The Word This Week
Mark 13:1…
The Olivette Discourse, like many other Biblical prophecies of future events, is the intermingling – or the intertwining of multiple eras - and can only be fully understood by noting the time references referred to by Jesus are both near-term and far-distant.
We see here Jesus has been spoken to about the majesty of Herod’s Temple, which was indeed both marvelous and majestic. It was not yet complete in Jesus’ day, but it was nearing completion after many decades of construction, and it was a sight to behold. It is said the sun gleamed off the white marble façade so brightly you could not look directly at the Temple when the sun was shining. It was massive in scale, covering 17 acres of the Temple Mount.
Jesus was not impressed, and He immediately spoke of its demise, which would be so complete, “Not one stone shall be left upon another.”
You can imagine how taken aback His disciples must have been by that startling statement…
Which prompted Peter, James, John, and Andrew to ask Jesus when this would take place, and what would be the signs leading up to its devastation.
Jesus responds with a panorama of Biblical prophecy encompassing Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, Malachi, and the yet-future Books of John, 1st Corinthians, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, and of course, The Revelation of Jesus Christ.
The Olivette Discourse can only be fully understood in the light of all these Old Testament and New Testament prophecies. (Jesus lays the groundwork for all New Testament prophecy here, because the New Testament hasn’t been written yet.)
Jesus speaks of the destruction of the Temple, which will take place in 70AD. But revealed typologically in this devastation and death of thousands of Jews is what will take place during The Tribulation – which is yet future to our time. So, in the same way the Book of Isaiah prophecies the first AND second comings of the Jewish Messiah – Who is Jesus, the Christ – Jesus’ Olivette Discourse speaks of these distinct periods of time all compressed in one speech.
Herein we find prophesied the destruction of Herod’s Temple and Jerusalem in 70AD, the Rapture of The Church, (yet future to us,) The Tribulation and Great Tribulation, (yet future to us,) and the Second Coming of Christ to rule and reign upon the earth for a thousand years, (yet future to us.)
Those who seek to allegorize or ignore what Jesus presents here as literal events do so to their own peril.
Pastor Bill
The Olivette Discourse, like many other Biblical prophecies of future events, is the intermingling – or the intertwining of multiple eras - and can only be fully understood by noting the time references referred to by Jesus are both near-term and far-distant.
We see here Jesus has been spoken to about the majesty of Herod’s Temple, which was indeed both marvelous and majestic. It was not yet complete in Jesus’ day, but it was nearing completion after many decades of construction, and it was a sight to behold. It is said the sun gleamed off the white marble façade so brightly you could not look directly at the Temple when the sun was shining. It was massive in scale, covering 17 acres of the Temple Mount.
Jesus was not impressed, and He immediately spoke of its demise, which would be so complete, “Not one stone shall be left upon another.”
You can imagine how taken aback His disciples must have been by that startling statement…
Which prompted Peter, James, John, and Andrew to ask Jesus when this would take place, and what would be the signs leading up to its devastation.
Jesus responds with a panorama of Biblical prophecy encompassing Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, Malachi, and the yet-future Books of John, 1st Corinthians, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, and of course, The Revelation of Jesus Christ.
The Olivette Discourse can only be fully understood in the light of all these Old Testament and New Testament prophecies. (Jesus lays the groundwork for all New Testament prophecy here, because the New Testament hasn’t been written yet.)
Jesus speaks of the destruction of the Temple, which will take place in 70AD. But revealed typologically in this devastation and death of thousands of Jews is what will take place during The Tribulation – which is yet future to our time. So, in the same way the Book of Isaiah prophecies the first AND second comings of the Jewish Messiah – Who is Jesus, the Christ – Jesus’ Olivette Discourse speaks of these distinct periods of time all compressed in one speech.
Herein we find prophesied the destruction of Herod’s Temple and Jerusalem in 70AD, the Rapture of The Church, (yet future to us,) The Tribulation and Great Tribulation, (yet future to us,) and the Second Coming of Christ to rule and reign upon the earth for a thousand years, (yet future to us.)
Those who seek to allegorize or ignore what Jesus presents here as literal events do so to their own peril.
Pastor Bill