Bible Questions and Answers

The Olivet Prophecy

Mt 24:1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

Mk 13:1 And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!

Lk 21:5 And as some spake of

the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts,

Mt 24:2 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.

Mk 13:2 And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings?

There shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

Lk 21: (5)… he said,

6 As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

[Lk 19:44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.]

Mt 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?

Mk 13:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?

Lk 21:7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but

when shall these things be?

And what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?

The view that the disciples were asking only about the fall of Jerusalem, and that the ‘end of the world’ (Grk aion – age) means the ‘end of the Jewish age’ is nullified because the answer of Jesus in its entirety continues (Mt 25) through the parables of the 10 virgins and Talents and on to the Son of man coming with the holy angels and sitting upon the throne of his glory to pass Judgment upon his servants. His answer covers the AD70 siege of Jerusalem, the exile, the latter day siege of Jerusalem and his subsequent return. Thus he has two generations to give warning to in which the common sign is Jerusalem encompassed by armies. The split comes after Luke 21:24. We are greatly assisted by Lk 17 in which, with similar language, Jesus is specifically dealing with the coming of the Kingdom of God.

Mt 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but

the end is not yet.

7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations

 for my name’s sake.

Mk 13:5 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:

6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but

the end shall not be yet.

8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake,

for a testimony against them.

Lk 21:8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived:

for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.

9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but

the end is not by and by.

10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.

13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.

Mk 13: 10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations. This was done between the resurrection and AD70 (Col 1:6,23)

Mk 13:11  But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

Lk 21:14  Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:

15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

Mt 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Mk 13:12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.

13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake:

but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Lk 21:16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.

17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.

18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

19 In your patience possess ye your souls.

Mt 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.

Mt 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the

abomination of desolation,

spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand)

Mk 13:14 But when ye shall see the

abomination of desolation,

spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,)

Lk 21:20 And when ye shall see

Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

Da 8: 9 And out of one of them came forth a little horn, (Rome) which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.

10 And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.

11 Yea, he magnified himself even to (or against) the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.

12 And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression (of the Jews), and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.

13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary (Temple) and the host (Jews) to be trodden under foot?

14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days (Heb. evening, mornings); then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

[There is a difficulty here with Da 12:11 in understanding how the time periods relate to each other]

Da 9: 24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression (of the Jews), and to make an end of sins, … make reconciliation for iniquity, … to bring in everlasting righteousness, …to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

25 Know therefore … that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people (Romans) of the prince (Titus) that shall come shall destroy the city (Jerusalem) and the sanctuary (Temple); and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

27 And he (Messiah) 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. (or desolator?)

Da 11:31 And arms shall stand on his part, and

they (Romans) shall pollute the sanctuary (Temple) of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.

Da 12:11 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.????

12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.????

Mt 24:16  Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:

18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

Mk 13: (14)…then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:

15 And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house:

16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment.

Lk 21:21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains;

and let them which are in the midst of it depart out;

and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.

Lk 21:22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. (see prophecy Leviticus 26 below)

[Le 26:31 And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours.

32 And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it.

33 And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.]

Mt 24:19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

20  But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day:

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.

Mk 13:17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.

19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.

Lk 21:23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days!

For there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

Mt 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

Mk 13: 20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.

Lk 21: 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations:

and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

[Lu 17: 22 …he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.]

Mt 24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25 Behold, I have told you before.

Mk 13:21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not:

22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.

23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.

[Lu 17:23 And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.]

Mt 24: 26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.

Mt 24: 27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

[Lu 17: 24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.]

Mt 24: 28 For whosesoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. (see Lk 17:37 below)

Mt 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened,

and the moon shall not give her light,

and the stars shall fall from heaven,

Mk 13:24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened,

and the moon shall not give her light,

25 And the stars of heaven shall fall,

Lk 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun,

and in the moon,

and in the stars;

I think the ‘Tribulation of those days’ includes the whole of the time that Jerusalem is trodden down and the Jews have no rest in their exile (culminating in WW2 Holocaust) and that the signs in the sun, moon and stars (actual and/or political) are to be looked for after the return of the Jews to Israel.

Lk 21: (25) …and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth:

Mt 24: (29) …and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

Mk 13: (25) …and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.

Lk 21: (26) …for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Mt 24: 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn,

Mt 24: (30) …and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Mk 13: 26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

Lk 21: 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

Lk 21: 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Mt 24: 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Mk 13: 27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

[1Th 4:16  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.]

[2Th 2:1 ¶ Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God... 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:]

Mt 24:32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and

putteth forth leaves, ye know that

summer is nigh:

33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that

it is near, even at the doors.

34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Mk 13:28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and

putteth forth leaves, ye know that

summer is near:

29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that

it is nigh, even at the doors.

30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.

31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

Lk 21:29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;

30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that

the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

Mt 24: 36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

Mk 13: 32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

Mk 13:33 Take ye heed,

watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

Lk 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

Mt 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

[Lk 17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them …

26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.]

[Lk 17: 28  Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. 31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.]

Mt 24:40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

[Lk 17: 34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. 35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.]

[Lk 17: 37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.] (see Mt 24:28 above)

Mk 13:34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

Mt 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

Mk 13:35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

Mt 24:43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household,

to give them meat in due season?

46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

8 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; 50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, 51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

[LK 12:39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

41 Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?

42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household,

to give them their portion of meat in due season?

43 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.

45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; 46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware,

and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.]

Mk 13:37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Luke 21:36  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.