Bob Josey: Olivet Discourse (part 1) Nov 10, 2019

Post date: Nov 24, 2019 11:22:42 PM

The Olivet Discourse Pt1 (Matthew 24: 1-42)

Introduction

Up until point in our study of things to come, we have been focusing on the role different characters during the Tribulation Period. Today we will begin to study some of the major events that will occur during the Tribulation Period. We are going to begin with general overview of the Tribulation Period given to us by Jesus in something called the Olivet Discourse. It is called that because this discussion of the end times between Jesus and His’ small circle disciples occurred on Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.

As we study Olivet Discourse, please remember there is not one verse in the Olivet Discourse that deals with the church because the church is in heaven. The Olivet Discourse is about Israel and the Jewish people, the events of the Tribulation Period and what we call the second the second coming.

The context of the Olivet Discourse is very important. In Matthew 21 Jesus made His’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey on what we call Palm Sunday. Within a five-day period, Jesus would teach in the Temple and condemn the leaders and the people of Israel, give the Olivet Discourse, participate in His’ last Passover meal, gave instructions to the disciples in the upper room, be betrayed by Judas, be condemned to die by Pilot, and die on a Roman cross.

To get part of the context of the Olivet Discourse, let’s read Matthew 23:37-39. As one reads verse 37, one can see the love and compassion Jesus has toward Israel. He came to gather the people of Israel into the promised Messianic Kingdom so He could to protect them and provide for them as the Messiah just as a hen protects and provides for her chicks. Many times in the Old Testament the wings of different birds are used to symbolize that God is a place of refuge, protection, and safety. (Just as Washington DC stands for and represents the entire United Sates, Jerusalem the capital of Israel, sometimes stands for and represents the entire nation just as in Psalm 122:6.) However, the majority of the nation rejected Him as the promised Messiah. He then announced to the nation that their persistent sin rejection and rejection of Him as the Messiah would lead to the inevitable certainty of judgment. The nation of Israel, particularly Jerusalem and the Temple, which is represented by the word House in verse 38 would experience the wrath of God. The nation and particularly Jerusalem would become desolate and the Temple would be destroyed. In AD 70, thousands of Jews would be killed by the Romans and most of those who survived would begin to scattered all over the world in what is called the diaspora. The Temple, the pride of Israel, at the same time would also be totally destroyed in AD 70 by the Romans. The final comment by Jesus in verse 39 of course deals with the fact that they would not see Him teach publicity again until He returned at some unknown time. When He does return at what we call the second coming, Israel will welcome the Messiah by saying, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD” as seen in Zechariah 12:10.

The disciples have been listening to what Jesus had to say about the coming judgement on the nation, Jerusalem, and the Temple. They were probably stunned and perplexed at what He said. They withdrew from Jesus to discuss the matter among themselves and met up with Him again in 24:1. All that Jesus said precipitated the disciple’s observations and questions and Jesus’ response in Matthew 24 in the Olivet Discourse.

A. The setting (1-3)

The NASB 1977 and the KJV insert the word “and” at the beginning of verse 1. The word “and” at the beginning of this verse is translated from the Greek word “kai.” The “and” should be added because it ties what follows to Jesus' preceding denunciation of the generation of Jews that rejected Him and the divine judgment that would follow (23:36-39).

After Jesus’ pronouncements about the nation, Jerusalem, and the Temple, Jesus was in the process of leaving the Temple area and going to the Mount of Olives when the disciples met up with Him and made several observations to Him about the Temple buildings. Mark 13:1 and Luke 21:5 add to what Matthew wrote. The first called attention to the Temple buildings that Herod had begun to build approximately fifty years before and that would not be completed AD 63. It would only be completed seven years before its total destruction in AD 70. Mark included the stones whereas Matthew did not. The disciples were saying how magnificent are the stones and the building. They were impressive.

The “votive gifts” Luke wrote about were sacred gifts or offerings that were given in the name of the Lord because of a vow that was made. One votive gift was a solid gold grapevine bearing a cluster of grapes that was the size of a man. The way the Jews covered the outside of the building with gold was by using massive plates of gold attached to the building. When the sun would rise in the morning, these huge heavy golden plates would reflect the rays of the sun, forcing anyone looking at the Temple to look away because it was as radiant as the sun. The bottom line was the Temple in Jerusalem was a large and impressive structure. It was a magnificent structure that brought national pride to Israel. The remarks by the disciples certainly reflects that sentiment.

In Matthew 24:2 Jesus certainly further astounded them by telling them that the Temple building that they so admired that brought them pride would be leveled. When Jesus used the word “truly,” He was indicating the significance and the importance of what He said. How could such massive stones weighing tons be dislodged in that manner? The fulfillment this prophecy occurred in AD 70 when the Romans deliberately destroyed the Temple by prying off the stones one by one and then cast them in the valley below. Today many of those stones are still laying in the same place they landed 1900 years ago and truly not one stone is on top of another today. The walls, yes, but not the Temple or the Temple buildings. The Temple that seemed so permanent was actually very temporary.