Introduction The Jewish Nature of the Olivet Discourse ... · age (Matt 10:5-6; 15:23-25), and was ‘a THY WORD IS TRUE FROM THE BEGINNING: AND EVERY ONE OF Thy RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENTS

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focus on the Defense of Scripture, including Creation (Genesis), Humanism, and Prophecy (Revelation). Other topics of interest may be presented. Questions, comments, and suggestions are encouraged. Copyright © 2016, Robert W. Tozier. All rights reserved. Permission is given to photocopy and freely distribute this material for the glory of God as long as it is not done for commercial purposes. Editors: Erin Fuentes, Bryan Kinney, and Kristin Oien. Web Designer: Aaron Tozier. Web Consultant: Bryan Kinney Email: [email protected]. Tel: 808-228-1497 ALOHA! ΑΩ

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Rapture Theory Difficulties – Introduction

INTRODUCTION MOST OF US ARE AWARE that there are controversies and disagreements within the church. Some of these are insignificant, while others, I believe, can be detrimental to ones understanding of the gospels. One example is the common misunderstanding of the fundamental fact that the church did not yet exist when Jesus walked the earth. It wasn’t until Acts chapter 2 that the church as we know it sprang into existence. Now that we know this, we need to ask ourselves, what was Jesus’ mission and who was He speaking to? Failure to understand this has caused many teachers to read into the Gospel things that are simply not there, bringing confusion and division into the church.1 Charles Ryrie writes that:

“Consistent literalism is at the heart of dispensational eschatology.”2

And that “[T]he literal fulfillment of Scripture leads naturally to a second feature—the literal fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.”3

Abandonment of the literal method leads to an improper distinction between the church and Israel, fostering the belief that the church is the new Israel.4

Beginning with Augustine in the 4th century, the

church abandoned the literal method in favor of allegorical interpretation of prophetic Scriptures. Much of the church today still subscribes to some form of the Augustinian method. Literal versus allegory has brought much confusion and division.

The evangelists of the Bible targeted different groups with their Gospel books. Matthew targeted the Jew. Mark targeted the Roman. Luke wrote to the Greek. Only John wrote directly to the church. However, it must be acknowledged that Jesus’ own mission was to the Jews. Therefore, the Gospels must be understood in light of the Jews. Merrill F. Unger writes that the key to the correct interpretation of the Gospels is as follows:5

“It is necessary to realize that the period described is culminative of the OT [Old Testament] age, preparatory to and predictive of the new age, but not the new age itself. Not until the ascension of Christ and the consequent advent of the Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2) did the new age of the church begin.”6

Unger continues: “Our Lord was ‘born under the law’ (Gal 4:4), ministered primarily to the Jews in the legal age (Matt 10:5-6; 15:23-25), and was ‘a

THY WORD IS TRUE FROM THE BEGINNING: AND EVERY ONE OF

Thy RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENTS ENDURETH FOREVER. PSALM 119:160

The Jewish Nature of the Olivet Discourse? Part 1 of 2

{A Close Look at Matthew 24 and 25}



GOD IS IN THE DETAILS

servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs’ (Rom 15:8). As King and Messiah He was announced by John the Baptist, offered the kingdom to Israel, and was rejected by them (Matt 1-12). As Prophet He predicted the new age (Matt 13), and His second advent (Matt 24-25). As Priest He died and rose again, fulfilling the law and bringing in grace (John 1:17). Until the event of the cross the gospels are an extension of the OT [Old Testament] dispensation seen in their strong Jewish coloring, which did not end til the veil of the Temple was torn supernaturally at Christ’s death (Matt 27:51).”7

Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

According to Merrill Unger the prophecies of Matthew 24 and 25:

“[D]eal with Israel in the period of Tribulation just prior to the return of Messiah-King to establish His earthly kingdom….”8

Many pastors and teachers miss this important point. These prophesies of Matthew 24 and 25 were in response to a Jewish question, “What will happen to the Jews?” Many pastors and teachers attempt to read the church into these chapters. To say that both Israel and the church will go through the Great Tribulation is to fail to understand the inherent Jewishness of Scriptures such as Matthew 24 and 25.9 Much confusion is because of reformed theology and replacement theology that believe that the church has replaced Israel in the promises of God, that the church is to bring in Christ’s glorious kingdom, and finally Christ will return and the church will hand Him the keys. This is the message of the post or amillennialists. They arrive at their conclusions by spiritualizing or allegorizing the Scriptures that do not match their brand of theology. Those who are premillennial and dispensationalists use the Literal-Historical approach to interpretation throughout the Scriptures, by examining the context and determining it literal, allegory, or figurative wherever appropriate. Replacement Theology “helps to foster anti-Semitism in the church.”10

To accept replacement theology one must either believe that God, through the prophets, used allegory when writing, or that God does not keep His promises. If one is consistent in treating the entire Bible literally

then the student must accept that the church has not replaced Israel and that God will yet deal with the Jewish nation. To believe that God changed His mind towards Israel requires that the student must allegorize or spiritualize the Scripture passages dealing with Israel’s restoration.11

There are two phases of the restoration of Israel. First, the Jews will return to their land in unbelief prior to Christ’s return (Ezekiel 37). Second, the Jews will experience a spiritual rebirth when Christ returns as can be seen from an understanding of the following verses.12

Zech 12:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. 10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Ezek 20:33 As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you: 34 And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. 35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. 36 Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord God. 37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: 38 And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.

Zech 13:7 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the




shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. 8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. 9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.

The Hebrew language will be a part of the restoration. This has already come to pass.13

Zeph 3:9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.

It is clear that it is God’s intention to restore the Kingdom to Israel.14

Acts 1:3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God…. 6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

Isa 9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Luke 1:31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Ps 89:34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.

35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. 36 His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before me. 37 It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.

Peter appeals to the Jews to repent.

Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. 22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. 23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.

Until Augustine in the 4th century the early church was premillennial, believing that Christ would return before His literal thousand-year millennial reign after a seven-year tribulation. Augustine, along with Origen before him, believed that the persecutions had ended and therefore introduced Amillennialism which said that much of prophetic Scripture was to be interpreted allegorically, not literally. This was the position adopted by the Roman Catholic Church and accepted by the reformers as they broke away from Catholicism. Some, such as John Nelson Darby, began to use the Literal-Historical method of interpretation, seeing a distinction between the church and Israel. Those still adhering to the Allegorical method believed that the church had replaced Israel in the promises of God. Those using the Literal Historical method saw that the Bible clearly revealed that God had a definite plan for the restoration and salvation of Israel, and that they would literally return to the land. It was Augustinian Amillennialism that injected anti-Semitism into the church.15

Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that




blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.

Paul Wilkinson wrote of William Cuninghame (1775-1849):

“Denouncing replacement theology, he argued that if there was to be no ‘future redemption of this wonderful people,’ there was ‘no certain meaning in language.’”16

THE OLIVET DISCOURSE As we proceed through Matthew 24 and 25 (The

Olivet Discourse) we will focus on the parallels with the book of Revelation. Many pastors and teachers attempt to interpret Matthew 24 and 25 in terms of the church, while most theologians who take the literal approach stress the Jewish nature of the Gospels and prophecy in particular. Prophecy in Scriptures represents the perspective of what will happen to the Jewish people and their nation Israel. That Jesus’ ministry focus was on the Jewish people and nation is clearly shown in His response to the Canaanite woman.

Matt 15:21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.

28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

All prophecy in the Old and New Testaments focuses on the Jewish people and nation. The Gospels were about offering the Kingdom to Israel. The church did not exist at the time of the Olivet Discourse, although the concept was present after Jesus and His message were rejected. Jesus revealed His intention of establishing the church in Matthew 16:

Matt 16:13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Matthew records the instance when Jesus was formally rejected and His message changed.

Matt 12:22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. 25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand…. 38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. 39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a




sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Here we see that the Jewish leaders rejected Jesus and His message, even to the point of accusing Him of being demon possessed. From this moment on, Jesus began to speak in parables. Jesus then explained why He spoke in parables:

Mark 4:10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. 11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

His message was no longer to the leaders, but it was still brought to the people, many who would understand. His new message to the Jewish leaders was:

Matt 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. 32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. 33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? 34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and

some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: 35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. 36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. 37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

The leaders will finally repent as prophesied in Zechariah chapter 12, and then their Messiah will come:

Zech 12:5 And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God. 6 In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem. 7 The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah. 8 In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them. 9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. 10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth




for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. 11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.

The church did not exist until Pentecost in Acts chapter 2 when the disciples received power by the Holy Spirit to bring the message to the whole world. From Acts chapter 2 until the end of Revelation 3 the church is in mind. The Gospel had the Jews and Israel as its focus.

AN EXAMPLE OF WRONG INTERPRETATION

Many pastors and teachers do not understand the Jewish nature of the Gospels and attempt to interject the church into the narrative. While there are great truths for Christians found in the words of Jesus in the Gospels, one must realize that the Gospels are basically a continuation of the Old Testament. This overlap is seen in John the Baptist; He is viewed as the bridge from the Old Testament and is considered the last Old Testament prophet, preparing the way for the Jewish Messiah.

Because of this misconception, the concept of the Rapture of the church is seen by many to be contained in the Olivet Discourse. This is not so. There is no Rapture found in Matthew 24 or 25. This will be demonstrated later. Most premillennial, pretribulationist, dispensational theologians do not support a Rapture anywhere in Matthew 24 or 25. John Walvoord, Dwight Pentecost, J. Vernon McGee, Ed Hindson, Tim LaHaye, Renald Showers, John MacArthur, and many others are examples of those that find no Rapture in Matthew 24 or 25.

The arrangement of Matthew 24 and 25 is essentially chronological. If pretribulationists insist on a Rapture in Matthew 24:40-42, then they are seizing a posttribulational argument to support their pretribulational position, and it destroys the chronological order of Matthew 24. We will demonstrate this later as we progress further in our study.

JESUS OFFERED THE KINGDOM TO ISRAEL As we proceed through Matthew 24 and 25 (The

Olivet Discourse) we will focus on the parallels with the book of Revelation. Many pastors and teachers attempt to interpret Matthew 24 and 25 in terms of the church, while most theologians who take the literal approach stress the Jewish nature of the Gospels and prophecy in particular. As mentioned, prophecy in Scriptures

represents the perspective of what will happen to the Jewish people and their nation Israel. That Jesus’ ministry focus was on the Jewish people and nation is clearly shown in His response to the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:21-28. Look again at these verses:

Matt 15:21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. 28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

All prophecy in the Old and New Testaments focuses on the Jewish people and nation. The Gospels focused on offering the Kingdom to Israel. The church did not exist at the time of the Olivet Discourse, although the concept was present after Jesus and His message were rejected. Jesus then revealed His intention of establishing the church in Matthew 16, but the church was not established until Acts chapter 2. It should be clear that Jesus’ mission was to Israel and that Matthew 24 and 25 were directed to Israel and not the church. Let’s now consider Matthew 24.

THREE QUESTIONS Matt 24:1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world [age]?




The disciples asked Jesus three questions: 1. When shall the temple be destroyed?

2. What shall be the sign of Jesus’ coming?

3. What shall be the signs of the end of the age?

When Jesus spoke these words the church was not yet a reality. The Jews were asking literally, “What is going to happen to Israel and the Jewish people?” They understood that the temple would be destroyed, but they knew that Jesus was coming again to set up the promised Kingdom. These were Jewish concerns and questions. They also wanted to know how it would all end. As you study Matthew 24 and 25, notice the interpretation considering the Jewish people and Israel without inserting the church into the narrative.

The answer to the first question (“When shall the temple be destroyed?”) is not found in Matthew because Matthew’s Gospel is about the kingdom – Matthew presents the King. The answer is found in the parallel passages of Luke.17

Luke 21:20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. 22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 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. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

This occurred in 70 AD when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem, the temple, and carried the Jews into captivity. The answer to the first question was thus fulfilled. Notice that this answer is about the Jews and the nation of Israel, not the church.18

As we shall discover in Part 2, the second question about the signs of the Second Coming is answered in Matthew 24:23-51. The third question about the signs of the end of the age is found in Matthew 24:4-22.19 Let’s begin at the beginning of Jesus’ response to the third question.

Matt 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ [Messiah]; and shall deceive many.

Many of these signs that Jesus speaks about in the opening verses of Matthew 24 are signs that are with us today. We experience deception, famine, plagues, and earthquakes; and we see that they seem to be gradually increasing in intensity and frequency. These are all signs, and we might say that they are the “beginning of sorrows”, but the “horseman” have not yet been released. The signs Jesus was presenting in these opening verses offered a bridge from the disciple’s time until the very time of the end. We may have seen these signs during this present age, but when the Seal Judgments come, they will be increased to unremitting intensity.20 We know that the intensity portrayed by the seals has not reached its full impact during our present time because Revelation 6:15 says that the men of the future time will hide in caves out of fear during the Seal Judgments. These men acknowledge that they are already in the Great Tribulation since the beginning of the Seal Judgments by their use of the aorist tense of the verb “has come” (elthen) in verse 17. This signifies that they have already been experiencing the judgments of the Great Tribulation since the release of the first seal. It is not something that is now about to begin.21

Jesus first warns about deception as a sign of the end-times. There is great deception in this world today, such that it is difficult to discern the truth. More importantly, there are false teachers claiming to have truth.22 Jesus warns about this. The Jews are still deceived about their Messiah. They still refuse to recognize Jesus as Messiah. When He first came they were looking for a political and military savior, not a humble shepherd.

In the past, the Jews have followed false Messiahs such as Simon bar Kokhba, who seemed to offer a military solution to their oppression. Many believed that Simon bar Kokhba was the long-awaited Messiah who would restore their national independence. The Bar Kokhba Revolt of 132-136 AD against Rome resulted in the annihilation of the Judean population, suppression of Jewish religious and political autonomy, and Jews and Christians being banned from Jerusalem. Judea was then renamed and merged into the Syria Palaestina province. The name change was done to eliminate any memory of Judea or Ancient Israel. 580,000 Jews were killed and 50 fortified towns and 985 villages were razed. Many more died of famine and disease. When the revolt was crushed, those who survived were sold into slavery. The Talmud refers to Simon bar Kokhba as a false Messiah.23




There have been many other false Messiahs in Jewish history, the last of which was Jacob Joseph Frank (1726-1791) who claimed to be a reincarnation of King David and preached a synthesis of Christianity and Judaism.24 The next one could well be the Antichrist.25

THE FIRST SEAL - DECEPTION26 Keep in mind that beginning in Matthew 24:4

through Matthew 25, the description is of the seven-year Tribulation, the Second Coming, and the Millennium. We now will see the beginning of the Tribulation as revealed by Jesus. The two verses of Matthew 24:4-5 parallel the first seal of Revelation 6:27

Matt 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ [Messiah]; and shall deceive many.

Rev 6:1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. 2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

This white horse rider is the counterfeit Christ (Antichrist). He has a bow, but no arrows. This is likely a political leader that conquers without war. His means of battle is most likely deception, and he has gained such political power that no one can oppose him.28

Both Revelation 6:1-2 (Seal Judgments) and Matthew 24:4-5 (deception) refer to the beginning of the seven-year Tribulation. It is not referring to the Great Tribulation, which begins after the midpoint, or the last 3-1/2 years.29

Notice that it is the Lamb (Jesus) who opens the Seals and initiates the judgments of the Tribulation. It is therefore God that initiates the judgments (wrath) throughout the entire seven years. Keep in mind that the Seal judgments, particularly the White Horse Rider, introduce the first 3-1/2 years of Tribulation.30

Matt 24:6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14 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.

The preceding verses of Matthew parallel the Seal Judgments of Revelation, Seal 2 through 6. We will now break this down by comparing the following:

THE SECOND SEAL – WAR31

Matt 24:6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars… 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom….

Rev 6:3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. 4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

THE THIRD SEAL – FAMINE32

Matt 24:7 …there shall be famines….

Rev 6:5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.




THE FOURTH SEAL – PLAGUES33

Matt 24:7 …and pestilences….

Rev 6:7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

THE FIFTH SEAL –

PERSECUTION34

Matt 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

Rev 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

THE SIXTH SEAL – NATURAL

DISASTERS AND ANARCHY35

Matt 24:7 …and earthquakes…. Matt 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Rev 6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. 14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains,

and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

In Matthew 24:12, “Iniquity shall abound.” In other words, people will do whatever they please, sinful or not. “The love of many shall wax cold,” indicates that people will recognize the iniquity and will choose to do nothing. They won’t care.36

Great natural disasters occur and anarchy reigns as men hide from God. Notice that after the great men had experienced the Seal Judgments that they hid themselves from the wrath of the Lamb, implying that they realized that they were already in the wrath of God from the beginning of the Seal Judgments. It was the Lamb that set in motion the events of the Great Tribulation.

J. Dwight Pentecost writes in support of the Seal judgments being an unfolding of God’s wrath during the Tribulation:

“John announced (Rev. 6:16-17) that the program there being unfolded is related to the ‘wrath of the Lamb.’ The aorist tense in verse 17 elthen (has come), signifies, not something that is about to happen, but that which has taken place. Thus, in unfolding the program of the seals, John announces that these represent ‘the wrath’ that has already come. In the same connection, with the sounding of the seven trumpets, John again relates these trumpets to the program of the outpouring of the wrath of God, for in Revelation 11:18 it is set forth that these events are connected with the wrath that ‘has come’ (aorist tense again). Thus, neither the seals nor the trumpets can be divorced from the divine program associated with the pouring out of wrath upon the earth.”37

Additionally, the reference to “the great day of His wrath is come” may be an acknowledgement by those who are hiding (Rev 6:16) that the wrath of God has already come with the horrors they have already experienced, but they now realize that there are more and greater horrors yet to come.38 One seal remains, the seventh. We will address that next.




THE GREAT TRIBULATION THE INTERLUDE

Two verses provide the interlude between the first half of the seven-year Tribulation and the last half known as the Great Tribulation.

Matt 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14 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.

Immediately after the sixth Seal, 144,000 Jews are sealed by God, 12,000 from each tribe. Since they are God’s servants, Messianic Jews converted during the first half of the Tribulation, it is believed that they will be His evangelists during the Great Tribulation. It is they that shall preach “the gospel of the kingdom,” the same as what John the Baptist and Jesus preached. They are responsible for the great multitude of martyrs that accepted Christ that are found in heaven in the remaining verses of Revelation 7 just before the opening of the seventh Seal. They will preach the Jewish message of the kingdom, as did Jesus. This is the final hope.

“The Gospel of the kingdom” of Matthew 24:14 is what John the Baptist preached and what Jesus brought to the Jews. Jesus came to the Jews to present the promised kingdom. This is not a different Gospel from the Gospel of Grace. It is the same Gospel with a different emphasis.39 The reward for the Jews at the end of the Tribulation is their kingdom with Messiah sitting upon David’s throne.

Matt 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Matt 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

The ones that “endure to the end” shall be saved (Matt 24:13). If the message of Jesus is to the Jews in these passages, it is the Jews primarily, and Gentiles (those saved during the Tribulation), who are to “endure to the end.” This is the time of testing for the Jews, not for the church. The church is already saved as Paul states in his letter to the Ephesians:

Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

We are saved by Grace before the Tribulation (Eph 1:13; Eph 2:5). It is not the church that must “endure to the end” (Matt 24:13) of the Tribulation to see and recognize their Messiah, it is the Jews.

Zech 12:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. 10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. 11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.

The Dispensation of Grace ended with the Rapture of the church. The seven-year Tribulation is not part of the Church Age, the Dispensation of Grace.

The church is saved by trusting in Christ and sealed by the Holy Spirit. We are not told to endure to the end of the Tribulation to receive our salvation. The Jews are to “endure to the end.” They will hear the Everlasting Gospel preached during the Tribulation.

THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL

Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,




7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

The Everlasting Gospel is the same Gospel as the Gospel of Grace, but with a different emphasis. The Everlasting Gospel brings the revelation of fear of judgment. It is the Gospel preached during the Tribulation, the Time of Jacob’s Trouble. It is this Gospel that is primarily for the Jewish people to bring them to repentance, encouraging them to endure to the end. It is a Gospel of faith. They will be saved by God’s grace. This Gospel message is not for the church.40

THE SEVENTH SEAL – THE

GREAT TRIBULATION41

The first half of the Tribulation is found in Matthew 24:4-14. The second half, the last 3-1/2 years is described in Matthew 24:15-28 and is known as the Great Tribulation.42 It is also known as the “Time of Jacob’s [Israel’s] Trouble” (Jer 30:7).

Matt 24:15 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:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

Rev 8:1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. 5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. 6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

After the interlude (Matt 24:13-14), there comes an abomination that desolates the newly rebuilt temple

in Jerusalem (Matt 24:15). It is now the mid-point of the seven years. This is the sign that the Jews are to flee to the mountains with great haste. It is also the sign that begins the Great Tribulation, the last 3-1/2 years before Jesus returns in His Second Coming.

Pay attention that Matthew 24:15-16 refers to Israel, not the church. It is not the church that is concerned about an abomination that desecrates the Jewish Temple (vs 15). It is not the church that resides in Judea (vs 16). It is not the church that is told to flee to the mountains (vs 16).

Jer 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. 8 For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: 9 But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.

Dan 9:27 And he [Antichrist] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [seven years]: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he [Antichrist] shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate [desolator].

Daniel was not referring to the church when he prophesied of the “Seventy Weeks”. This “Seventy Weeks” prophecy was for Israel. The seventieth week is for the salvation of the Jewish people. Daniel 9:24 says that “seventy weeks are determined upon thy people.” It is Daniel’s people that these seventy weeks are for, including the entire seven-year Tribulation. It does not say that only sixty-nine weeks are for Israel and one week is for the church (Dan 9:24-27).43 Daniel 9, verse 27 is the key verse in the Old Testament to establish the length of the Tribulation to be seven years – and it is found in a prophecy concerning the nation of Israel.

FLEE JUDEA Now notice that the Great Tribulation will come

very suddenly.

Matt 24:15 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:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house: 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: Matt 24:21-22 21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

Again, notice that the reference is to Jews fleeing Jerusalem (Judea), and they are to pray that it will not be on the Sabbath day. Again, this is not a warning to the church to flee. The Sabbath has no

1 Merrill F. Unger, THE NEW UNGERS BIBLE HANDBOOK, Moody Publishers, 1966, 1984, 1998, 2005, pp. 374-376. Norbert Lieth, HIDDEN SIGNS IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE, Columbia, SC, The Olive Press, 2005, pp. 10, 15. 2 Charles C. Ryrie, DISPENSATIONALISM, Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 1995, 2007; Originally published as Dispensationalism Today, 1966; p. 171. 3 Ryrie, DISPENSATIONALISM, p. 171. 4 Ryrie, DISPENSATIONALISM, p. 172, 173. 5 Unger, THE NEW UNGERS BIBLE HANDBOOK,pp. 374-376. Lieth, HIDDEN SIGNS IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE, pp. 10, 15. 6 Unger, THE NEW UNGERS BIBLE HANDBOOK, p. 375. 7 Unger, THE NEW UNGERS BIBLE HANDBOOK, pp. 375-376. 8 Unger, THE NEW UNGERS BIBLE HANDBOOK, p. 395. 9 Paul R. Wilkinson, UNDERSTANDING CHRISTIAN ZIONISM, Israel’s Place in the Purposes of God, Bend, OR: The Berean Call, 2013, pp. 109, 112, 113, 161, 240. Lieth, HIDDEN SIGNS IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE, pp. 10, 15. 10 Wilkinson, UNDERSTANDING CHRISTIAN ZIONISM, Israel’s Place in the Purposes of God, pp. 16, 36, 229. 11 Wilkinson, UNDERSTANDING CHRISTIAN ZIONISM, Israel’s Place in the Purposes of God, pp. 16, 17. 12 Wilkinson, UNDERSTANDING CHRISTIAN ZIONISM, Israel’s Place in the Purposes of God, pp. 20, 166. 13 Wilkinson, UNDERSTANDING CHRISTIAN ZIONISM, Israel’s Place in the Purposes of God, p. 21. 14 Wilkinson, UNDERSTANDING CHRISTIAN ZIONISM, Israel’s Place in the Purposes of God, pp. 118, 119. 15 Wilkinson, UNDERSTANDING CHRISTIAN ZIONISM, Israel’s Place in the Purposes of God, pp. 123-125, 127-133, 139, 144, 145, 151, 153, 229. 16 Wilkinson, UNDERSTANDING CHRISTIAN ZIONISM, Israel’s Place in the Purposes of God, p. 167. 17 J. Vernon McGee, THRU THE BIBLE with J. Vernon McGee, Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1983, Vol. IV, Matthew-Romans, p. 124. 18 McGee, THRU THE BIBLE with J. Vernon McGee, Vol. IV, Matthew-Romans, pp. 124, 125. 19 McGee, THRU THE BIBLE with J. Vernon McGee, Vol. IV, Matthew-Romans, p. 124. 20 McGee, THRU THE BIBLE with J. Vernon McGee, Vol. IV, Matthew-Romans, p. 126.

meaning for the church (vs 20).44 These are Jews that are to flee to safety from Judea (vs 16).

We will discuss the “elect” at length in Part 2. Housetop living (vs 17) is common in ancient

Israel, which points to Israel as the region to flee from. Notice this in Acts:

Acts 10:9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey [to seek Peter], and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour:

Peter was staying in the house of Simon the tanner that had sleeping space on the roof. The evidence of Matthew 24 shows that the Jews were the target and the subject of the discourse.

FINAL THOUGHTS It should be clear at this point that Jesus is

speaking to a Jewish audience about Jewish concerns regarding what is to happen to the Jewish people at the time of the end. Once we grasp an understanding of this concept, the Olivet Discourse becomes clear and parallels perfectly with Revelation. It will be even clearer as we continue in part 2 in the next issue of Creation Revelation. ΑΩ

21 J. Dwight Pentecost, THINGS TO COME, A Study in Biblical Eschatology, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1958, pp. 183, 184. 22 McGee, THRU THE BIBLE with J. Vernon McGee, Vol. IV, Matthew-Romans, p. 125. 23 BAR KOKHBA REVOLT, Wikipedia. 24 Norbert Lieth, HIDDEN SIGNS IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE, Columbia, SC: The Olive Press, 2005, p. 17 .LIST OF MESSIAH CLAIMANTS, Wikipedia. 25 McGee, THRU THE BIBLE with J. Vernon McGee, Vol. IV, Matthew-Romans, p. 125. 26 Lieth, HIDDEN SIGNS IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE, p. 19. 27 Lieth, HIDDEN SIGNS IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE, p. 19. 28 John F. Walvoord, EVERY PROPHECY IN THE BIBLE, Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor Publishing, 1990, 1991, pp. 552, 553. 29 Walvoord, EVERY PROPHECY IN THE BIBLE, pp. 552, 553. 30 Walvoord, EVERY PROPHECY IN THE BIBLE, pp. 553, 554. 31 Lieth, HIDDEN SIGNS IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE, p. 19. 32 Lieth, HIDDEN SIGNS IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE, p. 19. 33 Lieth, HIDDEN SIGNS IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE, p. 20. 34 Lieth, HIDDEN SIGNS IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE, p. 20. 35 Lieth, HIDDEN SIGNS IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE, p. 20. 36 McGee, THRU THE BIBLE with J. Vernon McGee, Vol. IV, Matthew-Romans, pp. 126, 127. 37 Pentecost, THINGS TO COME, A Study in Biblical Eschatology, pp. 183, 184. 38 David M. Levy, REVELATION: Hearing the Last Word, Bellmawr, NJ, The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, Inc., 1999, pp. 90-94. Renald E. Showers, THE PRE-WRATH RAPTURE VIEW: An Examination and Critique, Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2001, pp. 79, 80. 39 McGee, THRU THE BIBLE with J. Vernon McGee, Vol. IV, Matthew-Romans, p. 127. 40 McGee, THRU THE BIBLE with J. Vernon McGee, Vol. IV, Matthew-Romans, p. 127. 41 Lieth, HIDDEN SIGNS IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE, p. 20. 42 Lieth, HIDDEN SIGNS IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE, p. 20. 43 Lieth, HIDDEN SIGNS IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE, p. 18. 44 McGee, THRU THE BIBLE with J. Vernon McGee, Vol. IV, Matthew-Romans, p. 129.

Introduction The Jewish Nature of the Olivet Discourse ... · age (Matt 10:5-6; 15:23-25), and was ‘a THY WORD IS TRUE FROM THE BEGINNING: AND EVERY ONE OF Thy RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENTS

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