Matthew 24 (9) - Great Tribulation

There is common teaching that a seven year tribulation will follow a secret rapture of the Christians from the earth. The truth is that there is no place in either the Old or New Testament where a seven year tribulation is explicitly mentioned. Although this idea is popular, it has no basis in the scriptures.

Most Christians would be surprised to discover that the "greatest tribulation" has already occurred, when Jerusalem was besieged and destroyed by the Roman armies in AD 70. When prophesying this event, Jesus said,

How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers..... For there will be a great tribulation, unequalled from the beginning of the world until now - and never to be equalled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive (Matt 24:20-22).

The destruction of Jerusalem was an absolutely terrible event. Anyone who does not believe this should read the account by the Jewish historian Josephus. This means that the greatest tribulation which will ever take place on earth has already occurred.

Tribulation is actually a normal part of the Christian life. We are taught in the Bible that we should always expect tribulation.

In the world you have tribulation, but take courage, I have overcome the world. John 16:33 (NASB)

We must go through many tribulations to enter the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22

Tribulation will be a normal experience for Christians in every age. When they are true to Christ, they will be a threat to the world, and this will always bring opposition. The Greek word "thlipsis", which is translated as tribulation, affliction or trouble, literally means pressure. Our word tribulation comes from the Latin word for threshing sledge. It often refers to trouble in a spiritual sense, and describes the pressure that all Christians will experience if they live in obedience to Jesus.

Matthew 24 (8) - Son of Man in Heaven

A passage that is often misunderstood is Matthew 24:30.

At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.

The first part of this verse is often misunderstood, because it has been incorrectly translated. I have given a literal translation of the Greek text. The verse is often interpreted (and translated) as if it was a description of the second coming. There are a number of reasons why this is not true.

1. This is one of the events that Jesus said must happen before the generation listening had passed away. That generation did not see the second coming, so Jesus must have been describing something else. Various interpreters have twisted these words to give them a futuristic meaning, but the most obvious meaning is that Jesus was speaking to those who were listening.

2. Jesus told the high priests that they would see the same thing.

   The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." Then the high priest tore his clothes (Matt 26:63,64).

   The priest who tried Jesus did not see the second coming, but they did see the fall of Jerusalem.

3. It is not the Son of Man who appears in the heavens. The sign that he is in heaven appears. It is a sign that appears, not the Son of Man.

4. The Greek word translated as "coming" is erchomai. Jesus uses a different word (parousia) in the second part of the chapter, when speaking about the second coming (Matt 24:27,37,39). It means "coming, appearing or presence". The fact that Jesus uses a different word here is an indication that he is not speaking of the second coming.

5. Jesus had already made it clear that his second coming has no connection with the destruction of Jerusalem (Matt 24:23-28). The event described in this verse comes "immediately" after it.

The verse is actually speaking about the vindication of Jesus. A sign proving that he is in heaven will appear on the earth. Events on earth will prove that Jesus is in heaven at the right hand of God, ruling over the whole of creation. Jesus is telling his disciples that the time will come when he will be vindicated. The sign of Jesus' vindication was the destruction of Jerusalem. It was destroyed in an exact fulfilment of his words. This was proof that what he said was true. It also meant the destruction of those who opposed him, which proved that God was with him.

By putting an end to the Jewish system of sacrifices and offerings, God was showing that Jesus was the true saviour. The destruction of the capital city was a sign that Jesus is crowned as king in heaven. (The advance of the gospel described in Matthew 24:31 was also part of that sign.)

Matthew 24 (7) - Abomination of Desolation

A common belief is that a future Antichrist will set up an altar to himself in the Jerusalem temple. This event is often called the Abomination of Desolation. The expression "abomination that causes desolation" comes from Daniel 9:27. Some Bible teachers teach incorrectly that Daniel’s prophecy refers to the end of the world. This is not correct. The passage describes the effects of the cross and the destruction of Jerusalem .

Jesus confirmed this interpretation when warning his disciples of the destruction of Jerusalem. When asked for a sign, he warned of a number of false signs that would occur. He then gave the key sign. Its fulfilment would mean that the destruction of Jerusalem is at hand.

So when you see standing in the holy place "the abomination that causes desolation," spoken of through the prophet Daniel - let the reader understand - then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains (Matt 24 15,16).

The meaning of the expression is made clear by Luke in his account of Jesus' words. He records Jesus' explanation of his words:

When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city (Luke 21:20,21).

The "abomination that causes desolation" is not some future antichrist, but quite simply the Roman army surrounding Jerusalem. It would make the city desolate. The Roman army is called an abomination because it carried ensigns consisting of eagles and images of the emperor. These were often worshipped by the soldiers. In the Bible an abomination is an idolatrous practice.

The sign that the desolation of Jerusalem is at hand was the Roman army surrounding Jerusalem. When they saw this sign the Christians were to flee to the mountains. There was a tremendous urgency attached to this warning.

Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of his house. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers. Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath (Matt 24:17-20).

There would be no time to wait around or to gather possessions together. The flight would have to be instantaneous to avoid being caught by the siege.

Jesus' warning saved the lives of many of his followers. Although a million Jews lost their lives in the siege of Jerusalem, none of them were Christians. The Christians heeded Jesus' warning and fled at the first signs of the siege.

Jesus' words were also a warning not to confuse the siege of Jerusalem with the events described in Zechariah 14. That passage describes a siege in which the Lord would miraculously rescue his people. Many Jews expected this to happen in AD 70, but were disappointed. Jesus' warning makes it clear that Zechariah 14 describes a later stage in Jewish history. His disciples did not expect this dramatic rescue in AD 70. They knew in advance that Jerusalem would be destroyed.

The abomination of desolation has already occurred. Christians should not be looking forward to it happening in the future.

Matthew 24 (3) - Earthquakes and Wars

Many Christians believe that earthquakes, wars and famines are a sign that the second coming is close. The belief is incorrectly based on Matthew 24:4-7. In this passage, Jesus was warning his disciples about the destruction of Jerusalem. The disciples had asked for a sign that would indicate that the fall of Jerusalem was near. Before giving that specific sign, Jesus spoke of misleading signs. He warned that some people would be deceived.

Watch out that no one deceives you (Matt 24:4).

Jesus then listed some false signs. These are events that take place before the destruction of Jerusalem, but are not actual signs of that destruction. They are the "birth pangs" and not the death throes. They mark the beginning of a new age, not the end of the old one. They are more connected with the birth of the kingdom of God, than with the end of the Jewish kingdom. They would take place prior to the end of Jerusalem but they are not immediate signs of it. Events of this kind will also take place throughout history. (This is especially true of the persecution.)

The false signs given by Jesus are listed below:

1. False Messiahs

For many will come in my name, claiming, "I am the Christ" (Matt 24:5).

There would be many false messiahs, and many Jews would be deceived. The Jews were looking for a political leader who would overthrow the Romans. This made them vulnerable to false messiahs, who were numerous and often successful. The centurion who arrested Paul in Jerusalem spoke of an Egyptian who started a revolt and led 4000 terrorists out into the desert (Acts 21:38; see also Acts 5:36,37; 8:9,10).

False Messiahs became more common, as the destruction of Jerusalem got closer. Jesus had warned that false messiahs would come giving a false hope to the people. They would even do signs and wonders that would deceive some people. Jesus' warning was proved correct when a great number of false messiahs arose in Jerusalem. Some were in the pay of Rome.

One told the people that if they got into the temple they would be saved. Those who listened were killed when the temple was destroyed. There were a number of strange signs. For half an hour, a bright light covered the temple. For a while, a star resembling a sword hung over the city. These signs were probably performed by false prophets using satanic power. If the Jews had listened to Jesus' warning they would not have been deceived.

2. Wars.

You will hear of wars and rumours of wars.... nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom (Matt 24:6, 7).

Rome had enjoyed a long period of peace, but not long after the ascension of Jesus, war and strife became widespread in the empire. In Rome four emperors died violently in a space of eighteen months. A war between the Syrians and the Jews led to the death of 20,000 Jews.

3. Famines

There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains (Matt 24:7,8).

Acts 11:28 records a famine that occurred during the reign of the Emperor Claudius. This famine spread to many parts of the empire, and was followed by a pestilence in which thousands of people died.

4. Earthquakes

There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains (Matt 24:7,8).

Earthquakes are recorded in a variety of places prior to AD 70. The city of Pompeii was severely damaged by an earthquake in AD 63. Others took place in Crete, Smyrna Miletus, Laodicea, Colossae, Rome and Judea.

5. Persecution and betrayal

Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other (Matt 24:9,10)

This persecution began when the gospel was first preached in Jerusalem at Pentecost. Peter and John were put into prison. Later James was put to death. Paul was beaten and imprisoned many times for his faith. Persecution was a normal experience for the early Christians (Acts 9:1). During these times of persecutions, many denied their faith and betrayed their brethren. Many of the Epistles were written to encourage believers who were in danger of losing their faith.

All these false signs took place as Jesus said they would. They were events that could have easily misled the Christians into thinking the destruction of Jerusalem was at hand. Jesus was advising that it would be quite safe to stay in Jerusalem and preach the gospel while they were taking place. The Christians were not to be alarmed by them.

Many Christians believe that these are signs of the second coming of Christ. They spend a lot of time looking for earthquakes, wars and famines. This is foolish. Even if Jesus were talking about the second coming (he was not), he warned that these were false signs. He specifically told Christians not to be deceived when they hear about them (Matt 24:5). Today, despite Jesus’ warning, many Christians are being deceived by these very things.

Matthew 24 (2) -Two Questions

The message of Matthew 24 was prompted by the disciple’s questions as they sat with Jesus on the Mount of Olives. They came to him with two questions:

1. When will these things be (the destruction of Jerusalem)?
2. What will be the sign of your coming (parousia), and the end of the age?

The disciples thought this was just one question, because they had assumed that these events would come at the same time. They believed that the destruction of Jerusalem would come at the second coming of Jesus. He had already taught them about the day of judgment which would follow his coming at the end of the age. When they heard him speak of judgment against Jerusalem, they assumed that it would come at the end of the age. They could not imagine a world without the Temple of Jerusalem, and assumed that the destruction of the Temple, must mean the end of the world. They wanted to know both the sign and the time of these events.

Whatever the confusion of the disciples, Jesus makes it clear that the destruction of Jerusalem is different from the second coming and the end of the age. He treats their question in two parts. Firstly, he gives the sign and the time of the destruction of Jerusalem (question 1). Then he speaks of the sign and the time of the second coming (question 2). Matthew 24 has two parts. Verses 4-35 deal with the destruction of Jerusalem. Verses 36-51 deal with the second coming and the end of the age.

The correctness of this approach can be seen from verses 34,35.

I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Jesus says that "all these things" will take place before the present generation passes away. We should be very clear about what Jesus means by "all these things". He is referring to the things about which he has just spoken (vv. 4-33) Yet in verse 3 he uses the same expression to describe the destruction of Jerusalem. And in Matthew 23:35,36 the same phrase is used to describe the judgment which will make the house of the Jews desolate. This means that the events described in the first section of Matthew 24, refer to the destruction of Jerusalem. And when in verse 34, he says that "all these things" shall happen before the present generation has passed away, he is also referring to the destruction of Jerusalem (Matt 23:36).

To avoid the clear meaning of Jesus’ statement, some people place another meaning on the word "generation". They translate the word as "race" or "nation", making Jesus say that the nation of Israel will not pass away before the fulfilment of these things. Not only does this make Jesus’ statement rather vague, but it also has no basis in scripture. There is no other place in the gospel where the word has this meaning. Matthew always uses it to refer to people living in the present. Jesus is referring to the people who were present (see also Matt 16:28).

Jesus was warning that a terrible calamity will come upon the generation which is standing before him. The only catastrophe that took place within the appropriate time span was the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. This is clearly the event to which Jesus was referring. Matthew 24:4-35 is a description, and a warning of the destruction of Jerusalem. Jesus gives emphasis to his prophecy by saying that heaven and earth will pass away, but his words will never pass away.

In Matthew 24:36-51, Jesus goes on to answer the second of the disciple’s two questions. He gives a description of the second coming and the end of the age. He makes this clear by dropping the expression "these things" and taking up the phrase "that day". This phrase would have been familiar to the disciples. Jesus had used it many times to describe the last judgment (Matt 7:22; 11:22). They would understand that he is now talking about the day of judgment at the end of the age.

Jesus states clearly that there will be no signs before the second coming. In fact he does not even know the day or the hour. He warns his followers to be prepared, so that whenever it comes they will be ready.

This is not the usual interpretation of Matthew 24. Most people see it as a description of the events leading up to the second coming. In view of this, some further arguments in favour of dividing it into two parts will be given.

1. The destruction of Jerusalem is an important event. We would expect Jesus to make some comments on it. The only lengthy description and warning is found in Matthew 24:4-35. If as some people say, this refers to the second coming, then Jesus has let a vital event in the history of Israel pass without comment. This would be impossible. It would also mean that Jesus had avoided the disciple’s question.

2. In the equivalent account in Luke’s Gospel, only the first part of the disciple’s question is recorded; the part dealing with the destruction of Jerusalem.

   When will these things happen? And what will be the sign they are about to take place. Luke 21:7

   And Luke only records the first part of Jesus answer (the equivalent of Matt 24:4-36). He only records the part about the destruction of the temple. Luke recognises that Jesus’ comments about the second coming are part of a separate topic, and records them separately in Luke 17:20-37. Here we see the Holy Spirit inspiring a writer to divide the prophetic discourse in half, a confirmation that it covers different topics.

3. The events in the first part of Matthew 24 are limited to the locality of Palestine. This is indicated by the reference to Sabbath travel (v.20). This would only be a hardship in Palestine. Likewise, the command not to go down off their houses was only relevant in Palestine, where houses were all joined together, so people could flee along the rooftops. In contrast, the second part of the passage is universal in application.

4. The first section gives an impression of very tumultuous times. There are wars, famines, earthquakes and persecutions. The second section describes a more normal situation; people are eating and drinking, getting married, and working in normal employment. The two sections obviously refer to different times.

5. Jesus gives a specific sign for the events described in the first part of the chapter; the abomination of desolation (v.15). In the second part Jesus absolutely refuses to give any signs. He tells three parables which all teach that there will be no warning signs prior to his coming. This would be illogical, if he were speaking about the same events.

6. In the first section Jesus tells his followers to flee from Jerusalem into the mountains. This would be pointless behaviour at the second coming, as his followers will simply be taken (vv.40,41). It would be good advice if Jerusalem was about to be besieged by a foreign army, which is what Jesus was really describing.

7. There is a sense of immediacy in the first part of the chapter. Yet the parables in the second part suggest that there will be considerable delay before Jesus returns.

8. In the first few verses of Matthew 24 Jesus speaks about the Jerusalem Temple. It can have no relevance to the second coming as it was destroyed in A.D. 70, so these verses cannot apply to the second coming. Some commentators get round this by saying that the temple will be rebuilt. This is no help as Jesus is specifically talking about the temple which the disciples were looking at. If Jesus was speaking about a future temple he would have informed his disciples of this. Actually, there is no place in the Bible which says that the temple will be rebuilt. In this age the church is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

We can conclude that the first part of Jesus’ prophecy describes the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. It is his answer to the first question that the disciples asked. It has no connection with the second coming.

False Ideas (9) - Jesus Big Prophecy

One of the most misunderstood passages is Jesus Big Prophecy in Matthew 24, sometimes known as the Olivet discourse (there are parallel accounts in Mark 13 and Luke 21). Most people assume that this passage gives a number of signs of the second coming of Jesus. This is not true. Verses 1-35 are actually a warning of the destruction of Jerusalem. Jesus was giving a strong warning to the Jews of what would happen to them, if they rejected him. Only at the end of the passage is the second coming described, and here no signs are given.

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