24:1 Now as Jesus was going out of the temple courts and walking away, his disciples came to show him the temple buildings.

The disciples of Jesus were taken up with what related to the material world. They could see the beautiful and expensive buildings which made up the Temple, and wanted to share their wonder and admiration with their Lord.

24:2 And he said to them, "Do you see all these things? I tell you the truth, not one stone will be left on another. All will be torn down!"

But Jesus’ mind was at all times, and especially at this time, fixed on eternal things. The world held no appeal for Him, indeed nothing in the world would remain one day, and that is why we must live for eternity. The Temple and the sacrificial system which it represented would be abolished by the bringing in of a new covenant (Heb. 10:9), and so the significance of the Temple would cease (John 4:21-24). From that time on, the Temple of God would be within and among his people (2 Cor. 6:16). The temple itself would be literally demolished, with every stone torn out individually, entirely flattened. This came to pass when the Romans took Jerusalem in AD 70 under Titus.

24:3 As he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came to him privately and said, "Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, some of his disciples came to him eager to know more detail about these terrible and seemingly apocalyptic events. They linked the destruction of the temple with the end of the world, and they were to some extent right. The destruction of the temple marked the beginning of the end with Israel scattered all over the world. But that beginning of the end was almost 2,000 years ago, and Jesus wanted to put everything in context for his disciples.

24:4 Jesus answered them, "Watch out that no one misleads you.

Christ begins by urging his discilpes not to listen to false Christs, or their messengers (false apostles and prophets). Many were to come (and have since come) claiming to be the chosen one of GodLater, John warns of these false messengers (1 John 2:18) but assures us that we have been given the anointing of the Holy Spirit to guard us from their erroneous doctrine (1 John 2:20 and 1 John 2:27). Paul also warned that the Holy Spirit witnessed that a great falling away from truth would occur as the end of time approached (1 Tim. 4:1).

24:5-6 For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will mislead many.You will hear of wars and rumours of wars. Make sure that you are not alarmed, for this must happen, but the end is still to come.

Clearly, the world would not end with the destruction of the temple, there would be far more dreadful and significant events on earth before that. These events are sometimes referred to as the signs of the times, or the signs of Jesus’ coming. With the increase of these things on earth, we become aware that the coming of Christ is drawing nearer. Jesus predicted wars affecting whole nations, world wars. Also there would be rumours of wars, implying sedition and espionage, as well as civil unrest and acts of terrorism.

24:7 For nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

In addition there would be famines and earthquakes of increasing magnitude in an increasing number of places. As their severity and frequency rise, we can be sure that our Lord's coming draws nearer.

24:8 All these things are the beginning of birth pains.

Yet Jesus regards these events, not as the end in themselves that is they will not usher in the end of the world, but will happen through the church age. Like a pregnant woman goes into labour pains before giving birth, so these pains come before the renewal of all things.

24:9 “Then they will hand you over to be persecuted and will kill you. You will be hated by all the nations because of my name.

Throughout the church age there has been persecution of Christian believers, even to death. This is happening at this present time more than at any other time in history. Jesus predicted that there would be times when, in every nation, believers would be at risk of harm from unbelievers, for every nation will hate us. It is always the case that the world hates us, but it only sometimes the case that this hatred spills over to cause violence and murder.

24:10-12 Then many will be led into sin, and they will betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will appear and deceive many, and because lawlessness will increase so much, the love of many will grow cold.

Here is one of the most terrible warnings in the Bible, a warning which is repeated several times in the epistles. Because of the evil increasing in the world, many believers will turn from the faith and become apostates. Rather than suffer for Christ's sake (and not necessarily to death) they will abandon their faith in Him). People have denied Christ for less than death. As a result of their turning from Christ they will, as Judas did, betray their Christian brothers too, in some cases even to the point of death. From experience we know that those who leave Jesus Christ, as close as they have been to us before when they knew the Lord, will hate us and be our complete enemies afterward. That is no fault on our part; it is because they are no longer right with God.Throughout the history of the church there have been false prophets who have claimed to speak in the name of God and Christ. Some might be classified as being outside the church, such as Joseph Smith who founded the Mormons. Others conceal themselves within the church, seeking to do Satan's work by leading the church into destructive error. Many, says Jesus, will be deceived both within and without the church.

24:13 But the person who endures to the end will be saved.

In the face of false teaching, faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ and his truth is called for, both from individuals and from the church as a whole. The Bible gives us safeguards to protect us from falling away. For example, we are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together (Heb. 10:25) but to continue in prayer, fellowship and study of the word (Acts 2:42).

24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole inhabited earth as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Whatever else happens on earth in terms of natural disaster and spiritual declension, the gospel of Jesus Christ will still have its way. It will be preached to every creature in the entire world, and then and not before then shall the end come. God will give every person a chance to repent and believe on his son Jesus Christ.We could sum up what Jesus has said so far by saying that evil and sin will grow worse and worse on earth, with men being driven by the power of darkness and Satan, yet His gospel will still succeed in saving sinners to the end of time. Whilst these evils are signs that Christ is coming soon, we ought not to suppose that he approves of them; when he comes he shall abolish them (Psalm 46:9 and Isaiah 2:4).

24:15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation — spoken about by Daniel the prophet — standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),

Christ now turns his attention from the general events of the church age to the events at the very end of time. Many commentators go into great detail about the time of Antiochus Epiphanes and the desecration of the temple, equating Daniels words with this event. It is most significant that our Lord did not do this. He spoke to his disciples about a future day; whereas Epiphanes had died hundreds of years before. The abomination of desolation is a desecration of God's Temple (and his holy name) which shall be so severe as to herald the very end of time and bring down the final judgment of God. Since our Lord is speaking of a time further future than AD 33, and since this event did not precede the destruction of the temple in AD 70, we may readily make several observations:A new temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem before this event occurs. At the time of writing (2012) this has yet to happen. The Bible predicts a terrible apostasy at the end of time which involves a certain individual, referred to as "the beast" or "antichrist" sitting in the temple of god and proclaiming that he is God, and demanding worship from all nations of the earth at pain of death (see 2 Thess. 2:4, Rev. 13:3-8). Furthermore, he shall honour Satan as his God and oblige every person on earth to receive a brand by way of demonstrating allegiance to Satan, or face certain death by starvation or beheading . He will set up a statue of himself in the temple of God, which by satanic power is able to move, speak, and execute those who will not bow to it (Rev. 13:15-17).The proclamation of this man as god is the event here referred to as the abomination of desolation.

24:16-18 then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. The one on the roof must not come down to take anything out of his house, and the one in the field must not turn back to get his cloak.

There will of course be some faithful to God alive on earth at that time. It seems correct to suppose these to be the faithful remnant of Jews who shall face the worst time of persecution in the history of their people, but whom God shall preserve and reconcile to himself. The whole nation shall be won to Jesus Christ(Rom. 11:26), though many shall die rather than worship the beast, it appears that God will include them among the faithful who partake in the first resurrection, and we must not suppose that the rapture closes the age of resurrection (Rev. 20:4). Those Jews who live in Judea are to flee to the mountains with all speed, not stopping so long as to pick up a cloak or take any personal effects. This man, the antichrist, is going to try to round them all up and kill them. But God will provide wings for her escape, and protect Israel miraculously (Rev. 12:13-17).

24:19-21 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing their babies in those days!  Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. For then there will be great suffering unlike anything that has happened from the beginning of the world until now, or ever will happen.

Once again, this verse makes clear that these events predicted by Christ are yet to come. The worst time of persecution and suffering the world (and especially Israel) has ever known would, up until now, be a reference to the holocaust. But there was no temple at the time of the holocaust, indicating that an even worse time is yet to come. Clearly, this must be a time of unimaginable evil. It will be especially awful for those women who are pregnant or nursing babies. No doubt many children's lives will be lost. It appears from verse 20 that God is able, in answer to prayer, to delay Satan's purpose, so that the flight from Jerusalem is not in winter (snow, ice and cold might hamper their escape or claim lives itself), and not on a Sabbath, where pious Jews would not run far enough to be safe.

24:22 And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

So terrible would these days be that if God had not in his mercy kept them to a limited period, no mortal flesh would survive them. But for the sake of those whom he has called of the Jewish nation, the days are shortened, i.e. restricted to approx. 3 1/2 years (Rev. 12:14).24:23 Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There he is!' do not believe him.Just as Jesus warned during the church age, so at this time especially shall arise false messiahs. But they will only bring false hopes and are not to be followed (Rev. 13:10).

24:24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

They will be permitted to perform great signs and wonders by the power of Satan. It is significant that the antichrist will have a false prophet of his own, commanding fire to come out of heaven in the sight of all men (Rev. 13:11-14). The evidence of this being supernatural will be utterly compelling, but not all that is supernatural is of God.

24:25 Remember, I have told you ahead of time.

Jesus has warned his disciples, and his disciples have warned future generations of these events by recording his words. We have been warned.

24:26-27 So then, if someone says to you, 'Look, he is in the wilderness,' do not go out, or 'Look, he is in the inner rooms,' do not believe him. For just like the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so the coming of the Son of Man will be.

Rather than the false messiahs, the real Christ will be seen coming on the clouds of heaven, appearing to the whole world simultaneously and in an instant. Lightning appears at light speed, and lights up the whole heaven. The coming of Christ will be witnessed by the whole cosmos, northern and southern hemispheres, angels and demons, and all those in hell shall not fail to witness this event (See Mark 13:26 and Rev. 1:7).

24:28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

Jesus chooses to not explicitly explain his words here, but it in the book of Revelation there is a verse which links the feeding of vultures on corpses with the very same day that Christ returns to earth. Knowing that the 3/12 years are up and that Christ's coming is therefore imminent, Satan sends evil spirits to gather the armies of the whole earth together to fight and resist him. They gather at a large plain outside Jerusalem called Megiddo, or Armageddon (Rev. 16:13-16). They come to fight Christ, but he slays them with a single word and all the birds feat on their flesh (carrion birds, obviously, like vultures see Rev. 19:17-21).