The Olivet Prophecy
by
Jim Sayles

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          In response to their question, “When will these things happen, and what will be the signs of your coming and of the end of the age?”, the Lord told His disciples that a generation of Christian believers in the end times would read the prophetic passages found in Matthew 24 and 25, Mark 13, Luke 21, Daniel, and Revelation, and recognize the prophesied events as they began to take place. This generation of Christian believers would also be the generation who would experience a (nuclear?) world war followed by famine and pandemic disease that would kill 25% of the world’s population (1.75 billion people) and that these shocking events would be just the “beginning of birth pains.”

          The painful, relentless contractions of the birth event itself would begin, oddly enough, with a treaty among many nations as they surrendered sovereignty for seven years to a centralized world government for the purpose of restoring world peace and economic prosperity. 

          Are we that generation?

            To correctly interpret and understand end time prophecies we must realize that the primary prophecies related to the end times or “last days” each have their own emphasis and purpose. Daniel’s “seventy weeks” gives us the specific event that will initiate the final seven years of the time known as “the tribulation” as well as the purpose of “the tribulation” and details about the activities of the Antichrist during “the tribulation.”  Matthew 24 and 25, Mark 13, and Luke 21 give us the details of what the end times will include for the church, and Revelation gives us the timeline and overview for Israel, for the Gentiles, and for the Christian saints (the church) from the “beginning of birth pains” (the years immediately prior to the specific seven year “tribulation”) all the way through the millenniel kingdom. Other numerous old and new testament prophecies give us additional details about the end times.

            The primary purpose of these prophecies is to warn and prepare those who will experience the fulfillment of these prophesies.

            Although men have speculated and studied the prophecies in detail, the light of true spiritual understanding is generally reserved by the Lord for those who will experience the fulfillment of prophecy so that they will be prepared to respond appropriately to the events themselves.

            Toward the end of the Lord’s earthy ministry He came out of the temple, and, as His disciples joined Him, one of them commented on the physical beauty of the temple.

            In turn the Lord surprised them with a prophecy that the temple would be destroyed.

            Later He was joined by Peter, James, Andrew, and John where He was sitting on Mount Olivet, opposite the temple, and possibly on the very spot where He would return on the great and terrible day of the Lord.   

            His disciples had obviously been speculating about His prophecy concerning the destruction of the temple, and they asked Him a specific question, "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"

            It is important to note that the entirety of His answer, reported in Matthew 24 and 25, Mark 13, and Luke 21 is a response to this question.

            Those who reported the conversation were not present, but we should note that the conversation was important enough that each of the writers, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, were compelled to report it.

            At this point in time His disciples were still Old Testament saints, but the prophetic words He spoke to them were for the church, of which these four would be apostles, and it was reported in the synoptic gospels of the New Testament, which was written for the church, not for the Jews as a people or for national Israel. And it was written primarily  for a future generation of the church.

            Likewise, the book of The Revelation of Jesus Christ, given to the apostle, John, was written for the church.

            6"And he said to me, "These words are faithful and true"; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place.

      7"And behold, I am coming quickly Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book."

             16"I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches...

Revelation 22:6,7,16 NASB (emphasis is the author’s)

            I am emphasizing this self-evident truth concerning the relevance of Daniel, Matthew 24 and 25, Mark 13, Luke 21, and Revelation for the church for one reason only. Dispensational theology denies the applicability of Daniel, Matthew 24 and 25, Mark 13, Luke 21, and Revelation to the church, because of the erroneous dispensational distinctives of God’s separate plans of salvation for the church and Israel as well as the pre-tribulation resurrection-“rapture” of church only saints. (See Left Behind?  Part 1and Left Behind? Part 2)

            The clarity of scripture in this regard is a testimony of just how powerful “strongholds” of false doctrine and false interpretations of scripture are in opposing the truth of God and in preventing us from “hearing”, “seeing”, and “knowing” what He intends for the present day church to “see”, “hear”, and “know.”

           Although there is no parenthetic in Matthew’s account, there is a parenthetic in Mark’s and Luke’s account in which the Lord reveals a specific prophetic message for these particular disciples (Peter, James, Andrew, John). We know this is a parenthetic applicable to His immediate disciples because He prefaces His words with the phrase, “But before all this…” And our confirmation is that this is exactly what happened to them.

            Luke 21: "But before all this, they will lay hands on you and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. This will result in your being witnesses to them. 14But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. (emphasis is the author’s)

            Mark 13:9-11  -  9"But be on your guard; for they will deliver you to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them. The gospel must first be preached to all the nations. When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit.

            However, the rest of the prophecy is for another “generation” of Christian believers (the church), and, when compared and coordinated with Revelation 6, it becomes apparent that when a generation of believers notice that false Christs (misleading many), wars and rumors of wars (i.e. constant conflict in various places around the world), famines, and earthquakes (and disease) are increasing both in frequency and intensity, the final seven years is not far off.

            We should also note that the absence of this parenthetic prophecy related to the Lord’s immediate disciples from Matthew’s account is deliberate so that we will clearly and easily recognize the distinction between the prophecies intended only for the original disciples and the prophecies intended for a future generation.

            The Lord begins His prophetic revelation for a future generation of the church with this warning:

       And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you.
"For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many.” Matthew 24:4,5 NASB

            This warning obviously does not refer to His immediate disciples who would not be misled. The “many” who will be misled include both believers and non-believers, but the emphasis of the warning is for Christian believers who will be misled at some point by false Christs.

            When we examine the false Christs of recent history like Jim Jones, Sun Myung Moon, Maitreya, and David Koresh, we shake our heads at the stupid gullibility of those who were deceived. But what we will see later in this prophecy is that there will be a time in the future when the appearance of false Christs and false prophets will be accompanied by false signs and wonders, and those who are not already intimately acquainted with the Lord are in danger of being deceived (i.e. “foolish virgins”).

            I am reminded in this of William Blake’s painting of Lucifer. In Blake’s painting Lucifer was, in all appearances, like God, except that he had cloven hooves. I am also reminded of Paul’s statement in his second letter to the church at Corinth.

            And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:14 NASB

            Therefore, the Lord’s primary command related to the entirety of this prophetic discourse is, “DO NOT BE MISLED.” It is our responsibility, then, to maintain our intimacy with Him and with His words so that we will not be misled.

            As the Lord continued His prophetic revelation He gave them a list of specific prophetic “signs”, and He tells them that these signs will be like “birth pains”, increasing both in intensity and frequency as the birth event itself, the final seven years, nears.

"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. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.” Matthew 24:6-8 NASB (emphasis is the author’s)

           Revelation is the book for determining the order of end time events, and it is prudent to compare any prophetic end time passages found elsewhere with the book of Revelation. However, Revelation does not reveal the specific beginning of Daniel’s 70th week, the seven year “tribulation.” What it does reveal, in the same chronological order as Matthew 24, is the order of events during “the time of the end”.

           Therefore, the events of Revelation  and Matthew 24 both cover a time span greater than seven years, which will be a surprise to some who are reading this commentary. The assumption many have had, primarily because of dispensational, pre-trib “rapture” teaching, is that the seven years of Daniel’s seventieth week is all there is to the end times tribulation. When we compare Matthew 24, Daniel, and Revelation we find that the first four seals in Revelation 6 all occur before the event that triggers the specific seven year “tribulation.”

           (See the Comparison chart of Matthew 24, Daniel, and Revelation)

           Interestingly, neither Matthew 24 nor Revelation give a specific time for the beginning of the final seven years of tribulation. The final seven years, Daniel’s 70th week, is designated as beginning with the Antichrist’s covenant-treaty with many (and it is presumed, but not specifically stated, Israel).

           In Left Behind? – Part 2 I demonstrated that the first six seals represented tribulation (the Greek word transliterated as thilipsis., Strong’s #2568) and that it was not until the opening of the seventh seal that God’s wrath , the Greek word transliterated as orge (Strong’s #3709) is manifested.

           Therefore, the first six seals of trouble or tribulation, whether included in the seven years of “Daniel’s seventieth week” or not, are for the purpose of producing repentance, not for the outpouring of God’s retributive wrath, and there can be no valid argument that the church will not be present during the first six seals.

           It is my conclusion that the first four seals, the four horses and their riders, are directly related to “the beginning of birth pains” in Matthew 24:6-8. This, unlike Daniel’s 70th week, takes place during an unspecified time frame, but it takes place immediately prior to the final seven years.

           As will be demonstrated, it is these first four seals, corresponding with Matthew 24:6-8, that will set the stage for the final seven years.

            The first seal of Revelation 6 coincides with “wars and rumors of wars”, and it indicates a time when regional wars are continually breaking out all over the globe, with one starting before the last one is finished. We could easily conclude that this seems to describe what has been taking place in the world for the past twenty years.

            Because the entire end time prophetic focus is on Israel and the Middle East, it is my assumption that the first four seals are centralized in the Middle East but have global consequences.

            The four horses and their riders represent the spiritual entities that will influence and empower their human counterparts. To understand this influence of spiritual entities on men we have the example given to us by Daniel. When the angel appeared to Daniel he reported that the reason he had been delayed was that the “prince of Persia” resisted him. This was obviously not a human prince, but a Satanic entity influencing political powers and events in Persia.

            Likewise, Paul, in Ephesians 6:12 said, For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

            The four horsemen of the apocalypse are “spiritual forces of wickedness”, but their influence is worked out through men.

            This is much like a puppet show. What we see are the puppets unknowingly carrying out the orders of invisible puppeteers who are pulling the strings.

            The white horse rider has a bow, a long range weapon, and his activity is that of a usurper and a conquerer. He is “given” a crown, indicating that his conquest results in his assumption of political leadership that he did not have prior to the conquest.This event is most likely the Antichrist’s rise to power as described in Daniel 7, where the Antichrist becomes the head of a ten nation federation of country states through military conquest over three nations and the surrender of sovereignty by seven others without a fight.

            This fourth beast kingdom (the revived Roman empire) prophesied by Daniel was partially fulfilled by the original Roman empire as it occupied all or part of the modern nations of Italy, England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Monaco, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Bulgaria, Romania, Gemany, Austria, Switzerland, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Bosnia, Hungary, Armenia, Turkey, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Morocco, Syria, Lebanon Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, and Israel.

            However, the specific prophecies concerning the fourth beast kingdom were only partially fulfilled by the anicient Roman empire. Daniel 7:8-28 describes an end times ten nation federation of country states arising out of the same area occupied by the Roman empire in which a political leader, described as the “little horn”, obtains control of three of the country states by conquest, and surrender of the other seven without a fight.

            The modern states comprising this fourth beast (revived Roman empire) kingdom that will ultimately rule almost the entire world will likely be composed of both Muslim and non-Muslim country states.

            However, the specific identity of the white horse and rider, its human counterparts, and the modern country states involved is still speculative. What believers need to be able to identify is the event itself:

            1) A ten nation federation of country states will be formed out of what was at one time the Roman empire; 2) A coup will take place in one of the country states; 3) This “little horn” who usurps leadership of one of the countries will then gain control of two other country states by rapid military conquest; 4) The other seven country states will surrender sovereignty to the “little horn” without a fight.

            Because Daniel’s prophecies are extremely detailed and those related to the past were fulfilled exactly as Daniel described, we can expect the details of the initial rise of this fourth beast kingdom to also take place exactly as described, and, therefore, be recognizable.

            The opening of the second seal follows immediately on the heels of the white horse and its rider. This 2nd seal includes a red horse with a rider who has a “great sword” and he is given power to “take peace from the earth”, indicating a great war, war that is distinct from the the events associated with the 1st seal. It is quite likely a war in which nuclear weapons are used.That we are on the brink of such a war is obvious to all, and, because it is specifically prophesied, it will happen.

            This event is also likely to coincide with the Gog-Magog war reported in Ezekiel 38 and 39. However, Ezekiel specifically states that Israel will be living in peace at the time of the Gog-Magog war, and the possibility exists that the ten nation federation of country states, which almost certainly includes some Muslim nations, has initiated or participated in a limited peace accord with Israel at this time.

            This is not “the” treaty or covenant signed by “many nations” that initiates Daniel’s seventieth week. That treaty will actually involve many nations, Muslim and non-Muslim, surrendering their sovereignty to a centralized government for the specific term of seven years.

            Some eschatologists have even pointed out that the specific passage describing the signing of this seven year covenant-treaty in Daniel 9:27 may be an expanded confirmation of the earlier peace accord.

            The peace accord will apparently intervene between Israel and their current hostilities with the Palestinians and its supporters so that Israel is temporarily in a state of “peace.”

            The red horse and its rider who takes peace from the earth is identified in Ezekiel 38 and 39 as Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal and the many nations with him.

            “Gog”, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, is the specific “spiritual force of wickedness” identified as the red horse and its rider, and, like the white horse and its rider, Gog has human counterparts, knowingly or unknowingly carrying out the will of the “spiritual force of wickedness.”

            The Muslim nations that will not be included in the invading Gog force, but were a part of the Roman empire include Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Cyprus, Lebanon, and Jordan. These Muslim nations are, therefore, potentially a part of the fourth beast kingdom and are the likely source or origin of the peace accord in place at the time of the Gog invasion of Israel.

            See Comparison Chart of the Ten Nation Federation and Gog-Magog

            The liklihood that America will somehow be involved in this world war is extremely high even though the central conflict of the war will be Israel and the invading nations. 

            We do know from prophecy that Israel is not defeated or destroyed after becoming a nation again on May 14, 1948, and, since the restoration of Israel to nationhood is the prophetic event that starts the “times of the end”, we can assume that Israel comes out, not only unscathed, but gloriously triumphant, during the Gog-Magog war.

            We can also assume that the ten nation fourth beast kingdom is still intact after this war, and it would be important to note that the nations initiating the Gog-Magog war are not included in the federation of ten nation states we have already identified as the fourth beast kingdom led by the “little horn.”

            Therefore, the Gog-Magog alliance of primarily Muslim nations is separate from, and allied against, the ten nation federation of Muslim and non-Muslim country-states led by the “little horn”.

            This war, described in Ezekiel 38 and 39 as the invasion of Israel by Gog, of the land of Magog and all his allies, depicts an unusual consortium of nations led by Gog, “the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal”, specifically including Turkey, Iran, Ethiopia, Libya, and Algeria.The military alliance also potentially includes geographical areas currently identified as Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tadzhikistan, Kyrgzstan, Tunisia, and Morocco.

            Their motive is to plunder Israel, and we may assume that their Satanically inspired spiritual motive is to thwart God’s plan by annihilating the troublesome state of Israel.

            Saudi Arabia, Yemen, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and the merchants of Tarshish (Spain, near Gibraltar, or, possibly, all those whose shipping trade routes come and go through the straits of Gibraltar, which would include the United States) will protest the pending invasion of Israel, but they will take no action to prevent the invasion once it is started, proving that the fourth beast kingdom’s peace accord with Israel, guaranteeing them safety, has no real substance.

            From God’s perspective the plan is to reveal His glory to the nations and His favor toward Israel, and the war that Israel could not possibly win on its own is won by God’s supernatual intervention. This intervention includes an earthquake off the Richter scale, with gigantic one hundred pound hailstones, and burning sulfur falling on the enemy gathered against Israel.

            In the confusion, the enemy mistakenly turns its weapons on their own allies. In addition, God strikes the “bow” from the enemies’ hands and causes their arrows to fall short (i.e nuclear missiles), and exactly eighty-five percent (85%) of the invading force will be destroyed in a single day.

            In Ezekiel 39:6 a passage that can easily be interpreted as nuclear warfare appears.

             I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in safety in the coastlands...(of the invading nations)..., and they will know that I am the LORD. (insert is the author’s)

            Although the causitive source is the will of God, this does not appear to be fire from heaven. God sends (in the sense of issuing an order) fire on the Magog homelands, which may or may not be nuclear retaliation by the protesting nations and their allies or even by the fourth beast kingdom.

            The aftermath results in Israel’s status being elevated to Super-power along with the ten nation federation of country-states headed by the white horse rider (the fourth beast kingdom ruled by the “little horn”).

            There are numerous online resources for the study of the Gog-Magog war, but the main points believers need to remember are: 1) Israel will be living in (relative) “peace”; 2) A military alliance of Muslim states including Turkey (currently not openly hostile to Israel) and Iran will plan an invasion of Israel; 3) Saudi Arabia and other Muslim and non-Muslim countries will protest the pending invasion; 4) The invading forces will be defeated supernaturally by the intervention of God, and the nuclear and biological weapons that the Gog-Magog forces intended for use on Israel will be turned on themselves; 5) Israel and the nations allied with Israel will retaliate against the Gog-Magog countries, causing extensive destruction of the Gog-Magog homelands; 6) Israel will emerge as a Super-power.

            Immediately following the short but deadly world war is the opening of the 3rd seal in which the black horse and its rider represent worldwide famines (and we can assume economic chaos). The “fire” falling on the homelands of Magog will likely destroy the immediate grain and food crop production and the ability of that geographic area to produce and distribute food crops for a number of years. Thus "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!"

            The black horse and its rider will be immediately followed by the pale horse and its rider, “Death”, representing the death of twenty-five percent (25%) of the world’s population by continuing war, famine, pandemic disease (including the possibility of man-introduced biological weapons) and even by wild animals gone berserk.

            This represents almost two billionpeople based on the population of earth in 2010. This is an astonishing number, but, like the detailed prophecies of Daniel, we can expect that the God who sees the end from the beginning knows exactly what will happen.

            The first four seals of Revelation are likely to take place in rapid succession, and this horrific series of events perfectly sets the stage for the seven year covenant-treaty that will be initiated by the Antichrist (the “little horn” of the fourth beast kingdom) between many nations, a treaty that yields the sovereignty of each country to some centralized form of world government for a period of seven years with the promise of restoring world peace, security, and economic stability.

            This treaty is the event that starts the final seven year countdown to the last day, also known as Daniel’s seventieth week or the time of Jacob’s trouble.

            Dispensational theologians are not the only group blinded by spiritual strongholds when it comes to the interpretation of scripture. Historicists and Preterists, who agree with each other only in regard to the belief that most biblical prophecies have already been fulfilled, are also blind to the Spirit’s revelation of future events through prophetic scripture, but ALL born again believers will be awakened to reality at some point in the future.

            I’m not sure that even a world war (brief but including supernatual intervention by God and potentially including devastating nuclear exchanges) will cause the ten virgins (the entire believing church) to “wake up”, but the warning cry, “Behold, the Bridegroom! Come out to meet Him,” will come at the very latest when this seven year treaty is signed. (This subject will be covered in detail in “Parable of the Ten Virgins Unveiled”).

            What we do need to pay specific attention to, though, is that the worldwide martyrdom of Christians, the great “falling away” or apostasy, and the amazing end time evangelization of a countless number from every nation, tribe, and tongue also peak after the opening of the 5th seal which is after the signing of the seven year treaty.

            Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. Matthew 24:9 NASB (emphasis is the author’s)

            “Then” refers to a time when the birth pains have become actual birthing contractions immediately prior to His return. And those who will experience extreme tribulation are those who are hated by ALL NATIONS because of His name.

            The Jews are not hated because of the name of Jesus Christ. They are hated because they are the sons of faith and blessing (Isaac) and the chosen nation of Jehovah. Therefore, the use of the phrase, “all nations”, indicates a unified, world wide hatred. Although many nations hate Israel, and many nations have historically hated Israel, that unified, world-wide hatred does not exist now, and has never existed historically.

            It is for some future generation of Christian believers to be hated by “all nations” because of the name of Jesus Christ. Therefore, beginning at Matthew 24:9, this prophecy only relates to a future generation of Christian believers from all nations who will be hated, persecuted, and martyred.

            This is not an exaggeration by the Lord, nor is it limited to the known nations of the Lord’s day. The One who has known the end from the beginning is telling Christian believers who will read His prophetic warning in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, Daniel, Ezekiel, Revelation and many other old and new testament prophetic passages exactly what will happen as the day of the Lord draws near.

            What the Lord describes then, as a result of tribulation, has been described in various places in scripture, including the parable of the ten virgins that is a part of this Olivet prophecy.

"At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.

            "Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.
         
           "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. Matthew 24:10-14

            In Mark 13:10, a part of the parenthetic message intended specifically for His immediate disciples, the Lord tells them that the gospel must be preached to the entire world (of which the disciples were not even aware). This requirement was given to His disciples prior to the “great commission” of Matthew 28, but in Matthew 24:14 He says it again, as a requirement that must be fulfilled before the “end” can come (i.e. “the last day”).

            In Revelation 7: 9-14 we see a beautiful picture of the result of this end times preaching of the gospel to “every nation” as John describes an uncountable number of martyred tribulation saints from every nation, tribe, and tongue in heaven prior to the resurrection-“rapture” of living and dead saints on the last day.

            The unstated indication is that tribulation will spark an end time revival of unprecedented proportion, but, at the same time, there will be a massive falling away from the faith instigated and led by false prophets whose deceptions are so compelling that even the elect are in danger of being deceived. This falling away from the faith by “foolish virgins” will be accompanied by betrayals both in the church family and in natural families, and those who fall away will hate the church and hate family members who are of the family of God, (the “wise virgins”), indicating that their hatred is fueled by demonic influence, just as the hatred of Israel and the Jews has always been.

            "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. Mark 13:12 NASB

            The “lawlessness” that will increase is translated in the KJV as “iniquity” (Strong’s #458), transliterated from the Greek as anomia, also translated as “unrighteousness”, and it indicates that even the natural phileo love of family members for each other will be obliterated by the spiritual wickedness of those who fall away from the faith.

            Likewise, the intensity of extreme tribulation will squeeze and magnify the true character out of people, both good and bad. In America we only have to be reminded of what happened during hurricane Katrina. That event only lasted a few weeks, but the true character of men, women, and children, both good and bad, was exposed and magnified by that event, an event that cannot compare with what is being described in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 22.

            The contrast between those whose hearts are “right” (abiding in Christ and His word abiding in their hearts) and those who will respond to tribulation with “lawlessness” is perfectly described in Proverbs 4, and it is the author’s strong suggestion that those who receive (by “hearing” and “seeing”) this message, meditate and pray about the entirety of Proverbs 4.

    But the path of the [uncompromisingly] just and righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines more and more (brighter and clearer) until [it reaches its full strength and glory in] the perfect day [to be prepared].

    The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.

    My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings.

    Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart.

    For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh.

    Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:18-23 Amplified

            In this passage we clearly see, and know by experience, that the inner character of a man or a woman is revealed either in acts of faith and true obedience or in acts of lawlessness when tribulation comes. And the greater the tribulation, the more the true character of our hearts is revealed.

            If the reader does not have a clear understanding of this process it is suggested that he/she study and meditate on Hebrews 12 for instruction.

            The “lawlessness” described in Matthew 24 and 25, Mark 13, and Luke 21 is not only a description of mere unbelievers but also of those who fall away from the faith because they follow the teaching of false prophets, who, themselves, have fallen away from the faith and are now empowered by Satan to produce false signs and wonders.

            A false prophet is not merely one who is teaching erroneous doctrine, practice, or interpretation of scripture. If that were true the church would be full of false prophets, but, fortunately for them, the adoption of false doctrines, false practices, and false interpretations of scripture without a thorough, Spirit-guided exegesis, does not make them “false prophets”. A prophet is one who speaks as the very mouthpiece of God, and a “false prophet” is one who speaks as the mouthpiece of God falsely.

            This definition would seem to fit some in the church today, including some with very big ministries, but the “false prophets” in this prophecy are empowered by Satan with powerful, enticing words and with supernatural signs and wonders.

            "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Matthew 24:24 NASB

            These false prophets, will, in some instances, be connected with false Christs, and the ultimate false prophet will be associated with the Antichrist when the Antichrist declares himself to be “God” in the temple (i.e. the “revealing” of the Antichrist).

            Matthew 24:13 "But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.”

            Endurance here is related to tribulation, which is not the wrath of God. “Tribulation” is the Greek word transliterated as thilipsis (Strong’s #2347) which denotes being squeezed or put in a tight place (i.e. a powerful temptation) also described as “trouble, affliction, or distress.”

            The Lord tells us specifically that we will experience tribulation in this world even though we are not appointed for the retributive wrath of God.

"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." John 16:33 NASB (emphasis is the author’s)

            However, the Lord’s instruction in verse 13 is to endure the tribulation that includes false prophets, the falling away of fellow Christians, including the members of one’s own household, who then betray parents, brothers and sisters, and children, and the birth pains that the entire world is experiencing in terms of wars and rumors of wars, famine, disease, earthquakes and other natural disasters.

            (This betrayal by family members, leading in many cases to the execution and martyrdom of believers, is, for me, the most emotionally painful event I can imagine. And I bring this to the reader’s attention, because I do not assume that all my family members will be “wise virgins”.)

            Endurance does not mean physical survival. It means to endure tribulation without denying Christ and falling away.

            Christians at that time will know who the Antichrist is, and they will be considered to be “anti-government activists.” Christians will not likely have a great public voice on radio, television or the internet, but, because the general population, conditioned to receive an authoritative one world government through nuclear war, famine, and pandemic disease, will have a strong anti-Christian bias, Christians will be treated in much the same way that Jews were treated by Nazi Germany.

            The countless number of martyred tribulation saints from every nation, tribe, and tongue described in Revelation 7 tells us that tribulation will include the GLOBAL martyrdom of saints (betrayed by family members and by some whom we thought to be brothers and sisters in Christ) killed by both sanctioned and unsanctioned Antichrist authorities.

            The “Open Doors” ministry lists the “Top 50” and “Top 10” nations where Christians are currently under persecution, with those in the “Top 10” being routinely killed for their faith in Christ with the total number of martyrs reaching approximately 150,000 in 2009. This fact is largely ignored by the Laodicean and Sardis type of churches of America and the western nations, but at some point in the future, the experience of Christian believers in the “Top 10” today wil be a global experience for all Christian believers.

            The number of Christian martyrs killed for their faith in the final seven years of tribulation will number in the millions each year.

            Corrie Ten Bloom who strongly opposed the pre-trib “rapture” theory quotes a Chinese church father who experienced the intense persecution and slaying of millions of underground Christians under the Mao regime as saying: “We have failed. We should have made the people strong for persecution, rather than telling them Jesus would come first.

            ‘Tell the people how to be strong in times of persecution,  how to stand when the tribulation comes, – to stand and not faint.”

            Then in her own words she said, “I feel I have a divine mandate to go and tell the people of this world that it is possible to be strong in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are in training for the tribulation, but more than sixty percent of the Body of Christ across the world has already entered into the tribulation. There is no way to escape it.

            “We are next.”

            Not long ago I awoke from a spiritual dream immediately before my alarm clock went off (which is His usual signature). In the dream I was driving a van and my family was with me when we spotted a huge tornado in front of us. I quickly turned off to the right, but a tornado came toward us from the right as well. We turned around to go to the left, but a third tornado was approaching from that direction, too.

            As we looked behind us, thinking that we could go back to where we came from, that way was also blocked by a tornado, and all we could do to seek safety was to get out of the vehicle and lie flat in a shallow depression.

            When I awoke in a cold sweat I asked the Lord what the dream meant, and the Spirit caused me to understand that there is no escape from the coming storm, no secret pre-tribulation “rapture”, and no hiding place of our own device.

            Some who are reading this are thinking that when tribulation comes they will protect themselves either by hiding in the wilderness, by arming themselves, and by hoarding food, medical supplies, and gold. That was, in fact, my own first natural instinct. But keep this simple fact in mind. There is no hiding from the eyes of Satan. Wherever you go, be certain that he knows where you are, and he can convey that information to his servants. Be certain, too, that our only real protection is the Lord.

            If you take up the sword for protection, you will die by the sword. That does not mean that the Christian should not be prepared to use self-defense under ordinary circumstances, but during the tribulation self-defense, though of some use in repelling lawless men, will be of no effect in repelling Antichrist authorities.

            Our only hope will be to walk by faith during that time, just as the Lord’s original disciples did, even if it leads to martyrdom.

            Read the book of Acts again, multiplying everything by the power of ten, and you will have an idea of what to expect, both in terms of tribulation and in terms of our faith.

            And which of you would hoard to protect your own family and loved ones only to turn others who are in need away? (And, as I write this, it occurs that this very temptation will test the faith of some who are reading what is written here.)

            I believe that certain men and women of faith all over the world are preparing places of refuge and communal living for Christians during the final seven years, but even these places of refuge will not prevent the martyrdom of most during the final seven years.

            In Hebrews we are told to run the race with endurance, and, in so doing, not to consider the Lord’s discipline as punishment, but as proof of His love as He prepares us to overcome tribulation so that we might share in His righteousness (even if overcoming includes martyrdom).  

            A natural example would be a young man’s instruction to endure the hardship of basic training in the Marine Corps, because without it he cannot survive actual combat. The training is hard and, at times, unpleasant, but it is necessary in order for us to overcome. (See Giant Killing Faith)

            Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

            For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin…Hebrews 12:1-4 NASB (emphasis is the author’s)

            The Lord’s experience of enduring the cross and enduring the hostility of sinners even to the point of the shedding of His blood is to be our example both now, and, particularly, during the time of tribulation when many will not endure and will grow weary and lose heart.

            Dispensational, pre-trib “rapture” theorists assume that it is the Laodicean type of church, the church that the Lord says he will spew out of his mouth, that will be raptured away before the tribulation on the basis of a promise made only to the Philadelphian type of church, and that it will be the saved Jews (the 144,000) who successfully evangelize the world in the three and a half years before they have to flee to the wilderness. (“Who Are the 144,000?” will be the subject of a future commentary.)

            But remember that the Lord is giving this prophecy to the founding apostles of His church who have been commissioned with the gospel message to the end of the age.
         
          "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20 NASB (emphasis is the author’s)

"This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:14 NASB (emphasis is the author’s)

            The commission belongs to the church until the end of the age (i.e. “the last day”). Therefore, it is the church that must endure the refining fire of the tribulation, during which two astonishing things are prophesied to happen.

            First, there is an apostasy or falling away from the faith by those who do not “endure”, and second, there is an amazing evangelization that takes place among every nation, tribe, and tongue.

            (This apostasy of believers is the experience of the “foolish virgins” in the parable of the ten virgins, and the amazing evangelization of every nation, tribe, and tongue is the experience of the “wise virgins” in this same prophetic parable, Matthew 25: 1-13., spoken following what He tells them here.)

            An astonishing revelation comes to us in Matthew 24:15 when the Lord tells His disciples, Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand)… (emphasis is the author’s)

            The “abomination of desolation” is the terminology given to Daniel in describing the revealing of the Antichrist as He declares himself to be “God” in the temple. This is a HUGE pivotal point in the tribulation, but the disciples are told that they, the church, will “see” it.

            This, of course, does not mean that the entire church will be present in Jerusalem when this takes place, but, because the Antichrist will want the entire world to “see” him as he reveals himself as “God”, it will be on television, in the news, on the Antichrist twitter, etc. all over the world.

            It has been suggested to me that Christians cannot be present while the Antichrist is in power (beginning with the seven year treaty-covenant between Israel and many nations), because we would know who he was and expose him to the entire world.

            Really? So what? A majority of Americans today claim to be “Christian”, and we know that abortion is murder. But who believes us? And what have we been able to do about it? It will be the same during the tribulation when we are hated and persecuted by all nations. But who will believe us? After all it will be the Antichrist who “saves” the world by bringing in world peace and prosperity during the most unstable world condition in history up to that time.
 

            There are only two places in the New Testament where the Lord’s own words indicate that His church will “read” what He is saying, and Matthew 24:15 is one of these. The other, of course, is Revelation 1:3.

“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.”

            What they will be reading is the Olivet prophecy in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the book of Revelation and Daniel’s prophecy, and they will be reading it out of a Christian Bible, not the Torah.

"For then...(after the revealing of the Antichrist)...there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.”(inserts and emphasis are the author’s)

            It should be of interest that the “great tribulation” in this passage again uses the Greek word transliterated as thilipsis (Strong’s #2347) and not the word transliterated as orge (Strong’s #3709) meaning “wrath”.

            In my commentary, Left Behind? – Part 2, I demonstrated that the only church receiving a promise that could be interpreted (albeit inaccurately) as “removal” was the Philadelphian church. Pre-tribbers, though, attempt to use that passage as a promise to the universal church.
The promise, too, was to “keep” them from the “hour” of trial coming on the whole world, which cannot be stretched exegetically, to include the entire “week” of years.

            The prophetic picture He has given the church in this passage is that we will be present to witness both the great apostasy energized by demonically empowered false prophets and the revealing of the Antichrist.

            This is mirrored in 2 Thessalonians 2:3,4 NASB:

            Let no one in any way deceive you, for it…(the last day resurrection-“rapture” of all the saints)…will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. (inserts and emphasis are the author’s)

            Tribulation is intended to produce repentance, and, because a countless number of tribulation saints are saved and martyred, we can assume that the years of “trouble” prior to the seven year treaty and the specific “trouble” of the first three and a half years of the tribulation is the crucible that produces an end time revival of evangelistic fervor.

            But what happens during the three and a half years after the Antichrist is revealed?

            "Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. Matthew 24:22 NASB

Who are the “elect”? The short answer is “all those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.” The specific answer, in regard to this particular passage, would include the church, the Jews who are supernaturally protected in the wilderness and will be saved on the day of the Lord, and the gentile “sheep” who help and protect both Jews and Christians during the tribulation who will be saved at the Bema judgment of the nations (Matthew 25:31-46).

"Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'There He is,' do not believe him. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.” Matthew 24:23,24 NASB

            This instruction, whether we want to believe it or not, is for the church. And the elect are in danger of being misled, only if they are not already intimately acquainted with the Lord at this point.


            "Behold, I have warned you in advance.”  Matthew 24:24

            Imagine the consternation of Peter, James, Andrew, and John at this point being warned about “all these things”, not knowing, of course, that most of this prophecy did not apply directly to them but to some generation of disciples in the future who would actually experience these things.       

6"So if they say to you, 'Behold, He is in the wilderness,' do not go out, or, 'Behold, He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe them. For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matthew 24:26,27 NASB

            We know that no one ever said to Peter, James, Andrew and John, “Behold, He is in the wilderness.” But that is exactly what will be said to some group of disciples late in the tribulation, and there is one very specific difference that can be discerned between the appearance of false “Christs” in the world and the literal coming of the Lord.

            False “Christs”, including the false “Christ”, the literal Antichrist, though surrounded by false signs and wonders, always appear in the world.

            The Lord, on the other hand, will come on clouds of glory.

            "But 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 the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

            “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory.

"And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.  Matthew 24:29-31 NASB

            "And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.Mark 13:27 NASB (emphasis is the author’s)

            The gathering from the “four winds” is a gathering from the farthest end of the earth (i.e. those saints who are still alive) and from the farthest end of heaven (i.e. those who are dead in Christ). And it happens just as John, who stood with the Lord on Mount Olivet as the Lord revealed this future event, prophesied…on “the last day”.

            Now go back to the original question one more time as the disciples asked, “When will these things happen and what will be the signs of Your coming and of the end of the age?”

            After completing the prophecy He gives them a parable related to the signs of the time.

            "Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.
         
            “”Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” Matthew 24:32-34 NASB (emphais is the author’s)\

            Hal Lindsey, author of Late Great Planet Earth, prophesied that the “fig tree sign” indicated the “rapture” of the church on May 14, 1988. In this he calculated that a “generation” was exactly 40 years and one generation after Israel was restored to national statehood on May 14, 1948 worked out to be May 14, 1988.

            This, of course, turned out to be false, but Hal Lindsey sold 15 million books to gullible Christians, and he still has a thirty minute “prophecy” show on television.

            A thorough exegesis of scripture, even  without the guidance of the Spirit of Truth, would reveal that the fig tree putting on leaves was not a “sign” but a metaphor. The disciples were instructed that “all these things”, including the birth pains increasing both in frequency and intensity were the “signs”, and, that just as we naturally know that spring is coming when the trees put on new leaves, so we will know that His coming is near when we see “all these things” taking place.

            So who is the “this generation” that will not pass away until “all these things” come to pass?

            This is so simple that I cannot believe anyone who reads scripture with a clear mind could possibly miss it. The fact that they do miss it, by the droves, is proof of the power that strongholds of assumptive “truth”, false teaching, and doctrinal error have in hindering the simple, straight, Truth of scripture.

            The generation (entire group or class of people) who see “all these things taken together” (the “beginning of birth pains” that take place as the first four seals of Revelation) is the generation who will experience the entire end times tribulation and the return of Christ.

            If that be us, our children, and our grandchildren, so be it. My own immediate response when the truth hit me was fear. I don’t want to experience tribulation any greater than what I am already experiencing, and I don’t want my children or grandchildren to experience it, either.

            But, on the other hand, I am sick of the fact that the church, after 2000 years of history, is still divided and immature, tossed around by every wind of teaching and the cunning and craftiness of men, most of whom have doctorates in biblical Greek and Hebrew, and the shockingly poor witness we bear, both to the world and to one another.

            If it takes the crucible of tribulation to mature us so that we speak the truth in love, and we “grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part,’” builds itself up in love…then so be it.

            If it takes the crucible of tribulation, including my own martyrdom, or the martyrdom of my children and grandchildren to reveal the glory of Christ in the world and bring millions upon millions from every nation, tribe, and tongue to saving faith…then so be it.

            It is not my wish to be included in “this generation”, but, based on the revelation of scripture by the Spirit of Truth, it is now my hope.

            If the truth is too hard to bear, be very careful that you do not reject it without prayerfully examining the scriptures to see whether or not what is being said here is true.

            Your future, your children’s future, your grandchildren’s future, and the future of friends and family may hinge on your response.

            If you fall back on the dispensational, pre-trib “rapture” mush you have been fed by those who themselves have been fed by the same unscriptural mush, you do so only by ignoring the prophetic warning of the Lord Himself.
         
          "See, I have warned you in advance...” Matthew 24:25  

   Arise, shine; for your light has come,

         And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.
    For behold, darkness will cover the earth

         And deep darkness the peoples;

         But the LORD will rise upon you

         And His glory will appear upon you. Isaiah 60:1,2 NASB

* * *

            Author’s post-note:  It is of interest that noted dispensational eschatologists, John Walvoord and J. Dwight Pentecost of Dallas Theological Seminary were thoroughly confused by Matthew 24 and 25, Mark 13, Luke 21, and by parts of Revelation because the stronghold of dispensational bias blinded them to the truth.

            The discovery and elimination of this influence in my own soul has been like opening the door into a room filled with light. The light was visible through the crack under the door before I opened it, but it was not until I opened the door that the light effectively illuminated prophetic scripture. And it is the light of the Holy Spirit that allows us to remove the puzzle pieces of scriptural interpretation from those places where we have erroneously forced them to fit, and place them appropriately where they do fit.

            My conversations with others who shook off dispensational thinking as the truth was finally revealed to them, bears witness to my own experience, and my prayer for all who see the light under the door, but have not, yet, entered in, is that you be prompted by, and obedient to, the Spirit, our Counselor, as He commands you to forsake falsehood and spiritual pride and enter into the light.

            For though we walk (live) in the flesh, we are not carrying on our warfare according to the flesh and using mere human weapons. For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds...(described as...)....arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)...2 Corinthians 10:3-5 Amplified (emphasis and inserts are the author’s)