(Matt. 24-25)

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Jesus had just condemened the Scribes, Pharisees, and hypocrites of the Jews in (Matt. 23). Ah, yes, our loving Saviour, doesn't sound so loving at this point. Why? Because He knows who He is dealing with. These Jews maintained the tombs of the prophets that were killed by former Jews. (Matt.23:29) All the while saying to themselves, 'we would never have been part of killing these prophets'. (23:30) Yet they reject and will kill the greatest Prophet of God that ever walked the earth. (Deut. 18:15) Which is a witness against them that they are true sons of their fathers who killed God's prophets. (23:30-32) And they are deserving of the judgement to come upon them. (23:32-35)

And what a judgement! All the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from Abel to Zacharias, one of the last prophets, shall they be judged for. Why? Because God has been withholding judgement, as is common with Him, until Israel fills up her cup of rebellion. And so Jesus Christ encourages them to go ahead...fill up this cup of your fathers. (23:32) That way you will get a full measure, a full cup of justice. And it will fall upon this generation that rejects and kills Jesus Christ.

The temple, center of Jerusalem, center of Israel, center of God's presense on earth, was the house of God. But Jesus said in (Matt. 21:13) "...My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." And He then says, (Matt. 23:38) "Behold your house is left unto you desolate." It is no longer the house of God. It is the house of the Jews.

And Jesus leaves them with this promise. "...Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." (Matt. 23:39) Jesus will not return, the 2nd Coming, until the Jews recognize and receive Him as the One sent from God. Thus, if anyone believes Jesus is coming again, then they must also believe He will not come until Israel receives Him as their Messiah, whom they killed.

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This prophetic discource of Jesus Christ is known as the Olivet Discourse. Why? Because it takes place on the Mount of Olives. (Matt. 24:3) And how fitting it should take place there because when Jesus leaves this earth it will be from the mount of Olives. (Acts 1:10-12) And when He returns it will be to that same mount. (Zech. 14:3-4) Jesus had been talking to the Phraisees in (Matt. 23) but He now moves to the mount of Olives and begins talking only to His disciples. (24:1)

As Jesus moved to the mount of Olives His disciples wanted to show Him the buildings of the Temple, apparently to impress Him of their beauty. (Matt. 24:1) Which is strange as He just labeled it a 'den of thieves' and a 'house desolate'. (Matt. 21:13) (Matt. 23:38) Jesus response to them was "...I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down." Jesus was not impressed with the temple buildings. He knew their end.

This provoked the disciples in asking Jesus two questions. 1.) When shall these things be? 2.) What shall be the sign of they coming, and of the end of the world? (Matt. 24:3)

These questions involve the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world, or age, and the 2nd Coming of Christ. They are not about one event occuring at the same time. To answer these (Luke 21:5-28) must be addressed also. As well as (Mark 13:28-31)

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The first question involves the destruction of the Temple that Christ foretold in (Matt. 24:2) "When shall these things be" (24:3) That question is not answered in (Matt. 24). It is however answered in (Luke 21:20-24)

Both (Matthew) and (Luke) begin in describing the 7 year Tribulation period which pertains to the second question concerning the end of the age. Compare these and it's easy to see they speak of the same. (Matt.24:4-8) (Luke 21:8-11).

How do we know that these verses speak to the 7 year Tribulation? Because Jesus refers us to (Dan. 9:27) when He says in (Matt. 24:15), "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand". And that takes place in the middle of the week. (Dan. 9:27) "in the midst of the week" Thus the verses in (Matt. 24:4-14) address the things of the first 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation. Which (Matt. 24:8) describes as, "the beginning of sorrows".

Whereas (Matthew) continues to address the end of the age after (Matt. 24:4-8), Luke interjects something else after (Luke 21:8-11). He does so by saying, "But before all these". (Luke 21:12) Thus (Luke 21:12-24) covers the period of the 'Times of the Gentiles' following Christ's rejection up to the end of the age. "...Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." (Luke 21:24)

(Luke 21:12-19) speaks to the time up to 70 A.D. when Jerusalem is destroyed. (Luke 21:20-23) speaks to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

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The sign of the coming destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. is when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies. (Luke 21:20) It is then that Jesus gave the warning to flee. (Luke 21:21)

Here is a quote from a very old book I have. (Many Infallible Proofs, Arthur T. Pierson, Fleming H. Revell Co., 1886, p. 67)

"And yet this was Christ's token to his faithful followers that desolation was nigh, imminent. They should have chance to flee, if done with haste; there would be opportunity, but it would be short."

"Hear again the Jewish annalist: 'Cestius Gallus, after beginning siege, mysteriously withdrew, and without any reason in the world, and many embraced this opportunity to depart; a great multitude fled to the mountains.' At this crisis, as we learn from church historians of the first century, all the followers of Christ took refuge in the mountains of Pella, beyond the Jordan, and there is no record of one single Christian perishing in the siege! As soon as sthe armies returned the city was surrounded by a wall, and all hope of flight was now cut off."

Isn't that something? Believing and understanding some prophecy served these believers very well.

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We have seen that (Matt. 24) says nothing about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. (Matt. 24) is all about the end of the age and the 2nd coming of Christ. The destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. is found in (Luke 21:20-24).

The destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem that (Matthew) speaks of, occurs during the Tribulation period. (Matt. 24:15-21) Note the difference in the signs. In (Luke 21:20) the sign was Jerusalem surrounded by armies, resulting in the destruction of 70 A.D. In (Matt. 24:15) the sign is the abomination of desolation being set up in the Temple. Though the same language is used to described the destruction of both, two different destructions are in view.

And, what is the end result of the 70 A.D. destruction? (Luke 21:24) The Jews are slaughtered and carried into captivity, and scattered among the nations. Till the Times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

And what is the end result of the end of the age destruction? (Matt. 24:22) The days are shortened to protect the elect. Jesus Christ returns and gathers His elect from one end of heaven to another.

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Note these important key events that help a time line.

(Dan. 9:27) "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and ob lation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations...."

This 'one week' is the 7 year tribulation. So, 3 1/2 years into the week, the abomination is set up.

Jesus said in (Matt. 24:15-16) "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of b y Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains."

This is addressing the middle of the Tribulation.

(Matt. 24:4-14) is addressing the first 3 1/2 years of the 7 year Tribulation. It is identified as the "beginning of sorrows". (Matt. 24:8)

(Luke 21:12-19) addresses the time between Christ's crucifixion and 70 A.D. Note again, "But before these" , (Luke 21:12)

(Luke 21:20-24) addresses the 70 A.D. destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem.

(Matt. 24:21-28) addresses the last 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation. "there shall be great tribulation" (Matt. 24:21)

(Matt. 24:29) addresses the 2nd Coming of Christ "Immediately after the tribulation".

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(Matt. 24:29) is clear. Jesus Christ returns 'after' the Tribulation. So, however one wants to interpret the Tribulation, it will be after the Tribulation that Jesus Christ returns to earth. Which means according to (Dan. 9:27) the Temple must first be built and after the 3 1/2 years into the Tribulation, the anti-christ desecrates the Temple with the abomination of desolation. So says Christ. (Matt. 24:15)

(Matt. 24:30) speaks to Christ's return. This is not the Rapture. Neither the Church or the Rapture are found in (Matt. 24). We are told the sign of the Son of Man shall appear in heaven. What is that sign? Because He comes in great glory and power, (24:30), that glory must surely be visible. Which means that is the sign of His coming.

Because the Tribulation is over, the earth is in a wreck of a state. All the judgements you read of in the Book of (Revelation), concerning the Tribulation, have taken place. So many people have died. But there are many of God's elect located all over the earth. And at this time He sends his angels to gather all His elect. (Matt. 24:31)

The 'four winds' in (Matt. 24:31) most likely speak to the four corners of the earth. But then we are told also, 'from one end of heaven to the other'. It is quite possibly a reference to the resurrection of many of the Old Testament Jews which will occur at this time. (Dan. 12:1-3) Meaning they too will enter the Millennium.

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The parable of the 'Fig Tree'. (Matt. 24:32-36)

The putting forth of the leaves of the fig tree indicate summer is near. In like manner, all the things that Christ has been prophecying of in the Olivet Discourse, indicate the coming of the end of the age. (Matt. 24:32-33) Christ says, 'when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors."

He goes on to say in (Matt. 24:34) "This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." What generation? The one that sees all these things having to do with the Tribulation period.

Again, this is not speaking of 70 A.D. and the destruction of the Temple. It is speaking to the destruction of Jerusalem during the Tribulation. (Matt. 24:15) It is speaking to the events surrounding the end of the age.

(Matt. 24:36) "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." See? We are not given to know the exact day. But, we are given to know the generation.

Which is why Christ said, "Now learn a parable". (Matt. 24:32) More encouragement to study the doctrines of the end times.

But, again, we are discussing the 2nd Coming of Christ to the earth which comes at the end of the Tribulation. Which means unless you are part of that generation, then you don't need to watch. If you say you do need to watch for His 2nd coming today, then when did the Tribulation begin and when does it end? And what is the abomination of desolation. (24:15) And where is the Temple?

Christ coming to set up the Kingdom is Christ coming to earth. Christ coming to take His Bride, the Church, is the Rapture of the Church. (Matt. 24) speaks only to Christ coming to set up the Kingdom of God upon the earth.

As to the Rapture, Christ can come at any time to take us away. As to Christ coming to set up the Kingdom, somethings must occur first as was pointed out.

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When Christ comes to set up the Kingdom upon the earth, it will be a time of judgement. He likens it to the time of the flood in Noah's day. (Matt. 24:37) "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

And though we know the sins of those people who died in the Flood were great, it is interesting that Christ didn't point them out. What He pointed out was, that in appearance, things in Noah's day were going along just as they always do. The sun comes up, people go to work, doing all their civic and social duties. (Matt. 24:38-39) The consistent repetition of daily life leads man into a stupor of unbelief, as though this is the way it will always be. Until it's not. "And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

(Matt. 24:40-41) says there will be two in the field, and one taken and the other left. Two grinding in a mill and one taken, the other left. Here, the one taken is the one judged and slain as those in Noah's day. The one left is the believer as those in Noah's day. This is not a picture of the Rapture of the Church. In the Rapture of the Church, the believers are taken and the unbelievers left. (1 Thess. 4:17)

Christ has warned that the generation that shall see these end time events take place will not know the day or hour of His return. (Matt. 24:36) And that is especially true since He also said, "except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved." (24:22) The believer must remain in a state of 'watchfulness' for his Lord's return. (24:42)

Though these verses are speaking to those waiting for the 2nd Coming of Christ to earth, we who are the Church should heed the warning while we wait for Christ to call us out of this world. As that could occur at any moment.

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(Matt. 24:43-51) speaks to faithful or unfaithful service during the Lord's absense.

In context it is to those who see these end time events taking place. (Matt. 24:33) They are to know the 2nd Coming of Christ is near, but do not know the day or hour. Thus they are told to watch and be ready. (Matt. 24:44)

It is interesting to me that Christ said "But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up." (Matt. 24:43) In other words, it appears the 'goodman' is not watching. Thus why call him a 'goodman'?

Also interesting is that Christ asked a question in (Matt. 24:45) that He does not immediately answer. "Who then is a faithful and wise servant"? He describes his reward but does not answer the 'who'. (24:45-47)

Instead Christ describes the unfaithful servant. (Matt. 24:48-51) The unfaithful servant believes his lord has delayed his coming. (24:48) He abuses his own servants and drinks with those likeminded drunks. (24:49) Thus his lord's return will catch him unaware. (24:50) He will separate him from the faithful and asign him a place with the hypocrites. (24:51)

I know this verse and others like it are used to describe one who is not saved, or one who loses his salvation. But, I am not so sure. The context is 'service'. The person addressed is a 'servant'. But he is an unfaithful servant. Thus he is separated and not given authority to rule. Much like the guest cast in 'outer darkness' in (Matt. 22:13). And, like the 'unprofitable servant' in (Matt. 25:30).

This is the 'Kingdom' we are addressing, not heaven or hell. When I say 'Kingdom', it is the 1000 year Millennial reign of Christ on earth. I believe this unfaithful servant is set in a place in the Kingdom far removed from the immediate affects of the glory and the glorious rule of Christ which is found especially in Jerusalem and Israel.

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