OLIVET DISCOURSE
The Beginning of Sorrows
Matthew 24:4-8
We are doing a series of lessons right now on the Olivet Discourse found in Matthew 24-25
This is the 3rd of three great sermons preached by Jesus and recorded in the book of Matthew
• The Sermon on the Mount
o Matthew 5-7
• The Kingdom of Heaven Parables and
o Matthew 13
• This Olivet Discourse
o Matthew 24-25
All three are Jewish in context and have to do with the promised kingdom the Jewish people have been waiting for since God promised Abraham to make of him a great nation.
The Sermon on the Mount has been described as the Constitution of the Kingdom.
Jesus describes life in the Kingdom of Christ
The Kingdom of Heaven Parables describe the gap between when Jesus offered the Kingdom (and it was rejected) and when He comes to set up that Kingdom at the end of the Tribulation period.
The Olivet Discourse describes that event which is the sign of Jesus’ coming to set up that Kingdom.
It describes for us the Tribulation period. Everything in the chapter speaks, not of a time before the rapture of the Christians, but the time after Christians have already gone to heaven and God is preparing the world for the return of Jesus Christ.
Every sign mentioned is a description, not of something that tells us the rapture is getting close, but of something that will happen on the earth DURING the Tribulation period.
Most of us have been taught to view Matthew 24:2-14 as happening before the Tribulation and the rest of Matthew 24 as happening during the Tribulation.
I believe we ought to view it all as happening during the Tribulation.
• Verses 4-14 describe the first 3 and ½ years
• The rest of the chapter describes the last 3 ½ years.
That being the case, we should be able to go to the book of the Revelation and find some similarities.
So keep your Bibles open to Matthew 24 and find Revelation 6:1-8 and let’s look at the four horsemen of the Revelation…..
I. THE FIRST SEAL/WHITE HORSE RIDER
Revelation 6:1-2
A. The first seal judgment describes a false Christ
He rides a white horse So does Christ (Matthew 19)
He has a crown Christ has many crowns
He has a bow (no arrows) Christ has a sword
B. He has a bow with no arrows
This is a sign of strength in peace.
We know that when the Tribulation begins, it will begin with a promise of peace.
1Thes 5:3
For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (KJV)
One writer says;
“He is a false Christ, who goes forth to conquer. His conquest is a bloodless one, as he has only a bow. He will bring about a false peace among the nations, which for a time may have been alarmed by the supernatural removal of the church. “
I do not believe the world has to be “preconditioned” to accept the anti-Christ.
• I don’t think he has to be in power before the rapture of the saints
• I don’t think he has to be a world figure
I believe the rapture will be such a traumatic event that, coupled with the fact that remaining will be spiritually blinded, the world will grab hold of anything or anyone who can give them answers for the rapture.
C. This corresponds with Matthew 24-4-5
Jesus speaks about many false Christs.
There is only one anti-Christ in the Tribulation but there is also
• The beast and
• The false prophet
In what is often called the “unholy trinity.” Satan’s attempt to imitate even this characteristic of God.
Read through the book of the Revelation and you’ll have some difficulty sorting out the antichrist from the beast and the false prophet.
The beast and the false prophet will be able to perform lying wonders – even simulating the death and resurrection of the anti-Christ in their effort to deceive people of truth.
And they will deceive many, but not all.
The Bible says there will be multitudes out of every nation and kindred and tongue who are saved in the tribulation.
II. THE SECOND SEAL/RED HORSE RIDER
Revelation 6:3-4
The first rider had a bow but no arrows, simulating peace.
A. The second rider represents war and death
• The red horse is representative of blood
• The rider has a sword and with it plans to slaughter
• He has power to take peace from the earth
Many people think of the first 3 ½ years of the Tribulation as a time of world peace.
That is not true. Satan will make it appear that way because of his powers of deception. But the fact is he comes in power and stays in power because of his power of war….
Dan 7:8
I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. (KJV)
Dan 7:24
And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. (KJV)
B. This corresponds with Matthew 24:6-7
Notice that the wars are one two levels
Vs 7
- Locally
“For nation shall rise against nation…”
This would be two countries at war:
• Germany against France
• Britain against Spain
Or something like that
- Internationally
“…and kingdom against kingdom…”
This implies something more like coalition forces fighting another coalition of forces.
Notice this
C. Unusual admonition
“…see that ye be not troubled…”
How can a man not be troubled?
The answer is this simple; because God is working His plan.
• God is going to be glorified
• God is going to gain the victory
• God is going to ultimately gain the advantage
We can rejoice in very tough spots knowing that God is still Sovereign.
Trust Him.
III. THE THIRD SEAL/BLACK HORSE RIDER
Revelation 6:5-6
The third rider brings in
A. Economic Disaster
In the Revelation we find the economy falling apart on three levels
• AntiChrist refusal to let people buy and sell unless they have his mark
• The natural disasters of the sun darkening, stars falling, and trees burning up
• God’s destruction of “the great city,” Babylon
The end result is found in our
B. Corresponding passage, Matthew 24:7
“…and there shall be famines….”
The word “famines” means “dying of hunger.”
IV. THE FOURTH SEAL/PALE HORSE RIDER
Revelation 6:7-8
The Bible says
A. Power was given him over the fourth part of the earth
He is able to kill with
• The sword
• With hunger
• With death
• With the beasts of the earth.
The parallel is a little “shaky” but I believe this may
B. Correspond to Matthew 24:7
“…and earthquakes in divers places.”
The word translated earthquakes is “seismos” and means “a commotion or tempest.”
Whenever there is a shaking of the earth, or a natural disaster like Katrina in New Orleans, there is also a commotion among those affected.
• Rioting in the streets
• Looting of stores
• Violence as people fight to survive
• Death from resulting diseases and in some cases
• Infestations of rats and other creatures that bring in more disease yet.
V. THESE ARE JUST THE BEGINNING OF SORROWS
Matthew 24:8
I see all of hat we have just looked at as in the first half of the Tribulation.
Those who claim Christians go through the first half often try to sooth our fears by saying that the first half is a time of peace and safety and we will be removed before the bad stuff happens.
The fact is, the first half will be horrible in its own right.
And we haven’t even finished our description of it just yet!
• Thank God for the promise of the Rapture.
• Thank God that we who have trusted Christ are assured we will escape all of this.
But let’s pray to the Lord that others will come to Know Jesus Christ as Saviour and that they will do it soon.
There is nothing that restrains the Lord from coming right now.
There are no signs that must be fulfilled
There is nothing except the plan of God that withholds Christ from calling the saints to heaven right now – and all of this begins, in a moment.