Jesus has foretold in His Olivet Discourse “a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will”. As we have seen, while such words certainly describe a time of unprecedented distress, such as happened when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman army in 70 AD, they…
In His Olivet Discourse, Jesus has warned His disciples of the urgency of fleeing whenever they should see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, and the woe that will befall those who cannot make haste. And yet, while the forthcoming day of the Lord is certain, still He bids them to pray…
Recall that Jesus has warned about the importance of making all haste to escape in that day when His disciples should see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, and the woe to those who cannot make haste; see Mat 24:15-21. In what way would the winter make it difficult to flee and…
On the Mount of Olives after forsaking the temple mount and leaving it desolate of His Spirit, Christ is answering His disciples’ request for a sign of His coming that will also result in that house’s physical desolation and mark the end of that age of the Jews (Mat 24:1-3). Lest they too be swept…
Recall that Jesus has warned His disciples that when they see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place they must not delay but make their escape with all urgency lest they too be swept away in the coming judgment. “Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things that…
Jesus is on the Mount of Olives returning to Bethany after forsaking the temple to those who had rejected Him as their Messiah. As a consequence of that temple’s spiritual desolation it would also in time be so physically desolated that not one stone would be left upon another (Mat 23:38-24:3). In response to the…
Recall that in response to their request Jesus has just provided His disciples a key sign by which they will know to escape the destruction that will overtake His enemies when He comes in judgment to establish His promised kingdom. This sign was “the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be” (Mar 13:14)—that…
What is meant by a desolation? See Isa 1:7, 13:9, Jer 6:8, etc… Of what in particular had Jesus just spoken that would be left desolate, and that prompted this whole discourse? See Mat 23:38; cf. Lev 26:31-35, Isa 64:10-11. Throughout Jeremiah and Ezekiel who both prophesied before and during the fall of Jerusalem and…
Recall that upon forsaking the temple to those who would have their own worldly spirit fill it rather than God’s, Jesus predicted its destruction, prompting His disciples to come to Him on the Mount of Olives and ask Him for a sign for when such things would take place. They were looking forward to His…
Recall that in response to His prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple Jesus is answering His disciples’ request for a sign for when such things would take place, which they also associated with His coming and the end of the age (Mat 24:3). In addition to the false Christs and false prophets…