TEACHINGS of JESUS
From: the Gospel of Matthew
(originally written 1998)
Olivet Discourse: His coming - (Mat 24:23-31)
"Then if anyone says to you, Behold, here is the Christ! Or, Here! Do not believe. For false christs and false prophets will rise up. And they will give great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I tell you beforehand." (vs23-25)
What could be greater than the "Moving of God!" The "outpouring of the spirit" as it "flows over the world!" People coming under the "annointing" and "power" of "the Lord" as they "yield themselves" to him. And as all this happens, "God's power" is manifest as "He does new things" in ways not done before. What we need to do it step aside and see what new things "God" is working. We -know- it is the "Holy Spirit" because we can "feel" it. "He" lays us flat as we are "slain in the spirit" and we receive our "heavenly language". People are healed, and covered in the gold of the annointing. The ones who lead in this are being raised up as "apostles and prophets" ...so-ordained by "the Holy
Spirit".
There are various ones who have been rising up, calling themselves "Christ" returned in the flesh. There are apparitions of all sorts. All sorts of things in the realm of the 'miraculous'.
All the "signs and wonders". All that we are seeing today is merely the beginning of what will be. With all these miracles happening around the world, how can it -not- be the hand of God?! People have - seen - it. They've - experienced - it. If it has been -experienced-, it must be so... right? They said the same thing about Simon, the conjurer, "This one is the power of God, which is great." (Acts8:10)
Jesus says, when all these things happen "Do not believe." Those who follow these things are being "led astray". And Jesus warns, "Behold, I tell you beforehand." You are forewarned. Do not be deceived.
For all of these miracles that proliferate, nothing will be like when Jesus -actually- comes. "For as the lightning comes forth from the east and shines as far as the west, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man." (vs27)
Now, to be sure, satan will be imitating that, too. Recently someone sent an e-mail account of one of these false-prophet meetings. During the service, the people inside the building saw a great thunder storm, dark clouds, lightning, and rain. But when the service was over, and people went outside, there was no sign of it having rained outside. No indication that there had been a thunderstorm during that time. You see, the antichrist will also be imitating Christ's coming. The "beast" "..even causes fire to come down out of the heaven onto the earth before men. And it deceives those dwelling on the earth because of the signs which were given to it to do..." (Rev13:13)
When Christ comes, there's going to be lots of "dead bodies" (vs28) with birds gorging on the 'feast'. (Rev19:17) The nations will have all been gathered at Israel (Rev16:14-16), and Christ will come like lightning and "zap" them all. (Rev17:14,19:11-21)
You see, also, when Christ comes there's going to be astronomical upheavals happening with the sun, moon and stars. (vs29) Whatever causes all this will cause the oceans to heave. (Lk21:25) And such a large earthquake like has never been before (and there have been some big ones) that all the islands will sink out of sight. (Rev16:20) These are the days foretold by Joel, "blood, and fire, and columns of smoke." (Joel2:30) In that day, "Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low...and the glory of Jehovah shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of Jehovah has spoken." (Is40:4-5) And when the world sees it "[all] together" I seriously doubt it will be via TV or internet; as Pat Robertson made a boast a few years ago about having his TV cameras at the Mt. of Olives as he "welcomes" Christ back. All those media will have been destroyed by that point. If He comes and appears like lightning; if we understand that light can circle the earth seven times in a second, it is so fast...it will be as nothing for the Lord to encircle the earth in such a way that all humanity can see Him at the same time.
When Christ comes in the way He does, all these other false signs and wonders will be as 'nothing'. He will come "with power and much glory". And "all the tribes [all humanity] of the land will wail." (vs30)
Christ will be coming "and all the saints with You." (Zech14:5) "Saints" are "holy" ones. Those who have, prior to this occasion, believed into Jesus Christ (including the Church). And so He comes, sends His angels to "gather His elect from the four winds, from the ends of the heavens to their ends." (vs31) The ones being "gathered" are obviously -different- from the ones coming -with- Him. These elect ones are not -yet- believers. They are God's "elect" ...Israel.
When He comes, He will gather Israel yet in unbelief. He "foreknew" Israel in their unbelief, and preserved them, not "thrusting them away". (Rom11:2) He foreknew -them- and elected -them-. "..for Israel My elect, I entitle you. I name you, but you do not know Me. I am Jehovah, and there is none else; there is no God except Me. I will clothe you, though you do not know Me," (Is45:4-5)
It is -Israel- that was scattered "as the stubble that passes away to the wilderness wind." (Jer13:24) Thus, Jesus uses the same terminology regarding collecting them, -Israel-, back from those "winds" to which they were scattered. And we are told, further, that while God is gathering them in unbelief, God is going to "cut a new covenant with the house of Israel... I will put My law in their inward parts, and I will write it on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." (Jer31:31-33)
No! Mt24:31 is -not- the rapture of the "Church".
"..knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep;
for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. Let us
walk decently, as in the day...putting on the Lord Jesus Christ..
...redeeming the time, because the days are evil."
Romans 13:11-14~ Ephesians 5:16
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