Matthew 24 - carefully analyzed.

[Aijalon]

One of the biggest issues with Eschatology that I encountered early on was figuring out that Matthew Chapter 24 has natural teaching element that breaks it into a WHAT happens, and a HOW to respond (application).

Jesus gives the outline of the events leading to the fall of Jerusalem, and what to do.

And he also provides the answer to the larger question about the "full end of the age" which occurs at the end of the Great Tribulation.

Way back on the old boards I had a thread on this, here it is again.

Matthew 24:1-27
Commentary in "[CAPS]"

1 And having gone forth, Jesus departed from the temple, and his disciples came near to show him the buildings of the temple,

2 and Jesus said to them, `Do ye not see all these? verily I say to you, There may not be left here a stone upon a stone, that shall not be thrown down.' [FULFILLED IN AD 70]

3 And when he is sitting on the mount of the Olives, the disciples came near to him by himself, saying, `Tell us, when shall these be? and what [is] the sign of thy presence [2ND COMING], and of the full end of the age*?'

>> * the disciples don’t understand that Jesus will be absent for a long time, they want to know about events soon to happen. 
>> Jesus provides the “what” will happen leading up to the fall of Jerusalem

4 And Jesus answering said to them, `Take heed that no one may lead you astray,

5 for many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and they shall lead many astray, [RESULTING IN THE JEWISH REVOLT]

6 and ye [DISCIPLES] shall begin to hear of wars, and reports of wars; [WAR AGAINST ROME] see, be not troubled, for it behoveth all [these] to come to pass, [PROPHETICALLY CERTAIN] but the end is not yet. [THE END OF ALL THINGS & SIGN OF HIS COMING, AFTER FALL OF JERUSALEM]


>> * Jesus explained the end of the age of the Jews, and proceeds directly to the age of the Gentiles. 
>>  WHAT will happen during the age of the Gentiles.

7 `For nation shall rise against nation, [WHITE HORSEMAN, CONQEROR] and kingdom against kingdom [RED HORSEMAN, GREAT WARS (EAST vs WEST)], and there shall be famines, [BLACK HORSEMAN, POVERTY/FEUDALISM] and pestilences [PALE HORSMEAN, DISEASE AND PESTILENCE], and earthquakes [TEMPESTS, or, STORMS], in divers places; [ALL OVER THE WORLD]

8 and all these [are] the beginning of sorrows; [EVEN THE FOUR HORSEMAN ARE JUST THE BEGINNING OF END TIMES SORROWS]

9 then they shall deliver you up to tribulation, and shall kill you, [5TH SEAL, SEVERE MARTYRDOM AND RELIGIOUS WAR] and ye shall be hated by all the nations because of my name; [6TH SEAL, MEN PREPARE FOR WAR AGAINST GOD]

10 and then shall many be stumbled, [TRUMPETS - SPIRITUAL DECAY] and they shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another [TRUMPETS, BITTER SPIRIT OF WORMWOOD & LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL LIMITED].

11 `And many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray [DOCTRINES OF DEMONS / 6th TRUMPET]

12 and because of the abounding of the lawlessness ["MAN OF LAWLESSNESS"], the love of the many shall become cold; [LUKEWARM?]

13 but he who did endure to the end, he shall be saved; [THE WRATH OF GOD IS PREPARED ON BEHALF OF MARTYRS - REV 14]

14 and this good news of the reign shall be proclaimed in all the world, for a testimony to all the nations; [REVELATION 14:6] and then shall the end arrive. [THE WINEPRESS & THE 7 BOWLS OF WRATH – FALL OF BABYLON]

>> [END OF GREAT TRIB. SUMMARY ENCOMPASING THE TIMES OF ROME TO THE 8TH BEAST] <<

>> [BEGIN APPLICATION / “HOW” IT HAPPENS] <<

15 `Whenever, therefore, ye [JESUS' AUDIENCE] may see the abomination of the desolation [ARMIES DESOLATING JERUSALEM], that was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing/(established) in the holy place [THE CITY OF JERUSALEM] -whoever is reading let him observe- [YOU MUST READ/UNDERSTAND DANIEL'S PROPHECIES TO UNDERSTAND MATTHEW 24]

16 then those in Judea [JERUSALEM SAINTS] -- let them flee to the mounts;

17 he on the house-top -- let him not come down to take up any thing out of his house;

18 and he in the field -- let him not turn back to take his garments.

19 `And wo to those with child, and to those giving suck in those days;

20 and pray ye that your flight may not be in winter, nor on a sabbath;

>> [END OF JERUSALEM // BEGIN AGE OF THE GENTILES and WORLDWIDE TRIBULATIONS] <<

21 for there shall be then great [VERY MUCH] tribulation, such as was not [HASN'T BEEN] from the beginning of the world till now, no, nor may be. [THE SAME GREAT TRIBULATION AS REV. 7:14]

22 And if those days [OF VERY MUCH TRIBULATION] were not shortened [SHORTENED DOES NOT MEAN "SHORT"], no flesh would have been saved; but because of the chosen, shall those days be shortened [THE PERIOD OF TIME HAS A LIMIT, "to-cut-off" MEANS "put-an-end-to"].

23 `Then if any one may say to you, Lo, here [is] the Christ! or here! ye may not believe;

24 for there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and they shall give great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, also the chosen.
[THERE WILL BE FALSE SIGNS AND FALSE APPEARINGS OF CHRIST ("Heaven is For Real" comes to mind)]

25 Lo, I did tell you beforehand.

26 `If therefore they may say to you, Lo, in the wilderness he is, ye may not go forth; lo, in the inner chambers, ye may not believe;

27 for as the lightning doth come forth from the east, and doth appear unto the west, so shall be also the presence of the Son of Man;[/color]

[Rebecca]

About 40 years of reading Matt 24 with the added commentary stuck in my brain from childhood . How clear the reading and understanding of Matt 24 became when the commentary was dismissed.   

[Fenris]

the end of the age of the Jews

Is that before or after the Age of Arda? That's when the Time of the Elves gives way to the Rule of Men.

[RabbiKnife]

Before the last ship leaves the Havens with the last Ringbearer…

[Aijalon]

Whoops, the end of the age is when the Battlestar Galactica blows up and mankind finds a new world without technology.  I think Luke's account might include that part.