Matthew 24:6 (NKJV)

Matthew 24:6 (NKJV)

 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

Three markers of time are found in vv. 4–14. The first is found in v. 6, the end is not yet. All these are the beginning of sorrows is the second marker, in v. 8. The final indication of time is given in v. 14, and then the end will come. Verses 4–6 may describe the first part of Daniel’s Seventieth Week (Dan. 9:25–27), but more likely they are a general picture of the present age. False messiahs, wars and rumors of wars are characteristic of fallen humans. When the Lord said all these things must come to pass, He used a word for “must” that looks at divine or logical necessity. Such activities are necessary because of the sin of man. False messiahs existed before (Acts 5:36, 37; 21:38), and false preachers would come in the future (Acts 20:29, 30; 2 Cor. 11:13–).