Wray
Luke 5:34 And He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them?
Luke 5:35 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.”
He came as the Bridegroom and would leave as that.
This is a mystery – in fact it is a great mystery!
Matthew 4: After the fast the first thing that Jesus does is go to the synagogue and reads from Old Testament. Then right on the heels of this He gives the sermon on the mount.
Leviticus 23:2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.
Who Will Christ be Looking for at His Return?
This is the last of what has become a trilogy of messages – this one goes hand in hand with Preparing for the End and Matthew 24 – A Prophecy for the End Time.
Matthew 24 is an OUTLINE of things to come
Matthew 24:1 Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple.
Matthew 24:2 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.”
DUALITY
Many of these prophecies in Matthew 24 had a historical fulfillment
Christ acknowledged this in:
Matthew 24:15 “Therefore when you see the ‘ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand),
We have only in recent history been able to fulfill this
Matthew 24:21 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.
Matthew 24:22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
A lot more books of the Bible were still to be written after Christ said these words. Many of the historical fulfillments happened before the book of Revelation was given (60’s-70’s AD vs 90’s-100’s AD).
The reason that we bring this up is because events in Revelation parallel Matthew 24 – obviously Christ knew that there was duality in prophecy.
Matthew 24:3 Now as He 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?”
This is the question that most people in Christianity would love to know the answer to – just as the disciples did. So here it is!
But what will notice is that He really doesn’t answer the first question very specifically nor would we we expect Him to because of the following reason.
Acts 1:6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
Acts 1:7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.
He will return quickly and like a thief in the night. And I believe many will not realize it as we see in the next two verses:
Matthew 24:4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.
Why does He say this, because it CAN happen and will happen to the world at large – though it should not happen to us.
There is no end to the wrong ideas out there as people will say whatever they want to –
Galatians 1:6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,
Galatians 1:7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.
Galatians 1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
Galatians 1:9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
Galatians 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
Matthew 24:5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
This has been going on since the beginning, but will culminate in the end.
This is the beginning of the parallel with Revelation 6. Not many know about this even though the church has been teaching it for as long as I can remember – still it is barely out there.
The first of the seals is by far the most misunderstood of the first four seals:
Revelation 6:1 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.”
Revelation 6:2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
The Lamb (Jesus Christ John 1:29) opens to show the actions of the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse.
The first one is Religious Deception
It is interesting, but it should come as no surprise that many are deceived about who is riding the white horse which makes it look very similar to Christ’s return.
This is exactly the point Jesus is making in Matthew 24:5; they are going to come and say that they are Christ or that they are preaching in the name of Christ; and the gospel of Jesus Christ; etc. and they will be fooled by it in much the same way that they are now.
Here is how we know that it is not Christ coming at His return:
1. he has a bow; Christ comes with a sword
Revelation 19:11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
Revelation 19:13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
Revelation 19:15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Revelation 19:16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Revelation 19:21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.
Parallels Matthew 24
What we are seeing here is that MANY will come and say: ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
This ties directly into the first seal or first horseman of Revelation 6.
And now we see how that these next two verses tie into the next three horsemen of Revelation 6
Matthew 24:6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Greek implies that they will actually be hearing wars/battles and hearing about others that are going on as well.
Matthew 24:7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom [war]. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.
Nation… ethnos ethnicity, race, tribes
Kingdoms are the regions and the way we divide them up politically
(wars between people within these divisions (ie civil wars) and between these countries, states, etc)
Notice the order from Revelation 6 as you look at verse 7 hear.
Revelation 6:3 When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.”
Revelation 6:4 Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.
Revelation 6:5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand.
Revelation 6:6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius [Spanish dinero; N. Africa/Middle East dinar; represents about a days wage], and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”
Revelation 6:7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.”
Revelation 6:8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse [pestilence as we see in Matthew 24]. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.
In a couple of verses Christ very quickly sums up the first 4 horsemen which He would later reveal to John in the form of the book of Revelation.
In much the same way that Revelation 6 threw in beasts of the field, Matthew 24:7 throws in:
Earthquakes in various places (with this we get a more complete picture).
Throughout the world, there are one “great” (magnitude 8.0 or more), 18 “major” (7.0-7.9), 120 “large” (6.0-6.9) and 1,000 “moderate” (5.0-5.9) earthquakes in an average year. Each year, California generally gets two or three earthquakes large enough to cause moderate damage to structures (magnitude 5.5 and higher).
Revelation 6:12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.
[beginning of 7th seal/7 trumpets]
Revelation 8:5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.
In Jerusalem After the resurrection of the 2 witnesses at the end of 6th Trumpet
Revelation 11:13 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
Beginning of the 7th Trumpet
Revelation 11:19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.
7th plague of the 7th trump [earthquake to end all earthquakes]
Revelation 16:18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth.
Matthew 24:8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
:6 for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
These 4 horsemen will ride at least 3 ½ years before Christ return’s at the end of the Day of the Lord because that is how long the next three seals will last.
Length of time of the last three seals
Revelation 11:2 But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.
Revelation 11:3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
Revelation 12:14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.
Daniel 12:7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.
Revelation 13:4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”
Revelation 13:5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.
During this time:
Revelation 13:7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.
This is the tribulation that is next talked about in:
Matthew 24:9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.
John 15:20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
This started from the beginning; after Christ then the disciples/apostles; martyred right afterwards and throughout the ages
Revelation 2:9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
Revelation 2:10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Will culminate yet in the future
Revelation 17:6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.
Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
hated by all nations for My name’s sake… this has yet to happen; how will it happen; still a great work yet to be done
Six things the church will have to endure during the time of the Great Tribulation
Remember that in the previous verse He is talking to us as His disciples and here is the next thing he says:
Matthew 24:10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.
Mark 13:12 Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.
Luke 21:16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.
Offended = skandalizō skan-dal-id’-zo To “scandalize”; from G4625; to entrap, that is, trip up (figuratively stumble [transitively] or entice to sin, apostasy or displeasure): – (make to) offend.
[See message: Do Not Allow Yourself to be Offended]
Matthew 24:11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.
Can only deceive those not deceived – the deceived are already deceived.
Matthew 24:12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
There is a correlation between lawlessness and love.
Matthew 24:13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
Endures: 1. hatred 2. offense 3. betrayal 4. deception 5. lawlessness 6. lovelessness
To endure is to: remain; figuratively to undergo, that is, bear (trials), have fortitude, persevere:
Matthew 24:14 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.
Continuing commission of the church to get the true Gospel out to the world.
Luke 24:46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,
Luke 24:47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Luke 24:48 And you are witnesses of these things.
We see the final witness (not conversion) in the actions of the 2 witnesses.
At this time the rest of “the power of the holy people has been completely shattered” (Daniel 12:7) either through persecution or sequestration or separation in the place of safety.
The last witness will come in the form of two witnesses
Revelation 11:3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
Revelation 11:5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.
Revelation 11:6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
Revelation 11:7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.
Revelation 11:8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
Revelation 11:9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves.
Revelation 11:10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
Revelation 11:11 Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.
Revelation 11:12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.
Revelation 11:13 In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven.
Revelation 11:14 The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
Matthew 24:15 “Therefore when you see the ‘ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand),
See Duality at the beginning of Part 1
Daniel 11:30 For ships from Cyprus shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and return in rage against the holy covenant, and do damage. “So he shall return and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant.
Daniel 11:31 And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation.
Historical fulfillment:
Antiochus Epiphanes / Antiochus IV in 168/167 in Jerusalem, forced Jews to stop keeping the Sabbath and holy days and did not allow them to practice their religion and catered to others instead.
He then proceed to offer swine’s flesh (which is an abomination due to it being an unclean animal) on an altar. Also, he setup a statue of Jupiter/Zeus in the temple.
Two to three years later the Maccabees fought and overcame the invading force and cleansed the temple – which is where their celebration of Hanukkah (rededication of temple) originated.
In the future this will happen: Matthew 24:15 “standing in the holy place“
This really seems to point to a third temple with sacrifices
[Will there be a Third Temple]
at the very least
Mark 13:14 “So when you see the ‘ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not“
Daniel 12:11 “And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days.
Daniel 12:13 “But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.
As we saw before last week that the Great Tribulation will last 1260 days / 3.5 years / 42 months
A difference of 30 here; what is to be done during this time (leading up to the Great Tribulation)
“Therefore when you see the ‘ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place”
Key to flee to the place of safety
Matthew 24:16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
Luke 21:20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.
Luke 21:21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the countr[ies] enter her.
Matthew 24:17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house.
Matthew 24:18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.
Indicative of urgency as well as a throw back to Lot’s wife
Matthew 24:19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!
Matthew 24:20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.
Matthew 24:21 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.
Matthew 24:22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
G1588 ἐκλεκτόςeklektos ek-lek-tos’ From G1586; select; by implication favorite: – chosen, elect.
John 6:44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
There are those that have been selected to be in the first resurrection contrary to popular belief
They will be with Christ at His return
Revelation 17:14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
Matthew 24:23 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it.
Matthew 24:24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
Man of Sin
2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
2 Thessalonians 2:4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
More than likely a literally temple
2 Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.
2 Thessalonians 2:9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
Probably possessed by the devil
2 Thessalonians 2:10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
These are not the true signs of God working with them. What is the purpose of signs? For the unbelieving.
Matthew 24:25 See, I have told you beforehand.
Matthew 24:26 “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.
Matthew 24:27 For as the lightning [the Greek is more akin to the rays of the sun rising over the horizon] comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
When Christ returns, there will be no doubt. So therefore we should not fall for anything else
Revelation 1:7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
Will come back in like manner
Matthew 24:28 For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles [vulture type carrion bird] will be gathered together.
The Greek word for carcass (ptoma) here implies a dead body, but the word for body in Luke 17:37 is soma which can be either dead or alive.
Many different ideas about what this could mean, but if we use the Bible to interpret it then we need to take these verses into account:
Job 39:27 Does the eagle mount up at your command, And make its nest on high?
Job 39:28 On the rock it dwells and resides, On the crag of the rock and the stronghold.
Job 39:29 From there it spies out the prey; Its eyes observe from afar.
Job 39:30 Its young ones suck up blood; And where the slain are, there it is.“
The context of the verse is the end-time and the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21-22) and the fallout that will ensue.
Matthew 24:29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Revelation 6:12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.
Revelation 6:13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.
Revelation 6:14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.
Revelation 6:15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,
Revelation 6:16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!
Revelation 6:17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
When life is about to be forfeit, the differences between men will disappear and they will seek to save their lives.
Matthew 24:30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then 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.
Revelation 1:7
Matthew 24:31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Revelation 7:1 After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.
Revelation 7:2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea,
Revelation 7:3 saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”
Matthew 24:32 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.
Matthew 24:33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!
Matthew 24:34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.
We will have an idea but there is no actual timing that is given here (Matthew 24:36).
This can refer to a length of time (20 years or 70 depending) or to a specific people (1st generation; end-time generation) in the end-time.
Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
These are the words of truth, which encompasses the law. We need to base our lives on this (Matthew 4:4)
Matthew 24:36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
Remember this when others predict His return.
See: Acts 1:6-7
Matthew 24:37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
We are given a hint about the general time that it will be in
Luke 17:28 Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;
Luke 17:29 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.
Luke 17:30 Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
Matthew 24:38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,
Matthew 24:39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
The people continued to trend toward debauchery as though nothing was going to happen. They do not see their imminent destruction just like it was in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Matthew 24:40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.
Matthew 24:41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.
Going about their business as usual.
This is not about the rapture! The connotation here could be very well that they are taken by death, especially since this is the now the Day of the Lord and His retribution on mankind for their sins, of which the wages are death.
Matthew 24:42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.
He is coming as a thief in the night (see next verse)
Matthew 24:43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.
This will be sudden to some, but not to the elect.
Matthew 24:44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Stay awake [Watch!]
Matthew 24:45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?
We have the word of God and the breath of life. This is why we are reading this now – this is wise and faithful of us.
Matthew 24:46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.
One of the signs that we are His servants is that we will be acting according to His words.
Matthew 24:47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.
One of the rewards that we will have at His return will be based on our works (Revelation 21:7, 22:12).
Matthew 24:48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’
Matthew 24:49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards,
He gives us a warning here! If we are not ever vigilant no matter what is going on in the world around, especially after He has given us these words of life, then we will be subject to the next couple of verses (Matthew 24:50-51).
Matthew 24:50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of,
If we are distracted by the cares of this world, we will miss the time of His coming because we are spiritually blind (Revelation 3:17) and are not developing our talents (Matthew 25:25). With this comes the harsh reality of the punishment in the next verse: (Matthew 24:51)
Matthew 24:51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
There is an eternal punishment (not eternal punishing) that awaits those that reject God and His ways – it is the lake of fire
Matthew 13:39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.
Matthew 13:40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.
Matthew 13:41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,
Matthew 13:42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
This is the judgment that will come upon those that knew what was right and did it not.
When the end comes it will surprise most everyone. Most do not think it will happen in the way that it is going to come about; Many do not believe that it will actually happen – in spite of that it will occur.
Genesis 4:8 Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
Genesis 4:9 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”