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TEACHINGS of JESUS
from: the Gospel of Matthew
(originally written 1998)


Olivet Discourse: tribulation - (Mat 24:9-22)

"Then they will deliver you up to affliction and will kill you, and you
will be hated by all nations because of My name." (vs9)

This word "then" has caused many to suggest that the persecution in vss
9-10 is some future event. That the Church-age goes up to vs8, and then
the "tribulation" starts at vs9. That -we- as the "Church" need to get
prepared for the 'coming' persecution. However, when we see Lk21:12, we
see that "before all these" (wars, famines, earthquakes) is when this
persecution occurs. Remember our introduction to these passages as being
like the 'impressionistic painting'. As though to say, "over here we
have ??. And 'then' over there is ??" Or, put another way, "Here we have
this section, and 'then' there's this other section." The word "then"
not necessarily indicating "-now- something occurs, and -then- [after
that, in time] the next thing occurs." But more the idea of, "Let's look
at this...then...let's look at that."

If we look at history, and read books like Fox's "Book of Martyrs" we
can see clearly that events like these have already occurred during the
few centuries after Christ spoke these words. And even when the
catholics and protestants were fighting amongst themselves centuries
later, they -both- were persecuting True Christians and Jews. While we
"Christians" look at these words as being "Christian persecution", let
us not forget the "Jewish" part of the equation. Who, more than the
descendants of Israel, have been despised by "all nations". Jesus was
speaking to His 'Jewish' disciples, who were asking about the
destruction of their 'Jewish' temple. He is answering their 'Jewish'
questions.

When we read Lk21:12, we see a foretaste of what actually happened later
in Acts. The apostles were dragged before the Jewish religious leaders
in the temple. As the (Jewish) missionaries travelled about, they always
first went to the synagogues to proclaim Christ. And it was the -Jews-
from those synagogues who continually chased Paul around, harassing him,
beating and stoning him. And it was Paul who appealed to Caesar, and in
the process of getting to Rome, spoke before various "kings and rulers".
And in more recent times, when a missionary goes into an area, who do
they often communicate with? Village -chiefs-, and other such rulers.
But the fact that persecutions is an ongoing thing is obvious.

We see vs11-12 today. Many false prophets rising and causing many to
err. That's what the whole charismatic prophetic "new revelations" is
all about. And "lawlessness shall have been multiplied, the love of the
many will grow cold." (vs12) That's precisely what we see today. Mothers
putting their own babies in plastic bags and smothering them to death.
Tying them in cars, and driving the cars into lakes to drown them. Just
recently (as this is written in the beginning of October) in my city, a
mother killed her own child, in her driveway, with a kitchen knife.
People have been killing people since Cain slew Abel. But now, that
which has always been considered the strongest bond, of "mother and
child"... that love is "cold". And why not! They've been killing the
unborn for decades by the millions!!

But Jesus interjects a little note of encouragement. "But the one who
endures to the end, that one will be kept safe." (vs13) Notice how most
Rome-based translations have the "enduring" -resulting- in "BEING
saved". We know that salvation is by "grace through faith..not of
works." (Eph2:8-9) Paul affirms God's safe-keeping of His own, "Who
shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or
distress, or persecution...for I am persuaded that [nothing]...will be
able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord."
(Rom8:35,38)

I receive periodic e-mails from "baby" Christians, or ones who are just
now realizing the nature of the apostasy, and are coming out of it. They
express the "confusion" from all that they are bombarded with. Some
receive taunts and abuse for holding true to God's Word. I think about
how many years I've been a Christian, and think to all those years I was
deceived within the system, and within my own spirit I 'shudder' to
consider what it must be like for some of them. I was well-versed in the
Scriptures, and yet was deceived...they are just now getting started in
God's Word.

But notice Jesus' encouragement. It is not necessarily the one who knows
it all, but the one who "endures", remaining "firm, immovable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord..." (1Cor15:58) Not caving in to the
deception and being led away. Happily, the Lord knows the heart.
(Heb4:12) So He is able to keep the pure one, providing the necessary
support. (Heb2:18) When the going gets rough, if you turn tail and run,
and deny the Lord, He has promised to also deny you. (Mt10:33) But if
you remain true to Him, no matter what, you will be "kept safe". Now, if
He was promising "being killed"(vs9), this "kept safe" is for Eternity,
isn't it! "Everlasting life" (Jn3:16) "And you should not fear the ones
killing the body, but not being able to kill the soul." (Mt10:28a)

Now, this, could refer equally to past, present and future.

And then, "this gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the earth
for a testimony to all the nations, and then will come the end." (vs14)
However, this, now, appears to be future. We do not presently preach the
gospel of the "Kingdom". The "gospel" Paul proclaimed, which we preach,
is the "Gospel of Jesus Christ". (1Cor15:1-4) While modern missionary
efforts are to be commended as they fulfill the 'Great Commission'
(Mt28:19-20), I do not believe they are what Jesus is talking about
here. This is the gospel of the Kingdom. A "Jewish" entity. Could it be
that the 144,000 who are sealed of the tribes of Israel (Rev7:4;14:1-5),
and the angel "having an everlasting gospel to proclaim to those
dwelling on the earth" (Rev14:6-7) are the fulfillment of this little
bit?

"Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by
Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (the one reading, let him
understand), then let those in Judea flee into the mountains..."
(vs15-16)

There is a belief called "preterism" that maintains this has already
been fulfilled; and thus, -all- these prophecies have been fulfilled.
That when Roman came in 70AD and desolated Jerusalem, and people fled,
some even holding up in Masada until 73AD, that all prophecy has been
fulfilled, and we have now been living in the 'spiritual' kingdom.

In considering the "abomination of desolation" many thought that
Antiochus IV Epiphanes ("god manifest"), who stopped the sacrifices in
169BC was the one prophesied (Dan11:36), which Paul amplifies with
"proclaiming that he himself is God." (2Th2:4) Or that Pompey entering
the 'Holy of Holies' in 63BC was the one "standing in the holy place".
And in at least one of these occasions (or both?), the invaders actually
desecrated God's altar by sacrificing an ("unclean") pig on the altar.

But, the fact that there is yet a future element to this -has- to become
obvious, because they fail to notice one aspect of Daniel's prophecies.
He speaks of "seventy weeks" (Dan9:24) regarding Israel and Jerusalem.
The 69th week was completed when Jesus was crucified. (9:26) And then
26b tells of Jerusalem's destruction in 70AD by the Romans... "the
people of the ruler who SHALL COME.." And then, that ruler will "confirm
a covenant with many for one week". (9:27) According to the previous
verses, that week is a group of 'seven years'. The "70th week" of the
"seventy". And notice that it is "in the midst of the week he shall
cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease.." and he goes on to speak
of the "desolating abomination"

There has never yet been such a period of time, of "seven years". Thus,
we have to understand that there will come another surrounding of
Jerusalem when its inhabitants will flee for their lives. Which matter
is confirmed for us in Rev12:14, where it speaks of Israel's
safe-keeping in the "wilderness" for three and a half years. Masada was
only about two or three (?) years, and they all committed suicide.

While Lk21:24 seems to point to 70AD, where Israel was scattered "into
all nations"; Mt24:15 in referencing Daniel, points to the future.
Again, remember that 'impressionistic painting' we illustrated, and the
fact that this entire passage is covering 3000 years with broad brush
strokes. It is talking about "Israel". The destruction of Jerusalem at
70AD, and the coming 70th week, if we remove the intervening years of
the gentiles, and put them together...overall, they look to be close
together in a prophetical sense. So, Jesus could easily have been
talking about -both- in the same sentence. Again, remember Is61:2.

The fact that the primary thrust is -future- is borne out.. "For there
will be great affliction, such as has not happened from the beginning of
the world until now, no, nor ever will be." (vs21) It will be the worst
time of affliction the world will ever experience. Certainly Jerusalem's
demise in 70AD was tragic, but such things had happened previously, and
to many nations since. We might think the Holocaust during WW2 was
worse, thus, 70AD was not it. Whatever it is, the nature of it is so
terrible that, if God did not put a stop to the events as they will
unfold, "not any flesh would be saved." (vs22) This word "flesh"
referring to -all- living creatures, man and animal.

It will be a time when "the powers of the heavens will be shaken."
(Lk21:26b) The time when the "dragon" is cast to the earth, and wreaks
havoc in "great anger" (Rev12:12) as it is proclaimed "Woe to the ones
dwelling on the earth...because the Devil came down to you.." When one
reads in Revelation, putting the several accounts together, one realizes
that before all is said and done, over half the earth's population will
have been annihilated.

Even of Israel, only a third will survive alive. (Zech13:8-9) But
-because- of Israel, God's "elect" (Mt24:22), God has "shortened" those
days. Israel will have been purified as gold, as God will again call
them "My people". (Zech13:9)