Jesus' response to the comment was actually the foretelling of the destruction of the temple. He said that one stone would not even be left upon another. You can imagine the powerful feelings such a comment would bring. Their temple was their pride and joy.
We next hear of Jesus sitting on the Mount of Olives. This mount was most likely where He cursed the fig tree and was most likely the place Solomon built a shrine to pagan gods. When Jesus came into Jerusalem, He came down from this location and it was where He wept over the coming destruction of Jeruselem. The Mount of Olives is basically a two mile long ridge, east of Jerusalem and across the Kidron Valley. It stands about 100 feet higher than Jerusalem, giving a good view of the city and temple. This mount is also the mountain that has been foretold to split giving the people of Jerusalem an escape route when the city comes under horrible attack and siege. The garden of Gethsemane is also on the mount as well as the location of Judas' betrayal of Christ. Andrew, Peter, James and John were with Him and questioned Him as to when these things would happen.
These next verses relate to the 3 and 1/2 years of tribulation and cover verses 5 to 13, In those verses, Jesus warns all to be alert and prepared . These verses are then followed by verse 14 which is about midpoint where the anti Christ demands to be worshipped and desecrates the temple with a proclamation that he is God. Verses 14-23 talk of the last half of the tribulation and the destruction of Jerusalem. Verses 24-27 address the second coming of Christ.
Jesus responded to their questions with signs and warnings about the tribulation in verses 5-13. He warned that they not be misled by any of the many persons saying that they are the messiah. Notice the wording of the claim, "I am he." God used "I am" to describe Himself and here we are told of the impostors using a similar language. Jesus' next warning was that there would be wars and talk of war, but that they should not be afraid because such things have to happen to bring about the end. He clarified that such things will happen but it will not be the end. Jesus said that nations will rise up against nations. There will be earthquakes and famines all over, but these are only the beginning of things such as birth pangs are the beginning of a birth. In Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, and Micah, we find references to the intense suffering and pain that would come before the time of the Messianic Kingdom.
Jesus continues to alert them that they would be handed over to the authorities and flogged in the synagogues. They would also stand before the governors or Gentile rulers. They would be interrogated and what they said in their defense and expression of the Gospel and faith would serve to condemn those who persecuted them.
Next, we read that the Gospel must first be preached to all nations, meaning worldwide. It seems to be a directive to the disciples. When they preached the Gospel during those times, they would be arrested. Jesus told them not to worry about how they would speak because the Holy Spirit would be speaking through them. Jesus went on to say to them that families would betray one another to the extreme that children would even rise up against their parents and have them put to death. The time would get worse for them for now the people would actually hate them because of Jesus. Jesus then offered hope that those who endured until the end would be saved. These things would be experienced, not only by the disciples, but all those who put their belief and faith in Jesus.
Jesus continued to answer their question by taking them to verse 14, which relates to the midpoint in the timeline of this chapter. Here Jesus explains that when they see the"Abomination of Desolation" (or the abomination that causes desolation) standing where it should not be, then those in Judea should flee.
Let's take a moment to define these words, then apply them to the verse here. Abomination: something that is disgusting, loathsome, absolutely intolerable, completely unacceptable to God. Desolation: ruin, the condition of a place or thing that has been damaged in such a way that it is no longer suitable for people to live in or use. So, this is speaking of a thing that is disgusting and intolerable in a place it should not be - in this case the temple in Jerusalem- that makes the temple so damaged by it's presence that the temple is no longer suitable for people to use. So, we now understand whatever that thing is, it is so vile and disgusting that it ruins the temple for all people. In the Old Testament, such a thing was referred to it being an idol or person so detestable that it caused the temple to be abandoned and never used again. The Abomination of Desolation is covered in great depth in the book of Daniel. An in depth study of Daniel is one study I believe every believer should do. Jesus speaks to them of the events of the future.
What is this thing that signals the people to flee? In Daniel, we are told of the Antichrist of the end times. This is who Jesus if referring to. The Antichrist will come into power and fool many into believing he is the answer to all the troubles and problems of the world. He will reach out to the Jewish people (out of his perceived goodness) and enter into an arrangement by which they can rebuild the temple. Once it is rebuilt, the Antichrist will permit them to worship in the temple again and again offer sacrifices. This restoring of the temple is even being talked about in Israel today. To have the building of the third temple and worship and sacrifices back in place is an enormous accomplishment and goal for them. The rebuilding of the temple signals a 7 year period prior to Christs' second coming. About 3-1/2 years into those 7 years the Antichrist will break that agreement by violently stopping their worship and sacrificing. Sometime mid-point, the Antichrist is killed but resurrected and indwelled by satan. Now being resurrected (comparing himself to Christ) he now declares that he is God. His declaration that he is God is an abomination.
Jesus is telling them when the Antichrist declares himself God, all should flee. He speaks of the seriousness and urgency of it by saying that the people then should not get a coat or pack things, just run. He tells them that if anyone is working with crops, they should just leave them and escape. He spoke of how hard it would be for those who are pregnant or nursing because fleeing in their condition will be extremely hard. He said that people should pray that this will not happen in winter, because in Jerusalem, winter means great rains and flooded streams and low lands, making escape even more difficult.
Jesus said that no one has ever seen or heard of times such as what will happen then. These tribulations are more awful than anything since the beginning of time when God created all things. If the Lord had not shortened those times according to His plan, they would be so bad that not a single one would survive them. He also warns that if anyone claims to be the Messiah people should not believe them. He warned of many false prophets who would lead the people astray, even those who believe in Christ should beware for they may be lead astray also. Jesus finished that group of verses with an encouragement that He has told everyone all they need to know to survive those times. He has given warnings and told of signs and the timing of things so they can be aware and prepared when those times would come.
These next verses, 24-27 speak to the last part of the tribulation and Christs' second coming. After all those things happen, the Antichrist in power, he defiles the temple, the Mount of Olives split and people run from the city. After the anguish of those days........the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give off light, the stars will fall from the skies and all the celestial bodies and powers will be shaken. (These things are told of in Isaiah 13:10 and 34:4.) These are things that cannot go unnoticed but will surely be observed by all mankind.
Once those things happen, THEN, everyone will see the Son of Man - Jesus Christ coming on the clouds with great power and glory. He will then send out His angels to gather His chosen ones from all directions of the earth and from the farthest ends of earth and heaven.
Jesus continued with a lesson about a fig tree. This lesson has nothing to do with the tree He cursed earlier, nor is it meant to represent Israel as the fig tree some times does. The fig tree gives signs of the season just as what Jesus just described will give signs of what is to come. In winter, the fig tree loses it's leaves. In winter, the twigs become stiff and dry. Then the sap rises and the twigs soften and the leaves begin to sprout. Those who are watching then know that summer is near. Just as such signs precede the changes in a fig tree, then also the signs Jesus expressed will precede His coming again, in fact His coming is right at the door or very close at hand. He then said, "Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place." This verse is a tough one. I have researched a bit and found a couple commentaries that speak to this verse. Some say that "this generation" refers to the nation of Israel. Another says it means the Jewish race. Another states that there is a narrow and broad definition of the word generation. In that commentary, the writer comments that it can mean those who are being spoken to at that moment in time or it can also hold true that He is speaking to those from a common ancestry. In this verse it would mean the Jews living at Jesus' time who would see the destruction of Jerusalem or the descendants of the Jews living at the time of Christ would be those who will be living at the time of the great Tribulation and will see the end time events.
Jesus then said that heaven and earth may disappear but His words will not. His predictions and the signs that He expressed will have an eternal life.
Jesus warned that no one knew when His second coming was, so they should be alert and He compared it to a man who left on a long trip but gave instructions as to what was to be done while he was away to his slaves before he departed.
The man told the gatekeeper to watch for his return. He instructed them all to be alert and keep watch and don't let him find you sleeping or basically unprepared for his return.
Think of a great estate with slaves and servants all around. Picture the owner leaving with instructions that they were to have everything ready and waiting for him when he returned. If you think of a great estate and servants given such an instruction, it seems that they were told to be prepared and to have his home in order, ready and waiting whenever he came back so He could walk right back in and pick up where he left off when he left.
It struck me in such a way. Jesus had done so much when He left but said He would return. He left instruction that we carry on His work and have things all in place as He instructed before He left, so He could step right back in and take back His house. Don't fall asleep, don't get lazy and let things fall apart. Take care of things, keep the place running as He did so that it will not have fallen apart and be in disarray when He returns.
FOR NOVEMBER LET'S FINISH MARK BY DOING 14-15-16. ONLY THREE THIS TIME,
WE WILL THEN TAKE OFF FOR DECEMBER TO ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS.
LOVE YOU ALL!