Matthew 24 - All Has Come to Pass!

Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Matthew 24: 34-35

More on the truth that the things Jesus warned of in Matthew 24 ALL came to pass during the lives of the generation of His day! It was the generation of those who were alive in 30 AD (the date of Crucifixion), as well as 70AD (40 years later at the date of the fall of the temple system)!

Jesus gave His disciples many signs and warnings to heed before the great and terrible day of the Lord when He would return to judge wicked and adulterous Israel and put an end to the Mosaic temple system. The new, spiritual kingdom of God would be ushered in, and those who received it by faith would walk in the glorious light of the Gospel.

Sadly, so many pastors and teachers teach that all of Jesus' signs and warnings are for a future event - an end of the world scenario where a physical kingdom from the earthly city of Jerusalem will prevail. But Jesus never promised His church a physical, earthly kingdom, but a SPIRITUAL kingdom where born again sons of God would rule and reign on earth from a spiritual, heavenly Jerusalem even as they dwelt in earthly bodies amongst evil regimes. This was a new paradigm shift from the Old Testament Jewish belief that all of God's promises are purely physical.

For those who doubt that all prophecy was fulfilled in 70 AD just as Jesus predicted, please consider what actually happened in history. Just a cursory look at the great Jewish historian, Josephus, is quite shocking. We see many of the things Jesus spoke of: wars, famines, pestilences, terror, spiritual signs in the heavens, miracles, wonders, and false prophets/christs.

Research on your own and reject the Left Behind theories taught in most of our churches today!

Links:
https://pjmiller.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/unheeded-or-misinterpreted-signs-the-destruction-of-jerusalem-70ad/

http://bible.christiansunite.com/jos/warindex.shtml

http://www.allthingsfulfilled.com/

Matthew 24 - Does History Support Jesus' Warnings?

Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it werepossible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Matthew 24:23-25

Jesus gave His disciples many signs and warnings to heed before the great and terrible day of the Lord when He would return to judge wicked and adulterous Israel and put an end to the Mosaic temple system. The new, spiritual kingdom of God would be ushered in, and those who received it by faith would walk in the glorious light of the Gospel.

Sadly, so many pastors and teachers teach that all of Jesus' signs and warnings are for a future event - an end of the world scenario where a physical kingdom from the earthly city of Jerusalem will prevail. But Jesus never promised His church a physical, earthly kingdom, but a SPIRITUAL kingdom where born again sons of God would rule and reign on earth from a spiritual, heavenly Jerusalem even as they dwelt in earthly bodies amongst evil regimes. This was a new paradigm shift from the Old Testament Jewish belief that all of God's promises are purely physical.

For those who doubt that all prophecy was fulfilled in 70 AD just as Jesus predicted, please consider what actually happened in history. Just a cursory look at the great Jewish historian, Josephus, is quite shocking. We see many of the things Jesus spoke of: wars, famines, pestilences, terror, spiritual signs in the heavens, miracles, wonders, and false prophets/christs.

Research on your own and reject the Left Behind theories taught in most of our churches today!

Links:
https://pjmiller.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/unheeded-or-misinterpreted-signs-the-destruction-of-jerusalem-70ad/

http://bible.christiansunite.com/jos/warindex.shtml

http://www.allthingsfulfilled.com/

Matthew 24 - The Abomination of Desolation

And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.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.For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. Luke 21:20:22

Jesus warned His disciples that one of the signs of the End Times of that Mosaic temple system would be the abomination of desolation spoken of my Daniel the prophet, which we find in Daniel 9. In that chapter, the angel Gabriel tells the prophet that people of the prince who was to come (Titus of Rome) would destroy the city and the sanctuary - and that is exactly what happened in 70AD!

We see Jesus confirming this in the Gospel of Luke (21:20), where He tells His disciples that the abomination which would cause desolation were the Roman armies who would compass the city of Jerusalem about and bring it to its end. Sadly, so many Christians are sitting under false teaching today which tells them that all Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24 is future, yet to be fulfilled.

These pastors and teachers ignore the fact that the Lord said that these things would all be fulfilled in THAT generation - that there were some standing there before Jesus in His day who would not taste death till ALL was fulfilled. In addition, these pastors and teachers ignore the historical account of what actually happened between 66 - 70 AD. When we read Josephus and some of the other ancient historians, it is quite shocking to see that things happened EXACTLY as Jesus said they would!

Bottom line: Jesus came and the Kingdom is here. Jesus is alive and well, working on the earth through His body, the church. We, the church, are considered to be seated WITH HIM in heavenly places even as we dwell here in our earthly bodies, advancing the kingdom and doing ALL He has called us to do! Amen!

Links:
https://pjmiller.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/unheeded-or-misinterpreted-signs-the-destruction-of-jerusalem-70ad/

http://bible.christiansunite.com/jos/warindex.shtml

http://www.allthingsfulfilled.com/

Matthew 24 - The Olivet Discourse continued

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 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. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Matthew 24:4-8.

I'm back from the Christmas holidays and ready to resume our study of Matthew 24. Unlike many denominational pastors and teachers who present a futurist view of End Times prophecy, we will see that Jesus' discussion of the Last Days was referring to the days in which He was living.

The generation alive during His time were the last Jews to live under the Old Covenant Temple Age -  which was the current world system at that time, ruled by Satan, the god of that age. Jesus told His disciples (and us, the church) that the New Covenant age was coming - the spiritual Kingdom of God - which came in its fullness in 70AD. There would be signs of its coming, and historically, we find that, indeed, those signs happened exactly as Jesus predicted!

Don't let anyone dupe you into believing that Jesus' predictions are for some future date long into the future. It has all been fulfilled, the Kingdom has come, and all of the Old Testament prophecies regarding Jesus' coming in judgment have been fulfilled! The church is His body, operating in the full authority and power of the bridegroom, Jesus Christ!

Links:
https://pjmiller.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/unheeded-or-misinterpreted-signs-the-destruction-of-jerusalem-70ad/

http://bible.christiansunite.com/jos/warindex.shtml

http://www.allthingsfulfilled.com/

Matthew 24 - the Olivet Discourse

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? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. Matthew 24:3-5.

The disciples came to Jesus wondering when He would return in accordance with Old Testament prophecies (as well as His own teachings), judge the Mosaic temple system, and usher in the new age. 

His answer was very different from what they were expecting. He first warned them to be careful of deception, which is a warning we in the church today must heed. Many would come in the last days of that age and proclaim themselves to be Christ, deceiving and tempting new-found believers to shrink back from their faith and go back to the temple/sacrificial system.

We know today that there are so-called leaders in the Christian church who desire to rebuild a temple in Jerusalem so that temple sacrifices can be reinstituted. This is not biblical, as we shall see in studying God's Word!

Matthew 23 - Woes to the Pharisees, Part 2

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Matthew 23:37-39.  

Once Jesus stilled the mouths of the Pharisees and Sadducees, it was time to pass judgment. These scriptures where Jesus prophesied the impending doom of this wicked Jewish generation are particularly hard to read and study, but they are important because they show the righteousness and holiness of our God.

After numerous opportunities to repent and believe, the leaders of the nation of Israel would not accept this spiritual kingdom that God was offering. They still reject it today, but it is available! Still available...anyone who believes with their heart and confesses Jesus as Lord is born again as a new creation in Christ Jesus, they become a child of God with all the rights, honors, and privileges that come with being part of the godhead.

That's right! Salvation means you become filled with His spirit, you are part of the body of Christ, you have the mind of Christ, you spiritually hear His voice leading you and guiding you, and, amazingly, in the spirit realm, you are seated with Jesus Christ in heavenly places at the right hand of God the father! Study the Bible on your own and discover these wonderful truths!

Matthew 23 - Woes to the Pharisees, Part 1

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Matthew 23:13-15

Once Jesus stilled the mouths of the Pharisees and Sadducees, it was time to pass judgment. These scriptures where Jesus prophesied the impending doom of this wicked Jewish generation are particularly hard to read and study, but they are important because they show the righteousness and holiness of our God.

After numerous opportunities to repent and believe, the leaders of the nation of Israel would not accept this spiritual kingdom that God was offering. They still reject it today, but it is available! Still available...anyone who believes with their heart and confesses Jesus as Lord is born again as a new creation in Christ Jesus, they become a child of God with all the rights, honors, and privileges that come with being part of the godhead.

That's right! Salvation means you become filled with His spirit, you are part of the body of Christ, you have the mind of Christ, you spiritually hear His voice leading you and guiding you, and, amazingly, in the spirit realm, you are seated with Jesus Christ in heavenly places at the right hand of God the father! Study the Bible on your own and discover these wonderful truths!