NATIONS HAVE ALWAYS GONE AGAINST OTHER NATIONS
THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN EARTHQUAKES AND FAMINES
Of course Jesus knew there have always been nations at wars - which is why when the disciples ask him when the end of the world would be - he gives us guidelines ALL can under stand:
He said When you
HEAR of rumours of war - the end is not yet.
In other words - as long as you hear of them - through radio, word of mouth or whatever - we are not in end times.
BUT when YOU SEE wars....Notice he doesn't say SEE rumours of war. You CAN'T SEE rumours. But we can SEE wars. (nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom)
Then that is the beginning of end times.
This is all in Mathew 24.
Luke 21 expands on SEEing ALL these things and says - When you
SEE and Know....
Clarifying - that it IS literally SEEing he is speaking of.
We have been SEEing wars for a while. So Jesus gives us more information to know when it is the very end. But won't go into it now....
We as Gentiles, tend to interpret the Gospels as being written to US as opposed to the Jews, but Jesus was sent to the Jews to teach them, Paul was sent to the Gentiles with the message of Salvation.
Isaiah 49:6 ...I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles..
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Even if Jesus is only addressing the Jews - it wouldn't change what I've written.
However, many point out Jesus places the end of the world inside his Olivet Discourse: “And THIS gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matt 24:14).
If you notice Luke 21 does separate out Jesus' comments to disciples and the gentiles in:
10 Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
12
BUT BEFORE ALL THESE, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.
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But where one can pinpoint an exact Time Frame is in the parable of the fig tree.
Here he tells us - once we experience Israel's rebirth (1948) - then we know we're close to the end of the world....
I've commented on the parable of the fig tree here:
Thread: All prophecies the bible says will happen in End Times are happening or almost completed at present (Page 49) "With Mathew 24, I want to start in the middle instead of at the beginning, because I feel it might lead to a better understanding of what I want to convey how this is the only generation that can SEE all prophecies fulfilled.
This verse is the key IMHO:
32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his
branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
The fig tree is Israel.
It all starts with Israel and ends with Israel."
