Welcome back. We're
exploring Matthew chapter 24.
00:00:01.01\00:00:03.47
The disciples asked Jesus
a question with three parts
00:00:03.72\00:00:07.06
and that question
is found in verse 3.
00:00:07.09\00:00:11.20
Tell us, when will this be?
00:00:11.23\00:00:12.94
What will be the
sign of your coming,
00:00:12.97\00:00:14.55
and of the close of the age?
00:00:14.58\00:00:16.02
We've been exploring that Ranko.
00:00:16.05\00:00:17.28
Yes, yes.
00:00:17.29\00:00:18.33
So Jesus provided
the answer with answers.
00:00:18.36\00:00:22.87
It's better to say in accordance
with the questions that the
00:00:22.90\00:00:29.31
disciples were asking.
00:00:29.34\00:00:31.32
First He tried to tell them
there will be signs to remind
00:00:31.35\00:00:36.91
the disciples and all Christians
coming after them of the
00:00:36.95\00:00:42.48
nearness of the
Second Coming of Christ.
00:00:42.68\00:00:44.26
We have to keep in mind that
when Jesus gave these generous
00:00:44.29\00:00:49.00
signs, He never wanted us to
take those signs to establish
00:00:49.03\00:00:53.25
the date of the
Second Coming of Christ.
00:00:53.28\00:00:55.60
But these signs remind us of the
nearness of the Second Coming
00:00:55.63\00:00:59.79
of Christ.
00:00:59.82\00:01:00.79
Does it makes sense?
00:01:00.80\00:01:01.77
A very important distinction.
00:01:01.78\00:01:02.75
But not to establish the
date of the Second Coming.
00:01:02.76\00:01:05.22
Then Jesus went
to more specific.
00:01:05.25\00:01:09.33
The disciples asked Him about
the destruction of Jerusalem.
00:01:09.36\00:01:12.33
So He told
them, there is a sign.
00:01:12.36\00:01:14.86
When you see the Roman
army that surrounds Jerusalem,
00:01:14.89\00:01:18.86
you know that the end
of Jerusalem and the temple
00:01:18.89\00:01:22.43
is here.
00:01:22.46\00:01:23.43
By the way, we have that church
father and historian Eusebius
00:01:23.44\00:01:28.87
actually telling us that
when the Roman army surrounded
00:01:28.90\00:01:33.21
Jerusalem finally they made
a withdrawal for a short time,
00:01:33.24\00:01:37.47
and Christians immediately
in that recognized the warning
00:01:37.50\00:01:42.03
of Jesus.
00:01:42.06\00:01:43.03
They left Jerusalem.
00:01:43.04\00:01:44.52
They found shelter and
protection in a small place
00:01:44.55\00:01:50.40
called Abila there in Galilee.
00:01:50.43\00:01:53.02
And according to Eusebius
no Christian actually suffered
00:01:53.05\00:01:57.37
during the
destruction of Jerusalem.
00:01:57.40\00:01:58.88
They recognized
very, very, very...
00:01:58.91\00:02:00.36
So this prophecy was fulfilled
during the lifetime of some
00:02:00.39\00:02:03.51
of the listeners,
and it saved them.
00:02:03.54\00:02:05.86
Yes.
00:02:05.89\00:02:06.86
And then after Jesus talks about
the destruction of Jerusalem,
00:02:06.88\00:02:10.43
there will be a long
period, century long period,
00:02:10.46\00:02:14.41
of the middle ages.
00:02:14.44\00:02:16.17
Okay.
00:02:16.20\00:02:17.28
The time of the great
tribulation, and then after
00:02:17.32\00:02:20.34
that Jesus goes
to the next point.
00:02:20.37\00:02:22.63
Keep in mind that the disciples
did not ask Jesus about the
00:02:22.66\00:02:26.49
signs of His coming.
00:02:26.52\00:02:29.21
They asked about the sign.
00:02:29.22\00:02:31.45
Why?
00:02:31.48\00:02:32.45
Because evidentially that's
the sign that the prophet Daniel
00:02:32.46\00:02:35.49
mentioned about the Son
of Man coming on the clouds.
00:02:35.52\00:02:41.20
So they ask
Jesus about that sign.
00:02:41.23\00:02:43.56
When would that sign appear so
that they know that the Second
00:02:43.59\00:02:49.22
Coming of Jesus
Christ would take place.
00:02:49.25\00:02:51.44
And Jesus gives them the sign.
00:02:51.47\00:02:53.43
What do you
notice here in verse 13?
00:02:53.46\00:02:56.80
After this darkening of
the sun, darkening of the moon,
00:02:56.83\00:03:01.60
the earthquake, and the falling
of the meteors, in verse 30
00:03:01.63\00:03:05.25
Jesus says, and then
the sign; do not disappear.
00:03:05.28\00:03:08.04
It's singular.
00:03:08.07\00:03:09.04
Then the sign of the Son
of Man will appear in the sky,
00:03:09.05\00:03:12.80
and then all the tribes of the
earth will mourn and they will
00:03:12.83\00:03:17.02
see the Son of Man coming on
the clouds of the sky with power
00:03:17.05\00:03:20.75
and great glory and he will send
his angels to gather the elect
00:03:20.76\00:03:25.84
ones from before the winds from
one end of the sky to another.
00:03:25.87\00:03:31.86
By the way, we know that the
same identical words are found
00:03:31.89\00:03:35.21
in the book of Revelation,
chapter 6 in association with
00:03:35.24\00:03:38.42
the Second Coming of Christ.
00:03:38.45\00:03:40.35
So when are we going to know the
exact date of the Second Coming
00:03:40.38\00:03:44.15
of Christ?
00:03:44.18\00:03:45.15
When Jesus actually
appears On the clouds.
00:03:45.16\00:03:48.46
We cannot calculate, but we know
that it is near according to
00:03:48.49\00:03:52.82
these signs.
00:03:52.85\00:03:53.87
It doesn't make sense.
00:03:53.88\00:03:54.92
There an urgency.
00:03:54.95\00:03:55.92
I want to make sure we
caught a point you made earlier,
00:03:55.93\00:03:58.28
and that is that Jesus had to
separate in the disciples minds
00:03:58.31\00:04:01.71
the destruction of Jerusalem
from the end of the world.
00:04:01.74\00:04:05.09
And He had to show that
there will be a period of time.
00:04:05.10\00:04:07.84
This whole millennium of time,
and then there will be more
00:04:07.87\00:04:11.63
signs, and then...
00:04:11.66\00:04:12.88
The end.
00:04:12.91\00:04:13.98
...then with the end.
00:04:14.01\00:04:14.98
Yeh.
00:04:14.99\00:04:15.96
Okay.
00:04:15.97\00:04:16.94
Now we are moving on to verse
32 because there is much more
00:04:16.95\00:04:19.30
to be said.
00:04:19.33\00:04:20.30
Glenn, can you
read verses 30 to 35?
00:04:20.31\00:04:25.35
From the fig
tree learn its lesson.
00:04:25.38\00:04:28.11
As soon as its branch becomes
tender and puts forth its leaves
00:04:28.12\00:04:31.82
you know that summer is near.
00:04:31.85\00:04:33.59
So also when you see all these
things, you know that he is near
00:04:33.62\00:04:37.79
at the very gates.
00:04:37.82\00:04:39.24
Truly I say to you, this
generation will not pass away
00:04:39.27\00:04:42.85
till all these
things take place.
00:04:42.88\00:04:44.66
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my word will not pass away.
00:04:44.69\00:04:49.93
Let's go to verse 32.
00:04:49.96\00:04:51.56
Jesus said, From a
fig tree learn a parable.
00:04:51.59\00:04:56.53
We talk about the parable.
00:04:56.56\00:04:58.04
See the illustration.
00:04:58.71\00:04:59.68
Jesus says, When its branches
have already become tender
00:04:59.69\00:05:02.52
and put forth its leaves, you
know that the summer is here.
00:05:02.55\00:05:06.93
So when you see all these
things, recognize that he is
00:05:06.96\00:05:10.28
near; right at the door.
00:05:10.31\00:05:11.88
Actually, in the last several
decades some of the books that
00:05:11.91\00:05:16.03
appeared on the market here
in the United States impacted
00:05:16.07\00:05:20.16
the beliefs of millions
and millions of Christians
00:05:20.19\00:05:23.17
in the United States.
00:05:23.41\00:05:24.38
Let me tell you how these
books are trying to explain
00:05:24.39\00:05:29.17
these texts.
00:05:29.20\00:05:30.17
Actually the fig tree here
is the symbol of the nation
00:05:30.18\00:05:34.51
of Israel.
00:05:34.54\00:05:35.56
And when Jesus said, When you
see the fig tree put forth its
00:05:35.59\00:05:41.17
leaves, it actually points to
the establishment of the modern
00:05:41.20\00:05:45.32
state of Israel.
00:05:45.35\00:05:46.67
So when Christians see that
the modern state of Israel was
00:05:46.70\00:05:51.48
established there in Palestine,
that they will know that it is
00:05:51.51\00:05:56.18
just a matter of time
until Jesus will come,
00:05:56.21\00:05:59.36
and we can strictly calculate
the Second Coming of Christ.
00:05:59.39\00:06:03.28
How to calculate?
00:06:03.31\00:06:04.49
Because they go to
the next text, verse 34.
00:06:04.52\00:06:08.52
Truly I say to you, this
generation will not pass away
00:06:08.55\00:06:12.73
until all these
things take place.
00:06:12.76\00:06:14.69
They see the generation
that witnessed the establishment
00:06:14.72\00:06:19.32
of the modern state of Israel;
that generation will not die.
00:06:19.35\00:06:23.08
That's becoming
problematic though.
00:06:24.55\00:06:26.35
That's right, why?
00:06:26.38\00:06:27.35
What is the...
00:06:27.36\00:06:28.33
Because the same books,
and people do not notice it,
00:06:28.34\00:06:31.81
they several times change
the date of the Second Coming
00:06:31.84\00:06:35.06
of Christ because Jesus did
not come according to the first
00:06:35.09\00:06:38.15
calculation that they made, then
the second, and evidently they
00:06:38.18\00:06:41.92
will now have to change to the
third one because the generation
00:06:41.95\00:06:45.26
that witnessed the establishment
of the State of Israel in 1949
00:06:45.29\00:06:49.04
is already gone.
00:06:49.07\00:06:50.42
They will have to
establish a new one.
00:06:50.45\00:06:52.00
Actually, how do you know
that Jesus did not mean that the
00:06:52.03\00:07:01.76
fig tree
represented the State of Israel?
00:07:01.80\00:07:03.88
Glenn, we have to go
to the Gospel of Luke.
00:07:04.11\00:07:06.69
You remember we
mentioned chapter 21?
00:07:06.72\00:07:09.16
Parallel passage.
00:07:09.19\00:07:10.25
The same parallel passage.
00:07:10.28\00:07:11.41
Here it is.
00:07:11.44\00:07:12.53
It's verse 29.
00:07:12.56\00:07:14.12
Let's see how Luke said it.
00:07:14.15\00:07:15.59
Glenn, can you read it?
00:07:15.62\00:07:16.64
Luke 21:29 And he
told them a parable.
00:07:16.67\00:07:19.87
Look at the fig
tree and all the trees.
00:07:19.90\00:07:22.48
As soon as the...
00:07:22.51\00:07:23.89
Let's look here.
00:07:23.92\00:07:24.93
Can you read it one more time?
00:07:24.96\00:07:26.13
Look at the fig
tree and all the trees.
00:07:26.16\00:07:28.61
All the trees!
00:07:28.64\00:07:29.62
So Jesus did not mean to
take one fig tree as a metaphor
00:07:29.65\00:07:34.08
for Israel.
00:07:34.11\00:07:35.08
He simply uses a
metaphoric saying illustration;
00:07:35.09\00:07:38.57
Just look at the fig tree.
00:07:38.60\00:07:40.32
When you see that the leaves
are shooting out, you know,
00:07:40.35\00:07:45.56
you know that
the summer is close.
00:07:45.59\00:07:47.44
So when you see all
these events taking place,
00:07:47.47\00:07:50.25
pointing to my coming, you
know that my coming is near.
00:07:50.28\00:07:55.29
Can you imagine how the
Christians can miss the point,
00:07:55.32\00:07:57.52
because right after the
fig tree and this generation,
00:07:57.55\00:08:01.26
what is that that Jesus said?
00:08:01.29\00:08:02.94
Verse 36?
00:08:02.97\00:08:04.04
But of that day and hour no
one knows, not even the angels
00:08:04.07\00:08:09.30
of heaven, nor the
Son, but the Father alone.
00:08:09.33\00:08:11.84
See how people
can miss the point?
00:08:11.87\00:08:14.78
Now there are other Christians,
and Christians that we know
00:08:14.81\00:08:21.01
very well, that in history try
to deal with and interpret this
00:08:21.04\00:08:28.99
expression: this
generation will not pass away.
00:08:29.02\00:08:32.82
We have enough time, Glenn.
00:08:32.85\00:08:34.84
You have to help me that we go
and see what is this generation.
00:08:34.87\00:08:41.06
Do you know where this
generation is mentioned
00:08:41.09\00:08:43.86
for the first time?
00:08:43.89\00:08:44.95
Actually, it's
mentioned in chapter 23.
00:08:44.98\00:08:47.10
We're at it.
00:08:47.13\00:08:48.48
It's verse 36.
00:08:48.51\00:08:50.14
Glenn, would you read this text?
00:08:50.17\00:08:52.12
We're back to Matthew?
00:08:52.15\00:08:53.19
Matthew chapter 23, verse 36.
00:08:53.22\00:08:56.44
And this is after the
woes that we just described.
00:08:56.47\00:09:00.25
That Jesus says that
Jerusalem will have judgment;
00:09:00.28\00:09:03.11
the destruction of
Jerusalem by the Romans.
00:09:03.14\00:09:05.18
Then Jesus said what?
00:09:05.21\00:09:06.51
Truly I say to you, all this
will come upon this generation.
00:09:06.54\00:09:09.90
What is this generation?
00:09:09.93\00:09:11.77
Is it the
generation of the disciples?
00:09:11.80\00:09:14.03
Uh huh.
00:09:14.06\00:09:15.54
Does it make sense?
00:09:15.57\00:09:17.77
I would like for you to
notice something that usually
00:09:17.80\00:09:21.03
the readers of the Bible
do not notice when they read
00:09:21.06\00:09:24.71
Matthew chapter 24.
00:09:24.74\00:09:26.22
It's the expression that Jesus
used: you, you, this generation.
00:09:26.25\00:09:31.73
Okay, in verse 24, please,
you will allow me to go quickly
00:09:31.76\00:09:37.84
through that.
00:09:37.87\00:09:38.84
Verse 24: Jesus says,
See that no one misleads you.
00:09:38.85\00:09:44.14
Let's read verse 6.
00:09:44.17\00:09:46.02
You will be hearing of
wars and rumors of wars.
00:09:46.05\00:09:49.33
See that you are not frightened.
00:09:49.36\00:09:52.00
Let's read verse 9.
00:09:52.03\00:09:54.88
Then they will
liberate you to tribulation.
00:09:54.91\00:09:58.35
They will kill you and
everybody will hate you.
00:09:58.38\00:10:02.42
Verse 15, Therefore when
you see Jerusalem surrounded by
00:10:02.45\00:10:08.58
Roman army;
abomination of desolation.
00:10:08.61\00:10:10.24
You will say that
when you see that.
00:10:10.27\00:10:11.47
Verse 23, Then if
anyone says to you.
00:10:11.50\00:10:15.77
Let's stop here.
00:10:15.80\00:10:16.77
What are the disciples, you know
you, it refers to the disciples,
00:10:16.78\00:10:22.20
and the generation of Jews
at the time of the disciples.
00:10:22.23\00:10:27.30
What were the disciples and
the Jews of that time supposed
00:10:27.33\00:10:30.71
to witness?
00:10:30.74\00:10:31.71
All the signs and the
destruction of Jerusalem.
00:10:31.72\00:10:35.84
Does it make sense?
00:10:35.87\00:10:36.84
It's making sense; yep!
00:10:36.87\00:10:37.98
They were supposed to; this
is the generation who will not
00:10:38.01\00:10:40.88
pass away until they witness
all these signs, including the
00:10:40.91\00:10:44.10
destruction of
Jerusalem to take place.
00:10:44.13\00:10:46.36
But then notice something.
00:10:46.39\00:10:47.99
When Jesus talks about
His coming, in verse 13.
00:10:48.02\00:10:52.73
I'd like to invite the viewers
to pay attention to that.
00:10:52.76\00:10:56.86
Jesus says, verse 13, And
then the signs of the Son of Man
00:10:56.89\00:11:03.72
will appear in the sky, and
then all the tribes of the earth
00:11:03.75\00:11:08.49
will mourn.
00:11:08.52\00:11:09.49
Now watch out!
00:11:09.50\00:11:10.47
It doesn't say, and you
will see the Son of Man.
00:11:10.48\00:11:14.79
It says, and they.
00:11:14.82\00:11:16.66
Do you see the
switch from you to they?
00:11:16.69\00:11:19.63
What Jesus made very clear was
the disciples were not supposed
00:11:19.66\00:11:24.02
to watch the
Second Coming of Christ.
00:11:24.05\00:11:26.49
Who are those who watch
the Second Coming of Christ?
00:11:26.52\00:11:28.71
One generation in the future.
00:11:28.74\00:11:31.48
They, not you, they will witness
the Second Coming of Christ.
00:11:31.51\00:11:36.01
Does that make sense?
00:11:36.04\00:11:37.01
That helps us with
verse 34 doesn't it?
00:11:37.02\00:11:40.40
Please, please.
00:11:40.43\00:11:41.40
And verse 34, Truly I say to
you, this generation will not
00:11:41.41\00:11:45.83
pass away.
00:11:45.86\00:11:46.88
What was the
generation supposed to witness?
00:11:46.91\00:11:49.95
All the signs, and the
destruction of Jerusalem,
00:11:49.98\00:11:54.83
but not the
Second Coming of Christ.
00:11:54.86\00:11:56.67
Jesus never said, you,
this generation will witness
00:11:56.70\00:11:59.68
the Second Coming of Christ.
00:11:59.69\00:12:00.86
It's always in the context
of the destruction of Jerusalem.
00:12:00.89\00:12:05.30
It was such a tremendous
message of warning, and of hope,
00:12:05.33\00:12:11.45
and protection.
00:12:11.48\00:12:13.08
How should we live with the
urgency of the Second Coming?
00:12:13.11\00:12:18.48
Yes.
00:12:18.51\00:12:19.48
In the conclusion of this
study, I would like to remind
00:12:19.49\00:12:23.32
our viewers that Christ in His
promise is giving us all those
00:12:23.35\00:12:30.40
signs to remind us of the
reality of His Second Coming.
00:12:30.43\00:12:34.52
We don't know the day or hour
that He will come, but we know
00:12:34.55\00:12:38.33
that He is coming, and He urges
us to be ready for that day.
00:12:38.36\00:12:44.10