XIV: THE OLIVET DISCOURSE

Jesus Christ’s TeachingsAbout His Own Return

The Olivet DiscourseJesus’ ONE major teaching about His return

Reaches back to Daniel’s OT imagery

Looks forward to John’s NT Revelation

Rendered in Matthew, Mark and Luke

Among Christ’s final teachings to disciples

Named for the Location of the Discourse

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Presentation Array’s Table of Contents

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The Mount of Olives

The Mount of Olives

Modern Photos acrossthe Kidron Valley from

Mount of Olives

What Christ Would Have Seen From The Mount of Olives

#1. Odd Commands that highlight

#2. Unexpected Dangers which reflect

#3. Terrible Events matched by

#4. Precious promises

Olivet Discourse RecipeBased on Mark 13

#1: Odd Commands

See to it that no one mislead you.

Do not be frightened

Be on your guard

Don’t worry beforehand what you’ll say . . . Say whatever the Holy Spirit gives you in that hour

#1: Odd Commands

Those in Judea flee, those on housetops do not go down, those in field must not turn back for a coat. Pray it may not happen in winter

If anyone says, “Here is the Christ.” do not believe him.

#1:Odd CommandsLearn the parable of the fig tree

You, too, when you see these things happen, recognize that He is near, right at the door

Take heed, keep on the alert

#1: Odd Commands

Therefore, be on the alert

What I say to you, I say to all, BE ON THE ALERT!

Only one set of commands

to flee physical danger

Repeated commandsto stay alert againstspiritual deception

Repeated commandsto courage

and fearlessness Christ commands

us to guard our

hearts and minds most of

all!

#1. Odd Commands highlight

#2. Unexpected Dangers

Olivet Discourse RecipeBased on Mark 13

#2: Unexpected DangersSee to it that no one mislead you.

Do not be frightened

Be on your guard

Don’t worry beforehand what you’ll say . . . . . Say whatever the Holy Spirit gives you in that hour

Deception

Fear

Carelessness

Worry

Confusion

#2: Unexpected DangersLet those in Judea flee, those on housetops do not go down, those in fields must not turn back for a coat. Pray it may not happen in winter

If anyone says, “Here is the Christ.” do not believe him.

Violence andworldly

attachments

Deception

#2: Unexpected DangersLearn the parable of the fig tree

You, too, when you see these things happen, recognize that He is near, right at the door

Take heed, Keep on the alert

Ignorance

Inattention

Weariness

#2: Unexpected DangersTherefore, be on the alert

What I say to you, I say to all, BE ON THE ALERT!

Weariness

Weariness

Deception, fear and carelessness threaten us

Inattention, disbelief andweariness place us at risk

Worldly attachments preoccupy us.Christ warns us of

personal weaknesses

most of all!

#1. Odd Commands highlight

#2. Unexpected Dangers which reflect

#3. Terrible Events

Olivet Discourse RecipeBased on Mark 13

#3: Terrible EventsSee to it that no one mislead you . . .

do not be frightened . . .

Be on your guard . . .

For Many will come in My name and Mislead many.

For nation will rise against nation . . .

earthquakes . . .famines

For they will deliver you to the courts and you will be flogged

in the synagogues up to governors and kings for my sake as a testimony to them

#3: Terrible EventsBe on your guard . . . Do not worry before hand . . . . (Cont’d)

12. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. 13. You will be hated by all because of My name,

#3: Terrible EventsBut when you see the Abomination of Desolation standing where it should not be (let the reader understand) . . . .

. . . Then let those in Judea flee, those on housetops do not go down, those in field must not turn back for a coat. Pray it may not happen in winter

For false Christs and false prophets will arise, show signs and wonders in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect.

If anyone says, “Here is the Christ.” do not believe him.

#3: Terrible EventsNow, learn the parable of the fig tree . . .

You, too, when you see these things happen, recognize that He is near, right at the door . . .

Take heed, Keep on the alert . . .

When its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know summer is near.

FOR Heaven and earth will pass away . . .

FOR you do not know when the appointed time will come

#3: Terrible EventsTherefore, be on the alert . . .

What I say to you, I say to all, BE ON THE ALERT!

FOR you do not know when the master of the house is coming!

Hmmmm . . . . Does Jesus overstate the urgency here? I mean, Sheesh! Enough with the ‘alerts’ already!

False Christs, a worldat war and arrest of the godly

The AntiChrist appears andfalse messiahs perform

fantastic miracles

Hellish violence competes with disruptions in the heavens to unnerve us

The worst tribulation

in all history explodes

#1. Odd Commands highlight

#2. Unexpected Dangers which reflect

#3. Terrible Events matched by

#4. Precious promises of deliverance

Olivet Discourse RecipeBased on Mark 13

EVERY BIBLE PROPHECY

COMES TO US AS A PROMISE FROM GOD.

#4: Precious Promises

#4: Precious Promises

EVERY BIBLE PROPHECY

COMES TO US AS A PROMISE FROM GOD.

#4: Precious Promises

7. “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do

not be frightened; those things must take place;

but that is not yet the end. Mark 13:7

8. “For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be

famines. These things are merely the beginning

of birth pangs.

#4: Precious Promises

10. “ The gospel must first be preached to all the

nations.” Mark 13:10

14. “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached

in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew

24:14

#4: Precious Promises

11. Do not worry beforehand about what you are

to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour,

for it is not you who speak but the Holy Spirit.

Mark 13:11

13. You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. Mark 13:13

#4: Precious Promises

Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved, but for the sake of the elect, He has shortened the days. Mark 13:20

“But take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance. Mark 13:23.

#4 Precious Promises

He will send forth his angels and will gather

together His elect from the four winds FROM

THE ENDS OF THE EARTH TO THE ENDS OF

THE HEAVENS. . . Mark 13:27

Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING

IN CLOUDS with great power and glory.

Mark 13:26

Heaven and earth will pass away but my

words will not pass away. Mark 13:31

#4: Precious Promises

Heaven and earth will pass away but

my words will not pass away. Mark

13:31

Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away. Mark 13:31

Jesus promises gifts ofgrace and strengthJesus promises to gather us to himself at the end

Jesus promises to shortenthe time of our suffering

Jesus promises us that

his words reign supremeChrist promises us his unshakable sovereigntymost of all!

Our Four Ingredients Mix and Mingle to Make Our Lord’s

Olivet Discourse

Here’s the Text of Mark 13’s version of the Olivet

in narrative order.

The Discourse’s Narrative Has Three Features:

1. Sequence: It runs from beginning to end.

2. Pace + Intensity: Builds like birth pangs

3. Flavor: Featuring all 4 previously studied ingredients mixed together

Phase One: Gathering Dangers5. “See to it that no one misleads you. 6. Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and will mislead many. 7. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be frightened; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end. 8. For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.”

Don’t panic at the first signs!

Don’t confuse the beginning of birth

pangs with the end!

The faithful and informed are

the able, the stable, the strong

Phase Two: Persecution9. “But be on your guard; for they will deliver you to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them. 10. The gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 11. When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit. 12. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. 13. You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved

Be ready to testify at the cost of your life

Endurance to the end results in sure salvation

11. “And they (the saints) overcame him (Satan) because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. Revelation 12: 11

Phase Three: THE Tribulation1 4 . “ B u t w h e n y o u s e e t h e ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 15. The one who is on the housetop must not go down, or go in to get anything out of his house; 16. and the one who is in the field must not turn back to get his coat. 17. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 18. “But pray that it may not happen in the winter. 19. For those days will be a time of tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will. 21. Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days.”

At the midpoint of the 70th Week, AntiChrist declares

himself

Now Christ’s readers (the elect?) will flee Jerusalem. . .

Now THE Tribulation erupts and threatens all life with its very existence, even the elect.

. . . . and just who are the elect, anyways? Christians? Orthodox Jews? Hmmm . . .

Phase Three: THE Tribulation21. “And then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ’; or, ‘Behold, He is there’; do not believe him; 22. for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect. 23. But take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance.”

The danger to the elect of deception grows ever more

intense . .

False Christs capable of signs and wonders make a

strong appeal for devotion . . .

Christ expects His hearers (and readers) to use His warnings here to protect themselves in this time period.

Phase Four: Christ’s Return24. “But in those days, after that t r i b u l a t i o n , T H E S U N W I L L B E DARKENED AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, 25. AND THE STARS WILL BE FALLING from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. 26. Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory. 27. And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.”

Jesus refers to Joel Chapter 2 . . .

Jesus refers to Daniel’s vision of the Son of Man in Chapter 7

Jesus gathers the elect From farthest end of earthTo farthest end of heaven

Does this gathering represent the gathering of the saints on Earth

(rapture) and the saints in Heaven (resurrection)?

Christ’s Final Words to His Church About His

Return . . .

and about our responsibility to prepare for that return!

A Helpful Parable28. “Now (you) learn the parable from the fig tree: when i ts branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29. Even so, you, too, when you see these things happening, (you) recognize that He is near, right at the door.”

“You” (the disciples) know how to tell when summer’s on the way by watching local foliage!

“You, too” (another, different group? His readers? You and me?) you use the signs I’ve given to help you know when the time of My return is near.

A Strong Promise30. “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these t h i n g s t a k e p l a c e . 31. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words wi l l not pass away.”

“Generation” may reference the nation of Israel, not a generation in the sense of “Baby Boom generation”.

Jesus affirms the superiority of His words over anything Satan can throw at us. What Jesus SAYS will happen WILL happen.

Belief, rock certain

belief in the power of

Jesus’ words frees us

from fear.

A Final Warning32. “But of that day or hour no one knows, not e v e n t h e a n g e l s i n heaven, nor the Son, but t h e F a t h e r a l o n e . 33. Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come.”

Jesus declares an interesting distinction among the three persons of the Trinity: Only the Father knows the time of the Son’s return.

We can allow nothing we think we know about Christ’s return to make us cocky enough to name the day of our Lord’s return. Humility? Reassurance?

Gratitude? Courage?

Hope? Yes!

Cockiness? Never!

Another Parable34. “It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert. 35. Therefore, be on the alert—for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—36. in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep.”

Jesus tells us that we are in charge of His household, the Church, in His absence.

Jesus tells us to act alert to the possibility that He can come unexpectedly.

(Any time at all? Now? Unexpectedly after the Abomination of Desolation? Hmmmmmm . . . . . . . . )

One More Time!!!Again, Jesus shows His awareness of an audience larger than the immediate group of disciples before Him.

I include myself in that larger audience:

A personal decision I’ve never regretted.

37. “What I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert!’”

Does Jesus tell you to

be alert, as well?

Peter’s Final WarningKnow this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying,

“Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues as it was from the beginning of creation.”

(2 Peter 3:3+4)

Peter’s Final WarningKnow this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying,

“Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues as it was from the beginning of creation.”

(2 Peter 3:3+4)

37. “What I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert!’”

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XV: OLIVET COMPANION VERSES:

I offer you a series of verses that guide our understanding of Christ words in the Olivet

Discourse

Search the Table of Contents for Other Offerings In This Series