Revelation: The Fuel Project Guide Part 3 – The Signs Of His Coming

The Fuel Project study guide to the Book of Revelation.

In this video Mark says that on the Mount of Olives, Jesus told his disciples what signs would signal the end of the world and his imminent return.

Mark says that the Olivet discourse is about the end of the world, but that’s not accurate.

The context of the Olivet Discourse is that Jesus had just berated the Jewish leaders in Matthew 23.

He told them that because they killed the prophets, they would kill Him and they would kill His disciples, He would bring judgment on them in this generation.

Then as He was leaving Jerusalem, He looked back over the city and prophesied that the temple would be destroyed.

When they reached the Mount of Olives, the disciples asked to know the signs about when Jerusalem would be destroyed.

So the context of the Olivet Discourse is not about the end times, but rather about the desolation of Jerusalem, which had been prophesied by Daniel in chapter 9.

“What will signal your return and the end of the world” should be translated as “the end of the age,” as Matthew was referring to the latter days of Israel, which started when they were released from Babylon and ended when they were desolated by the Romans in 70 A.D.

Note: This is one of the many reasons to use the KJV, as it translates the passage correctly, “And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

After all of His warnings in the Olivet Discourse, Jesus said “Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.”

Friend, maybe we should take Jesus at His Word, and look to see how the things that He described were in fact were fulfilled in that generation.

Mark made 7 points in the video, all pointing to the end times, so I’ll provide the correct historical fulfillment below:

1. False Messiahs would appear. Many False Messiahs appeared as Satan wanted to discredit Jesus and mislead Jews so that they wouldn’t follow Christ.

2. Increase of wars. The Romans were conquering the world, so there were many wars.  Closer to home, there were many wars between the Jews and Romans, such as the Great Jewish Revolt of 66 A.D..

3. Increase of natural disasters and famines. There was famine and disease in Jerusalem after the Roman army surrounded the city in 66 A.D. and cut off the food supplies.

4. Increasing Christian persecution. The disciples and the Early Church were indeed arrested, persecuted and killed. The Jews killed Stephen.  Emperor Nero persecuted Christians, starting in 66 A.D.

The Good News was preached by the disciples throughout the Roman world.  All of the disciples but John died from violent deaths of persecution.

5. Jacob’s Trouble (Jerusalem attacked). The time of Jacob’s Trouble occurred when the Roman army surrounded Jerusalem, which caused 1.1 million Jews to die from famine, disease, infighting, by crucifixion, and by the Roman sword.

The old city of Jerusalem was not a big place and such a concentrated scene of death had never occurred before. They didn’t bury bodies for fear of being killed, so bodies were stacked up in the city and in the temple, and they were left on the trees after crucifixion.

The abomination of desolation was not an idolatrous statue that was placed on the temple mount. It was the pagan Roman army standing in the Holy land, surrounding Jerusalem. And when they captured the temple, no doubt they placed their pagan flag on the temple mount.

Daniel the Prophet spoke about the abomination of desolation, when in Daniel 9 he said that the people of the prince would surround the Holy city and desolate it.

The “Prince” is Jesus, who sent the Roman army. It is not an end times antichrist.
Read The 70th Week Of Daniel Prince is NOT an End Times Antichrist

Luke confirmed this in his recording of the Olivet Discourse in Luke 21, when he said,
“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.
Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.”

Jeremiah clearly states that it will be a time of trouble for my people Israel.  This doesn’t apply to the end times, as not everyone is Israel.

The proper context is Jesus pouring out judgment on the Jews as He promised in the Parable of the Landowner in Matthew 21. “He will destroy those wicked men miserably.” And in the Parable of the Wedding Feast in Matthew 22, “And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.”

Paul’s warning in 1 Thes. 5:3 was fulfilled when Jewish leaders told the people that God would save them from the Roman army.

“Praying that your flight would not occur on the Sabbath”, would only impact the Early Church, which could have been impeded by the Jewish leaders who enforce a strict Sabbath where you can’t walk far distances.  It does not apply to us today.

6. Sun and moon go dark / stars fall. “The Sun being darkened, the moon not giving light and the stars falling from the sky” is not referring to the actual heavenly bodies.

Jesus was speaking metaphorically, just as Joseph did when he told his family his dream that the Sun and moon would worship him, and the stars would obey him.  He was speaking about his father, mother and brothers.

Jesus was saying that the Jewish leaders would be desolated and the leadership structure of the Jews destroyed, which occurred in 70 A.D.

7. At last Jesus returns / Rapture. This is not the rapture, as every other reference to the rapture says that the dead will rise first.  This does not say that.

Jesus came in great power and glory, as He poured out His wrath on the Jewish people who had rejected Him. He caused the mighty Roman army to execute His will.

He caused the chosen ones, His Early Church, to be gathered to escape before the destruction.

To learn more about the time of Daniel’s Trouble and to see the miraculous way that Jesus helped the Early Church escape Jerusalem in 66 A.D., when they saw the Roman army surround Jerusalem, click on Daniel 12 Is Not About The Antichrist Or The End Times

To see how the Revelation seal, trumpet and bowl judgments all fit together, and to see where we’re at on the timeline today, click on Revelation Fulfillment Timeline.

Next Fuel Project Guide To Revelation Video: The Throne Room & The Scroll