Commentary: At the end of the previous chapter, Jesus mourned Jerusalem and the reluctance of the Jewish people to accept him and his message of love and said goodbye with the words: ‘That is why I am now leaving your temple and with me your hopes. Only when I come back, you will understand and confess: ‘Blessed one who comes in the name of God!’
It should be borne in mind that the Bible was not divided into chapters until the 13th century. Here, in the 24th chapter, he follows up on his words – “Only when I come back” And he talks about his second promised return, which all Christians expect.
He precedes his explanations by making a prophecies that will be filled to incredible detail approximately 40 years after he utters it. This also proves that the other prophecies that follow will also happen in their time.
Jesus speaks of the future
When Jesus left the temple and left the temple, the disciples approached him and pointed to him at the temple buildings. (B21) But he said to them, ‘See it all? Remember it will be completely destroyed, no stone will be left unturned.’
Comment: This is exactly what happened when Roman soldiers captured and destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD under General Tito’s leadership. They burned the temple, and because the temple gold melted between the stones, they dismantled it stone by stone to collect the gold.
Continuation in verse 3, where the disciples ask Jesus when the world will end and when it will come again. Jesus will answer them not only with one event, but will give them several signs of his coming.
3 “When will it happen?” The disciples returned to Jesus’ words when they sat on the Mount of Olives. “Which events will report your coming and the end of the world?’
4 Jesus answered them: ‘Beware, do not be deceived by someone. Some will declare themselves to be the redeemer and lead many by saying, ‘I will save the world.’
Comment: How many people today claim that they have the answer to humanity’s problems! In 2 Timothy 3:13 the apostle Paul gives it as follows: But with evil people and with fraudsters, things will go on for the worse, because they will become victims of their own delusion.
Verse 6 When you hear about wars far and close, don’t worry. You have to come, but it won’t be over yet. The nations will be antagonized and the states will attack each other. In many places, hunger breaks out, diseases spread and natural disasters occur. But that will only be the beginning of horrors.
Comment: In a world that is richer than ever before, some estimates are said to die of hunger every year. It’s hard to say how many people died in epidemics and pandemics, and how many die from disease and disease every year, but it’s certainly in the order of hundreds of millions. For example, almost 10 million people worldwide die from cancer every year (ref. 12). (Excerpt from the book ‘Prophecy about the future – what awaits us?’)
Continuing in verse 9 Then you will be hated, tormented and killed everywhere for faith in me.
Comments: Recently, hundreds of millions of Christians have been subjected to persecution and thousands of people are killed for their faith every year. Just a few months ago, Charlie Kirk also became a victim of such hatred.
The Bible teaches: ‘Everyone should submit to the earthly government, for the government’s power has its origin from God.’ (Romans 13:1). However, when the government fights against God, the Bible clearly states that God’s people must follow God rather than the ungodly rulers. As can be seen in the example of Peter and the apostles in the book Acts: However, the apostles went with them voluntarily before the General Council. The high priest accused them: ‘Haven’t we forbidden you to pronounce Jesus’ name publicly? How come you filled the whole of Jerusalem with your interpretations about him and call us his murderers?’ Peter spoke on behalf of the other apostles: ‘After all, we must obey God more than people. (Acts 5:27-29)
Silence in the face of evil is evil in itself. God will not say we are innocent. Not talking is talking. To act is to act. We are not only to bandage the wounds of the victims under the wheels of injustice, we are to put a nail in the wheel itself. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Pastor who stood up to the Nazis and died at the age of 39 in the Flossenbuerg concentration camp in Germany.)
First they came for the socialists and I didn’t call –
Because I wasn’t a socialist.
Then they came for a trade unionist and I didn’t say anything –
Because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not call again –
Because I wasn’t Jewish.
Then they came for me – and there was no one to stand up for me.
– Martin Niemöller
(Excerpt from the book ‘Prophecy about the future – what awaits us?’)
10 many cannot withstand this violence, they will betray faith and their fellow brothers and they will hate each other.
11 There will also be quite a few false prophets, to whom many will succumb.
Comment: Movies, series and social media strongly influence the opinions of young people in particular. It is very important to watch what we are looking at, what we listen to and who. God’s word should be our priority.
12 In the world, evil becomes so much that it suffocates the love of many.
Comment: We constantly hear how cold and without love our time has become due to lack of conscience and connection with a higher standard: mass shooting, modern slavery, human trafficking, greed of corporations, narcissism, selfishness, ‘I’m the first’ attitude. In Western culture, social media and advertisements, self-sufficiency, self-indulgence, self-realization are highlighted. Phrases like ‘take care only of yourself’ and ‘you do you’ promote yourself and doing your own things, acting according to your own feelings, regardless of what others think and what impact it has on them. Truth is promoted as relative, there is no absolute truth.
In fact, as anyone who practices self-love and ‘I’ in the first place can testify, this lifestyle does not make a person happy in the long run. True happiness stems from giving and the fact that God and others come first in our lives. (Excerpt from the book ‘Prophecies about the future – what awaits us?’)
13 but he who perseveres to the end will be saved.
14 This gospel about the kingdom will be preached all over the world as a testimony to all nations. And then comes the end. (B21)
Comment: The popularity and availability of the Bible is in the billions. According to the Wycliffe Global Alliance, since 2024 the entire Bible has been translated into 756 languages and the New Testament into another 1,725 languages, making it the most translated book ever. Approximately 6 billion people have access to the full text of the Bible.
The message of the Gospel is broadcast on thousands of Christian radio and television stations, and is spread even more on the Internet.
Movies about Jesus are extremely popular. Only the movie ‘Jesus’ has been translated into almost 2,000 languages and seen by billions of people. As of January 2024, according to Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the series ‘Chosen’ had 200 million viewers and 770 million views of individual episodes. (Excerpt from the book ‘Prophecies about the future – what awaits us?’)
Continuation in verse 15. This verse is very important and is spoken in it, but for a better understanding I am attaching other verses from the Old Testament that talk about the same.
appalling
15 ‘when you see a ‘horrible abomination standing in the holy place‘, about which the prophet Daniel (who reads, understand),
Comment: What does the prophet Daniel say about this appalling abomination?
Daniel 11:31 His troops occupy a desecrates the temple fort cancels the daily sacrifice and raises there an appalling abomination. B21
Daniel 12:11 From the cancellation of daily sacrifice and erection appalling 1290 days will pass.
Daniel 9:27 a. appalling appears in the temple before the end of the destined for him is swept away.’ (pin and B21)
What is Daniel trying to tell us? That this ‘horrible abomination’ will stand in the temple in Jerusalem, which must therefore be rebuilt first. And that there will be 1290 days.
This abomination is also written about in the book of Revelation in Chapter 13, where the appalling abomination is called the Beast’s Statue (Anti-Christ). ‘The statue will speak and order to kill all who do not bow to it. And it forces all to ..to have on right hand or on the front of the sign, So no one will be able to buy or sell unless it has a sign – the name of the beast or the number of its name. …it is a number six hundred and sixty-six and means a man without God. (verses 15-18)
So if this sculpture is able to command, force and kill, it will probably be some kind of super AI computer. Although these prophecies have been in the Bible for a long time, this is something that is technically possible only in our time.
Back to verse 15 and further: ‘when you see a ‘horrible abomination standing in the holy place‘, … Then flee from Judea to the mountains; Whoever is out of the house or at work, let him not return home for anything. Pregnant and lactating women will be in a bad way in those days. Pray that your escape does not come in the winter or during the time of Saturday’s rest.
Comment: Now comes another very important milestone of the end of time sign in verse 21. Again we start with verse 15, which it follows. ‘when you see a ‘horrible abomination standing in the holy place‘, …Then he will come great suffering, which has not been and will never be. But for the sake of his people, God will shorten the difficult period. If he didn’t, no one would have waited it out. (verses 21 and 22)
Comment: The word suffering or tribulation refers to restrictions on freedom, anxiety or suffering resulting from oppression or persecution. This will mean great trouble for believers in God.
Although the time of great suffering will be the worst time in which man has ever lived, God makes us a promise that those who love him will be specially protected during this time. Probably just as God protected the Jews in the time of Moses, when the angel of death did not take their firstborn because they had a door marked with the blood of a lamb. (Exodus 12) Revelation 7:2 and 3 This protection during great suffering talks this: Here another angel appeared in the east, holding God’s seal in his hand. He called out to the four angels who could hold back or unleash universal doom: ‘Do not harm the earth, the sea or the forests, Until we mark on our foreheads all who serve God!” To protect them from what happens next. This designation or seal can be an extraordinary spiritual force and courage based on a deep personal relationship with Jesus, which evokes a strong faith and protects against the attacks of the enemy.
Where else can we read about this great suffering? In Revelation 7:9 and 14-17, where the throne of God and those who stand by him are described. Then I saw innumerable multitudes of people of all nations, races, tribes and languages. they stood before the throne of God and before the lamb dressed in white clothes, ‘these are the ones, who have gone through great suffering For faith. …now he stands before the throne of God and serves God without hindrance day and night. He will protect them, they will not suffer from hunger or thirst, the sun or other heat will not harm them. The lamb will guide them, feed them and water them from the springs of life-giving water, and God himself will wipe every tear from their eyes.”
Since they are based on great tribulation, it means that they are sealed for the great tribulation, which is described in the following two chapters. For the Lamb (Jesus), who is in the middle of the throne, will take care of them. They did not bow to the Antichrist or his statue, and therefore they will not suffer from hunger or thirst, etc., God will take care of them even in the midst of great problems!
The most encouraging verse can be found in Daniel 11: 32 The people who know their God will be strong and will do heroic deeds (KJV). the key is Know your God, and therefore it is necessary to spend time with. Faith grows from God’s word (Romans 10:17).
And a wonderful promise in John 16:33 The world will prepare many difficulties for you, but do not lose courage. I won over him.’ When trouble comes, they pull us closer to God, so we’ll have more power to overcome them than if we were alone. (see also Psalm 91). and in Daniel 12:1 is written: At that time, Michael, the great prince and the protector of your people, will arise. The time of tribulation will then come, which has not been the case before, when they became a nation. At that time your people will be saved – everyone who is written in the book of life. Archangel Michael fights the devil in the spiritual world and protects all who belong to Jesus.
Jesus predicts his return
23 If you hear: ‘Here is Christ, or there is,’ do not believe. For false Christs and prophets will come out and perform such stunning and attractive actions that they would almost win over my chosen ones.
Comment: The Bible later mentions one exceptional false Christ, the Antichrist calls him. Who else is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Messiah? That’s the one Antichrist, who denies the father and the son. 1 John 2:22
and 2. Tesalonic 2:1-4 says: And now to the expected coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Please, don’t let the rumors that the day are coming. …. There must be a large before that day falling away from Christ’s original teachings A a person embodying rebellion against God and his law will come out. He will rise above all that bears God’s name and will demand divine honors for himself. He even appropriates the throne of God and introduces himself as God.
This apostasy refers to apostasy from faith in Jesus before his return. Previously, the strongly Christian countries of Europe together with the USA removed the prayer and the Bible from their schools. And not only that, freedom of expression becomes a hate speech if it does not suit the current culture.
We already had some prototypes of the Antichrist here, for example Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin and Mao Zedong, who were responsible for killing tens of millions of innocent people. The main difference between them and this Antichrist who will come is that, according to the prophecies mentioned, he will rule not only a certain country or region, but the whole world, which is technically more and more possible. (Excerpt from the book ‘Prophecies about the future – what awaits us?’)
Continuing in verse 25 Remember these warnings of mine. And so if they tell you that Christ is already here, in the wasteland or in hiding, don’t pay attention to it, or go see it. The actual arrival of the Son of Man will be visible Like lightning that flies through the entire sky from east to west. The signs of his arrival will accumulate as the flock of vultures circling above the prey grows.
Comment: A very important point. – The coming of Jesus will not only be visible to everyone, but will be accompanied by significant astronomical phenomena and will be loud as the next verses describe.
But the most important part is right at the beginning of verse 29. When exactly will Jesus return? Before great suffering or after? unabled
29 and now after that With great suffering, the sun will be eclipsed and the moon will not emit light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will tremble. 30 Then the last signals of my arrival in the sky appear. All people They will wring their hands and see me coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 I will send my angels With a powerful sound trumpets and you will gather my faithful from all sides of the world.
32 Learn from this simile: When the branches of the fig tree are poured with sap and planted leaves, you know that it will soon be summer. Similarly, when you see that what I predicted is being fulfilled, you will know that I am close, in the doorway. I’m telling you that generation (which will see these signs) will not go away before it all happens. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will apply forever. No one knows that day and the hour, not even the angels in heaven. Only the father himself knows it.
As in the time of Noe
37 My second coming will be reminiscent of Noah’s time. At that time, people did not pay attention to anything, they only cared about food and drink, they got married, they got married until the day Noah entered the ship. The flood gripped them, although they did not believe that such a thing could happen. That’s how it will be when I arrive.
40 two will work together in the field, one of them will be taken, the other left. Two women will work in one household, one will be taken, the other will be left. So be prepared because you don’t know when your master will come. It is clear that if the landlord had known that a thief would come at night, he would have been awake and prevented from breaking in. Therefore, be prepared, for the Son of Man will come in an hour when you don’t expect it. (pin)
stay true
45 How does a faithful and prudent servant, whom the Lord entrusted with the administration of the servants, behave? He will be praised when the Lord finds on his return that he has faithfully fulfilled the duties assigned. Such then appoints the administrator of all their property. A bad servant would say to himself: ‘The Lord does not go long,’ he would begin to torture his fellows and feast with drunkards. Here the gentleman unexpectedly returns and punishes him as the worst fraudster. He will have nothing left but despair.’
Commentary: God help us to regularly find time for God’s word, to live in union with Jesus and to persevere faithfully in what he personally called us to do.
