The Gospel of the Kingdom #4 — Stephen Kaung

Matthew 24 and the Signs of the End

Will you please turn to the gospel according to Matthew? Chapter 24. We read from verse 1 to verse 14. Again, I will read it in English first, and my brother will read it in Chinese. And Jesus went forth and went away from the temple, and his disciples came to him to point out to him the buildings of the temple.

And he answering said to them, Do ye not see all these things? Verily I say to you, not a stone shall be left here upon a stone which shall not be thrown down. And as he was sitting upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall all these things be?

And what is the sign of thy coming and the completion of the age? And Jesus answering said to them, See that no one misleads you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and they shall mislead many.

But ye will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that ye be not disturbed, for all these things must take place. But it is not yet the end. For nations shall rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

And there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in diverse places. But all these are the beginning of truth, which means birth. Then shall they deliver you up to tribulation, and shall kill you.

And ye will be hated of all the nations for my name's sake. And then will many be offended, and will deliver one another up, and hate one another. And many false prophets shall arise and shall mislead many.

And because lawlessness shall prevail, the love of the most shall grow cold. But he that has endured to the end, he shall be saved. And these glad tidings of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole habitable earth for a witness to all the nations.

And then shall come the end. Jesus said to them, Did you not see the electric fish? I say to you, In the future there will be no stone left on the rock, and it will not be destroyed. Jesus sat on Mount Galilee, And the disciples came and said, Tell us, when will these things take place?

What foretellment do you have for the coming of you and the end of the world? Jesus said to them, Be careful, lest some may mislead you. For in the future there will be many who will come in my name and say, I am Jesus.

And they will mislead many. And you will hear the sound of war and the sound of war. Do not be alarmed, for these things are inevitable. It is just that the end is not yet come. The people shall attack the people, and the nation shall attack the nation.

In the future there will be famine and earthquakes everywhere. This is the beginning of the calamity of creation. At that time, people will put you in danger, and they will kill you. And you will be hated by the people for my name.

At that time there will be many who will fall, and they will harm each other and hate each other. And there will be many false prophets, and they will mislead many. Because there are so many unlawful things, many people's hearts, many people's hearts of love will gradually become cold.

Noah, Watchfulness, and the Coming of the Son of Man

Only those who endure to the end will be saved. This is the blessing of heaven. It will spread all over the world and be a witness to the people. And then the end will come. The same chapter 24. Let's look at chapter 32.

Chapter 32 to chapter 42. This generation will not have passed away until all these things shall have taken place. The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but my words shall in no wise pass away. But of the day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of the heavens, but my Father alone.

But as the days of Noah so also shall be the coming of the Son of Man. For as they were in the days which were before the flood, eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day on which Noah entered into the ark.

And they knew not till the flood came and took all away. Thus also shall be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two shall be in a field, one is taken and one is left. Two women grinding at a mill, one is taken and one is left.

Watch therefore, for ye know not in what hour your Lord comes. Chapter 32 to chapter 42. You can learn an analogy from the fig tree. When the branches grow tender, you know that summer is near. Thus you see all these things, and you know that the Son of Man is near, standing at the door.

I really tell you, this generation has not yet passed. These things must be accomplished. The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but my words shall in no wise pass away. But of the day and hour no one knows, not even the messengers of heaven.

Nor the words, but only the Father knows. What shall be the day of Noah? What shall be the coming of the Son of Man? When the flood came, men ate and drank as usual, till the day Noah entered the ark.

Then the flood came, and took them all away. What shall be the coming of the Son of Man? Then two shall be in a field, and one shall be taken away. Then two shall be in a field, and one shall be taken away.

Prayer and the Gospel of the Kingdom

So you must be vigilant, because you do not know when your Lord will come. Let's have a word of prayer. Dear Lord, we want to thank Thee for giving us Thy table. What a privilege that Thou has bestowed upon us.

What a privilege We praise and thank Thee because Thou exhibit before us. Exhibit to us Thy deep love for us. We thank Thee for the blood that Thou has shed for us. We thank Thee for the body that is broken for us.

O dear Lord, may Thy love touch us deeply. That we will give ourselves totally over to You. And allow Thee to work out our full salvation in us. That glory be unto Thee. We commit this time into Your hand.

Speak, Thy servants heareth. We ask in Thy precious name. Amen. Dear brothers and sisters, we have come to the last of our time together. As we have mentioned at the first day, this time, our burden is the gospel of the kingdom of the heavens.

The reason why we feel such a burden it is because this gospel of the kingdom of heavens is the one that brings in the age of grace. We know that God is going to change the age. He wants to change from the age of the law to the age of grace.

And it is this gospel that brings in the change. For we find John the Baptist began to preach. Repent for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn nigh. And even when our Lord Jesus was ministering, this is the very gospel that He preached.

He preached the gospel of the kingdom of the heavens. The King has come and He is looking for His kingdom. He is looking for His people. So what the Lord has done when He was on earth was to prepare the people.

That is the work of our Lord on earth. But we find at the same time it is also the gospel of the kingdom of heavens that makes another change. It changes from the age of grace to the age of kingdom. Why is it so?

Because we find in Matthew 24, verse 14, these glad tidings of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole habitable earth for a witness to all the nations and then shall come the end. In other words, when the gospel of the kingdom of heavens was preached in the beginning, it was to tell us that the King is coming because He has come.

Therefore, His kingdom will follow. But again you find when this gospel of the kingdom of heavens has been preached to all the habitable earth as a witness to all the nations, then the end will come. It means that after the King has come upon this earth and He is building His kingdom, He is gathering His own people and when His people have gathered enough strength to destroy the work of the enemy, to thrust through the air and arrive at the throne, that means the end of this age.

So we find how important must be this gospel of the kingdom of the heavens. We must not only hear it, but we must enter into it. And the Lord Jesus said, What is this kingdom of the heavens? Our Lord Jesus said, What is this kingdom of the heavens?

Sorry, what is the kingdom of the heavens? Matthew 5, 6, and 7 show us. The kingdom of the heavens is the king who rules over all. Christ the King. And prove themselves they are truly the citizens of the kingdom of the heavens.

Then one day that kingdom will appear publicly upon this earth. Today the kingdom of the heavens is already here. Because our Lord Jesus said from the day of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of the heavens is to be taken by violence.

And the violence seize upon it. So brothers and sisters, in a sense, the kingdom of the heavens is already here. It is still in the making. It is hidden from the world. But it is spiritually already here.

But one day when that kingdom has grown to maturity, then you will find it will be publicly appeared upon this earth. So that is what we find in the gospel according to Matthew. Now today, as we see in the world, we find that the kingdom of the heavens in today's appearance is a mystery.

Why is it a mystery? Because it doesn't look like what it is. So that's why we find in Matthew chapter 13, there are these parables. And from these parables, we realize that whenever our Lord Jesus was planting his seed, the enemy at the same time is planting his own seed in the same field.

And that's the reason why the kingdom of heavens look today very, very confused. How God's people, even God's people, are confused. For instance, the common explanation of that parable of the mustard seed the common explanation is that shows us the growth, the wonderful growth of the church.

But we know this is not the truth. Instead, you find it is an abnormal growth. Because a mustard seed, when it grows, it is a plant. This is what God has ordained it to be. But strangely, it becomes a tree.

Out of its kind. And this is out of God's order. So the result is the birds will come and brood in it. In other words, the evil forces will be there. And the same thing with the leaven. It tells us that all these evil teachings will leaven up the whole thing.

The three measures of meal is supposed to be an offering to God. But now it has been so leavened. It is not fit for God. So brothers and sisters, what you see today is Christianity of Christendom. Where the influence of so-called Christianity has spread.

But within it you find it is a mixture. But thank God there is truth in it. It is like the treasure. It is like the pearl. But it is hidden. So dear brothers and sisters, we say Matthew chapter 13 is the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven.

But thank God, one day the Kingdom of the Heavens will appear upon this earth publicly. That is the time of the end of this age. And that is the time of the second coming of our Lord Jesus. So this morning, we would like to turn to Matthew chapter 24 and 25.

That tells us how the Kingdom of Heavens come publicly upon this earth. That is the end of this age. And it is also the coming, second coming, of our Lord Jesus. The record you find in Matthew chapter 24 and chapter 25.

You find it is also recorded in the other Gospels. You find that in Mark 13. And you also find in Luke 21. And also some in Luke 17. But here you find our Lord Jesus as He was leaving the Temple. His disciples show Him the greatness, the beauty of the Temple.

The Temple’s Destruction and the Three Audiences

We know this Temple actually was the second Temple built by the remnant that returned from Babylon. But it was small. But later on, you find King Herod, he tried to enlarge it. So that Temple was built with brick stones and also gifts from the nations.

It was a wonderful building. And it was the pride of the Jewish people. So even the disciples of our Lord Jesus, they were Jews. So they were so proud of their Temple. This was the center of their national life.

It was the glory of Judaism. So His disciples, even His disciples, pointed out to the Lord, look how wonderful is the Temple. To their surprise, the Lord Jesus says, what you have seen today, one day, not a stone will be upon another stone.

In other words, there will be total destruction. And it was a shock to the disciples. They dare not ask Him again in public. So they waited until our Lord Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. And then you find the disciples came quietly.

And in the Gospel, according to Luke, you find who are these disciples. They are Peter, Andrew, John, and James. These four people came privately to the Lord and asked Him, when shall these things be?

When will the Temple be totally destroyed? When is the sign of your coming? And what is the sign of the end? In other words, when the disciples ask these three questions, to them they are one question.

Because when the Temple was destroyed, that means the end of the age. And that is the coming of our Lord Jesus. Then our Lord Jesus began to answer them. Now when you read Matthew 24 and 25, you will find that He answered them in three different sections.

From 24, verse 4, until 24, 31. In this section, He is answering the question to the Jews. And then, from 24, 32, to Matthew 25, 30, He is speaking of the Church. And then, from 25, 31, to the end, which is 48, and that is to the Gentiles, to the nations.

So in other words, when our Lord was answering this question, He is dividing the whole thing into three sections. To the Jews, to the Church, and to the Gentiles. This is what the world is composed of.

Now dear brothers and sisters, we do not have the time to go through all these. We will try to concentrate ourselves on the section of the Church. We know that after our Lord Jesus ascended to Heaven, then you find upon the earth there will be wars and rumors of wars.

There will be those who come say they are the Christ. There will be earthquakes and pestilences. But the Lord said, these are the beginning of the throes. Beginning of birth pain. In other words, there is a birth pain going on.

And what is to be produced out of the birth pain? Out of it will produce the Kingdom of the Heavens. And in Matthew 24, actually our Lord Jesus did not answer them about the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.

Actually, if you want to know that, you have to go to Luke 21. But He began to tell His disciples what would happen in the world so far as the Jews are concerned until the end. So we will leave this aside.

And we will concentrate ourselves on the matter of the Church. What will happen to the Church? At the end of the age and at the second coming of our Lord Jesus. And you'll find in chapter 24, 32 a parable.

The Fig Tree and the Restoration of Israel

Our Lord Jesus said, learn the parable from the fig tree. You know, when our Lord was on earth, there is only one thing that our Lord has cursed. He cursed the fig tree. Because in Matthew chapter 21, and verse 18, our Lord Jesus spent a night in Bethany.

But early in the morning as He came to the city of Jerusalem, He hungered. And seeing one fig tree in the way, He came to it and found on it nothing but leaves only. And He says to it, Let there be never more fruit of thee forever.

And the fig tree was immediately dry. Now we know that the fig tree is a symbol of the Jewish nation. And here you'll find our Lord Jesus. He spent time trying to make the fig tree to give fruit. But all it grows was leaves.

There was no fruit. So finally you find our Lord curse it. And it dried up immediately. So brothers and sisters, when you find the fig tree, you know that it is a symbol of the Jewish nation. And in other Gospels, it says not only the fig tree begins to burn and to have leaves, but also all other trees.

And it also began to bud. So here you find it refers to 1948. The Jewish nation was destroyed for a long, long time. There was no government anymore. But to the surprise of all the world, we find in 1948 the Jewish nation was restored.

Not only that, but during the 20th century you'll find all nationalities began to come up. Many nations in the East, Asia, in Africa, they all declare they are nations. But the restoration of the Jewish nation is not what the Bible really is after.

Because you find even though the Jewish nation has been restored, it is only a political restoration. It is not a religious restoration then. But anyway, there is the beginning. The Lord said when you see this sign, then you know the summer is near.

So when you see all these things, know that it is near at the doors. At the doors. Brothers and sisters, here you find the door is plural number. Now in the western world, when you are at the door, it means that when the door is open, you are already in the house.

But if you have the eastern background, like in China, in the old days, when you come to a house, it has a number of doors. You find in the very outside will be a door. But when you open the door, you get into a court.

It is not a house yet. And if it is a big house, you may have to go through one or two more doors before you really come to the house. But anyway, if you are at the doors, it means you are very close.

So dear brothers and sisters, this is why we believe that the coming of the Lord is very near. Because He is already at the doors. And we do not know how many doors He has to enter. But anyway, it is near enough.

So that is the situation. And the Lord Jesus said this generation will not pass away until all these things shall come to pass. Now usually we think of a generation as a generation of 30 or 40 years. But here, it is different.

Because here you find this generation is marked by a special characteristic. A wicked and a dirty generation. And we find this is the symptom of the generation. What marks this generation? It is a wicked generation.

It is a dirty generation. It was like that in the time of our Lord. It is like that even in our days. And this generation will not pass away until all these things shall come to pass. But nobody knows the hour or the days or the seasons.

Even the angels did not know that. You know the evil angels tried to tell us at a certain day the end will come. There are all kinds of predictions on the end of the world. But brothers and sisters, the Lord said nobody knows.

Not even the spirit angels. Only the Father knows. But anyway, brothers and sisters, we should not try to figure out when it will come. You know that great artist, that great scientist, Newton, Isaac Newton, actually he figured that it was 2040.

The Twofold Coming of the Lord

But we know you cannot believe in such things. The Lord said nobody knows. But it is near. It is already at the door. Now what are the symptoms of the time? The Lord said, as the days of Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son of Man.

Brothers and sisters, we know that in the Bible there are several words that represent the coming of the Lord. For instance, apocalypse. That means the appearing of the Lord. He shall appear upon this earth.

But here the word used is parousia. Parousia is presence. It means that there will be the presence of the Lord. Why? Because today, so far as the Lord is concerned physically speaking, He is absent. We remember how He ascended up to heaven and seated at the right hand of God the Father.

So He is absent so far as we are concerned. Even though spiritually He is with us. But so far as physically He is absent. But one day He will be present. The coming of the Lord. Now the problem is how will He be coming?

Now you have to turn to Acts chapter 1. In Acts chapter 1 because it tells us how our Lord Jesus left. Because Acts chapter 1 tells us how our Lord ascended to heaven. Our Lord took His disciples to the Mount of Olives.

And there you find He left them and ascended up. If you read verse 9, And after having said these things, He was taken up. They behold Him and a cloud received Him out of their sight. That even though they could not see Him anymore, because a cloud had taken Him.

But He is still ascending. So the disciples were still looking upward. And then in verse 10, And as they were gazing into heaven as He was going, Behold, also two men stood by them in white clothing. Verse 11, Who also said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven?

This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, shall thus come in the manner in which ye have beheld Him going into heaven. Now here you find the way that our Lord Jesus depart. He departed from the Mount of Olives and go up.

And the disciples could see Him. Visible. But then the cloud took Him. Invisible. But He is still ascending until He was seated at His Father's throne. So here you find the leaving, the departure, of our Lord Jesus all in two sections.

The first section from Mount of Olives to the cloud. Visible. The second section from the cloud to the throne. Invisible. But thank God He has arrived there. Why? Because on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came down.

That is a proof that He had arrived at the throne. And the two men in white said, the way He is leaving you is the way He is to be present with you. So the presence of the Lord is in two sections. From the throne to the air, invisible.

From the air to Mount of Olives is visible. And the Bible used two different signs to show it. The Lord said His coming is like a thief. Now, if the thief is visible, now he is not able to steal anything.

So we find that the thief seems to know when you are not noticeable. And he suddenly comes. And then he left. Now when he comes, what will he steal? Will he steal your garbage? May he come every night.

Of course. Somehow he knows where your treasure is. So he comes for your treasure. And left your trash. That is the way how the Lord would come in the first section. And the second part, the Bible used lightning.

The Lord said, you do not hear people say the Lord is here or is there. When He comes, He is like lightning. It's from the east to the west, everybody sees it. That is the appearing of the Lord Jesus.

From the east to the west, from the air to Mount Olive, everybody can see Him. And it was at that time that the Jewish nation will turn to Him. That you find in Zechariah. So brothers and sisters, here our Lord Jesus is telling us now His coming is like the days of Noah.

Noah, Lot, and Sudden Judgment

And before Noah entered into the ark, people eating and drinking, marrying and getting married. Everything seems to be normal. It is just engaged in the things of the world. But when Noah entered into the ark, then the flood came and caught them unaware.

And then you find in Luke, there is another example. The coming of the Lord is like Lot when he left Sodom and Gomorrah. And then you find fire, the great springstone will come upon these cities. And they are just building and engaging business and planting.

In other words, it's all in the world. Their hearts are all in the world. Everything seems to be normal. But suddenly, after Lot left, then the fire came down. So the Lord said, so shall be the coming of the Lord.

So far the world is concerned, everything seems to be going on as usual. Everyone is engaged in this world. Seeking this world. But suddenly, something happened. Now when that happened, what will happen to Christians?

The Rapture, the Virgins, and Readiness

I think this is what we are all interested in. And the Lord said, at that time, two men were working in the field. One is taken, one is left. Two women, they were grinding the mill. One is taken and one is left.

And Luke said, two were sleeping. Two were sleeping. One was taken, one was left. That will happen at the time he will come as a thief. Now why is it you find two here? Because two is the least of priority.

So it refers to Christians. But why is it two? We find that the complete number is twelve. And here you have only two. Where are the ten? In chapter 25, the ten virgins. Now the ten virgins actually refer to the saints who have died through the ages.

Through the centuries ages. Christians who were looking for the coming of the Lord. Because they all took their torch and going out to meet the bridegroom. But because the bridegroom seemed to be delayed, so they all went to sleep.

Not only the foolish one went to sleep, the wise one went to sleep too. So you cannot explain this spiritually. It is physical. For the centuries, even from the first century, those who loved the Lord, they are waiting for the coming of the Lord.

And because the Lord delayed His coming, so they went to sleep. They died. And then suddenly the voice came. The bridegroom comes. And you remember how they all woke up. It means resurrection. And they tried to trim their torch.

The five wise ones didn't have oil in the vessel. So they can pour the oil on the torch. But the foolish one didn't have the extra oil. Maybe in the vessel they filled up things they think were very precious.

Instead of the oil, which is the Holy Spirit, they all had the Holy Spirit inside. But they do not have the extra oil to be filled with the Holy Spirit. So they couldn't. They find their torch was dying.

And when they went to buy the extra oil, you know the extra oil has to be bought. The indwelling Holy Spirit is given to you. But to be filled with the Holy Spirit, you need to pay a cost. But when they went to buy the oil, the bridegroom came.

And the door was closed. Now brothers and sisters, the two here speak of those who are living at the coming of the Lord. And yet you find some are sleeping, some are working, and some are grinding. Why?

Not that you have six people here. Only two. It shows the earth is round. So when the Lord shall come, some are sleeping. And in some places, it is early in the morning, grinding. And in other places, it is midday.

Because the earth is round. And the Lord comes. And the same thing you find, one is taken, one is left. Awkwardly, no difference. Brothers and sisters, go to sleep tonight. Do not be afraid to sleep. Because even you are sleeping, one will be taken.

Do not cease working. Because when you are working, one is taken. You know, in the world, in the history, we find people say the Lord is coming. So they leave their work. They go to the wilderness. And they were there waiting for the Lord to come.

But the Lord didn't come. So brothers and sisters, just continue on. Because it is the inward thing that matters. It is not the outward thing. The Lord knows your inside. Are you really waiting for Him?

Are you watching? Are you following Him? And those whose hearts are towards Him, suddenly they are taken. So one day, brothers and sisters, hopefully it is today. Suddenly, someone disappeared. That is the beginning of the coming of the Lord.

So dear brothers and sisters, you know, in Christianity, we have a number of hymns concerning the coming of the Lord. Hymns. Beautiful hymns. When the trumpet shall sound, then the Lord is coming. Brothers and sisters, it is too late.

Because that is coming as a lightning. From the air to the holy. What concerns us is the from the throne to the air. Because we will all be taken to the air. The overcomers of the church will be taken before the great tribulation.

Even those who are not overcomers, they will be taken with the resurrected saints together to the air. Not to the throne. The Lord has already from the throne to the air. So you find in 1 Thessalonians 4, we shall all be gathered together in the air.

There will be the judgment seat of Christ. It will be decided who will be rewarded with the kingdom that comes. And who will be disciplined in order they will be completed. So dear brothers and sisters, this is roughly what we see what will happen at the end of the age.

Faithful Living While Awaiting Christ’s Return

Now seeing such things, how must we be watchful so far as our life is concerned? We need to be like the wise virgin. Not only just to have the indwelling Holy Spirit. Let the indwelling Holy Spirit teach us.

And let us obey. Let us deny ourselves, take up the cross and follow the Lord. That we may be filled with the Holy Spirit. Brothers and sisters, so far as our work service is concerned, let us like the wise and faithful servant.

What the Lord has entrusted to us. Even though it's all different. According to our ability. But if the Lord gives you five talents and you own, you earn five talents. The Lord gives you two talents and you earn two talents.

You are good and faithful servant. The Lord says come into the joy of the Lord. But what the Lord has given you has talent. If you bury it, the Lord says you are lazy and wicked servant. You do not understand, you misunderstand the Lord's heart.

And you bury what He has given to you. So let us be faithful to the Lord. In life, be filled with the Holy Spirit. In service, be faithful. When the Lord shall come, we will see Him with joy. So dear brothers and sisters, the Lord said to us, that's what we need today.

So may the Lord be merciful to us. Let's pray. Dear Lord, how we praise and thank Thee. Because Thou dost love us and love us to the uttermost. Thou want us to follow Thee. It is because Thou want us to be like Thee.

Even though it may mean the cross, but so far as Thy thought is concerned, it is the crown that Thou hast in view. So dear Lord, do encourage all the brothers and sisters. Lord, how we long that we may see Thee.

Prepare us day by day. Then where shall we see Thee? We shall see Thee with joy. May all glory be unto Thee. We ask in Thy precious name. Amen.