Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple
Jesus was leaving the temple, walking away from it, when his followers came over to him. They wanted to show him the magnificent temple buildings and talk about them. Jesus looked at everything they were pointing to and said, "You see all of this? I'm telling you the truth—not a single stone will be left sitting on top of another stone. Every stone will be torn down and thrown to the ground."
The Disciples' Question about the End Times
While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came to him when they were alone together. They asked him, "Tell us when these things will happen. What sign will show us that you are coming back and that the world as we know it is ending?"
Signs of the End Times
Jesus answered them, "Be careful that no one leads you astray. Many people will come using my name, saying 'I am the Christ,' and they will fool many people. You will hear about wars happening and rumors of wars that might happen, but don't let this frighten you. These things have to take place, but they don't mean the end has come yet. One nation will fight against another nation, and one kingdom will battle another kingdom. There will be times when people don't have enough food, and earthquakes will happen in different places around the world. All of these troubles are just the beginning of the pain, like the first pains a woman feels when she's about to give birth. Then people will hand you over to be hurt and killed, and people from every nation will hate you because you follow me. When this happens, many people will turn away from their faith. They will turn against each other and hate each other. Many false prophets will appear and will lead many people down the wrong path. Because evil will spread everywhere, most people's love will become cold and die out. But whoever holds on and doesn't give up until the end will be rescued. This good news about God's kingdom will be announced to people in every part of the world, so that all nations can hear it as proof of what God has done. And then the end will come."
The Great Tribulation
When you see the terrible thing that destroys and defiles standing in the holy place—the same horrible thing the prophet Daniel wrote about—then you need to understand what this means and act immediately. Those who are in Judea must run away to the mountains without delay. If someone is up on their roof, they shouldn't even go down into their house to grab anything. If someone is working out in the fields, they shouldn't go back to get their coat. This will be an especially hard time for women who are pregnant or nursing babies. Pray that you won't have to escape during the winter when travel is difficult, or on the Sabbath when you're not supposed to journey far. During that time, there will be terrible suffering unlike anything the world has ever seen since it began, and nothing like it will ever happen again. If God didn't cut those awful days short, no one would survive. But he will make those days shorter for the sake of his chosen people. When this is happening, if someone tells you, "Look, the Christ is here!" or "He's over there!" don't believe them. Fake messiahs and fake prophets will show up and do amazing miracles and incredible signs that are so convincing they would fool even God's chosen people, if that were possible. Remember, I'm warning you about this now, before it happens. So if people say to you, "He's out in the desert," don't go looking for him there. If they say, "He's hiding in some secret room," don't believe it. When the Son of Man actually comes, it will be as obvious as lightning that flashes across the entire sky from east to west—everyone will see it clearly. Wherever you find a dead body, that's where the vultures will gather.
The Coming of the Son of Man
Right after that time of terrible suffering ends, the sun will grow dark and the moon will stop shining. The stars will fall from the sky, and the mighty forces that hold the heavens together will be shaken violently. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and every people group on earth will cry out in grief and fear. They will see the Son of Man coming through the clouds of heaven, surrounded by tremendous power and breathtaking glory. He will send out his angels, and they will blow a trumpet so loud it will be heard everywhere. These angels will gather all of God's chosen people from every direction—from the north, south, east, and west—collecting them from one end of the sky to the other.
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: When its branches grow soft and tender and begin to sprout fresh leaves, you know that summer is coming soon. In the same way, when you see all these things happening, you will know that He is near—standing right at the door, ready to enter. I tell you the truth: the people living now will not all die before all these things take place. Heaven and earth will disappear someday, but my words will last forever and never disappear.
The Unknown Day and Hour
No one knows when that day or time will come—not the angels in heaven, not even the Son, but only the Father knows. When the Son of Man returns, it will be just like it was in Noah's time. In the days before the great flood, people went about their normal lives. They ate their meals and had their drinks. They celebrated weddings and gave their daughters in marriage, right up until the very day Noah walked into the ark. They had no idea what was coming until the flood waters rose and carried them all away. That's exactly how it will be when the Son of Man comes back. Two men will be working together in the same field—one will be taken away and the other will be left behind. Two women will be grinding grain at the same mill—one will be taken and the other left behind. So stay alert and keep watching, because you don't know what day your Lord will arrive. Think about it this way: if a homeowner knew exactly what time during the night a burglar was planning to break in, he would stay awake and guard his house to prevent the robbery. That's why you must always be ready—because the Son of Man will come at a time when you're not expecting him.
The Faithful and Unfaithful Servants
"Who is the faithful and wise servant that his master has put in charge of the household, giving everyone their meals when they need them? How blessed is that servant when his master comes home and finds him doing exactly what he was supposed to do. I tell you the truth—the master will put that faithful servant in charge of everything he owns. But what if that same servant turns out to be evil? What if he thinks to himself, 'My master is going to be gone for a very long time'? Then he starts beating the other servants who work alongside him, and he throws parties with people who get drunk. But here's what will happen: that servant's master will return on a day when the servant isn't expecting him, at a time when he's completely unprepared. The master will punish him severely and give him the same fate as all the other pretenders and frauds—a place where there is terrible crying and grinding of teeth in anguish."