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Showing posts with the label Olivet

Coming on Clouds

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After describing the destruction of the Temple, Jesus went on to the subject of his return. How much time would pass between the Temple’s demise and his arrival he did not say, but in the intervening period, he warned his disciples to steer clear of deceivers and “ false prophets ” who would disseminate false information about his coming.

An Urgent Warning

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The discourse that Jesus gave on the Mount of Olives includes instructions for us about the future. In it, he warns repeatedly of the “ many deceivers ” and “ false prophets ” who will spread misleading information among his followers about his return and the end of the age, and otherwise strive to hoodwink “ the elect, if possible .” Constant vigilance is vital for recognizing their deceptions and lies. Discernment is necessary for avoiding apostasy. The goal of these deceivers is to dupe and derail the Church, not the world at large.

The Definitive Sign

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When the subject of the Second Coming is raised, quite naturally, the question of what “sign” or “signs” will precede it is asked, and invariably, wars, earthquakes, tsunamis, famines, and similar catastrophes are proposed as harbingers of that day. Yet Jesus himself gave us the  definitive answer  to this question, namely, the  completion of the mission of the Church  to proclaim his salvation and lordship to all nations.

Deceivers and False Prophets

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Jesus began his ‘ Olivet Discourse ’ with an ominous warning about coming deceivers who will claim his authority and spread rumors about wars and other calamities, thereby setting false expectations about the “ end .” In this way, “ many ” individuals will be deceived. He repeated this warning at pivotal points in the Discourse. For example, prior to the “ arrival of the Son of Man on the clouds, MANY false prophets will arise and deceive many .”

The Final Hour

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Revelation moves inexorably from the death of Jesus to the final day when God judges the wicked and vindicates the righteous . At the conclusion of his ‘ Olivet Discourse ,’ Jesus gave his parable of the Sheep and the Goats. On the day when the “ Son of Man arrives in glory ,” his angels will gather all nations before him for judgment, and he will divide them into two groups. One will receive “ everlasting destruction ,” and the other, “ everlasting life .”

His Repeated Warning

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The discourse of Jesus given on the Mount of Olives includes instructions for his disciples about the future. In it, he warns repeatedly of the “ many deceivers ” and “ false prophets ” who will appear among his followers, spreading false information about his return and the end of the age and otherwise striving to mislead “ the elect .” Constant vigilance by his Church is vital for avoiding deception and apostasy.

Deceivers and Catastrophes

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Jesus began his final discourse on the Mount of Olives with a sharp warning - Beware of the “ many deceivers ” who would come and use his authority to spread misinformation about his imminent return based on common occurrences such as wars, earthquakes, and other calamities. They will “ deceive many .” Contrary to their claims, the “ END IS NOT YET .” Likewise, “ False Prophets ” will propagate lies about the whereabouts and coming of the “ Son of Man .”

Days of Noah

Jesus compared the final years before his return to the period leading up to the Great Flood of Noah. “ Just as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be ” when the “ Son of Man ” returns. Some commentators take this saying as a prediction of the return of the same conditions that existed in Noah’s day; that is, a repetition of the moral anarchy and violence that prompted God to send the floodwaters in the first place.

THIS Generation

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In his ‘Olivet Discourse,’ Jesus provided his disciples with a chronological key – they would know the time of the demise of the Temple when they saw all “ these things ” coming to pass - Before “ this generation ” reached its inevitable end. That was his definitive answer to the question, “ When will THESE THINGS come to pass? ” Within one generation, Jerusalem and its Temple would be destroyed, and some of his followers would live to see it.

Fruitless Temple

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The  Gospel of Mark  divides the story of the barren fig tree into two sections and places the “cleansing” of the Temple between them. The two incidents are closely linked. The fruitlessness of the fig tree and its cursing highlighted the failure and fate of the Temple, and the actions of Jesus foreshadowed its destruction. After his arrival in the city of Jerusalem, he first visited the Temple and “ looked around on all things .”

Knowing Times and Seasons

Did Jesus command his followers to know end-time chronologies, the “ times and seasons ”? Must they decipher key “signs” and use them to calculate the time of his return so they may prepare in the nick of time for that day’s arrival? Did he and his apostles leave us with a comprehensive list of signs whereby we can decode God’s prophetic timetables?

Abomination of Desolation

According to Jesus, the “ Abomination of Desolation ” will appear in Jerusalem - It will be a local, not a global event. And his admonition for disciples to flee is applicable to Jerusalem and the immediate vicinity. Disciples must flee to the hills to escape the imminent calamity signaled by this abominable thing or person.

Geographic Scope

In his ‘Olivet Discourse,’ Jesus describes key events that will occur in the future, especially the destruction of the Temple and the “ coming of the Son of Man .” In doing so, he provides geographic details related to each event that alternate between the local and the universal, depending on which event he is under discussion.

In the Temple

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The ‘ Olivet Discourse ’ in the thirteenth chapter of  Mark  is the last recorded block of teachings by Jesus given shortly before his death on the Mount of Olives. It followed a series of confrontations in the Temple between him and the Pharisees and the priestly authorities, disputes that set the stage for his trial and execution. Thus, his “trial” effectively began in the Temple, and inevitably, it concluded with his unjust death on a Roman cross.

The Desolate Temple

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Before his final departure from the Temple, Jesus fielded challenges from the “ Scribes and Pharisees ,” confrontations that set the stage for his arrest and trial, as well as his execution by the Roman authorities. As he left the building, he pronounced its impending judgment and destruction. From start to finish, priests, Scribes, Herodians, Sadducees, and especially Pharisees resisted him, and some of the Temple authorities became complicit in the plot to put him to death.