06.19.22 - Mark 13:14-20

 Open your Bibles to Mark 13:14-20. •We're continuing our study of the Gospel of Mark. •And, more specifically, we are in our fourth week of studying Mark's account of the Olivet Discourse. Our text this morning is a pretty famous one in the OD. •It's the text that mentions the Abomination of Desolation that would come and wreak devastation and ruin. •And it also contains a famous verse that says, "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." This is one of the part of the OD that many people get their rapture theology and "Great Tribulation" beliefs from. •I'm referring to the belief that right before the Second Coming of Christ there will be a horrible time of destruction on the whole earth, led by the Antichrist, and a great time of suffering for everyone that wasn't already taken to heaven in the "secret rapture of the Church." •If you've seen the Left Behind movies or read the books, or have seen the old movie A Thief in the Night, you know what I'm talking about. But, as you know by now, I reject such sensational doctrines as unbiblical. •They make for interesting reading and movies, but I don't think that's what the OD is about at all. •I believe that the OD finds it's fulfillment in the destruction of the Temple in AD70, as our Lord says that it does in v30. •And I plan on showing you that this morning. But it is good to mention at the beginning of this sermons that the text before has some difficult spots. •There is much confusion surrounding this text. Particularly, what Jesus meant when He spoke of the Abomination of Desolation, as well as how we are to understand v19 as having occurred in the First Century. •And, because of these difficulties, portions of this sermon will require you think hard and use your minds to, by God's grace, understand the Scriptures. This passage speaks of horrible things that would come upon the generation then living in Jerusalem. •Jesus warns His People of what would come. •And He also tells them when to get out of Jerusalem and Jude's so that they can be spared and saved from the judgment of God that would come upon the Jews. And for us today, this text reminds us of the wrath of God that will one day come against all unbelievers, both living and dead, at the Return of our Lord Jesus Christ. •But it also gives us hope because it reminds us of the beautiful truth that Jesus Christ saves us from the wrath to come. •He promises to save all who will beleive on Him. There are glories in this text. •There are terrifying truths. But also glorious truths about the mercy of God found in Christ Jesus our Lord. •And they are there for us to learn and meditate upon. •May God bless us as we do so this morning. Now, if you would and are able, please stand with me for the reading of the inspired, inerrant, and infallible Word of God. Mark 13:14-20 [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. [15] Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, [16] and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. [17] And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! [18] Pray that it may not happen in winter. [19] 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. [20] 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. (PRAY) Holy God, We thank you again for the opportunity and blessing that it is to sit under the ministry of your Word. Your Word is our greatest treasure in this world. It makes the simple wise. It instructs the saints. And it leads sinners to the Savior. We love your Word. And we want to understand your Word so we can know you more, believe what you have said, and live in a manner that pleases you. But we need help. In and of ourselves, we cannot work understanding and faith in our hearts. And so, we ask that you would have mercy and open our minds and hearts to receive your Word this morning. Work in us by your Holy Spirit and grant us understanding, faith, and obedience to what you've said. Show us our Lord Jesus who saves us from the wrath to come. And glorify yourself in us. We ask this in Jesus' Name and for His sake. Amen. 1.) Before we dive in, let me briefly remind you of the context of the OD: 1. In v2, our Lord prophesied the destruction that would come upon Jerusalem and the Temple for Israel's rejection of Him. "Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down." 2. In v4, some of Jesus' disciples come to Him on the Mount of Olives and ask Him a question. •They ask: "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?" •They are asking Jesus about what He had just prophesied in v2. They are asking about the destruction of the Temple. That's the only referent in the context. •And they're asking, "When? And what will be the sign?" That is, "When will the Temple come down? And what will be the sign when that is about to take place?" •This is what kicks off the whole OD. Jesus is answering their question about the coming destruction in vv5-30. 3. Lastly, remember our Time Text in v30. •Jesus says, "Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place." •Jesus says that the generation then living will not pass away until all these things (vv5-30) take place. •And His mention of "all these things" is a reference to the disciples' question in v4. And their question was about the destruction of the Temple. •So then, Jesus tells us that everything He has talked about in vv5-30 is about the time leading up to and the final destruction of the Temple, and that it would happen within the generation then living when He spoke. •Jesus has said our interpretive grid for us. So, that is the context: •The Temple destruction of AD70 and the signs that would signal that it was about to come down. •And that leads us into our text this morning. 2.) Our text this morning begins in v14. •This is the beginning of the end of the Temple. •V14 begins Jesus' full answer to the disciples' question in v4. •Everything that Jesus has said before this verse functions as preliminary signs and things that the Church could expect to happen in the days leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem. •But, as Jesus said in v7, "The end is not yet." And again, in v8, "These are the beginning of the birth pains." •But now Jesus has finally gotten to the big sign. What follows is the sign that the Temple is about to come down. •And that sign is the Abomination of Desolation: [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. The Abomination of Desolation. This is a enigmatic phrase to many. So let's dig into what it means. •Literally, it means: A sacrilege that brings desolation. Something idolatrous and wicked that makes desolate (destroys). •An idolatrous thing that brings destruction. That's what Jesus is talking about. •And here Jesus is using language from the Book of Daniel in the OT. He probably has Daniel 9:24-27 in mind. •And that text is fairly difficult. There are different interpretations offered by many people. And there are some tough nuances to figure out in those four verses. •(I admit that I have questions remaining about some of the particulars of that text.) But, even though the text of Daniel is what Jesus is referring to (and we should look at it), I believe that there is an easier way to understand what He is talking about when He mentions the AoD. •Praise God for parallel passages! •Praise God especially for parallel passages written for those who don't know the OT very well! •And praise God that Scripture interprets Scripture! That's our primary method of interpretation. •As our confession says in 1689 LBCF 1.9: "The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself; and therefore when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched by other places that speak more clearly." •Amen. We are to allow Scripture to interpret Scripture. And one of the parallels to Mark 13:14-18 is Luke 21:20-22: "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." •As you can tell, the context is the same: 1. Luke 21 is Luke's account of the OD. 2. The passage right above Luke 21:20 speaks about persecution, just like the text above Mark 13:14 speaks of persecution. 3. And Luke 21:20ff says that when Jerusalem is surrounded by armies, that those who are in Judea are to flee to the mountains, just like Mark 13:14 says. I point out all of these things in order to prove that there is no way that Luke is recording Jesus speak about anything different than Mark is. •It is the same topic that we are considering in Mark 13, just in different words. •It seems that Luke is giving something of an inspired interpretation of Jesus' words about the AoD. •And Luke says that the AoD is an army that would surround Jerusalem. •And when the armies approach, the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem are to RUN. And we know something interesting from the writings of the First Century historian Josephus, who was there when Jerusalem was destroyed: •Apparently, early in the Jewish War with Rome, the Roman army once surrounded Jerusalem and began a siege. •Then, for some reason, they backed off for a time. And then they came back again and finally laid waste to the city and the Temple. •So, when the armies surrounded Jerusalem, Jesus' disciples would know that it was NOW OR NEVER. They must flee Jerusalem and the surrounding area of Judea or they would fall under the judgment of God that was to come upon the city. Now, there are some questions that we need to answer in light of this interpretation: 1. How were the Roman armies an abomination? •The Roman armies carried ensigns and banners. And on them, there were images of Caesar and other Roman gods. •These ensigns and banners were repulsive to the Jews. They were idolatrous. They promoted false worship of the Emperor and Roman gods. •Dare I say it, the Romans were an abomination to those who lived in Jerusalem. And one of those reasons was their idolatry. •And all the Jewish Christians would've recognized them as such. 2. How were the Roman armies a desolation? •This one is quite simple: They were destroyers. •The armies would ransack and ruin whatever they waged war against. •And they would bring desolation upon Israel through siege and war, just like they did everywhere else. •They were indeed an abomination that brought desolation. 3. The toughest question: How were the Roman armies, "standing where he ought not to be?" •First, the word "he" in Mark 13:14 can legitimately be translated "it." So we can read the text, "standing where it ought not to be." Second, Matthew's parallel (24:15) says, "So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place..." •At this point many will think that "the holy place" refers ONLY to the Temple. •But I don't believe we should read that phrase so narrowly. Especially in light of what Luke says. •The city of Jerusalem as a whole is referred to multiple times in Scripture as the "holy city." •And the land of Israel is referred to as the "holy land" in Zechariah 2:12. •So, I believe that Jesus is talking about the city as well as the Temple here. And I believe that, in part, because it fits perfectly with Luke's account at this point. •And that's not to mention that the prophecy mentioned in Daniel 9 speak about the CITY and the sanctuary being destroyed, as well as calling Jerusalem the "holy city." More than that, Mark 13:14, Luke 21:20, and Matthew 25:16 all tell the readers to flee to the mountains of Judea. •So, clearly, more than the Temple itself being destroyed is in view. •The "holy place" is the whole area where the Temple was located. •And the Roman armies ought not be there because they are an idolatrous abomination in the holy place. In light of all of this, it's not hard to see, being guided by the inspired interpretation given by Luke, that the Roman armies were indeed the AoD. •They were the idolatrous thing that brought destruction upon Israel. •And, indeed, the Roman armies fulfilled this prophecy to the full when they laid siege to the city, and eventually burned and tore it and the Temple to the ground. The Roman armies surrounding the city were the signal to get out immediately. •They were the sign that God's judgment was about to come. •So when the Jewish Christians saw the Roman armies coming for Jerusalem, it was time to leave immediately. I think that's the proper interpretation of the text. •Again, in God's kindness He inspired Luke to record things differently so that his Gentile readers could understand Jesus' allusion to Daniel 9 and the Abomination of Desolation. •This is a blessing for us because it makes things very easy to understand in such a difficult text. 3.) But I think it's also still a good idea to spend a little time in Daniel 9:24-27 so you can see the language our Lord was using when He spoke of the AoD: Daniel 9:24-27 [24] "Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. [25] Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. [26] 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. [27] 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." I will now simply give a brief summary and interpretation of what Daniel wrote here. •I am indebted to Marcellus Kik's commentary at this point. •And I'll say at the beginning that I will not get into every nuance and detail of this text. I only want to help you see the big picture for our purposes this morning. First, in v24, God reveals to Daniel that 70 weeks had been decreed. •Literally: Seventy sevens had been decreed. •That is symbolic language for 490 years. (70X7) •And within that 490 years, v24 tells us that things would happen that pertain to sin, atonement, and righteousness being brought about for God's People, as well as a vindication of this prophecy. v25 then tells us when the 490 years would begin. •It would begin with the "going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one (Messiah)." •Once the decree went out to rebuild the city, the prophetic time table would begin. •And most commentators believe that it began in either 457BC or 444BC, depending on how you think the time should be reckoned. •I personally believe that 444BC is the proper date. And it aligns well with the decree of King Artaxerxes to rebuild Jerusalem in Nehemiah 2. •And from then, 69 total weeks would pass. That is, 483 of the 490 years. •And during that time, the Temple and the city would be rebuilt. V26 then says that after these 483 years, the Messiah ("an anointed one") would be cut off and have nothing. •That is, the Messiah would make Himself known in this final "week" of years and then be cut off/killed. •v27 says that during this last week, the Messiah would make a strong covenant with many. This is the same language as Isaiah 53 that speaks of the Messiah being cut off for the sins of the People and the NT language of the Messiah making a New Covenant in order to save many. •And v27 also says that this will happen at the end of the first half of the week (3 and 1/2 years). •And that is how long our Lord's earthly ministry lasted: 3 and 1/2 years of public ministry that ended with Jesus being cut off for the sins of His People and bringing in a strong covenant: The New Covenant that saves sinners. Finally, vv26 and 27 also tell of the destruction that would come upon the CITY AND THE SANCTUARY after the Messiah had been cut off. •It doesn't say that it will happen in the second half of the week. The time is not specified. But nevertheless, the prophecy says that the Temple and the city will be ruined. •V26 says, "Its end (the city and the sanctuary's end) shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed." •v27 says, "And on the wings of abominations shall come one who makes desolate until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator." •In other words, the Abomination of Desolation would come and destroy the city and Temple. Now, there are certainly many nuances and questions that I still have about these verses in Daniel •But I want you to see this: •BOTTOM LINE: Daniel speaks of how the Messiah would come, die to atone for iniquity, bring in everlasting righteousness, and establish a strong covenant with His People. •And then, after all of this, the city and the sanctuary, Jerusalem and the Temple, would be destroyed, would be made desolate, by one who comes on the wings of abominations. •THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT OUR LORD IS TALKING ABOUT IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE. •That is why He uses the language of the AoD here. •And that's also why Mark adds a parenthetical note: "Let the reader understand." •And Luke tells us that He is referring to the Roman armies that would come and destroy Jerusalem. 4.) Now, that was a lot. And that's just one verse. •So, let's now take a step back and consider vv14-18 as a unit now: [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. [15] Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, [16] and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. [17] And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! [18] Pray that it may not happen in winter. Jesus says that when the AoD comes, when the Roman armies surround Jerusalem, RUN. •Jesus is giving a warning to the Jewish Christians who would still be living in Jerusalem when this time came. •It's a "to whom it may concern" kind of an audience a this point. And He is clearly speaking to First Century people: 1. He talks about not coming down from your housetops. •These were flat roofs where people would spend time back then. They had an outside staircase. And people would go there to rest in the evenings. 2. Jesus mentions working in the field. •First Century Palestine was an agricultural society. 3. He mentions not turning back to get your cloak. •A cloak was a very important and common piece of clothing in the First Century. 4. He speaks of how difficult it will be for pregnant women and women with small children to flee the city. •They would be fleeing on foot or on animal. Very hard to do quickly when pregnant or with small children. 5. He talks about how the winter will make things more difficult to escape. •And the shorter days and muddy winter roads of Palestine would indeed make travel harder. 6. Lastly, He speaks of those who live in JUDEA needing to flee to the MOUNTAINS. •That is, the mountains that surround Judea. •This is NOT a global event. This is a local event in the region of Judea that will happen. Everything Jesus mentions in vv14-18 are references to First Century living and difficulties. •As Jesus said in v30, these things would happen within that generation then living. But don't miss this: They need to RUN! •Don't turn back. Don't get your stuff. GET OUT! NOW! •Why? Because the wrath of God is about to break out against Jerusalem and you don't want to be there when God's sword of justice falls. •Because a great slaughter is going to fall upon Jerusalem and the Temple the likes of which Israel had never seen. The Son of God had murdered at the hands of the Jews in that city. •And now, as Jesus says in Luke 20:22, "these are the days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written." •To fulfill what was written in Daniel about the destruction of the city and the sanctuary. •And who would take vengeance? •Scripture says, "Vengeance is MINE; I WILL REPAY, says the LORD." •God is going to take vengeance on the Jews for their rejection and murder of His only begotten Son. •They refused to repent. They continued on with their false religious system. They rejected the Lord of Glory and killed Him. •And now the vengeance of Almighty God was to fall upon them for their sins. Now, let's be clear: The Romans would do it. •The Romans would destroy the city. •But as God did with Assyria back in the days of Isaiah, He was going to wield Rome as an axe in His hand to strike and punish Israel for their sin. •And WHY was God going to do this? •BECAUSE THEY REJECTED CHRIST. Hear me: It is a fearful thing to reject the Lord Jesus Christ. •You leave yourself wide open to the wrath of God. •You leave yourself with no Savior. •You leave yourself with only your sins and a holy, just, righteous, and angry God with whom you must reckon with. •You can have Christ or wrath! Those are the options. •Either through faith in Christ you are forgiven and reconciled to God, OR you remain in your sins and have to answer to a God who HATES SIN and promises to punish the wicked. But know this: Nobody escapes God. •It would be easier for the earth to hide from the sun than for sinners to hide from God. •Nobody escapes God. He will judge all men. •Salvation through faith in Christ or an eternal damnation in Hell for your sins are the only options. •ALL MEN will stand before the judgment throne of the Almighty. •Know that. Mark it well. And fear. •Apart from Christ, there is no hope for salvation. 5.) Back to our text: The slaughter of the Jews would be so terrible that our Lord continues in v19: [19] 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. •Now some people look at this verse and immediately think that it must refer to the end of human history because of the language used here. •In other words, Jesus says that this will be the worst thing ever. Nothing had ever been so bad as what will happen, and never will be again. •Therefore, this verse must be about the time before the End of the World. But I don't think that's the case for a few reasons: 1. The time of v30. •Jesus has established our interpretive grid for us. And so, this verse must find it's fulfillment in the First Century. 2. The words "for in those days" at the beginning of v19 tell us that this is about the First Century. •What days? The days Jesus has just spoken of. The days when the AoD/Roman armies will appear and lay siege to Jerusalem. •That's the context. V19 is about those days. 3. The words of v19 sound very much like OT prophetic judgment language. •I believe that it is "prophetic hyperbole." •That is, in order to underscore the greatness and severity of God's judgment, exaggerated language is used. One example of this is found in Exodus 11:6. •There, referring to the coming 10th Plague, the killing of the firstborn of every house in Egypt, we read: "There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again." •If this is to be taken as literally as some say we should take Jesus' words in v19, then Jesus is contradicting Moses here. •If Jesus is speaking of a worldwide catastrophe the likes of which have never been so bad, then it would also affect Egypt and, therefore, Moses was wrong in Exodus 11. •Unless, of course, both are using prophetic hyperbole. There are more examples of this kind of hyperbole that I could show you. •But we don't have time this morning. This will have to suffice for now. 4. Consider v19 THEOLOGICALLY for a moment: •From a redemptive historical perspective, this is the worst thing that ever happened to the Jews as a Covenant People. •God was "divorcing" Israel in this judgment. There had never been anything like it before for them. •Israel had been unfaithful. She had been an adulterous "wife" whoring after other gods and rejecting the Living God, the Lord Jesus, when He came to them. •And so, God is now ending the Old Covenant in a huge way. That era is over. And it will never come back. •And there never had been, nor ever would be, such a horrible thing ever happen to Israel from the divine perspective. Truly, brothers and sisters, there had never been a judgment like this on the nation of Israel. •Around 1.1 million Jews were crucified and slaughtered in other ways during the Jewish War. •I've heard that over 90,000 Jews were carried off into captivity and slavery throughout the Roman Empire. There are utter horrors that have been recorded that took place during the siege of Jerusalem. •Horrible famines that led to mothers eating their own infants. •The elderly were beaten to death for a morsel of bread. Children were taking food out of the mouths of the elderly. Mothers were taking food from their own children. •The Romans were slicing open the stomachs of Jews who came to them for refuge. •Children were walking around with bellies swollen from famine, falling over in the streets dead from starvation. •Bodies were piled up in the Temple. Standing blood was in the Temple area. •I've read some accounts of things that happened during the destruction of Jerusalem that have made me physically nauseas. •God indeed came in judgment against them. And He executed terrifying vengeance upon them. •Hear me: THE WRATH OF GOD IS TERRIFYING. The holy city was razed to the ground. •The Jews were slaughtered and carried off into slavery. •And God was officially through with them as a covenant people through the Old Covenant. •And all because they rejected the Lord Jesus Christ. But there is also an amazing piece of history: •To my knowledge, no Christians were caught in the siege of Jerusalem. •That's what some of the ancient Christian histories claim. •The Christians got out and avoided the wrath of God because they trusted Jesus and His words to them. 6.) We now come to our final verse this morning: [20] 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. •Here our Lord gives a blessed promise to His infant Church: The days of vengeance would not last long. •If they would, apparently the Roman armies would've killed everyone in the region, possibly moving out from Jerusalem and on to where the Christians were hiding in the mountains of Judea. •Remember, to the Romans at that time, the Christians were just a branch of Judaism. And they hated and were slaughtering the Jews. But, Jesus says, "for the sake of the elect, whom God chose, He shortened the days." •For the sake of the Elect, those who believe on Christ, those whom God chose and loves, those Jewish Christians who would be around Jerusalem when the Temple came down, God shortened the days. •And He did so, so that they would be saved. •Saved here refers to being physically saved. Their earthly lives would be spared. Catch this: The chosen People of God are not the Jews any longer, are they? •God's elect is not the nation of Israel. God's elect is the Church. •That's important for us to take note of. •God is making a distinction between His People and those who rejected Christ. •God's People, His Elect, are spared from destruction. While the rest are left for judgment for their sins. •Brothers and sisters, God's People are the Church: Those who love, trust, and listen to the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ. •The Church are God's only People. Faith in Christ is what matters. And there is a glorious principle here: •God will not let His Elect perish under His wrath. •Jerusalem was to be judged. But God's People were to be spared. •Hear me: God loves those who love the Lord Jesus. •And all who trust in Christ, will live. 7.) Now what does this text speak to us today? •I believe the application is very simple. 1. Know that the wrath of God is a terrifying thing. •God's judgments in history point us forward to His Final Judgment of the living and the dead at the end of history. •The judgment that fell upon Jerusalem is a picture of the judgment that will fall upon all those who do not receive Christ as their Lord and Savior by faith. •Judgment is coming. And it will come on all those who are outside of Christ. And the wrath of God on the Final Day will be INFINITELY WORSE than the wrath that came upon the Jews in AD70. •The destruction of Jerusalem is child's play compared to the eternal damnation that God will hand out on that Day. •We do not even have words to describe how terrible and horrifying the judgment of God will be. •All have is the picture language of Scripture: An eternally burning Lake of Fire. •Where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. And eternity in fire, where the body does not die and fire never runs out of fuel. •And if that is picture language, we shudder to think of what the reality will be. •We cannot imagine what it is to take on the very wrath of God forever, in endless agony and torment. •FEAR THE WRATH OF GOD. Romans 11:22 says, "Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen (the Jews), but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in His kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off." •There is horrifying severity, horrifying judgment that will come upon all those who reject Christ. •But there is great kindness toward those who believe. •And that leads us to our last point: 2. Jesus knows how to save His own. •In our text, the Lord warned the disciples to flee the wrath to come against Israel. •And they did. Christians did not die in the Jewish War. •Jesus did not want His People to perish in the destruction of Jerusalem. •So, He warned them and told them when and how to get out and have their lives saved. •OUR LORD LOVES HIS CHURCH. He loves those who love Him. Hear me: Jesus knows how to save His People. •He knew how to save His early Church in Jerusalem form physical destruction. •And He knows how to save us from eternal destruction. •TRUST IN HIM! His warnings of wrath and damnation for the unbelieving is for the WORLD. For every one of us today. •His promise to save those who believe on Him is FOR THE WORLD. •TRUST HIM! •The promise of salvation is FOR YOU! As Daniel prophesied, the Messiah has come. •He has been cut off for the sin of His People. •Atonement has been made. •Eternal righteousness has been brought in. •The New Covenant that saves sinners has been inaugurated in the blood of Christ. •And God has testified to the truth that Jesus is the Messiah by raising Him from the dead and subsequently destroying the nation that rejected Him. I beg you to listen: •Jesus has done enough to save you. •He has done enough to save all who believe on Him. •In His life, He lived sinlessly in order to give you His perfect righteousness to be judged by. •In His Cross, He suffered the wrath of God that you deserve and died as a substitute so that you could go free. •All we must do is believe on Him. We must trust Him. We must believe His Word that He has done enough to save us. •And if we will trust Him, then righteousness, the forgiveness of sins, cleanliness in God's sight, and entrance into God's Covenant is ours. •Jesus offense this to all who will believe. •SO BELIEVE AND LIVE! Hear me: •Just as Jesus told His disciples to flee Jerusalem immediately, He also tells everyone today to immediately FLEE THE WRATH OF GOD THAT IS TO COME. •Do not delay. •Do not wait for others to go with you. •Do not wait to try and clean yourself up first. •Do not wait until a "better time." •There is no better time! Jesus says to RUN NOW! •Flee the wrath to come. •Come to Christ TODAY. Trust in Him TODAY. •Now is the appointed time. Today is the day of salvation. •You may not have tomorrow. Tomorrow the wrath of God may find you unaware and you die in your sins. •Flee to Christ today! Run to Him in faith and be saved! Jesus Christ knows how to save sinners. •And He doesn't just know. He has actually accomplished salvation for all who will believe. •We only need to trust Him. May God grant each one of us to fear His wrath. •And may He grant each one of us to look to Jesus Christ, who saves us from the wrath to come. •Amen.