JERUSALEM IN JEWISH HANDS

For two thousand years people have been saying Jesus would return.  Even the Apostles and Christians of the first century church thought Jesus would return in their lifetime.  1 Peter 4:7, “The end of all things is near.”  James 5:8, “You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” And Hebrews 10:25, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”  All through the ages we've heard about groups of people proclaiming that the return of Jesus was about to happen.

As we begin the 21st century, what is different now?  The fig tree. 

Jerusalem has not been in Jewish hands since Jesus was here, and now they have it.  For the first time in 2,000 years, we have to sit up and pay attention to the signs around us, because a new thing is happening and continues to happen in our lifetime.  And more new things are about to happen.

THE SIGN OF HIS COMING

Jesus was in the temple teaching, and when he finished he walked outside.  As he crossed the courtyard, the disciples stopped him to call his attention to the temple buildings, probably commenting on their beauty and marvelous, large construction.   Jesus was not impressed.  As he looked around at the buildings, I can imagine him waiving his hand about and commenting, “Do you see these things?  I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down” (Matt 24:1-2).  Finishing this, he continued on his way, leaving the disciples staring at some of the most glorious buildings ever built in history and wondering and debating among themselves at how it could all be destroyed.

Jesus went up to the Mount of Olives where he usually retired to pray.  The disciples followed and found him sitting, and they came to him privately to ask him a question.  They were troubled by what he had said: “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matt 24:3).

“What will be the sign of your coming?”  My paraphrase, “How will we know when you are coming back?”

In both Matthew 24 and Luke 21, Jesus begins to talk about when he will return and the signs of his coming.  He talks about false christs, the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel, the sun and moon being darkened, and his own return.  Then he says,

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.  Even so, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, right at the door.  I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened” (Matt 24:32).

“Look at the fig tree and all the trees.  When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near.  Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.  I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened” (Luke 21:29-31). 

In 70 A.D. the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the people scattered for their lives, settling in the other nations of the world.  The Prophet Ezekiel predicted this event in 586 B.C.  He quoted God as saying,  “I dispersed them among the nations, and they were scattered through the countries; I judged them according to their conduct and their actions” (Ezek 36:19).  Although some Jews had been leaving Israel and not coming back for hundreds of years, this event caused most of the remaining Jews to leave. 

Jesus said that the Gentiles would control Jerusalem for a specific period of time.  “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luke 21:24).  

The Jewish people were supposed to accept Jesus as their Messiah, ushering in a new era - the kingdom of God on earth.  But they rejected him, and after Jesus died, the Gentiles were given the kingdom of God.  “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit” (Matt 21:43).  Paul explains this, in part, in Romans 11:25, “I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.”  

Who had Jerusalem when Jesus was here?  The Romans - Gentiles.  From the time of Jesus until the end of World War II, Jerusalem was held by the Gentiles.  But even after World War II, Jerusalem was a divided city.  Not until the six-day war in 1967 did Jerusalem finally end up completely in Jewish hands.  

Matthew 24:34 is the crux of the matter: Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.”

THIS GENERATION

Who is Jesus talking to?  When Jesus said “this generation,” was he referring to the disciples sitting in front of him?  His disciples came to him and asked, “…what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?”  The word “age” in the Greek is “aionos,” from “aion,” where we get the word “eons,” “an immense time.”  The disciples wanted to know about the future.  From this point on, Jesus was talking to these men, but not about them in their present age.  He spoke about the future without specific dates.  Instead, he said there would be certain signs to watch for to determine when people had reached the end of the age. The best he could do was state that the generation witnessing these future events would certainly not pass away or die out before he returned. 

A generation of people will see Matthew 24:1-32 take place in their lifetime: They will see the fig tree sprout - the Jewish people come back to Israel and occupy and control Jerusalem (Matt 24:32), the signs of Jesus’ coming, the Great Tribulation - the end of the age (Matt 24:3), and they will see his glorious return - the Second Coming (Matt 24:30).

How long is a generation?  In trying to understand this verse many people debate the difference between one generation and another.  They come up with numbers like twenty years and forty years.  But that is not what Jesus is saying here.  He is talking about the complete time span of a generation: From birth to death - until they pass away.

From biblical times to now, the general age of an individual is about seventy years.  Psalm 90:10, “The length of our days is seventy years - or eighty, if we have the strength…”  Despite the advances of science over the centuries, from birth to death the people of a generation still live approximately seventy years.  Because of hardship in times past, the average lifespan of an individual was closer to forty or fifty years old.  But even in biblical times, those people with access to good food and medical care, like kings, could extend their life. 

“At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, the span of a king’s life…” (Isa 23:15). 

Likewise, in modern countries with ready access to medical care and an abundance of food, the lifespan has slowly crept up over seventy years, but that does not change the truth spoken of in Psalm 90, of what the average age is supposed to be.

From a defining moment in history, we add seventy years.  When did the Jewish people get Jerusalem back?  There are two answers:

1.  1947.  In 1947 the Jewish people fought for and captured half of Jerusalem and the city was partitioned off.  At this time Israel became a nation for the first time since they were scattered in 70 A.D.

2.  1967.  The six-day war was in June 1967, and it gave the Jewish people all of Jerusalem for the first time in 2,000 years.  

Now we are talking about two different generations: People born in 1947 and people born in 1967.  If you go with the first date, Jesus should return before 2017.  If you go with the second date, then he should be back before 2037.  

How can we know which is the right date? 

Which date is right is not important.  As we go along, more and more prophesies will be fulfilled.  Remember, there is a range of time and Jesus can come back at any time during that range - during that time span.  We may find ourselves watching the year 2017 go by, but we certainly will not see the year 2037 before he returns.  Jesus said it was a certainty.

I'm not surprised to find a possible range versus something more exact.  This is exactly what I’d expect God to do - give us a range and tell us to keep our nose to the grindstone, never give up, be alert, be watchful, and be ready.  So keep your lamp lit and extra oil on hand!

There will be other signs of the end times, as Jesus foretold in Matthew 24 and Luke 21.  I believe Jesus’ return is imminent, and as you read further, we will discuss what some of those signs are and how we should respond.

WHEN WILL JESUS RETURN?

Some people argue that we will not know when Jesus will return.  I agree that we will not know the exact day or the exact hour.  No one can know that.  The following scripture is used most often to state that we can't know anything about the time of Jesus' return.

Matthew 24:36-37, “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.”   Jesus states that people and angels and even he does not know the day or hour, but then qualifies that statement noting the similarity in his return and the times of Noah.

Like Noah we will be ready.  Noah was in the light.  He lived by faith and hope.  He built the ark the way we are building our lives and the Church.  He got into the ark seven days before the floodwaters came (Gen 7:7, 10).  He had tried to warn the people of the coming judgment, just like we are doing and will do.  Then he saw the flood, he saw God’s wrath poured out on the earth, and he went through the flood.

Like Noah we will see the storm clouds coming, signs of the end times, and like him we will get ready.  Luke 21:31, “Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.”  Jesus says we won’t know the day or hour, but we will know it is near.

The Apostle Paul told the Thessalonian church, “For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.  But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.  You are all sons of the light and sons of the day.  We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.  So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.”  1 Thessalonians 5:2, 4-6.  Paul is telling them they will know enough to be ready for Jesus’ return, and they will not be surprised.

Only the non-believers, living in the dark, will be taken unawares.  This scripture specifically states that the people living in the light will not be taken by surprise; they will know what is going on, and if not the exact day and hour, then pretty close to it. 

Jesus speaking to the Church of Laodicea said, “But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.”  The implication here is that the people who are awake will know at what time he will come for them (Rev 3:3).  Again, the people who are spiritually “awake,” will not be surprised.

In the Gospels Jesus also said to be ready: “But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.  So, you also must be ready...” (Matt 24:43).

A thief wants to quietly enter the house, quickly grab some valuables and quietly depart, all without waking anyone.  The thief will come and go before the occupants even know he was there.  When they wake up, it will already be too late.  But if they are awake, alert and ready, the thief never sneaks into the house unseen.

When will Jesus return?  We can’t predict the exact day, but as we get very close to it,  we will know enough to be ready and waiting.  There will be more on this in later chapters.