Last week we talked about a sign – something to show us that the end is near. But instead Jesus gave only vague references to increasing tension, increasing aggression, and decreasing love and devotion to God. Mostly He told us not to be alarmed but to keep on doing what we’re supposed to do – tell people about Jesus.
Why no signs for us Christians? Why can’t there be some definitive event that we can look for and then say "Okay – Jesus is coming to take us off the earth tomorrow." Well, Jesus, I believe, wants us to behave as if any day – any minute - could be the last.
That’s the theme more than anything else of Matthew 24 – be ready. Jesus didn’t give us details about events that would happen before His return so that we could do calculations and predictions – but so that our lives would be lived in such a way that we’d be ready no matter when He came.
A couple of things to understand as we make our way through the text –
1- Jesus is talking about His second coming in general terms – and isn’t making a clear distinction here between the snatching away of the church, known as the Rapture, and His second coming to earth. 2- There is a principal of prophecy that we need to understand – it’s known as dual fulfillment.
Some of these prophecies had been fulfilled by the time Jesus spoke these words – but they would be fulfilled yet again shortly, and then again sometime in our future. We make a mistake when interpreting God’s Word when we pigeon hole Him to single fulfillments of prophecy. So keep that in mind as we work our way through the chapter.
We start with one of the most significant signs of the last days – one that will be readily apparent to any Jew.
15 "So when you see standing in the holy place ’the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel-let the reader understand-
The Abomination of Desolation – what is that? To understand we need to go back, once again, to the prophet Daniel.
If you were with us a few weeks ago when we studied Jesus entry to the city of Jerusalem, you’ll remember that we looked at a section of Daniel 9 to get our timeline – the 70 weeks that has been determined on the nation of Israel. Well, we find out what happens between the 69th and the end of the 70th week there as well:
Daniel 9:26 After the sixty-two ’sevens,’ the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. 27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ’seven.’ In the middle of the ’seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing [of the temple] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him."
The idea was that God’s enemy would desecrate the Temple – it can also be translated "desolating sacrilege." This is the most detailed "sign" Jesus gives. And it has already been fulfilled twice before.
The first time was in 186 BC when Antiochus Epiphanes sacrificed a pig to the Greek God Zeus on the altar and made the practice of Judaism punishable by death. This is what led to the Maccabean wars.
The second fulfillment happened a few years after Jesus spoke these words – when the Romans destroyed the Temple in 70AD. And His words applied to those who would be in Jerusalem when the Romans came.
16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
17 Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house.
18 Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak.
19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!
20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.
The idea is that the destruction came suddenly – and that every moment was at stake to escape the Roman Legions. In fact, some took this advice and escaped to a nearby city in 70AD named Pella. They were spared.
But the third fulfillment is yet to come – and the trouble in those days is prophesied by Jesus next:
21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now-and never to be equaled again.
22 If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
Here’s the deal – as we read in Daniel, a man known as the Anti-Christ – and that is not anti in the way we think of it – opposed or opposite – but it’s the preposition that means "in place of." The Anti-Christ seeks to take the place of Jesus Christ – and so it makes sense that one of his acts is to set up an image of himself in the Temple – "you no longer need Jehovah God, I am your god."
Without going into huge detail here – this is the prophetic picture that Daniel starts to paint.
God takes His church out of the earth (the Rapture 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18)
The Anti-Christ makes a treaty with Israel for 7 years that brings peace to the Middle East and allows for sacrifices to once again begin in a rebuilt Temple.
Half way through that period he will break that covenant and set up his image in the Temple and force everyone on earth to worship him as god.
The last half of this period, known as the Great Tribulation will see God’s judgment executed on the earth in preparation for the second coming Christ, where He will land on the Mount of Olives and destroy the Anti-Christ, bringing in a thousand year reign.
The point Jesus is trying to make, and a good point for us to consider is this: If you are looking for the identity of the Anti-Christ, this should make it obvious. But interestingly, Jews today will tell you that the person they are looking for in the Messiah is the one who will rebuild their Temple. No wonder they’ll get sucked in to the deception, at first anyway.
Also - if you are looking for the true Messiah, then His return will be equally obvious – so there is no need to go about looking for signs here and there, and no need to believe anyone about the identity of either one of these individuals.
Why? Read the next verses:
23 At that time if anyone says to you, ’Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ’There he is!’ do not believe it.
24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect-if that were possible.
25 See, I have told you ahead of time.
26 "So if anyone tells you, ’There he is, out in the desert,’ do not go out; or, ’Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.
27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.
We have had men claim to be Jesus Christ – in fact, the Jehovah’s Witnesses have told me that Jesus actually did come back in 1917 but He is hiding from view (like in an inner room). Not so says Jesus – as lightning His coming will be visible and obvious to the whole world.
But there will be a great deception at the end – how will people be convinced? By signs and wonders.
Revelation Chapter 13 tells about the Anti-Christ and the false prophet who is his partner in crime – that they will perform signs, even causing fire to fall from heaven – and thus deceiving the nations. Let me tell you – if you are basing your faith on some supernatural move of God, whether its causing you to fall over when a preacher touches you, or whatever – that is a dangerous position.
We should base our faith on the Word of God – and the testimony of the saints, not miracle power – because even Satan can appear to wield that kind of power.
As far as the last verse there – about the vultures and the like – there is no agreement over what that verse means – and so we won’t go there.
Let’s go on:
29 "Immediately after the distress of those days "’the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken’.
John in the book of Revelation also gives this picture of what happens at the end of the Tribulation period. It’s scary stuff – I certainly don’t want to be around to see it because it portends the imminent coming of Jesus to judge the nations for their wickedness.
You see – even nature itself has been affected by our fall into sin. You can see Romans 8 and 2 Peter 3 for more on that – but the idea is that even as creation has suffered because of our sin, when Jesus is about to return physically to bring about His righteousness on the earth, the creation will respond.
30 "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.
All eyes will be on the heavens with this great display of stars falling and the sun darkened – then those same eyes will see Jesus coming – and everyone will realize, finally, the truth – that Jesus is the Son of God. Some people scoff at this and say ‘if Jesus came to the Middle East then people on the other side of the globe couldn’t possibly see it.’ Well – two things: 1. Jesus could well orbit the earth as He approaches, and 2. With our worldwide network of TV events happening in Jerusalem can be viewed instantly all over the world.
31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
There are actually three views as to what this means – depending on when you believe the rapture of the church takes place. I personally believe that in context Jesus is talking about an event after the rapture – because He’s referring to events just before His coming but after the "distress" of those days – the Tribulation. This then would refer to the taking up of the Jewish elect who got saved during the Tribulation.
32 "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.
33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.
34 I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
The group would have been walking by fig trees on their way from Jerusalem – the fig was a late bloomer – but Israelis could always tell when summer was near because of the fig – Jesus is saying "My coming may be delayed, like the fig tree, but it is certain." He is giving hope to the Jews who will live during the Tribulation – they need that hope, that certainty to go through such a horrific time.
He says "this generation will … not pass away." The Greek word could mean generation, or line of people. Perhaps Jesus is saying that the Jews need not fear extinction before He comes back.
35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
It’s so foolish to set times – even Jesus Himself while on earth didn’t know the exact timing – so who are we to be setting dates?
37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark;
39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.
41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
The point here – people will just keep on with their business as if nothing is happening until "boom" Jesus comes back. I don’t think the "men in the field" part here refers to the Rapture – I think the point is more: on the outside you might look similar – but what counts is what happened on the inside. Those who know God through Jesus will be separated from those who don’t.
42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.
44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?
46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.
47 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ’My master is staying away a long time,’
49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards.
50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.
51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
This is another reason why we shouldn’t set dates – if we knew that the Rapture would occur on November 17, we’d goof around until November 16 then get our lives in order and preach the gospel to everyone. But the point is: we don’t know, so we need to be ready now – we need to be sharing Jesus now.
Conclusions
God knows when enough is enough (vs 21-22)
If those days weren’t shortened all life would cease – God knows how much you can handle – you may think He goes way beyond that – but in the process of stretching you and maturing you, He will also be there to catch you. Muscles don’t get stronger until their structure is broken down, the built back up.
Don’t live your life business as usual
I think we have been cowed too much by a world that demands political correctness. We hide our faith in Christ under a basket and only let it out in church. Now I’m not saying that we should shout at people on the street corners – but we also ought not to be afraid to tell people that our lives depend totally on Jesus Christ. And – we need to be ready to go any time. Are you?
By the time the world realizes, it will be too late (vs 42-51)
If you don’t know Jesus – what kind of chance are you taking? Do you think you can manage things when this stuff happens? Do you think that our great economic system or political system will be able to do anything for you in the end?
Everything you know and depend upon will be destroyed. The only thing you can rely on is Jesus Christ. The entire universe will be destroyed – only those that know Him will endure. Why not get to know Him now?
