Jesus Answered Questions About the End of the Age – Part 4
In our last topic, we saw that we want to help our physical and spiritual children learn to explain that Jesus will take all unbelievers off the earth at the time He comes to rule on the earth for a thousand years. In this topic, we will see that some will be prepared, but most will not be prepared for the return of Jesus to rule on the earth.
Jesus went on to give several illustrations of those who will not be prepared for His coming to rule who will be judged and taken off the earth just as the wicked were in the days of Noah. Matthew 24:40-44 says, “‘Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 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. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’” These verses show us that people will be doing a variety of different things at the time Christ comes to rule on the earth.
Field work is something that is commonly done on almost any day of the week in many parts of the world. The same is true for the grinding of wheat and other grains to make flour for all different kinds of breads. At the time of Jesus, these were two of the most common forms of work throughout the world. Jesus used these two very common forms of work to illustrate the need to be ready when He comes. People will be working together when Jesus comes. Those who are unprepared will be judged and taken off the earth. Those who are prepared will enter into the kingdom when Jesus will rule for a thousand years.
However, the lesson that Jesus wanted to make clear was the need for people to be ready at the time when He comes because it will be too late to try to prepare once He comes. Jesus had said earlier in Matthew 24:36-37, “‘But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.’” Jesus said that no one knows when He is coming. That is why He said to watch. The word translated “watch” means to be ready so that a person is not surprised by a sudden calamity. 1 Thessalonians 5:6-8 says, “‘Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.’”
Jesus then said that if a thief would send an announcement of the time that he was coming, the master of the house would be ready for his coming. However, the thief never sends an advance notice. Instead, he comes when the owner is unprepared. Jesus said that the same thing will be true when the Son of Man returns to rule on this earth at the end of the age. He is coming at an hour when the people of the earth, lacking faith, certainly do not expect Him to come. As a result, they will not be prepared for the coming of Christ to rule on the earth because their focus will be on the antichrist.
In contrast, Jesus went on to talk about the wise servant. Matthew 24:45-47 says, “‘Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.’” In these verses, we see that Jesus is looking for people that have two characteristics to serve Him. The first characteristic that Jesus wants in His servants is individuals who are faithful. A person who is faithful is one who can be trusted or relied upon. In 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, we read, “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” In these verses, we see that Paul wanted to be recognized by the Lord as a steward who was faithful as he shared the message of the Gospel. Here, we see that should be our same desire as long as the Lord leaves us on this earth.
The second characteristic Jesus wants in His servants is individuals who are wise. The word translated “wise” means sensible or prudent. Matthew 7:24-25 says, “‘Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.’” When Jesus sent out the twelve, in Matthew 10:16, He said, “‘Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.’” Normally, when sheep go out in the middle of wolves, the wolves have lunch. In contrast, when the sheep are following close behind the shepherd, you see dead wolves because the shepherd protects the sheep. We are told what to avoid, in Romans 12:16, in order to be wise. That verse says, “Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.” In order to be wise, we must have a humble attitude and share the Word of God, instead of our own opinions.
Jesus taught here that there will also be tribulation saints who are faithful and wise servants at His second coming to rule on the earth. In these verses, we see that such servants will be placed in charge of various responsibilities in the kingdom. These places of responsibility will be a reward for faithful service. In fact, as Jesus gives these places of responsibility to the tribulation saints, Matthew 25:21 tells us what He will say. “‘His lord said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.”’” This is a reminder of the fact that Christ will reward His servants, from any period of time, for their faithful service to Him.
We go on to read about those who will not be faithful because they have not placed their trust in Christ. Matthew 24:48-51 says, “‘But if that evil servant says in his heart, “My master is delaying his coming,” and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 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, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” We see that these are called evil servants. The word translated “evil” means wicked or bad in nature. This makes it clear that these will not be servants of Christ. Instead, they will be the servants of the antichrist who have taken the mark of the beast during the time of The Tribulation.
We see the lifestyle of these followers of the antichrist. First, we see that they have no desire to prepare for the coming of the Lord as they say He is delaying His coming. Isaiah 22:12-13 says, “And in that day the Lord GOD of hosts called for weeping and for mourning, for baldness and for girding with sackcloth. But instead, joy and gladness, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating meat and drinking wine: ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!’” This is an example of the attitude that the people in rebellion against God will have during the time of The Tribulation. Their desire will be to live for the moment and not even think about what will happen in the future. They will not even have thoughts about the need to repent of their rebellion and sin.
Second, we see how they will treat others. We see that those who have evil hearts will beat and mistreat others. Here, we see that it will be a time of great violence against one another on the earth. Matthew 24:37 says, “‘But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.’” Genesis 6:5 says, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” In the days of Noah, the hearts of the people were filled with evil continually. Then, Genesis 6:11 adds, “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.” The earth will be a very violent place during The Tribulation, especially against those who become tribulation saints. Third, we see that the earth will be full of drunkenness. Proverbs 31:7 says that one of the main reasons that people drink is that they drink to forget. That verse says, “Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.”
We see that these verses conclude with a warning to the evil followers of the antichrist. The Lord will return to rule on the earth suddenly. The evil followers will not be looking for His coming. In fact, they will not even be thinking about the possibility of His coming. We see that all of the evil people of that day will receive the same judgment that earlier hypocrites received. The phrase “weeping and gnashing of teeth” is commonly used to describe the judgment of hell. Matthew 22:13 says, “‘Then the king said to the servants, “Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”’” Here, we see that hell is described as the place of outer darkness. 1 John 1:5 says, “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” “Outer darkness” means that there is no presence of spiritual light.
We want to help our physical and spiritual children learn to explain, in love, what is going to happen in the future to all those who do not come to Christ, the One who is the Light of the world. We want to equip them to share clearly with relatives, friends, co-workers and other acquaintances the need to come to God through Christ, in repentance and faith, so that they will not have to face that judgment. In fact, even those who treat us as enemies need to hear the message of God’s love for them. May the Lord richly bless you as you equip your children to explain these things about the future to others.
