Please turn in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 24 as we continue our study through the Word of God. At this point it is still Tuesday of the week of the crucifixion, probably late afternoon by now. And it was a day filled with activity. From the cleansing of the temple to the questioning and rebuking of the religious leaders to just sitting down in the temple area and watching the ways people were giving to God.
Now, after this long day, Jesus is leaving the temple area. He has blasted the religious leaders for their hypocrisy, and He is going to be heading back to Bethany, to the home of Lazarus, Mary and Martha, friends of Jesus. Now to do that He would have to travel across the Kidron Valley and then up and over the Mount of Olives. But, as we are going to see, He doesn’t travel too far before His disciples begin to question Him about the things He has said. Thus, let’s dig into Matthew chapter 24, beginning in verse 1, and see what the Lord has for us this evening.
VERSE 1
1. This is born out of Jesus saying that all these things will be destroyed, that their house will be left desolate, and the disciples are basically saying, "Not so, Lord!" And one of the things they pointed to was this massive temple, surely no one could bring down this magnificent structure, could they?
2. King Solomon built the first temple in 953 BC and it was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. Then, in 517 BC, as the Jewish captives were released, the second temple was built under the leadership of Zerubbabel, and it was a low budget project. In 20 BC Herod the Great came on the scene and expanded and beautified this second temple. It was a massive undertaking, lasting some 84 years, being completed in 64 AD, some 6 years before it was destroyed by the Romans. And this temple was a sight to behold, filled with gold, silver, and white stone. Herod used stones that were 36 feet long, 12 feet thick, and 12 feet wide, weighing some 120 tons! And Luke tells us that the disciples of Jesus said the following. "Some of his disciples began talking about the beautiful stonework of the Temple and the memorial decorations on the walls." (TLB) Luke 21:5. They are looking at the beauty, these massive stones, the stability of the structure, and yet, it was just an empty tomb, God had left it long ago. And now Jesus is going to shock them by the words He is going to say.
VERSE 2
1. In just 38 years from when Jesus spoke these words, Titus and the Roman army came in and leveled the city, killing over a million Jews, and a fiery arrow, supposedly shot by a drunken soldier, set the temple ablaze, melting the precious metals of gold and silver. Thus, to retrieve these metals, they had to knock down the stones, just as Jesus said, "...‘Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.’" Matthew 24:2. Today, if you go to Israel and enter through the Dung Gate to get to the temple mount, to the left is the Western Wall or the Wailing Wall, the retaining wall of the temple, and on the right side they are excavating and you can see some of these stones that were knocked down during this time, just as Jesus said.
VERSE 3
1. As they sat on the Mount of Olives His disciples asked Him two questions, "When will these things be?" or when will the destruction of the temple take place? And the second question, "What will be the sign of your coming, and the end of the age?" The first question Jesus does not answer here but Luke does, in chapter 21, and we will cover that when we get to Luke. Also, please understand that they are thinking kingdom now, and Jesus is going to show them there is a time gap between the destruction of the temple and His return, the setting up of the kingdom.
2. Matthew chapter’s 24 and 25 have been called the Olivet Discourse. What does that mean? Jesus is teaching on the Mount of Olives, (Olivet) and He is giving them instructions or He is teaching them the things that will take place in regards to His second coming and the end of the age, (Discourse).
3. Now some see these chapters only relating to the Jewish people, but I have a hard time with that. I think this chapter can be broken down into 3 sections: verses 1-14 speaks of the tribulation period as it relates to the nations, verses 15-35 speaks of the tribulation period as it relates to Israel, and verses 36-42 speaks of the end times as it relates to the church. And I will show you why I think the church fits into this picture as we get to those verses. But, whichever way you view this chapter, the key is to watch and be ready. Things are going to get tough, the days will be harder to live in, the world will become more and more evil, but hang in there, endure till the end!
VERSES 4-5
1. Jesus is warning people to stay alert, pay attention, keep your eyes open because spiritual deception will be great as false Christ’s rise up to deceive people. And this will culminate with the opening of the first seal and the emergence of the rider on the white horse at the beginning of the tribulation period, the Antichrist! It appears that these things are manifested in the first 3½ years of the 7 year tribulation period, and as we get to verse 15, we begin the second half of the 7 year tribulation period, known as the Great Tribulation, the first 3½ years known as the beginning of sorrows!
VERSES 6-7a
1. Believe it or not, since the time of Christ there has been 13 years of war for every 1 year of peace. John Lennon’s song "Give Peace a Chance" doesn’t fly because the heart of man is wicked! In fact, the Club of Rome put out a publication called The War Atlas and it states that since 1945 there has not been a single day of peace on this planet. Right now there are over 32 million soldiers in the active military with over 570 million in the reserves. Of the top 10 nations importing armaments, 5 are in the Middle East! Sounds like they are preparing for Ezekiel 38 and 39, the war of Magog! Also, this seems be preparing the way for the opening of the second seal, the rider on the red horse, which speaks of war during the tribulation period, which I believe really gets going in the second half of the tribulation period.
VERSE 7b
1. Many don’t realize this but we are only one crop failure away from global famine! This is amazing to me, the deserts are increasing at a rate of 14.8 million square miles per year! Pestilence’s, like AIDS and Ebola and others are deadly diseases with no known cure, and it will only get worse. A 1976 US Geological survey team said that the tectonic plates are shifting in such a way that earthquakes are now occurring with greater frequency and intensity than at any other time in recorded history! Again, I think this is preparatory phase for the third and fourth seals being opened with famine and pestilence’s and-so-on as the second half of the tribulation period starts.
VERSE 8
1. This is only the beginning of birth pains, the first 3½ years of the tribulation period, and thus these pains will increase in frequency and intensity until the kingdom age is birthed! Yes we do see these things today, but they are only false labor pains, preparing the way for the real thing that is coming!
VERSES 9-10
1. During the tribulation period, those that come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior through the two witnesses, Moses and Elijah, and the 144,000 Jewish evangelists, will be persecuted for their faith and even put to death. Yes we see that today, but it will reach its climax during the tribulation period.
VERSE 11
1. False prophets continue to grow today and will culminate during the tribulation period with the false prophet. We are to test the spirits to see if they are of God, those that say they are speaking for God, and if what they say is not found in God’s Word, if it contradicts God’s Word, they are false prophet’s, dismiss them! We need to use discernment in the body of Christ today for the deception is growing!
VERSE 12
1. That restraining force that is holding back evil from proliferating even more is the Holy Spirit working through the church, and once that is removed, at the rapture, evil will rise to the surface and people will become cold, insensitive to the needs of others, the things of God.
2. Some like to say that it is our environment that makes people evil, the way we are brought up. I disagree. Adam and Eve had a perfect parent, God, they lived in a perfect environment, the Garden of Eden, and they still sinned. During the 1,000 year reign of Christ, Satan will be bound for that time, and yet, some will try and rebel and Jesus will deal with them immediately. And at the end of the 1,000 year reign many will turn to Satan and follow him. You see, the issue is we are sinners, our hearts are evil!
VERSE 13
1. Things will get tough, hang in there, don’t give up, and you will enter into the kingdom age with Jesus. Even today we as Christians are called to finish the race, don’t give up.
VERSE 14
1. Some use this to say before the Lord returns the church must go out into all the world and preach the Gospel. Of course we are to do that, but that is not what this verse is saying, it is not a prerequisite that we must do before the Lord returns. This will occur during the tribulation period, for in Revelation 14:6-7 we are told, "Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth-- to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people– saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.’" So the Gospel will be preached throughout the world before the Lord returns as this angel speaks forth the truths of God.
2. Now in verses 15-35 we move into a section that deals with the tribulation period as it relates to Israel.
VERSES 15-20
1. This tells me that the temple must be rebuilt, for at the 3½ year mark of the 7 year tribulation the Antichrist will enter in and demand to be worshiped as god! In II Thessalonians 2:3-4 Paul tells us, "Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." And in Daniel 9:27 we are told, "Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate." In the middle of that week, the 3½ year mark, the Antichrist will demand to be worshiped as god, it is called the abomination of desolation.
2. This is a warning to the Jews, when they see this, they are to flee into the mountains. Interestingly enough, the Temple Institute has the plans for the third temple and it is wired for closed circuit cameras, so all the world could see this event take place on CNN or whatever news show is on then. And the reason I say this is to the Jews here is that it specifically says they are to pray that this does not occur on the Sabbath. Why? Because they could only travel so far on the Sabbath, but a gentile can go as far as he wants, there is no restrictions.
3. As the Jews reject the Antichrist, he will come after them to destroy them. And I believe these Jews will flee southward, to the rock city of Petra where God will protect them for 3½ years. Interestingly enough, at the entrance to Petra, carved into the rocks, are two huge eagle’s wings. And in Revelation 12:13-14 we are told, "Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent."
4. One other side note. W. E. Blackstone has placed hundreds of thousands of Hebrew New Testaments in earthen jars with Matthew 24 and Revelation 12 underlined in Petra. They are just awaiting the arrival of the Jews and it is during this time the nation as a whole will turn to Jesus!
VERSES 21-22
1. Jesus is saying that there is nothing in history that can compare with this period of time, and man’s heart is so evil, that unless He did return, we would destroy ourselves. And folks, we can do that today with just a push of a button!
VERSES 23-26
1. When Jesus returns it is not going to be in secret. In 1917 the Jehovah Witnesses said Jesus was coming back, and when He didn’t, they had to correct their error, and they did so by saying He came into His secret chamber and is controlling the world through the Watch Tower and Jehovah Witnesses. I am sorry, these verses clearly show that they are false prophets!
2. What a warning today for people who follow men like Jim Jones, David Koresh, Marshall Applewhite or Bo, who all had their followers killed, going to a secret place to encounter Christ. Be wise, be alert, the days are evil! As Jesus said, "Do not believe it."
VERSES 27-30
1. The idea here is when the Lord returns, every eye will see Him. In fact, in Revelation 1:7 we are told that very thing. We read, "Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen." And this will occur at the end of the 7 year tribulation period where there will be much carnage, much death, for the cup of their indignation is full and judgment has come upon them. And this lines up with what Revelation says in the sixth seal and the bowl judgments. Great cataclysmic signs in the heavens and on the earth, shaking the very foundations, and then the Lord will appear! We await that day as Daniel 7:13-14 says, "I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed."
VERSE 31
1. The elect that are gathered at the end of the tribulation period speak of the Jews. The Lord is going to gather His people and they will never be scattered again.
VERSES 32-35
1. The key to this parable is the fig tree. You see, when the leaves start coming out, those tender shoots are growing, it is a sign that summer is approaching. So who is the fig tree or what does it represent? Many point to this being Israel, and thus, Israel came back into the land in 1948, a generation is 40 years, so the Lord was to return in 1988, but He didn’t. Maybe it is 100 years, 2048? Don’t get me wrong, I think Israel being back in the land is a important sign for us, but I don’t believe that is what Jesus was speaking of. You see, in Luke 21:29-30 we are told, "Then He spoke to them a parable: ‘Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.’" You see, "all trees" it is a agriculture reference not a symbolic one! I think Jesus is saying that the generation that see’s these things happening, these birth pains, will see the second coming of Jesus, for it is only 7 years from the starting point to its culmination. Also, and I think important, the word "generation" in the Greek is GENEA and it speaks of a race or nationality. Thus, the preservation of this nation, the Jews, tells us that the Lord’s return is close, for many have tried to destroy them, most recently Hitler killing over 6 million, and now the PLO who are trying to destroy them. But God will preserve His people! It is a sign.
2. It is amazing what we place our trust in and all will pass away except the Word of God! It is eternal, His truths are unchanging. In fact, the second law of thermodynamics tells us everything is wearing down, heading towards disorder, falling apart - except God’s Word! Believe it, apply it to your life!
3. Now we move to the last section, verses 36-42, that deal with the end times relating to the church.
VERSE 36
1. I believe this has to do with the rapture of the church for we know that the second coming of Jesus will occur 1,260 days after the abomination of desolation. You see, no man knows the day the rapture will occur, only the seasons. Paul put it this way in I Thessalonians 5:1-2, "But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you.
For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night."
2. Now Jesus, in His earthly ministry, emptied Himself of some of His Godly attributes, as Philippians 2:5-11 tells us. So He did not know the day then, but now He is fully aware as He was received up in glory.
VERSES 37-42
1. The return of Jesus is likened to the days that Noah lived. How were those days? The population then was around 6 billion people, like today. There were abnormal sexual practices, like today. Did you know that over 300,000 kids are exploited every year for some 265 major kiddie porn magazines and now with the Internet, who knows the numbers! Their hearts were evil continually, and we see that today, the atrocities that people do come from the pit of Hell! We can kill over 40 million babies in the womb and think nothing of it. But touch a eagle’s egg and you will be fined! Violence filled the earth back then and we see the same today. And the picture is that life is just continuing on, people totally unaware what time it is, that judgment is coming, and we see the same attitude today. Noah spoke of the coming RAIN and we speak of the coming REIGN of Christ! But before He returns, judgment will come!
2. Now some say that this illustration of one taken and the other left speaks of judgment, but as I said, I don’t believe it does. Yes judgement is coming, but prior to that the church will be taken out of the way, we call it the RAPTURE! Paul said in I Thessalonians 5:9, "For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." You see, the wrath of God is not for us but for a Christ rejecting world. In Luke 17:34-36 Jesus said, "I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left. Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left." The indication here is that the Lord is coming at night, in the morning, during the day. How can that be? Because when it is daytime on this side of the world, it is nighttime on the other side of the world, and Jesus took that into consideration.
3. One last point, in verse 39 the Greek word for "took" is AIRO and it means to remove, and here it is speaking of judgment. But in verses 40 and 41 the word "taken" is the Greek word PARA LOMBANOMI, which speaks of receiving in a familiar or intimate way.
Also, we find this word used 3 other times, Matthew 1:27 when the angel told Joseph not to be afraid to take Mary as his bride. Then in Matthew 17:1, Jesus took Peter, James and John on the mount of transfiguration. And in John 14:3, where Jesus said, "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and [take] receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." See, I don’t believe Jesus is speaking of judgment here, but taking out His bride, taken us to glory, taking us to heaven - THE RAPTURE!
VERSES 43-44
1. It is as Paul said in I Thessalonians 5:6, "Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober." It truly is a shame that many Christians don’t know what time it is on God’s prophetic time clock. We need to be watching and waiting for His return, why? Listen to what Jesus says next.
VERSES 45-47
1. Jesus is saying that we are to carry on with diligence when the Lord is gone, to be faithful in service. Lethargy, in the body of Christ, only causes us to fall away. On the other hand, knowing that the Lord is coming back causes us to be faithful, to live holy lives, for He could come at any time and who wants to be reading porn magazines, or involved in fornication, or whatever sin when He comes! It is as John said, "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." I John 3:2-3.
VERSES 48-51
1. Now you can’t lose your salvation, Jesus is not speaking of someone who was saved. It is as Jesus said in John 10:27-30, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one." But this person gave lip service to God and his actions showed where his heart was at and he will be rewarded for his wickedness.
2. Let me leave you with these words. As Christians we should live each day as if this is the one the Lord will return on, because it might be! And it will help you to walk in a holy manner, occupying the time or redeeming the time for the Lord, keeping your eyes focused upward, looking for His return, just as Jesus tells us to do! It is as Jesus said in Luke 21:34-36, "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." Don’t be caught by surprise!