Part Three The birth pangs increase in strength a time of persecution and enduring to the end
Matthew 24: 9-14Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Overview
⦁ In Part Two of this series I have already covered the beginning of sorrows which is the effects of the birth pangs of the coming Kingdom Of God on the natural realm in the world This is seen through wars, famines, pestilence and earthquakes.
⦁ Now the birth pangs are increasing in strength and are coming closer together just like the contractions do when a woman is about to give birth in the natural. So too the earth is suffering birth pangs which are coming closer together as the kingdom of God or the Day of the Lord draws near.
⦁ Now in Part Three I will be looking at how these things will be affecting believers in Christ on a more personal level. That persecution of true believers will increase in intensity as the world turns more and more against Christians, they will be persecuted within the church, they will be persecuted through the secular world in different ways and also by friends and family.
⦁ Again throughout these few verses we hear the Lord Jesus's warning to beware of false prophets and false christ's not to be deceived by them. This is a common thread throughout this discourse to be not taken in by false prophets, false christs to be not deceived by any man. Not to be asleep but to be awake and watching
.⦁ I will be setting out this part like I did with the last part I will set out each heading with its corresponding bible verse breaking it down into bite size chunks for you to take it away to chew upon and think about what I am saying and to study it for yourself and to look up the bible verses that are given and the web links as well.
⦁ For I will be including web links for you to go and do your own research on the things that will be raised in this part.
In this part I will break the verses down into the following;
1. Persecution of believers, being hated by all for the Lord's sake
2. Beware of deception through false prophets.
3. Increase of iniquity and love of many growing cold.
4. He who endures to the end will be saved.
5. When the gospel is preached to the all the world the end will come.
1 Persecution being hated by all for the Lord's sake
.Matthew 24:9-10
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
1. Jesus warns us that we will be hated by all nations for His name's sake that even our families will betray and hate us and those who once followed Him will be offended because of persecution and will betray one another
2. He warns us to expect persecution as His followers.
We should expect persecutions for if they persecuted Jesus as our teacher and our master they will persecute us who are His students and servants as well. We are not above Him in this.
3. So when persecutions come upon us and they will as His followers then we should not act surprised that these things have come upon us. Nor should we be offended by them but give praise and thanks to God for them as a testing proving of our faith that we have been counted worthy to share with Him in His sufferings.
James 1:2-4
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
1 Peter 1:7
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Acts 14:22
Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God
Romans 8:15-18
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.1
6 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Jesus Himself had to suffer in order to enter into His glory for the prophets spoke about this.
Luke 24:25-28
Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
I will put in some scriptures to emphasis this point under the different points below
1. We will be hated by the world. thereby we will be persecution as believers. by the world.
John 15:18-19
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
2. We are not above Jesus as our master He was persecuted so will we be.
John 15:20-21
20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
3. They will even think that putting Christ's followers to death in God's name they will doing God a favor by killing those who believe in Christ.
John 16:1-4
These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service
.3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
4. We are to live in the world but not be part of it and we cannot be friends with the world. For if anyone is a friend of the world they are enemies of God.
James 4:4
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
1 John 2:15-16
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
5. Offences will come because of the gospel and through offences will come persecutions.
I have taken only the verses that suited the point I wanted to make here from the Parable of the Sower you can read this parable for yourself if you so desire to put it into context. Matthew 13:20-21
But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
By whom will the persecutions come?
⦁ Persecutions will come upon believers of Jesus by the following ways and this is not an exhaustive list just an idea of how they will come.
You can probably add some of your own.
Persecutions will come through family members
Jesus did not come to bring peace but a sword of division among family members. Family members will become offended by the gospel and will betray one another.
Mark 13:12-13
Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.
13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved
.Luke 21:16-19
And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
Matthew 10:34-36
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
Luke 12:51-53
Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
52 For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Persecutions will come through religious leaders within Israel taken before Synagogues and beaten.
Mark 13:9-11
But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.
11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
Luke 21:12-15
12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.
13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
John 16:1-2
These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
Early disciples and messianic believers today are persecuted among their own Jewish communities.
Peter and John persecuted by the Pharisees
Acts 5:17-42
Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.
19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.
22 But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned and told,
23 Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.
24 Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.
25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.
26 Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
33 When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.
34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;
35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.
36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.
37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
Stephen persecuted by false brethren in the Synagogue
They used same trumped charge against him as they did with Jesus that of destroying the temple and use of false witnesses.
Acts 6:8-15
And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
11 Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.
And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,13 And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
14 For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.
15 And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
From the council of the religious leaders
I will start put in verse 1 then start from verse 37 for this is where Steven speaks about Moses speaking against the people of Israel for their idolatry and how God will raise up another prophet like him who is God's Son Jesus. Steven through the Holy Spirit rebukes these leaders and they don't like it at all.
They are so angry that they are cut to the quick and hasten him out of the city to stone him. I will carry on that section under the section under Paul.
Acts 7:1, 37-57
Then said the high priest, Are these things so?
This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.
38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
39 To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,
40 Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.
42 Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?
43 Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.
44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.
45 Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;
46 Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.
47 But Solomon built him an house.
48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
50 Hath not my hand made all these things?
51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
Paul persecuting believers
Standing by while Stephen was stoned
Acts 7:55-58
But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Paul imprisoning believers and going down to Damascus with letters from the Pharisees to imprison believers
Acts 8:1-4
And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
Acts 9:1-2
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
Web sites showing messianic believers being persecuted by Ultra Orthodox in Israel.
http://kehilanews.com/2015/06/17/let-messianic-jews-make-aliyah-to-israel/
https://jewsforjesus.org/publications/havurah/havurah-v03-n02/persecution-of-ethiopian-believers-in-israel/
http://www1.cbn.com/content/messianic-jews-persecuted (this site does have cookies just to let you know before watching it.)
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3558795,00.html
Persecuted by the church and persecuted among the nations, for loving the truth and taking a stand when many will love not the truth.
Jesus said we will be persecuted for righteousness sake and to rejoice when we are.
Matthew 5:6, 10-12
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
1 Timothy 4:1-2
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
This is what we are seeing in the church world at large today.
2 Timothy 3:1-17
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their's also was.
10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 4:1-4
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
The great apostasy falling away loving not the truth.
2 Thessalonians 2: 2-12
That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
⦁ I feel that this area of persecution comes under the rise of false prophets. As many will rise up against those in the church for exposing them and will persecute them for doing so.
⦁ Believers are being persecuted for their stand against false prophets and false apostles, for their stand against the rise of support for homosexuals within the church.
⦁ People are being persecuted for standing for righteousness concerning marriage being between a man and a woman, people being persecuted for sharing about Jesus in school playgrounds.
This is now happening in both Australia and New Zealand. Kids in Queensland Australia are being forbidden to share the gospel with school friends in the playgrounds or give away cards celebrating the birth, death and resurrection Jesus.
School Officials Declare Playgrounds 'No-Jesus' Zones
http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=1455
Activists opposed to religious teaching distribute pamphlets at Christchurch school
https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/97318360/activists-opposed-to-religious-teaching-distribute-pamphlets-at-christchurch-school
Fight over Bible studies in schools
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11449924
TVNZ ends production of Praise Be after 30 years
https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/95309572
They want to get rid of Christianity to make room for the false religions of the world and the false New Age Christ of the world, that the world's religions will favor and many churches are now worshiping today because New Age practices are rife within many churches. This will form the basis of the One World Religion.
How much longer will we be having freedom to read the bible and to pray or have house meetings openly. We must as Christians start to learn the word off by heart to hide it in our hearts and to be more fervent in prayer to seek God and to meet with others to pray and read the word.
A time is coming when they will take our bibles off us and will put us in jail because we are Christians this day is coming. God warns us in the book of Revelation that we as believers will be facing this sort of persecution under the rule of the beast and the false prophet.
So be prepared strengthen your hearts in the Lord through His word and get to know the Lord through prayer and His word while we still can do so. So that when the day of trial comes which it will, we will be able to stand and have the faith to stand and He will give us His peace and the words to speak to confound those who are persecuting us.
⦁ People being persecuted for standing against false teaching of all kinds that is coming into the church especially the acceptance of Islam and homosexuality within the church walls and many other things.
Hated for being righteous. Standing for what is right morally in the market place, the political and religious arenas of the world.
⦁ .Persecuted among the nations. Hated for sharing the gospel in nations that are closed to the gospel because of religious and political beliefs.
This will now lead me onto my next point.
Part 2 Deception through false prophets. See next blogpost for this point.
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