Shema Living During End Times (8)
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. (Matthew 24:9)
“It can’t get any worse!” Or “Can it get any worse?” This familiar line, often said, when the day has not gone well. One struggle or hardship has been experienced after another and the this is the exhale, whether in statement or question form, communicates an exclamation of believing that whether specific set of circumstances or life as a whole can get better.
After the first four indicators or markers of Jesus’ future appearance someone at that time may very well would declare, “It can’t get any worse.” But on the contrary. Jesus stated that this was only the beginning of childbirth-type sorrows. The onslaught of false Christs, the damage from wars and conflicts, and dealing with the severe aftereffects from famines and earthquakes are, indeed, only the beginning of tumultuous times that lie ahead. Collectively, these events only introduce the chaos which will build towards and eventually culminates in Christ’s second coming. More of the God-allowed effects of Satan’s deceit, wickedness, and destruction will mount toward an even more diabolical intention of devastation, cruelty, and death. This is Jesus’ teaching and prophecy in Matthew 24:9.
The “they” Jesus does not specifically identify. Yet, they will apparently be people who will have authority to take specific action steps that describe being arrested. As the birth pains target the world population, there is now a particular group of persons in mind to experience hardship and suffering, Jesus’ disciples. The transition from the “beginning of sorrows” into the time of the Great Tribulation is taking place.
This reality of the Great Tribulation is represented in the word “persecuted” which is also translated as tribulation. The term denotes affliction, punishment, or torture. Specifically, the idea of physical pressure is meant. Again, though Christians have faced tribulations from one generation to another, this type and moment of affliction to be inflicted towards and experienced by the uncompromising Jesus’ followers denotes this is not just the time of a common tribulation but the Great Tribulation. A list of events describing these upcoming days are given by Jesus as one continues to read this paragraph of Scripture.
Beginning in verse 9, the sobering reality, the physical pressure for some, if not, many will be death, says Jesus… “and will kill you.” The ultimate expression of love-obedience to Christ by martyrdom will abound. Moreover, believers in Christ during these days will be hated. To not compromise or cower to the pressure of evil, led by the Antichrist and his followers, these true followers will be detested by the world. Why will they endure such hatred? Jesus declares “…because of My name.” One’s affiliation and allegiance to their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be the reason for the hatred expressed towards them. In John 15:18- Jesus prophesied to this exact point:
If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you do not belong to the world, but I chose you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you. Remember what I told you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they obeyed my word, they will obey yours too. But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me. (John 15:18-21)
(Note: The list of the other beginning of Great Tribulation actions and responses will be in the next “Shema Living During End Times (9).”
Finally, as the first four Jesus’ “beginning of sorrows” indicators are succinctly correlated to the first four seals in Revelation 6, so is this transitional birth pain-to-Great Tribulation marker. When the fifth seal was opened John saw and recorded:
Now when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been violently killed because of the word of God and because of the testimony they had given. They cried out with a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Master, holy and true, before you judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood?” Each of them was given a long white robe and they were told to rest for a little longer, until the full number was reached of both their fellow servants and their brothers who were going to be killed just as they had been. (Revelation 6:9-11)
So, yes, it can, and it will get worse for followers of Christ. Therefore, the clarion call of Jesus to endure and persevere as well as His teaching to “Watch and pay” do not to serve as empty words for us today but even more for the future generation in which the Father’s timing of His Son’s expectant return will draw near. Furthermore, the step of teaching and preparing the younger generation of believers to understand the need to persist in the ways of Christ through dark and evil days is mandatory. Let us be faithful through hardship and hatred!
Our Father, there is no way we will be able to remain faithful and true to You unless You empower us. The impact of evil and wickedness will be intense. The Christian pretender will not be able to last, but revealed for where they truly are towards Christ. We humbly ask that our heart will be thoroughly convinced of You and not be caught off guard by tempting deception or cruel pressure and persecution. May we be found worthy to bear Your name when no one else does. In Jesus’ name, amen.
