God Reveals Time

The objective of this study is to identify where we are at in history in regard to the Church Age and to
reveal what God is saying to this generation through his written Word and his indwelling Spirit.

Church history is a marathon but even marathon runners sprint when they see the finish line!

We are Expected to Know the Times we are in

Jesus Ridiculed his Generation for having more understanding in natural things than spiritual.

Matthew 16:1-12, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.”

Israel’s Response to Crowning David as King was a response to knowing the times.

1 Chronicles 12:32, “. . .men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do. . .”

Written and Spoken Word Must be interpreted while considering who and when it was for.

Israel’s Territory
Deuteronomy 11:24, “Every place where you set your foot will be yours: Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the western sea. No man will be able to stand against you.”

Deuteronomy 2:4, “Give the people these orders: You are about to pas through the territory of your brothers the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, but be very careful. Do not provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land, not even enough to put your foot on.

Assyria’s attack on Jerusalem (701 BC) compared w/ Babylon’s attack on Jerusalem (586 BC)
Isaiah 37: 33, “Therefore this is what the Lord says concerning the king of Assyria: ‘He will not enter this city or shoot an arrow here. . .he will not enter the city.”

Jeremiah 7:2-15, “Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah . . . ‘Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. Do not trust in deceptive words and say, ‘This is the temple of the Lord,’. . .If you really change your ways and your actions . . .then I will let you live in this place, . . .Go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for my Name, and see what I did to it. . .”

Jeremiah 26:4-6, “This is what the Lord says, “ If you do not listen to me and follow my law, . . .then I will make this house like Shiloh and this city an object of cursing among all the nations of the earth.”

Dispensations
Time can be seen in phases called dispensations.
| There are seven dispensations:
1. Creation to the Fall of man. . . . . . . . . . Age of Innocence
2. Fall until the Flood. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Age of Conscience
3. Flood to Tower of Babel . . . . . . . . . . . Age of Government
4. Tower of Babel until Abraham. . . . . . . Age of Nations
5. Abraham to the Cross. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Age of Israel
6. Cross until the Rapture. . . . . . . . . . . . . Age of Church
7. Christ Return until the End of Time. . . Age of the Kingdom of Christ (Millennium)  

God Communicates
God is a God of communication.
He records his conversation at creation.
He talked with Adam in the garden.
He spoke directly to Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, etc.
He sent prophets.
He is called the Word.

God communicated the time major events in the past would happen.

God Revealing Times
Examples of God revealing the time certain events would happen:
1. The day of the Fall of Man. . . Genesis 2:17, “. . .in the day you eat of it you will surely die.”
2. Year of the Flood. . .Gn. 6:3, “. . .his days will be 120.” Gn.5:27, “Methaselah lived 969 years.”
3. Year of the Exodus. . .Gn.15:13-16, they will be enslaved 400 years, they return in 4th generation
4. Year of Entering Canaan. . .Ex. 14:34, For 40 years they suffered in the wilderness
5. Year of the return from Babylon. . .Jeremiah 25:11,12; 29:10; Daniel 9:2, seventy years
6. Year and Day of the Messiah. . .Daniel 9:25, 483 years from the issuing of the decree to restore
7. Number of Days the Messiah was in the grave. . .Mt. 12:40;27:63 Mk.8:31;14:58; Jn.2:19,20)
8. Year of Destruction of Jerusalem. . .Luke 23:28 and 13:6-9, in 40 more years or 70 AD
9. Length of the Tribulation. . . Daniel 9:27 and several places say it will be 7 years
10. Length of the Millennium. . .Revelation 20:4, a thousand years

“But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. . .let us be alert and self-controlled.” 1 Thessalonians 5:4-6

Methuselah and the Coming of the Flood
Age when son was born Father Age when son was born
130 Adam
105 Seth
90 Enosh
70 Kenan
65 Mahalalel
162 Jared
65 Enoch
969 years old at death Methuselah
TOTAL: 1,656 Years from Adam until Methuselah Died

Age when son was born Father Age when son was born
130 Adam
105 Seth
90 Enosh
70 Kenan
65 Mahalalel
162 Jared
65 Enoch
187 years old at death Methuselah
182 Lahmech
Noah 600 years old when the flood came (Gn.7:6)
TOTAL: 1,656 Years from 1.656 Years from Adam until the flood came

In speaking of the destruction of Jerusalem the disciples understood it to refer to the judgment before the Messiah began to reign as
revealed in Zechariah 14:1-10. Jesus here reveals the difference between the destruction at the second coming as spoken of by
Zechariah and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD that would be seen by the generation of Jews that were living at this time.

Jerusalem would be attacked and destroyed twice.

1. The first time there would be no deliverance. (70 AD)

2. The second time the Messiah would return to deliver the city. (Second Coming)

The Lord Explains His Second Coming:

Matthew 24:32—Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you knowthat summer is near.
- “lesson” is “parabole”(parable) for teaching a truth. The tender twigs represent these events, summer is The return of the Lord, or the parousia.

24:33—Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.
- “these things” are the events in verses 4-30 and the“it” that is “at the door” is the parousia.

24:34—I tell you the truth, this generation will certainlynot pass away until all these things have happened.
- “this generation” is the Jews of Jesus day. They would See “all these things” or all the events occur from 4-30

24:35— Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
- Jesus is revealing and teaching the very words of God.Nothing can prevent or hinder this prophecy

24:36—No one knows the day or the hour, not even the the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
- When the actual return of the Lord occurs is unknown outside of God. Jesus would know after his glorification

24:37—As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

24:38—For in the days before the flood, people wereeating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage,up to the day Noah entered the ark;
- People lived their lives as usual unaware of the sign of Methuselah or Noah’s life. Sin is not mentioned here. Noah knew enough to get in the ark. He was aware

24:39—and they knew nothing about what would happenuntil the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
-People were told but they did not understand until it actually happened. It will be that way even in the end with all these events and signs leading up to it.

24:40—Two men will be in the field; one will be takenand the other left.
-The Lord’s judgment will take one and leave the other just like the flood “took them” in Noah’s day

24:41—Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
-“two men” and the “two women” refers to the division that will occur at the judgment as in 25:10,30,32,46

24:42—Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
- “keep watch” begins 5 parables between 24:42-25:46 “keep watch” “gragorew” pres. imper.is a constant vigil; vigilance/expectancy opposite laxity and indifference

24:43—But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would havelet his house be broken into.
-First Parable: Unexpected return means the faithful will kept watch and would not have always be ready.

24:44—So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
-”be ready” is “hetoimos” used in Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 3:15
-Second Parable: The faithful and wise servant

24:45—Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to
give them their food at the proper time?
-Who is faithful and wise?
a) placed “in charge” (given truth to minister with)
b) “of servants” (people on earth)
c) “to give them their food” (witness to, teach, do good)
d) “at the proper time”

24:46—It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.

24:47— I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
-rewarded upon masters return

24:48— But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’

24:49—and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.
-”beat” would then refer to the selfish living of theservant who does not provide truth/good deeds.

24:50—The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.
- “That servant” that “does not expect him” is the wicked servant who is:
a) not providing the truth to their generation
b) not living as a righteous example (salt and light)
c) living like the days of Noah occupied life’s routines
d) they are “drunk” with the world and insensitive to the spiritual realities around them including the returning master

24:51—He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.