MATTHEW CHAPTER 21

THE BEGINNING OF THE FINAL WEEK OF CHRIST LIFE - SUNDAY
 
 

Verses 1-11  THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY
Prophesy of Christ coming into Jerusalem
Zechariah 9:9
9. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

Verses 12-16 The cleansing of the Temple

A SIMILAR CLEANING OCCURRED AT THE BEGINNING OF CHRIST WORK
KJV John 2:13-22
 13.  And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
 14.  And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:
 15.  And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;
 16.  And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.
 17.  And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.
 18.  Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
 19.  Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
 20.  Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
 21.  But he spake of the temple of his body.
22. When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

THE TEMPLE IS THE LORD’S – CHRIST QUOTES
KJV Jeremiah 7:11
11.  Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the Lord.
 
 
 

KJV Isaiah 56:7
7.  Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

VERSE 16 CHRIST QUOTES
KJV Psalms 8:2
2. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
THE SECOND DAY OF THE WEEK - MONDAY
Verses 18-22 The Cursing of the Fig Tree
The fig tree represents the nation of Israel.  The time has come that it should be ripe and ready for fruit, but there is no fruit there.

Reference to Israel being as a fig tree.
KJV Hosea 9:10
 10.  I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.

KJV Joel 1:7
7. He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white.

We must be fruitful and be ready when the Lord comes unlike Israel was.  We must tree to produce as we have the ability (talent) to do so. 

KJV Matthew 25:14-30
 14.  For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
 15.  And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
 16.  Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
 17.  And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
 18.  But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
 19.  After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
 20.  And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
 21.  His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
 22.  He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
 23.  His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
 24.  Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
 25.  And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
 26.  His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
 27.  Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
 28.  Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
 29.  For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
30. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Verses 23-27 Jesus establishes his authority

KJV Matthew 28:18
18. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

 Verses 28-32 The parable of the two sons

This parable condemns them.  They were compelled to answer and by answering they judged themselves!

Verses 33-46 The Parable of the wicked husbandmen-
The rejecting of Christ and the soon to be death of Christ is going to have the judgment of those guilty much as they responded in verse 41.

Again this parable condemns the chief priest and the Pharisees. 

Christ quotes in verse 42
KJV Psalms 118:22-23
 22.  The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
23. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.
 
 
 

MATTHEW CHAPTER 22

The wedding feast verses 1-14

There were invitations sent many did not come because they may have felt unworthy or they made themselves to busy.  The parable ends by Christ saying that many are chosen, few are saved!

WE SHOULD SEEK THE LORD
KJV Acts 17:27
 27.  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

IF WE SEEK WE WILL FIND
KJV Matthew 7:7-8
7.  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
 8.  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

IF WE FIND WE WILL RECEIVE AS PROMISED
KJV 2 Peter 3:9
 9.  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

THE LORD WANTS ALL MEN TO BE SAVED
KJV 1 Timothy 2:4
4. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

THE LORD IS NOT A RESPECTER OF PERSONS
KJV Acts 10:34
34. Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
 

Verses 15-22 God and Caesar

The Pharisees tried to entangle Christ and cause him to make an statement against Caesar.  Christ rather said that the things that are Caesar’s let him have and the things that are God’s give to God!

Verses 23-33 the question is posed about the resurrection and asking him who’s wife would it be if one was married correctly to several in the resurrection. 
 

The Old Law passages referred to in verse 24
KJV Deuteronomy 25:5
 5.  If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her.

KJV Genesis 38:8
8. And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

Christ tells that there is no marriage in Heaven but we will be as the angels.

Verses 29-32 Christ rebukes the Sadducees further in condemning them using the Old Law! 

KJV Exodus 3:6
6.  Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

CHRIST WANTED THEM TO FEAR GOD AS WE SHOULD
KJV Hebrews 10:31
31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Verses 34-40 The great commandments – love God and thy neighbor

Verses 41-46 Christ ask them who son he was.  They said David.  He said then why does David call me Lord.

Christ the pays mention in verse 44

KJV Psalms 110:1-7
 1.  The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
 2.  The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
 3.  Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
 4.  The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
 5.  The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.
 6.  He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.
 7.  He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.
 
 
 

THE SAME TYPE OF QUESTION WAS ASKED IN

KJV Matthew 16:13-19
13.  When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
 14.  And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
 15.  He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
 16.  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
 17.  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
 18.  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
 
 
 
 

MATTHEW CHAPTER 23

Verses 1-36 CHRIST DENOUNCES THE PHARISEES

SUCH BOASTFULNESS AND PRIDE OF THE PHARISEE WILL NOT ENTER HEAVEN – WE MUST EXEED THAT UNRIGHTEOUSNESS
KJV Matthew 5:20
 20.  For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

DO NOT DO THINGS BEFORE MEN FOR PUBLIC PRAISE
KJV Matthew 6:1-7
 1.  Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
 2.  Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
 3.  But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
 4.  That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
 5.  And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
 6.  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
 7.  But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

KJV Matthew 6:16-18
 16.  Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
 17.  But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
18. That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

THE LORD HATES PRIDE
KJV Proverbs 6:16-19
16.  These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
 17.  A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
 18.  An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
 19.  A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

PRIDE LEADS TO DEATH
KJV Proverbs 16:18
 18.  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
 

DO NOT LOVE THE PRIDE OF LIFE THIS WORLD OFFERS
KJV 1 John 2:15-16
 15.  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
14. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

THE PHARISEES WANTED TO RULE AS CHRIST WAS AND HAVE THE RESPECT THAT CHRIST WAS GETTING!

Verses 37-39

Christ is stating the whole sinful nature of Jerusalem.

In verse 39 he states from: PSALMS 118:26
 

THE PHARISEES WOULD NOT HUMBLE THEMSELVES PROPERLY TO THE LORD.  THEY WANTED TO ALWAYS CHALLENGE HIM!

JUST LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN MATTHEW OF THE PHARISEES CHALLENGING CHRIST!

MATT 12:1-8, 12:24-32, 12:38-45, 15:1-20, 16:1-11, 19:1-9, 22:15-22, AND 15:34-40.

MATTHEW CHAPTER 24

Christ makes a statement in verse 2!  The disciples ask 2 questions in verse three.
KJV Matthew 24:2-3
 2.  And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, (1)Tell us, when shall these things be? (2)and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

Verse 4,5 & 11
Many false teachers will come
KJV Acts 20:29-30
 29.  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
 30.  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

KJV 2 Peter 2:1
.  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

KJV 1 John 4:1
1. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Verse 10 – Betrayal

KJV 2 Timothy 4:10
10. For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

Verse 14 – When the Gospel is preached then shall the end come!

THE GOSPEL HAD BEEN PREACHED IN THE TIME THAT PAUL WROTE TO THE COLOSSIANS AND THE ROMANS WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN AD60-61 TO THE COLOSSIANS AND AD56-58 TO THE ROMANS.
KJV Colossians 1:5-6
5.  For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
 6.  Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

KJV Colossians 1:23
23.  If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

KJV Romans 1:8
 8.  First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

KJV Romans 10:18
18.  But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

Verse 15 – Abomination of Desolation

This phraseology appears three times in the book of Daniel.
KJV Daniel 9:27
27.  And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
 

KJV Daniel 11:31  And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
 

KJV Daniel 12:11
11. And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.

Abomination refers to Idolotary.
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary
581; properly, something disgusting (morally), i.e. (as noun) an abhorrence; especially idolatry or (concretely) an idol: -- abominable (custom, thing), abomination. 

KJV 1 Kings 11:5-7
 5.  For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
 6.  And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father.
 7.  Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.

KJV 2 Kings 23:13
 13.  And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had builded for ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.

KJV Ezekiel 5:11
 11.  Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord God; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.

Vine's Hebrew Dictionary
DESOLATE 
Strong's Number: 8074 
Transliterated: samem 

Text:  "to be desolate, astonished, appalled, devastated, ravaged." This verb is found in both biblical and modern Hebrew. It occurs approximately 90 times in the text of the Hebrew Old Testament. 

In Luke’s account he has the armies coming and at this point the devastation is near.
KJV Luke 21:20
20. And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

Verses 16-20
There will be a time that is not good for flight, and this may occur making flight from the Roman Army difficult. Does this sound as though the time that Christ will be coming?  Would he be telling his people to flee from him?  Would they be able to flee in light that we will all meet him in the air?
KJV 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17
 15.  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
 16.  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Verses 21-22

A great tribulation in which 97,000 Jews were captured and 1,100,000 Jews perished.  These facts are provided according to historian Flavius Josephus.

 Verses 23-28 Christ warns of False Christ and False Prophets.

Verses 29-31 Terminology is used that the sign of the Son of Man shall appear after the tribulation.  This terminology and references to the Heavens and the skies have been used in several other areas in the destruction of empires and kingdoms.

It was used in the destruction of Babylon
KJV Isaiah 13:1-13
 1.  The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.
 2.  Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.
 3.  I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.
 4.  The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the Lord of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.
 5.  They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.
 6.  Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
 7.  Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt:
 8.  And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
 9.  Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
 10.  For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
 11.  And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
 12.  I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
 13.  Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

In the destruction of Idumea
KJV Isaiah 34:1-6
1.  Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it.
 2.  For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter.
 3.  Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood.
 4.  And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.
 5.  For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment.
 6.  The sword of the Lord is filled with blood, it is made fat with fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams: for the Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Idumea.

In the fall of Egypt’s leadership
KJV Ezekiel 32:1-12
 1.  And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
 2.  Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto him, Thou art like a young lion of the nations, and thou art as a whale in the seas: and thou camest forth with thy rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouledst their rivers.
 3.  Thus saith the Lord God; I will therefore spread out my net over thee with a company of many people; and they shall bring thee up in my net.
 4.  Then will I leave thee upon the land, I will cast thee forth upon the open field, and will cause all the fowls of the heaven to remain upon thee, and I will fill the beasts of the whole earth with thee.
 5.  And I will lay thy flesh upon the mountains, and fill the valleys with thy height.
 6.  I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee.
 7.  And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.
 8.  All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord God.
 9.  I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not known.
 10.  Yea, I will make many people amazed at thee, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for thee, when I shall brandish my sword before them; and they shall tremble at every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of thy fall.
 11.  For thus saith the Lord God; The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon thee.
12. By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall, the terrible of the nations, all of them: and they shall spoil the pomp of Egypt, and all the multitude thereof shall be destroyed.

Verses 32-35 The Parable of the Fig Tree
Verse 34 tells that these things to this point will happen in this generation.  To understand that this does not mean the Church age, see Matthew 1:1-17.  Generations in verse 17 of Matthew 1 shows that this is in the life span of the living in that generation to the next!

Verse 36 is the transition verse.  He states that the day that Heaven and Earth will pass no man knows except God the father.

In the first section (verses 4-35) the plural is used “days”.  In the second section the singular “day”.
Verses 37-41
The second coming of Christ will be as the days of Noah.  People did not hear Noah as they will not hear the truth as time goes on.
KJV 2 Peter 2:5
4. And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

Verses 42-44 – Watch and be ready because his coming is not known.
KJV 1 Thessalonians 5:2-11
2.  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
 3.  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
 4.  But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
 5.  Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
 6.  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
 7.  For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
 8.  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
 9.  For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
 10.  Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
 11.  Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

KJV 2 Peter 3:10
10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Verses 45-51
The servant that will be blessed is he that is prepared. 

Summary 

1. AD 70 (Destruction of Jerusalem) there would be a benefit in fleeing, in the Coming of the Lord there would be no benefit in fleeing.
2. AD 70 was local, the 2nd coming will not be.
3. AD 70 would require a fast escape, the 2nd coming will have no escaping.
4. This would be while unchanged Jews still held to the Sabath, then 2nd coming will be long after the Sabbath.
5. The elect will be helped in the AD 70 event by a shortening, in Christ coming there will be no help in time frames.
6. In AD 70 it those will be mislead as to Christ’ whereabouts, in the 2nd Coming all will see!
7. The AD70 event has signs, the second coming has none as only the father knows when it will occur.
8. The time of the AD 70 Christ knew, he knew not the time he would come.
9. Following the AD 70 event the Gospel will be preached, following Christ coming the earth will be no more here to preach on or to.
10. The AD70 event has an end, the final day does not.
 

AD 70 THEORY (KINGISM, OR ESCHATOLOGY)

The doctrine states that in AD 70 during the destruction of Jerusalem, the resurrection of the dead and the judgment occurred.  The facts state that in AD 70 there was a destruction of Jerusalem at the hands of Titus Flavius Vespasianus and the Roman Army.  This is stated clearly in historical reports, and notes from those such as Flavius Josephus.

Kingism is exactly what Hymenaues and Philetus were: erring!
KJV 2 Timothy 2:17-18
 17.  And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
 18.  Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
Man will die then be judged.  Christ will come a second time (literally) and no third time is mentioned.
KJV Hebrews 9:27-28
27.  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
 28.  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

The Gospel is about Saving not the destruction of Jerusalem as Max King and supporters of this theory would have it.
KJV Ephesians 1:13
13.  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Premillennialism

This theory teaches that Christ will come prior, before (pre) his millennium-reign (1000 years).  Matthew 24 is one of the key areas for this doctrine. 
Verse 21 is the key to their doctrine in Matthew 24. 
KJV Matthew 24:21-22
 21.  For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.  22. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

They then tie the following passages to this.  Stating at this point is the great battle of Armageddon.
KJV Revelation 7:14
14.  And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

KJV Revelation 19:19-21
9.  And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
 20.  And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
 21.  And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

Again we must refer to the great passage in this same chapter – verse 34, These things will occur in this generations lifetime.  To claim that Christ will reign when he comes is to forget KJV 2 Peter 3:10
10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
 
 
 

Sources of information – 

(1) Studies in Matthew, edited by Dub McClish, 1995
(2) KJV Bible
(3) Gospel Advocate Commentary on Matthew, H. Leo Boles, 1989
(4) New Testament Difficulties and Contradictions, edited by Jerry Moffit, 1994
(5) Dehoff’s Commentary
(6) Barne’s Notes on the Gospels
(7) Vine’s Dictionary and Strong’s Concordance
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Copyright 2000 by Brian Yeager may be reproducted for non-commercial purposes at no cost to others.