Jesus foretold the desolation time – Matthew 24

Matthew 24: 34-35 “I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (NIV).

   I confront this challenging and disputed passage.

   Jesus was simply returning to the first question posed by the disciples to foretell the time period when the destruction of the temple would take place.  And the answer: Within a generation!

   I learned in my “Interpreting the Bible” class at Colorado Christian University that Hebrew writers sometimes wrote in patterns.  One pattern is now coined a “concentric” pattern, which is “abcba,” (or such), with “c” being a pinnacle point.  Other patterns were “abba” or “abab.”  I think we have general “abab” pattern here:

a – As recorded in Matthew 24:15-28, Jesus addressed the first question of the disciples.

b – As recorded in Matthew 24:29-33, Jesus addressed the second question of the disciples.

a – As recorded in Matthew 24:34-35, Jesus shifted to conclude with the first question of the disciples.

b – As recorded in Matthew 24:36-51, Jesus shifted to conclude with the second question of the disciples.

   The first question asked by the disciples of Jesus was, “When will this happen?”  And “this” was the statement in Matthew 24:2 where Jesus foretold of the destruction of the temple.  I read once that Hebrews considered a generation to be a period of forty years.  If so, and considering forty years as a general number, Jesus was foretelling the fact that the temple would be destroyed within forty years.

   About forty years after this prophecy from Jesus, the rampage by the Romans against the Jewish people began, and then the temple was destroyed about three years later.  (Keep in mind our calendar is a bit off because apparently leap years were not taken into account in the original Christian calendar which is the root of the calendar still in use today in western civilization.  Thus A.D., which stands for “anno Domini,” actually started around 6 or 5 B.C., instead of year “one” as was intended by the studious yet human monk who developed the calendar.)

   Thus Jesus foretold that “the abomination that causes desolation,” which Daniel foretold would take place during the 70th week, was coming within a generation.  Indeed, this tribulation took place from 66/67 A.D. to 73/74 A.D., and the temple was torn to the ground by the Roman army.  Jesus was correct.

   May we be mindful that Jesus gave a time period prophecy for the second destruction of the temple, as recorded in this passage we have just examined, and that total disaster happened.

   Jesus gave a loving warning.

Hunter Irvine

Summer of Christ’s Love

Matthew 24: 32-33 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.  Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door” (NIV).

   In giving this analogy of the fig tree, Jesus speaks of summer.  For those who believe in Jesus, and who are here when the Second Coming of Christ takes place, it will be the grandest of “summer” days.  “Rapture celebration” is an utterly fitting phrase.

   For those who are not believers in Jesus, the rapture will be the start of a terrifying and deadly “winter.”

   The “end times” tribulation will not be an opportunity for a fun adventure for any sane person for any extended period of time.  It is logical that since the end result of the tribulation will be a military confederation of troops from all nations attacking Israel, which we know from Zechariah, then what will take place up to that point will be a mass rebellion against God.

   The book of Revelation, from chapter four up to the last few chapters, records a vision of the apostle John.  I am no authority on Revelation, yet I have pondered the book enough to be ever grateful to our Lord God Almighty that heaven is where I will be at the end of this age.

   So in summary, following the glorious epic event of the first stage of the Second Coming of Christ foretold by Jesus here in Matthew 24, the finale of God’s renewal is still to come.  Tragically, there will be that tribulation of judgment in the world.  Yet after that period of time, in continued glory, Christ will return into the world.  He will stand on the Mount of Olives, and rescue the Jewish people from that military attack.

   Then still to come will be Judgment Day.  Then Jesus will renew heaven and earth.

   It is all more than I can fathom.  Christ’s final judgment requires us to trust Jesus with all our heart.

   Heading to the finish line in the next month with this intense meditative study of Matthew 24, I do want to make the Biblical point that we have no idea when Jesus is coming back, as Jesus clearly states in Matthew 24:36.  To predict such is a sin.

   Yet the Second Coming of Christ is an event we should be anticipating in our hearts, because it will be a day of victorious celebration for all those who have been adopted as children of God by the mercy offered by Jesus, the Lamb of God!

   Jesus is God the Son, one with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

   Jesus said: “I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!...” (Revelation 1:18).

   I close with quotes from the dialogue in a prison, between Paul and Silas and the jailer:

   “The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.  He then brought them out and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’

   They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household.’  Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house” (Acts 16:29-32).

   Indeed, believe in Jesus as your Savior and Lord, and you will be saved!

Hunter Irvine