What Is This
World Coming To?
Matthew 24
16 Jan 2011 AM
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
I.
Introduction (Daniel 12:1)
A.
There is
coming a time on earth, so awful, so dreadful, that it cannot be imagined
how bad things will get.
B.
If there
ever was a “hell on earth” it will be exactly seven years long, and will be
known as “The Tribulation.”
C.
This month
we are studying several very big subjects in the Bible relating to prophecy
1.
People deep
down yearn to know if the future is going to work out or not
2.
Only God has
the answer, in His word, the Bible.
D.
This morning
we will briefly study a period of time called the Tribulation
E.
So many
people have heard of: the Tribulation, Armageddon, the Second Coming of
Jesus Christ, the Anti-christ, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse…
F.
I want to
try to put all that in perspective so that every person in our homes are
warned, and ready for the future! So that NONE of our loved ones, and as few
of our communities have to end up going through such a time as we are about
to learn about!
G.
I want you
to get worried enough to get into that Book you are holding in your hands,
and start learning what’s ahead so that not only are YOU ready, but so that
none of our loved ones get left behind!
II.
Message
A.
What is This World Coming To?
1.
The lead up
a.
Things will
only get worse and worse
1)
We have the
occasional “blip” of good times
2)
But we
always end up more in debt, more troubled, more stressed out
3)
There is NO
golden age coming
b.
Sin on the
increase
c.
Love growing
more and more cold
d.
Troubles
driving this world toward…
1)
One world
government
2)
One world
religion
3)
One world
economy
4)
JUST as the
Bible predicts in Revelation 13, 2,000 years ago!
e.
A terrible
falling away by “Christians” – people will be less and less passionate about
Jesus Christ, and only passionate about entertainment and sports games, and
the pleasure they get out of their week. There is not going to be a massive
revival! Only a falling away!
f.
THIS is
where we are at folks!
2.
The next
event to watch out for – the Rapture of Born Again Christians
a.
The
snatching away of only born again Christians
b.
The majority
of the world will just stay the same as it always has
c.
As a matter
of fact, the world won’t even miss us!
3.
Followed by
the worst nightmare ever imagined – the Tribulation
4.
Let me read
you something that will be in all the newspapers soon enough!
a.
Newsdate -
Some time in the near future: A News flash goes out to the entire world.
Even though times will be hard, with all the food rationing, and the fuel
prices through the roof, Astronomers will have discovered an asteroid (or
comet) on a collision course with the earth. And it's too late to do
anything about it! That group of scientists who thought that we should build
a defense system to protect ourselves from such catastrophes have a short
time in which to say, "We told you so!" Astronomers hastily plot the course
of the object and predict an impact in the
b.
In the final
hours before the strike, radios and televisions everywhere are blaring
futile advice on how to protect yourself. Along the coasts of the
B.
Just Exactly What IS The
Tribulation?
1.
Tribulation
is one of those older words that means Trouble. But it means MORE than just
a bad hair day
2.
It means a
Thrashing, and Affliction, Misery, Distress
3.
The Bible
refers to it as “the time of JACOB’S Trouble” (Jer 30:6-11)
a.
Bad enough
to cause men to act like they are in pains like a pregnant woman (6)
b.
There has
never been any time like it
c.
It is
“Jacob's” trouble – not the Church’s trouble, or the world’s trouble, but
d.
“but he
shall be saved out of it.” God will save the nation of
e.
f.
The nation
of
g.
God will
“make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee”
h.
God will
restore
4.
A Time when
the Wrath of GOD is poured out (Rev 6:16,17; 15:1)
5.
A Time when
the Wrath of Satan is poured out as well (Rev 12:12)
6.
Seven Years
of Ever Increasing Hell on Earth – Daniel’s last week of Man’s History, each
day a year
7.
Two 3 ½ Time
Periods
a.
The
Tribulation – troubles
1)
Seven Seals
Disasters
2)
Seven
Trumpets Disasters
b.
The GREAT
Tribulation
1)
Seven Vials
of God’s judgments and plagues and disasters
2)
Satan’s
attempt at destroying everything, especially God’s people
C.
What Will the Tribulation be
Like? (Matthew 24:4-30)
1.
At First…
During the first 3 ½ years after the Rapture…
a.
False
Messiahs (24:4-5), False Christs, False Saviours, False Prophets will be
everywhere
1)
Gurus galor!
2)
The Maitraya
3)
The fifth
Buddha
4)
The Muslims
look for the final Iman
5)
Government
parties look for a new, great unifying leader
6)
Leading up
to the calming leadership of the final False Christ, the Antichrist!
b.
The rise of
the antichrist
1)
He will
bring a sort of peace to the world
2)
There will
be more and more wars, but people will really believe it is actually getting
better and better
3)
He will
negotiate a peace in the Middle East, allowing the Jews to rebuild their
4)
This is all
described in Revelation 6:1-8 with the Four Horsemen:
a)
The False
Christ
b)
Wars
following
c)
Famines
d)
Death
e)
All the
result of the coming of the antichrist! He is a fraud! Brings no peace!
c.
Wars, and
more wars (Mt 24:6,7) – it does NOT get any better, only worse!
d.
Famines –
world-wide famines and food controls; and Pestilences, diseases – HIV
e.
Deaths - 1/3rd
of the world’s population will die of all these disasters in just 3 ½ years
f.
Intense
persecution (Mt 24:9,10) – blaming the “nuts” for all the world problems
1)
Against all
non-conforming religions
2)
Ultimately
against the Jews
g.
Earthquakes
(Rev 6:12)
h.
Hurricanes
and Tsunamis (Luke 21:25,26)
i.
NOTE: These
things are ONLY the beginning of sorrows/tribulation (Mt 24:8)
j.
No love at
all, except of self (Mt 24:12)
k.
Total unity
all over the world under the protection of the Beast (Rev 13)
1)
His Mark in
their foreheads or in the right hands
2)
His number
controlling people’s movements and ability to buy or sell
3)
His worship
the only focus of the whole world
4)
All in the
name of survival during all the disasters – “acts of God!”
2.
In the
MIDDLE of the Tribulation, it goes from bad to worse
a.
The
“abomination of desolation” – the antichrist claiming to be ‘God’ (Mt 24:15;
2Thes 2:3,4)
b.
Then GREAT
Tribulation begins
c.
The heavens
will go out of control (Mt 24:29)
1)
Sun will go
dark before it will explode and become 7 times brighter than before
2)
The moon
will be turned to blood
3)
Stars will
fall from the sky
4)
An asteroid
will slam into the
5)
A massive
poisoned comet will explode over
6)
Sounds
impossible? People thought so up until about 25 years ago, but now there are
dozens of large, expensive telescopes scanning the skies every night, all
over the world, looking for “Near Earth Asteroids” because astronomers know
at least one of them has earth’s name on it
d.
Demons will
be loosed upon the earth (Rev 9:1-6)
e.
An army of
200,000,000 angry soldiers surround the middle east to attack
3.
It will only
end at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ – Armageddon (Mt 24:30)
D.
Who Will Experience the
Tribulation? (2Thes 1:6-10)
1.
Those who
are apathetic about spiritual things (Heb 2:3) – simple neglect sends people
to hell
2.
Unconcerned
about God’s word – thinking it is old, and outdated
3.
So easily
deceived – believing only in entertainment
4.
Those who
know not God, and who will not simply obey the GOSPEL
a.
Not whether
they are good or not
b.
Or whether
people are religious and devout
c.
Or that they
give away lots of money
d.
But whether
they obey Jesus’ command to be born all over again, on the inside!
e.
If you do
not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, you WILL believe on the antichrist
(2Thes 2:5-12)
E.
The ONLY Way to Miss the
Tribulation (Mt 3:1-7; John 14:6)
1.
Be ready,
right now, because no one know when all this will start (Mt 24:36-42)
2.
How do you
get ready?
3.
Repent –
seriously repent! Hate what you are, and what you have done, enough to
humble yourself before an almighty, all holy God who SHOULD send you
straight to hell, but is ready to forgive you and save your lost soul!
a.
Repent of
your apathy
b.
Repent of
your feeble attempts at religion – admit that you are NOT good enough
4.
Flee to
Jesus Christ – I mean RUN! Cry out to Him in desperation for forgiveness
5.
Trust in Him
alone – trust that HE died in your place, and that it was enough to pay off
all your sin debt
6.
Follow HIM
from now on, never looking back!
III.
Conclusion
A.
If there
ever was a “hell on earth” it will be exactly seven years long, and will be
known as “The Tribulation.” It will be a time on earth, so awful, so
dreadful, that it cannot be imagined how bad things will get.
B.
I hope that
I have been able to put some very important things in perspective so that
every person in our homes are warned, and ready for the future! So that NONE
of our loved ones, and as few of our communities have to end up going
through such a time as we are about to learn about!
C.
I hope you
are worried enough to get into that Book you are holding in your hands, and
start learning what’s ahead so that not only are YOU ready, but so that none
of our loved ones get left behind!
D.
Why?
1.
Because of What is This World
Coming To / Where it is Headed!
a.
Things will
only get worse and worse
b.
A terrible
falling away by “Christians”
c.
Heading into
the worst nightmare ever imagined – the Tribulation
2.
Because of What The Tribulation
Is
a.
It means a
Thrashing, and Affliction, Misery, Distress
b.
The Bible
refers to it as “the time of JACOB’S Trouble” (Jer 30:6-11)
c.
A Time when
the Wrath of GOD is poured out (Rev 6:16,17; 15:1)
d.
A Time when
the Wrath of Satan is poured out as well (Rev 12:12)
e.
Seven Years
of Ever Increasing Hell on Earth
f.
Two 3 ½ Year
Segments of Time
1)
The
Tribulation – troubles
a)
Seven Seals
Disasters
b)
Seven
Trumpets Disasters
2)
The GREAT
Tribulation
a)
Seven Vials
of God’s judgments and plagues and disasters
b)
Satan’s
attempt at destroying everything, especially God’s people
3.
Because of What the Tribulation
Will be Like
a.
False
Messiahs (24:4-5), False Christs, False Saviours, False Prophets will be
everywhere
b.
The rise of
the antichrist
c.
Wars, and
more wars (Mt 24:6,7) – it does NOT get any better, only worse!
d.
Famines –
world-wide famines and food controls; and Pestilences, diseases – HIV
e.
Deaths - 1/3rd
of the world’s population will die of all these disasters in just 3 ½ years
f.
Intense
persecution (Mt 24:9,10) – blaming the “nuts” for all the world problems
g.
Earthquakes
(Rev 6:12)
h.
Hurricanes
and Tsunamis (Luke 21:25,26)
i.
NOTE: These
things are ONLY the beginning of sorrows/tribulation (Mt 24:8)
j.
No love at
all, except of self (Mt 24:12)
k.
Total unity
all over the world under the protection of the Beast (Rev 13)
l.
In the
MIDDLE of the Tribulation, it goes from bad to worse
1)
The
“abomination of desolation” – the antichrist claiming to be ‘God’ (Mt 24:15;
2Thes 2:3,4)
2)
Then GREAT
Tribulation begins
3)
The heavens
will go out of control (Mt 24:29)
a)
Sun will go
dark before it will explode and become 7 times brighter than before
b)
The moon
will be turned to blood
c)
Stars will
fall from the sky
d)
An asteroid
will slam into the
e)
A massive
poisoned comet will explode over
f)
Sounds
impossible? People thought so up until about 25 years ago, but now there are
dozens of large, expensive telescopes scanning the skies every night, all
over the world, looking for “Near Earth Asteroids” because astronomers know
at least one of them has earth’s name on it
4)
Demons will
be loosed upon the earth (Rev 9:1-6)
5)
An army of
200,000,000 angry soldiers surround the middle east to attack
m.
It will only
end at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ – Armageddon (Mt 24:30)
4.
Because of Who Will Experience
the Tribulation
a.
Those who
are apathetic about spiritual things (Heb 2:3) – simple neglect sends people
to hell
b.
Unconcerned
about God’s word – thinking it is old, and outdated
c.
So easily
deceived – believing only in entertainment
d.
Those who
know not God, and who will not simply obey the GOSPEL
e.
Are you in
any of those categories?
5.
Are YOU going to miss it? The
ONLY Way to Miss the Tribulation – Be ready!!!
a.
Be ready,
right now, because no one know when all this will start (Mt 24:36-42)