Not Yet

Matt 23:37-24:36

Jesus is clear: he is coming back, but not yet, and no one knows when but the Father. Jesus stresses again and again that there will be many tribulations, persecutions, false Christs and false prophets before the Great Tribulation followed by Jesus’ return. The disciple of Jesus should not be distracted by “wars and rumors of wars” or speculation on Jesus’ return. This is a waste of time. Our focus should be on proclaiming the Kingdom to all peoples… and (next week) be be ready for his return in the blink of an eye.

How to Study the Bible Without Risk of Conviction

Do you want to feel the Bible regularly without any of that pesky “conviction” messing up your usual life?

Do you want to want to feel superior to others, smarter and more knowledgeable, without being challenged by Jesus to be humble and serving?

I have a study for you: End Times Prophecy.

Not prophecy as God meant it to be heard: as an encouragement to his people.

Prophecy as I studied it as a young teenager. Endless speculation and theorizing.

Here’s the book I put forward for us to study at youth Sabbath School. Months we spent on this one, arguing what meant what, what imagery was literal and what was metaphor… and above all, When Jesus Was Coming Back?

Now, I haven’t re-read that book, so I can’t blame Hal Lindsey, I certainly don’t blame the books of Revelation, or Daniel or Ezekiel… apocalyptic literature with important message to the people they were written to then, and important message to us now.

There are GREAT reasons to study prophecy.

But here is a great danger, a great trap, and one I fell into… and I saw many of the most committed “Bible studiers” I grew up with fall into:

Endless speculation and theorization trying to determine how it is all going to be, what comes first, rapture or millennial rule or tribulation then rapture… and above all when is it all going down… and allow all of that to loom so large, to take so much of our time and attention, that we miss the BIG things, the Most Important thing.

That we miss love, and grace, loving God and loving others, walking in the actual footsteps of Jesus, being his disciples, and teaching and making disciples as He commanded us to.

Jesus saw this coming. He saw this trap looming even before his apostles. And he speaks so directly to it, so clearly points out the trap… and then, ironically, we mine his words for details about when and how Jesus is coming back.

From Woe to Weeping

Here is his transition. From his words of “woe” over the Pharisees, he weeps over his people. In particular, over Jerusalem. The Pharisees, the best of the leaders, are still prophet killers, and Jerusalem stands as the grave of many prophets… soon to be his grave.

Matthew 23:37–39 ESV

37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 38 See, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ ”

That is what they cried 2 days ago at his triumphant entry… but they won’t call that again like that until Jesus 2nd coming.

This is the heart of Jesus. He longs to save, not rebuke and condemn. “Desolate” is “Wilderness” and likely speaks over the temple… which sure enough will be destroyed in AD 70, about 40 years. And that is just how his disciples took this, and Jesus clarifies:

Matthew 24:1–2 ESV

1 Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

Now this brings up a possible area of confusion, and it is one that is going to confuse every generation born from Jesus’ ascension until today.

This incredible moment of persecution is coming in AD 70, in particular, but also before that… and also after that. Whenever there is incredible persecution, there is going to be an expectation that Jesus MUST be coming back soon. Today. Tomorrow.

Jesus speaks directly to this issue. And over and over again he says “not yet.”

Hear the disciples’ immediate assumption from what Jesus said about the temple:

Matthew 24:3 ESV

3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Hear them lump all three together.

Matthew 24:4–8 ESV

4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

Matthew 24:9–12 ESV

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

Matthew 24:13 ESV

13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

What does that mean? Endure until the end of persecution? Has he mentioned an end to persecution? Nope. Or end times yet? Nope. What “end” has he mentioned. Your death.

(Do those who panic at some point lose their salvation???)

Matthew 24:14 ESV

14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

If there is any way to predict or even advance the return of Jesus, this is it. You want Jesus to come faster? Proclaim the Kingdom. Testify to all nations.

“Nations” here is “ethnos” from which we get “ethnic”… so this is not about political entities, but all people groups, all people kinds, all tribes and languages and colors and identities.

Then the end will come.

Let’s hear more about this end:

Matthew 24:15 ESV

15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),

The “abomination of desolation” Daniel spoke of has already been fulfilled once with Antiochus Epiphanes sacrificing a pig to Zeus in the temple. So Jesus is referring to some new abomination that is like that, maybe exactly like that, maybe symbolically like that, I don’t know.

But it is meant to be a recognizable symbol that triggers flight:

Matthew 24:16–20 ESV

16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 19 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath.

Note: in the end times does Jesus expect that people, his followers, are still observing Sabbath? Does he presume that it is still on a particular day? Jesus equates “Sabbath” with “winter” as part of the Created Order. They changed what “Sabbath” meant over the next couple hundred years… but they forgot to tell Jesus. Whoops.

This is one of the Central verses for me still keeping the Seventh Day Sabbath as holy, separate. Jesus assumes I would be when the Great Tribulation comes… and that the way that I observe it would cause a challenge for flight or taking shelter.

Great Tribulation

Matthew 24:21–22 ESV

21 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. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

Then Jesus returns to his main point, which is “Not Yet.”

Matthew 24:23–26 ESV

23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.

Then he picks up where he left off, right after the Great Tribulation. How do you know the tribulation you have faced so far is not the “Great Tribulation”? It isn’t immediately followed by:

Matthew 24:27 ESV

27 For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

(Gandalf, look to the east)

Such an amazing picture, lightning from the East, lighting up the World. That’s how he will return, yes, Jesus! Maranatha!

Matthew 24:28 ESV

28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

WHAT??? I like that metaphor WAY less. I guess a metaphor for gathering a crowd, vultures gathering around a corpse, but I like the first one with Gandalf and lightning. But there is a somber tone here, and maybe that’s appropriate after the Great Tribulation. That’s where Jesus is going here:

Matthew 24:29–31 ESV

29 “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. 30 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. 31 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.

That’s a darker vision… and then Jesus gathers in his people. And he drops the story there, which is such a teaser. We will hear more elsewhere, and Jesus gives John visions of what happens next with new heaven and new earth, resurrection, good things.

But here, yet again, Jesus is going to return to his main first point: “not yet.” Be patient. Don’t be fooled. Don’t jump the gun. Stuff is going to happen, you can look for the signs, but don’t go chasing after false christs and false prophets.

Matthew 24:32–35 ESV

32 “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. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

What are “all these things”?

“all these things” of verse 33 and verse 34 must mean the same thing. And it CANNOT mean the return of Jesus… because that has not and did not happen before the end of “this generation.”

But remember Jesus’ first point “not yet.” Lots of things are going to happen that make you think I’m about to return, but not yet. And verses 1-26, all “those things” are going to happen to this persecution.

The false christs and prophets, check.

The tribulation, martyrdom. Check.

The people claiming Jesus return, even a foretaste of the abomination of desolation with the destruction of the temple. All those things will happen before the generation he is talking to dies.

Most of the disciples are martyred before then, but John is still alive at least.

But not the return of Jesus. Not yet. And if there was confusion from a first reading of just that “this generation will not pass away” statement, Jesus clarifies with THE most definite, definitive, statement on the timing of Jesus’ return in all the Bible. This is the one that should shape our study, should shape our behavior as it relates to prophecy and expectation.

This is the one that is in our church’s Statement of Belief.

Matthew 24:36 ESV

36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.

Jesus is coming, on a day and an hour… but no one knows when but the Father.

Hear that, Jesus is saying he doesn’t know. Did Jesus, Son of God, know everything? Not in his incarnation for sure. He didn’t know this, he grew in knowledge throughout his life.

Does he know now, did the Father whisper it in his ear when he ascended? Maybe, don’t know. “October 22nd, 1844.” Surprise!

But his message here is SO clear. He doesn’t know the date, angels don’t know the date, the apostles aren’t going to know the date, he isn’t communicating the date secretly in what he said before, STOP looking for the date! DON’T be caught up in endless and fruitless speculation and chasing after “wars and rumors of wars.” Not in the news, not in your Bible studies, not in your imagination.

Jesus is setting them up, appropriately, for the long haul, for endurance and perseverance through MANY trials, and ultimately martyrdom for almost all of them. And the same is true over us today.

Jesus is coming. Our right response is coming next week. Spoiler, it is “Be Ready.”

You are ready NOT by predicting the day and hour, but by doing what Jesus TOLD us to do to be ready.

And it isn’t new, it isn’t subtle, it is exactly what Jesus has been showing and living and teaching and preaching the whole time.

Love God, Love Others.

Behold, the Kingdom of God is here. Be it. Proclaim it. Teach it. Live it.

Make disciples of all nations, all peoples.

It’s all one thing. Love God, Love Others.

If your Bible Study is fruitfully informing and inspiring you to live and be as Jesus is, and follow in his footsteps, congratulations! You are doing it right, you are listening to His Word by His Spirit in you.

If your Bible Study, or any other thing, is spinning in fruitless speculation, and ESPECIALLY if, as it was for me as a teenager, a source of puffed up pride and arrogance. STOP IT! Knock it off. You are doing it wrong, you are doing harm to yourself and others.

And God has INCREDIBLY harsh words for any who proclaim events and dates falsely. That is false prophecy.

Jesus is Coming

Not yet. Be ready.

I wish, in the sin and darkness of this world, I could tell you it was today. Or tomorrow. I hope it is. I eagerly anticipate.

But the words of Jesus have now stood for 2000 years. Not yet. Be ready.

And in the “not yet” we walk in the footsteps of Jesus. Carrying out the Cause of Christ.

This is who I want to be as a believer, as a follower, a disciple of Jesus. Sold out for being like Jesus, loving God and loving others, boldly proclaiming His Kingdom.

This is who I want us to be, a church, sold out for loving God and loving others, boldly proclaiming His Kingdom. Teaching everything Jesus commanded, making disciples day by day, on purpose.