Intermingled with the conflict of nations we have famines, pestilences

and earthquakes, as signs of the beginning of sorrows.  A gleam of hope is

found in these passages of gloom in the word 'sorrow'.  Odin and odino speak,

not of sorrow in general, but pains in particular, 'pains that issue in

birth'.  There are altogether seven occurrences:

'Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death'

(Acts 2:24).

'As travail upon a woman with child' (1 Thess. 5:3),

(and in all the other references, viz., Matt. 24:8; Mark 13:8; Gal. 4:19,27

and Rev. 12:2).

This last reference is illuminated by Matthew 24 and sends back light

in return.  The birth pains of Revelation 12:2 are followed by the rise of

the Beast and the False Prophet, and the war on the saints of chapter 13.

There also, in Revelation 13, is the abomination of desolation spoken of by

Daniel the prophet.

Passing from the question of the 'end', the Lord comes to the related

question of 'the sign of the Coming'.  This, too, is introduced by warnings

against deception.  The two foci of this second answer are found in verses

24, 30, and 31:

'Signs and wonders ... if possible deceive the very elect'

(Matt. 24:24).

'The sign of the Son of man in heaven ... gather together His

elect' (Matt. 24:30,31).

The false signs and wonders are described in Revelation 13 and 2

Thessalonians 2:

'And he doeth great wonders ... and deceiveth them that dwell on the

earth, by the means of those miracles' (Rev. 13:13,14).

'And then shall that Wicked (one) be revealed, whom the Lord shall

consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the

brightness of His coming (parousia): even him, whose coming (parousia)

is after the working of Satan ... with all deceivableness of

unrighteousness' (2 Thess. 2:8 -10).

By referring to Hebrews 2:4 we shall see how close is the parody of

'God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with

divers miracles, and gifts of holy spirit' (Heb. 2:4 author's

'After the working of Satan with all power and signs and wonders of the

lie' (2 Thess. 2:9 author's translation).

Moreover, both the Lord and the false christ are to have a parousia, as

the word is for 'coming'.