How does Matthew 24:8 relate to current global events and challenges today? Setting the Scene: Birth Pains in Jesus’ Timeline Matthew 24:6-8 sets out a sequence Jesus describes just before His return: • “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars… nation will rise against nation… famines and earthquakes in various places.” (Matthew 24:6-7) • “All these are the beginning of birth pains.” (Matthew 24:8) What Birth Pains Tell Us • Birth pains announce that a new life is on the way. • They grow in frequency and intensity until delivery. • Jesus uses the picture to show that end-time events will escalate before His visible return (cf. Romans 8:22). Global Contractions We Feel Today • Conflict: An uptick in regional wars, terrorism, cyber-warfare, and geopolitical friction mirrors “nation against nation.” • Pestilence & Pandemic: COVID-19, resurgent diseases, and fears of bio-threats fit Luke’s “plagues in various places” (Luke 21:11). • Natural Disasters: Record-breaking earthquakes, wildfires, floods, and climate extremes resemble the “earthquakes in various places.” • Economic Shaking: Inflation, supply-chain breakdowns, and looming debt crises reveal how fragile global systems are (James 5:1-5). • Moral & Social Upheaval: 2 Timothy 3:1-5 warns of last-days selfishness, violence, and rebellion—headlines now look like that list. Why God Allows the Labor • Wake-Up Call: Shaking removes false securities and points hearts toward Christ (Haggai 2:6-7). • Gospel Acceleration: Turmoil opens doors for evangelism (Matthew 24:14). • Purification of the Church: Trials sift genuine faith from imitation (1 Peter 1:6-7). • Mercy in Delay: Each contraction is also a pause for repentance before final judgment (2 Peter 3:9). Living Wisely in the Birth-Pain Season • Stay alert, not alarmed: “See that you are not alarmed” (Matthew 24:6). • Nourish biblical discernment: Test headlines against Scripture, not social media. • Keep Kingdom priorities: Invest time, talent, and treasure in what survives eternity (Matthew 6:19-20). • Strengthen fellowship: “Encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25). • Share Christ boldly: The contractions remind unbelievers of their need for the Savior (2 Corinthians 5:20). • Rest in God’s sovereignty: “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28). Hope That Holds During the Contractions • Jesus rules history (Revelation 1:17-18). • His promises never fail (Joshua 21:45). • The labor ends with His visible, victorious return (Matthew 24:30). |
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