Thank you for selecting this message by Dr. James Hoffman. Dr. Hoffman preaches verse by verse through the entire book of the Bible. From all of us at Living Water of Lapine here in Central Oregon, we hope that it will encourage you and feed you spiritually. And if you would like to leave a message after the sermon, our contact information is found on the sermon page where you found this sermon. Now may God richly bless you as you listen. A. W. Tozer once wrote, the meek man is not a human mouse afflicted with a sense of his own inferiority. Rather, he may be in his moral life as bold as a lion and as strong as Samson. But he has stopped being fooled about himself. He has accepted God's estimate of his own life. He knows he is as weak and helpless as God has declared him to be. But paradoxically, he knows at the same time that he is in the sight of God more important than angels. He knows well that the world will never see him as God sees him, and he has stopped caring. Do you have the humility that Christ wants in your life? I ask this just before we consider our study of Jesus's Olivet Discourse, continuing from where we began in it last week. Because many people who I've known through the years, and probably you have too, have become very proud about of all things, their privileged understanding of end times prophecy. There's just something about this topic that seems to arouse a smug pride in many people who study it. One believer takes a certain position that others don't, and they develop a sense of superiority over those who don't see it the same way that they do. And end time prophecy has so many understandings. Passages like the Olivet Discourse in Matthew chapter 24 are not cut and dry. I have to admit to you that this week, as I prepared for this message, There were many times that I read something and I wanted to scream, did you tear such and such verse out of your Bible? Did you erase it or blot it out with a black marker? Because only if it's not in scripture can your understanding be correct. So often I would say in my mind, have you not read? But I also know that these men, most of whom I have no doubt are smarter than I am, would say the same thing about my conclusions. So because there are many understandings, how are we to handle such passages like the one we are currently in as we study through the book of Matthew and come to the Olivet Discourse? First, We need to pray for humility. And second, let us do our best to understand it, but with open handedness, knowing that there are many wonderful believers who come up with a different understanding as they too humbly seek God's truth. But here is my intent in studying it with you. I pray that each of us would make this our goal today, to trust more fully in Christ's authority, to persevere in his power, and to long for his return. You see, I'm less interested in whether or not you agree with me, or would rather cling to a previous understanding that differs from mine. as long as you see biblical warrant for those beliefs. If the result of our time in his word this morning causes all of us to trust more fully in Christ's authority, to persevere in his power, and to long for his return, then our time today will have been very well spent. Let's pray. Father, we are asking for The maximum benefit of studying your word, your prophecy, we ask that it would cause us to long for the return of Christ and that it would cause us in our behavior to be more godly. Help us to be humble with our understanding as we discuss these matters that are so different from other fellow believers' views. we ask for your fruit to arise in our lives from the study of your word this morning. In Jesus' name, Amen. Now last week as we opened Matthew chapter 24, the Olivet Discourse, we saw that Jesus is answering his disciples' concerns, which are very Jewish in nature. It's important that we keep that firm in our understanding. As I pointed out last week, the atmosphere of the Olivet discourse is primarily Jewish. There are future events as they relate to the Jewish people. You see, the disciples wanted some relief about the highly distressing news that Jesus had just given them. That Israel's national hope the stabilizing factor of their people's politics, social life, business life, religious life. In sum, everything that is Jewish would be utterly destroyed. When will this happen? And because such devastation is equated with the end of the world to a Jew, They asked Jesus not only when the temple would be destroyed, but also when the end of the world would be. There was also a third thing they asked about. When will you return, Jesus? I believe they associated all three of these things as different parts of the same event. So let's read the first three verses of Matthew chapter 24 where they ask this. This is a review from last week, but here is the context where we pick up our study today. Jesus left the temple and was going away when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, you see all these, do you not? Truly I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down. And of course that happened in 70 AD when the Romans came in and surrounded Jerusalem and eventually broke through the walls and destroyed that temple. In the portion of Jesus' answer that we covered last week, we saw that he started by telling them what are not signs to look for, and then he gave them some signs that do mark the beginning of the end. He called them birth pains. I also gave you my understanding of it and many others, not everyone's, but several other people. and why we believe the birth pangs of the beginning started happening in the past 100 years. Then Jesus told him about the seven year period known as the tribulation. Why? Because the tribulation is the sign that Jesus is about to return to establish his kingdom on earth. The return of Jesus happens in two stages. The first is the rapture, when he returns in the clouds for those who have already placed their faith in him. And this can happen at any moment. No man knows the time or the hour when this first stage of Christ's return will begin. But I believe that it will be the rapture, and soon thereafter, the events that Jesus tells his disciples about, the tribulation, will begin. Jesus doesn't discuss the rapture in the Olivet Discourse because his disciples were concerned about their own Jewish nation. So Jesus deals primarily with what they were concerned about. The tribulation will be used by God to bring the Jewish nation to repent for rejecting Christ's messiahship. It will be a sign that the delayed messianic kingdom is about to happen. Now we studied Christ's description of the first half The three and a half years of the tribulation, Matthew chapter 24, verses 9 through 14. We looked at that last week, but let's just dive right back into this a little bit here. Verses 9 through 14 of Matthew chapter 24. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death. Then you will be hated by all nations for my namesake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations. And then, The end will come. The first three and a half years of the Tribulation, in these verses that we just read, we saw number one, will be tremendous persecution. Anti-Semitism will flourish on a worldwide scale. Now the Holocaust during the time of Nazi Germany was horrible. It was horrible enough. But this will be another Holocaust that eclipses that one. It will be ruthless in character, deliberate in purpose, and heartless in operation. Number two, the first half of the tribulation will be characterized by the rise of many false prophets. Number three, there will be a tremendous rise of sin and iniquity. Instead of the rule of law that we come to rely upon in a civil society, that's going to be gone. The world will be characterized by anarchy. Most will do what they please and will deliberately disobey. Number four, The Jews, remember Jesus is answering his disciples question about the Jewish nation. So the Jews will survive until those of them that do survive through the end of the seven year tribulation are going to be saved. Why? Because the Jewish leaders are going to repent and lead the nation to repent at the end. That is one of the main reasons for the tribulation. The nation will be led to accept Jesus' messiahship. Jesus will return and then his kingdom will be initiated. Remember, Jesus is talking to his disciples about their concern about their own people. And Jesus is addressing them on that. Number five, by the end of the first three and a half years, the kingdom will be made available worldwide. great number of Gentiles will come to a saving knowledge of our Lord, the Messiah, as well as the Jewish nation as a whole. Revelation 7 says that there will be 144,000 evangelists, 144,000 Billy Graham's all around the world. The revival is going to be huge. And then of course, in chapter 11 of Revelation, we read about the two witnesses who are going to capture the world's attention. And there will be revival breaking out on their behalf as well. Beginning with verse 15, here in Matthew 24, Jesus describes the second half of the tribulation, the final three and a half years. This is what finally makes the disciples Jewish brethren ready to repent. Persecution becomes very intense. Let's read verses 15 through 30. So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place, let the reader understand. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, and let the one who is in the field not return back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days. Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath, for then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now. No. and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short. Then if anyone says to you, look, here is the Christ, or there he is, do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. So if they say to you, look, he's in the wilderness, do not go out. If they say, look, he's in the inner rooms, do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the signs of the Son of Man. And then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power, and great glory. Jesus gives us six characteristics of the second half of the tribulation here. First, the second half begins in the middle of the tribulation, right in the very middle of it, when the event known as the abomination of desolation occurs. Now this involves two stages. Stage one will be when the Antichrist will take over the Jewish temple and sit down in the Holy of Holies and declare himself to be God. Turn with me, keep your finger here, we'll be back, but turn with me, if you would, over to 2 Thessalonians chapter two, verses three through 10. 2 Thessalonians 2, verses 3-10. Let no one deceive you in any way, for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed. the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called God or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you, I told you these things? And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time? For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing. because they refuse to love the truth and to be saved. So the antichrist cannot be revealed until the restrainer is taken out of the midst. That restrainer is the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer. I believe this is talking about the church. Once the church is out of the midst, out of the world because of the rapture, then Satan can produce his masterpiece, the Antichrist. He will make the agreement for seven years with Israel, but after three and a half years, he's going to break that agreement. He'll then move into the Jewish temple himself and proclaim that he is God. Stage two will be when the character referred to in scripture as the false prophet has a statue of the antichrist made and stands it up in the holy of holies. We read of this in Revelation chapter 13. Turn over to Revelation chapter 13 with me, verses 11 through 15. It reads this way. Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all authority of the first beast in its presence and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people. And by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast, it deceives those who dwell on the earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast so that the image of the beast might even speak. and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain." The false prophet will cause the whole earth to worship the image. Satan has always wanted the world's worship. And in the middle of the tribulation, he will finally receive it. An interesting parenthesis occurs at the end of Matthew 24 verse 15. It says, let the reader understand. This statement indicates that what Jesus was teaching would have greater significance for people reading Matthew's gospel, I believe, in the later days, during the time that this is going to be taking place. By reading the prophet Daniel, reading Revelation 13, And these very words of Jesus in Matthew chapter 24 here, future readers will understand the events and they will know what to do. Get out of Judea now! The two stages of the abomination of desolation is their signal. Jesus then gave some very strong advice to the future generation who would see this occur. It will be necessary to flee immediately. This will not be some orderly retreat where people could pack up their belongings before casually moving to a safer location. The judgment of God would be swift, so run. Jesus advised that there would be no time to collect any possessions. Jesus also recognized that flight from the oncoming catastrophe would be impossible for some. He expressed his concern and his compassion for those women who may be pregnant or nursing infants. Jesus still encouraged them, though, to flee Judea, but he did not minimize the hardship that would befall new and expectant mothers. And if their only opportunity to escape was during the winter or on the Sabbath, their hardship would be even greater. But there will be many who will read this, I believe, and follow Jesus' instructions here. During the first half of the tribulation, many Jews are going to respond to the preaching of the 144,000 Jewish evangelists. They'll be reading their Bibles. Second, a characteristic of the second half of the tribulation that Jesus describes in giving his disciples a sign of his return. is this flight into the wilderness. This event is also described in Revelation chapter 12. We looked at it briefly last week. Let's just take another quick glance at it. Revelation chapter 12 verses 13 through 17. And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But the woman was given two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, a times and a half time. The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman to sweep her away with a flood. But the earth came to help the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river of that dragon that poured from his mouth. Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea. Now, if we would have started reading earlier on in chapter 12, it would have been a little more clear that the woman here is Israel, or the Jewish people that is being spoken of there. Third, another characteristic of the second half of the Tribulation is an even greater anti-Semitism persecution. This one is greater than the world has ever or will ever know. And so it's going to intensify even greater than the first half of what was seen there. Verse 21 says this, back in Matthew 24 now, There will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now. No, and never will be. Most of the books that I was reading this week in preparation for this message declared that everything in the Olivet Discourse has already occurred. They point to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD as the fulfillment of Matthew chapter 24. But I believe that just like many of the Old Testament prophecies, parts are fulfilled in the immediate generation when the prophecy was first spoken and other parts are fulfilled centuries later. That's the way the prophecy of the virgin birth about Jesus works in Isaiah 7.14. There was an aspect of that fulfillment that came true in that generation and then at the birth of Christ. So I believe Jesus was talking about the destruction of the Jewish temple in 70 AD and to an even more horrific future event, the seven year tribulation. Because of the verse that we just read, Matthew 24 verse 21, I cannot believe that the Olivet Discourse in Matthew chapter 24 has been completely fulfilled in 70 AD. When Rome destroyed Jerusalem and its temple, it certainly was horrible. But that horrible event does not fit Jesus's words here in verse 21. Look at verse 21, for then there will be great tribulation such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. The German Holocaust, World War II. prevents the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD from being considered the worst tribulation from the beginning of the world until now, as well as any time in the future. Millions of Jews were murdered during the Holocaust, as were in 70 AD. Now also, Revelation describes the tribulation as so horrible that what happened in 70 AD, we can safely say, cannot possibly be worse than the coming tribulation. So verse 21 convinces me that Jesus' words in the Olivet Discourse were not fulfilled in 70 AD. A fourth characteristic of the second half of the tribulation. is that Israel will survive this terrible period. They'll be greatly reduced in numbers, however. Verse 22. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short. The 144,000 Jewish evangelists are going to bring many Jews who are part of the elect to salvation in Christ. And they'll be part of the flight into the wilderness. But not everyone who flees to this place of safety will be believers yet. Verses 23 through 26 show us that. Then if anyone says to you, look, here's a Christ, or there he is, do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand so that if they say to you, look, he's in the wilderness, do not go out. If they say, look, he's in the inner rooms, do not believe it. Fifth. There've been many attempts to draw out those who have fled to this place of safety under God's protection. Come on out, he's out here now. Come on over here, he's in this inner room. False prophets, false messiahs will come onto the scene and they're gonna draw some, and if possible, even those who had placed their faith in Jesus as the Messiah. So 6th, the latter half of the tribulation will be characterized by many false signs and false wonders that are going to be done by them. Verses 27, 28. For as the lightning comes from the East and shines as far as the West, so will the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. So don't be drawn out by this deception. You'll know when Christ returns. The whole world will know wherever they happen to be at that time. His return will not be known only to a few who go out to meet him somewhere in an inner room or out in the desert. No, everybody's going to know. Everybody's going to see it. Just as people from far away can see vultures circling high in the air and know that there is a dead body there, Christ's return in judgment will be visible and predictable. It will be impossible for people not to see and recognize the return of Christ. Verses 29 and 30. Immediately, I'm gonna read that again. Immediately, after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall back, will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Did you notice my stress on the word immediately? I looked it up in the Greek. It's the word eutheos, and it means that. Immediately. Not 2,000 years later. Jesus went out of his way to say immediately after the tribulation of those days, signs will appear in the heavens and Jesus will return. Not 2,000 years after the destruction of Jerusalem. Immediately after this tribulation that I'm talking about. So it can't be. destruction of Jerusalem. Oh, it's the big deal. Why am I making such a big deal of this? I do so because most of the commentaries I read this week were all saying that Matthew chapter 24 is all about the tribulation that occurred when Jerusalem fell and the temple was destroyed. Matthew 24, the Olivet Discourse was fulfilled, they say, in the first century by their understanding. But you know what they must also understand to hold to that belief? Jesus returned already in the first century and established his kingdom and fulfilled all the Old Testament prophecies, which to me, many are still waiting to be fulfilled. Jesus said immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be dark and the moon will not give forth the light. The stars will fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. But there's no record of those events happening in the first century, and neither is there any evidence that Jesus has returned. I'm still waiting, and so are you, for that to occur. I believe that the tribulation spoken of by Jesus and recorded by Matthew in chapter 24 here is a future tribulation that much of Revelation is about. That tribulation, I also believe, is what will be used by God to bring about the repentance of the Jews as a whole. Jesus will return at that hour when Israel is about to be defeated by the Gentile armies, according to Zechariah chapter 12. He will rescue his people and they will see him and recognize that he is their Messiah. There will be a national repentance, national cleansing, national restoration under the gracious leadership of the Messiah. Turn with me over to Zechariah 12. Verses 9-14. And on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace. and please for mercy, so that when they look on me, on whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. On that day, the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning for Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. The land shall mourn each family by itself, the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves, the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves, the family of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves, the family of the Shemites by itself, and their wives by themselves, and all the families that are left, each by itself, and their wives by themselves. Yes, there is gonna be repentance. Yes, they are going to mourn for him who they pierced. Who's that? Jesus. There is going to be a national repentance. And what's going to cause it? It's linked here in Zechariah chapter 12 with the surrounding of the armies of the world. What does that sound like to you? Armageddon at the end of the tribulation. Let me remind you how this whole conversation got started between Jesus and his disciples. Look how it first began. We're back in Matthew now. Last verse of Matthew chapter 23 says this. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Does that sound familiar to you? That's what they were all greeting Jesus with when he entered Jerusalem. on that week that he was put to death. They were all declaring him with this messianic greeting from Psalm 118, blessed are you who come in the name of the Lord. He says, I'm going to leave you guys and I'm not going to come back until they say again, you are the Messiah. We greet you as the Messiah. Zachariah fills us in with some of those details of when that's going to happen. Once Israel and its leaders are ready to mourn over the loss of their rejecting Jesus, and to mourn like a parent begging God for another chance over a lost child. And once they're ready to affirm his messiahship with the messianic greeting like the crowds did when he entered Jerusalem before his death. he will return. All the things Jesus has described here in Matthew 24 are going to affect Israel's huge repentance and bring about his return. Hallelujah. Isn't this a fantastic display of God's rich mercy? His unfathomable forgiveness. Isn't the way that he is treating his people, the Israelites, a phenomenal indication of the grace he has for you and I? Wow. Actually, it is the history of mankind. It's not just for the Jews. God has given humanity his best his law, his guidance, his warnings, his promises. And then he gave his only son as the sacrifice needed to pay our penalty of our crimes we've committed against God. But still we run away from him, avoiding everything he has done for us. Ultimately, God's judgment falls on those who refuse to listen and obey him, just as it did in Jerusalem so many years ago. One day in the future, at a time only known to the Father, everyone will again have to face the consequences of his or her decisions and actions. On that day, some people will rejoice to see the Savior, and the rest will view with terror the one that they had spawned. This text leaves no doubt that the day of Christ's return is going to be evident to all. His coming will be no secret. The angels of heaven will let out a trumpet blast and every eye will behold the Son of Man in the sky. We're going to look more specifically at that next week in verses 29 through 31. How different this is from his first coming. First time he came to a remote obscure town just outside Jerusalem, where he went largely unnoticed by the world, except for a few shepherds and some farm animals. He came the first time laying in a manger. However, he will come a second time riding on the clouds. This is what Daniel prophesied centuries earlier. And I saw one like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the ancient of days and was escorted before him. He was given authority to rule and glory and a kingdom so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed. Daniel 7 verses 13 and 14. Matthew's reference to the clouds of heaven in verse 30 is not just an allusion to Daniel 7 here. Throughout the Old Testament, we see this as an image of God's very glory. The picture we get in Matthew 24 is of the glory of God revealed and the glorious Son of God who will come on the clouds in power to execute judgment. In verse 30, it says that the tribes of the earth will mourn when they see his coming. That day will be a day of judgment, and all who are not ready for that day, that is, those who have refused to turn from their sin and to trust Christ as their Savior and King, will come face to face with the Holy One whom they have rejected. This text should cause us to ask ourselves, Am I ready? Am I prepared? Because it will happen just as he said. Scripture is lined up so perfect in its fulfillment and those that are ready to be fulfilled. If you're not ready, repent and believe in Christ today. If you're a genuine follower of Christ, are there things in your life that you still need to repent of? Sins that you're looking to and holding on to, maybe you're toying with? What are you doing today that would cause you to be ashamed before Jesus if he were to come at this moment? In light of all of these truths, I invite you to trust more fully in Christ's authority, to persevere in his power, and to long for his return. Amen. Let's pray.