_The Christines upon Mount Olives. Jesus prophecies the
destruction of Jerusalem, and of terrible disasters that will
mark the conclusion of the age. He exhorts his disciples to
faithfulness._
Then Jesus with the twelve went forth and sat upon Mount Olives, just
beyond the city’s gate.
2 And his disciples said, Behold the wondrous city of Jerusalem! its
homes are all so beautiful! its temples and its shrines are clothed in
such magnificence!
3 And Jesus said, The city is the glory of my people, Israel, but, lo,
the time will come when every stone will be cast down, and it will be
a hiss and byword for the nations of the earth.
4 And the disciples asked, When will this desolation come?
5 And Jesus said, This round of human life will not be full until the
armies of the conqueror will thunder at her gates, and they will enter
in, and blood will flow like water through the streets.
6 And all the precious furnishings of temple, court and palaces will
be destroyed, or carried off to deck the palaces and courts of kings.
7 Behold, these days are not at hand. Before they come, lo, you shall
be maltreated by the scribes and Pharisees, the high priests and the
doctors of the law.
8 Without a cause you will be haled into the courts; you will be
stoned; you will be beaten in the synagogues; will stand condemned
before the rulers of this world, and governors and kings will sentence
you to death.
9 But you will falter not, and you will testify for truth and
righteousness.
10 And in these hours be anxious not about your speech; you need not
think of what to say;
11 For, lo, the Holy Breath will overshadow you and give you words to
say.
12 But then the carnage will go on, and men will think that they are
pleasing God by killing you, and nations far and near will hate you
for the sake of Christ.
13 And men will stir up evil thoughts among your kin, and they will
hate you and will give you up to die.
14 And brothers will be false to brothers; fathers will stand forth
and testify against their own, and children will drive parents to the
funeral pile.
15 When you shall hear the Roman eagle screaming in the air, and see
his legions streaming o’er the plain, then know the desolation of
Jerusalem is near.
16 Then let the wise wait not, but flee. Let him who is upon his house
wait not to enter in the house to gather up his wealth, but let him
flee.
17 And he who labors in the field must not return, but leave his all
to save his life.
18 And woe to mothers with their little children in that day; none
shall escape the sword.
19 The tribulation of these days cannot be told in words, for such has
never been since God created man upon the earth.
20 The conqueror will carry many of the sons of Abraham away as
captives into foreign lands, and they who know not Israel’s God will
tread the highways of Jerusalem until the anti-Jewish times have been
fulfilled.
21 But when the people have been punished for their crimes, the
tribulation days will end; but lo, the time will come when all the
world will rise, like gladiators in a ring, and fight just for the
sake of shedding blood.
22 And men will reason not; they will not see, nor care to see a cause
for carnage, desolation, thefts; for they will war with friend or foe.
23 The very air will seem surcharged with smoke of death; and
pestilence will follow close upon the sword.
24 And signs that men have never seen will then appear in heaven and
earth; in sun, and moon, and stars.
25 The seas will roar, and sounds will come from heaven that men
can never comprehend, and these will bring distress of nations with
perplexity.
26 Hearts of the strongest men will faint in fear, in expectation of
the coming of more frightful things upon the earth.
27 But while the conflicts rage on land and sea, the Prince of Peace
will stand above the clouds of heaven and say again:
28 Peace, peace on earth; good will to men; and every man will throw
away his sword, and nations will learn war no more.
29 And then the man who bears the pitcher will walk forth across an
arc of heaven; the sign and signet of the son of man will stand forth
in the eastern sky.
30 The wise will then lift up their heads and know that the redemption
of the earth is near.
31 Before these days shall come, behold, false Christs and poor
deluded prophets will arise in many lands.
32 And they will show forth signs, and do a multitude of mighty works;
and they will lead astray the many who are not wise; and many of the
wise will be deceived.
33 And now I tell you once again, When men shall say, The Christ is in
the wilderness, go you not forth.
34 And if they say, The Christ is in the secret place, believe it not;
for when he comes the world will know that he has come.
35 For as the morning light comes from the east and shines unto the
west; so shall be the coming of the age and son of man.
36 The wicked of the earth will weep when they shall see the son of
man come down upon the clouds of heaven, in power.
37 Take heed you, O take heed, for you know not the hour nor the day
when comes the son of man.
38 Let not your hearts be overcharged with sensuous things, nor with
the cares of life, lest that day come and find you unprepared.
39 Keep watch at every season of the year; and pray that you may meet
the Lord with joy and not with grief.
40 Before these days shall come our Father-God will send his
messengers abroad, yea, to the corners of the earth, and they will say,
41 Prepare you, O prepare; the Prince of Peace shall come, and now is
coming on the clouds of heaven.
42 When Jesus had thus said, he went with his disciples back to
Bethany.