What Is the Olivet Discourse and How Does It Relate to End Times?
Bible Study Guide (Olivet Discourse – End Times Series)
Jesus was about to give His most prophetic teaching on the end of the world of His three year ministry called, “The Olivet Discourse.” It was one of His last teachings and it delivered a whopping message that left His disciples stunned and perplexed. Jesus taught this message only days before he would be crucified.
What Is the Olivet Discourse Meaning?
The Olivet Discourse meaning is the title given to a lengthy and orderly teaching given by Christ. The location of this teaching was the Mount Of Olives. Olivet being the Mount of Olives and discourse meaning teaching. The audience was composed of His disciples and Jesus’ followers.
The Mt. Of Olives is symbolic in that it’s the place where His disciples last saw Jesus ascend toward heaven. It’s also where the angels immediately appeared and told the disciples that Jesus would return at this same location at His Second Coming.
What Signs Today Show Us We Are Nearing the Second Coming of Christ?
What Is the Olivet Discourse?
The Olivet Discourse teaching can be found in three gospels, Mark 13:1-37 and Luke 21:5-36. The most extensive version of this teaching by Christ is found in Matthew 24:1-25:46.
For the purpose of this Bible study, we’ll be referencing Matthew’s account.
This teaching by Jesus is an expansion in more detail of the what the prophet Daniel spoke of from God in Daniel 9.
“Seventy weeks are determined
For your people and for your holy city,
To finish the transgression,
To make an end of sins,
To make reconciliation for iniquity,
To bring in everlasting righteousness,
To seal up vision and prophecy,
And to anoint the Most Holy.
25 “Know therefore and understand,
That from the going forth of the command
To restore and build Jerusalem
Until Messiah the Prince,
There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks;
The street shall be built again, and the wall,
Even in troublesome times.
26 “And after the sixty-two weeks
Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself;
And the people of the prince who is to come
Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.
The end of it shall be with a flood,
And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate.” (Daniel 9:24-27)
The Olivet Discourse: Continuation of Daniel’s Prophecy
In this Daniel 9 passage, after Daniel was finished praying while a captive in the land of Babylon after the desolation of Judah and Jerusalem, he’s paid a visit by the angel Gabriel. Gabriel reveals to him a period of time (70 “weeks”) decreed by God that would be set aside to deal directly with God’s people.
The “weeks” is an ancient reference to a period of 7 years. Thus “one week” being a seven year period. Seventy “7 year” periods equate to 490 years. 483 years of this prophecy toward the people of Israel have already been fulfilled. They occurred from the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem led by Nehemiah and Ezra up to the crucifixion of Jesus.
There is “one week” (7 years) left to be fulfilled. This is the period we call the Tribulation. The last seven years at the end of this age as spoken by John the apostle in the book of Revelation (Revelation 6:1-19:21) given to him by Christ.
Notice carefully at the beginning of the Daniel 9 passage it states, “Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city.” This period of 70 “weeks” given to Daniel was directly related to Israel. In the same way, Jesus will be teaching about what will specifically be happening to the Jews and Israel during the last unfulfilled week (7 year Tribulation period).
The Olivet Discourse: Coincides with Revelation
This means that the Olivet Discourse will coincide with what’s occurring on earth as told in Revelation 6:1-19:21. Revelation teaches us what will occur on earth as humanity receives the wrath of God spoken of throughout the Bible. Jesus teaches what will happen to Israel and the Jews during this very same time period.
God has a very specific plan for the unbelieving world during the earth’s worse days in the Tribulation. He also has a very specific plan for His people. It’s the same plan He revealed to Daniel over 500 years before the birth of His Son, Jesus. It’s the same plan Jesus will teach to His disciples on the Mount of Olives.
What Is God’s Plan In Jesus’ Olivet Discourse?
483 “weeks” have been fulfilled. This leaves 1 “week” (7 year period) to fulfill God’s specific plan for his people and His nation. What is that plan?
God’s plan was explicitly laid out in the prophecy He gave Daniel.
“Seventy weeks are determined
For your people and for your holy city,
To finish the transgression,
To make an end of sins,
To make reconciliation for iniquity,
To bring in everlasting righteousness,
To seal up vision and prophecy,
And to anoint the Most Holy.” (Daniel 9:24)
In other words, God’s plan decreed for His people is to:
| 1. to finish transgression; |
| 2. to put an end to sin; |
| 3. to atone for wickedness; |
| 4. to bring in everlasting righteousness; |
| 5. to seal up vision and prophecy; |
| 6. to anoint the Most Holy Place. |
Not one of these decrees has been fulfilled. But they’ll all be fulfilled in the final “week” seven year period.
There will be great tumult among the people across the planet during the Tribulation. But no where will it be greater than in the land of Israel. Especially when the Antichrist turns on the Jewish people in their own temple at the midway point of the Tribulation. This will begin what’s called the Great Tribulation.
Christ will teach on what will accurately happen to the Jews during this time period.
Details of the Olivet Discourse Given By Other Prophets
Zechariah is given these words by God referring to the Jews during this 7 year period decreed by God to deal with His people.
“And it shall come to pass in all the land,”
Says the Lord,
“That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die,
But one-third shall be left in it:
9 I will bring the one-third through the fire,
Will refine them as silver is refined,
And test them as gold is tested.
They will call on My name,
And I will answer them.
I will say, ‘This is My people’;
And each one will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’” (Zechariah 13:8-9)
Two-thirds of the Jews in the land will perish. One-third will be refine and purified as they’re led through the Tribulation. But in the end, they will come to accept Christ as their Messiah when they see Him return on the Mt. of Olives. The very same spot where the Jesus’ Olivet Discourse was given.
“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. 11 In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo” (Armageddon). (Zechariah 12:10-11)
“For though your people, O Israel, be as the sand of the sea,
A remnant of them will return;
The destruction decreed shall overflow with righteousness.
23 For the Lord God of hosts
Will make a determined end
In the midst of all the land.” (Isaiah 10:22-23)
Moments before Christ delivered His Olivet Discourse He mentioned that they would not see Him again until the the one-third (Remnant Jews) came to believe in Him. This is exactly what the purification and refinement of the fires and trials of the Tribulation are meant for in relation to the Jewish people.
Jesus Begins His Teaching From the Mount of Olives
Christ begins the Olivet Discourse a short distance from the east side of the Temple. He could’ve begun with a dozen different topics. But there’s one very important message He chooses to start His discourse.
Let’s now go take a look at what this message is and exactly why He chose to begin with this urgent call.
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