Jesus Prophesies about the Future II

Mark 13:14-23; Zechariah 14:1-5.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on September 27, 2020.

Today, we start our look at the second part of the Olivet Discourse.  Days before Jesus will be betrayed and crucified, he gives a detailed prophecy regarding the future from the First Century AD up to his Second Coming.  The answer that Jesus gives to their questions about the future has three parts to it and last week we looked at the first part.

So, let’s look at the first part.

Comparing Mark 13 with Matthew 24 & Luke 21

In each of the three Gospels, the answer of Jesus follows a three-part focus.  The first focus is on the difficulty of the years ahead, before he comes back.  The third focus is on the Second Coming of Jesus.  The focus we will look at today is the second one and is about Judea and Jerusalem.

Each Gospel adds a little something different that the other Gospels do not have, and they also leave out things that the others tell us.  In the first and third focus, it is very clear that they are all talking about the same thing.  Yet, in this second focus, you will see by the chart above that I believe Luke is significantly different from Matthew and Mark.  It is not contradictory because we know that there is far more discussion that has happened than what is written down. 

In the Gospel of Luke, the second focus talks about armies surrounding Jerusalem, and an exile to the nations of Israel.  He states that this will last until the Times of the Gentiles are fulfilled, or come to an end.  This is clearly describing the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman armies in 70 A.D.

Matthew and Mark, however, mention none of these things.  Instead, they talk about the Abomination of Desolation standing in the Holy Place of the Temple and a Great Tribulation that is the worst the world will ever see.  They both use language that ties the Great Tribulation directly to the Second Coming of the third focus of the prophecy.  Matthew 24:29 says, “immediately after the tribulation of those days…”  Whereas, Mark 13:24 says, “But in those days, after that tribulation…”  Luke does not use this immediate language.  In fact, his words imply a long period, the Times of the Gentiles, that has no fixed length.  This leads me to believe that Jesus spoke about difficult times that Israel would experience in 70 A.D., particularly in Judea and Jerusalem.  Yet, he also talked about difficult times that Israel would have in the years right before his Second Coming.  These are two different destructive events that have the exact same encouragement, “Get out of the area!” 

The similarity of the imperatives to quickly run to the mountains leads some people to say that the Great Tribulation is speaking about 70 A.D.  However, it seems ludicrous to pretend that somehow the events of 70 A.D., though extremely horrible and difficult, were the worst tribulation the world, or Israel, will ever see.  What about World War II?  Coupled with Matthew and Marks emphasis on the Second Coming happening at the end of those days, the near and far away aspect of this prophesy becomes clearer.

The Greatest Tribulation ever will occur

Hopefully at this point, you are on board that Luke is sharing the prophesy that Jesus gives regarding the destruction of Jerusalem in the First Century, and that Mark is sharing the prophesy that Jesus gives regarding the difficulties that Jerusalem will have in the Great Tribulation immediately before his Second Coming, which is still future to us.  Yes, the Bible describes a future destructive event at Jerusalem at the end of this age, which will be interrupted by the Second Coming of Jesus.

In case you are not convinced yet, we need to look at an Old Testament prophecy in Zechariah 14.  Here, Zechariah depicts a partial destruction of Jerusalem that is stopped by the coming of Messiah in great power.  It cannot be forced to fit the destruction in 70 A.D. without making most of it symbolic.  Let me just say once again, that I have no problem with symbolism being employed and used here.  However, I do think it is a mistake to automatically dismiss the literal.  Something can be true both literally and Symbolically.

Zechariah describes “all the nations” coming against Jerusalem.  Yet, the army of Rome was very diverse, but it is a stretch to say that it is talking about the Roman army.  He also states that “half of the city” is taken captive, but not a remnant of the people.  “Then the Lord will go out to fight against those nations in that day.”  Again, if we try to make the Lord fighting only symbolic then we would have Jesus symbolically fighting against the nations of the world or Rome.  We could perhaps posit that Christians going into the nations is that battle, and would be somewhat correct.  Yet, Zechariah also pictures the feet of Jesus touching the Mt. of Olives and splitting it in half so greatly that it creates a valley for people to flee from Jerusalem.  At this point, you realize that your symbolism scheme becomes extremely convoluted in order to avoid any literal understanding. 

Yet, it becomes even more difficult for those who only accept a symbolic understanding of this passage.  Verse 5 mentions that all the saints will be coming with the Messiah.  Then, verse 12 describes the way that the Lord will defeat the nations.  “And this shall be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem: their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet, their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, and their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths.”    Some say that this is all poetic metaphor, such as their ability to see truth and speak wisdom will dissolve, or fall apart.  That may have some truth to it, but it doesn’t pass the sniff test.  It smacks of the same trick that cults do when their prophecies don’t happen.  They try to say it happened spiritually and not literally.  Bear in mind that we can also ask the same question of Revelation 19.  Is it simply poetic metaphor?  Is the rule of Messiah/Jesus over the earth simply poetic metaphor?

We have now gone through a lot of setup for this section, but it is critical to understanding that Luke is picturing a different time than Mark.  Why didn’t they all clearly detail both destructions?  Partially, it would be because they didn’t completely understand the distinctions.  We have the benefit of hindsight.  I would also have to believe that God purposefully led them to detail these separately.

As we go through these verses, we will make it clear that this second section in Mark is talking about a Great Tribulation, which will happen at the end of this age, and may be just on the horizon.

In verse 14, Jesus brings up a phrase that was well known to the Jews of his day, “the Abomination of Desolation.”  This comes from the Old Testament where the term “abomination” is most often used of idols, or images, but its meaning goes beyond them.  It pictures something that is abominable, detestable, and loathsome.  It is used of impure things and activities that God absolutely hates, as well as the righteous.  The word “desolation” refers to being brought into a state of stunned silence, or ravaged silence.  The Greek word used to translate it literally means to be made into a wilderness.  The phrase as a whole basically refers to something so impure, whether an idol and/or an act, that it brings the wrath of God upon the place and is made into a wilderness.  The righteous are always to get away from such a place and its people because they should not want to be caught up in its judgment.

We are told in the text that we should remember that this is spoken about by Daniel the prophet.  We are told that we need to understand this.

The concept or phrase “Abomination of Desolation” is found in three passages of the book of Daniel.  Chapter 9 verse 27 is in the famous Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks of Years.  In that passage, we are told that Messiah would be executed, and then the people of the prince, who is yet to come, will destroy the city.  Then it says that the prince who comes later will make a covenant with many for 7 years.  During that period, he will put an end to sacrifices and “on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate.”  Notice that this covenant, stopping of sacrifices (implying Israel back in the land with a temple), and Abomination of Desolation happens after the destruction of the city in 70 A.D. and not before it.

Daniel 11:31 is another passage that mentions the Abomination of Desolation.  This passage so perfectly fits the events of the Greek-Syrian King Antiochus Epiphanes in 167 B.C. that scholars who do not believe in predictive prophecy say it must have been written afterward and not by Daniel.  Of course, there is no evidence for that.  Daniel in the 6^th century prophesied the events that were nearly 400 years later.  The passage refers to the defiling of the sanctuary and the placing of the “Abomination of Desolation.”  In those days, Antiochus was angry because of a military defeat near Egypt.  He commanded the Jews to worship Zeus, put an idol of Zeus in the courtyard of sacrifice, and had a pig slaughtered on the Hebrew altar in worship of Zeus.  So, the second mention of an abomination is different from the first.  It was fulfilled in 167 B.C. and gives us a picture of what an event would look like that qualified to be called an Abomination of Desolation.

The last passage is Daniel 12:11. Here, an added detail is given.  From the time that the sacrifices are stopped until the Abomination of Desolation, there would be 1,290 days (3 years and 7 months).  This does not fit the events of 167 B.C.  It is most likely a reference back to the Abomination spoken of in chapter 9.

In Mark, Jesus is letting us know that there is another Abomination of Desolation coming of which the events of Antiochus Epiphanes are simply a template or prototype.  Some try to make events in 70 A.D. be a fulfillment of this concept.  There were a few attempts at such a thing.  The emperor Caligula even sent an image to Israel in order to be set up in the temple.  However, he died and the command was abandoned.  It was as if God said that this was not to be the time.  Nothing like we have been describing happened leading up to 70 A.D. that would both qualify as an Abomination of Desolation and serve as a warning for people to flee.  The Abomination of Desolation is still future and will be part of the Great Tribulation, which implies a third temple at some stage of construction.

It is important to note a connection that follows the Antiochus template and is elsewhere in the New Testament.  2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 describes the coming “man of sin,” also called Antichrist, sitting in the temple of God showing himself that he is God.  When this is coupled with Revelation 13, especially the image that will be built to the beast and made to speak, we can see that the warning is of an end times temple of Israel that is co-opted by a global leader to promote himself as God.  In our modern world, this may seem impossible or ridiculous.  However, God warns us that He is restraining this stuff until He is ready for it to happen.

We will look at the rest of this Great Tribulation next week.  Yet, note these things.  The continual focus on peace between Israel and the Muslims of the Middle East continues to beg some kind of peace deal or covenant agreement.  The contention on the Temple Mount is extremely volatile, and yet, not only is there room on the mount for a Temple to be built north of the Dome of the Rock, but there is a move among Muslims to allow it to happen.  The orthodox Jews of Israel have made preparations to quickly build a temple upon any agreement.  The furnishings have been built including an altar.  Money has been raised and priest trained.  They are ready to quickly build what they call the third temple.  Lastly, many rabbis in recent years have begun to state that Messiah is on the earth and waiting to reveal himself.  One rabbi this year has prophesied that this is the last Jewish New Year (Sept. 19, 2020) without Messiah.  In other words, Messiah will reveal himself sometime before September 6 of next year.

People used to look at these prophecies and laugh at anyone who taught that Israel would literally be a nation again, much less have a temple.  Yet, the events of 1948 shocked the world as Israel became a nation again under an existential threat that could have only been neutralized by God.  We must understand that the Times of the Gentiles will eventually come to an end and God will allow the end times scenario to move forward.  Are you ready spiritually?  Do you know Jesus as your Lord and your Savior?  Only he can save you from your sins, and bring you through what lies ahead for this world.

Jesus Future II

Jesus Reveals The Future- Part IV

Luke 21:20-24.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on October 25, 2015.

We continue this section where Jesus reveals to his disciples what the future held for them and the world.  The disciples wanted to know the timing and the sign that would point to the destruction of Jerusalem, the end of the age, and the coming back of Jesus.  The answer Jesus gives them starts by pointing out what things would be like before the end of the age and the coming back of Jesus.  In Luke they are called “the things that must come to pass first.”  In Matthew and Mark they are called “the beginning of sorrows.”  So here is the list of sorrows that would be happening throughout the time leading up to the 2^nd coming of Jesus.

The Things That Must Come To Pass First

1. False Christs will come.
2. Wars and Turmoil will come.
3. Great Earthquakes will come.
4. Famines and Pestilences will come.
5. Fearful Sights and Great Heavenly Signs will come.
6. Persecution and Martyrdom of Christians will come.

It is at this point that Jesus has finished this list and now turns to give revelation regarding the destruction of Jerusalem.

Jerusalem Will Be Desolated

When we read verses 20-24 the message is clear, Jerusalem will be completely destroyed.  The word that is translated “desolation” literally means to be made into a wilderness, without inhabitant and barren.  If you have looked into the history of Jerusalem then you will know that there were long periods of time that Jerusalem was a wasteland.  In fact many explorers through the centuries have commented in awe that the devastated place they were looking at was a “land flowing with milk and honey” at one time.

Jesus gives them a sign by which they can know the desolation is near and they should leave.  That sign is when they see Jerusalem surrounded by armies.  I will point out that the Gospels of Matthew and Mark record this desolation but do not point out the armies as the sign.  Instead they point to something called the Abomination of Desolation standing in the Holy Place.  We will come back to this later.  However, it is important to note that it is clear there is far more discussion than is recorded here.  The different Gospels are focusing on many of the same parts and yet also on some that are different.  In each case the person who sees either of these things are told to flee or they will be caught up in the destruction.  Much like Lot and his wife we should not want to watch the judgments of God being poured out and neither does God want His people to be caught up in the judgment.  Around the year AD 66 the Roman legions began to encircle Jerusalem and eventually destroyed in AD 70.  It is common knowledge that Christians of that day understood what God was doing and had either been forced from the area because of persecution, or left as they saw the destruction coming.  One historian from the 4^th century AD refers to a city called Pella on the eastern side of the Jordan River as a popular place they fled to.

Verse 22 calls this the days of vengeance so that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  Thus the fall of Jerusalem and the dispersal of the people to the nations were prophesied in the Old Testament.  Moses reveals it in Deuteronomy 29:23, the prophet Micah does so in Micah 3, Jeremiah 26:9 and also Zechariah 14.  One thing we see here is the grace and mercy of God.  Though He has already warned of judgment for 1500 years, He first sends His Son, Jesus, to offer him up as a sacrifice for sins and then gives the nation 40 years to repent and be saved.  It is due to the hardness of their own hearts that the people perish under the judgment of God.  In one place it is referred to as “wrath upon this people.”  So AD 70 clearly was a watershed moment as the wrath of God is poured out upon the unbelieving portion of Israel, destroying its capitol, and scattering the people to the nations.  Yet, there is a problem.  If all things that are written are to be fulfilled we need to deal with Zechariah 14.  When you read this chapter about the destruction of Jerusalem it is striking how different it is from what happened in AD 70.  Two major things stick out.  In Zech. 14 the Messiah comes after half the city is destroyed and fights for them.  His feet touch the Mt. of Olives and split it in half.  He strikes the armies of the people with a plague where their flesh dissolves while they are standing.  Now some people try to make this figurative language and explain that anyone who stands against Jesus will see their whole life fall apart (i.e. dissolve) as they go to the grave in destruction.  Yet, this doesn’t pass the smell test.  Even when prophecies have figurative or symbolic meanings, there is still a literal fulfillment of the prophecy.  Is Jesus talking about more than one desolation?  We will come back to this.

In verse 24, Jesus clearly reveals the people being deported out of the land into the nations of the world.  They will cease to be a nation.  They would lose their homeland and be dispersed to the winds.  This is basically what has happened from the end of the first century until 1948.  Yes, some Jews have lived in that area off and on throughout the centuries, but, as a people, they have generally not had a homeland to call their own.

This brings us to the phrase that Jerusalem would be trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles would be fulfilled.  The word until should jump out to you.  This condition of Israel being homeless and scattered would be the case until the times of the Gentiles reached their completion.  Of course we are not told how much time that would be.  The word trample has the sense of doing what you want.  Think about how the temple was a series of restrictions.  There was a wide area that anyone could be in.  But at some point a boundary showed where no Gentiles could pass.  Then there was a boundary where no female Israelite could pass, then an area where only the priests could go, until you reached the Holies of Holies where only one man could go only once a year. Though we may think of this as bad and exclusionary, It would be a misunderstanding to do so. The Gentiles would be trampling all such holy distinctions without thought for the God of Israel.  Thus trample is a sense of control and domination.  Also, note that the word is “times.”  This denotes a history of dominations by more than one nation over the years.  Of course, this has been the history of the area.  It was initially under the control of the Romans (including the Byzantine era), then the Muslims, then times of Europeans in control.  In 1948 the people of Israel were able to reestablish as a nation.  So does this mean the times of the Gentiles are over?  Some have pointed out that Jerusalem wasn’t under Jewish control until 1967 after the Six Day War.  However, upon taking the city, the defense minister, Moshe Dayan, relinquished control of the temple mount to the Jordanian forces.  Thus there is still a part of Jerusalem being trampled by Gentiles.  So the last 2,000 years has been a time where God has given control of the temple mount to Gentiles.

This leads me to my last point.  I believe that when you look at these predictions in Luke, Matthew and Mark, there is more than one destruction talked about.  Thus another destruction is still yet future.  Let me lay out a couple of reasons why I say this.  Israel does have political control of Jerusalem, yet they are still hard of heart and blind towards Jesus.  Yes, some Jews are becoming Christians.  But the majority are still in unbelief.

One reason I believe another destruction is being talked about is because AD 70 did not have an abomination that causes desolation.  Again this is the term found in Matthew 24.  In Matthew it says this, “When you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand)…”  Here Jesus tells us that Daniel spoke about this abomination of desolation and Matthew makes sure that the reader doesn’t miss what he just said.  Now there are three places in Daniel where he refers to this.  Daniel 9:27 says that after the messiah is executed then the city will be destroyed.  After that one will enforce a covenant that he breaks later and on the wing of abominations will be one who makes desolate.  The main point is that Daniel says this abomination will happen after messiah is executed and after the city has been destroyed.  In Daniel 11:31 another abomination is mentioned.  This chapter follows the history of the battles between the Ptolemy’s of Egypt and the Seleucids of Syria so closely that some scholars reject that it was written by Daniel.  They say it had to be written after the fact.  Thus the abomination of desolation in this chapter fits perfectly with a Syrian King named Antiochus Epiphanes.  In fact in the book of 1 Maccabees it refers to the abomination of desolation as two things.  An idol of Zeus was erected in the Holy place and the altar had pigs sacrificed to false gods on it.  Thus it appears that this abomination of desolation is not the same as chapter 9.  The last place is in Daniel 12 and is mentioning the timing of the event.  It states that from the stopping of the sacrifices until the setting up of the abomination of desolation will be 1,290 days.  This does not fit with what happened during the days of Antiochus Epiphanes.  So Jesus is pointing us back to Daniel 9, and yet Daniel 11 becomes an event that helps us to know what the whole thing would look like.  It is an event of pagan worship that occurs in the temple compound.  This simply did not happen in AD 70.

On top of this the AD 70 destruction does not fit Zechariah 14 as I mentioned earlier.  In fact it ends with the nations of the world coming to Jerusalem to worship the King and being punished if they don’t.  Yes, you can spiritualize all of these things and even be somewhat correct.  But prophecy of this sort is always literally fulfilled also.  When you study Zechariah 12 and Romans 11 you come to the distinct realization that there is going to be a time when the hard hearts of Israel will be softened and the blind eyes will be opened.  Israel will look upon the one whom they have pierced and mourn for him.  A spirit of repentance will be poured out upon them.  This will be an amazing time for them, but at the same time the wrath of God will be poured out on the nations of this world.

Let me end this passage by reminding us that the God of heaven has an issue with the nations of the world.  He is going to bring us into the valley of Judgment.  Are you ready for such a judgment?  The only way you can be ready is to put your faith in Jesus and follow Him.  Anything else is simply a path that leads to destruction.  Believe in him today.