Matt 24:15-35 “Jesus, the Lord of History: Part 2”
Intro: Is history moving in a particular direction? Is there a story to history? Is there a ‘meta-narrative,’ or a big story that all of history fits within? Theologian Michael Horton accurately describes how many around us answer this question today in our modern secular culture. He says this, “What we witness in our contemporary Western cultures is not so much a renunciation of metanarratives but the dominance of a new one, namely, the metanarrative of coming from nowhere and going nowhere but making things up as we go, in between birth and death.” This is how many people understand history: there is no point and no direction or story, except for the stories we make up. In contrast to this, Horton rightly says this “The Biblical faith claims that its story is the one that God is telling, which relativizes and judges the other stories about God, us, and the world…” In other words, God, through the Bible, tells us TRUE story of history, a truth that is true regardless of opinions. And this is story is not about us, its about God. And it is a glorious, dramatic, good story about a God of love who creates, judges, saves and is in relationship with His people. It is the story of God who comes to deliver His people from sin and death and make them a new creation forever. In this story we learn that God is just, and at various points in history we see God judges the evil and wickedness of mankind: Back in Gen 6, we learn that things had gotten so bad that He sent a flood on the earth to destroy the world, in Gen 18 we learn of God judging the cities of Sodom & Gomorrah, and later on we learn of God bring judgment upon Israel through Babylon who destroyed Jerusalem and sent the people into exile. Yet along with judgment, there is also mercy and grace and redemption—our God is just, but He is also merciful and tender. God rescues Noah and His family from the flood, he bring Lot and his family out of Sodom and Gomorrah, He delivered Israel from the bondage of Egypt, He fights for Israel when they face foreign enemies, and He is with them when they are in exile, and He made promises to them of a coming Messiah who would die for their sins and make them a new Creation.
Our God knows the future, and at times He chooses to reveal aspects of it to His people. And this is what we see today in our passage. We having been working our way through Matthew, and now are in Matt 24, which is known as the Olivet Discourse; here Jesus foretells the impending destruction of Jerusalem and his future return in glory. Remember, his disciples, back in 24:3, have asked about when the temple would experience God’s judgment and when he would return. This chapter is Jesus’ response to this question, which is really about two separate events. Last week, in 24:4-14, we saw Jesus speak about the events leading up to the destruction of the temple. This week, in 24:15-35 we see Jesus describe the destruction of Jerusalem and his future return.
READ/PRAY
Remember with me that our passage flows out of an announcement of God’s judgment on the unbelieving Israel. In Jesus’ time, the people, who were meant to be a light to the world, have forsaken God’s Messiah and are actively working to destroy him and his followers. Jesus says that they are “slamming the door of God’s kingdom shut in people’s faces” and things have gotten really, really bad. Now, unless they repent, they will experience the Judgment of God, which includes the destruction of Jerusalem & the temple.
The Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple (15-22): Justice of God and the Mercy of God: In this first section we see Jesus uses OT imagery to speak of God’s judgment on Jerusalem, the city that has rejected God’s Son.
–ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION (15): Jesus begins with imagery from the OT prophet Daniel of “abomination of desolation” (15) which is spoken of 4 times in Daniel. The abomination of desolation is a prediction made in the OT about some kind of future judgment that Israel would experience. It would be a catastrophic event which would defile and destroy. Many think that Daniel’s prophecies had an initial fulfillment in 168 BC under Antiochus Ephiphanes, “who erected an altar to Zeus over the altar of burned offering, sacrificed a swine on it, and made the practice of Judaism an offense” (DA Carson). So it seems that there was a partial fulfillment of some of Daniel’s references. But the way Jesus uses it here, it seems that there was also a future fulfillment yet to come and in particular it would take place with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. Jesus speaks of this “abomination of desolation” happening in the “holy place”. We can think of the siege of Jerusalem in AD 70 as fulfilling this prophecy: the city was surrounded by Roman soldiers who erected their banners and paid allegiance to Caesar. What was unthinkable—the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple—would take place. Jesus predicts this will happen and will be seen by those who are alive “when you see” (24:34 leads us to identify this with the siege of Jeru and Jesus’ prediction in v2)
–BEHOLD THE MERCY OF JESUS IN WARNINGS (16-21). Jesus is saying when you see this taking place, get out of town (flee to mountains, don’t go back for stuff, it will be tough for pregnant/nursing, pray it is not on Sabbath)! Commentators note how while the city was besieged in AD 67, in AD 68 there was a break and Christians abandoned the city (in fact, some say that no Christians died in the catastrophic destruction in AD 70).
–The TRIBULATION would be REALLY bad (21-22). This is the language of prophetic hyperbole, like when Jesus says, ‘if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.’ Historians note how horrific things was the siege of Jerusalem. As the troops marched toward the city all the renegades and zealots came to take refuge in the city. The city was starved and people stole food from each other, and in one case at least cannibalism was taking place where a mother ate her child. Commentators note over a million people died and hundreds of thousands went into exile—while they may have not have been as many as died in events like Holocaust, this event was unparalleled in that the entire city was killed or captured. It was a very dramatic act of God’s judgment.
APP: In this passage we see the judgment of God taking place. God is holy and punish every sin. This is a good thing, but also a frightening thing: for we all have sin. Here is a judgment that takes place in history, but at the end of history will come another judgment on all sin. God will punish every sin and make wrong every right. JUSTICE OF GOD
-In this passage we also see mercy: Jesus warns to flee and explains how the judgment will cease. At the cross of Jesus we see the justice and mercy of God. Hebrews 2:9 “tasted death for us” MERCY OF GOD
Don’t Be Misled by False Prophets or Teachers, it Will Be Clear When Jesus Returns (23-28): Error and Truth: In the next section Jesus warns his followers about false prophets and teachers who arise and claim to be the Christ. Earlier he taught his followers they were to be “shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matt 10:16). Christianity is not about abandoning your brain or reason, but rightly using it for God’s glory. Here he teaches us “not to believe” every claim (23, 26)
–Presence of false christs and false prophets (23-24). They will make great claims and give great signs.
-“so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect” can be translated “if that were possible.” In other words, we hear the motive of the false prophets, not necessarily the assured possibly it could happen.
–Jesus is the good shepherd: “see, I have told you beforehand.” (25). He knows what we need to hear.
-When Jesus comes it will be unmistakable (26-27). We don’t understand exactly how, but Jesus will physically return and all on earth will know it is taking place. It will be dramatic and visible, like LIGHTENING streaking across the sky. The imagery of 28 with the vultures and corpses is to confirm—when there is a dead body, you’ll see vultures; when Jesus returns, you’ll all know it!
APP: We need to be good students of God’s word, so we are not led astray. How kind of Jesus to bring us into the truth and shepherd us away from falsehood. When the clouds of doubt and unbelief assail you, as they do me, run to Christ in your heart, rest in his Word. TAKE GOD’S WORD INTO YOUR MIND DAILY. Meditate on it, chew on it.
Personal: At times my heart can feel so assailed by the arguments of unbelief and confusion. In this I think the best answer is to fix our gaze on Jesus and His words and promises. Let this be the pillow we rest our heads upon—we may not have the answers to all the questions, but we know the Author of Life and he has told us truth about reality.
The Return of Jesus Described (29-31): The Glory and the Horror of Jesus’ Return: One of my favorite movies as a child was Robin Hood. In the story, the true king, King Richard is absent and away fighting wars and in his absence all kinds evil is taking place. Sherriff of Nottingham and his band of leaders are perverting justice and oppressing the people, especially the poor; further they question of the validity of King Richard, and whether he’ll ever return, and set themselves in positions of power, positions they were never meant to have. But in the midst of the situation, Robin Hood works for the good of the people and for the poor. Eventually King Richard does come back, and all who rejected him and worked evil when he was gone receive their just punishment. Thus, King Richard’s return would have received a mixed response: to some, the return of the king was a delight, but to others—those who worked evil—it was a terror. It will be the same with Jesus’ return, to some it will be glorious and wonderful, but to others it will a horror. And that is what we see here in this section.
-This section describes the return of Jesus, which will take place at the end of history. “Immediately after the tribulation of those days” is not speaking of the destruction of the temple, but the tribulation that last throughout the age of the church.
–Already-not yet lens of Scripture. (Rev 1:9). Tribulation is happening now until Christ returns (Christians around the world are being killed of their faith, on Monday 52 Christians were killed in Nigeria). It seems that will get worse right before the return of Christ, but is it happening now in an already and not yet way. Just like kingdom, new creation.
–Cosmic imagery of world coming apart (29)
–THE GLORIOUS Return of Jesus (30-31). “Son of Man…coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call and they gather his elect”
–The KING WILL RETURN! It will be a glorious day when Jesus returns. All who are his followers will rejoice and be thrilled. All of our waiting was worth it, all of our trials were for our good. He will gather us to Himself, we’ll be resurrected with glorious bodies that will never die. IMAGINE THE GLORY!
–HORROR OF HIS RETURN (30b) “all the tribes of the earth will mourn” It will be a devastating day for those who have rejecting Jesus, who is the true and legitimate king. Rev 6:12-17
APP: As you think about the return of Jesus Christ who is coming back as a reigning king, to execute justice and establish the new earth, does your heart view it with hope or horror? It will be a wonderful event beyond words or a tragedy you wished weren’t true. There will be no place for indifference.
Learning and Marveling as we Wait (32-35): WAIT and Marveling: In our final section we see Jesus teach his disciples to be watchful and to wait.
-FIG TREE and DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM (32-33). When you see all these take place, know that He is coming back soon. It could happen any day.
-“this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” (34). There is debate on how to best understand this, but I think it refers to the destruction of Jerusalem and experiencing the beginning of our tribulation. Not the return of Christ, which we’ll see in v 36 is future and no one knows the date—so couldn’t be that generation.
APP: we wait for the day, we pray “come lord Jesus!” and we hope in Jesus.
-We MARVEL as we WAIT (35). “my words will not pass away.” These could only be the words of God. How marvelous is Jesus! In Snow White the dwarves, “whistle while we work,” but for the Christian the motto is “marvel while we wait.” Our words, our accomplishments, our countries will pass away, but Jesus’ words will never pass away.
