Sunday, June 17, 2012 am
THE LIFE OF JESUS (29)
Teachings Concerning Judgment
Matthew 24
We
are in the midst of a study of the life of Jesus.
In this portion of our study we have been dealing with His final
week. We have discussed His
entry and early interactions with the religious leaders, including His
exposing their hypocrisy.
Today, as we continue our study of His teachings during this final week,
we begin the first of two lessons dealing with judgment.
At first, Jesus addressed the Judgment of the Jewish nation
(Matt. 24) and secondly the final judgment (Matt. 25).
In this lesson we want to focus on the judgment of the nation of
Israel.
Matthew 24 is a passage that we must give some attention to as it is a
playground of what will happen in the end times.
In particular, some who teach premillenialism (that we are living
in the time prior to the Lord’s return at which time He will reign upon
earth in Jerusalem for a thousand years) use this text as a description
of what will happen prior to His return.
In our lesson this morning we are going to examine the context
and notice what Jesus is actually talking about.
a.
Leading up to this
discourse we have noted how Jesus cleansed the temple and in answering
their demand for His authority to do such Jesus proceeded to describe
their rejection of God in a series of parables (Matt. 21:28-22:14).
Then these leaders sought to discredit Him with questions that He
answered in such a way that they were silenced (Matt. 22:15-45).
But this led to His scathing rebuke in which He identified their
hypocrisy and corruption in Matthew 23 which identified a number of
ungodly attitudes and actions.
b.
In Matthew 23:29-36,
Jesus describe how they had built monuments to the slain prophets and
boastfully proclaimed, “IF we had
lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with
them in the blood of the prophets.”(23:30) (Do you ever think about
how easy it is to, with hindsight, proclaim what you would have done –
especially when the prophets in question were no longer a threat to what
you are currently doing?)
BUT He noted that in that statement they were witnesses against
themselves and He likened them to the same disposition as their corrupt
ancestors and furthermore how they would be without excuse when they
executed Jesus and others.
Jesus the said He would send them prophets, wise men and scribes and they
would abuse and even kill some of them and in the process, “on
you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood
of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you
murdered between the temple and the altar.” (23:35)
c.
Matt. 23:36-39,
“Assuredly, I say to you, all
these things will come upon this generation. “O Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent
to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen
gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your
house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no
more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”
Notice how Jesus here pronounces a time LIMITATION upon when this
judgment will take place.
This is followed by grieving for Jerusalem as the city who kills the
prophets (both past and present).
There is also a sighing as Jesus expresses his desire that they
would repent - but they
refused!
d.
The statement
– Matt. 24:1-2, “Then Jesus went
out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him
the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all
these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here
upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”
While in Jerusalem, departing
from the temple, Jesus tells His disciples that a day is coming when
“not one stone shall be left here upon another.”
e.
The questions:
In response to Jesus statement as He was leaving the temple.
His disciples are with Him and they inquire, “Tell
us, when will these things be?
And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the
age?” (Matt. 24:3).
Notice that in this text His disciples ask Him two questions – actually
there are three inquiries.
i.
WHEN will these things
be?
In context, Jesus had just finished speaking of the temple in
Jerusalem being destroyed.
So that is what they were asking about.
ii.
What will be the signs
of Your coming?
As it is related to the events that were to take place when Jerusalem
would be destroyed. Luke’s
account records, “So they asked
Him saying, ‘Teacher, but when will these things be?
And what sign will there be when these things are about to take
place?’” (Luke 21:7)
iii.
What will be the
signs…of the end of the age?
Whether they had the end of the world in mind or the Jerusalem
judgment OR they thought they were both the same,
Jesus answers concerning the end
of the world.
a.
Matt 24:4-35 – Jesus is
speaking of the coming destruction of Jerusalem.
He is answering their first question, “When will these things
be.” As we read these
verses notice that His answer is “Soon” but first some things must take
place.
b.
Matt. 24:36-44 – Jesus
changes direction and begins to describe the end times.
a.
Matt. 24:4-35 – Jesus is
speaking about the coming destruction of Jerusalem.
He is answering the first question.
OF the events recorded in this
text (and its companions) we have verification of these things happening
PRIOR to the destruction of Jerusalem.
Many of them are addressed in New Testament.
Consider the actual things Jesus said would happen:
i.
Matt. 24:4—5 – many
would come claiming to be the Christ and deceive many
ii.
Matt 24:6-8 – Rumors of
wars, pestilences, famines, earthquakes in various places, etc.
History verifies that from 50-70
AD there were wars.
iii.
Matt. 24:9-10 –
Persecutions will begin – tribulations and killings, hatred and
betrayal. There will even be
some “hating one another.”
We read in the epistles of persecutions, much of it (if not all) written
prior to the destruction of Jerusalem.
2 Tim. 3:12
iv.
Matt. 24:11- False
prophets will arise – again many passages verify this (cf. 2 Pet. 2:1-3)
v.
Matt. 24:12- The love of
many will grow cold – lukewarm service, etc.
Cf. Heb. 2:1-3, 3:14, etc.
vi.
Matt. 24:13- BUT he who
endures to the end will be saved.
A PRINCIPLE to always apply – cf. 1 Cor. 9:27, Luke 9:62, etc.
vii.
Matt. 24:14 – BEFORE
these things take place the gospel must be preached in all the world and
THEN the end will come. Col.
1:23.
viii.
Matt. 24:15-18 – NOTE:
This is perhaps the most challenging verse in this context.
Jesus said, “When you see the
‘abomination of desolation’ spoken by Daniel the prophet standing in the
holy place, then let those who are in
Judea flee to the mountains…”
This is followed by instructions to “pray” that these things
happen when there is time to flee the city.
Some observations:
1.
The “abomination of
desolation” is recorded by Daniel is found in Daniel 11:29. 12:11, 9:27.
Time will not permit a discourse of the text(s) in Daniel, but we
know it is a book prophesying WHEN the kingdom would be established
(during the days of the Roman Empire) and noting some events that would
take place during the various empires until that time.
2.
The “abomination of
desolation” would involve a people that would defile the temple.
There are historical accounts of this occurring prior to the
coming of Christ, including during the Macedonian Empire, when Antiochus
Epiphanes, a pagan (Selucid) general, defiled the temple in 168 B.C.
erecting an altar to Zeus and offering unclean sacrifices in the
temple. Daniel may have had
reference to these events in particular.
3.
When Jesus (in Matthew’s
and Mark’s accounts) mentions Daniel He could be relating to something
similar – NAMELY that a foreign nation would come and destroy Jerusalem
and defile the temple – which is exactly what Rome Did in AD 70.
IN Luke’s account of the words of Jesus we read, “But when you see
Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.”
(Luke 21:20)
4.
The point Jesus is
making was that Jerusalem was going to be destroyed and when they (His
disciples) saw armies beginning to surround the city they were to get
out before the destruction.
5.
Tradition holds that no
Christians were found in Jerusalem when it was sacked and destroyed by
Titus in 70 AD.
6.
ONE more observation in
this text, Jesus in vs. 16 mentions JUDEA in particular, which is where
Jerusalem was!
ix.
Matt. 24:21-22 – Jesus
warned there would be great tribulation (troubling times including
persecutions). These are
documented in scripture occurring in Jerusalem and Judea, as well as in
the empire. As to the
“shortening of days” – Jesus could be indicating that God was going to
put a STOP to the non-sense of these persecuting, Jewish leaders and
their followers. It would
NOT continue. Effective, the
destruction of Jerusalem put an end to the Jewish persecutions,
especially in that region.
x.
Matt. 24:23-24 – Jesus
noted there would be “false christs” claiming to be saviors.
He said, “DON’T BELIEVE THEM!”
xi.
Mat. 24:27-31 describes
the destruction as the Judgment of “the Son of Man.”
References to lightening, the sun & moon darkened and stars
falling are Old Testament references to judgment against leaders.
Truly after the fall of Jerusalem there would be mourning
throughout the empire, especially as Jews realized their defeat.
xii.
Matthew 24:32-35 - The
parable of the fig tree finds Jesus describing the time when you know
that certain seasons are upon us based upon the blooming of the tree.
HEAR THIS: Jesus is saying that there are SIGNS to look for when
Jerusalem would fall. In
this Jesus clearly indicates that they would KNOW when His judgment
would happen.
This is FURTHER substantiated by vs. 34 where Jesus says, “Assuredly, I say to you, this
generation will by no means
pass away till all these things take place.”
The word generation does NOT mean age (cf. Matt. 24:3 uses a
different Greek word which can mean an age (aeon)
NOTE: Col. 1:26 uses BOTH words.)
xiii.
When we put these things
together it is CLEAR Jesus was dealing with a judgment that would occur
during the lifetime of some who were there present.
And it did – some 40 years later and ALL the “signs” mentioned in
this text can be documented!
|
Destruction of Jerusalem |
Destruction of the World |
|
The time is identifiable. |
The time is unknown. |
|
It will occur in "this
generation." |
It will happen on "that
day." |
|
The events prior will be
unusual. |
The events prior will be
typical. |
|
There will be advance
warnings - the example of the fig tree. |
There will be no warning
- the example of the thief. |
|
The judgment will be
local - on the nation of Israel. |
The judgment will be
universal. |
|
Specific signs of the
coming judgment can be seen. |
No advance sign of the
end will be found. |
|
There will be time to
escape the judgment. |
There will be no time for
flight. |
Our study of Judgment will continue in our next lesson dealing with the final judgment!