Jesus’ discussion with some of the disciples on the Mount of Olives may be seen as the backbone, or the central reference point, of all end-time revelations or prophecies. Jesus’s end-time prophecy is recorded in Matthew, Mark and Luke,  and is the framework onto which all other prophecies may be attached. Most importantly, Jesus’ statements provide a clear link between the prophecies of Daniel and those contained in Revelation.

Note our need to place a very strong emphasis on Jesus’ words in Matthew 24, Luke 17 & 21 and Mark 13. These words from our Savior must form the basis of any prophetic end time interpretation, and be consistent therewith. For this reason the ‘Olivet’ passages are presented side-by-side to demonstrate consistency, even though Matthew, Mark and Luke used different words in places (Refer to Olivet Parallel PassagesHMx 200430). When reading these parallel passages the consistency between the gospels becomes clear. However, it is also important to note that  Jesus delivered these teachings from the Mount of Olives in the gospels Matthew and Mark, sitting down with His disciples;  but not in Luke, where He delivered a similar teaching earlier that day while still in Jerusalem, in amongst the crowd at the temple. (Luke 21:5-7, and v37)

Jesus’ prophecy in Matthew 24 is repeated in Mark 13. This follows Matthew very closely, only with slightly different wording. Luke , on the other hand, while following the sequence of Matthew 24,  adds additional information about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. We also note that the end-time parables, which form part of Jesus’ end-time teaching in Matthew 24 and Mark13, are not recorded in Luke chapter 21, but are presented earlier in Luke 17:21-37. What we find with Luke is consistent with many of Jesus’s other teachings, where He delivered similar but not identical sermons as He addressed different audiences, and as He travelled through the various parts of Israel.

In addition, note that the end time events are sequential events. We can be assured of this because Jesus presents a chronological sequence in Matt 24 and 25, where the word ‘then’ is inserted eight times between events. The word ‘then’, and also ‘before’ and ‘after’ are sequential indicators and obvious clues towards these events being in chronological order.

Jesus’ prophecies contain six major events in chronological order. Using Matthew 24, they are: (also click matlist)

1)         The destruction of the temple. (v1-2)

2)         The Birth pains – Wars, pestilences, famines and earthquakes. (v4-6)

3)         The tribulation – persecutions, betrayal, lawlessness, hate and interrogations. (v7-14)

4)         The Abomination of Desolation (AOD) (v15)

5)         The Great tribulation, persecution such as there has not been since the beginning of this world. (v16-28)

6)         The second coming, coming of the Son of Man. (v29-31)

A PowerPoint presentation of the above may be viewed accessing the link HM PP Study 1a Paul-Jesus. This study adds the apostle Paul’s end time teaching and aligns it with Jesus’s teachings. (for the remainder of the 5 session PowerPoint study, View Appendix J.)

Take note from 3) to 5) above that the persecution of the saints commences with the tribulation, and escalates into the Great tribulation. The time of persecution is thus split into two, before and after the AOD. These two periods of  persecution of the saints by the antichrist add up to to 3.5 years, as per Daniel 7:25: ‘And he [antichrist] shall speak [great] words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time [i.e. 3.5 years].’

Matthew 24 may also be aligned with the Revelation 6 seals, describing similar events. (click Matt-Rev compare )

We can now consider these six prophesied events in turn:

The destruction of the temple:

As mentioned above, Luke 21:20-24 describes the destruction of Jerusalem. This was fulfilled in 70 AD. Not one stone of the temple was left on another. In Luke 21, Jesus advised the Jews to flee into the mountains at the first opportunity. Those who heeded Jesus’ words did indeed get the opportunity to flee Jerusalem, even after the Roman armies surrounded the city.

One account records that, during the siege of Jerusalem, the Roman general Vespasian got the news that the previous emperor (Nero) had died. Vespasian was to be the new emperor. He temporarily eased the siege of the city to return to Rome to become the emperor. Many Jews saw the opportunity to escape the city. They used the small window of opportunity to flee from the city, in obedience to Jesus’ words. But others, who listened to the false prophets, stayed. Very soon after Vespasian’s departure, the siege resumed. Titus had become the new general.  At the first opportunity, after he was appointed as the new general in Vespasian’s place, and probably wanting to make a name for himself, he continued the siege. Jerusalem fell, the Jewish people were crushed in the entire Israel, and they “fell by the edge of the sword and were led away captive to all nations”.

The Jews that survived were dispersed over the entire world by the Romans, and Israel was left almost empty of Jews for the next 1870 years.

So it was fulfilled that “Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles are fulfilled”. Even today, half of Jerusalem and most of the temple mount does not belong to the Jews, but is trampled by Muslims and tourists. So it is that we may consider that we are still living in the ‘time of the Gentiles’.

Note from the above that God often seems to provide an escape plan for the obedient. He has done so in many previous perilous situations.(see 7.3)  Note that Jesus’ command to flee, in Luke, was not the same as the ones in Matthew and Mark. Luke clearly describes the earlier event of 70 AD, which is a recorded event. (refer  to the writings of Josephus, the Jewish historian) . Although this prophecy of Jesus been fulfilled in 70 AD, note that there may still be a further end-time fulfillment.

The Birth pains – In the next verses Jesus warns of wars, pestilences, famines and earthquakes to come. However, He explains that these events are not the end yet, but early warning signs, or birth pains. The birth of God’s kingdom is near, a wonderful and new future, but it is preceded by escalating distress just before the birth. All three of the gospels describe similar birth pains. These early troubles mark the time before the escalated troubles of the tribulation, which in turn precedes the time of great trouble, or great tribulation. Three main events accompany the birth pains:

• Deception: There will be many false Christs saying that the time is near, and “I am He”
• Wars: Rumours, commotions and wars.
• Pestilences, famines and earthquakes. There have been many earthquakes over magnitude 6.5, approximately 200 per year since 1980. These figures will escalate further during the tribulation.

Jesus’ advice is not to be troubled by them, because many other things have to happen before the end.

The tribulation:

The escalation of trouble, intended to warn the earth’s inhabitants, are marked by:

1. Great earthquakes: These will probably be over a magnitude of 7.0, which is severe structural damage. The 2011 Christchurch earthquake was a magnitude of 6.3, with the epicentre close to the city. This earthquake demolished many buildings. Imagine what a bigger one even closer to a city can do.
2. Nations rise against nations, kingdom against kingdom: Wars break out, the separate use of  the words ‘kingdoms’ and ‘nations’ may be intended to refer to ‘cultural/spiritual’ wars, i.e. perhaps demonic kingdoms. i.e. the ‘jihad’ wars, anti-Christian sentiments in western countries.
3. Famines, pestilences and troubles: These could be the result of the wars and disasters. Wars cause economic breakdown, limited medical care and hardships for the common people.
4. Arrested, brought before rulers and kings. There is already an escalation in the sentiment against Christians noticeable. Once the LGBT community is legitimate, they will probably continue to push for more ‘freedom’ by trying to restrict or subdue the truth. This can be seen at work already, within a couple of years we will see legislation that the name of Jesus is removed from Christmas songs played in public. Already this is happening in schools.

This escalates into outright persecution of Christians.

This persecution will be worldwide,  Christians will be “hated by all nations.” There will be no place to escape to, no safe place  to go to escape the persecution. We cannot flee persecution the way it was done in the past, by moving to another country. In the electronic age, we are easy to trace. We will be completely reliant on the Holy Spirit’s guidance. The time to practice hearing His voice is now. Initially, the persecution probably means difficulty in dealing with authorities, getting approvals, restrictions on our passports, finances, buying power. It may be similar to the restrictions placed on Jews in Nazi Germany. They were excluded from job opportunities, their shops were looted, their homes stoned, their cars damaged.  They were exposed to abuse and other acts of vandalism.

• Many betray one another: Even family members get so irritated (or convicted) by their Christian siblings or parents that they harden and start hating them.
• Opportunity for testimony: Being taken to court will be an opportunity for testimony. This will not be the time to engage a lawyer, or prepare otherwise, because we are instructed to not worry. This is because in that hour, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit will speak for us. Worry does not help to being God’s mouthpiece.

The Great Tribulation:

The one sign that is common to Daniel and Jesus for the start of Great Tribulation is the “abomination of desolation”. The statue or image or representation of the antichrist displayed in Jerusalem, on the temple mount, or in the re-built temple. Jesus comments on the great tribulation as follows: “ For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.” Unless these days had been shortened, no one would have survived.

It is so severe that it cannot be compared to any past event in human history.  It will be overwhelming,  its onset compared is to Noah’s flood. “For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”  Daniel 9 also comments that the events will be as a “flood”.

For the unbelievers, those left to face the wrath of God after Jesus’ second coming, mankind will experience such a string of tragedy upon tragedy, judgment upon judgment, persecution upon persecution, and in such swift and unrelenting succession, that nothing which has happened in the past can serve as an adequate parallel. The result will be that those in this most difficult period in human history cannot count on a period of emotional respite (as is often provided in the course of human affairs), for during the outpouring of the wrath of God the successive hammer blows of unparalleled events to come will occur one after the other and in ascending intensity.

Fortunately, for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened by Jesus’ second coming, and we will escape outpouring of the wrath of God. However, prior to our rapture at the second coming, we still have to endure the Tribulation and the persecution. The Tribulation will be a time when normal, secular strategies for coping with pressure and disaster will be found wholly ineffective – only a solid, deep, abiding faith in the Lord is likely to endure this unprecedented coming assault, a fact that explains in no small part the phenomenon of the Great Apostasy, the wholesale turning away from the Lord which will characterize that difficult period. This is our first glimpse of the true nature of the Tribulation to come and our first indication that no amount of prior spiritual preparation will be regretted on the part of the believers.” To summarize:

1. The events occur in rapid succession, overwhelming, like a flood.
2. For the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. The elect are the saints, chosen before the foundation of the world. (as per Ephesians 1). In God’s mercy, unless these days had been shortened, no one would have survived. The word ‘saved’ here is likely to mean survive. The end time persecution is really so bad that all saints are in such danger of being martyred, that without Gods intervention, all would have been killed.
3. Miracles by false Christs. Under these circumstances, humanity will be desperate for hope. It is easy to see that those who are not well grounded in Jesus may be deceived, purely because of their extreme need for hope. Jesus says that false Christs and prophets will do “great” signs and wonders. If we know our bible we cannot be deceived: His coming cannot be missed. Jesus will appear in the heaven in great power and glory, visible to every human on earth (not on TV). It will be “as lightning flashes from the east to the west” Matt 24:27. The glory of the Son of God will be magnificent, our hearts will leap for joy.

This time Jesus will not come as the Lamb. He will be the Lion. Visible to the entire world at once, in blinding light. Those posing as Christ will not be able to replicate Jesus glorious coming with the angels, in brilliant glory and  visibly seen all over the earth. He will not come like some fake impersonator, some charismatic human with false promises or like a sweet talking conman.

4. Jesus says” I have warned you beforehand.”. Take heed. Prepare yourselves. Prepare your hearts. Do not faint.
5. Jesus says: “Wherever the carcass is, the eagles gather together.” The NIV translates this as vultures. Perhaps Jesus is saying that wherever there is desperate need, there will be those (false prophets) gathering to exploit and prey on the desperation of others. That is, these people will have an agenda, to enrich or promote themselves.

The Coming of the Son of Man:

At this point Matthew has already described that the appearance of Jesus will be as lightning “from the east to the west”. Now follows more detail given in this section of the prophecy, which is specific about Jesus’ second coming. We are to take note, so that we are not deceived, in our desperate state,  by the false hope promised by others:

Immediately after the tribulation:

1. The powers of heaven will be shaken. The sun and moon is darkened and the stars will fall from heaven. The entire universe will shake when Jesus comes!
2. Jesus comes in great power and Glory, on the clouds of heaven.
3. There is a great trumpet sound.
4. Angels gather the elect from the four winds, from one end of the heaven to another. This is the real Rapture.
5. All the tribes of the earth will mourn.

The second coming concludes God’s work of salvation for our generation. This also concludes Jesus’ prophecy, foretelling the events to come. He now continues in a different style, by illustration, by the telling of three parables. This is the important part: that we know the condition that our hearts need to be in. Jesus tells the parable of the Fig tree (illustrating our expectancy), the two servants (illustrating our faithfulness and humble obedience) and the Ten Virgins (illustrating our need for spiritual preparation). This is discussed in section 4 and 5.

Preview of Daniel and Revelation: The Last Seven years of History.

As described above, Jesus speaks of the tribulation, and then the Great Tribulation. The Great tribulation follows the ‘Abomination of Desolation’ (Matt 24:15-21), spoken of by Daniel the prophet .

The Bible has a lot to say about the last seven years of ‘world history’. Daniel introduced a prophesied, pre-determined period of seven years as the time when saints will be persecuted and God’s judgement will be poured out on this sin-polluted, unbelieving world. God has held back His judgement to allow the gospel to reach all nations (Matt 24:14). Daniel describes this end-time period of time as a ‘week’ of seven years, a reference to a seven year period in which the Great Tribulation (persecution of the saints) and the Wrath of God (judgement on unbelievers) play out. This seven year period is brought to a sudden and violent conclusion with Jesus’ victory over the antichrist at Armageddon. The antichrist and his followers are destroyed. Jesus and his saints follow him to set up His millennial kingdom.

In Daniel 9:27 this seven year period is divided into two distinct three-and-a half year portions. The antichrist, as the ruler of revived Rome, will initially make a treaty with ‘many’. It in the middle of the “seven”, that is, during middle of the seven years of the Great Tribulation, he breaks this treaty. This sets in motion the worst 3.5 years the world has ever known.

It will be useful at this point to summarize the various references to the 3.5 years (or 42 month) time second period covered in scripture:

• In Daniel 9:27, “the people of the prince which is to come”, i.e., antichrist as the ruler of revived Rome, will make a treaty during the last “seven” and break it in the middle of the “seven”, that is, during middle of the seven years. There are thus two distinct 3.5 year periods. The second 3.5 years marks the onset of the Great Tribulation and the Wrath of God being poured out, as per Matthew 24:21-29.
• In Daniel 12:7(b), the angel speaking with Daniel declares when the end will be ‘…and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half [that is, three and one half years]; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people [i.e. Jewish remnant], all these things shall be finished.’  This clearly refers to the last 3.5 years.
• In Revelation 11:2, our context, the gentiles (i.e., the army of antichrist) will afflict Jerusalem for 42 months, that is, during the entire three and a half year period of the second half.
• And I shall grant [life] to My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy dressed in sackcloth for 1,260 days. Revelation 11:3
• In Revelation 12:6, the woman Israel [i.e. a Jewish remnant] is said to be protected for 1,260 days, that is, the entire three and a half year period of the second half of the seven years,  (expressed in standard 30 day months).
• In Revelation 12:14, the woman Israel is said to be protected for a time, times, and half a time, that is, during this same period of the second three and a half years.
• In Revelation 13:5, the unbridled reign of antichrist is said to last for 42 months, that is, for the duration of the second half.

There are thus seven direct references to the second half of the seven year end-time period. God makes it abundantly clear that the second half will be relentless, but that there will be protection for his people.

In Daniel 7:25, the ‘saints of the Most High‘ (i.e., believers) are said to be handed over  into the power of the little horn (i.e., antichrist and the Great Persecution) for “a time, times, and half a time”, a biblical way of expressing the three and one half years of persecution, starting with the tribulation (Matt 24:7-14) and ending with the Great Tribulation (24:15-29).

Now if the ‘Abomination of Desolation’ (AOD) is in the middle of the seven year end-time period, then the time of persecution will straddle the AOD. There will be a indeterminate time before the AOD, called the tribulation, for the initial persecution. After the AOD, for the remainder of the 3.5 years, the saint are ‘handed over’ during the Great tribulation.

Thus Daniel 7:25 is the one exception to the list of seven above, the seven references to the Tribulation’s second half. In this passage, although the 3.5 year period is identical in length to that of the final forty-two months, the time being described straddles the AOD.