Verse 9 says, “Then they shall deliver you up to affliction and shall kill you, and you shall be hated by all the nations because of My name.” The “you” here refers to the Jewish disciples, who were the prophets and wise men sent to the Jews (23:34). The first martyrs were all Jews. They were slain not only by the Jewish nation, but by the nations. Wherever they went, they were persecuted.
Verse 10 says, “And then many shall be stumbled and shall deliver up one another, and they shall hate one another.” This refers to the believing Jews. Among the believing Jews, many will be stumbled and deliver up one another. This indicates that the Jewish Christians will fight against one another and hate one another. This is the degradation of the Jewish believers.
Verse 11 says, “And many false prophets shall arise and shall lead many astray.” This began to happen after Christ’s ascension and will continue until the end of this age.
Verse 12 says, “And because lawlessness is multiplied, the love of the many shall grow cold.” Do not apply this verse directly to the members of the church. Although you may borrow it and use it for the church, the direct application must be to the Jewish believers who have become cold in their love.
Although the love of the many shall grow cold, “he who endures to the end, he shall be saved” (v. 13). Because the Jewish believers are to suffer persecution, they are called upon to endure to the end in order to be saved. They need to exercise their endurance in the Lord and not give up their faith. To be saved here implies to be saved into the manifestation of the kingdom. Suppose, because of persecution and hatred, some Jewish believers are defeated. Those who are defeated will not participate in the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens. Therefore, in this verse, to be saved is not to receive eternal salvation; it is to be saved out of persecution and it is to be saved into the manifestation of the kingdom.
Verse 14 says, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end shall come.” The gospel of the kingdom, including the gospel of grace (Acts 20:24), not only brings people into God’s salvation, but also into the kingdom of the heavens (Rev. 1:9). The emphasis of the gospel of grace is on forgiveness of sin, God’s redemption, and eternal life; whereas the emphasis of the gospel of the kingdom is on the heavenly ruling of God and the authority of the Lord. This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole earth for a testimony to all the nations before the end of this age comes. The gospel of the kingdom is a testimony to all the nations, the Gentiles. This testimony must spread to the whole earth before the end of this age, the time of the great tribulation.
In verses 4 through 14 we see the actual history concerning the Jews from Christ’s ascension until the end of this age, the three and a half years of the great tribulation. Before the great tribulation comes, everything in these verses will transpire. The last item will be the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom. I believe that the churches in the Lord’s recovery will bear the burden to bring this gospel to all the inhabited earth. The gospel of grace has been preached in every continent, but not the gospel of the kingdom. The gospel of grace is the lower gospel, but the gospel of the kingdom is the higher gospel. This higher gospel will be brought to every continent through the churches in the Lord’s recovery. This, the strongest sign of the consummation of the age, will take place before the great tribulation. Thus, the most important sign of the consummation of the age is the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom to all the inhabited earth.