February 20, 2011
Morning Service

Matt. 24:1-14

 

Review:

1.                  We should remember chapter 23 of Matt. As the woe chapter.  In this chapter Jesus characterizes the Pharisees, and pronounces fearful judgment on them.  “Woe unto you , scribes, Pharisees, and hypocrites.”   Jesus pronounced these woes, and then said, “all these things will come upon this generation.”  A generation in the bible is 40 years.  It is the year 33AD, and in just 37 years Jerusalem with be destroyed by the Romans.  Therefore fulfilling what Jesus said concerning “all these things shall come upon this generation.”

Josephus had acted as a mediator for the Romans and, when negotiations failed, witnessed the siege and aftermath. He wrote:

Now as soon as the army had no more people to slay or to plunder, because there remained none to be the objects of their fury (for they would not have spared any, had there remained any other work to be done), [Titus] Caesar gave orders that they should now demolish the entire city and Temple, but should leave as many of the towers standing as they were of the greatest eminence; and so much of the wall enclosed the city on the west side. This wall was spared, in order to afford a camp for such as were to lie in garrison [in the Upper City], as were the towers [the three forts] also spared, in order to demonstrate to posterity what kind of city it was, and how well fortified, which the Roman valor had subdued; but for all the rest of the wall [surrounding Jerusalem], it was so thoroughly laid even with the ground by those that dug it up to the foundation, that there was left nothing to make those that came thither believe it [Jerusalem] had ever been inhabited. This was the end which Jerusalem came to by the madness of those that were for innovations; a city otherwise of great magnificence, and of mighty fame among all mankind.

2.                  Jesus closes chapter 23 with His lament over Jerusalem.

 

In chapter 24 Jesus will give us an idea of what is going to happen in the future;  three things are ask.

1.                  Tell us, when will these things be?

2.                  What will be the sign of your coming?

3.                  And the end of the world?

 

Notice:

Mat 24:1-26 KJVR  And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple.  (2)  And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 

• The splendor of the temple was amazing to the disciples.
• And Jesus bursts their bubble.  It will be destroyed.

(Solomon's Temple dated to the 10th century BC, though the physical structure was Herod's Temple, about 90 years old at the time.)

 

Jesus says there shall not be one stone left upon another.  Josephus describes it;  but for all the rest of the wall [surrounding Jerusalem], it was so thoroughly laid even with the ground by those that dug it up to the foundation, that there was left nothing to make those that came thither believe it [Jerusalem] had ever been inhabited.

 

(3)  And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us,

1. when shall these things be?

• When shall these things be?    The things Jesus was just talking about.
• In chapter 23;  Mat 23:35-36 KJVR  That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zechariah son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.  (36)  Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
• And, the destruction of the temple.

 

 

 

2. and what shall be the sign of thy coming,

(4)  And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.  (5)  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

·     It is more appropriate to believe that Jesus is saying, “many shall come claiming to be the Christ, or Messiah.”  Rather than coming in His name, or authority.

One commentator writes; 

Saying I am Christ - I am the Messiah.  The Messiah was expected at that time.  Many would lay, claims to being the Messiah, and, as He was universally expected, multitudes would easily be led to believe in them. There is abundant evidence that this was fully accomplished. Josephus informs us that there were many who pretended to divine inspiration; who deceived the people, leading out numbers of them into the desert. “The land,” says He “was overrun with magicians, seducers, and impostors, who drew the people after them in multitudes into solitudes and deserts, to see the signs and miracles which they promised to show by the power of God.” Among these are mentioned particularly Dositheus, the Samaritan, who affirmed that He was Christ; Simon Magus, who said He appeared among the Jews as the Son of God; and Theudas, who persuaded many to go with him to the river Jordan, to see the waters divided. The names of 24 false Messiahs are recorded as having appeared between the time of the Emperor Adrian and the year 1682.

Jesus is talking only to His immediate disciples at this time.

 

3. and of the end of the world? 

(6)  And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  (7)  For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

·     Would this not have been easy to believe was happening in the world wars that we have had?  But the end is not yet.

and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.  (8)  All these are the beginning of sorrows. 

·     And the longer we live, the better news coverage we have, and it shows us that these things have happened, are happening, and no doubt will continue to happen, and get worse.  Many times in our history people probably thought that because these things were happening that this was the end.  But not yet.

(9)  Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.  (10)  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 

·     This has already happened in many cases, but I believe it will get worse, before it gets better.

(11)  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 

·     Here is the other side of the statement that Jesus made when He said, many would come in His name.  These people are actually speaking in His name, or authority, and they are false prophets.

·     You shall know them by their fruits, and by your knowing the Word of God.

(12)  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.  (13)  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.  (14)  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. 

• Is sin not abounding today?   Has not the love of many waxed cold today?  Are there any that are trying to endure till the end?  If so, you shall be saved.
• Is the gospel being preached in all the world today?  Yes it is.
• So that means Jesus could come back at any time, for we are living in the end times.

Peter describes the end time like this:  Read 2Pet. 3:1-14;

 

Paul said this to Timothy;

2Ti 3:1-5 KJVR  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  (2)  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,  (3)  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,  (4)  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;  (5)  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

 

Father, help us to watch, and pray always, that we may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.   Lk. 21:36.    Amen.