Matthew 24

Jesus' Eschatological Warnings To His Followers

1. Jesus' description of what would happen to "these things"—the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. along with the destruction of the Jewish nation, which it implies (Matthew 24:1-2).
2. The disciples' questions to Jesus with regard to "when will these things (the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. along with the Jewish nation) happen" and "what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age" (Matthew 24:3).
3. Jesus' response to the disciples (Matthew 24:4-51), which actually continues through chapter 25 with warnings through parables of how we ought to live in light of the fact that we do not know when the "end of the age" will be.
1. Jesus' answer to their second question—"what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?"—consisting of a description of the trials, tribulations, and deceptions from the present time (the First Advent) to the "end of the age" marked by Jesus' return (the Second Advent) (Matthew 24:4-31). The trials, tribulations, and deceptions are all a sign of Jesus' eventual return, for Jesus must return to right these wrongs and injustices and to clean up what is rightfully His. In addition, they are a sign because events actually come to pass as Jesus prophesied, proving that He should be trusted when he says He will return.
1. Jesus' description of the trials, tribulations, and deceptions—along with the spread of the gospel—from the present time (the First Advent) to the end of the age (the Second Advent), and His warnings to His people in light of the dangers of false Christs and false prophets (Matthew 24:4-14).
2. Jesus' parenthetical description of the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. and the pronounced tribulations which will accompany it (Matthew 24:15-22). This would suggest that even the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. should be regarded as a sign to Jesus' people that He will eventually return and render justice, just as judgment was herein rendered upon the Jewish nation that had rejected Him. It may also serve as a pre-figurement of Satan's "last stand" around the beloved city described in Revelation 20:9.
3. Jesus' warnings resumed with regard to deceivers and false Christs and false prophets that will arise from the time of the First Advent up until the time of Jesus' Second Advent (Matthew 24:23-28). Jesus' description of His actual coming and of the end of the age (Matthew 29-31). The end of the age is marked by Jesus' literal return. The form of the disciples' question implies they understood the end to be marked by Jesus' coming, and Jesus confirms by His response that the end of the age will be marked by His coming.
2. Jesus' answer to their first question—"when will these things happen?" (the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D.) (Matthew 24:32-35). "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away." By this expression Jesus confirms the truth of what he had said, showing that the truth of what he said will not fail.
3. Jesus' clarification that we should not confound "that day" (i.e., the end of the age marked by Jesus' coming) with the "these things" referred to in verse 34 (see 2 Thess. 2:2). We can know that these things (the destruction of the Temple) shall be in the Apostle's generation, but of "that day" (the end of the age marked by Jesus' coming) no man knows when it shall be, so men must always be ready and live in preparation for it (Matthew 24:36-51). Verses 34 through 41 are clear as to what Jesus' coming will be like. It will not be like the days of Enoch or the days of Elijah, but like the days of Noah and the days of Lot (Luke 17:28-30).