THE END OF ALL THINGS "The end of all things" is unquestionably associated with the coming of the Lord! We are not taught to view the termination of the temporal as a mere happening. It is the result of the appearing of the Lord's Christ! The heavens and the earth will flee from before His face – their subordinate glory will fade before His glory as the light of the stars disappears in the resplendent glow of the sun. Thus it is written, "And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them" (Rev 20:11, NASB). That is the apocalyptic way of saying "the end of all things." When you consider that Jesus will return "in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels" (Luke 9:26b), it is no longer difficult to associate it with "the end of all things." -- Tomorrow:
"The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God" ( Peter 4:7-10, NASB)
THE COMING OF THE LORD
Because we have dealt extensively with this subject before, I shall only touch upon Christ's return as it relates to indicators, or signs – things that can be detected by believers. I realize that this is sensitive ground for some, but we must not allow human prejudice to keep us from considering the Word of the King. Jesus has spoken to this subject, and He has done so because it is a critical one. His words will not satisfy those who have exalted the wisdom of men, but they will have a strong appeal to those living by faith. In this review, we will focus on the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew. A few observations will suffice to show the seriousness of our subject.
Matthew 24
The disciples have just shown Jesus "the temple buildings" (Matt 24:1). Matthew places this occurrence after Christ's lament over rejecting Jerusalem, in which He said her house would be "left desolate" (23:37-38). Luke identifies it with Christ's observation of the widow that placed "all her living" into the temple treasury (Luke 21:1ff). The Jews took great pride in the temple. It was a mark of distinction, borne by no other peoples. They had not, however, duly associated themselves with God, or with His Son, Who was "greater than the temple" (Matt 12:6). Although Jesus had referred to that very temple as "my Father's house" (John 2:16), He now revealed that it would undergo violent destruction. "Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here shall be left upon another, which will not be torn down" (Matt 24:2). This reply intrigued His disciples, and rightly so. Later, as the Lord was "sitting on the Mount of Olives," His disciples came to Him "privately," inquiring about His veiled remark concerning the temple. Their question has captured the attention of the most astute thinkers among men. "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" (Matt 24:3, NASB).
Jesus does not upbraid them for asking the question, nor does He tell them their question was unlawful, as He did in Acts 1:7. First, He warns them not to allow anyone to mislead them on these things. "See to it that no one misleads you" (Matt 24:4). Because of the nature of Christ's words, men would be prone to distort them, attaching to them meanings not intended by our blessed Lord. We do well to be cautious about embracing theological novelties. Whatever our view of this text, it must not leave us in conflict with the more plain declarations of "the end of all things."
It should be apparent that the disciples' question was not simplistic. It was threefold. They wanted to know (1 When the things of which He spoke would come to pass, (2 the sign of His coming, and (3 the sign of the end of the "world," or "age." Noble inquiries, indeed! It would be refreshing to hear such inquiries in our time! O, that there was more interest in the coming of Christ and the end of the world!
Jesus answers in a manner that defies logical arrangement. First, He does not directly address the question about "when." Instead, He goes straight to the matter of signs, or indicators. His point is not to pass along vital information, but to inform His disciples of the need for preparation and readiness. How clearly this is seen in the following phrases. "See to it that no one misleads you . . . see that you are not frightened . . . "
While Jesus speaks about the imminent destruction of Jerusalem, His words cannot be confined to that event. The rumor of wars, nation rising against nation, famines and earthquakes in various places, the rise of false prophets, an increase in lawlessness, and people's love growing cold, cannot be confined to the destruction of Jerusalem (Vs 4-12).
In verses 15-22, the Lord appears to speak directly to the fall of Jerusalem and the attending destruction of the temple. His words address the "end" of an era, the "end" of a time of blessing; the "end" of a custodianship of truth, and the "end" of a sacred structure. The desolation of the "holy place," the necessity of swift escape, and unparalleled tribulation, would attend this demise. He relates these events to the prophecy of Daniel concerning the desecration of the "holy place" (Dan 12:11). Time forbids us to go into Daniel's prophecy at length. Suffice it to say, Jesus is telling His disciples the event of which He speaks is on the Divine agenda. It is part of the judgment leveled against Jerusalem for their rejection of the Messiah. His words ought to stab deep into the heart of every lethargic soul that supposes coldness of heart is not noted by the Almighty.
The part of this text that particularly addresses our subject is found in verses 27-31. Under no circumstances can these verses be said to apply only to the destruction of Jerusalem. They were typified by that ancient destruction, but were not exhausted thereby. This, in my understanding, was His answer to the disciples question about His "coming and the end of the world."
Again, the Lord speaks to faith in arresting language. He refers to the destruction of Jerusalem as "the tribulation of those days" (verse 27). By saying "immediately" after, He emphasizes that this is the next significant event on the Divine agenda. He is not speaking in terms of time, but in the language of Divine purpose. Too, the fall of Jerusalem was only the "beginning of sorrows" for the Jews, not the conclusion of it (Matt 24:8). It would continue "until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled" (Luke 21:24). Now Jesus tells His disciples that they are to learn to live in expectation of His return!
Christ's return will be witnessed by the entirety of humanity. It will be like the lightning which passes from one end of heaven to the other in a moment of time (verse 27). Elsewhere we are reminded, "every eye shall see Him" (Rev 1:7). His return will be sudden, universal, and unmistakable!
His return will be central in every sense of the word. It will fulfill the proverb, "Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather" (verse 28). Many consider this to refer to men being drawn to Christ for the final judgment. This does not, however, satisfy the text. In my opinion, this refers to the saints, returning with the Lord, to judge the rotting corpse of the world and religious institutionalism. Christ's return will bring the domination of dead religion to a grinding halt, praise the Lord!
The "end of all things" will be precisely that! Sun, moon, and stars will no longer shine (verse 29). Principalities and powers in heavenly realms will be jarred from their places of rule, to be consigned to the lake of fire. All forms of power, whether natural or spiritual, will give place to the Son of God. They will be torn from their temporary thrones, and "the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One" (Dan 7:27). Nature, as we know it, will come to an "end" -- and it will happen when Jesus returns "as a thief in the night" (2 Pet 3:10-12). "The end of all things is near!"
The Son of God shall appear in all of His glory, and "then all the tribes of the earth will mourn" (verse 30). No one will question Who He is, or why He has returned. It will be evident that "all things" have come to their appointed "end." Those who have "received the reconciliation" (Rom 5:11) will rejoice, while all others will "wail" because of Him! The "things" in which they have trusted, shall come to an "end." Saints will cry, "Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation" (Isa 26:9, NASB). The lost will cry for the rocks and mountains to cover them (Rev 6:16), and lament the day they were born: "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved" (Jer 8:20, KJV)
The great gathering will take place when our Lord returns--at "the end of all things." How precious are the words! "And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other" (verse 31). Those who suppose this refers to the destruction of Jerusalem betray a level of spiritual incompetence that is to their reproach! Everything did not "end" with the destruction of Jerusalem! How different it will be when Jesus is revealed from heaven, in all of His glory, and with the holy angels! Then what was foreshadowed in the fall of Jerusalem will take place. The demise of the ancient city will be small by way of comparison.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I seek Your grace to remain alert and watching for His return and the consequent end of all things.