End Times
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Engage
Engage
In a series | Hot Topics |
Bottle drop story, turns out we were both wrong
We are here - I said way back when we were going through Mark | End Times
puzzle Piece = Defend or Learn
Ground Rules
Ground Rules
Does not cause Division
Remove your Lenses
I will try and be fair to each view
It is a peripheral (But it’s in the Bible so there is something God wants us to know)
Let’s unite on the important parts
“Forget the “Yeah-Buts””
Outcomes
Outcomes
What I want to do is show you how to study this stuff in the Bible, I want to show you how we can put together the peices.
You will get closer to Jesus
You won’t believe everything I say and will be forced to open your bible to prove I am wrong only to be humbled and realise I was right
It will encourage you to have a conversation with another person about the Bible
It will force you to start living for Jesus now
You will learn and see how to study the Bible
Tension
Tension
So often we take a bible verse in isolation
So often we don’t know where to look for answers
We get one part of the Puzzle peice
Where are we?
Where are we?
Did a chapter by chapter study on Mark
We got up to Mark 13 | we went through what where NOT the signs of end times and Jesus started talking abotu something called “Abomination of Desolation”
Let’s start by tackling this!
It’s mentioned in Matthew, implied in Luke and Daniel
Hardest topics in Mark if not the New Testament.
Let’s go on a journey today | Think Biblically and ask “What is this thing” “Why is it there?” | Has it already happened? | We are going to dive deep
*This will be a diff type, a bible study, we will go deep*
What do you need to know? 70AD
Couple of different views on end times - Preterist vs futurist - Preterist - believes a lot, or most, or all of apocolypic litrature, which is scripture about end times has been fulfulled.
futurist believes that none of it has been fulfilled.
Within this there are different scales and views - I will go through them in another sermon.
For the sake of this, I hold a “Already, not yet” view - and you’ll see what I mean. We will go through and figure out what the prophey is saying, then see if we can figure out when it happened
“But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (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, nor enter his house, to take anything out, 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 it may not happen in winter. For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.
First Clue (Grab puzzle peice) = Abomination of Desolation is an idol of some kind. Why? Abomination is used in the OT in many instances - it refers to an Idol in every context.
Not just any Idol: it’s an idol that is not GOD (An abomination).
So we have an idol, that causes desolation: it says “Standing where ought not to be?” where is this? We can go looking for another clue
“So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
(parrelel passage) | Now it’s not just “where it not ought be” now it’s holy place | Explain holy place in temple |
This is an idol, bought into the temple. We can see Jesus spoke of Daniel, so we can assume he is speaking of the same thing, and we can go to Daniel to look for more puzzle peices.
Let’s go to Daniel - If you get confused today, it’s going to happen here.- Sorry | Stick with it. Where is Jesus referring to in daniel? Let’s see passages that mention this.
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?”
Trangression that makes desolate = Abomination of desolation. So there is a vision about this idol.
And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.
Talking about Jesus Death - “Already”. 70AD
And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”
one week is 7 years -Hebrew word (שבעים ~ Shavuim) to represents a period of time multiplied by seven. For various reasons this word is translated as “weeks” and means a multiple of seven years rather than a multiple of seven days.
So half way through this 7 year period, the temple is no longer allowed to have sacrafices, but then there is another 3.5 year period. I would suggest this corrosponds well with revelation. “wings of abomination” = Abomination of desolation.
So idol gets bought in until what? this abomination is bought to destruction himself. Next Verse.
Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate.
All these threads are connected right.
1 more verse
And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days.
1,290 days, 3.5 years
So, quick recap.
There is abomination of desolation = Spiritual or physical destruction
We go to Daniel, get further information | Happens in the middle of a 7 year period | 3.5 years go by cuts off sacrafices, when thats done, temple has been repurposed for this bad guy. There is a focus on not just destruction of temple, but the desecration - If your fulfilment of the prophesy is just destriction, it probably doesn’t fit here.
Let’s go searching for another piece in the puzzle
Let’s go searching for another piece in the puzzle
**Friends puzzle game story**
Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Hard to argue this is not the abomination of desolation | It gives a list to things that has to happened | Preterist says that the prophesy has to be fulfilled by 70AD | We know here it is an idol and he is presenting himself to be worshipped | Connects to revelation where it says 2nd beast will present an image of the 1st beast and he wants to be worshipped (rev 13) | He does this, then Jesus kills him upon his return
It says it is the activity of Satan…but why? So Jesus can come and Kill him | Even in Satans working, who is behind it? GOD. God is soverign. | Job.
Let’s cover a few things in this puzzle peice:
Looks like Abomination | Harmonises with Daniel and Revelation, futurist allows harmonising in a nice way | It’s not JUST destruction of temple, its a man who sets himself up to be worshipped as god | It has tones of Daniel, like Jesus | It says Jesus kills him in second coming | Man of Sin, Signs ,Powers, (This stops the 70AD idea) | Requires a temple - I’ll talk about this
There is a preterist case here though: there is a rebellion around 70AD. The Man of Sin was Nero. The way Nero died was suicide because his people had rebelled against him, and he knew there was going to be a public killing - Forced to commit suicide - Nero’s death is killed with a sword, and Jesus comes with a sword - and at 70AD Jesus comes on the clouds in Judgement, not a 2nd coming. PROBLEM: June 68AD Nero was dead. According to Jesus, he kills the man with his Coming, and the temple was destroyed at 70AD, 2 years later. But the Word says it happens at the same time. Other things don’t make sense, signs and wonders, 2nd coming itself.
1. There are various events that happaned in 68-70AD that support the preterist view: In 70AD Titus walked into the temple and looked around, that’s it - Titaus was going to be a ceaser, so they believed a type of God.
2. 70AD there was roman soldiers surround jerusulum, romans went int othe temple, they bought flags in BIG DEAL - It didn’t actually happen in the holy place, just the eastern Gate - People actually fled into the temple, not away from it.
3. Zealots in 67 and 68AD took over temple, inserted their own High Priest, didn’t know how to sacrafice, they installed a guy called Fanny as high priest - the blood would smear temple, this would be a desolation o Pro 68AD would look like a great time to flee jerusulum, but there was not one man that made himself a GOD, and it is not followed by 3.5 years of trib.
Ok, Already, Not yet view
Ok, Already, Not yet view
Jesus says (Let the reader understand) | Go and read more | The details seem to all fill in teh gaps
In Mark 13:14
“But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
“Standing” here is translated as Masculine - This is on purpose, which makes a lot of sense when you combine with 2 thess
It gives us clear picture. Man standing, proclaiming as God. So in matthew, mark, and 2 thess - all crazyiness happens, the thing that ends it is what? Coming of Christ. Not just ANY COMING, For and WITH us. Paul says we are cought up - Hard to take this any other way. | It harmonises so many scriptures without reaching, I don’t think the Bible is meant to be complicated. God wants us to know what he is saying
One thing I do want to mention is this account in Luke - because it does look like 70AD - Spoiler - I view jesus’ Statemnet here has jesus warning them of 70AD destruction AND the future final battle. | Luke just leans toward 70 AD
Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives.
“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Luke does show this long delay, before this more epic signs, and coming. Luke gives us emphasis on 70AD where as Mark and Matthew emphasises the End Times More. Some points: Luke only mentions armies, no abomination = feels like 70AD | Luke = no tribulation, only fleeing | Luke shows a delay in the destruction (time of gentiles), Mark and Matthew did not |
Luke goes like this: Luke has clear sections that go like this: Jeruselum and Israel are judged | Time of Gentiles | International Judgement | 2nd Coming - Well that fits - that tribulation is there (Between time of gentiles and international judgement)
In conclusiooon
In conclusiooon
I believe the ‘already, not yet’ view makes sense = it acknowledges first century events have a connection and it also realises that they fall short of ALL fulfilment, it’s robust, like me. It’s honest about where the views fall short | It explains confusion in the passage - Why are we not sure about the events and have to make them super symbolic, because i’ll argue a lot has not happened yet.
Jesus in the old Testament, connect the dots.
Something we can call agree on
Something we can call agree on
You don;t need to know how it all works - You need to know what time it is. None of that really matters - We went into so many details, and that’s great | I get depressed sitting down preparing it all for ya’ll. Let me tell you about a battle I had this week - I want to teach you this stuff, I spend hours and hours researching it , I love it but I am like…far out where is Russel and he can come up here…why?
Because we are not called to know, we are called to grow.
Because I want to tell you what time it is!! IT’s time to be activated for Jesus because no one knows the time. Something that we can agree on:
You and I will be with him. You will never mistake him. he will stand out in the crowd. You have done enough. You will have a perfectly new, glorified body. You will be perfect humanity. Just think about that for a moment.
**Puzzle missing peices**
Jesus Christ, the only one who came while we were still sinners to die, who went into the grave ,who battled death to rise on the third day so that we could go to eternity with our saviour forever, will come back to get us and take us with him to a new creation and that…is worth praising…that is worth singing YOU ARE WORTHY.
Do not yield to the things of this world, do not buy the lie of the enemy because Jesus is with you.
Live your life like Jesus is coming tomorrow. May he get all the glory.