New Testament BIBLE STORY #24

 New Testament  BIBLE  STORY

#24

Chapter Thirty-three:

The Great Prophecy of the End Times - part one

     MARY ANOINTS JESUS' FEET

     The apostle John in his Gospel account relates to us that

six days before the Passover, Jesus was in Bethany, the town

where Lazarus (the man Jesus raised from the dead) was living. 

He was at a supper meal. Martha, Mary's sister, was serving, and

Lazarus was also present, sitting at the same table with Jesus.

     Mary took a pound of very costly ointment and started to

anoint Jesus' head and also His feet, and wiped His feet with her

hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the

ointment. But Judas Iscariot (the one who betrayed Jesus later)

said, "Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred denarii

(a large sum of money in our terms today), and given to the

poor?"

     We may think that Judas was kind hearted, especially towards

the poor, but John informs us that he did not say this because he

cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he was

also in charge of the money box the disciples had, for their

living expenses, he would steal from it at times. 

     It is good to here realize that Jesus and His disciples had

a "bank account" as we might call it today. They were obviously

given money from many different people and sources, to help them

with physical expenses (such as food) as they travelled up and

down Palestine doing the work of God.

     Jesus replied to Judas' statement, "Let her alone, do not

trouble her. For you will always have the poor with you, and

whenever you will you can do good to them; but you will not

always have me here. She has done what she could; she has

anointed my body beforehand, for burying me, preparing me for

death. And truly, I say to you, wherever the Gospel is preached

in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of

her."

     When the people heard that Jesus was there in Bethany, they

came in large numbers, not only to see Jesus, for some were

already questioning and having second thoughts about Him, 

because He was not doing what they expected Him to do, gather 

all the Jewish men together to form an army to fight the Romans.  

They came also to see Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 

Many were though wanting and starting to believe in Jesus, and

the power that the chief priests, scribes and Pharisees had over

the people was diminishing.  So those groups of men were planning

to also put Lazarus to death along with Jesus (Mark 14: 3-9; John

12: 1-11).

THE MOUNT OF OLIVES PROPHECY

     It is now only three days until the Passover and the fateful

events of the night and day of the fourteenth of Nisan, the first

month in the calendar that the Jews used, corresponding to our

March/April (see a good Bible Dictionary under the article

"calendar").

     Jesus had been on this third day before the Passover, in the

Temple, once more teaching the things concerning the Kingdom of

God. He was now leaving the Temple, when His disciples, at least

one of them, said, "Teacher, look at the wonderful stones and

what wonderful buildings are within the Temple structure."

     Jesus answered, "You see all these, do you not? Truly I tell

you, there will not be left one single stone upon another that

shall not be thrown down."

     The disciples were astonished once more at His remarks and

they pondered and mused among themselves as they walked along,

what that remark was really meaning.

     Jesus reached the Mount of Olives, and stopped to look at

all He could see, as well as have a short rest. It was then that

some of the disciples, namely, Peter and James and John and

Andrew asked Him privately this question:

     "Tell us Lord, when will this be that you spoke about

concerning the stones of the Temple, and what will be the sign 

of your coming and the close of the age?"

     We need to notice very clearly, for it is written by Matthew

in very plain to understand words. The disciples were asking

Jesus to tell them about the signs that would signal His

RETURN....and the END OF THE AGE!

     What we are about to read, the words of Jesus, as recorded

in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, is MAINLY and for mostly, an END 

TIME prophecy. It has only a smaller fore-running local event of what

happened to the Temple and Jerusalem, in 70 A.D. What happened in

70 A.D. did NOT fulfil this prophecy, for TODAY we still have

part of the wall of the Temple in existence in Jerusalem. It is called 

the "Wailing Wall." Hence in 70 A.D. not EVERY STONE, was

"will not be left one stone upon another, that will not be thrown

down" as Jesus had said would come to pass, BEFORE His COMING

AGAIN and the END of the age!

     This prophecy of Jesus' is most certainly for the END TIMES,

yet ahead of anyone reading this New Testament  Bible Story!

     Jesus said, "Take heed that no one leads you astray. For MANY 

will come in my name saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will lead 

MANY astray."

     At the end times it is the MANY that would come saying that

Jesus was the Christ. They would come in His name, claiming they

were ministers of Christ. But they would be false ministers,

leading MANY, not the few, astray. And so it is today we have

dozens and dozens, even hundreds,  of "religious" organizations

claiming Jesus is the Christ. But Jesus Himself said, the MANY

would be false ministries and false preachers, leading the many

into a false Christianity.

     Jesus continued, "And you will hear of wars and rumors of

wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but

the end of the age is not yet. For nation will rise up against

nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines

and earthquakes in various places; all this is but the BEGINNING

of sufferings."

     We have in the last 100 years seen all this fully come to

pass. More earthquakes then ever, more famines than ever, 

more nations fighting nations than ever in the past. All this Jesus

said had to come to pass, but the end of the age was not just

yet, more specific things Jesus would now go on to name and

foretell, would be the signs of the stones of the Temple in

Jerusalem being cast down so not one would be left upon another

(the stones of the Wailing Wall still stand, which was once a

part of the Temple of Jesus' day), and the coming of Jesus again

to earth.

     Continuing with Jesus' words, "Then they will deliver you my

disciples, up to tribulation, and beat you in the churches, and

you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear

testimony before them. Some of you they will put to death. 

And you will be hated by all nations for my sake. Do not worry

beforehand how to answer your accusers; for I will give you the

words and wisdom to speak through the power of the Holy Spirit,

which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or

contradict. And at that time many will fall away from the truth,

and betray one another. You will be delivered up even by parents

and brothers and kinsmen and friends. Family members will betray

one another even to death. And at this time many false prophets

will arise and lead many astray. And along with all this, wickedness 

will be multiplied and the love of most people will wax cold."

     This period, when all this will happen, will be the last few

years before Jesus returns, as the book of Revelation explains

and amplifies.  

     Jesus went on to say that those who would endure to the end,

stick it out, keep the faith, no matter what the cost, would be

saved.

     And He said that before the end of the age came, the Gospel

would be preached throughout the whole world as a witness to 

all nations. Some of that would be done by the servants of Christ,

some of it done by the two great witnesses that the eleventh

chapter of the book of Revelation speaks about, who will come 

to Jerusalem for the last three and one half years or forty-two

months, and from there will witness for the truth of God. Then

the final world-wide witness will be by an angel that will

declare the Gospel to all that dwell upon the earth, to every

nation, every kindred, and tongue, and people (Revelation 14: 6,7).

     Jesus said that after those specific events we just read about, 

then the end of the age and His return would come. Then the 

Kingdom of God would be established upon the earth.

     Now Jesus, steps back in time somewhat, and talks about a

specific event that will lead up to and trigger this last days

persecution of God's spiritual children, as well as the physical

people of the tribes of Israel.

     

     "When you see," Jesus said, "the abomination that makes

desolate, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it

should not stand, standing in the holy place..."

     We are not to guess what this is that Jesus has reference to. 

First, the Greek words for "holy place" are NOT unique. The

Greek for "holy" is the common word used throughout the New

Testament, and means, "consecrated, pure, holy, saint" - it is

the Greek "hagios." The word for "place" means just that -

"place, spot, location."

     Jesus was saying something will make desolate a holy place,

a holy location, or holy spot on the earth.

     Secondly, we do not have to guess what this is, or come up

with many different ideas, theories, interpretations, as many

have done in the last 200 years. The Bible "interprets itself."

Luke in his Gospel account of what Jesus said here, gives us 

the meaning.  We find it in Luke 21: 20, "But when you see 

JERUSALEM SURROUNDED BY ARMIES, then you will 

know, its DESOLATION IS AT HAND."

     Jesus, was saying that what Daniel had foreseen and what he

wrote about for the end times, was the DESOLATION of JERUSALEM! 

     Jerusalem was God's chosen HOLY PLACE. It was and still is

the HOLY CITY! It is the city that God has chosen to have His

headquarters in under the reign of Jesus Christ during the

millennium or one thousand year period of Revelation chapter 20.

     An end time power, the "King of the North" as Daniel calls

it (the book of Revelation calls it a "Beast" power, with a

"beast man" as army leader and "false prophet" as religious

leader) will come against the "King of the South" at the end time

and will defeat him, and then march on into the "glorious holy

mountain" and plant his seat or tabernacle of dwelling "between

the seas" (between the Mediterranean sea and the Dead sea) in the

very holy place, or holy city of Jerusalem (Daniel 11: 40-45).

     Jerusalem will be surrounded by the armies of this Beast -

King of the North power about three and one half years, or forty

two months, or 1260 days, before Jesus returns to earth. This end

time power will then march into Jerusalem and destroy most of the

city. There will be great desolation of the holy city, and then

the final wall (Wailing Wall) of the Temple that stood in Jesus'

day, will come crashing down, and the prophecy will be fulfilled

where Jesus said that not one stone of the Temple would stand on

another stone.

     When that event happens Jesus went on to say, "Then let

those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let him who is

on the housetop not go down to takes things from the house, but

flee. Those who are inside the city better flee, and those out in

the country-side better not enter the city. Those in the field

had better not return to their homes to gather things, but they

better flee. For these will be the days of vengeance, to fulfil all 

that is written.

     Alas for those who are pregnant and with child, and for

those who are still nursing their child! For great distress shall

be upon the earth and wrath upon THIS people in Palestine; they

shall fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away as captives

into all nations; and this city of Jerusalem shall be trodden

down and made desolate by the Gentiles, until the times of the

Gentiles are fulfilled, until God has allowed the Gentile armies

to do their devastation and evil.

     You my disciples need to pray that your fleeing will not be

in the winter nor on the Sabbath day. For this will be the time

of GREAT TRIBULATION such the like that the world will never 

have seen, no not from its very beginning, and never will see the like

ever again. If those days were not shortened, no HUMAN BEING

WOULD BE SAVED ALIVE; but for the sake of  the ELECT, 

those days God will shorten."

     There can be no mistaking about the time Jesus is here

talking about. It was not the time of 70 A.D. It was not the time

of the middle ages, not the time of the first world war, not the

time of the second world war. No matter how bad those times were,

the time that Jesus is talking about (as we shall see further as

we proceed into the context of the next verses and what Jesus

said) is still ahead of all who are reading these chapters in

this Bible Story. Jesus is clearly talking about a time just

prior to His visible second coming in glory. It will be a time of

tribulation and distress and suffering, like the world has never seen 

since man was created upon it. As Jesus said unless those days 

would be shortened not one single human being would be left 

alive on the face of the entire earth. Only in the last 70 years have 

we had the weapons of mass destruction that could indeed kill 

every man, woman, and child, from off the planet.

     This prophecy of Matthew 24 is, without question, an end

time prophecy, for the last three and one half years (the 42

months, the 1260 days, the times and time and half a time, 

of the book of Revelation).

     Jesus further said, "Then, at that time, if anyone says to

you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There He is,' do NOT believe

it! For false Christs and false prophets will rise up and even

show GREAT signs and wonders, so great as to lead many astray, 

so deceptive they will be that IF it was possible they would deceive

even the VERY ELECT! You need to take heed; I have told you and

warned you of all these things beforehand.

     So, if they say to you, 'Ah, look, He is in the wilderness,'

do not go out to look; if they say, 'Look, He is in this inner

room,' do NOT believe them. For when I COME AGAIN, it will be

like as LIGHTNING comes from the east and shines as far as to the

west. Yes, that is what my coming will be like. The Son of man

will come in a cloud with GREAT POWER and GLORY! Now, 

when  these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, 

because your redemption is drawing near. Wherever the body is, 

there the eagles will be gathered together."

     Once more Jesus has warned His true followers that at this

end time, the last three or four years especially, many false

prophets and religious teachers would arise. Some will be able to

perform great and might miracles. The false prophet of the book

of Revelation will be able to bring fire down from heaven. Many

will come at that time claiming Jesus has returned, but Jesus

said He will not come in such a secret manner that people have to

tell you He had arrived and is over in this wilderness area or in

a particular room somewhere.

     Jesus said His coming will be like the LIGHTNING comes from

the east and flashes to the west. As a young lad growing up in

England I witnessed such events. Some of the thunder and

lightning storms would come upon us very suddenly. Within minutes

the sky would be dark with huge black clouds, then loud thunder

would roll across the heaven, THEN SUDDENLY the lightning 

would flash at on side of the sky and flash across to the other side.

It was all very SPECTACULAR and QUICK!

     Jesus said as His disciples were watching these last day

events unfold, they were to realize their redemption was near. 

He was referring to their being made immortal in the resurrection 

at His return. The resurrection spoken about in 1 Thessalonians 4

and 1 Corinthians 15. 

     Jesus used the analogy of a carcase and the eagles or

vultures gathering together around it. We have either seen that

in person some time, or seen it in a movie or documentary on

eagles and vultures. We are to get from that analogy the main

thought, not the specifics as such. Jesus was not thinking about

the carcase being dead, or the meal the vultures would have. The

point He was making was the one carcase being there would draw

the birds to it.

     He had just mentioned the redemption of His followers, and

that redemption was the time of HIM (the one person body, or the

one carcase of His analogy) coming to earth again, with glory as

the glory of lightning, and the resurrection of all the saints

taking place, their redemption glory, and they then coming to

where He was, just as the vultures come to where the carcase is.

Jesus and His followers would COME TOGETHER. We see this

perfectly explained by the apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians

chapter four.

     Jesus will come like the glory of lightning to the clouds,

to the air of this earth. It will be a spectacular event, not

something secret or un-noticed. And when He comes the

RESURRECTION (or changing from flesh and blood to 

immortal spirit for those saints alive at His coming - 1 Cor. 15) 

of the saints takes place, their redemption is complete, and they 

gather together where Christ is in the clouds, and so will be with 

Him forever more.

     The prophecy of Zechariah 14 finishes it all for us. In that

very day on which Jesus comes in glory, with the saints (who have

been resurrected or changed from human to divine), Jesus and the

saints land on earth, at the Mount of Olives, and start to establish 

the literal Kingdom of God on earth. The reign of Jesus for 

1,000 years on earth begins.

     Jesus now once more back-tracks some in the time period of

the last three or so years of this age. The great tribulation has

come and is just about over, Jesus has not yet arrived, His

coming like lightning is yet to happen. He wants to here tell His

disciples about another spectacular event that will happen, that

must happen, an event that they will see in the heavens above,

and then know that His coming is very close at hand.

     Jesus gave definite signs for His servants to watch for during

the last years of this age, leading up to His return and their

completed redemption in the resurrection.

     Jesus said, "Immediately AFTER the tribulation of those days

the SUN will be DARKENED, and the MOON will not give its light,

and the STARS will fall from heaven, and the powers of HEAVEN

will be SHAKEN! THEN, after those signs of the heavens, the sign

of the SON of man in heaven shall appear, then all the tribes of

the earth will mourn, and they will then see the SON of man

coming on the CLOUDS of heaven with POWER and great GLORY; 

and He will send out His angels with a LOUD TRUMPET call, 

and they will gather together His ELECT from the four winds, 

from one end of heaven to the other end of heaven."

     Yes, this is what I just explained above, the time of

completed redemption of the saints. The time of the resurrection

of the saints to meet Christ in the air, in the clouds.

    We notice that the angels will have a part in bringing the saints

to where Jesus is, gathering them together, like the eagles

gather to where the carcase is, so the saints are gathered by the

angels to be brought to where Jesus is in the clouds of heaven. 

     Before this takes place Jesus gave His people the sign of

the "heavenly signs" to watch for, so when they saw the sun

darkened, and the moon not giving light and the stars falling

from heaven, AFTER the great tribulation, after a time of

distress such as never before on earth, then they could know

their completed redemption in the resurrection at the coming of

Christ in glory, was NEAR at hand.

     The sign of the Son of man in heaven that shall appear,

maybe the sign that is talked about in Revelation  11: 19. The

sign of the Temple of God in heaven opened and the ark of His

testament shown. We notice the context of Rev.11: 19 is the sound

of the SEVENTH AND LAST trumpet, the time of the RESURRECTION 

of the saints, the time for Jesus to COME AGAIN and rule the nations

of the earth. All fits together with 1 Cor. 15; 1 Thes. 4; Zech.

14; and Rev. 19 and 20.

     Jesus really wanted His people to get the picture, and to

get in their mind some very important points within this whole

last days scene. He went on to tell us:

     "I want you to learn the lesson from the fig tree; as soon

as its branches become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know

that summer is near. So likewise, when you see all these things

I've told you about, coming to pass, then know that the end is

near, even at the gates. Truly I say to you that this age of

mankind will not pass away until all these things come to pass.

Heaven and earth and physical mankind will one day pass

away, but my words will never pass away, so you can be assured 

it will all come to pass what I am telling you about. 

     You need to take heed to yourself, lest your hearts be

weighed down with wickedness and drunkenness and with the 

cares of this life, and that time come upon you suddenly like 

a snare; for it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the earth

suddenly, they will not be expecting it. But you my disciples,

need to pray and watch at all times that you have the strength to

be counted worthy to escape all these things that will take

place, and to stand before the Son of man when He comes.

     Of that specific day and hour when I come again in glory, no

one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son of man, but

ONLY my Father. 

     I tell you this, as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming 

of the Son of man. For as in those days before the flood they were 

eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, right up until 

the day that Noah went into the Ark, and they did not know until 

the flood came and swept them away, so will be the coming of the 

Son of man. 

     So take heed, watch and pray, you do not know when that day

will come. It is like a man going on a journey, and when he

leaves he puts his servants in charge, each with his work to do,

and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. You need to

watch, for you do not know when the master of the house will

come, in the evening time, or at midnight, or at the time when

the cock crows, or later in the morning. Watch, lest he come

suddenly and find you asleep. 

     When that day comes for me to return, 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 left. Watch

therefore, you do not know WHAT DAY your Lord is coming."

     This whole context is the VERY DAY, the literal 24 hour day,

that Jesus will come again from heaven back to this earth. So

when He said one would be taken and the other left, He was not

talking about some "secret rapture" - an invisible silent, unseen, 

coming of His, that some people teach, to snatch away the

saints while leaving others behind.

     All kinds of silly scenarios have been imagined by people

who teach and believe in the so-called "secret rapture" of the

saints, to be secretly snatched out of the world and taken

to heaven, while the great tribulation falls on all that are left

on earth. Such ideas lead to people driving their car and they

all of a sudden disappear, or they are driving a school bus and

they as a Christian suddenly disappear as they are caught up to

heaven in a secret rapture. You are left to imagine the horror

that takes place on the school bus when the driver suddenly

vanishes.

     Jesus is here in the whole context talking about the VERY

DAY of His coming again. And as the book of Revelation clearly

shows there will be Christians on the earth at that time. Jesus

in this context of this great prophecy also makes it clear that

Christians will be on the earth when He returns in glory. Some

will be in the wilderness in safety from all the destruction

around them. Some will be called and converted only when the

tribulation of the last days is under way, and they will be in

different nations, doing different things, with many unconverted

people around them. 

     When the day comes for the Father to send Jesus back to

earth, as we have seen the RESURRECTION or CHANGE for 

the living saints, will take place, ON THAT VERY DAY, as Jesus 

reaches the clouds of heaven above us. The saints will be gathered 

by the angels, they will be taken from the grave as they are raised to

immortal life, and taken from wherever they are on earth, in the

field, in the bed, working at the mill, if still alive (but the live 

Christians will as we have seen, be changed from mortal to

immortal - 1 Cor.15), and taken to be with Christ in the clouds.

     One taken and one left is to do with the RESURRECTION of 

the saints on the very day that Jesus returns, the day that the Father 

sends Him back to earth to establish the Kingdom of God on earth 

for a thousand years.

     And God will make sure that the Christian taken in the

resurrection will not be driving a bus, or flying a plane, or any

such thing, that would endanger innocent lives when they are

suddenly not there.

     Jesus gave emphasis to His people to WATCH! He went on to

say, as He amplified the point of watching, "Watch therefore, for

you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this,

that if the householder had known in what part of the night

the thief was coming, he would have watched and have not let his

house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for the

Son of man is going to come at an hour you do not expect.

     Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master has

set over his household, to give them their food at the proper

time? Blessed is that servant who when his master comes will find

so doing his job faithfully. Truly, I say to you, he will set him

over all his possessions. 

     But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is

delayed,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eats and

drinks with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come

in a day when he does not expect him to come and at an hour he

does not know, and will punish him and put him with the

hypocrites; there men will weep and gnash their teeth" (Mat.24:

1-51; Mark 13: 1-37; Luke 21: 5-38).

     We see that Jesus was very concerned that His disciples would 

always be WATCHING! The watching Jesus had in mind was far

more than just watching world news and world events, in order to

tell whereabouts we are in Bible Prophecy. Jesus had in mind that

His followers should always be watching their LIVES, their

CONDUCT, and watching that they remain faithful to the calling

God. Then no matter when Jesus comes they will be ready to

inherit and to enter the Kingdom of God. 

     We need to remember that for each one of us personally, the

day of Christ's coming is just as close as our death, for the very 

next thing for us after death is to awake in the resurrection at the 

coming of Jesus. We will not know the passing of time, we will not 

know how long we have been asleep in death. And most of us do 

not know when we shall die. So we need, as servants of God, 

to always be ready, so we can meet our Lord in the clouds and 

forever more be with Him.

             ..................................

Written January 2003