Life in Christ Jesus Podcast

Matthew 24, The Study of End Times Part 10 - This End of the World

Much of the time when we consider scriptures referring to the end of the world we think of the end of the physical earth and all the inhabitants within.  It could be thought of as a complete cosmic destruction of planet earth and the physical heavens.  However, many of the words in the scripture interpreted world are from a Greek word aion and means a period of time or an age. So when the disciples ask Jesus when the end of the world shall be, I believe they are referring to the end of the Old Covenant age. 
Matthew 24:3 "And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?"
The time was held in place by the Covenant God had established in the earth, which was coming to its end or fulfillment when Jesus walked in the earth.  In fact He was and is the fulfillment of it, and the fulfillment of all things.  
In Matthew 24 there is another word used for world besides age.  In fact, there are multiple Greek words used for the word world in our Bible, but let's concentrate on the one in Matthew 24:14, where Jesus says the gospel must be preached in all the world.  The word here means land, the globe, or the Roman empire.  If I consider it as the Roman Empire then the Apostles would have went forth into the entire world, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom before the end came precisely forty years later at the destruction of Jerusalem.    
Matthew 24:14  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
The Apostle Paul actually says the Gospel was preached in all the world in his day.  If we trace his footsteps or journeys we may see that Paul, led of the Spirit of God, went forth into the Roman Empire and all the world preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God prior to the destruction of the Jerusalem.  We can see that Paul and the other Apostles were the bearers of good news, and were heralding the arrival of the New Covenant in midst of the earth as the Old Covenant was physically dismantled before them.  The Old Covenant was taken away in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the New Covenant was established in Him.  However, that which was taken away was visibly manifest in their midst when the Old Temple was brought to its end, and the New Temple (The Church) was gathered to the LORD as His dwelling and house of worship in that day. 
Romans 10:18  "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."
Colossians1:23  "if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister." 
This NEW is that which every believer is a participant and partaker of.  This NEW is that which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Glory to God in the Highest!

Matthew 24, The Study of End Times Part 9 - This Generation

For many years many believers believe they are the generation declared in Matthew 24.  "This generation shall not pass away until all these things be fulfilled."  However, I would suggest that if you are in Christ, you are a different generation.  In Psalms 22:30, the LORD spoke through the Psalmist that He would have a seed for a generation.  The Apostle Peter calls the believer a Holy Generation.  
I Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;"
The generation Jesus declared in Matthew 24, I believe passed 40 years (a generation), after Jesus declared they would not pass till all these things are fulfilled.  It was 40 years after the declaration of Christ that the Old Covenant Temple came to its end, and the natural Jerusalem was overthrown by the Roman Army.  
Blessings in Christ Jesus.  May the Lord give us the light and understanding of Christ!
 

Matthew 24, The Study of End Times Part 8 - The Sign of His Coming and The End of the World

What is the End of the World that is declared in the Bible?  How does it come?  Jesus declared Himself to be the Sign of the End.  Luke 11: 29As the crowds were increasing, He began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah. 30“For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. 
 Hebrews 10:23Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. 26Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, 28so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.
The KJV interprets Hebrews 10:26 as the end of the world.  The NAS interprets it as the consummation of the ages.  At the end of the Age, the Old Covenant Age, He appeared to put away sin by Himself.  As He and He alone is the only one who can put away Sin.  Glory to God!  That age came to an end.  In His resurrection a New Age Came.  We are living in the Word of Jesus Christ and not the Old Covenant letter that spoke of Him.

Matthew 24, The Study of End Times Part 7 - The Sign of His Coming III

There is no greater sign than Christ Himself.  Jesus said there would be no sign given but Jonah the Prophet.  He was three days in the belly of the whale signifying the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord.  He was the sign who was given to Israel.  All the other events were a result of THE SIGN.  They were compassed with the Army of Rome, the sun did not give her light, and the earth was shaken.  
However, in the midst of them Jesus was crucified, buried and raised from the dead!  Glory to God in the Highest.  Let's give His praise in the earth beneath.  Amen!

Matthew 24, The Study of End Times Part 6 - The Sign of His Coming II

Acts 2:16 "But this is that which hath been spoken through the prophet Joel:         17 And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh: And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams: 18 Yea and on my [b]servants and on my [c]handmaidens in those days Will I pour forth of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy."
The last days of what did the Holy Ghost signify?  It was in the last days of the Old Covenant.  Also, what did Jesus say would happen when the Holy Spirit came?  In John 14, it is declared "At that day, you shall know I am in my Father, you are in me, and I am in you." 
Now how do we know we are in Him?  How do we know He is in us?  He would give us His Spirit.  The Spirit is the sign, Christ is in us and we are in Him.  Paul states that if any man does not have the Spirit of Christ He is not His (Romans 8:9).  The Apostle John states that hereby we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit (I John 4:13).
 
 
 

Matthew 24 The Study of End Times Part 5 - The Sign of His Coming

What is the sign of the Coming of the Lord?  This is a question we should answer. Just a thought the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians that tongues was for a sign, which comes out of Isaiah. God saying, he would speak to them in other tongues.  Is the Spirit dwelling in us the sign?
I know there may be natural signs, but we now have the in dwelling Christ. Glory to God. 
1 Corinthians 14:22Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.
Isaiah 28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.

Matthew 24 The Study of End Times Part 4 - The New House Must Be Established

In the believer's hearts the NEW must be established.  It is tragic that many today live after the Old Covenant and the Old House.  Many believe, as I once did myself, when we come into a building we call the Church are coming in the House of God.  We come in hoping that the power of God's presence and glory cloud may come down in our midst to see Him work among us. 
Yes my heart yearns that God works in our midst, but we must understand that in the New we are part of the building.  Peter calls us Living Stones, built up a Spiritual House.  We are built up in the knowledge of Christ for the habitation of God by His Spirit.  We are the House of His Rest and Glory, and when we come together there should be the expression of His Awesome Presence.  Glory to God!

Matthew 24, The Study of End Times Part 3 - The House of Christ

2 Corinthians 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 
We as believers are built up in the knowledge of Christ as the very Temple of the Living God!  Glory to God.