Jesus' Words Will Not Pass Away

Matthew 24:15-35

Last week we began our discussion of Matt 24 with a couple of key foundations:

We want to protect against Indifference to Eschatology AND we want to protect against Indulgence in Eschatology

Indifference being the thought that Eschatology is not that important for our lives now.

Usually diminishes the role of Eschatology in sharing and spreading the Gospel.

Indulgence would be an over-emphasis on Eschatology.

This typically leads to gathering knowledge about end times (merely intellectual) without any real fruit of that knowledge being born.

2. Progressive Revelation

This is the principle in scripture that prophecies often function for multiple events. One prophecy can be ‘fulfilled’ many times and in various ways, with application that echoes through history.

This is the same idea as teaching an angry 2 year-old not to hit someone with a toy.

The instruction is specific and timely, but as the child grows, the application of that instruction will take on new life and meaning.

These two foundational understandings will be necessary to approach Matt 24:15-35.

In this passage, there are verses which appear to apply to the destruction of the temple (and most likely do) intermingled with phrasing that must be referring to the end times Tribulation.

My encouragement would be that we, rather than parsing out these verses, allow the layering Jesus is doing here to speak to the timelessness of His teaching.

Whether Jesus is referring to AD 70 temple destruction, end times tribulation, and/or both, the application is still the same.

The Application is in the 3 reasons Jesus is talking about these things:

He wants to makes sure His people are not deceived.

He wants to make sure His people are not shaken.

He wants His people to be on alert.

Rather than repeat Matt 6:34 when the disciples ask about the future, He tells them!

Matthew 6:34 NASB95

“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Do not be Misled

Do not be Deceived

Be on Alert

What Jesus pronounces in this passage for all believers is that His Words Shall Never Pass Away

In the midst of terrible tribulation we have this promise.

Just as Jesus assured us last week - that the message of the Gospel would be taken to the ends of the earth, this week He is holding us up with the assurance that His words will never pass away.

The Mercy of Temporary Tribulation (vv 15-22)

Matt 24:15-22

Therefore…

As Jesus has just instructed them on the assurance of salvation for the one who endures (24:13) and the unstoppable mission of the Gospel (24:14) He says, “Therefore,”

“with these things in mind” or “now that I’ve established that”

Matthew 24:15–16 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), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.

The Abomination of Desolation standing in the holy place is from Daniel ch.9, 11, 12.

Daniel 11:31 Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation.

This abomination of desolation will be the figurehead of destruction and war against God, His people, and His Covenant.

Interestingly, this Abomination is given a name by many bible and historical Scholars: Antiochus Epiphanes* (Walvoord)

The descriptors of the abomination of desolation in Daniel 11 line up (with remarkable accuracy) with the rise and fall of Antiochus Epiphanes.

This Greek king, conquerer, and madman waged war in the middle east until he died in roughly 168bc

The details in Daniel line up so closely that secular scholars have attempted to assert that Daniel must have been written 150 yrs BEFORE those events!

If that is the case, why does Jesus say “when you see the abomination of desolation” ?

This is the layering of events I’ve been describing.

Jesus is warning the disciples (and parenthetically Matthew adds a note in v15 to warn his readers) that the Conquerer revealed in history to be Epiphanes is a type, a recurring figure, for God’s people.

It was the greek king in 160BC

It would be the roman king in AD 70

These were very much ‘antichrists’ foreshadowing The Antichrist.

So Jesus says, “when you see him/it, flee!” (v.16)

By mentioning Judea here in v.16, along with some other hints here and Luke 21, the text points to specifically Jewish suffering.

This could be why some commentators have been led to say this passage is only about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.

Matthew 24:17–20 NASB95

“Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. “Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. “But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! “But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath.

In those days of tribulation, life and possessions will be left behind to be destroyed.

Jesus mourns expecting or new mothers in those days because the struggle of fleeing from desolation with babies.

He even says “pray this doesn’t happen in the winter or on the sabbath”

Winter because that would just add to your struggle

On the sabbath because fleeing for your life is the opposite of what the sabbath is for!

All this together paints an exceedingly dismal picture.

These words seem to be spoken about Israel specific suffering.

“those in Judea must flee”

“pray this doesn’t happen on Sabbath”

Neither of those things could be considered concerns for Christians in general

Luke furthers this view

Luke 21:20–24 NASB95

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near. “Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of the city must leave, and those who are in the country must not enter the city; because these are days of vengeance, so that all things which are written will be fulfilled. “Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land and wrath to this people; and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Precisely the same phrasing is used in both passages

This is why I find it unlikely that Jesus, as some commentators say, addresses the destruction of the temple in Luke but not in Matthew* (Weirsbe)

What then are we to do with Matthew 24:21 ““For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.” ?

IF Jesus is speaking about the destruction of the temple, how can He say this tribulation will be unprecedented and unmatched?

He was talking about the SECOND temple.

know what happened to the first temple? It was destroyed and Jerusalem decimated by the Babylonians!

In fact, Daniel 12:1 uses extremely similar language

This is why pastors and commentators have a hard time with this passage.

But when we step back to see the layering, we can have a view of Jesus’ timelessness, His eternality

He is helping the Disciples prepare for hard times

He is helping first century Jews who would - By God’s Grace! - have hopefully read this be prepared for AD70

He is helping you and me stand firm

He is preparing future generations for the magnitude of hardship before them

The Promise? Those days will be not last forever!

Oh, the MERCY of Temporary Tribulation.

Matthew 24:22 ““Unless 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.”

If the tribulation lasts forever - we’re all doomed.

But in the first century and the 21st century

in the world and in your day to day life

ALL Tribulation has an expiration date.

And I mean “ALL”

So much of the Bible is there to help you see this! God’s Mercy toward us is that tribulation is cut short. It won’t last.

Of course, you might ask, “Why any tribulation? If short Tribulation is an encouragement, why not just NO tribulation?”

The answer to that is SIN.

Romans 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,”

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Because we sin, we are a globe full of sinners, tribulation is a thing.

The Mercy of God is to keep the tribulation to a minimum.

Psalm 30:5 “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.”

Psalm 23:4–5 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.”

2 Corinthians 4:17 “For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,”

The Tribulation, as 1 Peter 1:7 describes it, is like a refining fire

It humbles us before God

It throws us on God’s mercy and strength

It results in PRAISE to God

It ‘produces for us eternal glory’

Notice one thing before we move on:

Jesus said “for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short”

All this we’ve been talking about applies only to Christians.

Logically, I think, the promises of Mercy and Glory are for the sake of His people

For those who have not given their lives to Jesus, You’ve no reason to think your tribulation will do anything but increase forever.

Psalm 73 shows this perfectly.

Tribulation produces a hope of Glory for christians

And it should - but rarely ever does - produce a fearful expectation for sinners

If the Mercy of God is that tribulation is cut short for the elect, what does it mean for sinners for Him to withdraw His mercy?

Eternal Tribulation.

The Good News of the Gospel of the Kingdom is that God’s Mercy is still available for anyone who would have.. as long as it is called “Today”

Praise God for His Mercy.

Don’t be Shaken

And Don’t Misled.

The way Jesus helps us with this is the assurance that His return will be like nothing we’ve seen

The Signs of the Times (vv 23-34)

Matt 24:23-34.

Again, Jesus warns His disciples to watch out for false prophets.

We spoke last week about how these false teachers mislead people and overturn people’s faith.

Here, Jesus is talking more specifically about false witnesses to the end times

With people pointing this way and that saying “this is the Christ” !

But don’t believe them!

Jesus says “behold I have told you in advance”

(That will be important for v.35)

The return of Jesus will not be in secret rooms or in the fields or out of the city gates

It will be as obvious as lightning across the skies (v.27)

It will be as intuitive as vultures to the corpse (v.28)

It will be unprecedented, Unsettling, and universal (vv29-31)

The language of vv 29-31 paints a terrifying picture.

The Disciples asked “what will be the sign of your coming?” (V.3)

Here Jesus shows that sign will be ultimate and final.

Every tribe on Earth will see it (v.30) and will mourn.

Mourning for the tribes around the world because they have presumably not given their lives to Christ.

Because those who have will be gathered together! (V.31)

1 Thessalonians 4:16 “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.”

The dead IN CHRIST

Mourning for some, Life for others.

Be on Alert.

Jesus will return, and we should live accordingly!

He offers a short parable to summarize His intention in sharing all of this:

vv 32-33

He wants us to wait expectantly, looking.

NOT Indifferent.

And he says “this generation will not pass away”

Some have used this verse to anchor everything Jesus has said in the first century* ( France )

Others say this is the Generation of Jewish people in the Great Tribulation* (Weirsbe)

But for our purposes, as we see these things layered together, the reminder is clear: Jesus wants us to be on Alert.

Like a city looking out for a seige, we are to be diligent for “this generation will not pass away until it complete”

then the anchor for all of it.

We ended last week with a promise about the unstoppable Gospel.

V.35 is similar

Jesus’ Words Will Not Pass Away (v.35)

Matthew 24:35 NASB95

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

Everything Jesus has said, we can trust.

Everything Jesus has said to the Disciples and everything He says in His word is True and will never pass away.

Heaven and Earth will pass away

All this terrible tribulation will come to pass

But we will never outlive a trust in what Jesus says.

Jesus told us already that the one who hears His words and does them is like a wise man who built his on the rock

Bank on it.

Never be moved.

David, the Psalmist, knew this truth

He described it this way:

Psalm 1:2–3 NASB95

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.

Delight in the law ( thats the words ) of God - Meditate on them

And you will be firmly planted and fruitful

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Akin, D. L. (2017). Antiochus Epiphanes and the Antichirst. In D. Platt (Ed.), Exalting Jesus in Daniel. book, B&H Publishing Group.

Walvoord, J. F. (1983). Daniel - The Final Vision. In R. B. Zuck (Ed.), Bible Knowledge Commentary. book, Victor Books.

Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible Exposition Commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 86–90). Victor Books.