Matthew’s ‘Immediately After the Tribulation of Those Days’

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Matthew 24, the Olivet Discourse, and the Timing of Christ’s Coming

This is session 2 of 6, “Matthew's ‘Immediately After the Tribulation of Those Days' delivered by Ryan Habbena from the conference, The Celestial Disturbances.

n this session, Ryan Habbena walks through Matthew’s account of the Olivet Discourse, showing why Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24 is not a side issue for Christians but a crucial passage for understanding Bible prophecy, the Second Coming, the Great Tribulation, and the resurrection/rapture of the church.

Rather than treating the Olivet Discourse as irrelevant, fulfilled only in the first century, or intended for another group of people, this message argues that Jesus’ words are for the church today. Since Christ commanded His disciples to teach believers to observe all that He commanded, His prophetic warnings, instructions, and calls to watchfulness must be taken seriously.

What Did Jesus Teach About the End of the Age?

This teaching follows the natural flow of Matthew 23–24, beginning with Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem, His prediction of the temple’s destruction, and the disciples’ question: “What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” From there, the message explains the significance of the Greek word parousia, the coming of Christ, and why this term is so important for understanding the timing of the rapture and the Day of the Lord.

Birth Pangs, Great Tribulation, and the Abomination of Desolation

Habbena explains Jesus’ sequence of end-time events: false Christs, wars and rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, persecution, apostasy, deception, and the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom to all nations. He also highlights the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel, connecting Matthew 24 with Daniel 9, 2 Thessalonians 2, and Revelation 12–13.

This message emphasizes that the Great Tribulation is not the wrath of God but the intense, worldwide persecution of God’s people by the beast system. The warning is sobering, but it is also meant to prepare believers to endure, remain faithful, and not be deceived.

The Celestial Signs and the Prewrath Rapture

A major focus of this session is Matthew 24:29–31, where Jesus says that immediately after the tribulation, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven. These celestial signs announce the coming of the Son of Man in power and great glory.

The message argues that this is the moment when Christ cuts short the Great Tribulation, gathers His elect, and brings about the resurrection/rapture of the church before the outpouring of the Day of the Lord’s wrath.

What You Can Expect From This Bible Prophecy Teaching

In this video, you will learn why Matthew 24 matters, how Jesus structures the end-time sequence, why the abomination of desolation is a key prophetic marker, how the Great Tribulation differs from God’s wrath, and why believers are commanded to know the season while not knowing the day or hour.

If you want a careful, biblical, prewrath explanation of the Olivet Discourse, the Second Coming, and the timing of the rapture, this session will help you read Matthew 24 with greater clarity and confidence.