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6/23/02
FAITH BIBLE CHURCH - www.faithbiblechurch.net RAY RUSS - PASTOR-TEACHER MATTHEW: THE KING HAS COME, WEEK 162 TITLE: THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION TEXT: MATTHEW 24: 15 INTRODUCTION: (1) THERE IS HARDLY A DAY THAT GOES BY THAT ISRAEL IS NOT IN THE NEWS. * VIOLENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND TERRORISM IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AND IS SOMETHING WE READ ABOUT CONSTANTLY. ** AS THE MIDDLE EAST IS A POWDER KEG READY TO BLOW. *** FOR EXAMPLE, IN THURSDAY’S EDITION OF USA TODAY, THERE WAS AN ARTICLE THAT GAVE A CHRONOLOGY OF SUICIDE BOMBINGS AGAINST ISRAEL. **** IT REPORTED THAT SINCE OCTOBER 26TH, 2000 THERE HAVE BEEN 70 PALESTINIAN SUICIDE BOMBING ATTACKS TARGETING ISRAELIS. ***** IN FACT, AS OF THURSDAY, THERE WERE 3 THIS LAST WEEK KILLING 26 INNOCENT PEOPLE. ****** TERRORISM WHICH AMERICANS EXPERIENCED IN A MASSIVE WAY ON SEPTEMBER 11TH IS ALMOST A WEEKLY EXPERIENCE IN ISRAEL. (2) THEY LIT. LIVE IN TERROR AS THEY ARE SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE WHO HATE THEM, WITH SOME ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THEY DON’T HAVE A RIGHT TO EXIST. * JERUSALEM IS SURROUNDED BY HOSTILE NATIONS WHOSE ARMIES ARE IN A CONSTANT STATE OF READINESS FOR WAR. ** AND SINCE IT’S INCEPTION IN 1948, THE MODERN STATE OF ISRAEL HAS LIVED WITH THE THREAT OF WAR. *** IN FACT, AFTER THE MODERN STATE OF ISRAEL WAS DECLARED IN 1948, A WAR OF INDEPENDENCE LEFT THE CITY OF JERUSALEM DIVIDED, WITH JORDAN RETAINING CONTROL OVER THE OLD CITY (INCLUDING THE TEMPLE MOUNT AND MOST OF THE HISTORIC SITES). **** THEN, DURING THE SIX DAY WAR IN 1967 ISRAELI FORCES CAPTURED THE OLD CITY AND RE-UNITED ALL OF JERUSALEM. (3) BUT 35 YEARS LATER, JERUSALEM REMAINS AT THE HEART OF THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT, WITH MANY ARAB LEADERS WORLDWIDE INSISTING THAT THE ENTIRE OLD CITY AND THE ENTIRE WEST BANK ARE RIGHTFULLY PALESTINIAN TERRITORY AND MUST ULTIMATELY BE CEDED BACK AS A CONDITION OF PEACE. * AND OF COURSE, EVEN IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN, IT WOULDN’T BRING PERMANENT PEACE, FOR SOME ARABS IN THEIR HATRED OF JEWS, DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ISRAEL HAS THE RIGHT TO EXIST. ** BECAUSE OF THAT, THE MIDDLE EAST IS A CONTINUAL WAR ZONE, WHICH LEADS US TO THE OLIVET DISCOURSE OF JESUS. *** FOR IN LUKE’S ACCOUNT OF THE OLIVET DISCOURSE IN LUKE 21:20, JESUS SAID, “WHEN YOU SEE JERUSALEM SURROUNDED BY ARMIES, THEN KNOW THAT IT’S DESOLATION IS NEAR.” **** NOW JESUS WENT ON TO SAY IN LUKE 21:21&22: “THEN LET THOSE WHO ARE IN JUDEA FLEE TO THE MOUNTAINS, LET THOSE WHO ARE IN THE MIDST OF HER DEPART, AND LET NOT THOSE WHO ARE IN THE COUNTRY ENTER HER. FOR THESE ARE THE DAYS OF VENGEANCE, THAT ALL THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN MAY BE FULFILLED.” (4) NOW JERUSALEM SURROUNDED BY ARMIES IS ACTUALLY QUITE A FAMILIAR SIGHT IN THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL, * INCLUDING JERUSALEM BEING LEVELED BY ROME IN THAT FAMOUS AND DEVASTATING SIEGE OF A.D. 70. ** JOSEPHUS, THE JEWISH HISTORIAN, WROTE A RECORD OF THOSE HORRIBLE DAYS WHEN THE ARMIES OF TITUS VESPASIAN SURROUNDED AND ATTACKED THE CITY UNTIL THEY, *** “HAD NO MORE PEOPLE TO SLAY OR TO PLUNDER, BECAUSE THERE REMAINED NONE TO BE THE OBJECTS OF THEIR FURY, (FOR THEY WOULD NOT HAVE SPARED ANY, HAD THERE REMAINED ANY OTHER WORK TO BE DONE). **** CAESAR GAVE ORDERS THAT THEY SHOULD NOW DEMOLISH THE ENTIRE CITY AND TEMPLE, BUT SHOULD LEAVE THREE TOWERS AND A PORTION OF THE CITY WALL IN ORDER TO DEMONSTRATE TO POSTERITY WHAT KIND OF CITY IT WAS, AND HOW WELL FORTIFIED, WHICH THE ROMAN VALOR HAD SUBDUED. (4) 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.” * YET THOSE WERE NOT, IN THE WORDS OF LUKE 21:22 “THE DAYS OF VENGEANCE, WHEN ALL THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN MAY BE FULFILLED.” ** YOU SAY RAY, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? *** WELL, CHRIST DID NOT VISIBLY RETURN IN A.D. 70. THE OPPOSING ARMIES WERE NOT DEFEATED BY HIS COMING, REVELATION 19:11-21. **** ALL ISRAEL WAS NOT SAVED, ROMANS 11:25-27, THE JEWS WERE NOT GRAFTED BACK INTO THE OLIVE TREE. 5) AND THAT WAS NOT THE WORST TIME OF TRIBULATION FOR ISRAEL, FOR ALTHOUGH ISRAEL AS A NATION AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE IN GENERAL HAVE ENDURED MANY PERIODS OF GREAT SUFFERING THROUGHOUT HISTORY, INCLUDING THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM AND THE TEMPLE BY THE ROMANS IN A.D. 70. * MANY MORE JEWS WERE KILLED BY HITLER AND STALIN AND LENIN AND 6 MILLION JEWS DIED UNDER HITLER ALONE. ** AND MY POINT IS FOR THOSE WHO TAKE THE VIEW THAT ALL THE EVENTS OF MATTHEW 24 WERE FULFILLED WITH THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM, WHAT IS CALLED THE PRETERIST VIEW, THE HOLOCAUST OF THE END TIME WILL VASTLY EXCEED THOSE. *** MATTHEW 24:21 SAYS: “FOR THEN THERE WILL BE A GREAT TRIBULATION, SUCH AS HAS NOT OCCURRED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD UNTIL NOW, NOR EVER SHALL.” **** AND THEN BEYOND THAT, IT SAYS IN MATTHEW 24:29-31: “BUT 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 THE SKY, AND THE POWERS OF THE HEAVENS WILL BE SHAKEN, V. 30 – AND THEN THE SIGN OF THE SON OF MAN WILL APPEAR IN THE SKY, AND THEN ALL THE TRIBES OF THE EARTH WILL MOURN, AND THEY WILL SEE THE SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY WITH POWER AND GREAT GLORY. V. 31 – AND HE WILL SEND FORTH HIS ANGELS WITH A GREAT TRUMPET AND THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER HIS ELECT FROM THE FOUR WINDS, FROM ONE END OF THE SKY TO THE OTHER.” ** AND BELOVED, MY POINT IS, THERE ARE MANY THINGS YET TO BE FULFILLED IN MATTHEW 24. *** AND IF THAT IS SO, WHICH IS OUR POSITION AS LEADERS, THEN WE MUST ASK THE QUESTION, IF THE GATHERING OF ARMIES AGAINST JERUSALEM IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SIGN, AS LUKE 21:20 SUGGESTS, **** THEN HOW CAN THIS SIGN BE DISTINGUISHED FROM ALL THESE OTHER TIMES THROUGHOUT HISTORY WHEN THE CITY HAS BEEN UNDER SIEGE? (7) WELL, MATTHEW’S ACCOUNT OF THE OLIVET DISCOURSE ANSWERS THAT QUESTION. * FOR IN MATTHEW 24&25, JESUS WAS SPEAKING OF A FUTURE TIME OF INDESCRIBABLE HORROR IN THE WORLD THAT WILL FOCUS ON THE NATION OF ISRAEL. ** A TIME OF WHICH ISAIAH, JEREMIAH, DANIEL AND ZECHARIAH HAD ALREADY SPOKEN OF IN CONSIDERABLE DETAIL. *** AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK UP THE FOLLOWING VERSES ON YOUR OWN SOMETIME IN CONTEXT WHICH I BELIEVE TALKS ABOUT A TIME THAT IS YET FUTURE. **** ISAIAH 10:21&22, JEREMIAH 30:5-9, DANIEL 12:1 AND ZECHARIAH 13:8 – 14:2. (8) AND THESE O.T. PROPHETS TALKED ABOUT A TIME OF GREAT JUDGMENT THAT HAS NOT OCCURRED YET IN SCOPE AND DEGREE. * AND AGAIN, ISRAEL AS A NATION AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE IN GENERAL HAVE ENDURED MANY PERIODS OF GREAT SUFFERING THROUGHOUT HISTORY, THE HOLOCAUST OF THE END TIMES WILL VASTLY EXCEED THOSE. ** AND SPECIFICALLY IN OUR STUDY OF MATTHEW 24 UP TO THIS TIME IN VV. 4-14, JESUS FORETOLD SIX SIGNS OF HIS COMING AGAIN THAT WOULD BE LIKE BIRTH PAINS, WHICH COME AT THE VERY END OF A PREGNANCY AND WITH INCREASING RAPIDITY AND SEVERITY UNTIL THE CHILD IS BORN. *** AND THEN IN V. 15, OUR TEXT TODAY, HE PREDICTS THE SIGN THAT WILL TRIGGER THOSE BIRTH PAINS. **** AND THE EVENT THAT ACTIVATES THE BIRTH PAIN SIGNS WILL BE THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION. (9) AND THAT’S THE TITLE OF THE MESSAGE TODAY, “THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION.” * AND UNDER THAT TITLE WE’LL LOOK AT TWO POINTS, NO. 1 THE EVENT THAT TRIGGERS THE BIRTH PAINS, V. 15A; AND NO. 2 THE EXHORTATION TO READERS OF THIS TEXT TO UNDERSTAND. ** AND WITHOUT ANY MORE INTRODUCTION, LET’S MOVE TO OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE EVENT. LOOK AT MATTHEW 24:15 PLEASE. I. THE EVENT, (READ V. 15A) A. NOW THIS NEXT SECTION OF THE OLIVET DISCOURSE BEGINS WITH AN INFERENTIAL PARTICLE, TRANSLATED THEREFORE IN THE NAS, KJV AND NKJV. * AND IT FUNCTIONS AS A TRANSITIONAL CONJUCTION TO MOVE THE READER TO THE ENSUING WARNING. ** IT COULD BE UNDERSTOOD AS “CONSEQUENTLY”. **** IN ADDITION TO THAT, MATTHEW QUOTING JESUS USED A TEMPORAL PARTICLE TRANSLATED WHEN, INDICATING THE CONDITIONS UPON WHICH ISRAEL SHOULD BE ALARMED, THOSE IN JERUSALEM AND JUDEA, VV. 16-21. **** SO IT APPEARS THAT AT THIS POINT OF JESUS’ DISCOURSE HE MOVES TOWARD ANSWERING THE DISCIPLE’S DIRECT QUESTION IN V. 3, “WHAT WILL BE THE SIGN OF YOUR COMING, AND OF THE END OF THE AGE.” 1. NOW IN MARK’S PARALLEL COMPANION PASSAGE TO MATTHEW 24 HE SAYS IN MARK 13:14: “BUT WHEN YOU SEE THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION STANDING WHERE IT SHOULD NOT BE (LET THE READER UNDERSTAND), THEN LET THOSE WHO ARE IN JUDEA FLEE TO THE MOUNTAINS.” * NOW ACCORDING TO BOTH MATTHEW AND MARK, JESUS DESCRIBED THE TURNING POINT OF THE TRIBULATION, “WHEN YOU SEE THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION STANDING IN THE HOLY PLACE”. THIS IS THE TRANSITION, THE EVENT, THE TURNING POINT, THE DEFINITIVE SIGNAL. ** AND THE WORD ABOMINATION SPEAKS OF SOMETHING THAT IS DISGUSTING, REPULSIVE, DETESTABLE AND UTTERLY ABHORRENT TO GOD. *** REVELATION 21:27 SAYS NOTHING THAT “CAUSES AN ABOMINATION” WILL BE PERMITTED TO ENTER HEAVEN. **** AND THROUGHOUT SCRIPTURE THE TERM ABOMINATION IS APPLIED TO ACTS OF IDOLATRY, IMMORALITY AND SPIRITUAL UNCLEANNESS. 2. FOR EXAMPLE PAGAN RELIGION WAS PARTICULARLY DEEMED ABOMINABLE, AS WAS GROSS UNGODLINESS. * THE HEBREW EQUIVALENT WAS OFTEN USED OF RITES AND PARAPHERNALIA ASSOCIATED WITH THE WICKED CONDUCT OF PAGAN RELIGIONS. ** AND SPECIFICALLY IN THE N.T. IN REVELATION 17:5, IT IS APPLIED TO THE CONSUMMATE FALSE RELIGIOUS SYSTEM, REPRESENTED IN JOHN’S VISION BY A WOMAN ON WHOSE FOREHEAD WAS WRITTEN, *** “MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH”. **** AND WITH THAT IN MIND, WHEN JESUS USES THIS WORD IN MATTHEW 24:15, HE IS DESCRIBING A MONSTROUS ABOMINATION THAT CAUSES GREAT DESOLATION. 3. IN FACT, THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION MAY BE TRANSLATED, “THE ABOMINATION WHICH MAKES DESOLATE OR LAYS WASTE.” * IN OTHER WORDS, THE ABOMINATION CAUSES THE DESOLATION, OR A DESOLATING SACRILEGE. ** NOW AS WE MOVE ON IN THIS VERSE, NOTICE THAT THIS ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION WAS SPOKEN OF THROUGH DANIEL THE PROPHET. *** AND DANIEL ACTUALLY MENTIONS THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION 3 TIMES, ONCE IN DANIEL 9:27, ONCE IN DANIEL 11:31 AND ONCE IN DANIEL 12:11. **** AND VIRTUALLY EVERY BIBLE SCHOLAR, NO MATTER WHAT HIS VIEWS ON THINGS TO COME, ESCHATOLOGY, IDENTIFIES THAT ABOMINATION AS THE SACRILEGE COMMITTED BY ANTIOCHUS IV, THE SYRIAN KING WHO RULED PALESTINE FROM 175-165 B.C. 4. AND THIS WICKED MAN TOOK TO HIMSELF THE TITLE THEOS (THEH-OS) EPIPHANES, WHICH MEANS “MANIFEST GOD”, BUT HIS ENEMIES NICKNAMED HIM EPIMANES, WHICH MEANS “MADMAN” OR “THE INSANE ONE”. * AND THE APOCRYPHAL BOOKS OF 1 AND 2 MACCABEES (WHICH ARE NOT INSPIRED OR AUTHORITATIVE AS A PART OF THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE) BUT BOOKS THAT WE CAN LOOK BACK TO HISTORY, TALK ABOUT THE TIME OF ANTIOCHUS AND THE JEWS ZEALOUS RESISTANCE TO HIS BRUTAL AND SACRILEGOUS TYRANNY. ** HE SLAUGHTERED COUNTLESS OF THOUSANDS OF JEWISH MEN, SOLD MANY OF THEIR WIVES AND CHILDREN INTO SLAVERY, AND TRIED TO COMPLETELY DESTROY THE JEWISH RELIGION. *** IN FACT, HE DESECRATED THE TEMPLE BY SACRIFICING A PIG, THE MOST CEREMONIALLY UNCLEAN OF ALL ANIMALS, ON THE ALTAR AND FORCING THE PRIESTS TO EAT IT’S FLESH. **** HE THEN SET UP IN THE TEMPLE AN IDOL OF ZEUS, THE PAGAN DEITY HE FANCIED HIMSELF AS MANIFESTING. 5. NOW GET THIS, THAT HORRIBLE DEFILEMENT BY ANTIOCHUS WAS A PREVIEW OF THE EVEN GREATER ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION TO BE COMMITTED BY THE ANTICHRIST IN THE END TIME. * NOW HOW CAN I SAY THAT? WELL, JESUS USED THE WORD “WHEN” IN V. 15 AND “THEN” IN THE BEGINNING OF V. 16, WHICH MAKES REFERENCE TO SOMETHING FUTURE THAT HAD NOT TAKEN PLACE YET. ** SO CHRIST HIMSELF STATED QUITE PLAINLY THAT THE “ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION” WAS A YET-FUTURE REALITY. *** THEREFORE WE MUST CONCLUDE THAT THE ULTIMATE ESCHATOLOGICAL MEANING OF DANIEL’S PROPHECY WAS NOT FULFILLED, BUT MERCY FORESHADOWED IN THE EVENTS OF ANTIOCHUS THE FOURTH’S TIME. **** IN OTHER WORDS ANTIOCHUS WAS A TYPE OF A WICKED PERSON TO COME, WHO GOING BACK TO V. 15 WILL BE “STANDING IN THE HOLY PLACE”. 6. AND INTERPRETERS HAVE PROPOSED NUMEROUS IDENTITIES FOR THE HOLY PLACE TALKED ABOUT HERE. * SOME SUGGEST IT IS THE CITY OF JERUSALEM AND OTHERS THAT IT IS THE HOLY OF HOLIES, THE INNER SANCTUM OF THE TEMPLE. ** YET IN THE ONLY OTHER PASSAGE THE PHRASE IS USED IN THE N.T., IT PLAINLY REFERS TO THE TEMPLE ITSELF IN ACTS 21:28, AND THAT SEEMS TO BE THE ONLY REASONABLE MEANING TO TAKE FOR IT IN MATTHEW 24:15. *** AND DAVID IN THE O.T. REFERRED TO THE TEMPLE AS THE LORD’S HOLY PLACE IN PSALM 24:3. **** SO THERE IS COMING A TIME WHEN A PERSON LIKE ANTIOCHUS WILL BE STANDING IN THE TEMPLE. 7. AND WE BELIEVE THAT PERSON WILL BE THE ANTICHRIST. * AND PAUL TALKS ABOUT THIS PERSON IN II THESSALONIANS 2:3-12 (READ VV. 3&4 AND VV. 9&10). ** NOW CERTAINLY THIS APPEARS TO BE THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION. *** AND THEN AS WE CONTINUE TO COMPARE SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE AND USE IT AS A COMMENTARY, FURTHER DETAILS OF THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION ARE GIVEN IN REVELATION CHAPTER 13. **** FOR PICTURED AS THE BEAST COMING UP OUT OF THE SEA, IN VV. 1&5, THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL BE GIVEN “A MOUTH SPEAKING ARROGANT WORDS AND BLASPHEMIES; AND AUTHORITY TO ACT FOR 42 MONTHS WAS GIVEN TO HIM.” 8. AND 42 MONTHS IS 3 ½ YEARS, THE 2’D HALF OF THE LAST WEEK OF YEARS IN DANIEL’S 70TH WEEK, THE TIME OF GREAT TRIBULATION. * AND AS THE ANTICHRIST CONTINUES HIS BLASPHEMIES AGAINST GOD’S NAME, TABERNACLE AND HEAVENLY CITIZENS, IT SAYS IN REV. 13:7&8: “IT WAS GIVEN TO HIM TO MAKE WAR WITH THE SAINTS AND TO OVERCOME THEM; AND AUTHORITY OVER EVERY TRIBE AND PEOPLE AND TONGUE AND NATION WAS GIVEN TO HIM. AND ALL WHO DWELL ON THE EARTH WILL WORSHIP HIM, EVERYONE WHOSE NAME HAS NOT BEEN WRITTEN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD IN THE BOOK OF LIFE OF THE LAMB WHO HAS BEEN SLAIN.” ** AND THEN THE ANTICHRIST’S COHORT, THE FALSE PROPHET, WILL THEN JOIN HIM AND PERFORM GREAT SIGNS AND WONDERS IN ORDER TO PROMOTE THE WORSHIP OF THE ANTICHRIST AND WILL EVEN ENABLE AN IMAGE OF THE BEAST TO TALK AND CAUSE THE DEATHS OF THOSE WHO REFUSE TO WORSHIP, REV. 13:11-15. *** NOW AS WE PUT ALL THESE TRUTHS TOGETHER, UNDERSTAND THAT ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES SET UP AN IDOL IN THE TEMPLE TO BE WORSHIPPED BY THE JEWS. **** BUT THE ANTICHRIST WILL SET HIMSELF UP AS GOD AND DEMAND WORSHIP FROM ALL MANKIND. 9. HE WILL END ALL SACRIFICE IN THE TEMPLE AND COMMIT THE ABOMINATION THAT MAKES THE HOLY PLACE DESECRATED AND DESOLATE. * AND THE RESEMBLANCE OF THIS TO DANIEL’S ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION IS VERY CLOSE. ** AND THIS WILL BE THE MOST IMPORTANT SIGN THAT THE TRIBULATION HAS GIVEN WAY TO THE GREAT TRIBULATION AND THAT THREE AND A HALF YEARS OF SHEER AFFLICTION AND HARDSHIP WILL DESCEND ON THE WORLD. *** THIS IS THE EVENT, THE SIGNAL, THE TURNING POINT, THAT ACTIVATES THE BIRTH PAIN SIGNS, WHICH LEADS US TO OUR LAST POINT TODAY WHICH I WILL COVER QUICKLY, THE EXHORTATION. LOOK BACK TO V. 15 PLEASE. II. THE EXHORTATION, (READ V. 15) A. NOW THIS PARENTHETICAL REMARK AT THE END OF V. 15 (LET THE READER UNDERSTAND) OR (WHOEVER READS LET HIM UNDERSTAND) IS GIVEN TO PEOPLE WHO WILL READ THIS, NOT THE DISCIPLES WHO HEARD THIS. * LET ME EXPLAIN. THIS LITTLE PARENTHESIS COULD BE SOMETHING THAT JESUS ACTUALLY SAID AS PART OF THE OLIVET DISCOURSE, FOR MARK INCLUDES THIS PARENTHESIS AS WELL IN MARK 13:14. ** OR IT COULD BE A GOD-BREATHED EDITORIAL COMMENT ADDED PARENTHETICALLY WHEN THE TEXT WAS COMMITTED TO WRITING BY MATTHEW AND MARK. *** BUT REGARDLESS WHETHER IT IS A COMMENT OF JESUS OR INSPIRED BY MATTHEW AND MARK, THIS EXHORTATION IS INTERPRETED TWO WAYS. **** NO. 1 IT REFERS TO THOSE WHO READ THE PROPHECY OF DANIEL, IN OTHER WORDS, LET THE PERSON WHO READS DANIEL’S PROPHECY UNDERSTAND THIS. 1. OR NO. 2, THAT THE MESSAGE HERE GOES BEYOND THE DISCIPLES THEMSELVES AND SPEAKS IN A PARTICULAR WAY TO A FUTURE GENERATION OF READERS WHO WILL ACTUALLY SEE ALL THESE EVENTS UNFOLD, AND THEY WILL KNOW WHAT TO DO BY WHAT FOLLOWS IN VV. 16-21. * AND I LEAN TOWARD THIS INTERPRETATION. FOR TO ME IT REINFORCES THE IDEA THAT JESUS WAS NOT GIVING THE WARNINGS IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE TO THE DISCIPLES THEMSELVES OR TO THEIR GENERATION, BUT TO BELIEVERS IN THE END TIME, THE END OF THE AGE, V. 3. ** AND THOSE WHO READ THOSE TRUTHS AT THE END OF THE AGE WILL BE ENABLED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON. *** THOSE WORDS MAKING REFERENCE TO THE PROPHETIC FUTURE BUT EITHER WAY WE HAVE AN EXHORTATION, LET THE READER UNDERSTAND. NOW LET ME CLOSE WITH A QUICK APPLICATION FOR TODAY: (1) AND THIS IS NOT IN THE TEXT, BUT AN APPLICATION. * AND THAT IS THE ABOMINATION THAT CAUSES DESOLATION TODAY IS SIN! ** BECAUSE SIN IS AN ABOMINATION IN THE SIGHT OF A HOLY HOLY HOLY GOD! *** AND ALL SIN IS DISGUSTING, ABHORRENT, DETESTABLE, AND COSMIC TREASON AGAINST OUR RIGHTEOUS GOD OF LIGHT WHO CANNOT SIN. **** PROVERBS 6:16-19 SAYS: (READ THEM). (2) NOW MY POINT IS SOMETIMES WE MINIMIZE OUR SIN AND MAXIMIZE OTHER PEOPLE’S SINS AND OTHER KINDS OF SIN. * THEIR SIN IS BAD, MINE IS NOT THAT BAD. WORRY IS NOT BAD, HOMOSEXUALITY IS REALLY BAD, AN ABOMINATION. ** BUT IN REALITY, GOD ABHORS WORRY, LYING, COVETOUSNESS, BITTERNESS AND ILL FEELINGS AND A LACK OF LOVE JUST AS HE ABHORS STEALING, ADULTERY AND MURDER. *** AND ALL SIN EFFECTS OUR WORSHIP AND IN A SENSE WHEN NOT CONFESSED AND FORSAKEN CAUSES OUR WORSHIP TO CEASE IN THE TEMPLE OF OUR BODIES TODAY, PS. 66:18, PS. 59:1&2 (READ THEM). (3) SO I AM ASKING YOU IN LIGHT OF THAT, DO YOU MINIMIZE YOUR SIN, EXCUSE YOUR SIN, BLAME YOUR SIN ON OTHERS? * OR DO YOU TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND SEE IT FROM GOD’S POINT OF VIEW? LET US PRAY AND GROW IN THE WORD THAT WE DEVELOP A HOLY HATRED FOR OUR SIN AND LOVE WHAT GOD LOVES AND HATE WHAT HE HATES. ** READ PROVERBS 8:13, ROMANS 12:9, I PETER 3:11 AND I PETER 1:15&16, THEN CLOSE IN PRAYER. |