[Note: The following is an excerpt from my chapter in the book, Deceivers: Exposing Evil Seducers & Their Last Days Deception, edited by Terry James. Order your copy on Amazon (Paperback and Kindle)].
The Three Questions
Imagine all the pointing and gaping and “oohing” and “aahing.” And then, somewhere behind the disciples, in a choked but level voice, Jesus quietly says: “These things which you see—the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down” (Luke 21:6).
Say, what?! There stood Jesus’ disciples, excitedly gaping in awe of the Temple, and Jesus out of the blue basically declares, “None of this will be here much longer. It will all be torn down. Every stone will be thrown away.” Just imagine the shock on the disciples’ faces. They couldn’t believe it. This building was supposed to be the house of God. Why would God abandon His home? The very idea defied logic. After all, throughout Israel’s history the Jewish people believed that as long as the Temple stood, Israel remained invulnerable. And now, Jesus had burst their bubble, and the silence that followed was deafening.
Obviously, the disciples had questions. Some moments later, Jesus’ disciples finally had built up enough courage to ask Jesus why He said what He did. Likely all 12 of them started asking at once. Luke 21 parallels Matthew 24 and Mark 13, and when those three chapters are compiled, one will discover the disciples had asked three questions:
1) When will the Temple fall?
Jesus just announced that the Temple would be destroyed. So, they first wanted to know, “When, Lord, will this happen?”
2) What will be the sign of the end of the age?
The Son of God had arrived to usher in His kingdom, but was crucified on a cross. With today’s hindsight, Christians now know that Jesus’ First Coming had only achieved the spiritual aspect of His kingdom—the Church. The world waits for Jesus to return again and usher in his earthly Millennial Kingdom. But, before that, the Church waits for her Lord to return and remove those saved off of this earth and bring them up to Heaven in an event called the Rapture. And so, second, Jesus’ disciples desired to learn about the signs that would reveal the end of the age, which the Church knows has been the last 2,000 years called the Church Age, which we are living in right now.
3) What will be the sign of Jesus’ coming?
And third, this question refers to the setting up of Jesus’ earthly kingdom, which will happen upon His Second Coming. Jesus returns after a horrific time of global judgment called the Tribulation. The earth will experience the worst seven-year time period in all of human history.
And so, the disciples had posed three questions. Jesus’ stunning and lengthy answer would shock them more than His statement about the destruction of the Temple.
Prophetic Perspective
Before delving into Jesus’ amazing answers to these three vital questions, and how His answers encompass the fall of the foreteller-fabricators, we need to learn a little about Prophetic Perspective.
Near, Far, Father
Ever watch Sesame Street growing up? I did! I loved Sesame Street as a child. My all-time favorite character was Grover. The furry, blue guy was my favorite Muppet.
Grover taught children something very important. He taught the concept of near and far. Grover ran far away from the TV and yelled “Far!” Then he trotted very close the screen and yelled “Near!” Again and again, Grover ran and yelled, only to finally collapse in exhaustion. I laughed every time.
What Grover taught, and what Prophetic Perspective is exactly, concerns near and far. Prophecy often contains a near interpretation, which in this case answers the question about when the Temple will fall. History records pointedly that the Temple fell to the Roman legions in 70 A.D. Literally not one stone was left upon another.
But, Jesus also answers the far view concerning what will be the signs at the end of the Church Age. Many, many signs of the end times reveals that humanity has now reached the end of this age. The time we are living in right now remains very pertinent to the far view.
But, then, something Grover forgot to teach us, and that’s farther. Farther covers the third question concerning the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, when He returns to defeat evil and set up His Millennial Kingdom.
Grover taught the first aspect of Prophetic Perspective—Near, Far, and Farther.
Lesser to Greater
The second aspect concerning Prophetic Perspective can be understood by looking at a woman in labor. Because my wife birthed three children, I now know everything there is to know about giving birth, (or so I believe). She told me that when her contractions began they started out as lesser in frequency and intensity. The contractions began far apart in time, and the pain was weak. But, the closer a woman gets to the birth of the baby, the time between contractions shrinks shorter and shorter, and the labor pains grow greater and greater in intensity.
Jesus, when answering His disciples’ questions, taught as the prophets did before Him that the answers to the disciples’ questions have a near, far, and farther aspect; as well as a lesser to greater meaning. In other words, as the signs of the times arrive, and the closer history gets to their fulfilment, the greater and more intense and more frequent the signs would come.
So, yes, there were many signs that occurred back around 70 A.D. when the Temple finally fell. But, the closer we get to Jesus’ return, the greater and more frequent and more intense the birth pains will strike the world, leading up the Tribulation and eventual return of Jesus Christ to set up His earthly kingdom.
Prophetic Perspective contains the essential concepts of “Near, Far, and Farther” and “Lesser to Greater.” Now the reader can not only better understand Jesus’ answers to these three critical questions, but also marvel that we are witnessing Jesus’ answers being fulfilled in our very day.
Resource
Indoctrination disguised as education. The religion of climate change enshrined. Witchcraft and the occult made mainstream. Fake news. We live in a world where deception is rampant and true agendas are rarely revealed. Jesus foretold of this time as He answered His disciples’ question: What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? Bible prophecy experts present analysis of today’s issues and events in Deceivers, revealing that Christ’s prophecy is literally unfolding before us today.
Order the book, Deceivers: Exposing Evil Seducers & Their Last Days Deception, edited by Terry James, on Amazon (Paperback and Kindle)]!
