Ralph Porter

© 2002

If you had lived when Christ was on earth . . .

    If you were one of His followers . . .

         If you had seen what they had seen . . .

            What do you suppose you would have been thinking?

    As times began to get rough, and persecution set in,

            What do you suppose would be going through your mind?

If you were a Jew living in Jesus' day,

    How might you have interpreted the events they were seeing?

    Messianic expectation was high. Everyone was expecting Messiah. Those who took Daniel's time table seriously knew that the sixty-nine weeks he had predicted until Messiah's coming were about to end!

    Based on Zechariah 9, three steps on the way to restoration were expected. God had promised:

         1)    Restoration to the land

         2)    Coming of Messiah

         3)    Blessing for Israel

    People who were familiar with God's promises were struggling to understand why God's promises weren't coming true as He had told them.

         Jewish people had a problem. From their perspective:

              -Israel returned to the land

              -Messiah didn't come

              -No blessing came

         Jewish Christians also had a problem. From their perspective:

              -Israel returned to the land

              -Messiah came

              -No blessing accompanied His coming

    This left both groups of Jewish people familiar with God's promises with one significant question: "What happened to God's plan for Israel?" Had God forgotten His promise to them? Matthew was written to answer that question.

    Matthew demonstrates that Messiah came as promised. Jesus demonstrates that He is their Messiah, by His personal credentials and the witnesses that affirm His claims, by His words, and by His supernatural and Messianic acts. The evidence is sufficient for anyone who wants to know the truth.

    In spite of ample evidence, Israel rejects their Messiah. In response to their rejection, Jesus rejects Israel and institutes new program: the church. He proclaims judgment against that evil generation which rejected the evidence and rejected Him. That generation will be destroyed. His prophecy was fulfilled in A.D. 70., when Rome invaded and destroyed Jerusalem. But, God isn't through with Israel! Christ will return at end of the age and fulfill His promise to another generation that genuinely seeks His arrival and receives Him.

    After preparing His disciples for the rejection they would endure with Him, Jesus returns to the crowd. Luke tells us that Jesus fixed his eyes toward Jerusalem. He was headed for that definitive confrontation with Israel in Jerusalem. Matthew develops the story around Jesus' formal presentation and rejection (19-25).

         Formal Presentation   19-21:17

         Formal Rejection         21:18-22:46

         Formal Response        23-25

    After the religious leaders conclude their attempts to trap Jesus and reveal their rejection of Him, and their lack of desire to know the truth, Jesus addresses the crowds. This is His formal response as King to the nation who has rejected Him.

    What did He say about them? His message begins with a summary proclamation of judgment against the religious leaders of the nation for their rejection of Him.

Warning concerning the motives of the religious leaders   23:1-12

    They are under God's judgment because they aren't really trying to please God. All their religious activities are a show. They want to look good to the people, but they aren't interested in knowing the truth, nor in following God's plan for their life.

Woes directed against the religious leaders   23:13-32

    Over and over again Jesus pronounces woes against them. They are hypocrites subject to God's judgment.

Pronouncement of judgment on this generation   23:33-36

    Having condemned the religious leaders for their hypocrisy and deception, Jesus announces the judgment to come on this generation. They have followed their leaders and rejected their Messiah. Therefore, they are about to experience God's wrath and judgment.

Lament concerning desolation of Jerusalem   23:37-39

    Jesus weeps because of the judgment which is about to come on Israel. This was not the way He wanted it to be. He loves them and wants to care for them but they're unwilling. Therefore God must judge them.

    The judgment announced in Matthew 24-25 is the continuation of the condemnation pronounced in Matthew 23. Jesus already demonstrated who He is. The nation demonstrated their rejection of Him, through the response of their official representatives, their priests and other religious leaders.

    Jesus already promised the formation of a new group "called out" from Israel, and from the nations as well- the church. Now He announces what's ahead for that generation of Israel which rejected Him. After the completion of the proclamation of judgment, Jesus explains to His disciples the events which will follow. He doesn't want them to be unprepared for the unfolding of God's plan in the coming days. Without His explanation they might become disillusioned on account of the events they see happening.

WARNING OF IMMINENT JUDGMENT 24:1-3

    The disciples come out of the temple admiring its great beauty. Jesus warns them that this beautiful new temple will be destroyed! Its "gonna come tumblin' down." Jerusalem will soon be judged. It's temple will be destroyed. Not one stone will be left standing on another.

    His prediction encourages their questioning concerning the end of the age. They ask two questions: "When will this happen?" And, "What will be the sign of the end of the age?" Does Jesus answer them? Where? Either Jesus ignores their questions, or the following comments constitute the answer to their questions. He answers them in reverse: 24:4-31-The Signs; 24:32-51-The Time.

    What signs does Jesus advise them to watch for? He explains the events which will precede His return (24:4-51). His answers to these questions refer to the immediate future and the persecution related to the immediate judgment on that generation in A.D. 70. They ultimately apply to the final judgment during the Great Tribulation, immediately preceding our Lord's coming.

THREE SIGNS OF HIS RETURN 24:4-31

1. Tribulation 24:4-26

    At the end of the age there will be a period of tribulation. During that time due to the affliction, there will be a yearning for His coming. That yearning sets off the description of the Great tribulation. It is the basis of 24:5 and 24:23-26.

    Jesus' description of the tribulation is introduced by the events which occur during the first half of the tribulation (4-8). This time begins with international turmoil, caused both by politics and by nature. It will be characterized by the presence of false Christs (4-5), political conflicts (6-7a), and natural disasters (7b). Jesus makes clear that this is just "the beginning of birth pains" (8)-the beginning; it's NOT the end! The beginning of birth pangs is the initial sign of what's to follow. It's part of the process. It inevitably leads to the birth, but it's NOT the end of the age-it's NOT the sign of His coming!

    Jesus then continues with a description of the second half of the tribulation (9-14). Bad conditions get worse! The hard times intensify in the second half, concluding with the persecution of those who proclaim Christ. The faithful pay a price for their faith (9).

    Natural consequences of their affliction are seen to follow. Many abandon the faith (10). False prophets deceive many (11). Many grow cold (12). But in the end, the faithful are delivered (13).

    Matthew 24:13 is often pulled entirely out of its context. Who does Jesus say will be saved? Does this imply that you can lose your salvation if you don't "endure to the end?" In the light of the immediate context, what are these people delivered from? Salvation from what? Notice the subject in 24:9-10. This is not a reference to salvation from sin. The context is talking about a fierce persecution. God is going to intervene to rescue His people. In spite of appearances to the contrary, not all the faithful will die. At the end God will come rescue some of them. Those who survive until the end will be delivered from their affliction.

    Finally Jesus affirms that "the gospel"-the good news-will be proclaimed everywhere (14a). This promise-within the context of the end of the age refers to the good news concerning Christ's coming kingdom-"the king is coming soon!"-that message will be announced everywhere! Then the end comes (14b)!

    Jesus tells them about a warning to flee that they will be able to observe before this time of severe persecution, in the second half of the tribulation, overtakes them (15-21). Those who are waiting for Christ to come during this tribulation should be alert for the warning! The sign to flee will be an abominable thing which causes desolation. He tells us that this abominable thing will fulfill Daniel's prophecy. There were several fulfillments to this prophecy. The first occurred during the time of Antiochus Epiphanes. When he invaded the land, he tried to change their customs and unite their culture with the Greek culture around them. When they rebelled, Antiochus contemptuously offered swine on the altar in the temple in Jerusalem-as abominable an act as any Jew could imagine!

    During the time of affliction of the early church, believing they're already in the tribulation, they escaped when they saw Rome marching in to "devastate" the city. That was an abominable thing for them. Eusebius, the early church historian reports that when the Romans invaded to destroy the city, not one Christian was killed in their attack because they saw the warning and ran for the hills. This would be a second "forerunner"-a type-of the real thing, that Daniel prophesied to be fulfilled in the middle of tribulation.

    According to Daniel 9:26-27, the abominable thing which desolates will appear when Antichrist breaks his covenant in the middle of tribulation and persecutes God's people. While the exact fulfillment of this prophecy is not clear now, it will be apparent to those who live through this period. When they see that sign, they should escape to the hills, for following the warning comes period of unequaled persecution, such as has never occurred before and will never be matched again.

    This time of suffering will be limited in its length (22). Will the tribulation be shortened to less than the seven years God promised? Jesus tells us that the suffering of that time will be so intense that no one could survive, if God did not intervene supernaturally to end the period but, the good news is that God will intervene to end the affliction. God's original plan calls for His intervention-it's not a change of plans! His announcement that the period will only last seven years provides the guarantee that God will intervene to rescue the afflicted, right on schedule!

    One final characteristic of the period which Jesus mentioned earlier is the appearance of false Christs (23-26). During this time of suffering, the desire for Christ's return grows. Many will claim to see Him. Many people will follow them in hopes of finding Him in some secluded place.

2. Visible Sign of Christ's coming 24:27-30

    This desire for His coming and the warning concerning the abundance of false Christs and false prophets introduces the second sign of His coming and of the end of the age. This sign has to do with the way He comes-it's not the way these people claim! It's a sign that will be visible everywhere!

    Jesus warns His followers not to chase after these popular "sightings!" His coming won't be like that. When He comes, it will be apparent to all, like lightning in the sky.

3. Regathering of Israel 24:31

    Finally God sends His angels to gather His people from wherever they've been scattered. Though they've escaped to every corner of the earth, God has promised to find them and bring them back to their land so He can bless them there as He promised in the beginning.

    These prophecies, like so many others, aren't just given to satisfy our curiosity concerning the future. They include:

         A call to readiness

         A call to purity

         A call to faithfulness

              We can trust God in midst of affliction.

                   He's in charge.

                   He has a plan.

                        We know who wins!

    God has given to us a role in proclaiming good news to the world, even as He has given that role to His witnesses in the days before His return to reign on earth. We are called to proclaim good news, because bad news lies ahead!  Our proclamation of the Gospel may result in the salvation of a friend, so that they will not have to participate in these frightening days of judgment on earth.

    God is calling us to readiness, to purity, to faithfulness. He is encouraging us to trust Him even in hard times of affliction. He is calling us to proclaim good news to those around us-our neighbors, our friends, our families. When Jesus comes to gather His church to Himself, will He find us faithful, eagerly awaiting His return, and ready for His coming?