Mark 13, The sign, sun will be darkened, troubles, wars, enemies, The elect eklektos, blood moon, alert, ss

Mark 13
The Olivet Discourse
Jesus Predicts The Temple Destruction
Jesus Gives Signs of the End of the Age
Jesus Predicts Persecution
The Abomination of Desolation
The Coming of the Son of Man
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
This generation will not pass away
Keep Watch, No One Knows That Day
Scientists take samples to study
radioactive discharges in the
Susquehanna River in Maryland,
March 1985. PHOTOGRAPH BY
WILLIAM T. DOUTHITT, NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC

Let’s Open
Our Bibles
To Mark 13

Let’s Open To Mark 13:1-8
• Mar 13:1 Jesus Predicts The Temple
Destruction
• Mar 13:3 Jesus Gives Signs of the End of the
Age
• Mar 13:9 Jesus Predicts Persecution
• Mar 13:14 The Abomination of Desolation
• Mar 13:24 The Coming of the Son of Man
• Mar 13:28 The Lesson of the Fig Tree
• Mark 13:30 This generation will not pass away
• Mar 13:32 Keep Watch, No One Knows That Day

The Olivet Discourse, wikipedia.org
• “The Olivet discourse or Olivet prophecy is a biblical
passage found in the Synoptic Gospels of Mark
13, Matthew 24, Luke 21. It is known as the "Little
Apocalypse" because it includes Jesus' descriptions of
the end times, the use of apocalyptic language, and Jesus'
warning to his followers that they will suffer tribulation and
persecution before the ultimate triumph of the Kingdom of
God. The Olivet discourse is the last of the Five Discourses
of Matthew and occurs just prior to the narrative of Jesus'
passion beginning with the Anointing of Jesus. In the
narrative is a discourse or sermon given by Jesus on
the Mount of Olives, hence the name. The gospels, taken as
a whole, indicate the discourse was given on Holy
Tuesday…”

The Olivet Discourse
• For a more thorough examination of the Olivet
Discourse see…
• http://www.slideshare.net/dkooyers/matthew
-23b-2431-this-generation-generic-you-olivet-
discourse-end-of-judaism-not-one-stone-
western-wall-gospel-abomination-of-
desolation-genea-fathers-iniquity-ss

Mark 13:3, Mount of Olives
• Mark 13:3 As He was sitting on the Mount of
Olives opposite the temple…
• Zechariah 14:4 In that day His feet will stand on
the Mount of Olives, which is in front of
Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives
will be split in its middle from east to west by a
very large valley, so that half of the mountain will
move toward the north and the other half toward
the south.
• A hand-tinted photograph of Jerusalem, March
1914. PHOTOGRAPH BY AMERICAN COLONY PHOTOGRAPHERS

Mark 13:4,The Sign Of The Son Of Man
gracethrufaith.com
• Q. Do you know what the “sign of the Son of Man” is? Some say the cross, some
tell me it’s the fish sign. Jesus said it like we should all know what it is.
• A. Lots of people have opinions about this and the two you mentioned are the
favorites. But the fact is that the Bible does not clarify this for us.
• Here’s what we know. In Matt. 24:3 the 4 disciples asked Jesus, “What will be the
sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
• In Matt. 24:27 Jesus sad His coming would be as visible as lightning that comes
from the East is visible in the west. In Matt 24:29 He said the sky will go
completely dark. Neither the Sun nor the Moon will give any light and the stars
will fall from the sky. Then in Matt. 24:30 He said the sign of the Son of Man will
appear in the sky and all the nations of the Earth will mourn. They will see the
Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. In Rev.
19:11 John described this event as heaven standing open to reveal a rider on a
white horse followed by the armies of heaven all on white horses and dressed in
white. Put it all together and it’s possible to conclude that this is the sign of the
Son of Man. Think about it. A completely dark sky will suddenly be filled with a
celestial army led by a rider identified as “King of Kings and Lord of Lords”. That’s
some sign. gracethrufaith.com

Mark 13:7, Wars
• Mark 13:7 "When you hear of wars and rumors of
wars, do not be frightened; those things must
take place; but that is not yet the end.
• Since 3600 BC the world has known only 292
years of peace. In that period, stretching more
than 55 centuries, there have been an incredible
14,531 wars in which over 3.6 billion people have
been killed. John Ankerberg and John Weldon

• Mar 13:1 Jesus Predicts The Temple Destruction
• Mar 13:3 Jesus Gives Signs of the End of the Age

Mark 13:10, Go Forth Therefore
• Isaiah 60:1 "Arise, shine; for your light
has come, And the glory of the LORD
has risen upon you.
Mark 13:10 "The gospel must first be preached to all the nations.

Mark 13:10, Share The Gospel
• Mark 13:10 "The gospel must first be preached to all
the nations.
• James E. Biles, Sr. says, “We aren’t only called
to share the gospel. We are called to show the gospel.”
• Jesus’ context is on eschatology, not evangelism. This
prediction has been hugely abused by missions groups.
As though our lack of evangelism was a hindrance to
His return. Or their missions would speed up His
return. Jesus said in; Luke 18:8 …when the Son of Man
comes, will He find faith on the earth?“
• Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel flying in
midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to
those who live on the earth, and to every nation and
tribe and tongue and people;

Must The Church Preach The Gospel In
All Nations? gracethrufaith.com
• Mark 13:10 "The gospel must first be preached to all the
nations.
• Q. I am curious about Matthew 24 vs 14, “And this gospel
of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a
testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” I was
taught all my life that Jesus wouldn’t come back till every
nation had heard the gospel. After following your website
now for sometime, I believe that Jesus was talking to the
nation of Israel in this chapter.
• Since I now believe that the rapture will happen when the
fullness of the gentiles has come in, this verse 14 must be
talking about the period of the tribulation and not of the
church reaching the whole world with the gospel. So
reaching the whole earth with the gospel is not a
prerequisite of the rapture, but of the second coming. Am I
correct?

Must The Church Preach The Gospel In
All Nations? gracethrufaith.com
• A. You are correct in saying that Matt. 24 and its
companion passages Mark 13 and Luke 21 were intended
for Israel and not the Church. Therefore it is not necessary
for the Gospel to be preached to all nations before the
rapture can take place. However, as Matt. 24:14 says, it
must happen before the 2nd Coming. Rev. 14:6 tells us that
this requirement will be met just after the beginning of the
Great Tribulation:
• Then I saw another angel flying in mid air and he had the
eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth –
to every nation, tribe, language, and people.
• In Matt. 24:14 Jesus didn’t say how this prophecy would be
fulfilled. Rev. 14:6 tells us it will be God Himself who sees
that it happens by sending His angel to proclaim it.

Mark 13:12, Micah 7:6
A Man's Enemies
• Mark 13:12 "Brother will betray brother to death, and a
father his child. Children will rebel against their parents
and have them put to death.
• Matt 10:34-36 "Do not suppose that I have come to bring
peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a
sword. 35 For I have come to turn "'a man against his
father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law
against her mother-in-law- a man's enemies will be the
members of his own household.’ [“a man's enemies” presupposes
that we will have enemies]
• Micah 7:6 For son treats father contemptuously,
Daughter rises up against her mother, Daughter-in-law
against her mother-in-law; A man's enemies are the men
of his own household. 7 But as for me, I will watch
expectantly for the LORD; I will wait for the God of my
salvation. My God will hear me.

Mark 13:12, Luke 12:49-53
A Man's Enemies
• Luke 12:49-53 "I have come to bring fire on the
earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But
I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am
until it is completed! 51 Do you think I came to bring
peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52 From
now on there will be five in one family divided
against each other, three against two and two against
three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and
son against father, mother against daughter and
daughter against mother, mother-in-law against
daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-
in-law."

Mark 13:14, the ABOMINATION OF
DESOLATION
• Mark 13:14 "But when you see the [definite article]
ABOMINATION OF [definite article] DESOLATION standing
where it should not be (let the reader understand),
then those who are in Judea must flee to the
mountains.
• It’s a very specific blasphemy, the one, “spoken of
through Daniel the prophet”… (Daniel 12:9)
• Matthew 24:15 "Therefore when you see the
ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of
through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place
(let the reader understand),

Troubles
Tribulation
• “Big “T’s”, Mark
13:19 "For those
days will be a time
of tribulation such
as has not
occurred since the
beginning of the
creation which
God created until
now, and never
will.

Mark 13:20, “the elect”
• Mark 13:20 "Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no
life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect [out
called ones] , whom He chose, He shortened the days.
• <1588> ἐκλεκτός eklektos
• Meaning: select, by impl. Favorite… Usage: choice(2),
choice man(1), chosen(1), chosen(9), chosen one(1),
elect(8).
• Mark 13:22 for false Christs and false prophets will arise,
and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if
possible, the elect.
• Mark 13:27 "And then He will send forth the angels, and
will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the
farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.

Chosen Or Elect Or What?
gracethrufaith.com
• “…In the New Testament the Greek word translated “elect” (16
times) is also translated “chosen” (7 times) and can refer to
believers on Earth, believers in Heaven, Israel, the Church, Jesus,
and certain angels…..
• Showing that Matt. 24 pertains to Israel can be done by pointing
out that the Lord never mentioned the Church there, but did
mention the people in Judea (Israel), the Temple (Israel), travel on
the Sabbath (Israel), and a warning against being fooled by false
Christs (Israel). Also, His phrase “He who stands firm to the end will
be saved” in Matt. 24:13cannot apply to the Church because our
salvation is guaranteed from the moment we believe (Ephesians
1:13-14). The entire chapter was devoted to the Lord’s answer to
three questions of Matt. 24:3. When will these things happen (the
destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem), what will be the sign of
your (2nd) coming, and of the end of the age, (completion of
Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy). All these were of primary importance
to Israel….”

Mark 13:21, False Teaching/Teachers
• Mark 13:21 "And then if anyone says to you, 'Behold,
here is the Christ'; or, 'Behold, He is there'; do not
believe him; 22 for false Christs and false prophets will
arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order, if
possible, to lead the elect astray.
• 2 Peter 2:1 But false prophets also arose among the
people, just as there will also be false teachers among
you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies,
even denying the Master who bought them, bringing
swift destruction upon themselves.

Mark 13:21, 8 Symptoms of False
Teaching, by John C. Ryle
• Many things combine to make the present increase of false doctrine
especially dangerous.
• There is an undeniable zeal in some teachers of error--their
"earnestness" makes many people think they must be right.
• There is a great appearance of learning and theological knowledge--
many think that such clever and intellectual men must surely be
safe to listen to.
• There is a general tendency to completely free and independent
thinking today--many like to prove their independence of judgment
by believing the newest ideas, which are nothing but novelties.
• There is a wide-spread desire to appear kind, loving, and open-
minded--many seem half-ashamed to say that anybody can be
wrong or is a false teacher.
• There is always a portion of half-truth taught by modern false
teachers--they are always using

Mark 13:21, 8 Symptoms of False
• words and phrases, but with unscriptural meaning.
• There is a public craving for a more sensational and entertaining
worship--people are impatient with the more inward and invisible
work of God within the hearts of men.
• There is a superficial readiness all around to believe anyone who
talks cleverly, lovingly and earnestly, forgetting that Satan often
masquerades himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).
• There is a wide-spread ignorance among professing Christians--
every heretic who speaks well is surely believed, and anyone who
doubts him is called narrow-minded and unloving.
• All these are especially symptoms of our times. I challenge any
honest and observant person to deny them. These tend to make
the assaults of false doctrine today especially dangerous and make
it even more important to say loudly, "Do not be carried away with
strange doctrine!"

Mark 13:23, Psalm 147:4, He Counts
The Stars And Knows The Future
• Mark 13:23 "But take heed; behold, I have told
you everything in advance.
• He who counts the stars and calls them by their
names, is in no danger of forgetting His own
children. He knows your case as thoroughly as if
you were the only creature He ever made, or the
only saint He ever loved. C. H. Spurgeon
• Psalm 147:4 He counts the number of the stars;
He gives names to all of them.

Mark 13:24 Matt 24:29, The Darkness
Of The 5th Bowl Judgment
• Mark 13:24 "But in those days, after that tribulation, THE
SUN WILL BE DARKENED AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE
ITS LIGHT, [Luke 21:25, Matt 24:29]
• Isaiah 50:3, 5:30, 13:10 For the stars of heaven and their
constellations Will not flash forth their light; The sun will be
dark when it rises And the moon will not shed its light.
• Joel 2:31, 3;15, 2:10 Before them the earth quakes, The
heavens tremble, The sun and the moon grow dark And the
stars lose their brightness.
• Revelation 16:10-11, 6:12 I looked when He broke the sixth
seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun
became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole
moon became like blood;
• Ezekiel 32:7 Amos 8:9 Luke 21:25 Mark 13:24 Matt 24:29

Mark 13:24, No Moon Light
• Mark 13:24 "But in those days, after that
tribulation, THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED AND
THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT,

Mark 13:24, Blood Moon Hype
“Rare phenomenon to shake Planet Earth”
• 'God is closing this chapter of human history'
“Is the end of the world as we know it and the return of Jesus Christ
really knocking on our door?
A rare cycle of solar and lunar eclipses that will begin this year at
the time of God's holy days cited in the Bible is about to wake up
millions to the possibility that end-time prophecies could be
fulfilled imminently.
"All these signs, coming together at one time, are potentially the
culminating signals that God is closing this chapter of human
history," declares pastor Mark Biltz, author of the brand-new book
and DVD, "Blood Moons: Decoding the Imminent Heavenly Signs.“…
• “…In the Old Testament, the prophet Joel states, "The sun shall be
turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great
and the terrible day of the LORD come." (Joel 2:31) …”

Mark 13:24, Rare phenomenon to
shake Planet Earth

WHAT ABOUT THE "BLOOD MOONS" THEORY?
David Hocking, HFT Connect
• “…Mark Biltz, a pastor in Washington State, first began
pushing this bunk to unsuspecting believers a couple of years
ago. Biltz is apparently not a dispensationalist and thus
horribly misapplies several Old Testament scriptures to make
his theory plausible. John Hagee, who has a couple of
doctrinal challenges of his own, has taken up the Blood
Moons banner with a best-selling book on the subject, "Four
Blood Moons." Biltz's date-setting theory is based on
Joel 2:31: "The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon
into blood before the great and awesome day of the LORD
comes." Biltz takes Joel 2:31 to be referring to solar and lunar
eclipses. When he compared previous eclipses on NASA's
website (it lists all the lunar eclipses from 2000 BC to 3000
AD), he honed in on the lunar tetrads, a rare series of four
lunar eclipses in a roughly two-year time period. …” [full articles
after last slide]

Mark 13:28, Fig Tree Putteth Forth
• For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and
gone; The flowers appear on the earth, the time
of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of
the turtle is heard in our land;, The fig tree
putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with
the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my
love, my fair one, and come away.
• Song of Songs 2:11-13
The King James Version

Mark 13:28, Fig Tree Putteth Forth
• For more info on Israel as the Fig Tree, see my
presentations on Mark 11, and Matthew 21b.

Matthew 24:32, The Fig Tree
• Matthew 24:32 "Now learn
the parable from the fig
tree: when its branch has
already become tender and
puts forth its leaves, you
know that summer is near;
33 so, you too, when you
see all these things,
recognize that He is near,
right at the door.

• Matthew 24:32…the parable from the fig tree…
• If you have forgotten who the fig tree is, go to
www.slideshare.net/dkooyers and search
dkooyers presentations for Matthew 21b,
• Matthew 21:19, Lone Fig Tree
• Isaiah 5:7 For the vineyard of the LORD
• Jeremiah 8:5, The Fig Tree Judged
• Isaiah 34:4 ... one withers... the fig tree
• Judges 9:8-11, the fig tree to busy
• Proverbs 27:18 He who tends the fig tree

• Hosea 9:10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I
saw your forefathers as the earliest fruit on the fig tree
in its first season…
• Joel 1:6 For a nation has invaded my land… 7 It has
made my vine a waste And my fig tree splinters. It has
stripped them bare and cast them away; Their
branches have become white.
• Mark 13:27 "And then He …will gather together His
elect … 28 "Now learn the parable from the fig tree…
• Micah 7:1 Woe is me! For I am Like the fruit pickers,
like the grape gatherers. There is not a cluster of grapes
to eat, Or a first-ripe fig which I crave. 2 The godly
person has perished from the land, And there is no
upright person among men….

Mark 13:30, This Generation
• Mark 13:30 "Truly I say to you, this generation [genea] will not pass
away until all these things take place.
• In order to understand what Jesus meant by “this generation [genea]”
we need to look at His uses of it in context.
• Matthew 11:16 "But to what shall I compare this generation? It is
like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other
children, [Luke 7:31]
• Yet in verse 18 He refers to John the Baptist, who lived at that time.
• Matthew 12:41 "The men of Nineveh will stand up with this
generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because they
repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater
than Jonah is here. [Luke 11:29]
• He could not have meant everyone who lived at that time for Peter,
James, John, etc. lived then.

• Luke 11:50 so that the blood of all the prophets, shed
since the foundation of the world, may be charged
against this generation,
• Matthew 23:36 "Truly I say to you, all these things will
come upon this generation.
• The people who lived at that time had not spilt the
righteous blood of all the prophets.
• Luke 17:25 "But first He must suffer many things and
be rejected by this generation.
• The “this generation [genea]” is the Jews who rejected
Him. The Jews who received Him will become the
church (Gal 3:28).

• Mark 8:12 Sighing deeply in His spirit, He said, "Why
does this generation [genea] seek for a sign? Truly I say to
you, no sign will be given to this generation [genea] .“
• Mark 8:13 Leaving them, He again embarked and went
away to the other side.
• Leaving them, Leaving who? (Mark 8:11 The Pharisees)
• Then He went to Bethsaida and healed a blind man.
After turning His back (literally) on the Pharisees, He
goes and does a sign for the people who lived then.

• Mark 8:12 Sighing deeply in His spirit, He said, "Why does
this generation [genea] seek for a sign? Truly I say to you, no
sign will be given to this generation [genea] ."
• Matthew 12:39 …"An evil and adulterous generation [genea]
craves for a sign… (1 Corinthians 1:22…Jews ask for signs and Greeks search
for wisdom)
• Matthew 24:34 "Truly I say to you, this generation [genea]
will not pass away until all these things take place.
• <1074> γενεά (genea)
• Meaning: race, family, generation
• Jesus is just about to multiply loaves and fish for the people
who lived in that “generation [genea] ,” He lived at that time,
the Apostles all lived at that time. Clearly Jesus uses genea
to mean the “race, family” of Israel.

• If you want more info on “this generation” see
my PowerPoint on Slideshare at;
• http://www.slideshare.net/dkooyers/matthew
-23b-2431-this-generation-generic-you-olivet-
discourse-end-of-judaism-not-one-stone-
western-wall-gospel-abomination-of-
desolation-genea-fathers-iniquity-ss

• Mar 13:32 Keep Watch, No One Knows That
Day

Mark 13:33, Keep On The Alert
• Mark 13:33
"Take heed,
keep on the
alert; for you
do not know
when the
appointed
time will
come.

Mark 13:33, Keep On The Alert
• Mark 13:35 "Therefore, be on the alert-- for you do
not know when the master of the house is coming,
whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the
rooster crows, or in the morning-- 36 in case he should
come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 "What I say to
you I say to all, 'Be on the alert!'"
• Matthew 24:42 "Therefore be on the alert, for you do
not know which day your Lord is coming.
• Matthew 24:43…he would have been on the alert and
would not have allowed his house to be broken into.
• Matt. 24:42-43, 25:13, Mk. 13:33-35, 37, Lk. 12:36, 37,
Acts 20:31, 1 Co. 16:13, Eph. 6:18, Col. 4:2, 1 Thess.
5:6, 1 Pet. 5:8

THE END
• People paddle a canoe toward a girl clinging to a giant
cypress tree in Hill Lake, Arkansas, September 1946.
PHOTOGRAPH BY WILLARD CULVER, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
Be “alert” the country
needs more “lerts”

Acts 1:7 2 Peter 3:10 Rev 3:3 Mark
13:32, The Day Or Hour
• No One Knows The Day Or Hour, One More Time
• Wednesday, February 12th, 20142nd Coming
• Q. Revelation 3:3 states “So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it,
and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know
at what hour I will come to you.” Does this verse imply for those that are awake that they
will know the hour of his return? If so, it seems to contradict Mathew 24:36 “But of that
day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father
alone.” Could you explain?
• A. The Bible, being the word of God, cannot contradict itself, no matter who the various
passages are attributed to. It this case the two passages you cited are both attributed to
Jesus. Therefore we have an even stronger case that those alive on the Earth at the time
of the 2nd coming will not know the day or hour of His return, whether awake or
asleep. To underscore this, Jesus repeated that fact in Matt. 24:42, 24:44, 24:50,
and 25:13. Therefore it would not be correct to imply from Rev. 3:3 that those who are
awake will know the hour of His return.
• The important thing to note from Rev. 3:3 is that Jesus didn’t say, “I will come for you” as in
the rapture, but “I will come to you” as in the 2nd Coming. Those who don’t heed His
warning to wake up, remember what they’ve been taught, and repent (change their mind
about needing to be born again) will miss the rapture.
• http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/no-one-knows-the-day-or-hour-one-more-
time/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Gracethr
ufaith+%28GraceThruFaith%29

Mark 13:24 Matt 24:29, The Darkness
Of The 5th Bowl Judgment
• The Darkness Of The 5th Bowl Judgment
• Wednesday, February 12th, 2014Interpreting Verses
• Prophecy
• Q. When the 5th Bowl Judgment hits, the Bible says darkness covers the throne of
the Beast. How long will this last? I can’t imagine it will last until the time Jesus
comes in His 2nd coming because there is the assembling of the armies at
Armageddon and they’d need light to fight that battle. Am I right, or am I off
base? Or will the darkness last until the 2nd coming? I did a search but couldn’t
find any conclusive answers.
• A. You couldn’t find any conclusive answers because the Bible doesn’t say how
long this darkness will last. But Matt. 24:29 tells us that immediately after the
Great Tribulation ends the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its
light. From this, it appears that the sun and moon will have given their light again
following the 5th Bowl judgment. Therefore the period of darkness during the 5th
bowl judgment (Rev. 16:10-11) must be a temporary one.
• http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher/darkness-5th-bowl-
judgment/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%
3A+Gracethrufaith+%28GraceThruFaith%29

Matthew 4:17, Repent, For The
Kingdom Of Heaven Is At Hand
• The phrase "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is
at hand" disappears after Matthew 4:17. Dr, Andy
Woods says the offer of the kingdom is
withdrawn after Matthew chapter 12
• Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to
preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand.“
• Matthew 21:43 "Therefore I say to you, the
kingdom of God will be taken away from you and
given to a people, producing the fruit of it.
• Matthew 12:28 Matthew 13:11 Matthew 21:43

The Gospel of the Kingdom Vs. The
Gospel of Grace
• The promised kingdom will come to Israel!
• The Gospel of the Kingdom Vs. The Gospel of Grace
• Wednesday, February 12th, 2014End Times
• Israel
• Past Featured
• Prophecy
• This entry is part 1 of 1 in the series Kingdom Vs. Grace
• A Bible Study by Jack Kelley
• Part 1. The Gospel Of The Kingdom
• In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” (Matt. 3:1-2)
• Prophecies of a Messianic King appear throughout the Old Testament and many in the Jewish leadership saw John’s arrival on the scene as their fulfillment. They sent representatives to
the place where John was baptizing to see if he was the promised Messiah. He said he wasn’t, but that the one they had been expecting was even then in their midst (John 1:19-28).
• 750 years earlier Isaiah had said when the Messiah came He would reign on David’s throne forever (Isaiah 9:6-7) but when John appeared on the scene the throne of David had been
vacant for 600 years. He had come to tell them the time was finally at hand and they had better get ready for Him.
• When Jesus began His ministry, John introduced Him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:8) and publicly testified that Jesus was the Son of God (John 1:34).
Right from the beginning Jesus began teaching that the Kingdom of Heaven was near (Matt. 4:17), and sent His disciples through out the land to alert the people to this fact as well (Matt.
10:7-8).
• But even with Isaiah’s prophecies, John’s testimony, and the Lord’s teaching, the Jewish leaders refused to accept the fact that Jesus was the Messiah. They questioned His claims, His
doctrine, and His miracles in spite of the fact that all were clearly foretold in their prophecies.
• Isaiah had also said when the Messiah came He would have no beauty or majesty that would attract them to Him and that nothing about His appearance would make them desire Him
(Isaiah 53:2). Even so, the fact that Jesus was not like they expected Him to be was a big problem for them. They were looking for a conquering King, like David, and He didn’t fit the
description.
• Just before John was executed, He had sent a delegation of his disciples to confirm for themselves that Jesus was who He claimed to be.
• In reply Jesus said, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and
the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.” (Matt. 11:4-6)
• Jesus fed the multitudes, walked on water, healed the sick and raised the dead and still they asked for a miraculous sign. Finally in frustration He responded, “A wicked and adulterous
generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be
three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matt. 12:38-40). They would get their sign, but only after they had executed Him.
• Later, just a few days before His execution, He warned them again. “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its
fruit” (Matt. 21:43). He was speaking of the coming Church.
• After the resurrection, having performed the miraculous sign He promised them, Jesus waited 40 days for them to acknowledge it. But upon being informed of the empty tomb the Jewish
leaders bribed the soldiers to keep them quiet and refused to recognize the Lord’s fulfillment of the sign of Jonah (Matt. 28:11-15).
• At the end of the 40 days His disciples asked if He was now going to restore the Kingdom to Israel. Jesus said it was not for them to know the times or dates the Father had set by His own
authority (Acts 1:6-7) and after telling them to wait for the Holy Spirit to appear He ascended into heaven (Acts. 1:8-11).
• An Ambivalent Answer?
• Some have criticized His response as being ambivalent, but I disagree. The disciples knew 69 of Daniel’s 70 weeks had passed, and there was one week (7 years) left to fulfill. They knew
the Messiah had been cut off (put to death) like Daniel had prophesied (Daniel 9:26) and from His teaching they knew why. It was to fulfill three of the six objectives the angel had set
forth when he gave Daniel the 70 weeks prophecy over 500 years earlier.
• “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision
and prophecy and to anoint the most holy”. (Daniel 9:24)
• The purpose of the Lord’s death was to finish transgression, put an end to sin and atone for wickedness. What was left was to bring in everlasting righteousness, seal up vision and
prophecy, and anoint the Most Holy. Bringing in everlasting righteousness is a reference to Isaiah 9:7 which says the Messiah will reign with justice and righteousness forever. Sealing up
vision and prophecy means to bring them to their conclusion by fulfilling them. Anointing means to consecrate or sanctify, and the Most Holy probably refers to the Temple.
• By telling the disciples it wasn’t for them to know the timing of the kingdom’s restoration and immediately changing the subject to the coming Holy Spirit, I think the Lord was saying the
offer of the kingdom was still on the table for Israel, but His focus was about to change. Obviously God knew they had rejected the kingdom at that time, but He was leaving the door
open for them to accept it at some point in the future.
• This is borne out by a prophecy He spoke through Hosea 750 years earlier.

Mark 13:24, Rare phenomenon to
shake Planet Earth
• Rare phenomenonto shake Planet Earth
'God is closing this chapter of human history'
Is the end of the world as we know it and the return of Jesus Christ really knocking on our door?
A rare cycle of solar and lunar eclipses that will begin this year at the time of God's holy days cited in the Bible is about to wake up millions to the possibility that end-time prophecies
could be fulfilled imminently.
"All these signs, coming together at one time, are potentially the culminating signals that God is closing this chapter of human history," declares pastor Mark Biltz, author of the brand-
new book and DVD, "Blood Moons: Decoding the Imminent Heavenly Signs."
"This could be the final curtain call before the Great Tribulation mentioned in the Bible. God has always wanted to warn His people, and the rest of the world, before He intervenes. What
better way to communicate to us than through the universal language of heavenly signs that speak to every tribe, tongue, and nation?"
Don't be left in the dark! Find out everything you need to know about the "Blood Moons" phenomenon. Get the DVD, the autographed book and the calendar direct from the WND
Superstore.
In the Old Testament, the prophet Joel states, "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come." (Joel 2:31)
In the New Testament, Jesus is quoted as saying, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light ... And then shall appear
the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."
(Matthew 24:29-30)
See the trailer for the "Blood Moons" DVD:
As WND has reported, Biltz, who promotes the Old Testament roots of Christianity at El Shaddai Ministries in Bonney Lake, Wash., began focusing in recent years on the precise times of
both solar and lunar eclipses, with lunar eclipses often called "blood moons" since the moon sometimes takes on a bloody color.
He logged onto NASA's eclipse website which provides precision tracking of the celestial events.
Biltz noted a rare phenomenon of four consecutive total lunar eclipses, known as a tetrad, and saw that 2014 and 2015 would play a key role:One morning, as I was praying, a thought
popped into my head: Why don't I compare the dates of the eclipses on the NASA website to the dates on the biblical calendar? When I did, I was shocked to find that all four eclipses –
over both years – fell on the biblical holidays of Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles. I just about jumped out of my skin.
Immediately I ran to my computer and pulled up NASA's website to look up other times when there have been four consecutive blood moons, which are total lunar eclipses, where the
moon appears blood red. NASA calls four total blood moons in a row a tetrad, and they list their occurrences. I noticed there weren't any in the 1600s, 1700s, or even the 1800s. The last
time there was a tetrad was back in the 1900s, and to my amazement, they also fell on the feasts of Passover and Tabernacles.
When I noticed the years these phenomena occurred, my mind began reeling. The last two times there were four blood moons in a row, they happened, first, right after Israel became a
nation in 1948, and then again when Israel retook Jerusalem in 1967. I started doing a hallelujah dance. It was as if I had just found treasure buried in the sand. My heart was racing a
hundred miles an hour as all those key Scriptures about the signs in the heavens, God's feast days, and the timing on the biblical calendar flooded my mind.The find led Biltz on an
incredible journey of discovery as he began linking the feast days in the Bible with the signs in the heavens.
"God said in Genesis 1:14 that He created the sun and moon and stars for signalson His feast days," said Biltz. "Now I had a key to unlocking the code."
The pastor is now sounding the alarm about what the celestial events could mean for our immediate future here on Earth.

Blood Moons, David Hocking, HFT
Connect
• WHAT ABOUT THE "BLOOD MOONS" THEORY?
•
• Mark Biltz, a pastor in Washington State, first began pushing this bunk to unsuspecting believers a couple of years ago. Biltz is apparently not a dispensationalist and thus horribly
misapplies several Old Testament scriptures to make his theory plausible.
•
• John Hagee, who has a couple of doctrinal challenges of his own, has taken up the Blood Moons banner with a best-selling book on the subject, "Four Blood Moons."
•
• Biltz's date-setting theory is based on Joel 2:31: "The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes." Biltz takes
Joel 2:31 to be referring to solar and lunar eclipses. When he compared previous eclipses on NASA's website (it lists all the lunar eclipses from 2000 BC to 3000 AD), he honed in on the
lunar tetrads, a rare series of four lunar eclipses in a roughly two-year time period.
•
• Biltz noticed that some of these tetrads fell on past Jewish Feast days and also around the time of some significant Jewish historical events. Biltz then noted that the tetrad appearing in
1493-94was connected to the time of the great persecution of Jews in the Spanish Inquisition between 1478 and 1534.
•
• He believed the tetrad appearing in 1949-1950was tied to Israel's rebirth as a nation in 1948. And finally he concluded that the tetrad appearing in 1967-1968was tied to Israel's
recapturing Jerusalem's Old City and Temple Mount in 1967.
•
• From those past events, Biltz further concluded that the future tetrad of 2014-2015 will herald in major Biblical events fulfilling Joel:2:31.
•
• Of course, there are many problems with that wild conclusion and it's not happening.
•
• Problem #1: Joel 2 is referring to the Second Coming of Jesus. And that event happens seven years after the Rapture. Therefore, we're at least seven years and a split-second away from
the Second Coming so it's impossible for it to happen in 2014-2015.
•
• Problem #2: When you compare other verses that also discuss the sun, moon and stars at the end of the age there are other events that coincide with the moon turning to blood.
•
•
• "I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of
the sky fell to the earth," Revelation 6:12
•
• "But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light and the stars will fall from the sky and the power of the heavens will be
shaken." Matthew 24:29
•
• Problem #3: Some 40% of the previous tetrads did NOT coincide with Jewish Feast days or major events in history. So how would you know if the next upcoming tetrad had any
significance?
•
• Problem #4: The tetrads that DID match up (Inquisition, Jewish Independence and recovering control of the Old City of Jerusalem) actually happened months or years after the events. So
not much of a warning there!
•
• Should we expect God to be in the business of "loosely predicting" the future?
•
• When you consider God gave Israel the EXACT DAY the Messiah would come into Jerusalem, in writing, 173,880days prior, this Blood Moon theory seems pretty lame.
•
• There ARE a lot of prophetic signs being fulfilled in our lifetime. But there's no Biblical basis for tying the Blood Moons into predicting the return of Jesus--they mean zilch!
•

Mark 13:26, Second Coming, The
Return Of Christ Page 375 Paul Enn's,
Moody Bible Handbook
• Mark 13:26 "Then they will see THE SON OF MAN
COMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory.
• Matthew 24:30 "And then the sign of the Son of
Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes
of the earth will mourn, and they will see the
SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE
SKY with power and great glory.
• Luke 21:27 "Then they will see THE SON OF MAN
COMING IN A CLOUD with power and great glory.

PASSOVER, LUNAR ECLIPSES, AND
MATURE DISTANT GALAXIES
• PASSOVER, LUNAR ECLIPSES, AND MATURE DISTANT GALAXIES – (PRINT)
• A total lunar eclipse will mark the first day of Passover in North America this year, starting shortly before midnight on the West Coast and continuing
through the early morning hours of April 15th. This eclipse will be nice and loud, a great big red moon completely blocked from the sun’s direct light
by the earth’s umbral shadow. The eclipse will hit its max at 3:45 am in Washington D.C. and a quarter to midnight in Anchorage, Alaska.
• Passover is primed for lunar eclipses because it always takes place on a full moon, but this year another total lunar eclipse also marks the beginning
of Sukkot on October 8th in a rare bit of excitement. What’s more, the same astronomical pattern will take place next year as well, with full blood
moons on both Passover and Sukkot in 2015.
• It may be nothing to take to heart. Lunar eclipses come along a regular basis, usually between 2 and 4 times per year, and quite often they have
fallen together on the first days of Passover and Sukkot (so conveniently spaced six months apart on full moons).
• Much of the time, however, these are penumbral lunar eclipses in which the moon only passes through outer part of the Earth’s shadow. A
penumbral lunar eclipse is not particularly noticeable because it merely dims the moon. During a partial lunar eclipse, the moon breaks into the
inner, umbral shadow of the earth – a clearly visible event. A total lunar eclipse offers the best show, as the moon passes completely into the earth’s
inner shadow and turns a dark “blood” red color.
• 2014 and 2015 are a bit special, however, because the lunar eclipses these years form a “tetrad” in which four lunar eclipses in a row are total
eclipses. Tetrads are fairly rare, though they still take place several times per century. The last tetrad was in 2003. Tetrads that offer blood moons on
both Passover and Sukkot have also taken place in the past, but not often. In fact, according to NASA’s catalog of lunar eclipses, this particular set of
coincidences took place just twice in the 20th century, in 1949–1950 and in 1967–1968. The next will take place in 2032–2033.
• The rabbis say that coincidence is not a kosher word, and perhaps there’s something significant about astronomical patterns. After all, the Magi did
see the Messiah’s star in the east and came to worship the baby Jesus because of it. It’s noteworthy that David Ben-Gurion formed the first
government of the new State of Israel on March 8, 1949 and Israel was admitted into the United Nations on May 11, 1949, marking international
recognition of Israel as a state. During the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel gained control of the West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights and
Sinai Peninsula. Israel has since relinquished control of the Sinai, Golan Heights and Gaza, but one wonders what lies in store for the little Jewish
nation this year. Or in 2032… approximately 2000 years after Jesus’ resurrection.
•
KI Research enews@kiresearch.org via mailgun.org
• © 2014 by Koinonia Institute, P.O. Box D, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83816

2 Peter 2:1 1 John 4:1 Mark 13:22
Matthew 24:11, False Prophets
•
March 6, 2013
• BRAIN STOPPER NO. 3: "WHAT FALSE PROPHETS?" WHAT DO YOU GET WHEN YOU LET A FOX GUARD A HEN HOUSE? [Excerpts]
•
• Dead chickens. You may wonder what this old proverb has to do with the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) movement. Unfortunately -- a lot. Let me explain.
• In my last post, I pointed out the repeated warnings in the Bible about false prophets. The message is clear: There will be false prophets in the church, and there will be lots of them. So
be on guard.
•
• You would think that, given these warnings, Christians would be on high alert for false prophets. Sadly, this is not the case. Even those churches that talk the most about prophets and the
gift of prophecy -- the Pentecostal and charismatic churches -- say very little about the need for discerning false prophets.
•
• And what's worse: many of the prophets in the NAR movement are actually telling their followers that they don't need to worry about false prophets.
•
• Imagine that!
•
• Why don't people need to worry about false prophets? Their answer: Because there just aren't that many false prophets around. The following comment, from influential NAR prophet
Bill Hamon, is typical:
•
• "Despite the occasional false prophet we encounter, we should not let the counterfeit keep us from receiving the genuine....The percentage of false prophets is certainly much lower than
the devil would have us believe. Out of the 600 pages of personal prophecy I have received over the years, only two were absolutely false, and perhaps were a person's own opinion
rather than God's word to me. But I am more than willing to put up with the fraction of a percent that are bad in order to receive the overwhelming majority that are God-inspired."
(Prophets and Personal Prophecy, 128). Pay close attention to Hamon's words. He says false prophets' appearances in the church are only "occasional," and that the percentage of false
prophecies given is only a "fraction of a percent."
•
• Wow. There is a marked difference between Hamon's careless dismissal of the possibility of false prophets in contrast to the sober words of Jesus and the apostles.
• Why would any church leader -- and especially one who calls himself a prophet --attempt to downplay the threat of false prophets? If Hamon were a true prophet, then he would honor
God's Word -- not dishonor it by contradicting its teachings about false prophets.
•
• And a true prophet would show more concern for God's people by warning them about the serious threat posed by false prophets.
•
• There is no good explanation for why Hamon would encourage his followers to let down their guard.
•
• That is unless this is a case of a fox guarding the hen house.
•
• http://www.spiritoferror.org/2013/01/brain-stopper-no-3-what-false-prophets/2326
• Related on our website:
In the past, individuals such as Benny Hinn have made numerous false prophecies (text)
• Is There any Hope for America? Part One (text)
• King of the Mountain (text)
• Letters (text)
• New Apostolic Reformation's Take on the Crisis in Egypt (text)
• Question: I don't understand why Bill Johnson and Bethel Church in Redding are not classified as a cult....They are false teachers and wolves in sheep's clothing. What do you think? (text)
• Question: "What can you tell us about the upcoming "America for Jesus" rally taking place in Philadelphia Sept 28&29? (text)
• Shamanism in the Church (text)

2 Peter 2:1, 8 Symptoms of False
• 2 Peter 2:1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master
who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.
• 8 Symptoms of False Teaching
• by John C. Ryle
•
• Many things combine to make the present increase of false doctrine especially dangerous.
• There is an undeniable zeal in some teachers of error--their "earnestness" makes many people think they must be right.
• There is a great appearance of learning and theological knowledge--many think that such clever and intellectual men must surely be safe to listen to.
• There is a general tendency to completely free and independent thinking today--many like to prove their independence of judgment by believing the newest ideas, which are nothing but
novelties.
• There is a wide-spread desire to appear kind, loving, and open-minded--many seem half-ashamed to say that anybody can be wrong or is a false teacher.
• There is always a portion of half-truth taught by modern false teachers--they are always using scriptural words and phrases, but with unscriptural meaning.
• There is a public craving for a more sensational and entertaining worship--people are impatient with the more inward and invisible work of God within the hearts of men.
• There is a superficial readiness all around to believe anyone who talks cleverly, lovingly and earnestly, forgetting that Satan often masquerades himself as an angel of light (2
Corinthians 11:14).
• There is a wide-spread ignorance among professing Christians--every heretic who speaks well is surely believed, and anyone who doubts him is called narrow-minded and unloving.
• All these are especially symptoms of our times. I challenge any honest and observant person to deny them. These tend to make the assaults of false doctrine today especially dangerous
and make it even more important to say loudly, "Do not be carried away with strange doctrine!"
•
• *****
•
• John Charles Ryle was born at Macclesfield and was educated at Eton and at Christ Church, Oxford. He was a fine athlete who rowed and played Cricket for Oxford, where he took a first
class degree in Greats and was offered a college fellowship (teaching position) which he declined. The son of a wealthy banker, he was destined for a career in politics before answering a
call to ordained ministry.
•
• He was spiritually awakened in 1838 while hearing Ephesians 2 read in church. He was ordained by Bishop Sumner at Winchester in 1842. After holding a curacy at Exbury in Hampshire,
he became rector of St Thomas's, Winchester (1843), rector of Helmingham, Suffolk (1844), vicar of Stradbroke (1861), honorary canon of Norwich (1872), and dean of Salisbury (1880). In
1880, at age 64, he became the first bishop of Liverpool, at the recommendation of Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. He retired in 1900 at age 83 and died later the same year.
•
• Ryle was a strong supporter of the evangelical school and a critic of Ritualism. Among his longer works are Christian Leaders of the Eighteenth Century (1869), Expository Thoughts on the
Gospels (7 vols, 1856-69)and Principles for Churchmen (1884).

Mark 13:8 Matthew 14:24 Luke 21:11, 8:24 1 Kings
19:11 Haggai 2:17 Jonah 1:4, Jesus Rebuked Wind,
Why does God allow natural disasters, i.e. earthquakes,
hurricanes, and tsunamis?• Question: "Why does God allow natural disasters, i.e. earthquakes, hurricanes, and tsunamis?"
Answer: Why does God allow earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis, typhoons, cyclones, mudslides, wildfires, and other natural disasters?
Tragedies cause many people to question God’s goodness. It is distressing that natural disasters are often termed “acts of God” while no “credit” is
given to God for years, decades, or even centuries of peaceful weather. God created the whole universe and the laws of nature (Genesis 1:1). Most
natural disasters are a result of these laws at work. Hurricanes, typhoons, and tornados are the results of divergent weather patterns colliding.
Earthquakes are the result of the earth’s plate structure shifting. A tsunami is caused by an underwater earthquake.
The Bible proclaims that Jesus Christ holds all of nature together (Colossians 1:16-17). Could God prevent natural disasters? Absolutely! Does God
sometimes influence the weather? Yes, as we see in Deuteronomy 11:17 and James 5:17. Numbers 16:30-34 shows us that God sometimes causes
natural disasters as a judgment against sin. The book of Revelation describes many events which could definitely be described as natural disasters
(Revelation chapters 6, 8, and 16). Is every natural disaster a punishment from God? Absolutely not.
In much the same way that God allows evil people to commit evil acts, God allows the earth to reflect the consequences sin has had on creation.
Romans 8:19-21 tells us, “The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration,
not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and
brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.” The fall of humanity into sin had effects on everything, including the world we inhabit.
Everything in creation is subject to “frustration” and “decay.” Sin is the ultimate cause of natural disasters just as it is the cause of death, disease, and
suffering.
We can understand why natural disasters occur. What we do not understand is why God allows them to occur. Why did God allow the tsunami to kill
over 225,000 people in Asia? Why did God allow Hurricane Katrina to destroy the homes of thousands of people? For one thing, such events shake
our confidence in this life and force us to think about eternity. Churches are usually filled after disasters as people realize how tenuous their lives
really are and how life can be taken away in an instant. What we do know is this: God is good! Many amazing miracles occurred during the course of
natural disasters that prevented even greater loss of life. Natural disasters cause millions of people to reevaluate their priorities in life. Hundreds of
millions of dollars in aid is sent to help the people who are suffering. Christian ministries have the opportunity to help, minister, counsel, pray, and
lead people to saving faith in Christ! God can, and does, bring great good out of terrible tragedies (Romans 8:28).
Recommended Resources: Where Was God? Answers to Tough Questions About God and Natural Disasters by Erwin Lutzer and Logos Bible
Software.
• natural disasters, earthquakes, hurricanes, and tsunamis
• Mark 13:8 "For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be
famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

Chosen Or Elect Or What?
gracethrufaith.com
• http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher
• Chosen Or Elect Or What?
• Saturday, February 1st, 2014CQ. I’m having a difficult time separating God’s chosen people from God’s elect. I’ve always thought that Israel is God’s
“chosen” people, but when we get into verse like cutting short for the Elects sake in Matt. 24 I get a little confused. Is Israel both the “Chosen” and
the “Elect” and if so what is a Christian to identify with? I ask this because I find it nearly impossible to convince post-trib believers that the verses in
Matt. 24 are only about Israel and the 2nd coming, not the rapture of the church. Is there a way to convince them with scripture that show clearly
that Jesus is speaking of Israel and not the church?
• A. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word translated “elect” (8 times) is also translated “chosen” (4 times) and refers to both Israel and the Messiah.
• In the New Testament the Greek word translated “elect” (16 times) is also translated “chosen” (7 times) and can refer to believers on Earth, believers
in Heaven, Israel, the Church, Jesus, and certain angels.
• This tells us the person or persons the Bible is referring to when using these words has to be determined by the context in which they appear.
In Matt.24:22 we see the word “elect” referring to believers on Earth, while in Matt. 24:31 the same word is used to describe believers in Heaven,
but in neither case can they be specifically identified as the Church.
• Showing that Matt. 24 pertains to Israel can be done by pointing out that the Lord never mentioned the Church there, but did mention the people in
Judea (Israel), the Temple (Israel), travel on the Sabbath (Israel), and a warning against being fooled by false Christs (Israel).
• Also, His phrase “He who stands firm to the end will be saved” in Matt. 24:13cannot apply to the Church because our salvation is guaranteed from
the moment we believe (Ephesians 1:13-14).
• The entire chapter was devoted to the Lord’s answer to three questions of Matt. 24:3. When will these things happen (the destruction of the
Temple and Jerusalem), what will be the sign of your (2nd) coming, and of the end of the age, (completion of Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy). All these
were of primary importance to Israel.
• In all the gospels you won’t find any direct mention of a Church Age, or a rapture of the Church, because Jesus never spoke of these things. The few
hints of we can see of them are only clear to us because we already know about them.
• Therefore, it is not accurate to assume the inclusion of either the Church or the rapture in Matt. 24. Even after His resurrection the disciples still
expected Him to restore the Kingdom to Israel at that time (Acts 1:6), and the doctrine of the rapture was unknown to the early Church until Paul
introduced it 20 years after the resurrection in his letters to Corinth and Thessalonica. The phrase. “Listen, I tell you a mystery” in 1 Cor. 15:51 means
he was revealing a secret. He was talking about the rapture.
• In short, to place the Church in Matt. 24 requires us to alter the context of the chapter, and then assume Jesus was implying something He had never
specifically taught about.

Mark 13, The sign, sun will be darkened, troubles, wars, enemies, The elect eklektos, blood moon, alert, ss

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