Christ's Return!
(An in Depth Discussion from Matthew 24 and Luke 21)
by Brig. Gen. Jack Mohr, AUS RET."When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads: for your redemption draweth night." (Luke 21:28)
HIS RETURN!
What Does Christ Say About It?Thousands of books have been written about Christ's Second Coming. Bible scholars and prophetic preachers have studied and speculated on how it will fake place. Cults have risen over their interpretation of scripture and in the mid-1800's, in Scotland, a young Scottish girl had a vision, in which she saw the rapture of the saints. This so impressed the head of the Brethren church that he began to preach it throughout England. From there, it was brought to the United States and taught by C. I. Scofield in his edition of the Bible, whose footnotes are almost looked on as Holy Writ by many fundamentalists.
C. S. Lovett, a modern Rapturist, in his latest book on the last days, p.23, says, quoting from a U.S. News and World Report, of February 2, 1979: "It is estimated that Moscow cannot continue pouring its income into arms for another five years. By then, the country will have been so drained, she could face revolt from within. At the very least, say the experts, her production would come to a standstill through decay. THEREFORE SHE MUST MOVE SOON! If she doesn't, her huge arms buildup and military superiority will be meaningless." That was written eight years ago, and Russia, today, is stronger than ever before.
Moshe Dayan, the Israeli general looked at the situation in the Middle East and predicted that Russia would move against the Israeli before the end of 1983, that was four years ago and they have not moved yet.
Lovett says that the prophet Ezekiel, around 587 B.C. had a vision concerning Russia, and that the Bible foresaw her huge army rising up and coming against the tiny state of Israel. Yet look where the Soviet missiles are aimed. They are not aimed at Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, but at the strategic cities in the nations of Christendom, which I believe are the Israel nations.
Then Lovett goes on to make a rather stupid prediction on page 27, when he states: "In my opinion, dear reader, the destruction of the armies of Russia against the mountains of Israel (Old Palestine) is the NEXT BIG EVENT IN PROPHECY! It will probably occur within the next few years." (Remember this book was written in 1980.) If Lovett had been living in the time of Ancient Israel, he would have been put to death as a false prophet. In Deuteronomy 18:22 we read this instruction to the ancient Israelites: "When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord (Lovett says, p.13 -"If you have no prophetic convictions or you're hazy on the subject, accept mine - at least until the Spirit leads you to somewhat motivate you even more." I can assure you this has been the case with me), if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hast spoken it presumptiously; thou shalt not be afraid of him." That word "presumptiously", comes from the Hebrew word "zadow," - 2037 - meaning: "arrogantly; with pride."
The belief in the Rapture theory can be fatal to Christians, for the Bible tells us that at this time, Christians will not be able to "buy nor sell in the market place." This means they will have to be self-supporting. They will need to have skills that they can barter off for food and clothing. If Christians feel that there might be a day coming soon when their family would go hungry, don't you think most of them would make some preparation now? Predictions from the Bible in many places show that Christians will be under terrible persecution during the tribulation period; they will not be off at some big "party in the sky." We are already entering that period of persecution, anyone intelligent enough to read the daily newspaper can see this.
But my intention is not to argue about the Jewish promoted fable of a Rapture, pro or con. It is to point out what Jesus said Himself, about this period which is under argument. This should end all argument for anyone who loves Him, after all, He should be the final authority, not some Bible scholar, or prophetic preacher who tries to translate what he believes Christ meant.
The two most important passages in the Bible concerning these "end times," or "end of the ages, would be a better term to use, can be found in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. I will discuss Matthew 24 verse by verse, to show you what Jesus really said, then discuss the slight differences found in Luke 21, which in no way change or distort the Matthew account.
As you study this with me, ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten you to the truth. I do not claim to have all the truth regarding these verses, or even a special revelation concerning them. I am trying to point out what the scripture says, not what some Bible scholar says it says.
Matthew 24:1 - And Jesus (Mark 13:1; Luke 21:7) went and departed from the temple; and His disciples came to Him for to show Him the buildings of the temple.
2 - And Jesus said unto them, see ye not all these things? (the temple buildings), verily (surely), I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down." (This was referred to in 1 Kings 9:7 - "Then will I (God), cut off Israel out of the land that I have given them; and this house (the temple), which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel (not the Jews) shall be a proverb and a byword among all people." The temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. by the Roman forces under Titus and was never rebuilt. The Jews, who now seek to rebuild it are the false usurpers of Revelations 2:9; 3:9 and Malachi 1:2-4. In Jeremiah 26:18, we read further of this event: ". . . Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Zion (Old Jerusalem) shall be in heaps, and the mountains of the house as the high places of the forest." Micah 3:12 - "Therefore shall Zion . . . be a plowed field, and Jerusalem (Old city) shall become heaps, and the mountains of the house, as the high places of the forest. Luke 19:44 - "And they shall lay thee (old Jerusalem) even with the ground, and thy children with thee; [over 1-million Jews perished in the siege of Old Jerusalem] and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.) [It is interesting to note that the Roman soldiers literally dismantled the temple, stone by stone, during the siege. No Christians died in this attack, for they believed what Christ had told them and fled for refuge to the City of Pella in the Dead Sea area, while the unbelieving Jews remained behind to be slaughtered.]
3 - And as He (Jesus) sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples (see Mark 13:3) came unto Him saying, tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and the end of the world? (Age). (See 1 Thessalonians 5:1) - the Apostle Paul speaking: "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.")
4 - And Jesus answered and said unto them, take heed that no man deceive (fool) you. (Ephesians 5:6 -"Let no man deceive you with vain words; for because of these things [deception] cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." Colossians 2:8 -"Beware lest any man soil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments [Greek "stoichheion" - 4747 meaning: "fundamentals; principles.] of the world and not after Christ . . ." 2 Thessalonians 2:3 - "let no man deceive you by any means; for that day [The day of the Lord's return], shall not come accept there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition." 1 John 4:1 - "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world.")
5 - For many shall come in my name (Christ's) saying, I am Christ; (see vs. 24) - "For there shall rise false Christ's, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." [These elect are not Jews, since the word is never used in either Old or New Testament to refer to these people. It is always reserved to God's special people; in the New Testament, especially those who have been "born from above."] [Jeremiah 14:14] ". . . The prophets prophecy lies in my name (God's): I sent them not, neither have I spoke unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their hearts;" [John 5:43] - "I (Christ) am come in my Father's name, and ye (Jews) received me not; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive") and shall deceive many. (See verse 11).
6 - And ye (spoken to Christian Israelites) shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet," ("End" - Greek - 5056 - "telos" meaning: "the termination of an act of time.") For nation (Isaiah 19:2-"... And they shall fight every one against his brother, and everyone against his neighbor: city against city, and kingdom against kingdom." [Haggai 2:22] - "And I (God) will overthrow the throne of the kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdom of the heathen; ["heathen" - Hebrew -1471 - "goy" meaning: foreign, non-Israel people. The Jewish encyclopedia states: "The tribe of Judah is a non-Israelite tribe."] and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and the riders shall come down every one by the sword of his brother." [Zechariah 14:13] - "And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from the Lord shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the hand of his neighbor, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of his neighbor.") for shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers (different) places.
8 - All these things are the beginnings of sorrows (We have already seen many of these things happen. Would you call AIDS a pestilence?)
9 - Then at this, (see Matthew 10:17) - "But beware of men; for they will deliver you (Christians) up to the (Jewish) councils and they will scourge you in the synagogues." [Positive identification of those who will persecute Christians. Yet our pastors call them "God's Chosen." It should be noticed that the persecution of Christian Patriots in particular, especially of Identity Christians, is being pushed by the Anti-Defamation League of the Jewish B'nai B'rith. For all intents and purposes, this alien organization has become an official part of the U.S. Department of Justice]. Luke 21:12 - "But before all these, they [speaking of the Jews] shall lay hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the SYNAGOGUES, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake." John 16:2 - "They (Jews) shall put you out of the SYNAGOGUES; yea, the time cometh that whatsoever killeth you will think that he doetli God service." (This hatred for Identity Christians is now being deliberately stirred up in all the nations of Christendom. It is particularly against Christians who oppose the evil of world Zionism.) Then shall they (the Jewish authorities and their Judeo-Christian prostitutes) deliver you up to be afflicted, and they shall kill you: and ye (true "born from above Christians", not the compromisers and Judeophiles) shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
10 - And then shall many (of those who go by the name of Christian) be offended, ("Offended" - 4624 - from the Greek word "skandalizo" meaning: "enticed; stumble; led into apostacy." - 2 Timothy 1:15 -"This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia have turned away from me . . ." 4:10 - "For Demas hath forsaken me having loved this present world." (Or "being enticed by this present world.") and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 - And many false prophets ("False" from the Greek word "pseudo-prophets" - 5578 - meaning: "pretender; a religious imposter." Acts 20:29, 30 -"For I know this, that after my departing, shall grievous wolves enter among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away discipls trafter them." 2 Peter 2:1 - "But there were false prophets among the people, even as there shall be false (pretenders) teachers among you, who privily bring in damnable heresies (the Rapture; Jews are God's Chosen People theory, etc.,) even denying the Lord that bought them, and bringing upon themselves swift destruction." (Have we seen the beginning of this in the swift destruction of the Bakkers and their P.T.L. Club?)
12 - And because iniquity (Greek - "anomia" 485 meaning. violation of God's law; wickedness; unrighteousness) shall abound (Greek - "plethuno" -4129 - meaning. increase; multiply") the love of many shall wax cold (Greek - "psucho" - 5594 -meaning: "become chilled or cold").
13 - But he that shall endure (Greek -"hupermeno" - 5578 - meaning. 'to bear; have fortitude; preserver; be patient") unto the end, the same shall be saved. (Greek - "sazo" - 4820 - meaning:- "be preserved; do well; be delivered; be protected." There is no need for a Rapture, since our God is capable )f preserving His people within the "tribulation" just as He did the Hebrew children within the fiery furnace of Daniel 3.)
14 - And this gospel (Matthew 4:23 - "And Jesus went about Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom") shall be preached (Romans 10:18 - "But I say, have they not heard? Yes, verily, their sound went into all the earth, and n brr words unto the ends of the world;" Colossians 1:23 -continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven." (Greek - "ktisis" - 2937 meaning: "created thing." I rather suspect that there may have been a mistake in translation here, since it does not make much sense to preach the gospel to animals, which are certainly created creatures) in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then the end shall come.
15 - When ye therefore (Mark 13:14; Luke 21:20) shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand.) [Daniel 9:27 - "And he (the abomination of desolation) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, (some believe that the Jews will be back in a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, holding animal sacrifices and that the "abomination" will make a covenant, or peace treaty with them) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." Daniel 12:11 - "And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days." Three and a half years.)
16 - Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains.
17 - Let him which is on the house top not come down to take anything out of his house.
18 - Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. (Both of these verses denote extreme danger and the necessity for haste.)
19 - And woe (Greek - "owai" - 3759 meaning: "grief; sorrow) unto them which are with child (pregnant), (Luke 23:29, Jesus speaking: "For behold the days are coming in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps that never gave suck." This actually took place during the Roman siege in 70 A.D., at the fall of Jerusalem.)
20 - But pray that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day.
21 For then (Daniel 9:26 - ". . . and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations." [Hebrew -"shamem" - 8074 meaning: "to be amazed; astonished; be destitute; destroy; lay waste."] are determined." Joel 2:2, 3 - "A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people, and a strong; there hath never been ever like, neither shall be anymore after it, even unto the years of many generations. A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth; the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, nothing shall escape them." (This sounds to me mighty like a nuclear war.) shall be a great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. ("Tribulation" - Greek -"thlipsis" - 2347 meaning: "anguish; persecution; tribulation; trouble.")
22 - And except those days should be shortened, there should be no flesh saved; but for the elect's sake (Isaiah 65:5, 9, ". . . As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I (God) do for my servants (Israel, the elect) sake, that I may not destroy them all. And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah, an inheritor of my mountains (nations), and my servants shall dwell there.") those days shall be shortened. (Again let me reiterate, these "elect" are not the Jews, as most of us have been told, since nowhere in the Bible, Old or New Testament, do you ever find the Jews being called the "elect." This word "elect" is used only four times in the Old Testament, all in the book of Isaiah. Isaiah 45:4 says: "For Jacob my servants sake, and for ISRAEL MY ELECT, I have even called thee by my name [notice very carefully now], I (God) have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me." This surname is now CHRISTIAN. Those who have accepted Jesus as their king, are now the ELECT and they come from both Israel and outside Israel. Isaiah 45:22 tells us: "Look unto me (God) and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else."
The "elect" which will be saved out of the tribulation of the last days, and not by a Rapture, will be those who have put there trust in Jesus Christ. While some continue to argue that Christ will do this by taking the Christians out of this world, there is no hint of such a thing in this chapter, or in the similar passage in Luke 21. I believe we will be saved in the midst of the tribulation. How I don't know, or even especially care. I do know our God is capable of this, since He has proved Himself before. The 91st Psalm may give us a hint, when it says, vs. 7 and 8: "A thousand shall fall at my side, and ten thousand at my right hand; but it will not come nigh thee. ONLY WITH THINE EYES SHALL THOU BEHOLD AND SEE THE REWARD OF THE WICKED." (Emphasis mine.) If God uses a Rapture to save us, then I say: "Praise God!", but there is no scripture evidence to save us, then I say: "Praise God!", but there is no scripture evidence to back this belief.
23 - Then, (at this time - Mark 13:24 - "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light;" Luke 17:23 - "And they shall say unto you, see here; or, see there; go not after them or follow them;" 21:8 - "Take heed that ye be not deceived (fooled): for many shall come in my name, saying I am Christ; and the time draweth near; go ye not therefore after them) if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there, believe it not.
24 - For there shall rise false Christ's (Deuteronomy - 13:1-3 - "If there rise among you a prophet, or a dreamer, and giveth a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder come to pass, whereof he spoke unto you saying, Let us go after other gods which thou hast not known (the New Age Movement certainly fits in here] and let us serve them. Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul;" 2 Thessalonians 2:8, 9 - ". . . then shall that wicked be revealed . . . Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power, and signs, and lying wonders [a spiritual imposter]; Revelation 13:13 - "And he (the imposter), doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven in the earth in the sight of all men.") John 6:37 - "All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out, (these are the "elect"]. John 10:27-29 - "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish (Greek - "oppolumi" - 622 meaning: "to be fully destroyed; to perish; to die." This verse refutes the Jewish originated teaching of eternal punishment in the fires of hell], neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them to me, is greater than all: and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand:" Romans 8:28 - "For we KNOW that ALL THINGS work together for good to them that love God; to THEM WHICH ARE CALLED, according to His purpose." (Emphasis mine.) 2 Timothy 2:19 -"Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His . . .") would deceive the very elect." (We have seen from our verses that these "elect" are those from verse 22 and are not Jews, but those who have had the scriptural experience spoken of in John 3:3 and are "born from above," these are those who can rightfully be called Christians, all others are fake.)
25 - Behold I have told (warned) you before.
26 - Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold he is in the desert; go not forth; behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
27 - For as the lightning cometh out of the east and shinesth unto the west (Luke 17:24) 50 shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
28 - For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles (buzzards) be gathered together. (Job 39:30 -"Her young ones also shall suck up blood; and where the slain are, there is she." See also Luke 17:37).
29 - Immediately after the tribulation of those days (Ezekiel 32:7 - "And when I (God) shall put [Egypt] out [Egypt is symbolic of all the heathen nations who rise up against God - Psalm 2:1-4], I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark: I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light;" Joel 2:10 - "The earth shall quake before them [the heathen armies]; the heavens shall tremble; the sun and the moon shall be dark and the stars shall withdraw their shining;" (Incidentally, these are all signs of a massive nuclear attack.]; Amos 8:9 - "And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God, that I will darken the earth in the clear day;" see also Mark 13:24; ~Acts 2:20.) shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers [Greek - "dunamis" -~ 1411 meaning. mighty miraculous power"] of the heavens, [Greek - "ouranos" - 3772 meaning "the abode of God"] shall be shaken.
30 - And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in the heavens. (Notice this is the first evidence of His return. It will come after the Tribulation, not before, and there is no evidence that Christians will, or have been lifted off this earth during this awful period. Daniel 7:13 says: "I saw in the night vision, and behold one like the Son of man came in the clouds of the heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. And there was given Him (the Son of man, Jesus Christ) dominion and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations and languages should serve Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.")
31 - And He (Jesus, YASHUAH, THE KING) shall send His angels (1 Corinthians 15:52 - "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead [Christian dead] shall be raised incorruptible and we [those Christians who are alive at His coming,] shall be changed." Matthew 13:49 - "So shall it be at the end of the world [Age]: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just." (Notice that it will be the wicked that shall be taken out of the world, not the righteous as the Rapture people teach.] 1 Thessalonians 4:16 - "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (Again, please notice there are no words about leaving this earth's atmosphere - but of a meeting of the saved dead and living at His return.] Revelations 20:5 tells us that at His second coming, the overcomers will be resurrected to live and rule with Him during the Millennium: "But the rest of the dead (Unsaved) lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection." The second resurrection and the Great White throne judgment, takes place a thousand years later [see Revelation 20:11-15] with a great sound of a trumpet [notice, no secret rapture, but a very noticeable event] and they (the angels) shall gather the elect (again, not Jews, but saved people) from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
32 - Now learn a parable of the fig tree (see Luke 21:29): when his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh (close by):
33 - So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the door. (Many pastors and Bible scholars within the Judeo-Christian structure of the modern church, have tried to explain this by equating the fig tree with the modern Jewish State of the Israeli. They say that the Jews return to Old Jerusalem is a sign that Christ will soon return. But the fig tree does nor represent the Jews, it never has and never can, since the modern Jews are not the' children of braham. This parable simply used the fig tree leafing t in the spring as an illustration, followed by the "As you know summer is nigh when the fig tree leafs out, so when you see all these things happen, I have been telling you about, you will know my return is close by." In verse 28 of this same chapter, we read these words of hope: "When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWETH NIGH" MARANATHA!)
34 - Verily I (Jesus) say unto you, This generation (Matthew 16:28 - ". . . There be some (disciples) standing here, which shall not taste death, til they see the Son of man coming in His kingdom. (Mark 9:1 says:..... till they see the kingdom of God.") You see, that kingdom is here now; only the King is missing; He is with His Father. But when He returns to take over the kingdom, we will see the fulfillment of this prophecy. The word "generation," as used here, comes from the Greek word "genea" - 1074 which means: "an age; a period of time." So this verse could easily have been translated to read: "This Age shall not pass, till all these things are fulfilled." It does not refer to a generation of forty years).
35 - Heaven and earth shall pass away (Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33) but my (Christ's) words shall not pass away. (They have already endured for almost twenty centuries, withstanding all the efforts of evil men to destroy them.)
36 - But of that day (the day of His return) knoweth no man (Mark 13:32 indicates that not even the Son knows the day of His return. In Acts 1:7, Jesus told His disciples: "It is not for you to know the times or seasons, which the Father hath put into His own power." Prophetic preachers who try and convince the people that they know when He will return, and that they have had a special revelation of this, are liars and fakes, and not to be trusted. For Jesus clearly said: "Only the Father knows." 1 Thessalonians 5:2 says of this day ". . . the day of the Lord cometh as a thief in the night." This is again repeated in 2 Peter 3:10. It will not be a silent coming as the Rapturists like to point out, where all the rest of the world is dumfounded because the Christians are suddenly missing, but will come with a great noise.) no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. (Zechariah 14:7 - "But it shall be one day, which shall be known to the Lord (YAHWEH), not day, nor night; but it shall come to pass that at evening time it shall be light").
But as the days of Noe (Noah) were, so shall also the coming of Son of man be.
38 - For in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark. (Genesis 6:3-5 - "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart, was only evil continually [Luke 17:26]; 1 Peter 3:20 - ". . . when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a-preparing . . ." (For 120 years God gave the world the chance to repent, while Noah preached repentance and no one would listen.)
39 - And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall it be.
40 - Then two shall be in the field, the one shall be taken, and the other left (Luke 17:34). (It is at this point that the Rapturists have a field day. They say the saved will be taken away, while the wicked will be left to go through the horrors of the Great Tribulation. But what saith the Scriptures? Let us analyze Matthew 13:24-30. It is Christ's Parable of the Wheat and the Tares. Here we are told that the good seed will be gathered into the barns, while it is the evil seed which is removed. Christ explains this parable in verses 37-43 - "The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the tares are the children of the wicked one [see John 8:44 for further explanation]. The enemy that sowed them (the tares) is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world [age]; and the reapers are the angels. The tares are gathered and burned in the fire . . .")
41 - "The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom, all things which offend, and them that do iniquity. (Break His law); (Matthew 13:47, the Parable of the Cast Net. Verse 48 says: "They sat down [the fishermen] and gathered the good [fish] into vessels, but the bad [fish] they cast away." Verse 49 says the angels will "sever [take away] the wicked from among the just." lt is the evil people who will be removed at His second coming, not the righteous. In John 17:15, when Jesus prayed for His followers, He said: "I pray not that thou [the Father] shouldest take them [Christians] out of the word [Rapture], but that thou shouldest keep them from evil." This indicates to me, that Christians will be protected by God, during the time of the tribulation, rather than be removed. How God will do this, I have no idea. But remember, He protected the Hebrew boys in the midst of a fiery furnace, where the Son of God actually came down and stood with them in the flames, and when they came out, there was not even the smell of fire on their garments. Daniel 3:26-27.)
42 - Watch therefore: (Matthew 25:13; Luke 2:36. This verse indicates that Christians should always be on the alert and be overcomers, "that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." (Again, no hint of a Rapture here.) lt would be wonderful to be able to know there is nothing to fear or worry about, but this is a false hope which is emasculating millions of Christians and making them worthless in the Kingdom. It is a message preached by "false teachers," who are tickling the ears of their people. It makes the Christian feel food. See 2 Timothy 4:3, where it warns that in these days before His return, ". . . they [the deluded ones] shall heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears [Greek - "knetho" - 2833 meaning: "to tickle"), and shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." [The apostle Paul warns of these "Jewish fables" in Titus 1:10, 14.] For ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 - But know this, (Luke 12:39; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; Revelation 3:3 - "Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come.") if the goodman of the house had known in what watch (hour) the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 - Therefore (because of these things), (1 Thessalonians 5:6 - "Therefore let us [Christians] not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober." Does this mean that Christians must stay awake twenty-four hours 'out of the day? Of course not! It means that we are to be aware of what is happening and be prepared at all times for His return) be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
45 - Who then is a faithful and wise servant (Luke 12:42; Acts 20:28 - "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood.") whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46 - Blessed is that servant, (Revelation 16:15 -"Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments [Greek - "tereo - 5083 meaning: "to guard from loss or injury by keeping the eyes open. "Watcheth" - "Gregoreno" - 1127 meaning: "to stay awake; be vigilant; be watchful."] whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, that he shall make him ruler over all his goods. Matthew 25:21 - "His lord saith unto him, well done, thou good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful in a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord;" see also Luke 22:29 "And I [King Jesus] appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me.")
48 - But if that evil servant shall saist' his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49 - And shall begin to smite his fellowservants and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50 - The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour he is not aware of.
51 - And shall cut him asunder, ("cut" - Greek -"dichotomeo" - 1371 meaning: "flog severely; cut asunder; cut off"), and shall appoint his portion (Greek "meros" - 3313 meaning: "share or allotment") with the hypocrites (Greek - "hupokrites" - 5273 meaning: "an actor under an assumed character; a dissembler.") Who were these "hypocrites?" see Matthew 6:2, 5, 16; 15:7; 16:3; 23:13, 14, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29; also Luke 11:44 and 12:56) there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 8:12 - "But the children of the kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." See also 25:30).
This portion of Matthew should be compared with the account given by Luke in chapter 21. On this occasion, Jesus and His disciples were in the temple in Jerusalem, almost the identical setting of Matthew 24, where they had just left the temple and gone to the Mt. of Olives. The disciples asked Jesus what signs would preceded His return, and Luke 21, as in Matthew 24, gives a warning against Imposters (Hypocrites) who were to come in His name saying: "I am the Christ!" He then warned them of wars, earthquakes, famines and pestilences (would you consider the present AIDS epidemic a pestilence?) which were to come and added something not found in the Matthew account when Re told them of "fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven." verse 11. (the word "heavens" in Greek is "ouranos" - 3772 meaning. 'the sky; in the air.'')
In verse 12, Luke identifies the persecutors of Christians, who were not mentioned in the Matthew account, when He says "they (the Jews) will deliver you (Christians) "up to the synagogues, and into prisons." (This deliberately identifies the Jews as the persecutors.) Isn't that what we see happening today? Almost every episode of Christian persecution has a Jew standing somewhere in the background; every news article dealing with the Christian patriot, has a paragraph somewhere, where Mr. So-and-So from the Anti-Defamation League of the Jewish B'nai B'rith has his say about what those "Bad old Christians" are doing.
The great betrayal of Christians in Matthew 24:10, is elaborated on in Luke 21:16, as he further identifies the betrayers of Christians: "and ye (Christian Israelites) shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they (the Jews) cause to be put to death." Verse 17 - "And ye (the same persons mentioned in verse 16) shall be hated of all men for my name's sake." (The word "all" used here comes from the Greek word "pas" - 3956 which literally means: "a majority.") Open your eyes to what is already happening. We see Christians being hauled in-to court on phony charges, brought by a Jew controlled government. The good, "brainwashed" Christians have been so conditioned by the Jew controlled media, that they believe that Christian patriots are wicked people who want to destroy this country, when in reality, we are the ones who want to see it brought out of the clutches of these Christ haters. But the good people have been brainwashed into thinking they are doing God a favor, if they turn us in to a "fake American government."
In verse 20, Luke mentions that Jerusalem will be surrounded by armies and warns His people to flee into the mountains for safety. It is interesting to note that this actually happened in 70 A.D. when the Roman General Titus laid siege to Jerusalem. Yet according to historians, not one Christian died in that siege, since they had fled for refuge to the mountains of Pella in the Red Sea area. Millions of Jews were slaughtered in the destruction of Jerusalem because they refused to believe the warning given by Jesus.
Verse 24 then states that Jerusalem would remain desolate "until the times of the Gentiles (heathen) would be fulfilled." This period of Gentile domination was brought to a close in 1917, when the British, who were true Israelites, under General Allenby, liberated the city from Turkish control It has absolutely nothing to do with the people we now call Jews whose present occupation of Jerusalem is mentioned in Malachi 1:2-4 - "I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacobs brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Esau, and laid his mountains (lands) and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. Whereas Edom (the descendants of Esau - Jews - see Jewish Encyclopedia which states: "Edom is part of Jewry.") saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places: thus saith the Lord of hosts. They shall build, but I will throw down; and they (true Israel) shall call them (Jews), the border of wickedness and, the people against whom the Lord hath indignation forever." (see John 8:44). Today, we see the Jews attempting to rebuild the land of Palestine, using money extracted from Christian Israelites under the false pretense that they are the Chosen People temt I predict, that one day soon, God will take a hand and the land of the Israeli will be destroyed. I believe that it will be here that Luke 19:27 will take place. What will the Judaized preachers such as Falwell, Swaggart, Robinson, Roberts and others have to say then? How will they explain to their followers that they have lied to them all these years? I would not want to be in their shoes then.
In Romans 11:25 Paul speaks about "blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles (here the word is used to mean "heathen") be come in." The Judaized preachers say this blindness is the Jewish refusal to accept Jesus as the Messiah. I say this blindness is the blindness spoken of by Isaiah in 42:19, 20, "Who is blind but my servant? (Israel) or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord's servant? Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not." This is a perfect description of most Christian Israelites. The Jews know who they are; they have for centuries. But the dumb, stupid "goyim", the true Israelites have had their eyes blinded as to who they are, why they are on this earth, and what their obligation to their God is. They have been blinded to the extent that most of them give the place of honor to those who hate Jesus Christ the worst, to those who are trying to destroy everything they say they love and believe in. How could people be any more blinded than that, or any deafer? Verse 22 goes on to say: "But this people is robbed and spoiled . . . they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore." Why did this happen? Not to the Jews, but to the true Israel people? Why is Israel America and Canada being taxed almost into slavery to support a God hating people we call the Israeli, while our own merchants go bankrupt and more and more of our farmers go broke? The answer can be found in verse 24. "Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the Lord, He against whom we have sinned? for they (Israel) would not walk in His ways, neither were they obedient unto His law." My friends, when will we get it through our thick skulls, that this subjugation to the anti-Christ Jews and to foreign influence is of our own doing? When will we get it through our stubborn heads that we, the Christian Israel people of America are to blame for the mess we are in. We caused it by our stupidity. We caused it by our wilfulness. We caused it by our disobedience to our God. He will not answer our prayers (Is. 59:1, 2) until we are willing to get our hearts right with Him. This goes far beyond the "personal salvation" experience. This is important, for it must come first, but then, when a man or woman is saved, they must understand their responsibilities as Israelites to their God, and then and only then, as we repent and seek His face, will He "heal our land," (2 Chronicles 7:14). It should be of interest to note that the Israel people were to become a "witnessing servant people." (Isaiah 43:10) - "Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am He; before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me." Ask yourself the question: "Who has spread the Gospel of salvation to the ends of the earth through Christian missionary effort? Certainly not the Jews, Jesus said of them that their converts became "twice the child of hell that they were," those were His words in Matthew 23:15. They are not original with me! Who has set the captive free? Certainly not the Jews, they have been in the middle of the slave trade for centuries. It has been the Anglo-Saxon nations, England first in 1854, followed by the United States in 1865. Who sends help when there is a great international catastrophe such as a famine, flood or earthquake? Certainly not the Jews. It comes from the Christian nations. Who has built their constitutions and their law on the Ten Commandments? Certainly not the Israeli - most of them are atheists. It has been the white nations of Christendom. Wake up Christian and find out who you are; wake from your sleep before the Lord returns and finds you sleeping in your beautiful air-conditioned churches. Wake up and realize who you are, then repent and seek His face so that He may "heal our land."
In Isaiah 62:2 we read: "And the Gentiles (heathen nations) shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory, and THOU SHALT BE CALLED BY A NEW NAME (no longer Israel, but Christian), which the mouth of the Lord shall name."
The Jews have always been Jews from the very beginning, their name has never changed. Notice by comparison that Isaiah 65:1 speaks about a people which are not called by God's name, a people who provoked Him continually from the time of their father Esau, who God will ultimately destroy verses 11, 12. Verse 15, of this unusual chapter says that the Jews will leave their name "for a curse unto my chosen (Israel): for the Lord God will slay thee, (see Luke 19:27) and call His servants (Israel) by another name." Compare this with Hosea 1:10 - ". . . and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God." Think about this. Isn't this what has happened? The people we now call "Jews" have brainwashed most of the world into believing they were the Chosen People; they have laid claim to this for centuries; they have never lost their identity as Jews, this is one of their major brags. Yet those of us who belong to "true Israel" have been declared by God's enemies that we are not God's people, they are; yet at the same time, those of us who have been saved through the sacrifice of God's Son and our receiving His as Savior, are called the "sons of the living God." HALLELU'YAH! WHAT MORE PROOF DO YOU NEED?
The accounts of Matthew 24 and Luke 21 are of the same event. While they differ slightly, they do not contradict each other in any way. lt would be like any two of us watching some great event taking place and then writing an account of it. While we would remember and report the major events, there would be certain areas in which our report would differ. It is very probable that Matthew wrote his report~shortly after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. It was originally written in Aramic for the people of Judea and later in Greek for the Israelite people who were scattered abroad in Asia Minor. This Gospel may have been written in Antioch, which was the major center of Christianity and where both Aramic and Greek were spoken. It was in this city that the followers of Christ were first called Christian, Acts 11:26.
Although Matthew had much in common with Mark and Luke, there were certain characteristics which emerge from his writings, as he often quotes from Old Testament prophecy. His Israelite background is reflected in his repeated use of the phrase "kingdom of heaven," which is found 33 times in His Gospel. He especially emphasizes the ethical and spiritual character of this earthly kingdom to come, including the fact that the kingdom was already in existence when Jesus was with them.
Luke, on the other hand, came from a professional background. He probably wrote both this Gospel and the book of Acts, as their introductions bind them together. They were both addressed to an Israelite believer named Theopilus and the introduction to Acts refers to a "former treatise" (writing) as being concerned with what Jesus began to do and teach. lt is very possible that Luke was an Israelite from Antioch in Syria; one who would be looked down on by the Jews as a Gentile. He evidently had a very high educational background and was probably the "beloved physician" mentioned by Paul in Colossians 4:14.
Luke's Gospel was probably written about 60 A.D. ten years before that of Matthew and reflects thinking and the writing of a brilliant man.
Luke portrayed Jesus as an actual figure in history who came to "seek and save that which was lost," (19:10). He illustrated this in his Gospel by giving many accounts of Jesus healing people and by His many paold es.
As a man with a scientific background, it does not seem unusual that Luke mentions the natural phenomenon that will accompany Christ's return: "Signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars. . . the seas roaring . . . the powers of the heavens shaken" (Luke 21:25, 26).
He shows his doctor's background as he notices men's reaction to these frightening events: ". . . upon the earth perplexity (Greek - "Aporia" - 640 meaning: "a state of quandary.") of nations . . . Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth." We can already see this happening as suicide rates soar.
At the end of his account he gives Jesus' Parable of the Fig Tree. Who is this "fig tree?" Certainly not the Jews, as we have been taught in most of our churches; neither is it the "church" The "fig tree" is always symbolic, in the scriptures, of Israel. Many preachers say that the return of the Jews to Old Palestine was a fulfilling of the "budding of the fig tree." But "true Israel" was not to return to Palestine, as they were to be in the "New land" which was promised to King David in 2 Samuel 7:10, where it was foretold that they would never have to move again and where they would be safe from the "children of wickedness." The "budding of the fig tree," is not the return of Palestine of a handful of Jewish imposters (Rev. 2:9), but the awakening of "true Israel" as seen in Ezekiel 37.
I believe we are seeing the awakening of "true Israel" in the United States, Canada and the rest of Christendom today and that there are those of this generation ("Age") who will see Christ's triumphal return! MARANATHA!
Luke gives a similar warning to Christian Israelites as was given by his contemporary Matthew: "Don't get so tied down with the affairs of this life, that you allow yourselves to be overcome by the philosophy which says: "You only go around once in life; so live with gusto!" Or the utterly heathen philosophy we now see in print: "Life is a bitch; and then you die!" No wonder people kill themselves when they believe this philosophy of hopelessness.
But Jesus says to us in both Gospels: "Watch therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man," (Luke 21:36).
A "Rapture", you say? Not at all, but a "keeping of God's people in the midst of Great Tribulation, as He kept the Hebrew children in the fiery furnace of Daniel 3:27.
Nevertheless, COME QUICKLY, LORD JESUS -YASHUAH, THE MESSIAH!
The End