Behold The Lamb Of God!

Matthew 4:12-17

We have here an account of Christ's preaching in the synagogues of Galilee, for he came into the world to be a Preacher; the great salvation which he wrought out, he himself began to publish (Heb 2:3) to show how much his heart was upon it, and ours should be.

Several passages in the other gospels, especially in that of St. John, are supposed, in the order of the story of Christ's life, to intervene between his temptation and his preaching in Galilee. His first appearance after his temptation, was when John Baptist pointed to him, saying, Behold the Lamb of God, Joh 1:29. After that, he went up to Jerusalem, to the passover (Jn. 2), discoursed with Nicodemus (Jn. 3), with the woman of Samaria (Jn. 4), and then returned into Galilee, and preached there. But Matthew, having had his residence in Galilee, begins his story of Christ's public ministry with his preaching there, which here we have an account of. Observe,

I. The time; When Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, then he went into Galilee, Mat 4:12. Note, The cry of the saints' sufferings comes up into the ears of the Lord Jesus. If John be cast into prison, Jesus hears it, takes cognizance of it, and steers his course accordingly: he remembers the bonds and afflictions that abide his people. Observe, 1. Christ did not go into the country, till he heard of John's imprisonment; for he must have time given him to prepare the way of the Lord, before the Lord himself appear. Providence wisely ordered it, that John should be eclipsed before Christ shone forth; otherwise the minds of people would have been distracted between the two; one would have said, I am of John, and another, I am of Jesus. John must be Christ's harbinger, but not his rival. The moon and stars are lost when the sun rises. John had done his work by the baptism of repentance, and then he was laid aside. The witnesses were slain when they had finished their testimony, and not before, Rev 11:7. 2. He did go into the country as soon as he heard of John's imprisonment; not only to provide for his own safety, knowing that the Pharisees in Judea were as much enemies to him as Herod was to John, but to supply the want of John Baptist, and to build upon the good foundation he had laid. Note, God will not leave himself without witness, nor his church without guides; when he removes one useful instrument, he can raise up another, for he has the residue of the Spirit, and he will do it, if he has work to do. Moses my servant is dead, John is cast into prison; now, therefore, Joshua, arise; Jesus, arise.

II. The place where he preached; in Galilee, a remote part of the country, that lay furthest from Jerusalem, as was there looked upon with contempt, as rude and boorish. The inhabitants of that country were reckoned stout men, fit for soldiers, but not polite men, or fit for scholars. Thither Christ went, there he set up the standard of his gospel; and in this, as in other things, he humbled himself. Observe,

1. The particular city he chose for his residence; not Nazareth, where he had been bred up; no, he left Nazareth; particular notice is taken of that, Mat 4:13. And with good reason did he leave Nazareth; for the men of that city thrust him out from among them, Luk 4:29. He made them his first, and a very fair, offer of his service, but they rejected him and his doctrine, and were filled with indignation at him and it; and therefore he left Nazareth, and shook off the dust of his feet for a testimony against those there, who would not have him to teach them. Nazareth was the first place that refused Christ, and was therefore refused by him. Note, It is just with God, to take the gospel and the means of grace from those that slight them, and thrust them away. Christ will not stay long where he is not welcome. Unhappy Nazareth! If thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace, how well had it been for thee! But now they are hid from thine eyes.

But he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which was a city of Galilee, but many miles distant from Nazareth, a great city and of much resort. It is said here to be on the sea coast, not the great sea, but the sea of Tiberias, an inland water, called also the lake of Gennesaret. Close by the falling of Jordan into the sea stood Capernaum, in the tribe of Naphtali, but bordering upon Zebulun; hither Christ came, and here he dwelt. Some think that his father Joseph had a habitation here, others that he took a house or lodgings at least; and some think it more than probable, that he dwelt in the house of Simon Peter; however, here he fixed not constantly, for he went about doing good; but this was for some time his head quarters: what little rest he had, was here; here he had a place, though not a place of his own, to lay his head on. And at Capernaum, it should seem, he was welcome, and met with better entertainment than he had at Nazareth. Note, If some reject Christ, yet others will receive him, and bid him welcome. Capernaum is glad of Nazareth's leavings. If Christ's own countrymen be not gathered, yet he will be glorious. “And thou, Capernaum, has now a day of it; thou art now lifted up to heaven; be wise for thyself, and know the time of thy visitation.”

2. The prophecy that was fulfilled is this, Mat 4:14-16. It is quoted from Isa 9:1, Isa 9:2, but with some variation. The prophet in that place is foretelling a greater darkness of affliction to befall the contemners of Immanuel, than befell the countries there mentioned, either in their first captivity under Benhadad, which was but light (1Ki 15:20), or in their second captivity under the Assyrian, which was much heavier, 2Ki 15:29. The punishment of the Jewish nation for rejecting the gospel should be sorer than either (see Isa 8:21, Isa 8:22); for those captivated places had some reviving in their bondage, and saw a great light again, Isa 9:2. This is Isaiah's sense; but the Scripture has many fulfillings; and the evangelist here takes only the latter clause, which speaks of the return of the light of liberty and prosperity to those countries that had been in the darkness of captivity, and applies it to the appearing of the gospel among them.

The places are spoken of, Mat 4:15. The land of Zebulun is rightly said to be by the sea coast, for Zebulun was a haven of ships, and rejoiced in her going out, Gen 49:13; Deu 33:18. Of Naphtali, it had been said, that he should give goodly words (Gen 49:21), and should be satisfied with favour (Deu 33:23), for from him began the gospel; goodly words indeed, and such as bring to a soul God's satisfying favour. The country beyond Jordan is mentioned likewise, for there we sometimes find Christ preaching, and Galilee of the Gentiles, the upper Galilee to which the Gentiles resorted for traffic, and where they were mingled with the Jews; which intimates a kindness in reserve for the poor Gentiles. When Christ came to Capernaum, the gospel came to all those places round about; such diffusive influences did the Sun of righteousness cast.

Now, concerning the inhabitants of these places, observe, (1.) The posture they were in before the gospel came among them (Mat 4:16); they were in darkness. Note, Those that are without Christ, are in the dark, nay, they are darkness itself; as the darkness that was upon the face of the deep. Nay, they were in the region and shadow of death; which denotes not only great darkness, as the grave is a land of darkness, but great danger. A man that is desperately sick, and not likely to recover, is in the valley of the shadow of death, though not quite dead; so the poor people were on the borders of damnation, though not yet damned-dead in law. And, which is worst of all, they were sitting in this condition. Sitting in a continuing posture; where we sit, we mean to stay; they were in the dark, and likely to be so, despairing to find the way out. And it is a contented posture; they were in the dark, and they loved darkness, they chose it rather than light; they were willingly ignorant. Their condition was sad; it is still the condition of many great and mighty nations, which are to be thought of, and prayed for, with pity. But their condition is more sad, who sit in darkness in the midst of gospel-light. He that is in the dark because it is night, may be sure that the sun will shortly arise; but he that is in the dark because he is blind, will not so soon have his eyes opened. We have the light, but what will that avail us, if we be not the light in the Lord? (2.) The privilege they enjoyed, when Christ and his gospel came among them; it was as great a reviving as ever light was to a benighted traveller. Note, When the gospel comes, light comes; when it comes to any place, when it comes to any soul, it makes day there, Joh 3:19; Luk 1:78, Luk 1:79. Light is discovering, it is directing; so is the gospel.

It is a great light; denoting the clearness and evidence of gospel-revelations; not like the light of a candle, but the light of the sun when he goes forth in his strength. Great in comparison with the light of the law, the shadows of which were now done away. It is a great light, for it discovers great things and of vast consequence; it will last long, and spread far. And it is a growing light, intimated in that word, It is sprung up. It was but spring of day with them; now the day dawned, which afterward shone more and more. The gospel-kingdom, like a grain of mustard-seed or the morning light, was small in its beginnings, gradual in its growth, but great in its perfection.

Observe, the light sprang up to them; they did not go to seek it, but were prevented with the blessings of this goodness. It came upon them ere they were aware, at the time appointed, by the disposal of him who commandeth the morning, and causes the day-spring to know its place, that it may take hold of the ends of the earth, Job 38:12, Job 38:13.

III. The text he preached upon (Mat 4:17): From that time, that is, from the time of his coming into Galilee, into the land of Zebulun and Naphtali, from that time, he began to preach. He had been preaching, before this, in Judea, and had made and baptized many disciples (Joh 4:1); but his preaching was no so public and constant as now it began to be. The work of the ministry is so great and awful, that it is fit to be entered upon by steps and gradual advances.

The subject which Christ dwelt upon now in his preaching (and it was indeed the sum and substance of all his preaching), was the very same John has preached upon (Mat 3:2); Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; for the gospel is the same for substance under various dispensations; the commands the same, and the reasons to enforce them the same; an angel from heaven dares not preach any other gospel (Gal 1:8), and will preach this, for it is the everlasting gospel. Fear God, and, by repentance, give honour to him, Rev 14:6, Rev 14:7. Christ put a great respect upon John's ministry, when he preached to the same purport that John had preached before him. By this he showed that John was his messenger and ambassador; for when he brought the errand himself, it was the same that he had sent by him. Thus did God confirm the word of his messenger, Isa 44:26. The Son came on the same errand that the servants came on (Mat 21:37), to seek fruit, fruits meet for repentance. Christ had lain in the bosom of the Father, and could have preached sublime notions of divine and heavenly things, that should have alarmed and amused the learned world, but he pitches upon this old, plain text, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. [1.] This he preached first upon; he began with this. Ministers must not be ambitious of broaching new opinions, framing new schemes, or coining new expressions, but must content themselves with plain, practical things, with the word that is nigh us, even in our mouth, and in our heart. We need not go up to heaven, nor down to the deep, for matter or language in our preaching. As John prepared Christ's way, so Christ prepared his own, and made way for the further discoveries he designed, with the doctrine of repentance. If any man will do this part of his will, he shall know more of his doctrine, Joh 7:17. [2.] This is preached often upon; wherever he went, this was his subject, and neither he nor his followers ever reckoned it worn threadbare, as those would have done, that have itching ears, and are fond of novelty and variety more than that which is truly edifying. Note, That which has been preached and heard before, may yet very profitably be preached and heard again; but then it should be preached and heard better, and with new affections; what Paul had said before, he said again, weeping, Php 3:1, Php 3:18. [3.] This he preached as gospel; “Repent, review your ways, and return to yourselves.” Note, The doctrine of repentance is right gospel-doctrine. Not only the austere Baptist, who was looked upon as a melancholy, morose man, but the sweet and gracious Jesus, whose lips dropped as a honey-comb, preached repentance; for it is an unspeakable privilege that room is left for repentance. [4.] The reason is still the same; The kingdom of heaven is at hand; for it was not reckoned to be fully come, till that pouring out of the Spirit after Christ's ascension. John had preached the kingdom of heaven at hand above a year before this; but now it was so much the stronger; now is the salvation nearer, Rom 13:11. We should be so much the more quickened to our duty, as we see the day approaching, Heb 10:25.

Jesus of Nazareth — His Coming for His Church

A comprehensive knowledge of the contents of the Bible, indicates that the history of the human race previous to the eternal conditions, is rapidly drawing to a close. The next great event in God’s prophetic calendar is the coming of Jesus of Nazareth for His Church.

THE NEXT great event in the prophetic calendar in the Bible, is the coming of Jesus of Nazareth for His Church. The event is imminent. There are no prophecies unfulfilled which would withhold His coming. Briefly, its purpose is to raise the righteous dead from Adam to the time of this coming, and to translate believers who are on earth at that time. This will involve the bringing of the former with Him from heaven, the transforming of their dead bodies which have moldered into dust, into perfect glorified bodies, the transformation of the bodies of believers then on earth into like perfect, glorified bodies, and the transportation of both classes to heaven. This event is called in theological circles, The Rapture of the Church, in that the Church of Jesus Christ will be joined forever to her great Bridegroom, Jesus of Nazareth.

Our Lord speaks of His coming for His own in John14:1-3, where He tells His disciples that He is going to His Father’s house to prepare a place for them, and that He will come again and receive them to Himself. In other words, He is coming from heaven into the atmosphere of this earth to take the Church with Him back to heaven. And this event may take place at any moment. Believers will be taken to heaven, and unbelievers will be left on earth to undergo the terrible times of the Great Tribulation period.

We will address ourselves to the question as to what is involved in this great event. First of all, where is heaven, how far is it from the earth, how long will it take the Lord Jesus to traverse that distance, and just how close to the earth will He come?

As to the locality of heaven, Isaiah gives us some hints. He reports the words of Lucifer, the mightiest angel God created, who was His regent on the perfect earth of Gen 1:1 (Isa 14:12-14). Lucifer said, "I will ascend into heaven." This means that he was not in heaven when he rebelled against God. "I will exalt my throne above the stars of God." This tells us that Lucifer had a throne below the stars of God, on this earth, and having a throne, he reigned over a pre-Adamic race of beings, directing their worship to the God of heaven. This last utterance also teaches that God’s throne is beyond the stars of the universe. God’s throne, the place of His centralized authority, is in heaven. Heaven is outside of the universe. Lucifer speaks again: "I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north." This localizes heaven as above the earth in a line with the axis of the earth, above the north pole, and in a place beyond the farthest star. Heaven is not above the earth in all directions. The inhabitants at the equator look up and see blue sky. But heaven is not above them as they look directly up from where they stand. The explorers of Antarctica looked up and saw blue sky. But heaven was not above them. Heaven has a fixed location above the north pole, in a line with the axis of the earth.

But how far is heaven from the earth? By new and more powerful telescopes, astronomers have recently discovered stars that are 500,000,000 light years from the earth. That means that it has taken light from these stars, travelling at the speed of 186,000 miles per second, 500,000,000 years to reach this earth. But how far are these stars from the earth? Multiply 500,000,000 by 60 (seconds), that number by 60 (minutes), that number by 24 (hours), that number by 365 (days), and that number by 186,000, and you will have the number of miles which these stars are from the earth. The number is 2,932,848,000,000,000,000,000. Heaven is at least that many miles from the earth. These astronomers say that beyond these stars, there is a thinning out of stars, indicating either that the material universe ends here, or that there may be a relatively empty space, after which stars may again appear. Such figures stagger one’s imagination. Think of the great God who could speak such a universe into existence by divine fiat.

He spoke the word, and a universe sprang into existence. Job (Job 38:7) says that the sons of God (the angels) shouted for joy when they saw the universe come into existence. And we should be careful to note that they did not exclaim with joy over a chaos, but a kosmos, a perfect, ordered creation. The chaos came as the result of Lucifer’s fall.

Our Lord then, when coming to take out His Church from the earth, will travel a distance of 2,932,848,000,000,000,000,000 miles. If He travelled through space at the speed of light, 186,000 miles per second, it would take Him 500,000,000 years to reach the earth. But a bird’s eye view of Bible history and prophecy shows that the divine program for the human race on earth previous to the new creation is only 7,000 years, 6,000 of which have just about rolled around. No, this Jesus of Nazareth who is Very God of Very God, will come with the speed of thought from heaven, one moment in heaven, the next, in the atmosphere of this earth.

But just how close to the earth will He come? Paul, in his classic account of the Rapture (1Th 4:13-18) says that we will "meet the Lord in the air." The Greeks have two words for "air," aer, referring to the lower, denser atmosphere, and aither, speaking of the rarefied, thinner atmosphere. A Greek would stand on the summit of Mt. Olympus which is 6,403 feet high, and pointing downward would say, aer, and pointing upward, would say aither. Now, which word did Paul use? A glance at the Greek text shows aer. All of which means that the Lord Jesus, when He comes for His Bride, the Church, will descend to a distance within 6,403 feet of the earth.

The great apostle was writing to the Thessalonian Christians who were sorrowing over the loss of loved ones who had died. He tells them not to sorrow as others who have no hope. The tombstones in the cemeteries of Thessalonica were inscribed with the words "No Hope." These pagan Greeks, striving to pierce the future through their philosophies, could never arrive at any positive assurance of a reunion with loved ones in the after life. They had no hope. To these Christian Greeks, Paul holds out the assured hope of reunion with loved ones who were believers, a reunion in the air, when Jesus comes for His Church. He says that since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, God will bring with Jesus from heaven, our loved ones who have fallen asleep (euphemism for death) in Jesus. He states that we who are alive when Jesus comes, will not prevent (old English for "precede") the dead in the order in which we will receive our glorified bodies. They will receive their new bodies first.

After receiving our new bodies, we who are alive when Jesus comes, will be caught up together with the dead who have been raised. We will be caught up in the clouds (A. V.). There is no definite article in the Greek text before the word "clouds." There should not be one in the translation. We shall be caught up in clouds, clouds of believers. That is, the great masses of glorified saints going up to heaven, will have the appearance of clouds. The Greek word for "clouds" here is used in Heb 12:1 in the clause, "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses," the inspired writer visualizing a Greek stadium with its thousands of onlookers occupying the tiers upon tiers of seats. The same word is used in the Greek classics of a large army of foot soldiers.

Paul says that we will be caught up. The Greek word translated "caught up" has a number of meanings which give us some important information regarding the Rapture. The word is harpazo. It means "to carry off by force." And this gives us the reason why the Lord Jesus will descend to 6,403 feet above the earth. Satan and his kingdom of demons occupy this lower atmosphere. Paul speaks of him as "the prince of the power of the air" (Eph 2:2), and uses the Greek word aer which speaks of the lower, denser atmosphere in which we live. The demons inhabit this portion of the atmosphere around the earth in order that they may prey upon Christian believers. They attempt to disrupt the workings of the Church, spoil the testimony and service of Christians, and prevent the unsaved from receiving the Lord Jesus as Saviour. They are trying to insulate the Church from heaven. At the time of the Rapture, they will attempt to keep the Church from going up to heaven with the Lord Jesus. Jesus of Nazareth will exert His omnipotent power in taking the saints with Him to heaven through the kingdoms of Satan, and against his power and that of his demons.

The word harpazo also means "to rescue from the danger of destruction." That means that the Church will be caught up to heaven before the seven year period of great tribulation occurs on earth. By the Church here we do not mean the visible organized present-day church composed of believers and unbelievers, but only those in the visible church whose Christian profession will stand the test of actual possession of salvation. The nominal Christian, that person merely identified with the visible church by membership, and not possessing a living faith in the Lord Jesus as Saviour, will be left on earth to go through the terrible times of the Great Tribulation.

As to the pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church, more might be said. The divine analysis of the Book of the Revelation "the things seen" (the Patmos vision of the Lord Jesus), chapter one; "the things that are" (the Church Age), chapters two and three; "the things which shall be after these things" (events happening after the Church Age), chapters four to twenty two, found in Rev 1:19 of the Revelation, indicates that the Church will be caught up before the tribulation period begins. Chapters six to nineteen describe that period. These events take place after the Church Age. Again, the promise given the Missionary Church which is in existence today and which blends with the last age of Church history, the Laodicean, to the effect that God will keep that Church from the hour of "the testing" (Rev 3:10), namely, the tribulation period, also indicates a pre-tribulation rapture.

Again, there is nothing in Scripture which indicates that the Church will either enter or pass through the tribulation. Israel is given many signs which will warn her of the near approach of that period (Matt. 24), but the Gospels and epistles are entirely devoid of any sign given to the Church. The epistles speak of the Day of Christ Jesus (Php 1:6), an expression not found in the Old Testament or the Gospels. This is a day to which the Church is to look forward with joy. It is the end of the pathway of the Christian Church. If this day does not occur before the tribulation, then there is no place for it in the prophetic calendar of events which will take place during or after that period.

The Great Tribulation period is a time when the divine wrath is to be visited upon earth-dwellers, particularly upon Israel. But the promise to the Church is that it has been delivered from the wrath to come (1Th 1:9-10; 1Th 5:8; Rom 5:9). The Bible expressly states who will be the objects of the divine wrath during the tribulation period, namely, Israel and the ungodly of the Gentile nations. If the Church were destined to suffer, surely, the Bible would make note of that fact along with the mention of the above two companies of individuals. The biblical attitude of the believer is one of waiting for the glorification of his body (Rom 8:23), and of looking for the Saviour (Php 3:20-21, 1Th 1:9-10). The language is clear that the believer is to expect Him at any moment, not look for Him in connection with some predicted event for which signs have been given to Israel and not to the Church.

To teach that the Church will go through the tribulation period, is to nullify the biblical teaching of the imminent coming of the Lord Jesus for the Church. Events on earth are not yet in readiness for the Great Tribulation. Indeed, at this writing (1951), that period cannot come for years yet. But the Lord may return for His Church at any moment. Paul (Php 4:5), Peter (1Pe 1:13-15), and John (1Jn 3:2-3) all make the imminent coming of the Lord for the Church a ground of appeal for holy living and diligent service.

Finally, Paul in 2Th 2:1-12, states that the day of the Lord (the Great Tribulation), cannot come unless the departure of the Church from the earth comes first. There are four days in Scripture; the day of man ("man’s judgment," 1Co 4:3), today, when man has his day under the permissive will of God; the day of Christ (Php 1:6), when Christ has His day, the Rapture, when He comes for His Bride; the day of the Lord (2Th 2:2, best Greek texts, not day of Christ, but day of Lord), when the Lord has His day of judgment, the tribulation period and the Millennium; the day of God (2Pe 3:12), the Millennium merging into eternity. In our 2 Thessalonian passage, Paul is speaking of the Great Tribulation. Someone had written a letter to the Thessalonian church, stating that the period of the Great Tribulation was then present, and had forged Paul’s name to the document. The great apostle calms their fears by saying that that day cannot come until "a falling away" (A. V.) comes first. The Greek word translated "falling away" has as one of its meanings, "a departure." The definite article appears before it in the original text. This word is used in other places in the New Testament, and in these places the context indicates that from which the departure is made. But here there is no such information. It follows that this particular departure must have been in the teaching of Paul to the Thessalonian saints, and was known by them and him. Paul had taught them about the Rapture in 1Th 4:13-18. The context speaks of the Holy Spirit, the One who restrains iniquity on earth through the Church, leaving the earth for heaven (2Th 2:7, "letteth," old English for "restrain"). When He takes His departure, the Church must go with Him, for He indwells the Church. The words "falling away" are an interpretation of the Greek word, not a translation. Furthermore, no apostasy would withhold the coming of Antichrist and the Great Tribulation, but on the other hand, would prepare for the coming of both. Thus, the departure of the Church precedes the Great Tribulation. The Church will thus be rescued from the danger of destruction.

The word harpazo is used of divine power transferring a person marvellously and swiftly from one place to another. It refers here to the act of the Lord Jesus taking with Him to heaven all believers from Adam’s time to the Rapture. How long will it take the Church to traverse that immense distance between earth and heaven? If the Church travelled 186,000 miles per second, it would take 500,000,000 years to reach heaven. The only solution to the problem is that it will go to heaven with the speed of thought. If it went any slower, the time consumed would be enormous. Believers will have new powers of locomotion in eternity. A supernatural "carpet" will whisk them to any part of the universe in an instant of time.

Again, harpazo means "to claim for one’s self eagerly." Here, the great Bridegroom of the Church, comes from heaven to claim His Bride, the Church, and take her to Himself. Finally, the word means "to snatch out and away." This tells us that the Rapture will occur so suddenly that it will take the Church by surprise.

Some day soon that great event will take place. How soon? It cannot be far off. Glance down Bible history for a moment. It is significant that God has been in the habit of doing some great thing with reference to salvation, at the turn of a millennium or of two millenniums. The date of Adam is approximately 4,000 B. C. The plan of salvation in which God the Judge was to step down from His judgment throne to take upon Himself the guilt and penalty of human sin in order that He might satisfy His justice, maintain His government, and at the same time open the flood-gates of mercy to lost sinners, was pre-figured in the sacrifices which He instituted when He made coats of skins and clothed Adam and Eve. The initial step in the fulfillment of this plan He took 2,000 B. C., when He called Abraham to be the progenitor of the Jewish nation from which would come the Saviour who would die and pay for sin. The next step He took in 1,000 B. C, when He started the dynasty of David, from which line of kings the Messiah and Saviour would come. The next step was taken in A. D. 1, when God, in the Person of His Son came to earth, became incarnate in the human race by virgin birth, and died on Calvary’s Cross, the substitutionary atonement for sin. That was His first Advent. The second Advent of the Son of God is predicted in Scripture. All indications point to the fact that the second Advent is near at hand. The Church has been in existence almost two thousand years. It would seem logical that God would repeat His custom of doing something of great importance at or near the turn of these two millenniums, that is, within the next half-century or so. That would be His coming to earth a second time. But the Rapture must take place before the second Advent. All of which means that we are fast approaching the wind-up of things. The Rapture should occur within the next fifty years or so. It could occur at any moment.

Or, look at this matter from the standpoint of Church history. The second and third chapters of The Revelation, contain the history of the Church, divided into seven periods or ages. They are as follows: The Apostolic Church, A. D. 33-96; The Martyr Church, A. D. 96-316; The State Church, A. D. 316-500; The Papal Church, A. D., 500-; The Reformation Church, A. D., 1500-; The Missionary Church, A. D., 1793-; The Apostate Church, now. We are living in the seventh and last age of the Church history. The Rapture will close the Church Age. So near are we to that great event.

Gentle reader. Are you ready for the coming of the Lord Jesus to take His Church with Him to heaven? If you have never seen yourself as a lost sinner and Jesus Christ as the Saviour of sinners, and never by an act of heart-faith put your trust in Him as your Saviour from sin through His precious blood, you are not ready for His coming. Should He come while you are in that state, you will be left on earth to go through the terrible times of suffering and affliction. But you can be ready. The day of grace is not over yet. He will receive you if you come to Him in faith believing.

Perchance, the reader is a saved individual. Are you ready for His coming? Is there anything between yourself and the Lord Jesus that would prevent communion with Him? Are you in the center of His will, living a life of constant yieldedness to the Holy Spirit?

What Did The Angel Call Gideon?

Judges 6:12  

And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, The Lord is with you, you mighty man of [fearless] courage. 

Judges 6:12

Thou mighty man of valor - Known to God to be such, though as yet not known to be such either by himself or his countrymen (compare Luk 1:28, Luk 1:30

There is somewhat very striking in this short conversation; short as it is, it conveys much more than the mere words express. If this angel was, as the whole sense of the passage seems to intimate, the Lord Jesus, it is very true indeed, that the Lord was with him. The answer is also as striking: for according to the Chaldee reading of it, the words are,

 If the Shechinah, (the well known character of the promised seed of the Lord) be our help, why then is all this befallen us? Reader! remark how common it is in all ages for the Lord’s people to be a tried people. And Reader! add this other remark to the observation; if the Lord’s people be a sinning people, their offences shall be visited with rods. Psa 89:30-31. 

Signs of the End of the Age

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Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple

Mat 24:1-31.  JESUS DEPARTED from the temple  N1 area and was going on His way when His disciples came up to Him to call His attention to the buildings of the temple and point them out to Him.

2  But He answered them, Do you see all these? Truly I tell you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.

Signs of the End of the Age

3  While He was seated on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately and said, Tell us, when will this take place, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end (the completion, the consummation) of the age?

4  Jesus answered them, Be careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error].

5 For many will come in (on the strength of) My name [ N1 appropriating the name which belongs to Me], saying, I am the Christ (the Messiah), and they will lead many astray.

6  And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened or troubled, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.

7  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in place after place;

8  All this is but the beginning [the early pains] of the  N1 birth pangs [of the  N2 intolerable anguish].

9  Then they will hand you over to suffer affliction and tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.

10  And then many will be offended and repelled and will  N1 begin to distrust and desert [Him Whom they ought to trust and obey] and will stumble and fall away and betray one another and pursue one another with hatred.

11  And many false prophets will rise up and deceive and lead many into error.

12  And the love of  the great body of people will grow cold because of the multiplied lawlessness and iniquity,

13  But he who endures to the end will be saved.

14  And this good news of the kingdom (the Gospel) will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then will come the end.

The Abomination of Desolation

15  So when you see the appalling sacrilege [the abomination that astonishes and makes desolate], spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the Holy Place--let the reader take notice and  N1 ponder and consider and heed [this]--[Dan 9:27; Dan 11:31; Dan 12:11]

16  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains;

17  Let him who is on the housetop not come down and go into the house to take anything;

18  And let him who is in the field not turn back to get his overcoat.

19  And alas for the women who are pregnant and for those who have nursing babies in those days!

20  Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath.

21  For then there will be great tribulation (affliction, distress, and oppression) such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now--no, and never will be [again]. [Dan 12:1; Joe 2:2]

22  And if those days had not been shortened, no human being would endure and survive, but for the sake of the elect (God's chosen ones) those days will be shortened.

23  If anyone says to you then, Behold, here is the Christ (the Messiah)! or, There He is!--do not believe it.

24  For false Christs and false prophets will arise, and they will show great signs and wonders so as to deceive and lead astray, if possible, even the elect (God's chosen ones).

25  See, I have warned you beforehand.

26  So if they say to you, Behold, He is in the wilderness (desert)--do not go out there; if they tell you, Behold, He is in the secret places or inner rooms--do not believe it.

27  For just as the lightning flashes from the east and shines and  N1 is seen as far as the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

28  Wherever there is a fallen body (a corpse), there the vultures (or eagles) will flock together. [Job 39:30]

The Coming of the Son of Man

29  Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. [Isa 13:10; Isa 34:4; Joe 2:10-11; Zep 1:15]

30  Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn and  N1 beat their breasts and lament in anguish, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory [in brilliancy and splendor]. [Dan 7:13; Rev 1:7]

31  And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect (His chosen ones) from the four winds, [even] from one end of the  N1 universe to the other. [Isa 27:13; Zec 9:14]

Matthew 24:15-28

C. The Great Tribulation (24:15-28)

Matthew 24:3-14

B. The First Half of the Tribulation (24:3-14)

Matthew 24:1-2

XIII. THE KING'S OLIVET DISCOURSE (Chaps. 24, 25)

Chapters 24 and 25 form what is known as the Olivet Discourse, so named because this important pronouncement was given on the Mount of Olives. The discourse is entirely prophetic; it points forward to the Tribulation Period and the Lord's Second Coming. It primarily, though not exclusively, concerns the nation of Israel. Its locale is obviously Palestine; for example, “let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains” (Mat 24:16). Its setting is distinctly Jewish; for example, “Pray that your flight may not be ... on the Sabbath” (Mat 24:20). The reference to the elect (Mat 24:22) should be understood as God's Jewish elect, not the church. The church is not found in either the prophecies or parables of the discourse, as we shall seek to demonstrate.

A. Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple (24:1, 2)

The discourse is introduced by the significant statement that Jesus went out and departed from the temple This movement is especially significant in view of the words He had just uttered, “ ... your house is left to you desolate” (Mat 23:38). It reminds us of Ezekiel's description of the glory departing from the temple (Eze 9:3; Eze 10:4; Eze 11:23).

The disciples wanted the Lord to admire the architectural beauty of the temple with them. They were occupied with the transient instead of the eternal, concerned with shadows rather than substance. Jesus warned that the building would be so completely destroyed that not one stone would be left on top of another. Titus tried unsuccessfully to save the temple, but his soldiers put it to the torch, thus fulfilling Christ's prophecy. When the fire melted the gold trim, the molten metal ran down between the stones. To get at it, the soldiers had to remove the stones one by one, just as our Lord predicted. This judgment was executed in a.d. 70 when the Romans under Titus sacked Jerusalem.

24:3 After Jesus had crossed over to the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately and asked Him three questions:

1. When would these things happen; that is, when would the temple be destroyed?

2. What would be the sign of His coming; that is, what supernatural event would precede His return to the earth to set up His kingdom?

3. What would be the sign of the end of the age; that is, what would announce the end of the age immediately prior to His glorious reign? (The second and third questions are essentially the same.)

We must remember that these Jewish disciples' thinking revolved around the glorious age of the Messiah on earth. They were not thinking about Christ's coming for the church; they knew little if anything about this phase of His coming. Their expectation was His coming in power and glory to destroy His enemies and rule over the world.

Also we should be clear that they were not talking about the end of the world (as in the KJV), but the end of the age (Greek, aion).

Their first question is not answered directly. Rather the Savior seems to merge the siege of Jerusalem in a.d. 70 (see Luk 21:20-24) with a similar siege that will occur in the latter days. In the study of prophecy, we often see the Lord moving almost imperceptibly from an early, partial fulfillment to a later, final fulfillment.

The second and third questions are answered in verses 4-44 of chapter 24. These verses describe the seven year Tribulation Period which will precede Christ's glorious Advent. The first three and one-half years are described in verses 4-14. The final three and one-half years, known as the Great Tribulation and the Time of Jacob's Trouble (Jer 30:7), will be a time of unprecedented suffering for those on earth.

Many of the conditions characterizing the first half of the Tribulation have existed to an extent throughout human history, but will appear in greatly intensified form during the period under discussion. Those in the church have been promised tribulation (Joh 16:33), but this is far different from the Tribulation which will be poured out on a world that has rejected God's Son.

We believe that the church will be taken out of the world (1Th 4:13-18) before the day of God's wrath begins (1Th 1:10; 1Th 5:9; 2Th 2:1-12; Rev 3:10).

24:4, 5 During the first half of the Tribulation, many false messiahs will appear who will succeed in deceiving multitudes. The current rise of many false cults may be a prelude to this, but it is not a fulfillment. These false religious leaders will be Jews claiming to be the Christ.

24:6, 7 There will be wars and rumors of wars. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. It would be easy to think that we are seeing this fulfilled today, but what we see is mild compared to what will be. Actually the next event in God's time schedule is the Rapture of the church (Joh 14:1-6; 1Co 15:51-57). There is no prophecy to be fulfilled before then. After the church is removed, God's prophetic clock will begin and these conditions will quickly manifest themselves. Famines, pestilences, and earthquakes will occur in various parts of the earth. Even today world leaders are alarmed by the specter of famine due to the population explosion. But this will be accentuated by the shortages caused by wars.

Earthquakes are attracting increasing attention—not only those now occurring but also those that are expected. Once again, these are straws in the wind, and not the actual fulfillment of our Savior's words.

24:8 Verse 8 clearly identifies this period as the beginning of sorrows—the onset of birth-pangs which will bring forth a new order under Israel's Messiah-King.

24:9, 10 Faithful believers will experience great personal testing during the Tribulation. The nations will conduct a bitter hate campaign against all who are true to Him. Not only will they be tried in religious and civil courts (Mar 13:9), but many will be martyred because they refuse to recant. While such testings have occurred during all periods of Christian testimony, this seems to have particular reference to the 144,000 Jewish believers who will have a special ministry during this period.

Many will apostatize rather than suffer and die. Family members will inform against their own relatives and betray them into the hands of bestial persecutors.

24:11 Many false prophets will appear and deceive hordes of people. These are not to be confused with the false messiahs of verse 5. False prophets claim to be spokesmen for God. They can be detected in two ways: their prophecies do not always come to pass, and their teachings always lead men away from the true God. The mention of false prophets adds confirmation to our statement that the Tribulation is primarily Jewish in character. False prophets are associated with the nation of Israel; in the church the danger comes from false teachers (2Pe 2:1).

24:12 With wickedness rampaging, human affections will be less and less evident. Acts of unlove will be commonplace.

24:13 “But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” This obviously does not mean that men's souls will be saved at that time by their enduring; salvation is always presented in the Bible as a gift of God's grace, received by faith in Christ's substitutionary death and resurrection. Neither can it mean that all who endure will escape physical harm; we have already learned that many believers will be martyred (v. 9). It is a general statement that those who stand fast, enduring persecution without apostatizing, will be delivered at Christ's Second Advent. No one should imagine that apostasy will be a means of escape or safety. Only those who have true faith shall be saved. Although saving faith may have lapses, it always has the quality of permanence.

24:14 During this period, the gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed worldwide, as a witness to all nations. As explained in the notes on Mat 4:23, the gospel of the kingdom is the good news that Christ is coming to set up His kingdom on earth, and that those who receive Him by faith during the Tribulation will enjoy the blessings of His Millennial Reign.

Verse 14 is often misused to show that Christ could not return for His church at any moment because so many tribes have not yet heard the gospel. The difficulty is removed when we realize that this refers to His coming with His saints, rather than for His saints. And this refers to the gospel of the kingdom, not the gospel of the grace of God (see notes on Mat 4:23).

There is a striking parallel between the events listed in verses 3-14 and those of Rev 6:1-11. The rider on the white horse—false messiah; the rider of the red horse—war; the rider of the black horse—famine; the rider of the pale horse—pestilence or death. The souls under the altar are martyrs. The events described in Rev 6:12-17 are linked with those in Mat 24:19-31.

24:15 At this point we have come to the middle of the Tribulation. We know this by comparing verse 15 with Dan 9:27. Daniel predicted that in the middle of the seventieth week, that is, at the end of three and a half years, an idolatrous image would be set up in the holy place, i.e., the temple in Jerusalem. All men will be ordered to worship this abominable idol. Failure to comply will be punishable by death (Rev 13:15).

“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand). ... The erection of the idol will be the signal to those who know the Word of God that the Great Tribulation has begun. Note that the Lord wants the one who reads the prophecy to understand it.

24:16 Those who are in Judea should flee to the mountains; in the vicinity of Jerusalem their refusal to bow to the image would be quickly detected.

24:17-19 Utmost haste will be necessary. If a man is sitting on the housetop, he should leave all his possessions behind. Time spent in gathering belongings might mean the difference between life and death. The man working in the field should not return for his clothes, wherever he may have left them. Pregnant women and nursing mothers will be at a distinct disadvantage—it will be hard for them to make a speedy escape.

24:20 Believers should pray that the crisis will not come in winter with its added travel hazards, and that it will not come on the Sabbath, when the distance they could travel would be limited by law (Exo 16:29). A Sabbath day's journey would not be enough to take them out of the danger area.

24:21 “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.” This description isolates the period from all the inquisitions, pogroms, purges, massacres, and genocides of history. This prophecy could not have been fulfilled by any previous persecutions because it is clearly stated that it will be ended by the Second Advent of Christ.

24:22 The tribulation will be so intense that unless those days were shortened, nobody would survive. This cannot mean that the Great Tribulation, so often specified as lasting three and a half years, will be shortened. It probably means that God will miraculously shorten the daylight hours—during which most fighting and slaughter occur. For the elect's sake, (those who have received Jesus) the Lord will grant the respite of earlier darkness.

24:23-26 Verses 23 and 24 contain renewed warnings against false messiahs and false prophets. In an atmosphere of crisis, reports will circulate that the Messiah is in some secret location. Such reports could be used to trap those who sincerely and lovingly look for Christ. So the Lord warns all disciples not to believe reports of a local, secret Advent. Even those who perform miracles are not necessarily from God; miracles can be satanic in origin. The Man of Sin will be given satanic power to perform miracles (2Th 2:9-10).

24:27 Christ's Advent will be un mistakable—it will be sudden, public, universal, and glorious. Like the lightning, it will be instantly and clearly visible to all.

24:28 And no moral corruption will escape its fury and judgment. “For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.” The carcass pictures apostate Judaism, Christendom, and the whole world system that is leagued against God and His Christ. The eagles or vultures typify the judgments of God which will be unleashed in connection with the Messiah's appearing.

Matthew 24:29-31

D. The Second Advent (24:29-31)

24:29 At the close of the Great Tribulation there will be terrifying disturbances in the heavens. The sun will be darkened, and since the moon's light is only a reflection of the sun's, the moon will also withhold its light. The stars will plunge from heaven and planets will be moved out of their orbits. Needless to say, such vast cosmic upheavals will affect the weather, tides, and seasons on earth.

A faint idea of what it will be like is given in Velikovsky's description of what would happen if a heavenly body came close to the earth and caused it to tilt on its axis:

At that moment an earthquake would make the earth shudder. Air and water would continue to move through inertia; hurricanes would sweep the earth and the seas would rush over continents, carrying gravel and sand and marine animals, and casting them on the land. Heat would be developed, rocks would melt, volcanoes would erupt, lava would flow from fissures in the ruptured ground and cover vast areas. Mountains would spring up from the plains and would travel and climb on the shoulders of other mountains, causing faults and rifts. Lakes would be tilted and emptied, rivers would change their beds; large land areas with all their inhabitants would slip under the sea. Forests would burn and the hurricane and wild seas would wrest them from the ground on which they grew and pile them, branch and root, in huge heaps. Seas would turn into deserts, their waters flowing away.

24:30 “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven.” We are not told what this sign will be. His First Advent was accompanied by a sign in heaven—the star. Perhaps a miracle star will also announce His Second Coming. Some believe the Son of Man is Himself the sign. Whatever is meant, it will be clear to all when it appears. All the tribes of the earth will mourn—no doubt because of their rejection of Him. But primarily the tribes of the land will mourn—the twelve tribes of Israel. “... then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn” (Zec 12:10).

Then “they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” What a wonderful moment! The One who was spit upon and crucified will be vindicated as the Lord of life and glory. The meek and lowly Jesus will appear as Jehovah Himself. The sacrificial Lamb will descend as the conquering Lion. The despised Carpenter of Nazareth will come as King of kings and Lord of lords. His chariots will be the clouds of heaven. He will come in regal power and splendor—the moment for which creation has groaned for thousands of years.

24:31 When He descends, He will send His angels throughout the earth to gather together His elect people, believing Israel, to the land of Palestine. From all the earth they will gather to greet their Messiah and to enjoy His glorious reign.