The Spine of Biblical Prophecy: Derek Prince (Transcript)

And in order to understand all that Jesus had to say, we need to put together the three chapters: Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21.

Now I’m not going to attempt that here tonight. Basically I’m going to focus on Matthew 24. But I’m going to take a few references from Luke 21.

So we’ll turn now to Matthew 24. If you have your Bible, you’ll find it helpful to have it open. Also if you have enough fingers, you’ll find it helpful to keep a finger in Luke 21, because we’ll be going there from time to time. And if that isn’t comfortable, well just relax and take as much as you can get.

Matthew 24 begins with a statement that Jesus made to His disciples. He was in the temple with them. And they were apparently trying to impress Him with the tremendous buildings and artistic work of the temple. The temple was the pride of the Jewish nation. It was a masterpiece of construction. It was the center of their national life. And it was the mark of their unique relationship with the one true God.

So I imagine that the disciples expected Jesus to be very impressed. But He wasn’t. In fact, the reply that He made must have been like a blow in the solar plexus to them. If you aren’t familiar with Jewish thinking, I think you can hardly realize the impact this comment must have had on them.

But in the light of the impact, we understand the questions that they asked later. So I’ll read the first two verses.

Matthew 24:1:2: ‘Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” In other words, this whole building is going to be totally destroyed. I don’t think we can imagine how shocked the disciples must have been. How could such a thing happen? And I think in their minds they concluded, that if that really was going to happen, it would mark the close of the age. And so they asked two questions of Jesus related to this.

Jesus and the disciples then went east from the temple area across the valley of the Kidron and up onto the Mount of Olives. And I imagine they sat in a place that’s very familiar to me. And they were actually able to look down on the buildings of the temple while He continued His discourse.

We’re going to read therefore Matthew 24 verse 3: ‘Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

You see apparently, they concluded that if the temple was to be destroyed, it would mark the end of the age. They were wrong. But that explains why they asked these questions.

And notice they asked two questions: When will these things be? That is the destruction of the temple.

And what will be the sign of Your coming — Your coming back — and of the end of the age? Now Jesus answered both questions. But the answers recorded are not found in the same Gospel.

ANSWER TO QUESTION 1 IN LUKE 21

The answer to the first question: When will the destruction of the temple take place? is recorded in Luke 21. So keep your finger in Matthew 24 and turn to Luke 21.

And I’m not going to read all the introduction there. But in verses 20 through 24 Jesus answers the question: When will the temple be destroyed?

Historically we know the answer is in 70 AD. That is within less than one generation of the time when Jesus was speaking. This is what He says.

Luke 21:20: ‘But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.’ So that’s the sign when the temple will be destroyed. Now this happened in 70 AD. The Roman armies under the under Trajan laid siege to the city of Jerusalem and were preparing to attack it. And then Trajan was elected or appointed Emperor of the Roman Empire. And he had to go to Rome to take up his place. And so temporarily the siege was lifted. The Roman armies withdrew.

But under Titus who was the son-in-law or the follower of Trajan, the armies returned. A gang laid siege. And this time did not raise the siege until the whole city had been destroyed.

So Jesus said, when you see Jerusalem surrounded with armies, know that its desolation is near.

Luke 21:21: ‘Then’, He said, ‘let those in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.’ Now that could not have been possible if it had not been that temporarily the siege was lifted.

And so those disciples of Jesus in Jerusalem who acknowledged Jesus as the Prophet gave heed to His words, obeyed what He said; they seized the opportunity to escape out of Jerusalem. And they went east of the Jordan to a place — on the east side of the Jordan and found refuge there. In this way they saved their lives.

I want to point out to you how important it is to give heed to the prophetic words of Jesus. Our lives may actually depend on it. I believe we’re coming into a period when that will be true again.

Then as I’ve said the Roman armies returned, made siege to the city and did not raise the siege until the whole city was destroyed. And at least a million and a half Jews either perished or were sold into slavery throughout the Roman Empire.

And Jesus speaks about this in Luke 21:22: “For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.” Written where? Written in the Old Testament prophets. So Jesus said now these prophecies are coming into fulfillment. We won’t turn there.

But if you want one particular prophecy that contains an overall picture of this situation, you’ll find it in Leviticus chapter 26. And notice they are days of vengeance. Whose vengeance? God’s vengeance on a disobedient nation. It’s very important that we bear in mind that God does take vengeance when His time comes. He’s a God of mercy. But He’s also a God of justice.

And then Jesus gave a warning. Luke 21:23: “But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.”

What land? When it says in the land? The land of Israel. Wrath upon this people. What people? The Jewish people. All those words were exactly fulfilled. Not metaphorically remember, but exactly.

And then it says what will happen to the Jewish people. Luke 21:24, ‘they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.’ And in the long run they were led captive into at least 100 nations. ‘And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.’ You know what we mean by Gentiles. A lot of people don’t. It means those who are not Jews. Heathen are those who are not Christians. But Gentiles are those who are not Jews.

I’ve had this problem, because in Germany and in other countries they only have one word for both. And so you have to stop and explain. But in English we’re blessed with accurate words for both. But you have to know a Gentile is somebody who is not a Jew.

And Jesus said ‘Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles.’ The word trampled indicates that it’s really out of divine order. Jerusalem is the capital of the Jewish nation both then and now. And for Gentiles to be dominating Jerusalem is an indication that things are not the way they ought to be. Doesn’t mean that it won’t happen. But it happens because the Jewish people have missed their destiny.

And it’s very interesting as a matter of history. I’ve been associated with Jerusalem since 1942. And basically Jerusalem flourishes when it’s under Jewish control and languishes when it’s under Gentile control. And you can trace that more or less through its history for nearly 2,000 years.

But whenever it speaks about the judgment of God on the Jewish people and their scattering, you always find in the Bible some words like until. It’s not permanent. It’s not forever. There will be an end. And here Jesus says until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

I understand the times of the Gentiles to mean the period in which Gentile nations are ruling where Israel should be ruling. And if so they began with Nebuchadnezzar. And they continued until when? Well, 1948 a Jewish state came into being after nearly 2,000 years. I was an eyewitness. I was there when it happened. And it was a miracle. I say that without misusing words.

About 700,000 Jews were surrounded by about 40 million Arabs well armed and well equipped. And the Jews had virtually no military equipment. But the state of Israel survived. Why? Because God intended it to survive. And what God intends will happen. That’s good news. Because it concerns us.

Then in 1967, one of the most crucial dates in this century in the Six-Day War, the old city of Jerusalem which was the part that Jesus was familiar with, was liberated by the Jews from Muslim domination. But bear in mind, the most significant and sacred spot in all of Jerusalem, the temple area is still dominated by Muslims, by Arabs. So it’s like the hands of the clock are just showing one minute before midnight. But we haven’t come to midnight.

Then Jesus goes on. And this is very important. Immediately after that statement. In Luke 21 verse 25: ‘there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.’

In other words, the liberation of Jerusalem from Gentile domination is very close to the return of the Lord in glory. It’s one of the great indications that we are very near to the time of the Lord’s return.

All right that’s the answer to question number one: When will these things happen? And Jesus gave a clear specific prophetic answer which has been fully vindicated by subsequent history.

ANSWER TO QUESTION 2 IN MATTHEW 24

Now we’ll go back to Matthew 24. And we look at the next question. ‘What will be the sign of Your coming — Coming back — and at the end of the age? And in the words that follow, Jesus gave them a number of signs. Plural. But it’s several verses before we come to the sign.

But Jesus did give a specific answer to a specific question: What will be the sign of Your coming back?

First of all, in verses four and five, Jesus warns His disciples. That means you and me today, if we are disciples against being deceived. And if you study the revelation of scripture concerning the end time, the period in which we are living, the greatest single danger that threatens us is deception. And anybody who is not on guard against being deceived in my opinion is certain to be deceived. Because the warnings against deception are more frequent than any other warnings.

Matthew 24:4: ‘Take heed’ Jesus said, ‘that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ — That’s the Messiah — and will deceive many.’ You need to bear in mind if you don’t know it that Christ is from the Greek word Christos which corresponds to the Hebrew word Mashiach, Messiah. So whether we say Messiah or Christ, we’re saying the Anointed One. I find lots of Christians don’t know that. And most Jews have no idea whatever that when we say about Jesus Christ, we’re saying Jesus the Messiah.

Now again the words of Jesus have been accurately fulfilled. Since that time, about 40 false messiahs have come to the Jewish people. And all of them have been received by some of them. One of the most famous was Bar Kokhba in the year 130 who raised up a rebellion against the Roman armies, was ultimately defeated and killed.

There was also Shabbetai Zevi in the 17th century who claimed to be a messiah, led hundreds of thousands of Jewish people to the area of Palestine, was taken by the Arabs and converted to Islam. But I mean hundreds of thousands of people had put their faith in him as messiah. It was in the year 1666. And at that time people believed that somehow this was a magical year. This number 1666 was going to indicate that something very exciting and special was going to happen.

Nowadays there’s a kind of similar tradition or attitude toward the year 2000. But I think we need to be cautious. Because I don’t believe that God counts by the Gregorian calendar. He has His own calendar which is in the Bible and He has never departed from it. So praise God for the concept of bringing the gospel everywhere to everyone by the year 2000. But for me there’s nothing magical in the year 2000.

All right. Now in the answer that Jesus gives, there is a key word which we need to pick out. And it’s the word Then which occurs nine times in the original text. In other words, what we are presented with is a series of developments that follow one after the other. Then, then and then.

Now we’ll go on with Matthew 24 verse 6: ‘You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.’

Now Jesus said, throughout this age certain things will regularly take place. There’ll be wars and rumors of wars. And His words have been exactly fulfilled. But He said, ‘don’t take those as being necessarily an indication that the age is about to end.’

Then in Matt 24 verse 7, He moves on to something different which He calls the birth pangs. But I just want to point out that in Luke 21 verses 9 and 10 there’s a break in the discourse which is very important.

So you compare… Luke 21 verse 9 and 10, Jesus said, ‘But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately.’ That’s the same teaching. But this text adds, ‘Then He said to them, ‘Nation will rise against nation…’ In other words, there’s a break between Matthew 24:6 and Matthew 24:7.

Verse 7, as you will see, leads us into the period of the birth pangs. I’ll read the words and then comment on them.

Matthew 24:7-8: ‘For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows (labor pains or birth pangs).’ So the labor pains begin in Matthew 24 verse 7. If there are labor pains, there’s going to be something born.

What is going to be born? My answer is, the kingdom of God on earth. But it will not come without a birth. The kingdom of God never comes without a birth. Jesus says, unless an individual is born again, he cannot see or enter the kingdom of God. What is true of the individual is true of the whole world. It will take a birth to bring the kingdom of God to earth. It’s not going to be organized. It’s not going to come as a political process. It’s going to come by a sovereign intervention of God corresponding to a birth.

But we all know that before a birth takes place, there are labor pains or birth pangs. Now I’ve never been involved in this experience. But one understands that it’s not enjoyable. It’s a time of pressure, of pain, and a time when one could say, well get me out of this. Let’s come to the end of it. But people tolerate it because they want the baby. Understand? If you want a baby, you have to go through birth pangs. There’s no other way.

So here we’re faced with the question, do we want the baby? In other words, do we want the kingdom of God to come on earth? If we do, let’s be realistic and say, we’ll endure the birth pangs. Because it cannot come any other way.

Now Jesus lists the birth pangs. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. Now some texts don’t put in pestilences. But the word is found in the corresponding version in Luke 21. So it’s there.

So what are the birth pangs? Nation rising against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. I would say great world wars. And one of the significant things about the 20th century is it’s the first time we’ve ever used the phrase world war. In this century there have been two world wars: One in 1914 and one in 1939. And I have survived to both of them. But before this century you couldn’t have a world war. Because the means of communication and travel did not make it possible. Humanity has to come to a certain condition worldwide before you can have a world war.

And I think one of the most significant features of our century is world wars. Never was that phrase used in any previous century.

Now the words that Jesus uses are particularly significant at the present time. For He says nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

Let’s take kingdom against kingdom first. And say as I understand it this means political wars. Wars that are fought to establish an empire, a dominion, some kind of political setup.

But what about nation against nation? To me this is extremely significant today. Because the Greek word for nation is ethnos from which we get the word ethnic. So Jesus says there will be ethnic wars. And we just look across the world today and what do we see? In place after place after place ethnic wars. Yugoslavia is one particular example. But far from being the only one. And there are ethnic conflicts within nations. Take particularly the United States, there are many different ethnic groups which find it very hard to live in peace side by side. In other words, the expression of ethnicity is a particular feature of the close of this age.

And then it says ‘there will be famines.’ And they estimate 40 million people perish every year as a result of malnutrition and starvation. Famines and pestilences — and pestilence always follows famine. Because the physical resistance of humanity is broken down by starvation.

And then it says earthquakes in various places. Statistically the number of earthquakes is steadily increasing in the days in which we live.

Then Jesus says all these are the beginning of sorrows. They’re not the end. They’re not the birth. But they’re the indications that the birth is soon coming.

And then we have the first Then in verse 9.

Matthew 24:9: ‘Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.’ Now there’s an important question here: To whom is Jesus referring when He says you? I’ll answer you in what is not good grammar. You is us. It refers to Christians. Have you adjusted your thinking to that?

Now you might say well in Britain it isn’t happening, or in the United States. But in many parts of the world this is already happening in China, it’s happened in the Soviet Union. It’s happening in Muslim nations and other places. But Jesus says it’s going to happen worldwide.

I want to read that again. ‘Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.’ This is Christians. People who are hated for the sake of the name of the Lord Jesus.

And then in verse 10. The second Then.

Matthew 24:10: ‘And then many will be offended, and will betray one another, and will hate one another.’ Many who? Many Christians. They will give up their faith because the pressures are too great. And in order to save their own lives they will betray their fellow believers. Again there are many many examples of this in nations such as China and in what was the Soviet Union and in other places. It is happening. I believe it’s going to happen on a larger scale.

Matthew 24:11: ‘Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.’ I believe that is happening. My personal opinion is that the church is riddled with false prophets. And the tragic thing is that most of God’s people can’t discern between the true and the false. But apart from that every cult is the product of a false prophet. And there are more cults in the world than we can count. And again it really behoves us to heed the warning of Jesus: Take care that no one deceives you. That’s not an idle warning. Very very urgent.

And then in Matthew 24:12: ‘Because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.’ For those of you that are somewhat younger than I am, this may not be so obvious. But I grew up in this nation in Britain between two world wars. And Britain was essentially a law-abiding nation. People respected law. And people were basically honest. You could trust people with your money. You could leave the door of your house unlocked. All that has changed. Is that true? Changed to an amazing degree.

One of the prime problems of the day is lawlessness. And I believe that it’s impossible for the police to control it. The police can control it when the attitude of the people is against lawlessness. But when the attitude of the people tolerates and even endorses lawlessness, it’s vain to expect the police to deal with the situation. They can’t.

It says because lawlessness will abound the love of many — the Greek word there is agape which is normally used of Christian love — the love of many Christians will grow cold.

Brothers and sisters, we need to bear that in mind: In an atmosphere of lawlessness it’s very easy for our love to grow cold. But we have been warned.

And then Jesus says in Matthew 24:13: ‘But he who endures to the end shall be saved.’ The Greek is more specific. It says he who has endured to the end shall be saved. So you’re saved now. But if you want to stay saved what do you have to do? To endure. That’s right.

Jesus said in Luke 21:19 in this version: ‘In your patience possess your souls.’ But that’s not a very clear translation: ‘By your endurance purchase your soul.’ That’s the price you have to pay for the salvation of your soul. Endurance.

As I say you’re saved now. Will you be saved ten years from now? If there are ten years left which is questionable. It depends on whether you have endured. He who has endured to the end, he will be saved.

Now Jesus has given a many signs. Plural. But He has not given the sign. But in Matthew 24 verse 14, He gives the specific sign.

The question was: What will be the sign at the end of the age? And verse 14 gives a specific answer: ‘And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then — (And that’s then number 3) — then the end will come.’

What is the sign that the end will come? The preaching of the gospel of the kingdom. Not some watered-down human version. But the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom in all the world as a witness to all the nations.

So we know what it will take to bring the age to a close. We’re not left in doubt. We’re not left to wonder. We have the answer.

Now keep your finger in Matthew. And if you can find it, turn to 2 Peter chapter 3 verses 11 and 12. And let me just take one passage.

2 Peter 3:11-12: ‘Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, [That’s basically everything that we consider to be permanent and stable will be dissolved.] what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness…,’

It’s a very important question. What kind of people should we be? And then Peter gives part of the answer. He says, ‘looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God.’ I pointed out yesterday that in Hebrews 9:28, it says Jesus will return with salvation for those who eagerly await His coming. That’s the looking for part.

But here Peter goes further, and he says ‘hastening the coming of the day of God.’ How can we hasten the coming of the day of God? The answer is very simple: By proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom in all nations.

Now if you want the baby to be born, you will do anything you can to hasten the birth. There’s one thing we can all be involved in doing which is proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom to all nations. And when we do that we are hastening the coming of the day of God.

But if we fail to do that, we are not hastening it, we’re delaying it. And that’s a fearful responsibility. But I venture to say that everyone here this evening is in one or other of those two categories. You’re either hastening it or you’re delaying it. What do you have to do to delay it? The answer is do nothing. That’s all.

Doing nothing is not normally considered a sin. But in Matthew 25 — the next chapter in Matthew, Jesus speaks about three people —three kinds of people who were all totally rejected by God. The first kind were the five foolish virgins who didn’t take oil. The second was the unfaithful servant who buried his talent. And the third kind of people were the nations — the goat nations that didn’t show love to the Jews.

And I asked myself once: What was there in common to all these people that caused them to be rejected? And I found a similar answer. What did they do? Nothing. And that’s all you have to do to be rejected is do nothing. It’s very clear. It’s not just one example. There are three different examples.

I pray tonight that those of you who hear me will take a decision to commit yourself in some way to the proclaiming of the gospel of the kingdom to all nations. That doesn’t mean you have to be a missionary or a preacher or an evangelist. You can be an intercessor. You can give them your finance. There are many different ways. But if you’re not involved at all, I believe you are in danger of being rejected.

The words of God are so clear. We are not saved to serve ourselves. We’re saved to serve the Lord. And the people to whom the Lord sends us. In 1958 I never can pass this passage without saying this. I was working as principal of a college for training African teachers in Kenya. And my aim was to win my students to the Lord. And I was successful. Hardly a student ever left her college who hadn’t been saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit.

But one day my car needed service. So I drove seven miles into the local town Kisumu and took my car to the service station. I had a list in my pocket of all the things I needed to do because I was very busy. But as I walked out of the service station I felt the Lord said to me, ‘Not only does your car need oiling and greasing, you need oiling and greasing.’

So I abandoned my program for the day, walked down to the shore of Lake Victoria Nyanza which is just a few steps away from Kisumu, sat down in a most beautiful place. Looking out across the tranquil waters of the lake, pulled my New Testament — my pocket New Testament out of my pocket and opened up without any specific intention of reading anything. And my eye fell on Matthew 24:14: This gospel of the kingdom… etc. And it was as if those words were just emblazoned across the sky in letters of gold and reflected on the waters of the lake. And I had the impression God said to me: ‘This is priority number one for My people.’

And I thought over what I was doing. And I said, ‘Lord, I’m seeking to serve You. And I’m helping people. But if my life is not fully in line with Your priority, I ask You to change me and to change my life.’ And it took 20 years for God fully to answer that prayer.

But in 1978 when Ruth and I were married, God thrust us into a ministry that we didn’t plan which is now virtually reaching all nations with the Word of God. We supplied teaching material to leaders in more than 120 nations. My radio broadcast which incidentally can be heard at this moment in this particular town is now in 10 languages and reaches virtually every continent on earth. And my books and my cassettes and my video cassettes have reached most nations on earth.

Now I don’t say that to boast. My purpose is to encourage you to believe that if you align your life with God’s purposes, He will see that you come into line. You won’t have the same ministry that I have. But He has a way and He has a plan for you. And it would be a tragedy if you came to the end of your Christian life and looked back over it and said ‘Really I’ve wasted most of my time. I’ve been busy with things that were not essential and not important. I’ve been serving myself rather than the Lord and the people of the Lord.’

We have a little slogan in our ministry which I think is rather a good one. It’s called reaching the unreached, and teaching the untaught. And I’m glad for it. I think it’s the marvelous grace of God that He has led us into this. Because I believe it’s fully in line with the revealed purposes of God for His people. I want to leave that with you as something that you can meditate on.

Now we’re going to go back to Matthew 24. I have no idea what the time is. But I think it’s getting late. From verse 14 to verse 15 there is a dramatic change. Because verse 14 speaks all nations and all the world.

Focus on Judea and Jerusalem (24:18–20)

And verse 15 and followers: narrows the focus to a tiny little piece of territory at the east end of the Mediterranean: the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem. So there’s a dramatic change at this point in God’s focus. Keep your finger there. And let me direct you to Romans 11.

Romans 11:25-26: These words are written to Gentile believers like most of us. And Paul says, ‘For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery…,’ And almost every time Paul says, I wish you wouldn’t be ignorant, we find that God’s people still are ignorant today. It’s remarkable.

‘I do not desire, brethren, you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion,’ [Or conceited.] Now what’s the mystery? ‘that hardening in part has happened to Israel…’ What’s the next word? You see what I say? Always does that word… ‘until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.’ So it’s not forever. But it’s until God has gathered in all the nations that He has chosen and appointed for salvation. And then it says. ‘And so all Israel will be saved…’

In other words, it’s the time when the focus is going to move from all the nations back to that one little people and that one little piece of territory: Israel. And here it is in Matthew 24. Very clear.

Matthew 24:15

‘Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place….’ Now I’ll offer you my opinion: The holy place is the temple area. The most holy place on earth. And whatever the abomination of desolation is I believe it’s something that indicates the Antichrist has taken over and established his claim to be God and demanded worship.

And Jesus says, when that happens look out. And the words that He uses are amazingly dramatic. And we come to the next then. Then number four.

Matthew 24:16-17: ‘then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.’ All right. Get out. If you’re in that part which is called Judea which is mistakenly called the West Bank. You don’t find that phrase in the Bible. ‘Let him who is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house.’ You know that in that part of the world, many of the houses have flat roofs and they have outside staircases that lead directly up to the roof. So Jesus says, if you’re on the roof and whatever it is happening, just go straight down the outside staircase and run off. Don’t even try to go inside your home. There are hardly any ways that He could express more dramatically the need for urgency.

Matthew 24:18: ‘let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.’ All right. Somebody’s out in the field and his shirt needs working, he doesn’t have time to go back to his house and get his jacket. He just has to take off running.

Matthew 24:19: ‘But woe to those who are pregnant and to those with nursing babies in those days!’ The reason is obvious: It’s hard enough to flee when you’re not pregnant or you don’t have a nursing baby. But it’ll be even more difficult for those.

And now we come to an amazing thing. He says, ‘Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.’ (Matt. 24:20)

You see the prophetic Scriptures set limits to what we can pray. The natural response would be, well let’s pray we don’t have to flee. But Jesus says that’s not an option. You’re going to have to flee. But you can pray that you won’t have to flee in winter or on the Sabbath day.

You see how important it is that we know the prophetic Scriptures. Because many many Christians are praying for things that are outside the limits. They can’t happen because God’s Word says they will not happen.

I heard about a preacher who said if we all pray hard enough maybe the Battle of Armageddon will not take place. That’s just plain stupid. The Bible says it will take place. It’s futile to pray that it won’t. But within the limits which God has set, we can pray the right prayer and not the wrong prayer. And in these limits the right prayer is pray that we don’t have to flee — This is the Jewish people mind you — in winter, of course winter is pretty tough, nor on the Sabbath day.

Now why not on the Sabbath day? I lived in what was then Palestine under the British Mandate. It wouldn’t have made any difference whether it was Saturday or Sunday. But today it would. Because under the Jewish rule the Sabbath is a special day and most people don’t travel on the Sabbath. And so a large number of people suddenly traveling on the Sabbath would become very conspicuous. That carries a lot of implications.

In other words, Jesus assumes that at this time Israel will have been restored as a state aAnd the rule of the Sabbath will be enforced.

THE GREAT TRIBULATION (24:21–22)

Let’s go on. Matt 24 Verse 21 and this is the fifth then. And it’s a very solemn then. ‘For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.’ Then at that point is coming what Bible commentators call The Great Tribulation a period of anguish and suffering such as is without parallel in previous human history and will never be paralleled again.

Now those of us who’ve lived through the Holocaust need to pause and consider what can ever happen that will be far worse than the Holocaust. When six million Jews plus many others perished in the most horrible circumstances.

But in Jeremiah 30 the prophet predicts the regathering of Israel. In verse 3, he says, ‘For behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD, ‘that I will bring back from captivity (or from exile) My people Israel and Judah. And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.’

How many of you know what land it is that God gave to the fathers, the forefathers of Israel? There’s only one land. You don’t have to be a theologian to know. And God says specifically I will cause them to return to that land and they shall possess it.

Now there is a preacher who’s a friend of mine in this country who once remarked that the restoration of Israel to their land cannot be from God. Because if it were from God there would be peace. He didn’t know his Bible. Because look at the words that follow.

Jeremiah 30:5-6, ‘For thus says the LORD: ‘We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask now and see whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman in labor, and all faces turn pale?’

God says there’ll be a time of such anguish that men will behave like women in childbirth. He’s not talking about peace. Something has got to happen before peace. The birth has got to take place.

But Jeremiah 30:7 says, ‘Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.’ There’s a difference between being saved from it and saved out of it. A lot of us would like to be saved from some things, but we won’t be. But we can be saved out of them, you understand.

In Romans chapter 2 verse 9, Paul says there’s a certain order of tribulation to the Jew first and then to the Gentile. So when tribulation comes on the Jews first, we know it’s going to come on all other nations.

And in Revelation 7 there’s a picture of those who come out of the Great Tribulation from all peoples and nations and tongues and languages. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white. And they are praising God in eternity forever and ever.

FURTHER WARNINGS AGAINST DECEPTION (24:23–26)

Now we’re going back to Matthew 24 verse 23, the sixth then.

Matthew 24:23: ‘Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ (or the Messiah) or ‘There!’ do not believe it.’ In times of trouble people always begin to look for a Messiah. It’s a fact of human history. But Jesus says, be careful you don’t get deceived.

Verse 24, ‘For false christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect (the chosen ones).’ But though they show great signs and wonders, they are false. One of the great dangers in the charismatic movement is that we will automatically assume that anyone who produces signs and wonders has a message from God. It isn’t necessarily true. Satan can produce signs and wonders. False prophets and false messiahs can produce signs and wonders. We have to check against the Word of God. We have to check their fruit.

Jesus said, by their fruit you will know them, not by their signs and their wonders. You see how relevant all of this is? I hope you can see that.

Matthew 24:25: Jesus says, ‘See, I’ve told you before.’ In other words, when it happens you can’t say to the Lord, ‘Lord, You didn’t warn me.’ Because He says, I have warned you.

Verse 26, ‘Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it.’ In other words, no secret coming of the Lord.

Matthew 24:28: ‘For wherever the carcass is, there the vultures will be gathered together.’ How many of you have seen vultures? You don’t see them much in Britain. It’s seen in the Middle East or Africa. Vultures are very significant. I remember seeing them first of all in the desert of Egypt. And there’s this cloudless blue sky and this little speck appears there. And it’s a vulture hovering. And after a little while another vulture joins. And they begin to circle. And every time they’re coming lower and lower. And there may be four or five or six vultures circling down. And they’re coming lower down.

And when you see that, what do you know? That something is dying down there. And Jesus said, when you see all the vultures, you know that there’s a carcass there. I believe it’s the carcass of our present civilization. It’s dying. And the vultures, every kind of evil, creed and cult and force, are circling around. Jesus says, that shows you death is near.

Verse 29, this is very important. ‘Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from heaven, the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ In other words, something cosmic is going to happen. Something that shakes not merely earth but the cosmos.

Verse 30, the next then, the seventh then. ‘Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and — the eighth then — then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.’ That’s the climax. That’s what we’ve been building up to.

But notice when it will happen? Immediately after the tribulation. In other words, the main event that precedes the return of Jesus is the tribulation. That’s why I said, was it yesterday? I don’t believe the church is going to take the world over and present it to Jesus.

On the contrary, I think the situation in the world will be worse than it has ever been in human history. And that’s the moment at which Jesus will come. And that’s why we need endurance. Because we’re going to have something to endure. When you travel in an airplane and the sign comes on fasten your seatbelts. What does that tell you? That’s going to be turbulence. And all these Scriptures are like one big sign that says, ‘fasten your seatbelt.’ And take your stand. Lord, I’m not going to give up. I’m not going to give way. No matter what happens, I will not deny You. I will not renounce my faith. If necessary, I’ll purchase the salvation of my soul by my endurance. But my soul is precious. I will not sacrifice it to any other concern.

I’ve never succeeded in getting through Matthew 24 in one session. I’ve tried many times. I’ve never yet succeeded. I think we’re going to have to leave it.

But I want to take you to two things in Luke 21, which directly relate to that. Luke 21. Incidentally, are you happy that Jesus is coming back? Amen. Well just notify your face.

I realize that I’ve said some things that shocked some people. Shall I tell you something? If it shocked you, you needed to be shocked. Christianity is not a Sunday school picnic; it’s a battle, a struggle for life and death. Praise God we can win.

Come up here sweetheart. We’ve got a proclamation. It’s time we made it. Now don’t get discouraged. Don’t get downhearted. We’re on the winning side as long as we don’t switch sides. That’s all.

We’re going to say 1 Corinthians 15:57-58. ‘But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, we are steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labor is not in vain in the Lord.’

Would you like to say that? I think that you get to stand up for a minute or two. You’ve been sitting a long way.

Now you’ll understand in the text it says you do these things. But because it’s our proclamation we say we do them. And I’ll tell you there’ve been times in the last year or two when I felt like anything but being steadfast and immovable. But then I said it and I said it again and after a while I realized I can be steadfast and immovable. But what changed me was my proclamation.

All right where are we? I think you have to say it after us. I don’t think you can remember it. How do we start?

But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, we are steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Response of believers (Luke 21:28)

I think I can finish. I just want to turn in closing to Luke 21 and just point out what should be our response to this message.

Luke 21:28: Now when these things, which is all that I’ve been talking about in Matthew 24… ‘when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.’ In other words, don’t become discouraged, don’t become fearful. Look up because redemption is on the way.

Admittedly the birth pangs are painful but the baby is going to be born a healthy baby. Amen.

How many of your husbands here know what it was when your wife first went into labor? And did you go to the doctor and say, Doctor something terrible is happening to my wife, will you stop it? No, why not? Because you wanted the baby. You see this weeds out the people who want the baby and the people who don’t want the baby. The people who are not really interested in the baby will get discouraged and fearful. But the people who want the baby will get excited and happy. So this is a way to check on your own spiritual condition.

Fig trees and all trees (uhuru) (Luke 21:29–33)

All right now we’re coming to the parable of the fig tree and with this I’m going to close.

Luke 21:29-30: ‘Jesus spoke to them a parable, ‘Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.’ Now here in Britain we understand that. But I first taught this truth in Kenya in East Africa where they’ve had virtually no winter and virtually no spring. So I had to explain to them carefully.

We have a winter and when winter the trees lose their leaves. And if you’re not knowledgeable about trees, basically all the trees look alike. Based to me they do. But there comes a time when little green buds begin to appear on the trees and the branches become tender and then the leaves appear. And when the leaves appear all the trees look different. You can tell the difference between an oak and a maple. What’s the distinguishing mark? The leaves.

All right, now Jesus uses this parable to explain the situation. He says, when they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you likewise, when you see these things appearing, know that the kingdom of God is near.

Listen if you live in Britain and you see these little green buds coming out, you don’t have to go to the university to find out what’s going to happen next. You don’t even have to go to the church. Jesus said you see and know for yourself. Just learn. Take note. It might be that the church would misinform you. It might be in the university they never heard about the coming of the Lord. But he said you have got the information.

So don’t rely on somebody else’s opinions. See and know for yourselves.

Now there’s just one thing I want to say. He says ‘Look at the fig tree and all the trees.’ Now many Bible commentators believe that the fig tree is a picture of Israel. So in 1948 the fig tree put on its leaves. Please note it did not put on its fruit. It’s unreasonable to expect fruit from a tree before it has leaves. A lot of people said the Jews are not yet converted. That’s true. But they put on their leaves. And if they put on leaves we can believe fruit is going to follow. And there’s much evidence today in Israel that it is following.

But Jesus said ‘Look at the fig tree and all the trees.’ And this is particularly vivid to me because of the years I spent in East Africa. You see I discovered that to get my students interested in the Bible I had to show to them it was up-to-date. And at that time around about 1960 there was one Swahili word that was on everybody’s lips in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda. It was Uhuru.

You know what Uhuru means? It means freedom, independence. They were so excited and I said to my students, ‘Listen God has an order. In 1948 the fig tree put on its leaves. Now all the trees all over the earth are putting on their leaves. See this is the reaction against colonialism. It’s the force of nationalism.’

And in Africa alone at least 50 new nations have emerged since 1948. And what did they say? They said we are a people of our own. We have our own culture. We dress a certain way. We use our own language. We want to be our own people. We don’t want to be ruled by somebody with another colored skin. What’s that? The trees putting on their leaves.

See it has been exactly fulfilled from 1948 until this time. And Jesus said you watch the trees because when they’re putting on their leaves you know summer is near and summer is the harvest time.

So I’m saying to you tonight the harvest time is near. And the Scripture says a son who sleeps in harvest causes his father shame. So are you a son or a daughter sleeping in harvest? You haven’t seen the signs. You haven’t studied the Scriptures. You really aren’t aware of what’s taking place.

Some of the most dramatic developments in human history are on the way. And you’re going on with business as usual. Church every Sunday morning. Bible study every Wednesday. The church picnic at the best time of the year. Brothers and sisters that’s not reality. The theme of this conference is reality. People who are living like that and call themselves Christians are out of touch with reality.

Last night some of you stood up and prayed that, said you’d be willing to be changed. I want to take you a step further tonight. I want to help you to line yourself up with God’s program.

A preacher of a previous generation, an old-time Pentecostal, said ‘The secret of success in any generation is to find out what God is doing, and do it with Him.’ And it works. So if I’ve been able to show you out of Scripture this evening what God is doing, do you want to line up with Him? Are you willing to put your life at His disposal? Without conditions. Not if I have a nice safe job and a nice home to live in. If I can drive a certain kind of car. If people respect me.

You know why we’re called Charismatics? Because we used to be fanatics and that was all wrong. Now we’re Charismatics that makes us respectable. But the fact of the matter is we haven’t changed. And the people who really love God and serve Him with all their hearts will hardly ever be respectable.

Do you think God is impressed by the opinions of the world? If He is, He didn’t indicate it. The man who prepared the way for Jesus, John the Baptist, was executed at the whim of a little half naked dancing girl who had his head brought on a charger and showed to all the people. And God never did anything to vindicate John the Baptist.

And then just a little while later, Jesus, the Son of God, died in agony and shame on a cross, naked, despised. And that was the last view that the world ever had of Jesus. God has never done anything to correct that impression. He only reveals Jesus for who He really is to witnesses chosen beforehand.

God isn’t impressed by the world. I was preaching on an Easter Sunday a few years ago. And I got to the text in Galatians 6:14: ‘God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by which the world is crucified to me, and I to the world.’ And as I said those words I suddenly realized I could care less about what the world thinks.

There will be a day of adjustment. There was a missionary in China in the last century working with the China Inland Mission, who was a gifted and educated man. And somebody said to him, ‘Listen, why are you here in relative poverty, not recognized, in a very hard and wearisome situation? Why?’

And his answer was, ‘Because I believe in the resurrection.’ That makes a lot of difference. Do you really believe there’s going to be a resurrection of the righteous? Is your desire and aim to be part of that resurrection?

Paul said I press toward the mark for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Not that I’ve already attained, (not that I am already perfect). But he said I want to take part in the resurrection.

Let me tell you with the matter of theology, heaven is not our destination. It’s a convenient and wonderful resting place. But our destination is resurrection. Because when we go to heaven our spirits are there and our bodies are still moldering on earth. But Jesus died to redeem spirit, soul and body. And His victory is not complete until it’s demonstrated in the resurrection when we’ll have a body like His. That’s my ambition.

Thank God if I die and I’m in the Lord I’ll go to heaven. But that’s not my stopping place. If by any means I might attain to the resurrection from the dead. By any means, means whatever it costs. Whatever I have to do. That’s where I want to end.

Now some of you here have believed what I said tonight. But the truth of the matter is, you’re not really committed to God’s priorities. And God’s priority is this gospel of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in all the world as a witness to all the nations. And then the end will come.

Now you can make the same response that I made in 1958. You can say honestly to God, God I realize that my life isn’t fully in line with Your priority. But I’m willing to let You change me. I’m willing to put myself at Your disposal and let You alter the circumstances of my life in such a way that Your priorities are my priority. I’m available to You.

It to me is almost incredible. But Ruth and I worship in an Anglican Church in Jerusalem now. When I think of all the unkind things I said about Anglicans, I’m ashamed. I repent. It’s a beautiful church. And we have some of the most beautiful worship there that I’ve ever had in any church. And there’s one chorus I can only know the first line. But it says, here I am, wholly available. You know that chorus? Or maybe we’ll sing it later. But let, before we sing it, let’s make up our mind.

If you really want to say that to God, and please don’t respond out of emotion or because other people are responding. But I feel it wouldn’t be fair to you if I didn’t give you an opportunity to respond. So if you’re willing to say to God, in the light of what I’ve taught, here I am, wholly available. That’s all you need to say. Somebody said there’s only one kind of ability that God demands: Availability.

For Further Reading:

Predictive Prophecies Of The Bible (Pt 1): Derek Prince (Transcript)

The Christian and His Money: Derek Prince (Transcript)

The Death and Resurrection of Christ: Billy Graham (Transcript)

What The Bible Teaches Us About Our Body? God’s Plan For Your Body: Derek Prince Sermon (Transcript)

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