Mat 24:1  Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple.

Mat 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.”

The disciples asked Jesus three questions: Jesus did not answer the first one. [Only some of the foundation stones of the temple are left.]

Mat 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?”

Mar 13:3  Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately,

Mar 13:4  “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?”

Luk 21:7  So they asked Him, saying, “Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?”

Jesus gives the signs of His coming. First sign is do not be deceived by the many false religions, or false prophets.

Mat 24:4  And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.

Mat 24:5  For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.

Mar 13:5  And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you.

Mar 13:6  For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many.

Luk 21:8  And He said: “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Therefore do not go after them.

Second sign is wars and rumours of wars well before the coming of Christ.

Mat 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.

Mar 13:7  But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet.

Luk 21:9  But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately.”

Third sign is famine, pestilence, and earthquakes. These signs precede sorrows.

Mat 24:7  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.

Mat 24:8  All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Mar 13:8  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.

Notice that the above two quotes are the beginning of sorrows; the account in Luke appears to be the same, but ‘fearful sights and great signs’ are added.

The sorrows are Jacobs’ trouble.

Jer 13:11  For as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me,’ says the LORD, ‘that they may become My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.’

Jer 13:21  What will you say when He punishes you? For you have taught them To be chieftains, to be head over you. Will not pangs seize you, Like a woman in labor?

Luk 21:10  Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

Luk 21:11  And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.

The account in Luke is talking about the start of the day of the Lord. Matthew and Mark are talking about events prior to the time of persecution of the Laodicean church. The time of sorrows is Jacob’s trouble.

Then there is the persecution of saints. The gospel is first published among all nations.

Mat 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.

Mat 24:10  And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.

Mat 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.

Mar 13:9  “But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them.

Mar 13:10  And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations.

Mar 13:11  But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

Mar 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.

Mar 13:13  And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

The Laodicean church will be betrayed by family and friends, but God will turn it around to suit Himself.

Luk 21:12  But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake.

Luk 21:13  But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.

Luk 21:14  Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer;

Luk 21:15  for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.

Luk 21:16  You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.

Luk 21:17  And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.

Luk 21:18  But not a hair of your head shall be lost.

Luk 21:19  By your patience possess your souls.

This is a great warning to the Laodicean church; many members are lukewarm.

Mat 24:11  Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.

Mat 24:12  And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

Mat 24:13  But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

The abomination of desolation is then set up in the temple, and Jerusalem is surrounded by armies.

Mat 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),

Mat 24:16  “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

Mar 13:14  “So when you see the ‘ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

Luk 21:20  “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.

When the abomination is set up: God the Father returns and the Mount of Olives splits in two. The Israelites, and those who join with them, who sigh over the abominations, then flee through the valley of the mountain. It is possible they go through the Wadi Qelt to the valley of Achor.

This is a dangerous time with no time to waste.

Mat 24:17  Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house.

Mat 24:18  And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.

Luk 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 country enter her.

This refers to those who do not flee when the abomination is set up, as God will take care of those who sigh over all the abominations. The wrath is on those who do not flee.

Luk 21:23  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.

‘Winter’ below is better translated ‘bad weather’. It appears that if the fleeing is left too late that the time of Jacob’s trouble will begin with bad weather on a sabbath day. That is why there is no time to collect anything from the houses.

Mat 24:20  And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.

This is the start of the day of the Lord: The worst time ever.

Mar 13:19  For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be.

The ones who fall by the sword include pregnant women and women with babies.

Luk 21:23  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.

Luk 21:24  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Those days will be cut short by the return of Christ. This happens some time down the track as there are a lot of troubles to come on the gentile nations.

Mat 24:22  And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

Mar 13:20  And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.

After the return of God the Father; there arises a false prophet and a false Christ. [Christ’s and Prophets should be singular.]

Mat 24:23  “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it.

Mat 24:24  For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

Mar 13:21  “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it.

Mar 13:22  For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

Christ is saying ‘I have foretold you’ This foretelling is occurring in this very prophecy. Mark translates correctly.

Mat 24:25  See, I have told you beforehand.

Mar 13:23  But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.

This prophecy is given as a warning, directly from Christ, so we need not be deceived.

Mat 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.

Mat 24:27  For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Mat 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.

Mat 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.

Mar 13:24  “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;

Mar 13:25  the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

Luk 21:25  “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;

Luk 21:26  men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

Luk 21:27  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

The elect are gathered to the returning Christ.

Mat 24:28  For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

Mat 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.

Mar 13:26  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

Mar 13:27  And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.

The body is Christ and the eagles are the elect. The elect rise to meet Christ in the air and then return to earth.

Luk 17:37  And they answered and said to Him, “Where, Lord?” So He said to them, “Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.”

The three prophecies of Mat. 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21: all finish with the parable of the fig tree. This answers the questions that the disciples asked. This is a prophecy of the events leading up to the return of Christ. Christ is giving a warning, so we need not be deceived.

Mat 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.

Mat 24:33  So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!

Mat 24:34  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.

Mat 24:35  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

Mat 24:36  “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.

Mat 24:37  But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Mat 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,

Mat 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.

Mat 24:40  Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.

Mat 24:41  Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.

Luk 17:34  I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left.

Luk 17:35  Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left.

Luk 17:36  Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.”

Luk 17:37  And they answered and said to Him, “Where, Lord?” So He said to them, “Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.”

Mat 24:42  Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.

Mat 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.

Mat 24:44  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Mat 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?

Mat 24:46  Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.

Mat 24:47  Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.

Mat 24:48  But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’

Mat 24:49  and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards,

Mat 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,

Mat 24:51  and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 24 is a clear prophecy; showing the events leading up to the return of Jesus Christ. Christ makes it clear that we are being warned, and have no excuse if we are deceived.

The events leading to the time of Christ are clear and are as follows.

[1] False religions.

[2] Wars and rumours of wars.

[3] Famines, pestilence, [plagues], and earthquakes in various parts of the earth.

[4] Sorrows. [Jacob’s trouble.]

[5] Persecution of saints.