1 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:06,360 I invite you to meet me in the 13th chapter of the Gospel of 2 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:18,890 Mark. We have now arrived at the most 3 00:00:18,890 --> 00:00:25,610 extensive and lengthy answer that the Lord Jesus Christ gives 4 00:00:26,130 --> 00:00:30,970 to any question that was asked of Him in the Gospel of Mark. 5 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:35,560 And the nature of this teaching, which spans, at least in Mark's 6 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:42,640 account, 37 uninterrupted verses, deals with the subject, 7 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:46,320 the exciting subject of the end of the age. 8 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:52,400 And as thrilling as this discourse may be, it has also 9 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:55,440 presented interpretive challenges for students of the 10 00:00:55,440 --> 00:01:02,080 Bible, primarily when it comes to the timeline of the events 11 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:05,720 that the Lord Jesus unfolds before us. 12 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:10,440 But prayerfully, here's my goal, here's my heart, here's my 13 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:13,720 prayer, is that what will be presented to you today and in 14 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:17,400 the days to come is that this would be as clear as possible, 15 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:21,920 as simple as possible, as memorable as possible. 16 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:27,600 Because my desire for us is to all leave here with a greater 17 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:33,000 confidence about what we believe concerning the final moments of 18 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:37,400 human history and the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. 19 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:40,520 And so I want to tell you upfront, even with this 20 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:48,200 teaching, lean in, pay attention, focus, jot these 21 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:51,000 references down. I'm sure that by the end of this 22 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:54,720 teaching today, your heart will flutter as you realize of the 23 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:56,320 absolute brilliance of the mind of God. 24 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:59,840 When we see the harmonization of the Bible, that what we find in 25 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:02,080 the epistles and what we find in the Gospels and what we find in 26 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:04,920 the Hebrew Scriptures, they're all saying the same thing. 27 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:07,320 They're all pointing to the same truth. 28 00:02:08,199 --> 00:02:15,680 And so my job will be to teach this as effectively as possible. 29 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:19,040 And I believe it is your responsibility to give a 30 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:21,880 listening ear and to really focus. 31 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:25,000 If you're prone to allowing your thoughts to just go with the 32 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:29,280 wind, try to hone in today because this will be a more 33 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:33,720 dense teaching than usual. Because it is a dense subject. 34 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:38,640 And in order for us to even begin to unpack this teaching, I 35 00:02:38,640 --> 00:02:43,800 believe we have to consider 3 overarching truths about this 36 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:47,720 particular monologue. So you ready? 37 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:51,080 Don't get distracted now. See, you can't get distracted 38 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:56,120 already. I want to tell you about 3 39 00:02:56,120 --> 00:03:00,560 overarching truths that will help simplify Jesus teaching 40 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:03,440 about the events leading up to his return. 41 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:11,160 Number one, this teaching answers a twofold question. 42 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:14,760 Let's read the first few verses of Mark chapter 13, beginning in 43 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:18,080 verse one. And as he came out of the 44 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:23,200 temple, one of his disciples said to him, Look, Teacher, what 45 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:26,320 wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings. 46 00:03:26,920 --> 00:03:31,000 And Jesus said to him, do you see these great buildings? 47 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:35,080 There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not 48 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:39,320 be thrown down. And as he sat upon, sat on 49 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:41,880 rather the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and 50 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:46,560 James and John and Andrew asked them privately, Tell us when 51 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:50,400 will these things be? And what will be the sign when 52 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:54,320 all these things are about to be accomplished? 53 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:58,520 Now, this teaching is found in Matthew 24. 54 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:01,760 It's found in Luke 21. And I believe Matthew gives us 55 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:04,040 greater detail. And in fact, when you look at 56 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:06,720 Matthew's account, it's not just Matthew 24. 57 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:11,760 It spans into Matthew 25. It is an incredible discourse 58 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:16,040 that Jesus gives, but the way Matthew presents the question 59 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:19,040 that these disciples ask, I believe will help us have a more 60 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:21,959 accurate framework of Jesus's answer. 61 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:25,400 So turn with me to Matthew 24 and look at verse three. 62 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:28,680 And remember, as we're looking at this question or set of 63 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:33,520 questions, it was provoked by Jesus prophetic declaration that 64 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:38,360 this temple, Herod's temple, would come tumbling down. 65 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:42,680 And what a statement that was. If you just historically look at 66 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:48,000 how grand and spectacular and amazing that temple was, it was 67 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:52,000 very difficult to imagine how these giant stones with all its 68 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:55,720 enormous and all its everything else coming to a place where, 69 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:59,360 well, it will be dust essentially. 70 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:04,520 So listen to what they asked for in Matthew 24, verse three. 71 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:07,480 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to 72 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:12,120 him privately saying, tell us, when will these things be and 73 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:17,800 what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the 74 00:05:17,840 --> 00:05:19,880 age? That's different than how Mark 75 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:22,440 puts it. It's it's blossoms out a little 76 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:24,080 bit more. It's expanded. 77 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:27,240 There are two questions, I believe here you can say there 78 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:29,480 are three, but the last two are really one. 79 00:05:30,280 --> 00:05:33,440 The first question that these curious disciples are asking is 80 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:35,560 when will these things be? What things? 81 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:39,000 Well, again, Jesus just said this temple is going to be 82 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:41,640 destroyed. And so the first question of 83 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:43,360 disciples is when is that going to happen? 84 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:47,400 When is that going to happen? But notice the second question 85 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:50,080 and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of 86 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:54,600 the age. Now you and I read that with 87 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:58,280 Christian lenses and you know what we would rush to in terms 88 00:05:58,280 --> 00:06:01,400 of conclusion of what the nature of their inquiry is. 89 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:06,640 When are you returning? When is the second coming going 90 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:09,760 to occur? But that can't be what the 91 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:12,600 disciples are asking. They're not asking about the 92 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:16,440 second coming of Jesus Christ. You and I are seeing that in 93 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:19,560 this text because we see that as we read on in the New Testament 94 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:21,680 library that there is a truth. There is a doctrine known as the 95 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:23,880 second coming of Christ. We as a church are waiting for 96 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:26,480 Christ to come back. But these disciples at this 97 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:30,440 moment can't be probing about this. 98 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:32,840 How do we know that? Because you and I have been 99 00:06:32,840 --> 00:06:35,040 studying over the past few weeks how these same disciples 100 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:39,720 couldn't even wrap their minds around what Jesus dying and 101 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:45,560 resurrecting and ascending. So how is it that they are 102 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:48,880 asking about his return when they don't even think that he's 103 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:52,200 going to go anywhere? They haven't even figured that 104 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:55,400 out yet. And so this is not asking them 105 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:58,000 about the second coming. The second coming is not even in 106 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:02,280 their theological framework, at least yet we see it that way. 107 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:07,800 The disciples are still under the impression, you know this 108 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:10,600 very well, that the Lord Jesus is going to manifest his 109 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:16,720 messianic Kingdom, his glory, his worldwide government any 110 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:20,080 moment now. And that anticipation has only 111 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:23,640 been building as we've been studying Jesus in the temple in 112 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:26,240 the final moments of his earthly ministry. 113 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:29,480 He's flipping tables, He's cleansing the courts. 114 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:34,560 He's challenging and he is overcoming the tricks and the 115 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:38,200 traps of the religious leaders. People are saying, Hosanna, I 116 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:40,320 mean, you can, you can just feel it that that they're 117 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:42,920 anticipating that this is going to break open at any time, 118 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:46,040 anytime, any second even. And so with urgency, they're 119 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:47,600 saying, oh, when is this going to happen? 120 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:51,440 When is this all going to occur? And if you need confirmation 121 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:54,120 that this is what the disciples believed, listen to this 122 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:57,240 commentary from Luke 19, verse 11. 123 00:07:57,240 --> 00:08:00,480 You don't have to turn there, but listen, it says here in Luke 124 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:03,560 1911, as they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a 125 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:07,800 parable because he was near to Jerusalem and because they 126 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:12,400 suppose that the Kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 127 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:16,960 That's the angst that the disciples had, and Jesus 128 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:20,840 perceived that. So with this in mind, what's 129 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:25,720 really being asked by the disciples is when is this age 130 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:29,800 coming to an end? And when is the age of your 131 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:35,360 Kingdom going to start? When will the sinful epoch 132 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:37,880 cease? And well, when the glorious, 133 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:42,760 righteous and perfectly just government promised by God to 134 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:46,920 David arrive by your power and might, When's that happening? 135 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:51,240 Jesus? So they're asking really about 136 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:53,800 what the Old Testament said, what happened. 137 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:59,200 But here's the thing that you have to wonder, why are they 138 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:02,040 asking about the Kingdom of God? What triggered that? 139 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:06,480 I believe what triggered that is when Jesus said this temple is 140 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:11,520 going down because in their minds for this temple to 141 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:16,840 experience such judgment for for this edifice that symbolizes the 142 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:22,080 heart of the people and so many other things, for that to come 143 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:27,640 under that kind of effect certainly means that there is 144 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:29,200 going to be something new starting. 145 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:35,800 They saw Jesus prediction about the temple and his inauguration 146 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:39,240 of the Kingdom occurring at the same time. 147 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:43,280 That's how they perceived it. Where did they get that idea 148 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:47,080 from? From the Hebrew scriptures, go 149 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:49,720 with me to Zechariah 14. I want you to see this with me 150 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:52,520 again. Let me remind you, Jesus says 151 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:55,400 this temple is going down and that triggers something in the 152 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:57,960 disciples. Oh, if this temple is going 153 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:01,520 down, then certainly your Kingdom is going to come. 154 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:06,840 That is going to be the trigger of a new age. 155 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:10,640 And I believe that Zechariah 14 plays a part in their 156 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:14,040 understanding of that. Look at verse one of Zechariah 157 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:17,040 14, hundreds of years before the time of Jesus. 158 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:19,600 You would think that this is something written in the Book of 159 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:20,840 Revelation. It's not. 160 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:25,520 It says here in Zechariah 14. One, behold, the day is coming 161 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:29,440 for the Lord when the spoil taken from you will be divided 162 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:32,080 in your midst. For I will gather all the 163 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:37,840 nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be 164 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:38,840 taken. Pause. 165 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:40,440 You know what's in the city of Jerusalem? 166 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:43,760 The Temple. So here's Zechariah saying 167 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:47,160 there's a time coming when nations will surround Jerusalem 168 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:49,960 and the city will be taken, and let's continue. 169 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:53,960 And the houses plundered and the woman raped. 170 00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:57,640 Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the 171 00:10:57,640 --> 00:10:59,600 people shall not be cut off from the city. 172 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:05,360 Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as 173 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:07,560 when he fights on a day of battle. 174 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:13,080 On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies 175 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:16,440 before Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be 176 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:20,880 split in two from east to West by a very wide valley, so that 177 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:24,120 1/2 of the Mount shall move northward and the other half 178 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:26,720 southward. Very detailed. 179 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:29,720 Here's the gist of it. Jerusalem will be surrounded, 180 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:33,120 the city will be taken, and at that time the Lord himself will 181 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:35,640 descend from heaven. Plant His feet on the Mount of 182 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:40,640 Olives, and He will defend Jerusalem and the people of 183 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:43,160 Israel. He's going to destroy these 184 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:44,720 nations, but not just destroy them. 185 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:47,080 Look at verse nine. What will happen? 186 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:51,320 And the Lord will be king over all the earth. 187 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:55,000 Three important words. On that day. 188 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:58,480 The Lord will be one and His name one. 189 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:03,920 The disciples, I know they didn't get everything right, but 190 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:05,880 they had some knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures. 191 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:09,240 So you understand here that this is one of the most hopeful 192 00:12:09,680 --> 00:12:12,440 messages that the Jews of all time, especially the time when 193 00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:14,560 they were under Roman oppression, something that they 194 00:12:14,560 --> 00:12:16,800 can hold on to. And this was the promise of 195 00:12:16,800 --> 00:12:19,320 Zechariah by the Spirit. Jerusalem one day will be 196 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:22,040 surrounded, the city will be taken, and God Himself will 197 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:26,760 defend the nation of Israel, and on that day He will establish 198 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:29,200 His Kingdom not just in that nation. 199 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:32,880 Read the rest of Zechariah for the whole world to behold and be 200 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:36,400 subject to so you understand where the disciples are coming 201 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:39,320 from. Now the disciples are hearing 202 00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:41,080 Jesus saying this temple is going down. 203 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:44,440 Well that sounds like Jerusalem being taken in the city being 204 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:47,880 sieged. But with their background of 205 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:50,800 Zechariah, at least Zechariah and many other places, they also 206 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:54,440 think, well then the Lord surely has to come and if he's going to 207 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:55,800 come, then he's going to establish his Kingdom. 208 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:58,080 So Jesus, when is this going to happen? 209 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:02,000 We believe you're the Messiah. And don't you find it 210 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:03,960 interesting that Jesus is teaching this discourse? 211 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:07,400 Where, where did he teach it? On the Mount of Olives? 212 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:11,200 So you're, they're putting all the pieces together and they're 213 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:15,360 getting excited. What does the Lord do? 214 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:17,720 And I think this is important to understand right from the 215 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:20,840 beginning because what the disciples believed was going to 216 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:26,640 happen all at his first coming. Jesus is about to explain, will 217 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:31,480 happen in a distant future. Yeah, the disciples understood 218 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:33,720 these passages, but what they failed to understand was that 219 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:36,560 there was a gap. The Messiah would come, as you 220 00:13:36,560 --> 00:13:39,920 know, and one coming. Then there would be a period, 221 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:44,560 undisclosed amount of time, and then another Advent where Christ 222 00:13:44,560 --> 00:13:47,000 would return. But the Jews of this times 223 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:52,080 mushed all of those promises, all of that activity into one 224 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:55,600 arrival. And Jesus now in Mark 13 is 225 00:13:55,600 --> 00:14:00,680 about to clarify it's not going to happen the way you think it's 226 00:14:00,680 --> 00:14:03,360 going to happen. It's not going to happen when 227 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:09,080 you think it's going to happen. Establishing this again is 228 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:12,600 crucial because not for us to understand merely what's taking 229 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:17,360 place here, but because you have Christians today who hold to the 230 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:21,160 theological view that everything Jesus predicts and prophecies 231 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:24,640 here already occurred and happened in the 1st century. 232 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:33,680 That precisely by and around 70 AD, everything Jesus explains 233 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:39,960 here is accomplished. Now why would some hold to that 234 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:42,400 view? You might be somebody hold to 235 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:45,560 that view. Well, because the temple was 236 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:52,600 destroyed 70 AD by the Romans under the rule and the rather 237 00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:59,080 the general Titus, the son of the emperor at the time who came 238 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:04,120 and attacked Israel and essentially fulfilled what Jesus 239 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:07,240 said in verse 2. And so because of that 240 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:10,920 historical landmark, it has brought people to believe that 241 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:13,320 surely what Jesus said here has been accomplished. 242 00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:15,800 But they don't just go to history to find that, they 243 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:17,920 actually find something from Jesus teaching. 244 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:23,120 Look at verse 30 in our original text of Mark 13 and Mark 13 245 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:31,360 verse 30. Jesus says, truly, I say to you, 246 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:36,160 this generation will not pass away until all these things take 247 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:39,600 place. So those who hold to the view 248 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:41,720 that everything Jesus spoke about concerning the events 249 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:45,480 leading to his return have occurred in the 1st century, 250 00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:48,840 specifically 70 AD, they don't just look to history, say look, 251 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:51,360 the temple is destroyed. There's no temple today that 252 00:15:51,360 --> 00:15:53,520 happened. Jesus said it would happen. 253 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:57,640 They also come to this verse to say everything because Jesus 254 00:15:57,640 --> 00:16:02,320 said everything would take place when this generation. 255 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:07,280 Generally it's agreed upon that a generation is no longer than 256 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:10,440 40 years. And if that's the case then 257 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:16,480 Jesus predicting this, prophesying this around 33AD70AD 258 00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:19,400 you add close to 40 years. That makes sense. 259 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:23,600 So they'll take this verse and say this generation will not 260 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:25,680 pass until all these things take place. 261 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:29,200 And it is this one verse that draws a hard line between 2 main 262 00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:32,960 differentiating thoughts. The one is that that again, this 263 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:36,720 teaching, it's done away with, it's been accomplished, happened 264 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:39,760 in 70 AD and Jesus said this generation would not pass until 265 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:43,120 it all takes place. The second main differentiating 266 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:47,040 view to which I hold and I believe has the most biblical 267 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:50,320 weight to it, is that this generation refers to the 268 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:54,320 generation that will be alive to witness the events that Jesus 269 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:57,720 said would come. And So what you have here is 270 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:00,880 Jesus explaining that this generation, the generation he is 271 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:05,040 Speaking of that will experience these things, not the generation 272 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:08,960 he is speaking to. So the Lord is not referencing 273 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:12,240 here those who are surrounding Him in that moment. 274 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:15,880 He's speaking about the generation that will exist at 275 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:19,440 the time when all these events will unfold. 276 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:22,520 And some would disagree with me the right away. 277 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:27,520 And again, I believe the latter view provides greater clarity 278 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:29,680 and assurance from the Bible than the former. 279 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:33,600 And we're going to see that as we comb through the signs that 280 00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:36,480 Jesus presents that will precede His return. 281 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:40,400 But let me give you 2, at least two or three from the beginning. 282 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:43,280 Look here again with me again, we're doing an overarching view 283 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:45,160 of this chapter. I know we haven't gone deep yet, 284 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:47,440 but we're just needing to clarify some things. 285 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:50,440 Look at Mark 13 and look at verse 24. 286 00:17:55,560 --> 00:17:58,360 But in those days after the tribulation, that tribulation, 287 00:17:58,360 --> 00:18:00,600 the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its 288 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:03,800 light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the 289 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:07,320 powers and the heavens will be shaken, and they will see the 290 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:10,880 Son of Man coming in clouds from great power, with great power 291 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:13,840 and glory. And then he will send out the 292 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:16,960 angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of 293 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:21,480 the earth to the ends of heaven. So Jesus here is speaking about 294 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:24,520 the culmination of the age after all these signs take place. 295 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:27,400 What's the climax of it? Well, we read it that the sun 296 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:29,880 will be darkened, the moon will not give it slice, the stars 297 00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:31,920 will fall from heaven, the powers of the heavens will be 298 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:35,120 shaken. And what Verse 26, they will see 299 00:18:35,120 --> 00:18:38,960 the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 300 00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:43,280 So what was that verse? That is is drawing a hard line 301 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:46,760 between 2 main camps interpreting this passage that 302 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:50,320 it all happened in the 1st century because Jesus said this 303 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:53,640 generation will not pass away until all these things take 304 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:55,480 place. Well, if you're going to say all 305 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:57,960 these things take place, that includes what Jesus just 306 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:02,920 finished explaining here, that the sun, the moon, there will be 307 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:07,560 these cosmic celestial signs, and more than that, the Son of 308 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:12,760 man bodily returning. Did that happen in 70 AD? 309 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:17,200 So how do those who hold to the the first view that I explained, 310 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:20,400 explained this? Well, they'll say that this is 311 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:24,960 this is symbolic, that the signs in the heavens represent 312 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:27,440 governments and and they represent this and they 313 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:31,560 represent that. And Jesus did come back in a 314 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:37,040 phantom kind of way, invisibly, not in his return, but to judge 315 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:41,800 Jerusalem. So His coming was invisible, and 316 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:45,760 it was not to return but to judge this people. 317 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:49,360 And all these other signs are just apocalyptic language that 318 00:19:49,360 --> 00:19:55,400 denotes judgment. OK, hypothetically speaking, 319 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:58,480 let's say that that is true. Let's say that this is all 320 00:19:58,480 --> 00:20:01,160 symbolic and Jesus coming was invisible and it was just to 321 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:03,920 judge Jerusalem but not to fully return. 322 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:08,240 How do you explain verse 27? Look at verse 27 and Mark 13 323 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:12,000 after we're told that the Son of Man will come in the clouds with 324 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:15,120 great power and glory. And then he will send out the 325 00:20:15,120 --> 00:20:20,960 angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of 326 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:27,280 the earth to the ends of heaven. How did that happen in 70 AD? 327 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:33,920 Well, the Lord will bring his people to Himself when he comes 328 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:37,160 back. How does that fit in the idea 329 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:39,720 that Jesus is coming back invisibly and He's only coming 330 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:42,160 back to judge because you have to. 331 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:46,760 You can't tear up these prophecies because He's going to 332 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:49,640 come back and then coming back. He's going to gather his people 333 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:53,320 to him. This is very important to 334 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:56,360 consider. Let me move on to another point 335 00:20:56,880 --> 00:21:00,280 that would prove, I believe, the futurist view, and that is the 336 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:04,120 global landscape, the global landscape of the events that 337 00:21:04,120 --> 00:21:08,720 Jesus speaks of. What happened in 70 AD was very 338 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:12,040 local. It was regional, but when you 339 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:15,280 read Jesus teaching here and the characteristics of the end of 340 00:21:15,280 --> 00:21:19,320 the age, it does not fit that notion. 341 00:21:19,320 --> 00:21:23,800 The breath of His warning and His teaching goes beyond just 342 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:26,320 one specific place and one specific event. 343 00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:30,960 All you have to do is read Matthew 24, read Mark 13, Luke 344 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:34,920 21, and look at all the times nations are mentioned and 345 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:38,280 kingdoms are mentioned and the magnitude of some of the 346 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:41,480 catastrophes. It does not satisfy the scope 347 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:44,520 that is limiting in that view that everything took place in 348 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:46,280 the 1st century. Here's an example. 349 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:51,480 Look at Mark 13 verse 19. For in those days there will be 350 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:56,760 such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of creation 351 00:21:56,960 --> 00:22:00,680 that God created until now, and never will be. 352 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:06,320 And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being 353 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:11,480 would be saved. No human being, not just the 354 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:14,240 Jews, no human being would be saved. 355 00:22:14,360 --> 00:22:17,600 But for the sake of the elect whom he chose, He shortened the 356 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:21,640 days. The historian Josephus in 357 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:27,760 writing about what took place in 70 AD records that 1.1, around 358 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:33,040 1.1 million Jews died, that Roman invasion, that is 359 00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:36,240 heartbreaking. That is a catastrophe, that is a 360 00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:39,760 tragedy. But as you know, in recent 361 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:45,920 history, Hitler killed how many Jews 6,000,000, just that alone. 362 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:48,760 If we're going to go to history and we're going to say that 363 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:51,800 things were fulfilled, how do we how do we make sense of Jesus 364 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:55,640 saying that in those days there will be such tribulation has not 365 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:58,800 been since the beginning of creation that God created until 366 00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:03,400 now. The Holocaust alone eclipses a 367 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:06,760 lot in the past concerning this people group. 368 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:10,520 And so we have to understand the global landscape of this 369 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:13,520 prophecy. Yes, he does focus on Israel in 370 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:16,360 one particular moment, but it's not limited to Israel. 371 00:23:17,480 --> 00:23:19,640 Here's another thought, just a final overarching thought before 372 00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:21,960 we even begin. I don't know how long we're 373 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:24,240 going to be here today, but hang tight. 374 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:28,960 I love this little phrase that Jesus includes in this teaching. 375 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:32,720 It's in Mark 1314. Read it with me, please. 376 00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:38,600 But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he 377 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:45,240 ought not to be, let the reader understand. 378 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:49,240 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 379 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:51,560 Don't you love that statement in parentheses? 380 00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:55,160 Let the reader understand. You know what that tells me? 381 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:58,600 It shows that what the Lord Jesus and His teaching did was 382 00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:04,640 anticipated, that there would be a coming reader who would see 383 00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:06,920 this record and who would study it. 384 00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:11,160 The Lord Jesus understood that there would be a larger audience 385 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:15,440 who would have this copy of these truths in their hands, and 386 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:19,080 He's calling them to understand what these things mean. 387 00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:22,440 And this charge for the reader to understand would be 388 00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:25,760 especially helpful for who? For the generation that would 389 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:29,720 witness the abomination of desolation coming to the place 390 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:32,880 that they would realize that Jesus teaching gives them 391 00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:35,840 instruction of what to do in the very moment that they're 392 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:40,480 standing in the midst of. So to say let the reader 393 00:24:40,480 --> 00:24:45,800 understand is not very necessary if Jesus is just speaking to the 394 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:49,600 12 who would see everything that would be fulfilled in their 395 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:53,240 lifetime. I believe Christ here has 396 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:56,720 another audience in mind, yes, his immediate audience, but a 397 00:24:56,720 --> 00:24:59,640 reader to come. And I got giddy when I when I 398 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:02,720 read this. Let the let the Lord knew that 399 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:05,800 one day in 2024 you and I were going to read this. 400 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:12,880 So as a recap, the disciples hear that Jesus says this temple 401 00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:15,960 will be destroyed. That caused him to ask about the 402 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:19,880 establishment of his messianic kingship promised by the Old 403 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:22,560 Testament prophets, thinking that he's going to do so anytime 404 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:25,400 now. But the Lord Jesus is going to 405 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:28,280 teach them what he's going to teach you and I that the 406 00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:31,440 complete manifestation of his Kingdom. 407 00:25:31,560 --> 00:25:35,280 Yes, it's going to come. There's going to be a delay, and 408 00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:39,760 then that delay, it will be characterized and outlined by 409 00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:45,880 false Christ wars, famines, earthquakes, persecutions, as 410 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:48,760 well as the preaching of the gospel, among other things that 411 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:52,440 you and I are going to examine. And remember I told you that 412 00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:55,040 there's three overarching truths that we have to analyze before 413 00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:56,800 we get in. That was number one. 414 00:25:57,840 --> 00:25:59,680 I promise. The other two are very quick. 415 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:04,400 So this teaching not only answers a very focused twofold 416 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:11,280 question #2 this teaching is designed not to be an exhaustive 417 00:26:11,280 --> 00:26:15,160 play by play timeline of the last days. 418 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:19,680 Because the frustration of some may not be whether you believe 419 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:21,920 it was all fulfilled in the past, or it's all going to be 420 00:26:21,920 --> 00:26:24,560 fulfilled in the future, or some happy medium. 421 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:27,960 For some, it's studying Jesus discourse and feeling as though 422 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:32,520 they can't identify every piece in the timeline of the last 423 00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:34,800 days. Because if you just take the 424 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:37,720 discourse alone, at least in market account, you won't find 425 00:26:37,720 --> 00:26:42,400 Satan being defeated. You won't find, at least in 426 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:46,600 great detail, the resurrection. You're not going to find a 427 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:49,040 detailed profile of the Antichrist. 428 00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:51,960 You're not going to see what Christ will do with death, what 429 00:26:51,960 --> 00:26:55,920 Christ will do to the grave, or what even the Millennium will be 430 00:26:55,920 --> 00:26:59,600 like. Those things are absent here. 431 00:27:01,360 --> 00:27:03,560 And you know this. I'm sure that this Bible has 432 00:27:03,560 --> 00:27:09,000 been authored in a way in which we are to investigate and we are 433 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:12,960 to collect and gather the truths from the entirety of the Council 434 00:27:12,960 --> 00:27:15,800 of God to arrive to the strongest conclusions of 435 00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:17,520 whatever doctrine you're trying to study. 436 00:27:18,560 --> 00:27:20,080 So not everything is going to be fine here. 437 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:24,360 In fact, like many of Jesus teachings, they will be expanded 438 00:27:24,360 --> 00:27:27,520 upon through the ministry of the apostles. 439 00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:31,000 Not just about the last days, about many, many things. 440 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:33,200 And that's what the epistles are for. 441 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:37,200 And John is going to be the chief apostle who's going to 442 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:41,320 receive a revelation that will unpack with greater coverage the 443 00:27:41,320 --> 00:27:43,000 very things that Jesus speaks of here. 444 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:46,000 In fact, it's so fascinating when you look at Jesus discourse 445 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:48,520 about the last days, it parallels so beautifully with 446 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:50,160 the timeline of the Book of Revelation. 447 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:54,800 So don't get frustrated if you don't get everything in and your 448 00:27:54,800 --> 00:27:58,120 initial introduction here of Jesus discourse about the end of 449 00:27:58,120 --> 00:28:00,880 the age. The Lord in His perfect wisdom 450 00:28:00,880 --> 00:28:03,880 knew exactly what amount of data He should give at this time to 451 00:28:03,880 --> 00:28:06,240 His disciples, and what He's doing here is just giving them a 452 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:10,680 general timeline of the signs before His arrival and His 453 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:15,800 kingly glory #3 this teaching not only what? 454 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:19,560 It not only provides us an answer to a precise twofold 455 00:28:19,560 --> 00:28:23,720 question, and not only does not give us an exhaustive play by 456 00:28:23,720 --> 00:28:26,520 play timeline of the last day so that you can be relieved in that 457 00:28:26,520 --> 00:28:31,400 and not frustrated. 3rd. This teaching is prepared for 458 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:36,480 Christ followers to remain faithful and hopeful in 459 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:41,720 difficult times. Jesus doesn't answer this simply 460 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:44,240 to satiate the curiosity of his disciples. 461 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:48,800 He's kind enough to answer it, yes, but he has a purpose in it 462 00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:52,920 by declaring to them and to the readers of this very same 463 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:58,600 teaching of the assurance of his victory right that that's really 464 00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:03,000 this is all about I will, I will establish my Kingdom. 465 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:08,400 I will gather my elect, I will come and I will finish when I 466 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:13,120 started and that's supposed to infuse this grace and the 467 00:29:13,120 --> 00:29:16,520 strength and his followers. Whether that endurance is 468 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:21,000 necessary to what dodged deception as false teachers will 469 00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:26,640 arise or to remain intact and to remain hopeful when all these 470 00:29:26,640 --> 00:29:30,160 disasters, whether they are humanly engineered or naturally 471 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:33,120 caused. You can remain anchored or 472 00:29:33,120 --> 00:29:40,000 whether it is you and I feeling like we can't stand as growing 473 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:42,400 persecution comes. That's a word for America, by 474 00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:46,320 the way. Christ here provides these 475 00:29:46,320 --> 00:29:51,120 insights with the intent of energizing His people in 476 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:56,680 unpredictable times and to be pure for Him and to Him until He 477 00:29:56,680 --> 00:29:58,960 returns. I just want you to look very 478 00:29:58,960 --> 00:30:01,960 quickly at the admonitions that Christ gives throughout this 479 00:30:01,960 --> 00:30:04,080 incredible teaching. Look at Mark 13, verse five. 480 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:07,040 We're going to do these quickly. Mark 13, verse five. 481 00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:10,520 And Jesus began to say to them, see that no one leads you 482 00:30:10,520 --> 00:30:14,160 astray. See that no one leads you 483 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:15,480 astray. Look at verse 9. 484 00:30:16,520 --> 00:30:19,600 But be on your guard, for they will deliver you over to 485 00:30:19,600 --> 00:30:22,000 councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will 486 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:24,400 stand before governors and kings for my sake to bear witness 487 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:26,520 before them. Look at verse 11. 488 00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:30,280 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be 489 00:30:30,280 --> 00:30:34,560 anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is 490 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:37,200 given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the 491 00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:40,240 Holy Spirit. Look at verse 13. 492 00:30:40,480 --> 00:30:43,720 And you will be hated by all for My name's sake, but the one who 493 00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:45,720 endorsed to the end will be saved. 494 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:49,560 Look at verse 21 and if anyone says to you, look, here is the 495 00:30:49,560 --> 00:30:55,880 Christ, or look, there he is, do not believe it. 23, But be on 496 00:30:55,880 --> 00:30:57,240 guard. I've told you all these things 497 00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:03,640 beforehand. 33 Be on guard, keep awake, for you do not know when 498 00:31:03,640 --> 00:31:10,000 the time will come. 35. Therefore stay awake, for you do 499 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:11,560 not know when the master of the house will come. 500 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:14,160 In the evening we're at midnight when the rooster crows, or in 501 00:31:14,160 --> 00:31:21,040 the morning 37 And what I say to you, I say to all stay awake. 502 00:31:23,160 --> 00:31:29,440 So the Lord isn't just giving us puzzle pieces and wants us to be 503 00:31:29,440 --> 00:31:33,000 burdened with cracking every code to our eschatology. 504 00:31:34,800 --> 00:31:38,880 Yes, he, he does give us these signs, but for what purpose? 505 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:42,200 To do the very things that he told these disciples and us to 506 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:45,160 do. To stay awake, be on guard, 507 00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:47,800 don't be anxious, don't believe it. 508 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:53,520 And so with that being said, I believe really the rest of this 509 00:31:53,800 --> 00:31:58,280 teaching will be still an overview, but enough for us to 510 00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:02,440 have a grasp of the events and the signs and the signals 511 00:32:03,480 --> 00:32:07,080 leading up to the culmination of human history. 512 00:32:07,520 --> 00:32:10,280 There are five. There are 5 signs that I want 513 00:32:10,280 --> 00:32:13,640 you to take note of. The first four we will glance 514 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:16,600 at, and I want to spend the most time on the 5th sign which 515 00:32:16,840 --> 00:32:19,280 speaks of the abomination of desolation. 516 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:22,280 So let's read this together. Beginning, we read verse one to 517 00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:23,840 verse 4. Let's read verse five and verse 518 00:32:23,840 --> 00:32:25,640 six. Here's your first sign that 519 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:27,920 Jesus gives leading up to his return. 520 00:32:28,320 --> 00:32:31,760 And Jesus began to say to them, see that no one leads you 521 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:34,640 astray. Many will come in my name saying 522 00:32:34,640 --> 00:32:40,720 I am he and they will lead many astray #1 The first sign that 523 00:32:40,760 --> 00:32:43,920 Jesus gives about the last days will be sweeping deception. 524 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:46,320 Sweeping deception. That's the first thing I think 525 00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:50,480 that is remarkable, that before he gets to natural disasters and 526 00:32:50,480 --> 00:32:55,320 persecution and problems in the home, he speaks about liars. 527 00:32:55,680 --> 00:33:00,520 He speaks about narratives and views and even people that will 528 00:33:00,520 --> 00:33:04,600 deceive many. And there will be some, and 529 00:33:04,600 --> 00:33:07,280 there have been some in history and and times to come who will 530 00:33:07,280 --> 00:33:10,120 be as audacious and as convincing enough to say that 531 00:33:10,120 --> 00:33:12,560 they are a Saviour or the Saviour. 532 00:33:13,440 --> 00:33:17,280 Cults have come in and out. Some cults are still standing 533 00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:20,280 today. But Jesus in teaching this also 534 00:33:20,280 --> 00:33:24,640 wants us to know that the amount of wolves that will arise will 535 00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:27,560 increase as we race towards the end. 536 00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:29,960 Where do we get that idea? Well, he speaks about false 537 00:33:29,960 --> 00:33:32,360 teachers. He speaks about false prophets 538 00:33:32,360 --> 00:33:34,240 and messiahs here. But it's not the only place 539 00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:36,560 where he mentions it. As he goes on and 540 00:33:36,560 --> 00:33:39,680 chronologically explains the other events that will follow, 541 00:33:39,960 --> 00:33:43,600 he revisits false teachers and false prophets and false 542 00:33:43,600 --> 00:33:46,720 messiahs again, Scroll down to verse 21. 543 00:33:51,680 --> 00:33:55,880 Then if anyone says to you look here is the Christ or look there 544 00:33:55,880 --> 00:33:58,520 he is. Do not believe it for false 545 00:33:58,520 --> 00:34:02,040 Christ's and false prophets will arise and perform signs and 546 00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:04,920 wonders to lead astray even if possible. 547 00:34:04,920 --> 00:34:08,159 They elect but be on guard. I've told you all things 548 00:34:08,159 --> 00:34:10,760 beforehand. So he introduces with false 549 00:34:10,760 --> 00:34:12,920 prophets, right? Then he speaks about other 550 00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:16,639 things and then he revisits how false prophets and messiahs will 551 00:34:16,639 --> 00:34:21,440 come even as you're inching towards Christ crashing through 552 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:24,800 the skies. And what I find amazing is when 553 00:34:24,800 --> 00:34:29,120 he mentions it in the first time, he says they will say I am 554 00:34:29,120 --> 00:34:31,800 he. But then when he speaks about 555 00:34:31,800 --> 00:34:33,960 them again, he doesn't just say they will say he says they're 556 00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:37,199 going to do what are they going to do? 557 00:34:37,440 --> 00:34:41,360 False signs, they're going to perform signs and wonders. 558 00:34:43,480 --> 00:34:46,600 So as we move forward, we're going to see people doing 559 00:34:46,600 --> 00:34:49,560 incredible things, not just saying strange things, but doing 560 00:34:49,560 --> 00:34:52,400 things that's going to try to confirm their message to an 561 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:56,639 undiscerning people who are swayed and given over two 562 00:34:56,639 --> 00:35:00,600 manifestations. Jesus here wants to warn us 563 00:35:00,600 --> 00:35:04,760 about sweeping deception. That's not the only sign. 564 00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:10,520 Let's read 7:00 and 8:00, and when you hear of wars and rumors 565 00:35:10,520 --> 00:35:14,840 of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place. 566 00:35:14,840 --> 00:35:20,320 But the end is not yet, for nation will rise against nation 567 00:35:20,320 --> 00:35:22,960 and Kingdom against Kingdom. There will be earthquakes in 568 00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:25,760 various places. There will be famines. 569 00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:29,680 These are but the beginning of the birth pains. 570 00:35:30,320 --> 00:35:34,840 First sign, sweeping deception. Second sign, alarming 571 00:35:34,840 --> 00:35:38,240 devastation, alarming devastation. 572 00:35:38,920 --> 00:35:42,440 And he speaks intentionally about these natural disasters 573 00:35:42,720 --> 00:35:48,080 and these wars, nations and kingdoms coming against one 574 00:35:48,080 --> 00:35:51,640 another with a specific imagery connected to it. 575 00:35:52,160 --> 00:35:55,560 Notice the last thing in verse eight is, but these are the 576 00:35:55,560 --> 00:36:01,680 beginning of birth pains. So you know this. 577 00:36:01,680 --> 00:36:05,480 I'm sure that birth pains arrive in a woman's pregnancy. 578 00:36:06,120 --> 00:36:09,160 Do they arrive in the beginning of a woman's pregnancy? 579 00:36:10,240 --> 00:36:13,880 No, they arrived near when the baby is ready to be born. 580 00:36:15,200 --> 00:36:18,720 So Jesus being very specific here and to use the imagery of 581 00:36:18,720 --> 00:36:22,360 birth pains also denotes that with those contractions, as you 582 00:36:22,360 --> 00:36:25,600 get closer to the birth of that baby, there is an increase of 583 00:36:25,600 --> 00:36:29,760 frequency and there is an increase in the power and the 584 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:32,920 ferocity of it. So we have to also understand 585 00:36:32,920 --> 00:36:36,120 that that Jesus has in mind that these things, though they've 586 00:36:36,120 --> 00:36:39,240 always been there throughout human history, when it comes to 587 00:36:39,240 --> 00:36:42,880 that last chapter of human history, these things are only 588 00:36:42,880 --> 00:36:45,080 going to accumulate and they're going to intensify and they're 589 00:36:45,080 --> 00:36:50,680 going to be overwhelming. But notice also but that he says 590 00:36:50,680 --> 00:36:53,600 that these are the beginning of the birth pains, right? 591 00:36:55,160 --> 00:36:58,720 So he wants them not to be alarmed at the same time. 592 00:36:59,520 --> 00:37:02,640 And you have a lot of people who are alarmed with every news 593 00:37:02,640 --> 00:37:08,040 headline, every news headline of a war, every news headline with 594 00:37:08,040 --> 00:37:11,000 an earthquake and a new YouTube video comes up. 595 00:37:11,400 --> 00:37:14,120 And so we have to be responsible with how we interpret world 596 00:37:14,120 --> 00:37:16,800 events. We have to be very responsible. 597 00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:19,000 We have to be careful. We have to be discerning. 598 00:37:20,440 --> 00:37:24,280 Jesus here highlights that when these things happen, they are 599 00:37:24,280 --> 00:37:27,720 the beginning. And I love how when Jesus uses 600 00:37:27,720 --> 00:37:30,960 his imagery of birth pains, it is validated by the testimony of 601 00:37:30,960 --> 00:37:32,840 the Book of Revelation. So yeah, we've seen earthquakes. 602 00:37:32,840 --> 00:37:36,440 And you can even make the case that in this century we've seen 603 00:37:36,440 --> 00:37:38,400 more earthquakes than ever. We've seen more wars, We have 604 00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:41,840 World War One, we've seen World War Two, right in the past 605 00:37:41,840 --> 00:37:44,280 century. But look at Revelation. 606 00:37:44,280 --> 00:37:47,080 I want to just give you an example how it will only get 607 00:37:47,080 --> 00:37:49,920 worse. Revelation is given to us as a 608 00:37:49,920 --> 00:37:51,960 chronology. And notice this earthquake among 609 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:55,120 other disasters. But hear this in Revelation 16, 610 00:37:55,120 --> 00:38:07,280 verse 18, and there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals 611 00:38:07,280 --> 00:38:10,280 of Thunder, and a great earthquake, such as there had 612 00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:15,640 never been since man was on the earth, so great was that 613 00:38:15,640 --> 00:38:18,120 earthquake. The great city was split into 614 00:38:18,120 --> 00:38:20,720 three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. 615 00:38:20,720 --> 00:38:23,840 And God remembered Babylon the Great, to make her drain the cup 616 00:38:23,840 --> 00:38:27,320 of the wine of the fury of his wrath, And every island fled 617 00:38:27,320 --> 00:38:30,360 away, and no mountains were to be found. 618 00:38:31,520 --> 00:38:36,360 That confirms Jesus projection of the trajectory of these 619 00:38:36,360 --> 00:38:39,120 natural disasters. Revelation speaks about not just 620 00:38:39,120 --> 00:38:42,200 the last things, the last time of the last things we're talking 621 00:38:42,200 --> 00:38:46,600 about right when we come up to Christ's return, the tribulation 622 00:38:46,600 --> 00:38:48,480 period and the great tribulation period. 623 00:38:48,760 --> 00:38:50,960 And doesn't that testimony affirm what Jesus said about 624 00:38:50,960 --> 00:38:53,240 birth pains? That as you get closer they're 625 00:38:53,240 --> 00:38:55,320 only going to get more intense, including this earthquake. 626 00:38:55,320 --> 00:38:57,320 The world has never seen an earthquake like this. 627 00:38:59,120 --> 00:39:01,760 So alarming devastation is the second sign. 628 00:39:02,240 --> 00:39:05,120 But let's come to verse 9 and 10 of Mark 13. 629 00:39:07,480 --> 00:39:10,640 But be on your guard, verse 9. For they will deliver you over 630 00:39:10,640 --> 00:39:14,080 to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you 631 00:39:14,080 --> 00:39:18,440 will stand before governors and kings for my sake to bear 632 00:39:18,440 --> 00:39:22,640 witness before them. And the gospel must first be 633 00:39:22,640 --> 00:39:29,000 proclaimed to all nations. The first sign is sweeping 634 00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:32,880 deception. The second sign is devastation, 635 00:39:32,880 --> 00:39:36,480 alarming devastation. The third sign is worldwide 636 00:39:36,480 --> 00:39:40,160 evangelization. Worldwide evangelization. 637 00:39:40,160 --> 00:39:43,040 That is the third sign that Jesus gives us concerning what 638 00:39:43,040 --> 00:39:45,800 will proceed before his triumphant return. 639 00:39:45,800 --> 00:39:51,960 And what I love about this is Jesus also anticipates that his 640 00:39:51,960 --> 00:39:53,840 people are going to stand before Gentiles. 641 00:39:54,760 --> 00:39:56,880 How do we know that? Because he says you will stand 642 00:39:56,880 --> 00:40:01,080 before governors and kings for my sake. 643 00:40:02,360 --> 00:40:04,240 And not just that, I mean, if you didn't get it there, you get 644 00:40:04,240 --> 00:40:05,760 into verse 10. The gospel must be first 645 00:40:05,760 --> 00:40:09,040 proclaimed to all nations, to all nations. 646 00:40:09,400 --> 00:40:13,240 Pause here and and note this, that with all these disasters, 647 00:40:13,240 --> 00:40:17,200 you have this hope, this ray of hope tucked in the middle. 648 00:40:17,480 --> 00:40:19,600 No matter what's coming to this world, the gospel is going to 649 00:40:19,600 --> 00:40:22,680 prevail. The gospel is going to prevail. 650 00:40:22,880 --> 00:40:26,000 It's going to reach the peoples. It's going to reach the nations 651 00:40:26,000 --> 00:40:29,160 regardless of the natural obstacles or the human 652 00:40:29,160 --> 00:40:31,600 obstacles. God here promises that the 653 00:40:31,600 --> 00:40:35,160 gospel will go forth and the gates of hell will not be able 654 00:40:35,160 --> 00:40:38,200 to prevail. And I think this is encouraging 655 00:40:38,200 --> 00:40:41,800 because it speaks also in the midst of this catastrophe and 656 00:40:41,800 --> 00:40:48,160 calamity and destruction, that God's heart is still to save and 657 00:40:48,160 --> 00:40:53,080 to win people into his Kingdom. And so really this mention is 658 00:40:53,560 --> 00:40:58,080 God mentioning and extending his grace even in the final moments 659 00:40:58,080 --> 00:41:01,520 of human history. And so great is that extension 660 00:41:01,520 --> 00:41:04,880 of grace and mercy. I'm persuaded that one of the 661 00:41:04,880 --> 00:41:08,120 ways in which verse 10 the gospel must first be proclaimed 662 00:41:08,120 --> 00:41:10,960 to all nation is fulfilled is in a supernatural manner that most 663 00:41:10,960 --> 00:41:16,680 people don't consider the gospel will go to all the nations, 664 00:41:16,760 --> 00:41:19,720 every tribe, every tongue. How is that going to happen? 665 00:41:19,840 --> 00:41:22,200 Yes, through the church. The main vehicle is the church 666 00:41:22,360 --> 00:41:24,920 has been the church will be the church and even the Saints 667 00:41:24,920 --> 00:41:29,360 during the tribulation period. But I believe God, in great 668 00:41:29,960 --> 00:41:34,120 longing and yearning, will do something with and through the 669 00:41:34,120 --> 00:41:37,680 efforts of His people even during that time to make this a 670 00:41:37,680 --> 00:41:39,040 reality. Can I show you where? 671 00:41:39,040 --> 00:41:50,580 Go to Revelation 14 and look at verse 6. 672 00:41:55,460 --> 00:41:57,660 John says. Then I saw another Angel flying 673 00:41:57,660 --> 00:42:02,720 directly overhead with an eternal gospel to proclaim to 674 00:42:02,720 --> 00:42:07,080 those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and 675 00:42:07,080 --> 00:42:11,960 language and people. So as things are wrapping up, 676 00:42:11,960 --> 00:42:13,200 you know what the Lord's going to do? 677 00:42:13,920 --> 00:42:18,680 He's going to allow a heavenly creature to proclaim the eternal 678 00:42:18,680 --> 00:42:20,080 gospel. John is so specific. 679 00:42:20,200 --> 00:42:22,160 He wants to let us know it's the same gospel. 680 00:42:23,600 --> 00:42:25,640 It's the same gospel that you and I believed on, the same 681 00:42:25,640 --> 00:42:27,920 gospel that the prophets predicted and prophesied about. 682 00:42:27,920 --> 00:42:30,960 And it will be the same gospel that will save at the end of the 683 00:42:30,960 --> 00:42:34,200 age. And I just believe that this is 684 00:42:34,200 --> 00:42:38,120 again, God's heart throbbing for even sinners at this time to be 685 00:42:38,120 --> 00:42:42,800 saved where he dispatches an Angel to broadcast the gospel in 686 00:42:42,800 --> 00:42:44,360 a supernatural man. You're saying, well, that's 687 00:42:44,640 --> 00:42:46,120 that's very supernatural. Read Revelation. 688 00:42:46,120 --> 00:42:48,880 It's all supernatural. It's all supernatural. 689 00:42:50,400 --> 00:42:53,920 And again, this is, I would say, one of the final invitations 690 00:42:53,920 --> 00:42:57,680 that God gives to the whole world before they enter into an 691 00:42:57,720 --> 00:43:02,560 eternal hell. Here's an Angel to broadcast to 692 00:43:02,560 --> 00:43:04,560 the nations. This is the gospel that you can 693 00:43:04,560 --> 00:43:06,080 receive. This is the only gospel you can 694 00:43:06,080 --> 00:43:09,960 receive to be saved for the new heaven and the new earth. 695 00:43:09,960 --> 00:43:16,920 Come worldwide evangelization, the 4th sign, verse 11 and Mark 696 00:43:16,920 --> 00:43:22,480 13. And when they bring you to trial 697 00:43:22,480 --> 00:43:26,560 and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are 698 00:43:26,560 --> 00:43:30,160 to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, For it 699 00:43:30,160 --> 00:43:32,680 is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 700 00:43:33,680 --> 00:43:37,400 And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the Father, 701 00:43:37,400 --> 00:43:40,240 his child, and children will rise against parents and have 702 00:43:40,240 --> 00:43:44,800 them put to death. And you will be hated by all for 703 00:43:44,800 --> 00:43:47,400 My name's sake. But the one who endures to the 704 00:43:47,400 --> 00:43:51,600 end will be saved. The 4th sign is intense 705 00:43:51,600 --> 00:43:54,680 persecution. Intense persecution. 706 00:43:57,600 --> 00:44:01,520 He says you'll be hated by all. When he means all, he means all. 707 00:44:03,000 --> 00:44:05,920 So there's going to be a shift as we approach the return of 708 00:44:05,920 --> 00:44:11,440 Christ, of those who will turn against those who bear his name. 709 00:44:11,440 --> 00:44:15,760 The name of Jesus Christ is my namesake, and that that's a 710 00:44:15,760 --> 00:44:17,360 given. The church has always known 711 00:44:17,400 --> 00:44:20,120 persecution since the deception, and it's only going to get more 712 00:44:20,120 --> 00:44:24,600 intense again as the King comes. But what I love here again is 713 00:44:24,600 --> 00:44:28,160 another message of hope. He says here that you will stand 714 00:44:28,160 --> 00:44:32,040 before and you will be given over to, but don't even, don't 715 00:44:32,040 --> 00:44:34,320 even be worried about what you're going to say in defense 716 00:44:34,320 --> 00:44:36,120 of your innocence, in defense of your belief. 717 00:44:36,360 --> 00:44:40,760 He says, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit, but 718 00:44:40,760 --> 00:44:42,720 the Holy Spirit. This is Jesus saying this, by 719 00:44:42,720 --> 00:44:48,160 the way, you know what Jesus is promising you and I that it is 720 00:44:48,160 --> 00:44:51,720 possible for the Holy Spirit to speak through you. 721 00:44:54,880 --> 00:44:58,240 That makes some people nervous. No, we have the Bible, and if 722 00:44:58,240 --> 00:45:00,320 the Holy Spirit will speak for anybody, that would mean that 723 00:45:00,320 --> 00:45:03,040 we're including into Scripture and we're adding to Scripture. 724 00:45:03,040 --> 00:45:04,360 No, that's not what Jesus is saying. 725 00:45:05,080 --> 00:45:09,240 Is that what Jesus is saying? No, He's saying that the Holy 726 00:45:09,240 --> 00:45:13,240 Spirit will come to your aid and he will so enable you. 727 00:45:13,240 --> 00:45:17,560 He will so equip you. He will so embolden you that it 728 00:45:17,560 --> 00:45:21,520 won't even be you speaking, it'll be him speaking through 729 00:45:21,520 --> 00:45:22,720 you. Isn't that an incredible 730 00:45:22,720 --> 00:45:25,200 insight? OK, we're talking about end 731 00:45:25,200 --> 00:45:27,000 times here. Can we just let's come here for 732 00:45:27,000 --> 00:45:29,840 a second. I know this is speaking about a 733 00:45:29,840 --> 00:45:31,680 particular time and I know that this is speaking about a 734 00:45:31,680 --> 00:45:35,200 particular circumstance where you have to stand and speak on 735 00:45:35,200 --> 00:45:37,680 behalf of the gospel and defending the gospel and the 736 00:45:37,680 --> 00:45:41,640 hope that you have. But do you ask the Lord to speak 737 00:45:41,640 --> 00:45:45,080 through you? Do you ask Him to so overtake 738 00:45:45,080 --> 00:45:48,560 you in an influence you and move you where what comes out of you 739 00:45:48,560 --> 00:45:51,920 would be the Holy Spirit as you're about to confront 740 00:45:51,920 --> 00:45:54,040 somebody, as you're about to preach that message, as you're 741 00:45:54,040 --> 00:45:57,400 about to meet with an unbeliever, He is. 742 00:45:57,400 --> 00:45:59,960 There He is. He is ready to help us. 743 00:46:00,280 --> 00:46:05,840 Holy Spirit is ready to help us. Intense persecution. 744 00:46:07,320 --> 00:46:10,000 Here's the 5th sign and the one that we're going to land on 745 00:46:10,000 --> 00:46:13,280 before we close. First one was what? 746 00:46:13,800 --> 00:46:16,240 Sweeping deception. Second one, alarming 747 00:46:16,240 --> 00:46:18,960 devastation. The third one, worldwide 748 00:46:18,960 --> 00:46:22,280 evangelization. The 4th 1, intense persecution. 749 00:46:22,640 --> 00:46:26,440 The fifth one, temple desolation. 750 00:46:28,760 --> 00:46:31,040 Let's read these 6 verses together before we unpack it. 751 00:46:31,360 --> 00:46:34,320 Verse 14. But when you see the abomination 752 00:46:34,320 --> 00:46:38,280 of Desolation standing where he ought not to be, let the reader 753 00:46:38,280 --> 00:46:40,720 understand. Then let those who are in Judea 754 00:46:40,720 --> 00:46:43,320 flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the 755 00:46:43,320 --> 00:46:48,200 housetop not go down nor enter his house to take anything out, 756 00:46:48,760 --> 00:46:51,360 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his 757 00:46:51,360 --> 00:46:53,600 cloak. And alas, for women who are 758 00:46:53,600 --> 00:46:56,200 pregnant, for those who are nursing infants in those days, 759 00:46:56,440 --> 00:46:58,440 pray that it may not happen in winter. 760 00:46:58,760 --> 00:47:02,160 For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been 761 00:47:02,160 --> 00:47:04,560 from the beginning of the creation that God created until 762 00:47:04,560 --> 00:47:07,280 now, and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut 763 00:47:07,280 --> 00:47:10,040 short the days, no human would being would be saved. 764 00:47:10,280 --> 00:47:12,680 But for the sake of the elect whom He chose, He shortened the 765 00:47:12,680 --> 00:47:14,600 days. And then if anyone says to you, 766 00:47:14,600 --> 00:47:16,720 look here is the Christ or look there he is. 767 00:47:16,720 --> 00:47:18,920 Do not believe it. For false Christs and false 768 00:47:18,920 --> 00:47:22,480 prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders to lead astray 769 00:47:22,480 --> 00:47:24,480 if possible to elect, but be on guard. 770 00:47:24,480 --> 00:47:27,680 I have told you all things beforehand. 771 00:47:28,640 --> 00:47:32,040 Out of everything the Lord mentioned, everything that we 772 00:47:32,040 --> 00:47:36,120 just covered, you can say are pretty expected in general. 773 00:47:36,440 --> 00:47:39,680 And they've characterized the activity in the world from the 774 00:47:39,680 --> 00:47:43,840 beginning, wars and persecution and natural disasters. 775 00:47:44,520 --> 00:47:47,120 But this is the most detailed sign that Jesus gives. 776 00:47:47,120 --> 00:47:48,640 This is where he wants us to park. 777 00:47:48,640 --> 00:47:52,520 This is where he he really wants us to see as being the most 778 00:47:52,520 --> 00:47:55,080 prominent and significant sign of them all. 779 00:47:56,640 --> 00:47:58,960 He speaks about something known as the abomination of 780 00:47:58,960 --> 00:48:02,600 desolation. And some again, going back to 781 00:48:02,600 --> 00:48:06,520 that view, the opposing view to the futurist view that we would 782 00:48:06,520 --> 00:48:11,200 hold to is that this right here perfectly describes what 783 00:48:11,200 --> 00:48:15,880 happened in 70 AD that it's, it's done. 784 00:48:15,920 --> 00:48:19,400 This is exactly what Jesus was alluding to back in verse two 785 00:48:19,400 --> 00:48:21,600 when he said that these great buildings are they're not going 786 00:48:21,600 --> 00:48:24,480 to be left. These stones will not be upon 787 00:48:24,480 --> 00:48:27,840 one another. Is this something that was 788 00:48:27,840 --> 00:48:32,400 fulfilled in the 1st century? I would say that what happened 789 00:48:32,400 --> 00:48:36,000 in 70 AD prefigures and previews. 790 00:48:36,360 --> 00:48:39,000 Yes, Jesus predicted it. He said in a verse to this, this 791 00:48:39,000 --> 00:48:42,400 building is coming down. But what happened then is a 792 00:48:42,400 --> 00:48:47,440 foreshadowing of a greater desolation to a future temple. 793 00:48:49,080 --> 00:48:51,600 And I'm going to give you 2 main reasons to why I hold to that 794 00:48:51,600 --> 00:48:56,040 view. The first one is because Jesus 795 00:48:56,040 --> 00:48:58,000 says the abomination of desolation. 796 00:48:58,680 --> 00:49:02,800 What's an abomination? Abomination is an object or 797 00:49:02,800 --> 00:49:08,240 practice that is associated with flagrant wickedness or gross 798 00:49:08,240 --> 00:49:11,800 idolatry. Biblically speaking, it's used 799 00:49:11,800 --> 00:49:16,760 to describe a belief or an act or a practice that is repulsive, 800 00:49:17,120 --> 00:49:20,880 that is defiling in the sight of God and those who sees as He 801 00:49:20,880 --> 00:49:23,600 sees. And So what the Lord is saying 802 00:49:23,600 --> 00:49:27,120 here is that there's going to come this abomination that will 803 00:49:27,120 --> 00:49:32,280 cause desolation, and it will happen in a place standing where 804 00:49:32,280 --> 00:49:35,880 He ought not to be. Now it's Matthew's version that 805 00:49:35,880 --> 00:49:38,480 gives us greater insight that helps us narrow what this 806 00:49:38,480 --> 00:49:42,560 abomination of desolation is. So look at Matthew 24 and verse 807 00:49:42,560 --> 00:49:49,600 15. He says in Matthew 24, verse 15. 808 00:49:53,000 --> 00:49:58,640 So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the 809 00:49:58,640 --> 00:50:03,960 prophet Daniel, that's big spoken of by the prophet Daniel 810 00:50:04,240 --> 00:50:06,600 standing. Here's another big one in the 811 00:50:06,600 --> 00:50:12,560 holy place. That language is familiar to the 812 00:50:12,560 --> 00:50:14,160 Jewish audience. It should be for the students of 813 00:50:14,160 --> 00:50:16,160 the Bible. The holy place speaks of the 814 00:50:16,160 --> 00:50:21,560 temple, the designated place of worship for the people of Israel 815 00:50:21,680 --> 00:50:23,920 and for any Gentile who would want to be included in that 816 00:50:24,240 --> 00:50:28,880 covenant. But notice here that Jesus 817 00:50:28,880 --> 00:50:32,080 limits our understanding of the abomination of desolation. 818 00:50:32,080 --> 00:50:35,320 You can define terms, but he limits the application of it to 819 00:50:35,320 --> 00:50:38,960 what Daniel said. Here's another exciting thought. 820 00:50:39,520 --> 00:50:42,720 You know the book of Daniel. Jesus believed Daniel wrote it. 821 00:50:44,000 --> 00:50:47,240 I just think that's awesome. You have a lot of people who 822 00:50:47,240 --> 00:50:50,480 think they're smarter than than Jesus and say there's no way 823 00:50:50,480 --> 00:50:51,840 Daniel could have written those things. 824 00:50:51,840 --> 00:50:55,440 That was a far later author because the accuracy of his 825 00:50:55,440 --> 00:50:58,280 prophecy had to have been from somebody who had already 826 00:50:58,280 --> 00:51:02,040 experienced history. No, Jesus said Daniel wrote it. 827 00:51:03,960 --> 00:51:08,040 Daniel mentions this thing called the Abomination of 828 00:51:08,040 --> 00:51:09,720 Desolation three times in his book. 829 00:51:09,720 --> 00:51:12,880 I'm going to name you the references. 830 00:51:12,880 --> 00:51:14,640 You can look at it later, but I'm going to read them to you as 831 00:51:14,640 --> 00:51:18,480 well in Daniel 927. That's the first time Daniel 832 00:51:18,480 --> 00:51:22,840 mentions this abomination of desolation, Daniel 927. 833 00:51:23,680 --> 00:51:29,080 The next one is Daniel 11, 31 and the last mention of the 834 00:51:29,080 --> 00:51:33,560 abomination of Desolation is Daniel chapter 12, verse 11. 835 00:51:34,600 --> 00:51:37,240 You don't have to turn there, but what I'm asking you to do in 836 00:51:37,240 --> 00:51:41,080 this final stretch of our time together is listen to the 837 00:51:41,080 --> 00:51:43,640 descriptions of every reference to the abomination of 838 00:51:43,640 --> 00:51:47,200 desolation. Daniel's mention of this 839 00:51:47,200 --> 00:51:48,920 abomination. Desolation deserves its own 840 00:51:48,920 --> 00:51:53,160 sermon, but for the sake of our time, I just want to at least 841 00:51:53,160 --> 00:51:54,880 give you enough clarity to understand what Jesus is 842 00:51:54,880 --> 00:51:59,080 Speaking of here. So listen, are you guys with me? 843 00:52:00,160 --> 00:52:01,680 Good. You're doing great. 844 00:52:03,080 --> 00:52:08,080 Daniel 927 Listen carefully now, students of the Word. 845 00:52:08,360 --> 00:52:11,760 And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, 846 00:52:12,560 --> 00:52:16,000 and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice 847 00:52:16,000 --> 00:52:19,440 and offering. And on the wing of abominations 848 00:52:19,440 --> 00:52:23,120 shall come one who makes desolate until the decreed end 849 00:52:23,120 --> 00:52:27,400 is poured out on the desolator. So let's let's pick this apart. 850 00:52:27,400 --> 00:52:31,240 Here we have somebody who's evidently a he and he's going to 851 00:52:31,240 --> 00:52:34,040 make a strong covenant for this time period called a week. 852 00:52:34,040 --> 00:52:35,280 It's not really a seven day week. 853 00:52:35,880 --> 00:52:38,160 Another time. All we need to know is that 854 00:52:38,160 --> 00:52:42,360 there's somebody he's going to make this covenant and at some 855 00:52:42,360 --> 00:52:45,800 point he's going to put an end to the offering. 856 00:52:46,480 --> 00:52:47,640 The offering. What offering? 857 00:52:48,000 --> 00:52:49,760 Not the offering that we did here. 858 00:52:50,240 --> 00:52:53,480 The temple offerings, the sacrifices, the rituals in the 859 00:52:53,480 --> 00:52:56,480 temple, this person, he's going to put an end to that 860 00:52:56,480 --> 00:52:58,560 forcefully. And not only is he going to put 861 00:52:58,560 --> 00:53:03,120 an end to it, he's going to make desolate that very same place 862 00:53:03,880 --> 00:53:07,440 with some kind of abomination. Is that consistent with the 863 00:53:07,440 --> 00:53:09,400 other references of Daniel? Yes. 864 00:53:09,400 --> 00:53:14,400 Listen to Daniel 1131. Forces from him shall appear and 865 00:53:14,400 --> 00:53:19,200 profane the temple and fortress and shall take away the regular 866 00:53:19,200 --> 00:53:23,360 burnt offering, and they shall set up the abomination that 867 00:53:23,360 --> 00:53:27,200 makes desolate same thing. And again, when you read the 868 00:53:27,200 --> 00:53:30,120 surrounding context, you have this very powerful political 869 00:53:30,120 --> 00:53:33,120 figure who's going to invade the temple. 870 00:53:33,720 --> 00:53:37,720 He's going to desecrate it. He's going to put an end to the 871 00:53:37,720 --> 00:53:40,960 Jewish worship and not just put in, He's going to replace it 872 00:53:40,960 --> 00:53:44,840 with this abomination that will cause desolation. 873 00:53:46,600 --> 00:53:52,760 Daniel 1131. But here's Daniel 1211, and from 874 00:53:52,760 --> 00:53:58,200 the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the 875 00:53:58,200 --> 00:54:04,040 abomination that makes desolate is set up, there will be 1290 876 00:54:04,040 --> 00:54:06,880 days. Again, the same consistency 877 00:54:06,880 --> 00:54:09,200 here. You have a very powerful figure, 878 00:54:09,200 --> 00:54:11,680 political figure. He's going to invade Jerusalem, 879 00:54:11,800 --> 00:54:13,000 he's going to desecrate the temple. 880 00:54:13,000 --> 00:54:16,520 He's going to stop the worship of sacrifices and rituals and 881 00:54:16,520 --> 00:54:18,440 ceremonies, and he's going to set up this thing called the 882 00:54:18,440 --> 00:54:24,160 abomination of desolation based on that that kind of data. 883 00:54:24,760 --> 00:54:27,160 You can make these observations as we just did. 884 00:54:28,320 --> 00:54:32,360 And here's the thing. There are many who try to say 885 00:54:32,360 --> 00:54:34,920 that the description of this has been fulfilled. 886 00:54:36,640 --> 00:54:40,400 So there's a time period in the intertestamental period where 887 00:54:40,400 --> 00:54:42,440 the temple was desecrated. And I don't want to throw that 888 00:54:42,440 --> 00:54:44,400 in there to to just overwhelm anybody. 889 00:54:45,320 --> 00:54:48,080 And then there's 70 AD, another time where the temple was 890 00:54:48,080 --> 00:54:50,120 destroyed. And they try to fit Daniel's 891 00:54:50,120 --> 00:54:53,000 prophecies with some of the things that took place on that 892 00:54:53,000 --> 00:54:55,800 day to say it was desecrated and some would say it was destroyed. 893 00:54:55,800 --> 00:55:00,640 So that's desecrated. But it's not until you read what 894 00:55:00,640 --> 00:55:06,200 the Apostle Paul says that you get the most clarity about what 895 00:55:06,200 --> 00:55:11,280 Jesus said would happen. So Jesus says when you see the 896 00:55:11,280 --> 00:55:13,560 abomination of desecrate, desecration happened, 897 00:55:13,560 --> 00:55:17,000 desolation, according to what the prophet Daniel said, he had 898 00:55:17,000 --> 00:55:19,520 something very specific in mind of what that would look like. 899 00:55:19,800 --> 00:55:22,840 And Paul by the Spirit gives us it. 900 00:55:23,720 --> 00:55:26,160 Where is it? Second Thessalonians, chapter 2. 901 00:55:26,880 --> 00:55:29,160 Go there with me, please. I know it's a lot of scripture 902 00:55:29,160 --> 00:55:33,800 today. It's good for you and me. 903 00:55:36,320 --> 00:55:39,240 And the reason why I'm doing this too is because I want the 904 00:55:39,240 --> 00:55:42,480 Bible to speak for itself. And again, I want you to see, 905 00:55:42,480 --> 00:55:45,520 wow, Daniel connects to Matthew, Matthew connects to 2nd 906 00:55:45,520 --> 00:55:48,480 Thessalonians and Revelation. It's just, it's glorious. 907 00:55:48,800 --> 00:55:53,200 It's really glorious. OK, Second Thessalonians, 908 00:55:53,200 --> 00:55:54,920 chapter 2, we're almost done here. 909 00:55:59,040 --> 00:56:05,440 Chapter 2, verse one now concerning the coming of our 910 00:56:05,440 --> 00:56:07,120 Lord Jesus Christ. Pause. 911 00:56:07,120 --> 00:56:08,200 Is that what we've been studying? 912 00:56:09,840 --> 00:56:11,840 Have we been studying about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ? 913 00:56:11,840 --> 00:56:17,240 Yes, and are being gathered together to him. 914 00:56:17,560 --> 00:56:21,240 Pause. Didn't didn't Jesus allude to 915 00:56:21,680 --> 00:56:24,560 coming back and gathering his elect? 916 00:56:25,360 --> 00:56:28,880 Yes, yes. OK, so far Paul is in line with 917 00:56:28,880 --> 00:56:32,680 what Jesus is saying. Brothers, verse two, do not be 918 00:56:32,680 --> 00:56:36,280 quickly shaken in mind or alarmed either by spirit or 919 00:56:36,280 --> 00:56:40,400 spoken word or letters seem to be from us to the effect that 920 00:56:40,400 --> 00:56:45,440 the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any 921 00:56:45,440 --> 00:56:48,520 way. Pause. 922 00:56:49,520 --> 00:56:53,520 Remember how Jesus warned about deception and deceivers. 923 00:56:54,160 --> 00:56:56,200 Do you know what one of the deceptions might be? 924 00:56:57,160 --> 00:57:01,480 What people will say about Jesus and his coming that was 925 00:57:01,480 --> 00:57:06,360 happening in the early church. I know that we can all be 926 00:57:06,360 --> 00:57:09,360 friends and brothers and sisters if we hold opposing views, but 927 00:57:10,280 --> 00:57:12,440 it's still an important truth to get right. 928 00:57:12,960 --> 00:57:15,480 There are serious implications with how we believe this. 929 00:57:16,520 --> 00:57:19,800 He says let no one deceive you in any way, for that time will 930 00:57:19,800 --> 00:57:22,880 not come unless the rebellion comes first. 931 00:57:23,280 --> 00:57:28,360 And the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of 932 00:57:28,360 --> 00:57:33,240 destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every 933 00:57:33,240 --> 00:57:37,960 so-called God or object of worship, so that he takes his 934 00:57:37,960 --> 00:57:44,520 seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. 935 00:57:47,600 --> 00:57:51,920 When you see the abomination of desolation, come run for the 936 00:57:51,920 --> 00:57:57,520 hills, run for the hills, that that event, that sign is going 937 00:57:57,520 --> 00:58:01,680 to precede my return and my gathering of the elect. 938 00:58:01,800 --> 00:58:05,040 Now Paul comes here and he says now concerning the return of 939 00:58:05,040 --> 00:58:09,160 Christ and the gathering, us being caught up together with 940 00:58:09,160 --> 00:58:12,920 him, he goes, why are you guys? Why are you guys shaken? 941 00:58:13,720 --> 00:58:16,960 Do you not realize that before that happens, the man of 942 00:58:16,960 --> 00:58:20,560 lawlessness must be revealed, and not only must he be 943 00:58:20,560 --> 00:58:24,880 revealed, but he will desecrate. He will come into the temple of 944 00:58:24,880 --> 00:58:26,800 God. And here's the abomination of 945 00:58:26,800 --> 00:58:29,960 desolation. Declare that he is God. 946 00:58:31,120 --> 00:58:33,160 Is that? Is that an abomination? 947 00:58:33,480 --> 00:58:37,560 If it's the definition of abomination, he will make 948 00:58:37,560 --> 00:58:45,920 himself the object of man's worship, and he will defy God by 949 00:58:45,920 --> 00:58:51,480 entering into the place that is known as a temple to stand and 950 00:58:51,480 --> 00:58:55,760 to make such a declaration. That's interesting because when 951 00:58:55,760 --> 00:59:01,440 you go back to Mark 13, the ESV version would agree with what 952 00:59:02,120 --> 00:59:04,600 Paul is saying. Let me read to you again Mark 953 00:59:04,600 --> 00:59:07,440 1314. But when you see the abomination 954 00:59:07,440 --> 00:59:14,640 of desolation standing where he ought not to be, where he ought 955 00:59:14,640 --> 00:59:18,240 not to be, other transitions would say it. 956 00:59:19,240 --> 00:59:25,280 But I believe the ESV Council translators saw that the he 957 00:59:25,280 --> 00:59:29,280 there works grammatically with the idea of standing and it's 958 00:59:29,280 --> 00:59:33,080 just an interesting insight where he ought not to be. 959 00:59:34,560 --> 00:59:36,680 So here's the thing. You can also make the case 960 00:59:36,680 --> 00:59:40,360 still, I guess, for people to say no, no, no, no, no, that did 961 00:59:40,360 --> 00:59:44,840 happen at 70 AD. So and so went in and he did 962 00:59:44,840 --> 00:59:46,800 that and he shouldn't have entered in when and looked 963 00:59:46,800 --> 00:59:49,280 around. And, and this is already, even 964 00:59:49,280 --> 00:59:51,080 if you take what Paul says, it already happened. 965 00:59:51,080 --> 00:59:52,600 We're not looking for somebody else. 966 00:59:52,600 --> 00:59:55,880 We're not looking for a man of lawlessness to come to arrive to 967 00:59:55,880 --> 00:59:58,800 the temple in Jerusalem and to say that he is God. 968 00:59:59,000 --> 01:00:02,000 That's already taken place in the 1st century or even 969 01:00:02,000 --> 01:00:04,440 centuries before. We're not looking for that. 970 01:00:05,800 --> 01:00:08,240 And they try to fit the description of this man of 971 01:00:08,240 --> 01:00:11,800 lawlessness who is really the Antichrist into these moulds. 972 01:00:11,800 --> 01:00:14,120 And here's the thing. All you have to do is keep 973 01:00:14,120 --> 01:00:18,360 reading in Second Thessalonians. To eliminate any possibility 974 01:00:18,360 --> 01:00:22,080 that what Paul is speaking about here already happened, or this 975 01:00:22,080 --> 01:00:25,080 man already had arrived in history, let me prove it to you. 976 01:00:25,480 --> 01:00:26,760 Look at verse eight. You're still in 2nd 977 01:00:26,760 --> 01:00:28,440 Thessalonians 2. Look at verse 8. 978 01:00:30,840 --> 01:00:35,000 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus 979 01:00:35,000 --> 01:00:40,840 will kill with the breath of His mouth and bring to nothing by 980 01:00:40,840 --> 01:00:45,960 the appearance of His coming. It can't be somebody from the 981 01:00:45,960 --> 01:00:48,880 past because we're told that Jesus himself is going to 982 01:00:48,880 --> 01:00:52,920 destroy him. Even if you don't consider that, 983 01:00:52,920 --> 01:00:54,560 look at the description of the man in verse 9. 984 01:00:54,880 --> 01:00:58,480 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with 985 01:00:58,600 --> 01:01:01,440 all power and false signs and wonders. 986 01:01:01,440 --> 01:01:06,520 Anybody fulfill that in history, whether a Greek emperor or Roman 987 01:01:06,520 --> 01:01:09,160 general, anybody did false signs and wonders and deceive the 988 01:01:09,160 --> 01:01:11,080 masses. It doesn't work. 989 01:01:11,880 --> 01:01:14,400 It doesn't make sense. The only thing that doesn't make 990 01:01:14,400 --> 01:01:16,280 sense is that we are anticipating somebody. 991 01:01:16,880 --> 01:01:21,040 There is one to come. Verse 10. 992 01:01:21,040 --> 01:01:23,440 And with all wicked deception for those who are perishing 993 01:01:23,440 --> 01:01:26,760 because they refuse to love the truth and so be saved, I'm still 994 01:01:26,760 --> 01:01:30,080 not convinced I can hear it. I can hear it. 995 01:01:31,200 --> 01:01:33,760 I'm still not convinced that what you're saying about the 996 01:01:33,760 --> 01:01:37,280 abomination of desolation is to happen in a day to come. 997 01:01:37,840 --> 01:01:39,720 I'm convinced that it already happened. 998 01:01:40,080 --> 01:01:42,920 We look back to it. We realized Jesus fulfilled a 999 01:01:42,920 --> 01:01:45,600 prophecy and now we're just waiting for his return. 1000 01:01:45,600 --> 01:01:53,240 However, that looks OK. If you think that it is in the 1001 01:01:53,240 --> 01:01:55,360 past, though, Paul gives a different profile of what that 1002 01:01:55,360 --> 01:01:57,000 abomination of desolation looks like. 1003 01:01:58,480 --> 01:02:01,280 Do you realize what this abomination of desolation will 1004 01:02:01,280 --> 01:02:04,680 set into motion? And you have to ask yourself 1005 01:02:04,680 --> 01:02:06,360 again, was that fulfilled in the past? 1006 01:02:06,760 --> 01:02:10,760 So Jesus speaks about the abomination of desolation and 1007 01:02:10,760 --> 01:02:13,840 notice what will follow that. I'm going to read this to you 1008 01:02:13,840 --> 01:02:17,360 and then we're done in Matthew 24 verse 21. 1009 01:02:18,240 --> 01:02:22,600 For then after the abomination of desolation, for then there 1010 01:02:22,600 --> 01:02:27,560 will be great tribulation. What kind of tribulation such as 1011 01:02:27,560 --> 01:02:30,960 has not been from the beginning of the world until now? 1012 01:02:30,960 --> 01:02:37,200 No and never will be. Did that happen in 70 AD? 1013 01:02:38,160 --> 01:02:41,000 Did the destruction of the temple set into motion a great 1014 01:02:41,000 --> 01:02:42,960 tribulation like the world has not seen? 1015 01:02:43,840 --> 01:02:46,960 No, hasn't. But it will. 1016 01:02:48,400 --> 01:02:52,400 It will, and it fits perfectly with the script of the Book of 1017 01:02:52,400 --> 01:02:56,240 Revelation, where you have a man in Revelation 13 who will be a 1018 01:02:56,240 --> 01:02:59,000 powerful figure, who will bring the world to its knees, Who Will 1019 01:02:59,000 --> 01:03:01,960 Win the devotion of most, the allegiance of many. 1020 01:03:02,320 --> 01:03:05,720 And he will demand worship. He will demand worship and later 1021 01:03:05,720 --> 01:03:07,840 he will be killed when the Lord Jesus does return. 1022 01:03:08,040 --> 01:03:10,040 Isn't it more simple than people have made it out to be? 1023 01:03:10,400 --> 01:03:13,760 I think it is. I think it's clear. 1024 01:03:13,760 --> 01:03:15,720 I think it's straightforward. And I think it just takes a 1025 01:03:15,720 --> 01:03:17,680 little bit of effort to put these pieces together to 1026 01:03:17,680 --> 01:03:21,080 understand the the glories of Jesus and his teachings for us, 1027 01:03:21,080 --> 01:03:23,800 even with something as complex and as intimidating as the end 1028 01:03:23,800 --> 01:03:27,040 of the age. But there is no temple. 1029 01:03:27,200 --> 01:03:29,360 So yeah, I know there is no temple. 1030 01:03:31,120 --> 01:03:33,680 There wasn't a nation of Israel too, for a very long time. 1031 01:03:36,760 --> 01:03:39,720 So if we want to say things are being fulfilled in history, why 1032 01:03:39,720 --> 01:03:43,880 won't we acknowledge Israel as being significant to Bible 1033 01:03:43,880 --> 01:03:46,960 prophecy? The people overdo it. 1034 01:03:47,040 --> 01:03:50,960 A lot of people overdo it. But is it not important? 1035 01:03:51,320 --> 01:03:54,840 No, that's also dangerous. That's also dangerous. 1036 01:03:56,000 --> 01:04:00,920 And So what are we to do? Well, one realize that the Bible 1037 01:04:00,920 --> 01:04:07,960 knows what it's talking about. Realize that Jesus is coming 1038 01:04:07,960 --> 01:04:10,520 back and we're called to stay awake. 1039 01:04:10,520 --> 01:04:12,520 We're called to be on alert. We're called to be careful. 1040 01:04:12,520 --> 01:04:15,920 We're called to not believe anything and everything we hear, 1041 01:04:16,360 --> 01:04:18,880 including things about his second coming. 1042 01:04:21,800 --> 01:04:27,240 And we are encouraged to realize that he will be victorious. 1043 01:04:28,400 --> 01:04:31,480 Everything will be made new and there is a new world to come 1044 01:04:31,480 --> 01:04:34,680 where He'll be king forever. And that's what we're going to 1045 01:04:34,680 --> 01:04:37,360 do now, right? We're going to eat and drink and 1046 01:04:37,360 --> 01:04:40,680 remember what He has done for us and what will come when He comes 1047 01:04:40,680 --> 01:04:41,760 back for us. Let's pray. 1048 01:04:54,430 --> 01:04:57,390 Lord, we do thank you from the bottom of our hearts that You've 1049 01:04:57,390 --> 01:05:00,510 given us the patience and the grace to receive all that you 1050 01:05:00,510 --> 01:05:03,320 have to say. And Lord, now as we eat and 1051 01:05:03,320 --> 01:05:05,880 drink, remembering not just what you have done in the past on the 1052 01:05:05,880 --> 01:05:09,360 cross, but how this points to a future time where you will eat 1053 01:05:09,360 --> 01:05:12,720 and drink with us again, May our hearts be prepared to fellowship 1054 01:05:12,720 --> 01:05:15,160 with you at this table. May you cleanses of all 1055 01:05:15,160 --> 01:05:19,600 unrighteousness, anything that would not align with the oneness 1056 01:05:19,600 --> 01:05:24,600 of this bread and the high calling that this blood calls us 1057 01:05:24,600 --> 01:05:28,440 to as a holy people. We bless you Lord, thank you 1058 01:05:28,440 --> 01:05:30,000 that you've told us of what's to come. 1059 01:05:30,000 --> 01:05:31,760 Thank you that the future is determined. 1060 01:05:31,960 --> 01:05:34,160 Thank you that we are victorious because we are in you. 1061 01:05:34,160 --> 01:05:37,040 And Lord, we want to rejoice and glorify you together now as a 1062 01:05:37,040 --> 01:05:39,040 family. In Jesus name we pray. 1063 01:05:39,520 --> 01:05:40,600 Amen. Amen.