Matthew 24 Summary - Quick Bible Study

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MATTHEW 24 SUMMARY IN 5 MINUTES

• WHEN:

  • The birth of Jesus probably occurred around 4 B.C..

  • From Luke 3:23, we know Jesus began His ministry when He was about 30 years old.

  • This would place the events of Jesus’ ministry roughly between 26-31 A.D..

• CHARACTERS:

  • Jesus - The Messiah. The Son of God.

  • Disciples - Jesus’ followers and students.

• WHERE:

  • All of the events of chapter 24 occurred in Jerusalem and on the Mount of Olives east of the city.

• OUTLINE:

  • JESUS PROPHESIES THE TEMPLE’S DESTRUCTION (24:1-24:3):

    • While exiting the Temple, Jesus told the disciples the Temple would be destroyed one day.

    • At the Mount of Olives, His disciples asked Him for specifics regarding the Temple’s destruction and for the signs of the “end of the age.”

  • FALSE MESSIAHS, NATURAL DISASTERS, AND PERSECUTIONS (24:4-24:14):

    • Jesus told the disciples that after He left them and returned to Heaven, many fake messiahs would spring up and would try to lead people astray.

    • They would hear of wars, famines, and earthquakes, but the appearance of those things would not immediately mark the coming of the end.

    • Jesus’ followers would be persecuted to the point that some would fall away and others would betray their fellow believers.

    • When the Gospel was preached to the whole world, the end would come.

  • INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO ESCAPE JERUSALEM (24:15- 24:31):

    • The disciples were to flee Jerusalem and run to the mountains when they saw the “abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel.”

    • A great tribulation would arise in those days and the Jews would endure great suffering.

    • More false messiahs would arise and deceive many people.

    • After the period of tribulation, the sign of the Son of Man would appear in heaven and the angels would gather the elect from all the earth.

  • THE SIGN OF THE FIG TREE (24:32-24:35):

    • Just as the leaves on a fig tree indicated that summer was around the corner, the appearance of these signs would signal the Temple’s destruction.

    • The things Jesus described were to happen within the disciple’s generation.

  • THE END OF TIME (24:36-24:51):

    • Nobody knows when the world will end.

    • Like the flood of Noah’s day, nobody knows when it will happen.

    • Jesus told the disciples to “stay awake” and to remain watchful.

    • Faithful servants who are ready to meet the Lord will be rewarded.

    • The unfaithful will be punished in a place of “weeping and gnashing of teeth.

• BIG PICTURE:

  • The destruction of the Temple and the city of Jerusalem occurred in 70 A.D.

  • You can read about the events Jesus prophesied about in the writings of Josephus.

  • The Roman army sieged the city, demolished it, and killed thousands.

  • God used the Roman army to judge the unrepentant Jews.

• APPLICATION:

  • To understand this chapter, you need to know something about history.

  • The more you know about the events of 70 A.D., the clearer this chapter becomes.

  • Secular history books can be very helpful in understanding the scriptures.

  • History may not be your favorite subject, but you need to at least tolerate it for the sake of biblical comprehension and spiritual development.