A message on the sure word of prophecy and the unfolding plan of God.
Sermon notes, Matthew, Mark, & Luke accounts merged, and other info (PDF)
Introduction: A Foundation on the Word of God
As I opened the service, I read from 2 Peter 1:16–21, a text we’ll revisit throughout this series:
“For we have not followed cunningly devised fables… but were eyewitnesses of His majesty… We have also a more sure word of prophecy… knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation… but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
That passage sets the standard for all prophetic interpretation. Prophecy is not speculation or private insight; it is divine revelation—breathed by the Holy Spirit and preserved from Genesis to Revelation.
Before diving into Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, I prayed, thanking God for Jesus Christ—the second and perfect Adam—who bore our sin, conquered death, and gave us eternal life through faith in His name. Then we began.
Reviewing the Foundations of Prophecy
Last week, I outlined what makes a biblical prophecy legitimate according to Scripture—not to tradition, seminaries, or private systems.
- Prophecy must be literal. Over 1,000 prophecies have already been fulfilled exactly as written.
- Prophecies unfold in sequence. Events prophesied for Israel or the nations occur chronologically.
- Symbolism is always explained by Scripture itself. There is no mystery hidden from believers.
- Cross-referencing is essential. Scripture interprets Scripture; that’s how symbols are clarified.
- Prophets received partial glimpses. Each prophet saw pieces of the same divine panorama from different angles.
Jesus Himself, though divine, chose to speak within the limits of revelation given by the Father. His teaching in the Olivet Discourse forms what one pastor aptly called “the spine of prophecy”—stretching from His earthly ministry to His triumphant return.
Avoiding “Red-Letter Thinking”
Before studying the discourse, I issued a caution. Too many believers fall into red-letter thinking—treating the words of Jesus in red as more authoritative than the rest of Scripture.
But all Scripture—from Genesis to Revelation—is equally God-breathed.
- The Gospels are not “holier” than the Epistles.
- The Old Testament is not inferior to the New.
- What Paul, Peter, or John wrote carries the same divine authority as Jesus’ spoken words.
This matters deeply when studying prophecy. Some claim that because Jesus didn’t explicitly mention the rapture, the millennium, or the new heaven and new earth in the Gospels, those doctrines are secondary. They are not. Each prophet—including Christ—was given a particular portion of the full revelation. Together, they form the complete picture.
The Structure of the Olivet Discourse
I have compiled the King James text of Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 into a single narrative. Each Gospel contributes unique details, and only by reading them together do we grasp the full message.
The Olivet Discourse contains five major prophetic categories:
- Near-Future Events – Fulfilled within a generation (A.D. 70).
- Ongoing Events – Continuous signs throughout the Church Age.
- Dual Fulfillments – Prophecies repeating in history and climaxing in the future.
- End-Time Events – The Great Tribulation, cosmic signs, and Christ’s return.
- Watchfulness – The moral command for believers in every generation.
The Destruction of the Temple (Near Future)
When the disciples admired the temple’s beauty, Jesus stunned them:
“There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”
That prophecy was literally fulfilled in A.D. 70, when Rome besieged Jerusalem and tore the temple apart stone by stone. Luke recorded, “When ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.”
This fulfillment reminds us that no human structure or institution is eternal. Only God’s Word endures.
The Disciples’ Question and Jesus’ Two Horizons
The disciples, shaken, asked:
“When shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”
They assumed the temple’s fall and the world’s end were the same event. Jesus’ answer revealed two prophetic horizons:
- The near destruction of Jerusalem,
- And the distant return of Christ.
- Like mountain peaks seen in a single skyline, the two events appeared close together to the disciples—but history has revealed the vast distance between them.
Ongoing Troubles Through the Age
Jesus warned of ongoing global unrest—false messiahs, wars, earthquakes, pestilences, and famines. He said, “The end is not yet.” These are continuous tremors in a fallen world, previews of coming judgment.
From the first-century famine (Acts 11:28) to modern crises, these signs remind us that creation groans, but the final end remains ahead.
Persecution of the Disciples (Near Future)
Jesus also prophesied that His apostles would be arrested, hated, and killed for His name.
- Peter and John were imprisoned (Acts 4).
- Stephen was stoned (Acts 7).
- James was executed (Acts 12).
- Paul stood before kings and Caesar (Acts 24–26).
Yet, He promised, “It shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.” The Holy Spirit would empower them—and still empowers believers today—to speak boldly under persecution.
The Abomination of Desolation (Dual Fulfillment)
This prophecy mirrors the pattern you asked about earlier: one near fulfillment and one distant.
- Near: The Roman desecration of the temple in A.D. 70.
- Future: The Antichrist’s blasphemy during the seven-year tribulation, when he exalts himself above God (2 Thess. 2:3–4; Dan. 9:27).
The first event previewed the second. What Rome did in part, the final world ruler will repeat in full horror.
False Christs and False Prophets (Ongoing & End-Time Climax)
False messiahs arose even in the apostles’ day (Acts 5:36–37), and counterfeit prophets have deceived millions since. Their existence proves the authenticity of the true Christ—nobody counterfeits what doesn’t exist.
This deception will crescendo under the Antichrist and false prophet (Revelation 13). The restraining power of the Holy Spirit working through the Church will be removed, and global delusion will follow (2 Thess. 2:6–12).
Cosmic Signs and the Visible Return of Christ (End Times)
Jesus described cosmic upheaval—darkened skies, falling stars, trembling heavens—occurring “immediately after the tribulation.” Revelation 6 confirms these same disturbances.
Preterists claim all prophecy was fulfilled by A.D. 70, but Scripture says otherwise. These cosmic signs have never yet occurred. Prophecy is always fulfilled literally, never “spiritually” or symbolically explained away. The second coming will be unmistakable, global, and visible to every nation.
The Parable of the Fig Tree (Illustration of Nearness)
Jesus used a simple picture: when a fig tree buds, summer is near. Likewise, when the prophetic signs align, His coming is near.
We must interpret signs in total—not isolate earthquakes, wars, or leaders—but view all in their biblical sequence.
The Unknown Day and Hour (Watchfulness)
Jesus declared, “Of that day and hour knoweth no man… but my Father only.”
The destruction of Jerusalem had signs; His second coming will have none. It will be sudden—like the flood in Noah’s day—not because of hybrid giants or demonic speculation, but because people will be living ordinary lives when judgment arrives.
For believers, that suddenness points to the rapture—a mystery event without warning or precursor. It will happen in an instant.
The Parables of Watchfulness (For All Generations)
Jesus ended His discourse with parables of watchfulness—the faithful servant, the thief in the night. The command is simple: “Watch and be ready.”
Faithful believers obey not out of fear, but out of love. Holiness becomes a want to, not a have to. Once saved, we are new creations—empowered by the Holy Spirit, forgiven, and equipped to endure until He calls us home.
What Jesus Didn’t Mention
Jesus’ Olivet teaching focused on the timeline from His day to His return. He did not mention several prophetic realities later revealed through other Scriptures:
- The rapture of the Church (1 Thess. 4:16–17).
- The removal of the restrainer and rise of the man of sin (2 Thess. 2:6–12).
- The mark of the beast and eternal punishment (Revelation 14:9–11).
- The new heaven, new earth, and New Jerusalem (Revelation 21–22).
Each prophet received part of the revelation; together, they complete the tapestry.
The Hope Beyond Judgment
Prophecy is not doom—it is hope.
Every judgment leads toward restoration. Revelation is not a horror story but the story of everything made right—justice served, creation healed, righteousness established.
For believers, these truths ignite both hope and urgency. Hope, because we know the end is victory. Urgency, because the time to reach the lost is short.
Living Ready
Every encounter, every conversation, is an opportunity to share Christ. Whether with a friend, a coworker, or—as in my case—even my barber who asks each week what I’ll preach next, we tell the truth:
That salvation is free through faith in Jesus Christ; that sins are forgiven and forgotten; that names are written in the Book of Life; and that we are heirs to an unshakable Kingdom.
We live now in the Church Age—an age of grace—but soon the trumpet will sound. The Church will be caught up, the man of sin will rise, and the world will face tribulation. Yet for us, it is not fear but anticipation, for we know our redemption draws near.
Conclusion: Hope Until the Trumpet
Whether Christ calls us home tonight or years from now, we remain faithful. We watch, we pray, and we proclaim. Because the same Word that foretold His first coming guarantees His return.
“We have also a more sure word of prophecy… as unto a light that shineth in a dark place.” (2 Peter 1:19)
And that light, until the day dawns, keeps us steady, joyful, and ready for His appearing.
Amen.
