The Teachings of Christ Incarnate, Part 2: The Olivet Discourse

By Lewis Sperry Chafer

2. The Olivet Discourse. The second major discourse delivered by Christ was spoken but two days before His crucifixion. This limit of time is clearly indicated by the words which follow immediately after the address, “And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified” (Matt 26:1–2). This discourse, like that known as the Sermon on the Mount, is addressed to Israel. Christ’s lament over Jerusalem is the divinely arranged introduction to it. That lament is recorded thus, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Matt 23:37–39). This portion, in turn, has been preceded by drastic condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees (Matt 23:1–36). As in the Sermon on the Mount, this major address is given to the disciples “privately,” and these twelve are here treated as Jews and as representatives of that nation. They are spoken to as though they, like all Jews before them, would share in the events described in this discourse. The address is of the nature of a farewell to the nation Israel. Its purpose is not to condemn that people nor to instruct those then living, beyond the preparation of writers who would prepare the New Testament text, but to instruct those who live in the end time—with which it deals—when these disclosures and instructions will apply. It is reasonable to believe that God who provided these teachings will bring them to the attention of those, in their day of trial, to whom they belong. Jews in the tribulation will profit exceedingly by these words, and recognize them as the words of their Messiah-King. The King speaks, but quite without the use of the first person pronoun. He rather uses the third person form and refers to Himself as “the Christ, the bridegroom, the Son of man, and the king.” Few portions of the New Testament place recorded events in a more complete chronological order than this address. This fact is an essential truth which determines much in the right interpretation. That which belongs to the age of the Church is but provisionally referred to, in a section which may be classed as an introductory portion. The discourse proper, it will be seen, begins with a description of the great tribulation and provides exhortations and warnings to Israelites of that time. The discourse concludes with a recital of the judgments which fall first upon Israel and then upon the nations. These judgments are determined by the King Himself, and occur when the tribulation is over and when the King has returned to the earth. As the Church is not directly seen as present in Matthew’s Gospel excepting as her presence is implied in chapter 13, and is anticipated in 16:18, so—and even more emphatically—the Church is not seen even remotely in this farewell discourse to Israel. Two days later in the Upper Room Discourse—that to be considered later—the Lord gave His farewell message to the disciples not as Jews, but as those who were clean through the Word (John 13:10; 15:3), and who were no longer to be classed as under the Mosaic Law (15:25 ).

The wide difference which obtains between the Olivet Discourse and the Sermon on the Mount hardly needs elucidation. Though both were spoken by the Messiah to the nation Israel, they have almost nothing in common. One presents the responsibility of the individual Jew respecting entrance into the life within the Messianic kingdom. The other directs and warns the whole nation about its sufferings in the tribulation and gives most explicit directions and predictions relative to the place that nation must occupy in the most eventful days the world will see, namely, the seventieth week as foretold by Daniel (cf. Dan 9:25–27; Matt 24:15). Those days of unsurpassed tribulation are determined for the future and with them the final disposition of all Gentile governments and institutions. Israel, too, must be judged and the earth be changed from the present man-governed, Satan-ruled, cosmos world into the kingdom of heaven, and righteousness and peace cover the earth as waters cover the sea. It is both reasonable and much to be appreciated that Christ would give before His departure these explicit instructions to His beloved nation concerning such incomparable days. To those who have no understanding of and, therefore, no interest in these great predictions, this address can mean no more than aimless and useless remarks on the part of the Savior. However, the worthy student will enter into the contemplation of these far-reaching declarations with utmost attention.

It would hardly seem necessary to restate the truth that in the order of events—all clearly arranged by the Holy Spirit and to be observed by careful students—the Church is removed from the earth before Daniel’s seventieth week begins, and that the Church is not therefore on the earth or to be seen in any of these situations.

It is probable that no body of prediction in the entire Bible is more definite or more interrelated with all the field of Biblical prophecy than this address. Almost every separate declaration may be taken as a starting point from which much prediction may be traced in its order. It could not be otherwise, since this is the consummating foretelling on the part of the Messiah-King and near the hour of His departure from this world. As often stated before, God has a twofold purpose, namely, that for the earth which is centered in His earthly people and that for heaven which is centered in His heavenly people. It is therefore to be expected that Christ, who is the Consummator of each, should deliver two farewell messages—one for each of these groups of people. This is exactly the order of truth found in the Gospels. In this connection it will be seen that there is no intermingling of the truth which comprises these two farewell discourses. That addressed to Israel—now to be considered—is wholly apart from any reference to the Church, and that addressed to the Church—to be considered in the next division of this thesis wholly apart from any complication with Israel or her kingdom. The analysis of the Olivet Discourse may be undertaken after the following manner:

Matthew 23:37–39. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”

From the viewpoint of its inclusiveness, there are few more extended prophetic declarations than this. It may be reduced to a few meaningful phrases—”Jerusalem,” “I would have gathered thy children together,” “Ye would not,” “Your house is left unto you desolate,” “Ye shall not see me…till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” The address is to Jerusalem’s children, which, in this instance, is a representation of the nation Israel. As before indicated, the entire discourse from Matthew 24:4 on (but for this opening portion—23:37–39), though immediately spoken to His disciples who are still classed as Jews and represented a people who will pass through the experiences described in this address, is directed toward the entire nation and especially to those who will endure the trials depicted therein. The phrase, “I would have gathered thy children together,” not only discloses that He speaks to Israel, but refers to the fulfillment of much prophecy respecting the final regathering of Israel into their own land. In the accomplishment of His kingdom purpose, Christ is to regather Israel. This was indicated in His kingdom messages delivered during His first advent. The purpose will be executed perfectly at His second advent. Later on in this same address, He declares—and in relation to His second advent—”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” (24:31). Of this same event, Jeremiah said, “Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land” (Jer 23:7–8). That Israel “would not” is Christ’s own identification of their rejection of the King and His kingdom. And this declaration places the responsibility upon the nation. Later, and in harmony with this announcement respecting His rejection, they said, “His blood be on us, and on our children” (Matt 27:25). “Your house” is a reference to the house of Israel which became centered in the kingly line of David. In Acts 15:16 this entity is termed “the tabernacle of David.” The passage reads, “After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up.” The term “desolate” is one of several words used to describe Israel’s situation in the world throughout this age (cf. “scattered and peeled”—Isa 18:2, 7; James 1:1; 1 Pet 1:1; “cast away,” in the sense of abandoned for a period of time—Rom 11:15; “broken off”—Rom 11:17; afflicted with “blindness”—cf. Isa 6:9; Rom 11:25; “hated”—Matt 24:9). “Ye shall not see me” is an assertion which anticipates His total absence, respecting His peculiar relation to Israel “till” He returns, at which time “every eye shall see him” (Rev 1:7), “and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matt 24:30). Israel will then say, “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” How great is the faithfulness of Jehovah to Israel! Isaiah records Jehovah’s message to that people as it will be at their final restoration: “For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, and give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth” (Isa 62:1–7).

Matthew 24:1–3. “And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. 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. 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?”

A brief interlude is set forth in these verses which has to do with a fulfilled prophecy, namely, the destruction of Jerusalem. The disciples have called Christ’s attention to the size and costliness of the Temple. Possibly He had not exhibited the usual Jewish admiration and amazement at the character of the stones (cf. Mark 13:1; Luke 21:5). Little did His disciples realize that He to whom they spoke had called every material thing into existence by the word of His power. These stones, however, Christ predicted would be thrown down. The same had been foretold before (cf. Jer 9:11; 26:18; Mic 3:12). This statement regarding the destruction of the temple, which statement was to the Jew most pessimistic to the last degree, prompted the disciples to ask three questions, the answers to which enter largely into this discourse. They inquired, “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (vs. 3). The answer to the first of these questions respecting the destruction of Jerusalem is not included in Matthew’s account, but is recorded in Luke 21:20–24 as follows, “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 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. For those be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 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. 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.” That all of this was accomplished by Titus in the year 70 A.D. is well known. There is need of warning, however, lest some phraseology in Luke’s account be confused with the same phraseology in Matthew’s account (cf. 24:16–20) and it be assumed on the basis of this similarity that the two accounts are parallel. In Luke’s account Christ is describing conditions and giving directions to the Jews about the time when the destruction of Jerusalem would be impending; Matthew’s account records the conditions and timely instructions to the Jews that will be in order when the tribulation comes and the King is about to return. A careful comparison of these two Scriptures will vindicate this assertion. It is at this point that the erroneous theory got its inception that the coming of Christ was fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem. The second and third questions, namely, “What shall be the sign of thy coming, and [the sign] of the end of the world [age]?” are answered by Christ in their reverse order. The disciples knew nothing of the order of events. This order Christ corrected by answering the last of these two questions first, and the first question relating to the sign of His coming He answered last.

It is needful to pause here for a consideration of what age is in view when they ask for a sign of its ending. As indicated above, it is probable that the word sign should be supplied in this question. The term world is a translation of the word αἰών which means age, or a period of time. Their question was about the sign of the age in which they were living. Though some foreshadowing had been given by Christ, as recorded in Matthew, chapter 13, the disciples knew nothing of the present Church age (cf. Acts 1:6–7) and therefore could have known nothing of its end. They were living in the Mosaic age, the latter part of which Daniel had predicted would continue for 490 years. He predicted also that the last seven years of that period—Daniel’s seventieth week—would be the time of the greatest human upheaval, including the great tribulation and the presence of the man of sin whom Christ styled “the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet” (Matt 24:15; cf. Dan 9:26–27). In other words, the great tribulation and the man of sin belong to the Mosaic age that is past and are wholly unrelated to the present age of the Church. The man of sin will not “stand in the holy place” at the end of the Church age; it is at the end of that age then in effect when the disciples asked this question. The man of sin will stand in the holy place during the tribulation (Matt 24:15; 2 Thess 2:3–4).

Matthew 24:4–8. “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”

Before answering the question about the sign of the end of the age, Christ gives a general comment on the intervening time before the Jewish age will come to its defined ending. At this point, for the disciples and all others, there is need for special attention to these words of Christ lest deceptions arise. In spite of many false christs and of wars, etc., instructed saints are not to be deceived. These events—false christs, wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes—do not constitute a sign of the end of the Jewish age. This is the purport of Christ’s words—”but the end is not yet,” or more literally, but not yet is the end. Nations rise against nations and kingdoms against kingdoms. As always, famines and pestilences follow. None of these are ever to constitute the sign of the end of the Jewish age, though they may and do have real significance regarding this age in which they occur. They are the characteristics of the unforeseen intervening or intercalary age. These age-characteristics are by Christ likened to “the beginning of sorrows.” The word sorrows is better rendered travail, which means, labor at childbirth, anguish, or distress. It is true of birth pains that they grow more intense as the birth itself is approached. These conditions, then, which belong to this age, though they may increase in intensity, are the preliminary pains and to be distinguished from the excruciating pain of the birth itself. The birth pain itself serves to illustrate the tribulation, and the accelerating characteristics of this age illustrate the “beginning of sorrows.” The important truth disclosed by Christ is that the “beginning of sorrows” is not the sorrow itself, which belongs to Israel’s experience and to their former age and in which the abomination of desolation, or the desolater, appears.

Matthew 24:9–28. This extended Scripture presents Christ’s own message to Israel regarding the great tribulation. As verse 8 with its reference to travail closes His brief picture of this present intervening age, verse 9, opening as it does with the word then, marks the time of the agony and pain of the birth. This time-word occurs throughout this context and serves to date all that is predicted within the bounds of this unprecedented trial on the earth. It is the same time as is referred to in verse 21 : “For then shall be great tribulation.” This same context, it will be seen, is followed by another time-expression in verse 29, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days.” Thus the boundaries of this context are determined. The student will bear in mind the truth that the tribulation period is described in various passages in both Testaments. Three distinct divine purposes may be discovered in this tribulation time. The passages here referred to are of great importance, but cannot be quoted in full. First, it is the time of “Jacob’s trouble.” Special and final judgments upon the chosen people, which have long been foretold, will end their agelong afflictions (Jer 25:29–38; 30:4–7; Ezek 30:3; Dan 12:1; Amos 5:18–20; Obad 15–21; Zeph 1:7–18; Zech 12:1–14; 14:1–3; Mal 4:1–4; Matt 24:9–31; Rev 7:13–14). Second, this period will be a time when judgment will fall on the Gentile nations and the sin of the whole earth (Job 21:30; Ps 2:5; Isa 2:10–22; 13:9–16; 24:21–23; 26:20–21; 34:1–9; 63:1–6; 66:15–24; Jer 25:29–38; Ezek 30:3; Joel 3:9–21; Zech 12:1–14; Matt 25:31–46; 2 Thess 2:3–12; Rev 3:10; 11:1–18:24). Third, this time is also characterized by the appearance and reign of the man of sin whose career, like the period in which he appears, cannot begin until the divine restraint is removed (2 Thess 2:6–10) and will end with the return of Christ and His coming in “power and great glory” (2 Thess 2:8). This world-ruler is the fitting manifestation of the last efforts of Satan under his present freedom in his opposition against God and his attempted self-exaltation above the Most High. What God has been pleased to reveal respecting this time of trial will be comprehended only as these and similar Scriptures are considered with marked attention. This is the student’s reasonable task. Indeed, there is great solemnity in the words of Christ on this important theme.

This portion of the Olivet Discourse opens with specific counsel to Israel respecting their lot in this time of their affliction. That Israel is addressed alone in this context is determined with certainty in verse 9. That people alone will be hated of all nations, and, though the world cannot analyze its own passions, this hatred is their resentment against a divinely chosen race, which resentment has continued as a heritage from the earliest days of Israel’s history. That hatred is literally “for my name’s sake”; for His name has been upon that people from their beginning. They are to be delivered up, afflicted, killed, and hated. This will result in many of Israel being offended, who will then betray one another. These are to be misled by false prophets and the abounding of iniquity, which will diminish the love of many. In this time, however, salvation is assured at the end of the trial. The reference to salvation is to that promised to Israel in Romans 11:26–27, “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” There is no reference here to a believer’s salvation by grace through faith, which salvation obtains in the present age. Were it such it would read, He that is saved shall endure unto the end. The assurance is that the end of the age will come when “this gospel of the kingdom” has been preached as a witness in all the inhabited earth. Immeasurable confusion has followed the attempted application of this verse to present world-conditions. The believers of this age have a commission to evangelize every nation and this should be repeated with every new generation, but the coming of Christ to receive His Bride has never been made to await some total world-wide evangelization. That referred to in this passage is distinctly the gospel of the kingdom, which occupied the early ministry of Christ and, to that moment, was the only gospel known to the disciples. This gospel will be preached again by the 144,000 sealed ones of Revelation 7:1–8 and such other witnesses as God may elect for that service during the tribulation period. It is reasonable that the message which prepared for His Messianic kingdom in the first days before the Messiah and His kingdom were rejected should be renewed and preached before His second advent, when that kingdom will be set up by the power of God and without rejection of the King. There is no time to turn at this point to a discussion of the difference that obtains between the gospel of the kingdom which announces once more that the King is at hand, and the gospel of the grace of God which offers eternal salvation in glory to individual Jews and Gentiles and on the one condition of faith in Christ. It is reprehensible to take this verse out of its setting as embedded in the Lord’s own description of the tribulation and from it draw a conclusion that Christ cannot come for the Church until the present gospel is preached in all the world. When this testimony of the kingdom is completed Christ declares that the end will come. Reference is to the end of the Jewish age and a deferred portion of that age. Of this end the disciples inquired. Having declared the program of kingdom preaching, Christ goes on to reveal the sign of the end of the age. This is stated in verse 15, and is none other than the long-predicted appearance of the man of sin, in the restored Jewish temple. Christ Himself looked backward to Daniel’s prophecy regarding this desolater (Dan 9:26–27). Later the Apostle Paul describes the same event thus, “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; 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” (2 Thess 2:3–4). The temple will be the place provided by the unbelieving Jews, when they will have been given freedom for seven years by the man of sin and that to worship as they desire in their own land. This covenant is broken in the midst of the seven years (cf. Daniel’s predictions and those of John in the Revelation). The presence of the desolater in the holy place is the identification given of him throughout the Word of God. It is his assumption to be God (cf. Ezek 28:1–10). Since his appearance in the holy place commands so conspicious a place in the prophetic Scriptures, it is not strange that Christ gives to it the character of a sign to the nation Israel of the end of that deferred portion of their own age.

Following the revelation of the sign of the end of the age, Christ gives specific instructions concerning the immediate action of all who observe this sign. These directions, as before said, though similar to those given in Luke respecting the destruction of Jerusalem, are nevertheless quite different, being adapted in each case to the impending crisis. One particular instruction in the Matthew account should be noted, namely, “But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day” (24:20). In this verse evidence is found that the Jewish age is restored, since the Sabbath is again in effect. This is conclusive to one who has investigated the distinctions which obtain between the Sabbath for Israel and the New Creation Lord’s day for His Church. Likewise, in this verse is an injunction to offer the prayer that flight should not be in the winter nor on a Sabbath day. These are strange petitions as viewed in their relation to the present age. No one assumes to offer this prayer—even the most confused antidispensationalist. Over against this is the fact that these same individuals are offended if it be intimated that one of this age is not appointed to pray, “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”

The declaration of verses 21 and 22, like Daniel 12:1, should silence posttribulationists who in defense of their theory that the Church goes through the great tribulation seek to soften the character of those excruciating days. To claim, as some have, that the terror of this period is “overdrawn” is to challenge Christ Himself—sustained by the Holy Spirit through Daniel—that never in the past nor yet in the future will any human experience equal that of those days, for suffering upon Israel and the world. For Israel, God’s elect, those days are to be shortened else no flesh could be saved. God has two elect peoples—that of Israel and that of the Church. This Scripture, like its entire context, relates to elect Israel.

In verses 23–28 instructions are again renewed and especially with reference to the detecting of the claims of false christs. Though such may come by the desert—as John the Baptist—or in the secret chamber, shrouded in occult mysteries, none can duplicate the manner of the actual return of Christ, which will be as lightning coming out of the east and shining even unto the west. The coming of Christ as described in Revelation 19:11–16 (cf. Ps 2:7–9; Isa 63:1–6; 2 Thess 1:7–10) is accompanied by a great slaughter and the birds of the heavens are invited to be filled with the flesh of man and beast. It is probable that Matthew 24:28—”For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together”—makes reference to this feature of Christ’s return as described in Revelation 19:17–21.

Matthew 24:29–31. “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, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 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.”

No more explicit division of time could be indicated than is expressed by the words with which this section of this address opens—”Immediately after the tribulation of those days.” Since the coming of Christ terminates the tribulation and is brought to pass by Christ’s own destruction of the man of sin (cf. 2 Thess 2:8), the crushing of the armies who represent the nations of the earth (Ps 2:7–9; Isa 63:1–6; 2 Thess 1:7–10; Rev 19:11–21), the judgment of Israel (Ezek 20:33–44; Matt 24:37–25:30), and the judgment of the nations (Matt 25:31–46), it is probable that the phrase “the tribulation of those days” refers to the particular anguish and trial of Israel as having been consummated rather than that all these events named above and which fall in Daniel’s seventieth week are completed. At this point, at whatsoever moment it occurs, there is the convulsion of nature which reaches to the stars of the heavens. It is then that “the sign of the Son of man” shall appear. It will be remembered this serves to answer the second, which in this revised order, is the last of the questions of verse three to be answered. There is no disclosure of what that sign will be. Men have advanced their conjectures, but Christ did not tell the nature of the sign and His silence may well be respected. He does say, however, that there shall be a sign and that it will appear. It will be such that all will recognize its significance, especially Israel; for when it is seen by them all their tribes—meaning the whole house of Israel (cf. Matt 23:39)—shall mourn. They behold the One whom they have rejected coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. It is then that they recognize their Messiah. As the brethren of Joseph fell before him when his identity was revealed to them, in like manner will Israel acknowledge their Messiah. The sign will be worthy as one of the greatest of all divine manifestations and its effect complete. Some believe that this sign will be a mighty display of the agelong symbol of the cross. It is noteworthy that Zechariah, when speaking of Christ’s return, declares, “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn” (12:10). The designation, “the tribes of the earth,” belongs, in Scripture usage, only to Israel, but by Zechariah these same people are said to be “the house of David.” Thus added evidence is presented that in the Olivet Discourse it is Israel that is addressed. At this same time, also, Israel shall be regathered for the final time into their own land. Of this regathering the prophets have spoken, and that event cannot fail since the mouth of Jehovah has spoken it. However, that regathering is supernatural. It is here said to be achieved by angelic ministration. Great and marvelous was the display of divine power when He brought the children of Israel out of Egypt. To this stupendous event Jehovah has often turned when seeking to impress His people with His might. He said, “I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt.” Jeremiah by the Spirit asserts that the final regathering of Israel into their own land will be a greater display of divine power than their deliverance from Egypt, so great, indeed, that there will be no remembrance of the Egyptian deliverance as compared with this last regathering. Jeremiah says, “Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land” (23:7–8 ).

Matthew 24:32–36. “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: so likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”

Having declared the manner of His coming, Christ now turns to the certainty of His coming. The fig tree provides an illustration. Summer is evidently nigh when its tender leaves appear. It is doubtless true that the fig tree represents in other Scriptures the nation of Israel (cf. Matt 21:18–20), but there is no occasion for this meaning to be sought in the present use of that symbol. When the things of which Christ had just spoken, including even the beginning of travail, begin to come to pass, it may be accepted as certain that He is nigh, even at the doors. When that hour has arrived, these words will be of the greatest value and blessing to those to whom they are addressed, and that people, Israel, shall not pass until all these things which concern them shall be fulfilled; even heaven and earth may pass away—and they will—but Christ’s promise to Israel thus made shall not pass away. The word γενεά, translated generation, is a reference to the whole race or stock of Israel and is not here restricted to a people then living on the earth. Dean Alford’s comment on this portion of Scripture is clarifying.

“As regards the parable,—there is a reference to the withered fig-tree which the Lord cursed: and as that, in its judicial unfruitfulness, emblematized the Jewish people, so here the putting forth of the fig-tree from its state of winter dryness, symbolizes the future reviviscence of that race, which the Lord (ver. 34) declares shall not pass away till all be fulfilled. That this is the true meaning of that verse, must appear, when we recollect that it forms the conclusion of this parable, and is itself joined, by this generation passing away, to the verse following. We cannot, in seeking for its ultimate fulfillment, go back to the taking of Jerusalem and make the words apply to it. As this is one of the points on which the rationalizing interpreters lay most stress to shew that the prophecy has failed, I have taken pains to shew, in my Greek Testament, that the word here rendered generation has the meaning of a race or family of people. In all the places there cited, the word necessarily bears that signification: having it is true a more pregnant meaning, implying that the character of one generation stamps itself upon the race, as here in this verse also. The continued use of pass away (the word is the same in verses 34, 35) should have saved the Commentators from the blunder of imagining that the then living generation was meant, seeing that the prophecy is by the next verse carried on to the end of all things: and that, as matter of fact, the Apostles and ancient Christians did continue to expect the Lord’s coming, after that generation had passed away. But, as Stier well remarks, ‘there are men foolish enough now to say, heaven and earth will never pass away, but the words of Christ pass away in course of time—; of this, however, we wait the proof’“ (New Testament for English Readers, I, 169).

Dr. C. I. Scofield writes on Matthew 24:34: “Greek, genea, the primary definition of which is, ‘race, kind, family, stock, breed.’ (So all lexicons.) That the word is used in this sense here is sure because none of ‘these things,’ i.e. the world-wide preaching of the kingdom, the great tribulation, the return of the Lord in visible glory, and the regathering of the elect, occurred at the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, A.D. 70. The promise is, therefore, that the generation-nation, or family of Israel—will be preserved unto ‘these things’; a promise wonderfully fulfilled to this day” (Scofield Reference Bible, p. 1034).

Over against the certainty of Christ’s return is the uncertainty about the time of His coming. Of that day and hour no no man knows, nor do the angels know. All of this, it must be remembered, bears upon the glorious return of Christ to the earth and therefore concerns Israel alone, who will then be on the earth and about to enter their earthly kingdom. The element of uncertainty on the time of Christ’s return is also indicated in those Scriptures which promise His earlier coming into the air to receive His Bride, the Church, in which Scripture the believers in each generation have been told to wait for their Lord (cf. Rom 8:19; 1 Thess 1:10; James 5:7). Thus it should be noted that the uncertainty of the time characterizes each of these events; but that truth does not serve to constitute the events one and the same. The Church waits for her Bridegroom and her rapture into heaven, while Israel will in the day of Christ’s near return in glory watch for that glorious return of her Messiah and the realization of her earthly kingdom.

Matthew 24:37–25:13 . While it is approached from several angles, the one objective of this extended section is the exhortation to Israel to be prepared for the coming of their Messiah-King. In the parable of the good and evil servants, He is likened to the lord of the household (24:45–51). In the parable of the ten virgins, He is the Bridegroom—not that Israel is the Bride and He their Bridegroom; but having been previously married in heaven (Rev 19:7–8) He is returning with His Bride to His earthly reign. He will thus be greeted as the Bridegroom. In but one instance, the point at issue, and which carries its own warning, is it true that some were unprepared for the return of their King. In Matthew 24:37–39 patriarchal history is cited as an example of unpreparedness. As in the days of Noah, so shall it be when Christ returns. Efforts have been made by some expositors to demonstrate that this passage teaches that the wickedness on the part of the antediluvian people will be duplicated in the days before Christ’s return. There is much Scripture which avers that there was wickedness before the flood and that there will be wickedness before the Messiah comes, but this passage brings no charge of wickedness against the antediluvians other than unpreparedness and unbelieving in the face of the warnings that were given unto them. In the same manner and to the same purpose Matthew 24:40–42 is a declaration of the truth that, due to unpreparedness, where two may be together—in the field or grinding at the mill—one shall be taken and the other left. Again a parallel between the experience of people at the time of the rapture and this experience of Israel is set up, but with the strongest contrasts. In the instance of the Church in her rapture, those who are truly saved are without exception taken into heaven and the unsaved who were only professors outwardly are left for the impending judgments which follow on the earth. The notion which contends that there will be a partial rapture including only the most spiritual believers and that unfaithful Christians will remain behind for the supposed discipline of the tribulation is an immeasurable dishonor to the grace of God. God has His own way of dealing with unfaithful believers; but no one saved by Christ and standing in the merit of Christ—as all believers stand—will be left behind for a supposed Protestant purgatory. Those who hold such beliefs fail to realize that those who are saved at all are perfectly saved in and through Christ. If Christians are to be admitted or rejected in the matter of entering heavens glory on the basis of their personal worthiness, they all, without exception, would be rejected. Salvation by grace is not a scheme by which only good people go to heaven. Anyone can devise a plan by which good people might go to heaven—if there were such in the world; it is different, indeed, to devise a plan by which meritless and hell-deserving sinners—such as all are—are taken into heaven. God has executed that plan at infinite cost and all who believe are forever free from condemnation and judgment. Over against all this and according to the passage under consideration, those taken are taken in judgment and those left enter the kingdom blessings. In the light of this truth, the Jew of that day is told to “watch therefore: for ye know not what hour the Lord doth come.” This is not an instruction to a Jew within the present age of grace; such are shut up to the gospel of divine grace. It is a word to Jews living in a period which may be defined with respect to its time and circumstances as “when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors” (24:33). Again, the same truth regarding preparedness is enforced by the illustration, (24:43–44) that the “goodman” of the house would not have suffered his house to be broken up by the thief had he known the hour the thief would come. This in turn is followed by the appeal, “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” (vs. 44). In 24:45–51 preparedness is likewise enjoined, and the parable of the good servant who at the coming of his master is found acting with faithfulness and the evil servant with unfaithfulness urges the same obligation upon Israel to watch and be ready. The lord of the evil servant comes at an unexpected time. The penalty is stated clearly, “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, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (vss. 50–51). The Jews are, in their relation to Jehovah, servants. On none, Jew or Gentile, in this age who have believed upon Christ could such judgment be imposed. This is the sentence which awaits the unfaithful and unprepared among Israel.

Continuing the same theme of the need of watching (cf. 25:13), the nation—in the hour of her judgments at the return of Christ in glory and when the earthly kingdom is about to be set up—is likened to ten virgins of whom five were wise and five were foolish. The wisdom of the wise is displayed in the fact that they took oil, the symbol of spirituality, in their lamps, while the unwisdom of the unwise is seen in the fact that they had not sufficient oil. This parable has been subject to a great variety of interpretations. It is resorted to by those who seek to divide the children of God into two divisions with reference to their relation and standing before God. There is, however, but one Body of believers (Eph 4:4). The time when this parable will be fulfilled is at the glorious coming of Christ to earth and therefore it could have no reference to the Church. The place is on the earth. The King is returning from heaven to earth with His Bride, to whom He has been married in heaven and after the marriage supper of the Lamb has been celebrated in heaven. Of the marriage supper in heaven it is written, “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints” (Rev 19:7–8). And, in perfect chronological order, the King is made to return to earth following the marriage supper (cf. Rev 19:11–16). Of this return to the earth Christ declared as recorded in Luke 12:35–36, “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.” The same figure of the lights burning is used here in Matthew and also the same theme of preparedness for the King’s return. From this passage it is certain that Christ is coming from and not to His wedding. Israel on earth awaits the return of the Bridegroom with the Bride (cf. Rev 19:11–16). Some old manuscripts add to Matthew 25:1 what is certainly sustained throughout the prophetic Scriptures, namely, that the virgins (Israel) go forth to meet the bridegroom “and the bride.” The reception on earth is characterized by the marriage feast, admission to which is, for the Jew on earth, equivalent to entrance into the Messianic kingdom. The A.V. text of 25:10 requires revision to the extent of the addition of the word feast after “marriage” (note R.V. and all modern correct translations). This is an important change in rendering and precludes the error—so long drawn from the Authorized Version text—that Christ is coming, according to this parable, to His wedding, when, as cited above, it is asserted in Luke 12:35–36 that He is returning from His wedding. The objective in this parable is once more to stress the need of that form of watching which is fully prepared for the Messiah. Again, those excluded could not represent the true believer in this age of grace. Of such Christ could never say, “I know you not” (25:12). Describing this same situation and time Christ said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matt 7:21–23). So important, indeed, is this millennial scene in the King’s palace (cf. Ezek 40:1–48:35), that the enrollment of those present is given in the Book of Psalms. There it is written, “All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad. Kings’ daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir. Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house; so shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him. And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall intreat thy favour. The king’s daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold. She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king’s palace” (Ps 45:8–15). In this vivid description of the palace and those present are named (1) the King in garments which smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia; (2) kings’ daughters among the honorable women who are present; above all (3) the queen who stands at His right side in the gold of Ophir. The queen is the Church, the Bride of the Lamb (cf. Rev 19:8–9). An address is given to the queen in verses 10 and 11 under the title of daughter. This address is renewed again in verses 13 and 14 where it may well be read, the daughter who is the King’s (bride). (4) The virgins follow the Bride, but the virgins are not the Bride. The virgins shall enter into the King’s palace, but some according to the parable of Matthew 25:1–13—who started out to meet the Bridegroom and His Bride do not enter for want of that form of preparedness which is enjoined. Thus, again, it is revealed that, at the glorious appearing of Christ, Israel shall be judged and many who have chosen the broad way which leads unto death cannot enter the kingdom, while some who have chosen the strait and narrow way which leads unto life shall enter therein (cf. Matt 7:13–14; 19:28–29). It is concluded, then, that, as Matthew’s Gospel is addressed so largely to Israel—and the Olivet Discourse in particular—and since there is no message in this address related to Gentiles until 25:31, and even 25:31–46 is recorded there for Israel’s advantage, the very extensive theme of the future judgment of Israel is in view throughout this section, namely, 24:37–25:30. It is also concluded that the parable of the virgins represents the judgment of Israel only. They are the servants who follow the Bride and who enter the palace, but Israel is not the Bride.

Matthew 25:14–30. This extended parable need not be quoted in full. The lesson respecting the talents is, as in the case of other portions of this discourse, concerned with Israel’s relation to her returning King. For that return they are to watch and be ready, that they may satisfy His demands. The previous reference to the days of Noah, the impending division of two working together, the “goodman” of the house, the good and evil servants, and the virgins, all aim to stress the one admonition to watch for the Messiah’s return. So great an emphasis upon this one injunction must not be overlooked. In the parable of the ten virgins and similarly in that of the good and evil servants there is represented the element of moral and spiritual values—such works as are required for admission into the kingdom (cf. Matt 5:1–7:29; 19:28–30; Luke 3:8–14). The good servant is found by the returning King to be attending to the household and the wise virgins had oil in their lamps. No new feature is introduced when, in the present portion, recognition is promised to those who have used in a profitable way the talents committed unto them. No part of the Scripture related directly to Israel presents more forcefully the need of individual merit, as the basis of acceptance with God, than this parable of the talents. Far removed, indeed, from the way of divine grace bestowed freely upon meritless sinners is the verdict against the one-talent man who made no use of that committed unto him (cf. 24:50–51). Of the one-talent man it is written, “Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (25:27–30 ).

A marked change in theme is reached at the end of the parable of the talents. Christ then turns to Gentile judgments. The entire discourse up to this point has concerned a well-defined people to whom certain responsibilities of merit have been entrusted, and these people are to be judged on the basis of their discharge of these responsibilities by the returning Messiah. The first demand upon them is that they be found watching with that faithfulness which is required of them. That this people thus addressed is Israel is clearly demonstrated throughout. As before indicated, this discourse is the final message of the Messiah to His earthly people, who are related to God on the basis of merit (cf. Exod 19:4–8). The fact that the Lord at this point turns in this address to truth respecting Gentiles indicates that in the previous portion He has been contemplating only those who are not Gentiles, namely, Israel.

Matthew 25:31–46. As noted above, this discourse makes an abrupt change in its theme beginning at 25:31. It is still the judgments to be executed when Messiah returns, but the shift is from the judgment of the nation Israel to the judgment of the nations. In each case the judgment is closely related to the glorious appearing of Christ. Israel’s judgments as recorded in 24:37–25:30 are preceded by the coming of Christ with power and great glory (24:29–31), and the description of the judgment of the nations opens with the words: “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: and before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats” (vss. 31–32). Thus it is disclosed that both of these judgments follow at once upon His return to the earth. If an order exists, it will likely be in conformity to the order in which these are described in this address. There is little need to call the attention of those who are faithful to the meaning of the Sacred Text to the wide difference between the judgment of the nations and the judgment of the great white throne (Rev 20:11–15); yet many have failed to note these distinctions and suppose that the two are varied descriptions of one great judgment day. One is at the beginning of the thousand-year reign of Christ, the other is at its end. One concerns living nations, the other concerns the wicked dead of all human history; one divides the nations, sending some into the kingdom and others into the lake of fire, while the other consigns all before the bar to the lake of fire.

According to the order of events in Biblical prophecy the King will, on His return, first receive the nations from His Father. He then, by Himself, conquers them in the midst of their open rebellion. This is the prophetic picture presented in Psalm 2. This portion reads thus, “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shift break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel” (vss. 1–9). The opening section (vss. 1–3) presents a description of the attitude of the nations—the word heathen in the Old Testament Authorized Version is equivalent to the word Gentiles in the New Testament—toward Jehovah and His Messiah. The kings of the earth and the rulers are leading the people in this rebellion. In another Scripture—Revelation 16:13–14—wherein this same situation is again described, it is said that these kings are demon-possessed. The attitude of Jehovah is described in verses 4 and 5, and the declaration of Jehovah is recorded in verse 6. In this He states, “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.” According to Old Testament usage, the holy hill is the throne site and Zion is Jerusalem. The throne is David’s, upon which Messiah must reign and that from Jerusalem. All Scripture harmonizes with this great expectation. In verses 7, 8, and 9 the Messiah-King speaks. He declares the decree that Jehovah has said to Him, Ask of me, and I shall give thee these raging nations. This is not the first time the Father has given a portion of humanity to the Son. Christ designates the believers as them “which thou gavest me out of the world.” However, the method by which these nations are to be conquered by the King is too often thought to be a peaceful missionary conquest; on the contrary, He breaks them with a rod of iron and dashes them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. This violent subduing of the nations by the returning King is many times pictured in the predictions of God’s Word. None of these is more vividly stated than Isaiah 63:1–6, which reads, “Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.” In this connection attention should be given to 2 Thessalonians 1:7–10 and to Revelation 19:11–21. One verse (15) of the latter passage relates itself to both the Second Psalm and to Isaiah 63:1–6. That verse asserts, “And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.”

This violent subjugation of the nations by the returning King forms the preparation for appreciation of the description of the scene presented in Matthew 25:31–46. In that scene these very raging nations with their demon-driven kings and rulers are now standing in awful silence before the King, who is seated upon the throne of His glory. All resistance has been defeated and dissolved. The weapons of warfare, so much depended upon, are abandoned. All stand in solemn silence awaiting the verdict of the King. At His command, those indicated as sheep nations are required to move to His right side, and those indicated as goat nations are directed to His left side. There is no hesitating or faltering. They have but one fear, that they might displease the Monarch who has conquered them. No picture could more perfectly describe the complete defeat and subjugation of these nations who so short a time before were defying Jehovah and His Messiah, saying, “Let us break their hands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.” The one question that now obtains in their minds is what disposition the King will make of them. To those on His right He says, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” It is at this point that misinterpretations may enter with endless confusion of ideas. There is no reason why the word kingdom should be given any other meaning in this passage than has been assigned to it throughout the Gospel by Matthew. The kingdom is Israel’s earthly, Messianic, millennial kingdom into which, by the authority of a large body of Old Testament prediction, Gentiles are to enter and sustain the subordinate place which is assigned to them (cf. Ps 72:8–11; Isa 14:1–2; 60:3, 5, 12; 62:2). The reason assigned by Christ for the admission of these sheep nations into the kingdom is altogether explicit. In them has been wrought out one thing which secures the divine approval and blessing. It is not a matter of bestowing divine grace, but rather of commending pure merit. They have provided food, drink, shelter, clothing, and comfort for the King. The remarkable feature of this is that they themselves do not identify any such service as having been wrought by them. The first word to break their awful silence is When? In like manner, those on the left hand are dismissed into the lake of fire prepared for the devil and his angels, and for the announced reason that they have not provided food, drink, shelter, clothing, and comfort for the King. They, in turn, are equally unconscious of this omission on their part and they, too, break their silence by the inquiry When? All of this creates a challenge to the thoughtful student. Is there an issue in the world so vast in its import that it determines the destiny of nations and yet it is wholly unrealized and unrecognized by those nations who will stand before the King? Such a problem is set up in this context by the King Himself and will not be overlooked by candid minds. It makes no difference at this point what method of interpretation is employed. The problem as thus stated is up for solution by every school of interpretation. Those who assume that this scene is the Judgment of the saved and unsaved at the end of the world find it most difficult to identify a third group whom the King styles “my brethren.” If the sheep nations are the saved people of all generations, who are these “brethren”? If the “brethren” are the saved ones who constitute the Church, who are the sheep nations? How could the Church ever be thus thrown back upon an unmitigated merit basis of acceptance with God when they have already been accepted in the Beloved? How could the Church be entering the kingdom as subjects of the King when she is sitting with Him on His throne and reigning with Him? Similarly, the Church has never been cast upon the bounty of the cosmos for her physical sustenance and comfort. To her it has been promised and fulfilled that “my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19). Any interpretation that would bring the Church into this scene either as the “brethren” or as the sheep nations is impossible from every consideration.

The King’s own reply to the query When? is the answer that should satisfy the student of the text, as it will satisfy the nations that stand before Him. Whatever these multitudes are able to understand can be understood by the average person of today, if he will approach the subject with unprejudiced consideration of all that is involved. The King will say, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Who, then, are these who are classed as “my brethren”? Upon a covenant theology which recognizes but two classes of men in the future estate—the saved and the lost—and but two places—heaven and hell—there has been, an insuperable problem imposed in accounting for the third group who are identified by the King as “my brethren.” It is assumed by these theologians that the saved of all ages are on the right hand and the lost are on the left hand. Beyond these, according to their teaching, there could be no others; yet the King indicates a third class. There are two groups who may be identified as Christ’s brethren. (1) Christians are joint heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17), and they are the “many brethren” to whom He is revealed as the First-Born (Rom 8:29). However, as already indicated, Christians answer to none of the features set forth in this description. On the other hand, (2) Israel in her age did stand and must yet stand upon a merit basis, and in this age she is cast upon, the bounty of the cosmos world. Those who, in the coming tribulation, will have suffered for Christ’s sake (Matt 24:9) are His brethren after the flesh. The kingdom which is in view belongs to Israel, and it is fitting to observe that, since certain Gentile peoples are to inherit a place in Israel’s kingdom, they should be such as have by a previous demonstration exercised a sympathy for Israel, the elect nation before God. There is no mere accident in the fact that the two words blessed and cursed appear in the Abrahamic covenant respecting the attitude of Gentiles toward Abraham’s seed according to the flesh (Gen 12:1–3), and that these words appear again when Gentiles are being brought into judgment respecting their treatment of God’s elect people. In Genesis it is written, “I will bless them that bless thee,” and in the description of the judgment of the nations it is said, “Come, ye blessed of my Father.” In Genesis it is said, “I will curse him that curseth thee,” while in this same judgment it is said, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.” But why? Only because ye did it, or ye did it not unto one of the least of these my brethren. Existing without attention to the Word of God, the nations have never realized the favored place Israel holds in the love and purpose of God. Nor do they accept this truth when it is presented to them. To no other people has Jehovah said, “For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: but because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt” (Deut 7:6–8). It is to these same people that He said, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love” (Jer 31:3). They are kept by Him as the apple of His eye and are graven upon the palms of His hands. Respecting the immutable character of Jehovah’s devotion to Israel, it is written, “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance” (Rom 11:29). All this is true whether conceded by the nations or not. Warnings and counsels have been given them. What more direct or emphatic word could be uttered than is found in the closing portion of the Second Psalm? It reads, “Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him” (vss. 10–12). Falling as it does at the end of the great tribulation, the judgment of the nations concerns that one generation that will have afflicted Israel during the time of Jacob’s trouble. With all the present sufferings of Israel at the hand of certain Gentile peoples, there is still no situation in the world today which would serve as a basis upon which the nations might be judged as they will be judged in that coming day. To some, these verdicts upon the nations seem extreme, especially that pronounced upon those on His left hand. It is probable, however, that their departure to the lake of fire is that which belongs to them because of their lost estate and that the actual casting of them into the lake of fire is deferred until the hour described in Revelation 20:11–15 (cf. Matt 13:30). The place to be taken in the kingdom by the sheep nations is prepared and designed for them from the foundation of the world, which indicates a definite election under the sovereignty of God. What He has determined and declared can never fail.

In conclusion it may be well to restate that this is the Messiah-King’s farewell message to Israel. In its early portions is recorded His own description of the great tribulation. Its severity is asserted and the sign of the end of the deferred portion of the Jewish age is disclosed. Following this is the description of the King’s return as set forth by the King Himself. To this He adds long and faithful warnings to that people, to the end that they may be prepared in the day when they “see all these things” begin to come to pass. Israel must be judged on the basis of faithfulness and right conduct, and in the matter of watching. The nation must be judged also as a vindication of Jehovah’s sovereign right and purpose to exalt one elect nation above all the nations of the earth, and in the demonstration of His resentment at the sufferings which the nations will have imposed upon that people beloved and cherished of God.

Dallas, Texas

“‘Comfort ye my people’—this is the keynote of all prophecy. It is a perennial fountain of consolation springing out of the throne of God by which He nourishes the faith and hope of His people through all ages. The end of their conflict with the powers of darkness—this is what prophetic vision is continually presenting in its divine brightness for their encouragement. However long and severe may be the struggle, it assures them that in the final issue they shall come off victorious. This is the point of chief interest to those who love God, and accordingly the prophets make it—and not the exact number of years that is to elapse before the final consummation—the prominent point. If we will go to them for the unworthy purpose of anticipating the dates of history, doubtless we shall be as much disappointed as were the disciples in their inquiry ‘Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?’ But if we ask of them ‘Whose shall be the kingdom?’, here they give us a certain answer, and this answer will satisfy us in the same proportion in which we have the true spirit of Christianity, in contrast with the spirit of the annalist.”—Bibliotheca Sacra, October, 1855.