"THE TIME OF THE END"

The Prophecy Of Matthew 24

INTRODUCTION

1. A challenging passage in the Bible is Jesus' discourse on the Mount of Olives...
1. Given shortly after He left the temple with His disciples
2. Recorded in Mt 24:1-51; Mk 13:1-37; Lk 21:5-36
3. Commonly referred to as "The Olivet Discourse"
4. Our focus will be primarily on Matthew's account - Mt 24:1-51
2. It's difficulty is apparent when one considers the diversity of interpretations...
1. Some maintain it is about events preceding the Lord's second coming
2. Others say that it is about events related to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.
3. And many believe it refers to both events
3. Even those who apply it to both events differ as to when a particular event is being described...
1. Some say vs. 4-28 refer to the destruction of Jerusalem, and vs. 29 begins the discussion about the Lord's second coming (McGarvey)
2. Others contend that vs. 35 begins talking about the second coming
3. Some believe that Jesus switches back and forth throughout the discourse (Zerr)
4. In light of Luke 17, I have trouble with Matthew 24 describing both events...
1. Where Jesus is talking about "one of the days of the Son of Man" - Lk 17:22-37
1. Note: He alludes to the fact there is more than one "day of the Son of Man"
2. I.e., the Lord will come in judgment in ways prior to His final coming at the Last Day
2. In Lk 17, Jesus uses language similar to Mt 24, but in ways that do not allow for a simple division of Mt 24, either at verse 29 or 35; notice...
1. Lk 17:26-29 is parallel to Mt 24:37-39 (found after verses 29,35)
2. Yet Lk 17:31 is parallel to Mt 24:17-18 (found before verses 29,35)
3. And then Lk 17:34-36 is parallel to Mt 24:40-41 (found after verses 29,35)
3. If Jesus is describing just one event in Lk 17 (which I believe He is), then He is likely describing just one event in Mt 24

[I tend to view Matthew 24 as depicting the destruction of Jerusalem which occurred in 70 A.D., though it certainly foreshadows His second coming. To see why, let's start with...]

1. THE SETTING OF MATTHEW 24
1. THE WORDS OF JESUS IN THE TEMPLE...
1. His parables depicting Israel's rejection of Him, and its consequence
1. The parable of the two sons - Mt 21:28-32 (cf. v.31-32)
2. The parable of the wicked vine dressers - Mt 21:33-46 (cf. v.42-45)
3. The parable of the wedding feast - Mt 22:1-14 (cf. v.7-9)
2. His condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees
1. Who would fill up the measure of their fathers' guilt - Mt 23:29-32
2. Who kill, crucify, scourge, and persecute the prophets, wise men, and scribes He would send to them - Mt 23:33-34
3. Upon whom the blood of all the righteous would come, upon that very generation - Mt 23:35-36
3. His lamentation over Jerusalem
1. The city who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her - Mt 23:37a
2. The city unwilling to accept the love shown to her - Mt 23:37b
3. Whose house would be left desolate - Mt 23:38-39
2. THE PROPHECY OF JESUS ABOUT THE TEMPLE...
1. After his disciples were showing Him the buildings of temple - Mt 24:1
2. Declaring that not one stone would be left upon another - Mt 24:2
3. THE QUESTIONS OF THE DISCIPLES...
1. In Mark's gospel, two questions are asked - Mk 13:4
1. "When will these things be?"
2. "What will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?"
2. In Luke's gospel, the two questions are similar - Lk 21:7
1. "When will these things be?"
2. "What sign will there be when these things are about to take place?"
3. In Matthew's gospel, the second question is worded differently - Mt 24:3
1. "When will these things be?"
2. "What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"
4. Observations regarding these questions:
1. Matthew wrote his gospel for a Jewish audience
1. He likely recorded the questions as asked by the disciples, who presumed that the destruction of temple would mean His coming and the end of the age
2. Jewish readers of the gospel would likely have the same conception
2. Mark and Luke wrote their gospels to Gentiles
1. To avoid possible misunderstanding by non-Jewish readers, they worded the disciples' questions to reflect what the discourse is actually about
2. I.e., the destruction of the temple and the sign when its destruction would be imminent

[When the setting leading up to "The Olivet Discourse" is carefully considered, the subject of Jesus' words become clear. The destruction of the temple is the matter under consideration, not the second coming of Christ. Now let's proceed to examine more closely...]

2. THE DISCOURSE OF MATTHEW 24
1. WHAT WILL NOT BE THE SIGN...
1. Be careful that none deceive you, claiming to be the Christ - Mt 24:4-5
2. Don't be troubled by wars, earthquakes, famines, pestilence - Mt 24:6-8
1. Such things will come, but the end (destruction of the temple) is not yet
2. They are only the beginning of sorrows (not the sign of the end)
3. Anticipate persecution and hard times - Mt 24:9-13
1. You will be killed and hated for His name's sake
2. Many will be offended, betray one another, and hate one another
3. False prophets will deceive many
4. The love of many will grow cold because of lawlessness
5. But he who endures to "the end" will be saved -- "the end" refers here:
1. Not to the second coming (implying one must live until Christ comes again)
2. Nor to the destruction of Jerusalem (implying once one has survived that event, one's salvation is secured)
3. But to the end of one's life - cf. Re 2:10
4. The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world - Mt 24:14
1. As a witness to all the nations
2. Then the end (the destruction of the temple) will come
1. This would end the Jewish sacrifices, and other remnants of OT worship
2. That which was nailed to the cross, abolished by Jesus' death, would pass away - cf. Col 2:14-17; Ep 2:14-16; He 8:13
3. Was the gospel preached to all nations prior to the destruction of the temple? Note what Paul wrote prior to 70 A.D. - Ro 10:16-18; Col 1:23
2. WHAT WILL BE THE SIGN...
1. The "abomination of desolation" - Mt 24:15; Mk 13:14
1. Standing in the holy place (the holy city Jerusalem)
2. As foretold by Daniel - cf. Dan 9:26-27
2. When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies - Lk 21:20
1. Luke therefore explains the "abomination of desolation"
2. In 70 A.D., Roman armies surrounded and besieged Jerusalem prior to destroying it and the temple
3. Thus Jesus answers the disciples' question: "What sign will there be when these things are about to take place?"
3. WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU SEE THE SIGN...
1. Those in Judea are to flee to the mountains - Mt 24:16-22
1. Don't delay by going to your homes and getting your clothes
2. It will be a difficult time for pregnant and nursing mothers
3. Pray that your flight be not in winter (when travel is difficult) or on the Sabbath (when city gates are closed to travel)
4. For there will be "great tribulation", though shortened for the elect's sake
1. Luke specifies the nature of this tribulation - Lk 21:23b-24
2. A Jewish general taking captive by the Romans just prior to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 offered this summary:
1. All the calamities which had befallen any nation from the beginning of the world were but small in comparison with those of the Jews
2. In the siege of Jerusalem, no fewer than 1,100,000 perished (it was during the time of the Passover, when more than 3,000,000 Jews were assembled)
3. In surrounding provinces 250,000 were slain
4. 97,000 were taken captive, some killed by beasts in Roman theaters, some sent to work in Egypt, others sold as slaves
-- Flavius Josephus, Jewish Wars (from Barnes Commentary on Matthew)
3. The "elect" were Christians, spared by a shortened siege
1. The Jews in the city engaged the Romans in battle
2. Titus, the Roman general, being called to return to Rome, proceeded to end the siege and stormed the city (Barnes Commentary)
2. Don't be misled by false christs and false prophets - Mt 24:23-28
1. Even those who show great signs and wonders to deceive
2. For the coming (judgment) of the Son of Man will be like lightning across the sky
1. Do not expect to find Him in the desert or in inner rooms
2. When He comes in judgment, it will be swift - cf. Lk 17:22-24
3. Where the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered
1. Alluding to Jerusalem surrounded by armies
2. This is the "sign" to warn them it is time to flee Jerusalem and Judea!
4. WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT...
1. Events to occur "immediately after the tribulation of those days"...
1. Cosmic disturbances - Mt 24:29
1. The sun will be darkened
2. The moon will not give its light
3. The stars will fall from heaven
4. The heavens will be shaken
2. The sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven - Mt 24:30
1. All the tribes of the earth will mourn
2. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory
3. The elect will be gathered - Mt 24:31
1. For with a great sound of the trumpet, angels will be sent
2. They shall gather the elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to another
2. Such events certainly sound like the second coming of Christ, but consider two reasons why they may not be referring to Jesus' coming at the Last Day...
1. The events were to occur "immediately after the tribulation of those days" ("in those days, after that tribulation") - Mt 24:29; Mk 13:24
1. They are connected in time to the tribulation described in Mt 24:15-28
2. This "coming" of Jesus was to occur at the conclusion of the siege of Jerusalem
2. The events are similar to those used to foretell God's judgment of other nations
1. Babylon - Isa 13:1,6-13
2. Egypt - Isa 19:1-2; cf. Eze 32:2,7-9
3. Tyre - Isa 23:1; 24:21-23
4. Edom - Isa 34:4-6
5. Nineveh - Nah 1:1-5
6. Israel - Am 8:9
7. Judah - Jer 4:5-6,23-28
3. Therefore I suggest that even Mt 24:29-31 refers to the destruction of Jerusalem
1. Like other Jewish prophets, Jesus uses figurative language to depict:
1. The judgment to befall the wicked (in terms of worldwide destruction)
2. The provision made for the righteous (in terms of the gathering by angels)
2. Jewish prophets foretold God's judgment upon such nations...
1. Using figures of worldwide destruction, even though the judgment was local
2. Perhaps because such judgments foreshadow God's Final Judgment to come upon the entire world at the Last Day
5. ADMONITIONS TO BE PREPARED AND PRODUCTIVE...
1. The parable of the fig tree - Mt 24:32-33
1. New branches and leaves indicate summer is near
2. When you see these things (Jerusalem surrounded by armies), the time is near
2. It would happen before "this generation" passed away - Mt 24:34
1. Some define "generation" as a race of people (i.e., the Jews) - cf. McGarvey, B. W. Johnson
2. But note its use by Jesus just prior to this discourse - Mt 23:33-36 (esp. 36)
3. The destruction of Jerusalem came to pass within forty years!
3. The words of Jesus will come to pass - Mt 24:35
1. Heaven and earth shall pass away one day - cf. 2Pe 3:7,10
2. But Jesus' words will by no means pass away
3. With v. 35, some believe Jesus now talks about the second coming; but Jesus is using an illustration to demonstrate the surety of His words - e.g., Mt 5:18
4. Of that day and hour, only the Father knows - Mt 24:36
1. They might discern the general timing with the advance of armies toward Jerusalem
2. But the day and hour when the siege would begin, only the Father knew
3. So don't delay when the "sign" appears (Jerusalem surrounded by armies)
5. It will be like the days of Noah - Mt 24:37-39
1. In the days before the flood...
1. Noah knew what was coming and was preparing, but people continued with their normal activities
2. Only when it was too late did the people know
2. Prior to the siege of Jerusalem...
1. Many people probably thought the conflict would end peacefully, and so lived their lives accordingly
2. But once the siege began, it was too late
6. Some will be taken away - Mt 24:40-41
1. When the city was stormed, 97,000 Jews were taken captive
2. Some to be killed by beasts in Roman theaters, some sent to work in Egypt, others sold as slaves - Flavius Josephus, Jewish Wars (as per Barnes Commentary on Matthew)
7. Therefore, watch! - Mt 24:42-44
1. You don't know the hour of the Son of Man's coming
2. Don't be caught off guard, like the master of a house who did not know when a thief would break in
3. Be ready, for the Son of Man will come when you not expect Him
4. The siege of Jerusalem might begin promptly, so flee Judea promptly when you see the armies surrounding Jerusalem!
8. The parable of the faithful servant and the wicked servant - Mt 24:45-51
1. The faithful servant is blessed if doing the master's will when he comes
2. So the disciples of Jesus are admonished to be productive

CONCLUSION

1. Note carefully that Matthew 24 depicts a local, escapable judgment...
1. Where Jesus warned those in Judea of what is to come
2. Where they are given a sign to let them know when to flee
2. It does not fit a worldwide, inescapable judgment...
1. As will characterize the second coming of Christ
2. As taught to Christians throughout the world - cf. 1Th 5:2-3; 2Th 1:7-10; 2Pe 3:10-12
3. Matthew 24 certainly alludes to our Lord's Second Coming...
1. But that is no different than the prophecies by other Jewish prophets who foretold God's judgment upon other nations and cities
2. It was a common motif used by Jewish prophets, we should not be surprised to see Jesus using the same
3. And rightly so, for God's judgments upon nations in the past are types and shadows of the Final Judgment to befall the entire world when Jesus comes again
4. In addition to the setting leading up to the discourse, there is the natural flow of the discourse itself that leads me to conclude it is entirely about the destruction of Jerusalem...
1. Jesus' disciples are told what will not be the sign - Mt 24:1-14
2. They are told will be the sign that His coming is near - Mt 24:15
3. They are told what to do when they see the sign - Mt 24:16-28
4. His coming in judgment (the fall of Jerusalem) is described in terms reminiscent of other Jewish prophets who foretold of God's judgments upon various nations - Mt 24:29-31
5. Admonitions are given for them to be prepared and productive in the meantime - Mt 24:32-51

So I view Matthew 24 to describe a local, escapable judgment which occurred in 70 A. D. However, there is still the worldwide, inescapable judgment at the Last Day - cf. 1Th 5:2-3; 2Th 1: 7-10; 2Pe 3:10-12

Are you ready for that Day? The admonitions to be prepared and productive are very similar: