DESTINY’S BIBLE STUDY NOTES AND QUOTES

(The Life and Ministry of Jesus #43)

On the Mount of Olives (See Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21:5-38)

Christ’s words to the priests and rulers, “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” (Matthew 23:38). This had struck terror to their hearts. They affected indifference, but the question kept rising in their minds as to the import of these words.

Christ’s words had been spoken in the hearing of a large number of people. But when He was alone, Peter, John, James, and Andrew came to Him as He sat upon the Mount of Olives. “Tell us,” they said, “when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of your coming, and the end of the world?”

Jesus did not answer His disciples by taking up separately the destruction of Jerusalem and the great day of His coming. He mingled the description of these two events. Had He opened to the disciples future events as He beheld them, they would have been unable to endure the sight. In mercy he left them to study out the meaning for themselves.

This entire discourse was given, not for the disciples only, but for those who should live in the last scenes of earth’s history.

The authorities will make laws to restrict religious liberty. They will assume the right that is God’s alone. But God will interpose in behalf of His loyal, commandment keeping people.

Those who apostatize in the time of trial will, to secure their own safety, bear false witness, and betray their brethren. Christ has warned us of this, that we may not be surprised at the unnatural, cruel course of those who reject the light.

The day and hour of Christ’s second coming has not been revealed. He stated plainly to His disciples that He Himself could not make known the day or hour of His second appearing. Had He been at liberty to reveal this, why did He need to admonish them to maintain an attitude of constant expectancy?

How was it in Noah’s day? “God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5) The inhabitants of the antediluvian world turned from Jehovah, refusing to do His holy will.

Christ said, “Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” God has always given humanity warning of coming judgement.

Christ’s disciples were given warning of the destruction of Jerusalem. Those who watched for the sign of the coming ruin, and fled from the city, escaped the destruction. So now we are given warning of Christ’s second coming and of the destruction to fall upon the world. Those who heed the warning will be saved.

The evil servant says in his heart, “My Lord delays His coming.” He does not say that Christ will not come. He does not scoff at the idea of His second coming. But in his heart and by his actions he declares that the Lord’s coming is delayed.

The world, full of godless pleasure, is asleep in carnal security.

When the scorner, the rejector of truth, has become presumptuous. When the routine of work, and money making is carried on without regard to principle, when the student is eagerly seeking knowledge of everything but his Bible, Christ comes as a thief.

Everything in the world is in agitation. The signs of the times are ominous. Coming events are casting their shadow. The Spirit of God is withdrawing from the earth. There are tempests, earthquakes, fires, floods, murders, etc. Who can read the future? Where is the security? There is assurance in nothing that is human or earthly.

The highest excitement prevails, yet probation’s hour is fast closing. Every case is about to be eternally decided. Satan sees that his time is short. He has set all of his agencies at work that men may be deceived, deluded, occupied, and entranced.

Solemnly there come down to us through the centuries the warning words of our Lord from the Mount of Olives. “Watch you therefore, and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”

The Least of These My Brethren (See Matthew 25:31-46)

Those who Christ commends in the judgement may have known little of theology, but have cherished His principles.

Not to any class is Christ’s love restricted. He identifies Himself with every child of humanity.

Christ’s followers are not to feel themselves detached from the perishing world around them. They are a part of the great web of humanity, and Heaven looks upon them as brothers and sisters to sinners as well as saints.

The fallen, the erring, and the sinful, Christ’s love embraces. Every deed of kindness done to uplift a fallen soul, every act of mercy, is accepted as done to Him.

Angels of heaven are passing throughout the length and breadth of the earth, seeking to comfort the sorrowing, to protect the imperiled, to win the hearts of humanity to Christ. Not one is neglected or passed by. God is no respecter of persons, and He has an equal care for all the souls He created.

As you open your heart to Christ’s needy and suffering ones, you are welcoming unseen angels.

To the rich, God has given wealth that they may relieve and comfort His suffering children. But too often they are indifferent to the needs of others.

We need not go to Nazareth, to Capernaum, or to Bethany, in order to walk in the steps of Jesus. We shall find His footprints beside the sickbed, in the hovels of poverty, in every place where there are human hearts in need of consolation. In doing as Jesus did when on earth, we shall walk in His steps.

Christ’s rule of life, by which every one of us must stand or fall in the judgement, is “Whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them.” (Matthew 7:12)

Love to humanity is the earthward manifestation of the love of God.