In this episode, we continue building a historically grounded, text-driven understanding of Matthew 24 by examining what Jesus called “the beginning of birth pains” in the Olivet Discourse. Anchored in the first-century destruction of Jerusalem’s temple, we explore how religious deceivers, wars and imperial unrest, famines and earthquakes, persecution, apostasy, and the worldwide proclamation of the gospel throughout the Roman "world" all fit within the disciples’ generation and culminate in AD 70. Rather than predicting the end of world history, Jesus was describing a covenantal transition—the close of the Mosaic age and the vindication and enthronement of the Son of Man. This episode shows how that framework clarifies difficult New Testament passages, answers skeptical objections about Jesus’ credibility, and strengthens the church’s confidence in living faithfully within the established kingdom age, where Christ reigns, and His mission advances.

Jesus and the disciples linked His "coming" (parousia) to the fall of the temple in their generation. This episode explores the relationship between them.

Jesus foretold the temple's destruction, and the disciples then asked two questions. Were they asking about the end of time? About the last days of planet Earth? Many people assume they were doing so, but in this episode, I suggest another possibility. This option links their questions to the Lord's prophecy, not to some other subject.

In this episode, I explore the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24 and explain what Jesus really meant about the destruction of the temple. I break down biblical prophecy, the disciples’ questions, and the signs Jesus described—without end-times hype or complicated theology. If you’ve ever been confused by Matthew 24, end times prophecy, or the meaning of the Olivet Discourse, this episode provides clear, Bible-based insight and practical context to help the passage finally make sense.

Here, I use four criteria to select the best place to start documenting the Bible's prophetic model:

1. It should be in the New Testament
2. It should use a minimum of figurative language
3. It should be lengthy
4. It should influence the rest of the New Testament

In addition, I explain the word "inmillennialism."

In this episode, I show how the Scriptures create a dilemma for the existing prophetic models to encourage you to join us as we discover a better option. Here is the outline:

Introduction

1. Category 1: OT Scriptures about the future kingdom
   1. The Davidic kingdom (2 Sam 7:12–13, 19)
   2. The increasing kingdom (Dan 2)
   3. The victorious kingdom (Psa 110:1)
2. Category 2: NT Scriptures announcing the kingdom
   1. The first of Acts
   2. The end of Acts
   3. The interior of Acts
3. Category 3: NT time statements about Jesus coming in the kingdom
   1. Matthew 10:23
   2. Matthew 16:27–28

Conclusion: the dilemma

For further writing on these themes, please visit my blog at MikeRogersAD70.com, or view my book on Amazon: Inmillennialism: Redefining the Last Days.

In this first episode, I share some personal and theological background and outline the focus of the podcast. The episode centers on the importance of the kingdom of God as a guiding theme for reading Scripture and approaching questions of prophecy, setting the stage for future conversations.

For further writing on these themes, please visit my blog at MikeRogersAD70.com, or view my book on Amazon: Inmillennialism: Redefining the Last Days.