The Day of the Lord Part 3
Matthew 24:26-27 If, then, they should say to you, 'Lo! in the wilderness is he!' you may not be coming out' 'Lo! in the storerooms!' you should not be believing it." For even as the lightning is coming out from the east and is appearing as far as the west, thus shall be the presence of the Son of Mankind." {CLV}
Luke 17:22-24 Yet He said to His disciples, "Coming will be days when you will be yearning to perceive one of the days of the Son of Mankind, and you shall not see it." And they shall be declaring to you, 'Lo! there!' or 'Lo! here!' You may not come away, nor yet should you be pursuing." For even as the lightning, flashing out from here under heaven to there under heaven, is shining, thus will be the Son of Mankind in His day." {CLV}
Before His return there will be many false prophets and messiahs and false teachings about his return as there have already been. Believers should not be taken in by these people. The Lord’s return will be unmistakable, it will light up the whole sky, from the east to the west, all the world will see the light of his return. For it will not be a secret invisible event. However he will have not already collected his true followers, it is at this time when he returns that he will gather his true followers, and not before. There is not a future coming of the Lord before the great tribulation, which I discuss below. This return will not be a secret return, but it will be a surprise. More on the collecting of his chosen later.
Matthew 24:28 Wheresoever the corpse may be, there will the vultures be gathered."
24:29 Now immediately after the affliction of those days the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not be giving her beams, and the stars shall be falling from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken." {CLV}
Immediately after the affliction or as other translations put it the tribulation of those days is his return.
The Great Tribulation
There is a tribulation period, however the length of the period is not revealed to us in the scriptures. Many teach that it is the last week of Daniel's 70 weeks or the last half of the last week. Each day of the week being a year, you have seven years or three and half years. However no where in the bible does it tells us that it is this week or half week that is the tribulation period. In fact the whole period of Daniel's 70 weeks being 490 years has already occurred many centuries ago. Thus it is not this period. The period for the tribulation could be longer, in fact the period could have already start, just look back at all that has occurred since the 1900's, including two world wars.
Many also believe that Jesus Christ will come back two times, once to collect his followers before the tribulation, and a second time to set up the kingdom on this earth after the tribulation. The first of these comings is usually known as the Rapture. There is no secret rapture of believers before the tribulation, because we know that when the Lord returns it will not be a secret, it will be a surprise. Secondly the above verses just covered tell us that he comes after the tribulation, no where does he talk about a coming before the tribulation.
What of Christ returning as a thief? People who believe that there are going to be two future comings, believe that when Christ returns to collect the brethren, it will be a secret. That is no one except the brethren, the chosen will see him at the first of these two comings. They believe that when Jesus describe his return as a Thief, he meant that it would be a secret return and after this secret return he would return again after the tribulation, when everyone would see him.
While Jesus describe his return as a thief, He did not mean it would be in secret or that He would come twice. He never said that He would come twice. Every time He said something about His return He was always only describing one actual return, not two. What He meant by a thief, is that most of the world would be surprise by his return, not that it would be a secret. If you knew when the thief was coming it would not be a surprise, but since you do not know when the thief is coming, it is a surprise. More on this later in the article.
It is view that the majority of the events in the book of Revelation are still to come. People also view that the events described in Revelation as actual things that are going to happen, the way they are described.
Revelation 16:3 And the second pours out his bowl into the sea. And it became blood as if of a dead man. And every living soul died which is in the sea. {CLV}
Thus they believe that the actual sea will become as blood, and every living creature in the sea will die. However even they would say that in the passage below the beast is a symbol, and no actual seven headed beast would rise out of the sea.
Revelation 13:1 And it was standing on the sand of the sea. And I perceived a wild beast ascending out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns ten diadems, and on its heads blasphemous names." {CLV}
You can’t just think that in prophecy things are going to happen the way they are described, unless it is highly unlikely, and therefore it is a symbol, of something else. That is not the case, for in the book of Revelation the whole vision that John viewed is full of signs and symbols. The beast is indeed a symbol for something else, but also the sea turning to blood is a symbol. It does not mean the actual sea will turn to blood. The symbolic beast is said to come out of the sea, this means the sea is also a symbol of something else. Later when the sea is mentioned in Revelation 16:3, it is still used as a symbol, the usage has not changed, it does not mean the actual sea. The signs and symbols are use to describe actual events that will take place, but since signs are used, to figure out what is actual going to take place the signs and symbols need to be understood. Unfortunately for us, the book of Revelation does not explain the vision that John gets.
John goes to Heaven: In the book of Revelation John at one point is transported to Heaven.
Revelation 4:1 After these things I perceived, and lo! a door is open in heaven, and lo! the first sound which I hear is as a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up here! and I will be showing you what must be occurring after these things." {CLV}
Many use this event to back up their claim that the rapture happens before a coming tribulation. That Christ will come back before the tribulation and take his followers from the earth. They claim that John going to heaven is the rapture. There is nothing in the book of Revelation that connects this event to a second coming of Jesus Christ. John is shown events that occur in Heaven, but there is nothing to connected it to a rapture. It does not say anywhere that this is when Christ returns, or that the dead in Christ are resurrected at this point or event that the Chosen are taken to heaven. I would say again that the chosen are gathered at his return after the tribulation.
Revelation 6:9-11 And when It opens the fifth seal, I perceived underneath the altar the souls of those who have been slain because of the word of God and because of the testimony which they had." And they cry with a loud voice, saying, "Till when, O Owner, holy and true, art Thou not judging and avenging our blood on those dwelling on the earth? And to each of them was given a white robe, and it was declared to them that they should be resting still a little time, till their number should be completed by their fellow slaves also, and their brethren, who are about to be killed even as they were." {CLV}
Later in Revelation 6:9-11, there are saints under the altar, they have not been resurrected. The resurrection has not come, even thou this is after Revelation 4:1, when the resurrection of those who are Christ’s is meant to have happened. This book of Revelation is full of signs and symbols. The saints in Revelation 6 are not really under the altar at all, they are dead. The dead can not cry out at all, they can not do anything. The dead are not in heaven awaiting their new bodies. Their spirits are with God in a state of sleep. Their resurrection is still to come, as they should be resting still a little time, that is they are still asleep. It is only John that is taken to heaven, in Revelation 4:1 and this is in a vision, which means that he might not have even gone to heaven at all. The other point to release in the book of Revelation is that the events do not all happen in the order that they are in the book.
It is believe that during a Great Tribulation of seven or three and a half years, all sorts of destructive things are going to happen. That everything in the book of Revelation will be fulfilled in that short period of time. During this time there is meant to be a world-wide famine that kills one billion people, a third of the planet’s vegetation is meant to be destroyed. All the world’s oceans are meant to turn to blood and every living creature in the oceans is meant to die. The drinking water of the world is meant to be come poisonous for people to drink. Before the end of the tribulation all the water in the oceans is meant to turn to blood. With all the water polluted, there would be nothing to eat, since all the vegetation would die off. Suddenly people start killing numerous numbers of Christians, and there is a massive locusts plague that attacks unbelievers. There is also meant to be a army of 200 million Chinese soldiers all on the march to Israel. There is a global heatwave causing skin cancers and there is a worldwide epidemic of ulcers. On top of all that there is meant to be devastating earthquakes and a nuclear war.
With everyone dead or dying, because of famine, disease, a global heatwave and nuclear fallout, you will be able to buy and sell if you have the mark of the beast. However all the water is polluted, all the plants are dead, there is no food and or water to buy. All the workers in the factories that produce goods are dead or dying, all the delivery drivers are dead or dying. The shops are empty, there is nothing to buy or sell, and there are no shop workers able to work.
There no water to drink, there is nothing to eat, there is no one growing anything, there is no one that can work, there is nuclear destruction, and still you somehow have the ability to have an army of 200 million Chinese soldiers on the march, that all need food and water. While on the march they are pounded by 200 pound hailstones falling on them.
People believe incorrectly that the armies that are gathered will be actual armies, with actual weapons, guns, tanks, planes etc. This army is meant to have some 200 million Chinese soldiers, who are all suppose to be gather in the valley of Megiddo, with all their weapons and vehicles and supplies. Along with this army there is meant to be armies from Russia, USA and their allies, all in the valley. There is no geographical space for an army of that size in the valley, there is no room for an army that size to even to stand properly in all of Israel. Besides that, you do not need an army that large to destroy Israel, there is not even 20 million people in Israel. In fact it is less than 10 million people in Israel and you sending an army over twenty times the size of the population of Israel to destroy it. As of 18 April 2010 the population is only 7,587,000 {Central Bureau of Statistics}. Not to mention the fact that the people in Israel would all be dead or dying anyway. There would be no need to send an army. Understand what I am saying, there is just no way this is going to happen, it is totally impossible.
Besides that when the Lord Jesus Christ returns people are meant to be eating and drinking? Eating and drink what? Not to mention the fact that they are meant to be having joyous occasions like getting married, who would want to get married with all that going on?
An Antichrist?
Daniel’s prophecy of 70 weeks never mentions an antichrist, in fact it is not even in the book of Daniel, as will be examined more later. The book of Revelation also does not mention an antichrist at all. Also Jesus himself never mentioned an antichrist at all.
The term “antichrist” is only used by John and only in his letters, 1 John & 2 John.
1 John 2:18 Little children, it is the last hour, and, according as you hear that the antichrist is coming, now also there have come to be many antichrists, whence we know that it is the last hour." {CLV}
Christ death on the cross ended the Passover Age, that started at Passover when Israel come out from Egypt and begin the start of the Pentecostal age, the age of grace. This age of grace is the last hour. I am not here talking about the over all eons, these are ages with in an eon. During the time of grace there have been many antichrists, but people are searching for the single antichrist that will rise to power during the great tribulation.
1 John 2:19-21 Out of us they come, but they were not of us, for if they were of us, they would have remained with us. But it was that they may be manifested that they are not all of us. " And you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all are aware." I write not to you seeing that you are not acquainted with the truth, but that you are acquainted with it, and that no lie at all is of the truth." {CLV}
“Out of us they come” that is the antichrists had come out of brethren, but they were not of the brethren. That is they had been with the brethren, but then they had been manifested, that is exposed as antichrists. The brethren had heard that “the antichrist is coming.” However there was not just one, because John states: “now also there have come to be many antichrists.” That is there had come to be many antichrists not just one single individual antichrist. And in fact these antichrists had already come in John’s day. The ones John was writing to already knew the truth, which meant he did not have to explain it to them in the letter.
1 John 2:22-23 Who is the liar, if not he who is denying, saying that "Jesus is not the Christ"? This one is the antichrist, who is disowning the Father and the Son." Everyone who is disowning the Son, neither has the Father. He who is avowing the Son has the Father also." {CLV}
The liar is denying that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, this one is the antichrist. That is the person who is denying is the antichrist, and since many in John’s day denied that Jesus was the Messiah, they were all antichrists. These antichrists claimed to know the Father, but they deny that Jesus was the Messiah/Christ. If one disowns the Son, as these antichrists did, then they do not have the Father.
2 John 5-7 And now I am asking you, lady, not as writing a new precept to you, but a precept which we have from the beginning, that we may be loving one another. And this is love, that we may be walking according to His precepts. This is the precept, according as you hear from the beginning, that you may be walking in it; for many deceivers came out into the world, who are not avowing Jesus Christ coming in flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. {CLV}
Those who are not avowing Jesus Christ coming in flesh, are deceivers. The one not avowing is the deceiver and the antichrist. That is the deceivers are the antichrists, meaning many antichrists not just one.
There is nothing about them becoming powerful world leaders, or ruling nations or kingdoms, or become kings. They do not have to hold any positions of power or great influence. There is nothing about a single powerful antichrist that is to come during the great tribulation, in fact no mention of a great tribulation at all in John‘s letters.
Complete Darkness
Matthew 24:28 Wheresoever the corpse may be, there will the vultures be gathered immediately.”
24:29 After the affliction of those days the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not be giving her beams, and the stars shall be falling from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken."
Mark 13:24-25 But in those days, after that affliction, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not be giving her beams, and the stars shall be falling out of heaven, and the powers in the heavens shall be shaken." {CLV}
Luke 21:25-26 And there shall be signs in the sun and the moon and the constellations, and on the earth pressure of nations in perplexity, at the resounding of the sea and the shaking, at the chilling of men from fear and apprehensiveness of that which is coming on the inhabited earth, for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken." {CLV}
Sun, moon, and stars are used as symbols in the bible for religious people. However it can also refer to the actual Sun, moon, and stars. While religious leaders will be brought down on the day, that is not what is refer to here. The purpose here is to create actual darkness, the actual sun will darken and the actual moon not give her beams.
Matthew 24:27 For even as the lightning is coming out from the east and is appearing as far as the west, thus shall be the presence of the Son of Mankind."
Mark 13:26 And then shall they be seeing the Son of Mankind coming in clouds with much power and glory.
Luke 21:27 And then they shall be seeing the Son of Mankind coming in a cloud with power and much glory.
With actual darkness the appearance of the Son of Mankind, will be a lot more noticed. He will light up the darken sky with his return.
The Sun and the moon and the stars will go dark. While this would be a surprise to a lot of people on the earth, there will be no warning of the coming darkness, it would not get everyone’s attention. Loads of people live in cities and at night time the artificial lighting from buildings and streets block out the light from the stars. Thus a lot people who were outside would not even notice. A lot people would not even be looking up at the moon or the stars to see them darken. Most inside at night time would be watching television or on the computer or in bed asleep or doing something else, instead of looking outside. Even in the world where it is day time a lot of people would be able to carry on with what they where doing, like watching TV, or on the computer. Offices, and factories have inside lighting on during the day. In big warehouses and factories workers would not even notice the sun had darkened. The reason for there celestial bodies going dark is to get peoples attention, it will be complete darkness, and then there will be this bright light as the Son of Mankind comes.
To achieve complete darkness I believe there will also be a massive power failure, a complete total blackout, as all the power stations in the world totally shutdown. To achieve the effect you need total darkness. This will only be achieve with a total blackout, around the whole world. Of course a number of people will be using mobile devices like cell phones and laptops. These will also all shutdown, totally.
However about a third of the world will be asleep when the complete darkness happens. Thus there needs to be something to get them to wake up. It will also getting everyone else attention. This is one of the reasons for the shaking of the whole earth just before the Son of mankind appears. As the shaking happens everyone who is asleep will wake up, and find themselves in complete darkness. Not only will everyone in the whole world be suddenly wide awake, they will also be perplexity by the shaking. It is not to cause death on a large scale across the earth. I am not ruling out damage, to buildings and structures, caused by the shaking. However a large earthquake that causes great damage can result in no loss of life.
After the darkening of all light sources, both natural and artificial, and the shaking of the earth, all nations will be in perplexity, and fear and apprehensiveness of that which is to come. These signs will be unmistakable, and all on the earth will see them, they will suddenly know something massive is going to happen, but they will not know what.
Then the Lord Jesus Christ will return, lighting up the sky. But not just the sky, for His presence will light up all the dark places. All the world will know He has returned. Even if on the day a person is in an underground car park, or in the basement, or in a underground mine, or a large factory or shopping centre, they will know He has returned.
Many writing on these passages claim that these things describe above are all figurative, that they will not actually happen. The problem with that view, is that the Lord’s return is a real event, why then are not these events real as well.
Hebrews 12:25-29 Beware! You should not be refusing Him Who is speaking! For if those escaped not, refusing the One apprizing on earth, much rather we, who are turning from the One from the heavens, Whose voice then shakes the earth. Yet now He has promised, saying, Still once more shall I be quaking, not only the earth, but heaven also." Now the "Still once more is making evident the transference of that which is being shaken, as of that having been made, that what is not being shaken would be remaining." Wherefore, accepting an unshakable kingdom, we may have grace through which we may be offering divine service in a way well pleasing to God, with piety and dread, for our God is also a consuming fire. {CLV}
The whole earth will be shaking, the sun and the moon will have darkened. All the inhabitants of the earth will be in perplexity, and fear and apprehensiveness of that which is to come.
Shaking of the Powers of the Heavens
Matthew 24:29 and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken." Also Mark 13:25 & Luke 21:26
What are these powers of the heavens? It is not to do with the stars or the Sun or the moon. When Christ went to heaven He was placed at the right hand of God, all being subjected to Him.
Ephesians 1:20-21 which is operative in the Christ, rousing Him from among the dead and seating Him at His right hand among the celestials, up over every sovereignty and authority and power and lordship, and every name that is named, not only in this eon, but also in that which is impending: {CLV}
1 Peter 3:22 Who is at God's right hand, being gone into heaven, messengers and authorities and powers being subjected to Him." {CLV}
He was placed up over every sovereignty and authority and power and lordship when He went to Heaven. They are subjected to Him. That is they are all ruled by Jesus Christ. Messengers are the angels, but what of the sovereignties and authorities and powers?
Ephesians 6:10-12 For the rest, brethren mine, be invigorated in the Lord and in the might of His strength." Put on the panoply of God, to enable you to stand up to the stratagems of the Adversary, for it is not ours to wrestle with blood and flesh, but with the sovereignties, with the authorities, with the world-mights of this darkness, with the spiritual forces of wickedness among the celestials." {CLV}
Believers are to put on the panoply {Complete Armour} of God. This is to enable them to stand up to the stratagems of the Adversary, that is the strategies of Satan. For they are to wrestle with sovereignties, with the authorities, with the world-mights of this darkness, with the spiritual forces of wickedness among the celestials, the heavens.
That is the sovereignties and authorities and powers are spiritual forces of wickedness among the celestials. These spiritual forces will be shaken just before Christ returns from heaven. But did I not just say Christ was in control of them, yes that is what I just said. Why is He controlling them? Are they not evil?
God is the one in control of all forces both good and evil. If He was not in control then His plan of the eons would not work. God is the creator of all life, He controls all life, He is a lot more powerful than anyone force, He can and does control all that He has created. In the book of Job, God is the one who controlled how much pain and suffering Satan can inflict on Job. God’s plan always involved these evil forces. This control of these evil forces is now in the hands of the Son of God, that is Christ. For Christ is carrying out the plan of God, and that means controlling these evil forces. After His return Satan and all the spiritual forces of evil will be thrown in the Lake of Fire, that being spiritual fire, for physical fire can not effect a spirit being. Spiritual fire that purifies and spiritual water.
The Glory Cloud and Deliverance
Luke 21:27-28 And then they shall be seeing the Son of Mankind coming in a cloud with power and much glory. Now at the beginning of these occurrences, unbend and lift up your heads, because your deliverance is drawing near." {CLV}
Mark 13:26-27 And then shall they be seeing the Son of Mankind coming in clouds with much power and glory. And then shall He be dispatching His messengers and assembling His chosen from the four winds, from the extremity of the earth to the extremity of heaven." {CLV}
Matthew 24:30-31 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Mankind in heaven, and then all the tribes of the land shall grieve, and they shall see the Son of Mankind coming on the clouds of heaven with power and much glory." And He shall be dispatching His messengers with a loud sounding trumpet, and they shall be assembling His chosen from the four winds, from the extremities of the heavens to their extremities." {CLV}
Matthew 26:64 Saying to him is Jesus, "You say it! Moreover, I am saying to you, Henceforth you shall be seeing the Son of Mankind sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven." {CLV}
These passages confirm that the Lord Jesus Christ will return in clouds with power and much glory. However these are not rain clouds, Christ will not return on or in or with rain clouds. These clouds will be glory clouds of God’s presence. The whole earth will be in darkness, in perplexity, and fear and apprehensiveness. Jesus Christ’s return will light up the whole darken sky in supernatural light, all on the earth will see it. When Jesus Christ returns He will be surround by a cloud of His messengers, that is His angels, which will be dispatched with a loud sounding trumpet, to assembling His chosen. The chosen are the believers in Christ. They are known as the chosen, because they where chosen. No believer in Christ, became a believer because they chose Christ. It has already been predetermined who would believe, by God, beforehand. More on this in my article: Predestination
Acts 1:9-11 And saying these things, while they are looking, He was lifted up, and a cloud took Him up from their eyes." And as they were looking intently into heaven at His going, lo ! two men stand beside them in white attire, who say also, "Men! Galileans! Why do you stand, looking into heaven? This Jesus Who is being taken up from you into heaven shall come thus, in the manner in which you gaze at Him going into heaven." {CLV}
Jesus Christ is lifted up and a cloud took Him up from their eyes. This cloud was not a rain cloud, for it was the Glory cloud. As the Galileans look into heaven, two men tell the Galileans that Jesus is going to come back, in the manner in which He lift. That is He will be surround by this glory cloud. It will not be a secret event, or invisible, for it will be in the same manner. His descending will be visible for all to see, like lighting, it will light up the whole sky.
Matthew 16:26 For the Son of Mankind is about to be coming in the glory of His Father, with His messengers, and then He will be paying each in accord with his practice." {CLV}
I would like to say that there has been much written about what paying each in accord with his practice, I would just say briefly this. In accord does not mean that those who are the unchosen, will be paying the price for all their sins. Christ pay the price for all the sins of all mankind, not just those who are chosen. Therefore there is no further payment required from mankind. To fully understand this, a reading of my Judgement series should be under taken.
Luke 21:27-28 And then they shall be seeing the Son of Mankind coming in a cloud with power and much glory. Now at the beginning of these occurrences, unbend and lift up your heads, because your deliverance is drawing near." {CLV}
When these occurrences begin the Chosen are to lift up there heads, because their deliverance is drawing near. Just before they gain full salvation they are to left up their heads.
1 Thessalonians 1:10 and to be waiting for His Son out of the heavens, Whom He rouses from among the dead, Jesus, our Rescuer out of the coming indignation." {CLV}
Jesus, the Rescuer, will come and rescuer the chosen out of the coming indignation.
1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 for God did not appoint us to indignation, but to the procuring of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for our sakes, that, whether we may be watching or drowsing, we should be living at the same time together with Him." {CLV}
God did not appoint the chosen to indignation, but to the procuring of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Whether the chosen be watching or drowsing, that is the asleep, the chosen should be living together with him.
Hebrews 9:27-28 And, in as much as it is reserved to the men to be dying once, yet after this a judging, thus Christ also, being offered once for the bearing of the sins of many, will be seen a second time, by those awaiting Him, apart from sin, for salvation, through faith." {CLV}
The chosen are awaiting His return, for their salvation. More on this salvation later in this article.
This Generation:
Matthew 24:34-35 Verily, I am saying to you that by no means may this generation be passing by till all these things should be occurring." Heaven and earth shall be passing by, yet My words may by no means be passing by." {CLV}
There are those who believe that when Jesus said this generation he meant those that where alive at the time, thus all the events in the Olivet Discourse have already happened long ago. A generation being 40 years, the time that Israel wandered in the wilderness, refer to the book of Exodus. Thus the events refer to what happened in 70 AD with the destruction of Jerusalem, this Generation being the Jews Living from 30 -70 AD. While this is correct for those events that refer to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple that was to come in 70 AD, it could not mean all the events that Jesus refer to, because Christ did not return in power and much glory, with his angels, and the chosen where not collected. It is not that some events are literal and others are figurative. The temple and Jerusalem where destroyed in 70 AD, and Jesus Christ will actual return. The disciples wrongly assumed that Christ would return when the temple was destroyed. Jesus answered their questions by prophesying, about the destruction of the temple, but he also answer the question about his return. Which is a separate event.
For this generation to cover all of the events in the Olivet Discourse, it must cover many centuries. From the time he said it, until his actual return, many centuries after he said it. But some would claim that no one is that many hundreds of years old, and that this can not be the case.
Matthew 12:39-45 Yet He, answering, said to them, "A generation, wicked and an adulteress, for a sign is seeking, and a sign will not be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet." For even as Jonah was in the bowel of the sea monster three days and three nights, thus will the Son of Mankind be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights." Men, Ninevites, will be rising in the judging with this generation and will be condemning it, for they repent at the heralding of Jonah, and lo! more than Jonah is here!" The queen of the south will be roused in the judging with this generation and will be condemning it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and lo! more than Solomon is here!" Now, whenever the unclean spirit may be coming out from a man, it is passing through waterless places seeking rest, and is not finding it." Then it is saying, 'Into my home will I be turning back, whence I came out.' And coming, it is finding it unoccupied, and swept and decorated." Then it is going and taking along with itself seven other spirits, more wicked than itself, and entering, it is dwelling there. And the last state of that man is becoming worse than the first. Thus will it be to this wicked generation also." {CLV}
Matthew 23:34-39 Therefore, lo! I am dispatching to you prophets and wise men and scribes. Of them, some you will be killing and crucifying, and of them, some you will be scourging in your synagogues and persecuting from city to city, so that on you should be coming all the just blood shed on the earth, from the blood of just Abel until the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murder between the temple and the altar." Verily, I am saying to you: All these things will be arriving on this generation." Jerusalem! Jerusalem! who art killing the prophets and pelting with stones those who have been dispatched to her! How many times do I want to assemble your children in the manner a hen is assembling her brood under her wings-and you will not!" Lo! left is your house to you desolate. For I am saying to you: You may by no means be perceiving Me henceforth, till you should be saying, 'Blessed is He Who is coming in the name of the Lord!'" {CLV}
The Judgement that was to come in 70 AD, would be “on you” that is on those who where alive at the time Jesus prophesied, it would be on the generation who where alive from 33-70 AD. They would kill and crucify and scourge some of the prophets and wise men and scribes, that Christ was going to dispatch to them. However Jesus states that all the just blood would come on them, from Abel until the blood of Zechariah, even thou they where not alive during that period form Abel until Zechariah. Jesus even states that they killed Zechariah who died many centuries before that generation that Christ was speaking to had come along.
Clearly Jesus did not mean that the generation who where alive at the time, had killed Zechariah, none of them would have been alive at that time, many hundreds of years ago. None of them where physically many hundreds of years old. This means that “this generation” has a much wider meaning, which can apply to past, present and future generations.
Jeremiah 31:35-36 Thus said Yahweh, Who is giving the sun for a light by day, The statutes of moon and stars for a light by night, Quieting the sea when its billows roar, Yahweh of Hosts [is] His name:" If these statutes depart from before Me, An affirmation of Yahweh, Even the seed of Israel does cease From being a nation before Me all the days." {CLV}
Jeremiah 31:37 Thus said Yahweh: If the heavens above be measured, And the foundations of earth below searched, Even I kick against all the seed of Israel, For all that they have done, An affirmation of Yahweh." {CLV}
Some claim that all the events in the Olivet Discourse refer to a future generation, however all of the events can not, because some of the events in the Olivet Discourse do relate to what happened in 70 AD as has already be covered. Jesus meant the temple that was there would be destroyed not some future temple, that has not be built as of yet. There does not have to be built another temple, before Jesus Christ returns.
If you just look at the events to do with His return, then it can mean the generation that is alive when Christ returns.
A Thief in the Night:
The Lord Jesus Christ Will Return as a Thief?:
Matthew 24:42-44 Be watching, then, for you are not aware on what day your Lord is coming." Now that be knowing, for if the householder were aware in what watch the thief is coming, he would watch, and would not let his house be tunneled into." Therefore you also become ready, for in an hour which you are not supposing, the Son of Mankind is coming." {CLV}
Luke 21:34-36 Now take heed to yourselves, lest at some time your hearts should be burdened with crapulence and drunkenness and the worries of life's affairs, and that day may be standing by you unawares, as a trap, for it will intrude on all those sitting on the surface of the entire earth." Now be vigilant, on every occasion beseeching that you may be prevailing to escape all these things which are about to occur, and to stand in front of the Son of Mankind." {CLV}
While Jesus refer to his return as a thief in the night, that does not mean it would be a secret. What Jesus is meaning here is that, many people in the world will not be prepared for his return. Thus like someone not prepared for a thief, they will not be prepared for his return, they will not be expecting it. Just like someone who is not expecting a thief, and therefore had not prepared for the thief. If you knew a thief was going to come to your place, you would be prepared. Jesus never said that He would come back two times. He only ever mentioned one actual return. The chosen, the body are not collected at a secret return. The day the Lord comes back it will effect everyone on the earth, followers of Christ are not to get caught up the ways of the world.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 Now concerning the times and the eras, brethren, you have no need to be written to, for you yourselves are accurately aware that the day of the Lord is as a thief in the night - thus is it coming! Now whenever they may be saying "Peace and security, then extermination is standing by them unawares, even as a pang over the pregnant, and they may by no means escape." {CLV}
Whenever they are saying "Peace and security.” That is Christ will return at a time of peace and security, this confirms what I have already said, there will be no massive war going on, no massive Armageddon battle. There will not be large scale destruction of the earth, cause by a great tribulation, before He returns. People will be going about their original business, totally unaware of what is going to happen. Suddenly and unexpectedly the Lord will arrive, it will be a total surprise. Then there will be extermination, that is most of the world’s population will be exterminated. Not only that, there will be no means of escape, for most of the world, from this extermination. However the Chosen have an escape:
1 Thessalonians 5:4-9 Now you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day may be overtaking you as a thief, for you are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness. Consequently, then, we may not be drowsing, even as the rest, but we may be watching and be sober." For those who are drowsing are drowsing at night, and those who are drunk are drunk at night." Yet we, being of the day, may be sober, putting on the cuirass of faith and love, and the helmet, the expectation of salvation, for God did not appoint us to indignation, but to the procuring of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, {CLV}
The brethren are not in darkness, as the rest of the world is, that the day will may not be taking them over as a thief. Thus you should be watching, be sober, and not be drowsing. For the brethren have the expectation of Salvation, that is on the day the Lord returns, the brethren will have salvation, they will not experience the extermination on that day.
Revelation 3:3 Remember, then, how you have obtained, and hear; keep it and repent. If ever, then, you should not be watching, I shall be arriving on you as a thief, and under no circumstances will you be knowing what hour I shall be arriving on you." {CLV}
Revelation 16:15 ("Lo! I am coming as a thief! Happy is he who is watching and keeping his garments, that he may not be walking naked and they may be observing his indecency!") " {CLV}
Keeping his garments, is referring to wedding garments, those who keep their wedding garments, will be married to the Lord, in the wonderful, magnificent wedding that is to come.
Briefly now I will refer to the Parable of the Ten Virgins, Matthew 25:1-13. In the parable there are ten virgins, five virgins go with the Bridegroom, Christ, and five do not. However they all fall asleep while waiting for the bridegroom to come. Even thou the five prudent/wise ones fall asleep, when they were meant to be watching, they still go with the bridegroom, that is Christ. That is it did not disqualify then from going with the bridegroom. I am not saying you should not be watching, what I am saying is that, if you are one of the prudent and are not watching, you still will be going with the Lord. However you should make sure that you are not distracted, from watching for Jesus Christ’s return.
The New Testament has numerous warnings about the growth in apostasy and deception with the advancement of this eon. This is why there are also numerous warnings in the New Testament about watching, and enduring until His return. Even thou all the wise virgins fall asleep, this does not count against them, they do not miss out on the wedding. Even thou the wise virgins had fallen asleep they were still prepared for his return, because they had the extra oil. For more on the wedding read the article: The Wedding of Christ and His Bride
1 Thessalonians 5:10-11 Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for our sakes, that, whether we may be watching or drowsing, we should be living at the same time together with Him." Wherefore, console one another and edify one the other, according as you are doing also." {CLV}
Even thou the chosen are told to be watching in a number of places in the bible, if they do drowse and are not watching they will still be living with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Copyright © Mark J Farquharson 2017