Matthew 24:1-30 - Skip Heitzig

[Music] welcome to expound our weekly worship and verse by verse study of the Bible our goal is to expand your knowledge of the truth of God by explaining the Word of God in a way that is interactive enjoyable and congregational we call this a textual community let's rejoice and learn God's Word in an interactive and enjoyable new way Matthew chapter 24 if you've ever taken a tour to Israel and by the way how many of you have gone to Israel could you just raise your hands up wow that's awesome a lot of you have well then you know that one of the highlights of the trip is when we take the bus to the Mount of Olives and from the Mount of Olives you look over the city of Jerusalem the Temple Mount like the picture that showed Joel Rosenberg just a moment ago that was in the background it takes your breath away you see that picture and it's just ah that's it it's in front of me that's where the temple stood it's an amazing sight in some of the rabbinical writings known as the Midrash there's a saying that goes like this the Land of Israel is at the center of the world Jerusalem is at the center of the Land of Israel and the temple is at the center of Jerusalem in other words it was the rabbinical way of saying the very center of the earth the center of God's program on the earth is the temple in the city of Jerusalem in the Land of Israel Jesus was with his disciples on the Mount of Olives overlooking the city of Jerusalem at that time there wasn't a golden dome called the Dome of the rock there was a temple that stood the Jewish temple and they were overlooking from the eastern side across the Kidron Valley they were looking over the city of Jerusalem packed with millions of people who had been there and were there for the Passover season and they're realizing this is the center of God's prophetic program now let me give you sort of a four fold or four pointed outline of the city itself Jerusalem is the geographic center of the earth biblically the geographic center now I know we grew up in American schools and so we thought America was the center of the world that's what the map shows when you see a world map America is right in the middle but the prophet Ezekiel in Ezekiel chapter 5 verse 5 God speaking God says see I have set Jerusalem in the midst of all of the nations round about God said it's the center it's the center of the earth biblically the geographic center number 2 it's the salvation center of the world spiritually there's no other place in the world where God purchased the salvation for the world except Jerusalem right outside the Damascus Gate at a hill called Golgotha Calvary is where Jesus cross stood and it was there in Jerusalem where God made that transaction of salvation that's why Jesus could say to the woman at the well of Samaria you don't even know what you worship we know what we worship for salvation is of the Jews number 3 Jerusalem is the storm center of the earth prophetically the Prophet Zechariah says that God will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all of the nation of the world there's coming a point and Jesus will speak about it in this chapter and we're seeing signs of it today where the world is starting to understand that maybe the real roadblock for peace is to get rid of Israel because if Egypt in Syria and Iraq and Iran and you name all of the nations around are having trouble with Israel if the roadblock is theirs or Israel let's get rid of it let's not side with it and that's an unfortunate position because the same Prophet said whoever comes against Israel God says Israel's the apple of my eye I will come against them as a nation so I'm always concerned when I hear policymakers sort of backhand Israel let's not support Israel it's because of our foreign policies in the Middle East that caused 9/11 and caused the world to hate us etc every pundit in the world knows that what happens in Brussels or London or Rome or Washington DC is important but not as important as what happens in Jerusalem but finally fourth Jerusalem is the glory center of the earth ultimately Isaiah the prophet in the second chapter of his book said it will come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord's house the Temple Mount will be established above all of the mountains all of the nations and all nations will flow into it for out of Zion will go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem we are on Jewish ground in Matthew 24 we have to see it through Jewish lens not a Baptist lens not a Presbyterian lens not a calvary lens a Jewish lens you're going to read things like Judea Sabbath the inhabitants of the city it's all about what is going on in Judea Jerusalem and the Land of Israel it is called the Olivet discourse simply because Jesus tells his disciples this chapter on the Mount of Olives hence Olivet discourse he is speaking of the future the future of Jerusalem the future of the Jews the future of the world and his future coming so in verse 1 Jesus went out and departed from the temple and his disciples came up to show him the buildings of the temple now mark tells us in his gospel that the disciples were just like dropping their jaw like defying over the temple I check this out look at these stones this is enormous it's monumental it's beautiful I'll tell you why in a moment and then jesus said to them verse 2 do you not see all these things these stones that gold this structure this layout do you not see all these things assuredly I say to you not one stone shall be left here upon another that shall not be thrown down understand something 2,000 years ago in the Jewish mind the temple was the evidence of God's blessing upon them as long as a temple stood it was to them a sign that God was on our side he is still with us his presence is here and they saw the temple that way now get this they began building the Temple in Jerusalem around 20 BC and it wasn't finished till about 64 AD over 80 years it took 18,000 men over 80 years to build imagine for some people their entire life and their son's lives were building this temple some believe that the temple never really was completed when it was eventually destroyed when we speak of the temple were speaking of a mountain with a complex the mountain that has a peak was leveled off with the retaining wall fill dirt was put in to make a 36 acre complex 36 acres now I mentioned that retaining wall on the southeast and I could show it to you today the southeastern part of the Temple Mount there was a hundred and fifty-eight feet from the very top called the pinnacle of the temple to the bottom of the Kidron Valley and it was in that area where Satan took Jesus and said jump because the scripture says he will give his angels charge over you to bury you up lest you dash your foot against a stone that's the pinnacle of the temple area an enormous complex now you have this 36 acre flat area that levels off a top of a mountain Mount Zion and then you have the temple itself which what which was 90 feet taller if you look up and see the pinnacle of this ceiling you're looking at about 30 32 feet go three times the peak of this building about 90 feet and that's how tall the temple itself was above the Temple Mount it was made of white marble and a gold cornice was placed on the very top of it the Babylonian Talmud says he who has never seen Herod's temple has never seen a beautiful temple it was absolutely magnificent some of the stones and I could show you some of them that are left in that retaining wall not the temple it's gone that way 400 tons and it's always a mystery to people how did they move that stone there you know you see these huge cranes and the capacity is a ton two tons five tons but 400 tons some of these stones were enormous and yet in 70 AD that temple proper was destroyed because a Roman guard threw in a torch that caught some of the vestments the clothing the veil of the temple on fire the gold around the cornice melted into the cracks of the marble and the greed of the Roman soldiers drove them to take every single stone and overturn it to get the gold that had melted in between it fulfilling the prophecy of Jesus not one stone that you see will be left upon another they will all be thrown down so complete was the destruction of the temple proper that the historian Flavius Josephus says somebody visiting Jerusalem after the destruction would never have guessed the city had ever been inhabited or where the temple even stood even though there are in archaeological artifacts there today there still debate as to where the temple of Herod the temple that was there at the time of Jesus actually stood so he makes this prediction verse 3 now as he sat on the Mount of Olives the disciples came to him privately saying tell us when will these things be what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age boy am I glad the disciples asked that question because the answer to that question is the 24th chapter I always like it when people ask questions and they go well this may be a dumb question there's no such thing if you don't know the answer it's not a dumb question it's a legitimate question it was a legitimate question and Jesus will spend the remainder of the chapter answering it they said what is the sign of your coming you see the word coming it's the Greek word parousia it means your appearing your personal presence okay today when we hear that question you know what you and I think of his future coming his second coming what the disciples were thinking of however was the first coming the glorious appearing of the Messiah when they said tell us when will these things be and what would be the sign of your coming the win to that question the expected answer that they wanted from Jesus was a day two days probably by the end of Passover at the latest they weren't thinking of years and years into the future they were thinking of something immediately that Jesus would gloriously personally present himself as the king as the ruler as the Messiah so when they asked the question they're not thinking of Second Coming they're thinking of first coming which should happen any day now here's a little insight in Luke's Gospel Luke tells us when Jesus approached Jerusalem he told them a parable listen because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately immediately you see a couple days ago Jesus had been on this cool donkey ride coming into Jerusalem and everybody said Hosanna to the son of David blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord the king of Israel now that to them was the signal that something is going to come down something's gonna happen he's gonna make his glorious appearing at any moment hence they asked this question well okay so the donkey ride was cool but when are you gonna make the glorious messianic appearance this will help you in the mind of the disciples they had an eschatology now some of you know what that means some of you don't an eschatology is a scenario of last day events what's going to happen in the what are the events that that lead up to the culmination of the end of everything that's eschatology the disciples had a fixed eschatology number one on the list there would be a time of turmoil in the Jewish nation they saw that as already fulfilled by a Roman occupation the Romans were in control check world is in turmoil especially our world number two on their list a forerunner a Harold and Elijah like forerunner will come heralding predicting announcing the coming of the Messiah no wonder people had flocked to the Jordan River to hear and see John the Baptist check the forerunner had come number three the Messiah will appear defeating his enemies number four the scattered Jews from around the world will return to Israel Jerusalem will be set up the kingdom will be brought in geocentric ly from the city of Jerusalem the disciples were thinking they're somewhere in between number two and number three turmoil has happened the forerunner has come we're waiting for the Messiah to set up his kingdom so they're a bit puzzled they have a problem if Jesus just predicted the temple which is at the center of everything is going to be destroyed they're going ah we don't get this how can you be our Messiah our deliverer if the temple is going to be destroyed why would you predict that we don't get that what will be the sign of your coming your parasya your glorious appearance as the Messiah you take over the world you rule and reign from Jerusalem in the temple you're predicting the temple is going to be destroyed we don't get it that's in their minds as they're asking this question okay now let's fast-forward to our day and age because the problem we have is we read Matthew 24 and other eschatological books like Daniel and revelation from our viewpoint not from a Jewish viewpoint but from our viewpoint from our modern-day vantage point we are looking forward to two events on our horizon event number one Jesus coming toward the earth for his church event number two Jesus coming all the way to the earth with his church there's a difference the first is what we call the rapture of the church the second event is the second coming his parasya his glorious appearing according to the Bible Jesus at some time in the future I believe at any moment will come out of heaven toward the earth and we will be raptured that's the word 1st Thessalonians 4 taken up into heaven to meet the Lord in the air but after a period of tribulation which is largely written about a Matthew 24 Jesus will come all the way to the earth with his church to rule in the rain and guess what he's going to come back on the Mount of Olives that's why when the disciples were looking up into heaven there Jesus was ascending into heaven the angel appeared to them and said you men of Galilee why do you stand gazing up into heaven for this same Jesus will come back in like manner as you have seen him leave into heaven he's coming back from heaven to the earth he's coming back to the Mount of Olives and he's coming back this time with his church so the focus of Matthew 24 is not the rapture but the second coming and the events that happen in Jerusalem principally but all the way around the world but principally in Jerusalem for those end time believers Jewish believers that culminates in the second coming of Christ after the Tribulation Period so verse 4 jesus answered and said to them take heed that no one deceives you for many will come in my name saying I am the Christ and will deceive many notice the word many will come not one will come but many will come we often talk about the Antichrist that's the ruler who will emerge in the Tribulation Period at the end times who will be a world dominating ruler very persuasive very powerful very energetic very charismatic and we talk about him as you know that's the Antichrist and you're right but here it says many will come now we know that in the end of day Satan's masterpiece the Antichrist will be unleashed in the world but listen to the words of first John I'm reading first John chapter 2 in verse 18 little children it is the last hour and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming even so now many antichrists have come by which we know it is the last hour there have been many and there will be a proliferation of false teachers Antichrist in the future Tribulation Period that will deceive people whenever God works Satan works when you turn on your light on your front porch the bugs come when God turns on his gospel light Satan lets the bugs loose they muck things up they're sent to confuse people with false ideas and false teachings so ever he goes I don't know everybody has their own way who knows what is the right way let's just embrace and accept them all many Antichrist will come many will deceive many will come in my name saying I am the Christ verse 6 you will hear of wars and rumors of wars see that you are not troubled for all these things must come to pass but the end is not yet for nation will rise against nation and Kingdom against Kingdom and there will be famines pestilences which are typically the result of wars and earthquakes in various places now we've always had war that's nothing new only 8% of world history has been historians tell us 8% has been a time of peace the rest has been times of war since man was on the earth they fought their weapons were primitive but they fought in wars whether it was the fist or the stick or the stone or the club or a spear or a javelin or a knife or bullets or bombs no matter the technology mankind has fought and there have always been wars since 3600 BC it's estimated that about 14,500 Wars have occurred upon the earth in which 3.6 billion people have been killed here's something sobering if you were to tally up the property damage of all of those wars that I just mentioned the property damage due to all of the wars of history would pay for a belt of solid gold that would go around the entire earth that's about a hundred feet wide and 33 feet thick it is the nature of the human there have always been Wars however toward the end the wars will SQL escalate and in the final chapter of world history the Tribulation Period the wars will increase Daniel the prophet gives us some insight he says that there will come this ruler who will make a covenant a pact with Israel and break the covenant and because of that wars will increase and desolations are determined until the end now you don't have to do it but you may want to write in your notes or in the margin of your Bible or put a marker in Revelation chapter 6 where the tribulation is also foreseen by the Apostle John and in chapter 6 he sees four do you remember what they were horsemen called The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse the second horse is a Red Horse and it's a horse that brings in war and a rider sat upon that red horse says John and it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth and that men should kill one another so during that period of tribulation that Jesus is describing in this chapter that John and Daniel write about in detail wars will increase increase increase to a fever pitch until a final battle occurs the mother of all battles called the Battle of Armageddon because it takes place in the valley of odd Megiddo the mountains of Megiddo the valley or the plain that huge land mass in Israel that has been a historic battleground and the last battle of the world will take place there revelation says all the kings of the earth and the nations the kings of the nations gather to fight against the Lord in that battle verse 8 all these says Jesus all of these all the things he has just described the deception the war the pestilence the famine etc all these are the beginning of Sorrows the literal translation is all these are the beginning of the Sorrows of birth if you have a New International Version it says all these are the beginning of birth pains my mind goes back to May of 1986 when our son was about to be born I didn't know much about birth except from my medical background my book reading and I'd been around but when it's your son and your wife is having a baby and you're wondering is this is this it you discover that all pregnancies have certain amount of pain and certain amount of contraction but when the pain and the contractions become more frequent and more intense they're timed right you time them and then they come shorter and shorter that is the signal those birth pains those contractions the frequency and the intensity that's the sign this is it and so you get all excited when the beginning of birth pains happen and the doctor says come to the hospital the contractions have been timed I think this is it you're dilated come on in you're gonna have birth soon so the birth of the new coming kingdom age will be preceded by the pain and the sorrow and the contractions of the birth pains of the tribulation and though we've always had Wars and we've always had deception and we've always had earthquakes and we've always had pestilence and we've always had famine when those things become more frequent and more intense you know the time is very very short so you read the book of Revelation and you see the contractions you see judgments seven seal judgments seven trumpet judgments seven Bowl judgments and then after that it's that mother of all battles and Jesus comes back to the Mount of Olives and he brings in the glorious kingdom age that is predicted verse nine then they will deliver you up to tribulation mark the word they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake then many will be offended will betray one another will hate one another and then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many now I have a question for you when Jesus says in verse 9 they will deliver you up to tribulation who is the you that he's speaking about it can't be the disciples he can't refer at all to the disciples because they never were around to see the things Jesus speaks about in Matthew 24 they don't see for example enduring to the end of the age of the tribulation verse 13 the disciples that Jesus was addressing at this moment they never saw worldwide evangelization as mentioned in verse 14 the disciples that Jesus was speaking to never saw the abomination of desolation predicted in verse 15 those disciples that heard this message they never saw the stars fall out of heaven and the Sun lose its light and the heavens go dark as predicted in verse 29 so when he says you he's not speaking to those disciples he's speaking the you are referring to the end time believers who will see the events in the Tribulation Period those believers at the end time who will be around to see the events of the tribulation go whoa whoa whoa wait a minute skip I thought you taught us that there is a rapture coming before the tribulation so if believers are raptured before the tribulation how do you have believers in the tribulation answer God will save more after the tribulation begins that's how and I'll show you how that works in just a moment verse 12 god bless you and because lawlessness will abound the love of many will grow cold but he who endures to the end shall be saved now that doesn't mean that if a person endures the tribulation that he'll earn heaven that by enduring the hardship of the tribulation that he'll be saved it doesn't mean that you're saved by Jesus and Jesus alone it simply means the endurance of a person during that period is the proof of salvation in other words those who are saved will endure to the end that's the idea one it's the proof of it hewn doors to the end will be saved now let me give you a twist there's an interesting thing about any kind of tribulation any kind of suffering any kind of trials that we all experience it's interesting that your ability to endure trials tribulation pain and suffering your ability to endure them is produced by the trials you go oh I hate that you mean that I have to go through suffering and trial and hardship to learn what it's like to endure it exactly you can't just read a book and go got it wired I learned about it my quiet time I'm ready to go no you have to go through the thick of suffering and tribulation and that experience gives you the ability to handle it that's why Paul in the book of Romans says not only this but we also glory in tribulation knowing the tribulation produces patience or perseverance and perseverance produces character and character produces hope so it's the tribulation that produces the ability to endure tribulation seasons u strengthens you I've always enjoyed the story of the young minister just starting out in the ministry who went to an older minister who had preached that night and the young minister said pastor would you pray for me I'm an impatient young man would you pray that God would give me patience the older gentleman smiled and paused he said sure if that's what you'd like bouta said and he said father in heaven I pray that you would send this young man hardship tribulation suffering and pain in Jesus name and the young man said whoa whoa whoa whoa wait wait wait I didn't ask for that I asked that you pray for patience and then he quoted Romans chapter five tribulation worketh patience you want patient you want perseverance you go through suffering Jesus predicted it you know maybe we should be praying for stronger backs rather than for lighter loads how about it oh Lord I hate this just take it away make my waist smooth but if your way was always smooth you'd be the most worthless flabby have no root at all kind of a believer there was it's when you go through it and you stick with it because sometimes the only way out is true even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death said David if we don't pray for that we don't say Lord take me through he said Lord airlift me from Mountain to mountain top experience I don't want to go through the valley but the only way out is through go through verse 14 and this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations and then the end will come that verse has been butchered by more mission organizations than probably any other verse I have ever heard I've heard preachers say we need to hasten the day of the Lord we need to get Jesus to come back and we can bring Jesus Christ back I've heard this preached by going out and preaching the gospel in all the world because say some of these preachers Jesus can't return until we the church get the gospel into all the world as if somehow we by our own power can schedule the coming of the Lord I have news for you God is sovereign he's going to come back at his appointed time not because you assured in his kingdom it has nothing to do with God can't come back until you go out and preach it to every person this is what it means what this first means in its context is that despite the deception despite the war despite the persecution despite the disease all the things Jesus has been talking about that God will have his witness in the world until the very end he's always going to have his witness and it's even going to be in the very worst time of history the tribulation will be the greatest mess the world has ever seen and in the greatest mess the greatest message will still be preached you know how it'll be preached that answers a question I brought up a moment ago if believers are going to be raptured before the tribulation how is God going to save people how are there going to be believers in the tribulation because he's going to save more of them so let's say the rapture happens today and then the 7-year tribulation is in front of us and there's no believers in that rest of the world what will happen number one the Bible predicts there will be two witnesses who will come during that period of time with miraculous power some think there the Old Testament prophets Moses and Elijah those two witnesses are going to have an impact on the Jewish nation so that a hundred and forty four thousand Jews get saved according to Revelation chapter seven they are sealed for God's service in the Tribulation Period now think of this a hundred and forty four thousand Jewish believers have you ever seen one Jewish believer you've ever seen somebody who was Jewish like a Joel Rosenberg get converted almost every Jewish believer I have seen there's this great power that comes in knowing here's my heritage here's my history part of it is fulfilled in my salvation I believe in Yeshua Christ as my Messiah I mean you think of the 12 disciples those were Jewish believers they turned the world upside down imagine a hundred and forty-four thousand of them so two witnesses will prompt a 144,000 Jews to be saved during the Tribulation Period 144,000 Jews will prompt an innumerable multitude of Gentiles to also be saved those are the souls under the altar in the book of Revelation but here's the clincher and here is I believe the fulfillment of the verse that you just read in the Tribulation Period God is gonna send an angel throughout the earth in the skies in the heavens to give one last final call you ever heard somebody say well you know like if an angel flew through heaven then I believe and like told it to me God will send that angel to every tribe every tongue every single human on the earth we'll see in here the final everlasting gospel preached through that angel listen to what it says in Revelation chapter 14 verse 6 speaking then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth to every nation every tribe every tongue and every people we have a question that came in from Virginia Shaukat in Virginia she has visited us before let's put it up on the screen then we'll get back into this she asked will there be a forerunner to the Antichrist and Satan usually mimics God it's a great question the book of Revelation tells us that there will be a false prophet who will be like the John the Baptist pointing to the Antichrist saying that the world should worship Him there will also be an image that this forerunner will point to to worship as God that embodies the power of the Antichrist so just as there is a biblical Trinity Father Son and Holy Spirit there's going to be a satanic trinity in the tribulation period that time of deception Satan the Antichrist and the false prophet the false prophet will act as the forerunner and will deceive people and tell people to worship that Antichrist so back to our text Jesus said and the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations and then the end will come there will be a final dramatic evangelization for every person on earth nobody has an excuse then the end will come then Jesus will return then all the saints all the wars will cease then the Saints will return with him and God will rule over his creation therefore verse 15 when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the Holy Place that is up the temple whoever reads let him understand then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes but woe to those who are pregnant and those who are nursing babies in those days and pray that your flight may not be in the winter or on the Sabbath okay now you still with me verse 15 when you see the abomination of desolation as spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the Holy Place three times in the Book of Daniel is mentioned this phrase the abomination of desolation now he describes what that means Daniel describes it as the taking away of the daily sacrifice in the Jewish temple and replacing that sacrifice with an abomination some image of false worship now let me take you back in history you've all heard of Alexander the Great do you know that Alexander had a dream his dream was to spread Greek culture and language throughout the entire world and he really almost was successful he basically conquered the known world during his lifetime he died however at a young age in Babylon he was drunk that night he was crying out that he had conquered the world and there was nothing left for him to conquer and he died before he died a question was posed to Alexander the Great on his deathbed to whom shall your kingdom go his answer give it to the strong so the kingdom of Alexander the Great was divided between four of his generals Cassander Lusa mcus Ptolemy seleucus still with me Cassandra took Macedonia and Greece Lusa Micah's took Thrace and Asia Minor Ptolemy took Egypt Seleucus took the Asian provinces including Syria let's focus on that last one Seleucus from Seleucus the fourth general of Alexander came a kingdom called the Seleucid Empire if you remember your history if you took that viii king of the Seleucid dynasty the syrian dynasty was a guy called Antiochus the fourth Antiochus the fourth gave a name to himself Antiochus Epiphanes the illustrious one or God made manifest he believed that he was the embodiment of Zeus and he demanded to be worshipped in 168 BC Antiochus the fourth Antiochus Epiphanes surrounded Jerusalem and attacked it killing eighty thousand Jews selling forty thousand Jews as slaves he went to the temple he tore down the altar of sacrifice he proclaimed this temple is a temple to Zeus he put an image of Zeus in the temple and demanded it be worshipped he took away the daily sacrifices he took a pig a swine the unclean meat of the the Jews wouldn't you know you know what what that is to them unclean he killed a swine a pig in the temple and spread its juices all over the temple when that happened the Jews knew that that is what Daniel predicted or at least in part that was the abomination that causes the temple to be desolate desolation the sacrifices had been replaced with an abomination they call that the abomination of desolation okay stop there that's been fulfilled but Jesus after it was fulfilled long after it was fulfilled says when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet so from Jesus perspective though it had been fulfilled in part historically there was a greater fulfillment in the future it was yet future when you see future tense the abomination of desolation now I have a question for you has there ever been since Jesus predicted an abomination of desolation no there hasn't yes the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and destroyed the temple but they did not put an idol in it and demand before they destroyed it that the people worship it but Jesus predicts that there will stand in the future a temple and the last world ruler according to Daniel will reenact in those temple courts what Antiochus Epiphanes or Antiochus the fourth the eighth Seleucid king of that dynasty did to the Jews in times past how do I know it's yet future because listen to what Paul writes in 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 4 concerning the Antichrist the man of sin who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he sits as God in the temple of God showing himself that He is God so in the future expect at some point a temple to be built in Jerusalem so that the Antichrist the man of sin in the future in the tribulation will perform on a greater level a worldwide level what Antiochus Epiphanes did in 168 BC now here's what's interesting there hasn't been a temple since the Muslims or since it was destroyed by the Romans the Muslims have a golden domed shrine of the book on top but there's an interesting group of people that are called the temple Institute in Jerusalem and if you were there with us on our tours we've taken you there the temple Institute believed in the god-given right of the Jews to build a temple there just waiting for the right time they are already have priests that have been trained for the priesthood they have the vestments of the priesthood they have many of the implements ready to put in the temple made to spec they already have a Sanhedrin in place a Jewish governing body and they're waiting for the right time for the temple in the future to be built not knowing that they'll be fulfilling the scripture of Daniel and Jesus and Paul that it will be the Antichrist temple that he will make desolate but it's all coming you can see it happening before your very eyes then Jesus says verse 16 and let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house but him who's in the field not go back to get his clothes but woe unto those who are pregnant those who are nursing babies in those days pray that your flight may not be in the winter or on sabbath transportation virtually shuts down even today in israel on the sabbath it's not a good day to get around you notice that the language here is localized it is geo-specific it's speaking about Israel about Judea and about the Sabbath in other words the catastrophes that are coming to the world will send her in the Middle East and specifically Jerusalem even though the Antichrist will affect the world Ground Zero will be the temple the Temple Mount the city of Jerusalem the area of Judea the nation of Israel that is going to be ground zero that is why Jeremiah the Prophet when he looks to the future he writes also about the tribulation he says alas for the day is great there is none like it it is a time of Jacob's trouble another name for Israel Jacob's trouble now let me throw in something else because I want to tie loose ends together according to Zechariah Jesus says you know flee get out of town don't even look back get out of town according to Zechariah those that flee not everyone will succeed Zechariah says two-thirds of those who try to flee will be killed and only one-third will be left but John says of those who are left they will be protected by God in a special place east of Israel for three and a half years supernaturally sealed and protected by God revelation 12 verse 6 John sees a woman identified as the nation of Israel who fled into the wilderness where God has prepared a place for her to be cared for for 1260 days or three and a half years okay now let's move on I only have a few moments left for then there will be Great Tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time no nor ever shall be okay stop compare what you just read with verse 9 verse 9 they will deliver you up to tribulation you will be killed compare that to this verse then there will be great tribulation because of these two verses scholars will often differentiate between the tribulation generally they usually call that the seven years some get specific and say that's the first three and a half of the seven years and the second half the last three and a half years is the Great Tribulation it's demarcated by the abomination of desolation so you have three and a half years of turmoil but relative peace in comparison to the last then in the middle of it you have the abomination of desolation the Antichrist sets up the image demands to be worshipped breaks the treaty with the Jews people flee from Jerusalem wars break out and the Great Tribulation begins what is the Great Tribulation it's a confluence of God's stored up wrath on the earth poured out by seals trumpets and bold judgments it is the rebellious nature of man and is the hatred of Satan all wrapped up in one short period of human history it is a time when God will supernaturally but directly and definitely intervene in human affairs and at the end of that that will be the end of all judgment there will never be any more judgment Jesus will come back and usher in the kingdom age so then there will be Great Tribulation as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time nor no nor ever shall be Daniel says there will be a time of trouble such as never was since the beginning of Nations look at verse 22 and unless those days were shortened there would no flesh be saved but for the elects sake those days will be shortened what does that mean there's only 1260 days and it's over no more pain no more sorrow no more death no more judgement it's over all the wrath of God will be summarized and finalized in three and a half years with the final Bowl judgments being poured out the Battle of Armageddon ensues and then Jesus comes so there's a storm coming but there's a light at the end of that tunnel there's a silver lining and those dark clouds that are coming that's quite a statement isn't it the worst time in human history think back to some of the bad times in history Dark Ages medieval times no progress World War One World War two the Holocaust those were all child's play in comparison to what is coming and there would no flesh be saved unless those days were shortened if you read the book of true revelation and you realize the enormous amount of people on the earth that will be completely obliterated you understand the meaning of this then if anyone says to you look here is the Christ or there do not believe it for false Christ's and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive if possible even the elect you can check out revelation 6 the writer on the white horse who pretends to be Christ but is not see I told you beforehand therefore if they say to you look he's in the desert don't go out or look he's in the inner rooms don't believe it for as lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west so also will the coming of the Son of Man be in Revelation 1 John the Apostle sees Jesus Christ as sort of the prologue of the book it's really good to have Jesus show up at the beginning before he talks about all the bad stuff and then Jesus shows up at the end but he sees the glorified Christ in this vision and he says he is coming and behold every eye shall see him his lightning comes from the east to the west Jesus will be seen at his second coming no that's that's different from the rapture at the rapture nobody's gonna see the Lord except believers because he's not coming to the earth he's coming toward the earth in the air we meet the Lord in the air we go up to meet him but at his second coming he comes to the earth sets his foot on the Mount of Olives ekor ayah says the Mount of Olives will split in two and we'll be with him I always like to think about that as I fly over Israel and I look down if I can on the Mount of Olives that's the view we're gonna get for wherever the carcass is there the Eagles will be gathered together whenever there's a decaying corpse a corrupting carcass the birds of the air swarm around it there will be the corruption on the earth because of the wrath of God the hatred of Satan the rebellion of man and God's judgment represented here by the Eagles circulating around there verse 29 immediately after the tribulation of those days the Sun will be darkened the moon will not give its light the Stars will fall from heaven the powers of the heavens will be shaken we're talking about the end of the very end before the kingdom age the Millennium then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven that's revelation 19 and all the tribes of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory it will be the ultimate oops the ultimate oh the ultimate oh man the second coming of Jesus Christ will be a shock to the unbelieving world you know why because he's when he comes back the second time he's not gentle Jesus meek and mild he's giant Jesus mighty and riled he comes in judgment and with a sword to execute vengeance and judgment on a world that rejected him after numerous years of preaching and mercy and grace and their refusal to repent even an angel proclaiming God's gospel and so he will bring the end and he will come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory and there's more but it's going to have to wait until next time father we anticipate we look forward to your coming and even before the coming of Christ to the earth we look forward as your church to your coming for the church where we meet the Lord in the air and so we will ever be with him and the words of Paul ring true today when he said after that wherefore comfort one another with these words the comfort for us is that your implant your plan includes us and we look forward the Blessed hope of the coming of our glorious God and Savior Jesus Christ for us it doesn't mean that we're gonna go through life unscathed jesus said in this world you will have tribulation but we know there's a difference between the tribulation of the world and the tribulation that comes from heaven from you in terms of judgment give us grace Lord to face the suffering to have the patience in the perseverance sometimes Lord we feel the trials are too much but we know that you won't give us more than we can bear you will give us a way of escape and sometimes the way out is through give us strong backs we pray not for a lighter load as much as the strength to endure give us a steady hand as we hold a full cup of trial and suffering I know many in this Fellowship are hurting struggling dealing with deep issues you know all about them bring your comfort bring your hope and finally Lord we would pray for those who maybe have said no to you for a long time they've heard the message they know about Jesus they've been to church services they've seen altar calls but they themselves haven't yielded or surrendered their life to Christ I believe there's some who are here tonight [Music] to them it's all been about will I have a Bible and I go to church and I'm a pretty good person but they haven't surrendered their life to you yet [Music] Lord when we hear from Joel things that are going on in this world and when we reach your word about what Jesus said and Zechariah said and Daniel said and John said Jesus said that there is coming a time of unparalleled suffering and judgement before the final end of the world we see what's happening is predicted by the prophets I pray that you would wake some up wake us up to be right with you to walk in holiness in righteousness with you to come to the cross and be forgiven by you do not play Church any longer to not hide in the shadows any longer but to give their lives to Christ and we pray that you would do that right here right now as your head is bowed and your eyes are closed as we're clothings closing the service if you're here but you have never really personally surrendered your life to Christ or maybe you had some religious experience but you're not walking with him you're not in walking in obedience to him and you want to turn from that get right with God have your sins forgiven and have your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life and be ready for him to come I want you to raise your hand up just raise it up so I can see it I'd love to pray for you I need to know who I'm praying for I'll bless you right toward the middle anyone else raise it up [Music] yes to my left I see your hand raise your hand up anybody else right there toward the front in the middle anyone else hand up in the balcony thank you for waving your hands around I see your hand again to my left anybody else in anybody in the family room [Music] Father we pray for those who have that raised hand a moment ago and we pray that you change their heart change their life forever Jesus name Amen would you stand to your feet please we're gonna do this quickly as we sing this final song I'm going to ask you to get up from where you're seated in the balcony in the middle in the front find the nearest aisle and stand right up here I don't want to be be be labor this or make it long as we're seeing in this final song you get up and stand right up here I'm going to lead you in a prayer to receive price if you raise your hand or you almost did or you didn't quite have the time or I didn't see you get up and come right now Jesus called people publicly I'm calling you out right here right now publicly get up and come as we sing we all do this come on up right up in the pub oh all the wait for you come down from the balcony [Music] come out from the middle of the road to the south Ricca stand for Christ tonight and song make a clean break while still [Music] see anyone else come quickly don't wait any longer she has called you for a long time I want to give you everlasting life Jesus [Music] those of you who have come forward I'm gonna pray with you right now I want you to say this out loud after me say these words from your heart say these words to God let's do business lord I give you my life I know I'm a sinner please forgive me I believe in Jesus that he died on the cross and that he rose from the dead and that he did it for me I turn from my sin I turn to you as my savior fill me with your holy spirit give me power to live for you in Jesus name Amen [Music] [Applause] you

Channel: Calvary Church with Skip Heitzig

Views: 16,690

Rating: 4.6363635 out of 5

Keywords: Calvary, Albuquerque, Skip, Heitzig, Sermon, Matthew, Calvary Church, Olivet discourse, second coming, rapture, judgment, abomination of desolation, end times, Mount of Olives, False christ, Tribulation, Middle East, Jerusalem, Antiochus, Alexander the Great, Evangelism, Beginning of Sorrows, Seven trumpets, Seven seals, Seven bowls, Wars, Antichrist, Eschatology, Temple, Israel

Id: x3MnChRLKh0

Length: 63min 48sec (3828 seconds)

Published: Wed Jul 11 2018