THE FINAL DISCOURSE PART 1
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Please open your Bibles to .
About thirty-one years ago a book hit the shelves of Christian bookstores which took the Christian world by storm. It was titled: 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will be in 1988, by Edgar Whisenant. This book actually predicted that Jesus would rapture His church, His bride, on my 25th birthday! My initial response was: “I guess we can be confident that the Lord will not return in 1988.” Why is that? Because of what Jesus said in
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
Today, as we continue in our exposition of the Gospel of Matthew, we begin a new series. If you will recall, Matthew’s account has a unique structure: it is divided between section of narration and sections of discourse. This morning we begin looking at the fifth and final discourse in this gospel account.
At the beginning of the year we looked at the first three chapters of Revelation, focusing on the letters to the seven churches. And then we returned to Matthew, and some asked me why I didn’t continue in our study of The Revelation. The reason why is that this discourse, which we begin today, parallels much of the Book of The Revelation. And my prayerful consideration was that since I have committed myself to finishing the exposition of Matthew, that we should deal with his apocalyptic account before delving into the apocalyptic portions of Revelation.
This passage has been one of the most highly debated passage by conservative evangelical scholars, because of its focus on end times prophecy.
Preterists
There are some scholars who believe that the predictions that Jesus made, especially in chapter 24, were all fulfilled by 70 A.D. when Jerusalem was razed and the temple destroyed. This group is commonly referred to as Preterists, which is taken from a Latin term which means “being in the past.”
Futurists
Another group, sometimes referred to as futurists, understands the discourse to speak primarily, if not solely, of events just before the second coming of Jesus to the earth. Most within this group would be also called dispensationalists.
Progressive Dispensationalists
A third group, called progressive dispensationalists view the first-century destruction of the temple in a typological fashion that looked forward to the end of history. This is probably where I fall on this subject.
Often in the prophecies of the OT there were near and far fulfillments, and I believe that we can see that in this magnificent prophecy as well. And so, today, as we go through the first part of this discourse we will try to look both at the near and the far fulfillments of the things which Jesus prophesied in the first fourteen verses of this discourse.
As we do so, I want you to keep in mind, no matter how intriguing end times prophecies may be:
“The knowledge of what God will do in the future must have a profound effect upon God’s people in the present.” David L. Turner
The Stage is Set
The Stage is Set
The disciple’s mindset
The disciple’s amazement
The disciple’s questions
Your house is being abandoned —
Not one stone — Matt. 24:1-2
Near Fulfillment — 70 AD
Far Fulfillment — Midway through the Tribulation
Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.
And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”
Establish his own worship in the temple
Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
Attempts to Mislead Predicted
Attempts to Mislead Predicted
Christ has always spoken strongly against those who mislead others
In these verses there are some amazing parallels with the seven seal judgments in .
False Christs
False Christs
Near — there have always been false Christs in the world
Future — the Anti-Christ will be the iconic false Christ
Corresponds to 1st seal
Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come.”
I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
Wars & Rumors
Wars & Rumors
Near — always have had wars
Far — intensifies in the end times
Corresponds to 2nd seal
When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come.”
And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.
Famines & Earthquakes
Famines & Earthquakes
Near — famines are frequently caused by wars
Future — intensifies
3rd seal
When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come.” I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand.
And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine.”
6th seal
I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood;
and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind.
The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
Not yet the end (vs. 6) birth pangs (vs. 8)
Throughout this, Jesus’ warning is to not be misled
Betrayal is Announced
Betrayal is Announced
Look at verses 9-12
Tribulation
Tribulation
vs. 9a
Near — common persecution
Far — The seven-year period leading up to the return of Christ
Daniel’s 70th week
Death & Martyrdom
Death & Martyrdom
vs. 9b
Near — Stephen, and the apostles
Far — Intensifies in Tribulation
The 5th seal
When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained;
and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.
Hated by Nations
Hated by Nations
Hated, not because of who they are, but because of whose they are
vs. 9c
Near
Christians hated by Jews
Present
Israel and U.S. hated by Islam
Future
During the Tribulation being identified with Christ’s name will cost Tribulation saints dearly
Apostasy
Apostasy
vs. 10-11
Near — always
Far
Professed believers will fall away from true believers during the intensified persecution of this awful period
Lawlessness Produces Cold Love
Lawlessness Produces Cold Love
Vs. 12
Near — always like in the Church at Ephesus
Future — intensified
Deliverance Announced
Deliverance Announced
vs. 13
Near — deliverance from sin
Far — physical deliverance from Anti-Christ which brings entrance into Millennial kingdom
The Gospel of Grace
The Gospel of Grace
Near
The gospel was preached to all of the known world, Roman empire, by the time of the destruction of Israel
Far
The gospel will be proclaimed during the Tribulation by 144,000 Jewish witnesses
Just prior to the bowl judgments an angel will proclaim the gospel to all of the world
And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people;
and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.”
So What?
So What?
Christians Must Patiently Wait for the Rapture of the Church
Christians should not be surprise or frightened by persecution
Christians should not be surprise or frightened by persecution
Christians Must be Engaged in the Great Commission
Christians Must be Engaged in the Great Commission
Let’s pray.
Christians Must Patiently Wait for the End of the Age
Closing Song
Christians Must Endure Through Times of Persecution
#762
Christians Must Endure Through Times of Persecution
Christians Must be Engaged in the Great Commission
Christians Must be Engaged in the Great Commission
Let’s pray.
Closing Song:
#762 What A Day That Will Be
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.