was revealed to the Apostles. This was done to counter a key criticism leveled
against the Apostles by elites who argue that they misinterpreted the Kingdom Jesus
was speaking of for being a physical one on earth. These critics claim that in
actuality Jesus was speaking of a spiritual Kingdom all along.
Inevitably their argument becomes that just as the Apostles misunderstood, we the
people today who are adhering to their viewpoint (the writings in the New
Testament) in a literal sense, are misunderstanding as well. Therefore their approach
to correct this error is that one should disregard the Apostles misinterpretation by
putting the teachings of Jesus and the Bible as a whole, into a more spiritual and
metaphorical context instead of a literal one as they believe was intended from the
beginning.
This by the way is the only way you can make this ridiculous argument work
because the Bible is much to clear and descriptive in the literal sense to be
interpreted otherwise.
In other words, their argument is that someone had to get it wrong from the very
beginning (meaning the Apostles) to explain away the literal descriptions put forth
by them. The case these critics are making is that we in certain terms have to
bypass the misunderstanding of the Apostles to get back to the true meaning of
Jesus teaching on this matter.
I countered by making the case that as there was some truth to the Apostles
misunderstanding in the context of how the Kingdom was revealed to them, clearly
once Jesus finished His earthly ministry, the Apostles fully understood the Kingdom
as Jesus intended. Meaning they were correct in their notion that this would literally
be a physical Kingdom that would be set up in Israel, with Jesus sitting and ruling
over the earth from the Throne of David in Jerusalem. With the Apostles being
completely aware of the prominent role they would play in establishing it.
Their misunderstanding was only accurate in the context of how this truth unfolded
to them during Jesus ministry. This was also true regarding (again at this particular
time) specifically what generation the Kingdom would be established.
Furthermore the focus should not have been on the Apostles uncertainty at that time
anyway. The focus should have been on the indisputable certainty Jesus displayed
regarding His mission and the issues in question, as this was clearly about His
ministry at that time and not the Apostles.
Now, we closed with the question the Apostles asked Jesus right before He
ascended to Heaven after His resurrection. They asked "Lord, will You at this time
restore the kingdom to Israel?" Acts 1:6
Jesus response to them was "It is not for you to know times or seasons which
the Father has put in His own authority.”
With the key emphasis I would add on “for you” speaking of the Apostles.
As stated before, what purpose would it have served for Jesus to have told them at
this point? They were at the very start of what they were commissioned to do which
was to build the church. It would have only been discouraging to know the Kingdom
they were building was not going to be for at least (considering our current
standpoint in history) another couple thousand years.
Remember also it is important to put these statements in the proper context for the
time it was occurring. I think it’s a fair assumption that the Apostles figured out later
in their lives that the Kingdom Jesus spoke of was still far in the future. I’m sure this
became apparent to them through events such as the destruction of the Temple and
revelations from the Spirit which they recorded in Scripture concerning the last days.
At this time however, knowing exactly when the Kingdom would be established was
absolutely irrelevant to their mission and quite probably would have hampered it.
But there would be meaning in telling the generation it would befall. Now with that
being said, there are too many specifics regarding that generation in scripture to not
make the argument that this is exactly what Jesus did.
Concerning a list of events and calamities that would occur in conjunction with one
another at a specific point in time, Jesus tells us in Matthew 24 that "So you also,
when you see all these things, know that it is near-at the doors!” (Speaking
of the Kingdom)
Look at this statement. Jesus is not telling us we might know, or ought to know. He
is commanding us to know when it is near-at the doors!”
Think about this for a minute. When something is at your door this means it has
arrived. All that is left to be done is to open the door and reveal what is on the other
side. It had a starting point and an ending point. Now the destination (the door or
ending point) has been reached.
Now ask yourself what other intention could there have been for Jesus to have
made this statement other than to warn the generation this would befall? This
clearly only serves the purpose of telling the generation that the Kingdom of God
would be established in, as the Apostles so desperately wanted to know.
Now before you call me a heretic, let me just say that this is by no means a day or
hour prediction.
But clearly this is telling us when it will have arrived. Jesus has clearly stated that the
day or hour when the opening of the door occurs is only known by the Father.
Remember He told them in Acts "It is not for you to know” speaking specifically
to the Apostles.
But looking again at Matthew we see "So you also, when you see all these
things, know that it is near-at the doors!”
So this “you” in the above statement in Matthew has to stand for someone right?
And we have already determined that this “you” was not the Apostles right?
So who does this “you” apply to?
The answer is in the passage above. It applies to the ones who would what? “see
all these things.”
So the question we should ask is what are “all these things?”
“These things” come from a direct discourse Jesus gives in the Synoptic Gospels
(Matthew, Mark, and Luke) regarding a specific question asked of Him by the
Apostles concerning the end of the world.
But before we get into that I think we need to make sure that the dialogue that is
about to take place is put into the proper context. Its imperative to understand that
it is beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus understood that there would be a first
coming and then a long period of time in between (Church Age) His second coming.
The apostles did not yet understand this time gap.
There is further proof of this in Matthew chapter 23. This is the chapter right before
Jesus discloses “these things” that would lead up to the end of the world as we
know it in Matthew 24. This chapter shows Jesus in the Temple absolutely scorching
the Pharisees as hypocrites and proclaiming judgment on the House of Israel.
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those
who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together,
as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
"See! Your house is left to you desolate; "for I say to you, you shall see Me
no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'
"Matthew 23:37-39
The house being left desolate means that Israel and more specifically the Temple
would be left desolate which was carried out by Titus of Rome in 70 A.D some forty
years later. They Jews were dispersed out of the land and Israel’s name was
changed to Palestine by the Romans. This was meant as an insult to Israel as it was
named after the Jews bitter enemies the Philistines.
And look, “you shall see Me no more till” meaning He would first have to leave
and then return, but only when they have recognized Him as their Messiah, which He
knew would not be for a very long time.
So getting back to Matthew 24 when the Apostles ask Him when will the end of the
world be, and Jesus answers "when you see all these things, know that it is
near-at the doors!” This “you” is obviously not referring to them (the Apostles).
Make sense?
So with that being said, getting into the discussion or (Olivet Discourse as it is
called) that Jesus gives concerning His second coming in the Gospels goes like this.
Jesus and the Apostles have just left the Temple and are on the Mount of Olives.
From here they are getting an outstanding view of the Temple grounds. The
Apostles then begin to vocally marvel over the beauty and manner of its
construction to Jesus.
From here the text records something that must have been no doubt nothing less
than shocking to the Apostles. And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these
things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon
another, that shall not be thrown down." Matthew 24:2
Remember He had just pronounced judgment to the Pharisees proclaiming “your
house is left to you desolate.”
Now just for a second imagine you knew someone that you were absolutely certain
could read the future. Then imagine them telling you sometime before September
2001, that the World Trade Centers would be knocked to the ground and reduced to
a pile of dust!
Now multiply your reaction by about a thousand!
Not to make light of the subject, but this wasn’t just a great building, or a great
symbol, or great financial institution. The Temple resonated at the very core of their
being. It was everything that they believed in. Their whole way of life revolved
around it. This was literally God’s house on earth.
But here Jesus tells them that not only is it going to be destroyed, but that every
single stone will be thrown down.
Now it is certain that He has got their attention. And naturally they ask, “Tell us,
when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and
of the end of the world?”
Now remember as we discussed, the Apostles “thought the Kingdom would
appear immediately.” And the Temples destruction even though shocking still
makes some sense to them because Jesus had told the Pharisees "Destroy this
temple, and in three days I will raise it up." John 2:19 Now even though He
was speaking of His body, The Apostles at the time this was spoken did not
understand its true meaning. Nobody did. Remember that they mocked Jesus on the
cross saying, "You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save
Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross." Matthew
27:40
So I’m sure the Apostles were thinking, Ok I remember Him saying something about
destroying the Temple and rebuilding it in three days. I think it is possible to assume
that they considered He would immediately rebuild the Temple supernaturally for the
Kingdom after its destruction.
But as we have already established in part 1, Jesus with absolute certainty
understood there would be a first and second coming with a long lull of time in
between the two. This is without question.
So please place the dialogue that’s about to take place in the above context.
Now look at the questions again.
1. “When shall these things be?”
2. “What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”
So judging by the questions we can expect an answer of:
1. When will the Temple be destroyed?
2. And contrary to what the Apostles think they are asking, because they
believed the Kingdom was imminent meaning Jesus was going to do all these things
now, when will be His Second Coming?
Make sense?
So what does Jesus tell them?
The first thing He says is "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will
come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.”
So Jesus says many will come saying they are Christ. A definition of Christ is - to
believe that he is the Anointed, the Messiah of the prophets, the Saviour sent of
God, in a word, claiming to be the official title of the Lord.
I believe that a big mistake has been made here regarding this passage in
interpreting it to only mean that people would claim to be Jesus specifically. Is the
claim not made that Allah is God, and that Muhammad is the way to him. What
about Buddhism, Hinduism, Scientology, Humanism or any other person or religion
for that matter? They are all claiming the path to salvation.
Look at what Paul says “For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom
we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have
not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted-you may
well put up with it!” 2 Corinthians 11:4
Not only does Jesus say they are deceivers, but that they “will deceive many.”
Meaning they will be successful in their effort at doing so. This evidence is clearly
seen all around us in the many different people and religions and their pursuit for
dominance in the overbearing crusade against Christianity.
Next Jesus says, "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars.”
People argue that there have always been wars and rumors of wars and that there is
nothing new in this. And you know what, they are absolutely right. The problem is
they fail to interpret the rest of what Jesus said. “See that you are not troubled;
for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” In other
words Jesus is saying this is not really a sign of the end. Surely Jesus’ intention in
this statement was not to draw our focus to wars, but to calm the fears of believers
when they occurred. He not only anticipated the wars to come, but more importantly
people’s reaction to them. This has proven to be correct through history, as each
major war has brought with it the fear and incorrect assumption that this would
usher in the end of the world. Jesus was simply assuring us that on these grounds
alone, it would not.
Next He says, "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in
various places.” Again the ones who scoff at this as having no significance fail to
read the rest. "All these are the beginning of sorrows.” Jesus says when you
see all the nations and kingdoms of the world rising up against one another in
conjunction with famines, pestilences, and earthquakes then what? “All these are the
beginning” not the end.
Jesus continues: "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you,
and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.” Who else in the
history of the world does this ring more true than for the Jew and Christian? Is there
any need to mention Rome or Hitler and Nazi Germany? Or the absolute demonic
rage of the Muslims we are witnessing today? Now more than ever the focus is
clearly zeroing in on two very distinct people and places. America and Israel, the
Christian and the Jew. America and Israel just so happen to be the perceived focal
points of what is considered the people of the book (The Bible). In both cases, we
are not only being threatened from outside, but also from within by those that are
supposed to be our own citizens. The days have clearly arrived of national loyalty
being overridden by ideology. There is no other explanation of why one would be so
sympathetic to some of the more vial human rights violating governments of the
world while being in such strong opposition to their own. All in spite of the fact that
this level of freedom afforded them has not been unsurpassed in the entire history
of the world.
Look at what Paul tells us in Ephesians “For we do not wrestle against flesh
and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of
the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the
heavenly places.”
Look at what the Prophet Zechariah records:
"Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the
surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem.
And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy
stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in
pieces,” though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.”
Is there a better word to describe the actions of our peoples and governments today
than “drunkenness”?
I don’t know about you, but to me it is about the only feasible term to describe the
hysteria happening around us.
For instance, you can legitimately make the argument that the U.N.’s sole purpose is
to stand as a united front against the US and Israel. In light of this fact you could
also argue that it is an act of drunkenness for the U.S. to not only house this
institution on our own soil but to pay for it with our own tax dollars.
Think about it, we paid for a dictator like Hugo Chavez to come to our country and
then provided him with the global platform to mock our government and call our
president the devil! All to the roaring applause of the world body!
Was it not prophetic to call it the United Nations? (though all nations of the
earth are gathered against it.)
Consider that Israel has been attacked 6 times in official wars (1948, 1956, 1967,
1973, 1982, and 2006) since declaring itself a nation in 1948. In addition, between
these wars they have endured a consistent onslaught of terrorism on their civilians
(women and children not excluded). 6 times in only 59 years! All the while the U.N
has condemned Israel more times than the entire Arab world combined and sits in
agreement of the notion that there is only more war to come until Israel relinquishes
more land.
The U.S. on the other hand suffered the worse attack in its history (not on our
military either, but on innocent civilians) by the very same sect of Islam and yet the
left is turning it into a political circus, even declaring the war a lost cause. A war I
might add that was acted upon by the (count them) 17 Security Council Resolutions
passed by the U.N. against Iraq for continued violations after the first Gulf War. A
war that was declared on a madman by anyone’s standards that is responsible for
the murder of hundreds of thousands conservatively, as well as some of the worst
environmental abuses ever committed. All the while the Republicans opposite the
political isle can’t find a backbone to stand behind the convictions of their
constituents who gave them an overwhelming majority in the government.
Our service men have not lost a single combat engagement with our enemy and we
are considered the greatest military power the world has ever seen. Yet the
Democrats still declare we have lost to a bunch of barbaric thugs with archaic
weaponry while our troops are still actively engaged. Not only this, but these elected
so called leaders are repeatedly telling the rest of the world we are ran by a reckless,
lying, manipulating gang called the Bush administration. Meanwhile true gangs like
Putins, Chavez, and Ahmenejad’s, are rising up before our eyes with virtually no
criticism. This no doubt weakens our standing morally, economically and in every
other way imaginable. “Drunkenness!”
Next Jesus proclaims, "And then many will be offended, will betray one
another, and will hate one another.”
“Offended” Look at the cover of Time magazine this month. With a picture of Don
Imus the title reads “Who can say what?” Does this not define our generation? It is
next to impossible this day and age to say anything without offending someone. Yet
at the same time our culture has never been more sexually, verbally, and visually
explicit in the entertainment we choose. Who are we kidding?
Now there is one very important exception to this rule. That rule being you can be
offended unless the subject being spoken of is Israel, Christianity, or western
traditional values in general. Those are fair game. Virtually anything else though and
you can expect riots in the streets. It is without question that there has never been a
time such as this.
“Will betray one another?”
Look at what Paul has to say “This know also, that in the last days perilous
times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous,
boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent,
fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded,
lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness,
but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5
Has there ever been another time in history that so perfectly describes the state of
people’s attitudes? From our sports, to our youth, to our entertainers, and our
media, to our politicians?
Jesus continues by saying "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive
many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”
Here Jesus is not repeating himself about the kind of deceivers that will arise. There
is a distinction between the false prophets mentioned here, and false religions He
mentioned above. What He is saying here is that these form of deceivers or false
prophets claim to be in His camp.
Has there not been an explosion of I can make your finances prosper, or I can heal
your body if you just make your check out to….kind of preachers? And you will find
100% of them doing this in the name of (you guessed it) Jesus.
The Lord said in the Gospel of Mark, "Now these are the ones sown among
thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, "and the cares of this world,
the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in
choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
Paul says in Timothy “They think that serving God is a way to get rich.”
Or consider the ones who claim to follow Jesus and then don’t even come close to
the message put forth in the Scriptures by our Lord and the Apostles when speaking
concerning these things.
I have heard many times to my astonishment preachers say that Jesus is not the
only way to heaven.
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man
cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name
under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
All sarcasm aside here, are the passages written above to difficult to understand?
Are they worded in some profound way where the meaning gets lost? Am I missing
something?
I have also heard preachers say that they greatly admired Islam and Muhamad, and
that homosexuality was an acceptable lifestyle.
There are even openly gay ministers within the Christian Church today!
I mean come on! This is basic Christianity 101! I don’t say this to pass judgment as
I am most definitely as a much a sinner as anyone. But these views clearly
contradict what is spoken of in the very Scripture these people claim to follow.
I can assure you that God does not admire Islam nor does He think homosexuality
is acceptable.
Jesus next says, “but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be
saved” Meaning those who will not be deceived by all this drunken madness
between the false teachers, and the false religions, and cares and riches of this life,
“shall be saved.” To do so we will need to endure sound doctrine (meaning
adhere to a literal interpretation of The Bible).
Now if you think about it, this discourse Jesus gave us of things to come and how
to avoid these deceptions by “enduring unto the end” should probably end here
right?
For example if you’re giving someone directions to your house and you’ve told them
you will see such and such street, and this particular land mark, and then you’ll pass
a McDonalds etc. etc. and then my house will be the 2nd one on the left . That’s the
end right?
You’ve told them how to get there. You then wouldn’t go back and tell them to take
a left on such and such street and continue to give them directions. You have
already told them the end destination.
But this is what Jesus does and I don’t believe He did this by accident. It seems to
fit to perfectly as a divider or a pause to bring an emphasis to the next statements
made as being separate or different from all the rest.
He says (1)“and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the
world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”
(2) “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation,
spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth,
let him understand.)
The “gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world?”
Here is where opponents as far as I’m concerned are fatally stumped. Think about it,
the Gospel originated in Israel. When Jesus spoke these words, it had not even been
written down yet. They had no print press, no television, no satellite, and no
internet. America had not even been discovered. People had to walk or travel by a
boat with a sail if they wanted to get anywhere. In other words this was not even
remotely possible at that time. Yet Jesus said that the “gospel of the kingdom
shall be preached in all the world.”
This would clearly take a substantial amount of time and could be argued that even
to this day 2,000 years later it has not been done. But you could also make the
argument that through missionaries, technological capabilities like the television and
the internet, and superior means of travel that it has. If this can be legitimately
argued (which it can) then you know we are close. This was not a reality 40 or
maybe even 20 years ago.
You no doubt have heard scoffers saying people have been talking the end of the
world forever and nothing has ever happened. They say the world has carried on like
always. Now this is all true, but the problem is that these people use this argument
as an excuse to deny Christ.
“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking
after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for
since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the
beginning of the creation.” 2 Peter 3:3-4
Now if you think about it, this argument is completely illogical. Those who deny
Christ on these terms, do so on the grounds of ill fated claims made by what I’m
sure were well intentioned individuals. They blame God and His Word instead of
correctly blaming the individuals who made these incorrect assertions. All along it
was these well intentioned people who did not understand a simple passage like the
one above. That the “gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the
world and then the end shall come.” If they had taken this literally as was
spoken by Jesus, those claiming the end of the world a 100, 200, or even a
thousand years ago would have realized their error and not done so as this was not
possible then.
And this is just one of many. Practically the entire Bible speaks of the Jews being
brought back to their literal homeland of Israel in the last days. Many past Bible
scholars missed this and for good cause. The main reason for this being because it
was practically unfathomable to think that a people and a nation destroyed some
2,000 years ago could be restored to their original status.
“Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the
earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once?
for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.” Isaiah 66:8
Next Jesus says “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of
desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place,
(whoso readeth, let him understand.)
It is without question that now the focus shifts back solely to Israel and I will show
you why.
Where is the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing?
The “Holy Place” which is where the Ark of The Covenant resided in the Temple.
And then look, Jesus says “then let them which be in Judaea flee into the
mountains.”
Where are they?
Judaea.
People argue that all this was carried out in 70 A.D with the destruction of the
Temple and the slaughter and ultimate dispersal of the Jews from the Holy Land.
They argue that they were tested, tried, found guilty, and ultimately removed from
being the chosen of God. They claim God transferred His blessing from the Jews to
the Church making anything related to the Jews insignificant. This discourse they
argue was Jesus’ warning to those living in Judaea at that time and them alone.
The problem with this is Jesus says when you see this desolation spoken of by
Daniel right?
So if we look back at what Daniel spoke concerning this we see the following. “And
from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the
abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two
hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the
thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. But go thou thy way till
the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.”
For one, all accounts show Titus and the Romans sacking the city from the outside
before finally burning it to the ground. There is no account of anyone entering the
Holy Place and setting up anything that caused desolation to it.
Second, it says once this desolation is “set up” there will be “a thousand two
hundred and ninety days.”
Well since the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. there has been a thousand two
hundred and ninety days many times over.
Paul describes the event this way, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for
that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that
man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth
himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as
God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2
Timothy 2:3-4
How could there have been a falling away as Paul spoke of during his time when
they were just in the beginning stages of building the Kingdom.
Or can this apply to the Roman siege of the Temple? I would argue that it can not.
The other argument critics make is that the “abomination that maketh
desolate” that was spoken of by Daniel was actually a Greek by the name of
Antiochus Epiphanes.
Now this man actually did desecrate the Holy Place by slaughtering a pig on the altar
and then setting it on fire. He then tried to force some Jews to eat the meat and
when they refused he cut their tongues out and burnt them on the altar as well. This
started a war with the Jews led by the Maccabean leaders in which they were
successful in their revolt. This victory is now commemorated by the holiday of
Hanukkah. There is no doubt that Antiochus was a foreshadow of this person
spoken of by Daniel.
But the problem with this is that Antiochus lived a couple of hundred years before
Jesus or Paul were even born. So why would they be telling us to be on the lookout
for someone spoken of by Daniel, who had long since been dead? This makes no
sense.
If this isn’t enough to convince you that this is an event still slated for the future,
Jesus continues by saying “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was
not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And
except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved:
but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.”
I recently got into a discussion regarding this topic with a fellow Christian, which is
really what prompted me to write this article. He holds the view that The Bible
should be taken in a more metaphorical sense and he told me that the Romans
already fulfilled everything spoken of specifically by Jesus in the Olivet Discourse. His
view was that the horror brought upon the Jews at the hands of the Romans in 70 A.
D. was the worst the world would ever see as Jesus said in the above passage. Now
I agree that the horror that must have ensued when the Romans destroyed the
Temple would account for “great tribulation.” But I differ on the fact that this is
the worst the world will ever see.
Jesus describes its severity as being “such as was not since the beginning of
the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”
And look He says “And except those days should be shortened, there should
no flesh be saved.”
I don’t recall those days being shortened and I am certainly witness to living people
all around me, as In 70 A.D. they did not have the ability to destroy all flesh.
The book of Revelation tells us, “The winepress was outside the City. As the
vintage was trodden, blood poured from the winepress as high as a
horse's bridle, a river of blood for two hundred miles.” Chapter 14:20
This description fits nothing that has happened so far.
Now concerning the second coming of Christ, I never understood those who
followed the likes of people like David Koresh. He proclaimed that He was the
second coming of Christ. But Jesus continues in this chapter by saying,
“Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not
forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the
lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall
also the coming of the Son of man be.”
Again another literal passage that if taken as such you can not go wrong.
Jesus continues with the passage we started with. “Now learn a parable of the
fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know
that summer is nigh: So likewise you, when you shall see all these things,
know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This
generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.”
Here Jesus uses an analogy of a fig tree that is just starting to bud. But when you
see a tree begin to bud you know that it is spring not summer. But Jesus said “ye
know that summer is nigh.” To me this indicates that once this happens, we are
in the last season of time which I will elaborate on more in minute. Now this can be
taken simply as it says which is metaphorical. Or we can do as Jesus says and
“learn a parable.” I tend to think that by Jesus saying something like this, He is
indicating that there is more to it’s meaning than what is apparent on the surface.
Now in the last article Jesus gave a parable regarding exactly how the Kingdom
would work to correct an incorrect notion the Apostles had that the Kingdom was
imminent. The Gospel of Luke said “Now as they heard these things (speaking
of the Apostles), He spoke another parable, because He was near
Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear
immediately.”
So the parable Jesus gives is about a nobleman going into a far country to receive a
Kingdom for Himself. He gives them an initial deposit to do business with for Him
until His return when He will collect it. But it says the citizens hated Him and sent a
delegation to kill Him. But upon His return He collects what has been gained from
His initial deposit and either rewards or punishes according to what was gained or
lost.
Now you can either take this for a nice little parable as it appears at face value such
as I did for many years. Or you can finally understand it for the much more
significant and profound meaning it encompasses.
When you dig a little deeper than what meets the eye, you find that it gives us not
only an understanding of the mindset of the Apostles, but a profound understanding
that Jesus had regarding His mission.
The Apostles thought the Kingdom would appear immediately, but Jesus tells them
in this parable that they are wrong. He explains through the parable of the nobleman
that He is here to save and make the initial deposit. Their job is to prosper
exceedingly with this investment made by multiplying it with a number of souls to
add to His Kingdom. By doing this, the foundation of his Kingdom will spread over
the earth and He will then return and claim this Kingdom for Himself at the time
appointed. The ones who do not belong will be discarded where there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.
This was huge, but could easily be missed if not looked into a little deeper.
I believe the same applies to the parable of the fig tree.
For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of
water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; A land
of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land
of oil olive, and honey. Deuteronomy 8:7-8
Speaking of bringing the Jews into the promised land of Israel, fig trees are shown
here as a sign of prosperity or richness of the land. Israel was known for their
abundance of these trees.
But look at the judgment that was cast, The land also shall be left of them, and
shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they
shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because
they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my
statutes. And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I
will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them
utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God.
Leviticus 26:43-44
Or look at what Isaiah records, “Your country is desolate, your cities are
burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is
desolate, as overthrown by strangers. And the daughter of Zion is left as a
cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged
city. Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we
should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto
Gomorrah.” Isaiah 1:7-9
Mark Twain who visited Israel in 1867 described it like this in his book Innocents
Abroad:
We traversed some miles of desolate country whose soil is rich enough but is given
wholly to weeds - a silent, mournful expanse... A desolation is here that not even
imagination can grace with the pomp of life and action. We reached Tabor safely...
We never saw a human being on the whole route. We pressed on toward the goal of
our crusade, renowned Jerusalem. The further we went the hotter the sun got and
the more rocky and bare, repulsive and dreary the landscape became... There was
hardly a tree or a shrub anywhere. Even the olive and the cactus, those fast friends
of a worthless soil, had almost deserted the country. No landscape exists that is
more tiresome to the eye than that which bounds the approaches to Jerusalem...
Jerusalem is mournful, dreary and lifeless. I would not desire to live here. It is a
hopeless, dreary, heartbroken land... Palestine sits in sackcloth and ashes."
And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of
all that passed by. Ezekiel 36:34
Remember the Lord Jesus Himself pronounced the desolation of their land for
rejecting His arrival. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets
and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your
children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you
were not willing! "See! Your house is left to you desolate; "for I say to you,
you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the
name of the Lord!' "Matthew 23:37-39
So you see there can be much more read into the parable of the fig tree. I believe
the message is that when you see the land of Israel blossom again after a long time
of severe desolation, you will know that you are witness to “all these things”.
He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom
and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit. Isaiah 27:6
Israel was reborn in 1948 in what could be considered a blossom indeed. But more
than this, you can look at a satellite image of Israel and see the lush green
compared to brown inhabited by the surroundings of Arab desserts. Israel is truly in
bloom.
The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the
desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. Isaiah 35:1
And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden
of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced,
and are inhabited. Then the heathen that are left round about you shall
know that I the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was
desolate: I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it. Ezekiel 36:35-36
“So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near,
even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till
all these things be fulfilled.”
“This generation” that sees “all these things” together fulfilled will what, “not
pass.”
The Prophet Hosea reinforces this claim. "For the Israelites will live many days
without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred stones, without ephod
or idol. Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the LORD their God
and David their king. They will come trembling to the LORD and to his
blessings in the LAST DAYS.” Hosea 3:4-5
The Lord finishes by describing these days being like the days of Noah. He says,
“For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered
into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away;
so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”
In other words the economy was roaring. People were partying and marrying and
having a good time right up until Noah and his family stepped into the ark and were
evacuated. And that is when it hit.
This tells me that the signs will be there, but they can easily be missed if you’re not
paying attention.
“But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in
those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon
this people.” Luke 21:23
“Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things
cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.”Ephesians 5:6
But just as Noah and his family escaped through the ark, this same hope lies with
the Christian. Remember the Lord did not tell us there wouldn’t be hard times. But
there is a big distinction between hard times, and enduring The Wrath of God.
Paul tells us, “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be
saved from wrath through him.” Romans 5:9
“And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead,
even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” 1Timothy 1:10
“For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our
Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we
should live together with him.” 1Timothy 5:9
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the
voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ
shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up
together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall
we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these
words.” 1Timothy 4:16-18
The important thing here is as Christians we can be certain that we will escape the
wrath to come. This could not be made clearer.
Please remember that the context of this article comes from only one discourse
given by Jesus in the Gospels. There is much more text that covers specifics
regarding the end times that we will be discussing later.
But my point in writing all this is the hope that you will see a difference in choosing
between a literal interpretation of the Bible as opposed to a metaphorical one. I
think it is the difference between being able to endure sound doctrine until the end
as told by our Lord. This thereby equips us to avoid all the dangers He warned us
we would be subjected to.
Jesus said “For there shall arise false Christ’s, and false prophets, and shall
show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they
shall deceive the very elect.”
Even the “very elect.”
“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of
man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath
made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?”
I will close with the warning Jesus gave us concerning “all these things.”
“Behold, I have told you before.”
The question is are you listening?