Gospel of Matthew Chapter 24 Vs. 8

 Signs of the End of the Age

Matthew 24:8 “All these [are] the beginning of sorrows.”

beginning of sorrows... Famines, earthquakes and conflicts have always characterized life in a fallen world; but by calling these things “the beginning” of labor pains, He indicated that things will get totally and remarkably worse at the end of the era as these unique tribulations signal the soon arrival of Messiah to judge sinful humanity and set up His millennial kingdom (1Thes. 5:3; Rev. 6:1-17; 8:1 – 9:21; 16:1-21). The first eight signs of Mat. 24:4-7 are the beginning, not the end of sorrows.

sorrows... Greek: odin, birth pangs (Gal. 4:19, 4:27; 1Thes. 5:3; Rev. 12:2). This refers to the troubles of Israel in the tribulation (Mat. 24:15-21; Isa. 66:7-8; Jer. 30:4-7; Dan. 7:21; 8:9-14, 8:24; 9:27; Rev. 12:1-17).

As I said, it seems that all of the above are already happening. So we can assume from that we are already in the beginning of sorrows.

Yet will all these be only the beginning of sorrows. He also prepares their minds for the gigantic work which must be done by them and by their brother-disciples before that great day: This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. Thus are the disciples taught the very important and thoroughly practical truth, that they must pass. through a great trial and do a great work before the Day shall come.

He then gives them a certain sign by which they shall know that the event is imminent, when. it does approach. This is not equivalent to fixing a date. He gives them no idea how long the period of trial shall last, no idea how long time’ they shall have for the great work before them-He simply gives them a sign, by observing which they shall not be taken completely by surprise, but have at least a brief space to make their escape from the condemned city. And so very little time will elapse between the sign and the event to which it points, that He warns them against any delay, and tells them, as soon as it shall appear, to flee at once to the mountains and escape for their lives.

These things, Jesus said, will be the beginning of birth pains. As a pregnant woman’s birth pains indicate that her child will soon be born, so these universal conflicts and catastrophes will mean the end of this interadvent Age is near.