Olivet Discourse
If I asked you to explain the Olivet Discourse, would you be able to do so?
When did it happen? Why did it happen? What does it have to do with Jesus death, burial, and resurrection?
The Olivet Discourse is a conversation Jesus had with His disciples on the Mount of Olives 3 days before he died. It was a rather long conversation, and it is found in Matthew chapters 24 and 25.
Matthew 24:1, 2 tells us, ““As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings. “But he responded, “Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”
Notice the setting: Jesus overturned the tables in the temple on Monday.
This Discourse followed either later that day or on Tuesday.
Jesus and his disciples were leaving the temple grounds for the day. The disciples started a conversation, pointing out the magnificence of the temple buildings.
Why were they bringing this up?
Because of what Jesus had said about the temple being destroyed.
His disciples were in effect saying, “We have no clue what you are talking about. Look at this building. It is being built to last."
Jesus response was, "This temple will be torn down, and not one stone will be left unturned."
That got the disciples' attention.
This led to a question-and-answer session about the future destruction of the temple and the end of the age.
This conversation would have taken place about 30 A.D. Just as Jesus prophesied, the temple was destroyed by Rome in 70 A.D.
To this day the Temple has not been rebuilt.
But... we know it will be rebuilt sometime before the middle of the Tribulation...but that's a story in and of itself.
The main focus of the Olivet Discourse is the future of Israel, especially concerning the coming 7-year tribulation period, Israel's eventual conversion, and the establishment of God's Kingdom on earth through Israel.
The Olivet Discourse serves as God's farewell address to Israel, explaining how God will bring Israel to faith through a time of great tribulation after the Church has been raptured.
During our 2023 visit to Israel, we witnessed the remnants of the Roman destruction in 70 A.D., a powerful testament to the fulfillment of Jesus' words. The sheer scale of the stones was awe-inspiring, as evident in this photograph of Don standing beside a foundational block. Notably, the Romans dismantled the stones, driven by the discovery of gold that had melted between the stones when the temple was set on fire.
