Matt 24:1-14: “Jesus, the Lord of History (Part 1)”
INTRO: 8 years ago, my wife and I were preparing for our wedding, which was scheduled for May 21, 2011. This was also the date that Christian radio personality Harold Camping famously predicted the world would be ending! Well, it is safe to save that the world did not end, and Rachel and I were married. Of course, we are familiar with the concept of false prophets and mistaken predictions about the future (think of Y2K), and secular intellectuals scoff at the idea that anyone could possibly know the future. But the Bible teaches that while there are false prophets, there are also true predictions about the future that sometimes God gives to us through prophets. God knows everything, including the future, and sometimes He reveals certain events that will take place in the future. There are lots of examples of this in Scripture, and observing them makes us marvel at God who knows all things. One example is found in Joshua 6:26: the city of Jericho was destroyed a prophecy was made that the person who rebuilt it would end up losing their firstborn and youngest son. Later on, we learn in 1 Kings 16:34 that this is indeed what takes place: a man named Hiel rebuilt Jericho and he lost both his firstborn and youngest son in the process. In the Bible we see the prophet Elijah accurately predict a drought and the end of drought. We see God promise through the prophet Jeremiah that though his people Israel would be sent into exile, after 70 years they would be delivered; and this is exactly what happens. There are LOTS of other examples we could consider if we had time, but it is an encouraging to study these and marvel at how God knows the future and at times reveals true things that will take place in the future to humans.
In Jesus time, God’s people were awaiting the fulfillment of prophesies God made about a coming Messiah who would save Israel. As we have read though Matthew’s account of Jesus, the author has been showing us how Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises about a Messiah. And Jesus himself gives prophetic words about the future, including his death and resurrection, which predicted and came to pass. These things shape we see God and consider the truth about reality: God is the God of time and history.
Today, we begin a 3 week mini-series on Matthew 24 called “Jesus, the Lord of History.” This passage is known as the “Olivet Discourse,” where Jesus, from the Mount of Olives, speaks to his disciples about future events, including the destruction of the temple, his 2nd coming, and the end of history. Though Christians have diverse understanding of this passage, I hope that you’ll see with me how even if we do not agree on the details about how to understand this section, that we can agree that Jesus is the Lord of history. I appreciate your prayers for me, as I found this to be one of the most challenging passages in all of Matthew to study and work through. I certainly ended my time of sermon prep this week realizing afresh my own inadequacies and how the only way a sermon will impact any one is if God blesses it. So may He bless the preaching of His word today.
READ/PRAY
CONTEXT: It is always important that we read the Bible in context, and I would say that this section is ESPECIALLY important. Let’s remember it together: after an extensive ministry of preaching and healing, Jesus has now arrived at Jerusalem; it is the last week of his life and he knows he is heading to the cross where he will die for the sins of the people and then rise again. Upon arriving in Jerusalem, Jesus faces opposition from the Jewish leaders who oppose him and try their best to trap and ensnare him in their words. The leaders plot against and the tension is ramping up as the Messiah an increasing opposition from the Jewish leaders. Jesus gives 3 parables which speak of God’s judgment on the Jewish leaders who refuse to accept God’s Messiah Jesus, and in the last chapter we heard Jesus given an extended series of woes which exposed just how utterly evil the Jewish leaders had become; at the end of that section, we learned that judgment was coming and it would occur in that “generation” (23:36). Our passage flows out of this reality of God’s impending judgment on the unbelieving Jewish people, a people who have forsaken their Messiah and in fact are plotting to murder him. We’ll see that it is out of this context that Jesus teaches his followers about the future. Christians disagree about how to interpret this section, but all Christians agree that Jesus predicted the destruction of the temple in this chapter and that Jesus will one day physically return to Earth where we ALL will experience the final Judgment, and there will be a new heavens and new earth and those who have been reconciled to God through Christ will be with God and His people but those who have not will remain under judgment in hell.
JESUS LEAVES THE TEMPLE: (24:1) This was Jesus’ last time leaving the temple, and he promised he would not be back unless there were to come a repentance and a belief in Christ as the Messiah (23:39). In Ezekiel the glory leaves the temple, here Jesus—God in the flesh—leaves the temple. Surely after hearing Jesus speak about God’s judgment on the Jewish leaders they see marvelous and amazing buildings and wonder how Jesus’ words could come to pass.
JESUS PREDICTS THE TEMPLE’S DESTRUCTION (2): Jesus gives a clear prediction that all of the beautiful temple buildings will be destroyed: “there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down”
-This probably seemed impossible, like someone predicting the White House or Washington DC destroyed. But Jerusalem’s temple was destroyed in 586 as part of God’s judgment on unrepentant Israel; now it was going to happen again.
THE DISCIPLES ASK JESUS ABOUT THE COMING JUDGMENT (3): There are two separate categories that are brought up here: 1. Temple’s destruction (Tell us, when will these things be), 2. Messiah Jesus’ Kingly reign and end of this age (and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?). The disciples may have thought these would occur at same time, but Jesus shows that they are 2 different events. In 4-35, what we’ll look at today and next week, Jesus speaks about time period leading up and including the destruction of the temple and capture of Jerusalem which took place in 70 AD. In v 36-51 we see Jesus speak about the end of history and his return which will happen in future. While Christians divide over this, it seems persuasive to me to interpret the pass this way due to the clues of context (destruction of temple coming), promise it would occur in “this generation” in 23:36 and 24:34, and the shift in topic starting in v 36 about the “coming of the Son of Man.”
JESUS SPEAKS ABOUT THE TIME PERIOD LEADING UP TO THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE (4-14)
FALSE MESSIAHS AND WARS (4-6)
–We see Jesus’ heart in v 4. He wants to prepare his followers for what lies ahead (See that no one leads you astray.)
–MINI-APP: What a kind Savior we have, he knows our fears about the future and what lies ahead, Same today. We ought to not be led astray by global events or catastrophes: we do this by being grounded in the Word of God (READ DAILY).
–FALSE MESSIAHS (5): Historians note that in the 1st century there many different individuals who claimed to be the Messiah. Same is true today, there still are false Messiah, individuals who insist they are Jesus in the flesh
–WARS & RUMORS OF WARS (6): Historians note that between AD 33-70 there various wars that came about in the Roman Empire, and different uprisings. See page 239
-“SEE THAT YOU ARE NOT ALARMED, FOR THIS MUST TAKE PLACE, BUT THE END IS NOT YET” (6) The “end” can be understood to refer to the destruction of the temple, and the context seems to indicate this. All of these things will take place before the temple’s destruction, and this was true.
MORE WARS, DISASTERS AND TRIBULATION (7-12)
-FURTHER WARS, FAMINES, EARTHQUAKES (7): These all happened in 33-70, along with political upheaval. Acts 11:29 speaks about a great famine that took place and other places in NT about famine relief.
-ALL THESE ARE BUT THE BEGINNING OF THE BIRTH PAINS (8).
-Rachel’s labor. Birth pains are the beginning, but birth is usually HOURS later
-The Disciples were to see these events in a way similar to birth pains, and thus not to get too worked up.
-TRIBULATION, APOSTACY, FALSE PROPHETS, LOVE GROWING COLD (9-12): The NT records examples of all these taking place, and gives instructions for how to deal with the tribulations (James and Stephen killed in Acts) and betrayal and false prophets. These things are all taking place in the time of NT writing. An example of apostasy is found in Demas, who is mentioned as co-worker in Colossians, but one who was in love with the world and deserted Paul in 2 Tim 4:9.
PROMISE FOR THE ONE WHO ENDURES (13)13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
-JESUS PROMISES SALVATION FOR THE ONE WHO ENDURES. 1 Cor 15:1-2: Our endurance does not save us, but will show that we really believed. 1 John 2:19—those who leave the faith/church never really were of us.
PROMISE THAT THE GOSPEL WILL BE PROCLAIMED WIDELY (14) 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
-“ALL NATIONS.” Now we tend to think of this as a missionary imperative for us, but this actually was referring to first century. The global imagery is used in Col 1:6-7, 23. Even if this refers to something that took place in first century it is REMARKABLE that it happened and Acts tells how it did. This should not lessen our evangelistic zeal: Matt 28:18-20.
-“THEN THE END WILL COME”: The “end” refers to the destruction of the temple. This took place in AD 70. Again, 23:36 and 24:34 lead us to conclude that Jesus is not speaking about the end of history or his return, something he will address in 24:36-51, but the destruction of the temple. The event was catastrophic for the Jewish people—over 1 million people died and hundreds of thousands went into slavery and their prized building and city were destroyed.
OBJECTION: That seems a bit harsh, for God destroy Jerusalem.
ANSWER: Our repulsion of God’s judgment is due to many factors: 1. We forget how truly and utterly bad things had gotten. The people, especially the leaders, were not godly but were leading people away from God and “slamming shut the door to God’s kingdom in people’s faces”—see Matt 23:13. 2. We forget that they conspired to murder the sinless Son of God, and they continued to murder his followers for years after he did; 3. We modern Westerns have been infected with the view of secular humanism, which views humans as basically good people. The Bible speaks differently: God is infinitely holy and our sin is an egregious affront and horrible evil. We deserve God’s judgment; 4. God was merciful to Jerusalem, He gave 37 years for them to repent and believe.
–A WARNING: We ought to be sobered by the reality of God’s judgment on Jerusalem. God is holy and He will bring judgment on sin, there will reach a day when He will bring it to pass. The Bible says God is “patient, not wishing that any should perish” (2 Peter 3:9-10). God is a just God, and his justice is terrifying to sinful rebels. Romans 11:22. The cross confirms the evil of my sin & love of God.
APP: –BELIEVER, from this passage here’s what we ought to do:
1. We can trust God with the future of our lives, our family, and the church. Sin leads us to question whether God cares or is involved, but this passage and the cross shows that He does care and He is involved. There are no accidents: Our God is sovereign and good. He will bring JUSTICE and Rom 8:28 “He works ALL things together for the good of those who love him.”
-How do you need to remember that this week? How might you need to repent of unbelief? Jesus died for your unbelief.
2. We can trust God’s justice. God will right every wrong. The cross shows how all of our foolish and evil wrongs have been dealt with in love and grace. The world needs the gospel of Jesus Christ, it lies under condemnation & spiritual death. Let’s share the gospel w/others
UNBELIEVER: Jesus is the Lord of history, not a myth or person you can write off. He warned of a judgment that would take place on Jerusalem here, but in end of this chapter he speaks of a judgment on all. Something we’ll look at more in coming weeks. Are you ready? The day is coming, and only Jesus can save you from the judgment of God, a judgment he the innocent took on himself for you the guilty.
