Tabor Baptist Church

• In AD 70, the Roman Emporer Titus came to Jerusalem and besieged the city
• There was a great famine and such starvation
• The Romans desecrated the temple, burned the city and such a massacre occurred that had never happened before (it is thought 1.2 million Jews died)
• The disciples ask Jesus about the destruction of Jerusalem
• Jesus' answer seems to reference both the destruction of Jerusalem and also the Second Coming of Christ
• v7 - 'the end is not yet'
• v10 - the gospel being preached first to all the nations
• Matt 24, Luke 21 - give further details
• Many interpretations (including at least a dozen from godly evangelical men)
• Example of one interpretation
• Pastor's view is that the whole passage is speaking about both events
• We need to be careful not to get into unfruitful debates [about this passage or events]
• 2 Tim 2:23
• In order to understand this passage we must recognise:
• What is plain
• Compare scripture with scripture
• Not be over dogmatic

Context (v1-4)

• The disciples are admiring the temple
• The Third Temple (under Herod) - First Temple (under Solomon) and Second Temple (under Zerubbabel)
• They felt security in the temple
• They had heard Jesus protecting the temple - 'My House will be a house of prayer'
• Jesus responds in a startling manner
• He takes away all security
• There would be no more high priest or sacrificial system
• All the had known about worship would be done away with
• Jesus had mentioned this to the Samaritan woman
• What can we learn from this?
• It is not the building that matters
• In the first three church centuries there were no church buildings - people met in their homes
• Our security should not be in a building but in God
• v3 - They are now sitting opposite the temple
• Matt 24:3 - 'tell us about the destruction of the temple and the Second coming'

Jesus' Reply (v5-13)

• Do not be deceived
• People can be gullible
• False teachings of Joseph Smith
• False teachings of the Mormons (founder had 12 wives and lived in immorality)
• False teachings of the Jehovah Witness (founder denied the doctrine of predestination, got into many strange things and rewrote the Bible)
• Simon Magus
• Did many miracles
• Was baptised
• Tried to buy the Holy Spirit
• History recalls how he later claimed to be the Christ
• History recalls that many claimed to be Jesus
• Jesus is giving very real warning to His disciples (v6-7)
• He was trying to encourage them
• Not only speaking about the immediate consequences but the future
• Although it was a time of peace ('Pax Romana') the Romans killed 50'000 Jews, the Syrians killed 25'000 Jews and others beside
• There have been many wars
• Signs of the Coming
• Many wars
• Earthquakes
• 11 Earthquakes recorded along the Mediterranean basin - AD 73 in Pompeii
• Famines
• There were multiple famines at the time, including one recorded in Acts and prophesied by Agabus
• The sorrows - literally the birth pangs (the contractions that start slowly, get quicker and the then birth)
• Practical Teaching from Jesus
• Watch out for yourselves (v9)
• Paul received 39 lashes five times
• Peter, James and John were beaten
• James and Stephen was matryed
• The gospel to be preached to all nations (v10)
• The gospel was preached to the then known world
• It is a necessity for the gospel to continue to go to all nations
• Words to say (v11)
• Do not plan what you will say - words will be given you by the Holy Spirit
• Trust in God
• Family betrayal (v12)
• Shows the wickedness of the human heart
• People so hate God and the gospel truth that they would do these terrible things
• The promise (v13)
• AD 67 - thousands of Christians had left Jerusalem
• The spiritual promise that those who persevere will be saved

The Actual Event (v14-23)

• Josephius said of this time that nothing this bad had ever happened before
• Not just a terrible event, but a judgement from God
• Luke 21:20-24
• 61'000 were carried off in cavity
• Luke is very clear that this is the Roman armies
• The 'abomination of desolation' would come to the Holy place - Matthew
• The Jews understood what the 'abomination of desolation' meant
• Does this also refer to the future?
• 2 Thess 2:3-4 - the lawless man
• He will do many miracles
• He will sit on the throne of God
• You must flee quickly
• Do not go back into the house
• Woe to those who are pregnant and nursing
• Pray it will not be on a sabbath or in the winter
• The days were shortened
• Possible explanation at the time
• God looks after His own

Conclusions

1. The Lord is the Lord of history
• Every event has a purpose - God is sovereign over history
2. Those who reject God are in a very difficult position
3. God loves His own
• He forewarns them
• He teaches them
• He gives them the words to speak
• He will come again for His people and there shall be a wonderful deliverance

Closing comment: Roman 5:8-9