Matthew 24:9-14. Jesus is telling his apostles what it will be like right before his Second Coming. After telling them not to be led astray by false prophets, and that there will be wars, famines, and earthquakes in various places (and those are just the beginning!), he goes on to say that his followers will be delivered up to tribulation and put to death. They will be "hated by all nations for my name's sake." Then many will follow away and will hate each other. Many more false prophets will arise and lead people astray. Because of the rampant wickedness, most people's love will grow cold. But those of his followers who endure to the end will be saved and the gospel will be preached throughout the world, then the end will come.

This is a lot like what I wrote about yesterday - things will get bad before the end, very bad. Jesus adds another layer to it, though. He says that because of the wickedness in the world, men's hearts will grow cold and they will fall away. So, in addition to the angels' trumpets in Revelation announcing the next woe and calling us to repent, we will also have men and women turning away from God because of the woes. The series of calamities meant to "wake people up" will cause most people to harden their hearts. Many will be lost. Only after all of this will the surviving truly faithful, who have been tested by these trials and have stayed faithful, be sent out to proclaim the Gospel to all nations.

So once Babylon, or evil, is eradicated from the world, along with the people who would not turn from evil even after given all the warnings and trials, then earth will be filled with two kinds of people: the holy people who remained faithful to Christ through the calamities, and the people who were not wicked, or who repented of their wickedness, but do not know the Gospel. That will be the time for the faithful to preach the Gospel to them - to build the Kingdom of God by converting the world and geting it ready for the its King's Return.