Having ended His last public sermon in a warning, Jesus’ cross is impending. Knowing this, He launched into a discourse of His second coming at the end of the present age to establish His millennial kingdom on earth. His message in Matthew 24-25 is also known as the Olivet discourse.
以警告总结最后一场公开讲道后，耶稣的十字架逼近了。祂知道这一点，于是开始述说自己将在末日时第二次来临，在地上建立祂的千年国度。《马太福音》24至25章的信息也被称为橄榄山的讲道。
- The sign of His second coming 二次再来的迹象 (24:1-12)
Turning away from the crowd to His disciples, Jesus begins to explain the signs of His coming. First, there will be widespread deception by a proliferation of false messiahs who will lead many astray (v.4-5, cf. v.23-24). Second, there will be disputes and warfare among nations (v.6-7a). Third, natural disasters will be rampant (v.7b). Forth, there will be severe persecution of the saints by the ungodly world (v.9). Fifth, false believers will defect as a result of the persecution when their true character reveals (v.10-12).
耶稣从众人转向自己的门徒，开始讲解祂再来的预兆。首先，有许多人会冒着耶稣的名义欺骗众人，使他们偏离正路（4-5节；参：23-24节）。第二，列国将起争执与争战（6-7节上）。第三，自然灾难将普及（7节下）。第四，不敬虔的世界将严重逼迫圣徒（9节）。第五，当逼迫来临时，假信徒会因此露出真面目，离开真道（10-12节）。
- The sign of His gospel 耶稣福音的迹象 (24:13-14)
However, though wickedness increases and the love of people towards the things of God grows cold, the Spirit-empowered gospel in the believer will preserve him. He endures in faith despite hardship or persecution because of his relationship to Christ, thereby allowing him to endure to the end, where his hope of delivery out of the present evil system will finally realize. In that day, there will be widespread declaration of the gospel like never before, and then the end will come.
然而，纵使罪恶猖獗，人对神的事也愈加冷淡，但信徒心中由圣灵燃起的福音将保守他。尽管他会因基督的缘故受苦，或遭受逼迫，他仍能在信心中忍耐，坚持到底，最后脱离恶者的网罗，盼望得归。那日将出现从来未有的广泛福音宣扬，之后末日会到。
Praying the Scripture 用经文祷告
- Do we recognize the signs of Christ’s coming? Are we warned? Pray that we stay alert and be prepared for His Second Coming.
我们是否晓得基督再来的预兆呢？我们是否得到警告？祷告我们能保持警醒，为祂的再来做好预备。
- “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15) – People who love the world will eventually fall away when persecution comes. Pray that we constantly examine ourselves to see what is our first love.
“人若爱世界，爱父的心就不在他里面了”（约一2:15）——当逼迫降临时，爱世界的人必然离去。祈求我们能时刻审查自己，看清自己的最爱是什么。
- “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith” (1 John 5:4); “He who began good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). Let us thank our Almighty God for His hand of protection and preservation over us in this present evil age.
“因为凡从神生的，就胜过世界。使我们胜了世界的，就是我们的信心”（约一5:4）；“那在你们心里动了善工的必成全这工，直到耶稣基督的日子”（腓1:6）。让我们为至高神在今日邪恶世代里的保护与保守感谢祂。
