Note: you may wish to go back to Part 7 in this study as I mistakenly posted Part 6 twice and we never got to Verse 14, sorry for the error.)
Matthew Chapter 24
As was stated in our previous post it was noted that our Lord deliberately ignored the first question respecting when the stones of the temple would all be overthrown (i.e. when the destruction of Jerusalem would occur), only making short mention of it in Luke’s account, lest the disciples should associate that event with his second coming (The primary question), and because he wished to so ASSOCIATE (i.e. show the parallel between) the trouble which befell the nominal fleshly house in the overthrow of its polity with the trouble coming upon the nominal spiritual house at the end of this age, even as TYPE and ANTITYPE.
With this in mind let us continue on in our study of the Lord’s Great Prophecy.
The Trouble in the End of the Jewish Age
“Luke's account of the trouble upon fleshly Israel which culminated A.D. 70, is the clearest, so we introduce it here:
“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, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” (Luke 21: 20-24)
This portion of our Lord's prophecy evidently related to events upon FLESHLY ISRAEL; and history tells us that it was accurately fulfilled in every particular in the troublous scenes wherewith the Jewish age and polity came to an end. “For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled."
But our Lord's words quoted by Matthew and Mark differ from the foregoing, and evidently apply to the trouble upon SPIRITUAL ISRAEL in the end of the Gospel age. Undoubtedly our Lord uttered both statements, but the Evangelists not knowing of the two harvests and two times of trouble, but considering them practically repetitions did not record both statements--the Lord so overruling, for the purpose of covering or hiding the facts respecting this harvest until his due time for revealing it.
“Luke 21 emphasizes the literal trouble that came on Jerusalem, the natural picture, whereas Matthew 24 and Mark 13 stress the spiritual aspect, speaking about the papal persecutions centuries later. The trouble in A.D. 70 was somewhat of a foretaste of the trouble at the end of Gospel Age in regard to the fall of Christendom where the consecrated are called to come out of Babylon. The warning to early Christians in literal Jerusalem was to flee lest they die or go into slavery (Verse 24). The warning to Christians at the end of the Gospel Age is to flee Babylon lest they partake of the plagues or (eventually) lose their spiritual life.” (The Gospel of Luke)
We will take a brief look at the typical application of this prophecy as it relates to the trouble at the end of the Jewish age as recorded in Luke’s account in our next post. There are several clues in the narrative which we believe will help us to establish that Luke’s account concerns the natural fulfillment of this prophecy.
Matthew Chapter 24
As was stated in our previous post it was noted that our Lord deliberately ignored the first question respecting when the stones of the temple would all be overthrown (i.e. when the destruction of Jerusalem would occur), only making short mention of it in Luke’s account, lest the disciples should associate that event with his second coming (The primary question), and because he wished to so ASSOCIATE (i.e. show the parallel between) the trouble which befell the nominal fleshly house in the overthrow of its polity with the trouble coming upon the nominal spiritual house at the end of this age, even as TYPE and ANTITYPE.
With this in mind let us continue on in our study of the Lord’s Great Prophecy.
The Trouble in the End of the Jewish Age
“Luke's account of the trouble upon fleshly Israel which culminated A.D. 70, is the clearest, so we introduce it here:
“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, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” (Luke 21: 20-24)
This portion of our Lord's prophecy evidently related to events upon FLESHLY ISRAEL; and history tells us that it was accurately fulfilled in every particular in the troublous scenes wherewith the Jewish age and polity came to an end. “For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled."
But our Lord's words quoted by Matthew and Mark differ from the foregoing, and evidently apply to the trouble upon SPIRITUAL ISRAEL in the end of the Gospel age. Undoubtedly our Lord uttered both statements, but the Evangelists not knowing of the two harvests and two times of trouble, but considering them practically repetitions did not record both statements--the Lord so overruling, for the purpose of covering or hiding the facts respecting this harvest until his due time for revealing it.
“Luke 21 emphasizes the literal trouble that came on Jerusalem, the natural picture, whereas Matthew 24 and Mark 13 stress the spiritual aspect, speaking about the papal persecutions centuries later. The trouble in A.D. 70 was somewhat of a foretaste of the trouble at the end of Gospel Age in regard to the fall of Christendom where the consecrated are called to come out of Babylon. The warning to early Christians in literal Jerusalem was to flee lest they die or go into slavery (Verse 24). The warning to Christians at the end of the Gospel Age is to flee Babylon lest they partake of the plagues or (eventually) lose their spiritual life.” (The Gospel of Luke)
We will take a brief look at the typical application of this prophecy as it relates to the trouble at the end of the Jewish age as recorded in Luke’s account in our next post. There are several clues in the narrative which we believe will help us to establish that Luke’s account concerns the natural fulfillment of this prophecy.
