I have heard many people say, "we are in the last days" and my response is what are the" last days?" The next response from them is, "the second coming of Christ"
So I started to read the bible and pray. I asked the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to me. I felt in my spirit truth being revealed through scripture. I ask that you pray on this. I ask that you read the scriptures. I ask lastly, that you have an open mind.
The "last days" according to Jesus, Let's go to Matthew 10:23 23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
Luke 21:20 20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. Let's skip down... 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.
Before I go on let's look at what Jesus was saying and to who. Jesus was telling HIS disciples that they would not go " over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come"
If Jesus was with the disciples speaking with them, that they will not have "gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come?" Then Jesus must have been speaking of HIS second coming to the disciples. Yes?
Let's go on..... Now Jesus goes on to tell those with him that when they see Jerusalem compassed about with armies, that desolation is nigh.
So lets ask ourselves this question. What generation was Jesus speaking to? " This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled"
Matthew 5:17 17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Jesus has clearly said what generation will witness the end. But it wasn't the end of the earth as many believe it to be.
Let's look quickly at what the LORD said in Genesis 8:20-22 20 And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.21 And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
"and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for mans sake; neither will I again smite any more the living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime, and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."
Lets look at Ecclesiastes 1:4 4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
"but the earth abideth for ever." Here is the question. If the LORD said the earth will abideth for ever. And one generation will passeth away and another one will cometh. Then who was Jesus speaking to about the last days?
It was the Jews of Jesus' generation. Not those 2,000 years later. Luke 21:20 The destruction of Jerusalem was nigh.
Matthew 24:34 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Matthew 16:28 28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
Jesus was telling those of his generation, the people of God that the generation would not pass, " till all these things will be fulfilled" Jesus goes on further by saying, " There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom."
The second coming of Jesus was fulfilled just as Jesus said it would be. Do deny this is to deny that Jesus was raised from the dead and that he is not reigning in his kingdom.
When would the destruction take place? Let's read what Jesus says. Luke 21:6-33
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
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.
22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
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.
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.
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; 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: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
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.
After reading the above scriptures there were two question I asked myself. What generation was about to end? What generation was in the last days?
Luke 21:24 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.
We see that Jerusalem would be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. Rome was that Empire that brought destruction to Jerusalem.
Jesus on the Mount of Olives, Matthew 23:36 "All these things shall come upon this generation" On the Mount Jesus said, "I did not come to abolish the law or the prophets, I came to fulfill."
Did Christ come to destroy the world? No. Ask yourself this. Why would God have left the throne and dwelt among men in the flesh and die a brutal death to later destroy the earth? That makes no sense. Jesus said, I come to fulfill not abolish. Jesus came to teach that God was going to change the law.
Matthew 5:19 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
The Mosaic law was done away with. The Messianic law replaced it. The end was the end of the Old Covenant.
The New Testament was to fulfill the Old Testament. Jesus did that! Luke 24:44 44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Did Jesus not say "it is finished"
I will continue tomorrow with the Second Coming of Christ. When was it? What generation was present?
In Christ,
Cassie
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