THE GOSPEL ACCORDING
TO MATTHEW
CHAPTER
24
1. As Jesus came out of the temple and was going away, his disciples came to point to him the buildings of the temple. 2. Then he asked them, "You see all these, do you not? Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down."
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 1 to 2)
Oh Jesus what a big difference in how we view the world and all its glory. What we perceive as being beautiful is not so when compared to the beauty of heaven. As humans we can only compare a human sight or object with another of the world, but not with a heavenly scene or object. The closest that we can get is by using nature as a means of comparison which is the slight reflection of Your beauty. Moreover, the biggest difference between the beauty of the world to that of heaven is that all world beauty will one day come to an end, but Your beauty and that of heaven is never ending.
3. When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verse 3)
For some reason oh Jesus this has been a major issue for everyone on earth. Everybody is so concerned about when the end will come especially those who do not believe in You. For those who believe in You this day is to be one of joy and happiness that we long for and not one of fear.
4. Jesus answered them, "Beware that no one leads you astray. 5. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Messiah!' and they will lead many astray.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 4 to 5)
Oh Jesus although You did not give us, a particular date or hour, You have given indications of signs that we can be on alert for. It seems that there will be a time when many will try to convince us that they are You but in truth they will not be genuine. The aim of such people is simply that of hindering us in our spiritual life.
6. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places; 8. all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 6 to 8)
According to You oh Jesus another sign marking the end of times as we know them is a world war along with episodes of famine and earthquakes. However as You warned us, we are not to be worried about these events because they are the unfolding of Your big "Master Plan" marking our "Universal Salvation" at the end of Times. Therefore God is in control of every detail and happening of our lives and we need not worry at all for all is in control. Amen
9. "Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verse 9)
Oh God during our times many have been burnt in cages, beheaded and tortured because of Your name. Even though we may have not yet reached this level of testimony, we are to always be prepared to give witness to Your Holy Name.
10. Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. 11. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12. And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 10 to 12)
Oh, Jesus my God and Father I feel, that we are already in this state of lawlessness. Everyday crime seems to be on the increase. There have been many crimes of murder reported. Driving on our roads has become so callous, that the six to seven minutes drive from my home to where I work has become a daily trauma. Traffic signs, speed cameras and lights are constantly being abused at the risk of life. It is as if we no longer have respect, to the law, to You, to ourselves and moreover for each other. If this is what we call a Christian, Roman Catholic or at large a human environment there is something wrong, for we have become totally self-centered. Our life has become so tense and on the edge, that even if one looks a person in the eyes for more than a few seconds one is at risk of making the other person angry or aggressive.
13. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14. And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all nations; and then the end will come.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 13 to 14)
Oh God I pray that I persevere throughout the challenges of my life. I pray that You give me patience to endure the trials of life without feelings of anger and rebellion Amen.
Another of the signs that You mentioned oh Jesus is that Your message would have been spread throughout the whole world. There would be nobody who has the excuse of saying that they have had not heard of You or Your message. Therefore, the choice is purely of the world, in order to choose whether to believe or not.
In order to have an overview of the statistics of those countries and nations who actually believe in God according to statistics please click on the following link: - Statistics of people believing in God
15. "So when you see the desolating sacrilege standing in the holy place, as was spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), 16. then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; 17. the one on the housetop must not go down to take what is in the house; 18. the one in the field must not turn back to get a coat. 19. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! 20. Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a sabbath. 21. For that time, there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 15 to 22)
Oh God it seems that another indicator of the end of times, is that of a pagan image standing in the place of Your presence. However still the end is not yet imminent for You also speak of people being taken away by Your Holy Spirit.It seems that only the earth and its negativity will be destroyed, and that the final battle will be Yours against the forces of evil.
Oh God if only that day was today. I would be overjoyed at the news that finally I will be reunited with You forever!
23. Then if anyone say to you, 'Look! Here is the Messiah!' or 'There he is!-do not believe it. 24. For false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible even the elect. 25. Take note, I have told you beforehand. 26. So, if they say to you, '/look! He is in the wilderness,' do not go out. If they say, 'Look! He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. 27. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of man
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 23 to 27)
Oh God when I see the way we treat politicians I feel disgusted. In the eyes of their followers they become like Gods. You can see it in their eyes and faces, how much they adore these human beings. It is revolting. I pray that we be constantly aware of such people, for although they do not claim to be Gods the image that they project is very similar.
28. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verse 28)
Oh Jesus although I lack the understanding of what You mean by this verse, however, what I feel You are telling me is that when a person dies, the relatives all come for their share. However when You dies You left us freely the greatest inheritance of all. The evil spirits who know that they cannot benefit from this inheritance do their utmost to hinder us from inheriting our share, that is our place in heaven in Your presence forever.
29. "Immediately after the suffering of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verse 29)
How horrifying it would be oh God to witness such a situation, however if this is Your will for the world so shall it be. I pray that will already be dead before such event will take place.
30. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see 'the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven' with power and great glory. 31.And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heaven to the other.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 30 to 31)
Oh Jesus, I pray that when your angels come to gather your elect or chosen ones, we will be all worthy of being counted among the chosen ones which means the universal salvation of our souls and the final destruction of evil.
32. "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; 33. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 34. Truly I tell you that this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 35. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 32 to 35)
Oh Jesus, as much as we observe, the laws of nature we are also to be aware of these signs that lead to the end of time as we know it. Moreover, as much as we are accustomed to social norms and even the penalties for their infringements or violations, we are also to remain aware of the messages found in the Bible, which are the messages of honest "Good News".
36. But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37.For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, 39. and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 36 to 39)
In relation to the time of Your second and final visit, You did not give us the date and time. You only gave us the signs leading to the end. However until then we have our work laid out before us. The job You entrusted us with is the proclaiming and witness of Your Message. Therefore, we are not to be passive listeners of Your message, but active participants in the listening and living off that message so that many will view our way of life-based on Your message and imitate it.
40. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. 42. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day our Lord is coming. 43. But understand this if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 40 to 44)
Oh God, may it be that we all be prepared for Your second coming. May we all be eligible in Your selection process and be found worthy to be added in Your selection process. Amen.
45. "Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their allowance of food at the proper time?
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verse 45)
Oh God my Father, even though it is not right to address the God, as the slave, however in this contest You are like the wise slave in the sense that You cater for all our needs at the right time, neither before or after. Even though we may not always agree with Your timing, however coming from You who views the whole picture, and who is aware of all situations, the timing of our deliverance or change in circumstances can be nothing but perfect. I thank You Jesus for intervening in our lives just at the right time chosen by Yourself. Amen.
46. Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. 47. Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. 48. But if that wicked slave says to himself, 'My master is delayed,' 49 and he begins to beat his fellow slaves, and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know. 51. He will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 46 to 51)
Oh Jesus we will really and truly be blessed if we are found worthy to be counted among those who are found doing Your will, for it is easy for us to be found alienated in the ways of the world instead of in doing the things that You want us to do.
Oh Jesus Son of God my Father I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:-
I pray oh God, that when You come again, we are found ready and worthy to be welcomed into Your Holy Presence. I pray that You have mercy on us, for we truly do not know why we behave the way we do. Even though we wish to live according to Your ways, all the time we are harassed by our sinful self, and by the evil spirit who stops at nothing in order to turn us against You. Anoint and renew our world, consecrate it again with the power of the Holy Spirit for we are greatly in need of renewal in both mind, body and spirit. Amen.
Thank You Jesus.
3. When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verse 3)
For some reason oh Jesus this has been a major issue for everyone on earth. Everybody is so concerned about when the end will come especially those who do not believe in You. For those who believe in You this day is to be one of joy and happiness that we long for and not one of fear.
4. Jesus answered them, "Beware that no one leads you astray. 5. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Messiah!' and they will lead many astray.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 4 to 5)
Oh Jesus although You did not give us, a particular date or hour, You have given indications of signs that we can be on alert for. It seems that there will be a time when many will try to convince us that they are You but in truth they will not be genuine. The aim of such people is simply that of hindering us in our spiritual life.
6. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places; 8. all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 6 to 8)
According to You oh Jesus another sign marking the end of times as we know them is a world war along with episodes of famine and earthquakes. However as You warned us, we are not to be worried about these events because they are the unfolding of Your big "Master Plan" marking our "Universal Salvation" at the end of Times. Therefore God is in control of every detail and happening of our lives and we need not worry at all for all is in control. Amen
9. "Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verse 9)
Oh God during our times many have been burnt in cages, beheaded and tortured because of Your name. Even though we may have not yet reached this level of testimony, we are to always be prepared to give witness to Your Holy Name.
10. Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. 11. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12. And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 10 to 12)
Oh, Jesus my God and Father I feel, that we are already in this state of lawlessness. Everyday crime seems to be on the increase. There have been many crimes of murder reported. Driving on our roads has become so callous, that the six to seven minutes drive from my home to where I work has become a daily trauma. Traffic signs, speed cameras and lights are constantly being abused at the risk of life. It is as if we no longer have respect, to the law, to You, to ourselves and moreover for each other. If this is what we call a Christian, Roman Catholic or at large a human environment there is something wrong, for we have become totally self-centered. Our life has become so tense and on the edge, that even if one looks a person in the eyes for more than a few seconds one is at risk of making the other person angry or aggressive.
13. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14. And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all nations; and then the end will come.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 13 to 14)
Oh God I pray that I persevere throughout the challenges of my life. I pray that You give me patience to endure the trials of life without feelings of anger and rebellion Amen.
Another of the signs that You mentioned oh Jesus is that Your message would have been spread throughout the whole world. There would be nobody who has the excuse of saying that they have had not heard of You or Your message. Therefore, the choice is purely of the world, in order to choose whether to believe or not.
In order to have an overview of the statistics of those countries and nations who actually believe in God according to statistics please click on the following link: - Statistics of people believing in God
15. "So when you see the desolating sacrilege standing in the holy place, as was spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), 16. then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; 17. the one on the housetop must not go down to take what is in the house; 18. the one in the field must not turn back to get a coat. 19. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! 20. Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a sabbath. 21. For that time, there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22. And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 15 to 22)
Oh God it seems that another indicator of the end of times, is that of a pagan image standing in the place of Your presence. However still the end is not yet imminent for You also speak of people being taken away by Your Holy Spirit.It seems that only the earth and its negativity will be destroyed, and that the final battle will be Yours against the forces of evil.
Oh God if only that day was today. I would be overjoyed at the news that finally I will be reunited with You forever!
23. Then if anyone say to you, 'Look! Here is the Messiah!' or 'There he is!-do not believe it. 24. For false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible even the elect. 25. Take note, I have told you beforehand. 26. So, if they say to you, '/look! He is in the wilderness,' do not go out. If they say, 'Look! He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. 27. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of man
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 23 to 27)
Oh God when I see the way we treat politicians I feel disgusted. In the eyes of their followers they become like Gods. You can see it in their eyes and faces, how much they adore these human beings. It is revolting. I pray that we be constantly aware of such people, for although they do not claim to be Gods the image that they project is very similar.
28. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verse 28)
Oh Jesus although I lack the understanding of what You mean by this verse, however, what I feel You are telling me is that when a person dies, the relatives all come for their share. However when You dies You left us freely the greatest inheritance of all. The evil spirits who know that they cannot benefit from this inheritance do their utmost to hinder us from inheriting our share, that is our place in heaven in Your presence forever.
29. "Immediately after the suffering of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verse 29)
How horrifying it would be oh God to witness such a situation, however if this is Your will for the world so shall it be. I pray that will already be dead before such event will take place.
30. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see 'the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven' with power and great glory. 31.And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heaven to the other.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 30 to 31)
Oh Jesus, I pray that when your angels come to gather your elect or chosen ones, we will be all worthy of being counted among the chosen ones which means the universal salvation of our souls and the final destruction of evil.
32. "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; 33. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 34. Truly I tell you that this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 35. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 32 to 35)
Oh Jesus, as much as we observe, the laws of nature we are also to be aware of these signs that lead to the end of time as we know it. Moreover, as much as we are accustomed to social norms and even the penalties for their infringements or violations, we are also to remain aware of the messages found in the Bible, which are the messages of honest "Good News".
36. But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37.For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, 39. and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 36 to 39)
In relation to the time of Your second and final visit, You did not give us the date and time. You only gave us the signs leading to the end. However until then we have our work laid out before us. The job You entrusted us with is the proclaiming and witness of Your Message. Therefore, we are not to be passive listeners of Your message, but active participants in the listening and living off that message so that many will view our way of life-based on Your message and imitate it.
40. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. 42. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day our Lord is coming. 43. But understand this if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 40 to 44)
Oh God, may it be that we all be prepared for Your second coming. May we all be eligible in Your selection process and be found worthy to be added in Your selection process. Amen.
45. "Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their allowance of food at the proper time?
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verse 45)
Oh God my Father, even though it is not right to address the God, as the slave, however in this contest You are like the wise slave in the sense that You cater for all our needs at the right time, neither before or after. Even though we may not always agree with Your timing, however coming from You who views the whole picture, and who is aware of all situations, the timing of our deliverance or change in circumstances can be nothing but perfect. I thank You Jesus for intervening in our lives just at the right time chosen by Yourself. Amen.
46. Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. 47. Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. 48. But if that wicked slave says to himself, 'My master is delayed,' 49 and he begins to beat his fellow slaves, and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know. 51. He will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
(Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 verses 46 to 51)
Oh Jesus we will really and truly be blessed if we are found worthy to be counted among those who are found doing Your will, for it is easy for us to be found alienated in the ways of the world instead of in doing the things that You want us to do.
Oh Jesus Son of God my Father I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:-
I pray oh God, that when You come again, we are found ready and worthy to be welcomed into Your Holy Presence. I pray that You have mercy on us, for we truly do not know why we behave the way we do. Even though we wish to live according to Your ways, all the time we are harassed by our sinful self, and by the evil spirit who stops at nothing in order to turn us against You. Anoint and renew our world, consecrate it again with the power of the Holy Spirit for we are greatly in need of renewal in both mind, body and spirit. Amen.
Thank You Jesus.
