The Great Tribulation-When, Where, & Why

hey everybody I'm pastor Jeff Durbin with apologia Church I want to thank you all so much for watching the content right here on apologia Studios channel well you're about to watch is a sermon a message from apologia church's worship service and again I want to thank you all so much for watching for liking for commenting for sharing the sermon itself we truly believe that it's important for the Christian Church to have an engagement in the public square with the Word of God so we thank you so much for partnering with us to send this out across the world I just wanted to say something before you actually watch this and that is that I'm not your pastor though I'd love to be I am NOT your pastor and it's very important as you're watching this you know that it's God's design for individual Christians to be part of a local Christian Church under the care of qualified faithful biblical elders and so as much as we love all of you watching these sermons and we're thankful to God that God uses them to bless you to encourage you I do want to encourage you as a minister of the gospel to get plugged into a local body of believers particularly I think important a reformed church would be it would be best but we want to encourage you to get plugged into a solid biblical church where you can fellowship where you can worship where you can serve where you can be connected that is vitally important and actually a biblical command and so as much as again as we love for your participation your partnership and we are so thankful to God that he's using these in your lives we want to encourage you to get plugged into a local church you can though actually partner with apologia church as we proclaim the gospel and provide a defense of the biblical gospel all around the world you can do that by going to apologia studios.com you can partner with us by becoming all access when you do you help to make all of this possible and you get all of our TV shows our after shows and apologia academy all of that and you're a part of all that God is doing with us in the world to proclaim Herald the gospel of the kingdom you can partner with us and I want to say one last word about that do make sure that none of your giving and partnership towards apology a chirp Church interferes with your giving your worship your tithes your offerings to a local body of believers in your area so thank you again so much for watching these and sharing them god bless you all right open your Bibles if you would the Word of God Matthew chapter 23 we're going to go through Matthew 23 and 24 today a bit reading through and then starting to unpack I have been seeking the Lord praying meditating upon this passage and how to communicate through this passage in a way that would bless you that would encourage you inspire you equip you and I think the best way to do it is to go simply verse by verse there be times we spend more time focusing on a particular word and times we might jump forward and backward a bit so I want to encourage everybody here to spend time on your own on your own reading through of course where we've been here in Matthew particularly Matthew 23 24 but then also go and check out the other synoptic gospel synoptic means what seeing together right which of the Synoptics Matthew Mark and Luke you can see them together run them along side by side at times Luke will give more details than Matthew or Matthew more than Luke at times Luke may give a more easily understandable wording than Matthew does good example of this just quickly so you can understand how important is to read them together in Matthew 24 there's a moment where the Lord Jesus says when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel standing in the Holy Place let the reader understand then let those who were in Judea flee to the mountains now if you're new to Christ and you hear about the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel you're like you know what what what and what desolation and who's Daniel what exactly is that but then you run over to the other synoptic Luke chapter 21 same exact section and Luke's gives a very easy to understand wording he says so when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies flee you go ah got it okay and that's how the early Christians understood it so encourage you on your own as we're going through these tax very important section of Scripture read Matthew 24 alongside Mark 13 alongside Luke 21 those are the synoptic Gospels this section here the Olivet discourse Jesus spoke on the Mount Olivet to the east of Jerusalem and so make sure you're doing that as we work through here and let me tell you what I hope happens after this I do not hope to become to have a church where we are just obsessed about eschatology you can become very lopsided in studies like this and you can see that it becomes sort of an obsession for people eschatology you can see in many do in many ways becomes an obsession you see that in things like Harold Camping October 21st May 21st 2011 you see it in the cults that spring up all the rest the goal here is not to become obsessed about eschatology the goal here is to honor God and to properly interpret Scripture what's leads to I believe in a passage like this vindicating Christ Jesus as who we claim to be Jesus is the Messiah what he said here in this passage happened it came on time it came as planned this section of Scripture is part of a symphony that God is pulling together as the master storyteller and this section of Scripture ought to actually be used by Christians as it was say by Eusebius early on in the history of the church as vindication that Jesus actually kept his word this was a prophecy that was fulfilled in the generation Jesus promised it to and so my goal as a minister of the gospel as your pastor is to equip you so just a quick couple words here as we go into this text some of what we do here through Matthew 24 is gonna be tedious but it's not my job as a minister as a pastor to entertain you it's my job to teach you and so some of what we do here will be tedious but I want to encourage you to hang on in the moments where it's tedious and we're going through a lot of Scripture because I assure you holding all this together biblically is massively rewarding it is massively rewarding so is everybody ready yes Matthew chapter 23 we're gonna start actually in verse 34 Matthew 23 verse 34 I'm actually today going to read through the whole discourse so that we have context so that we start becoming familiar with it here now the words of the living and the true God therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes some of whom you will kill and crucify and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth from the blood of righteous abel to the blood of zechariah the son of berechiah whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar truly I say to you all these things will come upon this generation o Jerusalem Jerusalem the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it how often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings and you were not willing see your house is left to you desolate for I tell you you will not see me again until you say blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord Jesus left the temple and was going away when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple but he answered them you see all these things do you not truly I say to you there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down as he sat on the Mount of Olives the disciples came to him privately saying tell us when will these things be and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age and jesus answered them see that no one leads you astray for many will come in my name saying I am the Christ and they will lead many astray and you will hear of wars and rumors of wars see that you are not alarmed for this must take place but the end is not yet for nation will rise against nation and Kingdom against Kingdom and there will be famines in earthquakes in various places all these are but the beginning of the birth pains then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death and you'll be hated by all nations for my name's sake and then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another and many false prophets will arise and lead many astray because lawlessness will be increased the love of many will grow cold but the one who endures to the end will be saved and the gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed through all the world as a testimony to all nations and the end will come but then the end will come so when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel standing in the Holy Place let the reader understand then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak and alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days pray that your flight may not be in winter or on Sabbath for then there will be Great Tribulation such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now know and never will be and if those days had not been cut short no human being would be slayed saved but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short then if anyone says to you look here's the Christ or there he is do not believe it for false Christ's and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders so as to lead astray if possible even the elect see I told you beforehand so if they say to you look he's in the wilderness do not go out if they say look he's in the inner rooms do not believe it for as a lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west so will be the coming of the Son of Man wherever the corpse is there the vultures will gather immediately after the tribulation of those days the Sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light and the stars will fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens will be shaken then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man then all the tribes of the earth will mourn and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory and he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call and they will gather his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other from the fig tree learn its lesson as soon as this branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves you know that the summer is near so also when you see all these things you know that he is near at the very gates truly I say to you this generation will not pass away until all these things take place heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away but concerning that day an hour no one knows not even the angels of heaven or the son but the father only for as were the days of Noah so be the coming of the son of man for as in the day of those days before the flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage until the day when Noah entered the Ark and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away so will be the coming of the son of man then two men will be in the field one will be taken one left two men will be grinding at the mill two women will be grinding at the mill one will be taken in one left therefore stay awake for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming but know this that if the master of the house had known and what part of the night the thief was coming he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into therefore you also must be ready for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect as far as the reading of God's holy word let's pray Lord we come before your word humble you are amazing God the fact that you have preserved this word for us through history Lord is to your glory and your fame and we thank you Lord that we have the gift right now to hold your word right now in our hands and to examine it and to be taught by you and that's what we ask God we ask that you would teach us we pray God that you would teach us Lord allow us to cast aside traditions that are not consist with this word and I pray God that you would allow us as a church Lord to hold fast to your word to what your testimony is we pray God as a church that you would guard us from error I pray that you guard me as a pastor of your people from error that you would teach gone through your word by your spirits bless us as we examine your word in Jesus name Amen all right so as we come into this text a couple of things to start with as we're going to unpack verse by verse I want you to consider that scripture has a master storyteller behind it this is not just a hodgepodge of different books and letters and writings written over hundreds and hundreds of years by different authors and different geographic logical locations this is one God one story the master storyteller what a scriptures saying all scripture is they are new stas let's say it together they on estas it is breathed out by God this is the word of the Living God we're holding in our hands right now it's the standard by which Jesus held people to in his life in his earthly ministry when controversy erupted he would point him back to scripture if he wasn't speaking on his own authority he tested it by the words of God the Apostles hold to that standard they say in their writings things like what does the scripture say and then they quote the scriptures to say what is the truth it's not my opinion it's not what feels right to me it's not what works for me it's not my tradition it's the Word of the Living God and when you consider that that God's the master storyteller this is his word we're considering the fact that this amazing revelation was written over a hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years by so many different authors in different places separated by one another in time and space and yet one unified consistent theme and messy it's the one gone it's the God who does not contradict himself and so when we consider that we need to come to tax like this considering of course what are the words being used what's the immediate context but at the same time we need to ask the question how does this hold together with the symphony of Scripture what the master storyteller is telling us all along now why is it important here's why it's critical please hear me on this because you'll get what I'm saying when you get this vital point oftentimes cults have been born out of a text like this because people open their Bibles unfamiliar with what the master storyteller has told us all along not understanding particularly elements that God has been holding together the whole time to land us in a space like this and they'll open it up and they'll begin to proof text oh look stars are gonna fall from the heavens the Sun the moon were losing light now not understanding where texts like that are being quoted from and what it was in reference to before and people use texts like Matthew 24 mark 13 Luke 21 the Olivet discourse they use it for book deals they use it for blood moons they use it to sell survival buckets right it's a very profitable industry why because we don't know our Bibles and we don't care about context we come to a text like this we see this generation will not pass away and there are people who have actually used that about our generation 2019 this applies to me Jesus is talking to me and the answer is no he wasn't he was talking to them these were questions they asked about what he was saying in reference to his judgment upon the covenant breakers what he promised about all the blood of the righteous being upon that generation and the temples destruction and what we often do is we go into the Bible and we open up passages example I worked at a hospital for four years full-time drug and alcohol hospital and there were times where I had to really work hard on my sanctification I always do we always do of course but I'd really work hard on my sanctification in the hospital where I would hear people at times quoting verses to people who were struggling with drug addiction that did not actually apply to them right like someone comes in I just don't know I'm struggling I just say you know I don't know I don't really want to give up the heroin I don't want to give up the cocaine and somebody would say Jeremiah says God says I know the plans that I have for you plans to give you hope in a future and I'm like ooh that may not actually be for them there's a particular there's a particular context to pass such as we need to know is this a universal promise is this a particular promise right we need to ask the question what is the context of this verse whose of being given to and how should we apply it today the context is important the importance of this section this section as we've mentioned before has given rise to so many cults even in the modern day I mentioned last week the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints the Church of Jesus Christ of last days Saints this was used early on in Mormon history you can read it in the writings of the early Mormon prophets and apostles this particular section of Scripture was used to terrify the early Latter day Saints to actually get them to believe that within that generation Jesus was going to return and destroy all the wicked with his coming this was used in the 19th century it was used of course by Charles taze Russell judge Rutherford it was used by David Koresh who was used by Harold Camping have literally been born out of this text atheists use this text as argument against the validity the divine nature of the Scriptures they say well if Christians are saying that this particular text is future to us well that makes Jesus a false prophet just like Harold Camping because he promised it to that generation and if you're saying as Christians today it didn't all occur that means Jesus is a false prophet he gave false prophecy so this is a very important section of Scripture it's not just important in terms of defending the faith it's important for us as Christians in terms of properly handling the Word of God and holding together God's master story telling it's his story I want to encourage us as believers to be willing to test our traditions are we willing to do that we say that often as Christians only we say the laws we should test our traditions we should hold the Word of God as supreme we hold to Sola scriptura scripture alone is this sole and fallible rule of faith and practice for the church we always say that today as Christians as those who have inherited the blessings of the Reformation and all that God has done before us in the church but we have to ask the question do we really believe it as Christians we're willing to hold to that ourselves to test our traditions by the Word of God are willing to test our traditions when I encourage us all that we willing to test our traditions now I'm going to whet your appetites for a moment we're gonna actually hang here at the beginning and unpack this verse by verse but I want to whet your appetites in terms of that challenge right there test your traditions test your traditions many of you guys know and I'll say it for anyone who's new here and those who are watching on the internet hello I was a themed about eschatology loved eschatology when I first heard the gospel the very first Bible study I ever went to in my life was in someone's home and it was Bible study actually watching a movie wasn't a Bible study was watching a movie about the Great Tribulation right and it was a horribly done Christian film what's new and it was about seven years of tribulation it was about a secret rapture and the world collapsing falling apart and it was something I was like oh I guess that's what's ahead of us that was what I understood this is what Christians believe that's what's gonna happen that's what Jesus taught and so I bit down my favorite teachers were like guys like Tim LaHaye pal Lindsey forgive me please these were the guys that I read all the time all the time okay I loved eschatology Left Behind was my favorite book series again please forgive me I remember at times when I was newly Wed candy was inside the apartment with sage and I went out to the pool and I was reading the Left Behind series and I was so excited about the secret rapture in any moment being taken out of here that I was I remember distinctly I was by the pool actually not far from here where we're at now worshiping in Mesa I was by the pool I remember that it was the middle of summer I was so excited I closed the book and I sat there for a few minutes just stopping just wishing myself into rapture just I couldn't like any moment it's gonna happen any moment I just can't wait to get out of here I remember and Noble's every week as often as they could actually to go and check out the Jerusalem Post to find out all the new happenings in Jerusalem to see you know guys that got the red heifer do you know they got the red heifer you know got the foundation stone any moment we're getting out of here we couldn't have just but a few more years I was in Bible College and I remember a Bible College having debates with guys in Bible College about how much longer we had to go 1996 or 97 I remember sitting at lunch many times with guys we were debating how much longer do you think maybe a year maybe two years and were guys that were suggesting maybe 10 years or longer we left them to scorn in 97 that's who I was that's what I actually believed I remember this passage thinking about and dwelling on it many time's thinking about what Jesus is saying here talks about the Noah and the flood he says two men will be in the field one will be taken one one will want to be left grinding at the mill want to be taken one is left and how was that portrayed even fairly recently with the release of the Left Behind film with Nicolas Cage I remember seeing on social media a couple of years ago the memes coming across shared tens of thousands of times the memes of left behind and it was a man in a field looking up to the sky and this was quoted underneath it and what was it referencing the secret rapture how were modern evangelicals interpreting that meme with this text secret rapture right some of us are going to be escaping out of here will be secretly taking taken away leaving behind our shoes and our pants right cars crashing planes crashing and who's left behind and the Left Behind series and in the meme who's left behind the unbelievers who's taken away the believers that's how we interpret this through our tradition how many times do modern evangelicals read this text and they have exactly that interpretation because of watch not the text tradition behind it tradition that cause as you watch to actually have the text right in front of you and to literally read the text backwards because of a tradition that you're holding on to and you are bringing to the text let's do it together for a moment again this is to whet your appetite for the series and to challenge you to be willing to challenge and look at your traditions this text Matthew 24 verse 36 let's look at it together open your Bibles let's do it but concerning that day an hour no one knows not even the angels of heaven nor the son but the father only for as were the days of Noah stop let's think biblically now let's put on our biblical lens let's hold fast to Scripture as the standard for as in the days of Noah what does Jesus want us to do now to think about Noah the story of Noah that's the foundation right now of what he says here he had just said before this truly I say to you this generation will not pass away until all these things take place and now he says Noah as were the days of Noah so will be the coming of the son of man so think about Noah preacher of righteousness Noah calling people right to God the flood is coming he's building this Ark right there mocking Noah who's around that Ark mocking unbelievers the wicked they're gonna be taken away who went into the ark brothers and sisters Noah and his family who was outside of the ark in the story of Noah the unbelievers the wicked so now we have Jesus giving us Noah as the basis think about Noah as in the days of Noah so will be the coming of the son of man as for as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage into the until the day when Noah entered the Ark and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away question Noah going into the ark eating and drinking giving in marriage Noah enters the ark the flood sweeps who all away in the story of Noah the unbelievers who were swept away in judgments in the story of Noah the unbelievers now of course we know in scripture that that is actually a symbol a type a foreshadowing of Jesus he's the Ark we enter into Jesus right and we escape that judgment that flood we're in Christ he's the one that we have safety in and peace and rescue but in this section here Jesus says as in the days of Noah and then this the flood sweeps them all away so now our mind was supposed to be in that story and so will be the coming of the Son of Man two men will be in the field one will be taken and one left question think about Noah's story and the story of Noah who was left Noah and his family who was taken away in the story of Noah the unbelievers it was the wicked who were taken away it was the believers who were left it was Noah and his family that were spared and left so in the story Jesus tells us about his coming in judgment upon that generation he says it would be like the days of Noah eating and drinking given in marriage and they ends it until the end of the ark and then the flood sweeps them all away - we'll be in the field one will be taken one will be left - at the mill one will be taken what will be left brothers and sisters Noah's story is the anchor who's left and Noah's story God's people who's judged and swept away taken away the unbelieving the wicked so again check your tradition have we read this passage have we been asked to read this passage as Christians who will be in the field one will be taken one will be left how are being asked to see it the Christians are taken away the unbelievers are left but brothers and sisters check your traditions that's literally flipped the story is flipped this is a promise of judgment upon that generation Jesus is going to judge the covenant breakers God's people the meek shall inherit the earth God's people will be spared and protected Jesus even gives warning to his followers here when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies flee he's telling them how to escape because the judgment is gonna fall as promised upon first century Jerusalem God is promising judgment and brothers and sisters it happens do you see how important it is to check your traditions think about how many guys listen to DC talk in the 90s what what right right you know it right I remember I was in a I was Jesus Freak that's right I remember distinctly being in Buenos Aires doing mortal combat the live tour I remember I was with a bunch of you know actors and it was not a good place for a Christian to be for a long period of time trust me I quit but I remember being in my hotel room while everybody was saying come on man let's go party let's go party house in my hotel was like no no no and I had DC talk on just like trying to get my headspace just right and I remember at times listening to the song right I wish we'd all been what come on now don't be afraid I wish you'd all been ready two men walking up a hill one disappears and some of you were so you earlier right there and ones left standing still I wish we'd all been ready even in that Christian pop culture song the DC Talk song that is being sung from Matthew 24 and it creates a tradition within us as Christians where we literally go to the text of the Word of God and we read it backwards when in the text it's the righteous who are spared the wicked who are swept away what does Jesus say the meek shall inherit the earth not the wicked that's God's pattern okay so there's the challenge there's the wedding of your appetites let's go to the text quickly Matthew chapter 23 Matthew 23 I want you to consider as you're looking at Matthew 23 we've been through a lot of text to get us to this place we've talked about Isaiah 65 the promise that God's going to judge the covenant breakers and give us people a new name we've talked about Malachi three and four that promises the Messiah is gonna come after the forerunner to his own temple the Lord Himself is gonna come to his temple he is gonna bring purification salvation and judgments that's what God promised in the Old Testaments we've talked about salvation and judgment at the coming of the Messiah we've talked about matthew bringing us to a climax in matthew 23 the warnings the constant warnings of judgment upon that generation jesus entering jerusalem jesus cleansing the temple jesus confronting the first century religious leaders promising upon them judgments now we're in Matthew 23 and let's look at verse 33 through 35 Jesus says you serpents you brood of vipers how are you to escape being sentenced to hell therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes some of whom you will kill and crucify and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth from the blood of righteous abel to the blood of zechariah and by the way some manuscripts actually don't have this the son of berechiah whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar here it is truly I say to you all these things will come upon this generation brothers and sisters who's he talking to us people in our day Jesus is talking to people and his day religious leaders who are persecuting him trying to trap him Jesus is already in the preceding chapters confronted them he's confronted their unfaithfulness he's talked about the fig tree no fruits ever gonna come from you again he's talked about praying that that mountain is cast into the sea that's an imprecatory prayer he's already cleansed the temple and now we're here and he's confronting them for their covenant unfaithfulness for their swearing falsely all the things even God talks about a Malachi chapters three and four the Messiah was gonna come to judge them for and now he's there bringing it to them and he says all the blood is gonna be upon this generation from Abel and then he brings it all the way to Zechariah he says all the blood is gonna be required of this generation this generation which generation is he talking to brothers and sisters the generation right before him all throughout the Gospels we're going to unpack this in a second here all throughout the Gospels whenever we see this generation generation it's referring to the generation that is then speaking to all these all the Bloods going to be upon this generation now I want you to hang on to that thought for just a moment and consider this Jesus declares the woes the curse the condemnation the judgment upon that generation it says all the Bloods gonna be upon you but I want you to consider this they were so depraved so broken so at war with God so violating the covenant relationship they had with God that they asked for it themselves you know this section you don't need to go there I'll just give you the reference in Matthew chapter 27 verses 24 through 25 you know the section right we're at the crucifixion the sorry the the that the court scene of Jesus the bringing false witnesses before Jesus they've abused him they broken him he's about to go and die on a cross for his people's sins he's not opening his mouth of a filming of these prophecies not trying to defend himself he is just being led away to judgment as was prophesied and the amazing thing is pilots wife she's freaking out I've had a dream about this don't get involved with this don't get involved and what's amazing is that pilot finds no faults in him no it's incredible about that listen in Jesus life he stands before these religious leaders at times he stands before people who are trying to trap him and trip him up and he says which of you accuses me of sin and brothers and sisters silence you try asking that question in front of your friends and family and you watch the line form right right die dare you to try it stand up in front of your friends and family and say which of you accuses me of sin and then you watch the line my wife is the first one in line she's like I got this handle now what's amazing is that Jesus stands at the trial here's Pilate a pagan and he finds no fault in Jesus their testimonies aren't working and this is the glorious thing listen closely at the trial of Jesus we have as a matter of historic record that at a trial of Jesus he was found to be blameless righteous and so Pilate says this what shall I crucify your king and they say what we have no king but Caesar and then what happens is that Pilate as a matter of historic record goes and he washes his hands of the whole thing and he says this is yours this is not me this is yours he says I find no fault in him it's on you and watch what they say as a matter of record to God's face they say this his blood be upon us and our children that's a matter of record brothers and sisters Jesus says all the Bloods gonna be upon this generation from Abel all the way down it's on you upon this generation it's not going to pass away until all is fulfilled and then at his trial as a matter of record he says nope it's on you and they say it's on us and our children will take it and brothers and sisters within 40 years of that occurring the Jews were slaughtered in Jerusalem we're gonna get into the details and I want to warn you it's going to be graphic at times I'll do my best to protect little ears but they were slaughtered there was blood flowing through the streets cannibalism famine they were dispersed around the world in that generation the temple taken apart stone off of stone they said God will take it and God and his judgment he gave it to them on time and as plans now I'd like to unpack more from this text but today I'm gonna move on to the next part after his blood be upon us and our children considering that let's look at Matthew 23 36 this is a vital section this is probably we're going to spend the most time today so get ready for this I hope you brought your pens and paper and notes this is a crucial element or part of this text Jesus says truly I say to you all these things will come upon this generation truly I say to you all these things will come upon this generation now this is a very important section so I'm gonna spend time here and actually gonna read actually quite a bit today from dr. Gentry's book his debate book with Tommy ice thomas ice the name of the book is the great tribulation past or future I'm reading from this today because I actually want you guys to get excited about reading this book yourself to listen to some of the arguments yourselves to test them to examine them the name of the book is the Great Tribulation past or future highly encourage it I'll encourage you to look at the exegesis that's done in this book on these key passages but here's the section truly I say to you all these things will come upon this generation here is what dr. Gentry says we find the key to locate in the great tribulation in history Matthew 24:34 he said the generation will not pass away until all these things take place this statement of Christ is indisputably clear and absolutely demanding of a first-century fulfillment of the events in the preceding verses including the Great Tribulation in verse 21 the Lord here is quite insistent the declaration before us is solemn and emphatic Christ is not in the least Arella irresolute when he begins a statement with truly in the Greek its Amen Hendrickson notes concerning the Greek word Amen in every case in which this word occurs in the New Testament it introduces a statement which not only expresses a truth or fact but an important or a solemn fact one that in many cases is at variance with popular opinion or expectation or at least causes some surprise thus Christ emphatically draws the disciples attention to what he is saying so Jesus says Amen truly I say to you that's saying take it to the bank you can rest assured of this this is the truth now in addition the literal rendering of the Greek reads truly I tell you that by no means passes away generation this until all these things happen the by no means is a strong double negative by itself it carries great emphasis but here Jesus also places it first in his statements which in antiquity was a means for adding emphasis he is staking his credibility on the absolute certainty of this prophetic announcement indeed heaven and earth will pass away but my words will by no means pass away verse 35 now linguist 80 Robertson comments on this passage in the Old Testament a generation was reckoned as 40 years this is the natural way to take verse 34 as of 33 all things meaning the same in both verses remember that Israel's 40 years wandering in the wilderness was for the purpose of killing off that sinful quote generation numbers 32 13 Psalm 95 10 since Jesus is speaking sometime around AD 30 he is referring to a time about 40 years into the future that is to 80 70 when the Roman legions will destroy the Temple in Jerusalem the quote great tribulation of verse 21 then characterizes the events that must occur in quote this generation the Greek word Ganesha now I'm going to read to you here seven points quickly dr. gentry makes about taking generation as proven of that generation here it is first the first century temple is the focus of the disciples question think about that in terms of examining the passage the first century temple is the focus of the disciples question notice the introduction to the discourse and Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when his disciples came up to the point out to point out the temple buildings to him and he answered and said to them do you see all these things his discourse cannot refer to events associated with some other rebuilt temple hundreds and hundreds of years in the future Jesus is talking about that temple next second the first century temple is in fact destroyed in Jesus generation mark this down because it is very powerful this first century temple is in fact destroyed in Jesus generation within 40 years of this prophecy now I'm gonna read to you a bit here from Josephus Josephus was a Jewish historian and he was an eyewitness to the 8070 Holocaust one of the most horrible moments for the Jewish people in the history of the world now here's what he says as he watches the Romans tear apart the temple stone by stone quote now as soon as the army had no more people to slay or to plunder because there remain none to be objects of their fury for they would not have spared any had there remained any other such work to be done namely Titus gave orders that they should now demolish the entire city and temple but for all the rest of the wall it was so thoroughly laid even with the ground by those that dug it up to the foundation that there was left nothing to make those that came thither believe it had ever been inhabited this was the end which Jerusalem came to be - by the madness of those that were four innovations as City otherwise of great magnificence now one of the early church fathers or writers Eusebius also records the destruction of Jerusalem and Josephus is record of what took place he records that was the fulfillment of Jesus prophecy here in Matthew chapter 24 we're gonna get into a lot of that later but Third Point Gentry dr. Gentry makes about this generation the word Ganesha third the warning embedded in the prophecy indicates the primary focus of the events here in Matthew 24 16 we read let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains this is local let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies this is a local judgment fourth the same time designate indisputably applies to the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23 the Lord scathingly chastises the scribes and the Pharisees concluding with a phrase parallel to 24 34 truly I say to you all these things shall come upon this generation fifth the first mention of generation in Matthew uses the Greek term in the sense of a lifespan after listen the genealogy of Christ Matthew says therefore all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations and from the deportation to Babylon to the time of Christ fourteen generations the generations here are specifically associated with the lifespans of particular individuals Sixpoint almost finished generation is used elsewhere in Matthew and the other Gospels of those living in Christ's day quote then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him saying teacher we want to see a sign from you but he answered and said to them an evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign and yet no sign shall be given to it but the sign of Jonah the Prophet Matthew 12 38 here the scribes and Pharisees of the first century asked for a sign proving the identity of the Incarnate Lord he says the only sign it that generation will receive is that of the prophet Jonah 7 the phrase this generation elsewhere in Matthew points to the contemporary generation of Christ's own day Matthew 11 16 reads but to what shall I liken this generation it is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their companions the context clearly speaks about first century Israel's refusal to hear John the Baptist and Christ John and Jesus live at the same time and in the same generation so the point is in dr. Gentry's seven points there about the word Ganesha generation is that we have a context in the synoptic Gospels about generation this generation we have a context in Matthew's Gospel of how he uses the word Ganesha it is not used as race it is used to speak about a lifespan a particular point in time those people and it's generally used in Scripture to denote a 40-year generation or space of time so in terms of looking at this text unpacking it when Jesus says in verse 36 truly I say to you let's think about context who's he talking to the same people he denounced in 23 throughout the same people he promised all the blood of the righteous upon in that generation he says all these things will come upon this generation the condemnation is upon them their generation and a word study of Ganesha throughout the Synoptics will prove this very clear point Jesus used this referenced it many times and so does even John the Baptist and it is to note that particular generation of 40 year timespan is what scripture shows us throughout next verse 37 actually let's do this today let's do this now when we look here at Jesus warning that generation this is really really powerful hang with me have your pens ready to write these down this is being recorded so you can go back later I'm going to just do this in terms of the context of Scripture particularly the New Testaments Jesus points to a particular generation and a particularly ala T and a particular time period here in Matthew 23 and Matthew 24 but we need to actually examine the context of say the rest of the New Testaments do the other New Testament writers apostles teachers do they bear out this testimony of this impending judgment upon first century Jerusalem that generation is it only here in 23 and 24 or is it throughout the Gospels and the rest of their New Testaments couple of texts I'm gonna go rather quickly through here but just to show you the context you can go examine these later in their full context one the kingdom of heaven is at hand Matthew 3:2 who warned you to flee from the wrath about to come matthew 3:7 the axe is already laid at the root of the trees Matthew 3:10 his winnowing Fork is in his hand Matthew 3:12 the kingdom of heaven is at hand Matthew 4:17 the kingdom of heaven is at hand matthew 10:7 you shall not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes Matthew 10 23 the Son of Man is about to come in the glory of his father with his angels and then will recompense every man according to his deeds Matthew 16:27 there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom Matthew 16:28 mark 9:1 Luke 9:27 this generation will not pass away until all these things take place Matthew 24:34 this generation will not pass away until all these things take place mark 13:30 are the days of vengeance in order that all things which are written may be fulfilled Luke 21 22 these are the days of vengeance in order that all that was written may be fulfilled this generation when I pass away until all these things take place Luke 21 32 now this one I always wondered before what does this mean and it's terrifying if you think about when Jesus said it and who he said it to on the way to the cross Luke 23 28 through 30 Jesus says this listen on the way to the cross daughters of Jerusalem stop weeping for me but weep for yourselves and for your children for behold the days are coming when they will say blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed then they will begin to say to the mountains fall on us and to the hills cover us next John 21 22 after Jesus tells Peter about how he's gonna die Peter looks over at John says what about him remember that moments right here he tells them they're gonna take it where you don't want to go and Peter freaks out says what about him what about this guy and Jesus says if I want him to remain until I come what is that to you you follow me important moment I think and interesting in terms of timing indication next the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet soon crush Satan under your feet Romans 16:20 now these things were written for our instruction those Christians in Corinth first century now these things are written for our instruction upon whom the ends of the ages have come not only in this age but also in the one about to come Ephesians 1:21 when he said a new covenant he has made the first obsolete but whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear Hebrews 8 13 now once at the consummation of the ages once at the consummation of the ages he has manifested he has been manifested to put away sin Hebrews 9:26 the fury of fire which is about to consume the adversaries Hebrews 10 27 for yet in a very little while he who is coming will come and will not delay Hebrews 10 37 for here we do not have a lasting City but we are seeking that the one that is about to come Hebrews 13 14 James 5:8 you to be patient strengthen your hearts for the coming of the Lord is at hand we could go on and on I wanted to give you an references throughout the New Testament that show you the time indicators in terms of the expectancy of judgment imminent judgment upon that generation it is powerful and it's a powerful study let's go further here and read the next section here this is powerful I'm gonna do this quickly on this one here Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem the city that kills the prophets verse 37 and stones those who are sent to it how often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings and you were not willing quick thing to note here because is going to come up a lot later who does Jesus accuse of killing the prophets Jerusalem that's gonna be a very important theme as we move throughout Matthew 24 is Jesus denounces them for the killing of the prophets but just a quick thing because this will come up we're of course Calvinists here amen yes Hardcore pipe hitting coffee drinking dragger face across the gravel Calvinists amen yes I took that from Doug Wilson we are amen yes all right now this will come up and dr. white addresses it Pastor James addresses it in his book the Potters freedom this is part of the Armenian chestnut verses right there popular verses they will take proof text and say well if man doesn't have a free will what about this proof text or what about this proof text so I encourage you to get the Potters freedom if you don't have a copy of it we'll get you a copy of it this is address there oftentimes this is brought up about God's inability to draw people to himself very quickly in terms of tradition and proof texting brothers and sisters just read the text Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it who's he addressing in this text the Jewish leadership who's he condemning in this text the Jewish leadership that's what the conversation is with and he says in this tax Jerusalem Jerusalem the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it how often would I have gathered your children together gathered who your children but you were not willing it's the Jewish leadership that's at war gathering the children you were not willing the judgment is upon them and then Jesus says see your house is left to you desolate he promises once again to them judgment your house is left to you desolate now pause here this is huge and this is one of those amazing things in terms of God is a master storyteller there are so many things throughout the New Testament that if you have a bad view of eschatology a wrong view of Matthew 24 you won't get to cherish these delicious moments of God's master storytelling it give an example of this who's the first recorded Christian martyr Stephen everyone open your Bibles to Acts chapter 6 Acts chapter 6 Jesus says here in Matthew chapter 23 your house is left to you desolate now in terms of seeing how the early Christians heard the words of Jesus what was their message what were they saying in Jerusalem remember the context what were they saying in Jerusalem Jesus has given them this promise of Great Tribulation their house lefted them desolate all the blood upon this generation but what was the message of the early Christians what were they understanding what were they hearing from the early church in Jerusalem well we have this amazing moment is historic narrative of Stephen and his martyrdom and in Acts chapter 6 you get a little bit of a picture of what they were hearing from the early Christians from the message of Jesus in Acts chapter 6 verse 11 Acts 6 11 then they secretly instigated men who said we have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God and they serdab the people and the elders and the scribes and they came up upon him and seized him and they brought him before the council and they set up false witnesses who said this man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us so Jesus as he's departing the temple that whole scene he says all the blood upon you this generation will not pass away until all these things take place your house is left to you desolate he gives them this amazing passage in all of it discourse where he defines exactly what they're gonna experience and see what to expect and after Jesus dies rises from the dead and is ascended the charge of those in this area about Stephen is that he's saying that this Jesus of Nazareth is gonna come back and destroy this place how did the early Christians understand the Olivet discourse and what Jesus said was going to occur in that generation we can hear from the accusations being made about Stephen himself of course they were distorting but Stephen is trying to communicate there of course but the early Christians were warning those in Jerusalem that Jesus was going to return to destroy that city and that temple do you ever notice this kind of a weird moment in New Testament you know the scene of course where Ananias and Sapphira are holding back some of the money right and they're lying about what they're doing it's not so much you know not giving it's that they were lying about stuff and they died in judgment what are all the early Christians in Jerusalem doing selling their property you ever considered that for a moment you know that some people some Christians in history have started communes and little socialist communities right when they said hey look at the Christians in Jerusalem early on what was the early church doing they were all selling their property they were selling their property and just giving it all away right that's what the church should be like because you see the early church gives us an example they were all selling their property in Jerusalem they're giving it all away and you stop and think about the importance of eschatology yes why were the Christians in the first century in Jerusalem selling their property because they knew it wasn't land to be held on to because Jesus said that within that generation there was going to be judgment and blood upon them do you see how important eschatology is how important it is to understand our Bibles properly with God as the master storyteller holding the story together now last thing I'll say here and then we're gonna get more into it next week is more to whet your appetite I find this so utterly fascinating you know how oftentimes as Christians we go to the Old Testament we say look how glorious this is we have specific prophecy of Jesus that's like here's who he is here's when he's coming here's what he's gonna do and you can line it up on a map and say timeline one two three four five six and it's so specific it's his person it's his birth it's his place of entry it's details about his crucifixion it's the timing it's why he's coming who where what when why specific prophecy but then we go it gets deeper it's symbolism it's all these patterns it's things like a temple and priests who go in and offer sacrifices and they confess the name the sins of the people on animals and then they draw it away from the people and they have Passover in the blood over the doorpost in here and we have God's judgment passing over and don't break the bones of the lamb on Passover blood covers and God's judgment passes over and then they escape their slavery and bondage enter into the Promised Land of relationship with God we go hey guess what that was Jesus it's all about Jesus Jesus is the Passover lamb Jesus on Passover bones not broken blood shed his blood covers our house God's judgment passes over us and were freed from our bondage to sin and slavery to enter into that Promised Land of relationship with God Jesus is the high priest who entered into the holy place once for all and he lives forever to make intercession for us all of that stuff in the Old Testament was theater it was a dress rehearsal for the big day what's the big day Jesus is the big day Jesus is the substance of what it was all pointing to and we do that all the time and there's almost no end to that conversation but it's also right here in a moment like this you see God giving us this amazing story that he's holding together and you almost miss it if you don't understand the Old Testament and know that part of the story go to Matthew 24 we'll end here jesus promises their house left desolate and then after condemning them after the woes it says 24 verse 1 Jesus left the temple and was going away when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple but he answered them you see all these things do you not truly I say to you there will not there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down 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 quick note notice he does not say the end of the cosmos not the end of the world the end of the age what did he just say was going to happen temple destruction what's that mean Old Covenant gone away what were they anticipating Old Covenant New Covenant Jesus says now housed desolate not one stone left upon another did you notice the direction that Jesus went he departs the temple after declaring woes after condemning them and it says that he goes to the east to the Mount of what's now if we know our Bibles in Ezekiel chapter 11 there is a scene of judgments and in Ezekiel and the Old Testament Ezekiel has this vision the scene about Yahweh departing the temple before the judgments and listen to what he says here in Ezekiel in verse 5 chapter 11 and the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me and said and he said to me say thus says - thus says the Lord so you think o Israel for I know the things that come into your minds you have multiplied your slain in the city you have filled its streets with the slain therefore says thus says the Lord God your slain whom you have laid in the midst of it they are the meat and this city is the caldron but you shall be brought out of the midst of it you have feared the sword and I will bring the sword upon you declares the Lord God and I will bring you out of the midst of it and give you into the hands of foreigners and execute judgments upon you you shall fall by the sword I will judge you at the border of Israel same language used in Luke 21 by the way by Jesus now watch God promises Israel at this time judgment upon that temple and that generation first temple and here's what occurs verses 14 through 21 God promises them judgment and also the same language of the New Covenant but in verse 22 here's what Ezekiel says then the cherubim lifted up their wings with the wheels beside them and the glory of the God of Israel was over them and the glory of the Lord went from the midst of the city and stood on the mountain that is on the east side of the city and the spirit lifted me up and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into khaldiya to the exile when God judged Israel and that first temple this scene God declares that they're gonna fall by the sword they're gonna be judged that's first temple stuff then the glory of Yahweh leaves that temple goes to the east and rests upon the Mount of Olives he declares judgment upon them and that temple and then God's glory departs and goes and rests on the Mount of Olives before the destruction of the first temple Jesus enters first century second temple context declares woes judgments upon them they're going to be desolate they're gonna fall by the sword then he leaves Jerusalem to the east and he rests on the Mount of Olives in the Old Testament it's the glory of Yahweh leaving the temple declaring judgment resting on the Mount of Olives before the destruction of the first temple and in Jesus life and ministry Yahweh becomes man declares judgment in their face leaves the temple same direction and rests on the Mount of Olives are you seeing it this is God the master storyteller this is the same theme this is the story that God was telling all along and the amazing thing about this moment is if they knew their Bibles they would have heard their God speaking in the flesh right in front of them they should have heard it they should have understood it they should have understood this entire moment is a repeat it's a repetition of what occurred in the Old Testaments same direction same mountain same God same judgment promised upon the covenant breakers so what should this tell us God's Word is amazing isn't it isn't it powerful but it should also teach us I believe one trust our Bibles to fear God three respond when God calls here's the so what here's the so what you can see all this and it is powerful and it is glorious and I want to tell you I didn't even begin to scratch the surface I didn't even touch it you could hear all this and you can say up here theologically Wow it's all coming together it's all amazing it is consistent and as powerful jesus meant what he said and it all is consistent with god's revelation in his story and you can hold all these parts and pieces together theologically but here's the real question are we really good theologians or are we followers of Christ now I know you might say that's well that's a weird dichotomy what I mean by that is it's it's it's a problem I think we have especially in the reformed community is we can be very good at crossing T's and dotting eyes and holding together context and unpacking Greek words and pulling the cat text together and you can be so sharp with being able to actually say well here's how it plays out consistently and this is what it actually means but my challenge to you is this are we responding to the calls of Jesus in our lives when Jesus calls us to faithfulness to obedience to trust in Him as his people do we respond in the way that they ought to have responded because we can look back in hindsight now and say look that first century generation should have seen in Jesus signs in his life and his miracles and all those things they should have seen and known who was talking to them and yet they did not respond they even went so far after all they know about Jesus and all that they saw in him they were so far as to actually ask God let his blood be upon us and our children that's the kind of blindness they had and we can look back in hindsight now and say they should have known better they should have responded and they were destroyed but here's the so what of it all when you see that Jesus is truly vindicated here as Messiah he is God in the flesh he is the promised Messiah here's the question do you and I respond to his calls in our lives today as fathers as mothers as husbands as wives as children as pastors and teachers as deacons are we responding to the calls of Christ even to this degree do not be anxious for all you worrywarts in here this matters for that too he said it he meant it it's the truth nothing was gonna stop it and you could say they should have responded to those calls of judgment they should have repented they should have believed because it happened but here's the question do you feel the same way moms when Jesus says to you do not be anxious who's in control of the future he is so why are you fearful why are you worried when God calls into our lives as his people do we respond or will we be like that first century unfaithful generation that saw all the signs that's all all the proof and said no let his blood be upon us and our children crucify him give us that guy may God open our eyes to his truth let's pray father I pray that you'd use what was said today for your glory please bless your people please teach us please grow us and I pray that you would use this series for your glory for our instruction and for our equipping and I pray that you would prepare us for a defense of the gospel in Jesus name Amen

Channel: Apologia Studios

Views: 150,797

Rating: 4.6684947 out of 5

Keywords: jeff durbin, apologia studios, apologia church, end times, end of the world, great tribulation, rapture, left behind, signs of the rapture, left behind movie, rapture movie, are we living in the end, john hagee, john hagee blood moons, preterist, preterism, r.c. sproul last days, end times debate, signs of the end, rapture sermon, is jesus coming soon, john macarthur rapture, kenneth gentry

Id: 5tZaFxbsN24

Length: 77min 9sec (4629 seconds)

Published: Tue Jul 02 2019