Part 2 - Parallels 1 We will try to avoid hypotheses in our study of the main features of prophecy. One of the principal tools will be parallelism. 2 Prophetic Parallelism is, in principle, similar to the rugby photos in the Dominion (fable, above). 3 Start with the Olivet Prophecy: (a) To us it is not unnatural to divide the disciples’ questions (Mark 13:4, Matthew 24:3): (i) Herod’s temple was destroyed in AD 70. (ii) Jesus’ return was certainly not to be until after 2000. (iii) These imply that maybe the questions were addressing two different events in two different eras. (b) But: (i) The disciples had no idea that Jesus was going away. OHP 1: Latter-Day Agendas. ¾ The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and … he shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him (Mark 9:30-32; see also Luke 9:44, 45, 18:31-34, etc) ¾ The disciples, like other first-century Jews, expected the Messiah to come immediately (Luke 3:15, 19:11, John 10:24, Acts 1:6, etc); Jesus’ departure was simply not on their “latter-day” agenda. ¾ So Jesus’ “coming” in Matt 24:3 must mean his “coming to power” - as in Luke 23:42 - and there is really only one question in Matt 24:3. ¾ Like them, we have trouble adjusting to Bible teaching that is not on our agenda. There is a warning here! (ii) “Thy coming” must have meant “coming to reign” as in the thief’s request (Luke 23:42). So disciples would not have any idea of dividing Jesus’ answer - the Olivet prophecy - into parts. To them the answer was one. Therefore the question is one. (iii) Mark has two questions (Mark 13:4) yet only one subject (“these things”). (c) The Olivet Prophecy has 97 verses; yet it only answers the disciples’ question with three specific prophetic statements contained in 5 verses (Matt 24:15, 21, 29-31). 61 verses (24:37 - 25:46) are lessons for disciples so that they will be prepared - Jesus’ real concern. (d) The prophetic outline begins from the desecration of a temple and ends with the Lord’s triumphant return from heaven. (i) The question is, which temple does he mean? (ii) We usually think of the obvious - Herod’s temple, Israel’s second (Herod’s temple had simply taken over Zerubbabel’s without any hiatus and so is called the second temple). Page 19 (iii) I shall point out that prophecy as a whole indicates a third temple - to be set in operation before the Lord’s return. On that basis, Ezekiel’s temple of the kingdom will be the fourth.
OHP 2: Matthew 24: Christ’s Coming ¾ 4-13: Conditions to be expected and endured as disciples in all ages wait for the Lord to come. ¾ 14: Preliminary sign that the end is near. ¾ 15: Only specific sign of the end - a defiled holy place. ¾ 16-20: How Judean disciples must react to the sign of vs 15 ¾ 21, 22: A never-to-be-repeated time of trouble – greater than any before it since the beginning of the world ¾ 23-28: How disciples should think and act during the time of trouble ¾ 29-31: Christ returns immediately after the tribulation
OHP 3: Olivet’s Three Main Statements ¾ So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel - let the reader understand - then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. (Matthew 24:15, NIV) ¾ For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now - and never to be equaled again. (Matthew 24:21, NIV) ¾ Immediately after the distress of those days ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ [Isaiah 13:10; 34:4] At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth (or land - Zechariah 12:12) will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:29, 30, NIV)
