Skip to content The Parable of the Fig Tree: Discerning the Prophetic Timeline in Matthew 25 Jun 27 · 14 min ...more
The Parable of the Fig Tree: Discerning the Prophetic Timeline in Matthew 25
June 27, 2025 · 14 min
Delve into the disciples' questions and Jesus' teachings on the tribulation, His return, and the period of the Gentiles.
Series Stand on the Word - Video On Demand June 27, 2025 · 14 min · Stand on the Word - Video On Demand
Delve into the disciples' questions and Jesus' teachings on the tribulation, His return, and the period of the Gentiles. ...more Show the full description Show less Delve into the disciples' questions and Jesus' teachings on the tribulation, His return, and the period of the Gentiles.
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The Signs of the End Times 0:10 Good morning. Welcome to stand on the word. Alright. Today, we are looking at Matthew chapter 24 and 25 part 2. When will these things be? In chapter 24, Jesus leaves0:22 the temple for the last time. In 3 days, he would be crucified and literally all hell would break loose as the ultimate defeat of Satan and his kingdom was determined at the cross. The0:33 disciples whose time with Jesus was coming to a close asked him 3 questions based upon what he had been showing them. Number 1 was, when will these things be? When when is this gonna happen? What will be the0:45 signs of your coming, and what will be the signs of the end of the age? I mean, they wanted to know when was all this gonna unfold? We're gonna pick up at verse 29 where we left off yesterday, chapter 24. Immediately0:58 after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sun the sign of the son of1:10 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. And he will send his angels1:24 elect from the 4 winds, from 1 end of heaven to the other. So, let's look at very quickly at Luke's account of this to help us understand it better and and put it in the the right time period. Verse 24, it1:35 better and and put it in the the right time period. Verse 24 of Luke chapter 21, and they will fall by the edge of the sword and be led away captive into all the nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until1:47 the time of the Gentiles are fulfilled. It's after the fall of Jerusalem, 80 70, and the time of the Gentiles continues. But then it says, and there will be signs in the sun, in the1:59 moon, and the stars, and on the earth, of nations with perplexity, the seas and the waves roaring, men's hearts failing them for fear and expectation of those things which are coming on the2:11 earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken, then they will see the son of man coming in a cloud with power and great great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads because2:21 your redemption draws near. So as I said, we're still in the time of the Gentiles, and this will not end until Jesus returns and sets up his earthly reign at the end of the great2:33 tribulation. So this would suggest that Matthew chapter 24 verses 29 to 31 relates to the return of Christ, not the rapture, because the church will have been raptured2:45 prior to the completion of the tribulation. So next, Jesus indirectly addresses when will these things be with a parable. Verse2:57 32. Now learn this parable from the fig tree. When its branches has already become tender and put forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see these things, know3:09 that it is near at the doors. Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away. But of that3:20 day and hour, no 1 knows, not even the angels of heaven, but my father only. So kind of 2 things we're talking about here. Jesus says this generation will by no means pass talking about here. Jesus says this generation3:30 will by no means pass away till all of these things have taken place. So this means that all of this has happened? Well, not totally. The Greek word for generation cannot only refer to a set period of time, usually 303:42 to 40 years. The destruction of Jerusalem happened about 40 years later, but it can also mean a nation or a people group. So a couple of ways to interpret this statement, the initial or near term fulfillment of this3:53 prophecy would have occurred during their lifetime, the destruction of Jerusalem. But it may also be a promise that the Jewish people would be preserved through the times of tribulation and would see the4:04 final fulfillment of this prophecy. Now verse 36 provides us a bridge into the future when Jesus says, but of that day. Well, what day? Well,4:16 that's the day of the lord, the judgment day. In verse 37, we have a description of what the world is going to look like before that day, before Jesus returns. Verse4:28 37. But as the days of Noah were, so also will be the coming of the son of man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day that4:39 Noah entered was an4:52 was an exceedingly wicked time of lawlessness and immorality. You know, man had fallen away from acknowledging and worshiping god. Noah's warnings were ridiculed5:04 and rejected. Suddenly, the rains came, and judgment was upon the earth. Now here's here's the key to all this. Verse and and by the way, so the5:16 this is before Jesus comes in the second his second time. Alright? The rapture is not the second coming. The rapture is where the church is called out.5:28 Sometime, you know, depending on people's eschatological view of the rapture, and not everybody believes in the rapture, but most Bible believing Christians believe in rapture at some5:39 point, some before the track the the tribulation, some, mid tribulation. Alright? But that's a 7 year period regardless.5:51 So we we know that from second Thessalonians that the the lawless 1, the spirit of the lawless 1 is already at work. That's the antichrist, Satan. And when the restrainer, the 1 who restrains6:03 him, as Paul talks about, which is the Holy Spirit in the church, when that's taken away, I mean, all hell breaks loose on earth. But we're gonna be moving in that direction. Alright? So verse 24 verse6:14 42 of chapter 24. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his6:26 house to be broken into. Therefore, you also be ready for the son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Now I I I think this is my view. I think that applies as well to to6:38 the rapture. Okay? I I think when we're we're we don't know when that moment's coming. It's coming. We just don't know when, but we need to be ready. Now let's turn to chapter 25, whichParables of Readiness and Stewardship 6:50 continues Jesus's answer to their questions with 2 additional parables and then a description. He describes the coming judgment. First is the parable of the 10 virgins with7:02 their oil and their lamps. Now this is a message, once again, same message, watch and be ready for the lord's return. Right? And I think that has application to us. Then in verse 14, the parable of the7:14 talents or money. Now this is different than the parable that Jesus told in in Luke about the minas. Here, the talents represents the differing abilities and opportunities that7:26 the servants had. But notice the reward for faithfulness is the same as god expects us to use what he has given us for his kingdom. I'm gonna read this 1. Verse 14, for the7:38 kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to 1, he gave 5 talents, to another 2, and to another 1, to each according to7:50 his own ability, and immediately he went on a journey. Now this is an illustration of Jesus. He came. Alright? And he's gone, but he's coming back. Okay? And in the meantime,8:02 we're gonna be about his business. And he says, and then and to 1, he gave 5 talents, another 2, another 1, to each according to own ability, and immediately went on a journey. Then he who had received the 5 talents went8:12 and traded with them and made another 5 talents. And likewise, he who had received 2 gained 2 more also. But he who had received 1 went and dug in the ground and hid his lord's money. After a long time after a long8:25 time, the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with him. So he who had received 5 talents came and brought 5 other talents, saying, lord, you delivered to me 5 talents. Look, I have gained 5 more talents8:37 besides them. His lord said to him, well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord. I8:49 think that's the account we're gonna give. We're gonna stand to give an account of what we did with what god gave us. Now it's not salvation, but it is an account of what we did for the kingdom of god. So then we come to9:01 the 1 who did nothing with what he was given. Verse 26, but the lord answered and said to him, you wicked and lazy servant. You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you9:11 ought to have deposited my money with the bankers. And at my coming, I would have at least received back my own with interest. Therefore, take the talent from him and give it to him who has 109:23 talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance. But for him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into9:35 the outer darkness, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. So what's the application here? Well, we have to look at it in the context of Jesus' discourse about the end9:47 times and his kingdom. As you consider a similar proverb or a similar, parable in, in Luke 19, I believe as his followers, we're left9:58 here on the earth as his servants to look after his kingdom, not just his caretakers, but those who would expand his holdings. When he returns, we're going to give an10:10 account of what we have done with what we have been given. And while the work here on this earth is temporal, the reward is eternal. What we do in this10:22 life, this is what I believe this parable tells us, this story. I think this is what scripture illustrates. What we do in this life will set the stage for what we're able to do throughout all of eternity. Now to10:34 be clear, again, this has nothing to do with salvation, but rather service. Eternity in the new heaven and earth is going to be a place where I believe we're able to use our gifts and abilities to serve the lord10:46 without all the obstacles and opposition that we have in this fallen world. We're not gonna sit and float around on clouds. I think we're gonna be we're gonna be engaged. We're gonna be serving. We're gonna be working.10:58 We're gonna be able to use our talents and our gifts. And we see here in in other parables, those that are faithful here are going to have even greater authority and ability in heaven. Our eternal11:09 responsibilities or opportunities in god's literal and everlasting kingdom will be determined by how faithful we steward our opportunities to advance his spiritual11:21 and unseen kingdom in this present temporary world. The remaining portion of the chapter is a description of what the final judgment by Jesus looksFinal Judgment and Call to Action 11:33 like, who, by the way, Matthew Henry wrote this. He said, you know, Jesus was arraigned as a prisoner at the bar when he came to the earth the first time. But as a second coming, he will sit as a judge11:45 upon the bench. Now very quickly, just a cursory reading would cause some to believe that the rewards are based on good works, that, you know, somehow they they get into heaven because of good works.11:57 That would be in conflict with what scripture clearly teaches about salvation. What the good works imply here is that the sheep knew the good shepherd, the lord Jesus. And as12:08 a result, they loved their fellow human beings who were in need. Remember that Jesus what Jesus said, what was the greatest commandment? Love God, and the second is like, what was the greatest commandment? Love God, and12:18 the second is like unto it, love man. That's my paraphrase. Love God and love man. If you love God and you're you're redeemed and you've been brought into a relationship with the lord Jesus12:29 Christ, you're gonna love your fellow human being. Father, we thank you for your word. And, lord, help us to be watchful. Help us, lord, to12:42 be be vigilant, but, lord, be encouraged and to be busy not just with activity, but meaningful engagement in advancing your kingdom, lord, not just as12:54 caretakers, but those, lord, who are advancing your kingdom and your holdings, lord, here on this earth until you return. And, lord, may we be found faithful. For we pray this in Jesus' name.13:05 Amen. Alright. Thanks for joining me this this morning, and until next time, keep standing on the word.13:16 Today's study comes from the stand on the word bible reading plan available for free at f r c dot o r g slash bible. By following along in just a few minutes a day,13:28 you can read through the entire Bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at f r c dot o r g slash bible.In this video 0:00 The Signs of the End Times6:48 Parables of Readiness and Stewardship11:26 Final Judgment and Call to Action
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