February 20, 2011
Evening Service

Matt. 24:15-51

 

Review:

• This morning we saw the three questions that the disciples were interested in:

1. When will these things be?
2. What will be the sign of Your coming?
3. And of the end of the world?

 

This evening we begin with the answer to the first one again;  The destruction of the temple.

 

Mat 24:15-51 KJVR  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)  (16)  Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains:  (17)  Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:  (18)  Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.  (19)  And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!  (20)  But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:  (21)  For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.  (22)  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. 

• When you see these things happening, get out immediately, don’t wait for anything.  GET OUT.
• There were different wars, and things that happened in the temple that Daniel refers to, but Jesus is referring to what is going to happen soon.

The abomination of desolation - This is a Hebrew expression, meaning an abominable or hateful destroyer. The Gentiles were all held in abomination by the Jews, Act_10:28. The abomination of desolation means the Roman army, and is so explained by Luk_21:20. The Roman army is further called the “abomination” on account of the images of the emperor, and the eagles, carried in front of the legions, and regarded by the Romans with divine honors.

Standing in the holy place - Mark says, standing where it ought not,” meaning the same thing. All Jerusalem was esteemed “holy,” Mat_4:5. The meaning of this is, when you see the Roman armies standing in the holy city or encamped around the temple, or the Roman ensigns or standards in the temple. Josephus relates that when the city was taken, the Romans brought their idols into the temple, and placed them over the eastern gate, and sacrificed to them there, “Jewish Wars,” b. 6 chapter 6, section 1.

• Let them in Judea flee. For refuge.
• Let him on the housetop. The flat roofs were sleeping places. All must be done without a moment's delay.
• Woe to them with child. Because not fit for flight and the hardships that must be endured.
• Not in the winter. Because the streams were then impassable torrents from the heavy rains and the weather cold and wet, hard on homeless people.
• Nor on the sabbath. Because then the gates of the city were closed, preventing departure. History tells us that the army of Cestius Gallus enclosed Jerusalem in A. D. 67, then deterred by its strength, retired to Cæsarea. This was the signal for which the church waited, and it then fled beyond the Jordan.

 

Now He returns to His second coming:

(23)  Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.  (24)  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.  (25)  Behold, I have told you before.  (26)  Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.  (27)  For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 

• Then, during this time of turmoil, and destruction, do not believe it when men say that the Christ is here or there.  Don’t look for me yet.  I have told you this.
• Then He tells how it will be when He comes back.
• (27)  For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

His second coming will be very noticeable;  IThess. 4:13-18.

 

To say the least, what follows is hard to understand, and be accurate.  It can actually describe two situations.  The destruction of Jerusalem, and the events of the second coming.

But I believe that it mostly talks of the second coming;   NOTICE.

(28)  For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 

• This is just a true statement.  But since we are talking of the second coming, where the church is gathered, there will be the Christ.  He is coming back to catch His church away.

(29)  Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 

• We see a time of tribulation, where the sun will be darkened, and moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be shaken.  There is no record of this happening at the destruction of Jerusalem.
• So this must be the time of tribulation before the second coming of Christ.  Look what follows.

(30)  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

• Joel prophecied;  Joe 2:31  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.
• Joe 3:15  The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.

• 2Pe 3:10 KJVR  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

(31)  And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 

• Jesus gave parables concerning this happening.  One of the best was that of the wheat, and the tares.

(32)  Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 

• Here again is another truism.  

(33)  So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.  (34)  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 

• The generation that sees the sun darkened, the moon not giving it’s light, the stars falling from heaven, and the powers of heaven being shaken.   The generation that sees these things, needs to look up for our redemption is at the door.

(35)  Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.  (36)  But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.  (37)  But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  (38)  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,  (39)  And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 

• Is it not so today?  Is not the world blind concerning the things of God, and the nearness of His coming?

(40)  Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  (41)  Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 

• These examples are given as warnings, watch, and pray, for you know not when your Lord doth come.

(42)  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.  (43)  But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.  (44)  Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. 

• Church, we will not be taken unawares.  We should know the signs of His coming, and we should be ready.
• 1Th 5:2  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
• 1Th 5:3  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
• 1Th 5:4  But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
• 1Th 5:5  Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
• 1Th 5:6  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
• And finally a very stern warning for us preachers.  Of blessing, and cursing.

 

(45)  Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?  (46)  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.  (47)  Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.  (48)  But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;  (49)  And shall begin to smite his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;  (50)  The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,  (51)  And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 

All the warnings, and explanations that are given to us by the Lord are for us to be ready when He returns.

It goes without saying that some of them are difficult to grasp, but the warnings, and earnestness of them are easy to understand.

 

So Father, help us to be watching, and praying, so that we will not be taken unawares when You return for Your church.   Amen.