"Great Tribulation" Matt 23b Mar 09 2025

“So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.

(Pray...)

The Critics

I’ve never preached about politics - and I’m not going to start now

But I do have sort of a political illustration in order to make my point

Have you ever been so captivated by a politician - you feel that he/she is right in-line with all of your beliefs

And you hear the critics, but you dismiss them because “they just don’t understand”

And then your guy gives an amazing speech - and you could care less what the critics say

Except - in his speech, he says some things you’re not so sure of?

And suddenly, the words of the critics begin to haunt you

And you begin to question your beliefs

You may be completely correct in your assessment of that politician - so what just happened?

What happened is that you judged the critics for not understanding - the reality is that you lack understanding

Listen carefully - you may be correct in your beliefs - but it still may be possible to lack understanding

Let me bring this home

Sometimes, I feel this way about Jesus and his Olivet Discourse

But then I realize, the problem isn’t Jesus - the problem is me because I don’t fully understand!

Just because I don’t understand something in the Bible - doesn’t mean that it’s not true

There was a disciple of Jesus - who I believe, listened too much to the critics

Jesus had died on the cross - but this disciple did not understand what just happened

To the point that he made the comment, “I will never believe!”

Of course, I’m talking about Thomas who said, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

And of course Jesus appeared to him and said, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side.”

And what’s amazing about this is that Jesus had previously told his disciples on numerous occasions -

That he would be delivered over to the hands of men, that he would die, and that he would be raised on the third day

Over and over and they didn’t fully understand until after it all took place

I think this is the same thing with end times

I really believe that we have a partial blindness to passages like Matt 24

That none of us have it all down - we need to have faith that God is in control and that he knows what he’s doing

This is a difficult section of Scripture we’re in

And I shy away from anyone who claims they know it all

I could claim here today that I know the date of Christ’s return - and that I wrote a book about it

And if you’ll just give me $500, I’ll send you a free copy of that book

For just $1,000, I’ll give you a free leather-bound version of the book, personally signed by me

Luckily, that’s not my message this morning!

One of the things I’m saying is that the critics have pounced all over this section of Scripture

The famous atheist, Bertrand Russell came against Christians with strong criticism - right here in this chapter - in verse 34, where Jesus says

“Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.”

Non-Christians still have had a field day with that verse

“You mean to say that Jesus predicted the end of the world before those people back then would die?”

I don’t have time to go into it too much

But let me just say, I’m glad that Jesus used the vague term, “generation”

Let me give you the short answer - I think it’s possible that Jesus was referring, in broad terms, to the Jewish generation

It would have been different if he said that before the disciples died, the end of the world will take place

My point is that we need to be very careful we don’t allow critics to shape the meaning and the context of the Bible

Don’t allow non-Christians to come up with their own twisted interpretation - and then have you defend that interpretation

Last week we were in the the first 14 verses of Matt 24

And we saw how Jesus was talking about end times

And that there was a distinction between verses 1-8, where Jesus was warning his disciples - and all of us against people who would lead us astray in false teaching

Verses 4-8 include all of us in the Church Age

And he warned us against getting alarmed about wars, and famines, and earthquakes

And he summed up by saying that all of the bad stuff in the world is just “the beginning of the birth pains”

Then we continued verses 9-14 where Jesus began talking about the Great Tribulation that will occur

Today, we’re continuing from verse 15 - hopefully to the end of the chapter

[Olivet Outline slide]

Olivet Discourse Outline

Matthew - Olivet Discourse

Christ on Mt of Olives (Matt 24) - Old Covenant

Christ Dies

Resurrection

Ascension

New Covenant - Age of the Church (Matt 24:4-8)

Day of Pentecost (Acts 2)

Coming of the Holy Spirit

Christ’s Church is Established - Includes Gentiles

End of the Age (Matt 24:9-26)

Christ Comes for the Church (Rapture)

The Great Tribulation

2nd Coming of Christ

Signs of Christ’s 2nd Coming (Matt 24:27-51)

Millennium Reign of Christ on Earth

The Great Tribulation

So, we’re continuing with the Great Tribulation

We’re starting with the passage I just read earlier

Again, as I read prophesy in the Bible - I do not believe that the church will endure the Great Tribulation

I have heard some claim that the tribulation has already happened

If you hold to that theory, then it becomes hard to explain verse 21

Matthew 24:21 ESV

For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.

And some even believe that we’re in the tribulation

But where in history was there a tribulation so great - that it was greater than anything that has happened since the beginning of the world

And if we’re talking about Israel and the Jews - I can go through history and find some pretty horrible things Israel has endured

Their exile multiple times by the hands of the Assyrians and Babylon

The destruction of Jerusalem & the Temple in 70 AD - and their persecution from Rome

And then there was the Holocaust where millions of Jews were slaughtered by Hitler

If we’re talking about Christians, we have endured great persecution since Nero was the leader of Rome

And Christians around the world, like in China, N. Korea, Iran, etc.

All that is going on - and I don’t mean to dismiss it, but I don’t see where anyone in history has faced a tribulation like Jesus talked about

I believe the Great Tribulation has not happened

And I believe Bible passages like Matt 24 will bring hope to those who have to endure it

Abomination of Desolation

In verse 15, Jesus talks about the “abomination of desolation spoken by the prophet Daniel”

Daniel wrote there would be two occasions of an abomination of desolation

One has already occured - a fulfillment of Bible prophesy

In 170 B.C., there was a man named Antiochus Epiphanes who came to suppress Judaism

He desecrated the Temple and disallowed Jewish sacrifices

Then he offered up the blood of swine upon the altar - and set up an image of Jupiter to be worshipped in the Temple

But Jesus was obviously referring to the second abomination - that is alluded in Daniel 12

I believe this will be the one during the Tribulation

This could be an image or statue of the antichrist that will be set-up in the temple

It may just be the antichrist himself as described in 2 Thess, who will “take his seat in the temple of God”

I’ve also speculated that it’s possible with AI and robotics that might be some robot that utters continuous blasphemy

That’s a terrifying thought - but I have no biblical evidence for that

But as Christians, we’re not to look for the antichrist -

or the desecration of the temple -

we are to look to Christ, and Christ alone

People get overboard on all of this - they try to guess who the antichrist will be (Ronald Reagan)

The whole point in this is that we should keep our eyes fixed on Jesus

One of the problems with how Jesus brings in Daniel to tell about the tribulation in the last days is that -

There is currently no Temple in Jerusalem

How is all of this desecration to the temple supposed to take place if there is not temple in Jerusalem

What’s interesting is that there are many Jews who desire to re-build the temple

My understanding is that they have many of the physical elements which will go into the temple already - they are currently in locked storage

I don’t like speculation - I am in favor of taking the words of Christ seriously - and just have faith that Jesus was telling the truth

I’m not concerned how this will all come about - I’m concerned that Jesus is the one who said it - and I believe him

The Coming of the Son of Man

Jesus did say how he will return

In the previous section he warned not to believe those who claim Jesus is coming - and that they will say, “There he is!”

Jesus says to not believe it

So he tells us just how he will return

I’d rather just let him speak

Starting in verse 29

Matthew 24:29–31 ESV

“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 heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

The Lesson of the Fig Tree

Jesus then gives an analogy, commonly known as The Lesson of the Fig Tree

This is different from the parable

Starting in verse 32

Matthew 24:32–35 ESV

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Jesus sums up these last days by saying that no one knows that day and hour he will be coming

This last portion is kind of long, but I want to look at the first several verses as we end this chapter

Starting in verse 36

Matthew 24:36–41 ESV

“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.

And in the very next verse he gives a warning

This is what Jesus says:

“Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.”

Now I believe he specifically meant that for his Second Coming

I believe he will come for his church first - meaning, he will come for us

Paul talks about this in 1 Cor 15 where he says:

“We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.”

And then in 1 Thess 4 where Paul said:

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.”

This will be the rapture of the church - that word “rapture” is not in the Bible

We use that word out of convenience, so we all know what we’re talking about

But those two passages are extremely clear and specific

So: the rapture - then the Great Tribulation - then the Second Coming

There will only be Israel and unbelieving Gentiles left on Earth during the Great Tribulation

When Jesus warns them to stay awake - that applies directly to the Second Coming

But I don’t think there’s a problem for us apply that to ourselves

We need to “stay awake”

We don’t know when the Lord is coming

He’ll either come for us the moment we die - or when he raptures us and when we will meet him in the air

Close

As I close, let me pause here for a moment

There’s a temptation to set all this prophesy stuff aside and ignore it because it seems too complicated

I urge you to not do that -

It’s in the Bible - it’s good to study the Bible

Having gone through this myself in the past couple of weeks - it motivates me to learn more

I believe that these words from Jesus are not only a comfort to us - but they will certainly be a comfort to those during the tribulation

I believe that not only will Israel be saved

But following the rapture, there will be many Gentiles whose eyes will be opened and they will be saved

And passages like Matt 24 will be a great comfort

The problem with Gentiles who wait until after the rapture - is that they will face unbelievable persecution and will be executed

Here’s my main message in all of this:

Stay awake!

Let’s not just stand there - waiting for Jesus to return - looking up in the air

Look around!

Who needs you to love them and pray for them?

How can you best serve the Lord?

Love one another and pray for one another

When we serve God by loving others - that’s the best way to stay awake!

(Pray...)

Communion

(Pick one…)

Matthew 26:26–28 ESV

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Luke 22:19–20 ESV

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 ESV

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

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