Shall we bow our
heads for prayer?
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Our Father in
heaven, we thank you so much
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for the privilege of
being here and we ask
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that as we open your Holy
Word and begin this series
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on this very important
chapter of your Holy Word,
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that your Holy
Spirit will be here
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to guide us, to instruct us.
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Father, we need Your wisdom.
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We realize that we're living
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in a very trying
and difficult time.
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But everything has
been revealed beforehand,
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so we have no reason to fear.
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As we study this great prophecy,
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we ask that You will comfort us
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and give us
assurance because we ask it
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in the precious name of
Jesus, your beloved Son. Amen.
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As I mentioned in my
prayer, during this series
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we are going to study the
prophecy of Matthew Chapter 24.
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And I'd like to give you
just a little bit of background
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about where this story is found
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particularly in
the Gospel of Matthew.
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The story of
the Olivet Discourse
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is found in between the moment
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when Jesus left the
Jewish temple for the last time
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and the moment when
Jesus entered His final trials
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and tribulations in
Gethsemane and eventually
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was taken to the
cross of Calvary.
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So basically Matthew 24 and 25,
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we're gonna be
studying both chapters
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are found in
between Jesus leaving
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the Jewish
temple for the last time
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and when Jesus began
his very severe trials
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in the Garden of
Gethsemane in Pilate's court,
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in Herod's court and finally
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as He was taken to
the cross of Calvary.
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Now in our study
today, we're going to look
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at seven great facts about the
prophecy of Matthew Chapter 24.
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And so, I hope you
brought your Bibles
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because we're going
to be reading extensively
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from the scripture
as we look at these
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seven great truths
about Matthew Chapter 24.
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The first thing
that I want to underline,
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the first great fact
about Matthew 24 is that it has
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a very, very important
message for God's people,
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who are living
in these last days.
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I'd like to read a statement
that we find in the book
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"Gospel Workers," it
is a book which emphasizes
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the methods that
God's workers need to have
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as they go out to the field
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and reach other
people for Jesus Christ.
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In this book,
"Gospel Workers," page 148,
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we find these words
written by Ellen White.
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She says this, "The
twenty-fourth chapter
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of Matthew is presented to
me again and again as something
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that is to be brought
to the attention of all."
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Notice, again and again,
she says that it was brought
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to her attention that Matthew 24
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needs to be
studied by God's people.
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She continues saying, "We
are today living in the time
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when the predictions of
this chapter are fulfilling."
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We got to notice
that there's a twofold
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application to Matthew 24.
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It was fulfilled and it
will be fulfilled once again.
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She continues saying,
"Let our ministers and teachers
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explain these prophecies
to those whom they instruct.
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Let them leave out
of their discourses,
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matters of minor consequence
and present the truths
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that will decide
the destiny of souls."
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So very clearly,
this prophecy has
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something to do with
the destiny of souls.
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It is of critical
importance according to her
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that ministers and
teachers focus on this chapter,
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because the scenes are
fulfilling as we speak.
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And she says
that again and again,
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God showed her that this chapter
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needs to be carefully
studied by God's people.
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So the first great fact about
Matthew 24 is that this chapter
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is of extreme
importance for God's people.
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Ministers and
teachers need to focus on it,
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because this chapter is being
fulfilled before our very eyes.
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And the destiny of souls
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depends on the
content of this chapter.
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Now the second great
fact that I want to focus on,
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is the purpose why God
gave Matthew Chapter 24.
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You know, usually in evangelism,
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when we use this chapter
to preach to other people,
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we try and emphasize that
this chapter was given primarily
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so that the
people out in the world,
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when they see the signs that
are taking place in the world
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they can know that Jesus is
going to come very, very soon.
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In fact, many times we think
that this chapter was addressed
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primarily to those who
do not belong to the church.
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But the fact is
that this chapter
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was not given
primarily for the unchurched.
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This chapter was not
given primarily for those
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who--secular people
who are outside the church
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and who have no
interest in religion.
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You know, you tell
them by reading Matthew 24
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that the signs
that are mentioned here
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show them that
Jesus is coming soon.
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Many of them have not even
accepted Jesus as their savior
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and they know very
little about Jesus.
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So the purpose of this
chapter was not to convince
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the worldlings or to
convince the secular people
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that Jesus is coming soon.
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The purpose of the chapter
is far greater than that.
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It is actually targeted
to God's professed people
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and for a very specific reason.
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You're saying,
"Well, what is that reason?"
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The fact is, that
Jesus knew that Satan
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was going to do
his utmost to deceive,
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discourage, persecute
and kill his followers.
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And Jesus wanted to
warn His followers about this
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so that their faith could
grow and so that they would
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not be carried away by
the devil's deceptions.
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I want to read three
verses from Matthew 24 itself
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where we see this
purpose of this chapter.
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In other words, the
purpose of Matthew 24
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is that God's people
not be deceived by Satan,
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either by false
teachings or by persecution
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or by the threat of death.
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In Matthew 24:4,
we find these words.
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And Jesus is
speaking to His disciples,
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we need to focus on that.
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Here Jesus is
speaking to His disciples,
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"And Jesus
answered and said to them."
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Notice He's not
speaking to the world at large,
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He's speaking to His disciples.
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"Take heed that
no one deceives you."
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Who is in danger
of being deceived
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according to this verse?
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Not the people out in the
world, they're already deceived.
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The target of the devil's
deceptions is the church.
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And so Jesus says, the
reason why I'm going to give you
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all of this chapter is to
keep you from being deceived,
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because
immediately after this verse,
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"Take heed that
no one deceives you,"
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Jesus begins to
describe the signs
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that will lead up to His coming.
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The second verse
that I want to read
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is the very next verse, verse 5.
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And you'll notice
that Jesus says something
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very interesting here to add
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to what we already
noticed in verse 4.
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He says, "For many will come."
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How? "In my name."
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Are these professed Christians
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if they are coming
in the name of Jesus?
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Are these people who
claim to be Christians?
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Absolutely, they
wouldn't come in Christ's name
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if they didn't
claimed to be Christians.
00:09:05.48\00:09:07.42
And so Jesus says,
"For many will come
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in My name,
saying, "I am the Christ,"
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and will deceive many."
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Once again the idea
is that the deceptions
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are targeted
towards God's people.
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And those who are deceiving
are from among God's people.
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So once again the
purpose of this chapter
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is not primarily to
convince the people out
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in the world that
Jesus is coming soon
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because they can see the
signs transpiring in the world.
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The purpose is to
keep God's own people,
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God's own elect
from being deceived.
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I want to read one more verse,
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actually, there's two
verses Matthew 24:23 and 24.
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Notice, who once
again is the target here.
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"Then if anyone says to
you, "Look, here is the Christ!"
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or "There!" do not believe it.
00:10:04.57\00:10:07.68
For false christs and
false prophets will rise
00:10:07.71\00:10:12.53
and show great signs and wonders
00:10:12.56\00:10:15.58
to deceive if possible"
all of the secular people.
00:10:15.61\00:10:20.06
No, that's not
what the text says.
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That's the revised
more version by the way.
00:10:22.11\00:10:24.78
It says for false christs
and false prophets will rise
00:10:24.81\00:10:27.88
and show great signs and
wonders to deceive if possible,"
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who? "even the elect."
00:10:31.89\00:10:36.32
And then he says in verse 25,
00:10:36.35\00:10:38.15
"See, I have
told you beforehand."
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In other words I
warned you so that
00:10:41.14\00:10:43.37
when these false christs
and false prophets arise,
00:10:43.40\00:10:46.98
they will not
deceive you my people.
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And so the second
great fact about Matthew 24
00:10:51.54\00:10:54.76
is that this chapter is targeted
primarily to God's people.
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And by the way when
we study chapter 25,
00:11:00.05\00:11:02.95
we're going to
notice that the parables
00:11:02.98\00:11:05.12
that Jesus gives,
actually one of them
00:11:05.15\00:11:07.14
is at the end of chapter 24
00:11:07.17\00:11:09.58
and the parables that
He gives in chapter 25
00:11:09.61\00:11:11.83
are all targeted to His people.
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The Parable of the Ten Virgins,
the Parable of the Talents,
00:11:13.95\00:11:17.24
the Parable of the
Goats and the Sheep.
00:11:17.27\00:11:20.55
All of these parables
that come after Matthew 24
00:11:20.58\00:11:23.74
are meant to warn God's
people that they should be ready
00:11:23.77\00:11:27.70
when all of these
events take place.
00:11:27.73\00:11:30.49
So the second great
fact is that Matthew 24
00:11:30.52\00:11:33.02
is targeted especially for those
00:11:33.05\00:11:35.28
who claim to be
followers of Jesus Christ.
00:11:35.31\00:11:39.28
Now let's notice
our third great fact
00:11:39.31\00:11:42.94
about Matthew Chapter 24.
00:11:42.97\00:11:46.77
And it is that we cannot
study this chapter by itself.
00:11:46.80\00:11:51.89
Because this sermon of Jesus
on Mount Olivet is repeated
00:11:51.92\00:11:57.27
three times in what are
called the Synoptic Gospels.
00:11:57.30\00:12:01.86
The Synoptic Gospels
are Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
00:12:01.89\00:12:06.39
And this discourse is found
in all three of the gospels.
00:12:06.42\00:12:10.89
It must have been
very, very important.
00:12:10.92\00:12:13.52
But the interesting
thing is that in each gospel
00:12:13.55\00:12:16.87
there are details that are
not found in the other gospels.
00:12:16.90\00:12:21.14
In other words, there
is material in one gospel
00:12:21.17\00:12:23.93
that is not found in one
or the other of the gospels.
00:12:23.96\00:12:27.42
And so to get
the complete picture,
00:12:27.45\00:12:29.63
we need to compare
all of the three gospels.
00:12:29.66\00:12:32.93
We need to take the
material that covers
00:12:32.96\00:12:34.98
the same period in
each one of the gospels
00:12:35.01\00:12:37.78
and put them all together
to get a complete picture
00:12:37.81\00:12:41.08
of what Jesus wanted to teach.
00:12:41.11\00:12:43.77
Now I want to give you
two or three examples of this,
00:12:43.80\00:12:46.17
so that we can
understand the importance
00:12:46.20\00:12:47.97
of studying all
three gospels together.
00:12:48.00\00:12:52.22
Notice Matthew
24:7, Matthew 24:7.
00:12:52.25\00:12:58.54
Here Jesus is
speaking about certain signs
00:12:58.57\00:13:02.33
that are gonna take
place in the natural world
00:13:02.36\00:13:06.12
and also in the political world.
00:13:06.15\00:13:08.74
He says, "For nation
will rise against nation,
00:13:08.77\00:13:12.26
and kingdom against kingdom.
00:13:12.29\00:13:14.92
And there will be
famines, pestilences,
00:13:14.95\00:13:18.45
and earthquakes
in various places."
00:13:18.48\00:13:21.90
So notice, He
says that there's going
00:13:21.93\00:13:23.30
to be earthquakes
in various places.
00:13:23.33\00:13:26.20
But when you go to
the Gospel of Luke 21:11,
00:13:26.23\00:13:30.50
you have a small
word which adds something
00:13:30.53\00:13:34.82
to what we find in
Matthew Chapter 24.
00:13:34.85\00:13:37.23
And this is a minor
detail, but it illustrates
00:13:37.26\00:13:40.62
the importance of
comparing the different gospels.
00:13:40.65\00:13:43.64
Luke 21:11 says,
"And there will be great
00:13:43.67\00:13:51.09
earthquakes in various places,
and famines and pestilences,
00:13:51.12\00:13:55.76
and there will be fearful sights
and great signs from heaven."
00:13:55.79\00:14:00.55
Do you notice that
there are some details
00:14:00.58\00:14:02.13
added in this verse?
00:14:02.16\00:14:03.71
For example, it says not only
00:14:03.74\00:14:05.82
there will be
earthquakes in various places,
00:14:05.85\00:14:08.29
but there will be great
earthquakes in various places
00:14:08.32\00:14:12.79
and then Jesus adds,
00:14:12.82\00:14:14.97
"There will be fearful sights
and great signs from heaven."
00:14:15.00\00:14:19.58
That was not found in
the Gospel of Matthew.
00:14:19.61\00:14:22.25
And so when you put
the two gospels together,
00:14:22.28\00:14:25.40
you have more
information than just looking
00:14:25.43\00:14:28.63
at the one Gospel of Matthew.
00:14:28.66\00:14:31.46
Notice another
example that we find
00:14:31.49\00:14:33.25
in the Gospel of
Mark 13:8, Mark 13:8.
00:14:33.28\00:14:40.42
This is the same basic idea
00:14:40.45\00:14:42.12
that we just read
from Matthew and Luke,
00:14:42.15\00:14:44.71
but something is
added which is not
00:14:44.74\00:14:46.50
found in Matthew
24 and in Luke 21.
00:14:46.53\00:14:50.26
It says there in Mark 13:8,
00:14:50.29\00:14:53.20
"For nation will
rise against nation
00:14:53.23\00:14:55.88
and kingdom against kingdom.
00:14:55.91\00:14:58.89
And there will be
earthquakes in various places
00:14:58.92\00:15:02.55
and there will be
famines and troubles."
00:15:02.58\00:15:07.31
Do you know, that
the Gospel of Matthew
00:15:07.34\00:15:10.02
and the Gospel of Luke do
not mention the word troubles?
00:15:10.05\00:15:13.82
Now the word
troubles, when it's used
00:15:13.85\00:15:17.11
in the New Testament
deals with internal strife,
00:15:17.14\00:15:20.70
more like a civil
war, social unrest.
00:15:20.73\00:15:24.37
In other words
Jesus is saying not only
00:15:24.40\00:15:26.28
that there's going to be
nation rising against nation,
00:15:26.31\00:15:28.87
kingdom against kingdom,
but within society itself,
00:15:28.90\00:15:32.95
there is going
to be social unrest.
00:15:32.98\00:15:35.59
There are gonna
be social upheavals.
00:15:35.62\00:15:37.82
There are going to be riots,
00:15:37.85\00:15:39.40
is what Jesus is
saying as we near the end.
00:15:39.43\00:15:42.03
If you didn't have
the Gospel of Mark,
00:15:42.06\00:15:44.01
you would be missing
that very important concept.
00:15:44.04\00:15:48.42
Now I want to give
you another example
00:15:48.45\00:15:50.72
of the importance of studying
all of these gospels together,
00:15:50.75\00:15:54.40
these three gospels together.
00:15:54.43\00:15:56.15
By the way, the stories
are found in Matthew 24,
00:15:56.18\00:15:59.47
in Mark 13 and
in Luke Chapter 21.
00:15:59.50\00:16:03.28
In Matthew
Chapter 24:15, we have
00:16:03.31\00:16:07.06
the mention of Jesus of
the abomination of desolation.
00:16:07.09\00:16:11.39
Now I'm gonna compare
all three gospels on this
00:16:11.42\00:16:14.12
and you'll see how when
we read all three gospels
00:16:14.15\00:16:16.87
we have a complete picture.
00:16:16.90\00:16:18.57
Matthew 24:15, Jesus says,
00:16:18.60\00:16:23.97
"Therefore when you see
the abomination of desolation,
00:16:24.00\00:16:28.52
spoken of by Daniel the prophet,
00:16:28.55\00:16:30.95
standing in the
holy place whoever reads,
00:16:30.98\00:16:34.87
let him understand."
00:16:34.90\00:16:36.88
So where does the
abomination of desolation
00:16:36.91\00:16:39.44
stand according to
Daniel the prophet?
00:16:39.47\00:16:41.82
It stands in the holy place.
00:16:41.85\00:16:45.75
And immediately you ask
the question in the holy place,
00:16:45.78\00:16:49.01
holy place, what
does that refer to?
00:16:49.04\00:16:51.39
Is that the holy
place of the sanctuary
00:16:51.42\00:16:53.54
that this is talking about?
00:16:53.57\00:16:55.38
You're left with questions.
00:16:55.41\00:16:57.46
Now when you go to
the Gospel of Mark 13:14,
00:16:57.49\00:17:01.99
you have an added detail.
00:17:02.02\00:17:03.61
Not only do we find in Matthew
00:17:03.64\00:17:06.41
that the
abomination of desolation
00:17:06.44\00:17:08.62
stands in the holy place,
00:17:08.65\00:17:10.51
but now we're going
to notice another detail.
00:17:10.54\00:17:12.95
Mark 13:14, "So when you see
00:17:12.98\00:17:18.15
the abomination of desolation,
spoken of by Daniel the prophet,
00:17:18.18\00:17:23.11
standing where it ought
not" let the reader understand,
00:17:23.14\00:17:30.47
"then let those who are in
Judea flee to the mountains."
00:17:30.50\00:17:34.72
So in Matthew it
says when you see
00:17:34.75\00:17:36.82
the abomination of
desolation standing where?
00:17:36.85\00:17:39.96
In the holy place.
00:17:39.99\00:17:41.66
In Mark it stand, it says,
00:17:41.69\00:17:43.27
when you see the
abomination of desolation
00:17:43.30\00:17:45.38
standing where it, what?
00:17:45.41\00:17:47.49
Where it shouldn't
stand, in other words.
00:17:47.52\00:17:50.54
But you're saying,
"well, what is the holy place?
00:17:50.57\00:17:52.90
Why shouldn't it stand there?"
00:17:52.93\00:17:55.36
Well, we need to go
to Luke 21, Luke 21:20,
00:17:55.39\00:18:01.57
very significant, Luke 21:20.
00:18:01.60\00:18:06.48
And by the way
this parallel in Luke 21
00:18:06.51\00:18:09.08
is very different
than Matthew and Mark.
00:18:09.11\00:18:11.69
And it helps us
understand many things
00:18:11.72\00:18:13.92
that we're gonna study in
the course of this seminar.
00:18:13.95\00:18:17.30
Notice Luke 21:20,
"But when you see" what?
00:18:17.33\00:18:23.35
"Jerusalem" compassed by what?
00:18:25.57\00:18:32.54
"Surrounded by armies, then know
00:18:32.57\00:18:36.49
that its desolation is near."
00:18:36.52\00:18:40.91
Now is that
different than what we read
00:18:40.94\00:18:42.31
in Matthew and Mark?
00:18:42.34\00:18:44.10
Very, very different.
Immediately we ask the question.
00:18:44.13\00:18:48.79
Where was the abomination of
desolation going to be setup?
00:18:48.82\00:18:54.94
Not in Jerusalem, but
where? Around Jerusalem.
00:18:54.97\00:19:01.80
And what was that
abomination of desolation
00:19:01.83\00:19:04.33
according to Luke 21?
00:19:04.36\00:19:06.70
The surrounding of
Jerusalem by the Roman armies.
00:19:06.73\00:19:11.76
So where is the holy place?
00:19:11.79\00:19:13.85
Is the holy place in the city
00:19:13.88\00:19:15.72
or is the holy
place outside the city.
00:19:15.75\00:19:18.99
Very clearly,
it's outside the city.
00:19:19.02\00:19:21.76
We're gonna
notice a few furlongs
00:19:21.79\00:19:23.73
outside the walls of the city
00:19:23.76\00:19:25.51
was considered just
as holy as the city.
00:19:25.54\00:19:28.55
Very clearly Luke 21 tells us
00:19:28.58\00:19:31.25
that the
abomination of desolation
00:19:31.28\00:19:33.36
are the Roman armies
00:19:33.39\00:19:36.00
that surrounded
the city of Jerusalem.
00:19:36.03\00:19:38.93
In other words, the holy place
is not inside the holy city,
00:19:38.96\00:19:42.46
it's not in the sanctuary,
it is around the holy city.
00:19:42.49\00:19:46.95
And by the way, did you notice
00:19:46.98\00:19:48.35
that in Matthew and Mark,
00:19:48.38\00:19:49.75
it's called the
abomination of desolation,
00:19:49.78\00:19:51.68
but in the Gospel
of Luke we're told
00:19:51.71\00:19:54.21
that abomination and desolation
are two separate things.
00:19:54.24\00:19:58.38
It's actually the abomination
that leads to desolation.
00:19:58.41\00:20:03.00
When they see the
abomination, they can know
00:20:03.03\00:20:05.74
that the
desolation is what? Near.
00:20:05.77\00:20:09.49
Once again Luke 21:20 says,
00:20:09.52\00:20:11.57
"But when they see
Jerusalem surrounded by armies"
00:20:11.60\00:20:15.52
that's the
abomination of desolation,
00:20:15.55\00:20:17.67
"know then that its
desolation is" what?
00:20:17.70\00:20:21.89
"Its desolation is near."
00:20:21.92\00:20:24.80
So where is the
holy place as you compare
00:20:24.83\00:20:26.83
Luke Chapter 21? It's
outside the holy city.
00:20:26.86\00:20:30.10
What is the abomination?
00:20:30.13\00:20:31.79
The abomination
are the Roman armies.
00:20:31.82\00:20:34.16
And what will the
abomination lead to?
00:20:34.19\00:20:36.49
It will lead to
what? The desolation.
00:20:36.52\00:20:39.46
Later on in this
series we're gonna study
00:20:39.49\00:20:41.88
the second application of this
story of Matthew Chapter 24.
00:20:41.91\00:20:46.31
And we're going to
notice that Ellen White speaks
00:20:46.34\00:20:50.25
about something
that is going to happen
00:20:50.28\00:20:53.43
in the United States of America.
00:20:53.46\00:20:55.67
She says that national
apostasy will eventually
00:20:55.70\00:21:02.10
lead to what? To national ruin.
00:21:02.13\00:21:06.38
That's another way of saying
00:21:06.41\00:21:07.91
that national
abomination will lead to what?
00:21:07.94\00:21:11.75
Will lead to
desolation and destruction.
00:21:11.78\00:21:15.16
So it's important
that we understand
00:21:15.19\00:21:16.66
that the
abomination leads to desolation
00:21:16.69\00:21:20.58
and according to
this, the holy place
00:21:20.61\00:21:23.02
was outside the
city and the abomination
00:21:23.05\00:21:26.18
was the surrounding of
Jerusalem by the Roman armies.
00:21:26.21\00:21:29.70
Now allow me to give
you one final example
00:21:29.73\00:21:32.32
of the importance of studying
all of the gospels together.
00:21:32.35\00:21:35.43
Are you understanding
the importance of this point?
00:21:35.46\00:21:37.79
We need to take the testimony
of all the gospel writers.
00:21:37.82\00:21:41.59
Notice Luke 21:24, Luke 21:24.
00:21:41.62\00:21:49.19
I want to read this
verse and compare it
00:21:49.22\00:21:51.39
to a verse that we find
in the Book of Revelation.
00:21:51.42\00:21:54.70
Luke 21:24,
there are four elements
00:21:54.73\00:21:59.73
that I want you to
notice in this particular verse.
00:21:59.76\00:22:02.76
It says there, speaking
about the Jewish nation,
00:22:02.79\00:22:08.64
"And they will fall
by the edge of the sword
00:22:08.67\00:22:12.16
and be led away
captive into all nations."
00:22:12.19\00:22:16.80
And now notice
here's the four points.
00:22:16.83\00:22:19.25
In Jerusalem, that's
number one, will be what?
00:22:19.28\00:22:24.31
Trample, there's
number two, by whom?
00:22:24.34\00:22:27.77
Gentiles, that's number three,
00:22:27.80\00:22:30.53
until the times of the
Gentiles are fulfilled.
00:22:30.56\00:22:34.75
Four ideas, Jerusalem,
trampled, by Gentiles,
00:22:34.78\00:22:39.20
until the times of the
Gentiles come to an end.
00:22:39.23\00:22:42.91
Go with me now to
Revelation Chapter 11,
00:22:42.94\00:22:45.91
Revelation Chapter 11 and I
want to read verses 2 and 3.
00:22:45.94\00:22:50.84
Revelation 11:2 and 3.
00:22:50.87\00:22:53.22
By the way, this is going
to show us the importance also
00:22:53.25\00:22:55.78
of studying Revelation in the
context of Matthew Chapter 24.
00:22:55.81\00:23:00.40
Actually, the Book of Revelation
00:23:00.43\00:23:01.94
is a commentary on
Matthew Chapter 24.
00:23:01.97\00:23:05.05
So we're going
to be dealing a lot
00:23:05.08\00:23:07.20
with the Book of
Revelation as well.
00:23:07.23\00:23:09.67
Notice Chapter 11:2
and 3 of Revelation,
00:23:09.70\00:23:14.91
"But leave out the court
which is outside the temple
00:23:14.94\00:23:19.69
and do not measure it,
for it has been given to"
00:23:19.72\00:23:24.30
whom? Was that in Matthew--
00:23:24.33\00:23:27.46
in Luke Chapter 21? Yes.
00:23:27.49\00:23:29.79
It says, "For it has been given
00:23:29.82\00:23:31.50
to the Gentiles
and they will" what?
00:23:31.53\00:23:35.02
Was that in Luke 21?
"They were tread or trample"
00:23:35.05\00:23:39.14
what? The holy city.
00:23:39.17\00:23:41.16
Was Jerusalem in
Luke Chapter 21? Yes.
00:23:41.19\00:23:44.59
"They will trample the
holy city under foot for"
00:23:44.62\00:23:47.69
how long? 42 months.
00:23:47.72\00:23:50.25
So let me ask you what
are the times of the Gentiles?
00:23:50.28\00:23:53.43
The times of the
Gentiles are what?
00:23:53.46\00:23:56.00
42 months. Did
you notice it or not?
00:23:56.03\00:23:59.40
The holy city
trampled by Gentiles
00:23:59.43\00:24:02.39
until the times of the
Gentiles are fulfilled.
00:24:02.42\00:24:04.53
Here it says, "They
shall trample the holy city"
00:24:04.56\00:24:07.03
that is the
Gentiles will for 42 months.
00:24:07.06\00:24:09.78
So in other words,
the times of the Gentiles
00:24:09.81\00:24:11.90
are how long? 42 months.
00:24:11.93\00:24:14.60
You'll only know
that if you compare
00:24:14.63\00:24:17.18
Luke Chapter 21 with
the Book of Revelation.
00:24:17.21\00:24:20.96
And so we need to
very carefully study
00:24:20.99\00:24:25.26
not only Matthew Chapter
24, but we need to also compare
00:24:25.29\00:24:29.82
Luke 13 and we also
need to study in conjunction
00:24:29.85\00:24:34.37
with it Luke
Chapter 21 and also compare
00:24:34.40\00:24:38.35
what the Book of
Revelation has to say as well.
00:24:38.38\00:24:41.72
Are you understanding
the importance of studying
00:24:41.75\00:24:43.50
the gospels all
three of them together
00:24:43.53\00:24:45.74
and also the perspective
of the Book of Revelation?
00:24:45.77\00:24:48.71
We'll be coming to
this, time and again
00:24:48.74\00:24:50.83
as we study these
topics in the future.
00:24:50.86\00:24:53.83
Now, let's go to
our fourth great fact
00:24:53.86\00:24:56.58
about Matthew Chapter 24.
00:24:56.61\00:24:59.53
That is that Matthew Chapter
24 has a twofold fulfillment.
00:24:59.56\00:25:05.63
In other words it has
00:25:05.66\00:25:07.29
an immediate
historical fulfillment,
00:25:07.32\00:25:10.39
but it is also prophetic
of a future fulfillment.
00:25:10.42\00:25:14.48
In other words it
has a dual application.
00:25:14.51\00:25:18.61
Now I want to read
first of all from scripture,
00:25:18.64\00:25:22.20
where Jesus
makes this very clear
00:25:22.23\00:25:24.66
and then I want to
read a series of statements,
00:25:24.69\00:25:27.68
very important
statements from Ellen White,
00:25:27.71\00:25:30.79
where she corroborates
and amplifies this concept.
00:25:30.82\00:25:35.21
Go with me to
Matthew 24, Matthew 24:1-3.
00:25:35.24\00:25:42.60
Jesus has just
left the Jewish temple
00:25:42.63\00:25:45.48
and He said "Your house
is left unto you desolate."
00:25:45.51\00:25:51.27
By the way we're gonna
deal a little bit later on
00:25:51.30\00:25:53.47
with the
Prophecy of the 70 Weeks,
00:25:53.50\00:25:56.32
where it speaks about the
abomination and the desolation
00:25:56.35\00:26:01.10
in the last couple of
verses of Daniel Chapter 9.
00:26:01.13\00:26:04.51
Matthew 24:1-3.
00:26:04.54\00:26:08.51
"Then Jesus went out and
departed from the temple,
00:26:08.54\00:26:12.77
and His disciples
came up to show Him
00:26:12.80\00:26:15.88
the buildings of the temple."
00:26:15.91\00:26:17.47
In other words,
they wanted to brag,
00:26:17.50\00:26:18.87
they were showing Jesus
these huge stones over there,
00:26:18.90\00:26:22.00
"Isn't this a
great building Lord?"
00:26:22.03\00:26:25.25
Verse 2, and Jesus said to them,
00:26:25.28\00:26:28.48
"Do you not see
all these things.
00:26:28.51\00:26:32.29
Assuredly, I say to you,
00:26:32.32\00:26:34.57
not one stone shall be
left here upon another,
00:26:34.60\00:26:38.61
that shall not be thrown down."
00:26:38.64\00:26:41.61
In other words,
there's not gonna be one stone
00:26:41.64\00:26:43.61
left upon another
that will not be cast down,
00:26:43.64\00:26:46.45
that will not
fall to the ground.
00:26:46.48\00:26:49.11
And of course, the disciples
were very disturbed about that.
00:26:49.14\00:26:51.87
They wanted to know,
when this was gonna happen
00:26:51.90\00:26:54.23
and how it was gonna
happen and so being disturbed,
00:26:54.26\00:26:57.93
they now ask
Jesus two questions.
00:26:57.96\00:27:02.76
Notice verse 3.
00:27:02.79\00:27:04.41
"Now as He sat on
the Mount of Olives,
00:27:04.44\00:27:08.73
the disciples
came to Him privately,
00:27:08.76\00:27:12.69
saying, "Tell us?"
00:27:12.72\00:27:16.27
Now comes question number one.
00:27:16.30\00:27:17.85
"Tell us, when
will these things be?"
00:27:17.88\00:27:23.23
What things are they
talking about in context?
00:27:23.26\00:27:25.83
They are
talking about the things
00:27:25.86\00:27:27.23
that Jesus had just described.
00:27:27.26\00:27:28.90
The fact that the Jerusalem
temple is gonna be destroyed.
00:27:28.93\00:27:31.66
There's not gonna be
one stone left upon another.
00:27:31.69\00:27:34.22
And so they're saying
when will these things be?
00:27:34.25\00:27:37.63
That's question number one.
00:27:37.66\00:27:39.03
When is the literal
temple going to be destroyed?
00:27:39.06\00:27:42.25
And then they
ask a second question
00:27:42.28\00:27:44.91
and it's a
compound question. Notice.
00:27:44.94\00:27:49.15
And what will be
the sign of Your coming
00:27:49.18\00:27:53.97
and of the end of the age.
00:27:54.00\00:27:57.38
In other words,
when will these things
00:27:57.41\00:27:59.29
be concerning the destruction
of the Jerusalem temple
00:27:59.32\00:28:03.11
and what will be the
sign according to this
00:28:03.14\00:28:06.24
of Your coming and
of the end of the age?"
00:28:06.27\00:28:08.55
They believe that when the
Messiah would come in power
00:28:08.58\00:28:11.08
and glory like He's described
in the Old Testament that,
00:28:11.11\00:28:14.02
that would be
the end of the age.
00:28:14.05\00:28:15.71
In other words,
when is the world
00:28:15.74\00:28:17.81
going to come to an end?
00:28:17.84\00:28:20.57
Now Jesus answered both of their
questions with only one answer.
00:28:20.60\00:28:25.35
Actually, Matthew 24
00:28:25.38\00:28:26.86
is a blending of
these two great events.
00:28:26.89\00:28:32.54
Number one, the
destruction of Jerusalem
00:28:32.57\00:28:34.96
and number two, the
condition of the world
00:28:34.99\00:28:37.51
that will exist shortly before
the second coming of Christ
00:28:37.54\00:28:40.95
and also referring to
the second coming of Jesus.
00:28:40.98\00:28:44.18
So they asked two
questions and in His answer,
00:28:44.21\00:28:47.28
Jesus intermingles
the answer and He speaks
00:28:47.31\00:28:51.30
about both events in one answer.
00:28:51.33\00:28:54.93
Now allow me to read
you a series of statements
00:28:54.96\00:28:57.32
and there're many of them.
00:28:57.35\00:28:58.72
I'm amazed at
the number of times
00:28:58.75\00:29:00.58
that Ellen White underlined
00:29:00.61\00:29:02.53
that because there
were two questions,
00:29:02.56\00:29:04.91
there were
actually two applications
00:29:04.94\00:29:07.19
of Matthew Chapter 24.
00:29:07.22\00:29:09.44
The first statement we find in
the Great Controversy, page 25,
00:29:09.47\00:29:13.59
the Great Controversy, page 25.
00:29:13.62\00:29:16.19
By the way the
first chapter of the book
00:29:16.22\00:29:17.84
the Great Controversy is on
the destruction of Jerusalem.
00:29:17.87\00:29:21.68
She says this, "The
prophecy which He uttered,
00:29:21.71\00:29:25.66
that is that Jesus uttered,
was twofold in its meaning,
00:29:25.69\00:29:31.39
while foreshadowing the
destruction of Jerusalem,
00:29:31.42\00:29:35.88
it prefigured also the
terrors of the last great day."
00:29:35.91\00:29:42.29
Notice her
terminology once again.
00:29:42.32\00:29:44.35
She says, that it
had a twofold meaning.
00:29:44.38\00:29:48.06
And she says that the first
destruction of Jerusalem had
00:29:48.09\00:29:52.58
or actually prefigured the
terrors of the Last Great Day."
00:29:52.61\00:29:57.08
In that classic
book the Desire of Ages,
00:29:57.11\00:29:59.96
page 743, she
once again comments
00:29:59.99\00:30:04.15
and I am gonna
read several passages
00:30:04.18\00:30:05.84
because it's important
that we notice the terminology.
00:30:05.87\00:30:09.00
She uses different
terminology depending
00:30:09.03\00:30:11.47
on where she is writing.
00:30:11.50\00:30:13.14
Desire of Ages, page 743,
00:30:13.17\00:30:16.45
she refers to Jesus
speaking first of all about
00:30:16.48\00:30:19.37
the destruction of Jerusalem
and then she says this.
00:30:19.40\00:30:22.44
"From the fall of Jerusalem
00:30:22.47\00:30:24.95
the thoughts of Jesus
passed to a wider judgment.
00:30:24.98\00:30:30.11
In the destruction
of the impenitent city
00:30:30.14\00:30:34.01
He saw a symbol of
the final destruction
00:30:34.04\00:30:38.25
to come upon the world."
00:30:38.28\00:30:40.60
Notice the terms,
twofold, prefigured,
00:30:40.63\00:30:43.91
a symbol she says
here of a final destruction
00:30:43.94\00:30:47.23
to come upon the world.
00:30:47.26\00:30:48.63
So if you want to
know what's gonna happen
00:30:48.66\00:30:50.71
with this world
in the last days,
00:30:50.74\00:30:53.11
we're going to have
study all of the disasters,
00:30:53.14\00:30:55.38
social, economic, political,
wars all of these events
00:30:55.41\00:30:59.78
abomination of desolation
it took place in conjunction
00:30:59.81\00:31:03.33
with the
destruction of Jerusalem.
00:31:03.36\00:31:04.90
But these things are
going to be fulfilled again
00:31:04.93\00:31:07.34
not with literal Jerusalem
but on a global worldwide scale.
00:31:07.37\00:31:12.19
But back there, it
helps us understand
00:31:12.22\00:31:14.71
the mechanics of what happened,
00:31:14.74\00:31:16.48
so that we can
make the application
00:31:16.51\00:31:18.37
at the end of the age.
00:31:18.40\00:31:20.49
Once again in
Desire of Ages, page 628
00:31:20.52\00:31:23.97
where she's discussing
the destruction of Jerusalem.
00:31:24.00\00:31:26.81
She says this
"Jesus did not answer
00:31:26.84\00:31:30.50
His disciples by
taking up separately
00:31:30.53\00:31:33.85
the destruction of Jerusalem
00:31:33.88\00:31:35.64
and the great
day of His coming."
00:31:35.67\00:31:37.45
Notice, she says
that Jesus didn't answer,
00:31:37.48\00:31:40.38
okay, question number
one, question number two.
00:31:40.41\00:31:43.87
She says "He mingled the
description of these two events.
00:31:43.90\00:31:50.00
Had He opened to His disciples
future events as He beheld them,
00:31:50.03\00:31:54.98
they would have been
unable to endure the sight.
00:31:55.01\00:31:58.39
In mercy to them He blended,"
notice mingled, now she says,
00:31:58.42\00:32:03.59
"he blended the description
of the two great crises,
00:32:03.62\00:32:07.70
leaving the
disciples to study out
00:32:07.73\00:32:09.89
the meaning for themselves.
00:32:09.92\00:32:12.22
When He referred to the
destruction of Jerusalem,
00:32:12.25\00:32:14.96
His prophetic
words reached beyond
00:32:14.99\00:32:17.56
that event to the final
conflagration in that day
00:32:17.59\00:32:21.34
when the Lord shall
rise out of His place
00:32:21.37\00:32:23.58
to punish the
world for their iniquity,
00:32:23.61\00:32:25.93
when the earth
shall disclose her blood,
00:32:25.96\00:32:28.25
and shall no
more cover her slain."
00:32:28.28\00:32:31.21
And then she says this,
00:32:31.24\00:32:32.61
"This entire discourse was given
not for the disciples only,
00:32:32.64\00:32:39.08
but for those who should live
00:32:39.11\00:32:40.90
in the last scenes of
this earth's history."
00:32:40.93\00:32:45.88
So is this an important chapter
for us to study as God's people?
00:32:45.91\00:32:49.55
It's very, very important
that we understand this chapter.
00:32:49.58\00:32:52.85
You know, usually
when we study prophecy,
00:32:52.88\00:32:54.64
we study Daniel and Revelation.
00:32:54.67\00:32:57.39
But Matthew 24 has the
sequence of events folks
00:32:57.42\00:33:00.93
in their proper order
and it provides a backdrop.
00:33:00.96\00:33:04.88
It provides a
structure to know where to fit
00:33:04.91\00:33:09.00
the prophecies of Revelation in.
00:33:09.03\00:33:11.02
You know, if people
understood Matthew 24,
00:33:11.05\00:33:13.35
they wouldn't misinterpret
the Book of Revelation,
00:33:13.38\00:33:15.97
because Matthew 24
gives us the historical
00:33:16.00\00:33:18.56
sequence of events
one right after another.
00:33:18.59\00:33:21.88
Allow me to read you
a few more statements.
00:33:21.91\00:33:24.12
Great Controversy, page 22,
00:33:24.15\00:33:27.26
"Christ saw in
Jerusalem a symbol of the world
00:33:27.29\00:33:31.75
hardened in
unbelief and rebellion,
00:33:31.78\00:33:35.11
and hastening on to meet the
retributive judgments of God.
00:33:35.14\00:33:40.43
Once again Great
Controversy, page 22, she says
00:33:40.46\00:33:43.17
"Jesus, looking down
to the last generation,
00:33:43.20\00:33:46.77
saw the world
involved in a deception
00:33:46.80\00:33:50.23
similar to that which caused
the destruction of Jerusalem.
00:33:50.26\00:33:54.30
The great sin of the Jews
was their rejection of Christ."
00:33:54.33\00:33:58.21
By the way did
you know that Christ
00:33:58.24\00:33:59.75
is the embodiment of the law?
00:33:59.78\00:34:01.96
The law of God is
actually given a body in Christ,
00:34:01.99\00:34:06.37
the way that Christ lived.
00:34:06.40\00:34:07.77
He lived the
law, in other words.
00:34:07.80\00:34:10.01
So she says, once
again the great sin
00:34:10.04\00:34:12.83
of the Jews was
their rejection of Christ.
00:34:12.86\00:34:15.72
"The great sin of
the Christian world,
00:34:15.75\00:34:18.37
notice of the
Christian world would be
00:34:18.40\00:34:20.96
their rejection
of the law of God,
00:34:20.99\00:34:23.97
the foundation of His government
in heaven and in earth."
00:34:24.00\00:34:28.29
You see, you can't
say, I received Jesus
00:34:28.32\00:34:30.52
and I reject the law,
00:34:30.55\00:34:31.92
because Jesus is an
illustration of the law.
00:34:31.95\00:34:34.79
The life of Jesus is
the embodiment of the law
00:34:34.82\00:34:37.93
if you please,
so to reject Christ
00:34:37.96\00:34:40.20
is the same thing
as rejecting His law.
00:34:40.23\00:34:43.59
And with the Hebrew nation,
00:34:43.62\00:34:45.12
the idea was the
rejection of Christ.
00:34:45.15\00:34:46.87
At the end time, it will
be the rejection of His law
00:34:46.90\00:34:50.40
which is a revelation of the
character and Person of Christ.
00:34:50.43\00:34:55.01
Once again, Great
Controversy, page 36,
00:34:55.04\00:34:57.80
this comes
through time and again.
00:34:57.83\00:34:59.31
She says, "The Savior's prophecy
00:34:59.34\00:35:01.09
concerning the visitation
of judgments upon Jerusalem
00:35:01.12\00:35:04.22
is to have another
fulfillment, of which
00:35:04.25\00:35:08.16
that terrible desolation
was but a faint shadow."
00:35:08.19\00:35:13.83
You read that first
chapter in Great Controversy
00:35:13.86\00:35:15.79
on the destruction of Jerusalem,
you say, this was a faint shadow
00:35:15.82\00:35:19.43
of what's going to
happen in the end time.
00:35:19.46\00:35:22.01
When Jerusalem was surrounded,
mothers ate their children.
00:35:22.04\00:35:27.64
Josephus says that.
00:35:27.67\00:35:29.69
You know, when
somebody went outside the city
00:35:29.72\00:35:33.74
to try and grab some plant
or something they could eat,
00:35:33.77\00:35:37.10
inside the city they were
waiting for him to kill him
00:35:37.13\00:35:40.47
to take that morsel
of food from his hands.
00:35:40.50\00:35:43.40
There was civil
unrest, there was fighting,
00:35:43.43\00:35:45.78
parents killing their children,
00:35:45.81\00:35:47.57
and children
killing their parents.
00:35:47.60\00:35:50.32
And you say, she
says that this was
00:35:50.35\00:35:52.10
the faint shadow of
what's gonna take place.
00:35:52.13\00:35:55.46
She continues saying, "In
the fate of the chosen city
00:35:55.49\00:35:59.34
we may behold
the doom of a world
00:35:59.37\00:36:02.60
that has rejected God's mercy
and trampled upon his law."
00:36:02.63\00:36:07.99
In her book Last
Day Events, page 18,
00:36:08.02\00:36:11.73
she says, the whole, notice
00:36:11.76\00:36:14.22
"The whole of the
twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew
00:36:14.25\00:36:18.57
is a prophecy concerning the
events to precede this event,"
00:36:18.60\00:36:23.96
that is the second coming,
00:36:23.99\00:36:25.36
"and the destruction of
Jerusalem is used to typify
00:36:25.39\00:36:29.73
the last great destruction
of the world by fire."
00:36:29.76\00:36:35.53
May be I can read
two or three more.
00:36:35.56\00:36:37.91
Did she believed
that this was important?
00:36:37.94\00:36:40.32
Time and again she refers to it.
00:36:40.35\00:36:42.96
Testimonies for the
Church, volume 5, page 753.
00:36:42.99\00:36:46.42
She says,
"While these prophecies
00:36:46.45\00:36:47.97
of Matthew 24
received a partial fulfillment
00:36:48.00\00:36:52.87
at the destruction of Jerusalem,
00:36:52.90\00:36:55.16
they have a more direct
application to the last days.
00:36:55.19\00:37:00.26
Thoughts from the
Mount of Blessing,
00:37:00.29\00:37:01.96
page 120 and 121, she says,
00:37:01.99\00:37:05.38
"The ruin of Jerusalem was
the symbol of the final ruin
00:37:05.41\00:37:09.68
that shall overwhelm the world.
00:37:09.71\00:37:12.15
The prophecies that
received a partial fulfillment
00:37:12.18\00:37:15.49
in the overthrow of
Jerusalem have a more
00:37:15.52\00:37:18.86
direct
application to the last days.
00:37:18.89\00:37:21.86
We are now
standing on the threshold
00:37:21.89\00:37:24.56
of great and solemn events.
00:37:24.59\00:37:26.79
A crisis is before us, such as
the world has never witnessed."
00:37:26.82\00:37:34.19
One final statement,
Testimonies to Ministries,
00:37:34.22\00:37:36.81
page 232, she says,
00:37:36.84\00:37:38.80
"The warnings that
Christ gave to Jerusalem
00:37:38.83\00:37:41.26
was not to end with them.
00:37:41.29\00:37:44.11
The judgments upon Jerusalem
were a symbol of the events
00:37:44.14\00:37:47.86
of Christ's coming to
judgment in the last day
00:37:47.89\00:37:51.92
when before Him shall
be gathered all nations.
00:37:51.95\00:37:54.97
He shall send His angels
with a great sound of a trumpet,
00:37:55.00\00:37:57.87
and they shall gather together
His elect from the four winds,
00:37:57.90\00:38:01.56
from one end of the
earth to the other."
00:38:01.59\00:38:05.50
Now let's go quickly
to great fact number five.
00:38:05.53\00:38:10.24
Great fact number five is that
along with Matthew Chapter 24,
00:38:10.27\00:38:15.01
we need to study
the Great Controversy,
00:38:15.04\00:38:18.66
the book the Great Controversy.
00:38:18.69\00:38:21.45
The book of the
Great Controversy
00:38:21.48\00:38:22.91
is probably in the world today
00:38:22.94\00:38:24.99
the lone remaining historicist
perspective of Bible prophecy.
00:38:25.02\00:38:31.32
Every Christian
church that I know of
00:38:31.35\00:38:34.83
is either preterist or futurist.
00:38:34.86\00:38:39.37
In other words, they
believe that the prophecies
00:38:39.40\00:38:41.06
about the
antichrist were fulfilled
00:38:41.09\00:38:43.57
with a nasty individual called
00:38:43.60\00:38:45.33
Anticus Epiphanies
in the Old Testament.
00:38:45.36\00:38:47.92
Or the prophecies of the Beast
of Revelation 13 were fulfilled
00:38:47.95\00:38:52.06
with the early Roman
Emperors, that's preterism.
00:38:52.09\00:38:56.66
On the other hand
there are many Christians
00:38:56.69\00:38:58.38
that are futurist.
00:38:58.41\00:38:59.78
They believe that
the antichrist prophecies
00:38:59.81\00:39:01.62
have not been fulfilled yet.
00:39:01.65\00:39:03.02
They're gonna be
fulfilled in the future
00:39:03.05\00:39:04.89
in the Middle East, with
the rebuilt Jewish temple,
00:39:04.92\00:39:07.53
with the nasty individuals
sitting in the temple there
00:39:07.56\00:39:10.10
for
three-and-half literal years.
00:39:10.13\00:39:11.59
Raising up an
image and commanding
00:39:11.62\00:39:13.48
everyone to worship the image.
00:39:13.51\00:39:15.77
In other words, everybody
is looking to the future
00:39:15.80\00:39:18.28
and to the past
for the fulfillment
00:39:18.31\00:39:20.70
of the antichrist prophecies.
00:39:20.73\00:39:22.97
The interesting thing
is that the perspective
00:39:23.00\00:39:25.32
of Matthew 24 gives us
the flow of church history
00:39:25.35\00:39:29.37
from the days in which
Jerusalem was destroyed,
00:39:29.40\00:39:32.55
all the way till the end of
time and everything in between.
00:39:32.58\00:39:36.40
In other words,
Matthew Chapter 24 gives us
00:39:36.43\00:39:38.82
a timeline of events from
the destruction of Jerusalem
00:39:38.85\00:39:42.31
till the end of the age.
00:39:42.34\00:39:43.88
And the interesting
thing is that the book,
00:39:43.91\00:39:45.66
the Great Controversy gives us
the exact same order of events.
00:39:45.69\00:39:52.11
In fact, you know,
its very interesting
00:39:52.14\00:39:53.78
that Matthew 24 begins
with a destruction of Jerusalem
00:39:53.81\00:39:57.62
and it ends with the
second coming of Jesus
00:39:57.65\00:40:00.19
and the
destruction of the world.
00:40:00.22\00:40:01.61
You can read that in Jesus'
sermon, Matthew Chapter 24.
00:40:01.64\00:40:04.94
He begins by
speaking about Jerusalem
00:40:04.97\00:40:07.18
and then He continued speaking
and at the end, he says,
00:40:07.21\00:40:10.09
"They'll see the sign of
the son of man in heaven.
00:40:10.12\00:40:12.27
And he'll come with His
angels to gather His elect."
00:40:12.30\00:40:16.58
So in other
words, Matthew 24 begins
00:40:16.61\00:40:19.21
with the
destruction of Jerusalem
00:40:19.24\00:40:20.61
and ends with
the coming of Jesus.
00:40:20.64\00:40:22.86
Do you know that the
book, the Great Controversy
00:40:22.89\00:40:24.64
also begins with the
destruction of Jerusalem
00:40:24.67\00:40:27.83
and it also ends with the
final destruction of the world
00:40:27.86\00:40:31.71
at the coming of Jesus Christ?
00:40:31.74\00:40:33.63
So everything in
between must also follow
00:40:33.66\00:40:36.93
the same sequence of events
00:40:36.96\00:40:39.42
that we find in
Matthew Chapter 24.
00:40:39.45\00:40:41.96
In other words, we
need to study the book,
00:40:41.99\00:40:44.22
the Great
Controversy in conjunction
00:40:44.25\00:40:47.05
with Matthew Chapter 24,
00:40:47.08\00:40:48.69
because the order
of events is the same.
00:40:48.72\00:40:51.17
The beginning
event, the destruction
00:40:51.20\00:40:52.81
of Jerusalem is the same.
00:40:52.84\00:40:54.47
The second coming of
Jesus, the ending event
00:40:54.50\00:40:57.08
is also the same and
everything in between
00:40:57.11\00:40:59.99
follows the same
order and the same sequence.
00:41:00.02\00:41:03.54
And by the way those who
are watching this program,
00:41:03.57\00:41:05.96
if you're
interested in acquiring a copy
00:41:05.99\00:41:08.54
of that magnificent
book, the Great Controversy,
00:41:08.57\00:41:11.75
that presents Bible prophecy
from a historicist perspective
00:41:11.78\00:41:15.01
that is looking at the
flow of church history,
00:41:15.04\00:41:18.76
from the days of
Jerusalem all the way out
00:41:18.79\00:41:21.34
to the ends of the age and
with everything in between.
00:41:21.37\00:41:24.90
Make sure that you call the
number that is on the screen
00:41:24.93\00:41:28.16
at the end of this production,
00:41:28.19\00:41:30.04
so that you can order your
free and complimentary copy
00:41:30.07\00:41:33.09
of the book, The
Great Controversy.
00:41:33.12\00:41:36.27
Now point number six,
great fact number six.
00:41:36.30\00:41:39.91
The events of Matthew Chapter 24
00:41:39.94\00:41:42.82
are in strict
chronological order.
00:41:42.85\00:41:47.40
What did I say?
00:41:47.43\00:41:48.80
The events of
Matthew 24 are in what?
00:41:48.83\00:41:51.10
Strict chronological
order and we know this because
00:41:51.13\00:41:54.81
there are time references
throughout the chapter.
00:41:54.84\00:41:58.25
Go with me to
Matthew Chapter 24,
00:41:58.28\00:42:01.31
Matthew Chapter 24
and let's read verse 6.
00:42:01.34\00:42:05.70
I want you to
notice the time words
00:42:05.73\00:42:07.63
that are used
here, time references,
00:42:07.66\00:42:09.45
Chapter 24 and verse 6.
00:42:09.48\00:42:13.05
"And you will hear of
wars and rumors of wars.
00:42:13.08\00:42:16.62
See that you are not troubled,
00:42:16.65\00:42:18.30
for all these
things must come to pass."
00:42:18.33\00:42:20.73
And then what does it say,
"But the end is," what? Not yet.
00:42:20.76\00:42:26.79
Notice, verse 8, actually let's
read verse 7 for the context.
00:42:26.82\00:42:32.50
"For nation will
rise against nation
00:42:32.53\00:42:34.59
and kingdom against kingdom
00:42:34.62\00:42:36.52
and there will be
famines, pestilences,
00:42:36.55\00:42:38.72
and earthquakes
in various places."
00:42:38.75\00:42:40.99
All of these things are what?
"The beginning of sorrows."
00:42:41.02\00:42:45.18
Do you see the
time reference there?
00:42:45.21\00:42:47.05
Notice also verse 9.
00:42:47.08\00:42:49.48
It says, immediately after
speaking about these things
00:42:49.51\00:42:52.19
being the beginning
of sorrows, it says,
00:42:52.22\00:42:54.42
"Then they will deliver you
up to tribulation and kill you."
00:42:54.45\00:42:58.39
Do you notice the
word then indicates
00:42:58.42\00:43:00.59
that immediately after this,
00:43:00.62\00:43:02.76
the persecution is
going to take place.
00:43:02.79\00:43:05.16
Notice, also verse 15,
"Therefore when you see
00:43:05.19\00:43:10.25
the 'abomination of desolation,'
spoken of by Daniel the prophet,
00:43:10.28\00:43:13.62
standing in the holy place,
00:43:13.65\00:43:17.04
whoever reads,
let him understand."
00:43:17.07\00:43:19.01
Then notice, "Let those
who are in Judea," what?
00:43:19.04\00:43:22.86
"Flee to the mountains."
Once again the word what.
00:43:22.89\00:43:26.01
The word "then."
Notice also, verse 19.
00:43:26.04\00:43:30.22
"But woe to
those who are pregnant
00:43:30.25\00:43:32.37
and to those who are
nursing babies in those days."
00:43:32.40\00:43:37.50
Notice also verse 21.
00:43:37.53\00:43:40.55
It says, "For then there
will be great tribulation,
00:43:40.58\00:43:43.44
such as has not been
since the beginning of the world
00:43:43.47\00:43:46.40
until this time
now, nor never shall be."
00:43:46.43\00:43:49.86
Notice once
again the word "then."
00:43:49.89\00:43:52.37
Notice verse 22.
00:43:52.40\00:43:53.98
"And unless those
days were shortened,
00:43:54.01\00:43:55.94
no flesh would be
saved, but for the elect's sake
00:43:55.97\00:43:59.01
those days will be shortened."
00:43:59.04\00:44:00.93
Notice, verse 23,
"Then if someone says to you,
00:44:00.96\00:44:05.04
"Look here is the Christ!"
or "There!" do not believe it."
00:44:05.07\00:44:09.11
You see the number of times
that the word "then" is used.
00:44:09.14\00:44:11.68
It means this is
gonna happen then this,
00:44:11.71\00:44:13.70
then this, then
this, and then this.
00:44:13.73\00:44:15.95
Notice verse 29, "Immediately
after the tribulation
00:44:15.98\00:44:20.08
of those days the
sun will be darkened,
00:44:20.11\00:44:22.25
and the moon will
not give its light.
00:44:22.28\00:44:24.07
The stars will fall from heaven
00:44:24.10\00:44:25.77
and the powers of the
heavens will be shaken."
00:44:25.80\00:44:28.25
Notice, verse 30,
"Then the sign of man,
00:44:28.28\00:44:31.00
the Son of man
will appear in heaven,
00:44:31.03\00:44:33.25
and then all the
tribes of the earth will morn
00:44:33.28\00:44:36.06
and they will see the Son of man
00:44:36.09\00:44:38.75
coming on the clouds of heaven
with power and great glory."
00:44:38.78\00:44:44.60
Did you notice
the number of times
00:44:44.63\00:44:46.00
that we had time references
here in Matthew Chapter 24?
00:44:46.03\00:44:48.98
You have a clear
sequence of events.
00:44:49.01\00:44:52.99
You have wars and rumors of
wars, nation against nation,
00:44:53.02\00:44:56.88
kingdom against
kingdom, famines, pestilences,
00:44:56.91\00:44:59.96
earthquakes,
beginning of sorrows.
00:44:59.99\00:45:02.42
But then Jesus says they're
going to arise to kill you,
00:45:02.45\00:45:05.86
then the abomination of
desolation will be placed,
00:45:05.89\00:45:08.94
then those who are in
Judea flee to the mountains,
00:45:08.97\00:45:12.42
then there will
be great tribulation
00:45:12.45\00:45:14.61
such as never it was.
00:45:14.64\00:45:17.30
Then you will see the sign
of the son of man in heaven,
00:45:17.33\00:45:20.39
then the son of man will be
coming on the clouds of heaven.
00:45:20.42\00:45:23.42
In other words in Matthew 24,
00:45:23.45\00:45:25.86
we have a clear
sequence of events,
00:45:25.89\00:45:29.72
a chronological
sequence of events,
00:45:29.75\00:45:31.97
so that you know exactly
how history is going to flow,
00:45:32.00\00:45:36.07
so that we know
exactly where we are
00:45:36.10\00:45:38.90
in the course of prophetic time.
00:45:38.93\00:45:42.24
Now what are the six
things that we've studied so far
00:45:42.27\00:45:44.77
before we go to our final point.
00:45:44.80\00:45:47.02
Point number one.
00:45:47.05\00:45:48.55
Matthew Chapter 24 is a very
important chapter as we noticed.
00:45:48.58\00:45:54.49
The signs in this
chapter are fulfilling.
00:45:54.52\00:45:57.62
Ministers and teachers
need to focus on this chapter,
00:45:57.65\00:46:01.79
because they don't
speak about minor things,
00:46:01.82\00:46:04.69
but very important things,
and the destiny of the souls
00:46:04.72\00:46:07.87
depends on
studying this chapter.
00:46:07.90\00:46:10.81
Point number two.
00:46:10.84\00:46:12.29
Matthew Chapter 24 is given
00:46:12.32\00:46:14.57
to keep God's
people from being deceived.
00:46:14.60\00:46:18.69
Point number three.
00:46:18.72\00:46:20.24
All three accounts
of the three gospels
00:46:20.27\00:46:22.65
need to be studied together
and also the Book of Revelation
00:46:22.68\00:46:27.27
needs to be
brought into the equation.
00:46:27.30\00:46:30.51
Point number four.
00:46:30.54\00:46:32.06
Matthew Chapter 24
has a twofold fulfillment.
00:46:32.09\00:46:35.34
Its first
fulfillment was in conjunction
00:46:35.37\00:46:37.58
with the
destruction of Jerusalem.
00:46:37.61\00:46:39.56
The second
fulfillment is in conjunction
00:46:39.59\00:46:42.66
with the final
destruction of the world.
00:46:42.69\00:46:45.82
Point number five.
00:46:45.85\00:46:47.31
We must study Matthew,
Chapter 24 along with the book,
00:46:47.34\00:46:52.38
the Great Controversy,
because the Great Controversy
00:46:52.41\00:46:55.00
gives the identical sequence
of events of Matthew Chapter 24.
00:46:55.03\00:46:59.58
In point number six.
The events of Matthew 24
00:46:59.61\00:47:03.46
are in precise
chronological order.
00:47:03.49\00:47:06.63
We're gonna notice
that the Book of Revelation
00:47:06.66\00:47:09.36
runs very similar in
its chronological sequence
00:47:09.39\00:47:13.44
as Matthew Chapter 24.
00:47:13.47\00:47:17.03
Now we need to go to the seventh
00:47:17.06\00:47:18.72
and last great fact
about Matthew Chapter 24.
00:47:18.75\00:47:23.63
To whom did Jesus speak these
words of Matthew Chapter 24?
00:47:23.66\00:47:31.15
Well, technically if you
look at the words of Jesus,
00:47:31.18\00:47:35.19
He spoke them to the disciples.
00:47:35.22\00:47:37.48
He says, make sure
that no one deceives you.
00:47:37.51\00:47:42.94
If somebody tells you
that the Christ is out there
00:47:42.97\00:47:46.59
or if He's in the inner
rooms, don't pay any attention.
00:47:46.62\00:47:49.61
It would appear that Matthew 24
is addressed to the disciples,
00:47:49.64\00:47:54.36
to those who lived
in that day and age.
00:47:54.39\00:47:57.08
And so people says, it
says very clearly there, you.
00:47:57.11\00:47:59.85
But the question is,
00:47:59.88\00:48:01.25
who is the you of
Matthew Chapter 24.
00:48:01.28\00:48:04.96
Does it apply only to
the disciples, obviously not?
00:48:04.99\00:48:09.33
Let's read three or four verses
where Jesus uses the same word,
00:48:09.36\00:48:14.18
the same pronoun 'you'
to speak to His followers.
00:48:14.21\00:48:17.68
Matthew
28:18-20. Matthew 28:18-20.
00:48:17.71\00:48:25.18
Here Jesus is about
to ascend to heaven.
00:48:26.27\00:48:28.70
He's gathered His disciples.
00:48:28.73\00:48:30.27
He's gonna give
the final instructions
00:48:30.30\00:48:32.57
and notice what He says.
00:48:32.60\00:48:34.93
It says there, "And Jesus
came and spoke to them, saying,
00:48:34.96\00:48:39.79
"All authority
has been given to Me
00:48:39.82\00:48:42.41
in heaven and on earth.
00:48:42.44\00:48:45.54
Go therefore and make
disciples of all the nations,
00:48:45.57\00:48:49.44
baptizing them in
the name of the Father
00:48:49.47\00:48:52.02
and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit,
00:48:52.05\00:48:55.32
teaching them to
observe all things
00:48:55.35\00:48:57.88
that I have commanded you,
and lo, I am with you always,
00:48:57.91\00:49:04.16
even to he end of the age."
00:49:04.19\00:49:06.21
So Jesus is saying
that this commission
00:49:06.24\00:49:08.35
is only for the
disciples, right.
00:49:08.38\00:49:11.47
Well, doesn't He say
here, teaching all of the things
00:49:11.50\00:49:15.25
that to observe
all of the things
00:49:15.28\00:49:17.78
that I have commanded you?
00:49:17.81\00:49:20.26
Doesn't it say, lo,
I am with you always
00:49:20.29\00:49:22.77
till the end of the age?
00:49:22.80\00:49:24.96
Does that include everyone,
from then there day on?
00:49:24.99\00:49:28.59
Absolutely. Notice John 14:1-3.
00:49:28.62\00:49:32.76
I want you to notice that
Matthew 24 is not addressed
00:49:32.79\00:49:35.34
only to that generation,
it's addressed to us.
00:49:35.37\00:49:38.39
John 14:1-3.
00:49:38.42\00:49:43.60
This is a very
well known passage.
00:49:43.63\00:49:46.46
Here Jesus is speaking to
His disciples and He says.
00:49:46.49\00:49:50.28
"Let not your heart be troubled,
00:49:50.31\00:49:53.57
you believe in
God, believe also in Me.
00:49:53.60\00:49:56.35
In my Father's
house are many mansions,
00:49:56.38\00:49:59.65
if it were not so,
I would have told you.
00:49:59.68\00:50:02.95
I go to prepare
a place for you."
00:50:02.98\00:50:05.49
He's speaking to the disciples.
00:50:05.52\00:50:06.89
So Jesus only went to heaven
00:50:06.92\00:50:08.29
to prepare place
for His disciples.
00:50:08.32\00:50:10.56
Well, isn't He saying, I'm going
to prepare a place for you?
00:50:10.59\00:50:14.68
Does that include us?
00:50:14.71\00:50:16.18
Absolutely, He says, "I
go to prepare a place for you
00:50:16.21\00:50:20.95
and if I go and
prepare a place for you,
00:50:20.98\00:50:24.46
I will come again and
receive you to Myself,
00:50:24.49\00:50:28.52
that where I am,
there you may be also."
00:50:28.55\00:50:32.06
Is this promise made
to all of God's people?
00:50:32.09\00:50:34.93
Of course, it is.
00:50:34.96\00:50:36.33
But Jesus is speaking
it originally to whom?
00:50:36.36\00:50:39.35
To His disciples.
00:50:39.38\00:50:40.75
So when Jesus says,
beware that no one deceives you,
00:50:40.78\00:50:44.82
is He speaking
only to the disciples
00:50:44.85\00:50:46.95
or is He speaking to
God's people in every age.
00:50:46.98\00:50:50.55
The answer is that He's speaking
to God's people in every age.
00:50:50.58\00:50:53.64
Notice John 16:1
and 2. John 16:1 and 2.
00:50:53.67\00:51:00.85
Here Jesus is
speaking about persecutions
00:51:01.73\00:51:04.23
that are gonna come upon
His followers and He says.
00:51:04.26\00:51:08.36
"These things I
have spoken to you
00:51:08.39\00:51:12.46
that you should
not be made to stumble.
00:51:12.49\00:51:15.88
They will put you
out of the synagogues."
00:51:15.91\00:51:19.24
Why would He call
synagogues when this happens
00:51:19.27\00:51:21.66
in the end time
with God's people?
00:51:21.69\00:51:24.95
Would it be legitimate
to put churches there?
00:51:24.98\00:51:27.24
Of course, because Jesus
is not only speaking to them,
00:51:27.27\00:51:30.90
He's speaking to
whom? He's speaking to us.
00:51:30.93\00:51:34.32
So He says "They will put
you out of the synagogues,
00:51:34.35\00:51:37.78
yes, the time is
coming that whoever kills you"
00:51:37.81\00:51:43.11
by extension others
as well, absolutely,
00:51:43.14\00:51:45.95
who kills you, "will
think that he offers God,"
00:51:45.98\00:51:49.65
what? "Service."
00:51:49.68\00:51:51.31
Question, is the final
persecution against God's people
00:51:51.34\00:51:54.87
going to be performed on
the part of other individuals
00:51:54.90\00:51:58.55
who claim to be God's people.
00:51:58.58\00:52:00.77
It says so clear, oh is it?
00:52:00.80\00:52:02.17
But this only applies to
the disciples, no it doesn't.
00:52:02.20\00:52:06.49
The word you
applies to everyone.
00:52:06.52\00:52:09.38
I am with you always.
00:52:09.41\00:52:11.00
I go to prepare a
place for you, Jesus says.
00:52:11.03\00:52:13.44
He's taking to everyone,
00:52:13.47\00:52:14.84
so He must be talking to
everyone here, in John 16:1, 2.
00:52:14.87\00:52:19.62
So when He says, "They will
put you out of the synagogues."
00:52:19.65\00:52:22.20
By the way, interesting,
did believers go to synagogues?
00:52:22.23\00:52:27.68
Sure. Jews went to synagogues,
so what Jesus saying is,
00:52:27.71\00:52:32.31
"Those who claim to serve
Me are gonna persecute you."
00:52:32.34\00:52:35.26
And he says, "yes the
time is coming that whoever
00:52:35.29\00:52:37.68
kills you will think
that he offers God a service."
00:52:37.71\00:52:41.94
Very interesting
that the final persecution
00:52:41.97\00:52:45.28
is not going to be
wordlings against Christians.
00:52:45.31\00:52:49.07
But this verse
makes it very clear
00:52:49.10\00:52:50.90
that the persecution will be
Christians against Christians.
00:52:50.93\00:52:54.94
That's a sobering thought.
00:52:54.97\00:52:57.16
I want to read one final
passage John 17:20 and 21.
00:52:57.19\00:53:01.36
You know, you
read John Chapter 17,
00:53:01.39\00:53:03.06
Jesus is praying for
His disciples, isn't He?
00:53:03.09\00:53:05.51
He's saying, I
want out of these 11,
00:53:05.54\00:53:07.86
I want you to make one.
Just like You and I are one.
00:53:07.89\00:53:13.57
Sanctify them my
disciples with your truth,
00:53:13.60\00:53:16.66
your word is truth. He's
praying for His disciples.
00:53:16.69\00:53:21.45
But is He praying
only for His disciples?
00:53:21.48\00:53:24.53
Notice John 17:20 and
21. Jesus includes everyone
00:53:24.56\00:53:32.30
in His prayer when He says,
"I do not pray for these alone,
00:53:32.33\00:53:37.97
but also for those
who will believe in Me
00:53:38.00\00:53:42.07
through their word, that
they all may be one as You,
00:53:42.10\00:53:46.85
Father, are in Me, and I in You,
00:53:46.88\00:53:49.91
that they also may be one in Us,
00:53:49.94\00:53:53.34
that the world may
believe that You sent Me."
00:53:53.37\00:53:58.27
So for whom is the
message of Matthew Chapter 24?
00:53:58.30\00:54:02.99
It is for us.
00:54:03.02\00:54:06.05
And just as Christians
were persecuted by individuals
00:54:06.08\00:54:11.99
who claimed to
obey and follow God.
00:54:12.02\00:54:15.62
In the end time,
the same is going
00:54:15.65\00:54:18.34
to happen with God's people.
00:54:18.37\00:54:21.28
You know, usually if you listen
to what people have to say
00:54:21.31\00:54:23.82
in the world
today, they say, you know,
00:54:23.85\00:54:26.44
we need to beware of
the secular humanists.
00:54:26.47\00:54:29.63
We need to beware of all
those atheists out there,
00:54:29.66\00:54:32.05
who don't believe in creation,
00:54:32.08\00:54:34.20
who believe that the
world is millions of years old,
00:54:34.23\00:54:36.77
who believe in
evolution, you know,
00:54:36.80\00:54:38.40
who believe in gay
marriage and who, you know,
00:54:38.43\00:54:42.15
who trample upon the foundations
00:54:42.18\00:54:44.80
of the
Judeo-Christian tradition.
00:54:44.83\00:54:47.83
I'm not saying that, that
we should believe in evolution.
00:54:47.86\00:54:51.07
I'm not saying
that we should support
00:54:51.10\00:54:54.31
the idea of gay marriage.
00:54:54.34\00:54:57.07
What I'm saying is
that scripture says
00:54:57.10\00:54:59.34
that the greatest
enemies of God's people
00:54:59.37\00:55:01.53
are not going to
be the secular people,
00:55:01.56\00:55:03.55
the great
enemies of God's people
00:55:03.58\00:55:05.30
are going to be those
who claim to follow the Lord.
00:55:05.33\00:55:09.44
In other words,
it will be Christians
00:55:09.47\00:55:12.05
who will rise according to
scripture against Christians.
00:55:12.08\00:55:16.78
And so, we find
this magnificent chapter
00:55:16.81\00:55:19.84
of God's word,
Matthew Chapter 24.
00:55:19.87\00:55:24.03
We're going to take 14
lectures including this one
00:55:24.06\00:55:28.66
to finish this
series on Matthew 24.
00:55:28.69\00:55:31.42
We're gonna look at
it from a fine tooth--
00:55:31.45\00:55:33.55
from a perspective
of a fine tooth comb.
00:55:33.58\00:55:36.29
We're gonna study in detail
the abomination of desolation.
00:55:36.32\00:55:39.42
In our next lecture we're
going to go to the Old Testament
00:55:39.45\00:55:41.75
and we're going to
study the destruction
00:55:41.78\00:55:43.23
of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar.
00:55:43.26\00:55:44.97
That is the foundation
for the next destruction
00:55:45.00\00:55:47.31
of Jerusalem in the year 70.
00:55:47.34\00:55:49.68
The Bible says that
Nebuchadnezzar came as--
00:55:49.71\00:55:52.07
with his eagles to
Jerusalem, to destroy Jerusalem.
00:55:52.10\00:55:55.31
Interesting that
Jesus in Matthew 24 says,
00:55:55.34\00:55:57.69
"Where the
carcass is, there will
00:55:57.72\00:55:59.53
the eagles be
gathered together."
00:55:59.56\00:56:01.24
We'll notice
that in the end time
00:56:01.27\00:56:02.73
the eagle will also play a very
important role, prophetically.
00:56:02.76\00:56:07.22
We're going to study
about the great tribulation.
00:56:07.25\00:56:09.29
We're going to deal with
the times of the Gentiles.
00:56:09.32\00:56:12.05
We're going to
study about the fig tree.
00:56:12.08\00:56:14.01
When you see the fig tree bud,
00:56:14.04\00:56:15.45
some people say that was
the reestablishment of Israel,
00:56:15.48\00:56:18.25
in 1948 was the
budding of the fig tree.
00:56:18.28\00:56:22.10
Does the Bible
teach such a thing?
00:56:22.13\00:56:23.74
We need to take a look at.
00:56:23.77\00:56:25.19
We're gonna study about
the second coming of Jesus.
00:56:25.22\00:56:27.88
We're gonna study every
detail about Matthew 24.
00:56:27.91\00:56:31.20
In our last two
studies together,
00:56:31.23\00:56:33.02
we're gonna take a look
at the parables of Jesus
00:56:33.05\00:56:36.36
after he spoke Matthew 24.
00:56:36.39\00:56:38.63
The Parable of the Talents,
00:56:38.66\00:56:40.55
the Parable of the
Wise and Good Servant,
00:56:40.58\00:56:43.15
the Parable of the 10 Virgins,
00:56:43.18\00:56:45.68
the Parable of the
Sheep and the Goats.
00:56:45.71\00:56:48.05
By the way, all
addressed to those who profess
00:56:48.08\00:56:51.17
to serve Jesus Christ,
not to the world at large,
00:56:51.20\00:56:54.21
but to those who
claim to be God's people.
00:56:54.24\00:56:57.18
So we have exciting
times ahead in our study.
00:56:57.21\00:57:00.42
Today, we dealt just
with the foundations,
00:57:00.45\00:57:02.67
with the basics,
with the ground rules.
00:57:02.70\00:57:04.80
The principles that
we're going to use in the study
00:57:04.83\00:57:08.03
are Matthew 24, Mark
13, and Luke Chapter 21.
00:57:08.06\00:57:13.42
So I hope that
those of you who are here
00:57:13.45\00:57:16.05
and those who will be watching
this program on television
00:57:16.08\00:57:19.91
will make it a
point to come every day
00:57:19.94\00:57:23.08
that this is
program is presented to hear
00:57:23.11\00:57:25.58
this magnificent
story of Matthew 24.
00:57:25.61\00:57:28.79