It is interesting that we are seeing so many references recently relating to the Spanish Flu of 1918 which is usually referenced as one of the worst pandemics of all time. But the Spanish Flu wasn't the only thing going on prophetically during that era. All of the "beginning of birth pains" signs were seen in abundance during this period. Not to mention the Balfour Declaration of 1917 which established a home for the nation of Israel and the right to return.
As stated by Arnold Fruchtenbaum: The Olivet Discourse by Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum.
Having provided for His disciples certain characteristics that would in no way indicate that the end had begun, Jesus next proceeded to answer the third question, which concerned the sign that the end of the age had truly begun. It is recorded in Matthew 24:7-8; Mark 13:8; and Luke 21:10-11.
The Matthew account reads: For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines and earthquakes in divers places. But all these things are the beginning of travail (Matthew 24:7-8).
According to all three Gospel writers, the sign of the end of the age is said to be when nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. This act will be coupled with famines and earthquakes in various places, and then Yeshua clearly stated that this would be the beginning of travail. The term travail means “birth pang.” It refers to the series of birth pangs that a woman undergoes before giving birth to a baby. The prophets pictured the last days as a series of birth pangs before the birth of the new Messianic Age. The beginning of travail, the first birth pang, and the sign that the end of the age has begun is when nation rises against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
Jesus had already clearly stated that local wars between a few nations would not indicate that the end had begun. But then He said that when there is nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom, this will mean the end of the age has begun.
To understand what the idiom nation against nation, and kingdom against kingdom means, it is necessary to return to the Jewish origin of these statements. This expression is a Hebrew idiom for a world war. Yeshua’s statement here is that when a world war occurs, rather than merely a local war, that world war would signal that the end of the age had begun.
This is quite in keeping with the Jewish writings of this same period. One Jewish source known as the Zohar Chadash states: “At that time wars shall be stirred up in the world. Nation shall be against nation and city against city; much distress shall be renewed against the enemies of the Israelites.”
Another Jewish source known as the Bereshit Rabbah states: “If you shall see the kingdoms rising against each other in turn, then give heed and note the footsteps of the Messiah (XLII:4).”
The rabbis clearly taught that a world-wide conflict would signal the coming of the Messiah. Yeshua corrected this idea slightly, for He said that when the world war occurs, while it does not signal the coming of the Messiah, it will signal that the end of the age has begun. These birth pangs that Yeshua talked about are the same as the “footsteps” that the rabbis talked about. The “footsteps of the Messiah” had to do with the series of events that will lead up to the coming of the Messiah. The title of the 500-page prophecy book, The Footsteps of the Messiah, is based on this Jewish concept, reflected in the Matthew account concerning nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom.
World War I, 1914-1918, was the fulfillment of this particular prophecy, for that was the First World War. As virtually all historians agree, World War II was merely a continuation of World War I. Furthermore, both world wars had a decisive impact on Jewish history. World War I gave impetus to the growth of the Zionist movement, and World War II led to the re-establishment of the Jewish State. Since World War I, history has entered the last days of the Church Age. However, the last days are an extended period of time.
The sign that the end of the age has begun is the world-wide conflict fulfilled by World War I and World War II.
The Matthew account reads: For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines and earthquakes in divers places. But all these things are the beginning of travail (Matthew 24:7-8).
According to all three Gospel writers, the sign of the end of the age is said to be when nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. This act will be coupled with famines and earthquakes in various places, and then Yeshua clearly stated that this would be the beginning of travail. The term travail means “birth pang.” It refers to the series of birth pangs that a woman undergoes before giving birth to a baby. The prophets pictured the last days as a series of birth pangs before the birth of the new Messianic Age. The beginning of travail, the first birth pang, and the sign that the end of the age has begun is when nation rises against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
Jesus had already clearly stated that local wars between a few nations would not indicate that the end had begun. But then He said that when there is nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom, this will mean the end of the age has begun.
To understand what the idiom nation against nation, and kingdom against kingdom means, it is necessary to return to the Jewish origin of these statements. This expression is a Hebrew idiom for a world war. Yeshua’s statement here is that when a world war occurs, rather than merely a local war, that world war would signal that the end of the age had begun.
This is quite in keeping with the Jewish writings of this same period. One Jewish source known as the Zohar Chadash states: “At that time wars shall be stirred up in the world. Nation shall be against nation and city against city; much distress shall be renewed against the enemies of the Israelites.”
Another Jewish source known as the Bereshit Rabbah states: “If you shall see the kingdoms rising against each other in turn, then give heed and note the footsteps of the Messiah (XLII:4).”
The rabbis clearly taught that a world-wide conflict would signal the coming of the Messiah. Yeshua corrected this idea slightly, for He said that when the world war occurs, while it does not signal the coming of the Messiah, it will signal that the end of the age has begun. These birth pangs that Yeshua talked about are the same as the “footsteps” that the rabbis talked about. The “footsteps of the Messiah” had to do with the series of events that will lead up to the coming of the Messiah. The title of the 500-page prophecy book, The Footsteps of the Messiah, is based on this Jewish concept, reflected in the Matthew account concerning nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom.
World War I, 1914-1918, was the fulfillment of this particular prophecy, for that was the First World War. As virtually all historians agree, World War II was merely a continuation of World War I. Furthermore, both world wars had a decisive impact on Jewish history. World War I gave impetus to the growth of the Zionist movement, and World War II led to the re-establishment of the Jewish State. Since World War I, history has entered the last days of the Church Age. However, the last days are an extended period of time.
The sign that the end of the age has begun is the world-wide conflict fulfilled by World War I and World War II.
You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.
(Matthew 24)
Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
(Luke 21)
Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
(Matthew 24)
Pestilence:
Warfare/World War:
Earthquakes:
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[f]but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
(Matthew 24)
Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with[a]humans forever, for they are mortal[b]; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”
(Genesis 6)
2037 - 7 (Tribulation) = 2030
Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
(Matthew 24) ----> note: this implies that the generation's concluding events, as taken from Matthew 24 will occur within a generation not necessarily the very last year of the generation.
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