Signs of the End of Days - Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21

(re-editing: 22-01-2026)

Jesus gave us a multitude of signs not only for the Jews but also for the gentiles concerning the end-times. One of His most famous lectures about that is in Matthew 24. Jesus talks to His apostles only when he sets them aside to teach them about the end times in Matthew 24. And to understand the context of what actually is being answered we have read the first 3 verses. But before we do I put the three witness accounts besides each other from Matthew, Mark and Luke. Because that makes the complete picture. Marked in red, statements that are unique to the writer. 

There is also a very important passage in the grey area of this table. This is were in time relation there might be different things going on for these descriptions. Two look the same, and the other also but with a very distinctive difference that the reference to Daniel 9 is not given in Luke 21:20. And that will be important in the study of these texts concerning the question of the apostles.

For Matthew 24 I choose the NIV version for a specific (correct) translation - you'll see that below in the analysis.

The Apostle's Questions

Matthew 24:1-3

Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. 2 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.”  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?”

Four questions are asked by the Apostles - sign related and time related: 

1. When will Jerusalem be broken down?
2. When will Christ return?
3. Wat is the sign of the end of the age (that Jerusalem will be broken down)? 
4. What is the sign of the return of Christ?
   • We need also to understand what is meant here by "the end of the age" - and we need to extinguish here "age" from "world". In the old King James it said world, but then the word cosmos should have been used in Greek, and it was not. Therefore in the new King James version it says age. Which is the correct term used (derived from epoch).

Signs of The Return Of Christ

Matthew 24:4-5

⁴ And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. ⁵ For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 

First of all, if we look at the three Gospels together we see a very clear distinction in Luke 21:12 what is not said in the other two Gospels: "But before all these things..." and after that Jesus talks about the fall of Jerusalem. So the first part is for sure about His coming in Matthew 24:1-7, and parallel in Mark 1-8. 

False teachers were already there in the time of the apostles in the early churches. But most of the delusional teachers that said that they were Christ, are mostly found in the last 150 years, which actually points to our time then back then. I don't have many examples of people calling themselves the Christ in the first century. But also take note of what is He says: ...in My name... so this points to Christianity and not some pagan belief. Meaning there will be other "churches" that come in the name of Jesus but are a deception as it contains false teachings. Again this is found very much in our time, although I must admit that the Roman Catholic church is an early church that uses false teachings.

The deception used in so called "Christian churches" like most mega churches in the US, prosperity teaching churches, charismatic churches... The deception is to preach what people want to hear. Not the things that are true. Like it is OK to be LBTQ and you will go to heaven. And, that if you say this "prayer", you are saved. Or if you give the ministry money - you shall prosper threefold etc. etc. The devil tries to lure the things of the flesh into the teaching of a church. That is what Christ is warning about. Deception is now at its peak, even worse, it becomes the new "normal".

Also Christ, for those who do not yet know, when Christ returns, He does not come in His former or any human form. So any man saying He is Christ is a liar. We can confirm that deception in church has already happened and is still happening. All true. 

Matthew 24:6-7 

⁶ And 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. ⁷ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of sorrows.

The fact that most people in the time of Jesus could only hear if there was a war that they were in or that it was close by. But multiple wars and rumors of wars? That is something else. Implicitly this references to another time where people have a lot of access to information around the world. Which can contribute to troubled hearts. In the previous century there were about 150 wars! And in this century we are not quite doing any better. But those who believe in Jesus and who have been reborn, have received the peace of Christ. We are not troubled by these events. When looking at this answer this is also a sign that signals the coming of Christ.

Notice here in verse 7 that Jesus again speaks on a global scale. And we see all around the world the effects of this prediction in an alarmingly increasing rate. And that is really the actual prediction here. The Greek word translated as "sorrows" or "birth pains" is ὠδίνων (ōdinōn), which literally refers to the intense pains of a woman in labor. Using birth pangs or birth pains is much clearer here in the NIV translation because it involves increasing frequency. The frequency of war, famines, pestilences and earthquakes (disasters) is becoming higher and higher. And the last statement in verse 8 is even worse; it is just the beginning.

If we also compile the signs from the other Gospels with this one, we get a complete picture of the beginning of end times:

• Many False Prophets shall arise - saying I am the Way, I am the Christ.
• There will be wars and rumors of wars.
• Nation will arise against nation and kingdom against kingdom
• There will be pestilences.
• There will be earth quakes.
• There will be famines.
• There will be troubles.
• Fearful sights and great signs from Heaven: this refers to natural disasters - like storms, tornados, volcanic eruptions, tsunami's etc... 

Signs of The End of The (Jewish) Age 

Matthew 24:9-13

9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

In this verse Jesus is now directing His story directly to the apostles and you can see that in Luke 21:12, which clearly states: "But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons."

This is logical chronologically because the fall of Jerusalem would precede return of Christ. For sure the apostles understood that.

Jesus is now answering the signs that will take place before Jerusalem will fall - and we will see that "you" is now directed to the apostles. The fall itself is not described in Matthew 24 or in Mark 13 but only in Luke 21:20-24. Two things we are going to take with us from this passage and we look for Luke 21:24 where it says:

24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

In 70-AD when the Roman army took down Jerusalem they slaughtered over million Jews. A lot of those, who did not follow the advice that Christ gave - to flee into the mountains, died in Jerusalem. The Jews were indeed exiled from their own country for the third time, and only recently in 1948 they returned to Israel after rising from the grave of World War II (even this was predicted). And now we get revelation about what is meant by the end of the age. Because here it says "the times of the Gentiles are to be fulfilled". And the Jews knew only Jews and Gentiles (the rest of the world). So the fall of Jerusalem ends "the times of the Jews" and that is meant by the end of the age. 

Nowadays the Jews are back in Israel but the Holy place ( the temple mount) is still in gentile control in Jerusalem. So the times of the gentiles is not fulfilled yet. 

More Signs of The Return Of Christ

Back to Matthew picking up at verse 14: 

¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

This statement points to the whole world receiving the Gospel. That goes far beyond the Roman empire. And this activity is still going on today. But with technology great progression is made to share the Gospel online. This sentence seems to set the attention back to the coming of Christ. Another sign or event. The end is not meant here as a point in time but more like an ending-period. 

¹⁵ “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), ¹⁶ “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁷ Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. ¹⁸ And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. ¹⁹ But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! ²⁰ And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. ²¹ 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. ²² And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

A very interesting piece of text if we compare this to Luke 21. That is why it is put above in the grey area. The texts are almost identical in form of advice but in different context. While Matthew and Mark have the advice to flee in to the mountains in context with the great tribulation, the same advice is given in context to the fall of Jerusalem. Again those who believe Christ will flee into the mountains, those that do not, fall prey to the antichrist.

"Therefore" - means Jesus picks up to continue with the previous sentence - and that means in talking about His return. Now here we have a very important passage and it implies very significant prophecies:

1. The abomination of desolation, the man of sin, will be standing in the Holy place proclaiming himself to be God
2. The man of sin starts the great tribulation period (the worst period in history).
3. There has to be a Holy place. The 2nd temple (the Temple of God) was destroyed in 70AD, it means there will be a new temple: the Third Temple of God - before the man of sin is in the Holy place.

See also Daniel 9:24-27. Here you can read that the "abomination of desolation" when standing in the Holy place proclaiming he is God - after he starts a 7 year covenant with many in the interests of Israel, but he will break the covenant half way. These verses, for now we pick only the last verse, to put in to perspective:

²⁷ Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week (week = 7 years); But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.”

Here we read another sign because not only the 3rd Temple of God will be built, the Jews will also resume the offering rituals. Another prophecy. So adding to the list:

1. The Birth Pangs (all together - not chronological) - in increasing frequency:
   • Many False Prophets shall arise - saying I am the Way, I am the Christ.
   • There will be wars and rumors of wars.
   • Nation will arise against nation and kingdom against kingdom
   • There will be pestilences.
   • There will be earth quakes.
   • There will be famines.
   • There will be troubles.
   • Fearful sights and great signs from Heaven: this refers to natural disasters - like storms, tornados, volcanic eruptions, tsunami's etc... 
2. The Gospel is shared to the whole world.
3. Cannot determine which of these is first:
   • The man of sin starts a covenant of 7 years
   • The 3rd Holy temple of God will be built. 
4. The Jews will resume animal sacrifice at the Holy Temple.
5. The man of sin will break the covenant by stopping the animal sacrifices.
6. The abomination of desolation, the man of sin, will be standing in the Holy place proclaiming himself to be God
7. The man of sin starts the great tribulation period (the worst coming period in future history).

²³ “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. ²⁴ For false Christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²⁵ See, I have told you beforehand.

Christ reassures His apostles that His return is not like any man could match. Later on you'll see in verse 30 the Son of Man will be seen from heaven with Great Power and Glory. So don't believe people who say that they are Christ. That not only goes for the time back then but also up until now and that for the time that is left.

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. ²⁷ For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ²⁸ For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

Here Christ is showing that his coming will not come unnoticed - it will be a world wide event. And He certainly does not come in the flesh (literally).

²⁹ “Immediately after the tribulation of those days (the great tribulation) the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰ Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and 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. ³¹ And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

This is (almost) the end of the end; the last bit of the the end-period - right after the great tribulation.

When is the End of the (Jewish) Age

³² “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. ³³ So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! ³⁴ Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. ³⁵ Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

It is to me a bit of downer that the parable of the Fig tree did not came right after the part of the Signs of the End of the (Jewish) Age. Because then there would be no problem with interpreting "This Generation". Because that would put it in context to "Signs of the End of the (Jewish) Age" and not the "Return of Christ". Now it could be both, and the critics have something to fire at. Or don't they?

The "This Generation" dispute. 

A generation was back then to be about 40 years. When Jesus did the sermon on the mount or the Olivet discourse He was only days before the Cross. The time would have been like 30-33 AD. So within 40 years the Jewish Age indeed ended when Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD by the Romans. Now the critics are eagerly to say that in this text the signs also include coming of the Son of Man. So Jesus would have been wrong about that according to the critics. 

But Jesus was to answer 4 questions, from which there were two sign-questions and two time-questions. This (verse 34) was the answer to one time-question of the two. And there multiple reasons to why this question is addressed to the End of the Jewish Age:

• In the conversation between Jesus and the apostles Jesus pointed out to them the signs that they (the apostles) will be persecuted. This means the fall of Jerusalem could be in their life time. The reference of "This Generation" only affirms that - that it will take place within 40 years. 
• Verses 36-37 - see below - reveal right after the fig tree parable that the coming of the Son of man is known by no-one but the Father. Then it is also unknown within one generation or beyond. And there Jesus makes the difference, and therefore This Generation only points to the fall of Jerusalem.
• As also the apostles would now the old testament; they would know the passage of Hosea 6.2 (see below) - so that is really about 2000 years ahead. To Jesus Himself the time line should have been very clear, because He knew every old testament detail be heart and He knew the future. 
  • the Fall of Jerusalem (End of the Jewish Age) was never to be after of the coming of the Son of Man, that would be totally illogical. So the coming of the Son of man had to be farther into the future than the fall of Jerusalem - this is implicitly chronological.

Hosea 6:2. Where it states:

After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up,

Hosea lived in the 4th day of the Lord - (as a day for the lord is a 1000 years) - and in that day is when he expects to die, he sleeps for 2 days (day 5 and 6), and will be resurrected on the 3rd day (7th day of or Lord = the Great Day of Lord). This should have been knowledge the apostles had because they had the old testament.

When is the Return of Christ

³⁶ “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. ³⁷ But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ³⁸ For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, ³⁹ and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ⁴⁰ Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. ⁴² Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. ⁴³ But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. ⁴⁴ Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

It is clear that the day is only known to the Father wen the coming of the Son of Man shall be. But what does the return of Christ entail? How to interpret this. I got two choices:

• It is about the beginning of the end (+Rapture) - AKA: "the Wrath of God", "The Great Day of Our Lord".
• It is the end of the end.

The passage implies that everyone will be taken by surprise. And that would be fitting if we talk about the Great Day of Our Lord. At this time I cannot fathom surprise after the great tribulation because lots of supernatural events would have already passed. Especially interesting is that this passage is compared with the flood, and the flood was God's Judgement over all the wicked at that time. But before that the righteous were secured. And Judgement comes as well over the wicked with the Great Day of Our Lord - and it comes at a time no-one knows - it comes by surprise. And the righteous are taken away. Now we see a combination here with people vanishing from the Earth and that element of surprise that the Lord comes. For now, to me, this reads as the rapture. 

If this is the beginning of the end - there is the possibility of the Rapture. When Christians are taken away from the Earth to meet the Lord Jesus in the Clouds. This because we were not supposed to be subjected to the Wrath of God. And the point in event-future-history shows the Wrath of God is in Revelation 6:12. The Sixth seal. So before then we are raptured. And that takes care of verse 40 and 41. And yes after the rapture - disaster will strike as Revelation 6:12 points out over longer period of time. 

Then if this is the end of end - then it is actually a known end. Because the elect know the end for sure - they can put the clock on it. On the contrary to the Great Day of the Lord the elect do no know when exactly the rapture is. Anyone can count 3,5 years from the time that the Anti Christ is in the Holy place. The appearance of Jesus after the great tribulation is immediate (verse 29). But maybe to those who choose the darkness it will be coming as a surprise. No further descriptions are given here. But at some point Jesus will set foot on the ground and Armageddon will follow up.

The element of surprise for me is at the Great Day of the Lord, because of that hour no one knows. Meaning this text is about the Sixth seal. 

⁴⁵ “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? ⁴⁶ Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. ⁴⁷ Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. ⁴⁸ But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ ⁴⁹ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, ⁵⁰ the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, ⁵¹ and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

In these final verses of the great sermon on the mount Jesus says that everyone should persevere, and be faithful to the Lord. As those who are faithful obey Him. And the faithful, the righteous, will be appointed as rulers and the wicked will be thrown into the lake of fire. 

The Rapture Event List (v1.3)

Throughout the articles this list will be adapted. This is to be an chronological event list, we just do not know the time spaces and when it begins.

We have to split things up until we know more. We do know that the contractions already started because we are living in it. That means that the contractions are before the rapture, simply put. But we do not have enough information to sequence the signs of the rapture with the end of days signs.

End of days signs

1. First End Time Contractions (stated in Matthew 24:7) - means ever higher frequency - but the end is not yet:
   
   • Many False Prophets shall arise - saying I am the Way, I am the Christ.
   • There will be wars and rumors of wars.
   • Nation will arise against nation and kingdom against kingdom
   • There will be pestilences.
   • There will be earth quakes.
   • There will be famines.
   • There will be troubles.
   • Fearful sights and great signs from Heaven: this refers to natural disasters - like storms, tornados, volcanic eruptions, tsunami's etc... 
2. The Gospel is shared to the whole world.
3. Cannot determine which of these is first:
   • The man of sin starts a covenant of 7 years
   • The 3rd Holy temple of God will be built. 
4. The Jews will resume animal sacrifice at the Holy Temple.
5. The man of sin will break the covenant by stopping the animal sacrifices.
6. The abomination of desolation, the man of sin, will be standing in the Holy place proclaiming himself to be God
7. The man of sin starts the great tribulation period (the worst period in history).

Rapture Signs

1. God will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel.
2. God will descend from heaven with the Trumpet of God.
3. A series of trumpet sounds will be heard and at the Last Trumpet will sound...:
4. Those who are asleep in Christ will be resurrected, and go to meet the Lord in the air.
5. Those who are alive and remain, will go to meet the Lord in the air - in the blink of an eye.
6. The Wrath of God - the Great Day of the Lord

End Signs

1. The Sun will be darkened.
2. The Moon will not give it's light.
3. Stars will fall from the sky.
4. Heavenly bodies will be shaken.
5. And on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring.
6. Men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth.
7. Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven.
8. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
9. And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.