The Olivet Discourse Part 2 Matt 24; Luk 21

The evening of the third day:

 

After His last solemn warning to those in the temple the Lord and the disciples took a walk up the Mount of Olives.

 

The disciples were definitely concerned. So much had happened that day and things seemed to get progressively worse. The Lord had started with denunciations of Israel which progressed to predictions about complete destruction.

 

The teachings of Christ seemed to get more dire as the day went on. Parable after parable predicted judgment that grew worse and worse. The Lord had even stood in the middle of the temple court and publicly condemned the religious people and their beloved temple, likened to a den of thieves in pronouncing 7 woe’s against them.  Earlier they had challenged His authority and late in the afternoon He spoke as their God of judgment.  Israel, your house will be left to you desolate.

 

On the way up the Mt. of Olives for evening fellowship the disciples pointed out the temple buildings to the Lord, no doubt in reference to His judgment which seemed incredible against something so beautiful.

 

Remember, it’s never the building that is important, but the souls of those that are in the buildings.

 

After the Lord confirmed their worst fear that the temple would not have one stone still upon another, Peter, James, John and Andrew ask Him three questions.

 

This begins the Olivet Discourse.

 

All together, three questions were asked which, at the same time, in­cluded requests for three signs.

 

The first question in the Matthew passage was: Tell us, when shall these things be?

 

These things refer to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple that He had prophesied in the previous two verses.

 

In the Luke passage, this first question is phrased as: Teacher, when therefore shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when these things are about to come to pass?

 

The first question was: “When will Jerusalem and the Temple be destroyed, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?”

 

The second question was: What shall be the sign of your coming?

 

This question did not concern the Rapture of the Church because the Rapture is imminent and can happen at any moment, having no warn­ing sign preceding it.

 

However, the Second Coming will be preceded by a sign, and the disciples asked what the sign would be.

 

The third question was: What shall be the sign of the end of the age?

 

In rabbinic theology of that day, the rabbis spoke of two ages: this age, in which we now live; and the age to come, the Messianic Age. The question is: “What is the sign that the last days of this age have begun and that will lead to the Messianic Age?”

 

All together, then, there were three questions in which the dis­ciples asked for three signs to watch for. Jesus answered these ques­tions, but not in the same order as they were asked. He answered the third question first, the first question second, and the second question third. Nor are all three answers found in all three accounts.

 

While Matthew and Mark recorded the answers to the second and third ques­tions, they ignored the answer to the first question. It is Luke who recorded the Messiah’s answer to the first question.

 

The third section is the general characteristics of the Church-age.

 

The rise of false messiahs and long periods of local wars will necessarily come first. But neither of these things would in any way, shape, or form be signs that the end had begun.

 

D. The Sign of the End of the Age— Matthew 24:7-8; Mark 13:8; Luke 21:10-11

 

Having provided for His disciples certain characteristics that would in no way indicate that the end had begun, Jesus next proceeded to answer the third question positively, giving the one sign that the end of the age had truly begun.

 

The Matthew account reads:

   

Matt 24:7 "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.

 

Matt 24:8 "But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

 

According to all three Gospel writers, the sign of the end of the age is said to be when nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

 

This act will be coupled with famines and earthquakes in various places, and then Jesus clearly stated that this would be the beginning of birth pangs.

 

 

World War I (1914-1918) was the fulfillment of this particular prophecy, for that was the first world war. As virtually all historians agree, World War II was merely a continuation of World War I. Fur­thermore, both world wars had a decisive impact on Jewish history.

 

World War I gave impetus to the growth of the Zionist movement, and World War II led to the reestablishment of the Jewish State.

 

Since World War I, history has entered the last days of the Church Age. However, the last days are an extended period of time.

The sign that the end of the age has begun is the worldwide con­flict fulfilled by World War I and World War II.

 

E. Personal Experiences of the Apostles— Mark 13:9- 13; Luke 21:12-19

 

Having provided an answer to the third question regarding the sign of the end of the age, the Messiah then turned back to His own time to spell out some of the personal experiences that the Apostles would have to undergo.

 

The Luke account reads:

 

Luke 21:12 "But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name's sake.

 

Luke 21:13 "It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony.

 

Luke 21:14 "So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves;

 

Luke 21:15 for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.

 

Luke 21:16 "But you will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death,

 

Luke 21:17 and you will be hated by all on account of My name.

 

Luke 21:18 "Yet not a hair of your head will perish.

 

Luke 21:19 "By your endurance you will gain your lives (win your souls).

 

As stated earlier, the presentation is generally chronological, but when it is not, it is somehow indicated. The Luke account clearly states that what is about to be described is going to occur before the sign that the end of the age has begun, as the passage begins with the phrase, But before all these things.

 

So before there is the sign of the end of the age, before the sign of “nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom” ever comes, the Apostles themselves will undergo certain experiences.

 

Jesus then described some personal experiences that the Apostles were to go through after He departed from them. All to­gether, He listed nine things: first, they will be rejected by the Jews (v. 12a); second, they will be rejected by the Gentiles (v. 12b); third, they will undergo persecutions, but these persecutions will provide opportunities for testimony (v. 13); fourth, they will succeed in pro­claiming the gospel everywhere (Mk. 13:10), verified by Romans 10:18 and Colossians 1:6, 23; fifth, they need not worry about preparing defenses before their trials, because they will be given divine utterance when they are brought before judgment (vv. 14-15); sixth, they will be rejected by their own family members (v. 16); seventh, they will be hated by all men to the point that some will be martyred (v. 17); eighth, nevertheless, their deliverance is assured (v. 18); and ninth, they will succeed in winning escrow blessings for eternity (v. 19).

 

That the Apostles did, indeed, experience all these things is well known both from the Book of Acts and from other historical records that trace the activities of the Apostles beyond that which is recorded in the Book of Acts.

 

 

 

While the Messiah had already answered their third question concerning the sign of the end of the age, before pro­ceeding to answer their other two questions, He chose to predict some of the personal experiences that they would have to undergo before the sign of the end of the age would come.

 

They were not to expect the end of the age to come too soon. In fact, Jesus predicted that many of them would be martyred before the end of the age ever begins.

 

F. The Sign of the Fall of Jerusalem—Luke 21:20-24

 

Only after having spelled out clearly that the Apostles would have to undergo a period of suffering as well as have a successful ministry did Jesus go on to answer their first question concerning the sign of the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. The answer is re­corded only by Luke:

 

Luke 21:20 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is at hand.

 

Luke 21:21 "Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are in the midst of the city depart, and let not those who are in the country enter the city;

 

Luke 21:22 because these are days of vengeance, in order that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

 

Luke 21:23 "Woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babes in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land, and wrath to this people,

 

Luke 21:24 and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

 

In answer to their first question, the Messiah gave them the sign that would mark the fact that Jerusalem was about to be destroyed. The sign was the surrounding of the City of Jerusalem by armies.

 

The Jewish believers were told that, when they saw this sign, they were to leave Jerusalem and Judea and flee outside the Land. This sign would mark the coming desolation of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem, from that point on, will be continually trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled

 

This prophecy was fulfilled in a very marvelous way. In the year A.D. 66, the first Jewish revolt broke out against the Romans.

 

When the revolt first began, the Roman general in the Land, Cestus Gallus, came with his armies from Caesarea and surrounded Jerusalem.

 

The surrounding of the city marked the sign that Jesus had promised, and the Jewish believers knew that Jerusalem would soon be destroyed.

 

Jesus had commanded the Jewish believers to desert the city when they saw this happening. However, it was impossible to do so while the Romans were surrounding the city. Then Cestus Gallus noticed that his supply lines were not secure. He did not have enough supplies to maintain an extended siege, so he lifted the siege of Jerusalem in order to go back to Caesarea. On the way, he was attacked by Jewish forces and killed.

 

Temporarily, the city was no longer surrounded by the armies, so every single Jewish believer was able to leave Jerusalem.

 

They crossed the Jordan River and set up a new community of Jewish believers in the town of Pella in the Trans-jordan. They were joined by Jewish believers from Judea, Galilee, and the Golan. There they waited for the prophecy of Jesus to be fulfilled. In the year A.D. 68, a new Roman general by the name of Vespasian and his son, Titus, again besieged the city, and in the year A.D. 70, the city and the Temple were destroyed.

 

All together, 1,100,000 Jews were killed in this final onslaught, but not one Jewish believer died because they obeyed the words of their Messiah.

 

Since that time, Jerusalem has indeed been trodden down of the Gentiles and continues to be so to the present day. Jerusalem will not be free of Gentile nations treading upon her until the Messiah returns.

 

With these words, the Messiah answered their first question, the sign of the coming destruction of Jerusalem. That left one more ques­tion to be answered.

 

G. The Great Tribulation—Matthew 24:9-2 6; Mark 13:14-23

In preparation for answering the second question, the Messiah turned to the Great Tribulation itself. In this section, the Messiah spoke of the events of both the first half and the second half of the Tribulation.

 

1. The Events of the First Half of the Tribulation—Matthew 24:9-14

 

Matt 24:9 "Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name.

 

Matt 24:10 "And at that time many will fall away and will deliver up one another and hate one another.

 

Matt 24:11 "And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many.

 

Matt 24:12 "And because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold.

 

Matt 24:13 "But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved.

 

Matt 24:14 "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.

 

Although these verses are very similar to those recorded in Mark 13:9-13 and Luke 21:12-19, the differences show that Matthew is not dealing with the same thing.

 

Luke clearly stated that the events he was describing came before the sign of the end of the age, when “nation shall rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.”

 

However, in the Matthew account, the passage begins with the word Then, point­ing out that the Messiah is now describing what will come after the event of nation rising up against nation, and kingdom against king­dom.

 

While the words tend to be similar, these similarities do not prove sameness. Mark and Luke described events that will happen to the Apostles before the sign of the first world war, while Matthew dealt with events of the first half of the Tribulation that would come after the sign of the first world war.

 

All together, the Messiah pointed out five events that will occur during the first half of the Tribulation.

 

First, there will be tremendous persecution of the saints (vv. 9-10), a fact also given in Revelation 6:9-11.

 

The one-world religious system, known as Ecclesiastical Babylon, will be doing the persecuting and will be responsible for the death of the saints during the first half of the Tribulation (REV 17:1-6).

 

Second, the first half of the Tribulation will be characterized by the rise of many false prophets (v. 11). This point is also brought out in Zechariah 13:2-6.

 

Third, there will be a tremendous rise of sin and iniquity (v. 12), because evil will no longer be restrained (II Thes. 2:6-7).

 

Fourth, those Jews who survive to the end of the Tribulation will be saved (v. 13).

 

The fifth event of the first half of the Tribulation will be the world­wide preaching of the gospel (v. 14), which will be conducted by the 144,000 Jews of Revelation 7:1-8.

 

The results of the ministry of the 144,000 are recorded in Revelation 7:9-17, where it clearly states that a great multitude of Gentiles will come to the saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus the Messiah.

2. The Events of the Second Half of the Tribulation— Matthew 24:15-20; Mark 13:14-23

 

Having given some events of the first half of the Tribulation, the Messiah next turned to the events of the second half. The Matthew account reads:

   

Matt 24:15 "Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),

 

Matt 24:16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains;

 

Matt 24:17 let him who is on the housetop not go down to get the things out that are in his house;

 

Matt 24:18 and let him who is in the field not turn back to get his cloak.

 

Matt 24:19 "But woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babes in those days!

 

Matt 24:20 "But pray that your flight may not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath;

 

Matt 24:21 for then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall.

 

Matt 24:22 "And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short.

 

Matt 24:23 "Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'There He is,' do not believe him.

 

Matt 24:24"For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.

 

Matt 24:25"Behold, I have told you in advance.

 

Matt 24:26 "If therefore they say to you, 'Behold, He is in the wilderness,' do not go forth, or, 'Behold, He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe them.

 

Matt 24:27 "For just as the lightning comes from the east, and flashes even to the west, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be.

 

Matt 24:28 "Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

 

Concerning the events of the second half of the Tribulation, all together, the Messiah said eight things.

 

First: the Messiah dealt with the specific event that will mark the beginning of the second half of the Tribulation: the Abomination of Desolation standing in the holy place (v. 15).

The Abomination of Deso­lation will involve two stages. The first stage will be when the Antichrist will take over the Jewish Temple, sit down in the Holy of Holies, and declare himself to be god (II Thes. 2:3-10).

 

The second stage of the Abomi­nation of Desolation will be when the False Prophet will make an image of the Antichrist and stand it up in the Holy of Holies (REV 13:11-15; DAN 12:11).

 

This act of the Abomination of Desolation will signal that the second and worse half of the Tribulation has begun.

 

Second: the Abomination of Desolation will be the signal for the Jews to flee out of the Land (vv. 16-20); this flight is also recorded in Revelation 12:13-17.

 

This passage reflects a sense of urgency in Israel’s flight. In fact, the whole emphasis is on speed and quickness. This emphasis is especially evident in the Messiah’s listing of the three dif­ficulties that may be encountered in this flight. The first difficulty is for women who are pregnant or have infants. In both cases, this makes quick flight difficult as any woman in that condition can certainly verify The second difficulty is in relation to the winter, when weather conditions can also limit a speedy escape especially through wadis such as the one leading to Petra. The third difficulty is in relation to the Sabbath, a day when all public transportation closes down.

For these two reasons, they are advised to pray that this Abomination of Desola­tion, which will indeed come to pass, will not come on the Sabbath day or during the winter months, during the rainy season. [We can all make that a part of our prayer lives]

 

Third: the reason for this flight (v. 21) is because at this time worldwide anti-Semitism will break out in all its fierceness.

 

Satan’s attempt to annihilate the Jews once and for all will have begun in earnest.

 

Fourth: Israel will survive this terrible period, though greatly re­duced in number (v. 22).

 

Fifth: the second half of the Tribulation will be characterized by a false messiah, as typified in the counterfeit son, the Antichrist (v. 23).

 

Sixth: the latter half of the Tribulation will be characterized by many false signs, miracles and wonders, for the purpose of worldwide deception. These false signs will be performed by both the Antichrist (II Thes. 2:8-10) and by the False Prophet (REV 13:11-15).

 

Seventh: the Messiah warned that there will be people saying that the Messiah has returned here or that the Messiah has returned there, and that the Second Coming has secretly occurred (vv. 25-27).

This is an attempt to draw the Jews out of the hills.

 

The Messiah warned the Jews of that day not to believe any such rumor or statement and come out of hiding because, unlike His First Coming, the Second Coming will not be in secret. When the Messiah returns the second time, all men will see it, for it will be like a flash of light­ning surrounding the world.

 

Eighth: the Messiah gave a hint as to the place of His Second Coming in verse 28. He said that where the body is, there will the vultures (better translated as “vultures”) be gathered together.

 

The “body” refers to Israel, while the “vultures” refer to the Gentile nations coming against the body of Israel. The place of the Second Coming of the Messiah will be in that place where the body of Israel is located, and where the Gentile nations are gathered together.

 

The exact place is known as Bozrah (in Hebrew) or Petra(in Greek). That is where the “body” will be (MIC 2:12-13); that is where the “vultures” will be gathered to come against them (Is. 34:1-7; 63:1-6); and that will be the place of the Second Coming (HAB 3:3).

 

MIC 2:12 "I will surely assemble all of you, Jacob,

I will surely gather the remnant of Israel.

I will put them together like sheep in the fold;

Like a flock in the midst of its pasture

They will be noisy with men.

 

MIC 2:13"The breaker goes up before them;

They break out, pass through the gate, and go out by it.

So their king goes on before them,

And the Lord at their head."

 

ISA 34:1 Draw near, O nations, to hear; and listen, O peoples!

Let the earth and all it contains hear, and the world and all that springs from it.

 

ISA 34:2 For the Lord's indignation is against all the nations,

And His wrath against all their armies;

He has utterly destroyed them,

He has given them over to slaughter.

 

ISA 34:3 So their slain will be thrown out,

And their corpses will give off their stench,

And the mountains will be drenched with their blood.

 

ISA 34:4 And all the host of heaven will wear away,

And the sky will be rolled up like a scroll;

All their hosts will also wither away

As a leaf withers from the vine,

Or as one withers from the fig tree.

 

ISA 34:5 For My sword is satiated in heaven,

Behold it shall descend for judgment upon Edom,

And upon the people whom I have devoted to destruction.

 

ISA 34:6 The sword of the Lord is filled with blood,

It is sated with fat, with the blood of lambs and goats,

With the fat of the kidneys of rams.

For the Lord has a sacrifice in Bozrah,

And a great slaughter in the land of Edom.

 

ISA 34:7 Wild oxen shall also fall with them,

And young bulls with strong ones;

Thus their land shall be soaked with blood,

And their dust become greasy with fat.

 

ISA 63:1 Who is this who comes from Edom,

With garments of glowing colors from Bozrah,

This One who is majestic in His apparel,

Marching in the greatness of His strength?

"It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save."

 

ISA 63:2 Why is Your apparel red,

And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press?

 

ISA 63:3 "I have trodden the wine trough alone,

And from the peoples there was no man with Me.

I also trod them in My anger,

And trampled them in My wrath;

And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments,

And I stained all My raiment.

ISA 63:4 "For the day of vengeance was in My heart,

And My year of redemption has come.

 

ISA 63:5 "And I looked, and there was no one to help,

And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold;

So My own arm brought salvation to Me;

And My wrath upheld Me.

 

ISA 63:6 "And I trod down the peoples in My anger,

And made them drunk in My wrath,

And I poured out their lifeblood on the earth."

 

HAB 3:3 God comes from Teman,

And the Holy One from Mount Paran.

Selah.

His splendor covers the heavens,

And the earth is full of His praise.

 

HAB 3:4 His radiance is like the sunlight;

He has rays flashing from His hand,

And there is the hiding of His power.

 

To summarize, in this passage, the Messiah presented the events of the second half of the Tribulation, showing it to be an especially diffi­cult period for Israel which will culminate in the Second Coming of the Messiah.