The Word This Week
Matt 24:1…
Jesus has just prophesied the desolation of the temple due to the Jews’ refusal to accept and listen to the prophets and wise men and scribes Jesus would send to them following His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension.
This, I’m sure, caused a lot of consternation among His disciples who had been watching this whole scene play out between Jesus and the chief priests and scribes who had to oppose Him - and were already seeking to opportunity to kill Him.
How could the actions of the Jews in opposition to Christ cause the temple to be left desolate?
After all, the magnificence of the temple was so apparent. It had not yet been completed, but it already stood as one of the most gorgeous buildings in the world. Herod’s contribution to its construction had been to make sure of its grandiosity, and no expense was spared in its design and construction, which took decades to complete. Unfinished in Jesus’ day, it would take more than twenty years’ time before it was…
How could its destruction be? The disciples were anxious to show Jesus the building to help Him understand how devastating His prophecy of its desolation to the chief priests and elders would be, if so.
Jesus was not as impressed by the building as His disciples were. Without true spiritual holiness and love for God in the hearts of the people, the building was just an organized pile of rocks and wood.
He assured them it would soon become a disorganized pile of rocks and wood, with not one stone left upon another. (It is amazing how EXACTLY this prophecy would be fulfilled in 70AD when Titus Vespasian destroyed the temple, only a handful of years after its completion.)
Not knowing this, His disciples, (understanding what it must mean for even the temple to be destroyed to this level of destruction,) asked Jesus when these things would take place? (They did trust His word, even if it placed fear in their hearts…)
Having arrived at the Mount of Olives, Jesus proceeded to lay out the entire future of the world, beginning with their day and running through the end of our present world.
For those interested in Biblical prophecy, (and we ALL should be,) what Jesus says here is absolutely essential to our understanding of end-times events. Between Daniel, Zechariah, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, and The Revelation of Jesus Christ, stands this compelling teaching by Jesus which ties everything together cohesively and comprehensively.
Jesus’ concern is no one would deceive you about any of this. Take heed no one does.
Pastor Bill
Jesus has just prophesied the desolation of the temple due to the Jews’ refusal to accept and listen to the prophets and wise men and scribes Jesus would send to them following His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension.
This, I’m sure, caused a lot of consternation among His disciples who had been watching this whole scene play out between Jesus and the chief priests and scribes who had to oppose Him - and were already seeking to opportunity to kill Him.
How could the actions of the Jews in opposition to Christ cause the temple to be left desolate?
After all, the magnificence of the temple was so apparent. It had not yet been completed, but it already stood as one of the most gorgeous buildings in the world. Herod’s contribution to its construction had been to make sure of its grandiosity, and no expense was spared in its design and construction, which took decades to complete. Unfinished in Jesus’ day, it would take more than twenty years’ time before it was…
How could its destruction be? The disciples were anxious to show Jesus the building to help Him understand how devastating His prophecy of its desolation to the chief priests and elders would be, if so.
Jesus was not as impressed by the building as His disciples were. Without true spiritual holiness and love for God in the hearts of the people, the building was just an organized pile of rocks and wood.
He assured them it would soon become a disorganized pile of rocks and wood, with not one stone left upon another. (It is amazing how EXACTLY this prophecy would be fulfilled in 70AD when Titus Vespasian destroyed the temple, only a handful of years after its completion.)
Not knowing this, His disciples, (understanding what it must mean for even the temple to be destroyed to this level of destruction,) asked Jesus when these things would take place? (They did trust His word, even if it placed fear in their hearts…)
Having arrived at the Mount of Olives, Jesus proceeded to lay out the entire future of the world, beginning with their day and running through the end of our present world.
For those interested in Biblical prophecy, (and we ALL should be,) what Jesus says here is absolutely essential to our understanding of end-times events. Between Daniel, Zechariah, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, and The Revelation of Jesus Christ, stands this compelling teaching by Jesus which ties everything together cohesively and comprehensively.
Jesus’ concern is no one would deceive you about any of this. Take heed no one does.
Pastor Bill