. ⁴³ But know this: If the homeowner had known what time^[n] the thief was coming, he would have stayed alert and not let his house be broken into. ⁴⁴ This is why you are also to be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Our curiosity often leads us to attempt to figure out when our LORD will return. It is certainly closer today than it was 2,000 years ago.

JESUS makes it clear that there is only ONE who knows and that is GOD, our FATHER. Certainly, our LORD gives us signs that get our attention to get us to focus on our need for JESUS and our need to serve by reaching out to others with the Good News. Notice, that neither do the angels nor JESUS know when JESUS will return. If you hear of someone predicting the end, discount it because that person does not know. All people are to be ready to meet JESUS because the end can happen at any moment. That is GOD’S message to the world, STAY READY because it will all happen in the twinkling of the eye.

When JESUS returns to earth, HE will bring with HIM all Christians who have departed earth in physical death and have been in Heaven. At that instant all Christians who are alive upon earth will be going back with JESUS thus they will receive their Glorified Bodies and be taken to Heaven. This is the rapture. It will be business as usual upon earth e.g., eating, drinking, marrying, making money, raising children, playing bridge and working. Those left upon earth will likely ask, “Where did everyone go?”  

Have you ever wondered why those left outside of the ark did not force their way into the ark when they realized that Noah had been preaching truth? Genesis 7:15-16 - ¹⁵ So they went into the ark with Noah, two by two of all living beings in which there was the breath and spirit of life. ¹⁶ Those which entered, male and female of all flesh (creatures), entered as God had commanded Noah; and the Lord closed the door behind him.

GOD does love the world but there comes a time when enough is enough. GOD closes the door. That is why now is the time for all to accept JESUS as their Savior. Receive JESUS as your Savior while the light of the Gospel of JESUS is available!!

If you have never asked JESUS to forgive you for your sins and for HIM to come into your heart, now is that opportunity. Faith in JESUS is your surety now and for eternity.  Blessings!!!

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