Times of the Gentiles

Times of the Gentiles

The phrase "times of the Gentiles" is found in Luke 21:24.

Luk 21:24  They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 

In this passage, Jesus was foretelling about the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple. This is a continuation of verse 20-23, where we hear Jesus warning His disciples about the signs that will come before the great tribulation.

What was Jesus talking about here? He was continuing His speech from verse 20:

Luk 21:20  But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. 

So this verse 24 cannot be taken to stand alone, but must be read together in the Context of the earlier verses. Dispensationism says that the "times of the Gentiles" means all the Gentiles in the world, and because they have not all come to Christ, the Coming of Jesus is still in the future. This is a misunderstanding on the term "times of Gentiles". In fact, Luke 21:32 tells us that all these signs will be fulfilled within that generation of the audience. So how can we apply the "times of the Gentiles" to people 2000 years later?

The "times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" means that the time of the conquest of Jerusalem by a Gentile enemies (Roman armies) is completed. Jerusalem was invaded, felled and given over to the Romans who are Gentiles.

We see a similar parallel passage in Rev 11:2 when John was given a glimpse of what will happen to Jerusalem in the very near future.

Rev 11:2  But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. 

The courts of the Temple was "given to the Gentiles" and this was exactly what happened in AD70 when the Romans invaded Jerusalem and trampled underfoot their Temple for 42 months (three and a half years). The courts of the Temple were reserved for the Gentiles to be trampled.

This was the physical presence of the Gentiles within the Temple and in Jerusalem. It was the physical fulfillment of the "times of the Gentiles" in that generation.

However we are also drawn to a spiritual understanding to the fulfillment of the "times of the Gentiles".

We know that the Old Testament was written about the Jews, their nation Israel and their relationship with God. But before we had the Jews, before we had Abraham, Moses and before we had Jacob (also called Israel), way back when God made mankind, there was no separation between Jews and Gentiles. There was no such terms as Jews or Gentiles. God just created Adam and Eve. They were human beings made in the image of God, and not termed Jews or Gentiles.

In the later part of Genesis, from the time of Moses onward, the Jews began to set up a religious system to imitate that of the surrounding nations that did not know God. They instituted the priesthood and established a tabernacle and then a temple to be the meeting place with God. The performance based religion started with temple sacrifices and observation of special days and feasts. They try to make themselves righteous based on their own obedience. That was what the religions of the neighboring nations doing also.

That means the destruction of the Temple and their religion (Judaism) together with all the religious practices would then make their former way of access to God through the Holy Place impossible since there will be no more Temple. God has brought the Israel's practice of religion obsolete. This is the spiritual fulfillment of the "times of the Gentiles".

There is now no more distinction between Jews and Gentiles. The door of access to God through the Temple had ceased. And all these made possible because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ at the Cross and the destruction of the holy city Jerusalem and its Temple. Because of Jesus Christ who instituted the New Covenant through His shed blood, there is no more  separation between God and man. Previously, only the Jews had access to God, and the Gentiles did not. But the event of AD70 brought about the "times of the Gentiles" and God does not show any more distinction of mankind based on race or religion.

Gal 3:26  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 

Gal 3:27  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 

Gal 3:28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 

Gal 3:29  And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. 

Let us look at how the word "Gentile" was established right from the beginning. The word "Gentile" first appear in Genesis 10:5.

Gen 10:5  By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations. 

Here we find that after the flood of Noah, the Gentiles were separated from the Jews, the people of God, into their own nations and languages.

However, prior to Gen 10, there was no distinction between Jews and Gentiles. In fact, these terms or categories do not even exist. In the New Covenant, God brought about a reunification of all races, both Jews and Gentiles, all mankind, into a relationship with God. God brought back all of humanity to Himself.

On the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit came upon the people, and they began to speak in various tongues and languages of man until everyone could understand the gospel. And as a result, they heard the wonderful works of God in their own mother tongue, and 3000 people believed in Jesus (Acts 2:41). God reunited back all the people of various nations and languages into the kingdom of God.

The world fights very hard to maintain distinction of race, species and religion, resulting in many wars and tribulations continuously. But those in the New Covenant, they lose their separation and are brought near to God as one. The kingdom of God is the melting pot and the spiritual glue that brings all of us together. This was what Jesus accomplished at the Cross.

The whole bible, and particularly Isaiah has many passages that God was interested to bring His kingdom and blessing not only to Israel but to the Gentiles and the nations of the world. Isaiah prophesied many times that God will bring His kingdom to the Gentiles. Let us look at some of these in Isaiah:

Isa 11:10  And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

The root of Jesse is Jesus. The Gentiles will seek for Jesus and it shall be glorious. Isaiah was written to the Jews, and yet it speaks of a time when the Gentiles will seek after their root of Jesse and finding the glory.

Isa 42:6  I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

God will establish a covenant and a light to the Gentiles.

Isa 49:6 I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

Israel will bring salvation and light to the Gentiles.

Isa 49:22  Thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.

God will raise  up the Gentiles to take care of Israel's sons and daughters.

Isa 60:3  And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

Isa 66:12  For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.

God will bring about the glory of the Gentiles.

Isa 66:19  And I will set a sign among them, ... and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles. 

From the above, you can see that God had the nations, both Jews and Gentiles in His eternal plan. That fulfillment of the "times of the Gentiles" happened on the Cross, and completion in AD70 when the Temple was no longer the access route to God.

The Gentiles did not have a Messiah promised to them like the Jews had all through the Old Testament, but they have a share of the Savior (Messiah) now that Jesus is the Redeemer of all mankind. Jesus has completely eradicated the difference between a Jew and a Gentile. Now everyone can come to God through Jesus Christ. God does not have any future plans to put aside the New Covenant and restore the natural nation of Israel again, like what some of these new organizations are advocating. 

Some are trying to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem to bring back the glory of Israel and usher in a new Messiah. But this is never the plan of God.

Some are telling people and naive believers that God is only interested in Israel and Israel Only (IO). Again, from all throughout the Old and New Testament, we have seen the goodness of God for all nations, not just Israel only.

Paul told the  Galatians:

Gal 6:15  For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 

Gal 6:16  And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. 

In Jesus, there are no more rituals called circumcision or uncircumcision and especially upon the Israel of God. This complements what Paul said in Gal 3:26-29.

Dead bodies and eagles

Dead bodies and eagles

This is a phrase that is not much written about in the bible, but Jesus saw it fit to bring it up to His disciples within the discourse on the end times and in answer to their question in Mat 24:3.

This appears in Mat 24:28; and Luk 17:37

Mat 24:28  For wheresoever the carcass (dead body) is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 

Luk 17:37  And they said to him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse (dead body) is, there the vultures will gather.” 

The bible uses the word "eagle" and "vulture" interchangeably.

To look into the Context of what Jesus meant, we find that in Luke 17, we have a conversation of Jesus with 2 different groups of people, the Pharisees in v20-21, and His disciples after v21 onward.

In v20, when the Pharisees ask Jesus "when will the kingdom of God come?", Jesus answered them in v21, that the kingdom of Go is not "here" or "there" but the kingdom is "within you".

Then in v22, Jesus began to talked to His disciples and going a little deeper into the matter of the coming of the kingdom of God. He said that the kingdom of God is not going to be here or there. Don't go after them He said in Luke 17:23-24 (parallel account in Mat 24:26-27).

In Luk 17:26, Jesus said just like the days of Noah, He is going to come.

Luk 17:26  Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 

Luk 17:27  They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 

In Luke 17:28, Jesus said just like the days of Lot, He is going to come.

Luk 17:28  Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, 

Luk 17:29  but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all— 

Luk 17:30  so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. 

Q: What were the people doing during the days of Noah and Lot before the judgement of God came down on them?

A: They were doing what they normally do. They were living their daily lives and suddenly the events that God prophesied came to pass suddenly.

Similarly, the Son of God will be revealed in the same manner, when they were going about their daily affairs, and like the days of Noah and Lot, the Son of God will come suddenly.

Luk 31-36 says that the Coming will take many of them by surprised. Some will be  taken, some will be left behind.

In Luk 17:37, the disciples asked a question that only appears in Luke 17 but not in Matthew 24 or Mark 13, and that is "Where, Lord?". Where is this going to take place? Tell us the location of "where" these signs of your coming are going to happen.

You see, in Matthew 24:3, we read of the disciples asking Jesus "when" will the sign of His coming and the end of the age take place. But in Luke 17:37, we read of them asking Jesus "where".

And in answering the disciples' question of "where", Jesus talks about "dead bodies and eagles", which is the title of our topic today.

Luk 17:37  And they answered and said to Him, Where, Lord? And He said to them, Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together. (MKJV)

Jesus said that all the signs of the coming of Jesus is like the eagles on the dead bodies.

It is interesting to take note that the Roman armies carry a standard (emblem) when they march or go to war, and that standard is the emblem of the "eagle". This was the same standard that was planted inside the Holy Place of the Temple by general Titus when he destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in AD70.

So what is Jesus answering His disciples as to "where". Jesus is prophesying to them that where the dead bodies are (in Jerusalem), the eagles (Roman armies) will be there.

See some definitions of the Roman eagle:

https://www.ancient.eu/Roman_Standard/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquila_(Roman)

The Jewish audience can comprehend what Jesus was saying to them because their culture is full of such imageries, and especially when it comes to warfare images. Imageries are mental images, figures, or likenesses of things so that the audience could understand.

For example in Habakkuk, when God told them about the judgement that is going to come on Israel:

Hab 1:6  For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own. 

Hab 1:7  They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves. 

Hab 1:8  Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour. 

Q: Who are the Chaldeans?

A: They are the Babylonian empire that surrounds Israel and are their enemies.

Q: Who is raising the Chaldeans against the people of God, the nation of Israel?

A: GOD is. Not Satan! God raised His peoples enemies to punish Israel, His chosen people.

Q: How will the Chaldeans attack God's people?

A: Like an eagle flying in swiftly to devour them (see the imagery).

Another example in Jeremiah 7, where God is going to send judgement on His people of Judah for their idolatry and evil (Jer 7:30).

Jer 7:33  And the dead bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the air, and for the beasts of the earth, and none will frighten them away. 

Jer 7:34  And I will silence in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, for the land shall become a waste. 

The context of v33-34 is the judgement of God on Judah because of the evil in the nation. Here God is using imageries to describe the judgement. Their bodies will be food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth.

Again in Jer 19, God is using same imageries to describe the coming judgement on His people:

Jer 19:7  And in this place I will make void the plans of Judah and Jerusalem, and will cause their people to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hand of those who seek their life. I will give their dead bodies for food to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the earth. 

Such imageries are familiar with the Jews when Jesus used them in Luk 17:37. An attack in Israel or God's people will be like the birds of the air or beasts of the earth attacking their dead bodies.

A reputable and early church bible scholar and leader, John LIghtfoot (AD1602 - AD1675) wrote in his commentary on Matthew 24:37:

[  "For wheresoever the carcass is, there the eagles will be". I wonder any can understand the words of pious men flying to Christ, when the discourse here is of quite a different thing. They are this connected to the foregoing. Christ shall be revealed with the sudden vengeance. For when God shall cast off the city and the people groomed right for destruction like a carcass thrown out, the Roman soldiers like eagles shall straight fly to it with their eagles or their ensigns to tear and devour it. And to this also agrees the answer of Christ in Luke 17:37 when after the same words that are spoken here in this  chapter, it was  enquired, "Where. Lord". He answered, "wheresoever the body is," silently hinting thus much that Jerusalem and that wicked nation which he described through the whole chapter would be the carcass to which the greedy and devouring eagles would fly to prey upon it.  ]

Q: Was Jesus drawing cross references from the Old Testament about similar judgments on God's people? (Jesus had always referred back to the Scriptures. To the Jews, Scriptures stands for the 5 books of the Torah, Psalms and writings from the prophets).

A: I will highlight some cross references as evidences.

In Hosea, God sent for eagles against His nation:

Hos 8:1  Set the trumpet to thy mouth. "He shall come" as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law. 

The words “he shall come” are inserted for clearness. Hosea beholds the enemy speeding with the swiftness of an eagle, as it darts down upon its prey. “The house of the Lord” is, most strictly, the temple, as being “the place which God had chosen to place His name there.” It is also used, of the kingdom of Judah and Jerusalem, among whom the temple was. (Albert Barnes)

Another example in Jeremiah 25:9, God raising up the enemies of Israel against His nation:

Jer 25:9  Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof.

Did you noticed who did God named as His servant? God named Nebuchadnezzar as His servant. Remember Hab 1:6, where God raised up the Chaldeans against His people to execute judgement against Israel. (Babylon was the capital of the country Chaldea).

Another prophecy about the judgement of God by Zechariah:

Zec 14:2  For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 

God will gather the nations surrounding Jerusalem to battle with His nation Israel.

Another prophecy about the judgement of God by Isaiah:

Isa 10:5  Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury! 

God calls the enemy Assyrians the "rod of His anger" and the "staff of His fury".

From the above, we can see clearly that God uses Nebuchadnezzar, Chaldeans and Assyrians as His instruments to punish and discipline His people Israel.

See a write up on Nebuchadnezzar:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebuchadnezzar_II

The Jews can relate to the phrase "eagles attacking dead bodies", as the coming destruction of Jerusalem by the coming Roman armies led by Titus in AD70. This is consistent interpretation from the whole chapters of Matthew 24, Luke 17 and Mark 13.

Q: Why was Jesus giving so many evidences and prophecies on the coming destruction of Jerusalem within their lifetime? Why was Jesus speaking so much about God's wrath on His people? Why was there a need for AD70, when the nation of Israel was brought under Roman captivity with the city and the Temple leveled?

A: To answer this, we need to look at Isaiah 54:8-9 (there are many other passages also), to understand about God's wrath.

Isaiah 54 follows after Isaiah 53, where we have the famous chapter on the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as prophesied by Isaiah.

In Isaiah 54:8,9 we read of God putting His wrath on His people Israel for a short while, and He will show His compassion on it again. Bible scholars call Isaiah 54 as  God setting up the "eternal covenant" or the "new covenant" with His people.

So the wrath of God was only for a brief period of time. The day of vengeance was just a short burst of God's anger. God had to destroy the effectiveness of the system of religion (Judaism) that is by performance. He is saying no more priests, no more sacrifices, no more temples, no more  man made access to the presence of God. All of it was gone in AD70 when the Temple was destroyed.

Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that the time will come that Jerusalem will no longer exist as a place of worship of God. Neither will it be any one place but everyone can worship Him in spirit and in truth anywhere. No more mountain. No more Jerusalem.

Joh 4:21  Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. "

Jesus was preparing the Samaritan woman the coming of the New Covenant. God in us, the hope of glory.

Coming back to Isaiah 54, we  read that the judgement of God on His people is firstly only for a short period of time, and secondly it will be the last judgement forever and ever. It will never happen again in the future of mankind.

Isa 54:8  In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,” says the LORD, your Redeemer. 

Isa 54:9  “This is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will NOT be angry with you, and will NOT rebuke you. 

Isa 54:10  For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall NOT depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall NOT be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you. 

God drew a parallel between the waters of Noah to His prophesied coming judgement on Jerusalem. He said that just as the flood waters of Noah will never cover the earth, God will no longer send His wrath on us again forever. Hallelujah!

The AD70 event was like the event of the flood of Noah's time. It is over. It is done. It is finished and it will never be done by God again.

The rainbow that surrounds the throne of God in Revelations 4:4 reminds God not to flood the earth again. God will not to display His wrath again. There is no more wrath, no more day of vengeance. No more tribulations. We can rest in the fact that there is a great future with God without the wrath of God upon His people.

144,000 and 666 - Revelations

144,000 and 666 - Revelations

I first heard of the number 144,000 from a couple of Jehovah Witness (JW) guys who dropped in and try to convinced me of their teaching. The JW community were to work very hard for their group, so that they would be counted worthy to be saved, worthy to be among the 144,000 on that Judgement Day of God on the world. Today, I find this  to be a lot of nonsense due to the wrong interpretation of the bible with NO regards to Context, Audience Relevance and Historical Timeline. Well, if the JW was correct, they would have missed it already, because Revelations was written before AD70, and for the last 2000 years, it is common sense that the number of faithfuls would be much much more than this.

From then on, I have heard this number 144,000 many times, and they are all very confusing. It was much later, when I began to realize the importance of understanding this within the Context of the passage and its Audience Relevance, that I comprehended the full meaning of it.

It may surprise you that the number 144,000 also appears in many other religious organisations in the world.

See the write up on this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/144,000

The number 144,000 appears only in the book of Revelations and it appears 3 times in Rev 7:3-8, 14:1, 14:3-5.

To understand the context of 144,000 in Revelations, you need to determine the date the book of Revelations is written by John, because Revelations is related to the prophecy of Jesus in Matthew 24, and the prophecy of Daniel. When you understand the chronological order of the unfolding of events, you will begin to learn how to put them in its Historical Timeline and within its proper perspective.

Some churches believe that Revelations was written around AD95-AD96. However we do not have any written or oral evidence on this date. What we have is only a 2nd Century church writer called Irenaeus who said that apostle John came to visit them in AD96, and because of that some have dated the book of Revelations as AD96 or later.

Well, a person who visited you and the person who wrote the book are two different issues. Church scholars have later found that Irenaeus had been wrong and was prone to certain errors. (For example, he wrote that Jesus lived to 50 years old. See: https://orthodoxchristiantheology.com/2016/08/25/more-proof-irenaeus-thought-jesus-lived-to-50-years-old/ . This is major error in itself.)

Besides Irenaeus, there is no other proofs that Revelations was dated AD95 or more. Some believers of Irenaeus took it literally, and that means John would have been a very very old man, and close to death, to write this book. Further it was recorded that John was persecuted for a long time and had been imprisoned on the island of Patmos for quite a while. When he was released in his old age and left for Ephesus, he was feeble and died shortly.

To date Revelations, the best observation would be to look within the book and find its corresponding timeline to determine the date.

Q: What are the existing evidences within Revelations that we can understand clearly?

A: The 1st evidence we find was that this book was a direct revelation from Jesus to John about things that are shortly going to happen to the 7 churches in Asia.

Rev 1:1  A Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to Him to declare to His servants things which must shortly come to pass. And He signified it by sending His angel to His servant John,..

Rev 1:4  John to the seven existing churches that were in Asia. 

Namely the churches at Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. John was in the island of Patmos, and if you look at the map, the 7 churches are located along a single postal circular route and were very close to Patmos. John could have written the book or letter to these churches and it was meant to be read and circulated among them along a particular route in the countryside. (They didn't have email then.) John said that the time was very short, and close at hand. This indicates that the events written in Revelations happened within their timeframe. What were the events? They are the events recorded by Mat 24; Mark 13; Luke 21 called the Olivet Discourse. Christian and non-Christian historians tell us  that there were no such apocalypse as described in Revelations, happening shortly after the destruction of Jerusalem in AD70.

Another evidence is that John was told by God to measure the dimensions of the Temple in Rev 11. That means the Temple was still standing when John wrote Revelations! John was aware that it was still existing and in full view of everyone. The Temple was still standing until AD70 when Titus and the Roman armies destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. If John had written Revelations in the distant future or in AD95 or AD96, then the Temple was no longer standing or existing. So the book of Revelation would be invalid.

Maybe you might think that the Temple was rebuilt after AD70 but it was never such occurrence recorded in Church, Jewish or Roman historical records. No history talks about the rebuilding of the Temple after AD70. If some say that John had written Revelations in AD95, how can they rebuild such a magnificent Temple so quickly while still under the oppression of the Roman Empire.

Another evidence is about the mark of the beast called 666. This has been abused and misused by preachers so many many times, for centuries, that I am ashamed to be called a Christian if I am to be numbered among them. There is widespread disagreement over the identification and meaning of the number 666.

View what was researched by National Geographic about 666:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy2CDXtWjoU

Rev 13:17  even that not any might buy or sell except those having the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of its name. 

Rev 13:18  Here is the wisdom. Let him having reason count the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. And its number is six hundred and sixty-six. 

Q: What does v17 and v18 says? 

A: It is the number of a man. It is the number of the mans's name. In Hebrew tradition and culture, all their Hebrew words are written in grammar and in numbers. And the number 666 is the Hebrew grammatical and numerical  equivalent of "Caesar Nero" who reigned as emperor of the Roman Empire from AD37 - AD68. That means Revelations was written BEFORE AD68.

Once you accept these evidences found within the book of Revelations as written before AD70, it becomes easy to understand the New Testament. Historians and scholars also agreed that the book of John was written AFTER AD70 (if arranged chronologically, it would be the last book of the New Testament. John was also the last apostle to die of natural causes. Ten of the apostles were martyred. Judas committed suicide). Book of John did not have any account of Jesus warnings, the coming great tribulation in AD70 or the wordings in the Olivet Discourse. John did not write about the End of the Age at all, because the End of the Age (Old Covenant Age) had already come and gone after AD70.

Also, the book of Revelations (or Apocalypse as some called it) was the revelation or unveiling of Jesus Christ to his servant John. He was revealing about events that are SHORTLY to happen, and not 2000 years in the future. It was specific instructions to the 7 churches in Asia. Jesus revealed to John that he must not seal the visions that He is showing him, because it is going to happen SOON (Rev 22:10).

Taking consideration of these evidences and the timeline, then we can rejoice with John, because the book of Revelations is about the triumph and victory of the gospel of Jesus Christ over all of His enemies. It is about Jesus and His conquest over every enemy and tribulation.

Mat 24:13 says, AFTER you see all these signs of Jesus Coming and the End of the Age, you will be SAVED.

Mat 24:13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 

This is not a spiritual salvation. This is a physical salvation from the destruction that is coming onto Jerusalem, the nation of Israel and the Old Covenant. By fleeing to the mountains, but obeying His warnings, they will escape the great tribulation and will be saved.

After setting the Historical Timeline and the dating of the book of Revelations to before AD70, we can then better understand the number 144,000.

Rev 7:3  Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 

Rev 7:4  And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 

This is the number 144,000 of the Jews that is set apart by God. They will not be hurt but saved. Saved from the great tribulation coming upon Jerusalem and its Temple caused by the Roman armies.

This is NOT talking about sometime in future where God is removing the church, and then saving 144,000 Jews to evangelize and save the world! This has been a made up "super Jews" story.

See what Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus:

Eph 4:30  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you are sealed until the day of redemption.  

The Ephesian church was one  of the 7 churches that John wrote in Revelations. Paul told them that they were sealed for a particular and specific "day of redemption". The Holy Spirit has sealed them for this  day. This is the Context of Ephesians 4:30.

In Rev 7:3, we see the confirmation of what Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus in Eph 4:30. God wants to seal salvation upon His people so that they will be saved.

In Rev 14:1-4, we read of another passage with the 144,000.

Rev 14:1  And I looked, and lo, the Lamb stood on Mount Zion. And with Him were a hundred and forty-four thousands, having His Father's name written in their foreheads. 

Rev 14:2  And I heard a voice from Heaven, like the voice of many waters and like the voice of a great thunder. And I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps. 

Rev 14:3  And they sang as it were a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. And no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousands who were redeemed from the earth. 

Rev 14:4  These are those who were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, as a firstfruit to God and to the Lamb. 

The 144,000 were the Christians who were redeemed and standing with Jesus Christ.

V4 says they were redeemed among other men as a firstfruit to God.

The term "firstfruit" is a Jewish phrase meaning that the Jews giving their first fruit offering to God. this was their first harvest and the best of their harvest, where they gave to God.

In Rev 14:4 it speaks about the Christians as the firstfruit, meaning they were the first to be  redeemed, and first to be saved.

Q: Who were these first to be redeemed, first to be saved? Were they Jehovah Witnesses as  they claimed?

A: No. They refer to those who were saved from the Old Covenant Age and are now in the New Covenant Age ushered in by the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.

In Acts 2, we read of Peter preaching the good news in Jerusalem, and 3,000 Jews were saved on that day when they came to the city to celebrate the feast of Pentecost.

They were not Gentiles, but Jews who were scattered all over the region, and once a year they will come back to Jerusalem and the Temple to offer sacrifices and celebrate the feast. These 3,000 who were saved and received Christ were part of the firstfruit of the Jews.

In Acts 8, we read of the gospel going outside of Jerusalem and to other parts of the land after the stoning of Stephen. More and  more of the firstfruits were gathered before the great tribulation in AD70. In the beginning when they were scattered all over, they reached out to the Jews only. 

The number 144,000 comes from the 12 tribes of 12,000 Jews (Rev 7:4). 12 is the biblical number of fullness. 12 apostles, 12 tribes, 12 foundations in New Jerusalem, 12 baskets of fragments left over after feeding the 5000. 12 represents fullness. So 144,000 = 12 x 12 x 1000. It is a number of fullness and symbolically stands for the  fullness of the number of Christians who were Jews. That means when the full number of Jewish Christians were redeemed, then the great tribulation began in Jerusalem.

It doesn't mean there must be mathematically exactly 144,000 and cannot be 143,999 or 144,001. It is a symbolic representation of the fullness of believers that were saved.

Q: What about the virgins?

In Rev 14:4 it says that these 144,000 were those who were not defiled with women for they are virgins. The phrase "virgins" is also a Jewish term that they can understand very well. Remember, we are reading the book of Revelations through the Jewish eyes, because it was written TO THEM, and not to us.

Let us see how the term "virgins" is used in other passages by Paul and Jesus.

In 2 Cor 11:2 Paul calls the Christians "chaste virgins"

2Co 11:2  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 

In Matthew 25, we have  the story of the 5 foolish virgins and the 5 wise virgins.

Matthew 24 is the Olivet Discourse, and talks about the End Times and End of the Age.

Immediately, in Mat 25, we read Jesus tells them this story of the wise and foolish virgins. It is interesting to note that this parable is not found in other parallel passages like Mark, Luke or John, because Matthew was primarily written to the Jews, and not in general. Matthew recorded about events that were going to happen within their community.

Q: What does this parable of the wise and foolish virgins tells us?

A: It tells us that there will be Jews who were unprepared (when the End of the Age happens) for the marriage, and there will be Jews who were prepared because they had oil (symbol of the Holy Spirit) with their lamps. Those who had oil were the Christian Jews who believed in Jesus Christ, had the Holy Spirit, and were saved.

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit was for the believers of Jesus Christ in the New Covenant.

The 5 foolish virgins were the Jews who had their form of religion Judaism but without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

So the phrase "virgins" in Rev 14:4 refers to Jews who were part of the 144,000.

Summary:

The 144,000 were the firstfruit Jews who were Christians, and God had sealed them and said that many of them will make it through that day of redemption kept for them. For the rest of the Jews, there will be a day of wrath of God, or the wrath of the Lamb as called in Revelations.

Sub-study:

Q: What is this wrath of God in Revelations?

Rev 6:15  And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 

Rev 6:16  And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 

Rev 6:17  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? 

This wrath is similar to the wrath of God found in Mat 24, and Luke 21:23

The wrath will be so great that they wish that the rocks of the mountains will fall on them and kill them instead.

Look at what Jesus said in a similar pattern while on the way to the Cross, and the people were crying and lamenting for Him in Luke 23:28-30

Luk 23:28  But turning to them, Jesus said, Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 

Luk 23:29  For behold, the days are coming in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts which did not suckle. 

Luk 23:30  And they shall begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us! And to the hills, Cover us! 

This is exactly what John wrote in Rev 6:16. It cannot be so co-incidental!

Q: When is this event going to happen? The event of weeping for themselves, and calling to rocks to kill them?

A: It is going to happen in their timeline of them and their children (v28).

Look at what Paul told the Thessalonians in 1 The 2:13-16 "wrath has come upon them.."

This is God's anger in its severest form. It is going to happen to them. What wrath? the Wrath of God on that day called the "Day of Vengeance" for them, the Jews who killed Jesus Christ, and "day of redemption" for the believers.

Historians like Josephus tells us that when that Day of Judgement or Day of Vengeance or Day of Wrath of God came, the Roman armies led by general Titus surrounded Jerusalem and destroyed the city and its Temple in AD70, BUT not one of the Christians were in the city. The Christians  took the warnings of Jesus seriously.

So when the 144,000 Jews were saved, then they saw the great tribulation in Mat 24:21, a disaster so great that it has never happened before.

https://advancingtruth.blogspot.com/2020/04/destruction-of-jerusalems-temple-not.html

Flee to the Mountains

Flee to the Mountains

This phrase "flee to the mountains" is found in Mat 24:16; Mark 13:14; Luk 21:21

Let's look at Matthew:

Mat 24:16  Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 

Mat 24:17  Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 

Mat 24:18  Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

 

Mat 24:19  And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 

Mat 24:20  But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day.

The Jewish historian Josephus tells us that the general Caius Cestius Gallus of the Roman armies, was the 1st of all the generals to initiate an attack on the city of Jerusalem. He attacked the surrounding walls (which was acting as a protection wall) for 5 days and after that he stopped. He didn't continue his attack for certain reasons. It was during this period of non-attack mode, that the Jews came out and killed 5300 Roman soldiers and chased the armies away.

See a write up on the general:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cestius_Gallus

From the account, it seems that the Jewish army was winning against the Romans. However, Josephus noticed a rather peculiar happening, and that is many of the eminent Jews ran away from the city, like those fleeing from a ship about to sink. Josephus couldn't understand why the Jews left the city after a short victory over the Romans.

Josephus was a Jew who became a Roman citizen. He was not a Christian and so he did not write from a spiritual perspective but wrote everything as he saw.

Eusebius, who is a Christian and one of the earliest church historian, was a 3rd Century church leader and writer. In fact, he has the only surviving written accounts of the church history in the 1st 300 years. There were very few written accounts and whatever was written by other church leaders could have been lost or destroyed in the war.

See:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eusebius

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josephus

In Eusebius book "History of the Church: page 111" he wrote:

[  Furthermore the members of the Jerusalem church, by means of an oracle given by revelation to acceptable persons there, were ordered to leave the city before the War began, and settled in a town in Perea called Pella. To Pella, those who believed in Christ migrated from Jerusalem, and as if holy men had utterly abandoned the royal metropolis of the Jews and the entire Jewish land. The judgement of God at last overtook them for the abominable crimes against Christ and His apostles, completely blotting out that wicked generation from among men.. ]

Q: What was that oracle given by revelation?

A: It was Matthew 24:16 (see above).

This was the common knowledge among Christians even from the 1st Century. When they saw Caius start the assault they just fled, even though the Jewish army enjoyed a short victory over the Romans. For the Christians, they did not see it as a victory for Jerusalem. They took it as a fulfillment of Jesus warning according to Mat 24:16. Jesus ask them to leave, so they left.

John Gill, a respected bible scholar and theologian, said in his book "Exposition of the New Testament (1852)" with regard to Mat 24:16.

[  It is remarked by certain interpreters, that which Josephus took noticed off with surprise, that Caius having advanced to Jerusalem and besieged it, all of a sudden without any cause, raised the siege and withdraw his army when the city might have easily been taken. By which means, a signal was made and an opportunity given to the Christians to make their escape. Which they accordingly did, and went over to Jordan, as Eusebius said to a place called Pella. So when Titus came a few months later to destroy the city, there was not a Christian in Jerusalem anymore.  ]

It looks like the Christians took Jesus warnings very seriously in that generation. It was a life and death decision. When they saw the armies start to surround Jerusalem, they fled.

In Mat 24:17-20 Jesus gave very specific and detailed instructions to His disciples.

v17 - make haste, and don't waste any time. If you are on the housetop, don't go back into the house. Don't return to take anything. The flat roof of those days has access to the outside of the building. They also have walkways leading from one housetop to another. The Jews spent lots of time on the housetops. It was like another room to them, maybe to escape the heat or for greater fresh air. With the warning, they can easily jump down from housetop to housetop and run away. They were to leave the city immediately by going to the city gates and flee to the mountains. It was a very serious situation. This was the window of opportunity for them to flee, when the Roman armies are retreating.

v18 - when they are in the fields, don't go back to the city. There is no time to gather anything but to flee away from the city into the mountains.

v17 and v18 is very similar to another historical incident in Jewish history when God rained judgement on Sodom and Gomorrah as recorded in book of Genesis. In the story, Lot and his wife and family were to flee the city.

Gen 19:17 tells us that they were not even allowed to look back but to escape to the mountains. Jesus, being a Jew, knew about this history of Lot and his wife, and He used this story as an example to the Jews as to how to do it.

In a parallel account to Mat 24:17-20, we find in Luke 17:28-32.

Luk 17:28  Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 

Luk 17:29  But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 

Luk 17:30  Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. 

Luk 17:31  In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. 

Luk 17:32  Remember Lot's wife. 

Jesus didn't have to tell them what happened to Lot's wife. He just said "remember her". They all knew what happened to her when she looked back and turned into a pillar of salt ! (an Aramaic idiom).

Jesus showed the correct interpretation of Lot and his wife, to remind the Jews, of the coming judgement and not to go back to Jerusalem, if not they will die.

Mat 24:19 if they are pregnant with a child or are carrying a baby, it is going to be difficult for them in fleeing. The journey will be difficult. The  terrain will be difficult. The running and walking will be difficult.

v20 - pray that it will not be in winter or on sabbath. This verse showed us that even Jesus did not know the exact time or exact day when the Day of Vengeance is going to happen. All that the Father God has shown to Jesus was that it is going to happen to that generation and it is very soon. He did not know whether it will happen in winter or summer, or on a Thursday or Friday. If it is in winter, it will be tougher on them, as the days will be short and the nights will be long.

As for the sabbath day, Christians are no longer bound under the Old Covenant of observing the sabbath day. That's why in Acts, we see the disciples did not observe the Sabbath day. For the Christians, Jesus is our sabbath. Jesus said that only the Father  knows the day or the hour.

Why did Jesus mentioned about praying that the Day will not be on sabbath day?

It could be that the Jews in Jerusalem are still very traditional Jews in practices. They were in a transition of following after Jesus Christ, and so some of their traditions have  not been completely dealt with. The rest of the Jews almost 99% of the population in the city still observe the sabbath very strictly but not the disciples of Jesus.

Another reason could be that on a sabbath day, the Jews have travel restrictions. Their previous rabbi only gave them 2000 steps to walk on a sabbath day, that is less than half a mile. If they truly observe this ritual, then they cannot reach the mountains. Also to enforce this rule, the city gate keepers actually close the gates on the sabbath day, and make it compulsory for Jews not to travel outside the  city.

Q: What will happen to them if they do not take heed to these warnings of Jesus to flee away to the mountains?

A: Luke 19:43-44 tells us that the enemy is  going to dig a trench around them and encompassed them, and they cannot get in or get out anymore. They will be surrounded by the invading armies.

That was the reason Josephus observed that the Christian Jews were fleeing the city of Jerusalem like people swimming away from a sinking ship.

The Abomination of Desolation (Part 2)

The Abomination of Desolation (Part 2)

Mat 24:15  Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand). 

Mat 24:16  Then let those in Judea flee into the mountains. 


This is the keyword to the End Times. We read of Jesus referring to the "Abomination of Desolation" as described in the book of Daniel. So let's go to Daniel 9.

Dan 9:26  And after sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself. And the people of the ruler who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. And the end of it shall be with the flood, and ruins are determined, until the end shall be war. 

Dan 9:27  And he (Messiah) shall confirm a covenant with many for one week. And in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease, and on a corner of the altar desolating abominations, even until the end. And that which was decreed shall be poured on the desolator. 

In v27, we read of Daniel speaking about the "Abomination of Desolation". Also in v26, we know that Daniel was talking about the Messiah (i.e. Jesus Christ) and not the Antichrist as some may say.

The Messiah shall confirm the covenant. The word "confirm" speaks of "prevailing, strengthening". Jesus is going to prevail with a strong covenant.
On the Cross, Jesus death and resurrection was confirming the covenant. He got rid of the Old Covenant, and ushered in the New Covenant.

We read in Mat 26:28 that Jesus brought about the New Covenant by His precious blood.

Mat 26:28  For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 













Dan 9:27 says Jesus will confirm the covenant with "many".. Who are the many? These  are those that have believed in Jesus and was ushered into the New Covenant by faith in Jesus Christ.

Historians tell us that many people, especially the believing Jews, believed in the words of Jesus and His warnings (Mat 24:16; Luk 21:21) about fleeing to the mountains. Not only those in the city of Jerusalem but including those in Judea, they are to flee. Those who fled were saved from the destruction.

Mat 24:16  Then let those in Judea flee into the mountains. 

Luk 21:20  And when you see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that its destruction has come. 

Luk 21:21  And let those in Judea flee to the mountains. And those in its midst, let them go out. And those in the open spaces, let them not go into her. 

See a write up about the fleeing to the mountains in wiki:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_to_Pella

How did those in Judea knew when to flee? They were not in the city? They did not know what is happening at the Temple. Luk 21:20 give us the clue. They can see the Roman armies advancing towards the city. They can see the strategy of them surrounding all the walls of the whole city. When they saw, they remembered the warning of Jesus to flee to the mountains together with all the rest of the believers in Jerusalem because destruction is very near.

Sure enough, the Roman army desolated the city and the Temple, and set up the Roman god together with their emperor's image and the eagle crescent, and worshiped. This was recorded by several historians as a sad day for the Jews and the nation of Israel. In fact, the destruction was so extensive that the Jews did not have anymore daily sacrifices and all their traditional religious Judaism practices ceased.

Coming back to Mat 24:15-16 ...therefore when you "see" refers to those who were inside the city who saw the coming of the Roman armies. v6 tells us of "wars and rumors of wars", and in v15, the start of the war.

Check it out at the First Jewish Roman War:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Jewish-Roman_War

This was a specific answer to a specific question by Jesus disciples in Mat 24:3. The "Abomination of Desolation" is to be a major sign of the End of the Age and the coming of Jesus.


Here is what Albert Barnes (1798-1870) wrote in his commentary of the bible on page 254, regarding the "Abomination of Desolation".

[ Matthew 24:15 ‘The abomination of desolation – This is a Hebrew expression, meaning an abominable or hateful destroyer. The Gentiles were all held in abomination by the Jews, Act_10:28. The abomination of desolation means the Roman army, and is so explained by Luk_21:20. The Roman army is further called the “abomination” on account of the images of the emperor, and the eagles, carried in front of the legions, and regarded by the Romans with divine honors. ]

See a write up on Albert Barnes:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Barnes_(theologian)


Another bible scholar Cecil Saunders in his book "The Future: An Amillennial Perspective: A Biblical Study of Things to Come" in 1990 wrote:

[  ..when reporting on the Olivet Prophecy, Luke did tell us who the "Abomination of Desolation" was. He said in Luke 21:20 "when you shall see Jerusalem encompassed by armies, then know the desolation is near. by reading the surrounding verses, one cannot deny that this is a parallel discourse of the Olivet prophecy in Matthew 24. Parallel accounts cannot have a different meaning. By combining Luke passage with secular history, it is clear that Titus and his armies is the "Abomination of Desolation". It was fulfilled in AD70 when the Romans desecrated and destroyed the Temple and Jerusalem. Matthew 24:15 and Luke 21"20 are parallel accounts speaking of the same event..]


The prophecy of Jesus was fulfilled about 35 years after He warned the disciples. Not only this warning about the "Abomination of Desolation" but all the prophecies in thie Olivet Discourse were fulfilled during that period leading to the End of the Age. Jesus was bringing in a new Age, the Age of the New Covenant.

As we have entered into this Age of the New Covenant, we will continue to :

a. experience the richness of God's grace, due to the kindness shown to us through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:7).

b. be greater led by the Holy Spirit who has made his abode in us and treats us as  the Temple of the Living God.

c. learn and be taught by the Holy Spirit as we read and understand from the lessons in the Old Testament and the New Testament.