End Times Part 3
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Introduction
Introduction
For the disciples of Jesus, the next step of future fulfillment was the restoration of Israel
Jesus ascending to the throne
Israel becoming an international power as it was during the days of Kings David and Solomon.
When they heard what Jesus said in Matthew 24:2 their foundation was shock.
And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
They believed the restoration of Israel was imminent - Luke 19:11
And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.
Jesus had a triumphal entry into Jerusalem. This reception was better than they could have ever imagined. Matthew 21:9
And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
Jesus ferociously attacks the establishment: Priest, Sadduccees, Pharisees and Scribes.
The Temple was the centerpiece of Israel’s existence.
History
Heritage
Faith
Uniqueness
Even after the resurrection and just before the ascension of Jesus, the restoration of Israel was on their mind - Acts 1:6
When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
In the midst of their foundation being shaken to the core, they asked three questions. For them, the three questions would have been three ways of asking the same question - “When will Israel be restored?”
Matthew 24:3
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Little did they know, they were asking multiple thematic questions
When shall these things be? The destruction of the Temple.
What shall be the sign of thy coming? What should we look for so that we know when the time is coming for you to restore Israel.
What shall be the sign of the end of the world? The word for “world” does not speak of extinction of planet earth; rather, speaks of an age; in particular, when will this current age end and new age of Israel’s restoration and dominance begin.
Ultimately, how does Jesus victorious coming to restore Israel fit into the chronology of end time events.
Jesus does not really answer there first question, His extended answer, known as the Olivet Discourse deals with their second and third questions.
The Olivet Discourse is a snap shot of Revelation 6-19
It is important to remember, many things Jesus brings up have been fulfilled in localized ways. But, the things He brings up in Mathew 24 will be experienced globally.
The First 3 1/2 Years
The First 3 1/2 Years
The Tribulation is divided into halves
The first 3 1/2 years - Jesus refers to this period as the beginning of sorrows. The word for “sorrows” speaks of birth pains. As a woman travails during child birthing. This starts with a degree of infrequency but concludes with frequency.
The second 3 1/2 years - The Great Tribulation
There are six distinct signs associated with the beginning of sorrows.
False Christs - Matthew 24:5
For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
After the church is raptured, the world religious system will be able to work more effectively deceiving people into believing false Messiahs.
2 Thessalonians 2:11
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
Wars and rumors of wars - Matthew 24:6
And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
The subject of war will dominate public discourse.
Famines, pestilences and earthquakes in divers places - Matthew 24:7
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
Luke adds a key detail to this - Luke 21:11
And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
John records the 2nd and 3rd beginning of sorrows in Revelation as the breaking of the fourth seal - 1/4 of all the earth will die. Currently, there are 7.8 billion people. Lets assume 200 million are saved - I think this is a high number. This leaves 7.6 billion people. 1.9 billion people will die from war and calamities.
Persecution of converts of Jesus - Matthew 24:9
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
The word “deliver” means betrayal and imprisonment.
A parallel passage in Mark speaks of being brought before government - Mark 13:9
But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
Betrayal - Matthew 24:10
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Defection of believers
Reasons why they defect
Cost is too high
The deception will be too convincing
Sin will abound
The love for others will grow cold
There will be many whose faith is genuine and authentic - Matthew 24:13
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
The Gospel preached globally - Matthew 24:14
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
The Second 3 1/2 years
The Second 3 1/2 years
The start of the second 3 1/2 years, known as the Great Tribulation is the Abomination of Desolation.
The events of the Great Tribulation
Abomination of Desolation - Matthew 24:15-16
When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
Abomination - something detestably to God.
The abomination created desolation.
Daniel’s prophecy
Daniel 9:27
And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Daniel 11:31
And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
Daniel 12:11
And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
Peril ad Calamity - Matthew 24:16-22
Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
The death in Jerusalem will be enormous - Zechariah 13:8-9
And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord,
Two parts therein shall be cut off and die;
But the third shall be left therein.
And I will bring the third part through the fire,
And will refine them as silver is refined,
And will try them as gold is tried:
They shall call on my name, and I will hear them:
I will say, It is my people:
And they shall say, The Lord is my God.
Speaks of urgency
The greatest tribulation in human history
The day of great tribulation will be shortened
Shortened - Immediately cut off.
False Christ and prophets- Matthew 24:23-27
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
False Christ and prophets doing great miracles
Their desire is to draw the escapees out from safety
How to know the real Jesus? He gives the answer.
The conclusion of the Great Tribulation - Matthew 24:29-31
Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun 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 in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send 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 last cosmic signs
This allows people to see the return of Jesus
It comes at the conclusion of the 7 years
The final sign is the return on Jesus.
The elect will be gathered together by the angels.
The Parable of the fig tree - Matthew 24:32-35
The Parable of the fig tree - Matthew 24:32-35
Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
The phrase “this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.”
Does not mean the generation hearing the words of Jesus
Does mean the generation going through the tribulation.
Significance - The tribulation period will not last generations.
The lesson - When the fig tree starts to bud, you can count the days until summer. Likewise, from the time when the beginning of sorrows start there is a set time for its conclusion - 7 years.