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The Olivet Discourse

1) What is the Olivet Discourse?

A) The “Olivet Discourse” is the name given to a private conversation Jesus had with
His disciples (Peter, James, John and Andrew) three days before He died on the
cross. It took place on the Mount of Olives, a mountain ridge covered with olive
trees that runs along the eastern side of Jerusalem.

B) In this conversation, Jesus gave a sweeping overview of the future from the
destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 to His own return at the end of the Tribulation.
Jesus concluded by urging His disciples to “stay awake, for you do not know on what
day your Lord is coming” (Matt 24:42). Jesus’ point is clear—prophecy is designed to
change our hearts, not simply fill our heads with facts about the future. The Son of
Man is coming back to judge sinners and reward the faithful. We must be ready for
His return!
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2) Outline and Content of the Olivet Discourse.

A) Historical Setting.

Matthew 24:1–2 Mark 13:1–2 Luke 21:5–6

1 Jesus 1 And as he
left the temple came out of the temple,
and was going away,
when his disciples came one of his disciples said to him, 5 And while some were
to point out to him "Look, Teacher, speaking of the temple, how it
what wonderful stones was adorned with noble stones
the buildings of the temple. and what wonderful buildings!" and offerings,
2 But he answered them, 2 And Jesus said to him, he said,
“You see all these, “Do you see these great 6 “As for these things that you
do you not? Truly, I say to you, buildings? see, the days will come when
there will not be left here one There will not be left here one there will not be left here one
stone upon another that will not be stone upon another that will stone upon another that will
thrown down.” not be thrown down.” not be thrown down.”

(1) As Jesus left the Temple complex, His disciples marveled over its grandeur. The
beautiful buildings were the result of a renovation project begun by Herod the
Great in 20 BC. He rebuilt the second Temple from the foundations up, doubled
the size of the Temple Mount and added impressive new structures—the Antonia
Fortress to the north and the Royal Stoa to the south. At that time, construction
had been underway for over 50 years, and it would continue for another 34 years
until the Jewish revolt in AD 64.

© Rose Guide to the Temple

(2) The stones which impressed the disciples were indeed magnificent, and some of
them are still visible in the retaining walls today. These “Herodian Stones” are
huge, each measuring ten to twelve feet in length and weighing many tons. One
foundation stone discovered in the western retaining wall measures 45 feet long
by 11 feet high by 15 feet wide. It weighs nearly 600 tons.

(3) To the amazement of His disciples, Jesus responded by predicting the

destruction of the Temple: “there will not be left here one stone upon another
that will not be thrown down” (Matt 24:2). This was fulfilled in AD 70 when the
Romans destroyed Jerusalem and set the Temple on fire. There were large
quantities of gold in the Temple, and much of it melted and seeped into the
crevices between the stones. When the ruins cooled down, the Romans
systematically removed everything, stone by stone, in order to get to the gold
that had solidified inside the crevices (the picture below shows some of the
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rubble the Romans left behind in the street along the western side of the Temple
Mount).

B) Three Questions.

Matthew 24:3 Mark 13:3–4 Luke 21:7

3 And 7 And
3 As he sat on the Mount of as he sat on the Mount of
Olives, Olives opposite the temple,
the disciples Peter and James and John and they
came to him privately, saying, Andrew asked him privately, asked him,
“Tell us, when will these things 4 “Tell us, when will these things “Teacher, when will these things
be, and what will be the sign of be, and what will be the sign be, and what will be the sign
your coming when all these things are about when these things are about
and of the end of the age?” to be accomplished?” to take place?”

(1) The thought of the Temple being destroyed was very disturbing to Jesus’
disciples. They couldn’t imagine such a thing happening apart from the end of
the age and the coming of the Messiah in judgment (cf. Zech 12–14). Peter, James,
John and Andrew asked Jesus privately when His prediction would come to pass.
They asked three questions which, at the same time, included requests for three
signs. These questions were:

 Q1—“When will Jerusalem and the Temple be destroyed, and what will be the
sign that it is about to occur?”
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 Q2—“What will be the sign of your coming?”

 Q3—“What will be the sign of the end of the age?”

(2) Jesus answered all their questions, but not in the same order as they were asked.
Instead, He answered Q3 first, Q1 second, and Q2 last. Matthew, Mark and Luke
record the answers to Q2 and Q3, while only Luke records the answer to Q1.

C) General Characteristics of the Present Age (Q3 answered negatively).

Matthew 24:4–6 Mark 13:5–7 Luke 21:8–9

4 And Jesus answered 5 And Jesus began to say to 8 And he said,
them, “See that no one leads you them, “See that no one leads you “See that you are not led
astray. astray. astray.
5 For many will come in my 6 Many will come in my name, For many will come in my name,
name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ saying, ‘I am he!’ saying, ‘I am he!’
and, ‘The time is at hand!’
and they will lead many astray. and they will lead many astray.
Do not go after them.
6 And you will hear of wars 7 And when you hear of wars 9 And when you hear of wars
and rumors of wars. and rumors of wars, and tumults,
See that you are not alarmed, do not be alarmed. do not be terrified,
for this This for these things
must take place, must take place, must first take place,
but the end is not yet. but the end is not yet. but the end will not be at once.”

(1) As He began to answer His disciples’ questions, Jesus wanted to make sure they
would not be led astray, and so He answered Q3 negatively, that is, He told them
about events that were not signs of the end of the age: the rise of false messiahs
and the scourge of local wars. Jesus said, “these things must first take place, but
the end will not be at once” (Luke 21:9b).

D) Signs of the End of the Age—Events Prior to the Tribulation (Q3 answered
positively).

Matthew 24:7–8 Mark 13:8 Luke 21:10–11

10 Then he said to them,
7 For nation will rise against 8 For nation will rise against “Nation will rise against
nation, and kingdom against nation, and kingdom against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom, kingdom. kingdom.
and there will be There will be 11 There will be
famines and earthquakes in earthquakes in various places; great earthquakes, and in
various places. there will be famines. various places famines
and pestilences.
And there will be terrors and
great signs from heaven.
8 All these are but the beginning These are but the beginning
of the birth pains. of the birth pains.

(1) Jesus now answered Q3 positively, telling His disciples about the events that
would be the sign of the end of the age:

(a) “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom”—the wording
here echoes Isaiah 19:1–2 and 2 Chronicles 15:5–6 where it is used to indicate
that a particular region was completely engrossed in conflict. The context
suggests that this particular conflict will be global in scope (cf. Matt 24:14).
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(b) “Earthquakes, famines, pestilences”—all these have occurred regularly since

the Flood, but they will intensify as the end approaches.

(c) “Terrors and great signs from heaven”—the appearance of comets in the sky
has long been a source of fear, and as the age draws to a close, these will no
doubt increase in frequency. Meteorite strikes may also increase—the impact
from these celestial stones can be many times more powerful than an atomic
bomb.

(2) Jesus said that these events “are but the beginning of the birth pains” (Mark 13:8).
The phrase “birth pains” echoes Jeremiah 30:6–7 where the prophet speaks of
the travail that will accompany the great “Day of the LORD” (cf. Jer 30:3, 7, 24).
Since the ‘Day’ in “Day of the LORD” does not refer to an actual 24-hour day, but
rather to a definite period of time, Jesus qualified His statement by saying that
these signs are merely the “beginning” of that Day—they signify that it is about to
begin.1

E) Interruption—The Personal Experience of Jesus’ Disciples (leading up to Q1).

Mark 13:9–13 Luke 21:12–19

12 But before all this
9 “But be on your guard.
For they will they will
lay their hands on you and persecute you,
deliver you over to delivering you up to
councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, the synagogues and prisons,
and you will stand before governors and kings and you will be brought before kings and
for my sake, governors
to bear witness before them. for my name’s sake.
10 And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all 13 This will be your opportunity to bear witness.
nations.
11 And when they bring you to trial
and deliver you over, do not
be anxious beforehand what you are to say, 14 Settle it therefore in your minds not
but say whatever is given you in that hour, to meditate beforehand how to answer,
15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom,
which none of your adversaries will be able to
withstand or contradict.
for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
12 And brother will deliver brother over to death, 16 You will be delivered up even by parents and
and the father his child, and children will rise brothers and relatives and friends, and some of
against parents and have them put to death. you they will put to death.
13 And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. 17 You will be hated by all for my name’s sake.
18 But not a hair of your head will perish.
But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 19 By your endurance you will gain your lives.

1
There is debate about whether Matthew 24:4–14 refers to the time leading up to the Tribulation or
to the first half of the Tribulation itself (or both). Personally, I take Luke’s divisional break in 21:10
(“Then he said to them”) as an indication that Jesus had transitioned from speaking about the
general characteristics of the current age (Matt 24:4–6) to the signs that herald the beginning of the
Tribulation. Thus Matthew 24:7–8 are events which take place just before the beginning of the
Tribulation, and Matthew 24:9–14 are events which take place in the first half of the Tribulation
itself. For a summary of this debate, see J. B. Hixson, “The Olivet Discourse in the History of
Dispensational Thought,” (Unpublished paper, Ph.D. Studies, Baptist Bible Seminary, August 2003).
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(1) In the middle of His answer of Q3, Jesus paused and turned the clock back to the
present day: “But before all this” (Luke 21:12a). He then revealed to His disciples
the persecution they would personally experience for the sake of the gospel. He
told them not to expect the end of the age to come soon. In fact, Jesus predicted
that some of them would be martyred before that time came (Luke 21:16).

F) The Sign of the Fall of Jerusalem (Q1 answered).

Luke 21:20–24
20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.
21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart,
and let not those who are out in the country enter it,
22 for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written.
23 Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will
be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people.
24 They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be
trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

(1) After telling His disciples that they would suffer for the sake of the gospel, Jesus
answered Q1. He told them that the sign of the imminent destruction of
Jerusalem and the Temple would be the surrounding of Jerusalem by armies
(Luke 21:20). History/tradition tells us that this prophecy was fulfilled in a
remarkable way.2

(a) In AD 66, the Jews revolted against their oppressors, the Romans. Gaius
Cestius Gallus, the Governor of Syria and commander of the 12th Legion,
responded by marching his army to Jerusalem and surrounding the city. The
surrounding of Jerusalem was the sign that Jesus had given, and the Jewish
believers realized that Jerusalem would soon be destroyed. Jesus had
commanded them to leave the city when they saw this sign, but it was
impossible to do so while the Romans were still outside.

(b) After a siege of only nine days, Gallus realized that his supply lines were
vulnerable to Jewish attack. He didn’t have enough supplies on hand to
maintain an extended siege, so he decided to fall back to the coast. During
Gallus’ withdrawal, his column was ambushed near Beth Horon and suffered
heavy losses. He escaped to Antipatris but not before he lost about 6,000
men and a large amount of war material. For the time being, Jerusalem was
no longer surrounded by armies, and so the Jewish believers were able to
leave the city. They crossed the Jordan River and set up a new community in
the town of Pella. There they waited for Christ’s prophecy to be fulfilled.

(c) In the year AD 68, Vespasian and his son, Titus, besieged Jerusalem once
again, and in the year AD 70, the city fell and the Temple was destroyed. Over
a million Jews were killed in the final onslaught, but the Jewish believers who
heeded Jesus’ warning were saved (the picture below is from the Arch of
Titus—it shows captured Jews being paraded through the streets of Rome
during Titus’ victory procession).

2
Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History III.5.3; Epiphanius, Treatise on Weights and Measures 15. See also
“Pella, Flight to” in Ralph P. Martin and Peter H. Davids, eds. Dictionary of the Later New Testament &
Its Developments (Downers Grove, Ill: Intervarsity, 1997).
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(2) Since that time, Jerusalem has indeed been “trampled underfoot by the
Gentiles,” and continues to be so to the present day. Jerusalem will not be free of
the oppression of Gentile nations until the Messiah returns (Zech 14:11).

G) Signs of the End of the Age—The First Half of the Tribulation (Q3 continued).

Matthew 24:9–14
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations
for my name’s sake.
10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.
11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.
12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.
13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all
nations, and then the end will come.

(1) After interrupting His answer of Q3 to tell the disciples about the sign of
Jerusalem’s coming destruction, Jesus continued His discussion of the signs
which would herald the end of the age. In Matthew 24:7–8 Jesus spoke of the
events which will precede the Tribulation. Now, in Matthew 24:9–14, Jesus
described the first half of the Tribulation itself. The events immediately
preceding the Tribulation and the events of the first half of the Tribulation form
the complete answer to Q3—this entire group of events constitutes the sign of
the end of the age.
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H) Second Half of the Tribulation (leading up to Q2).

Matthew 24:15–28 Mark 13:14–23

15 “So when you see the abomination of 14 “But when you see the abomination of
desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, desolation
standing in the holy place
(let the reader understand), standing where he ought not to be
16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the (let the reader understand),
mountains. then let those who are in Judea flee to the
17 Let the one who is on the housetop not go mountains.
down 15 Let the one who is on the housetop not go
to take what is in his house, down, nor enter his house, to take anything out,
18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back 16 and let the one who is in the field not turn back
to take his cloak. to take his cloak.
19 And alas for women who are pregnant and for 17 And alas for women who are pregnant and for
those who are nursing infants in those days! those who are nursing infants in those days!
20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter 18 Pray that it may not happen in winter.
or on a Sabbath.
21 For then there will be great tribulation, 19 For in those days there will be such tribulation
such as has not been from the beginning of the as has not been from the beginning of the
world until now, creation that God created until now,
no, and never will be. and never will be.
22 And if those days had not been cut short, no 20 And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no
human being would be saved. But for the sake of human being would be saved. But for the sake of
the elect those days will be cut short. the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days.
23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the 21 And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is
Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it.
24 For false christs and false prophets will arise 22 For false christs and false prophets will arise
and perform great signs and wonders, and perform signs and wonders,
so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. to lead astray, if possible, the elect.
23 But be on guard;
25 See, I have told you beforehand. I have told you all things beforehand.
26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the
wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is
in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.
27 For as the lightning comes from the east and
shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of
the Son of Man.
28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will
gather.

(1) Having given a brief overview of the first half of the Tribulation (Matt 24:9–14),
Jesus now connects His prophecy to Daniel’s 70th Week (cf. Dan 12:11 (LXX); also
Dan 9:27). As we have seen in the lesson on Daniel, the 70th week of Daniel 9
corresponds to the seven-year Tribulation period. At the mid-point of the
Tribulation, the Antichrist will reveal his true nature to the Jews. He will put a
stop to the daily sacrifices and offerings, and he will erect an “abomination of
desolation” (an idol) within the Tribulation Temple in Jerusalem.

(2) Jesus told His disciples that the desecration of the Tribulation Temple would be
the sign of the beginning of the “great tribulation”—the last 3½ years of the
Daniel’s 70th Week. Just as the surrounding of Jerusalem by armies in AD 66
meant that believers should flee to the mountains, so the “abomination of
desolation” will mean that everyone should once again flee the city. Thus the
events which form the sign of the end of the age culminate in the ‘super-sign’ of
the “abomination of desolation.”
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(3) Jesus went on to say that the second half of the Tribulation will be terrible—so
terrible, in fact, that if the wrath of God was not cut short, everyone (saved and
sinner alike) would be killed. “But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut
short” (Matt 24:22). The “elect” refer to those who will be saved during the
Tribulation (cf. Rev 7:9–17).

(4) False christs and prophets will continue to arise, and they will perform signs and
wonders. But Christ will not yet appear. He will not return until the very end of
the seven-year Tribulation period.

I) Sign of the Second Coming (Q2 answered).

Matthew 24:29–30 Mark 13:24–26 Luke 21:25–28

29 “Immediately after the 24 “But in those days, after that 25 “And there will be
tribulation of those days tribulation,
the sun will be darkened, the sun will be darkened, signs in sun
and the moon will not give its and the moon will not give its and moon
light, light,
and the stars will fall 25 and the stars will be falling and stars,
from heaven, from heaven,
and on the earth distress of
nations in perplexity because of
the roaring of the sea and the
waves,
26 people fainting with fear and
with foreboding of what is
coming on the world.
and the powers of the heavens and the powers in the heavens For the powers of the heavens
will be shaken. will be shaken. will be shaken.
30 Then will appear in heaven
the sign of the Son of Man, and
then all the tribes of the earth
will mourn,
and they will see 26 And then they will see 27 And then they will see
the Son of Man coming the Son of Man coming the Son of Man coming
on the clouds of heaven in clouds in a cloud
with power and great glory. with great power and glory. with power and great glory.
28 Now when these things begin
to take place, straighten up and
raise your heads, because your
redemption is drawing near.”

(1) Jesus now answered Q2—the sign of His coming will begin with the darkening of
the sun, the moon and the stars. Then, with the suddenness and brilliance of
lightning (Matt 24:27), the heavens will be ablaze with the glory of God—this is
“the sign of the Son of Man” (Matt 24:30). Jesus will appear in the sky and
everyone on earth will see Him. He will descend to the earth through the clouds
and set His feet “on the Mount of Olives” (Zech 14:4). He will defeat the Antichrist
and save both Jerusalem and the believing Jews (Zech 12–14; Rev 19:11–21).

(2) At this point in the conversation, Jesus had answered all three questions:

 Q1—“When will Jerusalem and the Temple be destroyed, and what will be the
sign that it is about to occur?”

Answer: the surrounding of Jerusalem by armies.

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 Q2—“What will be the sign of your coming?”

Answer: the darkening of the sun, moon, and stars, and the brilliant light of the
glory of God.

 Q3—“What will be the sign of the end of the age?”

Answer: the events that take place just before the beginning of the Tribulation
(Matt 24:7–8) as well as the events that occur during the first half of the
Tribulation (Matt 24:9–14). These events culminate with the ‘super-sign’ of the
“abomination of desolation” in the Tribulation Temple (Matt 24:15–28).

J) The Gathering of the Elect (after Q2).

Matthew 24:31 Mark 13:27

31 And he will send out his angels 27 And then he will send out the angels
with a loud trumpet call,
and they will gather his elect from the four winds, and gather his elect from the four winds,
from one end of heaven to the other. from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

(1) Jesus’ statement about the gathering of the elect by the angels echoes
Deuteronomy 30:4 and Ezekiel 11:17. In the OT “to scatter to the four winds”3 or
“to regather from the four winds” / “from every country” / “from the
extremities of the earth”4 are recurring expressions. The first refers to the
dispersion of the Jews because of their persistent rebellion against God; the
second announces the regathering of the Jews to Israel, and a return of national
and spiritual unity. The scope of this gathering is universal, for Mark’s formula
“from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven” combines two OT expressions
which mean “everywhere.”

K) Parable of the Fig Tree (a message for believers in the Tribulation).

Matthew 24:32–35 Mark 13:28–31 Luke 21:29–33

29 And he told them a parable:
32 “From the fig tree 28 “From the fig tree “Look at the fig tree,
and all the trees.
learn its lesson: learn its lesson:
as soon as its branch becomes as soon as its branch becomes 30 As soon as
tender and puts out its leaves, tender and puts out its leaves, they come out in leaf,
you know you know you see for yourselves and know
that summer is near. that summer is near. that the summer is already near.
33 So also, when you see all 29 So also, when you see these 31 So also, when you see these
these things, you know that things taking place, you know things taking place, you know
he is near, at the very gates. that he is near, at the very gates. that the kingdom of God is near.
34 Truly, I say to you, this 30 Truly, I say to you, this 32 Truly, I say to you, this
generation will not pass away generation will not pass away generation will not pass away
until all these things take place. until all these things take place. until all has taken place.
35 Heaven and earth will pass 31 Heaven and earth will pass 33 Heaven and earth will pass
away, but my words will not away, but my words will not away, but my words will not
pass away. pass away. pass away.

3
Jer 9:15; 18:17; Ezek 5:10, 12; 12:14; 17:21; Zech 2:10.
4
Deut 30:3–4; Isa 11:12; 27:13; 56:8; Jer 23:3; 29:12; 31:8; Ezek 11:17; 20:34, 41; 28:25; 34:13.
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(1) This parable has been misunderstood and misused by many who have tried to
set a date for the Rapture and the Second Coming. Such people claim that the
“fig tree” stands for the reestablishment of the State of Israel in 1948. This, they
say, began the timetable for the “generation” who will “not pass away until all
these things take place” (Matt 24:34). If you could figure out how long a
“generation” is, they claim, you will know when the Rapture is about to take
place.

(2) This view is a misinterpretation. If the “fig tree” represents the State of Israel,
then what do “all the trees” represent (Luke 21:29b)? Jesus was not using the
trees as prophetic types. He was simply referring to them as what they are:
trees. The point of the illustration is this: When the fig tree and all the other
trees begin to blossom, it is a sure sign that summer is on its way, because the
blossoming occurs in the spring. In the same way, Jesus said, “when you see
these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.” The
“things” that Jesus was speaking of are the events of the Tribulation in general,
and the “abomination of desolation” specifically. The generation of people who
are alive to witness those events will not pass away before Jesus returns. They will
be there when the Messiah comes in all His glory. Thus “this generation” refers
to the elect who live through the Tribulation period.

L) Time of Daniel’s 70th Week Unknown (a message for believers in the present age).

Matthew 24:36–42 Mark 13:32–33

36 “But concerning that day and hour 32 “But concerning that day or that hour,
no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven,
nor the Son, but the Father only. nor the Son, but only the Father.
37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the
coming of the Son of Man.
38 For as in those days before the flood they were
eating and drinking, marrying and giving in
marriage, until the day when Noah entered the
ark,
39 and they were unaware until the flood came
and swept them all away, so will be the coming of
the Son of Man.
40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be
taken5 and one left.
41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will
be taken and one left.
42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on 33 Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know
what day your Lord is coming. when the time will come.

(1) The Second Coming of Christ will be preceded by the seven-year Tribulation
period known as Daniel’s 70th Week. However, no one knows when that seven-
year period will begin. It may begin next week, next year, or in a hundred years.
Our responsibility is to be ready and to be busy about the Father’s business.

5
As we discussed in the lesson on the Rapture, the context of these verses is the physical return of
Christ to earth (the Return), not the Rapture. Thus the idea of “taken” is in reference to judgment
and corresponds to “swept away” in v. 39 (cf. Luke 17:34–37 as a clarification on this same topic). For
more detail, see Larry D. Pettegrew, “Interpretive Flaws in the Olivet Discourse,” TMSJ 13.2 (Fall
2002): pp. 187–188.
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M) Conclusion of the Olivet Discourse (how Jesus’ prophecy should affect our lives).

(1) Stay Awake! (Matt 24:43–44; Mark 13:34–37; Luke 21:34–36).

(a) The time before the Rapture of the Church and the beginning of the
Tribulation will be a time of dissipation and drunkenness. The cares of this
life will cause many to fall into a stupor (Luke 21:34–36). Jesus’ message to us
is—Stay awake!

(2) Be Faithful! (Matt 24:45–25:30).

(a) The parables of the wise and wicked servants, the wise and foolish virgins,
and the servants with the talents are all illustrations of the kind of
faithfulness that Jesus expects of His disciples. We are to be faithful while we
wait for our Master to return, and we should be working hard to bring others
into the kingdom.

(3) Prepare for Judgment! (Matt 25:31–46).

(a) The Olivet Discourse ends with Jesus telling His disciples about the final
judgment at the end of the Tribulation. Those who believe will enter into
eternal life, and those who do not will enter into eternal punishment. We
must prepare ourselves for judgment, for it will surely come to pass. In the
meantime, let’s be feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger and caring for
the sick. When we do, we do these things to Jesus Himself!

CHRIST’S SECOND COMING

THE RAPTURE THE RETURN

CHRIST’S FIRST
COMING
The Tribulation
AD 70 7 years

Times of the Gentiles (Lk 21:24) The Millennium The Eternal State
2000 + ? years
Daniel’s 70th Week 1,000 years

ABOMINATION OF
Persecution of the DESOLATION
Q2 – Sign of Jesus’
disciples (Lk 21:12-19) return (Matt 24:30)
Q3 – Sign of the end of
Q1 - Sign of Jerusalem the age (Matt 24:9-14)
surrounded by armies
(Luke 21:20-23)
Jerusalem destroyed
(Luke 21:24)