CHRISTOLOGY: THE DOCTRINE OF MESSIAH
By Dr.
Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum
This is the
eighteenth
Shofar study of Dr.
Fruchtenbaum's Christology series.
Previous studies may be accessed by links in our
Library and
Sound Doctrine
pages.
-
Before Abraham was born,
I am ~ John 8:58
-
I am the way, and the
truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father,
but by me ~ John 14:6
-
He that hath seen me hath
seen the Father ~ John 14:9
|
Few doctrines can be considered more fundamental
than the nature, character and works of Messiah, and few
teachers are able to convey such truths with the thoroughness,
detail, accuracy, clarity, organization and fluidity that
characterizes Dr. Fruchtenbaum. So let's sharpen our focus and
continue.
Study 18:
Ariel Ministries' Messianic Bible Study #028:
THE OLIVET
DISCOURSE
By Dr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum
© 1983, 2005 Ariel
Ministries. All rights reserved. No part of this
manuscript may be reproduced in any form, except in
brief quotation in a review or professional work,
without written permission from the publishers. Cover
illustration by Olivier Melnick.
Email: Homeoffice @ ariel .
org. When email, remove the spaces.
Website:
www.ariel.org.
This
manuscript is republished by special permission of Ariel
Ministries.
|
INTRODUCTION
The famous Olivet
Discourse of our Messiah occurred between two significant
events. Immediately preceding the Olivet
Discourse, the Messiah spoke the final words of His public
ministry found in Matthew 23:1-39, which contain the
denunciation of the leadership, especially for their guilt
in
leading the nation to reject the Messiahship of Yeshua
(Jesus). With these words, the public ministry of the
Messiah as a Prophet came to an end, and for the remainder
of His
last few days on earth, He would deal exclusively with His
disciples.
Immediately after the Olivet Discourse came the preparation
of the last Passover and the first Lord’s Supper. These
events came just before His death. During the last Passover
and the first Lord’s Supper, the famous Upper Room Discourse
occurred, in which there was a transition in the Messiah’s
ministry from Prophet to Priest.
Between these two significant events, the famous Olivet
Discourse is recorded in three of the Gospel accounts:
Matthew 24-25; Mark 13; and Luke 21:5-36. The basic purpose
of the Olivet Discourse is to answer the question: When and
how would the Messianic Kingdom come into being? Since
Israel rejected the Kingdom offer of the Messiah, it was
impossible to set up the Kingdom at that time, and it would
have to be set up at a later time. However, in light of His
denunciation of the leadership of Israel in Matthew 23, and
in light of His closing words in Matthew 23:37-39, revealing
the fact that He will not return until Israel requests His
return: When, then, will the Kingdom be set up? The Olivet
Discourse answers this question.
To get a complete picture, all three Gospel accounts must be
studied. Not one Gospel writer recorded everything Yeshua
said on that day, and each one recorded only the
information most relevant to the theme of his own Gospel
account. For that reason, it is necessary to study all three
accounts, because only then is it possible to get a total
picture of what Yeshua said during the closing days in His
office as Prophet. This study will be in the form of a
synthesis, with all three Gospel accounts being examined
simultaneously. The basic presentation of the Olivet
Discourse parallels the chronological order; if Jesus breaks
the chronological order, He indicates it in some way.
This topic will be studied in four sections: the historical
setting, the three questions, the parable of the fig tree,
and the judgment of the Gentiles.
I. THE HISTORICAL SETTING
The historical setting is recorded in Matthew 24:1-2; Mark
13:1-2; and Luke 21:5-6.
The Matthew account reads:
And Jesus went out from the
temple, and was going on his way; and his disciples came to
him to show him the buildings of the temple. But he
answered and 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.
~ Matthew
24:1-2 ~ |
After His scathing denunciation of the Pharisees, and after
announcing the coming destruction of the Temple, Jesus and
His disciples moved out of the Temple Compound for
the last time. On the way out, the disciples pointed out the
magnificent buildings of the Jewish Temple Compound.
Actually, at that time, the Temple buildings were not yet
completed. The Temple Compound was begun by Herod the Great
in 20 B.C., but it was not finished until A.D. 64, only six
years before its destruction. The words of the Olivet
Discourse were spoken in the year A.D. 30, so the building
of the Temple Compound had been going on for fifty years.
They would continue the building for another thirty-four
years. The stones, which so impressed the disciples were
indeed magnificent, and some of them are still visible in
the walls of the Temple Compound to this day. These
“Herodian Stones” are huge, each measuring ten to twelve
feet in length and weighing several tons.
Nevertheless, Yeshua reiterated the fact that this Temple
was doomed for destruction; the Temple itself would not have
one stone left upon another. This prophecy of the
Messiah was literally fulfilled in A.D. 70 when the Romans
destroyed the City of Jerusalem and the Temple was set on
fire. Because there was so much gold in the building, a
great amount of it melted and seeped into the crevices
between the stones of the Temple. When the ruins cooled
down, the Romans systematically removed everything,
stone-by-stone, in order to get to the gold that had
solidified inside the crevices. However, this prophecy of
the Messiah left the disciples perplexed.
II. THE THREE QUESTIONS
The second section concerns the perplexity of the disciples
with the prophecy of the Messiah. When they arrived at the
Mount of Olives, the prophecy raised three questions on
the part of four of His disciples. The questions are
recorded in Matthew 24:3; Mark 13:3-4; and Luke 21:7.
The Matthew account reads as follows:
And as he sat on 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 your coming, and of the end of the world
(Matthew 24:3)?
The Luke account reads: And they asked him, saying, Teacher,
when therefore shall these things be? and what shall be the
sign when these things are about to come to pass
(Luke 21:7)?
Altogether, 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 (Matthew 24:3)?
These things refer to the destruction of the Temple that
He had prophesied in the previous two verses. In the Luke
passage, this first question is phrased as,
Master, but when shall these things be?
and what shall be
the sign when these things are about to come to pass
(Luke 21:7)? In
other words, the first question was: When will 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 (Matthew 24:3)? This question does 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 world (Matthew 24:3)? The Greek word translated world actually
means "age.” They asked for a third sign, and that was,
“What will be the sign that the end of this age has begun?”
In rabbinic theology of that day, the rabbis spoke of two
ages: “this age,” meaning the age in which we now live, and
“the age to come,” meaning the Messianic Age. So the
question is, “What is the sign that the last days of this
age have begun and will lead to the Messianic Age?”
Altogether, then, there were three questions in which the
disciples asked for three signs to watch for. Yeshua
answered these questions, but not in the same order as they
were
asked. 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.
A. The General Characteristics of the Church Age
Before the Messiah began to answer any of the three
questions, He first provided some general characteristics of
the Church Age in Matthew 24:4-6; Mark 13:6-7; and Luke
21:8-9.
The Matthew passage reads as follows:
And Jesus answered and
said unto them, Take heed that no man lead you astray. For
many shall come in my name, saying, I am the
Christ; and shall lead many astray. And ye shall hear of
wars and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled: for
these things must needs come to pass; but the end is not
yet. ~
Matthew 24:4-6 ~ |
Rather than immediately answering all three questions, Jesus
decided first to give some general characteristics of the
Church Age, none of which meant that the end had
begun. Jesus wanted to make sure that the disciples would
not jump to certain conclusions because of various events,
and so He chose to tell them of things that would not
mean that the end had begun. There were to be two general
characteristics of the Church Age.
1. The Rise of False Messiahs
The first general characteristic would be the rise of false
messiahs. Historically, Yeshua was the first Person who
claimed to be the Messiah. After Him, many came claiming to
be the messiah. From the time of Yeshua until about the
middle of the 1850s, a great number of Jewish men – from Simon
Bar Cochba to Shabbetai Tzvi and Jacob Frank – arose
claiming to be the messiah, and indeed led many astray.
Gentiles have also claimed the messianic title. But this was
to be a general characteristic of the Church Age, and the
existence of false messiahs in no way meant that the end had
begun.
2. The Existence of Local Wars
The second general characteristic of the Church Age would be
local wars. Jesus stated that when they heard of wars and
rumors of wars, these things also would not be signs
of the end. The existence of local wars here and there would
in no way indicate that the end had begun. Even if such
local wars take place in the Middle East, it is not
necessarily prophetically significant.
Concerning both false messiahs and local wars, in verse 6
Yeshua said, for all these things must needs come to pass;
but the end is not yet. Luke emphasized this
point in his passage when he wrote,
for these things must needs
come to pass first; but the end is not immediately (Lk.
21:9). In other words, 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.
B. The Sign of the End of the Age
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, which
concerned the sign that the end of the age had truly begun.
It is recorded in Matthew 24:7-8; Mark 13:8; and Luke
21:10-11.
The Matthew account reads: For nation shall rise against
nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be
famines and earthquakes in divers places. But all these
things are the beginning of travail (Matthew
24:7-8).
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 Yeshua clearly stated that this would be the beginning
of travail. The term travail means “birth pang.” It refers
to the series of birth pangs that a woman undergoes before
giving birth to a baby. The prophets pictured the last days
as a series of birth pangs before the birth of the new
Messianic Age. The beginning of travail, the first birth
pang, and the sign that the end of the age has begun is when
nation rises
against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
Jesus had already clearly stated that local wars between a
few nations would not indicate that the end had begun. But
then He said that when there is nation against nation,
kingdom against kingdom, this will mean the end of the age
has begun.
To understand what the idiom nation against nation, and
kingdom against kingdom means, it is necessary to return to
the Jewish origin of these statements. This expression
is a Hebrew idiom for a world war. Yeshua’s statement here
is that when a world war occurs, rather than merely a local
war, that world war would signal that the end of the age
had begun.
This is quite in keeping with the Jewish writings of this
same period. One Jewish source known as the Zohar Chadash
states:
“At that time wars shall be stirred up in the world. Nation
shall be against nation and city against city; much distress
shall be renewed against the enemies of the Israelites.”
Another Jewish source known as the Bereshit Rabbah states:
“If you shall see the kingdoms rising against each other in
turn, then give heed and note the footsteps of the
Messiah (XLII:4).”
The rabbis clearly taught that a world-wide conflict would
signal the coming of the Messiah. Yeshua corrected this idea
slightly, for He said that when the world war occurs,
while it does not signal the coming of the Messiah, it will
signal that the end of the age has begun. These birth pangs
that Yeshua talked about are the same as the “footsteps”
that the rabbis talked about. The “footsteps of the Messiah”
had to do with the series of events that will lead up to the
coming of the Messiah. The title of the 500-page
prophecy book, The Footsteps of the Messiah, is based on
this Jewish concept, reflected in the Matthew account
concerning nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom.
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 re-establishment 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 world-wide
conflict fulfilled by World War I and World War II.
C. Personal Experiences of the Apostles
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. This is
recorded in Mark 13:9-13 and Luke 21:12-19.
The Luke account reads:
But before all these things, they
shall lay their hands on you, and shall persecute you,
delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, bringing
you
before kings and governors for my name’s sake. It shall turn
out unto you for a testimony. Settle it therefore in your
hearts, not to meditate beforehand how to answer: for I will
give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries
shall not be able to withstand or to gainsay. But ye shall
be delivered up even by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk,
and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to
death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.
And not a hair of your head shall perish. In your
patience ye shall win your souls.
~ Luke
21:12-19 ~ |
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. Jesus then described some
personal experiences that the apostles were to go through
after He departed from them. Altogether, He listed nine
things. First, in verse 12a, they will be rejected by the
Jews. Secondly, in verse 12b, they will be rejected by the
Gentiles. Thirdly, in verse 13, they will undergo
persecutions,
but these persecutions will provide opportunities for
testimony. Fourthly, they will succeed in proclaiming the
gospel everywhere (Mk. 13:10); this is verified by Romans
10:18
and Colossians 1:6, 23. Fifth, in verses 14-15, they need
not worry about preparing defenses before their trials,
because they will be given divine utterance when they are
brought before judgment. Sixth, in verse 16, they will be
rejected by their own family members. Seventh, in verse 17,
they will be hated by all men to the point that some will be
martyred. Eighth, in verse 18, nevertheless, their salvation
is assured. And ninth, in verse 19, they will succeed in
winning many souls.
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 die before
the end of the age ever began.
D. The Sign of the Fall of Jerusalem
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 Yeshua 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 in 21:20-24:
But when ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know
that her desolation is at hand. Then let them that are in
Judaea flee unto the mountains; and let them that are
in the midst of her depart out; and let not them that are in
the country enter therein. For these are days of vengeance,
that all things which are written may be fulfilled. Woe
unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in
those days! for there shall be great distress upon the land,
and wrath unto this people. And they shall fall by the
edge of the sword, and shall be led captive into all the
nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of 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, from that point on, Jerusalem 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 Transjordan. They were joined by
Jewish believers from Judea, Galilee, and the Golan. There,
they waited for the prophecy of Yeshua 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. Altogether, 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.
E. The Great Tribulation
In preparation for answering the second question, the
Messiah turned to the Great Tribulation itself. His words
concerning this period are recorded in Matthew 24:9-26 and
Mark
13:14-23. 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
The events concerning the first half of the Tribulation are
recorded in Matthew 24:9-14:
Then shall they deliver you up unto tribulation, and shall
kill you: and ye shall be hated of all the nations for my
name’s sake. And then shall many stumble, and shall deliver
up one another, and shall hate one another. And many false
prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray. And
because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many
shall wax cold. But he that endures to the end, the same
shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be
preached in the whole world for a testimony unto all the
nations; and then shall the end 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.
Altogether, the Messiah pointed out five events that will
occur during the first half of the Tribulation. First, in
verses 9-10, there will be tremendous persecution of the
saints, 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).
Secondly, in verse 11, the first half of the Tribulation
will be characterized by the rise of many false prophets.
This point is also brought out in Zechariah 13:2-6.
Thirdly, in verse 12, there will be a tremendous rise of sin
and iniquity, because evil will no longer be restrained (II
Thes. 2:6-7).
Fourthly, in verse 13, those Jews who survive to the end of
the Tribulation will be saved.
The fifth event of the first half of the Tribulation will be
the world- wide preaching of the gospel in verse 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
Having given some events of the first half of the
Tribulation, the Messiah next turned to the events of the
second half, recorded in Matthew 24:15-28 and Mark 13:14-23.
More
detail is given concerning the events of the second half of
the Tribulation; altogether, the Messiah said eight things
in the Matthew account.
First in verse 15, the Messiah dealt with the specific event
that will mark the beginning of the second half of the
Tribulation, When therefore ye see the abomination of
desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet,
standing in the holy place (let him that reads understand),
…
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
worst half of the Tribulation has begun.
Secondly, the Abomination of Desolation will be the signal
for the Jews to flee out of the Land in verses 16-20:
… then let them that are in Judaea flee unto the mountains:
let him that is on the housetop not go down to take out the
things that are in his house: and let him that is in the
field not return back to take his cloak. But woe unto them
that are with child and to them that give suck in those
days! And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter,
neither
on a sabbath: … |
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
nursing 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 Sabbath.
And the
third difficulty is in relation to the winter.
Why not in winter since it seldom snows in Israel? What
could possibly be the problem with winter? The reason for
this prayer request lies in a situation as things exist in
Israel.
There are several differences between the U.S. and Israel.
One of these differences is the manner in which weather
patterns occur. In the U.S., the land receives rain during
all
four seasons, but this is not the case in Israel, which
follows a specific rainy season. Between April and October,
not one drop of rain will fall throughout the country.
Israel
receives all of her rain between October and April. When it
does rain during the winter months, it often comes down
heavily, creating flood conditions at times. Another
difference between the U.S. and Israel is the manner in
which highways are built. When Americans build their
highways and come to a dry water gully, although it is dry,
they
will still build a bridge across it. That is not the case in
Israel where the roads are paved into the water gullies and
out again. Technically, these water gullies are known as
wadis. Wadis are dry all summer and also most of the winter.
However, during the winter rainy months when rain falls
along the mountain ranges of Israel, water rushes down
the wadis with tremendous speed and force, washing out the
highways. On more than one occasion while driving around
Israel, we would have to turn back or make a wide U-
turn because a flooded wadi had destroyed the road. From
other passages, we realize that when the Jews escape from
Jerusalem they will have to go by means of these
wadis. If this event takes place during the winter months,
it will make escape that much more difficult.
The second prayer request is that it should not happen on
the Sabbath day either. Why not on the Sabbath day? On the
Sabbath day in Israel, all public transportation closes
down because the busses and trains are all locked up. Unless
one owns his own automobile, it will be extremely difficult
to make an escape from the country. Only one- third of
the Israeli population own their own cars; two-thirds are
without cars. The majority of the population is heavily
dependent upon public transportation, which is non-existent
on
the Sabbath day. If this event happens on the Sabbath day,
it will make escape that much more difficult.
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. The third thing mentioned
is the reason for such a flight in verse 21:
… for then
shall be great tribulation, such as has not been from the
beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be.
At this time world-wide 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.
Fourthly, Israel will survive this terrible period, though
greatly reduced in number according to verse 22:
And except
those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been
saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be
shortened.
Fifth, the second half of the Tribulation will be
characterized by a false messiah, as typified in the
counterfeit son, the Antichrist in verse 23:
Then if any man
shall say unto you,
Lo, here is the Christ, or, Here; believe it not.
Sixth, the latter half of the Tribulation is described in
verse 24: For there shall arise false Christs, and false
prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to
lead
astray, if possible, even the elect.
The latter half of the Tribulation will be characterized by
many false signs, miracles, and wonders for the purpose of
world-wide 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 gives a warning in verses 25-27:
Behold, I have told you beforehand. If therefore they shall
say unto you, Behold, he is in the wilderness; go not forth:
Behold, he is in the inner chambers; believe it not. For as
the lightning comes forth from the east, and is seen even
unto the west; so shall be the coming of the Son of man. |
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. The Messiah warned His disciples 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.
And eighth, the Messiah gave a hint as to the place of His
Second Coming in verse 28: Wheresoever the carcase is, there
will the eagles be gathered together.
He said that where the body is, there will the eagles 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 in
Hebrew as Bozrah or as 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).
To summarize 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. But He has not yet
answered the second question concerning the sign that will
signal the Messiah’s Second Coming. Next, He turned to
this question.
F. The Sign of the Second Coming of the Messiah
The answer to the second question is recorded in Matthew
24:29-30; Mark 13:24-26; and Luke 21:25-27.
The Matthew account reads:
But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun
shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the
heavens shall be shaken: and then shall appear the sign of
the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of
the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man
coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
|
The Luke account reads:
And there shall be signs in sun and moon and stars; and upon
the earth distress of nations, in perplexity for the roaring
of the sea and the billows; men fainting for fear, and
for expectation of the things which are coming on the world:
for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then
shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with
power and great glory. |
In the Matthew account, Yeshua stated that just preceding
the sign of the Second Coming of the Messiah, there will be
a total blackout of the earth. No light will penetrate to
the earth from the sun...the moon...and the stars
(Mat.
24:29). Luke adds that there will be a great amount of
perplexity on the earth as both physical and non-physical
things
are shaken in expectation (Lk. 21:25-26).
At this point, Matthew states that the sign of the Son of
man will appear in verse 30a. As this sign is coupled with
God’s glory, it is obviously the Shechinah Glory light that
will
signal the Second Coming of the Messiah. The answer to the
second question, “What will be the sign of the Second
Coming?” is: the Shechinah Glory. But immediately after
the tribulation of those days, there will be a total
blackout with no light penetrating at all, followed by a
sudden, glorious, tremendous light that will penetrate
through the
blackout. This Shechinah light will be the sign of the
Second Coming of the Messiah. The light will be followed by
the return of the Messiah Himself in verse 30b.
The Messiah had now answered all three questions. The sign
of the destruction of the Jewish Temple was to be the
surrounding of Jerusalem by armies. The sign that the end
of the age had begun was to be a world-wide war. The sign
of the Second Coming would be the Shechinah Glory light
breaking through the world-wide blackout. The first sign
was given in A.D. 66; the second sign was given in
1914-1918; and at the end of the Tribulation, the third sign
will be given as well.
Although Yeshua had answered all three questions, He still
wished to give more information regarding the last days.
G. The Regathering of Israel
Since the Jewish prophets had predicted in great detail the
world-wide regathering of Israel, Jesus did not spend much
time with this, but only specified that it will occur after
His Second Coming. This regathering is found in Matthew
24:31 and Mark 13:27.
The Matthew account reads: And he shall send forth his
angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall
gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end
of
heaven to the other.
The Mark passage reads: And then shall he send forth the
angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four
winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost
part of heaven.
Following the Second Coming, the Messiah will send his
angels all over the world to regather every Jew and bring
them back into their Land. The background to the Matthew
passage is Isaiah 27:12-13, which prophesied that the final
restoration of Israel will be signaled by the sound of a
great trumpet. The background to the Mark passage is
Deuteronomy 30:4, which also emphasizes that the final
restoration will come from two localities: earth and Heaven.
Those who are gathered from the uttermost parts of the
earth will be living Israel, the one-third Remnant that
survives the Tribulation. Those who are gathered from the
uttermost part of heaven will be the resurrected Old
Testament
saints. This part of the Olivet Discourse summarizes many
Old Testament prophecies, specifying that the final
world-wide restoration will come only after the Second
Coming,
not before (Is. 11:11-12:6; 43:5-7; Jer. 23:5-8; 31:7-14;
Ezek. 11:16-21; 20:40-42; 36:22-31).
H. The Exhortation
Having given an outline of things to come from their own day
until the beginning of the Kingdom, the Messiah then
presented an exhortation, recorded in Luke 21:28:
But when
these things begin to come to pass, look up, and lift up
your heads; because your redemption draws nigh.
The exhortation is that when believers see these things
begin to come to pass, then they are to look up — raise their
heads — because it will mark the imminent redemption of the
believers from this world. In Luke’s context, the expression
these things refers back to Luke 21:20- 24, which was the
sign of the destruction of Jerusalem. Once Jerusalem was
destroyed in A.D. 70 that fulfilled every and any prophecy
that had to be fulfilled before the Rapture. Once the city
and the Temple were destroyed, it fulfilled the judgment for
the unpardonable sin. Once that happened, it rendered the
Rapture of the Church imminent. Imminency does not mean
“soon.” It only means that it can now happen at any moment
of time. It should be noted what Jesus did not say. He did
not say that only when all these things have come to pass,
then look up for your redemption draws nigh. He did not say
we must wait until the end of the Tribulation before looking
up. What He did say was, When you see these
things begin to come to pass, then
look up, for your
redemption draws nigh. The beginning part was the
destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. Once the beginning
had occurred, the Rapture became imminent.
III. THE PARABLE OF THE FIG TREE
The Olivet Discourse now comes to the third section known as
the parable of the fig tree, recorded in Matthew 24:32-35;
Mark 13:28- 32; and Luke 21:29-33.
The Matthew account reads:
Now from the fig tree learn her parable: when her branch is
now become tender, and puts forth its leaves, ye know that
the summer is nigh; even so ye also, when ye see all
these things, know ye that he is nigh, even at the doors.
Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away,
till all these things be accomplished. Heaven and earth
shall
pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
~
Matthew 24:32-35 ~ |
The Luke account reads:
And he spoke to them a parable:
Behold the fig tree, and all the trees: when they now shoot
forth, ye see it and know of your own selves that the
summer is now nigh. Even so ye also, when ye see these
things coming to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is
nigh. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass
away, till all things be accomplished. Heaven and earth
shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
~
Luke 21:29-33 ~ |
This section has often been misused by those who have
attempted to date the Rapture or the Second Coming of the
Messiah. The fig tree is often taken to mean the re-establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. Then, within a
generation, that is forty years from 1948, the Second Coming
must occur. This would place the Second Coming in
1988. Because the Rapture precedes the Second Coming by at
least seven years, it would place the Rapture by 1981. This
is simply date-setting – something the Scriptures
clearly forbid. Nevertheless, date-setters continue to
revise their 1981 “prophecy” year after year. Since 1988 has
now come and gone, the new focus is to start the forty years
with the Six-Day War in 1967. So now, some are predicting
the return of the Lord around 2006-2007.
There are two errors in this type of reasoning and its
exposition. First, the Bible nowhere limits the period of a
generation to simply forty years. The one place where the
term
“generation” is given a specific length of time, it is
reckoned to be one hundred years (Gen. 15:13-16). Actually,
the term “generation” can mean “twenty,” ”forty,” “seventy,”
“eighty,” and “one hundred” years. Sometimes it simply means
“contemporaries,” much as we use the term today. That is the
way it is used here. A second mistake made in this
reasoning is assuming that the fig tree is a symbol of
Israel and that this passage is speaking of the
re-establishment of the Jewish State in 1948. This has not
been mentioned
anywhere in the entire Olivet Discourse. The re-
establishment of Israel has merely been assumed and
presupposed in the passage, but it has never been dealt with
specifically. Furthermore, the usual scriptural symbol for
Israel is the vine.
However, the real point of this passage is that the fig tree
is being used literally as an illustration, not as a symbol
for Israel. This is clearly seen from verse 29 of the Luke
passage, which reads Behold the fig tree, and all the
trees. If the fig tree represents Israel, what, then, do
all the other trees represent? If they refer to other
nations, and
since a number of nations have risen – and keep rising – since
1948, then when would the forty-year countdown really begin?
Neither the fig tree nor the other trees are used
symbolically to refer to any nation or nations; rather, they
are being used literally as an illustration.
The point of the illustration is this: When the fig tree,
and all the other trees begin to blossom, it is a sure sign
that summer is on its way, because blossoming occurs in the
spring. Then, in application of the illustration, Jesus
said, Even so ye also, when ye see all these things, know
ye that he is nigh, even at the doors. Just as a blossoming
fig
tree means that summer is on its way, in the same way, when
these events that Yeshua spoke about occur, then they can
know that His return is near.
But what is it that signals the soon return of the Lord? It
is not the re-establishment of Israel in 1948, because
Jesus never mentioned that event in this passage. Rather,
the
event that He was speaking of was the Abomination of
Desolation. When the Abomination of Desolation occurs, it
will signal the soon return of the Messiah, namely only
3 1/2 years later. More specifically, it will be exactly 1,260
days from the Abomination of Desolation until the Second
Coming.
Then Yeshua stated that the generation that sees this
event – the Abomination of Desolation – will still be around
when the Second Coming of the Messiah occurs 3 1/2 years later. The point of verse 34 is not that the generation that sees
the re-establishment of the Jewish State will still be here
at the Second Coming, but rather, the Jewish generation that
sees the Abomination of Desolation will still be here at the
Second Coming. Verse 34 is intended to be a word of comfort
in light of the world-wide attempt at Jewish destruction.
It must be kept in mind that the Abomination of Desolation
signals Satan’s and the Antichrist’s final attempt to
exterminate the Jews. The fact that the Jewish generation
will still
be here when the Second Coming of the Messiah occurs shows
that Satan’s attempt toward Jewish destruction will fail,
and the Jewish saints of the second half of the
Tribulation can receive comfort from these words.
The “coming” referred to in this passage is not the Rapture,
for which no signs are promised, but the Second Coming
itself. This is evident from the Luke account, for he states
that what the Abomination of Desolation signals is the
coming of the Kingdom of God. The Millennial Kingdom will be
a result of the Second Coming, not of the Rapture.
Again, the point of this section is not that the fig tree
represents Israel in 1948, but rather, the fig tree is being
used literally as an illustration. The point of the
illustration is to
provide a word of comfort that the world-wide attempt to
destroy the Jews is destined for failure, for the Jewish
generation that sees the Abomination of Desolation will
still be
around when the Messiah returns.
A. The Rapture of the Church
Now the passage turns to the issue of the Rapture of the
Church, the timing of which cannot be known in advance. The
discussion concerning the Rapture is in Matthew 24:36-42 and Luke 21:34-36.
The Matthew account reads:
But of that day and hour knows no one, not even the angels
of heaven, neither the Son, but the Father only. And as were
the days of Noah, so shall be the coming of the Son
of man. For as in those days which were before the flood
they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in
marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and
they
knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so
shall be the coming of the Son of man. Then shall two men be
in the field; one is taken, and one is left: two women
shall be grinding at the mill; one is taken, and one is
left. Watch therefore: for ye know not on what day your Lord
comes. |
Luke’s version reads:
But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be
overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of
this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare: for
so shall it come upon all them that dwell on the face of all
the earth. But watch ye at every season, making
supplication, that ye may prevail to escape all these things
that shall
come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
|
Within premillennial and pretribulational circles, the
majority view today is that this passage is speaking of the
Second Coming rather than the Rapture. Two main reasons are
given. First, contextually, Jesus has been speaking about
the Second Coming and since this passage follows that
discussion then, logically, it would mean that He is
speaking
of the same thing. Secondly, the “taking away” of Matthew
24:40-41 is taken to be the same as verse 39, which is a
“taking away” in judgment. Hence, the “taking away” is in
judgment at the Second Coming, not the blessing of the
Rapture.
In answer to the first point, Matthew 24:36 begins with the
word, But, which in Greek is peri de. The peri de
construction in Greek is a contrastive introduction of a new
subject;
hence, it is often translated as: But concerning (I Cor.
7:1; 8:1; 12:1; 16:1; I Thes. 5:1). The use of this
construction points to the introduction of a new subject.
So, yes, He has
been discussing the Second Coming until this point. However,
the peri de means that He is now introducing a new subject,
and that is the Rapture. In answer to the second
point, in Greek, the “taking away” in verses 40-41 is a
different term than the one used in verse 39, and so it need
not be interpreted as the same kind of “taking away.”
Concerning the issue of the Rapture, the Messiah makes four
main points. First, in verse 36, as to the question of when;
this is known only by one Person, and that is God the
Father. It was not known by the angels, nor was it known by
the Son in His humanity, but only by God the Father. If the
timing of the Rapture has been hidden from both
angels and the humanity of Jesus, how much more so is it
hidden from mankind in general! For that reason, the only
clue given concerning the timing of the Rapture is that it
will occur some time before the Tribulation, and it may not
necessarily occur just before the Tribulation. It might
easily occur ten or twenty years before that time. As to the
question of when the Rapture will occur, the answer is
simple: no one knows. This is not true of the Second Coming
of the Messiah, which will someday be a datable event; it
will occur exactly seven years after the signing of the
seven-year covenant and 3 1/2 years – 42 months or 1,260
days – after the Abomination of Desolation.
Secondly, according to verses 37-39, there will not be any
signs preceding the Rapture as there will be signs preceding
the Second Coming. When the Rapture occurs, it will
happen while there are normal conditions on the earth. The
Flood also came while there were normal conditions on the
earth, while men were eating, drinking, marrying and
giving in marriage. None of these things are sinful, but are
necessary for human survival and propagation. While normal
conditions existed on earth, the Noahic Flood arrived
and swept them all away. In the same way, while there are
normal conditions on the earth, the Rapture will suddenly
occur, sweeping away all believers in verses 40-41. This
will not be true of the Second Coming. When that event
occurs, conditions on earth will be far from normal, as
earlier sections of the Olivet Discourse and the Book of
Revelation clearly show.
Thirdly, in verses 40-42, when it comes, it will mean a
separation. According to the key passages on the Rapture
(Jn. 14:1-3; I Cor. 15:50-58; I Thes. 4:13-18), it will be a
separation of the believer from the unbeliever.
Fourthly, there is the supplication in Luke 21:34-36 to
watch for the purpose of escaping the Tribulation.
Throughout the Olivet Discourse, to watch means, “to be
ready.”
Watching is the equivalent of readiness, and readiness is
equivalent to salvation. So the means of escaping the
Tribulation is by means of salvation. Only those who accept
the
Messiah before the Rapture of the Church can be ready and
watching.
Luke gives two reasons for watching: first, so that
believers may escape all these things that shall come to
pass during the Tribulation. What Luke states in verse 35
should not be missed. He points out that the Tribulation
will come
upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth. In
other words, no one living on the earth can escape the
effects of
the Tribulation. It will fall upon all earth-dwellers. In
verse 36, Luke also states there is a possibility to escape
all these things that shall come to pass. This possibility
is not if
one is on the earth. Hence, to escape all these things, one
must be off the earth. The second reason for watching is so
that the believer might stand before the Son of Man in
Heaven. This will be the result of the Rapture: we stand
before the Son of Man and by standing before Him, we escape
all these things. Both of these things can only be
accomplished by the Rapture, and that is why to watch is to
be saved.
B. Parables Urging Watchfulness, Readiness, and Laboring
In
order to reinforce His closing point in the previous
section, the Messiah presented five parables, all having as
their main point the urging of watchfulness, readiness, and
laboring. These five parables are recorded in Matthew
24:43-25:30 and Mark 13:33-37. In all these parables, the
distinctions are not between different kinds of believers,
but between believers and unbelievers. They express
differences of attitude in believers and unbelievers toward
the
Second Coming, not the Rapture; the former will be ready,
while the latter will not.
In the parabolic method of teaching, a parable or a series
of parables are given and then the application is made. The
application of these parables will be made to the
judgment of the sheep and goats.
1. The Parable of the Porter: Mark 13:33-37
Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time
is. It is as when a man, sojourning in another country,
having left his house, and given authority to his servants,
to
each one his work, commanded also the porter to watch. Watch
therefore: for ye know not when the lord of the house comes,
whether at even, or at midnight, or at
cockcrowing, or in the morning; lest coming suddenly he
find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all,
Watch. |
This parable refers to
the Second Coming. The phrase, for
ye know not when the time is, is further
clarified by the phrase, whether at even, or at midnight, or at
cockcrowing, or in the morning. Although the day of the
Second Coming will be known once the Tribulation starts, the
time of the day is not known.
The main point of this parable is the emphasis on watching
for the Lord’s return. As was already noted, watching is
always in the sense of readiness, and readiness is always in
the sense of salvation; only those who are saved are going
to be able to escape these things.
2. The Parable of the Master of the House: Matthew 24:43-44
But know this, that if the master of the house had known in
what watch the thief was coming, he would have
watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken
through. Therefore be ye also ready; for in an hour that ye
think not the Son of man comes. |
The emphasis of the second parable is on readiness. Again,
being ready can only be obtained by means of salvation.
3. The Parable of the Faithful Servant and the Evil Servant:
Matthew 24:45-51
Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his lord has
set over his household, to give them their food in due
season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he
comes shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, that he
will set him over all that he had. But if that evil servant
shall say in his heart, My lord tarries; and shall begin to
beat his
fellow-servants, and shall eat and drink with the drunken;
the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he expects
not, and in an hour when he knows not, and shall cut
him asunder, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites:
there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
|
The emphasis of the third parable is on laboring. In order
to make sure that believers do not misconstrue the previous
emphasis on watching as meaning, just to sit there and
look at the sky, the third parable emphasizes the necessity
of working while one is waiting. When the Messiah returns,
it will be while believers are busy laboring. The believer
will be found laboring; but the unbeliever will be found not
laboring. What this laboring entails is discussed next.
Again, the parable refers to believers and unbelievers and
to the Second Coming. The phrase, a day when he expects
not, refers to the unbeliever who is not expecting the
Second Coming. The next two parables provide a more extended
treatment of the emphasis of the first three parables.
4. The Parable of the Ten Virgins: Matthew 25:1-13
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten
virgins, who took their lamps, and went forth to meet the
bridegroom. And five of them were foolish, and five were
wise.
For the foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil
with them: but the wise took oil in their vessels with their
lamps. Now while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered
and slept. But at midnight there is a cry, Behold, the
bridegroom! Come ye forth to meet him. Then all those
virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said
unto
the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are going out.
But the wise answered, saying, Peradventure there will not
be enough for us and you: go ye rather to them that sell,
and buy for yourselves. And while they went away to buy, the
bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him
to the marriage feast: and the door was shut.
Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord,
open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you,
I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know not the day
nor the hour. |
The emphasis of this parable is again on watching and
readiness. The virgins represent neither the Church nor
Israel in this parable, but simply serve to illustrate a
point. From
the Old Testament, the contrast of wise and foolish is a
contrast between believers and unbelievers.
The background of this parable is the Jewish wedding system.
When the marriage was to be consummated, the bridegroom
would go to the home of the bride to fetch her and
bring her to his home. As he approached his own home, he
would be met by a procession of virgins who would conduct
the bride and groom to the marriage ceremony, which
would be followed by the marriage feast.
When the bridegroom – the Messiah – returns to earth with His
Bride – the Church – for the marriage feast, the virgins will be
responsible for both watching for His return, and being
ready to light the lamps upon His return. The five virgins
who were wise will be the ones who are believers; hence,
they will be both ready and watching. They are the ones who
have the oil, a common symbol of the Holy Spirit. Only the
wise ones enter the marriage feast, the common symbol for
the Messianic Kingdom. Because the Messiah is pictured
as already with His Bride – the Church, which had been,
raptured – these who have the oil are people who became
believers during the Tribulation. They are saved and invited
to
the wedding feast as guests. The five foolish virgins will
be the unbelievers and, therefore, will be neither ready nor
watching. They do not have any oil. It should be noted that
the text does not say that the foolish virgins ran out of
oil, but that they have no oil with them; they never had the
oil or the Holy Spirit to begin with.
That is the whole point of this parable and it would be
wrong to try to develop too many details from a simple
parable. In this parable, there is an extended emphasis on
watching and readiness, both of which are accomplished by
faith in Yeshua the Messiah. Again, only the wise virgins
enter the marriage feast.
5. The Parable of the Talents: Matthew 25:14-30
For it is as when a man, going into another country, called
his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And
unto one he gave five talents, to another two, to another
one; to each according to his several ability; and he went
on his journey. Straightway he that received the five
talents went and traded with them, and made other five
talents. In
like manner he also that received the two gained other two.
But he that received the one went away and digged in the
earth, and hid his lord’s money. Now after a long time the
lord of those servants comes, and makes a reckoning with
them. And he that received the five talents came and brought
other five talents, saying, Lord, you delivered unto me
five talents: lo, I have gained other five talents. His lord
said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: you
have been faithful over a few things, I will set you over
many
things; enter you into the joy of your lord. And he also
that received the two talents came and said, Lord, you
delivered unto me two talents: lo, I have gained other two
talents.
His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful
servant: you have been faithful over a few things, I will
set you over many things; enter you into the joy of your
lord. And he
also that had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I
knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not
sow, and gathering where you did not scatter;
and I
was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the earth:
lo, you have your own. But his lord answered and said unto
him, You wicked and slothful servant, you knew that I
reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter;
you ought therefore to have put my money to the bankers, and
at my coming I should have received back mine own
with interest. Take ye away therefore the talent from him,
and give it unto him that has the ten talents. For unto
every one that has shall be given, and he shall have
abundance: but from him that has not, even that which he has
shall be taken away. And cast ye out the unprofitable
servant into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping
and the gnashing of teeth. |
The point of this parable is to reemphasize, in an extended
way, the necessity to keep on laboring while watching and
waiting. Again, the distinction is not between different
kinds of believers, but between believers and unbelievers.
The believers are servants who will keep on laboring while
they are watching for the Lord’s return; but the unbeliever
cannot labor in the work of the Lord, and therefore will
have nothing to show at the time of the Lord’s return. He is
declared to be the wicked one. The wicked servant ends up
in the place of the outer darkness, the place of the weeping
and the gnashing of teeth, the descriptive phrases of the
Lake of Fire.
6. Summary and Application
Altogether, the Messiah presented five parables: three short
parables and two extended parables. All emphasized the need
for watchfulness, readiness, and laboring in the
work of the Lord while waiting for His return. The first
parable emphasized watching; the second one, readiness; the
third one, laboring; the fourth one, watching and readiness;
and the fifth one, laboring. The means by which believers
will be watching, ready, and laboring is described in the
next section. The application of these parables can be made
both to the Rapture and the Second Coming. Concerning the
Rapture, since no man can know the day of the Rapture of the
Church, he cannot wait to receive the Messiah
until just before He returns. The only way one can indeed be
watching, ready, and laboring in the work of the Lord is by
means of accepting Him now. Concerning the Second
Coming, while it will be known when that occurs,
nevertheless the way believers of the Great Tribulation must
also be watching, ready, and laboring will be seen in the
concluding section of this study.
IV. THE JUDGMENT OF THE GENTILES
The fourth section concerns the judgment of the Gentiles.
The Olivet Discourse comes to an end with the judgment of
the Gentiles in Matthew 25:31-46. The timing of the
judgment will be after the Second Coming of the Messiah when
the Throne of David will be set up according to verse 31:
But when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and
all the angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of
his glory: …
The place of the judgment is not given in this passage, but
it is found in a parallel passage, Joel 3:1-3. This is a
judgment that will take place just outside the City of
Jerusalem
in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, which lies between the city
and the Mount of Olives.
The subjects of the judgment are individuals in verses
32-33: …32 and before him shall be gathered all the nations:
and he shall separate them one from another, as the
shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and he shall
set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
This will be an individual judgment rather than a national
one. The Greek word translated nations has the primary
meaning of “Gentiles” and is so translated elsewhere in the
New Testament. All the Gentiles who survive the Tribulation
and the Campaign of Armageddon will be gathered into the
Valley of Jehoshaphat and will then be separated by
the Messiah; some are brought to His left side and some are
brought to His right side. Those brought to His right are
called the sheep Gentiles, and those brought to His left
are called the goat Gentiles.
The basis of this judgment is going to be anti-Semitism or
pro-Semitism in verses 34-45. Individual Gentiles will be
judged on the basis of their treatment of the Messiah’s
brethren, namely, the Jewish people during the Tribulation.
The term brethren here is used in the sense of “brethren in
the flesh.” Some people have tried to make the term
brethren in this passage refer to saints in general, but
this would render the passage meaningless. There are three
specific groups mentioned in this passage: the sheep
Gentiles, the goat Gentiles, and the brethren. If the
brethren are saints in general, then who are the sheep,
since they, too, have eternal life? It would be very
confusing to
make both the sheep and the brethren as saints of the same
caliber. From this context alone, it should be very evident
that the brethren must refer to Jewish people because
the saints are the sheep and the unsaved are the goats.
Furthermore, the parallel passage of Joel 3:1-3 makes it
without a doubt that these brethren are the Jewish people of
the Tribulation.
The judgment of the sheep Gentiles is in verses 34-40:
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come,
ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for
you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry,
and ye gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink;
I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed
me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye
came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying,
Lord, when saw we you hungry, and fed you? or athirst, and
gave you drink? And when saw we you a stranger,
and took you in? or naked, and clothed you? And when saw we
you sick, or in prison, and came unto you? And the King
shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you,
Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even
these least, ye did it unto me. |
The sheep, who are the pro-Semites, are clearly stated to be
the righteous ones. Will they be saved, then, because of
their pro- Semitism? This cannot be, for that would mean
their salvation was purely on the basis of works. This
passage is an example of James 2:14-26, proving one’s faith
by one’s works. Because these Gentiles are already believers
in the Lord Jesus the Messiah, they will refuse to join the
policy of the Antichrist in his attempt to destroy the Jews.
So while Jews will undergo a great persecution, these
believing Gentiles will do what they can to help the Jews
under these conditions. Their works toward the Messiah’s
brethren will prove their faith. In this manner, they are
the
ones who will be watching, ready, and laboring in accordance
with the admonitions of the five parables. Because they are
saved Gentiles, they will be allowed to enter into the
Messianic Kingdom, and they will be the ones who will
populate the Gentile nations during the Messianic Age.
The judgment of the goat Gentiles is in verses 41-45:
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart
from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared
for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry, and ye did
not give me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink;
I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye
clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Then shall they also answer, saying, Lord, when saw we you
hungry, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in
prison, and did not minister unto you? Then shall he
answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye
did it not unto one of these least, ye did it not unto me.
|
On the other hand, the goats will be the anti-Semites who,
because of their unbelief in Jesus, will join the ranks of
the persecutors under the Antichrist’s authority. They will
show their lack of faith by their works. They are the ones
who will not be watching, ready or laboring, in violation of
the five parables. For this reason, they will be killed at
this
point and will be excluded from the Messianic Kingdom.
The ultimate and final result after the Kingdom is in verse
46: And these shall go away into eternal punishment: but the
righteous into eternal life.
The believing Gentiles will enter into eternal life while
the unbelieving Gentiles will enter into eternal punishment.
CONCLUSION
The Olivet Discourse is the most detailed teaching that the
Messiah gave concerning future things. It was His last great
discourse as a Prophet because, from this point, He
went into a transitional period from Prophet to Priest as He
offered a sacrifice — that of His own blood — and then began to
function as our High Priest after the Order of
Melchizedek. When He returns to fulfill the rest of the
Olivet Discourse, He will come as King.
The Olivet Discourse contains words for believers today: to
look up, for our redemption draweth nigh; and words for
unbelievers today: to believe on the Messiah. And it has
words for those who will be living during the Great
Tribulation: for Jews to flee; and for Gentiles to watch, to
be ready, and to labor.
*
RECOMMENDED READING
The Footsteps of the
Messiah: A Study of the
Sequence of Prophetic Events, by Dr. Arnold G.
Fruchtenbaum.
If you were blessed by this study, then
you will be many times more blessed by reading Dr.
Fruchtenbaum's Footsteps.
The Footsteps of the Messiah
is a 548-page work with 291 pages of supplementary studies
and an index of every scripture he covers. Many consider
Footsteps a landmark work in the piecing together of
end-time prophecy. If you love thorough, accurate,
well-supported prophecy, don't die or get raptured without
reading it! Available at Ariel Ministries. ~ editor.
If you enjoyed this Bible study, Dr. Fruchtenbaum recommends the
following messianic Bible studies (mbs):
mbs 009: The Trial of the Messiah
mbs 016: Nicodemus, A Rabbi's Quest
mbs 020: How Did the Wise Men Know? or Is Astrology Valid?
mbs 031: Highlights of the Birth and Early Life of Jesus
mb6 032: The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus
mbs 035: The Three Messianic Miracles
mbs 036: The Three Sabbath Controversies Between Jesus and
the Pharisees
mbs 040: The Parables of the Kingdom
mbs 043: The Confession of Peter
mbs 044: The Transfiguration of Jesus
mbs 048: Mammon of Unrighteousness
mbs 049: The Adulterous Woman
mbs 056: The Triumphal Entry
mbs 060: The Upper Room Discourses
mbs 061: The High Priestly Prayer of Jesus
mbs 069: The Agony of Gethsemane
mbs 070: The Death and Burial of the Messiah
mbs 075: The Resurrection of the Messiah
mbs 076: The Ascension of the Messiah
mbs 094: The Sermon on the Mount
mbs 099: The Results of the Death of Messiah
mbs 127: The Birth and Early Life of the Messiah
mbs 134: How the New Testament Quotes the Old Testament
mbs 183: The Healing of the Man at the Pool of Bethesda:
John 5
mbs 185: Jesus and the Samaritan Woman: John 4:1-42
Many of Dr. Fruchtenbaum's studies are available for free online
reading and
listening at Ariel Ministries'
Come and See. All of his materials are
available for purchase at Ariel Ministries in various
formats.
Other select materials and resources are
available at Ariel, as well.
Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, Th.M, Ph.D,
is founder and director of Ariel Ministries.
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