49: Daniel’s Prophecy Fulfilled (Mt 24:15-16) - The Judgment of Jerusalem - part 2

When I served at FBC Perry, my pastor - in his mid 30s - in his 1st pastorate - used Mother’s Day…to teach on HELL. And boy did he catch it from some folks.

Well, I have a confession to make - I always struggle to teach to the calendar.

Christmas & and Easter are kind of locked in on what you’re going to talk about.

Then there’s Thanksgiving.

Then there’s Veteran’s Day & Memorial Day.

Then there’s Right to Life Sunday.

Then there’s Father’s Day and - last but certainly not least - Mother’s Day.

So today, while we celebrate our Momma’s, we are not hitting the brakes on our current study through Matthew. So, this might be the Mother’s Day sermon I’m best remembered for. :)

JOKE A Baptist pastor and a Methodist pastor are sitting next to each other on a long flight from LA to NY. The Methodist leans over to the Baptist and asks if he would like to play a fun game. The Baptist just wants to take a nap, so he politely declines and rolls over to the window to catch a few winks.

The Methodist persists and explains that the game is real easy and a lot of fun. He explains "I ask you a question, and if you don’t know the answer, you pay me $5. Then you ask me a question, and if I don’t know the answer, I’ll pay you $5."

Again, the Baptist politely declines and tries to get to sleep. The Methodist thought he was pretty smart, and now somewhat agitated, says, "Okay, if you don’t know the answer you pay me $5, and if I don’t know the answer, I’ll pay you $50!"

This catches the Baptist’s attention, and he sees no end to this torment unless he plays, so he agrees to the game. The Methodist asks the first question. "What’s the distance from the earth to the moon?" The Baptist doesn’t say a word, but reaches into his wallet, pulls out a five dollar bill and hands it to the Methodist.

Now, it’s the Baptist’s turn. He asks the Methodist "What goes up a hill with three legs, and comes down on four?"

The Methodist looks up at him with a puzzled look. He takes out his laptop computer and searches all of his references. He taps into the wifi and searches Google. After about an hour of frustration, he wakes the Baptist and hands him $50. The Baptist politely takes the $50 and turns away to try to get back to sleep.

The frustrated Methodist shakes the Baptist and asks "Well, so what’s the answer?"

Without a word, the Baptist reaches into his wallet, hands the Methodist $5, and turns away to get back to sleep.

Them preachers can be SNEAKY! They can act like they KNOW more than they really KNOW…especially when it comes to the topic of 'end times'. Many preachers who REALLY love Jesus & the Scriptures answer difficult questions by leaning on what they’ve been taught by other preachers who were taught the same thing.

So rather than doing the hard work of studying Scripture in context, they do what they have seen others do, holding the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other, pointing to current events as fulfillments of Biblical prophecy. In fact, I used to be one of those guys.

I used to tell people who I knew who the beast of Revelation likely was - someone living in my day.

I was anticipating the temple of Jerusalem being rebuilt…in my lifetime, because I thought I had biblical support that it would occur. My view was bolstered by the fact that my pastor, Dr. Solomon, a former seminary professor, had inside information that the Jewish people had all the materials for the new temple ready as soon as they took over the temple mount - where a Muslim mosque now stands. Consequently, I taught others the same.

Further, I was certain that Jesus would rapture His church to heaven just before the 7 year ‘great tribulation’ broke out on earth. I backed it up with some Scriptures that seemed to imply it, that is until I read Matthew 24:31.

As a 22 year old I was certain that my ‘end times’ view was the right one…UNTIL one day when I sat in my office to read the Olivet Discourse from Matthew 24. That morning I got tripped up by the Scripture itself. I saw where Matt. 24:31 says the angels will gather the elect from the 4 corners of the earth. To me, this was an obvious reference of the RAPTURE I had long been taught would occur BEFORE the tribulation. Yet as I read I discovered that ‘the angels gathering the elect’ would occur…AFTER the great tribulation Jesus spoke of in Matt. 24:21. Well, that didn’t fit with what I had been taught!

I was left in a dilemma: do I twist the Bible to fit my preconceived BELIEFS…OR do I twist my preconceived BELIEFS to fit what the Bible says?

That was early in my journey of questioning what I had been taught…for the sake of TRUTH, and 30 years later my ‘end times’ views have changed precisely because…I want to follow the intention of the inspired writings that we call the Scriptures, rather than forcing them to fit a tradition taught by my church and my denomination.

With that said, let me emphasize that I DO believe in that Jesus could return any day - although I don’t follow the typical view pre-tribulational view taught by the ‘Left Behind’ series and teachers like John MacArthur & David Jeremiah.

I also realize that what I’m about to teach will prompt many questions and cause some long-time traditions to be reconsidered. In truth, I have found that some believers even draw battle lines over differences in ‘end times’ views.

I have been in much prayer and will attempt to give you my best interpretation of today’s text. You might very well disagree with me, but I ask that you consider what we are about to cover in light of context AND that we would LOVE ONE ANOTHER, despite the differences that might surface through this study.

LET’S PRAY

All 3 of the synoptics focus on this interaction between Jesus and His disciples in answering questions about the destruction of the Temple (Matt. 24, Mark 13, Luke 21). Let me mention a few terms used in these writings & see if you recognize the powerful language that prompts people to immediately think of ‘end times’:

abomination of desolation standing in the holy place

great tribulation never to be equaled again

angels gather the elect from the four corners of the earth

the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power

It’s precisely because of these rich prophetic phrases & imagery borrowed from the Old Testament that causes this to be one of the most debated passages in all the Scripture.

You see, if you don’t understand how this language & imagery was used in the Old Testament, you likely won’t understand what Jesus intended for His Jewish apostles. Truth is, I don’t think anyone has it all figured out.

Kent Hughes speaking of the Olivet Discourse, writes: Study of it requires a proper humility and a willingness to admit that we do not have all the answers. [1]

Today we are going see how Jesus points to Daniel’s Prophecy Fulfilled regarding the Destruction of Jerusalem.

Last week we stepped knee deep into Matthew 24 - the Olivet Discourse - a conversation Jesus between Jesus & His disciples on the Mount of Olives - from across from the Temple, as he told them about Jerusalem’s future destruction.

You’ll remember that Jesus compared Himself to a mother hen protecting her chicks, as He wanted to protect the people of Jerusalem from the coming destruction. But most of the people were not willing to RUN to Him; instead, they REJECTED Him.

Jesus is leaving the temple & his enemies for the last time until…until they come to arrest Him across the Kidron Valley on the Mt of Olives in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Matthew 24:1–2 (NIV) Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

You can imagine how this future prophecy echoed in their minds, since it would mean:

an end to the religious freedom the Jews had experienced under Roman occupation - no place for the nation of Israel to gather to worship Yahweh

an end to sacrifice for sin, as animals could only be sacrificed at the temple

and the slaughter of a tremendous number Hebrew people in & around the city.

…so they had to ask Jesus about it.

Matthew 24:3 (NIV) As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

This is commonly known as “The Olivet Discourse” - a conversation between Jesus and His disciples on the Mount of Olives. From this mountain they could likely SEE the Temple, which led to the questions.

They actually ask a couple of questions that they expect to occur at the same time.

When will THIS happen? “This” is referring to what Jesus had previously told them - the destruction of the temple - not 1 stone left on another (Mt 24:2).

What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?

“The end of the age” is likely referring the total shift that would happen as the Temple is destroyed.

Remember that Jesus had referred to His “coming” before the apostles had finished taking the gospel to all the towns of Israel.

Matthew 10:23 (NIV) When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

To rightly interpret Scripture, we must ask, “who is the author & the audience?”, before we dive into application for OUR lives.

A simple way to start is simply to answer the question, “Who is YOU?” in the text. “When YOU are persecuted” - WHO is that? That is referring to the 1st century disciples of Jesus. Now it makes sense why they are asking this question, because Jesus TOLD THEM they would not finish going through all the towns of WHERE? Israel…before the Son of Man - WHAT? - comes.

Keep in mind, this conversation is happening BEFORE the death, burial, & resurrection of Jesus.

This certainly CANNOT be the 2nd Coming of Jesus, for 2 reasons.

They did not understand that Jesus was leaving. They still didn’t understand this, even after His resurrection. They were hoping Jesus was going to establish His earthly kingdom right then. So, just before Jesus suddenly ascended to heaven they asked,

Acts 1:6b (NIV) “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

Jesus’ prophecy was encouraging His 1st century disciples about His coming during their lifetime & persecution - a time when He would “come” to bring judgment against His enemies who mistreated His people.

While I DO think Jesus will speak of His 2nd coming later in this conversation, Jesus is 1st referring to his coming in judgment against His enemies when Jerusalem is destroyed within their lifetime.

As they sit on the Mount Olives, Jesus tells them about false messiahs, wars, famine, & earthquakes, & persecution they would face - all which DID occur in their lifetime.

Finally, we concluded with the GOOD NEWS in the midst of the BAD NEWS…

Matthew 24:13-14 (NIV) but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

After hearing the BAD NEWS, their ears must have been longing for the GOOD NEWS!

First, there WILL BE followers of Jesus who STAND FIRM to the end. It’s not impossible.

Secondly, their small movement only known within the small country of Israel would spread all over the known world and impact all nations! What a GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT this must have been to the 1st century disciples! The KINGdom would spread to all kinds of people in all kinds of places! Despite the tough times they would face, Jesus would not leave them to their own strength and they would not carry their own message, but HIS.

And sure enough, thousands of miles away and 2 millennia later - many of US have heard the GOOD NEWS about the KINGDOM and are now being used to further the GOSPEL to other nations & generations!

Here’s what we do in the middle of tough times: STAND FIRM. Follow Jesus. Encourage one another. And let’s follow our King’s marching orders, to become disciples who develop disciples of other generations & other nations.

Today we are only going to read 2 verses from Matthew 24, because we have to dig into what Jesus meant as He points to 500+ year old prophecies from Daniel .

Matthew 24:15–16 (NIV) So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

First, remember WHO is YOU? Jesus tells His 1st century followers that THEY will see these future events unfolding.

Jesus reminds His Hebrew disciples that THEY will see something similar to the abomination that causes desolation spoken through the prophet Daniel.

In other words - Jesus’ 1st followers should think back and remember what Daniel wrote about this 550 years before (537 BC).

Matthew adds that the reader - people like you and me who are reading his gospel - should go back and see what Daniel had to say.

First, the Jewish disciples of Jesus were very familiar with the abomination that causes desolation, a reference to the temple being taken over and being violated by enemies.

This had occurred in 168 BC when Antiochus Epiphanies IV tried to turn Israel into a fully Greek society.[2] He took over the temple , slaughtered a pig on the altar, brought prostitutes into the temple, stopped the Sabbath worship, did away with baby circumcision, destroyed the Hebrew scriptures, & set up an image of Zeus at the Temple.

Further, the term “Epiphanes” means “the manifest god” and he put this on all the coins - “Antiochus, the manifest God”.

Multiple prophecies from Daniel regarding the abomination of desolation were fulfilled through Antiochus (Dan 8:9-14, 11:21-45, 12:11). Here’s an example.

Daniel 8:8–14 (ESV) v8-10 Then the goat [Alexander the Great] became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns [4 generals of Alexander the great] toward the four winds of heaven. Out of one of them came a little horn [Antiochus], which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them.

v11-12 It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary [Temple] was overthrown. And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper.

1 Maccabees - an intertestamental writing - describes these events saying:

1 Maccabees 1:54–57 (NRSV) Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev [December], in the one hundred forty-fifth year, they erected a desolating sacrilege on the altar of burnt offering. They also built altars in the surrounding towns of Judah, and offered incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets. The books of the law that they found they tore to pieces and burned with fire. Anyone found possessing the book of the covenant, or anyone who adhered to the law, was condemned to death by decree of the king.

1 Maccabees 1:59–64 (NRSV) On the twenty-fifth day of the month [Dec 25] they offered sacrifice on the altar that was on top of the altar of burnt offering. According to the decree, they put to death the women who had their children circumcised, and their families and those who circumcised them; and they hung the infants from their mothers’ necks. But many in Israel stood firm and were resolved in their hearts not to eat unclean food. They chose to die rather than to be defiled by food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. Very great wrath came upon Israel.

I wonder how many of YOU knew about THAT!? Sad that we haven’t been taught Hebrew history, despite following a Hebrew Messiah speaking to Hebrew disciples about an annual celebration that revolves around this very event - more on that in a moment.

Back to the prophecy from Daniel.

v13-14 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?” And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.”

Scholars debate whether 2,300 evenings and mornings is referring to 2,300 days OR if it combines the sacrifices in the evening and mornings - in other words - 1,150 days x 2 sacrifices - evening & morning. If so, that’s over 3 years.

Josephus, the Jewish historian, referring to Antiochus “our sanctuary [was] made desolate for three years and six months.” [3]

But then came the day that Judas Maccabeus and his army ran Antiochus out of Jerusalem and restored the Temple to its rightful state on December 25, 165 B.C.

Judas Maccabeus tore down the statue of Zeus & cleansed the temple from all of the pagan wickedness that had occurred there. He made a new sacrificial altar and new holy vessels, burned incense on the incense altar, lit the lampstands to give light to the temple, placed bread on the table, and hung new curtains. He dedicated the new altar with sacrifices, music, and joyous worship for eight days. [4]

This is the celebration we know as Hanukkah - meaning “dedication” or “consecration”

Jesus and His disciples celebrated this annually, just as all Jews did (Jn 10:22).

THIS is what the apostles of Jesus thought of when Jesus talked of Daniel’s prophecy about the abomination of desolation. And here’s a HUGE point.

To Daniel’s audience (in 500 B.C.) ‘the abomination of desolation’ was a FUTURE prophecy but to the apostles (in AD 30s) - ‘the abomination of desolation’ was a FULFILLED prophecy.

And now Jesus points to this PAST EVENT (Antiochus & Judas Maccabees) to explain what it will be like later in the apostles’ lifetime. In other words, the apostles on top of the Mount of Olives are expecting one LIKE Antiochus Epiphanes to take over the temple…except this time - as Jesus had already said - it will be completely destroyed - not one stone on another. I am convinced that Daniel 9:26-27 is speaking of the event that Jesus is warning His apostles of which was future for them.

But Daniel’s prophecy also pointed to a time further out, when the temple would not only be taken over, but be destroyed along with the city of Jerusalem (Dan 9:24-27). And boy is THAT ONE interesting, because I’m convinced this is the future event that Jesus was saying some of His 1st century followers would experience in their lifetimes.

Daniel 9:24 (NIV) Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.

So, the transgressions - sins - are piling up and God’s judgment is about to overflow.

Yet, there is something amazing here. There will ultimately be a way to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness. How could THAT happen? We are about to see.

Remember that Jesus had earlier said at the Temple…

Matthew 23:37–38 (NIV) Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate.

Daniel 9:25-26a (NIV) Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem [referring to the destroyed Temple rebuilt in 516 BC] until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing.

Huh, so 500 years before it happened, Daniel prophesied that the Anointed One - the Messiah - would be “cut off” (ESV) - put to death? Yep!

And THAT is how the sins of many will be atoned for. THAT is how everlasting righteousness would be available for all who trust in HIM - JESUS! That’s GOOD NEWS!

Did YOU know that payment for sins was prophesied & NOW…has been PAYED…for US!?!?

Turn to someone and tell ‘em - “HE PAYED for Your sin so you don’t have to!”

But…that’s only GOOD NEWS for those who turn from their sin and turn to Him. For those who reject Him, for those who refuse His gracious offer. JUDGMENT IS COMING.

And Judgment was on the way for those who rejected Jesus in Jerusalem, as Daniel prophesied, and as Jesus was pointing His disciples to.

Daniel 9:26b-27 (NIV) The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”

And less than 40 years after Jesus tells his disciples about what was coming, it happened.

Roman General Titus besieged Jerusalem for 5 1/2 months, and upon getting inside the gates, Josephus writes:

And now the Romans, upon the flight of the seditious into the city, and upon the burning of the holy house itself, and of all the buildings round about it, brought their ensigns to the temple, and set them over against its eastern gate; and there did they offer sacrifices to them, and there did they make Titus imperator, with the greatest acclamations of joy.[5]

Ensigns were objects of worship - images of Roman gods & emperors carried at the heads of the legions.

And so it would be, says Jesus, that when the 1st century disciples see this occurring, they are to flee to the mountains. They are to GET OUT OF DODGE! Jesus warns His 1st century disciples to protect them from the judgment that is coming - a GREAT TRIBULATION.

More on that next week when we talk about the Great Tribulation - what it is and what it isn’t, is it PAST or FUTURE? Come find out.

FEET2FAITH

Know what Jesus says & Trust what Jesus says. What Jesus says will happen…WILL happen. He has a 100% track record with prophecies from the past. Get your face in the BOOK. Read what Jesus says & then BEHAVE like you BELIEVE what He says.

Pray for & take opportunities to share the GOOD NEWS [with others]. This is GOOD NEWS. We can and should tell others - “He payed for your sin so you don’t have to!”

Remember that our opportunities won’t last forever. That person you have the opportunity with….could die this week. Jesus could return this week.

PRAY

________________

R. Kent Hughes, Luke: That You May Know the Truth, Preaching the Word (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1998), 295.

Ronald L. Eisenberg, The JPS Guide to Jewish Traditions, 1st ed. (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 2004), 244.

Flavius Josephus and William Whiston, The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1987), 717.

Gary Hardin, “Hanukkah,” ed. Chad Brand et al., Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 713–714.

Flavius Josephus and William Whiston, The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1987), 743.

Discussion Questions

We talked about some HEAVY material today. What left you scratching your head or challenged you to reconsider how you have interpreted the Scriptures we studied today?

Why is it so difficult to consider changing long-held interpretations? What is the benefit of carefully examining other views? Have you ever heard about the significance of Antiochus Epiphanes IV & Judas Maccabees? Explain your answer.

After reading Matthew 24:15-16, Daniel 8:8-14, & 1 Maccabees 1:54-64, how does this help you better understand how the Hebrew disciples of Jesus would have viewed the future prophecies about “the abomination that causes desolation” based on the fulfilled prophecies of the past?

Many people read Matthew 24:15-16 and believe it is a FUTURE event for us. Who is “you” in this passage? If you were sitting with Jesus and heard Him say, “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel…then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains” - would you think this has nothing to do with you (a 1st century Hebrew disciple)? Explain your answer.

What is the problem with US (21st century readers) taking the warning Jesus gives his original audience and transplanting it into our time?

How does Daniel 9:24-27 apply to the death of the Messiah (“Anointed One”) & destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 under General Titus? Have you ever considered that text to be FUTURE for the 1st century disciples but PAST for us? If not, why not? If so, how were you challenged/trained to do so? ‌

Share how the prophecies of Jesus regarding the destruction of Jerusalem helps you want to KNOW & TRUST what Jesus says.

What does God want YOU to do with what we studied today?

How can we pray for/care for one another this week? (Pray for one another.)