THE OLIVET DISCOURSE. Matt. 24, 25.

April 28, 2020

WHEN SHALL THESE THINGS BE? WHAT SHALL BE THE SIGNS OF THY COMING AND THE END OF THE WORLD? Matt. 24:3-13, Mk. 13:3-13, Lk. 21:7-19, 20-24…4

Key: SCHAFF: “When the Lord open his mouth, we should open our ears and hearts”

WATCH, CHRIST WILL COME UNEXPECTEDLY. Matt. 24:32-39

The coming of Christ will be unannounced. However, “when ye shall see these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Matt. 24:33 He has taken time to explain ‘these things’. the destruction of the temple, the character of the age Mat. 24:4-13, which are: false Messiahs, wars, famines, earthquakes and things directly affecting Christians- persecutions, false prophets, multiplied transgressions. Others are, the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom, the abomination of desolation, the fleeing of the Jews and the great tribulation as some of the things to expect as signs of His coming before the kingdom is established on earth. To sum it up, he had to warn His disciples to watch because it will be unexpected.

  1. The fig tree. Matt. 24:32-33, Mk. 11:12-14, 20-22. Jesus had earlier cursed a fig tree because it did not produce fruit but only leaves. We can compare this with parable of the vineyard in Is. 5:1-7, which is the house of Israel. The fruitless house of Israel is compared to the fig tree; it has dried up when it was dispersed to all nations in A: D 70. It will put forth leaves in preparation to bear fruit. The opening of the door for the return of Israel to her home land started in 1948, and they have been coming home in bits. The signs of His coming are fully related to Israel, so Israel is a sign to watch. It will be recalled that 70 years after the beginning of her return, the city of Jerusalem was officially declared the eternal capital of Israel.
  2. God is faithful to His word. Matt. 24:35, Jer. 1:11-12, Rom. 9:27-28, Is. 54:10, Jer. 31:35-36, Num. 23:10, Ps. 89:34. Faithful is He that calls you, He will do it. 1Thess. 5:24
  3. The day, and the time is unknown to man, no not even the angels in heaven. Matt. 24:36. “Let not your heart be troubled” Jn. 14:1, 2Thess. 2:1-2.
  4. Like the days of Noah. Matt. 24:37-39, Lk. 17:26-29. The people were pursuing precious things, something of great worth or value to detriment of the salvation of their soul and heaven as a goal. “That good and that chief good, which Solomon speaks of with emphasis in Eccl. 2:3. It is man’s portion, which his heart is upon, to which he carries all he can get, and which he depends upon for futility. Something which the soul will have, which it looks upon as the best thing, which it has a complacency and confidence in above other things” Mathew Henry
    a. People will be like Demas who loved this present world”. He allowed his love for the world to displace his love for God. We are created in love, if we don’t make God the object of our passionate affection, we will find something or someone else to love. Paul said in 2Cor.11:3, “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.”
    b. Friendship of the world is enmity with God. Jas. 4:4, 1Jn. 2:15-17. It continues