Tell us, when shall these things be?

After the disciples had pointed out the magnificent temple structure, Christ predicted its total destruction, vv. 1, 2. The disciples asked, ‘When shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?’ Matt. 24. 3. They referred to His ‘coming in the clouds with great power and glory’, Mark 13. 26, to receive an indestructible kingdom, Dan. 7. 13, 14. Although the precise time of His coming cannot be accurately predicted - ‘of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father’, v. 32 - the Lord Jesus unfolded to His disciples events which will immediately precede it, vv. 28, 29.

The Olivet discourse is so named because Christ gave it while sitting ‘upon the mount of Olives’, v. 3, the mount upon which ‘his feet shall stand’ when He comes to reign, Zech. 14. 4. It details the period just prior to His return and takes a similar viewpoint to that of the Old Testament prophets who looked beyond Christ’s suffering to kingdom glory, bypassing the entire church age, 1 Pet. 1. 11. The chronology of the discourse parallels the prophetic timetable revealed to Daniel, Dan. 9. 24-27. Christ addressed His disciples as representatives of godly Jews who will live during these turbulent times.

The events which are outlined in this chapter will begin following the rapture of the church, 1 Thess. 4. 16, 17. They are so certain of fulfilment that the Lord Jesus stated, ‘Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away’, Mark 13. 31. And once they begin they will take place rapidly, within one generation, v. 30. During the tribulation there will be widespread deception in the form of false Christs, vv. 5, 6,international warfare, vv. 7, 8,and widespread natural disasters including earthquakes and famines, v. 8. Despite the intense persecution of believers, vv. 9, 11-13, there will be global evangelism, v. 10, and throughout the period genuine believers will live in the expectancy of a soon coming Messiah. Even though Christian believers do not look for Christ to return as King, we do live in the daily hope of His coming to the air for His church. Such a hope should lead to pure living, 1 John 3. 3.