Shema Living During End Times (7)
It’s only the beginning…
All these things are the beginning of birth pains. (Matthew 24:8)
Being there to see our sons born was a tremendous blessing. Watching my wife give birth was a moment of great thanksgiving, love, and pride for her. To see the process of her birth pains increase as well as their intensity mount signaled the arrival of our child was near. The months of pregnancy travail had now culminated in the joy of God’s gift of life. Yet, happening through her intense labor and severe struggle.
From this real-life picture of the birthing reality of ever-increasing frequency and intensity Jesus applies to summarize the four beginning indicators of His future coming…the beginning of birth pains. Instead of the phrase “beginning of birth pains” some Bible translations use “beginning of sorrows.” King James, New King James, and Douay-Rheims Bible employ “beginning of sorrows” while the Amplified Bible, English Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, and New English Translation utilize “birth pains.” The translation of the English words “sorrows” and “pains” are coming from the same New Testament word to denote the anguish, agony, and travel associated with childbirth.
Yet, the idea of “beginning” is perhaps a more important focus to grasp. Though all four of these end time indicators—false Christs, wars and rumors of wars, famines, and earthquakes-pestilences—are known and common to our world for the last 2000 years, for Jesus to make known that these are the events and elements of the coming end and His appearance a new expression of these phenomenon is to be expected. The wickedness and devastation God will allow the evil one to bring will be the uncommon factor in these familiar events. Unique dynamics will manifest in the amount and degree, cycle and progression, and size and magnitude of deception, global conflict, famine, and earthquakes that will not be consistent with previous encounters, historical records, or statistical patterns.
So there “beginning” will be in their level of intensity and severity. At the same time, it is imperative to note that Jesus did say these are the start of what is to come. The Great Tribulation events are around the corner, that is, later in God’s unfolding purpose and timing.
The four “birth pains” Jesus outlines in Matthew 24 to the disciples wonderfully and perhaps, eerily match and come alongside what the resurrected Jesus reveals to the Apostle John in Revelation 6. The first four seals on the scroll that only the Lamb, Jesus Christ, could open are different color horses and their riders. The first opened seal presents a white horse and its rider (6:1-2). The “white” denotes a deceptive purity as the rider represents all the false Christs (Matt. 24:5) who will claim to be Jesus with the title of Messiah. The ultimate white-horse rider will be the Antichrist who comes with only a bow and has to be given a crown. (A much different picture is described when Jesus comes on a white stallion in Revelation 19:11-21.) While announcing he is the Christ, his agenda will be in complete opposition to the real and true, Christ Jesus.
The opening of the second seal brings forth the red horse who symbolize fighting and world-wide conflict mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 24:6-7a. The rider of the red horse has been given a sword to conquer through war. After deception and false words have run their course, military weapons and aggression will become the new ploy. The third horse, coming from the opening of the third seal, is a black horse and rider—a symbol of famines. (Matthew 24:7) The vision in Revelation 6:5-6 describes the rider having a scale to measure a depleted food supply sold at exorbitant prices. Finally, the opened fourth seal brings forth a rider on a pale or sickly horse. (Revelation 6:7-8) The work of this rider brings death and the grave through the agents of pestilence and earthquakes (Matthew 24:7) that will be globally occurring and killing one-fourth of the world’s population. Revelation 6:8 specifically lists that the sword, famine, disease, and the wild animals will all be avenues of killing and death.
So, Jesus, not once but twice communicates the beginning markers of His coming at the end times. Though familiarity exists towards each of these “birth pains” indicators each will be expressed in with an ever-increasing regularity and intensity. The catastrophic events will create a strange and an anonymous reality has begun. Additionally, their frequency and force will become tell-tale signs to the Jesus-disciple who has been watching and praying that these are the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy in Matthew 24 and Revelation 6. .
Our Father, You have worked hard to help us as Your children. We express our deep gratitude to how You spoke multiple times of Your beginning steps towards Your second coming. May we take heed now in learning Your ways and gain from Your teaching. Moreover, may we embrace its help as truth in such a way that we will faithfully instruct our children and grandchildren as well as our church family concerning these vital indicators which will begin to herald the dawning of the end times. In so doing, we will be able to endure from generation-to-generation to the end for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.
