Monday, 10 December 2018

Victory

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The "Olivet Discourse" is found in all 3 synoptic gospels (the one non-synoptic gospel book is John), Matthew 24 and 25, Mark 13, and Luke 21. The remaining gospel book, John, is the one that tells Yeshua’s story from a more Jewish perspective than the other three.

Many volumes have been written on these prophetic words of Yeshua. I want to draw your attention to two things that appear in all 3 accounts. First, Yeshua makes statements that His followers should expect to suffer before He returns in victory.

Matthew 24:8-13 "But all these things are only the beginning of birth pains. Then they will hand you over to persecution and will kill you. You will be hated by all the nations because of My name. And then many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one other. Many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved."

It's tempting to believe this has already happened. Have you ever heard that history repeats itself? What do I hear? Did someone just say, "Never in America?" While the threat is real, we must walk in faith and not in fear. The good news (or part of it) is that God has given us His family (each other) so we don't have to go through various trials alone. The victory of God belongs to the people of God and this is His victory, "LOVE." Love never fails.

The second thing I wanted to mention is the prophesy of the fig tree that appears in all 3 synoptic gospels.

Matthew 24:32 "Now learn the parable from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near."

The fig tree in scripture is always allegorical of Jewish Israel. The branch becoming tender and blossoming leaves could mean several things. It could be the founding of the State of Israel (1948) or it could be the unification of Jerusalem and inclusion of the Shomron (1967).

It could also mean life from the dead in the form of Messianic Judaism. Large numbers (today more than 100,000) Jewish people who believe in Yeshua. Young and old alike worshipping Him in Hebrew as has not happened in the world since His triumphal entry into Jerusalem almost 2,000 years ago.

Thinking about the possibilities takes my breath away. Yes, I borrowed that line from Misty Edwards (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3v9q-5gPjo).