Jesus, after receiving two questions from His disciples upon hearing of the destruction of the temple of God, asked Jesus to tell them when will these things happen and what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled? Jesus proceeds to answer their questions in verses 5-13 that were not necessarily signs, but rather beginning of birth pains leading up to the last days of the actual signs of the end times through the great preparation. The great preparation as described in verses 5-13 were to prepare disciples of Christ to watch out for deception, to be on guard, and to learn how to stand firm through circumstances and situations of being a follower of Christ that would prepare us for the greater sufferings to come. ​