End of the Age

Matthew 24:3-31

As he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us when these things shall be and what will be the sign of your return and of the end of the world?’

And Jesus answered and said, “Watch out that no one fools you. Many will come claiming to represent me and say, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars. Don’t let t these things trouble you for they have to occur before the end. Nation will challenge nations, kingdom against kingdom. And there will be times of famine, plagues, and earthquakes in different places. All these are beginning birth pains.

“Then they will hand you over to be persecuted and killed. Every nation will oppress you for identifying with me. At that time, many will be offended by others and turn each other in. People will hate each other.

“Also, many false prophets will appear and deceive many. Because of increased lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. But those that make it to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the Kingdom of God will be proclaimed throughout the inhabited earth. Then the end will come.

“So, when you see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, as foretold by Daniel, the prophet—let the reader understand—then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. If someone is on his roof, he shouldn’t come down to gather his goods. If he is in the field, he shouldn’t go home for a coat.

“Woe to those pregnant and with small children! Pray that your escape doesn’t come in the winter, or on the Sabbath, for this will bring the worst suffering since the beginning of the world until now, or in the future. Unless they were not cut short, humanity would not survive. But for the sake of the chosen, those days will be shortened.

“So, if anyone tells you that the Messiah is here or there, don’t believe them. There will be false messiahs and prophets, who show great signs and wonders, so convincing that they fool the chosen, if possible.

“Look! I’ve told you ahead of time. When someone says to you, ‘Look, he’s in the desert’ don’t go. If they say, ‘He’s in a secret place,’ don’t believe it. As the lightning in the east can easily be seen in the west, so will the return of the Son of man be. Wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will gather.

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light. The stars will fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven and all of the tribes of the earth mourn, for they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a great trumpet sound and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Mark 13:3-27

As he sat on the mount of Olives overlooking the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us when these things will happen and what the sign will be that they are to be fulfilled?”

And Jesus began by saying, “See that no one fools you for many will come claiming to be mine, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and deceive many. And when you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, don’t let it trouble you. These things have to come before the end. Nation will attack nation and kingdom will fight kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places as well as famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.

“But take heed to yourselves. You will be brought before councils and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will appear before rulers and kings for my sake and as a testimony against them. And the gospel must first be proclaimed in all the nations.

“But when they shall bring you before the authorities, don’t worry about what to say and what they will do to you, for at that time the Holy Spirit will tell you what to say.

“Brother will betray brother to be killed, and the father his son. Children will oppose their parents and cause them to be killed. You will be hated by everyone for identifying with me. But he that endures to the end will be saved.

“But when you see the abomination of desolation cited by Daniel, the prophet, standing where it shouldn’t be—let the reader understand—those in Judea must flee to the mountains. And one on the roof should not tarry to go into the house to gather anything from it. The one in the field shouldn’t go back for his coat.

“And woe to those pregnant and those with small children. Pray that your flight is not in the winter. In those days, their tragedy will be the worst ever—from the beginning of the creation by God to this time—or ever will be. Unless the Lord had brought those days to a halt, no one would be saved. But for the chosen, whom he chose, he has shortened the days.

“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Attention! Here is the Messiah,’ or, ‘Attention, he is there,’ don’t believe them. False messiahs and prophets will appear, showing signs and wonders to seduce even the chosen, if that were possible. But stay alert! Look, I’ve told you everything.

“But in those days after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give her light. The stars of heaven will fall and the powers that are in heaven will be shaken. Then, they will see the Son of man coming in the clouds with power and glory. He will send his angels to gather together his elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of the earth to the farthest part of heaven.”