The verses we are going to look at in Matthew 24 deal with events of the last days which lead up to the time of tribulation that is to come upon this earth. We know from Daniel 9:24 that 70 seven year periods (or 70 weeks of years) were determined upon the Jews: “. . . to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” And he gives us a time schedule in vs. 25: "Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. (26) And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself . . . ” It took 49 years to rebuild Jerusalem (the first “seven weeks” of this verse). 434 years later Messiah, Jesus, would be “cut off.” There remains one week, or 7 years left to complete Daniel’s 70 years, and it is called the time of the Great Tribulation. Especially the last 3½ years of that 7 year period are known in Jeremiah 30:7 as “the time o Jacob’s trouble.” Jesus said of it in Matthew 24:21: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” Scripture presents 2 major reasons for this time: Romans 1:18: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness . . . ” (Also, II Thessalonians 2:12-13 and Revelation 19:15.) And to purge/purify the people of Israel - Zechariah 13:8-9: “And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. (9) And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.” (Also, Ezekiel 20:37-38 and Malachi 3:3.) In vs. 3 of this 24th chapter our Lord’s disciples questioned Him about the “time of the end,” asking "When shall these things be?" What shall be the sign “of the end of the world?” "World" (aion) denotes the unbounded time, past or future, in which the history of the world is accomplished. We have a lot of people asking similar questions today. If one could successfully answer the questions of Matthew 24, he might have an idea as to the season of Christ’s return. Jesus tells us in our text that just as leaves on a fig tree indicate the coming of summer, certain signs will reveal that the end time is near. Then throughout this chapter He tells us what to look for so we may know “it is near, even at the doors.” Jesus says it will be a time of . . .

I. SPIRITUAL DECEPTION.

II. SOCIAL DEVASTATION -- MATTHEW 24:6-10.

III. SHOCKING DEVELOPMENTS.