email 

 “When Shall These Things?" Matthew 24: Part 4

Why should Christians seek to know the time frame behind much of what God has planned for us and for the rest of his creation? Paul puts it this way: “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. (In other words, we should know exactly what will unfold in our tomorrows.) Ye are all the children of the light, and the children of the day: (Both light and day signify enlightenment and understanding.) we are not of the night nor of darkness.” 1 Thess. 5: 1,2, 4, 5. Jesus had this to say on the subject: “He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.” Matt.13,11.

Let us draw up a little hypothetical scenario that will add some clarity to what we are saying! Let’s say that you are flying at 39,000 feet above the Atlantic from New York, bound for Heathrow Airport in London. After a couple hours out from New York, you hear the P.A. System “beep” and a voice says, “Good evening ladies and gentlemen! This is your captain speaking! First let me assure you that there is absolutely nothing to worry about, but I must inform you that as of this moment, I don’t know where we are! Nothing to worry about! Are you kidding? People will begin to have goose bumps, hot flashes, and even a fast moving headache. Why? Because everyone on that plane is lost! If the pilot does not know where the plane is, he is not capable of getting the passengers to their destination.

This reminds me of every time I hear a preacher say: “the Lord could return right now before I am through preaching this sermon!” You know what I say to myself when I hear that? The preacher is merely repeating a popular phrase but isn’t hearing from the Lord and has no idea of what God’s program for earth really is. Even on television on Sunday mornings, some preachers love to say that Jesus could return “any moment.” They call this the imminent return of Christ. Yes, he will come as a thief to many, but children of the day and of the light have a better understanding of what his program for creation is, and know that the heavens must retain or hold him right where he is until the restitution of all things. Acts 3: 20-21. “From henceforth (Where he is seated at God’s right hand) expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.” Heb.10: 12-13.”For he must reign (right where he is seated) till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” 1 Cor. 15: 25-26.

I have said this many times before, but perhaps it’s worth repeating again. The Lord spoke to my heart back in London, England in 1968 and said, “Don’t be a copycat preacher! Don’t repeat everything you hear! Check the source of the information, and if the source is wrong, throw it all out for everything else is wrong.. When you read, read slowly and watch every word for words have meanings. Later on in this study we shall see how a couple words taken out of context have managed to throw the whole Christian world in a tail spin, banished Jesus Christ from where he rightly belongs, and have willingly replaced Jesus with the mysterious future antichrist, and have masses of sincere believers following fables.

I do not know where the following doctrinal beliefs have their origin, but the entire Christian world is saturated with the belief in a future antichrist. Some say that he is already on earth, being trained by Satan in Europe somewhere and when the time is right, after the church has been taken out of the earth, this super human being will climb on to the world stage and will quickly gain prominence by putting in place a 7-year peace deal with Israel. We touched on this in a previous letter, explaining that the Dome of the Rock Mosque now sits on the sight where the temple that will accommodate antichrist is to be built. The Jews will return to their ancient worship and offering of sacrifices; but in the midst of all this at the 3½-year mark, antichrist will break his promise to the Jews and thus trigger the Great Tribulation. I have repeated this outline so as to make additional comments.

Many of you reading this are already familiar with these beliefs for they are marketed in books by various Christian authors, and some teach this on television with charts and pointers designed to drive home their theory. But here is a glaring lapse in their package! They offer no scripture to support their theory! I am going to turn to the verse that they use to sell their story, but we shall see that it is simply misplaced by confusing one person with another. It is a glaring case of mistaken identity! But millions around the world scoop up their books and stand upon their story, and even shake in their shoes when the hear the number 666.

Some years ago in Compton, California, just outside Carson, a lady paid for her purchases at a local super market. Based on her total and cash tendered, her change came to $6.66. The cashier said: “here you are ma’am, six dollars and sixty-six cents, three sixes-hmm it is the third time this happened to me today!” The customer got into a tizzy, all emotional and full of hysterics over the number 666. Many people feed on this form of doctrine and constantly live on the edge, just waiting for anything that looks remotely like a fulfillment.

The verse used by these experts of prophecy said: “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for a week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” Dan. 9:27. Here is what we have said so far, in other recent issues!

Jesus began his ministry after 69 weeks, or the beginning of the 70^th week. He was crucified after 3 ½ years of earthly ministry or, in the middle of the week---half of 7 years. But not only that, he was crucified in the middle of a literal week—on Wednesday to fulfill the prophecy of being in the heart of the earth for 3 days and 3 nights---Wednesday to Saturday and discovered by his disciples on Sunday morning that he had already been risen. Because of this Sunday morning discovery, we simply assume that he rose from the dead that morning, coupled with the fact that tradition has Christ being crucified on Friday and had to be buried in a hurry that evening before the Sabbath. Of course, we now believe that it was a yearly Sabbath that would culminate on Thursday instead. As mentioned before, Jesus, by offering himself a complete sacrifice in the middle of the week, caused all other sacrifices to cease. God will never have his people return to animal sacrifices that could not take away sin or grant peace and remove a guilty conscience.

Let us consider what is commonly touted as being “The Great Tribulation” as found in Matthew 24:21-22. With the horrible consequences of this period in mind, we have been told over the many decades of our own Christian walk and experience that out of his mercy God will shorten the days. In fact, even in our daily casual conversations, we often hear believers refer to the fact that God would indeed shorten the days. We look around and observe how short the days have become. Before you know it, it is 6.00 p.m.! O My! It was just January the other day, and look! It is now November! O Goodness! How time does fly! Well, God did say he would shorten the days! But in reality, are we living with shortened time? There are still 12 hours in the day, still 7 days in a week, still 52 weeks in a year, and still 365 days in a year! Our clocks at home and the watches on our hands still register 60 minutes to the hour, and they don’t speed up our suddenly cut back to reflect anything unusual except in the Bermuda Triangle.

The end of time as we know it centers around saving souls, not saving flesh, for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Yet, according to Matthew, God would be forced to shorten the days so as to save some flesh, or helping to keep some people alive. “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” Matt.24:21-22.

The first thing to remember is that Gabriel told Daniel what would befall his people and his holy city. He did not predict a worldwide conflict and destruction that would ensnare the entire human race. No other conflict would match this one! None like this one, before or after! This language tends to have many experts concluding that it has to be a future tribulation, because the very sound of this seems to suggest a “final conflict.” But the Word does not say so! The Word describes a horror that is unique in the pages of history and a total picture is painted by the eyewitness Josephus of what he saw at the siege of Jerusalem by Titus and the Roman armies.

So far, dating back from the Revolutionary War, the war of 1812, the Mexican War, America’s Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War 1 &11, the Korean and Vietnam conflicts, the Persian Gulf War and the Iraq War so far, over 1,268,756 American lives have been lost, not to mention casualties in other forces. In terms of sheer numbers we could safely assume that more people have died in wars than those who perished in the Jerusalem siege in 70 A.D. But this Jewish conflict had its own horror. Under the siege, people within the city, who forgot the words of Jesus to flee the city, began to starve to death. Mothers were eating their own babies, and rather than being killed by the Romans, the Jews inside the city walls, began killing themselves, neighbor killing neighbor. Large numbers who fled the city were taken by Titus and crucified. There were so many that there was not a spot of ground to erect another cross. The human puss from decaying bodies flowed down the hillside and was so mind boggling that the heathen Roman General, Titus, lifted his hands to heaven and swore that he was not responsible.

Indeed, if God had not shorten the days of the siege, no flesh would have been saved, as Jesus aptly foretold in Matthew 24, and Luke 19. Every time we read about tribulation in scripture, it referred to a specific time or situation and never something that encompasses the whole world. But if men believe in a worldwide tribulation they are capable of triggering their own. Remember David Koresh back in Waco, Texas who was determined to bring on the “apocalypse” by his studying of the book of Revelation? Or the young men who went to Israel at the end of 1999 and were determined to trigger the “apocalypse” because they believed Christ would return in the year 2000? They were arrested before they could embark on their eerie scheme!

It seems that men are determined to lend God a hand in bringing to pass what they think God has planned to do anyway, based upon their own understanding of what they read in the scriptures. There are always notable leaders with much influence ready to build consensus among those willing candidates who are ready to ride the band wagon. Jesus spoke of many who’d come along saying they are Christ, but he never spoke of a super human being who would grant peace to the Jewish nation, then suddenly break his peace treaty with them. The apostles did not speak of antichrist as a single future individual, but rather many who were alive in the apostles’ own day. They came out from among the apostles and professed salvation as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Let us borrow from a well-known author who has a deep understanding of the subject being discussed. He writes: “It is needful that close attention be paid to the inspired words whereby the distresses attendant upon the destruction of the Jewish nation and their holy city are described in the several prophecies wherein they are foretold. For it is quite a common mistake to assume that the great tribulation was to be a calamity of unexampled magnitude as regards the number of the slain, and the amount of property destroyed. The prophecies we are studying speak not of a tribulation greater in magnitude or extent, but different in kind; and moreover, they speak of one which was to come as a judgment from God upon the Jewish nation. Thus, in Jeremiah 30:6 we read, “Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble.”  Ever since I became involved in “church life” and have been sitting in bible classes at the age of sixteen, I have been told by one preacher/teacher after another, that the time of “Jacob’s trouble” refers specifically to the great tribulation that is to beset the entire world after the church has been taken from the earth.

There are 3 schools of thought on this issue! One is called “pre-trib” another is called “mid-trib” and another is called “post-trib.” “Pre-trib” means the Rapture will occur before the great tribulation begins. “Mid-trib” supposes that Christ will return in the middle of the great tribulation, will put an end to it, and set up his earthly reign on David’s throne in Jerusalem that exist today. “Post-trib” teaches that Christ will return after the great tribulation! In fact his coming will just about end it and he proceeds to set up his earthly reign.

The author from whom we are borrowing continues: “The apostle Paul, who is the chief revelator of the second coming of Christ, speaks definitely and frequently of “the wrath to come,” but is absolutely silent as to any “great tribulation” in connection with the second advent. Thus, he says explicitly that “it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; and you that are troubled, rest with us; when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction…When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe…in that day. 2 Thess. 1:6-10.

We are aware that many in our day have so settled it in their minds that the appearing of Christ in glory is to be preceded by a definite period, “the great tribulation” so called, that it is difficult for them even to consider the idea that the period to which our Lord applied that expression is now long past. Nevertheless, we are confident that all who are disposed to examine with open minds the testimony of the scriptures will be constrained to agree with the conclusion we have reached, which is that of practically all the great commentators of by-gone days, and of many in our own day. That view is well and concisely stated by Wiston in his preface to Josephus’ Wars of the Jews, where he says” “That these calamities of the Jews, who were our Savior’s murderers, were to be the greatest that had ever been since the beginning of the world, our Savior had directly foretold, Matt.24:21; Mark 13: 19; Luke 21: 23,24; and that they proved to be such accordingly, Josephus is here a most authentic witness.”

The tendency or general practice among members of the clergy is to link the great tribulation of Matthew 24 with the great tribulation of Rev.7: 9-17, thus making both a single event that is yet future. But we must remember a couple remarkable and undeniable facts. First of all, the great tribulation of Daniel 9 and Matthew 24 was upon Daniel’s people and upon his holy city. The great tribulation that John in Revelation referred to, involved “a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb. To account for their origin, from whence they came, And he said to me, These are they which out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Rev.7:9-14.

The word “tribulation” is rendered 19 times in the New Testament so let us examine the different circumstances surrounding each usage of the word. In Matt.13:21, Jesus said: “Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.” We have been discussing the word in Matthew 24,21,29, so let’s look at Mark 13: 24. This verse refers to the same event in Matthew 24. Now, we have Jesus speaking in general terms of tribulation that each believer encounters in the Christian pathway. “These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.

Paul and Barnabas came down through the regions of Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, “Confirming the souls the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:231-22. In Romans 2:9 Paul wrote about: Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile.” In Romans 5:3 he wrote; And not only so, but we glory in tribulation also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience.” The apostle went on to ask this personal question: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” Rom.8:35. Then in Romans 12:12 we read: “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.” 1 Thess.3:4 says: “For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.”

2 Thess. 1:6 says: “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you.”

In Rev.1:9, John said he is our brother and companion in tribulation. Writing to the church in Smyrna, Jesus said that he knew their works and tribulation and they shall have tribulation ten days and in verse 22 he declared: “Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery wither into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.” Rev.2: 9,22. The last mention of the word tribulation is in Rev.7: 14 when it is said that these have come out of great tribulation and have washed their robes, and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

It is plain to see that every time the word tribulation is used in the New Testament, it applies to a specific group, situation and time frame, and never one that is on the books for a future time beyond our years. But like a chess game, many have been busy moving the meaning of the word from one space or square to another. A friend of mine was preaching on his local radio broadcast in Washington D.C. some years ago that there is no Rapture and no tribulation. One of his elderly members came to see him and said, “brother pastor, I heard that you are preaching that there is no Rapture and no tribulation.” My Friend said, “You heard right!” The member said, “I have been through too many changes and I cannot go through another. I am ready to go home.” The member went home and died rather than changing one more time. A friend of mine with a vibrant church in Jersey City, just outside the city of New York, usually preach for a friend with whom he attended bible school. After preaching for his friend one Sunday, they both were sitting in the pastor’s study when his friend said: “Thomas, I know what you are preaching is the truth, but look at the offering baskets; do you know how much money was brought in today? He mentioned the grand total in thousands of dollars and said, “I am sorry, but I cannot preach what you are preaching and lose all of this.” He was honest but that does not make it any less sad! I am lead to wonder if many of the famous preachers we hear week after week really know better but would rather preach what the people love to hear. What Jesus taught was a thorn in the side of the religious establishment of his day, and when Stephen preached they were cut to the heart, but the truth prevailed throughout the years.

To be continued...

Royce O. Kennedy

Home