INTRODUCTION TO THE OLIVET DISCOURSE
As YAHSHUA departed from the temple after delivering his last discourse of woes to the scribes and pharisees and explaining how great a sacrifice the widow made by giving all she had His disciples pointed out the grandeur of the temple.
Why the disciples did that is anyone's guess for YAHSHUA had seen the temple numerous times. The HOLY SPIRIT could have prompted them to say what they did to provide the perfect opportunity for YAHSHUA to prophesy what was to happen to the temple and what would happen in the days prior to His Second Advent.
He responds to their statement by saying the temple would be torn down so that not one stone would be left upon another. This prophecy was fulfilled in 70 A.D. when Emperor Vespasian sent his eldest son, General Titos, to Jerusalem to put down the Jewish rebellion. A soldier threw a torch into the temple on his own initiative and started a fire. The soldiers tore the temple apart, stone-by-stone, to get the gold. General Titos did not want to destroy the temple.
YAHSHUA and his disciples walked across the Kidron Valley to the Mount of Olives where they asked YAHSHUA when the temple would be destroyed, what will be the sign of His coming and the end of the age.
We know this message was not given to the disciples for their benefit because YAHSHUA told them point blank that they would not see His return (Lk. 17.22).
He warns them not to be misled by men who will claim to be Him (v. 4,5) and not to be frightened when they hear of wars and rumors of wars for that will happen. He explained that nations will fight each other and there will be famines, earthquakes (v. 6,7), plagues, and terrors and great signs from heaven (Lk. 21.11).
These things will just be the beginning of birth pangs (v. 8). Believers will face persecution (v. 9) everyone will hate them and killing many of them (v. 9). During the Great Tribulation Jews will persecute believers (Lk. 21.12). When believers are imprisoned they are not to think of a defense, but are to let the HOLY SPIRIT speak for them. He will give them great wisdom so they will confound their accusers (Lk. 21.13-15).
Many who claim to be saved will betray those who are born from above (v. 10). Believers will be betrayed by their parents, children, siblings and friends (Lk. 21.16).
False prophets will continue to plague the Earth and will mislead many unbelievers (v. 11). During the tribulation crime will increase and most people will lose their love for others (v. 12).
Believers who are alive at the end of the tribulation will be saved physically (v. 13). This is not a works for salvation passage. Those who do not endure--keep their faith--are not true believers.
The 144,000 and those who believe in YAHSHUA because of their testimony will share the gospel with the whole world before YAHSHUA returns (v. 14). The world will not be reached by believers before the Rapture as many preachers teach. This statement has to do only with the Great Tribulation.
Midway through the Great Tribulation the beast will set up an image of himself in the rebuilt Jewish temple and declare himself to be "God" (2 Thes. 2.4). This is referred to by YAHSHUA and Daniel as the "abomination of desolation" (Dan. 8.11; 9.27). When he declares himself to be "God" he will also stop the daily sacrifices.
The beast will then capture Jerusalem and set up his headquarters there (Lk. 21.20). When he makes his move on Jerusalem everyone in the city should heed the warning of YAHSHUA and flee to the mountains without bothering to take anything with them (v. 16-18; Mk. 13.15,16). Residents of Jerusalem must flee as fast as they can. YAHSHUA emphasized this by delivering a woe to pregnant women (v. 19). Destruction will be so swift they cannot waste a split second. He also says they should pray it doesn't happen in the winter because that will slow them down (Mk. 13.18).
Everyone is warned to leave because Jerusalem will be destroyed (Lk. 21.20; Zek. 14.2). Most of the people living in Jerusalem will be those who keep the Sabbath (v. 20). This could be a reference to the Ibriy (Hebrew) or to those who practice Sabbath worship.
Those who do not heed the warning will be killed or led captive into all nations (Lk. 21.24; Zek. 14.2). Jerusalem will be overrun by the Gentiles until their time is fulfilled at the end of the Great Tribulation (Lk. 21.24; Apok. 11.2). The second half of the Great Tribulation will be a time of severe persecution of the Ibriy people (Lk. 21.23).
The assault on Jerusalem is referred to as the "days of vengeance" (Lk. 21.22). The intensity of the Great Tribulation will increase. The last three years will be worse than any other period of time (v. 21; Mk. 13.19). The tribulation is so severe that YAHWEH cuts the duration of the Tribulation so the people who believe in YAHSHUA will not all be killed (v. 22). Some have to survive to enter the Millennial Kingdom. This cutting short of the Tribulation is not a cutting short of the seven years that was prophesied--it is a limiting of it to seven years. The idea is that it will be limited to just seven years and not go on for decades.
During the last three and one half years there will be a massive increase in false Christ's and prophets who will perform great signs and wonders. Their deception is so good they will mislead the wicked, but not the elect for they cannot be misled (v. 23,24).
YAHSHUA gives added warning about not being misled by the false prophets. He warns them not to go on wild goose chases looking for Him when He returns. His return will be so spectacular no one will miss it or have to search for Him. Everyone will see His return just as everyone sees a lightning strike (v. 26,27).
During this time there will be great signs in the sun, moon and stars. The oceans will also be in chaos and everyone will be dismayed at the unusual events (Lk. 21.25,26). The oceans could be roaring due to the melting of the ice caps.
YAHSHUA gives those living through this incredible period of time a word of encouragement that when they see these things take place they are to look up--look for Him to return--for He will soon bring final redemption to them (Lk. 21.28).
He adds a curiosity that wherever the corpse is vultures will be gathered (v. 28). This is a reference to the battle of Har-Megiddon (Apok. 14.17-20; 19.17,18). When cross referenced with Loukas 17.37 we see that the people who are raptured at the end of the tribulation (v. 40,41; Lk. 17.34-36) are taken to the battle of Har-Megiddon where they are slaughtered.
At the end of the Great Tribulation the sun and moon will be darkened and the heavens will be shaken (v. 29). The stars falling from the sky could refer to a massive meteor shower or to the fallen angels gathering at Har-Megiddon to do battle against YAHSHUA.
The sign of YAHSHUA will appear in the sky. When the people of the world see this sign they will mourn because they know judgment is at hand. Immediately after the sign appears, YAHSHUA returns (v. 30) as He departed--on clouds (Acts 1.9-11). He first slays the Edomites (2 Yahshua-Is. 63.1-6) and then marches to Jerusalem ().
Before YAHSHUA slays the wicked (Apok. 19.19-21) His angels will gather everyone who believes in Him and take them to safety (v. 31; Apok. 14.16). The Scriptures do not say where they will be taken to and it doesn't matter. They are kept safe in their physical bodies while YAHSHUA destroys the wicked and then they are returned to Earth to repopulate it during the Millennial Kingdom. They could be kept safe in the spacecraft (chariots of fire - 2 Kings 2.11; 6.17; Ps. 68.17) that angels use for transportation.
At this point in His discourse YAHSHUA is finished describing the events as they will happen in chronological order. He then proceeds to point out that when the people living in the last days of the last days see the things He just described take place they can be 100% certain that He will return during their lifetime (v. 32,33). The generation or race that lives through the Great Tribulation will see His return (v. 34). This statement emphasizes the fact that the Great Tribulation will not drag on for decades or centuries, but conclude within a person's lifetime. It will actually last only seven years (Dan. 9.27). YAHSHUA said, "Heaven and Earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away" (v. 35) to emphasize the fact that what He just said will happen. You can be totally assured there will be a time of Great Tribulation.
The parable of the fig tree has been distorted by ignorant preachers who have an agenda. They claim it is a secret code for the conquest of Palestine by the Russian Jews in 1948. They say this conquest is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies that just prior to the Second Advent the Jewish people would return to Palestine. This is not Biblical for the passages which speak of a return to the Holy Land by the Ibriy people emphasize it will happen after YAHSHUA returns.
The statement that no one knows the day and hour of His Second Advent (v. 36; Mk. 13.32) has confused most preachers and laymen for the last 100 years. The vast majority of believers think this refers to the Rapture. It does not and cannot because the Rapture is not mentioned at all in the discourse. "That day and hour" must be the Second Advent for that is the climax of the order of events (v. 29,30).
Most believers have assumed it refers to the Rapture because YAHSHUA told His disciples to "Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the time is" (Mk. 13.33). They assume that the Rapture will catch everyone by surprise and His Second Advent will not.
This assumption is faulty for the Rapture will not catch SPIRIT controlled believers by surprise. Believers who are looking for His return will not be caught off guard. We can know and should know the time of His return to take us to Heaven. Paulos made this perfectly clear in his first letter to the Thessalonians.
We know that the Rapture cannot take place until the world says there is "Peace and safety!" (5.2,3), the apostasy occurs and the beast is revealed (2 Thes. 2.1-3). Once these three things take place sudden destruction (the Great Tribulation) will fall upon the wicked. Believers will be here when the destruction begins, that is why those who are watching for the end are not caught by surprise (I Thes. 5.4).
The phrase "peace & safety" means there will be a world peace treaty in place before the Great Tribulation begins. The beast confirms this peace treaty (Dan. 9.27) and declares an era of peace. A few weeks later the pseudo-peace is broken. The peace is most likely broken when three nations of the ten nation confederacy don't want the beast to join their private club. He defeats them in war which begins a time of war, famine, pestilence and death (Apok. 6.3-8). During this period which may last from one to two years believers will be slaughtered by the millions (Apok. 6.9-11). It is just before the sixth seal is broken and the wrath of YAHWEH and the Lamb is poured out (Apok. 6.16,17) that the few believers remaining alive are raptured because we are not appointed to wrath (I Thes. 5.9).
The first five seal are the fulfillment of the prophecy that YAHSHUA made about the beginning of the Great Tribulation (vs. 4-8). The suffering increases as the years pass until YAHSHUA returns and puts the wicked into their eternal misery.
Paulos told the Thessalonians and all believers that we should not let the Great Tribulation overtake us like a thief (5.4). If we are walking in the SPIRIT (Gal. 5.16,25) we will be ready for the Great Tribulation.
The doctrine of the imminent return of YAHSHUA is not Biblical. The Rapture could not have taken place at any time since the ascension of YAHSHUA. We now know that it could not happen until the technology to implement the one world economic, political religious system was invented. The Rapture could not take place until electricity, radio, television, computers and satellites were invented. A one world government and economic system could not function without these technologies. We also know the Rapture could not have taken place until a time when there could be peace throughout the world. That can only happen if there is a world government or confederation of nations.
YAHSHUA warns those who will live during this time to not become depressed by the Great Tribulation or they will be caught by surprise at His return (Lk. 21.34,35). Instead of getting drunk they should be alert and pray that they have the strength to survive until the end.
He goes on to give more clues for those in the Great Tribulation to know when He would return. He said that time will be similar to the days of Noach and Lot (v. 38,39; Lk. 17.26-30). People during the Great Tribulation will continue to go about their normal activity as if nothing was happening. They will continue to party, marry, buy, sell, build and plant, totally ignorant that final judgment is just over the event horizon.
We know the days of Noach and Lot refer to the Second Advent of YAHSHUA and not the Rapture because YAHSHUA said, "It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed" (Lk. 17.30). We also know the wicked will ignore the warning of the two witnesses (Apok. 11.3-6) and the judgments from YAHWEH for the
Scriptures say they will continue life as usual (Apok. 18.22,23). Instead of repenting they will blaspheme Him (Apok. 16.11,21).
The Greek word "eido" that is translated "knows" means "to see (lit. or fig.) by implication (in the perf. only) to know:--be aware, behold" (Strong's 1492). It is not "ginosko," which means to know for certain through study. What YAHSHUA said to His disciples was that no one at that time in history could see into the future and pick the date of His Second Advent. YAHSHUA couldn't do it at that time because He set aside some knowledge during His incarnation. He still knew everything, He simply did not use His omnipotence.
YAHSHUA did not say that no one living in the last days could pick the day and hour of His return. Anyone who knows the Scripture will be able to pick it by counting seven years from the day the beast confirms the world wide peace treaty (Dan. 9.27).
The wicked will be raptured to the battle of Har-Megiddon at the end of the Great Tribulation (v. 40,41). Believers are raptured first to safety (v. 31; Apok. 14.14-16) and then the wicked are raptured (v. 40,41; Apok. 14.17-20). Apparently not all the wicked will be raptured to the battle of Har-Megiddon. Some will be left behind to be judged at the judgment of the nations (Leviy 25.31,32). The righteous who survived the Great Tribulation will be the sheep on YAHSHUA'S right who will enter the Millennial Kingdom in their mortal bodies. The wicked who survive will be judged and cast into the Lake of Fire (Leviy 25.41). They will not participate in the Great White Throne Judgment because they will already be in the Lake of Fire with the beast, false prophet, satan, and the fallen angels (Apok. 20.10).
The warning to be on the alert is for those in the Great Tribulation not those in the Assembly Age (v. 42). We know this is so because the "evil slave" is "assigned" a place "with the hypocrites; weeping shall be there and the gnashing of teeth" (v. 48,51). Born anew believers cannot be cast into the Lake of Fire for not being ready for the Rapture. If that were true it would mean millions of believers will lose their salvation and that is impossible. The evil slaves are the Ibriy people who fail to receive YAHSHUA during the Great Tribulation.
The warning concerning the slaves was given to the Ibriy living during the Great Tribulation. YAHSHUA knows many of them will ignore the warning (two-thirds), but one-third will heed it (Zak. 13.8). It is the faithful and sensible slaves that YAHSHUA tells to keep looking for His return. Seven years of severe tribulation is a long time. Many Ibriy people will grow weary of waiting for YAHSHUA'S return and give up hope. They will go back to living like they always did, especially since the pressure to take the mark of the beast and to worship him will be so great.
The faithful Ibriy people will have a special place in the Millennial Kingdom (v. 47) while the unfaithful Ibriy people will be cast into the Lake of Fire (v. 51).
ANATHEMA AWARDS / HALUNACY / APOSTASY
MARTIN LUTHER / LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
TRIBULATION WATCH / TRIBULATION WATCH ARCHIVES
WILDERNESS CRIER / WILDERNESS CRIER ARCHIVES
"It is most difficult to free slaves from the chains they worship." DOV