Matthew 24
Jesus teaches us that we will see signs along a prophetic highway. Signs in the Greek means “sign post”. Similar to seeing signs along the way as you travel on the highway. Those signs show where and when the destination is. They let us know how far or close we are to the end of the journey. There are also signs for our safety such as road work ahead, slow down, or animal crossings. Signs not only tell us about the future but they also warn us for our safety. Signs aren’t meant to scare us, but to give us knowledge and protect us. Signs then are encouraging.
The signs of the times alert us to where we are on God’s calendar. These markers allow us to see and be alerted that we are approaching the close of the age and Jesus’ return.
The disciples wanted to know the sign (singular), but Jesus described many signs.
As the days of Noah
Matthew 24:37 But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
This sign that the end is near is what I want to focus on. The sign of inquiry abounding with the love of many growing cold, can occur in every single home, church, community, city, state, and nation on the earth. I’m seeing this happen among sinners and saints.
This sign must be discussed now. We must deal with this mass phenomenon that’s happening in the church and world.
In the Greek, iniquity means lawlessness. The word lawlessness is plural and it tells us Jesus was prophesying about a time when lawlessness would grow large around the world.
Lawlessness means the actions of an individual, group of people, nation, or an entire society or culture that has chosen to live apart from God’s laws and principles. These people or groups previously followed Biblical laws and principles in general, they elected to do it their own way (create their own righteousness) even though their way is not founded on the principles or doctrines of God’s Word. This is what makes them lawless, or living by their own newly evolving principles that are not based on established truths.
In Romans 1, Paul writes about a mass departure from God’s principles and the results of people’s decisions.
Romans 1:28 And even as they (society) did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Retain means to hold or embrace. This verse shows where they did not hold or embrace the knowledge of God. They purposely let go of God’s righteousness to go in a different direction. These people let go of God and laid down Scripture SO they can do sinful things. Often times, when you see people leave their church, they have left God and His Word and therefore they don’t want to attend God’s community anymore.
2 Thess 2:3 Now, dear brothers and sisters,[a] let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. 2 Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. 3 Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness[b] is revealed—the one who brings destruction.
This great rebellion or falling away in the greek means Septuagint which means a mass mutiny against authority. We see rebellion like never before in this generation. People hate authority. They hate for leaders to be over them and tell them how to live (2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by God. And all Scripture is useful for teaching and for showing people what is wrong in their lives. It is useful for correcting faults and teaching the right way to live.). But even more in this verse, it describes society revolting against the authority of God Himself. We are seeing this worldwide rebellion against God today. The end is near! When you see the church following every trend and cultural thing produced by people who are far from God and those people fight the ones who don’t follow the stuff, you know there is something wrong.
As a result of people’s own choice to let God go from their conscience, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient (not morally right or fitting). God didn’t give up on them, they turned from God. It really means God released them to follow their wayward instincts.
The Greek for reprobate is a mind that no longer thinks or reasons correctly. Due to the influence of sin, it has become unfit. It is a mind that is damaged as a result of sin or of drifting away from God’s authority.
A reprobate mind will produce reprobate behavior.
The reprobate mind is so distorted that it no longer can discern what is morally right or wrong. It’s brilliant in natural things but morally it is unfit. There is moral confusion.
...to be continued