The past few weeks we have covered Matthew 24: 1 - 35. This week we will pick up with verse 36 of Matthew 24, finish chapter 24 and cover and complete Matthew 25. In the past two lessons and in the future lessons that I do, I will attempt to get you to fall in love with the “Prophetic Word of God”, especially the prophetic end times word. Those of us who love the prophetic are sometimes viewed as “Doom & Gloomers”. End times prophecy does indeed deal a lot with the judgment’s of God that will come on an un-repenting world but it is so much more than that. We do not love it because we revel in what will be other peoples death and suffering’s through God’s judgment’s but rather because it is a precise road map and time table to the return of Jesus Christ. So many Christians I have come in contact with seem to be afraid of the books of Daniel & Revelation where to me, they are my two of my favorite books. I don’t know about all of you, but I can’t wait to leave this nasty old world and begin my new eternal life in the presence of my God and Savior Jesus Christ. Prophecy helps me keep my edge and keep my focus, trying to live the best I can for Christ, knowing his return is at the door. When we recognize and see all of these prophetic signs coming to pass right before our eyes, we do as Jesus commanded in Luke…

Luke 21: 28... 28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

Once more, here are some reasons we should love to study God’s prophetic word…

Do you know that nearly 3900 verses in the Old Testament and nearly 1500 in the New Testament have a prophetic theme. One verse in every six in the Bible has a more or less important bearing on prophetic subjects…

Why is Prophecy Vital to the Church?

1.) Fulfilled prophecy authenticates the Bible as the inspired word of God.
2.) The message of the prophets calls the Church to live in purity and holiness.
3.) The prophetic message of the imminent return of Jesus Christ motivates us to witness to those around us.
4.) The message of prophecy is a vital evangelistic tool for reaching the lost. God can use prophecy to help convince unbelievers that the Bible is the inspired word of God, thereby bringing them to a place where they may consider the truth of the Gospel.

Listen to what God says through his prophet Isaiah…

Isaiah 46: 9 & 10... 9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’

God says that he declares the end from the beginning. No one in history has ever come close to God when it comes to predicting the future. His predictions have never come up short, don’t you think we should pay attention to what he says about the end times…the generation we live in?

Ok, let’s get started with the study…We left off last week with verses 32 - 35 and learned that when Israel became a nation on May, 15, 1948, that this was the prophetic fulfillment that kicked off a string of prophecies that indeed confirms that we will be the generation that will witness the return of Jesus Christ. We finished with verse 35 where Jesus said…

Matthew 24: 35...
35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

Jesus affirms here that his words are more certain than the existence of the universe.

Matthew 24: 36...
36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.

Jesus declares here that only the Father knew when Christ would return. Jesus voluntarily limited his supernatural knowledge while incarnated in his human body during his earthly ministry. Yet Jesus, the Holy spirit and the Father are three persons of the one God. Therefore, after Jesus’ ascent to Heaven, he possesses the knowledge of the time of his return. In Mark 13, Jesus adds this…

Mark 13: 32 & 33...
32 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.

Jesus commands us to take heed, watch & pray…for you do not know when the time is…

Acts 1: 6 & 7...
6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.

When the disciples asked Jesus to give them a time that he would restore his kingdom, they were told it was not for them to know the exact time which the Father has put in his own authority. We are given by Jesus many signs to alert us that his return is very near, but we are warned about trying to put an exact date on it. Many Christian leaders have erred as they have tried to assign a date to his return, leading many people down a disappointing road. We can only know that we are very close and get prepared.

Matthew 24: 37 - 51...
37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,
39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.
41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.
42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.
43 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 his house to be broken into.
44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?
46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.
47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.
48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’
49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards,
50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The balance of these prophetic scriptures describes the conditions in the last days and Jesus’ instructions to his followers.

Verses 37 - 39...Jesus warns that, just as in Noah’s day, widespread violence, corruption and evil will characterize life on earth. As humanity rejected God’s prophetic warnings from Noah, our generation has dismissed the warnings associated with Christ’s return.

Let’s take a quick look at the conditions as they were in Noah’s day…

Genesis 6: 4 & 7...
4 There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.
5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
7 So the LORD said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.”

Genesis 6: 11 - 13...
11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
12 So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.
13 And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

Through these above scriptures, the Lord told Noah that he was sorry that he had made man and was grieved in his heart. God saw the wickedness of man, that his thoughts and heart was only evil. So God gives man 120 years to repent…6: 2

Genesis 6: 3...
3 And the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”

God then commissions Noah to build the Ark while at the same time preaching repentance to all of mankind. Let’s look at 1st & 2nd Peter…

1 Peter 3: 20...
20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

2 Peter 2: 5...
5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;

So Matthew 24: 37 - 39...Jesus was telling his followers that in the last days, just before he will return, mankind or humanity will be in the same state as it was in the days of Noah. Widespread evil, violence and corruption would once again be the condition of the world. If you don’t believe that the world we live in now exemplifies these traits, then you have your blinders on my friend. Again, Jesus gives these signs to us as a warning that his return is at the door. You have to make up your own mind as to whether what is happening today is simply coincidence or if it is the prophetic warning signs of Jesus Christ coming to pass before your very eyes. I choose to believe the latter.

Matthew 24: 40 - 51...
Verses 40 - 51...Jesus warned that his judgment would separate the wicked from the repentant, without warning, like the unexpected appearance of a thief. Jesus challenged his followers to stay alert and faithful to the master. I believe that this warning is the message of the day that Jesus is putting into the spirit of all true believers….STAY ALERT…BE FAITHFUL TO GOD…Those who forget the Lords coming will be cast into Hell.

Now let’s quickly look at a few parables that Jesus teaches in Matthew 25...

Parable Of The Ten Virgins

Matthew 25: 1 - 13...
1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’
7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’
12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming

Verses 1 - 13...This parable prophetically urges Israel and the tribulation saints to remain vigilant and watchful for Christ’s return during the coming tribulation. Jesus details an ancient Jewish wedding to portray the varied spiritual condition of the Jewish tribulation saints prior to Christ’s return at Armageddon. Note that all ten virgins initially had oil. The mistake of the five foolish virgins was neglecting to take an extra supply of oil. Note that the ten virgins are waiting for the call to go to the home of the bridegroom (Heaven) to attend the wedding supper (Rev 19: 7 - 9). The message in this parable clearly is to be watchful and in constant readiness because no one knows when Christ will return. The five wise virgins who were watchful and had prepared for the bridegroom were waiting for him when he arrived. The five foolish virgins who had not prepared were not ready when the bridegroom arrived and were not allowed to enter the home of his home (Heaven).

The Marriage Supper

Revelation 19: 7 - 9...
7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”
8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”

The Parable Of The Talents

Matthew 25: 14 - 30...
14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.
15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.
16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.
17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.
18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’
21 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.’
22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’
23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
26 “But his 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.
27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.
28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.
30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Verses 14 - 30...This parable stresses the need for good stewardship of the recourses that God places in our hands during our earthly life. Just as the master held each servant responsible for what he had done with the talents entrusted to him, in the final judgment our Lord will also reward his servants for their faithfulness or lack of service. Our spiritual rewards and responsibilities in the millennial kingdom will reflect our use of the talents Christ entrusted to us on this earth. Those who are faithful will be given cities to govern under the leadership of Jesus the Messiah during his millennial kingdom.

The Judgment

Matthew 25: 31 - 46...
31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;
36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?
38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?
39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’
40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;
43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
44 “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’
45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’
46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Verses 31 - 46...Jesus Christ will judge the Gentile nations following the Battle of Armageddon and his return to earth in all his glory (Rev 19: 19 - 21). (Note that there is no resurrection of bodies connected with this judgment, so this reckoning is not the Great White Throne Judgment.) The nations will be judged and separated into two categories: the sheep and the goats. The sheep represent those saved Gentiles who cared for God’s chosen people during the tribulation. These Gentiles will be invited to enter the kingdom of the Messiah, and with the saved Jews of Israel, will make up the core population of the millennial kingdom.

The goats symbolize the unsaved Gentiles who provided no aid to God’s people but rather participated in their persecution. Jesus will separate these “goats” from his faithful “sheep’ and condemn the unsaved Gentiles to hell. Note also that this prophetic passage reveals that hell was originally “prepared” for the Devil and his Angels (Vs 41). Because unrepentant people chose to rebel against God as Satan did, unrepentant people will also suffer the same punishment as Satan.

Revelation 19: 19 - 21...
19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.
20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.

Lesson Summary (Part 1, 2 & 3)

I hope this lesson has begun to open your eyes to the significance of Bible prophecy. Jesus admonished the religious leaders of his day because they could not discern the signs of the times.

Matthew 16: 1 - 3...
1 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven.
2 He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’;
3 and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.

The old testament prophets had given them hundreds of signs that would tell them who the Messiah was when he came the first time. These religious leaders had gotten so far away from God with their own man made and self serving doctrines that they could not recognize the signs though the prophesied Messiah was standing in front of them. All of these signs and warnings that Jesus gives us in Matthew 24 & 25 were given as a wake up call to all who live in the generation that would witness his second coming. We are that generation people! If we don’t wake up out of our slumber, we will miss the boat. Do you recognize the signs that are all around you or are you like the religious leaders in Jesus’ day? Are you too busy with your man made doctrines and too busy playing Church to recognize the signs? Will you be like the five foolish virgins who weren’t allowed to enter Heaven because they hadn’t been watchful and prepared? Like I said in an earlier lesson, “Jesus did not give all of these signs just to show us how smart he was”. He gave them so we would be prepared to meet him, the bridegroom. Are you watching and looking for him every day? If you are not, he is not coming for you…Here is proof…

Hebrews 9: 28...
28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

"To those who eagerly wait for him he will appear a second time"… I hope this lesson will inspire you to get into God’s prophetic word and it will motivate you to be eagerly awaiting your Saviors return… I intend to be teaching on other important prophetic messages in the future.. I hope you’ll join me…

Note: A guideline to this study came from the Grant R Jeffrey prophecy study Bible. I have been a student of Bible Prophecy for over twenty years now and have studied under the video & audio tutelage of Hal Lindsey & Grant R Jeffrey & Joel Rosenberg. If Bible Prophecy intrigues you, I am posting links to both Hal’s, Joel's and Grant’s sites below.

Hal Lindsey Media Ministries

Grant R Jeffrey Ministries

Joel Rosenberg

If you want to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and have your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, pray with me wherever you are. Pray with a sincere heart and God will reach down from heaven, forgive your sins and give you new life….Lets pray…

Father God, I come to you in the name of your son Jesus Christ. Thank you for sending Jesus to die in my place on the cross. I know I am not worthy, but I ask you today to forgive me of my sins (confess your sins to him now) and give me a new heart. I make Jesus the Lord of my life from this day and forward. Teach me how to love the God way, so I can love others. Teach me your Word and show me the purpose you have for my life. Thank you for forgiving me, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray…Amen

If you prayed that simple prayer with a sincere heart, your eternal destiny has been decided. God tells us that he takes that sin and casts it as far as the east is to the west. So forget the past and press on in your new walk with Christ. Remember that this is only the first step to Eternal Salvation. You now need to study God’s word, live your life for him and let your good works in Christ testify to the world of the new creature you have become. Now go shout your new found faith to the world as confession of Jesus Christ is part of your salvation. If you need help, or need a Bible, please contact me through the group…Tim

Please go to our group page and leave your comments and thoughts. Click the discussion tab, find this lesson or any topic for that matter, then post your thoughts. I’d like to encourage each of you to get more involved in the group discussions…
Thank You
Tim Barrett