WHEN? WHEN? WHEN?

IOPNA continues our conversation with a skeptic about the Rapture:

Come on now, how are you going to fit Matthew 24 into this plan?

Not a problem but first of all let’s remind ourselves that the Bible is a Jewish book written by Jews – even if most of them won’t accept the authority of the B’rit Hadashah (New Testament)…..yet.  In particular Matthew was once a Jewish tax collector who obviously wrote his account for Jewish readership.

Hey?... how about you prove that.

Matthew begins with the royal genealogy of Jesus Christ, Son of David, Son of Abraham (1:1), who being a young child, is worshipped by Gentile magi as the King of the Jews (2:2). He is taken to Egypt for refuge just like their Hebrew ancestors centuries before (2:14). 

During His public ministry Jesus said:                                                                                                    

“…the Law and the Prophets…I did not come to destroy but to fulfil.” 5:17 

“…Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.”  5:35      

 “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”  15:24   

 “…your King is coming to you…”  21:5         

“Are you the King of the Jews?”…“It is as you say”  27:11  
The governor’s soldiers: “Hail King of the Jews!”  27:29                                              

So the real King of the Jews has been mocked by the puppet king Herod and marched out of His city to be crucified under the sign: ‘This is the King of the Jews’. Matthew’s account concludes with the rejected King in Galilee – not in Jerusalem, nor in heaven.  28:16-20

Okay, point proven – now for chapter 24.

Jesus has just told Jerusalem: “Your house is left to you desolate” because the leaders have challenged His authority (21:23) rather than honour Him as King and the people only regard Him as a prophet (21:11). He now walks out of the temple saying that it will be torn down stone by stone and leaves the city, going to the Mount of Olives with His Jewish disciples. 

Jesus sits down where He will stand when He returns in judgment! (Zechariah 14:4)                                                                  

Really??  The disciples must have been utterly bewildered by this turn of events – weren’t they warned by Jesus that He was going to be killed?

Sure, so they besiege him with questions – in fact, 3 at once!   

When will the temple be destroyed?  When will you be coming back (to Jerusalem)?  When is the end of the age?........when? when? when?                                                                        

He warns them to not be deceived by false Christs and to not be troubled by wars.  Wars, famines, pestilences and earthquakes will be the beginning of sorrows. But why did He use the word odin (birth pain) translated ‘sorrow’?  It’s as if He has now jumped ahead to the very painful rebirth of Israel as a nation in 1948 after World War II.                                                       

The tribulation commences and if you survive execution and endure despite hatred, betrayal, deception, and lawlessness – you will be saved. Christians have not been hated of all nations. 
Jews have not been hated of all nations for Jesus’ name sake - yet. 

The good news of the Kingdom will be preached throughout the world then the end (of the age) will come. The gospel of the kingdom began with John the Baptist preaching in 3:2, not at Pentecost.                                                          

 

Okay, that certainly doesn’t sound like being saved from going to hell.

No. Now notice how Jewish this next section is (vv15-20) and as we read this I am well aware that I am not a Jew and I live 14,000 kilometres from Jerusalem so this cannot apply to me.                                                    

The abomination of desolation                    Daniel 9:27   

Daniel the prophet (& Jewish prince)         Daniel 1:3-6; 9: 24 
the holy place                                                Judaea
Sabbath day
It’s time to get out of Judaea quick. Why?         

Now GREAT TRIBULATION, like nothing ever experienced in all of history. (vv21-22)

Don’t go darting off after false Christs that could deceive even ‘the elect’ because the Son of Man’s coming will be like lightning. (vv23-27) Notice He uses the Greek word for the Jewish messiah: Christos, and ‘Son of Man’ shows His claim to universal dominion. Daniel 7:13-14

Next, He draws on a Jewish proverb that describes greedy people hovering around someone dying, hoping for rich pickings. (v28)  Is he referring to the nations gathered at Armageddon intent on teaching Israel a lesson they’ll never forget? 

I've noticed in televised news how western nations including Australia, with their rapidly growing Islamic populace, are turning against Israel today. 

Just like the real ‘hot spud‘ in Zechariah 12:3!                                                                

Next there will be darkening of the sun and moon, and shaking of the powers of the heavens before the coming of the Son of Man in the clouds. He sends His angels with a trumpet blast to gather his elect - from the four winds (north, south, east & west on Earth) and from one end of heaven to the other.  All the elect are gathered – from on Earth and in heaven! (vv29-31)

What a sight that will be!                                                                     

I’m beginning to see how Jewish all this is. How about we leave it there...

 

NEXT :    Finally.  Coming…ready or not!

Click on: http://hotspuds.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/comingready-or-not.html
 

Photo credit:the-eyeontheworld.blogspot.com