In Matthew 24 Jesus and His disciples were exiting the Temple in Jerusalem when they asked Him a question that undoubtedly had been a topic of discussion.  For over three years He had been telling them about the future Kingdom of God and His saints’ position in that kingdom.  Naturally, they wanted to know when they would be enjoying the offerings of that earthly paradise.  Knowing that the kingdom would be centered in the area where they were standing, they asked Him when the present world would end and the new world would begin.  They wondered when He would return to restore the kingdom to Israel and what would be the sign that would foretell His imminent arrival.  They probably were not prepared for His answer.

They had asked for A sign.  However, Jesus listed several signs that would begin to take place upon His death and would continue to afflict the sin-saturated world with ever more power and destruction as the time of His return approached.  The signs He told them about would be His “voice” warning those with eyes to see and ears to hear to “repent and believe the Gospel”–His first Words of ministry which would be His and the disciples’ message to the Jews until the time of His departure (Mk. 1:15/ Lk. 13:5).  He would soon send His apostles to the other tribes of Israel whom He had scattered throughout the earth several generations earlier because of their sins (Mat. 10:6).  The apostles would find them and tell them that their Messiah had come, paid for their justification, and was calling them and their Jewish brethren back to the Father.  The Apostle Paul would refer to that work as “the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18).  That call is still going out through the Holy Scriptures which are being proclaimed by His modern day apostles.

In answer to the disciples’ questions Jesus first issued a dire warning.  A false “Christian” religion would rise up to challenge His true religion.  Ministers of that religion would come in His name claiming to be His servants.  They would preach a perverted version of His Gospel which would become known as church doctrine.  Through the work of the “angel of light’s”  “ministers of righteousness” (2 Cor. 11:13-15) many church people would be deceived into entering his various religious organizations known today as Catholicism/Protestantism.

Following His statement concerning false Christianity, Jesus warned about wars, two of which would affect the entire world.  Famines, disease epidemics and earthquakes would also arise to ravage the earth and afflict its inhabitants until the time of His return.  Lastly, the Gospel of the Kingdom would be preached in all nations as a witness to all men, then the end would come.

All of these things have taken place as history has recorded.  However, these were mere forerunners of what is coming in the near future.  False Christianity, wars, famines, disease epidemics and upheavals in the earth continue to take place and will continue and increase until Christ’s Second Advent.  Over the past 2000 years these signs have increased both in number and severity as man has grown ever more resistant to God’s “voice”–signs/curses.  His final sign was positive in nature–the Gospel of the Kingdom would be sent into every nation on earth as a witness to all men, then the end would come.  The Lord’s Gospel began to be heard globally in the early 1930’s when Herbert W. Armstrong began preaching the true Gospel over Radio Luxumbourg, the world’s most powerful radio network at that time.  The Gospel message has continued to be preached and will continue to be preached around the world by way of radio, television and the world-wide web until it is no longer allowed on the airwaves.  Today’s increasingly powerful “cancel culture” gives us a hint of what is coming.  The manipulation of “news coverage” that runs rampant today tells us that the “beginning of sorrows” Jesus warned about in Matthew 24:8 is about to evolve into the Great Tribulation which will last for 2 1/2 years, only to be followed by the Day of the Lord, a one-year period that will make the horrific Tribulation seem mild by comparison.  What man has experienced over the past 2000 years is the warm-up act leading to the main event–the final 3 1/2 years of terror, destruction and death leading up to the return of Jesus to the earth and the end of the age.

The signs/sorrows Jesus foretold have been afflicting sinful man for 2000 years and continue unto today.  So what is next?  Jesus answers the question:  “THEN (following the signs/sorrows of Mat. 24:3-8) WILL COME GREAT TRIBULATION ….”  This will be a time of violence, destruction and death greater than anything man can imagine.  Jeremiah foretold this event in chapter 30.  Moses wrote about it in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28.  Read God’s Chosen People in Prophecy for details.  Key word–Prophecy.  The primary nations involved in the Tribulation will be those known as “Christian.”  The United States and Great Britain will receive the brunt of God’s wrath.  These nations are peopled primarily by the descendants of Joseph on whom Jacob (Israel) placed his God-given name: ISRAEL.  These prophesies are already being carried out.  For example, Leviticus 28:16-20 foretold of the breaking of “the pride of your power” which began with America’s loss of the Vietnam war.  She has not won a war since WWII and will not win another one.  As was the fate of her Israelite ancestors, modern day Israel (America and Britain specifically) will be defeated and slaughtered.  Those who survive will be enslaved by her enemies in their home nations.

The Great Tribulation will mostly affect the United States and Britain because we were chosen to be God’s “Light” to the world, “a shining city on a hill” that would show the heathen world the way to salvation.  We failed, and failed miserably.  Today we lead the world in crime and degeneracy.  America sets the standard for the slaughter of innocent children who were created in the image of God.  I can only imagine the depth of God’s wrath as millions of innocent children are sliced, diced and sold to the highest bidder.  This so-called “Christian nation” knows only sweet baby Jesus of manger fame.  His enemies are about to meet the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.  And the meeting will not be cordial.  His wrath will be focused  on the counterfeit (Catholic and Protestant) church because she has led billions of salvation seekers away from Him using a perverted gospel the Apostle Paul warned the Galatians about 2000 years ago (Gal. 1:6-9).

World War III is coming, and the Lord will orchestrate it, just has He has orchestrated all the other signs/sorrows.  Nuclear devastation will destroy this nation and Britain, making them uninhabitable.  Survivors will be taken to the lands of the victors as slaves.  BUT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER THROUGH THE TERROR OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION AND THE DAY OF THE LORD.  There is a way out of the danger and into the place of safety which the Lord will prepare for His Very Elect.  I have been to where I believe God will protect and provide for His true saints as hell on earth rages around them.  Petra is a mountain range located in Jordan not far from the Promised Land.  During the 3 1/2 years of terror two-thirds of mankind will be killed.  Others will wish to die but will not be able to kill themselves (Rev. 9:6).

Just as Jesus proclaimed at His first visit to earth, one must repent, believe the Gospel, be converted, then walk in obedience to God’s Holy Scriptures in order to escape what is coming on the earth.  There is no other way to join the Great Escape to the place of safety as the world explodes in a rain of death and destruction.  There is a place being prepared for those who sanctify (set aside) themselves unto the Lord by studying, believing and obeying His Word.  Jesus spoke about the sanctification process in John 17:17 when He asked the Father to “… sanctify them (the disciples) through (by obedience to) Your Truth, YOUR WORD IS TRUTH.”  As I have stated many times: EVERYTHING COMES BACK TO GOD’S WORD.  L.J.