In The Footsteps Of The Master:The Life and Times of Jesus Christ

Jesus Predicts the Destructionof the Temple

April 22, 2012

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Introduction• It is still Tuesday before Jesus’ crucifixion

on Friday• Matthew 24 is a difficult passage to

understand• Numerous interpretations exist

– Deals only with events of the day– Deals only with future events– Addresses both

• I’m a preterist

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Leaving the Temple• Matthew 24:1

– 1Jesus came out from the temple and was going away ...

– (To the Mount of Olives – as per verse 3)• Matthew uses two verbs when a single

one would do– “came out”– “was going away”

• Might he be emphasizing something?

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For Consideration• Matthew 12:6

– 6“But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here.”

• Jesus has already emphasized that He is greater than the Temple

• This week, he has:– Entered the Temple– Cleansed it– Taught in it

• Now He is leaving it ... For good

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Ezekiel’s Vision• Ezekiel 10:18-19

– 18Then the glory of the LORD departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim. 19When the cherubim departed, they lifted their wings and rose up from the earth in my sight with the wheels beside them; and they stood still at the entrance of the east gate of the LORD’S house, and the glory of the God of Israel hovered over them.

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Ezekiel’s Vision (cont)• Ezekiel 11:22-23

– 22Then the cherubim lifted up their wings with the wheels beside them, and the glory of the God of Israel hovered over them. 23The glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city and stood over the mountain which is east of the city.

• See any similarity?

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For Reflection• The Glory of God, in the form of Jesus

Christ, entered the Temple and purified it• Being rejected by the Jewish leaders of

the day, Jesus withdrew from it, taking the Glory of God with Him

• And the Temple never again held God’s Glory– That point will be driven home on Friday

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The Disciples Question• Matthew 24:1b-2

– 1bHis disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. 2And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”

• Herod’s Temple was a sight to behold– Described as a snow-capped peak– “He who has not seen the Temple has not

seen a beautiful building”

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The Temple in Review• In 20 BC, Herod began a reconstruction of

the Temple originally built under Zerubbabel• It had been under construction for 46 years

at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry• John 2:18-20

– 18The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” 19Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”

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The Temple in Review

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When Will This Happen?• Matthew 24:3

– 3As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

• The disciples ask Him three questions:– When will these things happen (the Temple)?– What will be the sign of His coming?– What will be the sign of the end of the age?

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For Discussion• How these passages are to be interpreted

and these questions understood has been debated through Christendom

• Everything from simple explanations to wild fantasies has been proposed

• Never seek a difficult interpretation when a simple one will do– Rule #7 of McClanahan’s Biblical Interpretation

• We’ll try to unpack it and determine for ourselves what this means ...

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Wars and Rumors of War• Matthew 24:4-8

– 4And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 5For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. 6You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. 8But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.”

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For Discussion• Has there ever been a time in history,

before or after Jesus’ discussion with his disciples, that there have not been– Wars in progress– Wars on the verge– Famines– Earthquakes

• It is therefore impossible to pinpoint a time from events like these

• Jesus points out that these are “merely the beginning”

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Persecutions• Matthew 24:9-14

– 9“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. 11Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. 12Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. 13But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. 14This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

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Abomination of Desolation• Matthew 24:15-19

– 15“Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains; 17Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. 18Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 19But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!”

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Tribulation• Matthew 24:20-22

– 20“But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath. 21For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. 22Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.”

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For Discussion• Times preceding the destruction will be

awful – worse than anything before• But they will end ... “be cut short”

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Next Week• Part 2