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#10. The Lord's threefold answer as to "When" and "What"
(Matt. 24:).
pp. 224 - 230
Having seen the scriptural meaning of the "end", and its type in the feast of
tabernacles, we now proceed to the continuation of the Lord's answers to His disciples'
questions. In verses 4-24 He takes up this question of the "end". The first and last words
in this section deal with deception:--
"And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you; for
many shall come in My name and shall deceive many" (verses 4, 5).
"For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and
wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect" (verse 24).
Following this opening warning concerning the false Christs the Lord tells of the
feature indicative of the beginning of sorrows, but adds, "The end is not yet".
Verses 6-14 are occupied with the characteristic features that lead up to the "end"
(telos):--
Negative.--"The end is not yet" (verse 6).
Explanatory.--"All these are the beginning of sorrows" (verse 8).
Exhortative.--"Endure to the end . . . . . be saved" (verse 13).
Positive.--"Then shall the end come" (verse 14).
As with the prophecies of the O.T., such as Isaiah, Daniel, and Zechariah, "the
nations" are involved in this period of the "end". Wars and rumours of wars, with nation
rising against nation, form part of the beginning of sorrows. Hatred by all nations, yet the
preaching of the gospel to all nations for a witness, ushers in the end.
The "end" is marked by "tribulation" in two phases. Firstly, during the "beginning of
sorrows", the Lord says: "They shall deliver you up to be tribulated" (afflicted, as in
verses 21 and 29). Secondly, there comes "great tribulation, such as was not since the
beginning of the world till now, no, nor ever shall be" (verse 21).
We may now visualize the outstanding features of this first answer:--
A |
24: 4, 5. Warning against deception by false Christs.
B
| 6-14. The beginning of sorrows. "Endure", "saved".
B
| 15-22. The tribulation in full course. "Shortened", "saved".
A |
23, 24. Warning against deception by false Christs.
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,