En Route to the Mount of Olives (Matthew 24): The Intimate Conversation with Jesus before His Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday: Exploring Jesus answering the disciples' questions. When will be the sign of your coming? The end of the age?

By David R. Rosen

And now - it is time. And as God has arranged and prepared. As the scriptures have been foretold - for the crucifixion of Jesus is now but days away! Jesus had been preparing His disciples for the time of this week. And now, we jump into the Word. Jesus and His disciples are now leaving the Temple. And they are heading across the way up towards the Mount of Olives. For the time of Jesus' last Passover observance with His Disciples, is before Him. And then, He transforms His last Passover with His Disciples into The Last Supper [Matt 26:17-19].

So picture yourself standing in the courtyard - in view is the Mount of Olives. Jesus has just finished rebuking the Scribes and Pharisees in his telling the crowds and disciples the seven woes to their hypocritical faith [as recorded within Matthew 23] and now Jesus and His disciples are preparing to leave the courtyard, and you overhear the disciples note to Jesus the splendor of the Temple

And in return reply, Jesus offers an unexpected comment [actually Jesus offers prophecy that He presents back to them]. And now, the journey to cross over from the temple courtyard to the Mount of Olives begins.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9781685708467

David R. Rosen

In life, each day is a gift from God. And throughout life, He also blesses us with things expected and unexpected. I have been so blessed, more than I can write. For, outside of my salvation in Jesus, my wife Sandy is right behind the blessings of salvation - in having a Christian woman as my wife and life partner. And from there, my kids and my grandkids are also my blessings and treasures in life. It’s hard to order all that Jesus has done, but to say that I am so blessed to have the family He has given me, and that they, too, are in Christ brings me to my knees in gratitude with thanksgiving. Having just finished my second book about the signs of Jesus’ return and the end of this age – En Route to the Mount of Olives – Matthew 24. I felt the calling to author this book next. I humbly praise God for the honor and privilege of doing so. I pray that He will have me continue to write about Him as my life starts in the next chapter. And I pray that He would help me endure as a witness and testimony of His loving grace and mercy to my family, friends, and you, the reader. As Psalms 139:16 declares: “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” So my ask of you is to pray for God’s glory. Pray that He continues to change your and my hearts to be more conformed to the image of Jesus. And pray that He will keep us both in the faith of, in, and through Jesus. And pray that God will continue to use me to write about His glory for my family, friends, and you as long as He grants me the days. In Jesus’ name, and for and to His glory, Amen!

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En Route to the Mount of Olives (Matthew 24)

The Intimate Conversation with Jesus before His Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday: Exploring Jesus answering the disciples' questions. When will be the sign of your coming? The end of the age?

David R Rosen

ISBN 978-1-68570-845-0 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-68570-846-7 (digital)

Copyright © 2022 by David R Rosen

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

My usage of color, boldface, italics, underlines, and brackets [] within and around the verses quoted within this book are mine and are for comments, grouping of thoughts of study, clarity of meaning, and are from my years of study that I marked within my Bibles of the past now presented within this book. The usages are for teaching purposes.

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

In Remembrance and Dedication

The Mission of This Book

Introduction

Acknowledgments

To Those Who Have Helped Me Pull This Book Together

Reader Assumptions

My Approach

Hermeneutics

Grammatical-Historical Methodology of Bible Study

The Sovereignty of God

What about Replacement Theology?

Premillennialism, Postmillennialism, Amillennialism

The Wrath of God

The Rapture

Tribulation

Pre-tribulation, Post-tribulation, Mid-tribulation Rapture

The Wrath of Satan

Witnessing, purifying, suffering, glorifying

Pre-wrath Rapture

Near-Far Understandings

Having Oil in Our Lamp

God's Wrath

The Day of the Wrath of the Lord

Repetition, Repetition, Repetition

Ready, Set, Let's Go

Field of Scriptures

The Olivet Discourse

Seventy Weeks Have Been Decreed

Abomination of Desolation

Cosmic Signs: Stars, Sun, Moon—Day of the Lord

The Rapture Verses

The Growing Time of Immense Sinfulness

The Seals, Judgment, and the Wrath of Satan and the Wrath of God

Jesus's Opening of the Seven Seals: Satan's Wrath Unleased within Seals 1–5

A Great Multitude from Every Nation

The Beginning of the Wrath of God

The Seventh Seal Opened

Jesus's Eternal Reign

The Seven Churches

Church in Ephesus

Church in Smyrna

Church in Pergamum

Church in Thyatira

Church in Sardis

Church in Philadelphia

Church in Laodicea

Scripture Outlines

How to use the outlines

Matthew 24 Outline

Revelation 6 Outline

Daniel 12 Outline

Daniel 9:24–27 Outline

Setting and Background

1

Right before Passover

In the Temple

The Reconstruction of the Temple in 20 BC by Herod the Great

En Route to the Mount of Olives

2

The Two Questions

Jesus warns about deception

False Christs

Sidebar 1: The One who Makes Desolate, who is The rider of the Four Horses, who is the Antichrist; we begin with The First Seal

Sidebar 2: Two Examples of Biblical Time Measurement

Seventy Weeks of Daniel's Prophecy

3

Wars and Rumors of Wars, Famines and Earthquakes

Wars and Threats of Wars: The Opening of the Second Seal

Four Points: Beginning of Birth Pangs, the Second Seal in Manifestation (A)

The Third Seal Opened: Famines, Inflation with Earthquakes (B)

4

The Abomination of Desolation: The Fourth Seal

Outline of Matthew 24:15–18

The Holy Place, The Temple

Pause Button

Seal one opened: political conquest, crown given, has a bow—meaning without arrows, which is key

Seal two opened: takes away peace, people killing people—lawlessness. The sword now given! (Unlike just a bow that cannot kill, now with a sword that can.)

Seal three opened: inflation, famine, starvation

And now, Seal four opened: Death and Hades, one-fourth the world

Sidebar 3

The First Beast

The Second Beast

Recapping the Three Tribulation Verses within Matthew 24

5

Tribulation, the Abomination of Desolation, the Great Tribulation

The Abomination of Desolation gives rise to the Great Tribulation

Outline Matthew 24:15–28

God intervenes

Be Strong in the Lord

6

The Fifth Seal

John's Throne Room of God Experience

The Sovereignty of God!

Sidebar 5: I wonder

7

The SIXTH Seal: Cosmic Signs

Enough Is Enough

8

Endurance

The call of and for ENDUANCE

Jesus warns us!

Standing firm!

9

Knowing the Season

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

10

Be Ready!

No One Knows That Day and Hour

SIDEBAR 4: The days of Noah

Therefore, STAY AWAKE

11

The Rapture

Of the Saints (The Elect)

Revisiting the Days of Noah

Ten Virgins, Ten Lamps, Five Without Oil

The Debate

The Second Elephant

12

The Seventh Seal Now Opened: The Scroll is Fully Opened

God's Judgment Commences after the Awe of Silence for about Half an Hour

13

Summary to the SIGNS, WARNINGS, and ACTIONS

Signs

Warnings

Actions

14

The Gospel within God's Wrath

15

The Bridegroom and the Bride

Closing Prayer

The Mount of Olives (01)

Jesus's Second Coming (02)

The Harmony of Matthew 24 with Mark 13 and with Luke 21 (03)

The Didache: The Lord's Teaching Through the Twelve Apostles to the Nations (04)

The Temple of Jerusalem (05)

Parting Comments

Index By Chapter

By Chapter

Index By the books of the Bible

By the books of the Bible

Index by Context

About the Author

As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? (Matt. 24:3)

And he said, See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, I am he!' and, The time is at hand!' Do not go after them. And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once. (Luke 21:8–9)

And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake. (Mark 13:37)

But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man. (Luke 21:34–36)

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 heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 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 the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matt. 24:29–31)

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matt. 6:10)

Again the high priest asked him, Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven. (Mark 14:61b–62)

For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. (Rom. 14:10b–11)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." (Acts 1:8–11)

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. (Eph. 6:10–13)

The above verses are but a few verses that I find valuable to embrace when studying the end times and Jesus's return. Some of the concepts presented within this book might look new to you. But having these verses in your mind will help set the path of understanding the words of Jesus about the time of the end and of His return.

Heavenly Father, I pray and ask again for wisdom, discernment, and understanding as I write to present a biblical background to the disciples' two questions of Matthew 24. That of the sign of the times of the end of the age and to the sign of Jesus's return

Father, I pray that as I write, You would bring Yourself glory to the words I present in guiding the reader to the connecting scriptures within the Bible that I see Jesus having in view as He gave answers.

And I also pray for all who would read Your words that I have quoted within the book. That the connecting of scriptures outside of Matthew 24 would offer the reader the best understanding as to the signs of the last days and for Jesus's return, as Jesus tells His disciples.

May Your Spirit grant us wisdom and insight for the mission of your will being done as you have purposed and for Your eternal glory to be enjoyed!

Help us to take heed to the signs you present, to your warnings about the end and about being prepared, and to the actions we need to take.

Jesus, help me be clear where clarity is called for and to be silent when I need to be silent, for your namesake, I ask. Amen.

In Remembrance and Dedication

I dedicate this book to my wife, Sandy, for God called her home unexpectedly on November 29, 2021. I praise God for bringing her into my life and for blessing us with faith and love for almost forty years of marriage. Sandy is now with Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Her mission here is complete. And she stands before the glory of Jesus Christ, enjoying Him forever!

And when the mission that God has prepared for me to walk in is also complete, I, too, will join with Sandy and our family members—those who have gone before us in the faith of Christ—to also worship and enjoy Jesus face-to-face! And my prayer now, while it is still day, is that God will save all the generations from Sandy and me that come after us. So they, too, will stand before our Lord and Savior with all the saints and worship and enjoy Him forever!

So until that day…

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. (Rom. 16:25–27)

The Mission of This Book

To warn the reader as to when the season of the end begins. To present the signs, the events, and the warnings that Jesus tells us within Matthew 24. And as believers in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, to present our required responses. To our actions required, Jesus spells out to us what we need to see, what to know, and then what to do when the time of the end approaches.

The goal of this book is to share my learnings from Matthew 24, the Olivet Discourse. To give the reader a fast primer from my eschatological studies to the times of the end and Jesus's return. I will try to refrain from going deeply into the wrath of God after the opening of the seventh seal, the Trumpet and Bowl judgments of God, the two witnesses and who they might be, and the earthly battle with the antichrist, and other actions to God's wrath and stay focused on the Olivet Discourse of Matthew 24 for this study.

However, where it makes sense, where it is practical to clarify, or where it becomes essential, this book will bring in assessments of the other scriptures beyond Matthew 24's description of Jesus's answering the disciples' two questions. Thus, I will present with purpose other verses outside Matthew 24—for the reader to see and understand the declaration of Jesus, with His knowledge of the writings of OT prophets for which He came to fulfill and from His Revelation to John later in the years ahead that align into His Olivet Discourse.

The secondary goal is to challenge contemporary conventional doctrine that says that the church, the elect, are not under Jesus's warnings of Matthew 24.

I hope to show that Jesus is instructing the present-day church down to the saints within these churches. For us to look, see, know, prepare, and then stand firm—to the future generation of the season of the end He has in view, if not within my generation of today. Jesus's return is valuable for every Christian to know and understand. And that we have received instructions to be ready, to be watchful, to anticipate, and to pray for Jesus's return. To know and understand the signs of the season for His return—which He will not come back before the Great Tribulation, as scripture declares but sometime later. So when Jesus returns in the clouds, it will be later than most folks think. Not in understanding, but in thinking.

My hope, by and through the grace of God in His guidance, is to turn thinking into knowing. And through knowing the signs, it is through the word of God, with His Spirit in us, granting understanding to the sum of scriptures. 

Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake (Mark 13:33, 37).

Introduction

In 2020, I authored a book called The Sovereignty of God in Our Daily Lives, primarily to leave my adult children and my grandchildren a legacy of my faith in Jesus, for them to know and for them to pass down that knowledge to their children and their children, should the Lord grant.

In that book, I closed by sharing with them my heart about being watchful to the days in which we live. I presented to them, and at an elevated level, the basis of what to look for in the days coming, as the Bible gives us insights to those days for which will become progressively eviler.

From there, the book went to print in June of 2021. The first edition was then released.

Now, for some reason that I can't fully explain to myself, maybe this next writing is my effort to codify the verses from my twenty-plus years of study to the Last Days and Jesus's Second Coming for my own needs.

Or I am now writing to offer my family a fast primer to those years of my eschatological studies and share with them the scriptures I have studied as the fruit of that effort—as quick course work for their own needs in a future time.

Or God is guiding me back to present another Bible study on the Book of Matthew, but this time with a focus on Matthew 24.

Or it could be for all three reasons and more.

In any event, if you are reading this now, know that God has given me the path to complete this next book (acknowledging once again for in my life the truth of Proverbs 16:9), and I praise God that He allowed me to pursue this subject in writing this second book.

As with my first book, my approach to writing is to first lead with a scripture section. Striving to let scripture interpret scripture, and by aligning the scriptures by common subjects that build and then connect upon each other in a way that assembles a better, complete picture of the events to the last days and Jesus's return, much like building a picture puzzle.

Acknowledgments

When I first came to faith some fifty years ago, I started to read my Bible. And at the beginning of my walk with Jesus, I came upon passages like Matthew 24 and saw that scripture pointed to the future church experiencing the times of the end.

I did not know of any doctrinal position that would describe my understandings of my early time reading the Bible as a new believer. But being candid, my Bible reading after a few years in faith started to wane, for my attention