6 - Matthew 24 - His Triumphal Procession

Resound Missions Base Podcast with Leah Ramirez

English - October 20, 2013 22:10 - 1 hour - 77 MB - ★★★★★ - 10 ratings
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Previous Episode: 10/13/13 Are we Doing the Word, By Leah Ramirez

Next Episode: 7 - Matthew 24 - The Millennial Kingdom

I’ve wanted to teach on this for years, but there is so much to say on the subject, so many details to cover, that I have been intimidates by the task. This will be only an overview. But I pray it will bring clarity concerning what is to come and focus for how we should live now.

2 Corinthians 2
[14] But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. [15] For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, [16] to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?

Being led by the king of triumph is not just spiritual lingo, but rather this will find literal fulfillment at the return of Jesus. It is a military term, and took days as the procession of captives marched before the victorious king, and the loyal army followed behind.

The second coming of Jesus will take more than an hour. It will take days and weeks for this procession to unfold into a final victory. The first coming of Christ was quiet, and even then a choir of angels appeared in the sky to herald His birth. His second coming will mesmerize the globe.

The high point of the Second Coming procession is Jesus’ re-entry into the city of Jerusalem as the Messianic Kingdom received by the governmental leaders of Israel (Mt. 23:39).

Matthew 23
[37] “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! [38] See, your house is left to you desolate. [39] For I tell you (the governmental leaders), you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

I. THE ARMAGEDDON CAMPAIGN

A. Jesus’ Second Coming is in context to ending a 31⁄2 year military conflict (Armageddon campaign) at the Battle of Jerusalem to establish His Throne over all nations. The final event of natural history is the appearance of Jesus as that Warrior-King with the all saints and angels.

Revelation 19
[11] Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. [12] His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. [13] He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. [14] And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. [15] From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. [16] On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

B. The setting of the Second Coming: the Antichrist will appear victorious over the Church (Rev. 13) and Israel. Israel will be surrounded by the Antichrist’s forces. Half of the city will be taken into exile. Israel and the Church will have their “back against the sea” in seeming defeated by the advancing forces of the Antichrist (as the End-Time Pharaoh).

Revelation 13
[5] And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. [6] It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. [7] Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation,

[8] and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.

C. The Armageddon Campaign is often thought of as an isolated battle that occurs just before Jesus returns. It is a military campaign that lasts 31⁄2 years and will involve many different battles. It ends with the final battle referred to as the Battle of Jerusalem which is fought in the Valley of Jehoshaphat just outside of Jerusalem. The Antichrist will conduct numerous battles around the world (Rev. 6:1-6; Dan. 11:40-45), in context to the 31⁄2-year Armageddon Campaign.

The most fierce and decisive battle of the Armageddon Campaign is the last one called the Battle for Jerusalem. It is the battle that is ended by Jesus’ Second Coming to Jerusalem. The Battle for Jerusalem is what most people are thinking of when they say the Battle of Armageddon.

The Second Coming is in context to the Battle of Jerusalem and involves the nations gathering to fight Jesus, on earth (not in the sky). The judgment of the Sixth Bowl is the assembling of nations to come to Jerusalem to fight Jesus not the Jews. Jesus is on the ground by then. They have urgency because of having seen Jesus’ sign in the sky.

Jesus will step out of heaven and He will stand in the sky as a fully human King who is also fully God. No human king in history has ever stood in the sky with his armies. When Jesus splits the sky with His appearing and liberates the captives, it won’t be instantaneous, but a process! It will take time. Though He will use supernatural power, He will also operate to a high degree within the boundaries of human process. Because He comes from Heaven, we often assume He will nearly do away with the natural human dimensions of life in His Second Coming. Yet that is not the case. God loves the natural realm. He will release His glory to the nations involving natural, human processes with a supernatural anointing. This concept of literal events in a natural realm is important for us to understand!

II. THE PROCESSION IN THREE STAGES

The Second Coming is in context to the Battle of Jerusalem. Jesus will march to Jerusalem to win the Battle of Jerusalem to end the Armageddon campaign (Rev. 19:11-21).

To understand the Second Coming we must have a right paradigm. The necessary paradigm is in knowing that Jesus will rule the earth with the natural human processes not suspended, yet significantly enhanced by the supernatural dimension of the Spirit.

There are three types of people on earth when Jesus appears in the sky. First, the redeemed will be raptured during Jesus’ worldwide procession across the sky. Second, the reprobate who took the mark of the Beast. Third, the resistors or the unsaved survivors (Jews and Gentiles) of the Great Tribulation who refused to worship the Antichrist.

Stage #1: Jesus’ procession across the sky: to rapture the Church (Mt. 24:30-31; Rev. 1:7) Stage #2: Jesus’ procession on the land: traveling from Egypt through Jordan (Isa. 63; Hab. 3) Stage #3: Jesus’ procession into Jerusalem: to the Mount of Olives followed by His coronation

STAGE 1: ACROSS THE SKY

I refer to the many different events associated with Jesus' Second Coming as the "Second Coming Procession." It is a procession because Jesus comes with all the saints (1 Thes. 3:13) and all the angels (Mt. 25:31) as He travels on clouds across the whole earth for all to see (Mt. 24:30). It will be a glorious procession as Jesus comes with the Father's glory (Mt. 16:27), great power (Mk. 13:26) and flaming fire (2 Thes. 1:8) as He travels across the sky with the brightness and energy of lightning (Mt. 24:27). He will descend from heaven with a shout, the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God as He raises the dead. (1 Thes. 4:14-16). The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken (Mt. 24:29) causing darkness and silence (Hab. 2:20; Zech. 2:13) to cover the earth.

The Second Coming Procession involves a 3 stage process including many events occurring over 30 days (compare Rev. 11:2-3; 12:6, 14; 13:5; Dan. 7:25; 12:7 with Dan. 12:11). This Procession begins in the sky at the 7th Trumpet (Last Trumpet; Rev. 11:15; 1 Cor. 15:52) with the Rapture and ends on the earth after the 7th Bowl to end the Armageddon campaign with an astonishing victory over the armies of the Antichrist at Jerusalem (Rev. 19:11-21; Zech. 12:1-13:6; 14:1-9).

16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. (1 Thes. 4:16)

31 He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather His elect. (Mt. 24:31)

51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-- 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the Last Trumpet. For the Trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Cor 15:51-52)

15 Then the seventh angel sounded: there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ... (Rev. 11:15)

14 Then the LORD will be seen over them...the Lord GOD will blow the trumpet, and go with whirlwinds from the south. (Zech 9:14)

13 So it shall be in that day: The great trumpet will be blown; they will come, who are about to perish in the land of Assyria, and they who are outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem. (Isa 27:13)

Jesus will begin to rapture the saints at the sound of the Last Trumpet (1 Cor. 15:50-52; Rev. 11:15-17; 10:7; Mt. 24:31; 1 Thes. 4:16; Isa. 27:13). Only the righteous dead will be raised at the Last Trumpet (1 Cor. 15:51-52). The mystery of God or the plan of God for the Bride to be ready to rule the earth with Jesus will be complete at the 7th Trumpet. Jesus will rapture the saints in association with a great trumpet (Mt. 24:31). Paul tells us that the Rapture occurs in association with the Last Trumpet (1 Cor. 15:50-52; 1 Thes. 4:16-17; Isa. 27:13; Rev. 11:15-17; 10:7). The 7th Trumpet is the Last Trumpet in the

series of seven (Rev. 8-9; 11:15) and is when the empires of the earth begin to be taken over by Jesus. The Last Trumpet is the last of the seven Trumpets that are numbered by John in Revelation. The world is celebrating the death of the Two Witnesses as they are the first ones raptured at the 7th Trumpet. Jesus comes back to earth beginning at the 7th Trumpet (Rev. 11:15-18)

STAGE 2: JESUS IS THE GREATER MOSES

A. Two Second Coming prophecies concerning Jesus must be studied together, Isa. 42:1-17 and Isa. 49:1- 26.They have many significant parallels related to Jesus’ Second Coming procession. In both passages, Jesus is described as God’s Servant who establishes His covenant with compassion to establish justice in all the earth. Jesus’ world-wide commission is confirmed in covenant terms. The points of great emphasis in the covenant include, Jesus releasing prisoners then taking the captives on an Exodus type journey back to Israel.

Isaiah 42
6 I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people (Gentiles), as a light to the Gentiles, 7 to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house... 10 Sing to the LORD a new song, and His praise from the ends of the earth... 13 The LORD shall go forth like a mighty man; He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war. He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud; He shall prevail against His enemies. 14 "I have held My peace a long time, I have been still and restrained Myself. Now I will cry like a woman in labor, I will pant and gasp at once. 15 I will lay waste the mountains and hills...16 I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, and not forsake them. 17 They shall be turned back...22 But this is a people (Israel) robbed and plundered; all of them are snared in holes, and they are hidden in prison houses; they are for prey, and no one delivers; for plunder, and no one says, "Restore!" 23 Who among you will give ear to this? Who will listen and hear for the time to come? 24 Who gave Jacob for plunder, and Israel to the robbers? Was it not the LORD, He against whom we have sinned? For they would not walk in His ways, nor were they obedient to His law.

Isaiah 49
8 Thus says the LORD: "In an acceptable time I have heard You..., and in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You as a covenant to the people, to restore the earth, to cause them to inherit the desolate heritages; 9 that You may say to the prisoners, 'Go forth,' to those who are in darkness, 'Show yourselves.' "They shall feed along the roads, and their pastures shall be on all desolate heights. 10

They shall neither hunger nor thirst, neither heat nor sun shall strike them; for He who has mercy on them will lead them, even by the springs of water He will guide them. 11 I will make each of My mountains a road, and My highways shall be elevated. 12 Surely these shall come from afar (East); Look! Those from the north and the west, and these from the land of Sinim (Egypt or the South) ." (Isa. 49:8-12)

B. In Isaiah 42, we see God’s word to the Gentiles about Jesus ruling all nations. In Isaiah 49, God presents Jesus’ 2-fold task to first win Israel, then all the Gentile nations.

Isaiah 40
10 Behold, the Lord GOD shall come with a strong hand...11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young.

C. Jesus’ procession across the land as He travels through Jordan (Edom) to Jerusalem (Isa. 63:1-6; Rev. 19:11-16; Hab. 3:3-18; Ps. 110:5-6). This march will progressively unfold, including a series of events that could take place over days or even weeks. My view is that after Jesus descends from heaven, His first point of contact with the earth is at Mt. Sinai in Egypt, then marches through parts of Egypt, then passing through the wilderness, then through Jordan (Edom which was part of ancient Assyria) on His way to Jerusalem and then on to the Mount of Olives.

D. Jesus will assemble the captives of the remnant of Israel. The primary two nations in which this happens are Egypt and Ancient Assyria (regions of parts of modern day Jordan, Syria and Iraq were previously called the Transjordan). A “highway” or road will be built up specifically for the return of the Jewish captives (Isa. 19:23; 35:8; 49:11; 62:10). The captives of Israel are called the outcasts and the dispersed ones (Isa. 11:11-16; 40:10-11; Hos. 11:10-11; Zech. 10:10).

Isaiah 11

11 It shall come to pass in that day that the LORD shall set His hand again the second time (the first time in 2,500 years was in 1948) to recover the remnant of His people who are LEFT, from Assyria (Jordan, Syria, Iraq) and Egypt, from Pathros (island of Pathros near Nile Valley in Egypt) and Cush (Ethiopia), from Elam(Persia) and Shinar (southern Iraq), from Hamath (Syria) and the islands of the sea (Mediterranean). 12 He will set up a banner for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, AND gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth...14 but they shall fly down upon the shoulder of the Philistines toward the west; together they shall plunder the people of the East (Jordan); they shall lay their hand on Edom and Moab; and the people of Ammon shall obey them. 15 The LORD will utterly destroy the tongue of the Sea of Egypt (Red Sea); with His mighty wind He will shake His fist over the River (Euphrates at Assyria), and strike it in the seven streams, and make men cross over dry-shod. 16 There will be a highway for the remnant of His people who will be LEFT from Assyria, as it was for Israel in the day that he came up from the land of Egypt.

E. Jesus will thresh from the Euphrates River in Assyria to Egypt; as He gathers one by one, the Jewish outcasts (prisoners) in Egypt and Assyria who were about to perish. He will do this when the great trumpet is blown. He will then lead them to Jerusalem that they might worship Him. This will parallel when God told Pharaoh to let His people go so that they might worship Him (Ex 4:23; 7:16; 8:1).

Isaiah 27
12 In that day that the LORD will thresh, from the channel of the River (Euphrates River in Assyria) to the Brook of Egypt; and you will be gathered one by one, O you children of Israel. 13 So it shall be in that day: the great trumpet will be blown; they will come, who are about to perish in the land of Assyria, and they who are outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

STAGE 3: PROCESSION INTO JERUSALEM

Zechariah 14
[1] Behold, a day is coming for the LORD, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst.
[2] For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. [3] Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. [4] On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. [5] And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains... Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

9] And the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day the LORD will be one and his name one.

[10] The whole land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. But Jerusalem shall remain aloft on its site from the Gate of Benjamin to the place of the former gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king's winepresses. [11] And it shall be inhabited, for there shall never again be a decree of utter destruction. Jerusalem shall dwell in security.

[12] And this shall be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths.

A. It’s important to note that all of the seals and trumpets (and thunders too) proceed the rapture and the second coming of Christ. The bowls of wrath are poured out during the 30 days procession. Over and over the scriptures talk about wrath following Christ, and this is literally true. We are releasing the bowls of wrath with Him. He comes to reign in righteousness! And we are part of His triumphal procession.

Matthew 21
[7] They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. [8] Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. [9] And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” [10] And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” [11] And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”
[17] And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there. [18] In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. [19] And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once. [20] When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” [21] And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.

B. This is the very mountain that will split! Jesus will ride in victorious. He will lead us into triumphal procession with Him. This is the glory set before us. This will unfold! We will surely be witnesses of fulfillment!

2 Corinthians 2 [14] But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. [15] For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, [16] to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?

The high point of the Second Coming procession is Jesus’ re-entry into the city of Jerusalem as the Messianic Kingdom received by the governmental leaders of Israel (Mt. 23:39).

Matthew 23 [37] “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! [38] See, your house is left to you desolate. [39] For I tell you (the governmental leaders), you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

I. THE ARMAGEDDON CAMPAIGN

Revelation 19 [11] Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. [12] His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. [13] He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. [14] And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. [15] From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. [16] On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Revelation 13 [5] And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. [6] It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. [7] Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation,

[8] and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.

II. THE PROCESSION IN THREE STAGES

The Second Coming is in context to the Battle of Jerusalem. Jesus will march to Jerusalem to win the Battle of Jerusalem to end the Armageddon campaign (Rev. 19:11-21).

STAGE 1: ACROSS THE SKY

16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. (1 Thes. 4:16)

31 He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather His elect. (Mt. 24:31)

15 Then the seventh angel sounded: there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ... (Rev. 11:15)

14 Then the LORD will be seen over them...the Lord GOD will blow the trumpet, and go with whirlwinds from the south. (Zech 9:14)

STAGE 2: JESUS IS THE GREATER MOSES

Isaiah 42 6 I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people (Gentiles), as a light to the Gentiles, 7 to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house... 10 Sing to the LORD a new song, and His praise from the ends of the earth... 13 The LORD shall go forth like a mighty man; He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war. He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud; He shall prevail against His enemies. 14 "I have held My peace a long time, I have been still and restrained Myself. Now I will cry like a woman in labor, I will pant and gasp at once. 15 I will lay waste the mountains and hills...16 I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, and not forsake them. 17 They shall be turned back...22 But this is a people (Israel) robbed and plundered; all of them are snared in holes, and they are hidden in prison houses; they are for prey, and no one delivers; for plunder, and no one says, "Restore!" 23 Who among you will give ear to this? Who will listen and hear for the time to come? 24 Who gave Jacob for plunder, and Israel to the robbers? Was it not the LORD, He against whom we have sinned? For they would not walk in His ways, nor were they obedient to His law.

Isaiah 49 8 Thus says the LORD: "In an acceptable time I have heard You..., and in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You as a covenant to the people, to restore the earth, to cause them to inherit the desolate heritages; 9 that You may say to the prisoners, 'Go forth,' to those who are in darkness, 'Show yourselves.' "They shall feed along the roads, and their pastures shall be on all desolate heights. 10

B. In Isaiah 42, we see God’s word to the Gentiles about Jesus ruling all nations. In Isaiah 49, God presents Jesus’ 2-fold task to first win Israel, then all the Gentile nations.

Isaiah 40 10 Behold, the Lord GOD shall come with a strong hand...11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young.

Isaiah 11

Isaiah 27 12 In that day that the LORD will thresh, from the channel of the River (Euphrates River in Assyria) to the Brook of Egypt; and you will be gathered one by one, O you children of Israel. 13 So it shall be in that day: the great trumpet will be blown; they will come, who are about to perish in the land of Assyria, and they who are outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

STAGE 3: PROCESSION INTO JERUSALEM

Zechariah 14 [1] Behold, a day is coming for the LORD, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst. [2] For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. [3] Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. [4] On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. [5] And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains... Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

9] And the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day the LORD will be one and his name one.

Matthew 21 [7] They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. [8] Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. [9] And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” [10] And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” [11] And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” [17] And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there. [18] In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. [19] And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once. [20] When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” [21] And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.