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"Scripture Quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)
This paper was taken from my paper titled "A Verse-by-Verse Study of Six important Eschatological Chapters of the New Testament: 1 Corinthians 15; Matthew 24, 25; and Revelation 20-22," dated November 1998. Originally this paper was done on a word processor that had limited capabilities (no italics and no footnotes, for example); the original format was scanned into Word 2002 in 2007 to create the internet version of this paper. I was able to use bold, italics, and underlining in that document. All Bible quotations were taken from the 1977 edition of the NASB unless otherwise noted.
I am splitting this paper into six parts to put it on several Christian article sites in October, 2012. I am modifying and improving the paper at this time and correcting several typographical errors. For one thing, I am updating the cross-references to discussions in my other papers. Sometimes I will use double brackets [[ ]] and (( )) to make them more obvious.
MATTHEW CHAPTER 24.
Matthew chapter 24 contains some very important teaching on the end times. One reason this chapter is important is that it seems to rather clearly show that the pre-week-rapture viewpoint cannot be correct: The coming of Christ and the rapture pictured in Matt. 24:29-31 (at least it has always seemed clear to me, and to many others, that this is what these verses are talking about) take place after the abomination of desolation mentioned in Matt. 24:15, which all agree will take place in the (approximate) middle of Daniel's 70th week.
This causes no problem for the end-of-the-week rapture viewpoint, or for the mid-week rapture viewpoint, believing, as I do, that the abomination of desolation will be initiated about a month before the mid-week return of Christ and the rapture. (On the abomination of desolation, including its timing, see under Matt. 24:15.) Once we factor in this timing for the abomination and the fact that the short great tribulation of Matt. 24:21, 22 speaks of very intense warfare that will last only a few weeks and terminate before the middle of Daniel's 70th week (as discussed under Matt. 24:21, 22), Matthew chapter 24 fits the mid-week-rapture viewpoint better than it fits the end-of-the-week rapture viewpoint.
"And Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. (2) And He answered and said to them, 'Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here shall be left upon another, which will not be torn down.' [[Palm Sunday has already passed, and only a couple of days remain before the all-important atoning death of the Lamb of God. Israel (speaking of the great majority) hasn't repented and submitted to the Messiah. This was no time to fasten one's eyes on the temple buildings, with their spectacular beauty and glory. The temple, with the city of Jerusalem, was headed for total destruction at the hands of the Romans (some forty years later in AD 70), in accordance with these prophetic words of Jesus Christ. (Also see Matt. 21:33-46; 22:1-14, especially 22:7; 23:29-39, especially 23:35-38; Luke 19:41-44; and 21:20-24.)
The disciples of Jesus must keep their hearts fixed on Him (and on God the Father who sent Him) and on His words - the days of new-covenant salvation have arrived. It was time for the atoning death of the Lamb of God, His resurrection and ascension, and the outpouring of the promised new-covenant gift of the Holy Spirit. He, the Spirit of life, would solve the spiritual death problem through the new birth and His indwelling presence, and He, the Righteous, Holy Spirit of God would solve the bondage to sin problem and impart the righteousness and holiness of God to those who walk by faith (in accordance with the terms of the new covenant) and by the Spirit on a continuous basis.]] (3) And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, His disciples came to Him privately [[Mark 13:3 informs us that Jesus "was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple." In other words, He was on the western side of the Mount of Olives, from where they could see the temple. This verse in Mark further informs us that "Peter and James and John and Andrew [the four disciples of the twelve always listed first] were questioning Him privately." This extended passage (Matt. 24:1-25:46) is often called the "Olivet discourse," based on the Mount of Olives.
Mark 13:1-37 and Luke 21:5-36 are accounts of the same discourse as Matthew chapter 24, but the accounts are not fully parallel. For one thing, neither Matthew, Mark, nor Luke gives us the full account of what Jesus said. (Each of them does some editing, including selecting which quotations to include and putting the quotations in their present formats, under the overall direction of the Holy Spirit.) Also some of these "quotations" of what Jesus said are not word-for-word quotations, which is the case with many quotations in the Bible, and in other writings of the ancient world. It is easy to verify that some of the "quotations" are not word-for-word "quotations" (whether in the Greek, or in the English translations): Compare, for example, Matt. 24:15 with the parallel verse in Mark 13:14]], saying, 'Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?' [[There is widespread agreement that the disciples' question assumed that the prophesied destruction of the temple was just part of the events that would take place at the end of the age; Matthew apparently had this assumption in mind as he put this chapter together (but cf. Luke 21:24). As events unfolded this assumption proved to be incorrect. The temple was destroyed in AD 70, and over nineteen hundred years have passed, and Christ still has not returned on the clouds in great glory. The accounts in Matthew chapter 24 and Mark chapter 13 don't deal at all with the AD 70 destruction of the temple. The account in Luke chapter 21 does include verses that deal with this AD 70 destruction (Luke 21:20-24).
In Matthew's account "THE SIGN of [Christ's] coming and of the end of the age" is apparently given in 24:30: "and then THE SIGN of the Son of Man will appear in the sky...and they shall see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory." In other words, the (primary) sign that they/we are to look for is the coming of Christ Jesus Himself, "coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory" at the end of the age. This emphasis fits the warnings in this chapter that there will be false Christs, false prophets, and FALSE SIGNS (24:4, 5, 11, 23-27). And it fits the strong warnings in this chapter on the need for all Christians to always be ready for the coming of Christ, since we don't know the time of His coming (24:36, 42-51).
This doesn't mean, however, that there won't be any signs preceding Christ's coming in glory. Matthew chapter 24 mentions several very definite events (signs) that will take place shortly before He comes: the "abomination of desolation" (24:15), the short "great tribulation" (24:21, 22), and the darkening of the sun and moon, etc. (24:29), and there are quite a few less-definite signs of His coming mentioned in this chapter (e.g., 24:14). Also see Matt. 24:32-34. I'll read 24:33, "even so you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door."
The book of Revelation confirms that there will be signs preceding Christ's return in glory, and it gives us quite a bit of information regarding these events. For a discussion on the signs that will precede the Lord's return, see chapter 4 of my book, "The Mid-Week Rapture," which was published in 1990. At the beginning of chapter 4, I said, "I agree with the widespread viewpoint that the Lord Jesus Christ will return very soon, probably before the end of this century." I also said, "If the year 1998, for example, were to come and there was no evidence of the seven-year covenant with Israel, the ministry of the two prophets, the rebuilding of the temple, etc., then I would have to say that the Lord will not return before the year 2000." Now we're a couple of months into 1998, and I'm ready to say that I don't believe Christ will return before the year 2000, and He probably won't return before the year 2001. Now we are near the end of 2012, and I'm ready to say that I don't believe Christ will return before 2015, and He probably won't return before 2016.
I am thankful (before God) that I can still totally recommend my 360 page book, "The Mid-Week Rapture: A Verse-by-Verse Study of Key Prophetic Passages," even though it was written in 1990. There is only one place in the book that I am aware of where I have changed my viewpoint on any interpretation worth mentioning since I wrote the book, and it is a relatively minor point. In the book I suggested that the seventh and last bowl of wrath will probably extend to cover God's judgments at the end of the millennium, which is the viewpoint of many; now I believe that the seventh bowl of wrath will just extend to cover God's destruction of Antichrist and his followers at the end of Daniel's 70th week. I am also aware of typographical errors and places where improvements could be made. There is a fold-out chronological chart at the end of the book and a chapter of the book explains the chart in some detail. Like I said, I highly recommend that you get a copy of the book, which is available on my website, at amazon.com, and at armageddonbooks.com.
Now it is October, 2012. I still believe the Lord Jesus will return very soon (things are shaking more every year in and around Israel, in Europe, in the Moslem world, and worldwide), but I'm also sure that definite signs will announce His coming, including the seven-year covenant of Dan. 9:27; the three and one half year ministry of the two prophets of Revelation chapter 11; the rebuilding of the temple (which is confirmed by Matt. 24:15; 2 Thess. 2:3, 4; and Rev. 11:1, 2); and the sounding of the first six trumpets of the book of Revelation, with the abomination of desolation taking place about the time of the sounding of the sixth trumpet, followed by the short great tribulation; and then with the Lord Jesus returning at the sounding of the seventh and last trumpet right in the middle of Daniel's 70th week (Rev. 11:15).
Things could come together any time, but I don't have any definite idea regarding when the final seven-year period will begin. I believe it could begin almost any time, like within the next year. On the seven-year covenant/treaty that begins the seven-year period, see under Dan. 9:27, starting on page 127 of my book, "The Mid-Week Rapture." Daniel 9:27 (NASB) mentions that "he [Antichrist] will make a strong covenant" with Israel. The Hebrew could also be translated "will confirm a covenant," as translated by the KJV, NKJV, and the NIV, which could very well prove to be the right idea. On the fact that Antichrist will not yet have been manifested as Antichrist or begun to act like Antichrist at the time this covenant is initiated, see the section titled "The Growth and Transformation of the Little Horn" on pages 64, 65 of "The Mid-Week Rapture."]] (4) And Jesus answered and said to them, 'See to it that no one misleads you. (5) For many will come in my name, saying, "I am the Christ," and will mislead many. [[Robert Gundry ("Matthew" [Eerdmans, 1982], page 477) points out that there is no evidence of anyone claiming to be the Messiah during the hundred years between Jesus' death and resurrection and the unsuccessful revolt against Rome led by Bar-Kochha from AD 132-135; he was regarded to be the Messiah by many. There were, however, several false prophets that arose in the days between Jesus' resurrection and the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70. (Josephus mentions several of them.) Matthew 24:23-26 warn against false Christs and false prophets who will show great signs and wonders. These verses (24:23-26) and 24:11 apparently deal with the very end of this age, whereas 24:4, 5 cover this entire Christian age. But keep in mind that those early disciples didn't think in terms of there being many hundreds of years before Christ returned.
We certainly have been forewarned; we must be very careful who we listen to, and who we follow, and all the more so in these last days. The fact that people have supernatural knowledge and/or work miracles isn't proof that they are of God. Ministers must he tested by what they teach (does it line up with. the Bible?) and by how they live (do they live in line with the lifestyle required by the Bible?).]] (6) And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. (7) For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines [Luke 21:11 mentions "plagues and famines."] and earthquakes. (8) But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. [[I believe the time period covered by Matt. 24:6-8, as with 24:4, 5, is this entire age, up until the very last days, the days which progress beyond the "beginning of birth pangs" mentioned in 24:8. Matthew's account seems to picture the abomination of desolation (Matt. 24:15) as the time of transition beyond the beginning of birth pangs, which fits with everything I believe about end-time prophecy. (Note "Therefore" at the beginning of 24:15.)
I believe the prophecy of warfare pictured in Rev. 6:3, 4 (the second seal) speaks of the same warfare as Matt. 24:6, 7 and the limited famine pictured in Rev. 6:5, 6 (the third seal) correlates with "the famines in various places" of Matt. 24:7, and that both passages cover this entire age. Furthermore, the rider on the white horse in Rev. 6:1, 2 undoubtedly correlates with the preaching of the gospel throughout this age that Jesus mentioned in Matt. 24:14. (See under Matt. 24:14; the seven seals of the book of Revelation are discussed on pages 19-24 of "The Mid-Week Rapture
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