Landmark Scriptures

Let us study one of the most important landmark scriptures pertaining to Bible Prophecy, along with parallel scriptures in Revelation and the book of Daniel.

Matthew 24:3 "And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

Paralleling Matthew 24 and Revelation 6

In Matthew 24:3 the disciples came unto Jesus and asked Him what shall be the sign of His coming and the end of the world. And in verse 4 Jesus said, take heed that no man deceive you. We must be alert, sober and prepared for "our gathering together to Him (Christ)" and the great day of the Lord. Many believers are being misled by pastors and teachers in whom they put their trust. This is very dangerous, considering Paul's admonition to obey and listen to instruction concerning the second coming of Christ (2 Th.2:1-3). Tradition and pride by modern prophetic teachers and writers have left the church unprepared for the days to come!

Matthew 24:5: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. (Rev.6:1-2 The white horse: The First Seal).

Matthew 24:6: And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

Matthew 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: (Rev.6:3-4 The red horse: The Second Seal) and there shall be famines, (Rev.6:5-6 The black horse: The Third Seal) and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

Then in Matthew 24:8, Jesus said that all these things (above) are the beginning of sorrows. (Rev.6:7-8 The Pale Horse: The Fourth Seal). Matthew 24:4-7 are the beginning of sorrows or the beginning of birth pangs (vs.8).

THE GREAT TRIBULATION: THE FIFTH SEAL

Matthew 24: 9-14 & Matthew 24:15-28

In Verse 9, Matthew writes, Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you; and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. (Rev.6:9-11 The Faithful Remnant Martyred - those who will not submit to the mark of the Antichrist)

Matthew 24:10 states, And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. vs.11: And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. vs.12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. vs.13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Matthew set the boundaries of prophecy: THE BEGINNING OF SORROWS: Matthew 24:5-8

1. False messiahs (anti-christs; false religionists who conquer by deception.

2. Famines, pestilences, earthquakes, wars and rumors of wars. (AIDS; world hunger; strange viruses)

3. Iniquity shall abound

4. Many saints will be offended and betray each other and hate each other.

5. Nation will rise up against nation.

6. False prophets will arise and deceive.

7. The love of many will wax cold. 8. Many saints will be persecuted and killed.

The beginning of sorrows: the first 3 1/2 years to the Midpoint The great tribulation: the last 3 1/2 years (includes Day of the Lord.

THE GREAT TRIBULATION (Matthew 24:15-28)

THE ANTICHRIST COMES ON THE SCENE Abomination of Desolation will stand in the Holy Place. (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15) Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

The temple and sacrifices shall become desolate and the antichrist shall stop them from worshiping Christ. How will Antichrist do this?

Daniel 11:31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. An idol god will be placed in the temple for worship. Jesus said when we see the abomination, the idol set up in the temple, that is a signal for us: "for then shall the end come".

Matthew 24:15 15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (who so readeth, let him understand:) [That is, an idol will be set up in the temple for the Jews to worship. When ye see the abomination of desolation taking place,]

Matthew 24:16 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

17. Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18. Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20. But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabboth day: 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. 22. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. 23. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24. 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. 25. Behold, I have told you before. 26. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 27. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be (also Matt.24:30).

Jesus will come back in the clouds to gather His saints and it won't be a secret event. When Jesus says, "as a thief in the night”, He means unbelievers will not think He is coming. But here in verse 27, He is saying the world will see Him coming just as you see the lightning flashing in the sky.

Matthew 24:28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

AFTER THE TRIBULATION (Matthew 24:29) The Sign of His Coming = The Son of man coming in the clouds with great glory and power

Matthew 24:29-30 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Why mourn? Because they will see Jesus coming and will know that He is the Son of God coming, with power and great glory. Remember, the gospel would have been preached in all the world. This will be an awesome demonstration of the power of God.

Matthew 24:29-30 (Rev.6:12-13 The Sixth Seal) Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: [Great disturbances will be manifested throughout the universe.]

CHRISTIANS BEGIN TO SHOW THEIR TRUE COLORS

Matthew 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to another. [separation of wheat and tares]

THE PARABLE OF THE FIG TREE

Matthew 24:32-33 32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33. So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the door. To the saints, we are told by Jesus, when we see all these things, know that He is soon to return. (Is there a legitimate basis for making the fig tree in the parable representative of Israel or is the fig tree an indicator of approximation? Discerning believers will know the general time period of the Lord's return once the seventieth week is entered and Antichrist comes on the scene - which will be the beginning of the Great Tribulation.)

THIS GENERATION SHALL NOT PASS AWAY

Matthew 24:34-39 34 Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. [The generation of Christ] 35. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 36. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. AS IN THE DAYS OF NOAH 37. But as the days of No'e 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 No'e 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.

SEPARATION

Matthew 24:40-51 40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

WATCH AND PRAY

42. Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come 43. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

A FAITHFUL AND WISE SERVANT

45. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? 46. Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 47. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

THE EVIL SERVANT

48. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; [nominal Christians; professors, not possessors] 49. And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; [getting weary of waiting upon the Lord; walking back into the world; associating and carrying on relationships with the world and not being prepared for the Lord's coming.] 50. The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, 51. And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: (those who never really knew the Lord; the tares) there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Keep in mind that all study of Bible Prophecy wherein a timeline is established, must include the 24th chapter of Matthew. It includes the most chronological order of events that govern the end of days. Learn it well and keep it before you as you move on to other prophets.