The Olivet Discourse

Mark 13.19-37.nkjv For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days. “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand. “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven….

… Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”

The Olivet Discourse is a concise chronological statement Jesus made about His return. You can find it in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. Understanding this teaching is essential to understand the hour we live in. This am, while I was reading Mark 13, I felt the Lord highlighting something:

We are on the cusp of the worst time earth has ever witnessed…. Worse than the destruction of the temple in 70 ad…. Global in nature, and not limited to the middle east…. Worse than the conditions in Sodom, worse than Nazi Germany, or the genocide in Rwanda…. At a global level…

Jesus is clear that He has warned His friends in advance so it will make them awake… ready.

What is coming will, by the word of the Lord, be very offensive to many who consider themselves “saved. “ This is the warning over and over in the Bible. Men’s love WILL grow cold, and this will cause many, out of fear for their own lives, to betray Jesus and, hence, other believers. This has happened before. Many churches colluded with the Nazis. Not because they were Nazis, but because they were afraid…. They didn’t believe God was able to keep them.

The end time pressure will be much higher. Only the arrogant disregard the warnings… many are disregarding these warnings right now. Jesus didn’t warn of things we can ignore and still be counted obedient. Basic obedience is believing the warnings and acting on them… not for you, but rather for others and for Jesus…. This makes you a servant. This is the opposite of betrayal. If you were truly ready for what is coming, you would be continually warning, pondering, turning over, imagining…. Watching…. Praying… warning… like Jesus, Paul, John, James, Jude… Peter.

If Jesus warned this intensely, shouldn’t you?

There are many time indicators in this passage, which references the rapture And the coming of Jesus. After the tribulation that is worse than any other to touch the world, the rapture and the return of Jesus will happen. You must endure this time.

What Jesus promised was not more agreement and better, more clear, teaching…. Jesus promised what would come is confusion, deception… false teaching to minimize the truth of the warning…

Jesus warned of all these things beforehand. A true disciple of Jesus does the same:

Matthew .28.19-20.nkjv Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

There are many lukewarm believers. They teach others and themselves the convenient and lovely things of the Lord…. But they don’t go all the way into the truth that makes hearts burn for this hour. They are teaching many to be offended as this unfolds… they may be saved, but they are unready. Saved is not the same as ready.

If you are holding something precious, like a baby, and you see a dangerous stretch coming, you hold tight. You wrap your hand tight around that one so there is no chance you will let go. If you are riding in a car and you see an accident unfolding, you grab on tight to something to brace yourself…. If you were a tree you would sink your roots right into the floorboards if you could.

Realistically seeing what is coming causes you to take root in safety. This is why Jesus allows the trouble… So we will truly take root. Minimizing the trouble destroys the true incentive to take root:

Matthew .13.20-21.nkjv But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

See, Jesus has warned of all these things in advance so you might not stumble. Are you listening, and watching, and praying? Are you a disciple? Are you teaching all these things too?