When I think about the Mount of Olives, I think about living for the Lord. I think about the great commission that God has given each one of us. He has commissioned us to go out to seek, and to save the lost before it’s ever lasting too late. The Mount of Olives makes me ponder on the topic of being one of Jesus‘s true disciples.

    According to Scriptures, several events have happened on the Mount of Olives. Below, I’ve listed the events the Holy Spirit wants us to bring into focus. Then, we’ll discuss some end of the times events.

1. Jesus came to Jerusalem riding on a donkey and this occurred just below the Mount of Olives (Luke 19:28-40).
2. Just above the Mount of Olives is where Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead, and then Scripture recorded that Jesus wept, because he was overcome with compassion. (John 11:38-44)
3. All the way to the top, of the Mount of Olives, is where Jesus left earth (Acts 1:11-12).
4. This is where the angels came, and asked the men of Galilee: why do you stand here gazing? Just below the mount of olives is the valley of Jehoshaphat (Acts 1:11).
5. This is significant, in the Scriptures, because this is where Jesus will separate the goats from the sheep (Matthew 25:31-46).
6. Luke 21:37 Every day Jesus was teaching in the temple. According to the scripture Jesus taught in a temple at the Mt. of Olives. Then, at night, Jesus would also make camp here.
7. This is where Jesus also paused and prophesied over Jerusalem. He said that not one stone would be left (Matthew 24:2). This prophecy was filled in 70 A.D. by the Romans. Today, in Israel, we can see some of the stones in the walkway, the floor, and part of the wall that the Romans knocked down in in 70 A.D.
8. At the top of the Mount of Olives Jesus left this world and will also return. Check out this scripture: Zachariah 14:4. 4 (NIV) “On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.”

     It’s at the base of the mount of olives, where Jesus will set up his reign, and will judge the people. We can find this stated in the following scripture: Joel 3:2 New International Version 2 I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will put them on trial for what they did to my inheritance, my people Israel, because they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land.

Rev. 14:15 King James Bible “And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.”

     When you are stepping on the Mount of Olives, just think about all this for a moment. You are at the center of history. This is where Jesus stood, this is where Jesus taught, this is where Jesus’ slept, this is where Jesus left earth, and this is where Jesus will return.

Of all the places in Israel, the mount of olives, has to be, everyone’s favorite! It is everyone’s favorite, because it has been preserved to be the returning point for Jesus. Everyone wants to know when and where Jesus will return. The fact is we just don’t know. Today, the Holy Spirit is going to help us study in the end times! Therefore, let us turn to Matthew chapter 24. I also want to tell you that this teaching is based on a literal translation of the Bible. Meaning that what the Bible records is what will happen.

    In Matthew 24, Jesus tells us different events that will happen and many of the things that we read in Matthew 24 are happening in our day!  We don’t know the exact day Jesus will return, but each day that passes is one day closer to his return. Today the Holy Ghost divides the end time events into three phases.

Phase 1:

Matthew 24:1-4King James Version

24 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

² And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

³ And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

⁴ And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

    The first part of this Scripture informs us that Jesus and his disciples were engaged in the teaching of Jesus seated on the Mount of Olives. As they were looking at their surroundings in Israel the disciples brought Jesus’s attention to the beauty of the temple and then Jesus prophesized. He says that the temple was going to be destroyed. I sure this was a devesting blow to the disciples!

   The temple was built of hand-hewn stone in Jerusalem. The stone was overlayed with stone. It was destroyed by fire, but that fire had to be hot and continuous. The fuel for the fire was the olive trees. The soldiers cut the trees down, put them around the stones, and in the actual sanctuary. The olive oil produced a natural accelerant. All of the gold melted, which was plundered by the soldiers, but historians have uncovered too. Here is a picture…

     Now the disciples are really confused; so, they ask Jesus a couple of more questions. So, we find the questions in verse three.

1. When will these things be?
2. What will the signs of your coming?
3. What will be the sign of the end times?

    Jesus did not come back when the temple was destroyed! However, it does serve a major purpose. What is the purpose you ask? Well, the temple housed the animal sacrifice that was the atonement for sins but absent of the temple this could not go on properly. Therefore, the spotlight was on Jesus. We no longer need the temple, because is our atonement for sins. Atonement is not through sacrifice of animals but is the sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus is the only sacrifice we need.

  Jesus is coming again. The Old Testament gave over 300 prophecies, and they were all fulfilled. So, yes all these in the New Testament will also be fulfilled. Matthew 24 speaks about labor pains and labor can be divided into three phases; so, the Holy Spirit divides it this way for us.

First, the contractions are light. Next, your in the hospital. Finally, you are begging for the epidural.

Now, let us look at verses 7 and 8. “7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.”

Jesus says the phases are light and grow in intensity!

The phases are broken down into events!

1. Deception of false prophets (anti-Christ)  

      In the 1800’s we only had two people to claim to be God or Jesus. Then in the 1900’s we had 7 people. Finally, in the 20th century we have had 36 anti-Christ’s. A few to mention that you may know about is as follows: Jim Jones, Charles Manson, Sergey Torop (Russian Traffic Cop), and A.J. Miller and Mary Look ( Jovan witness).

• Wars and rumors of Wars We have wars and rumors of wars every day on the news broadcasts! Currently, there are more 800 conflicts in 70 countries.
• Famines Today, the world stands on the brink of unprecedented famines. About 30 million people are experiencing alarming hunger, severe levels of food insecurity and malnutrition.
• Pestilences Do we even have to mention what type of sicknesses and diseases that are on the rise. Covid, Aids, and other serious ones like Cancer.
• Earthquakes Earthquakes and other natural disasters are definitely on the rise. The internet reports we have had an increase of earthquakes and their severity. I think they are up to 16 registered big quakes last year.

Phase 2 Matthew 24:9-14

Matthew 24:9-14New International Version

⁹ “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. ¹⁰ At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, ¹¹ and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. ¹² Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,¹³ but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. ¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdomwill be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

     Next the Holy Spirit divided the end times into 6 more events for us and they are as follows:

• Persecution of Christians

Do you know there are places we can not travel today, because we will be murdered for our faith in Jesus! I just recently bought a passport for my daughter and the top places not to go is North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya, and Pakistan. You might have also noticed that politically we do not want to stand on the word of God.

• Abandoning of the Faith

    Across the board we see for forsaking of Church attendance. We are truly in the end times today! In recent years, more churches are closing than opening. Fewer than 50% of Americans claim to be church members.

• Betrayal and Hated

    The United States has faced at least 202 mass shootings so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. There have been more mass shootings than days in 2023.

• In crease in deception by false prophets

41% of Americans say the Son of God existed before Jesus was born

Most Americans (80%) agree Jesus Christ is the Son of God the Father, according to Lifeway Research, but half that believe the Son of God existed prior to Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. The 2020 State of Theology Study showed that 72% of Americans believe there is one true God in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. However, Americans, including many churchgoers, remain confused about the Trinity and could use some help from their pastors.

1. Shunning of God’s Laws

   1 in 6 young adults identify as LGTBQ

Few American adults identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (5.6%), according to Gallup, but the numbers are much higher among younger generations (15.9% of Gen Z). Almost every Christian student will have an LGBTQ friend or classmate, so church leaders must speak on issues of sexuality with truth and love.

1.  Decrease of Love

I have defiantly noticed the lack of concern and love for others. I’m reminding in every grocery store, at every gas pump, and road rage incident.

1.  Spreading the gospel globally

  Now this is a good thing, because as soon as the last person is saved God will send his son! We are living in the information age and the word is getting out by social media, websites, YouTube, and blogs.

Phase 3: Matthew 24: 15-28

Matthew 24:15-28New King James Version

The Great Tribulation

¹⁵ “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), ¹⁶ “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁷ Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. ¹⁸ And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. ¹⁹ But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! ²⁰ And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. ²¹ For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. ²² And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the ^[a]elect’s sake those days will be shortened. ²³ “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here isthe Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. ²⁴ Forfalse christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²⁵ See, I have told you beforehand. ²⁶ “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. ²⁷ For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ²⁸ For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

    Some people believe that we will be here for some or all of phase 3. I hope we are like Lot and God sends His son and His angles to collect us in the rapture, before phase 3 occurs. This is the excruciating painful time that will occur. It’s coming on the Earth! Jesus told us so and it is so.

    Most of us know the intensity of labor giving just before birth and we know this is the worst part of it! The Holy Spirit has reassured me that I have not missed the rapture and we are not in phase 3. Jesus spoke about the abomination of desolation that is that the anticipation of the antichrist. The Bible tells us this antichrist will be oppose anything Godly!

2 Thessalonians 2:4

it says that he will set himself up in god’s temple in Jerusalem and proclaim himself to be god. He will demand to be worshipped!  He will re-build for himself a timple the eyes of many will be opened when he breaks a covenant of peace the book of  Daniel told us about.

Jesus says in verse 21 the intensity of the great tribulation between Revelation 6 to 18 is what is going to happen upon the earth! Cataclysmic world events and the rise of more false christs and false prophets. These people will perform false signs and wonders.

     Then, Jesus warns all those that are alive in verse 27 said don’t believe people when they say I am in various places.

    The mount of olives is the place, recorded in scripture, that God will return in great power, and in great glory.  Zach 14:4 (King James Bible) “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.”

 Then, scripture reports that he will reign with great power, and great glory for 1000 years. (Revelation 20:5-6)

   We don’t often speak about God’s calendar in church, but as we read the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit speaks to us, it is explained. In the above picture, you can see the timeline with a graphic organizer, but first we all know that Jesus came into the world by a virgin birth, was crucified, and arose. Now, we are in what can be described as the church age. We’ve been in the church age for over 2000 years. Scripture reports that we are waiting for the last person to be saved. Then, we have what Christians describe as the second coming of Jesus Christ. This is when Jesus will ascend on the mount of olives and gather the elect. The elect are his children who have accepted him and serve him. Then, what happens next is told in Daniel 9:27 the antichrist is ushered in. This lasts for seven years. This is the great tribulation that everyone knows about, but very seldomly studied. There seems to be some sort of peace treaty, and then the devil sacrifices on gods altar, assigns the mark of the beast, and set up his kingdom reign.

    Finally, Jesus Christ comes back, and this is at the end of the tribulation period. Scripture reports that he will come back and touch down on the mount of olives. Also, Revelation 19 reports that God’s army comes back with him. This is when the angels also come, and God sets up the thousand year reign. According to scripture, this reign is supposed to last 1000 years. We will have our new super natural bodies and will reign over the people who accepted Christ during the tribulation period. Scripture tells us that Jesus will rule with the rod of iron. Bible scholars tells us that this rule of iron is actually a rule of justice. (Revelation 19:15) At the beginning of his reign, we read in scripture, that Satan is tied up and thrown into the pit of fire for the duration of the thousand years. (Revelations 19:20)  Oh, what a happy time that will be! He will not be able to attack us with his fire darts.

    Next, we have the release of Satan, and he pretty much devours the earth. Finally, we have the great white throne room of judgment. Then we have the creation of the new heavens and the new earth! Satan and the unbelievers are finally judged. Satan and the unbelievers are finally judged.