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Dewey Bertolini's podcast


Jul 24, 2016

Welcome to the Olivet Discourse. The End Times prophetic address that Jesus gave to His disciples high atop the Mount of Olives, immediately to the East of the Holy City, Jerusalem.

As you will hear in this PODCAST, that lovely little land that we affectionately call Israel is the center of the world.

Literally and metaphorically.

Literally, because Israel is the place where the three major continents -- Europe, Asia, and Africa -- tenderly touch and affectionately kiss each other. Which goes a long way to explaining why God chose this modest piece of real estate -- a mere 150 miles long (North-South), 50 miles wide (West-East) -- as stage for the Greatest Story Ever Told.

Metaphorically the center of the world because throughout all of human history, the eyes of world have ever been focused squarely on the Middle East -- so called because it sits in the middle or center of the world. And in center of the Middle East sits Israel.

So Israel is indeed the center of the world.

That said, Jerusalem is the center of Israel, and the Temple is the center of Jerusalem.

So it is no wonder that Jesus and His disciples took a timeout from all of the hubbub of activities on this Tuesday of Jesus’ final week, exactly three days before Jesus would go to the cross.

As they sat upon the Mount of Olives taking in that breathtaking view of the Holy City and its glorious Temple -- God’s House, what Jesus called “My Father’s House,” what many of our Jewish friends call “The House” -- the disciples were moved by that spectacular panoramic portrait to ask Jesus these two most important questions in Matthew 24: “What will be the sign of your coming,” and “What will be the sign of the end of the age?”

Jesus’ answer to those questions comprise what we now call the Olivet Discourse, spanning two full chapters, Matthew 24 - 25.

As you are about to hear, there are Two Interpretive Keys to understanding these all-important prophetic chapters.

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God bless you richly as you listen.