The olivet prophesy of Yashua

The Olivet prophesy of Yahshua the Messiah.

As the prophet whom YHVH promised through Moses in Deuteronomy 18: 18 & 19, Yahshua prophesied in detail when He will return one day in the near future, but also specified the prevailing conditions before and during the time of His arrival in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21. This section of the Scriptures is also suitably referred to as His Olivet prophesy. Many misinterpret Messiah’s discourse with the Pharisees in Matthew 23 before He delivered this prophesy, as teaching against their authority, which He actually confirmed in verses 2 & 3, saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; (3) therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they (like most other human beings) say things, and do not do them.” It is important to know that Yahshua never criticized their obedience to Torah or the Hebrew calendar, but detested religious behaviorism, hypocrisy and pride, so prevalent in most pious people even today. The Pharisees were not perfect and Yahshua pointed out many of their faults. But, we also see a great deal of self-criticism in the writings of the Rabbis – the successors of the Pharisees. Messiah’s critique of the Pharisees was consistent with their own self-criticism. But, their legacy of hard work ensured a people with a higher level of Torah-knowledge and observance - praise YHVH for numerous hardworking Pharisees who spread the light of the Torah, many of whom also accepted Yahshua as witnessed in Acts 15: 5. We as Nazarene Israelites have to understand that the Renewed Covenant was primarily written to bring us from the lost ten tribes back to the faith into which Yahshua was born, and not addressed to the Jews. It is important for us to realize that the teachings of Messiah regarding what to do and what not to do in Matthew 23, was in the main aimed at us, and has little to do with the Jews.

Judaism including Nazarene Judaism is different to Christianity about national salvation and not about individual salvation. Acceptance of Yahshua as redeemer and Messiah was the condition for national deliverance at that time, but because the Jewish nation of Messiah’s day was not representative of the commonwealth of Israel, ruled over by King David, YHVH concealed Messiah’s identity to the majority of the people, to allow Messiah’s main purpose of bringing a remnant of the lost ten tribes back to the faith of the fathers in the faith, but also into which He was born, to be fulfilled through His disciples (including us His latter day disciples) before He will finally reestablish the Kingdom of YHVH over the united Israel at His return. When Messiah returns one day, He will be welcomed by all Israel, headed by the reestablished Sanhedrin, since they fully believe in a Messiah who is coming to rule all Israel from Jerusalem. At that time they will truly exclaim as He prophesied in Matthew 23: 37 – 39, saying: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. (38) Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! (39) For I say to you, from now on you shall not see Me until you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF YHVH!’” After Yahshua’s discussion with the Pharisees, He and His disciples left the Temple and one of His disciples commented on its superb structure.

This was when Yahshua told His disciples with great sorrow about the soon-coming destruction of the Temple, as recorded in Matthew 24: 2, saying: “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here shall be left upon another, which will not be torn down.” Messiah spoke of a time 40 years into the future, when both the Temple and the city of Jerusalem would be destroyed by the Roman army. As He was sitting down on the Mount of Olives, His disciples asked Him to tell them when the Temple will be destroyed and what will be the sign of His coming, and the end of the age. Messiah and His disciples walked through the Kidron Valley and climbed to the summit of the Mount of Olives, from where they could see Jerusalem. It was then when they started questioning Him about His return, as witnessed in Matthew 24: 3 saying: “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” The disciples posed three questions in one and were expecting Messiah to return in their lifetime. They did not realize that He will only return approximately two thousand years later. Even so, Yahshua warned them about many religious teachers who will come in His name, even confessing that He is the Messiah, but who will lead many astray. He was talking about people who claim faith in Messiah; namely Christians, who will lead people astray by preaching a false gospel about His person, rather than the gospel about the coming kingdom of Elohim, which He came to proclaim. But, He was also referring to those Messianic/Nazarene Jews/Israelites and like-minded believers, many who will even use His correct name and preach the gospel about the Kingdom of Elohim, but will still lead people astray, since they teach a kingdom that will consist of them and their small group of believers only. Yahshua said it is necessary to believe the true gospel to be saved, yet millions of professing Christians do not know what the true gospel is. In Mark 16, we read Messiah’s parting commission to His apostles, sending them out into the world as teachers to assemble His congregation of called out believers, in verses 15 & 16, saying: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. (16) He who has believed and has been immersed shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”

Yahshua emphasized the importance of believing the gospel of the coming Kingdom of Elohim, to be saved. Yes, believing and proclaiming the gospel of the coming kingdom of Elohim, will save us, not trying to establish our own place of safety or Utopia somewhere here on earth; since there is something that all believers can look forward to. The kingdom of Elohim shall be established on earth, and until then YHVH will protect those who believe in Him wherever they are, provided they obey Him fully. We see from Mark 1: 14 & 15 that Messiah started His ministry soon after His immersion by Yochanan the Immerser, saying: ‘And after John had been taken into custody, Yahshua came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of Elohim, (15) and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of Elohim is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”’ Yahshua’s gospel is not the one that Christianity teaches about His person; resulting in millions believing on Him (or ‘Christ’ as they referred to Him), but do not believe His message about the coming kingdom of Elohim. This started immediately after Yahshua’s resurrection and will continue until He returns one day. Rav Shaul warned in 2 Corinthians 11: 4, saying: ‘For if one comes and preaches another Yahshua whom we have not preached (one who does away with His Father’s Torah), or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.’ Continuing in verse 13 we read: ‘For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Messiah.’ We see further from Revelation 6: 2 that this religious deception is symbolized by the rider on the white horse, as follows: ‘And I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him; and he went out conquering, and to conquer.’ Many have falsely assumed that the rider of the white horse of Revelation 6 is Messiah and have linked it with the white horse spoken about in Revelation 19. But, the rider of the white horse in Revelation 19 carries a sword and not a bow. The sword (of the spirit) is the word of Elohim as can be seen from Scriptures like Ephesians 6: 17. In addition the time setting of Revelation 6 is different from that in Revelation 19. Revelation 6 describes a false religion with false Messiahs and counterfeit gospels deceiving the world before the true Messiah’s return and Revelation 19 describes the actual return of Messiah.

Yahshua continued telling His disciples about the end time events, by speaking about wars and rumors of wars. He continued in the second part of verse 6 in Matthew 24, saying: “see that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.” Truth be told, the world has known wars for the past 6,000 years. But we see further from verse 7 that this is different to the wars waged since the beginning of time; it refers to end time wars where nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. Furthermore there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. During the past century the world suffered through two world wars, killing millions of people. Nevertheless the previous two world wars did not escalate into a nuclear war. But the coming world war that Messiah was talking about in Matthew 24: 22 could possibly destroy all life on earth, unless Yahshua returned to shorten the time of the tribulation at the end of this age, since mankind has always used the weapons that were available to them, they will eventually also use the nuclear weapons available in their arsenal. Whereas the rider of the white horse in Revelation 6: 2 rides forth to conquer in the name of false religion, the red horse and its rider in Revelation 6: 4, represents world-wide war. The modern day descendants of the house of Israel and the house of Judah will be punished at that time. Power blocks are currently being formed that will eventually result in the most gigantic battles in human history.

World-wide famine will soon result, as wars escalate and because of crop damages, contaminated water, destroyed livestock and excessive food demands to sustain the large armies. Yahshua our Messiah referred to more than one famine in verse 7 of Matthew 24. But, the famines that will occur during the time of the end will be as a result of adverse weather conditions and reduced productivity because of demands by larger armed forces and the shortage of food supplies in developed nations. Even though the worlds food production keeps pace with the ever increasing population, in many cases political and economic problems prevent the richer nations from delivering food where it is needed the most. The black horse spoken about in Revelation 6: 5 & 6 represents the scourge of famine that will eventually spread throughout the world, until human kind turns to Elohim. It will only be after mankind has learnt its lesson, during Messiah’s millennial rule, that Elohim will again bless them. Disease epidemics on a world-wide scale will in the end overlap the famines prophesied by Messiah. Millions of people will die, even though they might have survived the initial nuclear blasts and following famines. We read about the pale horse representing these disease epidemics in Revelation 6: 7 & 8, ‘And when He broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come.” (8) ‘And I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades (the grave) was following with him. And authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.’ The catastrophic events prophesied by Yahshua in Matthew 24: 4 – 7 have yet to make its final impact on earth. This will only reach a climax in what is called the great tribulation in Matthew 24: 21.

At this time, we are only at the very beginning of the troubles that are facing all of mankind. Our country is facing loss of productivity in the mining industry and elsewhere, because of strikes by employees, shortages of power supply due to mismanagement and a lack of maintenance of the current outdated infrastructure. It has and is losing the country millions of Rand on a daily basis, and as a result the value of the Rand has been decreasing to its lowest level against other major currencies ever. In addition, striking workers and thieves are destroying more and more public owned fixed and moving assets on almost a weekly basis. Railway line and cable theft delays more and more passenger and the few goods trains still running. But, this is only the beginning of our problems. Despite numerous plans to stem the economic crises, demonstrated by the disunity amongst labor, industry and the government it will not be long before water reticulation, sewerage systems and electricity supplies will fail due to theft, lack of maintenance and mismanagement. We will not even need other nations to attack us; we will cause most of the destruction ourselves, because of lawlessness. Notice how Yahshua explained this time of tribulation to His disciples in Matthew 24: 9 – 13, “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name (Yahshua not J*e*s*u*s). (10) And at that time many will fall away and will deliver up one another and hate one another. (11) And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many. (12) And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. (13) But the one who endures to the end he shall be saved.” We will need a great deal of patience and endurance, as we will be pushed to the very limit as Yahshua further explained in verse 21 of Matthew 24, saying: “for then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall.” We see that if we remain close to YHVH that He will intervene for us at that time, as we read in verse 22 of Matthew 24, “And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect (those of us called by YHVH at this time to be first fruits) those days shall be cut short.” Many believers however, misunderstand when these end-time events will occur. They often confuse the Great Tribulation with the ‘Day of YHVH’ and the heavenly signs. From the Scriptures we see that the Great Tribulation is the time when Satan will vent his anger on the world. He will be responsible for the affliction of the ones not found worthy to escape these terrible events.

Yahshua interrupted His discussion about this time of trouble to come upon the world, saying that prior to the end, the true gospel will have to be preached in all nations as we read in verse 14 of Matthew 24: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come.” Note, this is not saying we have to convert all people by forcing them to be immersed in Yahshua’s saving name, but to witness to the millions of despondent people out there, that there is a better way of life coming. (YHVH)’s way is one of teaching truth to people and only those whom He wants to call according to His purpose will want to know more. Others might think those of us teaching them these truths are crazy at this time, but when the Great Tribulation starts in full earnest, many of those will remember what you and I told them, and will try to locate us to obtain more truth. These are some of the ones spoken about in Revelation 7: 9 – 14, in this way: ‘After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands (this shows that it will be during the time that we normally keep the Feast of Tabernacles, and they will start observing the same with us); (10) and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our Elohim who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (11) And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped Elohim, (12) saying, “Amein, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our Elohim forever and ever. Amein.” (13) And one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and from where have they come? (14) And I said to him, “My master, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”’

It is therefore important that we send this and other similar messages to as many people that we know, throughout the world. Yahshua showed His disciples that for most of Elohim’s people, there is a way to escape these times of trouble, as He also taught in Luke 21: 36, saying: “But keep on the alert at all times, praying in order that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” We should watch world events on TV, radio and in newspapers, as it will help us to see these end-time prophecies being fulfilled, but also to make sure that we remain Torah observant and faithful to Messiah’s teachings to the end. By staying alert to what is happening around us and also to our compliance with Elohim’s way we will be ready when Messiah returns. Immediately after the tribulation we will witness the surprising events recorded in Luke 21: 25 & 26, “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, (26) men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” In Joel 2: 31 Joel describes the very same thing, calling it the great and awesome Day of YHVH. Yes, this is the time when YHVH will directly intervene in world affairs. The Day of YHVH is the time when He will punish the rebellious nations of this world. We see from Zephaniah 1: 17 how YHVH will deal with the defiant sinful people of the world, as follows: ‘And I will bring distress on men, so that they will walk like the blind, because they have sinned against YHVH; And their blood will be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung.’

Messiah will return to the earth in power and glory, to rule the earth and to usher in peace, as recorded in Matthew 24: 30, in this way: “and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory.” Ever since Messiah’s death, resurrection and ascension to heaven, Satan has sent false prophets to deceive people not to expect Messiah to return, since he mislead them to believe that good people goes to heaven at death, whilst the wicked will be tormented in an everlasting hell fire. This resulted in many people becoming doubtful about Messiah’s return. Events will soon be further confused when a powerful religious leader will dominate the world scene. Messiah warned in Matthew 24: 24 that this great false prophet will hold sway during the Great Tribulation and will perform great miracles trying to, if possible deceive even the elect. Messiah will return to the earth as the seventh trumpet sounds. The seven trumpets will begin to sound during the Day of YHVH, as recorded in Matthew 24: 31, as follows: “And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.” We do not have to build our own places of safety; YHVH will gather us from all over the earth. Rav Shaul assured us in first Thessalonians 4: 15 – 17 that Messiah will return at the sound of the last trumpet, when those who are alive and qualified, together with the righteous who died and are resurrected, will all be caught up to join Yahshua in the clouds on the Mount of Olives, from where He also ascended to heaven after His resurrection, to take over the rulership of the earth.

Even so, Yahshua did not tell His disciples the exact day and time of His return, but said to them in verse 36 of Matthew 24: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” However Yahshua said that it will be possible to know when His return is near. He explained in the parable of the fig tree that we know that summer is near when the fig tree puts forth leaves. In the same way we will know that the return of Messiah is near, when we observe world conditions. By watching world events we are able to see enough evidence of end time conditions. We need to be in a constant state of readiness for Messiah’s return. Yahshua warned us to be ready in the last few verses of Matthew 24, as well as in Matthew 25. He exhorts us to prepare spiritually and obey His Torah; we should be a living example of Him. We should be doing the work of proclaiming the good news of the coming kingdom of Elohim, until the day He returns, as He taught in Matthew 24: 46 & 47, saying: “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. (47) Truly I say to you, that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.” The focal point of The Scriptures revolves around the coming of Yahshua the Messiah as Savior and King of Israel. In the Garden of Eden our first parents damaged their relationship with Elohim by sinning. However YHVH foretold the coming of a Redeemer who would repair the spiritual breach with Him in Genesis 3: 15. YHVH said to the serpent that tempted Adam and Eve to sin: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.” This is the first prophesy in the Scriptures about the coming Messiah, who would smash the power that sin and death hold over humans. How will this happen? We know that it happened by the sacrificial death of Yahshua our Savior.

Yahshua accomplished this at His first coming and in John 1: 29 Yochanan the Immerser recognized Him as “the Lamb of Elohim, who takes away the sin of the world!” Scriptures reveal the importance of Elohim becoming flesh at the first coming of Yahshua the Messiah, but also reveal that Yahshua will most certainly come again, visibly and in power. After Yahshua’s resurrection, as His disciples watched him ascend, two angels asked them in Acts 1: 11, saying: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Yahshua, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” Rav Shaul gave us a second witness of these events when he also told the congregation in Corinth in First Corinthians 51 – 51 how the righteous dead will be raised to immortality and the faithful who are still alive will be changed, at the sound of the last trumpet when Messiah returns. But, the question remains: when will this happen? Throughout the ages, people have speculated about the return of Messiah – and many times these people were disappointed when their various interpretations failed. Overemphasizing Yahshua‘s return diverts our minds from doing the work of Elohim. Many become so engrossed in prophetic speculation that they fail to fulfill their rightful role as Nazarene Israelites, i.e. to be lights in the world; to be watchmen over both houses of Israel, warning them about impending problems, due to sin; and continuing to esteem YHVH and serve our fellow human beings. Our focus should be on being ready for Yahshua’s return, whenever it occurs, as recorded in Matthew 24: 44, where He instructed His disciples and by implication also us His modern day disciples, saying: “For this reason you be ready (and prepared to be saved) too; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.” This should be read with what Yahshua told His disciples previously in Matthew 10: 22, saying: “And you will be hated by all on account of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.” Yes, according to Philippians 3: 21 Yahshua will return in all His glory to “transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”

For early believers Yahshua’s return was certain. The disciples didn’t need to worry about when it would occur. YHVH wanted them to stop gazing into the sky and get on with preaching the truth. The chaotic world in which we live today, begs us to look for ‘signs’ in the cosmos to indicate that the return of Messiah is imminent. We yearn for Messiah to come and straighten out the mess we find ourselves in. However, prophetic speculation is still ill advised. The reason is that prophetic misfires destroy faith. People were always on the lookout for ‘signs’ which, will according to ‘prophesy’ announce and accompany Jacob’s trouble and because the signs included selfish rulers, civil disobedience, drought, floods, famine, comets, plagues, and an increase in sinfulness, were present throughout history, there was never any difficulty about finding these ‘signs.’ People are more concerned with the date on which Yahshua will return than with how He commanded us, His followers to live until He comes. During the great plague in Europe in the 13th century, prophets of that day predicted that Messiah will return within the following ten years. John Wesley, the father of the Methodist Church, said the end would come in 1836. Jehovah’s Witnesses speak of the Creator’s promise of a peaceful and secure new world before the generation that saw the start of the 1st world war in 1914, passes away. When my wife and I started believing in the true gospel, more than forty years ago, the group we belonged to believed that the end would come in 1974. That was the time we joined this group, whilst some who followed their teachings until then, left because predictions did not come true.

YHVH does not take us out of this hostile, selfish world; He leaves us in it to do the work of proclaiming the good news of His coming Kingdom and to ‘believe in the one, whom He has sent.’ We are living in the enemy’s territory spiritually, and we are supposed to witness to a better way of life. We are ambassadors of (YHVH)’s Kingdom in a world hostile to Him. As ambassadors we need to show the people amongst whom we live in this world, the better way that we are supposed to live like in Elohim’s kingdom. We keep the laws applicable to the country in which we live (as long as these conform to Torah), but also the Laws applicable to Elohim’s Kingdom in heaven, i.e. the Torah. The reason is that we should be examples to the people around us in the world. We have to show them that we keep the commandments and other laws for our own good. When the Kingdom of Elohim comes to earth as it is presently in Heaven, we will already be keeping the Torah, but without ever sinning, since we will be Spiritual by then. To enable us to live in the hostile territory of our enemy here on earth, we need to put on the full armor of YHVH our Elohim, so that we may take a stand against the Devil’s schemes as Rav Shaul described in Ephesians 6. Our orders from Yahshua are clear, as He told His disciples in Matthew 24: 45 & 46, saying: “Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? (46) Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.”

We must not let the enemy’s propaganda wear us out. We need to remain loyal to the coming King of kings and Master of masters. However, do not misunderstand what I am trying to get across with this sermon. Even though we should focus on how we live, we should also proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom of Elohim to especially the Israelite nations around us. If the gentiles also get to hear these truths and are called we should also teach them to become fully fledged Jewish Israelites, as witnessed in Numbers 15: 15, as follows: ‘As for the assembly, there shall be one statute for you and for the alien who sojourns with you, a perpetual statute throughout your generations; as you are, so shall the alien be before YHVH.’ Our world today can be compared to the time of Noah. Paraphrased we see from Genesis 6: 15, Elohim saw that during the days of Noah, the wickedness of mankind was very great and that every intention in their heart was only evil continually. Like at Noah’s time our news is filled with accounts of rape, murder and other crimes against humanity. Only the very naïve do not recognize the signs of a dying world. The increasing crime and violence leaves the world with very little hope! Yahshua was serious about proclaiming the good news about the coming Kingdom of Elohim. Yes we need to give the people of our dying world hope for the future, by telling them about the world to come when Messiah will return to rule the world from Jerusalem

The Kingdom of Elohim will usher in a time of prosperity, and all evil that Satan caused will be stopped as witnessed in Micah 4: 3 & 4, in this way: “And He will judge between many peoples and render decisions for mighty, distant nations. Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they train for war. (4) And each of them will sit under his vine and under his fig tree, with no one to make them afraid, for the mouth of YHVH of hosts has spoken.” Baruch HaShem YHVH!