The Gospel of the Kingdom is preached before the end comes.
The Gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ has provided salvation for humanity. Many people don’t care to take part in that salvation but that’s another issue. The Gospel was preached before and then during the ministry of Jesus and the preaching has continued for nearly two thousand years. So, essentially ‘the appointed end’ is waiting for something. What is still missing for that fulfillment to take place?
In this post, we will explore an important missing component that has prevented the end from happening up until now. Something is missing that prevents the puzzle from becoming complete. The Lord gave special attention to this missing component of fulfilled Bible prophecy. If you or I miss this part of the prophecies we miss one of the most important pieces to that puzzle.
It could rightly be called a key that unlocks prophetic understanding. The writer of the Lord’s discourse urges the reader to understand this. We will take a closer look at this prophetic key.
The Gospel of The Kingdom
The preaching of the Gospel started with angels and will end with angels. We remember the Christmas stories and their visits to Mary and the shepherds.
Luke 2:10
“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.”
Luke 4:43
But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also because that is why I was sent.”
Revelation 14:6
“Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth – to every nation, tribe, language, and people.”
Matthew 24: 13-14
This gospel of the kingdom will be preached — then the end will come:
This verse has long been pointed toward as a key marker in the prophetic timeline. And rightly so. The ending of this verse is unmistakably clear. The end is a reference to the last days or the end of things as we know them. God will send his Son Jesus to restore all things, fixing the mess we have made of everything. As I noted above an angel will finish the work of preaching the Gospel. I’ve also highlighted it below. The angels started it and they will finish it.
When the Apostle John wrote the Book of Revelation he told us an angel will finish the presentation of the Gospel.
I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth – to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people – saying with a loud voice. “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come.” (Revelation 14:6-7)
Matthew 24:15 The misunderstood key to future prophecy
The Words of Jesus and the prophets
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4
These two verses are very instructive and helpful for our understanding of the event. Paul says “the man of Lawlessness” is to be revealed. he said that man is “doomed to destruction.” This man will “oppose and will exalt himself.” Paul said in the future a man will set “himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”
I find Paul’s statements very convincing. Based on Daniel’s, Paul’s, and the Lord’s words it seems abundantly clear we should expect a man to reveal himself as a false god. He will stand in the holy place and claim to be a god.
For this prophecy to be fulfilled we need the man and the Holy Place. We can’t have the Holy Place without the temple. We will not see that rebuilt temple until there is a strong revival among the Jewish believers. When they return to their Old Testament faith and begin to rebuild their temple then the path will clear for the final pieces of the puzzle to be set into place
More arguments against preterism
The preterist who teaches that the events of Matthew 24 were all or mostly fulfilled in A.D. 70 has a problem to address with this “Standing in the Holy Place” passage. Historians can’t point to any solid evidence of this event. Preterists teach that the abomination of desolation was the Roman armies and their victorious banners or their ensigns. That doesn’t remotely match Paul’s description of a man who stands in God’s temple.
Therefore, those who support this interpretation, preterism, often re-define what the holy place is. That is holy ground that should not be redefined. For eighteen hundred years that interpretation looked pretty good. Once Israel was restored as a nation, the focus was reset.
A temple is coming. A lawless man will follow. That man will defile the Holy Place. All hell will break loose after that. We’ll address the chaos of that in the next post in this series.
Read my commentary on what the early Church Fathers taught on this subject.
More on the subject of the Jewish Temple
Let me know what you think.