Integrating the End-Times Scenarios of the Olivet Prophecy and the Book of Revelation

The General Tribulation Period

Certain aspects of the prophetic scenario that Yeshua lays out in Matthew 24 were fulfilled in A.D. 70 with Jerusalem’s destruction. Discussing the events around A.D. 70 is beyond the scope of this work, so I’ll pass over this subject and focus on those prophecies that are clearly eschatological (i.e., those that deal with end-times events) in nature.

The time period of the Olivet Prophecy started in the first century A.D. and continues until the second coming.

Matthew 24:4–8 describes conditions that existed on earth at A.D. 70, and that would continue and intensify up until the second coming. These include:

• Religious deception — the spirit of Antimessiah. (John talks about this spirit in his first epistle, and says that it was active in his day, 1 John 2:18–19.)
• Wars and rumors of wars.
• Famines.
• Pestilence.

These four conditions answer the disciples’ question about what would be the signs of the end times (Matt 24:3), and they also correlate one-to-one with the first four seals (commonly known as the four horsemen of the apocalypse) of Revelation 6.

Religious deception corresponds to the first horse (Rev 6:2).

Wars and rumors of wars corresponds to the second horse (Rev 6:3).

Famines corresponds to the third horse (Rev 6:5).

Pestilence corresponds to the fourth horse (Rev 6:7).

Next in Matthew 24 comes the martyrdom of the saints — something that has been happening since the death of Stephen in the Book of Acts to this present day (Matt 24:9–14). This martyrdom corresponds with the fifth seal of Revelation 6:9–11.

There are two groups of martyred saints: those who are killed before the end of the tribulation period and just before the beginning of the great tribulation, and those who are martyred afterwards. This second martyrdom completes the martyrdom of saints that has been going on over the ages (Rev 6:11lp).

The great end-times martyrdom of saints corresponds with the worldwide preaching of the gospel (Matt 24:14). This prophecy of Yeshua about the gospel being preached to all the world has only been fulfilled recently. The modern missions movement started in the early 1800s and the worldwide proclamation of the gospel could only be fulfilled with the advent of modern telecommunications in the twentieth century. After the gospel is proclaim worldwide, Yeshua said that the end of the age will come (Matt 24:14lp). This marks the beginning of the great tribulation period just before the second coming of Yeshua (Matt 24:20).

The Great Tribulation

During the great tribulation period, the abomination of desolation event occurs, and Jerusalem is ravaged necessitating the saints to flee to the Judean mountains outside of Jerusalem (Matt 24:16). This prophecy was partially fulfilled in A.D. 70 with the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, but not completely. Some biblical scholars have noted that the early first-century believers fled to the northern plain country of Pella (a city located in the northern foothills of the Jordan Valley just southeast of the Sea of Galilee on the east side of the Jordan River), and not to the Judean mountains as Yeshua prophesied in Matthew 24:16 would happen. In light of this fact, it would seem that this prophecy was not entirely fulfilled in the first century, but still awaits a last days fulfillment.

It must be noted at this point that the events of the great tribulation leading up to the wrath of Elohim are not the wrath of Elohim. They are simply the results of man bringing judgment on himself because of his sin. To this point, Elohim has not intervened in the affairs of men.

What else happens during the great tribulation? Perhaps this is the time when the Antichrist and the false prophet exercise great authority over the much of the earth and make war with and overcome the saints for three-and-a-half years (Rev 13:5)? Historically, the church (or kahal) of the Most High has always flourished from the time of Yeshua’s and Stephen’s martyrdom until now. The same will occur during the persecution of the Antichrist system against the saints. Out of this will come a great and innumerable multitude who have “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev 7:14–15).

Post-Great Tribulation and the Signs of Yeshua’s Coming

After the great tribulation, we come to Matthew 24:29 where Yeshua answers the disciples’ last question, “What will be the sign of your coming,” (verse 3). He declares that after the (great) tribulation period there will be an awesome display of heavenly signs and wonders to shock and awe men into repentance. This happens just before Elohim pours out the fury of his wrath upon this earth to punish rebellious men who still refuse to bend their knees to him. During this event, Yeshua describes the sun being darkened (Gr. skotidzo, meaning “to be covered with darkness”) resulting in the moon not giving its light, the stars falling from heaven, and the powers of heaven being shaken (Gr. saleuo meaning “a motion produced by winds, storm or waves, etc., or to cast down, to overthrow,” verse 29).

This sign in heaven, which will “appear (Gr. phaino meaning “bring forth into the light, or cause to shine in heaven, to be resplendent”), will mark the coming of the Son of Man. Yeshua will appear in the earth’s atmosphere. This verse doesn’t tell us that Yeshua will touch down onto the earth, only that he will be “coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great (Gk. polus meaning “much”) glory (Gk. doxa meaning “splendor, magnificence, excellence, dignity, majesty, honor,” ). This will be a universal event, for all humans will see him in the sky and will mourn (Gk. kopto meaning “to wail, lament,” verse 30).

This coming of Yeshua in glory with signs in the heavens corresponds perfectly with the description of the sixth seal in Revelation 6:12. There is a one-to-one correlation with the addition of several key details. John records that the great leaders of the earth in fear will wish for death as they recognize the fact that their game is over and that Yeshua has come back to earth and that he is angry — “the great day of [the Lamb’s] wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Rev 6:15–17). Remember, Yeshua is still in the earth’s atmosphere. He has not touched down on earth yet. Let’s now discuss the concept of the “wrath of Elohim.” (Stay tuned for the next installment…)