Jesus’ Revelation to His Disciples

Without overwhelming you with scripture here in this teaching, take a moment to read Matthew 24:3-8, Luke 21:7-9, and Mark 13:3-18. This isn’t everything Jesus says but let’s break it down into groups.

The signs listed in these three sets of scriptures occur before the ‘beginning of sorrows’. What are the sorrows?

The Greek word translated "sorrows" is ὠδίν (ōdin). In the Strong’s Greek Dictionary, this is G5604 meaning birth pains, labor pains, travail, or the pain experienced by a woman giving birth. In essence, based on what we read in scripture, Jesus is comparing end-time prophecy to labor contractions. Have we seen this before in scripture?

Isaiah 13:6-8 NKJV 6 Wail, for the day of the Lord is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. 7 Therefore all hands will be limp, Every man’s heart will melt, 8 And they will be afraid. Pangs[d] and sorrows will take hold of them; They will be in pain as a woman in childbirth; They will be amazed at one another; Their faces will be like flames.

Jeremiah 30:6-7 NKJV 6 Ask now, and see, Whether a [b]man is ever in [c]labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins Like a woman in labor, And all faces turned pale? 7 Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, But he shall be saved out of it.

1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 NKJV 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.

Aren’t those scriptures interesting? They all relate to the Day of the Lord explaining the pain of that time as labor contractions. If the prophets consistently connect labor pains with the Day of the Lord, should Jesus' "beginning of sorrows" be understood in that same prophetic framework? What events do Jesus tell us are the beginning of the contractions?

• False christs

• Deception

• Wars

• Rumors of wars

• Nation against nation

• Kingdom against kingdom

• Famines

• Pestilences (Luke adds this)

• Earthquakes

• Signs from heaven (Luke)

This brings to question, are the "beginning of sorrows" a long, centuries-long process throughout the Church Age or are they the opening stages of the prophetic events immediately preceding the Day of the Lord? Let’s read further in Matthew 24:9-14, Luke 21:10-18, and Mark 13:9-13. Take the time to read these sections and let’s see what Jesus tells us here.

Matthew 24:9-14, Luke 21:10-18, and Mark 13:9-13

First, who is Jesus addressing? At the beginning of each of these chapters it was His disciples who asked about this, but we need to elaborate further. He describes those who will be hated for His name, persecuted for His sake, testify before rulers, endure, and carry the gospel to the nations. Therefore, in this portion of the prophecy, we are looking at believers, followers of Jesus Christ who are being addressed. We can also tell by the persecution believers face.

And what does Jesus tell us that will happen to those who follow Him? “They will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you” – Matthew 24:9; “They will lay hands on you and persecute you”, Luke 21:12 – and “for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues”, Mark 13:9. Who are they that lay hands on you and persecute you?

John 15:18 NKJV 18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.

John 16:2-3 NKJV 2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. 3 And these things they will do [a]to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.

John 15:21 NKJV 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

John 15:21 NKJV 23 He who hates Me hates My Father also.

Could John, who heard Jesus give this prophecy, later be shown these same believers in Revelation?

Revelation 7:14 NKJV 14 And I said to him, [b]“Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Could these be the believers Jesus said would experience persecution and tribulation for His name's sake?

Do you see the history of Christianity in these few verses Jesus prophesies concerning believers? And did you notice that those who hate aren't hating the believers because of anything the believers did? Jesus says they are hated “for My name's sake.” As we progress through Jesus' prophecy, it is important to identify who His words concern.

In these verses, Jesus isn't describing unbelievers as the ones being persecuted. They are the ones persecuting those who belong to Him. The distinction Jesus gives us here isn't based upon nationality, but upon relationship with Him: those who belong to Christ and those who reject Him. But does Jesus continue speaking about the same group throughout the entire prophecy, or does His focus eventually turn specifically toward Israel?

Matthew 24:15-28, Luke 21:20-24, and Mark 13:14-23

Let’s move forward with Jesus’ prophecy. Read Matthew 24:15-28, Luke 21:20-24, and Mark 13:14-23. Did you notice the change of who Jesus is speaking to? He refers to an event called the abomination of desolation, and Jesus clearly identifies the prophet Daniel who wrote about it.

Daniel 9:27 NKJV 27 Then he shall confirm a [a]covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the [b]desolate.”

So, who is Jesus speaking to when He says, ‘see the abomination of desolation’? What is the abomination of desolation?

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 NKJV 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of [a]sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits [b]as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

The abomination of desolation is an end-time event prophesied by Daniel and specifically referenced by Jesus. It occurs in connection with the Jewish sanctuary, the stopping of daily sacrifice, and something or someone being established in the holy place where it does not belong. Paul describes a future “man of sin” who exalts himself above God, sits in the temple of God, and presents himself as God. When Jesus' audience sees the abomination standing in the holy place, He instructs those in Judea to flee immediately.

Daniel 9:27 NKJV 27 Then he shall confirm a [a]covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the [b]desolate.”

Daniel 11:31 NKJV 31 And [a]forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation.

Daniel 12:11 NKJV 11 “And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days.

Matthew 24:15 NKJV 15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand),

Mark 13:14 NKJV 14 “So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ [a]spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

So, how do I know that Jesus is speaking to the nation of Israel in Matthew 24:15-28, Luke 21:20-24, and Mark 13:14-23? The clues identify the audience for us: a physical temple, a holy place, daily sacrifices, and Judea. These are not descriptions of the Church; they point us specifically to Israel.

Jesus continues speaking to Israel and warns them not to be deceived by those claiming to be the Christ. How will they recognize the true Messiah? Jesus gives them a sign. He says, “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:27). Israel will not need someone to tell them, “Look, here is the Christ!” His coming will be unmistakable. The true Son of Man will be revealed in a way that cannot be confused with the false christs Jesus warned them about.

Interestingly, Israel's own prophets had already associated the coming and glory of God with the east, brightness, and the Day of the Lord. This imagery would not have been foreign to Israel. Jesus is reminding them that when the true Messiah comes, they will not need someone else to tell them where He is. So, what do you think? Do you think Jesus changed audiences to speak to ‘believers’ about the sign of the Son of Man and then switch back to Israel or could this be Jesus reaffirming what Israel should already know?

Verse 28 further connects Jesus’ words to Israel’s prophetic Scriptures: “For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.” The gathering of birds over the slain is imagery associated with God’s end-time judgment in Ezekiel 39:17–20 and again in Revelation 19:17–18, further suggesting that Jesus has not changed the subject or His audience, but is continuing to describe events Israel’s prophets had already foretold.

Matthew 24:29-30, Luke 21:25-26, Mark 13:24-25

Take a moment to read Matthew 24:29-30, Luke 21:25-26, and Mark 13:24-25. Previously, we saw Jesus speaking specifically to the nation of Israel. Did you notice the change in these scriptures? These scriptures align closely with Revelation 6, Ezekiel 38, Joel 2, etc. This is the Day of the Lord that we read about when the Sixth Seal is opened. This worldwide event affects the Nation of Israel, the Church, and unbelievers. This set of scriptures is speaking to the whole world.

Jesus adds in His prophecy, the sign of the Son of Man. This sign is given to the entire earth. Unbelievers will see and mourn. As we stated in the previous section, Israel will see this sign and recognize the true Messiah Jesus told them to watch for following the abomination of desolation. It will be like their understanding kicks in, and they will know what’s going on in prophecy. But Jesus isn’t finished.

Matthew 24:31, Luke 21:27-28, Mark 13:26-27

Read Matthew 24:31, Luke 21:27-28, and Mark 13:26-27.

Matthew 24:31 NKJV 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His [d]elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Who is affected here? Again, this is a worldwide event, but Jesus now identifies one particular group affected on this Day: His elect. Who are His elect?

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NKJV 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

2 Thessalonians 2:1a NKJV Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,

Notice the similarities. Jesus describes His coming, a trumpet, and the gathering of His elect. Paul describes the Lord descending, the trumpet of God, and believers being caught up together to meet Him. Paul later refers to “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him.” Could Paul be identifying for us who Jesus called “His elect”? Could Jesus' ‘gather together His elect’ and Paul's ‘caught up together’ and ‘our gathering together to Him’ be describing the same event?”

There’s a connection here to Revelation 7:

Revelation 7:1-3 NKJV After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”

Two events are happening in Revelation 7: the 144,000 are sealed and a great multitude is seen in heaven. Jesus says His elect are ‘gathered from the four winds,’ and John tells us that four angels are holding back the four winds until the 144,000 are sealed. Immediately afterward, John sees the great multitude standing before the throne.

Did you notice the trumpet? Earlier, Zephaniah described the Day of the Lord as “a day of trumpet and alarm.” Joel likewise commands, “Blow the trumpet in Zion…for the day of the LORD is coming.” The trumpet in Jesus' prophecy gives us another scriptural connection to the Day of the Lord.

Matthew 24:31 ‘with a great sound of a trumpet’

1 Thessalonians 4:16 ‘with a trumpet of God’

Here’s something to think about regarding the trumpet. Could the actual Day of the Lord be announced by a trumpet—an alarm for the whole world? Could the trumpet be announcing that the Day foretold by the prophets has arrived? Could it be telling the world this is happening as prophesied by the prophets of the Bible?

This scriptural evidence supports Jesus is speaking to more than one group of people during His prophecy within certain scriptures. This scriptural evidence shows why identifying the audience matters. Within the same prophecy, Jesus can speak specifically concerning Israel, describe an event affecting the entire world, and then identify what happens to His elect. Rather than assuming the audience remains the same throughout the prophecy, we can allow the details of Scripture itself to identify who is being addressed. Do you agree? And there’s more. Jesus continues with His prophecy. Let’s look at the next set of scriptures.

Matthew 24:32–35, Mark 13:28–31, Luke 21:29–33

Take a moment to read Matthew 24:32–35, Mark 13:28–31, and Luke 21:29–33. Who is Jesus speaking to in this set of scriptures? He starts off with the parable of the fig tree but notice Luke not only calls it a fig tree but ‘all the trees’, and he associates this also with the Kingdom of God being near. What does this tell us? This tells us to recognize a season, not a specific date and time. As we saw earlier with the first four seals, these events are approaching as we get closer to the Day of the Lord.

Then Jesus specifically mentions ‘this generation shall by no means pass away’. Could ‘this generation’ therefore refer to the generation that sees these events unfolding? Jesus does not give them the day or hour, but He does appear to say that once the prophetic signs He has described are seen together, that generation will see their fulfillment. And could Jesus be speaking specifically to those watching because He says ‘when you see all these things’? He says, ‘when you see all these things,’ which sounds less like a description of everyone who will witness the events and more like instruction to those who are expected to recognize what the signs mean.

But does this instruction include Israel? Israel possesses the prophetic writings that foretold many of these events, yet as a nation they did not recognize Jesus as Messiah at His first coming. Could the signs Jesus has just given be intended to help Israel recognize where they are in prophecy when these events begin to occur? Believers are also repeatedly told to watch, and Paul tells the Church that the Day should not overtake them as a thief because they are not in darkness.

Let’s continue and see what Jesus says about the day and hour. He makes it clear that we will not know the exact time, yet these verses show us that we can recognize the season. That means we need to watch and pray. This will be in an upcoming teaching.