The Olivet Discourse

[Ezra]

The Olivet Discourse is a summary of all the events which would take place between the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem in 70 AD and the Second Coming of Christ. It was addressed to Jews who were not aware of the coming Church Age, and therefore does not make any reference to the Church (Jew and Gentile in one Body).  The passages from Matthew (green), Mark (blue) and Luke (grey) have been brought together by topic to show that there were slight variations in the reporting and in the order of events, but the basic discourse gives a chronological summary of events.  It is evident that the first five seals in the book of Revelation are directly related to this narrative.

THE SETTING

1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

1 And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!

5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE FORETOLD

2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

2 And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

6 As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

THE QUESTIONS

3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?

7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?

THE FIRST SEAL: FALSE CHRISTS

4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believeit not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before. 26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.

5 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: 6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.  21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he isthere; believe him not: 22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. 23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.

8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

THE SECOND SEAL: WARS AND RUMOURS OF WARS

6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. 8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by. 10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

THE THIRD & FOURTH SEALS: FAMINES, PESTILENCES, EARTHQUAKES, ETC.

and there shall be famines,  and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

8 and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

11And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

THE FIFTH SEAL: MARTYRDOM

9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. 11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. 12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.

12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake. 13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony. 14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: 15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. 16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.

A FALLING AWAY BEFORE THE SECOND COMING

12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. 18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish. 19 In your patience possess ye your souls.

THE GOSPEL TO BE PREACHED WORLDWIDE

14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.

THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION AND TRIBULATION

15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: 15 And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: 16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. 17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.

21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.

THE GREAT TRIBULATION

21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. 20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.

22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

CATACLYSMIC COSMIC EVENTS

29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.

25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST WITH POWER & GREAT GLORY

27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

THE GATHERING OF THE ELECT BY ANGELS

31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

[TrevorL]

Greetings Ezra,

8 hours ago, Ezra said:

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE FORETOLD

2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

2 And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

6 As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

 

8 hours ago, Ezra said:

THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION AND TRIBULATION

15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: 15 And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: 16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. 17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.

21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.

Your explanation and sequence ignores what seems to be evident, that Matthew 24:15-20  and Luke 21:20-24 are speaking of the same event: the overthrow of Jerusalem in AD70. Thus the Abomination of desolation in Matthew's account are the Roman armies of AD70 in Luke's account.

Matthew 24:15-20 (KJV): 15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

Luke 21:20-24 (KJV): 20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. 22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

Luke clearly shows that following AD70 Jerusalem was to suffer a long period of treading down by the Gentiles, and this has been the situation, partly reversed in AD 1967.

Kind regards
Trevor

Edited March 18, 2016 by TrevorL

[gdemoss]

A repeating cycle of events makes perfect sense for if nothing changes then nothing changes.  These events may have come to pass in ad70 in Jerusalem but if nobody heeds the warning left by their example then one could expect tye same cycle to occur on a global level but rather than the stone temple mount the actual temple of God which is his church to fall from disobedience and be destroyed except for that which is gold, silver and precious stones.  These the Great Sheppard would protect from ruin.  Earth, hay and stubble would be burnt up though.

[Ezra]

12 hours ago, TrevorL said:

Your explanation and sequence ignores what seems to be evident, that Matthew 24:15-20  and Luke 21:20-24 are speaking of the same event: the overthrow of Jerusalem in AD70. Thus the Abomination of desolation in Matthew's account are the Roman armies of AD70 in Luke's account.

Trevor,

A careful study of Daniel and Revelation (along with 2 Thessalonians) will confirm that the Abomination of Desolation is set up by the Man of Sin (aka the Beast) and this can only happen in the future when Satan takes control of the world for 3 1/2 years. What occurred in AD 70 was a type of the actual event.

[WilliamL]

6 hours ago, Ezra said:

18 hours ago, TrevorL said:

Your explanation and sequence ignores what seems to be evident, that Matthew 24:15-20  and Luke 21:20-24 are speaking of the same event: the overthrow of Jerusalem in AD70. Thus the Abomination of desolation in Matthew's account are the Roman armies of AD70 in Luke's account. ...

Luke clearly shows that following AD70 Jerusalem was to suffer a long period of treading down by the Gentiles, and this has been the situation...

Trevor,

A careful study of Daniel and Revelation (along with 2 Thessalonians) will confirm that the Abomination of Desolation is set up by the Man of Sin (aka the Beast) and this can only happen in the future when Satan takes control of the world for 3 1/2 years. What occurred in AD 70 was a type of the actual event.

No Abomination of Desolation was set up in the Holy Place, the sanctuary/naos, within 66-70 AD. On the contrary, that sanctuary was completely destroyed before any such thing could take place. Daniel 9:27 tells us --

upon a wing/corner/extremity, appalling/desolating abominations [plural]...

-- but nothing about the establishment/setting up of a false image/abomination "in the Holy Place" (Matt. 24:15).

Ezra has it right: Luke recorded the answer to the disciples' question about when the stones of the Temple were to be thrown down, which took place in 70 AD.

Whereas Matthew recorded the answer to the disciples' question about the sign of the Lord's Coming at the End of the Age.

[TrevorL]

Greetings Ezra and WilliamL,

11 hours ago, Ezra said:

A careful study of Daniel and Revelation (along with 2 Thessalonians) will confirm that the Abomination of Desolation is set up by the Man of Sin (aka the Beast) and this can only happen in the future when Satan takes control of the world for 3 1/2 years. What occurred in AD 70 was a type of the actual event.

I appreciate your response. I have been interested in Daniel and Revelation for many years and heard a number of opinions and interpretations. As a result I have formed an understanding of many aspects that mainly form a framework and this helps to understand other detail. Overall I have a different view to many of the things that you expressed in your OP and also in this second Post. I would suggest and repeat what I stated that by removing Luke 21:24 out of its context enables you to ignore the parallel records of Matthew and Luke in respect to AD70. Yes I believe that there will be a further invasion of the Holy Land in the future, but the language and ideas of fleeing literal Jerusalem were more applicable to AD70 than to the Jews that are living there today, as most of them do not subscribe to an understanding of the Olivet Prophecy.

5 hours ago, WilliamL said:

Ezra has it right: Luke recorded the answer to the disciples' question about when the stones of the Temple were to be thrown down, which took place in 70 AD.

Whereas Matthew recorded the answer to the disciples' question about the sign of the Lord's Coming at the End of the Age.

As stated above, I do not see this sharp distinction.

Kind regards Trevor

[Ezra]

1 hour ago, TrevorL said:

As stated above, I do not see this sharp distinction.

The key to seeing the Abomination of Desolation as a future event is that it triggers the Great Tribulation, which is described by Christ as a period of history which has never been, and will never occur again.  A unique and distinct time when God pours out His wrath on this earth with unimaginable judgments followed by unimaginable cosmic events (Revelation 6-18).

[TrevorL]

Greetings again Ezra,

4 hours ago, Ezra said:

The key to seeing the Abomination of Desolation as a future event is that it triggers the Great Tribulation, which is described by Christ as a period of history which has never been, and will never occur again.  A unique and distinct time when God pours out His wrath on this earth with unimaginable judgments followed by unimaginable cosmic events (Revelation 6-18).

I can agree in part with what you have stated, as I suggest that as well as many other prophecies, Daniel 11:40-45 speaks of another invasion of the Holy Land at the time of the end, and this will be another Abomination of Desolation. This event could be soon, but it is still future.

Daniel 11:40-45 (KJV) 40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. 41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. 42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. 44 But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. 45 And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.

But you seem to suggest that the details of Revelation 6-18 are (all?) future, but I accept that many of the events in these chapters have already occurred. For example the Six Seals in my understanding is the period from AD 96 – 312. This view has also been advocated by many, especially by many in the Reformation era and many others to the present day. I could supply a list compiled by one of my brethren, but I have not studied their writings. He suggests that this is part of the Historicist view of prophecy, but perhaps another name is continuous historical view. This view to my understanding is based initially on Daniel 2.

Kind regards Trevor

[Omegaman 3.0]

Congrats Ezra,

you have discovered a way to prevent me from scrutinizing your posts, that color coding is hard to read! 

[MorningGlory]

19 minutes ago, Omegaman 3.0 said:

Congrats Ezra,

you have discovered a way to prevent me from scrutinizing your posts, that color coding is hard to read! 

Indeed.  I got eyestrain from trying to read it but you can copy it into Word and remove the 'highighting' or you can open a quote box and hit 'Remove Formatting'.