Regarding Tony's article on the same/similar subject, I would like to say I enjoyed it. You are right. Time is short for those who want to be ready, i.e. "worthy, overcomers". I am so tired of hearing people (even preachers) misquote the Mat 24:36)(also Mk 13:32) passage, that I would like to add some more thought, i.e. examine the whole passage for correct content. Let's set what was said straight."Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels in heaven, but my Father only."
The event Jesus is speaking of here seems somewhat obvious. God invented the languages (all of them) and His knowledge of grammer structure is impeccable as well. It is an event far out in the future, after the completion of the 7th day, i.e. the 1000 year kingdom of Jesus Christ on the earth.
The Matthew 24 passage is Jesus' answer to his disciples concerning their question in vs 3. You notice that they not only asked about the sign of His coming, but also about the end of the world. Understandably, they could not separate in their minds the difference between His coming and the end of the world and their question reveals this. Jesus politely answered both questions. Vs 35-36 is His answer concerning the end of the world. He basically tells them they have no need to know, neither the angels nor the Son of man. He then returns to the more important issues concerning His second advent and the time period preceding it.
Mark records Jesus' answer to the disciples concerning the above question only slightly different in chapter 13. He adds that Jesus also said to the disciples in vs 23, "But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things." He then continues on with the events around the tribulation time. I believe those issues in which man has need to know, Jesus has indeed foretold us all things. Such issues as when heaven and earth shall pass away, is no concern of ours.
Jesus' answer to his disciples include events of the last days including the tribulation all the way to His return. It also includes a time marker (the fig tree of vs 32) and a time frame (40 yr generational testing and the 50 yr Jubilee) in which to fix the most important events for the believers. Careful reading of vs 32 indicates this marker was the June 1967 war of Israel, not Israel's birth in May 48. Look to late spring 2007 for the event important of the bride, i.e crossing the parted Jordan to the promised land. This would be right on schedule. 10 to 10.4 years later (the 50 yr Jubilee) Jesus will return. The seals will begin to open after the separation of the bride. The tribulation will be the last 7 years. When Jesus' returns, Israel (born 48) will be 69-70 years old (threescore and ten).
From vs 37 to 51, Jesus is talking to the believers who are alive prior to the rapture of the bride, the generation during this 40 year period of testing. Two things seem to be important in what is obviously a warning. One is looking, i.e. watching. The other is behavior, i.e. character. Obediance to God's word, love, forgiveness etc are important to be found in the image of Jesus Christ. Those not found in the image of Christ will be rebuked. They have not lost their salvation, but are thrown out of the kingdom (temporarily). They will be made pure (worthy) in the fires of the tribulation.
You will notice in vs 42 and 44, he says the hour we know not and that He will come in an unexpected hour. He does not mention that we could not know the day. Indeed, the world has 24 time zones. The question is whether He is talking about His return to earth as Lord and King or whether He is talking about His coming (meeting in the air) for His bride. Considering that He is talking about the behavior of His servants in the remainder of this chapter, you must conclude that He is talking about the rapture of the bride.
When Jesus comes as Lord and King, the saints will be with Him (Rev 19:14). As for the tribulation saints, they will be all dead when their door opens (Rev 6:9-11). They are resurrected and ascend in the cloud with the two witnesses (Rev 11:12). There will be no saints left alive on earth save the 144,000 sealed. There is no reason for the Mat 24: 37-51 passage to be talking to any except the believers in this 40 year time period just prior to the rapture of the bride.
Beginning in Ex 12, Lev 23 and Deut 16, God establishes His feasts for His people. These feasts were Holy convocations, consecrated, memorials, an ordinance and they were to be observed for all generations. These feasts were indelibly tied to the covenants. They are markers for future events of God concerning the covenants. These feasts are divided into two groups, spring and fall. Lev 23 and Ex 34 tell us first fruits are associated with the spring. The fall is then obviously associated with Jesus return at the Jubilee and possibly even with the second resurrection at the last day.
Rev 20:4-6 reveals to us that both the pre-trib bride and the trib saints are part of the first resurrection and both receive the reward to serve as kings and priest with Jesus during His 1000 year earthly reign. You must conclude that the OT saints who were resurrected and ascended with Jesus (in a cloud) were also part of the first resurrection with the same reward. This makes the first resurrection a 3 parter.
The feast and door associated with Jesus and these OT saints is First Passover. They were the spring barley harvest.In Mat 24:33, Jesus tells us He is at the doors (plural). There are two more doors for the rest of the spring harvest, the firstfruits of the wheat. The wheat harvest is the specific work of the Holy Spirit. These doors are for the pre-trib bride (wise virgins) to go to the wedding and the second door for the trib saints to come to the wedding supper. The first of these two doors (1 Thes 4:13-17) is a two parter, the dead and the living in two clouds (pl).
These two doors each have a specific feast associated with them. It is played out in accordance with the pattern established in Gen 1 and the Menorah candlestick. This is a 1, 4 (midpoint), 7 pattern of division/separation. Second Passover falls exactly on the 4th Sabbath Omer of the spring Feast of Weeks which connects First Passover to Pentecost. It is aligned with Noah's loading of the ark in the second month. The resurrection of the dead (midnight cry) will be on this 4th Sabbath midpoint marker. The events concerning the changing of the living and their ascension will likely be played out over a 7 + 7 day period (see Hezekiah's Second Passover feast of 2 Chron 30).
The tribulation saints and the two witnesses will be resurrected and ascend on Pentecost. The two witnesses are killed 3.5 days earlier (Wed, midweek, the 4th day, as was Jesus). The Holy Spirit's work will be completed and He will rest (as did God in Gen 2:1-3). This is why the two loaves of leavened bread (called first fruits) of Lev 23 are waved at Pentecost. It represents the completion of His work.
The 7 day unleavened bread feast of the spring is associated with both First and Second Passover. (Second Passover is an exact replicaof the First.) It is this unleavened bread (w/o sin, Jesus) who is in all the spring harvests (barley and wheat) and makes the leavened bread Holy. It has more than one date and does not fall on the specific 1, 4, 7 markers of the spring feasts. It is an inclusive feast of all the rest. Without the unleavened bread of Jesus, we could none be saved.
I wrote an article a few days back which explained how to take the pattern God gave us in Genesis chapter 1 and the pattern of the golden candlestick (menorah) to unlock the mysteries of these feasts as well as events of the tribulation. Think of the candlestick as providing light on scripture and the design pattern as a key. When overlaid with Gen 1, you will see they are in harmony with each other. God gave us the key to unlock the mysteries of His word in the very beginning.
The article didn't appear to gather much interest. So be it. May God's will be done.
All the same, watch and be ready each day, lest He catch us unaware.