Matt. 24
The people of Israel greatly admired the Temple in Jerusalem, and the disciples wanted Jesus to notice its beauty. They must have felt sad when He told them that those stones would all be broken down.
Afterward, while they were sitting with Him on Mt. Olives which is close to the city, and from which they could see the Temple, they asked when such a time would be. He had also told them that He would suffer and be crucified, and had spoken of a time when He would come in glory (as also told by the Prophets, as Zech. 14:9; Matt. 16:21,27). And the disciples asked Him what sign there would be of His coming.
People now ask when Christ will come again, and what will happen on the earth. But to understand what Jesus told, we Must first trust and love Him as our Saviour, as the disciples did: Then even boys and girls will find His words plain to understand.
Jesus’ answers were not about pleasant, easy things for those who would see Him came in power and glory, instead, He said that they will have great troubles. They will tell all nations of the great Kingdom to be, but will not be well treated, they will be hated by many.
When they see the dreadful sin in the temple, told of by Daniel, the prophet (Dan. 11:31), Jesus told them that those in the land of Judea should flee to the mountains, and they will know that His coming is near. The events will take place so quickly that the generation alive at that time will see all Jesus told, come to pass (vs. 34).
Jesus said if any should claim to be the Christ, or say He had come already, not to believe them, for His coming will be “as the lightning cometh out of the east even unto the west”,—quick and plain for all to see (vs. 27).
But Jesus did not give the disciples a date of His coming with the great power and glory. He said none knew the time but God, the Father. Yet He said, “My words shall not pass away.” So His coming is certain.
These answers of Jesus are solemn, for they are all of judgment, all that is false and evil will be punished at that coming. He said people will not believe judgment will come, but will keep on doing as they please the same as the people whom Noe (Noah) told of the flood; they did not believe until the waters came and they were drowned (vs. 39).
It was about 40 years after Jesus spoke of the stones of the Temple that it was broken down by soldiers. The people of Israel have had no Temple in Jerusalem since; it must be rebuilt before the final sorrows told of by Jesus.
The coming of the Lord Jesus in power and to judge or’ punish is written of in later scriptures also, as,
“The Lord cometh with ten thousand of, His saints to execute judgment upon all, and to, convince all that are ungodly among them of their ungodly deeds.” Jude 14,15; (2 Thess. 1:8; Rev. 1:7).
There is another coming of the Lord Jesus which we will read about next time, if the Lord will (see 1 Thess. 4:15,18).
ML 09/26/1943