ALMOST 2000 YEARS AND STILL COUNTING – BLOG 5
http://www.tribulationperiod.com/
April 11, 2011
Matthew 24:3 – And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be
? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
JESUS ANSWERED 3 QUESTIONS BUT NOT IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER!
THEY ARE LINGUISTICALLY SEPARATED FROM ONE ANOTHER BY THE FOLLOWING EXPRESSIONS IN LUKE’S OLIVET DISCOURSE:
(1) “BUT THE END IS NOT BY AND BY’ – LUKE 21:9
(2) “THEN SAID HE UNTO THEM” – LUKE 21:10
(3) “BUT BEFORE ALL THESE” – LUKE 21:12
(4) “UNTIL THE TIMES OF” – LUKE 21:24
(5) “AND THERE SHALL BE” – LUKE 21:25
The Olivet Discourse by Jesus is found in Luke, Mark, and Matthew. I have read hundreds of expositions of the discourse by many different men. I can truthfully say, without reservations or hesitation, that many positions are held on the discourse and wide differences do indeed exist between them. Some believe it was all fulfilled by 73 A.D., some say most of it was fulfilled by 73 A.D., and some say most of it is yet to be fulfilled.
Some say it only applies to the Jews, and some say it applies to both Jew
and Gentile.
In Blogs 1 through 4, an exposition was given that covered Mark 13:1-8, Matthew 24:1-8, and Luke 21:5-17. Blog 4 completed Luke 21:12-17 as an answer to the first of three questions the disciples asked Jesus, which are found in Matthew 24:3, the first question being, “when shall these things be?” They wanted to know what signs would be occurring from that time until the temple was leveled.
Matthew 24:3 – And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Luke 21:17 – And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.
Blog 4 ended with Luke 21:17, so Blog 5 will continue to answer this first question, beginning with Luke 21:18, which we know cannot be referring to physical hair, because of Luke 21:1 6.
Even physical hair eventually rots and perishes when a person dies, and in in Luke 21:16 he tells them some of his followers are going to die for their testimony and belief in him, but immediately thereafter in 21:18 he tells them “But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
”
Luke 21:16 – And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
If some of them were to be put to death, then Luke 21:18 must refer to an application of the maintenance of their spiritual being.
Luke 21:18 – But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
After having advised the disciples of all the trials and tribulations they were going to experience before the temple was leveled in 21:12-17, he then assures them they will not be separated from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.
Even the smallest part of each one of them would forever be preserved, even down to their hair follicles.
Romans 8:36-39 – As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. [37] Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. [38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, [39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
He had advised them earlier not to be afraid of those who could kill their bodies, but to fear God who was the keeper of their souls. He also told them that they were much more valuable than the smallest of creatures offered in temple sacrifices, the sparrow. And since he kept track of even the smallest sacrifice offered they, being more valuable, would have their souls preserved through all tribulations by his power. And, even if they suffered physical death, not one spiritual hair of their being would ever be forgotten or forsaken.
Luke 12:4-8 – I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
[5] But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him,
which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. [6] Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God
? [7] But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. [8] Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
All but Judas had repented of their sins, and confessed him as Messiah, so he assured them that not one of them, who would go through this time of great testing, would have his soul perish from his presence.
II Peter 3:9 – The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
He then tells them, in essence and in context, in your endurance of all the trials I have just described, let your faith in me take possession, or take control, of your souls. Let your born again Spirit control your soul, in patient endurance, through all these trials
Luke 21:19 – In your PATIENCE POSSESS ye
your SOULS.
The word used for PATIENCE is HEPOMONE, which means the act of ENDURANCE. POSSESS is KTAOMAI.
SOULS is PSUCHE, which is frequently translated as LIFE. In their ENDURANCE, through all these trials, they were to spiritually POSSESS their souls. This is the process of spiritual growth in faith by a soul kept by God, as it grows by the trials it endures – more on this in Blog 6.