Part ONE - The Three Questions
What does Matthew 24 really say about the End of Time?
When you study the end of time you have to be careful to study what the word of God really says and not to rely on what you have heard over and over. “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”” John 8.31-32 If everyone is wrong you should not just go along to get along. It will lead you away from Christ and away from God’s will for your life. You should always seek to know the truth.
To study Matthew 24 you need to make sure you use the four basic rules to interpret the Bible.
- Scripture interprets scripture: /God has planned it this way.
- Nothing out of context: That way we know what God wants us to know.
- Easy interprets the difficult: This allows us to get it right.
- Jesus is BOSS!: Jesus is God and God is always right. He is the final word.
This week there were two news items that caught my eye concerning the question about understanding when the end of time is to be. The first was by Glenn Beck TV and Radio talk show host. Speaking about the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown may be a "message from God" about the end of time. Franklin Graham, head of Samaritans Purse and son of evangelist Billy Graham said that the Japan tsunami and earthquake "feels like the end of time." They were both making reference to the first part of Matthew 24 that talks about signs before the end. I have to take exception to both of their statements. In fact I will go so far as to say they both were wrong. Now I know many will wonder how I can disagree with them. The answer is that what the scripture really say and what most people think it says are two different things. Now lets look at what Matthew 24 is really saying.
Jesus and his disciples were at the temple as they are leaving Jesus looks at the temple and says “Do you see all these things?” “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” They did not understand what Jesus was talking about so when he was alone with them on the Mount of Olives they asked him,“when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Now here is the first thing we need to know. The disciples did not ask one question but they ask him three questions. They ask:
- When will the temple be torn down?
- What will be the sign of your coming?
- When will the end of the age be?
TIME STAMPS
Jesus list a series of events that were going to take place and puts them in their place with time stamps. Jesus warns them not to let anyone mislead them. Vs. 4 Jesus says the following things are going to happen:
- People claiming to be Christ vs. 5
- Wars and rumors of Wars vs. 6
- Nations against nations vs. 7
- Kingdom against kingdom vs. 7
- Famines and earthquakes vs. 7
- False prophets vs. 11
- Lawlessness everywhere vs. 1
Then Jesus gives the first time stamp that we need so we can understand this section of scripture.
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." vs. 14 To understand this time stamp we need to answer a simple question. What does the Bible say about the gospel or good news being preached in the whole world?
•Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. Acts 2.5
–This was written around 61 AD but the event describes occurred around 30 AD.
•First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. Romans 1.8
–This was Written around 55 AD.
•All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, Colossians 1.6
•This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, Col. 1.23
–Written around 60 AD
There are two things we need to see here. First the scripture say that the gospel was preached to the whole world. We must be careful not to judge the prophecy of Jesus using our standards of how big the world is. We need to allow scripture to interpret scripture. Clearly we can know that this has been fulfilled according to the scriptures. Second the time stamp for this being fulfilled and first reported is 55 AD.
This is our first time stamp. We know that nothing could happen to the temple before 55 AD.
We cannot cover all the materials in detail that are laid out here in Matthew 24. But as you read verses 15 through verses 33 they are still part of answering the first question. When will the temple be destroyed. Then you come to the second time stamp in verse 34.
Each time Jesus spoke about this generation he was putting a time stamp on events. Those alive when Jesus spoke could not be expected to live past another 50 years. That places the end of this time stamp no later than 80 or 85 AD. That is when the last of that generation would be expected to die out.
We cannot cover all the materials in detail that are laid out here in Matthew 24. But as you read verses 15 through verses 33 they are still part of answering the first question. When will the temple be destroyed. Then you come to the second time stamp in verse 34.
•"I tell you the truth, this generation* will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened." Matthew 24.34 Jesus places the second time stamp and says it will be "this generation." Some have tried to change what Jesus said and change generation to the word race or people. The key here again is scripture interprets scripture and the easy interprets the hard. Jesus has used the expression "this generation" before. In every case he was speaking about the Jews who were alive and hearing his message in the first century.
•“But to what shall I compare this generation?” Matthew 11.16
–Jesus speaking to the Jews says they are like children demanding their own way. No matter what he does they want something else. He is speaking to those who were alive and causing him so much trouble.
•The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; , Matthew 12.41
–Jesus says Nineveh repented but the Jews of his did not. He is again speaking of those who he is dealing with in the first century on a daily basis.
•“Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.” Matthew 23.36
–All the wickedness of rejecting God would finally come as Judgment upon “this generation” for rejecting Christ. He is speaking about the punishment the Jews of his day would face. This started in 66 AD when the rebellion against Rome brought Titus against them. It carried through with the defeat of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple in 70 AD and culminated in the defeat and deaths at Masada in 72 AD. Jesus had spoken that it would come upon "This generation" and that is exactly what happened.
Each time Jesus spoke about this generation he was putting a time stamp on events. Those alive when Jesus spoke could not be expected to live past another 50 years. That places the end of this time stamp no later than 80 or 85 AD. That is when the last of that generation would be expected to die out.
The two time stamps are like bookends of a historical and prophetic time that was established by Jesus. Sometime after 55 AD when the gospel had been preached to the whole world and before 85 AD when the generation would all be dead would come the destruction of the temple as prophesied by Jesus.
WHEN WAS THE TEMPLE DESTROYED? It happened in 70 AD. That is right in the middle of the time stamps Jesus spoke about to his disciples 40 years before it happened. Now here is the crux of the matter. When you are reading Matthew 24 everything between verse 4 and verse 34 is about the destruction of the temple and is NOT about the end of time. It did happen to the generation that Jesus said it would happen to. Even if you do not understand ever part of what happens in verses 4 through 34 you can know for sure it is not about the end of time.
All these and more are about the destruction of the temple and not the end of time. People claiming to be Christ vs. 5 Wars and rumors of wars vs. 6 Nation vs. nation, kingdom vs. kingdom vs. 7 Famines and earthquakes vs. 7 False prophets vs. 11 Lawlessness everywhere vs.12
The next time you hear a preacher, evangelist, talk show host, conservative, liberal or whoever and they start talking about the signs of the end of time and mention any of the above you can stop listening. They need to go back to school and learn the truth.
Next the signs of Christ coming and the signs of the End of Time. Yes there are signs but they are not what you have been taught. Want to know read on in Matthew 24 and see if you can find them.
Next the signs of Christ coming and the signs of the End of Time. Yes there are signs but they are not what you have been taught. Want to know read on in Matthew 24 and see if you can find them.
