I could say that I hate to burst the bubble on this one, but I won’t as I want to burst the bubble. I personally believe that the world and system of religion called by men – Christianity – has completely gotten this wrong.
The error (and some outright lies) have been taught and repeated for so long, that it has been accepted as truth and as a matter-of-factly. Few have bothered to peer deeper into this subject and to question or challenge the existing teaching about the return of the Christ and the manner in which it will occur. It is almost as if some power (human and/or angelic) does not want the truth about it told and have gone to great lengths to keep it concealed.
There has been – and still are – heated discussions and debates as to when and the manner in which The Christ (The Messiah) will return to the earth. Much of the discussion falls into the reckoning that Christs’ return will occur very soon now because of the signs and events occurring on the earth. That at his returning, faithful Christians are suddenly raptured out of the world and will meet the Lord in the air where he will then extract his servants off of the earth and take them to heaven. (If Christ is in the air, then he never comes down to the earth. Something to think about).
Other religious organizations – such as the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society – teach that Jesus’ return has already taken place in that he was installed invisibly as earth’s king in 1914. Thus, his presence on earth is already a reality and he is ruling invisibly amongst his enemies.
Yet, are these lines of reasoning – however well-intentioned – accurate? Has Jesus’ return already taken place or is it yet future? What exactly is the sign that Jesus spoke of that would signal his approaching or coming and the end of an age? Did the current religious system named by men – Christianity – get this wrong? Are their time references skewed? And, if they are, what does that mean for you and me? Let us examine what Scripture says about all of this.
The best place to start is to examine the question asked of Jesus by his disciples concerning his return and the end of an age.
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3) (NIV)
The expression “end of the world” can be found in the Bible, primarily in the King James Version, but it is a prejudiced and bad translation. Almost invariably, in passages that speak of the end of the world, or of the world to come, the Greek word that is translated “world” is “aion” (or “aioon”), from which we get our word “eon.” While “world” may have had that connotation in 1611 when the KJV was published, a more accurate translation of this word for contemporary English is “eon” or “age.”
So Christ’s disciples were not asking about the end of the world – as in the end of the earth – but the end of an age, eon, or span of time that would exist over the earth. Learning and understanding what that age is, is of vital importance. Vital importance!
What Age Were The Disciples Pointing To As Ending?
Jesus disciples were asking him was a two-fold question: “What will be the sign of your coming – which would signal the start of a new age – and of the end of that age.
The period of time that the disciples were asking about ending was not the one we are existing in now, but one that is yet to come and must run its course on the earth. What period of time is that? Christ’s kingdom of 1000 years over the earth! (Revelation 20:7-8)
Closer examination of Matthew 24:3 shows that nothing falls out of context. The subject of the question that the disciples asked their Master surrounded the sign of his return. Keeping in line with that subject, they also wanted to know when an age would end. The question now is to find out what age they were interested in knowing as ending.
Contrary to what many have been taught, the events Jesus mentioned from Matthew 24:4-29 was not an answer to the questions his disciples asked him because these are events. Jesus was leading them up the answer. Those events are events. Jesus’ disciples did not ask him for events, they ask him for an event – a sign; a single occurrence.
It is finally at Matthew 24:30, that Jesus gives them the answer; the single event; the sign:
Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.
There are two expressions in Matthew 24:30 that provide powerful clues what that sign is. They are:
- With Power and …
- Great Glory
So Christ comes out of heaven down to the earth with power and great glory! What does that mean? It means he comes as a powerful and glorious king! His power and authority are given to him by His Father in heaven – as promised for a kingdom – and his glory as king will come from having done battle with Satan and his angels and abyssing them for 1000 years.
That this power is given to him by his Father in heaven means that Christ is acting on behalf of his Father. That is, his Father in heaven giving him the full authority to act on his behalf as if it is the Father acting! Here we see a Son doing the work on His Father.
When kings go to battle and are victorious, they are glorified are they not?
The Most High God promised His Son a Kingdom. We can see in the following series of Scriptures:
The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” (Matthew 22:44)
In Matthew 22:44, Jesus is quoting from Psalms 110:1. He is not referring to himself as LORD, but to a greater one, His Father in heaven. The instance of LORD and Lord are different. The one in all capital letters is JHWH or The name of the Most High God Himself.
The point here is that it is God who has told His Son to sit (wait) at His right-hand side until He puts Christ’s enemies under his (Christs) feet. Then what happens after God puts Christ’s enemies under his feet? God gives him a kingdom over the earth for 1000 years! That is, to act and do as he pleases with regards to the earth!
For he (Christ) must reign until He (God) has put all his (Christ) enemies under his feet. (1 Cor 15:25)
This above passage is in harmony with Matthew 22:44 as it shows that Christ must at some point in time have a rulership – a kingdom – but to this very day, he is still waiting for it to be given to him by his Father. Notice how Hebrews 10:12-13 puts it:
But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool.
What is the footstool? The Prophet Isaiah (and there are others) who answer that question. At Isaiah 66:1 The Most High God Himself speaks:
This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?
The earth itself is the footstool. So the above Scriptures show that this footstool – which is Gods – will be made Christ’s footstool for a one-thousand-year span of time. In other words, be given to him by his Father in heaven to rule over for a specified period of time. That time period is what makes of the “age” in which his disciples were interested in as beginning and ending at Matthew 24:3.
When the Heavenly Father decides it is time for His Son to rule over the earth, it is only proper that a ceremony marking the formal investiture of Christ as King be given. That Christ lives in heaven, it would be the place that his coronation and placement of a crown on his head occur.
That is why we read at Matthew 24:30 that:
Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven.
So the sign is Christ’s coronation in heaven! It will be an event unseen and unheard by anyone on earth. Only those who reside in heaven will be witness to it; even Satan and his angels (the enemy) will also be in attendance. They will know who God has appointed King over the earth.
So the disciples were asking Jesus the question at Matthew 24:3, they were asking: “What will be the sign of your kingdom beginning and when will it end?
That sign being Christ’s coronation as king and thus the beginning of his 1000 year reign over the earth (his coming).
This what many are not seeing.
The World Today Has Been Looking In The Wrong Time Period – And For A Very Long Time!
Much of the discussion and teaching by religious organization surrounding Christ’s return or presence with relation to what is written in Matthew Chapter 24, Mark Chapter 13, and Luke Chapter 21 has been centered around our time period today.
The events mentioned in Matthew 24:4-51 such as the arrival of many coming on the basis of his name saying that he is Christ, wars, and rumors of wars, nations rising against nations, kingdom against kingdom, food shortages, earthquakes, his followers being objects of hatred by all of the nations, the Great Tribulation, Armageddon and so forth are being applied to our time period. I believe this to be a gross error. With relation to the end of the age, the time period Jesus is referring to would be the end of his future 1000 year reign of the earth.
The beginning of that age is the sign that would be seen only in heaven (by those who reside in heaven) and not by anyone on earth would be Jesus installation and coronation as King. That is what his disciples were asking him.
Prior to asking Jesus the question about the sign of his presence and the end of his age, his disciples were being told by Jesus about the buildings of the temple and all of it being thrown down; not one stone will be left upon a thrown. What was Jesus really saying here?
The End of the World of Mankind
Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down. (Matthew 24:1-2)
Jesus used the analogy of the temple buildings being thrown down to illustrate the complete destruction of the world of mankind. The destruction of the world of mankind would mean the complete destruction of each and every nation (stones). And, not only that, the death of mankind itself.
Jesus was teaching that before he is installed as earth’s King and before he begins to rule, all of mankind would have to die and the nations must be destroyed; torn down and laid barren.
A Beginning and End of An Age
Jesus’ disciples essentially asked Jesus what would be the beginning of his Kingdom (the sign) and the end of it (the end of the age).
What occurs during that 1000 year reign by Christ the Scriptures are silent on. We do know that Satan is not destroyed for its duration and is abyssed for the one thousand year duration of Jesus’ reign over the earth from heaven. (Revelation 20:1-3)
Jesus disciples were keenly interested in what would occur after that age – Jesus’ one thousand year reign – would end. Why? Because Jesus will no longer be King, his 1000 year kingdom will have ended and Satan is released.
When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth —Gog and Magog —and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. (Revelation 20:7-8)
Mankind in those future days after Christs’ 1000 year kingdom over the earth ends will not have Christ over them as King. Mankind will be as Adam was in the beginning – standing directly before his Creator without a mediator.
Satan is released upon the world of a new Eden, with mankind in it, once more.
Mankind Resurrected By Christ
At Matthew 24:1-2, Jesus had already told his inquiring disciples that the stones of the buildings of the temple would be thrown down. I had indicated that what Jesus was really telling them that the world of mankind that had been built up over the many thousands of years, will be destroyed. Not only will the nations and countries of the world, but all of mankind will go down in death. The earth itself will enter into a span of time when it will be completely devoid of human life.
Did not the Most High God pronounce the curse of death upon all born of Adam? This will have fulfillment. Even Jesus was subjected to this curse: He died. And, so will we as no slave is greater than his master. In other words, if the Master suffered death, so will we. We will not have an experience different from his. If one does, then he is the Master! There is no escaping death. No fabricated teachings of a rapture or never dying at all will prevent what God pronounced upon Adam from being fulfilled upon us all.
Jesus knew this and it was for that purpose he was sent. He was sent not to prevent mankind from dying, but to prevent mankind from perishing. (John 3:16) Those dead can be and will be resurrected. A resurrection from the dead is one of Jesus first acts as earth’s King when he begins to rule. This he promised.
Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. (John 5:28-29)
Notice that all will be resurrected.
All born since Adam – to include Adam – and persons all over the world who lived before, during, and after Jesus will be resurrected. When they stand up again alive, the earth in those future days will be populated with numbers of people so vast, that their numbers will be as the grains of sand on the seashore! Who can count grains of sand! Even Adam will be resurrected! Why? Because he did not perish, he died at the age of 930 years. Adams bones – and those of his wife Eve – are still on the earth to this very day and they both will be raised to life again thanks to Christ. (Revelation 7:9 and Revelation 20:8)
Many would ask, how could the earth populate so many? Good question.
A future time span will exist over the earth – like it was in the beginning – when the earth was devoid of life. (Genesis 1:2). It will be during this time that earth’s new King – Christ – will prepare the earth for the resurrection of all of mankind out of the graves. Jesus promised a man who was not his follower that he would be with him in his paradise. (Luke 23:43).
Christ did not tell this man that he would be resurrected and be a part in creating a paradise on earth, he said he would be in it. In other words, when this man is resurrected, the paradise condition will already be there. This is consistent with God preparing the Garden of Eden for Adam. God prepared the Garden and then placed Adam within it.
It is noteworthy to look at how Adam was created because it gives us insight on how man will be raised from the dead by Christ in the future. Adam was formed outside of the Garden from the dust of the earth. Adam existed in two stages: (1) As a dead soul and (2) as a living soul.
Adam did not become a living soul until God breathed into his nostrils and gave him life.
Likewise, in the future, all of mankind will find itself back in the dust of the earth; that is, dead (dead souls).
Per his promise at John 5:28-29, Christ resurrects all of mankind and all become living souls (again) and they are resurrected into a paradise on earth that Christ will have already prepared for them.
Note: The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that survivors of Armageddon will be the ones who will restore a ravaged earth to paradise. This is incorrect! Did the Most High God task Adam with creating a Garden of Eden? Or, did God Himself, prepare it before placing the man within it?
No, the righteous and good King Christ himself will be the one to prepare his kingdom for habitation for his subjects – who he will resurrect – not his subjects preparing the earth. Too, if Christ’s paradise is to be for 1000 years, it would take mankind many 1oos of those years to restore the earth to a paradise, maybe! And, they would not be living in a paradise for 1000 years because many of those years would be devoted to creating it!
No, mankind will not be tasked in those future days to create what is not theirs to create: A paradise on earth. Only Christ will do that. Notice what Christ says at John 14:2-3. I use this scripture because it shows who is the one doing the preparing:
In the house of my Father there are many abodes. Otherwise, I would have told YOU, because I am going my way to prepare a place for YOU. Also, if I go my way and prepare a place for YOU, I am coming again and will receive YOU home to myself.
See that? Christ does the preparing, not man.
The teaching that humans will restore the earth to a paradise is nothing but an Anglo-Greco-Roman desire for conquest and control over the various racial groups and people of the earth and real estate (the earth) that is not theirs to own. This notion is an extension of a mentality that exists in our time at present. Even in the Watch Tower Publications, it is White men who are featured as those “Kings of the Earth” who will be with Christ for the 1000 years. May God have mercy upon what is happening in the world at present as there is a definite murderous intrusion and invasion by the Gentile powers into the lands of other people. And, it is being done in the name of God. Here is an interesting video by journalist John Pilger entitled The War You Don’t See. It shows his mentally ill condition of the Gentile Powers and their allies.
This is a shameful, narrow-minded and arrogant mentality and it shows no respect for the Creator, His earth, and the owner of mankind: Christ himself. (1 Cor 11:3)
Yet, no human knows how long mankind will be in the death state. It is irrelevant anyway because in the death state there is no recollection or knowledge of time. (Eccl 9:5, 10)
So at the time a person closes their eyes in death to the time they open them again, 7,000 years, for example, could transpire but to them, it would be as if they blinked their eyes.
When all of mankind are resurrected back to life again (a Second Birth or being born again from the dead), they are resurrected into that age of 1000 years of Christ’s kingdom.
While Scripture does not tell us much as to what will occur during that 1000 year reign of Christ, we do know that the physical earth itself and the newly resurrected man will be restored to his Creator by the end of it. This new mankind will stand as Adam stood before his Creator, without the need of a savior or intermediary. This new man will stand before God knowledgeable and directly responsible to God for decisions and actions made after his restoration. This new man will be without excuse because Christ will have taught this new mankind righteousness.
Here are some facts:
The majority of the Earth’s surface is covered by oceans – that makes up 71% of the surface of the Earth, with the remaining 29% is where we live. Of that 29% for land, large portions of it are uninhabitable such as deserts and the polar caps.
I believe in His Wisdom, God has purposefully stored up and reserved large portions of the earth for future habitation. When all persons born since Adam are resurrected, their numbers will be vast and uncountable! In preparing the earth for them, the new King Christ could make areas now uninhabitable blossom and habitable!
Imagine the land masses of the North and South Poles being transformed from a frozen block of ice into a lush warm climate. Areas today that desert become green, laden with vegetation, rivers, and lakes!
What of the 71% that is ocean? Imagine Christ – would have power and authority as earth King – making more dry land appear (land masses) out of the oceans as he and His Father did in the beginning? (Genesis 1:9)
The earth will be prepared by its future King to make room for all ever born out of Adam.
The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus,it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. (Isaiah 35:1-2)
The End of An Age
Jesus’ disciples were interested in the end of Jesus age or kingdom because they knew it would end. So what next?
Jesus then begins to tell them what will happen after his 1000 years reign ends. While Jesus does not tell them directly that Satan will be released from the Abyss, he does tell them the consequences of that release.
The events of Matthew 24:4-51 are primarily about the events that will occur on the earth after his one thousand year kingdom ends.
The end of the age- Christs’ 1000 year kingdom – begins the ascension of The Great Dragon out of the Abyss.
When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth —Gog and Magog —and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. (Revelation 20:7-8)
The nations that Satan goes out to deceive are not the nations of today. The nations of today will have long been destroyed by the time this Scripture has fulfillment. The nations spoken of here are the new nations of people: The resurrected and restored mankind that Jesus took 1000 years to prepare.
We do not know how long the Great Dragon will go forth to deceive the world, but it must be for some significant time period because he will establish a Wild Beast and Image upon the world in those future days. It will be through this Wild Beast, its image, and the collective False Prophet that the Great Dragon will deceive that future world. For what purpose?
Armageddon
The ascension of the Great Dragon out of the Abyss is synonymous with the ascension of the Wild Beast out of the sea. (Revelation 13:1)
The reason the Dragon goes out to deceive that new world of mankind in those future days is an attempt to align it to resist that which Satan knows is coming and will destroy him and his Beast: God’s Kingdom.
Armageddon is not a war between the nations as many religious organizations and the Motion Picture Industry depicts it as. Armageddon itself is not even a war, it is a place. (Revelation 16:16)
That place is the earth itself. Who has rightful ownership of the earth and to establish everlasting things on it will be what the battle is about. As God’s Kingdom will be announced as approaching by the angel in those future days (The Good News of the Kingdom), the entire earth that Satan will have deceived will resist its coming to be established. (Revelation 14:6)
That future world will not want to see their “peaceful and safe” conditions under the Beasts kingdom be upset. No carnal weapons are used in this war. None will exist. It is simply a resistance to seeing God’s Kingdom come down and replacing the Beast. This resistance involves a changing of one’s mindset. ( 1 Thess 5:3)
One must realize that the people existing under that beastly rule will view the Beast as invincible, second to none! Notice what Revelation 13:4 says:
And they worshiped the dragon because it gave the authority to the wild beast, and they worshiped the wild beast with the words: “Who is like the wild beast, and who can do battle with it?
That future world will be so conditioned that they will believe that NO ONE can do battle with it. I must admit, that beastly kingdom by the Serpent will be something to behold if people will not want to see it go away and believe that not even God and overthrown it! Unless they have been misled to think that it is from God.
The Great Dragon, upon his release from the abyss, will see what Jesus left behind: A perfect earth and a perfect and unified human family. He subtly usurps what Jesus took 1000 years to establish to cause that human family to resist what must come down: God’s Kingdom.
There is no doubt as a part of his deceiving work, the Great Dragon will convince the world that what is coming is an enemy.
It must be understood that Satan’s Wild Beast system of rule will not be oppressive. It will be a system of peace and security for all who support it (except its mark). It will be a paradise. The Great Dragon will not make sudden changes to what Jesus took 1000 years to establish. He usurps it and uses it for his own purpose.
The people will not want to give up such a peaceful and secure system. I believe that many living within it will believe that they are living within what Jesus had established. They will not believe that something has entered into it and is ruling.
For the few in those future days who have been watchful and who have not allowed themselves to be misled, will not fare well under that system. The Great Dragon and his supports will seek to weed them out and done away with.
So Armageddon is an effort by the Great Dragon to turn a restored world of mankind against the establishment of God’s Kingdom over the earth. Satan will have deceived the world that what it has cannot be improved upon and that which is coming will remove the peace and security they enjoy.
It should be noted that Armageddon is an event that occurs after Jesus’ 1000 year reign over the earth ends and The Great Dragon begins his.
The Great Tribulation
How will that future world of mankind know that God’s Kingdom is coming upon it? Because an angel will be dispatched to announce it. Notice how Revelation 14:6 reads:
And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, and he had everlasting good news to declare as glad tidings to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people
Contrary to what many have been taught, there is no Good News or Gospel message being preached at present. Those who say they are preaching one, are in gross error and have fabricated one. An angel – a solitary angel – will be given it and tasked with declaring it to all of the world. And, it will be done in those future days after Christ’s kingdom of 1000 years will have ended! It will be declared to the resisters of God’s Kingdom coming down. That is, to the throne of the Beast.
Ask ten people claiming to be of God and Christ what is the Gospel message, and you will get ten different answers and each answer an opinion and something not found in Scripture because it is not there.
That message or announcement that God’s Kingdom approaches will be one that The Great Dragon will have deceived that world of mankind to resist or war against.
That message – which has not been given yet – is The Good News of the Kingdom. The Good News of the Kingdom message has no application upon the present world. This world must pass away. Old mankind will die and raised again anew. It is in that future world after Christs’ Kingdom will have ended that the Good News of the Kingdom have application.
Those who think they are preaching it are preaching something they made up. They are preaching a program of their particular religious organization.
The contents of The Book of Revelation are all about the events that will occur after Christs’ 1000 year reign ends and The Great Dragon established his Wild Beast and its image.
The Great Tribulation is an event that will come, not upon unbelieving mankind, but upon those who are faithful to God. Notice what Jesus says at Matthew 24:9:
Then people will deliver YOU up to tribulation and will kill YOU, and YOU will be objects of hatred by all the nations on account of my name.
Matthew 24:9 is interesting because it says that Jesus’ faithful will be objects of hatred by all the nations. Think about that. This is telling us that a time period will come when all of the nations of mankind will be united. Why? Because all of them will hate Jesus faithful ones in those future days.
Matthew 24:9 also tells us that that time period is not at present because all of the nations today do not hate Jesus’ followers – specifically the faithful ones.
The source of tribulation upon Jesus’ faithful ones living within The Great Dragons Wild Beast system of rule, will be their former Brothers in the faith who will have been deceived by the Great Dragon and who will be supporting his Wild Beast and image.
You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. (Matthew 10:22)
Jesus associates a time period of his followers being hated by everyone with the end.
If one stands firm or endures to the end of The Great Dragons system of rule, they will be saved. The Great Trial or Tribulation is what we must endure through. Faithful endurance will bring the benefits of everlasting life on earth. Satan knows this.
“When YOU See These Things”
It was Jesus’ disciples who asked him the question at Matthew 24:3 concerning the sign of Jesus’ presence and the conclusion of the system of things or end of the age and it was to these men that Jesus answered.
Jesus did not provide anyone else the answer to this question other than those disciples with him on that day. None reading this article were being spoken to.
As shocking as this might appear to some, this provides us a valuable clue as to the time period or era in which Jesus was referring. Was it our present day one?
One must think: The men that Jesus was speaking to on that day, died nearly 2000 years ago. So will it be possible for them to see or witness the things Jesus said THEY would see and witness? Consider what Jesus said to them. (The bold text I added for emphasis).
For example, at Matthew 24:4-5 Jesus said to THEM:
Look out that nobody misleads YOU; for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.
At Matthew 24:6, Jesus said to THEM:
YOU are going to hear of wars and reports of wars; see that YOU are not terrified. For these things must take place, but the end is not yet.
At Matthew 24:9, Jesus said to THEM:
Then people will deliver YOU up to tribulation and will kill YOU, and YOU will be objects of hatred by all the nations on account of my name.
At Matthew 24:15, Jesus said to THEM:
Therefore, when YOU catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place …
At Matthew 24:20-21, Jesus said to THEM:
Keep praying that YOUR flight may not occur in wintertime, nor on the sabbath day; for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again.
At Matthew 24:23, Jesus says to THEM:
Then if anyone says to YOU, ‘Look! Here is the Christ,’ or, ‘There!’ do not believe it.
At Matthew 24:25-26, Jesus said to THEM:
Look! I have forewarned YOU. Therefore, if people say to YOU, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out; ‘Look! He is in the inner chambers,’ do not believe it.
At Matthew 24:32, Jesus says to THEM:
Now learn from the fig tree as an illustration this point: Just as soon as its young branch grows tender and it puts forth leaves, YOU know that summer is near.
At Matthew 24:33-34, Jesus said to THEM:
Likewise also YOU, when YOU see all these things, know that he is near at the doors. Truly I say to YOU that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.
See the pattern?
So how can men who have been dead nearly 2000 years ago be on the lookout that nobody misleads THEM, or HEAR of wars and reports wars, or not be terrified, be delivered up to tribulation, be objects of hatred by ALL of the nations, catch SIGHT of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, or PRAY that their flight not be in the wintertime UNLESS they are alive?
This is a most valuable clue that pinpoints the age or era in which Jesus was referring. That age is NOT the present one!
The disciples to which Jesus was explaining all of these things to would be alive to see and witness them. How so? By being resurrected from the dead!
The great resurrection of all of mankind from the dead does not occur until Jesus is coronated has earth’s King. The resurrection of all of mankind from the dead being one of his official acts as King.
Included in that resurrection are these men – his disciples – that he was speaking to on that day sitting upon the Mount of Olives more than 2000 years ago. In fact, they will be the first to be resurrected from the dead into his paradise earth.
In this way, they will be alive to see and witness the things Jesus said would occur.
This tells us then that the time period or era in which Jesus was referring was a future time period of after his age of 1000 years as earth’s King will have ended. For that was a part of the question his disciples asked him at Matthew 24:3:
Tell US, When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?
The discussions and teachings – as popular as they might be – that we are in the last days and Jesus is soon to return (or has returned already) is in error.
The events on the earth such as wars, disease, earthquakes, famine, etc are not the signs Jesus was referring to. These occurrences have been going on since man has been on the planet. Besides these are multiple events. It would be a sign – not signs – that Jesus would provide to those he was speaking with that would signal his installation has King and the beginning of his 1000 year age. That sign is given at Matthew 24:30.
I personally know that the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society (and other religious organizations as well) teach that the things Jesus mentions from Matthew 24:3-14 make up a composite sign. That is not what Jesus showed. Jesus did not say those things made up a composite sign. Jesus gave the sign at Matthew 24:30.
Where Do We stand At Present?
Jesus said it himself at Matthew 24:42
Keep on the watch, therefore, because YOU do not know on what day YOUR Lord is coming.
No one knows. No human. No human agency. No religious organization. No angel. Not even Christ himself. Only the Most High God knows because it is He who will decide the time to install his Son as earth’s King.
Christ, at present, stands at His Father’s right side awaiting his coronation. This will be a glorious event in heaven witnessed by the angelic host their. (Matthew 24:30)
Christs’ coming is not a coming in a physical sense. But an installation as King who can then act with the authority as a King over his subjects who he will resurrect from the dead.
At present, Satan the Devil and his angels are still in heaven and have free access to that realm. They have not yet been cast out yet as many have been taught. One of The Son of God’s first acts as King will be to war with Satan and his angels and cast them out of heaven and down to the earth and Abyss them for 1000 years so that they will not be able to interfere with his kingly administration over the earth.
These events have not occurred yet.
At present, we stand in a time period known in Scripture called The Appointed Times of the Nations. It is a time of men and their nations and governments. (Ezekiel 30:3)
The nations of the world are doing as they please and God is not interfering.
This time will have ended by the time Jesus begins his 1000 year reign over the earth.
A catastrophic event or events will lay barren all human life on the planet (possibly animal life as well). All of mankind will be in a literal death state before Christ is installed as King in heaven. This fulfills God’s pronouncement upon man at Genesis 2:17. And, that we are all sinners (born with sin), we must die.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
Payment (wages) for being born in sin is death. This payment has to be made. In other words, death must occur. Happily, God provided us a way out: His Son who will resurrect all of mankind.
The only voice the dead will hear will be the voice of Christ calling them out of the death state when they are resurrected back to life on earth to enter into Jesus’ 1000 year age on earth as new creatures. (John 5:28-29
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
