There are two schools of thought in interpreting what is known as the "The Mount of Olivet Discourse" as recorded in the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth chapters of Matthew. One school assumes that God has done away with Israel and assumes that all events stated below apply to the Church. The other assumes that God has not done away with Israel and that events stated below apply to Israel. This discussion assumes the latter. Jesus confirms the prophecy of Daniel and looks forward to the end of "The "Great Tribulation" as later recorded by the apostle John in The Revelation. Thus, this discourse bridges the gap between the books of Daniel and Revelation.
In the previous chapter, Jesus discussed the future destruction of the Jewish temple. After their return to the top of the Mount of Olives, the comments and actions of Jesus confused the apostles. Peter, James, John and Andrew (see Marks account) came to him with questions about the future.
In the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth chapters of Matthew, the thirteenth chapter of Mark and the twenty-first chapter of Luke, we have Jesus’ answer to these apostles. We must keep in mind that Matthew is writing to the Jews and is presenting the Kingdom of Heaven which was promised to them in the Old Testament. Both Israel and “The Church” are referred to in scripture as the elect. However, here Jesus is addressing the elect of Israel. God’s programs for “The Church” and for Israel do not overlap.
“Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age” (Matt 24:3)? The first question, “Tell us when will these things be”. They are talking about the destruction of the temple. Luke records the answer to the first question in Luke chapter twenty-one. The second part of the question was “What will be the sign of Your coming” and the third part was “of the end of the age”. Jesus now answers only the last two questions that have to do with the end of the age. Here He is talking about the final days just before he returns. At this time, Jesus is speaking of events in summary form which are not necessarily in chronological sequence. Many years later, he reveals the details of this period to the apostle John and tells him to write them in the book of Revelation. The book of Revelation is the direct revelation of Jesus Christ.
“And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. 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. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matt 24:4-8). There have been false teachers since the beginning of the first century and wars have prevailed since the fall of the Roman Empire. The Jews have been persecuted for nearly two thousand years and as we begin the twenty-second century, wars have increased and so have all the other signs of the last days.
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matt 24:9-13). This refers to progressive tribulation ultimately leading up to and through the Great Tribulation.
The apostle Paul writing to Timothy gives additional warnings about the last days. “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away” (2 Tim 3:1-5)! We are continually seeing this scripture being fulfilled.
Now, let us return to Jesus’ last words in Matthew chapter twenty-four verse thirteen. We need to understand the words “But he who endures to the end shall be saved”. Dr. J. Vernon McGee says “This verse has particular reference to God’s people, Israel, during the Great Tribulation, and it is an extremely brief period of time”. Again, we must remember that this is not addressed to “The Church” because Christians have been promised eternal security. Paul assures us of this by telling us that we have been sealed with and have the earnest of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:7-13).
Next, Jesus gives one of two major signs that assures us that the end is near. "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come (Matt 24:14).” We are beginning to see this sign fulfilled for the first time in history as the gospel is now being preached through the use of radio, television and the internet to reach some of the most resistant areas of the world. Many of these areas have been opened up because of the fall of communism in Europe.
Next, Jesus speaks of the Great Tribulation that is to come. "’Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place’ (whoever reads, let him understand), ‘then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened’” (Matt 24:15-22). Jesus is speaking of the final days of the tribulation when the Antichrist will turn against Israel, desecrate her temple, and bring the nations against her in war. These are key verses because Jesus is affirming the prophecy in the Old Testament book of Daniel, which applies to the future. Many have tried to tie these verses to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD but The Revelation tells us that this is an end time event.
“Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or 'Look, He is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be”. (Matt 24:23-27). Again, Jesus is warning the people to be cautious of those who come as false messiahs. When the Antichrist comes, he will deceive most of the world but when Jesus returns, in the clouds, the entire world shall see Him for He will come from the east and flash to the west.
"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matt 24:29-31).
This is not the rapture of the Church where Jesus meets them in the air (1 Thess. chapter 4 and 1 Cor. chapter 15) but this is the Second Coming of Christ to the earth when He brings His saints with Him. The prophet, Zechariah, spoke of this: " Thus the LORD my God will come, And all the saints with You" (Zech. 14:5b). Jude, the brother of Jesus say, " Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints" (Jude 1:14). The apostle Paul says the same thing, "So that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints" (1 Thess. 3:13).
We recall that the prophet, Ezekiel, said that the Messiah would gather the Jews from all the lands where they have been scattered. He will take them into the wilderness and enter into judgement with them face to face. Each one will be required to make a decision whether or not they will enter into a covenant relationship with Him. Those who refuse will be purged and eternally separated from God. (See Ez 21:33-39).
Next, Jesus gives us the second most important sign of his coming. “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near; at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place” ( Matt 24:32-34). The fig tree has long been a Biblical symbol for Israel. In fact, on Monday, before Jesus had this dialogue, He condemned a fig tree because it was not bearing fruit. A short time later the fig tree dried up – a picture of what was about to happen to Israel. Jesus is saying that when Israel is reborn and becomes a nation, you will know that the end is near. This prophecy was fulfilled when Israel became a nation in 1948. This is the first time, in all history, that a nation has been resurrected.
The Jews first began returning to Palestine before World War I during the days when the Turks controlled the land. During World War I, after the defeat of the Turks by the British, many more Jews returned and the Jewish and the Arabic conflict began. After World War II, these mounting conflicts resulted in the United Nations dividing the land between the Palestinians and Israel. There have been many miracles during the conflicts between the Jews and the Arabs – only by God’s hand has Israel become a strong nation.
Many believe the signs of the last days began with World War I. Never before has there been a war like that one and there has been no peace since that war began. We can clearly see that other signs have increased significantly during the twenty-first century. If we know the signs and the prophecies, how can we not know that we are living in the time leading up to Jesus return?
In chapter twenty-four of Matthew, Jesus completes the dialogue with a warning for the people to be prepared for no one knows the day or the hour when He will return. This warning could be applied to both the Jews and the Church, even though the Church is not in view here.
In chapter twenty-five of Matthew, Jesus gives parables and additional information relating to the end times. The first parable pictures a wedding where the invited guests are called virgins. Jesus is pictured here, at the second coming, as the Bridegroom coming with His bride, who is The Church. The ten virgins symbolize the tribulation Jews who were invited to join the wedding party. Five were prepared with oil in their lamps but five were unprepared. The oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit living in their lives, thus, those with oil were prepared to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Many have tried to say the virgins were members of the church but when this is done the scripture is taken completely out of context. The whole context of this parable is an event at the end of the Tribulation warning those living during this period to be prepared for you know not the hour when the Messiah will return.
The second parable is about a master, who, before going on a long journey, gave each of three servants a few talents to invest for him. The first two invested wisely and earned a good return on their money but the third servant buried his talent because he was afraid he might lose it. When the master returned, he praised the first two for a job well done but he was very angry with the third servant and cast him into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. This parable teaches obedience and faithfulness. Since Jesus is talking about faithfulness during the Great Tribulation period, we should not read salvation by works into this parable.
The last part of the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew tells about the judgment of the Gentile Nations after Christ returns and sits on His throne. He will separate the nations into two groups, which he calls the sheep nations and the goat nations. The sheep will go into the millennium kingdom but the goats will be destroyed. This judgment will be based upon how the nations treated the Jews during the Tribution.
Note: The fig tree is either a sign of Israel or it represents a time when God's pours out His blessings on Israel.
The following are selective scriptures:
"I found Israel Like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers As the firstfruits on the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal Peor, And separated themselves to that shame; They became an abomination like the thing they loved. (Hosea 9:10)
And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, each man under his vine and his fig tree, from Dan as far as Beersheba, all the days of Solomon. (1 Ki 4:25)
The fig tree puts forth her green figs, And the vines with the tender grapes Give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away! (Song of Solomon 2:13)
I will surely consume them," says the LORD. "No grapes shall be on the vine, Nor figs on the fig tree, And the leaf shall fade; And the things I have given them shall pass away from them."' (Jer 8:13)
For a nation has come up against My land, Strong, and without number; His teeth are the teeth of a lion, And he has the fangs of a fierce lion. He has laid waste My vine, And ruined My fig tree; He has stripped it bare and thrown it away; Its branches are made white. (Joel 1-6-7)
And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again." Immediately the fig tree withered away. -- (Matt 21:19) (See Jer 31:31-34 – New Covenant to Israel)
"Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. (Matt 24:32)
History Outline of Modern Israel
• Jan 1882 – Zionist Colonization In Palestine With Immigration From Russia
• Aug 1897 – First Zionist Congress Sponsored by Theodor Herzl – 50,000 Jews in Palestine
• Nov 1917 – British Capture Palestine from Turks
• Nov 2, 1917 – Balfour Declaration for Jewish Homeland in Palestine
• June 3, 1922 – Churchill’s White Paper reaffirms British Recognition of Zionism
• July 22, 1922 – League of Nations Approves British Mandate – 85000 Jews in Palestine
• 1929 – 1947 – Arab/Jewish Conflict. British Began to Favor Arabs
• 1939 – British Meets Arab’s Demands – Immigration of Jews and the Sale of Land to the Jews was severely Restricted
• Nov 29, 1948 – United Nations Adopts Partition Plan for Palestine
• May 15, 1948 – State of Israel is Born – Mandate Ends. Arabs Declares War on the Jews
• July 1949 – Arab/Jewish War Ends
• June 5, 1967 - Six Day War - Reunites Jerusalem under Israeli Control
• Sept 9, 1972 – Black September - Group Killed 11 Members of Israel's Olympic Team in Munich
• Oct 6,1973 – “Yom Kippur War” in Israel
Last edited by wayne on Fri Mar 20, 2009 11:25 am; edited 6 times in total
Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 8:46 pm Post subject: Judgment of the Jews
Judgment of the Jews
The Old Testament prophets made it very clear that God would restore the nation Israel to its former glory, and that it would receive an everlasting salvation. Paul confirms this for us in the eleventh chapter of Romans. “For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: 'The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins’” (Romans 11:25-27).
Although God has promised salvation to the nation, each Jew who enters God’s kingdom must individually receive Christ as Savior and Lord. The prophet, Ezekiel, tells us of the judgment to come. “'I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out. And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will plead My case with you face to face. Just as I pleaded My case with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will plead My case with you,' says the Lord GOD. 'I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant; I will purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the country where they dwell, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD'" (Ezek. 20:34-38).
Now let us return to Zechariah. “'And it shall come to pass in all the land,' Says the LORD, 'That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, but one-third shall be left in it: I will bring the one-third through the fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’" (Zech. 13:8-9).
“In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness” (Zech. 13:1). “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn” (Zech. 12:10). “And one will say to him, ‘What are these wounds between your arms?’[ Then he will answer, ‘Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends'" (Zech. 13:6).
Only those living Jews who accept Christ as their savior and king will survive. The others will be cast into hell. Those going into the new messianic kingdom will enter into the New Covenant promised in Jeremiah. “'Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them,[a] says the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. 'For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more’” (Jer 31:31-34).
Please note that this covenant is different from the one given to the Church. At this time, they will no longer evangelize their neighbors because they will all know the Lord. "In that day “HOLINESS TO THE LORD” shall be engraved on the bells of the horses. The pots in the LORD’s house shall be like the bowls before the altar. Yes, every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holiness to the LORD of hosts. Everyone who sacrifices shall come and take them and cook in them. In that day there shall no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts" (Zech. 14:20). God will not allow a single person who does not know Jesus as Savior into the Millennium Kingdom.
Last edited by wayne on Fri Mar 20, 2009 11:24 am; edited 3 times in total
Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 8:54 pm Post subject: The Judgment of the Gentile Nations
The Judgment of the Gentile Nations
In the book of Isaiah, we read these words: " He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. O house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the light of the LORD" (Isa. 2:4-5).
The prophet, Joel, saw a vision of the last days: "For behold, in those days and at that time, when I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, i will also gather all nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there On account of My people, My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; They have also divided up My land" (Joel 3:1-2). The valley of Jehoshaphat is the valley that separates the Mount of Olives from the "Temple Mount" on Mount Zion.
However, at that time the valley will be different and larger. "Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. And in that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south" (Zech. 14:3). Today the valley runs north and south, it appears that it will be changed to run east and west.
The prophet, Isaiah, gives us even more amazing insight as he sheds light on the future roles of Israel and the Gentile nations. "The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; For in My wrath I struck you, but in My favor I have had mercy on you. Therefore your gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day or night, that men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, And their kings in procession. For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish, and those nations shall be utterly ruined" (Isa. 60:10-12). It appears that the Gentile nations will pay homage to Israel during eternity. Whereas, in the past, the Gentiles have placed the Jews in bondage and persecuted them, now they will honor them. Those nations that will not honor the Jews will be judged and will perish.
It is important that we realize that Christ is judging nations and not individual Gentiles at this point. Each individual Gentile will be judged based upon their faith and confession of the Lord Jesus as Savior and Lord. They have refused to take the mark of the beast during the great tribulation. If they have not taken the mark of Christ, they will be cast into hell. But it seems clear that some national identities will survive, and these verses refer to the judgment of those nations. Individual Gentiles, who are saved, will go into the kingdom as members of one of these surviving nations.
As Jesus departed out of the temple of Jerusalem for the last time, just before His crucifixion, He turned to His disciples, and announced that the temple would be thrown down. In their astonishment, three questions were asked and recorded in Matthew 24:3. When shall these things be? What shall be the sign of thy coming? What will it be like at the end of the ages? Jesus' response is recorded in what is called the Olivet Discourse in Matthew chapters twenty-four and twenty-five. Beginning with verse thirty-one of chapter twenty-five, He speaks of the judgment of the nations.
"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.'" “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt. 25:31-34, 41).
It is reccomended that you study "The Church and the Rapture" next before going to the study of Revelation.
Last edited by wayne on Fri Mar 20, 2009 11:24 am; edited 1 time in total
John 3
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Last edited by God's Warrior on Thu Mar 05, 2009 12:31 pm; edited 1 time in total
Posted: Fri Mar 20, 2009 11:57 am Post subject: Scripture
“At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book" (Dan 12:1).
Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate” (Dan 9:27).
"And he said, 'go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days" (Dan. 12:9-11)"
“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened" (Matt 24:15-22).
"And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev. 13:5-8).
"Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean,followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS" (Rev. 19:11-16).
"And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming" (2 Thess. 2:8).
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Home
FAQ
Memberlist
Usergroups
Join! (free) 
Profile
Messages
Login/Out
