Matthew 24 - The Olivet Discourse
·
Also
found in Mark 13, Luke 21
o
Steve
Gregg: Mat 24 puts Luke 21 (about Great Trib in 1st century) and
Luke 17 (about 2nd coming??) together as writes his gospel topically
(future things), not chronologically.
VV. 1-34 happened to “this generation” (1st century). Afterward, Matthew writes of the 2nd
Coming.
§
You/your
used 14x in vv. 1-34, but not after that.
Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple
1 Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came
up to show Him the buildings of the temple. 2 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.”
The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
o
Mark
13:3-4 “Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, 4
“Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all
these things will be fulfilled?”
o
Luke
21:7 “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?”
o
Matthew
rephrases Mark & Luke – sounds like
1.
When
will the temple be destroyed?
2.
What
will be the sign of your coming?
o
Matthew
is compressing 2 narratives found in Luke 17 & Luke 21.
2 possibilities:
2 possibilities:
·
Matthew
may have modified the question to accommodate both narratives. 1 about 70 AD, 1
bout 2nd coming. OR
·
Matthew
is paraphrasing the disciples.
o
Many times “coming” talked about, usually not referring to 2nd
coming. (to comfort, to bless, to judge)
Examples:
·
Jn
14:18 - Jesus said to disciples in upper room, “I will not leave you
comfortless, I will come to you.” –
referring to the Holy Spirit
·
Jn
14:23 - Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he
will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”
·
Isa
19:1 – “The burden against Egypt.
Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud,
And will come into Egypt;
The idols of Egypt will totter at His presence,
And the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst. “ – coming in judgment on Egypt
Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud,
And will come into Egypt;
The idols of Egypt will totter at His presence,
And the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst. “ – coming in judgment on Egypt
·
Dan
7:13-14 – “one like the son of man coming with the clouds from heaven,”
“came to the Ancient of Days,” “given dominion, glory, and a kingdom,” “everlasting dominion,” “kingdom shall not be destroyed.
“came to the Ancient of Days,” “given dominion, glory, and a kingdom,” “everlasting dominion,” “kingdom shall not be destroyed.
o
NT says Jesus already on throne in his kingdom
§
Rev
3:21 – “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I
also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”
§
1
Cor 15:25 - “For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.”
§
Acts
2:36 - Peter on Pentecost: “Therefore let all the house of Israel know
assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and
Christ (king).”
o
Dan
7:13 - “ 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.” – Jesus came to God in Heaven
ASCENSION INTO HEAVEN
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.” – Jesus came to God in Heaven
ASCENSION INTO HEAVEN
o
In
Acts 1, disciples saw Jesus ascend into heaven.
Dan 7, we see this from the other side of the clouds. Receives seat at Father’s right hand and
receives his kingdom to rule over. Not
coming to earth, but going the other way.
·
What shall be the sign of your coming? (Matt. 24:3)
·
Were
the disciples asking about the 2nd coming?
o
How
could they? They didn’t even know he was
leaving.
o
They
thought he was soon coming to power.
·
Where
did they get the expression “your coming” ?
o
Matt
16:28 – “Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not
taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”
o
Associated
“coming” with the destruction of Jerusalem
o
Peter,
James, John & Andrew asked this privately (Mk 13:3).
o
Jesus
addressed them with “you” 15x in
chapter 24.
§
Dispensationalists:
He was speaking to disciples as reps of Jewish race that would be alive at 2nd
coming.
§
So
in John 14 when Jesus said, “If you
ask anything in my name, I will do it?”
Was he talking to reps of Jewish race?
§
If
reps of anything – reps of the Church.
§
Disciples
asked personal question, Jesus gave personal answer.
§
They
wanted to know when they should leave the city.
·
v.
16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains”
·
Eusebius:
B4 Romans besieged Jerusalem, Christians were warned by oracle from Christ to
flee city. (refer to Mat 24?)
·
Fled
to Pella—a mtn town on other side of Jordan River. King Agrippa welcomed
Christians in. Paul had testified b4
him, nearly convinced him 2 become Christian.
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
o
Same
thing said in vv. 23-24.
o
Many false prophets before 70 AD:
·
Josephus
told of false prophet who told his followers to hide in pinnacle of temple –
burned and died.
·
Simon Magus (Acts 8)
o
Lived
in Samaria. Magician w/mighty pwrs.
o
Acts
8 sounds like converted by Philip.
Offered $ to Peter for pwr to lay hands on people so they can receive
Holy Spirit.
o
Went
to Rome – Magician/false prophet impress emperors (incl. Nero)
o
Apocryphal
story – levitated, Peter & Paul rebuked, fell & broke leg. Both later executed by Nero.
o
Justin
Martyr (60-130 AD)—Magus worshiped as a god in Rome b/c magic pwrs during reign
of Emperor Claudius.
o
Jerome
– Simon: “I am the word of God. I am the
comforter. I am the almighty. I am all
there is of God.”
o
Iranaeous
(disciple of John): Simon Magus claimed
to be Son of God & Creator of the angels.
·
Dicipheus
o
Origin
(church father -late 200s AD): He claimed to be the Christ foretold by Moses.
·
Josephus
describes of time of Felix: “As for the affairs of the Jews, they grew worse
and worse continually for the country was again filled with robbers and
imposters who diluted the multitude, yet did Felix catch and put to death many
of the imposters with those robbers.”
·
135
AD false prophet convinced Jews to resist Romans 1 last time. They were wiped out.
·
1
John 4:1 “many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
6 And you will hear of
wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things
must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation
will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be
famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8
All these are the beginning of sorrows.
·
Jesus
did not say this was the end, but the “beginning of sorrows”.
These things may make you think it’s the end, but it’s not.
These things may make you think it’s the end, but it’s not.
·
Wars & rumors of wars
o
Jews
butchered all over the Empire, esp. after
66 AD
§
Jews
persecuted all over empire.
§
Uprising
against Jews in Alexandria in Selucia – 50,000 Jews slain (Josephus)
§
Cesarea--20,000
Jews killed in battle by Syrians.
§
Hostilities
b/n Jews & Syrians divided many towns & villages into armed camps.
§
Constant
threat of wars put Jews in unsettled state—some afraid to plow & seed
fields.
o
Jewish
War 66.5-70AD
o
Whole
Rom. Empire in turmoil.
§
Nero
committed suicide 68 AD.
·
No
natural successor.
·
Four Caesars, beginning with Nero, died by the sword.
o
Galba took throne, was
decapitated, impaled, and paraded around with grotesque and grizzly gestures. Reigned “a little while” [Rev 17:9-10] (7
months).
o
Otho, rumored to be one of
Nero’s gay lovers, stabbed himself to death few mos. later.
o
Vitellius was engorged and
inebriated, was butchered and dragged by hook into the Tiber River.
o
Vespasian declared emperor by his
army. He returned from besieging
Jerusalem back to Rome to take throne. During this time the Christians fled to
Pella. (Lk 21:21 – “When you see
Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then flee to the mountains.”)Then he sent his
son Titus to take Jerusalem.
o
AD
69-70 called “they year of the 5 Emperors”
§
Tacitus
says in Histories that this was
·
A period rich in disasters,
·
frightful
in its wars,
·
torn
by civil strife,
·
even
in peace full of horrors.
·
3 Civil Wars in Roman
Empire
·
More
wars with foreign enemies
·
Cities
in Campania’s richest plains were swallowed up and overwhelmed;
·
Rome
was wasted by conflagrations (fires),
·
Its
oldest temples consumed,
·
And
the Capitol itself fired by the hands of citizens.
·
Sacred
rites were profaned;
·
There
was profligacy (wastefulness, extravagancy) in the highest ranks;
·
The
sea was crowded with exiles, and
·
Its
rocks polluted with bloody deeds.
·
In
the capital there were yet worse horrors . . .
·
Besides
the manifold vicissitudes if human affairs, there were prodigies in heaven and
earth, the warning voices of thunder, and other intimations of the future,
auspicious or gloomy, doubtful or not to be mistaken.
·
Never
surely did more terrible calamities of the Roman People, or evidence more
conclusive, prove that the gods take no thought for our happiness, but only for
our punishment.
(http://etext.library.adelaide.edu/t/tacitus/tlh/hist1.html)
(http://etext.library.adelaide.edu/t/tacitus/tlh/hist1.html)
·
“there will be famines,
pestilences, and earthquakes in various places” (v.7)
o
Famines
& pestilences are normal accompaniments of war.
§
Sieges
to starve city out.
§
Crops
outside city destroyed or eaten by invading army.
§
Josephus:
People didn’t plant crops because of dangers.
o
Famine
in Acts
§
Acts
11 – famine predicted by Agibus took place during reign of Claudius.
§
Covered
entire Roman Empire.
o
Pestilence
= Disease
§
Josephus
– disease & starvation ran rampant throughout city
·
Dead
bodies piled up in streets, not buried.
·
Leads
to great proliferation of diseases.
·
Many
bodies thrown over wall, filled up Kidron Valley.
·
Rats.
o
Earthquakes
§
Jesus
didn’t say there would be more than at any other time.
§
Places
earthquakes took place in the decade before Jerusalem was destroyed according
to contemporary writers of the period:
·
Crete
·
Smyrna
·
Myletus
·
Chios
(KI-os)
·
Samos
·
Laodicea
·
Hieropolis
·
Colosse
·
Campania
·
Rome
·
Judea
·
Pompie
(Feb. 63 AD)
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
·
You
will be killed, hated, have tribulation
o
Most
of the apostles except John were martyred before 70 AD
§
Peter
crucified upside down by Nero
§
Paul
suffered also in this first persecution under Nero. Was
beheaded
§
Andrew was taken and crucified on a cross, the
two ends of which
were fixed transversely in the ground. Hence the derivation of the term, St.
Andrew's Cross.
§
Mark was dragged to pieces by the people
of Alexandria.
§
Stephen
stoned (Acts 7)
§
James
beheaded 44 AD (Acts 12)
§
Philip
was scourged, thrown into prison, and afterwards crucified, A.D. 54.
§
Matthew slain with a halberd in the city of
Nadabah, A.D. 60.
§
Luke is supposed to have been hanged
on an olive tree, by the idolatrous priests of Greece.
§
Bartholomew beaten & crucified by idolaters
in India.
§
Thomas was stabbed with a spear by pagan priests
in India.
§
Matthias was stoned at Jerusalem and then
beheaded.
§
James
the Less (brother of Jesus, writer of book of James)--beat
and stoned by the Jews; and finally had his brains dashed out with a fuller's club.
§
Jude,
the brother of James, was commonly called Thaddeus. He was crucified at Edessa,
A.D. 72.
§
Simon the Zealot crucified in Britain, A.D. 74.
§
Barnabas died 73 A.D.
o
Other
Persecution - Acts
§
Peter
& John beaten.
§
General
persecution (Acts 8:1—“And at that time a great
persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all
scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria”).
§
Saul
persecuted church (Acts 9).
§
Paul
persecuted from city to city.
§
Paul’s
converts were persecuted.
o
“they
will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their
synagogues;” (Mat 10:17)
§
Happened
to disciples in Acts 4.
§
Stephen
brought before the council, then stoned in Acts 7.
o
“You shall be brought before governors and
kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.” (Mat 10:18)
§
Paul
stood before Felix the Gov. (Acts 23:24) and testified to him (Acts 24:10).
§
Paul
testified to Festus (Acts 25),
§
Paul
testified before King Agrippa & Queen Bernice (Acts 25:23, 26:30). King Agrippa
“said to
Paul, ‘You almost persuade me to become a Christian’””
(Acts 26:28)
§
Paul testified before Caesar Nero (Acts 25:11).
·
False
Prophets – SEE NOTES on v. 4.
·
Betrayal/Love
grow cold
o
2
Tim 1:15 – “all those who are in Asia have turned against me,
among whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.” Includes 7 Churches in Asia
mentioned in Revelation.
o
2
Tim 4:10 “Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has
departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia.”
o
2
Tim 4:16 “At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me.”
o
1
John 2:19 “many have gone out from us”
o Rev 2:4 – church of Ephesus
had lost first love.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be
preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end
will come.
·
Gospel
was preached to all nations according to Paul in approx. 62 AD
o
Col.
1:6 – “(the gospel) which has come to you as it has in all the world and is
bringing forth fruit as it is also among you since the day you heard it and
knew the grace of God in truth.”
o
Col.
1:23 “And if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast and are
not moved away from the hope of the Gospel,
which you heard, which was
preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a
minister.”
§
Speaking
hyperbolically
·
=
preaching of the Gospel had been widespread, reaching many, many nations.
·
He
and his readers knew it hadn’t reached the whole world, was expected to be
taken as hyperbole.
·
Matt.
24:14 – Jesus said, “This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached to all the
world for a witness to all nations and then shall the end come.”
o
Jesus
may be talking about the time before Jerusalem fell
o
Or
before the end of the world as a result of their persecution and being
scattered.
The Great Tribulation
15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
·
Parallel
statement in Mark 13:14
o
14 “So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet,
standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who
are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let him who is on
the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his
house. 16 And let him who is in the field not go back to
get his clothes. 17 But woe to those who are pregnant
and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 18
And pray that your flight may not be in winter. 19 For in
those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning
of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. 20 And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh
would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.
·
Parallel
statement in Luke 21:20-21 is paraphrased this way for his Gentile audience:
o
“But
when you see Jerusalem surrounded by
armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in
Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all
things which are written may be fulfilled.
But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in
those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this
people. 24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword,
and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by
Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled”
·
Mat
24:15-22 is one running context. That
same context is in Luke 21:20-24 and refers to the time when Jerusalem is
“surrounded by armies.”:
o
“20 “But when you see
Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let
those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the
country enter her. 22 For these are the days of
vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. 23
But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those
days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. 24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led
away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until
the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”
·
“then
let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains”
o
The
Christians did flee to the mountain town of Pella in Trans-Jordan on the other
side of the Jordan River before the destruction of Jerusalem.
o
Eusebius
(earliest church historian, 325 AD) says they fled when a prophecy was given:
“before the war began, members of the Jerusalem
church were ordered by an oracle given by revelation to those worthy of it to
leave the city and settle in a city of Perea called Pella.” (Church History, Book 3, paragraph 5
(3:5) [p. 95 in Paul L. Maier’s translation])
·
Dispensationalists
say abomination of desolation (AoD) is still future:
o
Defined
as when Antichrist sets up image of himself in rebuilt temple in Jerusalem in
the Holy of Holies.
o
Luke
does not agree
§
AoD
refers to the time when Jerusalem will be surrounded by armies (Lk 20:20-21).
o
AoD
in Daniel 9:24-27
§
From
this disp. believe trib 7 yrs long
§
vv.
26-27: “26 And after the 62 weeks, the Messiah shall be cut off. But not for himself,
and the people of the Prince who shall come will destroy the city and the
sanctuary.” (The Romans will destroy Jerusalem and the temple). “And the end of it will be with a flood,”
(Jews dispersed about world) “until the end of the war, desolations are
determined. 27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week, but in
the middle of the week he shall bring to an end the sacrifice and
offering. And on the wing of
abomination shall be one who makes desolate.”
·
Dispensationalist
View:
o
Disp.
insert gap b/n vv. 26-27 of 2000+ years.
o
The
last of the 70 weeks was put off when Jews killed Jesus.
o
Entire
church age b/n 69th & 70th weeks (b/n vv. 26-27).
o
70th
wk will be trib. period of 7 yrs.
o
“he
shall confirm a covenant with many for one week”—He = Antichrist.
o
“in
the middle of the week he shall bring to an end the sacrifice and offering” =
time when Antichrist will set of AoD
§
Jews
will recoil in disgust and stop offering sacs just as they did when Antioches
Epiphanes defiled temple with pigs’ blood.
·
GAP
of 2000+ years is major problem for Disp. View:
o
Prophecy
essentially says: There are 70 wks determined upon God’s dealing with Daniel’s
people (Jews). “From the going forth of
the decree to cmd and restore Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall
be 7 wks” (49 yrs) “& 62 wks” (Tot. 69 wks/483 yrs) “and the streets shall
built again the wall even in troublesome times” (after Babylonian Captivity,
built in days of Nehemiah) “then after the 62 wks” (which follow 7 wks, so
after 69 wks or 483 yrs) “the Messiah shall be cut off. But not for himself,
and the people of the Prince who shall come will destroy the city and the
sanctuary. And the end of it will be with a flood.” (Ref to Jesus and dying and
destruction of Jerusalem by Romans).
o
Disp:
70th wk postponed til after Rapture of Church
§
What’s
the point of giving the info at all? It communicates nothing.
§
Why
say it will be 490 yrs if it’s really going to be 2,490 yrs?
§
This
is deceiving. Better off telling them
nothing. 5x as long.
§
Similar
to someone asking you for ride home. “Where do you live?” “About 10 mi. from
here.” “OK.” After going 50-100 mi. you ask, “Didn’t you say you live 10 mi.
away?” They say “yes, but I forgot to
mention that between the 9th & 10th mi. there’s a GAP
of 400 miles!”—Wouldn’t you think you’ve been deceived?
§
No
GAP ever mentioned.
§
No
one dreamed of a GAP until John Nelson Darby in 1830.
§
Disp.
take this view because they believe Antichrist is the “one who makes
desolate.”
·
Where
is the Antichrist in this passage?
o
Need
to find antecedent to “he” in v. 27.
§
Last
person specified is Messiah.
§
Disp.
say it’s the Prince in “the people of the Prince who shall come.” Antichrist
est. cov. For 7 yrs.
§
Disp.
agree “the people of the Prince who shall come” are Romans destroying Jerusalem
in 70 AD.
§
Disp:
the Prince is not Titus (Roman general & prince-father Vespasian was king),
or Jesus (just referred to as Prince), but Antichrist who will be a Roman and
leader of the “revived Roman Empire.”
·
Revived
Roman Empire nowhere spoken of in Bible. Formulated by inserting more GAPs
elsewhere.
·
How
could Romans who destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD be the people of the future
Antichrist?
·
No
evidence in passage at all of Antichrist. Inserted/Eisegesis.
·
Even
if Prince was Antichrist, what reason do we have to say “he” in v.27 is ref to
Prince rather than Messiah?
·
Messiah
prominent in vv. 25-26. Prince not even subject of the sentence, but the object
of a preposition. “The people” are the subject of the sentence.
§
Before
1830, all Christians believed Prince was Titus or Messiah. “He” in v. 27 is
Messiah.
§
“he”
(Jesus) “shall confirm a covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of
the week” (after 3 ½ yrs ministry, Jesus was “cut off” [v. 26])” he shall bring
to an end the sacrifice and offering.”
§
Jesus’
death brought end to any legitimate Jewish sacrificial system and Old
Covenant.
§
Not
one animal sac accepted by God after veil torn.
§
Destruction
of temple brought final end.
·
Structure
of vv. 26-27:
o
v.
26 has 2 parts as does v. 27 and they parallel each other.
o
1st
part v. 26 parallels v.27, 2nd part v. 26 parallels v.27.
1st part v.26: “26
And after the sixty-two weeks, the Messiah shall be cut off.” (Jesus dies)
1st part v.27: “27
Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of
the week he shall bring to an end the sacrifice and offering.” (Jesus’ death
brings end to sacrifice)
2nd part v.26: ”and the people of the Prince who
shall come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And the end of it will be
with a flood, until the end of the war, desolations are determined.” (temple
destroyed)
2nd part v.27: “And on the wing of abomination
shall be one who makes desolate.” (temple destroyed)
o
Says
same thing 2x, but gives additional info 2nd time.
o
Luke
agree with this b/c he thought “abomination of desolation” referred to “when
you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near”
17 Let him who is
on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18
And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are
nursing babies in those days!
·
Tough
having baby b/c of famine and difficulty of flight.
·
Josephus:
at least one woman ate her baby because of starvation during siege of Jerusalem.
20 And pray that your
flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.
·
Travel
in winter difficult
·
Gates
of city would be shut on Sabbath.
·
Unable
to buy provisions for journey on Sabbath as no one would be selling any.
·
Worst
time for sudden departure.
·
Unknown
what time of year Christians fled Jerusalem.
o
Jerusalem
besieged in June, fell on September 8, 70 AD.
o
Probably
fled shortly before in spring. May have
prayed so didn’t happen in winter.
21 For then there will be great tribulation,
such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor
ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened,
no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
·
Great
Tribulation
o
Called
“days of vengeance” by Luke (Lk 22:21).
o
“great
distress upon this land and wrath upon this people” (Lk 22:23)
·
Problem
with apply Great Trib. to destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD
o
Sounds
global: “no flesh would be saved”
o
Sounds
uniquely severe: “such as has not been since the beginning of the world until
this time, no, nor ever shall be”
o
Main
reasons that Trib. not thought to have taken place by Dispensationalists.
o
Rev.
3:10 sounds universal: “I also will keep you from the hour of trial that is
coming to test those that dwell on the earth, that is coming upon all the world to test those who dwell in the
land.”—used as Pre-Trib Rapture proof text.
·
Resolution: Hyperbole, these exact hyperboles used elsewhere in
scripture.
o
Universality/all
world - “no flesh would be saved”
·
Acts
2:5—“And there were dwelling in Jerusalem at that time Jews—devout men from every nation under heaven.”—Pentecost
·
Were
Navajo, Aborigines, or Chinese represented here?
·
Really
implies Roman Empire, hyperbole employed.
·
Luke
2:1—“And it came to pass in those days, that a decree went out from Caesar
Augustus that all the world should be
taxed.” (same author as Acts)
·
Did
Caesar tax the Myas and Incas in South America or the Koreans?
·
Refers
to Roman Empire.
·
They
of civilizations outside their own.
·
Col
1:6—“the gospel has gone out into all the world.”
·
Col
1:23—gospel to “every creature under heaven.” – hyperbole
·
Middle-Eastern
writers of 1st century didn’t write the same way we do. But we do also use hyperbole, just not the
same hyperboles.
·
Rev.
3:10—“trial that is coming . . . on all
the world” could easily refer to Rom. Empire
·
When
Nero committed suicide, whole Rom. Empire was thrown into disarray and chaos.
Emperors assassinated, civil wars, wars with other nations. (See notes on Mat.
24:6—Wars & Rumors of Wars above).
·
“All
Flesh” not necessarily global
·
Jer.
12:10-12—“Many rulers have destroyed my vineyard (Jerus./Israel). They have
trodden my portion under foot. They have made my pleasant portion a desolate
wilderness. They have made it desolate. Desolate it mourns to me. The whole
land is made desolate because no one takes it to heart. 12 The plunderers have
come on all the desolate heights in the wilderness for the sword of the Lord
shall devour from one end of the land to the other end of the land. No flesh shall have peace.”
o
All
flesh in this passage is the Land of Israel. No flesh in Israel shall have
peace.
·
Joel
2—(quoted in Acts 2—Pentecost)--“Behold I will pour out my spirit on all flesh.”
o
Not
every person on planet baptized with Holy Spirit. Not all saved.
o
Spirit
poured out on a broader category than the Jews.
·
No
flesh in Mat 24:21 likely refers to those in Israel. It’s a ‘miracle’ that anyone survived.
·
“but
for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened,” otherwise, the Christians
too would not have survived.
o
When
Vespasian 1st besieged the city, was warning to Christians.. He could have had Rom take the city at that
time, but he returned to Rome (to take throne).
God shortened that time by taking the middle piece out of it (sending
Vespasian to Rome) so Christians could flee. Then Titus came back and the
crisis continued.
o
Uniqueness
(“such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be”)
HYPERBOLES USED:
(“such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be”)
HYPERBOLES USED:
·
hyperbole (n.) – overstatement or
exaggeration
·
Ex.
10:14—“And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and rested on all the
territory of Egypt. They were very severe. Previously, there had been no such locusts as they. Nor shall there be such
after them.”
·
Joel
·
Joel
1:4 describes locust plague: “What the chewing locust has left, the swarming
locust has eaten. What the swarming locust has left, the crawling locust has
eaten. What the crawling locust has left, the consuming locust has eaten.”
·
Joel
1:2—“Has anything like this happened even in your days or in the days of your
fathers? Tell your children about it.
Let your children tell their children and their children another
generation.”
·
Joel
2:1-2—“Blow the trumpet in Zion and sound the alarm in my Holy Mountain. Let all of the inhabitants of the land
tremble for the Day of the Lord is coming. A day of darkness and gloominess
(swarms of locusts make it dark). A day of clouds and thick darkness. Like the
morning clouds spread over the mountain, a people (locusts) come, great and
strong, the like of whom has never been
nor will there ever be any such after them, even for many successive
generations.”
o
How
do we know these are locusts? (Imagery compares locusts with soldiers).
§
V.5
“on the mountaintops they leap like
the noise of a flaming fire that devours stubble, like a strong people set in battle array”
§
V.7
“they run like mighty men, they climb
the wall”
§
V.25
refers to locusts as “my great army which I sent among you.”
o
Ex.
10:14 says “Nor shall there be such after
them,” but Joel 2:2 says the same thing.
o
Can’t
be literal, can’t have both be uniquely the worst. – Hyperbole
·
2
Chron. 1:12—(speaking to Solomon) “Wisdom & knowledge are granted to
you. And I will give you riches and
wealth and honor such as none of the
kings have had who are before you nor shall any after you have the like.”
·
Jesus
said he had wisdom greater than Solomon.
·
Likely
not more wealthy than Rockefeller or Bill Gates.
·
Not
absolutely literal – hyperbole.
·
Lk
1:69-70 –(Zacherias, father ofJohn the Baptist) “God has up a horn of salvation
for us in the house of his servant David as he spoke by the mouth of his holy
prophets who have been since the world began.”
·
Hyperbole
meaning “from ancient times”
·
Jn
9:32 –Blind man healed by Jesus said, “Since the world began it has been
unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who had been born blind.”
·
The
man doesn’t know everything that happened since the world began.
·
Emphatic
statement “Who has ever heard of such a thing?”
Hyperbole – Elijah & Elisha did many miracles. Maybe some blind were healed.
·
Josephus on the Fall of
Jerusalem:
“It is therefore impossible to go distinctly over every instance of these men’s
iniquity. I shall therefore speak my mind here at once briefly: that neither did any other city ever suffer such
miseries, nor did any age every breed a generation more fruitful in wickedness
than what this was from the beginning of the world.”
·
Typical
Jewish hyperbole.
·
Holocaust
of AD 70 was sufficiently horrendous to cause an onlooker to say no city’s ever
suffered like this before.
23 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it.
24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and
show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you
beforehand.
26 “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it.
26 “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it.
·
SEE
NOTES ON FALSE PROPHETS ABOVE
27 For as the lightning comes from the east and
flashes to the west, so also will the coming [parazea] of the Son of Man be. 28 For
wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.
The Coming of the Son of Man
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And He will send His angels with a great
sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four
winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
·
Dispensationalists
say vv. 30-31 refer to 2nd coming of Christ.
·
Problem
is in v. 34 Jesus states, “this generation will by no means pass away till all
these things take place.”
·
Disp. try to resolve by:
A.
Generation
= race of people, coming from single ancestor
1.
Refers
to the Jews - Jews will still exist and
not be exterminated by Tribulation & Antichrist OR
2.
Refers
to Christians in Judea – The Church will not pass away.
o
Jewish
race not mentioned.
o
1
Pet 2:9 about the Christian church “we are a chosen generation” (or race).
B.
Generation
= particular final generation on earth (popularized by Hal Lindsey – Late Great Planet Earth)
§
Generation
that sees a certain single act will not pass before these events take place.
§
Generation
= 40 years.
§
End
Times & 40 years started when Israel reconstituted as nation on May 14,
1948.
§
Very
popular 1970s-1981.
§
Generation
should’ve ended in 1988, Trib starting in 1981.
Trib is 7 yrs and Church must be raptured before Trib.
§
88 Reasons Why the Rapture
Could Be in 1988
by Edgar C. Whisenant – distributed to >1
million Christian leaders. Changed to
1989 when Rapture didn’t come in 1988 (forgot there is no Year 0). Not a
scholar, but an engineer.
§
Where did they get this idea that “this generation” that saw
Israel become a nation is the generation Jesus referred to?
·
Mat
24:32-34 “32 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already
become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is
near—at the doors! 34 Assuredly, I say to you,
this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place”
o
Lindsey:
Fig Tree = est. symbol throughout scripture for Israel.
o
Fig
Tree loses leaves in winter time just as Israel ceased to be a nation for a
while. When Israel re-established as a nation, symbolized by new growth, spring
time tree comes back to life, leaves & tender branches. KNOW THAT IT IS
NEAR. This generation will not pass.
·
REBUTTAL
o
Fig
Tree is not at all established symbol of Israel, though it may mean Israel in
some scriptures.
o
Hard
time proving any one occurrence of Fig Tree in Old Testament represents Israel.
o
Closest
Hal Lindsey comes: Jeremiah 24:1-10 – basket of figs – good figs taken into
captivity in Babylon, bad figs left behind in Jerusalem.
o
Not
same thing as Fig Tree reps Israel.
o
Cannot
say we have to interpret Fig Tree as symbol of Israel b/c it is not est.
symbol.
o
Not
sure Fig Tree ever used as symbol of Israel—not at all clear.
o
Is
there any evidence here that Fig Tree reps Israel?
§
v.32
“know that summer is near,” Does not say Second Coming of Christ is near.
§
Statement
from nature that when you see certain things, you know certain other things are
about to take place.
§
v.
33 “when you see all these things”
·
Are
“these things” a reference to fig tree getting new growth? OR
·
Referring
to all the things He talked about earlier in the Ch?
·
Summer
is not near, the Events described are near.
§
Mat
16:1-4 “1 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and
testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. 2
He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be
fair weather, for the sky is red’; 3 and in the morning,
‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’
Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern
the signs of the times. 4 A wicked and adulterous
generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign
of the prophet Jonah.” And He left them and departed.”
§
Fig
Tree or Red Sky doesn’t rep anything other than itself.
§
Parallel
statement in Luke 21:29 proves Jesus is just making a point from nature and not
using the Fig Tree as symbol for Israel:
“29 Then He spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. 31 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place”
“29 Then He spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. 31 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place”
o
No
basis for “this generation” to refer to Israel becoming nation again.
o
Jesus
should have said “that generation.”
o
“This
Generation” commonly used by Jesus
§
6x
in Matthew – always refer Jesus own generation
§
Mt
11:16-19: “16 ‘But to what shall I liken this generation? It is
like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions, 17 and saying:
‘ We played the flute for you,
And you did not dance;
We mourned to you,
And you did not lament.’
And you did not dance;
We mourned to you,
And you did not lament.’
18 For John came
neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they
say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and
sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.’”
·
“They” is the generation that saw
John the Baptist & Jesus.
§
Mat 12:39-45: “39 But He answered and said
to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign
will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40
For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish,
so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41 The men of Nineveh
will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it,
because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than
Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this
generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear
the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. 43 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through
dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. 44 Then he
says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he
finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then
he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and
they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than
the first. So shall it also be with this
wicked generation.”
·
Generation
that heard Jonah speak more righteous than “this generation” that heard Jesus
speak. That generation will condemn
“this generation.”
·
Likewise
with Queen of South in Solomon’s time.
·
“This
generation” is the one to whom one great than Jonah came, to whom “one greater
than Solomon” came.
·
v.
45 Jesus had delivered “this wicked generation” from demons, brought light
& truth. They didn’t respond to Him & demons came back in force in 70
AD. (Read Josephus to see many Jews were
demon possessed under Roman siege, acting totally irrationally).
§
Mat 23:33-38: “33 Serpents, brood of vipers!
How can you escape the condemnation
of hell? 34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some
of them you will kill and crucify,
and some of them you will
scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, (ALL
THIS HAPPENED TO THE APOSTLES) 35 that 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. 36 Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will
come upon this generation. 37 “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! 38 See! Your house is left to you
desolate;
·
v.36
– This generation will suffer the ultimate combined punishment for all the
wicked bloodshed of the righteous, which was summed up by their murder of
Jesus. Jerusalem destroyed in AD 70.
Only
Problem with applying to 1st Century: vv 30-31,
“30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. “
“30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. “
·
Mat
16:28 “Assuredly, I say to you,
there are some standing here who
shall not taste death till they see
the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”
o
Same prediction.
o
Same timeframe.
·
If not referring to generation in 1st
Century, then Jesus MISSED his prediction and is a FALSE PROPHET!
·
OT Law: Prophets must get EVERY prediction
right or be stoned.
·
Every Christian who believes Jesus is not a
false profit MUST BELIEVE WHAT JESUS SAID WOULD HAPPEN IN THAT GENERATION DID
HAPPEN IN THAT GENERATION.
·
Then what do we do with vv 29-31?
29 “Immediately
after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon
will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the
heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of
Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and
they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and
great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great
sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four
winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
§
Tribulation
is most likely 3 ½ year (mid 66 AD –near end 70 AD) Jewish-Roman War.
§
Why
does Jesus say “Immediately after the tribulation of those days” these bizarre
things would happen (in 70 AD)?
o
Can’t
be literal as stars don’t fall to earth, they are bigger, could never have
>1 star fall to the earth. Actually
fall from heaven-shooting stars?
o
This
type of language (apocalyptic) commonly used in OT in non-literal way.
Disciples would be well aware of this.
§
Isaiah
13 – destruction of ancient Babylon prophesied
“1 The burden against Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw”. . . 17 “ Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, Who will not regard silver; And as for gold, they will not delight in it.”
“10 For the stars of heaven and their constellations
Will not give their light;
The sun will be darkened in its going forth,
And the moon will not cause its light to shine.”
“1 The burden against Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw”. . . 17 “ Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, Who will not regard silver; And as for gold, they will not delight in it.”
“10 For the stars of heaven and their constellations
Will not give their light;
The sun will be darkened in its going forth,
And the moon will not cause its light to shine.”
·
Interpretation: Babylon like sun, moon,
& stars in its seeming permanence, but when it falls, it’s as if the sun
had fallen or the moon stopped shining. Something as seemingly permanent and
seemingly invincible as Babylon was coming to an end.
§
Isaiah
34:4-5 – Judgment on Edom
“4 All the host of heaven (stars) shall be dissolved,
And the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll;
All their host shall fall down
As the leaf falls from the vine,
And as fruit falling from a fig tree.
5 “ For My sword shall be bathed in heaven;
Indeed it shall come down on Edom,
And on the people of My curse, for judgment.”
“4 All the host of heaven (stars) shall be dissolved,
And the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll;
All their host shall fall down
As the leaf falls from the vine,
And as fruit falling from a fig tree.
5 “ For My sword shall be bathed in heaven;
Indeed it shall come down on Edom,
And on the people of My curse, for judgment.”
·
Can’t
be future b/c Edom no longer exists! (Last known Edomite was Herod the Great in
1st century (1/2 Edomite)). No Edomites to judge in future.
·
Were
basically extinct for generation or two before Jesus born.
·
Already
fulfilled, stars did not literally fall, heavens did not roll back.
·
Fall
of a nation like the end of the world to them, end of the heavens, something of
permanence no one thought would come to an end.
§
Ezekiel
32 – Judgment on Egypt
“1 And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, on the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt . . . 7 When I put out your light,
I will cover the heavens, and make its stars dark;
I will cover the sun with a cloud,
And the moon shall not give her light.
8 All the bright lights of the heavens I will make dark over you,
And bring darkness upon your land,’
Says the Lord GOD.”
“1 And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, on the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt . . . 7 When I put out your light,
I will cover the heavens, and make its stars dark;
I will cover the sun with a cloud,
And the moon shall not give her light.
8 All the bright lights of the heavens I will make dark over you,
And bring darkness upon your land,’
Says the Lord GOD.”
o
Fulfilled
shortly after when Babylon conquered them.
o
God
put out their lights.
§
Joel
2 – Judgment on Jerusalem
28 “ And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
30 “ And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.
32 And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the LORD
Shall be saved.
For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,
As the LORD has said, “
Among the remnant whom the LORD calls.
28 “ And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
30 “ And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth:
Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.
32 And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the LORD
Shall be saved.
For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,
As the LORD has said, “
Among the remnant whom the LORD calls.
o
Peter
quoted this passage and said they were living in that time.
o
On
Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out.
o
Peter
argued that the fulfillment of this prophecy was in progress (upon that
generation).
§
Judgment
on Jerusalem also talked about in Luke 21:
“20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. . . . 24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26 men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”
“20 “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. . . . 24 And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26 men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”
§
Obvious parallel to Luke 21 in Matthew 24:
·
29 “Immediately after the
tribulation of those days the sun will be
darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from
heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30
Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes
of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the
clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
o
(Remember in Mat 24 “15 “Therefore when you see
the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet,
standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.”
Corresponds to “when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies” in Luke).
§
Were there signs in the in the heavens associated with the
Fall of Jerusalem?
·
Josephus
o
Josephus
was not a Christian. Never read Gospels. Probably not aware that Jesus ever
made this sermon. Not in Christian circles nor read Christian literature.
o
A
Jew who witnessed the fall of Jerusalem.
o
A
captain in Jewish army who defected to Romans when he saw Jews could not
possibly win. Spent rest of career in army trying to persuade those in
Jerusalem to surrender.
o
After
Jerusalem fell, went back to Rome with Titus, became official historian of the
Jews (hired by Romans).
o
Made
references to Christ, but nothing to indicate he was follower.
·
The Wars of the Jews, Book VI,
Ch. 5, Paragraph 3 (Wars 6:5:3):
“Thus were the miserable people persuaded by these deceivers. And such as belied God himself, while they did not attend, nor give credit to the signs that were so evident and did so plainly foretell their future desolation. But like men infatuated without either eyes to see or minds to consider, did not regard the denunciations God made to them. Thus, there was a star resembling a sword which stood over the city, and a comet that continued a whole year.
Thus also, before the Jews’ rebellion, and before those commotions which preceded the war, when the people were come in great crowds to the Feast of Unleavened Bread, on the 8th day of the month of Zanthicus, and at the 9th hour of the night, so great a light shone around the altar in the Holy House that it appeared to be bright daytime, which light lasted for half an hour. This light seemed to be a good sign to the unskilled, but was so interpreted by the sacred scribes as to portend (foretell) those events that followed immediately upon it.
At the same festival also, a heifer (cow), as she was led by the High Priest to be sacrificed, brought forth a lamb in the midst of the temple.
Moreover, the Eastern Gate of the Inner Court of the Temple, which was of brass, and vastly heavy, and had been with difficulty shut by 20 men, and rested upon a basis armed with iron, and had bolts fastened deeply into the firm floor which there made of one entire stone, was seen to be opened of its own accord about the 6th hour of the night. Now those that kept the watch in the Temple came here upon, running to the captain of the Temple, and told him of it, who then came up thither, and not without great difficulty was able to shut the gate again. This also appeared to the vulgar to be a very happy prodigy (phenomenon) as if God did by open to them the Gate of Happiness. But the men of learning understood it: that the security of their Holy House was dissolved of its accord, and that the gate was opened for the advantage of their enemies. So these publicly declared that this signal foreshadowed the desolation that was coming upon them.
Besides these, a few days after the Feast, on the 21st day of the month of Artemisius, a certain prodigious and phenomenal event appeared. I suppose the account of it would seem to be a fable were it not related by those who saw it, and were not the events that followed it of so considerable a nature as to deserve such signals: For before sun setting, chariots and troops of soldiers in their armor were seen running about among the clouds, and surrounding of cities.
Moreover, at the feast which we call Pentecost, the priests were going by night into the inner court of the Temple, as their custom was, to perform their sacred ministrations. They said that in the first place, they felt a quaking, and heard a great noise. And after that, they heard a sound as if a great multitude saying, ‘Let us remove hence.’ “
“Thus were the miserable people persuaded by these deceivers. And such as belied God himself, while they did not attend, nor give credit to the signs that were so evident and did so plainly foretell their future desolation. But like men infatuated without either eyes to see or minds to consider, did not regard the denunciations God made to them. Thus, there was a star resembling a sword which stood over the city, and a comet that continued a whole year.
Thus also, before the Jews’ rebellion, and before those commotions which preceded the war, when the people were come in great crowds to the Feast of Unleavened Bread, on the 8th day of the month of Zanthicus, and at the 9th hour of the night, so great a light shone around the altar in the Holy House that it appeared to be bright daytime, which light lasted for half an hour. This light seemed to be a good sign to the unskilled, but was so interpreted by the sacred scribes as to portend (foretell) those events that followed immediately upon it.
At the same festival also, a heifer (cow), as she was led by the High Priest to be sacrificed, brought forth a lamb in the midst of the temple.
Moreover, the Eastern Gate of the Inner Court of the Temple, which was of brass, and vastly heavy, and had been with difficulty shut by 20 men, and rested upon a basis armed with iron, and had bolts fastened deeply into the firm floor which there made of one entire stone, was seen to be opened of its own accord about the 6th hour of the night. Now those that kept the watch in the Temple came here upon, running to the captain of the Temple, and told him of it, who then came up thither, and not without great difficulty was able to shut the gate again. This also appeared to the vulgar to be a very happy prodigy (phenomenon) as if God did by open to them the Gate of Happiness. But the men of learning understood it: that the security of their Holy House was dissolved of its accord, and that the gate was opened for the advantage of their enemies. So these publicly declared that this signal foreshadowed the desolation that was coming upon them.
Besides these, a few days after the Feast, on the 21st day of the month of Artemisius, a certain prodigious and phenomenal event appeared. I suppose the account of it would seem to be a fable were it not related by those who saw it, and were not the events that followed it of so considerable a nature as to deserve such signals: For before sun setting, chariots and troops of soldiers in their armor were seen running about among the clouds, and surrounding of cities.
Moreover, at the feast which we call Pentecost, the priests were going by night into the inner court of the Temple, as their custom was, to perform their sacred ministrations. They said that in the first place, they felt a quaking, and heard a great noise. And after that, they heard a sound as if a great multitude saying, ‘Let us remove hence.’ “
·
Why
doubt these events could happen then, but not doubt they could happen in
future?
·
Very
rare for any book from 1st century to survive until today.
·
Possibly,
God preserved the writings of Josephus so we would have the historic
fulfillment of these things since they are not recorded in the Bible. The Bible
only records the prediction.
29, the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the
powers of the heavens will be shaken.
§
This
language does not have to be taken any more literal than it does in Isaiah,
Ezekiel, or Joel when it talks about the fall of Babylon, Edom, Egypt, or
Jerusalem.
§
Typical
prophetic language.
§
Jesus
– Jewish prophet who speaks like Jewish prophet. His disciples are acquainted
with Jewish prophets.
§
Speaks
of great cataclysm as if dissolution of universe. Such language before only meant fall of a
great empire or great city.
§
Fall
of Jerusalem would certainly warrant such language.
o
God’s
Holy City now become a “den of thieves.”
o
Used
of lesser cities.
o
Strange
to our ears, but Jesus spoke not Americans, but Jews.
o
Established
Jewish idiom.
30 Then
the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of
the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of
heaven with power and great glory.
·
Word
order in NKJV not the only possible word order.
·
KJV:
And then shall
appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven
o
Some
scholars: Sign not in heaven. Earthly sign, but Son of Man in heaven.
§
Mat
26:63-64 “63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest
answered and said to Him, “I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if
You are the Christ, the Son of God!”
64 Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
64 Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
·
When
did Caiphas & the Sanhedrin see this?
o
They’re
not alive now.
o
Will
they be resurrected prior in order to see His coming?
o
Most
natural – they saw it in their lifetimes.
They saw him in heaven “coming on the clouds of heaven.”
o
Did
this mean they would actually see him in the sky?
§
Our
American literalistic bias.
§
Isa.
19:1 – Prophecy of destruction of Egypt by Asyria, 700 BC
“The burden against Egypt.
Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud,
And will come into Egypt;
The idols of Egypt will totter at His presence,
And the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst..”
“The burden against Egypt.
Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud,
And will come into Egypt;
The idols of Egypt will totter at His presence,
And the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst..”
·
Idols don’t totter or melt.
·
Cannot be literal.
·
Judgment from the LORD is coming on Egypt
in the form of armies, destroying & conquering Egypt.
·
Did God physically come to Egypt? Did he
really ride on a cloud?
o
God rides the clouds like a charioteer
rides a chariot (war vehicle).
§
Ps 104:3 “Who makes the clouds His chariot”
§
When God judges a nation & sends armies
against a nation, it’s as if God is riding at the head of those armies, even if
they are pagans. They are doing his bidding.
·
What is the difference b/n language in Isa
19:1 & Jesus in Mat 24:30?
·
Son of Man is glorified, is ruling in
heaven.
·
The sign he is doing so (“the sign of the Son of Man
will appear in heaven”) is: He is destroying his enemies, those
who crucified him, he’s vindicated (“Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with
power and great glory”).
·
THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM IS THE SIGN ON
EARTH THAT JESUS IS EXHALTED & VINDICATED IN HEAVEN.
·
Problem: v.30 “all the tribes of the earth
will mourn”
o
Doesn’t that sound like the 2nd
coming b/c everyone on earth will mourn?
§
“ge” is the Greek word translated earth. Can mean either earth or land.
§
If translated “all the tribes of the land
will mourn,” this would be describe something that happens to Israel.
§
Which
is more biblical?—tribes of the earth or tribes of the land?
·
In
Bible, earth not divided into tribes, but nations.
·
Land
of Israel is divided into tribes. “the twelve tribes of Israel”
§
All
the tribes of Israel did mourn in AD 70.
§
All
Israel was afflicted and still is afflicted by the destruction of Jerusalem.
31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a
trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one
end of heaven to the other.
·
Rapture?
·
Gathering
of Tribulation Saints out of earth at 2nd Coming (believers in
pre-trib rapture)?
o
Both
think gathering of the elect is out of the world into heaven.
o
Maybe
they believe this b/c angels mentioned.
o
“angelos”
= messengers
§
Frequently
used of supernatural heavenly beings.
§
Also
used in scripture of people who are not angels.
·
John
the Baptist sent “angeloi” to question Jesus (Luke 7:19-24).
§
Meaning
dependent on context.
·
What
if it were translated this way?:
“He will send His messengers . . . and they will gather together His elect from all parts of the world.”
“He will send His messengers . . . and they will gather together His elect from all parts of the world.”
o Messengers are the
evangelists of the Gospel, sent out to all the world to gather into the Kingdom
of God/the Church all of the elect.
·
“from one end of
heaven to the other”
= from one horizon of the earth to the other, from east to west.
·
The
language can certainly bear this meaning without any violence done to the text.
·
Summary: The destruction of the Jewish state, the temple,
& its capital brings great grief on the Jews, but the message of the Gospel
goes out to all the world, bringing in the Gentiles.
o
Did
it happen in that generation? YES!
·
Alternate
View: Great Trib refers to troubles brought on Jews beginning with Jewish War
& continuing to the present day.
o
Jesus
did not say how long it would last.
o
Parallel
in Luke 21:24: “And they will fall by the
edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will
be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”
§
Distress of Jewish war would continue til
time of Gentiles fulfilled. Tribulation extended through whole Church Age.
§
Could make sense with Mat 24:29 “Immediately after the
tribulation of those days”
§
Then
you could take more literal approach to vv. 29-31, referring to 2nd
coming of Christ.
o
One
big problemo: v. 34 “this generation will by no means pass away till
all these things take place”
§
Possibly
could mean overwhelming majority, with exception of this one thing. (but
doubtful) As all doesn’t always mean all (hyperbole).
The Parable of the Fig Tree
32 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!
·
What
is near?
o
It
= the events he talked about (“What shall the sign be that these things are
about to happen?”)
o
Some
manuscripts say “he is near.”
o
James
refers to the Lord’s coming as almost immediate:
§
5:3
“(To rich men) Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a
witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure
in the last days.”
§
5:8-9
“You (Christians)
also be
patient. Establish your hearts, for the
coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble
against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!
·
Likely taken from Mat 24:33 “at the very door.”
·
James
apparently believed he was seeing “all these things,” (v. 33) and the coming of
the judge (v. 30) was at the door (v. 33).
§
James
considered one of the earliest written books of NT, certainly before 70 AD.
§
Probably
all of NT written before 70 AD.
§
If
James was wrong that “the coming of the Lord is near” & “the judge is
standing at the door,” his book does not belong in the Bible.
§
Silly
view: “with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand
years as one day.” (2 Pet 3:8) It’s near to the Lord.
·
If
“at the door” can mean 2000 years off, what was the point of Jesus even using
the expression?
·
If
“When you see these things,” it is at the door & it is near means 2000
years off, he might as well have said nothing! Because he communicated nothing.
When you say “it is near,” you are indicating the time is not far off.
o
Otherwise,
you have MISCOMMUNICATED or
o
COMMUNICATED
NOTHING.
34
Assuredly, I say to you,
this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take
place.
- Every other time “this generation” used in Gospels, it refers to the generation Jesus was speaking to.
- Matthew groups info together by topics. Mat 24:35-end of chapter parallels Lk 17, which talks about 2nd Coming.
- Everything before v.34 happened to “this generation.”
