Understanding the Olivet Discourse

 

On the Mount of Olives Jesus answered His disciples’ questions about the temple and end-time events. Are Jesus’ prophecies in His Olivet Discourse relevant today?

The Olivet Discourse or Prophecy, found in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21, is so named because Jesus delivered this prophecy while He was with His disciples on the Mount of Olives. (The Mount of Olives is located to the east of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.)

What is the biblical significance of the Mount of Olives?

The Mount of Olives plays an important role in history and prophecy. Jesus left earth from this location after appearing to His disciples for 40 days in His resurrected state (Acts 1:1-3, 9, 12), and He will return to the Mount of Olives when He comes again to rule the earth (Zechariah 14:1-4, 9).

The context of the Olivet Discourse

Let’s consider the background of the prophecy. Jesus’ disciples had shown Him the refurbished buildings of the temple, and He had made a shocking statement. The beautiful buildings they had just seen would be completely leveled! “Not one stone shall be left here upon another,” He said (Matthew 24:2).

Retiring to the nearby Mount of Olives where they had some privacy from the crowd, the disciples asked Jesus, “When will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (verse 3). The answers to these questions are the primary subjects of this prophecy.

Often Bible prophecies can have dual or multiple fulfillments. Sometimes there is an initial fulfillment that foreshadows the main fulfillment. This is the case with the Olivet Prophecy.

As The Expositor’s Bible notes, “It will be observed that the lesser event—the destruction of Jerusalem—stands out in full prominence in the beginning of the prophecy, and the greater event—the Great Day of our Saviour’s appearing—in the latter part of it” (William Robertson Nicoll, ed., Vol. 29).

Herod’s temple

The rebuilding of the temple was the major building project in Jerusalem during the early part of the first century. Herod the Great began the restoration in 19 B.C., but it wasn’t completed until A.D. 63—just a few years before the Romans destroyed it in A.D. 70.

The work included the creation of a larger foundation (part of which remains today and is called the Western Wall) and the enlargement and beautification of the temple itself. When Jesus visited the temple around the time of the first Passover of His ministry, it had been under construction for 46 years (John 2:20).

Historians recount that the gleaming white stones of the temple complex made quite an impact upon visitors as they approached Jerusalem. It was the pride of the city, and the Jews looked upon the temple as a source of divine protection. Unfortunately, this view would soon be proven wrong.

The destruction of Jerusalem

Given the magnificent beauty of the temple and its accompanying buildings, Jesus’ disciples were quite surprised to hear Him speak of its destruction. Jesus’ words came to pass in A.D. 70 as Roman troops under the command of Titus burned the temple on Aug. 10 and finished taking the city several days later on Sept. 8 (see Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book 20, chap. 10-11).

The Olivet Prophecy primarily focuses on the signs or indications of Christ’s return.“The siege of Jerusalem was one of the most terrible sieges in all history. Jerusalem was obviously a difficult city to take, being a city set upon a hill and defended by religious fanatics; so Titus determined to starve it out” (Barclay’s Daily Study Bible). By the time the city fell, the famine inside the city had become so severe that many had died of hunger and others had resorted to cannibalism.

For additional information on the Temple Mount, see “Temple Mount: Its History and Future” and “Third Temple: When Will It Be Built?”

The first four signs of Jesus’ second coming

As already noted, the Olivet Prophecy primarily focuses on the signs or indications of Christ’s return. In addressing this subject, Jesus described a progression of events that mirror the six seals opened in Revelation 6.

The first four signs of Jesus’ return are found in Matthew 24:4-7:

1. Religious deception.
2. Wars.
3. Famines.
4. Pestilences.

These four signs correspond to the first four seals of Revelation 6, which are also called the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.” As “the beginning of sorrows” (verse 8), these conditions have already been occurring for a long time. But as other prophecies show, these signs will increase in intensity—resulting in the deaths of vast numbers of people (Revelation 6:8)—even before the Great Tribulation begins.

The Great Tribulation

The Olivet Discourse then includes an extensive discussion of the next indicator of Christ’s return in the end times—tribulation (Matthew 24:9-28). The Greek word thlipsis “is rendered in the King James Version variously as ‘tribulation,’ ‘affliction,’ ‘persecution,’” and “is used generally of the hardships which Christ’s followers would suffer” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary, article “Tribulation”).

The Bible also shows this will be a time of suffering for the national descendants of Jacob or Israel (Daniel 12:1; Jeremiah 30:7; see also our article “Jacob’s Trouble: What Is It?”).

Jesus’ discussion of tribulation begins with the martyrdom of some of God’s faithful people and corresponds to the fifth seal in Revelation 6:9-11. This tribulation and the following Day of the Lord are prophesied to become so severe that all people will be endangered.

As Matthew 24:22 notes, “Unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved.” The terrible conditions in this tribulation will be even worse than those that occurred in the siege of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, for “there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be” (verse 21).

Consider several key points in this section of the Olivet Discourse:

First, the gospel of the Kingdom of God will be “preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations” before the end of this age of man occurs (verse 14).

Second, Jesus cited the “‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” as a sign of His soon-coming return. This prophecy is one in which the temple is desecrated. The future fulfillment of this prophecy will actually be a sign that the Great Tribulation is beginning.

To read about this prophecy’s three fulfillments, including the one at the end of this age, see our article “What Is the Abomination of Desolation?”

Third, false religious teachers will arise with miracle-working powers in the end times. Jesus’ warning was: “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (verse 24). To learn how to recognize false prophets—with four tests for determining whether a prophet is a true representative of God—see our article “False Prophets.”

For additional explanation, see our article “Great Tribulation.”

Heavenly signs and Jesus’ return

Jesus next spoke of cosmic indicators of His imminent return. He said, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

“Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (verses 29-31; compare Revelation 6:12-17).

Earth’s inhabitants will mourn because “the great day of His [Christ’s] wrath has come” (Revelation 6:17). Note that Jesus said in this Olivet Prophecy that all people will see Him coming. Speaking of His second coming, Revelation 1:7 adds that “every eye will see Him.”

Many people mistakenly believe that Jesus will first come secretly to earth to rapture people away and then appear to everyone. To learn why this popular notion is not true, see “Rapture: Will There Be a Secret Rapture?” and the Discern magazine article “Left Behind: The Truth.”

In this section of the Olivet Prophecy Jesus also noted that there will be “a great sound of a trumpet” (Matthew 24:31) at His return. Christians who follow the example of Jesus and His disciples continue to observe the Feast of Trumpets, which reminds us of His second coming and His promise to change His faithful followers—both those dead and alive—into spirit beings at His return.

Warning to watch and pray

After answering His disciples’ questions about the destruction of Jerusalem and signs that would precede His second coming, Jesus emphasized to His followers the importance of faithfully watching for these events and living in accordance with His teaching (Matthew 24:32-51).

Even though we may know by these signs the general time of His return, we won’t know the exact day and hour (Matthew 24:36). That makes watching very important. Jesus said, “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (verse 44).

In Luke’s account Jesus succinctly summarized this teaching: “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36).

For assistance in watching world events and for encouragement in living as Christ desires, subscribe free of charge to Discern magazine, the Daily Bible Verse blog, the Insights blogs and our Life, Hope & Truth Weekly Newsletter.

To learn more about end-time events, see our booklet The Book of Revelation: The Storm Before the Calm.

What Will Happen When The Seven Trumpets of Revelation Are Blown?

 

Near the end of Revelation, Jesus tells the apostle John that there is a blessing for all who read and study this book. I want that blessing! So, I often read and teach it. I would be glad to help you.

Let me begin with a REVIEW of the opening of the Seven Seals. You can find my most recent article on the Seven Seals here.

The first four seals are often called the “four horsemen of the apocalypse” (Revelation 6:6-8).

The White Horse represents peace. There will be peace on the earth for three and half years until its rider, the Antichrist, breaks the peace treaty with Israel he made. All hell breaks loose as he is given a bow and a crown. He goes out to conquer the world.

The Red Horse represents massive wars. He rides with a big sword!

The Black Horse represents famine, as the price of food skyrockets.

The Pale Horse represents death, as one quarter of the earth suffers from pestilence and disease.

Then, the fifth seal opens to reveal the martyred saints who are under the altar in heaven, pleading for God to take vengeance on those who killed them (Revelation 6:9-11).

When the sixth seal is opened, the whole earth is shaken by what can only be described as a nuclear holocaust. Millions die (Revelation 6:12-14).

The devastation is so great that people flee to the mountains and plead for the rocks to hide them from Jesus who is sitting on his throne. The wrath of God has come (Revelation 6:15-17).

Satan opens the demonic pits of hell for five months to in order that God might torture those who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 144,000 Jews for Jesus evangelize the world. Great honor and praise are given to the Lamb of God (Revelation 7:1-17).

Next, the Seventh Seal Opens to Reveal the Seven Trumpets

Right before the seven trumpets are blown, there is a thirty-minute interval of silence before the first trumpet sounds forth. Remember that heaven is filled with unending praise! So, this silence is ominous and unprecedented.

Why? What did the angels see? I believe that they see the end of the human race! They see the full extent of what man's rebellion against God has done. What they see is terrifying; and it takes their breath away.

Then, seven angels stepped forward to blow the seven trumpets; “Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets which were given to them” (Revelation 8:2).

At that moment, John sees the “Altar of Incense,” which represents the answered prayers of the martyred saints. They asked to God to avenge their martyrdom. Jesus is mingling their prayers with His blood before He executes judgment.

And the same God who has been pleading and interceding on behalf of the souls of humankind now turns to judge the world, pouring out His wrath and judgment upon those who would not receive Jesus as Savior (Revelation 8:3).

I’m reminded of Paul’s teaching in 2 Corinthians 2:14-16, where he declares; “The Gospel is sweet to those who are saved; but, it is the fragrance of death to those who are perishing.”

The First Trumpet

The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, which fell on the earth; and one-third of the earth was burned up, and one-third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. (Revelation 8:7)

The meaning of this trumpet is quite straightforward. Among other things, the earth’s food supply is destroyed.

But don’t miss God’s mercy. Only one-third of these things are destroyed. There is still hope for the people who are left behind to repent and come to Jesus!

The Second Trumpet

The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea; and one-third of the sea became blood, and one-third of the living creatures in the sea died and one-third of the ships were destroyed. (Revelation 8:8-9)

The second trumpet is a direct attack upon the seas, likely by a falling meteor. Much of humankind’s need for food is furnished by the oceans. One-third of the creatures in the sea are destroyed.

For example, in Korea, next to rice, fish, seaweed and raw oysters are their main staples! There’s nothing like a heaping plate of raw octopus tentacles. I know, I’ve tried it. It is slimy but edible.

Next, the Seventh Seal Opens to Reveal the Seven Trumpets

Right before the seven trumpets are blown, there is a thirty-minute interval of silence before the first trumpet sounds forth. Remember that heaven is filled with unending praise! So, this silence is ominous and unprecedented.

Why? What did the angels see? I believe that they see the end of the human race! They see the full extent of what man's rebellion against God has done. What they see is terrifying; and it takes their breath away.

Then, seven angels stepped forward to blow the seven trumpets; “Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets which were given to them” (Revelation 8:2).

At that moment, John sees the “Altar of Incense,” which represents the answered prayers of the martyred saints. They asked to God to avenge their martyrdom. Jesus is mingling their prayers with His blood before He executes judgment.

And the same God who has been pleading and interceding on behalf of the souls of humankind now turns to judge the world, pouring out His wrath and judgment upon those who would not receive Jesus as Savior (Revelation 8:3).

I’m reminded of Paul’s teaching in 2 Corinthians 2:14-16, where he declares; “The Gospel is sweet to those who are saved; but, it is the fragrance of death to those who are perishing.”

The First Trumpet

The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, which fell on the earth; and one-third of the earth was burned up, and one-third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. (Revelation 8:7)

The meaning of this trumpet is quite straightforward. Among other things, the earth’s food supply is destroyed.

But don’t miss God’s mercy. Only one-third of these things are destroyed. There is still hope for the people who are left behind to repent and come to Jesus!

The Second Trumpet

The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea; and one-third of the sea became blood, and one-third of the living creatures in the sea died and one-third of the ships were destroyed. (Revelation 8:8-9)

The second trumpet is a direct attack upon the seas, likely by a falling meteor. Much of humankind’s need for food is furnished by the oceans. One-third of the creatures in the sea are destroyed.

For example, in Korea, next to rice, fish, seaweed and raw oysters are their main staples! There’s nothing like a heaping plate of raw octopus tentacles. I know, I’ve tried it. It is slimy but edible.

The Third Trumpet

The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven blazing like a torch, and it fell on one-third of the rivers and fountains of the waters the name of the star is wormwood. One third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died of the water because it was made bitter. (Revelation 8:10-11)

This is an attack on the fresh waters of the earth. “Wormwood” means bitterness. No one could drink this water and live.

Humans can live for 40 days without food, but no more than three or four without water.

It’s conceivable that this describes massive amounts of nuclear waste which will wash over the world.

The Fourth Trumpet

The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and one third of the sun was struck, and one third of the moon, and one third of the stars, so that one third of their light was darkened and one third of the day was kept from shining, and likewise one third of the night. (Revelation 8:12)

There’s a good chance that this refers to a nuclear winter, in which massive amounts of dust are kicked up into the atmosphere and all the lights diminished. Of course, we see already the smog increasing in cities and countries like China, Japan, and the United States.

Note that this trumpet is temporary. Later, in Revelation 16:8-9, the sun’s power is intensified. Perhaps that means the sun’s ultraviolet rays increase or the oxygen layer dissolves.

At this point, a “flying eagle” appears in heaven, proclaiming three great woes on mankind. These woes are trumpets numbers five, six, and seven. The woes are a warning that it's time to come to Jesus!

Look, I’ve heard crying with a loud voice, as it flew admit, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blast of the other trumpets which the three angels are about to blow.” (Revelation 8:13)

Imagine an empty sky and one solitary eagle winging its way across the zenith of the sky, forewarning of the doom to come. Throughout Scripture, whenever God does anything in the way of judgment, He always warns. That’s His mercy and grace!

The Fifth Trumpet (The First Woe)

The three woes are indicators of deepening intensity.

Blowing the fifth trumpet (Revelation 9:1-11) is a long and involved passage. I’ll give you the highlights.

Lucifer is the fallen archangel (Revelation 12:7-9) who is now hurled to the earth. His fall is described in Isaiah 14:12-17.

Satan is given the keys to the “abyss,” the prison for fallen angelic spirits. These are the worst of the fallen angels (see Jude 1:6). The demons we have on earth are of another order. In Luke 8:26-31, when Jesus heals the Gadarene Demoniac, the exorcised demons plead to Jesus, “Please don't cast us into the abyss."

The smoke, the veritable soot of Hell, comes forth to cover the earth. From the abyss comes forth filthy, dirty demonic spirits in the bodily form of locusts, arrayed for battle. They have faces with hair like a woman’s hair and teeth like a lion’s teeth; they have tails like scorpions, and their power lies in their tails. Their king is named “Destroyer,” referring to Satan himself.

The demons are instructed not to touch anyone who has the “seal of God” on their forehead. But on the other hand, those without Christ’s seal are tormented for five months. The locusts’ sting is like the sting of a scorpion. During that time, men and women will pray to die; but Jesus will not allow it for the next five months.

In addition, the “seal of God” is the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4), given to all Christians when they receive Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. This seal is for protection.

Satan is the arch counterfeiter; God seals His believers with the Holy Spirit. Satan seals his followers with a false seal: the sign of the beast, the number 666 on their forehead or right hand. All those with the mark of the beast will be either tormented or destroyed.

This trumpet sounds like a picture of hell where people can’t die even if they want to.

The Sixth Trumpet (The Second Woe)

Once again, the verses describing the sixth trumpet (Revelation 10:13-21) are also quite involved. I will summarize and highlight them for you.

The “horns of the golden altar” refer to the voice of Christ calling for judgment. What a change! The very altar where Christ has been pleading for mercy now becomes the place where He orders judgment. It’s terrible when sin cries out for judgment. But now mercy cries out for judgment.

Now, a demon-empowered army of 200 million soldiers is poised on the eastern side of the Valley of Armageddon, waiting to be released toward Israel. This area has great significance. Sin was first committed here in the garden of Eden. The first murder took place here. Nimrod, the father of idolatry built a city there, and here, iniquity will have its last vestiges on earth.

Revelation 9:17-19 describes the destruction that they reap on humankind.

A cursory reading seems to fit with armaments like jet planes and tanks and anti-tank missiles. This giant war machine—moving from the East to Jerusalem—appears to be a nuclear army, under demonic control, that a leaves trail of nuclear destruction.

There is much symbolism in these verses:

Smoke from the Abyss may be germ or chemical warfare or nuclear clouds of radioactive fallout and debris.

Sulphur (brimstone) describes melted earth and materials.

Zechariah chapter five describes this scene: People's tongues cleave to the roofs of their mouths, skeletons stand there as melted flesh falls from bones.

This is a taste of Hell on earth … and yet, the people still refuse to repent!

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor will give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot either see nor here nor walk; nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or immorality or thefts. (Revelation 9:20-21)

 

The Seventh Trumpet (The Third Woe)

The second woe is past; behold, the third woe is soon to come. Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying, “the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 11:14-15)

When the seventh trumpet blows, there is a time of great rejoicing in heaven. But soon after, the rejoicing is stopped as the seven angels pour out the bowls of God’s wrath upon earth.

What Do the Seven Trumpets Have to Do with Me Today?

In 2 Timothy 4:1-2, Paul tells us how we are to behave and what we are to do as we prepare for the seventh trumpet to blow and the and bowl judgments approach:

I charge you in the presence of God and of Jesus Christ who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing … Preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, and exhort, be unfailing in patients and in teaching.

“Preach” means to share the Gospel with those who do not yet know Jesus Christ. “Instruct” means to teach Christ-followers how to live on earth in a way that honors God. “Exhort” means to encourage others with the truth that Jesus has taken back the world through His death, burial, and resurrection. He will return and reign forever and ever!

Jason, I hope this helps to give you a better idea of what the Seven Trumpets mean—and that you are encouraged in the knowledge of God’s justice.