The Caldwell Commentaries Podcast

In-depth commentary/study books to ACCOMPANY EVERY STUDY on our podcast are available through Amazon.com and scripturetruth.com (Search under Katherine Caldwell Commentaries) This passionate one-hour study is on the many and often confusing events and circumstances concerning the Sunday when Jesus Christ rose bodily from His tomb three days and three nights after His death - just as He had predicted and promised on at least seven Biblically recorded occasions! You will hear nuggets of truth you very likely never thought of before - comparisons with things concerning Christ's birth and His death; with Josephs and Marys and the Magi and the rich gifts lavished on Jesus at the time of His death. What would be the value in today's economy of the aloes and myrrh lavished on Jesus for His burial? Who was Joseph of Arimathea? How did he unknowingly fulfill prophecy? What was the "Valley of Corpses"? In this lesson, we discuss many proofs of Christ's resurrection that were providentially provided by God and, ironically, by the Lord's greatest enemies! What does the Scripture actually tell us about those mysterious grave clothes and rolled-up head napkin in the tomb?! How many Roman soldiers would have stood guard at the tomb? How was the tomb sealed? What was the punishment for falling asleep on duty for a Roman soldier? What would be the value in today's economy of the aloes and myrrh lavished on Jesus for His burial? What is illogical about the "Theft Theory" or the "Wrong Tomb Theory" or the "Swoon Theory" or the "Telepathy Theory"? These are all ideas invented by Bible skeptics in their futile efforts to discredit the Lord's literal, bodily resurrection, but none of them work at all - find out why! Much more . . . so "tune in"!!

Matthew 25:1-13; Mark 4:1-9; Luke 22:1, 2; John 12:2-8 It was nearing the end of the busiest record day of Christ's ministry, Tuesday of the Passion Week. After finishing His "Olivet Discourse" (Matthew 24, 25), the Lord specifically told His disciples that, "after two days" it would be the Passover and He would be betrayed and crucified. This is what is discussed in the first part of this lesson, "The Prediction of Death by Jesus". We then move to talk about "The Plan for Death by the Rulers". Ironically, their plan to kill Jesus very specifically stressed the importance of NOT taking His life on the Passover! However, Christ was the One in control, not them. He was born to be the once-for-all Passover Lamb, and He would give His life on Passover, exactly at the time the lambs were being sacrificed in the Temple (3:00 p.m.)! Finally, after returning to Bethany to spend Tuesday night with His dear friends, Martha, Mary, and the recently raised-from-the-dead Lazarus, we discuss "The Preparation for Death by Mary"! As we do so, we will look at Mary's Worship Expressed and Mary's Worship Examined (first, by Judas; second, by Jesus). THIS IS A BLESSED STUDY!

The original Passover was the Gospel in living illustration! God's primary purpose of the Passover in Egypt was to prophesy of the True Lamb of God" to be slain on Passover day. It is the oldest, continuously observed holiday in human history, having been celebrated for some 3,500 years by Jewish people the world over in obedience to God's command of Exodus 12:14. The Passover celebration has a distinct "order" to it; the Hebrew word for "order' is "seder". In this lesson, we proceed through "The Passover Seder" and explain the historical reasons for the various items on the Seder Plate (i.e. matzo, bitter herbs, a roasted shank bone of a lamb, charoseth paste, an egg), what each of four cups of wine symbolize, why there are pillows on the chairs around the table, and an empty chair and place setting, etc. But the Passover is so much more than a memorial celebration of Israel's physical deliverance from bondage in Egypt. It is an absolutely INCREDIBLE typological prophecy of Christ and the spiritual deliverance from mankind's bondage to sin. If you have never experienced a Seder from the Messianic perspective, you are in for "an eye-opener"! The unity plate with its three wafers of unleavened bread - the middle one of which is BROKEN and WRAPPED IN A WHITE LINEN NAPKIN, HIDDEN from view, and then FOUND amidst great rejoicing and reward for the finder - amazingly pictures Christ's death, burial, and resurrection! In fact, the Jews call that broken, wrapped, hidden, and then rejoicefully-found piece of unleavened matzo, the "Afikomen" (a mysterious Greek word in an otherwise Hebrew Seder). Non-Messianic Jews use this term, but do not realize its significance! Find out what the word "Afikomen" means in this study! Share this message with Jewish friends and pray they realize their Messiah has already come!!

In addition to the very misunderstood and misused "Parable of the Sheep and Goat," this lesson includes the Lord's "Parable of the Talents" (what exactly is the Lord teaching about the man who buried his talent in the ground and how is that man similar to the five virgins in the previous parable who had no oil in their lamps?). "The Parable of the Sheep and Goats" is about the divine judgment on Gentiles living at the time of Christ's Second Coming! It is a determination as to who among them will enter the Millennial Kingdom (sheep) and who will not (goats); it has to do with how they treated Israel! Do you have any idea how many use this parable to refer to how people today treat the "down and trodden"? Yes, we are to have compassion for and demonstrate love to "the least of these" among us, but that is not the contextual teaching of this parable.

In this second part of our study on "The Lord's Supper in Light of Passover," we discuss the contemporary Passover celebration of the Jewish people. Shortly after the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, the Temple and the entire Judaistic sacrificial system were destroyed (A.D. 70), so the annual Passover celebration began to experience some changes. We consider those changes and learn how it has been observed and is still observed today, primarily focusing on how Christ Himself is presented in the Passover Seder. In conclusion, we discuss the manner in which the Lord transitioned the Jewish Passover into the Christian ordinance of "The Lord's Supper". He explained what the unleavened bread pictured for all those years since Egypt when He took a piece of the matzo, broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me," and when He picked up the cup and said, "This cup is the New Testament in My blood: this do ye, as oft ye drink it, in remembrance of Me" (I Corin. 11:24, 25).

In-depth commentary/study books to ACCOMPANY EVERY STUDY on our podcast are available through Amazon.comuand scripturetruth.com Search under Katherine Caldwell Commentaries) This is the first in a two-part study on how the Lord Jesus, on the last night of His pre-resurrection time spent with His Apostles, transitioned the Passover "Seder" memorial celebration into what Christians refer to as "The Lord's Supper". In this first message, we discuss the original Egyptian Passover, which led to Israel's deliverance from her bondage, and the Permanent Passover Memorial (which God command Israel to annually celebrate so each succeeding generation would not forget what He had done for His people in delivering them from bondage in Egypt. We talk about the spiritual significance of the Passover lamb, the bitter herbs, and the unleavened bread. We also look at the Passion Week Passover (how it was celebrated by Christ and His men), seeing how events like His washing of the disciples' feet, John's question of John 13:25, and the handing of the sop to Judas all fit so perfectly into the sequence of the Passover service. Charles Spurgeon said, "The Jewish Passover was made to melt into the Lord's Supper, as the stars of the morning dissolve into the light of the sun". If Christians, who regularly participate in the ordinance of "The Lord's Supper" (aka "Communion") want to understand all that it signifies, they must see and understand it in the light of the Jewish Passover! Why? Because it was in the Jewish Passover "framework" that Christ instituted His Supper.

Before Jesus spoke the beautiful "Parable of the Ten Virgins," He gave two more admonishments (the first three are discussed in lesson 138). They are "The Sleeping Porter Admonishment" (Mark 13:33-37) and "The Daily Care Admonishment" (Luke 21:34-36). Through all five parabolic warnings, the Lord was warning those living in the Tribulation ("The Time of Jacob's Trouble" - Jeremiah 30:7), "BE READY! I have given you many signs, so although you will not know the exact day or hour of My return, you can know when it is very near! Do not be caught unprepared!" Included in this discussion is an informative look at the Jewish wedding customs of Christ's day. It is imperative to understand the three phases of the Jewish marriage to rightly interpret this parable (it also gives further proof for a pre-Tribulation Rapture). Lots of great truths to learn, so click the "play" button!

The Lord's "Parable of the Fig Tree" has become a controversial parable; part of the controversy is because it has been viewed as a complicated allegory rather than a simple analogy. A popular interpretation of this parable says the fig tree pictures Israel and her reinstatement as a nation in 1948 is its "budding" in the parable. The conclusion then means the generation that saw Israel's reinstatement will see Christ's return (the Rapture)! Hear the Biblical reasons not to interpret the parable that way and find out how it should be interpreted! Also discussed are the Lord's "Flood Admonishment" (as in the days of Noah so shall also the coming of the Son of man be), His "Thief Admonishment" (Matthew 24:43, 44), and His "Evil Servant Admonishment" (24:45-51). These are important "warnings" that must be rightly interpreted. Something to continually remember is the Church is not in "The Olivet Discourse".

This second part of this BRAND NEW STUDY, "What on Earth is Going On," looks at today's extremely alarming world scenario through the lens of prophetic Scripture! Discussed in this study are not only New Testament descriptions of "the last days" (which we are clearly in), but some very important "end times" Old Testament prophecies. These include the prophetic vision of Ezekiel's "Valley of Dry Bones" ... which is already partially fulfilled ... and his divinely inspired description of the yet-future "War of Gog and Magog" (the geopolitical alignment of the nations involved in this battle exist today for the first time in 2600 years)! We also summarize what many consider the greatest prophecy in support of the Identity of Jesus, the Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world: Daniel's God-given "Seventy Weeks' Prophecy"! Not only did it predict the very day of His official presentation of Himself as Messiah to Israel, but this prophecy fully supports a Pre-Tribulation Rapture of Christ's Bride, the Church. Furthermore, it clearly teaches (as does "The Valley of Dry Bones Prophecy") that God has not replaced Israel with the Church! He will fully keep all His covenant promises with her! Romans 11:26! God has placed blinking neon signs everywhere to warn the world He is coming soon! DO NOT be like Israel at the time of Christ's First Coming, when she MISSED THE DAY OF HER VISITATION! Receive Him today as your sin-Substitute Savior, for He is LORD, and the Bible clearly proves that truth from Genesis to Revelation.

Take a "jet tour" through the entire Bible in this NEW STUDY, as we explore "God's Plan of the Ages" to see where we are today in HIS-story! This is an extremely powerful message to strengthen faith in the undeniable RELIABILITY OF GOD'S WORD - and to use the information learned in SHARING with others so their "eyes are opened" to the TRUTH of the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ! Many exciting prophetic picture-types of the Gospel throughout the Old Testament are presented - some of which may even surprise the seasoned Bible student.

This lesson brings us to a discussion of the most momentous event of all time: the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus in all His Divine Glory! Did you realize prophecies regarding the Second Coming make-up 1/3rd of all prophecies of Scripture? Do you know of the 333 prophecies regarding Christ Jesus, 109 were fulfilled at His First Coming, while 224 remain to be fulfilled at His Second Coming! Next to the subject of faith, no other subject is mentioned more in the Bible than Christ's Return. One more statistic: for every one time the First Coming is mention, the Second Coming is mentioned 8 times! This lesson is about one of the 21 times the Lord predicted His Return. In addition to predicting the blasphemous abomination of desolation (lesson 136), He gave a sign that will immediately precede His Return - a great decrease in light from the celestial luminary bodies. At almost the same instant as that decrease in light, "the sign of the Son of man" will appear in the sky! Find out from this study what that final sign might be!

To this point in His Olivet Discourse, the Lord Jesus spoke about the end-times' rise of false christs, wars and rumors of wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes - all of which will begin to noticeably increase in frequency and intensity (like labor pains) during the first 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation (Daniel's final 7-year "week" - 9:24-27). He also predicted that, during the second 3 1/2 years, there would be great persecution of Jews and Christians, the rise of many false prophets, and the proliferation of sin and total lawlessness (Matthew 24:9-12). In Matthew 24:15, Christ gave the specific sign that would divide the two halves of the Tribulation Period. It is the sign that should warn Jews living in Israel, as well as Tribulation saints, that massive persecution (by the Antichrist) is about to begin. Find out about an historical "abomination of desolation" (Antiochus Epiphanes), which served as a prophetic preview of the even greater "abomination of desolation" the Antichrist will perform as he breaks his "covenant" with Israel (her covenant with death).

After giving the "labor signs" of the beginning of the Tribulation Period, the Lord proceeded to predict the second half of the Tribulation, which is called "The Great Tribulation". It will be a time of unprecedented calamity on this earth; fortunately, it will only last 3 and one-half years. Its culmination comes suddenly with the Lord's Return. In this lesson, the Lord presented 5 features that will characterize this time period. The first 3 are negative; the last 2 are positive. The negative characteristics are: (1) great persecution of the saints, (2) false prophets, and (3) the proliferation of sin. The two positive features that will take place in the final half of the Tribulation are: (4) the promise of "salvation" for the one who endures to the end (NOT in reference to spiritual, bt to physical salvation, and (5) the proclamation of the Gospel of the Kingdom (find out why Matthew 24:14 does not mean the Gospel must be spread to the entire world before Jesus can return for His Church). What is "the Gospel of the Kingdom" that will be "preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations" in the final years before Christ's Return? Answer is found in this study.

The first of the four sign-events to occur in the period of the Tribulation Jesus termed, "The Beginning of sorrows" will be a worldwide deception through a proliferation of false christs (see Lesson 3 in this series). The next three sign-events of this time frame are discussed in this lesson. They are massive destruction by way of intensified warfare among the nations of the world, a vastly increased death toll as a result of not only the warfare, but increased famines and pestilences (diseases), and dreadful physical disturbances occurring on land and in the sky. The four "sign-events" of "The Olivet Discourse" are described by the Apostle John in Revelation 6:1-8 as the first four seal judgments, pictured by four different colored horses with ominous riders upon them, famously referred to as "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse". Although the Church does not look for these four frightening figures, yet it seems we can hear their thundering hoofbeats off in the distance. Be sure you are right with the Lord TODAY!

In Jesus' answer to answer the second question asked Him by His disciples, "What shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the age?" He gave them a whole series of events that will precede His Coming! In fact, He took them rapidly through the entire seven years of "The Tribulation" on earth (the final week of Daniel's 70 Weeks' Prophecy - see our two podcast lessons tagged "GREAT 70 Weeks' Prophecy). The Olivet Discourse is Christ's panoramic account of the end-times' events to occur on earth before He returns to establish His earthly Kingdom. In Matthew 24:4-8, He prophesied of the types of events (signs) that will take place during the first half of the Tribulation (also called "the beginning of sorrows"). In Matthew 24:9-14, He went on to predict the events that will occur in the second half of the Tribulation (called "the Great Tribulation"). In Matthew 24:15-31, He had further words of prophecy about specific signs of the end-times. There is more, but we will discuss it when get to lessons 8 to 10. Describing the first half of the Tribulation, the Lord gave four specific types of "sorrows" those living at that time will experience. The first is that there will be a great increase in spiritual deception! Included in this lesson is a review of some of the 23 major false messiahs who have attempted to deceive Israel and the world into believing in them since the time of the true Messiah, Jesus Christ! It is very interesting!!