In Matthew 13:1 we read that the Lord “went out” and left Israel’s leaders in order to concentrate on a new part in His ministry. At that occasion, He presented the parable of the Sower: despite being rejected, Christ continued a work of God as the divine Sower. And so He kept on sowing and teaching the Word, until His final rejection and death. Today, from the glory, He continues His work as Sower; after the rapture, He will also continue sowing, though in a different way.

When the time had come that He should become the supreme Sacrifice, needed for Israel’s and for our redemption, He went out a second time. This action was to demonstrate that the temple and the religious service were given over to destruction, which took place in the year 70 ad. However, this destruction would also be an illustration of what is going to happen in the future. The temple will be rebuilt; the Jewish people will have their messiah: but it will be a false messiah, who will even sit down in “the temple of God.” He will proclaim Himself to be the messiah, even God! (2 Th. 2:4). A counterfeit! His followers will have “the mark of the beast” and those who refuse this mark will be persecuted to death (Rev. 13).

The Lord’s going out is quite significant: it indicated that the religious system and its leaders were left for God’s judgment, because they had rejected the Son of God, the Messiah. Already, at the beginning of the history of the Church, persecutions took place. These persecutions continue until today. They demonstrate that these two worlds cannot go on together, despite all man’s efforts in trying to do so.