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Look at Jesus' prophecy, Matthew 24! He had been showing His disciples the
buildings
of the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus told them the temple would be completely
destroyed (verse 2).
Later, on the Mount of Olives they privately asked Him when what He said would
happen,
and a second question, what would be the SIGN of His Second Coming and the END
of the
present world's society and civilization (verse 3). They thought His Second
Coming would
be in their lifetime.
Actually, the temple was destroyed in their lifetime, in A.D. 70. So first
Jesus
answered what would occur in their time--although it actually continued until
our time.
"Take heed that no man deceive you," He said (verses 4-5), "For many shall come
in my name
saying I am Christ; and shall deceive many." The counterfeit gospel proclaimed
Jesus as the
Christ, but deceived many. That continued to our time. But the Gospel of the
KINGDOM OF GOD
was suppressed.
Jesus did not answer their second question about His Second Coming until
verse 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." Following this (verses 21-22) would come
the Great
Tribulation, followed by miraculous signs in the sky (verse 29) and the Second
Coming
(verse 30).
Paul wrote of the suppressing of the Gospel of the Kingdom at about A.D.
53. That
Gospel was not preached until 1934. By 1953, a 19-year time cycle, it had gone
coast to
coast in the United States. In 1953--a century of time cycles from the
suppression of the
Gospel--it went out on the most powerful radio station on earth--Radio
Luxembourg--and
has continued worldwide since. God DOES THINGS ON TIME!
Now consider the prophecy of Malachi 3:1-5. In verse 1, God will send a
human messenger
to prepare the way before Christ, coming as the Messenger of the New COVENANT.
Now
what coming of Christ is this prophecy talking about? Read verses 2 to 5. Jesus
did none
of those things at His first coming--but WILL DO THEM AT HIS SOON SECOND COMING!
So the prophecy is, actually, foretelling primarily a messenger to prepare the
way for His
SOON SECOND COMING!