The topic of end times seems to be on the
mind of many. Through the years the study of comparative religion, especially regarding the Christian faith, has been
my primary interest. Whether your church is Catholic or Baptist, Church of Christ or Mormon, Seventh Day Adventist or
Jehovahs Witnesses, there are likely doctrines relating to the second coming of the Lord - the Day of the LORD spoken of in
the Scriptures.
What
did Jesus teach on the subject? What is the charge Jesus gave to every generation? The Spirit enabled the disciples
to remember all Jesus had taught them, and they in turn were to teach us through their witness of Him and His word.
Comparing the gospels you will note that each may have some differing details in the accounting of what He said. For
this reason I will interject some of these differences into the primary text of Matthew to gain a greater understanding of
the matter. The Matthew text is in red and Luke is interjected in blue..
Matthew 24:4-51; Luke 21;
"Take
heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. ("For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and 'The time has drawn near.' Therefore do
not go after them.") And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled;
for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. (But when you hear of wars and commotions,
do not be terrified, for these things must come to pass first; but the end will not come immediately.")
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes
in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.'
Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you,
and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and
will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound,
the love of many will grow cold. (You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake.
But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand
on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict
or resist You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to
death. And you will be hated for all for My name's sake. But not a hair of your head shall be lost. By your
patience possess your souls.") But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the
kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come.'
Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken
of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea
flee to the mountains. ("But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that
its desolation is near.//And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.")
Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go
back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!
And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as
has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened,
no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.'
(Note that Jesus was speaking about both the destruction of Jerusalem
in AD 70 as well as the signs of His return after the times of the Gentiles. This is one particular section of His teaching
that requires 'rightly dividing the word of truth', the teachings of Jesus Christ.)
Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!'
or 'There!' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive,
if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand." (For many will come
in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and 'The time has drawn near.' Therefore do not go after them.")
( A note of caution to some: I had always wondered about this
verse, 'saying, I am He' who were coming in His name. How could they say 'I am He' if they were coming in His name (the
name of Jesus Christ). Recently at an LDS Bible class on the Abrahamic covenant they quoted D&C (54?) that claimed
God gave Joseph Smith Jr. a covenant as Abraham, that through Joseph Smith Jr. all the nations would be blessed. So
those who know that there is only One Seed through whom all the nations would be blessed will know that this is only applied
to Jesus Christ. Saddly, the LDS do not seem to recognise the distinction required for the promise of God to all generations
and that the words of Jesus have been 'imperrishable by any means.' They instead teach that they were corrupted by careless
scribes and had to be restored. Anyway, LDS was founded on the principle that 'the time is near' and that the American
Indians were the lost tribes of Isreal and also places Zion somewhere besides where God declares it to be. So LDS is
one example where you can see how taking a prophecy of Jesus Christ and claiming it for themself could be considered as coming
in the name of Jesus Christ and saying 'I am he.')
Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or 'Look,
He is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also
will the coming of the Son of Man be. For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered. together.'
Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun
will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will
be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and
they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels
with a great shound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the
other.' (And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars, and on the earth distress
of nations, with perplexity, the sea an the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those
things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads,
because your redemption draws near.")
Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its
branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all
these things, know that it is near - at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away
till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.' (Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves
that summer is now near. So you also, whenyou see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.
Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass awaytill all thingstake place. Heaven and earth will
pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But take heed to yoursleves, lest your hearts be weighed down with
carousing, drunkennes, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on
all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy
to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.")
But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels
of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For
as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered
the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other let. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one
will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know
this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed
his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.'
Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master
made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blesseed is that servant whom his master, when he comes,
will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant
says in his heart'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the
drunkards, the master of that servant will come at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him
his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
25: "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened
to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom
is coming; go out to meet him!' Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to
the wise, 'Give us some of our oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should
not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' And whle they went to buy, the
bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding, and the door was shut.'
Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord,
open to us!' But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'
'Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor
the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.'
For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who
called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another
one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey Then he who had received the five talents
went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.
But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those
servants came and settled accounts with them.
So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents,
sying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them. His lord said to
him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.
Enter into the joy of your lord.' He also who had received two talents mame and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two
talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.' His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant,,
you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'
Then he who had received the one talent came and
said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.
And I was afrtaid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.'
But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked
and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought
to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take
the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
For to everyone who has, more will be given, and
he will have abundance, but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable
servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all
the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him,
and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep
on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed
of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, for I was hungry and you gave Me food.
I was thirsty and you gave Me drink. I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick
and you visited Me; I was in prision and you came to Me.'
Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You
hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe
You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prision, and come to You? And the King will anser and say to them, 'Assuredly,
I say to you, inasmuich as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'
Then He will also say to those on the left hand,
'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave
Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe
Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'
Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry
or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prision, and did not inister to You?' Then He will answer them, saying,
'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me. And these
will go away into everlasitng punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."..
Jesus gave parables and plain teachings about the things yet to come. The
'end times' teachings we hear today are varied and we need to focus our understanding of these things from the teachings
Jesus gave. He taught about what was to come in the last days, as did the apostles of the Lord. This page is
added to consider the basic prophecies we need to keep sight of in our day. If you take the time to read this you will
likely see that we are very near the time spoken of by Jesus as well as gain new understanding about the 'time, times and
half a time' which the angel spoke to Daniel.
By way of reminder, Jesus affirmed fulfillment of the Law and Prophets of the Bible,
so we need to understand what the prophets have recorded - whether given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the word
of Jesus Christ, angels, or the very words spoken by God. One prophet Jesus quoted is Daniel (Matthew 24), and regarded
the abomination of desolation. History shows the prophecy found initial fulfullment by Antiochus offering a sow on the
alter and placing an image of Zeus in the Holy Place of the Temple about 200 years before the ministry of Jesus, so it could
be that Jesus was telling us to look back over that history and see that the time to come is in the same pattern, and/or that
there are words in those passages that are to guide those who are His in the last days. Why else would Jesus quote Daniel
12 with the warning signs He was giving us?
"At
that time Michael shall stand up,
The
great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;
And there shall be a time of trouble,
Such as never was since there was a nation,
Even to that time.
And
at that time your people shall be delivered,
Every
one who is found written in the book.
And
many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
Some to everlasting life,
Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Those who are wise shall shine
Like the brightness of the firmament,
And those who turn many to righteousness
Like the stars forever and ever.
But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run
to and fro, and knowledge shall increase."
Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this riverbank and the other on that
riverbank. And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, 'How long shall the fulfillment
of these wonders be?'
Then
I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand
to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when
the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.
Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, 'My lord, what shall
be the end of these things?"
And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till
the time of the end. Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of
the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.
And the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and
the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he who
waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.
But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your
inheritance at the end of these days."
2 Peter 3: "Beloved, I now write to you this second
epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken
before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first, that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,
and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were
from the beginning of creation.' For this they willfully forget that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and
the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.
But the heavens and the earth, which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and
perdition of ungodly men.
"But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a
thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness,
but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
"But the
day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements
will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these
things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening
the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with
frevent heat? Neverthless we, according to His promise, look for a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness
dwells.
"Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be dilligent to
be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation
- as also our beloved brother Paul according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles,
speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to
their own destruction, as they do the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand,
beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow
in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever.
Amen."
"Beware lest
you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked" is a sober warning. As
we have heard the very words of the Lord as He preached the gospel of the kingdom - the truth is about doing whatever Jesus
Christ told us to do. If we are His disciples, we must be about doing His will and abiding in His doctrine (teaching).
This is surely the greatest evidence for the 'falling away' spoken of by the disciples, as some think to not preach the necessity
of all He said, including works, the commandments of God, baptism, abiding in His word and keeping the Sabbath. Instead,
many teach doctrines of men which deny the truth as clearly taught by the Lord and His chosen apostles. As Peter
said, some take what Paul said and twist it to their own destruction. As Jesus said in Luke 21:8; "Take
heed that you not be deceived." We should not be deceived if we are putting the doctrine
of God first. We need to consider washing our faith in the words of the Lord to rid ourselves of those things which
are not based soundly in whatever He gave us - the faith once for all delivered. Only One has come down from heaven
to give us the truth.
We have the advantage
of time to see where the prophecies spoken of by Jesus have already been fulfilled, which show those which have not yet been
fulfilled, which show what is yet to come.
In the first part of Luke 21 we find Jesus speaking about when the temple would be destroyed and warnings to those
in Jerusalem about when to flee to avoid destruction, which were fulfilled about AD 70 and resulted in the 'great dispersion'
spoken of by the prophets. As a further reminder, Peter spoke in Acts 1,2, under the direct guidance of the Spirit of
truth when quoting Joel 2:28-32, and saying 'this is that'. Note that Joel 3 follows the revelation of the Gospel,
and that the return of Israel to the land had to happen after the gospel was revealed. Also note that what was foretold
about the restoration of Isreal also has to do with Gods judgment of the nations. In Luke 21:24 Jesus said, "And Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled."
He goes on to add: "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and
on earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them form fear and the
expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will
see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and
lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."
"Then He spoke to them a parable: Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.
When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you also, when you see these
things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass
away till all things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But
take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day
come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch
therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand
before the Son of Man." This is a good verse to pause and take inventory of putting on the whole armor of
God, that we may find ourselves to have done all we were called to do, and that in doing this we are to stand. His words
'will by no means pass away' and these things must happen.
Recently I joined an internet site for Palestinian Christians, as they claimed to have
been in the faith from the beginning and I wanted to know if they also viewed 'the faith' as I had come to understand it through
my study of the teachings of Jesus. In looking over the site contents I realized they were against the 'occupation'
of Israel and the Gaza strip by the Jews and had come to the point of considering the Muslim neighbors as 'brothers' who were
also against their 'occupation' of the land. How they would consider those whose faith declares that 'God has
no son' was a clear indicator that they had come to have a faith which was skewed from the imperrishable words of the Lord,
and we all need to be praying that they repent so that they might be faithful witnesses for the Lord in what He is going to
do. The commandments of Jesus Christ about enduring persecution, being overcomers and loving our enemies certainly fit
the situation perfectly. The Palestinians need to recognize that God said He will keep His promises to Israel regarding
the land, as well as removal of the veil that has blinded Isreals eyes from seeing that Jesus is their Messiah. In fact,
the times that are to come upon the land could well be considered frightening.
John 5:19-34;
"Then Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son
can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the
Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you
may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. For the
Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father.
He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
It's a matter of record that if you take the prophecies of the OT given through the
prophets starting with Moses, that if you do the math, Israel being restored as a nation in one day on May 14, 1948 is
direct fulfillment of the word of God to the exact day. Grant Jeffreys book, 'The Signature of God', clearly outlines
and shows this to be true in pages 165-170. So if there are any Palestinian Christians out there reading this, you need
to recognise the hand of God is about to do what He has promised and that you need to find out how you can be found doing
His will and hastening the day of the LORD instead of trying to work against or stay the hand of God. You, of all Christians,
can have the greatest participation in doing His will of all Christians in the world! - but not if you are found 'kicking
against the pricks.'
While
doing some research about last days teaching I was looking up some verses in the 1599 Geneva Bible - which is the Bible version
in use about the time of the Pilgrims and Puritans. In looking trough some of the study comments written by early Reformers
it confirmed what Chuck Missler said, that the verses about Israel had been interpreted to be for the Church - which
is 'replacement theology.' This view has been around for centuries and we all need to review what the Spirit and Angels
have revealed to the Prophets and again look at what the Son of God has told us on the topic (without twisting or denial of
what the Scriptures say). Remember, no prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation!
We know that Israel was dispersed among the nations after the revelation of the Gospel
by Peter in Acts 2, as foretold by the Prophets and that the Lord Himself spoke about Jerusalem being 'trodden down' by the
Gentiles for a period of time and that Israel is now back in the land and there are many returning to Israel from among the
nations. In fact, Israel has a hard time providing for these people and I would encourage those who are able to help
them with both prayer and finances and paying attention to who you vote for. Those who must be purged out of the land
will surely be as the LORD has told beforehand, and if you have questions I would suggest that you look into the prophecies
further. It matters not what anyone thinks or wants when the LORD has already said what will be. What matters
most is that we are about doing His will and are found to be in agreement with Him rather than opposing Him.
"But take heed to yourselves,
lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.
For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always
that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."
Isn't this one of the commandments of Jesus Christ?
If Israel is still
blinded, and if Israel is persecuting Christians in their land rather than treating them as God has commanded they do, how
might Christians in other lands participate with the Christians of Palestine in their time of need? As John said in
one of his epistles, true love is being willing to lay down our lives for our friends - let alone that we send them aid when
they need it! It seems to me that the Palestinian partnering with those who oppose God needs to be repented of so that
the workings of evil in the land might find no place and that times of refreshing may come as the LORD may grant in His time.
Should those of the Lord be 'friends' with those who deny Him and kill their friends? (Muslim actions in the Sudan towards
Christians - murder, rape, destroying property) Are they friends or is this more an unholy aliance rooted in ignorance
of the word of God, fear and hatred? Surely this directly related to what Jesus said starting in John 14:19;
"A
little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.
At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps
them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself
to him."
"If
anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.
These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will
send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I
leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither
let it be afraid. You have heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you
would rejoice because I said, 'I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I.
And now I have
told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you, for
the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. But that the world may know that I love the Father, and
as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do."
"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more
fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me."
.....
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and
it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so that you will be My disciples.
As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love,
just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.
"These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may
remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command
you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends,
for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you."
17:9; "I
pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine
are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world,
and I come to You, Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.
While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is
lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fullfilled."
One of the greatest studies of prophecy shows that the very day
Jesus entered Jerusalem was a direct fulfillment of Daniel 9. No wonder Jesus expressed such remorse for Israel in Matthew
23: 37-39;
"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!
See! Your house is left to you desolate, 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.!"
In the next
chapter (24) Jesus goes on to speak about both the time of the destruction of the temple as well as the great tribulation
and the time in which He will return, that we might be faithful in keeping His charge instead of being found working against
what He commanded.
"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the
sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens
will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn,
and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels
with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the
other.
Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become
tender and puts forth leaves you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it
is near - at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take
place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
But of that
day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also
will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and
giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away,
so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.
Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other one left. Watch therefore, for you do not know
what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come,
he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready for the Son of Man is
coming at an hour you do not expect.
Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master
made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes,
will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that servant
says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the
drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware
of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of
teeth."
Jesus did
not pray for the world, but for those whom His Father had given Him. In Revelation 3 Jesus speaks to the faithful
Church in Philadelphia:
"These things says He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts,
and shuts and no one opens. I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it;
for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Indeed I will make those of the
synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie - indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet,
and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the
hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming
quickly! Hold fast to what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him
a pillar in the temple of My God, and He shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of
the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
Just prior to this letter, Jesus wrote to the persecuted Church in Smyrna:
"These things says the First and the Last, who was
dead, and came to life. I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of
those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear any of those things which you are
about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison; that you may be tested, and you will have
tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death."
Backing up to the prophecy in Daniel, we find 'time, times and half a time.'
Most through the years interpret this as three and a half years, but it doesn't say years. Regarding the time of man
and the time of God it has been said that with God a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as a day. Many
have taken this to be firurative - that God is outside of time as we know time. However, perhaps this is the information
we need to solve the understanding of when the time of the end will be? Consider the day as a thousand years.
God established His covenant with Israel after bringing them out of the bondage of Egypt to the mount where He gave them the
Law. This was near 1445 BC, but I'm not the historical expert and am going by the "Old Testament Time Line"
in my study Bible. This is near 1500 BC. We now find ourselves shortly after 2000 AD. This is a total of
about 3500 years. If a thousand years is as a day, then this is three and a half - time, times and half a time ( 1+2+.5
= 3.5).
Going
further, in that Scriptures say that God has declared the end from the beginning, we can look to Exodus when God called Moses
to prepare the people for when He would come down to them, so that they all could 'see' His presense. Israel failed
to become the 'kingdom of priests and a holy nation' that He desired (Ex. 19:6). However, this is what those the Lord
called to Him are, and the gospel has been around for about 2000 years. Consider the end from the beginning again.
Exodus 19:10,11;
"Then
the LORD said to Moses, 'Go to the people and conserate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their
clothes. And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the LORD will come down upon Mount Sinai
in the sight of all the people.'"
Taking the principle of the giving of the gospel, that we are to be washed in the blood of the
lamb (baptism)(abiding in His words)(immerse ourselves into Jesus words)(live as a true disciple and growing in our knowledge
of Him and His will and word). So by these principles the disciples of Jesus (see the 'great commission of Matthew)
have been called to 'consecrate' themselves to the Lord and 'wash our clothes' in that we repent to do the will of our Lord
and 'wash' ourselves with the knowledge of His word. This is where I John 1:9 applies, that we acknowledge our sin/failures
to God and that He is faithful to forgive us our sins. The main point here is a parallel between the time the gospel
was given, that there were two days and then on the third day we should expect to see the Lord - and not just Christians,
but the whole world! - that He will come down in the sight of all, just as He foretold to Moses and Israel in the wilderness.
The next consideration is that of the 'times of the Gentiles' which Jesus spoke
of. If my understanding of the 'day' is correct, then 'times' could be the '2' (2000) spoken of in Daniel, and if this
is so, then we are very near, just based upon this understanding. However, those who study Bible prophesy have been
at this study a long time and have related events in history to the prophecies of the Bible. Israel is now restored
as a nation. Greed and theft and murder have taken over the world monitary systems. Even our own Constitution
has been cast aside for corporate greed and those who caused the worldwide financial system to fail and it appears that the
"New World Order" sought by Satan since Babylon is on the verge of exposure. But that isn't all, we see that
Israel has been surrounded by her enemies who threaten her destruction and she has been pressured for years to divide the
land and it has been divided in every way possible and trodden down by the Gentiles.
When we look to the teachings of Jesus about what the end times will be like,
we can see how well they fit our times. Of course the same view has been held by many over the centuries, but we would
be blind not to see the hand of God is all over us at this time. Jesus said to 'Watch therefore' and that we pray we
are counted worthy to escape the great tribulation, which Jesus said shall be greater than any such to have come upon the
earth up to that time. Go back up to Luke 21:24 as quoted above and see if these things are in keeping with His words.
"Look up, for your salvation is near."
When the powers Isreal has of herself are fully broken, will she say 'Blessed
is he who comes in the name of the LORD'?
As a thoughtful reminder of what God has declared, let's finally consider the first two Psalms:
1
"Blesses is the man
Who
walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor
stands in the path of sinners,
Nor
sits in the seat of the scornful;
But
his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And
in His law he meditates day and night.
He
shall be like a tree
Planted by
the rivers of water,
That brings
forth its fruit in its season,
Whose
leaf also shall not wither,
And
whatever he does shall prosper.
The
ungodly are not so,
But are like
the chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore
the ungodly shall not stand in the judment,
Nor
sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish."
2
"Why
do the nations rage,
And the people
plot a vain thing?
The kings of
the earth set themselves,
And the
rulers take counsel together,
Against
the LORD and against His Annointed, saying,
'Let
us break Their bonds in pieces
And
cast away Their cords from us.'
He
who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The
LORD shall hold them in derision.
Then
He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And
distress them in His deep displeasure:
Yet
I have set My King
On My holy hill
of Zion.
I will
declare the decree:
The LORD has
said to Me,
'You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.'
Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
And you perish in the way,
When
His wrath is kindled but a little,
Blessed
are all those who put their trust in Him.":
.