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Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24-25; Mark 13; Luke 21:5-36; 17:22-37)
The topic now turns to the Tribulation. Our Lord will prepare the nation Israel for the Millennial Kingdom with a unique seven year period of Tribulation. This will be a time of discipline and purging for the nation. For the Gentiles, it is a time of pouring out divine judgment upon those who have not dealt justly with Israel. The period marks the end of the period known as the times of the Gentiles (Luke 21:24), that period marked by Gentile control of Jerusalem since 600 B.C.
The Tribulation is first prophesied in the Old Testament in Deut. 4:29-30. The prophets provide more detail concerning its nature and character. For example, Jeremiah 30:4-11 describes a time of great trouble – the time of Jacob's trouble:
5 For thus says the LORD: 'We have heard a voice of trembling, Of fear, and not of peace. 6 Ask now, and see, Whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins Like a woman in labor, And all faces turned pale? 7 Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob's trouble, But he shall be saved out of it. 8 'For it shall come to pass in that day,' Says the LORD of hosts, 'That I will break his yoke from your neck, And will burst your bonds; Foreigners shall no more enslave them. 9 But they shall serve the LORD their God, And David their king, Whom I will raise up for them. 10 'Therefore do not fear, O My servant Jacob,' says the LORD, 'Nor be dismayed, O Israel; For behold, I will save you from afar, And your seed from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return, have rest and be quiet, And no one shall make him afraid. 11 For I am with you,' says the LORD, 'to save you; Though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you, Yet I will not make a complete end of you. But I will correct you in justice, And will not let you go altogether unpunished.' (Jer. 30:5-11; See also Daniel 7:7-8, 19-27; 11:36-45; 12:11-13; Joel 2:1-11, 28-32; Zeph. 1:14-18; Zech. 13:8-14:2; 1 Thes. 5:1-11; 2 Thes. 2:1-12; Rev.chap 4-19)
Dr. Benware writes, "Pretribulational writes agree in general that the Olivet Discourse is indeed future … There is some disagreement on where 24:4-14 fits into the tribulation. Some view it as an overview of the entire period, with 24:4-8 looking at the first half and 24:9-14 viewing the second half of the tribulation. Others view 24:4-14 as a reference only to the first half." (Paul Benware, Understanding End Times Prophecy, p. 370).
Benware also notes, "After the church is removed from the earth at the rapture, the world will experience a time commonly called the tribulation. There could well be a short period of time between the rapture and the actual beginning of the tribulation during which some necessary alignments and developments take place. Based on Daniel 9:24-27, this period begins when the man known as the Antichrist signs a treaty with the nation of Israel. The Antichrist will seem at first to be a protector of Israel, but he will turn out to be the great persecutor of Israel. The seven-year Tribulation is divided into two distinct parts of three and a half years each." (Benware, p. 199).
The Tribulation (24:10-14)
10 And then many will be offended and they will give into the hands of one another and they will hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will be aroused and they will lead many astray. 12 And through the multiplicity of iniquity, the love of the many will be cool. 13 But the one who remains to [the] end, this one will be saved. 14 And this one, the gospel of the kingdom, will be proclaimed in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations and at that time the end will come.
And then many will be offended. The many will be stumblers, lit. "to put a stumbling block or impediment in the way, to offend." For whatever reason there are those who seem to be believers, they are in the churches and profess Christ as their Savior, but they walk contrary to God's word. "But let money, goods, position, honor, liberty, or blood be the price of faithfulness, how many will then deny the Name!" (Lenski, p. 933) The word apostasy come to the English from the Greek meaning "a standing away," and theologically means that those in the church will stand away from the Lord's work and a great apostasy will precede the Day of the Lord which is characterized by a denial of God, a denial of Christ, a denial of sound doctrine, faith, and morality (cf. 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Thes. 2:3; Heb. 3:12) ( Mal Couch, Dictionary of Premillennial Theology (Grand Rapids:Kregel, 1996), p. 56).
The reason is they were not really believers at all. But at this time in history, that is, in the Tribulation, there will be groups that will give into the hands of one another and they will hate one another. The term "give into the hands of another" is often translated as simply "betray one another." That is just what this is! The motivation for this betrayal is hatred, the Greek word means, "to hate, pursue with hatred, to detest." This is a repeated message from the Lord to His disciples, this is the second time He lets them know about this kind of hate (cf. Mat. 10:22). In Matthew 10, Jesus tells the disciples to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel preaching the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Jesus tells them He sent them out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so they are directed to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves, "bet beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues." The disciples were going out into a hostile world preaching the gospel of the Kingdom. In Mathew 24, the Tribulation, comes upon them suddenly, there is a tense atmosphere of war, famines, and earthquakes. In Matthew 10, the Jewish councils will deal with the Jewish believers, in Matthew 24, the all nations seems to be the source of hate (24:9).
And many false prophets will be aroused and will lead astray many. In this later period there will be psedoprophetes - a false prophet, from the compound pseudes meaning "lying, deceitful, or false," and prophetes "prophet." This is what a psedoprophet is, a lying prophet and there will be many who will be aroused. Notice the passive "be aroused," there is an external agent acting! The thing causing them to be aroused, be raised up, is not declared, but no doubt the ruler of this world, Satan, will arouse them for the task and many will be led astray.
There will be a period where iniquity, that is literally, 'a' – "not," and nomos "law," lawlessness will increase to the point that the love of self will become so great that the love of the many will become cool, or as Dr. Vincent writes, "The verb means originally to breathe or blow; and the picture is that of spiritual energy blighted or chilled by a malign or poisonous wind." These are people who will put away our Lord's two great laws, the love your God, and love you neighbor as yourself (Mat. 19:19; 22:39). These two great laws have been cast aside and replaced with the one law - self-love, which is no law at all. Self-love will justify anything, break any law, in order to satisfy self.
But the one who remains to [the] end. The one who remains means the one who remains [with the law, the law of love]. That is, there is a contrast presented between the lawless ones and those who follow God's law. Those in the "law" are not necessary in the Mossiac Law, for Jesus summarized all the law into two. This group will experience a hard time and will be persecuted, some may be killed, but the Lord will bring them through to the end. This one will be saved, or delivered. The word in the Greek means, "to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction." Each one who abides in the Lord will come through, rescued from destruction. The passive voice means an external agent will rescue "this one." This one may be persecuted even unto death, but his or her salvation is secure, and the Lord Himself will bring them through! This speaks of the security of the believer. It is not by the power of man, but by the power of God.
And this one, the emphasis is placed upon the one who the Lord has brought through this dreadful period. This one will hear the gospel of the kingdom that is proclaimed in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations and at that time the end will come. This is in effect an apoligic concerning Israel. A historical account that God chose Israel and preserved the nation, they in effect become a living witness of the power of God. What is the gospel of the kingdom (Matt. 4:23; 9:35; 11:5; 24:14; Mark 1:14, 15) and how is it different from the gospel of Christ (cf. Acts 20:24; Rom. 1:9, 16; 15:29; 1 Cor. 9:12, 18; 15:1; 2 Cor 2:12; 4:4; 9:13; 10:14; Gal. 1:7; Eph. 1:13; 1 Thes. 3:2; 2 Thes. 1:8).
The gospel of the kingdom that the Lord gave is expressed as:
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 38 See! Your house is left to you desolate; 39 "for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' (Matt. 23:37-39)
Though the Lord does not pronounce this as the gospel, the meaning comes from the Old Testament promise of the Messianic Kingdom where national Israel will be gathered together to dwell with the Lord in everlasting peace (cf. Ps. 17:8; 91:4; 118:26; Isa. 49:5, as the Lord uses all these verses to build His statement).
The word gospel comes from the middle English god-spel meaning good-news and is just a translation of the Greek euaggelion from the compound of eu meaning "good," and aggelos meaning "a messenger," hence, the usual translation "good-news." This gospel, or good news of the kingdom is the promised Davidic Covenant (2 Sam. 7:12-17). This is different from the gospel of Christ (cf., Rom. 19:19; 1 Cor. 15:1-5) which is often times simply called "the gospel". The gospel of Christ is that which is to be preached today, that is, we preach Christ's death, burial and resurrection to all the world.
The gospel of the kingdom is that promised one thousand year earthly reign of the Messiah and is an Old Testament concept meaning "bring news of victory." The good news of God's kingly rule (cf. Ps. 40:9; Isa. 52:7; 61:1). As the Lord reveals, He desires to gather the remnant of Israel together "as a hen gathers her chicks under her wing," a picture of the little chicks safe and secure under the protection and provision of their mother (cf. Ps. 91:4). One asks, how is God revealed in His creation? An example is given here. His loving care for His people is revealed as a mother's love for her young offspring. That is why God is called Father. He cares for His children Israel (cf. Isa. 63:16; Jer. 31:9), and for believers in general who are also called sons of God (cf. Mat. 6:9; 1 Jn. 1:12-13; Gal. 1:1,4). The picture is that of a loving fatherly relationship.
What are the particulars of the kingdom? While there is described the Kingdom of God that has existed throughout time, that is, God's kingdom exists now and He is on His throne, ruling sovereignly and in control over all creation. The kingdom described here is a promised earthly kingdom where Christ Himself will reign for one thousand years after His second coming. In this earthly kingdom Dr. Pentecost notes several characteristics: it is (1) characterized by righteousness (Mat. 25:37; Isa. 46:13; 51:5; 60:21; Psa. 110:4); (2) characterized by obedience (Gen. 2:16-17; Eph. 1:9-10; Heb. 10:9); (3) characterized by holiness (Isa. 4:3-4; 6:13; 35:8-10; Psa. 60:6; Joel 3:17); (4) characterized by truth (Rom. 1:25; Jn. 14:6); and (5) characterized by the fullness of the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28-29; Ezk. 37:14) (J. Dwight Pentecost, Things to Come, pp. 481-487).
There are several events that must take place, one is the Second Coming of Christ, another will be resurrections, and another judgments. Finally, Christ's government will be set up and He will reign as Supreme King. But, along with a Kingly righteous rule, there will be set up the Millennial Temple where He Himself will teach all nations. (John Walvoord, in Mal Couch gen. ed., The Fundamentals for the Twenty-First Century, pp. 536-538).
It should be pointed out that there is some commonality between the gospel of the kingdom and the gospel of Christ. That commonality has to do with salvation. Gentiles partake in the blessing of a promised salvation, so the gospel of Christ involves the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, because He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). This is the spiritual part of the promise made to Abraham in the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3), "all the families of the earth" are promised spiritual blessing. Gentiles partake in the spiritual part of the covenant while both the physical and spiritual blessings come to Israel in the fullness of time in the kingdom.
Dr. Walvoord notes the distinction in the Abrahamic covenant between the blessings for the Gentile and the physical seed – the Jew, as he writes, "Not only should these distinctions [physical verses spiritual blessings] be observed, but it should be carefully noted what is left out of the covenant. While Abraham is personally justified by faith because of trust in God's promise concerning his seed, it is obvious that the Abrahamic covenant itself is not the gospel of salvation even though the promised blessing anticipated the gospel (cf. Gal. 3:8)." (John Walvoord, The Millennial Kingdom, p. 143).
The characteristics of the Kingdom are scattered throughout the Old Testament and again Jesus gives us the parables of the Kingdom (cf. Matt. 13). A summary of the characteristics of the Kingdom are:
The gospel will be proclaimed in all the inhabited earth. This gospel [of the kingdom] will be preached or proclaimed openly as the word would imply. It means, "to herald, or proclaim openly, to publish," and indeed this gospel has been openly published since the closing of the cannon of Scripture and proclaimed openly to every nation of the earth! The Greek "in all the world" in which I have translated "in all the inhabited earth" uses the word oikoumene meaning the inhabited earth, universe or world, and comes from the verb oikeo meaning "to dwell," "in every dwelling place" as the singular would render.
The proclamation of the gospel serves as a witness to all the ethnos literally, "ethnic groups, or nations." When all these things occur, then at that time the end will come. Or more literally, then the end (to set out for a definite point or goal, but not of the end of a period of time) will have come, or arrived. This is the end of the times of the Gentiles (Luke 21:24). There is a goal in mind, but a process or sequence of events must come about as that of a woman giving birth, before the end point arrives. The implication is that something follows, and "that something" is the millennial kingdom, the new birthed kingdom! While Jesus in His public ministry went about proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom (cf. Matt. 4:23; 9:35), this gospel will be proclaimed to all the earth! This Messianic Kingdom, the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant will about. The good news of the Kingdom – that Israel will never again be oppressed in her land. A Kingdom where God will be their God and they will be His people (Deu. 11:13; Jer. 7:23; 30:22).
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Thursday, December 3, 2009
Harmony of the Olivet Discourse Part 3
