Question:
Dear
Greg,
I have been studying Revelation in as much depth as I can.
I started with Daniel, went through Matthew, and now I’m into the 4th
chapter of Revelation. My question
is this: how would you explain just what the Olivet Discourse is, if someone
like myself asked you? I only read
it once and I want to read it again. The
other day someone had asked me what was involved with the Discourse but I was
unsure just how to explain it, so I told that person I would get a professional
answer for them. I just wasn’t
comfortable giving an answer that might be wrong and giving someone a false
understanding of the way God meant it to be.
Thank you again for your help.
God bless you and your ministry.
Nickie
Answer:
Dear
Nickie,
Glad to be of assistance. First,
some questions for you. If you
are studying Revelation, then why did you start your study with Daniel and then
Matthew? I know why, but I am questioning
the wisdom of the interpretation that teaches us to study Revelation by studying
Daniel and parts of Matthew. Someone
must have encouraged you to do this, but God gives no such interpretation to
us. It is humanly derived.
By saying that such a view is humanly derived does not mean it is either
right or wrong on its face, but it does tell us that it is not the only way,
and perhaps not even a legitimate way of studying the book of Revelation.
For more on this line of thinking, use our feature “Search our Site”.
Just type in words and phrases like “end times”, “tribulation”, “rapture”,
“dispensationalism”, and “great tribulation” and you will be given many sources
to read and study.
Matthew 24—what would I say about it?
1.
It represents some of Jesus’ teaching about the future.
2.
It contains some specific and some general comments and predictions.
3.
The teachings can be viewed in a variety of ways.
These ways are also
4.
We should consider the immediate context of chapter 24, as we understand
it.
The
book of Matthew first of all—his specific emphasis as compared to the other
three synoptic gospels—as well as the Gospel of John.
In addition, we should keep in mind the immediate context—chapter 23,
which is a scathing denunciation by Jesus of religious leadership.
Instead of leading people to God, they actually lead people away from
God, sometimes to themselves or to other human leaders (so let’s keep that in
mind as we read Matthew 24!). Then,
chapter 25, which contains three parables about judgment.
Three stories that do not give specific details but in broad-brush strokes
speak of the future and of judgment. This
chapter and its teaching should be part of our understanding of Matthew 24.
Lots more to say but out of time.
Hope this helps. May God
bless you.
In Christ,
Greg Albrecht