Note the question of the disciples in:

Matthew 24:33

“And as He sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?”

Now referring to the Lord’s answer to these very important questions, let us note:

Luke 21:20 to 25

And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring.

Also:

Luke 21:27, 28 and 31:

And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then lookup, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

These verses from Luke will help us to better understand Matthew 24.

Note again:

Luke 21:22

“For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.”

Several times Israel’s prophets during the Old Testament days foretold Israel’s great tribulation.

Compare:

Jeremiah 30:7 to 9 and 29 to 31.

Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.

With:

Matthew 24:21 and 22 and 29 to 31

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Here we find in Jeremiah and Matthew the Lord’s prophecy concerning Israel’s trouble and Israel’s deliverance.

About 70 A. D. the Roman army surrounded and entered Jerusalem and killed more than a million Israelites and burned up their city and left Jerusalem desolate. But God did not send His angels and gather His elect from one end of heaven to the other. This is yet to be fulfilled. When the siege of Jerusalem took place, about 70 A. D., there was no fulfillment of:

Zechariah 14:2, 3 and 4

“For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.”

This is yet to be fulfilled. Note what is to follow: “And the Lord shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and His name one.” Zechariah 14:9.

“And it shall come to pass that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of Hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.” Zechariah 14:16.

We must conclude in the light of Luke 21:22, that the Prophets of Israel prophesied concerning the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A. D., as well as the coming siege of Jerusalem.

Let us note the order of events in:

Matthew 24:5 to 10:

“For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.”

1. ANTI-CHRISTS

2. WARS

3. FAMINES

4. PESTILENCE

5. EARTHQUAKES.

Now note Revelation 6:1 to 17:

1. WHITE HORSE AND RIDER

2. RED HORSE AND RIDER

3. BLACK HORSE AND RIDER

4. PALE HORSE AND RIDER

5. EARTHQUAKES

This chapter explains that war, famine, pestilence, earthquake, are meant—We might conclude that the White Horse and the Rider represents the Anti-Christ who is to come.

Note:

Matthew 24:40 and 41:

“Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”

Inasmuch as there is no suggestion of a resurrection of the dead in this chapter we must not confuse this gathering from the four winds with the rapture of the Body of Christ. It is a question here whether the righteous will be taken or left.

But not so in:

I Thessalonians 4:14 to 18

“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

ENDURE UNTO THE END

Now note:

Matthew 24:13 and 14:

“But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”

We note here who is to be saved: “He that shall endure unto the end.” The question then, “the end of what?” What question was Christ answering: “What shall be the sign of the end of the world (age) ?” Matthew 24:3. Inasmuch as some of the Lord’s servants are to be faithful unto death, it is difficult to know whether the Lord means enduring unto death or until the sound of the trumpet, the end of the great tribulation.

But we are not saved during the present reign of grace by enduring unto the end. Note the contrast:

II Timothy 1:9

“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.”

“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 3:24. “Justified freely by His grace.” The word freely here is the Greek word “dorian” and means “without a cause.” In Romans 3:28, it is “without the law.” In Romans 4:4 and 5, it is “without works.”

THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM

Now compare:

Matthew 24:14

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”

With:

Colossians 1:5, 6, and 23

“For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world: and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth.”

“If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister.”

Note also Acts 19:10: “And this continued by the space of two years: so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.” And II Timothy 4:17: “Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.”

The gospel, which Paul declared had been preached to every creature under heaven, to all the Gentiles, was not “the gospel of the kingdom” which Christ and His apostles preached. Neither did the end come, as the end is described in Matthew 24. Therefore, we must conclude that before the end comes the gospel of the kingdom is going to be preached again. Whenever “the gospel of the kingdom” is preached the nation Israel is in view. This is not the message of the apostles to the Gentiles, in this day of grace.

We see, therefore, that we must interpret and apply the ministry and message of Christ on earth in the light of revelations concerning the dispensation of the grace of God, which Christ gave through and to the Apostle Paul after He went back to heaven.

Presently we shall briefly compare the program of John, the Lord Jesus, the Twelve and the Seventy (Luke 9:1 and Luke 10:1) as they proclaimed “the gospel of the Kingdom,” with the somewhat different program that Christ gave to Paul in the proclamation of the gospel of the grace of God.

THE WISE AND FOOLISH VIRGINS

THE SHEEP AND GOATS

Matthew Twenty-Five

The kingdom of heaven at the end of the age shall be likened unto five wise virgins with lamps and oil, and five foolish virgins with lamps but no oil.

Matthew 25:6 to 12

“And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy the Bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But He answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.”

Inasmuch as the foolish ones are called “virgins,” it is not easy to say just how to interpret this parable. It is by no means certain that the parable is to be applied to the coming of the Lord Jesus for the Church which is His body.

As the correct translation of verse 8 is “our lamps are going out,” there are some Christians who teach that these foolish virgins represent those who were once saved and then lost their salvation. Again others teach that the lamp represents the individual’s testimony and the oil speaks of the Holy Spirit. Therefore the foolish virgins represent members of Church organizations who have never received the Holy Spirit.

It is doubtful whether the coming of the Son of man, according to Matthew 25:13, is His appearing for the Body described in Ephesians and Colossians. Christ is never called “the Son of man” in His relation to the Body.

However, the Scriptures do teach that only such church members as have been born of the Spirit are truly saved. There will be many unsaved professing Christians on earth when the Lord comes to take His Church to glory; and these unsaved ones will be left on earth, if not destroyed.

Perhaps we can receive help as to the meaning of the parable by studying the judgment described in Matthew 25:31 to 46. We quote:

Matthew 25:31 and 32 and 34 and 40:

“When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory. And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divided his sheep from the goats.”

“Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the lest of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me.”

Here we have another Scripture which is very difficult to understand. We have Jesus Christ as the Son of man, as the King, sitting on a throne. This throne is to be set up after He comes to earth. He is to be both Judge and King. Nations will be judged by Him and divided, as a shepherd separates sheep and goats. To those on the right hand the King is to say, “Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

Matthew 25:34. To those on the left hand, “Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” Matthew 25:41.

There is nothing to suggest that “fire” judgment is because of unbelief. Getting into the kingdom after Christ comes will be because of giving food and clothing to the brethren of the King, because of visiting the sick and those in prison.

How can we reconcile this with John 3:18: “He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God?”

Now note again II Timothy 1:9: “Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began.”

Also Colossians 1:13 and 14: “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son: In Whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins.”

And Romans 4:5: “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

In these Scriptures we learn, first; that the individual is condemned because of unbelief. Second; that believers are already in Christ’s kingdom. Third; that they are saved, not by works, but according to God’s purpose, not from the foundation of the world, but before.

Of course we learn in God’s Book that faith without works is dead, and that we should give food and raiment to the needy.

We quote:

James 2:14 to 17

“What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body, what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”

We are told in Romans 12:13 that Christians should distribute to the necessity of saints and should be given to hospitality. We read this message in Hebrews 6:10: “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shewed toward His name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.”

I Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

We have two other messages in Corinthians:

II Corinthians 5:10

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ: that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

And:

I Corinthians 3:14 and 15:

“If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.”

But we must study and interpret all of these Scriptures in the light of God’s grace message for this age.

The clearest presentation of God’s grace message is found in Ephesians 2:8 to 10: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Very definitely and emphatically are we here told that salvation is not of works; that the good works are to be manifested after the believing sinner has been worked upon by God, after he has been saved by the good work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In God’s message we are taught that the sinner is justified, sanctified, and saved unto eternal life, by faith without works, but that he will be rewarded according to his works.

God’s grace program is so clearly set forth in:

Titus 2:11 to 14 and Titus 3:5 to 8 and 14:

“The grace of God that bringeth salvation . . .”

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done.” “ . . . our Saviour Jesus Christ: Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

“. . . And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful.”

Getting into Christ’s kingdom in the day of grace is different from entering in to His Father’s kingdom after He comes as the Son of man. Therefore we see that there is more than one kingdom message in the Bible.

As members of the Body of Christ we should know the difference between God’s purpose for, with, through, and by Israel and His eternal purpose in Christ (Ephesians 3:9 to 11).

We quote:

Ephesians 1:3 and 4:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.”

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND

MY TIME IS AT HAND

Note the instructions of the Lord Jesus to His apostles in Matthew 26:18: “And He said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, MY TIME IS AT HAND: I will keep the passover at thy house with My disciples.”

For two years or more Christ’s message had been “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” In Matthew 21.43, Christ had said, “the kingdom shall be taken from you.” Christ was the Stone which the builders rejected. Now “My time is at hand.”

Now for the Passover, the Lord’s Supper, the work of Judas the traitor, Gethsemene, the false witnesses, the illegal trials, the crown of thorns, the suffering, the crucifixion, the death and resurrection of the Son of God. So He says:

“MY TIME IS AT HAND”

Note how He stated this in:

John 12:27 and 31 to 33:

“Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour, but for this cause came I unto this hour.”

“Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me. This He said, signifying what death He should die.”

“For this cause came I unto this hour.” This agrees with Hebrews 2:9: “But we see Jesus, Who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour, that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” Christ became a man for the specific purpose of dying at a set time. He said in:

Matthew 26:24:

“The Son of man goeth as it is written of Him; but woe unto that man by Whom the Son of man is betrayed! It had been good for that man if he had not been born.”

Let us remember the statements in Acts 4:27 and 28 and Acts 13:29 and 30. Christ died in the manner He did, and at the time that He did, by God’s determinate foreknowledge and in fulfillment of Israel’s Scriptures.

Let us keep in mind that it was according to the Scriptures that Christ died for our sins. I Corinthians 15:3 to 6. Also keep in mind the truth of I Peter 1:18 to 21, that Christ was God’s spotless Lamb foreordained before the foundation of the world.

We read (in Zechariah 13:6) that Christ was to be wounded in the house of His friends, sold for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12 and 13), that they were to pierce His hands and His feet (Psalms 22:16) and gamble for His raiment (Psalms 22:18).

We read in I Corinthians 5:7:

“For Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.”

We know that the lamb of Exodus 12 spoke of God’s spotless Lamb of God Which beareth away the sin of the world.”

WHAT JUDAS DID

“Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? and they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.” Matthew 26:14 to 16. “And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, Master; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.” Matthew 26:47 to 50. “Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.” Matthew 27:3 to 5.

Then let us note the words of the Lord Jesus Christ in:

John 17:12

“While I was with them in the world I kept them in Thy name: those that Thou gavest Me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”

And:

John 6:64, 70, and 71:

“But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray Him.”

“Jesus answered them, Have I not chosen you Twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray Him, being one of the Twelve.”

From these verses we learn that Judas was not a saint who lost his salvation. He was the son of perdition when he was chosen. Satan entered him for his special work, but when he was a lost sinner and not a redeemed saint.

THE PASSOVER—THE LORD’S SUPPER

Matthew 26:25 to 30

Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom. And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

I Corinthians 11:23 to 26

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

There are a few Christians who teach that the Lord’s Supper was the continuation of Israel’s Passover; and because in the coming kingdom age Israel is to be redeemed and the disciples are to eat and to drink with the Lord, that the Lord’s Supper is not for Gentiles in the Body of Christ. They quote Matthew 26:28 and Ephesians 2:11 and 12, to show that Gentiles were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from Israel’s Covenants at the time that the Lord said, “this is My blood in the New Covenant.”

But Paul was the Apostle to the Gentiles and he declared that Christ instructed him to give this memorial to the Church “till He come.” Literally, “till He shall have come.”

CHRIST IN GETHSEMANE

With the Lord’s experience in Gethsemane let us note:

Hebrews 12:3 and 4

“For consider Him That endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” “Such contradiction of sinners.” “Unto blood striving against sin.”

Read Matthew 26:30 to 56. Let us hold on to the words of Christ in verses 37 to 40:

“And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?”

And note this further word in:

Luke 22:43 and 44

“And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

Here we learn something of the awful suffering of the holy Son of God Who knew that His hour had come when He would be made a curse, when He would be made sin. Galatians 3:13. II Corinthians 5:21.

In Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42; we find recorded these words:

“Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done.” Luke 22:42.

When the Lord Jesus was but twelve years of age, He said, “Wist ye not that I must be about My Father’s business?” Luke 2:49. Then about twenty years later, He said unto His disciples, “My meat is to do the will of Him That sent Me, and to finish His work.” John 4:34.

“Then said He: Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God. He taketh away the first that He may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hebrews 10:9 and 10.

God’s will for His well-beloved Son meant not only miraculous works, His holy life of toil and sacrifice, but Gethsemane and Calvary. “For this cause came I unto this hour.”

Christ, Himself, said: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” John 12:24.

If Christ had not gone to Calvary to die for sinful humanity and by His resurrection and ascension become the firstfruits of them that slept, there would be no others in heaven. “But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”

Because Christ, on the cross, did His Father’s will, believing sinners are sanctified by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Christ went to Calvary so that God “might be just and the Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” Romans 3:26.

Christ assured the apostles that He was not the helpless victim of circumstances in the hour of His death, that He was not a religious martyr Who came to an untimely end.

Note His words in:

Matthew 26:53 and 54:

“Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?”

QUESTIONS—LESSON TWENTY-NINE

1. What question did the apostles ask Christ in Matthew 24:3 concerning the end of the age?

2. Read Luke 21:20 to 24 and tell when Israel’s desolation is to come and what is to become of Israel and Jerusalem.

3. What is to be fulfilled with regard to Israel and Jerusalem according to Zechariah 14:2 to 4? Who will be King over all the earth (Zechariah 14:9)?

4. What meaning would you give to the four horsemen of Revelation 6, in the light of Matthew 24:1 to 13?

5. Note Matthew 24:11 to 13. What meaning would you give to “he that shall endure unto the end?” 6. How does “the gospel of the kingdom” differ from “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24)?

7. Tell the story of the wise and foolish virgins. What did the wise virgins have that the foolish virgins did not have?

8. Tell the story of the judgments of the nations, as sheep and goats are separated. What will the King say to those on His left hand?

9. Now note what the King will say to those on His right hand. What kingdom is this prepared from the foundation of the world? Explain the difference between this kingdom and the kingdom of the Son of God’s love in Colossians 1:13 and 14.

10. In John 3:18 we read that sinners are not condemned if they believe on Christ. In Ephesians 2:8 to 10 believing sinners are saved by grace without works, unto good works. In Matthew 25:31 to 41 we learn that certain ones get into the kingdom because of deeds of kindness. Explain the difference.

11. How do good works enter into God’s spiritual program today? Mention the place of good works in James 2. Name some of the good works the believer should do in Romans 12.

12. Now compare Titus 3:5, “saved not by works of righteousness which we have done” with Titus 2:14: “Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” What lesson do we learn from these and other Scriptures?

13. In Ephesians 1:3 and 4, we learn that members of Christ’s Church today were chosen in Christ from before the foundation of the world and are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies. Compare with Matthew 25:34 “Come ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Explain the difference.

14. Now compare the statements “The kingdom of heaven at hand” Matthew 3:2 and 4:17 with Matthew 26:18, Christ’s words, “My time is at hand.” What had Christ said concerning Israel and Israel’s kingdom in between these two statements?

15. Do you think that Judas was first a saint and then lost his salvation? What did Christ say about Judas in John 17:12?

16. Read carefully the account of the Passover and the Last Supper in Matthew 26. What did the Lord say to His apostles about His table in the kingdom? Now read I Corinthians 11 concerning the Lord’s Supper. Until what time are believers to take the bread and cup?

17. Mention the events that took place in Gethsemene.

18. What did Christ say in Gethsemene concerning His Father’s will? What did Christ accomplish for the believer by doing His Father’s will (Hebrews 10:9 and 10)?

19. Mention at least five Scriptures to prove that Christ was God’s foreordained sin bearer and not simply a religious martyr.

20. What do we learn concerning the sacrifice of Christ in I Peter 1:18 to 20; Acts 4:26 to 28 and Acts 2:22 and 23?

For more articles by Pastor J. C. O'Hair, visit the J. C. O'Hair Online Library.