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good morning everyone welcome to free grace baptist church let's begin our worship if you'll turn with me and your Bibles to psalm 32 a reading of that psalm will be our call to the worship of our great god this morning psalm 32 psalm 32 beginning in verse 1 the word of god a psalm of david a contemplation blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit when I kept silent my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long for day and night your hand was heavy upon me my vitality was turned into the drought of summer seyla I acknowledged my sin to you and my iniquity I have not hidden I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord and you forgave the iniquity of my sin seyla for this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to you in a time when you may be found surely in a flood of Great Waters they shall not come near him you are my hiding place you shall preserve me from trouble you shall surround me with songs of deliverance se la I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go I will guide you with my eye do not be like the horse or like the mule which have no understanding which must be harnessed with bit and bridle else they will not come near you many sorrows shall be to the wicked but he who trusts in the lord mercy shall surround him be glad in the Lord and rejoice you righteous and shout for joy all you upright in heart amen well let's stand as a church I him 135 will be our first song to sing to God and to each other that's 135 let's stand in sync Oh please be seated let's go to our Lord in prayer let us pray Heavenly Father we rejoice yet again on another lord's day Sabbath we can gather together in this place as the Saints of Christ sing your praises to you show forth your glory into Lord God rehearse the the riches in the excellencies of Jesus Christ our blessed Redeemer and we do pray Lord that you would help us as we gather now help us by your spirit to worship you or right we pray yet again as we always do pray that in this place your name would be hallowed we pray that around the world today your name would be hallowed in all the earth that your praises would be sung and that you would be glory din and we pray that you would give your Saints around the world today in this place and around the world that you would give your saints that measure of the spirit that their souls might be risen too high in heavy thoughts of the king of kings and Lord of lords that they would rejoice in their God that we here would rejoice in you are God and that we would sing your praises we rejoice in the forgiveness of sins we know that we gather together as the Saints of Christ not by virtue of anything good in us and not by virtue of deeds done in holiness of heart but solely on alone because of the amazing grace of our triune God we know that from first to last midst and throughout salvation is of a triune God who saves without a helper we rejoice in the doing in the dying of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ and in his rising again we thank you knowing that forgiveness of sins comes by virtue of amazing grace through the shed blood of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ we rejoice in that one who was obedient even unto the cross death we sing the praises of our Christ and would pray that you forgive us a fresh Lord God by his blood we know that in his blood we have the forgiveness of sins we know that in Christ we have a righteousness that avails with you that righteousness that is imputed to us and received by faith alone we do just pray that your saints here this morning and around the world would humbly genuinely and with great joy seeing the praises of so great a salvation and that we would all rejoice in you are God we do pray again Lord for those struggling we pray for your week and your weary Saints those who struggle physically day in and day out we would ask whether with us this morning or unable to join us that you would strengthen each and every one you attend to their bodies that you would refresh them you would relieve them from pains and discomforts and all of those things we do yet again pray Lord that for each and every one in the midst of affliction and physical trial that you would lift them up in the inner man and cause them to rejoice in the God of all the earth we do pray Lord that you'd be with those struggling spiritually again as well that you would lift them up that you would strengthen them that you would restore them to those places of fresh joy and the things of salvation and amazing grace we think again of our Saints of fellow Saints around the world in those nations where there is much hatred and persecution as we prayed this morning Lord we pray that you would strengthen each and every one of your dear children we pray that you would be near to those who receive such violence in an affliction at the hands of opposers we would pray that you'd be near each and every one that you'd strengthen them and that caused them again Lord by your grace to lay hold of the hope of their calling they would look upon with eyes of faith the risen Christ and find much strength and courage we do pray that you would deal with those who do oppose your church we pray knowing that by opposing your church they oppose you Lord God and we do pray that you would vindicate your name in all the earth that you would save many of those who are presently your enemies that you bring them forth from the madness of idolatry and opposition to joy in Christ that you would bring them forth from the deadness of their of sin and transgression from the blindness and the bondage of sin that you would bring them forth liberating them through Christ Jesus the Lord and the the glory of your grace and that you would bring them forth to light in life in our blessed Savior we pray that you would save today Lord God around the year around the world that in this church you would save this morning a young or old having come in these two doors Lord outside of Christ in unbelief we would ask again and by your grace and for your glory you would save many you bring them forth from the darkness of sin to light in Christ do save Lord God and might it be to the praise of your glorious grace we pray Lord God for those who rule over us we can cast our human eyes upon the world and see much madness that the turmoil the the craziness of the political game and the the nation's rising up against the Lord our God and against his Christ we do rejoice though Lord God that you are that one who sits in the heavens and laughs we thank you that you are the one who is in the heavens who does whatever he pleases the nations of this world are the nations of our God and of his Christ and we do pray Lord God that you would act that you would vindicate your name in all the earth casting down those Prince's who seek to raise their fists against you and that you would raise up Lord those to rule over the nation's who would do so in righteousness and equity and injustice we do pray that you would impress upon your people the need to be prayerful in these things Lord that your people around the world would be prayerful for the nation's ultimately Lord God we know that change does not come by by legislation and law but rather change comes through the proclamation of the the doing and the dying and the rising again of our blessed redeemer the lord jesus christ so we pray that the gospel would go forth that your word would go forth victorious to the uttermost parts of the earth and that many would believe Lord God in in our precious Christ and we would ask God that you'd be with us then again now as we continue in worship might the word penetrate our hearts might your spirit be among us causing us to have our hearts arise to a joyous reflection upon the doing and the dying of the Savior upon your mighty works upon the promises of the gospel and upon the truth of your Holy Word we pray that you would bless pastor Butler as he proclaims that word we pray when he comes peer Lord that he would know your strength even now as he prepares his heart to come up here to proclaim your word Lord we pray that he would know the aid of the triune God that he would be leaning upon the strength that you do afford your ministers and we would ask Lord for those in the pews this morning for all of us that your children your Saints would be strengthened that Christians would be edified and all the more equipped to go out into a watchful world we do pray Lord God that you would again save this morning young and all that you would buy Amazing Grace cause a newly redeemed tongues to leave these these doors singing the praises of our precious Christ so Lord we do pray that all that we do now would be to the praise of your Most High name and we pray in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen let's stand again as a church this time we're going to sing hymn number 19 in the larger hymnal that's him 19 let's stand and sing can turn in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 20 our new testament scripture reading this morning matthew twenty will read from verse 12 verse 16 matthew twenty beginning in verse one once again the word of god for the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard now when he had agreed with the laborers for a Denarius a day he sent them into his vineyard and he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace and said to them you also go into the vineyard and whatever is right I will give you so they went again he went out about the sixth in the ninth hour and did likewise and about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle and said to them why have you been standing here idle all day they said to him because no one hired us he said to them you also go into the vineyard and whatever is right you will receive so when evening had come the owner of the vineyard said to his steward call the laborers and give them their wages beginning with the last to the first and when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour they each received a Denarius but when they first came they supposed that they would receive more and they likewise received such a Denarius and when they had received it they complained against the landowner saying these last men have worked only one hour and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day but he answered one of them and said friend I am doing you no wrong did you not agree with me for a Denarius take what is yours and go your way I wish to give to this last man the same as to you is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things or is your eye evil because I am good so the last will be first and the first last for many are called but few chosen amen let us pray Heavenly Father we rejoice again in this your Holy Word we thank you for what Christ here discloses concerning ultimately the character of our God and the fact that all things are in your hands and you do with what you have in the way that pleases you according to your own will and according to your perfect in wise counsel we pray Lord God that ever and always you would cause us to submit holy to your will in all things knowing that the judge of all the earth does right and we do pray that you would cause us this day to rejoice in what you have given to us knowing that we have not earned anything more than any others but rather that salvation comes to us solian alone by amazing in victorious grace we know Lord God that at the that the ground is level as one man has said at the foot of the cross and we rejoice in this that there is neither slave nor free there is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither man nor woman with respect who are standing before God but all are one in Christ Jesus and we do pray that you would cause your people from around the world to to rejoice this day in the fact that they have salvation by free and sovereign grace your people this day would sing the praises of such grace that they would rejoice in their Christ and Lord God we pray that this would all be to the praise of your glory we pray in the name of our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ amen well before the preaching then we'll sing once again this time you can turn in the same hymn book to him 77 let's stand and we'll sing the first tune of him 77 together Oh you please turn with me in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 24 we continue our Lord's Olivet discourse called the Olivet discourse because Jesus sat on the mount of olives olives and delivered this section of teaching so I want to read the section specifically Matthew chapter 24 beginning in verse 1 will read 2 verse 35 here now the Word of the Living in the true God then Jesus went out and departed from the temple and his disciples came up to show him the buildings of the temple and Jesus said to them do not see all these things assuredly I say to you not one stone shall be left here upon another that shall not be thrown down now as he sat on the Mount of Olives the disciples came to him privately saying tell us when will these things be and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age and jesus answered and said to them take heed that no one deceives you for many will come in my name saying I am the Christ and will deceive many and you will hear of wars and rumors of wars see that you are not troubled for all these things must come to pass but the end is not yet for nation will rise against nation and Kingdom against Kingdom and there will be famines pestilences and earthquakes in various places all these are the beginning of Sorrows then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake and then many will be offended will betray one another and will hate one another then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many excuse me and because lawlessness will abound the love of many will grow cold but he who endorsed to the end shall be saved and this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations and then the end will come therefore when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by annual the prophet standing in the holy place whoever reads let him understand then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house and let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes but woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days and 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 since the beginning of the world until this time no nor ever shall be and unless those days were shortened no flesh would be saved but for the elects sake those days will be shortened then if anyone says to you look here is the Christ or there do not believe it for false Christ's and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive if possible even the elect see I have told you beforehand therefore if they say to you look he is in the desert do not go out or low key is in the inner rooms do not believe it for as the Lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west so also will the coming of the Son of man be for wherever the carcass is there the Eagles will be gathered together immediately after the tribulation of those days the Sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light the stars will fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens will be shaken then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven 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 and he will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they will gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other now learn this parable from the fig tree when its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves you know the summer is near so you also when you see all these things know that it is near at the doors assuredly I say to you this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place heaven and earth we'll pass away but my words will by no means pass away amen well let us pray father in heaven we thank you for the written word we thank you for our Lord Jesus and the the gospel that that you have blessed us with the fact that he has lived and died and rose again not because of his own sins or his own crimes but because of our sins and our crimes how we thank you that he stood in our place he cried it is finished we thank you that through his blood we have forgiveness even Redemption from our sins and iniquities we thank you as well for that righteousness that you have given to us and that which does avail with God Most High certainly it is the gospel that brings us together it is our common bond in our Lord Jesus Christ and may our worship today be for the the praise and the glory of our blessed and holy God even father son and spirit we would pray that any and all who have come here this morning outside of Christ would be would be convicted of sin and be shown their their need for the Lord Jesus and do that which is impossible with us namely save sinners for your glory sake and for their well-being we ask that your Holy Spirit would guide us now as we consider the scriptures we pray that you would help us to understand these things and may it be a means of encouragement a means of conviction a means of rebuke and and exhortation and may it provide training and righteousness and would you thoroughly equip all of us unto every good work we thank you for the scriptures we pray that the Holy Spirit who gave us the scriptures would guide us now as we study and do forgive us for all of our sins and our transgressions we know that sin does indeed darken our understanding and our minds and our hearts and I pray that you would just cleanse us in that fount that is open for sin and uncleanness and we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord amen well as we consider this particular section of Scripture we have noted on several occasions there are various ways to approach Matthew 24 specifically the Olivet discourse and we are taking the preterist interpretation which essentially teaches that what we find in this section deals with the events associated with the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 if you're new to us this morning and that sounds completely bizarre I will simply refer you to sermon audio you can listen to the sermons that have preceded our section this morning simply unable and it's unwise to duplicate material every time we introduce the sermon we're picking up in verses 22 to 28 now I think this is an ambitious task this morning and I'm hoping that we can indeed get to all of this but remember that the argument has been that Jesus prophecies or declares or announces that the destruction of the temple is coming he tells us that in verse 2 he tells his disciples do you not see all these things he's pointing to the temple assuredly I say to you not one stone shall be left here upon another that shall not be thrown down it's the then standing temple that Jesus says is going to fall down that provokes from the disciples to questions notice in verse 3 now as he sat on the Mount of Olives disciples came to him privately saying tell us when will these things be and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age essentially they say when and what so Jesus addresses in the first place the what question that takes him to verse 35 he'll then address the when questioned in verse 36 so what we find in this section is Jesus describing the signs of his coming and of the end of the age not the end of the world in terms of the cosmos in terms of everything that we know and hold to but the end of the Jewish age we saw that last week in Ezekiel seven that was a convention used by the Prophet back then to tell Israel that the end was coming wasn't the end of all things it was the end of their particular situation and such is the case here what is in view is a track oven ental transition the old covenant is passing away the new covenant comes as fulfillment not replacement but as fulfillment that the prophets had spoken of in the Old Testament so in verses 15 to 20 what we have specifically is Jesus description or Jesus instructions rather to the people on what they ought to do when they see the abomination of desolation notice in verse 15 when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing standing in the holy place whoever reads let him understand we compare Scripture with Scripture and we see specifically in Luke's account of the Olivet discourse he says when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies then know that it's desolation is near so what Jesus is referring to here in the language of Daniel the prophet is when the Roman armies come to the temple and they sack it they destroy it they come upon the holy city to dispossess or two to destroy the city and to kill the inhabitants oh jesus says when you see this run so if in verse 14 the end in view is the end of all things instructions to flee would be superfluous there would be no need to instruct persons on flight when it's the case that Jesus comes again in his second physical coming instructions to flee at that point our move there's nobody that can flee there's nobody that can run there's nobody that can hide when Jesus comes again in glory to judge the living and the dead you can't run and find safe haven unmount sham you can't drive to Vancouver and find a place to rent for the night and hopefully it all just blows by when Christ comes again in his glory he will indeed render judgment he will indeed gather people before him he will separate sheep from goats the sheep will go into everlasting life and the goats will go into everlasting fire the only way to be prepared for that day is by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone now don't tarry don't wait don't say that's something I want to think about when I'm older no I want you to take heed to the Word of God if you are not in him if you are not with him you are against him and if you are against him when he does come again you will be cast off for all eternity the way of salvation is not your own works the way of salvation is not your own merit the way of salvation is not your own ability because you have not you are dead in Adam you are dead in your trespasses and sins the way to God is through Christ the way to God is through that fountain prophesied by Zechariah that fountain that is open for sin and uncleanness it is the fountain drawn from Emmanuel's veins where sinners plunged lose all their guilty stains flee to Christ run to Christ so in this particular situation he tells those or in Judea to flee to the mountains again it's a localized judgment now i am telling you to flee to Christ they'll run to the mountains don't hide it the lakes don't you know rent a cabin in the woods for a summer or a season but fleet why do you Terry why do you wait so many of you hear the gospel on a regular basis so many of you come to our church and so many of you are brought up in Christian homes where the gospel is conspicuous it's not hidden under a bushel it's not hidden behind the piano or the TV in the home but rather it is conspicuous and you were being taught what scripture says if you have any inkling for your safety any interest whatsoever and your well-being flee to the Savior it's not magic it's not hocus pocus it's not well what five things do I have to do to make myself fit and ready to come to Jesus come as you are I love that statement the prophet Ezekiel Maya when Yahweh tells the children of Israel return to me ye backsliding children and I will heal you're backsliding let's just counterintuitive isn't it we hear about a holy God we hear about how sinful we are and we start to reason well I got to clean up my act before I go to him I've got to get myself right before I go to him now Christ came because you can't clean up your act Christ came because you can't make yourself fit and lovely Christ came so that when the prodigal who is longing after pig slop just tries to cast himself upon the mercy of the father he is received he is blessed he is clothed he is rejoiced over and rejoiced in don't try to clean clean up your act but rather come to the one who's in the business of cleaning up acts is that what save your means isn't that what Christ's job is isn't that what he's about isn't that his function as I said last week take these tax and bring them through the front door of heaven scripture says Jesus that you're a savior for sinners and I'm a sinner so please save me it's a pretty simple logic isn't it it's gospel logic it's not go out and fix yourself because you can't if you could fix yourself then you know what Paul says Christ died in vain he says in Galatians 2 21 I do not set aside the grace of God for if righteousness comes through the law then Christ died in vain he cried died for nothing if you can fix your condition if you can make yourself fit if you can make yourself beautiful to the Lord God Almighty then why Calvary why the shame why the blood why the gore why the the mocking and the spitting why the the punishment at the hands of men and why the punishment far more exceeding at the hands of Yahweh himself for the Prophet says it please Joe way to bruise him it please your way to crush him why would that have ever transpired if all we needed was a little bit of help if all we needed was a little bit of advice if all we needed was a little word of encouragement on how to buck up and try harder see this is the heir of all preaching that denies the gospel of our Lord that denies the necessity of blood atonement that denies the necessity of justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone these places where people gathered together and here another moral story on how they ought to try harder in this world that is not what the gospel is all about it's not good advice on how to be better it's good news on how Christ accomplished salvation for all those who come to him the one who comes to him he promises I will in no wise cast out I will certainly not cast them out I will not resist them I will not rebuff them I will not keep them at arm's length that's John 637 come to him and you will find life come to him and you will find joy come to him and you'll be able to escape on that day when he comes again in glory to judge the living in the dead here the mountains outside of Jerusalem or outside of Judea provided safe haven for those inhabitants that saw the Roman armies and then fled the way of safe haven today is through the blood of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ so Jesus tells disciples that witness this to then leave it's wise to leave it's prudent to run there are instances and seasons and times to expand the kingdom of God when you escaped let's just sit around and say I'm going to take a bullet for Jesus in this siege well if you can escape maybe Jesus is okay with you not taking the bullet for him don't deny your Lord don't recant on your faith don't neglect the realities of blood atonement and justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ do not deny the Trinity do not I did I that hypostatic union of Christ do not deny Cardinal Christian truth but brethren if you can escape Jesus says in Matthew 10 when they persecute you in one city then flee to another he doesn't say you terrible specimens of human beings no this is a good thing you see the life and Ministry of the Apostle Paul he's a preacher on the run very often isn't it and this is the point in this passage if it was the end of all things the idea that you could actually escape is superfluous it would be unkind of our Lord to ever suggest that there could be asked eight when there would it be escape but Jesus the Prophet is speaking to a particular situation affecting a particular people in a particular time frame all governed by 24 34 where any says that all these things must take place in this generation you simply cannot escape that you cannot evade that attempts to try to mingle events here ultimately stumble when it comes to 22 24 34 I think they stumble at 29 when this immediately follows on the heels of the Great Tribulation which Great Tribulation we looked at in verse 21 last week is the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 Jesus speaks concerning it in verse 21 for then there will be Great Tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time no nor ever shall be we looked at several passages in the Old Testament where this is language that is used in prophetic pronouncement its apocalyptic language in one way or in one sense and Christ follows the line of prophets who went before him so we've seen the command to flee verses 15 to 20 and the reason for flight and verses 21 and 22 it is a time of Great Tribulation we looked at last week now note secondly a time limited by the sovereign God in verse 22 notice he's still speaking about the tribulation of those days he's still speaking about the situation marked by the abomination of desolation in verse 15 he's speaking about that era or that timeframe where in persons are told to escape and flee and run and hide and then he says in verse 22 and unless those days were shortened see there's no textual suggestion that we're dealing with different days again if we malgam a tour we put into this whole discourse several events or even two events there's no textual indicator for that there's no time separation there's no gap there's no we're going to deal with a different set of days now he speaks specifically of the tribulation that he's already described in verses 15 to 21 and unless those days were shortened what days days in our future days that are coming in are in our distant horizon no they're the days he's been speaking of the days of vengeance according to Luke 21 wherein all things written or fulfill by the execute execution of judgment upon the inhabitants of Israel for failing to obey the Lord God of Covenant notice unless those days were shortened no flesh would be saved but for the elects sake those days will be shortened as I've said the days in view are the same ones that Christ has been speaking of no textual indicator to think there's any other days in view is there don't know it's pretty obvious there well you read the literature and there's a whole shuffling of days that goes on in the interpretation of Matthew 24 Isis I submit if you read the text as it's written it's going to yield this interpretation again I know that sounds proud and I know that sounds arrogant and I know that may sound wicked and I'm not saying that everybody who disagrees Ishrat you know a heretic or their evil or their hellbound the Brethren one of the primary elements of interpreting Scripture is to ask how would the first recipients understood it how would they have understood what was going to happen in our future how would they possibly conceive of world events that would take place and you know the 21st century he's dealing with them note the conspicuous second person plural throughout the entirety of the discourse you you you you you you not damn damn damn damn damn he's talking to them that's what that that didn't work out just right but you get my point right a bit of a you then shift there notice what Christ says unless those days were shortened no flesh would be say but for the elects sake those days will be shortened if it was the end of all things shortening days wouldn't matter would it if first for speaks of the end of all things as we know it then the idea of a shortening of days is superfluous the fact that flesh is saved now I argue and I believe and I fully embrace the historic Christian faith that says these bodies that are going to go into that earth after they breathe their last physically will be raised from the dead gloriously the bodies of believers will be rejoined with their souls and they'll enter into the glory of heaven the new heavens and the new earth with the lord christ almighty so i believe in the resurrection of the body i believe in the fleshly resurrection that is to come but in this particular context the language suggests the siege in Jerusalem in AD 70 there's flesh spared not flesh in terms of the general resurrection but in terms of the abomination of desolation that descends upon the Jerusalem Temple in terms of those who are able to flee to the mountains their flesh their bodies are spared their bodies are preserved from the Jewish war with Rome they are physically preserved and notice what he says unless those days were shortened no flesh were would be saved but for the elects sake those days will be shortened and it wasn't just elect people that were spared or saved or preserved but as well Jews it wasn't a comprehensive annihilation it wasn't the case that there were never again Jews on the face of the earth but those days were shortened under the sovereignty of Christ specifically and we'll see that in just a moment so that there would be flash spared certainly for the elects sake Gill says it this way but the meaning here is that the siege of Jerusalem and the calamities attending it should be sooner ended not then God had determined it's not that God changed his mind you know in the fifth month of the siege is well you know they've had enough so I'm going to let them off the hook that's not the point of the passage Gill says it should be sooner and not then God had determined but then the sin of the Jews deserved and the Justice of God might have required in strict severity and might be reasonably expected considering the aggravated circumstances of their iniquities in other words they deserved a whole lot more than what they actually got because of their sin against the Covenant God of Israel and Jesus says specifically it is for the elects sake is that intriguing who's the first primary persecutor of the people of God in the New Testament church it is unbelieving Israel they are persecuting the very ones whose presence preserves their race that's the point because of the elect God has preserved them because of the elect and the fact that the promises aren't just for Gentiles but for Jews as well Romans 11 we preach the gospel to that they're not completely annihilated they're not wiped off the face of the earth so that's what he means in terms of verse 22 unless the lesta stime were unless those days were shortened no flesh would be safe but for the elects sake those days will be shortened and this indicates to us the sovereign control of God it's not the sovereign control the Roman army they didn't just decide well you know we've done enough let's go it's under the hand of God just as the that the political upheavals referenced earlier in the chapter must take place it's under the hand of the sovereign God everything that happens is under the hand of a sovereign God we don't live in a world governed by chance we don't live in a world governed by fate we don't live in a world governed by impersonal forces we live in a world governed by a sovereign God and it's attributed in marks version of the all of that discourse to the Lord specifically Jesus I think the attribution to the second person of the Trinity is appropriate in fitting because the argument is and will follow in coming weeks that the coming envisaged in both verse 27 and expand in verses 29 to 31 is not that Christ physically comes to the earth but that Christ at the right hand of the Father is exercising his messianic prerogative to lower his foot upon his enemies and the first enemy was unbelieving Israel covenant breaking Israel that had opposed rejected despised Yahweh it is sending of his son the Lord Christ to be the Messiah they say in Matthew 27 let his blood be upon us and our children Christ visits them not physically but at the right hand of the Father through the historical means of the Roman armies it is the Lord Christ's attestation that he is that Daniel eggs on a son a man that's gone to the right hand of the throne of God and dairy has received the kingdom and this is an expression of a visible display of his rule from the right hand of the Father now this is where everybody jumped ship this is where everybody says well preterism cannot account for verses 29 to 31 I simply ask you to pay attention and to stick around for the next few weeks I mentioned that it's sort of like being in the dentist chair there is a forced break coming in for weeks I assure you I'm having surgery on my other hip so we've got a lot of material to cover before we you know I go into the desert of pain and misery and suffering but we have four weeks and in that time I hope to get us at least through verse 31 so I realized that on the surface of it it's language that speaks of the Sun being dark and the moon not giving its light and the stars falling and we've been trained and we've been educated we've been brought up in a context where that only ever always needs the end of the world president it's got a long pedigree of Old Testament usage concerning the fall of kingdoms and it's most appropriate in a chapter dealing with the fall of a kingdom verse 29 the Son of man coming in the clouds again it's Daniel 7 13 and 14 and there we have been trained and there we have assumed and there we have almost bought it hook line and sinker that that speaks of his coming to the earth that's not what daniel says Daniel 7 13 and 14 is an ascension text he comes to the Ancient of Days and therein he receives the Kingdom and Dominion and power and glory and one of the first aspects are displays of this visibly is the destruction of Jerusalem to execute the Vengeance of the Covenant upon these people the calling of the elec via these angelic ministers it's the preaching of the gospel to save sinners consistent with what Jesus will say in Matthew 28 is the task and mission of the church that's overview and again there is a multitude of texts I didn't pull this rabbit out of the hat saying this is what you ought to believe there is text after text after tax that we are going to consider God willing in the coming weeks but let's move on specifically to verses 23 to 28 we have the warning against false Christ's so just an overview structure of the whole command to flee verses 15 to 20 reason for flight verses 21 and 22 and then thirdly the warning concerning false Christ's in verses 23 to 28 note the warning stated in verses 23 to 25 again we don't have any textual indicator that we're dealing with something different we don't have any textual indicator to argue that now we're dealing with this no and unless those days were shortened no flesh would be saved but for the elects sake those days will be shortened then when does that then connect it connects to then not then but I want you to assume it's way off in the future way off in the distance way off in the horizon then if anyone says to you look here is the Christ or there do not believe it for false Christ's and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive if possible even the elect see I have told you beforehand just a couple of observations we've already noted that in the time leading up to the siege there would be false Christ's notice an act I'm sorry Matthew 24 verse 4 take heed that no one deceives you for many will come in my name saying I am the Christ and will deceive many we've sufficiently demonstrated that that was a first century reality the book of Acts demonstrates it it confirms it it highlights it and it shows it so Jesus is not basically repeating what he said that in this time frame leading up to the siege there would be these false Christ's now as we are in the midst of the siege there's going to be false Christ's what's the logic what's the rationale he has the answer this guy knows what he's talking about he can fix this these messianic claimants would come out of the woodwork to offer help to people in trouble not that it's wrong to offer help the people in trouble but if you're the false Christ then it's wrong look at what he says verse 23 then again in the context of the Great Tribulation if anyone says to you look here is the Christ or there do not believe it do you realize that Jesus is telling us here not to believe something just because somebody says their Christ doesn't mean the Christ does it just because somebody says they're teaching God's Word doesn't necessarily mean they're teaching God's Word some of you might be suspecting me of committing that crime I'm hopefully hopefully showing you at least that that this is rooted in the pages of Scripture here Jesus says don't believe them this is combat to that whole idea that Christianity is just this leap of faith we just willy-nilly jump into the arms of whatever no its objective it's revealed it is focused upon the real Christ I love what Spurgeon says he says it is a grand thing to have such faith in Christ that you have none to spare for imposters it is a grand thing to have such faith in Christ that you have none to spare for imposters this is what Christ tells us that if anyone says to you look here is the Christ or there do not believe it the false Christ here referred to are those imposters who seize the moment the guy with the answers right you almost here and now honey I was at the marketplace today and this fellow there he spoke with authority and he has answers and he knows what we're supposed to do and he's got some some real life suggestions on how to deal with this Roman problem Jesus says don't listen to that Jesus has already said when you see this run not stay not have Bible studies with the false Christ's not figure out how to win the war against the Romans because you ain't going to win this war run the Romans are not going to be defeated in this exchange you're not going to you know mount up a battle mint against them and yet no Jesus instructions are clear and candid and simple run get out of Dodge notice suck or what he goes on to say if they say to you look he is in the desert do not go out look he is in the inner rooms do not believe it now the inner rooms may refer to inner rooms of the temple stuff to know specifically but the idea is is that as we're in this siege as we've got this situation around us people are probably naturally normally looking for answers looking for help looking for hope looking for encouragement looking for a way to navigate the particularly trouble as times that we find ourselves it Jesus has already spoken of what you're supposed to do you're supposed to run you're not supposed to go to the inner rooms you're not supposed to go out to the wilderness you're not supposed to go out there and look for these guys you cannot if you follow his instructions to run hide leave notice the specific reason that he gives verse 24 there's a warning stated verse 23 and then a reason given in verse 24 for false Christ's and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive if possible even the elect they will rise there's never a shortage of these guys is there not always guys there can be girls there can be women we've got the answers they know the antidote they know the secret you know decoder ring they've got it they've figured it out if you just follow this I'm always wary about people who have the one thing they'll fix everything I know one thing that's going to fix everything because we it's such a mess out of it I mean other than obedience to God's Word obviously that's the one thing that we need and we just do this we just fixed asset and then those nasty Rollins will go away no he says specifically these false Christ's are going to run his up they're going to deceive if possible even the elect the idea being that they will actually do signs and wonders Davies and Allison comment unlike Jesus who is reluctant to show signs and wonders throw Matthew's Gospel he's reluctant to show signs and wonders and who often asks for silence about his miracles again in Matthew's Gospel his false imitators will work wonders why for public display behind her back the backdrop is probably deuteronomy 13 123 the false prophets who work signs and wonders we see this as well in those magicians during the times of the plagues in Egypt they were able to duplicate some of these plagues weren't they was it just smoke and mirrors they actually had these powers devilish powers but powers nonetheless you see a parallel in second Thessalonians chapter 2 again the more I work through all of that the more i see that paul is simply giving us a smaller version of all of it in second Thessalonians chapter 2 you see these lying signs and wonders relative to the beast in the book of revelation of the false prophet that beast that comes from the from the land we see these things operative and the Lord Jesus says don't be dazzled by their works but listen to my words don't be dazzled by their works but be obedient to my words a huge difference there isn't it oh you should have seen what this guy did in the marketplace we need to listen to Jesus you should have seen the signs and the wonders we need to listen to Jesus you should have seen what he did we need to listen to Jesus that's the emphasis that Christ is speaking of he's already addressed the escape plan he's already addressed what you what you do when you see up Jerusalem surrounded by armies you don't debate you don't watch signs and you don't discuss you don't have interchange you don't even go down from your rooftop to collect your belongings if you're in the field you don't even go to the edge to grab your cloak you run and you get out of town cec in those days leading up to the fall ultimately there would be these false claimants notice what he goes on to say very specifically they will attempt or if possible they'll deceive even the elect this does not speak to the ability to deceive the elect the elect are capped by the power of God aren't they yes they are brethren you're in a reformed church we believe that with every fiber of our redeemed humanity those for whom Jesus dies those for whom he raises up on the third day they're safe and secure forever the if possible speaks to the attempts or the lengths that these false Christ's will go to to deceive even if possible the elect doesn't speak to the deception of the elect as if it's an actuality but it speaks to their their tenacity it speaks to their stick-to-itiveness it speaks to their utter consistency in trying to dazzle with their signs and with their wonder so the if possible doesn't speak to the to the obliteration of the fifth point of Calvinism rather it speaks to the reality that these men these men are going to keep going as men are going to see these men are going to lay hold of you these men are going to captivate you and then notice Jesus speaks specifically in verse 25 he says see I have told you beforehand how many things could we say we've done when we've already known what we weren't supposed to do this is a see I have told you beforehand with reference to a prophetic discourse concerning the fall of Jerusalem but it really could be extrapolated to anything good noon why have I sinned against God it's not that I've lacked information it's not that I've lacked knowledge it's not I've lacked it that the prior cognitive information because I have willingly transgressed his word I have willingly said no to the Lord God most high and Jesus is saying Jesus is telling Jesus is is is setting forth to his disciples see I have told you beforehand again the you there I've told you if you died in the siege it's on you if you don't make it out of Jerusalem it's on you if you go get dazzled by those fault of false prophets and false Christ's and watch them do their you know spiritual juggling act you're doing that while Romans are moving forward in the utter obliteration of the city and you know you're just dazzled with these signs and wonders you like the baby looking at the shining thing oh there's the shining thing and all the armies are converging and they're about to destroy Jesus as I told you beforehand go now listen to false Christ don't listen to false prophets listen to Christ brethren there's an argument here for all of us to read our Bibles more there he goes that Baptist Butler always pulls that out of every text he's not pulling this certain of this exegesis out of a rabbit's hat I do see it in it in the context but he always tells us to read our Bibles and pray yeah absolutely because Jesus has told us so many things beforehand and we willingly and we knowingly oppose him it's not cognition that we lack its resolution its determination its obedience we can't say well I just didn't know I wasn't supposed to fornicate I just didn't know I was supposed to commit adultery I just didn't know I wasn't supposed to smoke crack cocaine what do you mean you didn't know that he's didn't want to obey we like to blame the lack of cognitive information rather than ethical rebellion that's in our hearts least be honest 2813 in the book of Proverbs tells you how to deal with ethical trends rebellion in the heart don't blame cognitive lack of information but rather whoever fastest is Santa for sakes is sinful well we'll find mercy that's the answer don't blame the fact or the thought of the idea that I just didn't know these guys couldn't I just didn't know as wasn't advised now notice what Jesus goes on to say verses 26 to 28 this is the specific command in light of false Christ's okay the structure here I think it's very well structured and very orderly not my notes but what Jesus is saying he's told them that as the siege goes on prior to the ultimate fall of city and sample there will be these false Christ's there will be these false claimants there will be these false prophets they'll have the remedy they'll have the antidote they'll have the answers that you need send in your 5999 thank you very much or buy my book or buy my tape or buy my CD or download the latest message at a cost of only 499 Jesus says don't listen to them listen to the simple answer that Christ gives when you see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place run maybe that's why we bought at this interpretation because it's so easy we're drawn to the sensational well drawn to the to the to the you know the theater like presentation and I scatology I mean running and living in a blush and you know eating berries and making sure that we don't get snuffed out by some stray Roman so that's not as exciting as whether or not Obama is the Beast of Revelation sometimes the answer and biblical interpretation is Occam's razor the simplest explanation is more often than not the right explanation Jesus says don't listen to that now note what he goes on to do in verses 26 to 28 he gives a specific command in light of the fact that there will be these false Christ's he tells them they need to avoid that for 26 if they say to you looking is in the desert do not go out that's not willy-nilly go into the desert Davies and Alison say in the desert was presumably a well-known haunt of Messianic pretenders who sought to imitate the wilderness miracles of Moses who was in the wilderness crying out as a voice it was John the Baptist persons thought he was messianic didn't they isn't he the Messiah is he is either waters either priced as he the Anointed One consider in John 6 Jesus does a miracle out in the wilderness he does a miracle out in the desert he multiplies bread and fish and he feeds the multitudes and what happens in John 6 15 they try and take him by force and make a king out of him there's a messianic expectation concerning the the wilderness and Jesus says if you hear someone say go out there because there is Jesus says don't go out there notice what he says then look he is in the inner rooms do not believe it this is just answering to what he's already said it's out in the wilderness he's in the inner rooms Jesus says don't go there now it wasn't wrong to look for the real Christ in a physical location was it was it wrong to look for a real Christ in a physical location no John one they find Messiah they bring brothers to say this is Messiah after his resurrection he says goats all my brethren to meet me in Galilee there's nothing inherently wrong about looking for the Messiah now obviously in the context it's a false messiah but here's where we may part ways I think another reason is because Jesus is saying the nature of my coming is not physical I will not be in a desert I will not be in an inner room I will be enthroned at the right hand of the majesty of God on high and it's from that vantage point my ascended and exalted glory that I will lower my feet on all my enemies I must reign over them till I make all my enemies my footstool so in other words don't go out to wildernesses and don't go out to deserts looking for Jesus because you're not going to find him that's what I think he is suggesting in this particular section it was wrong to look for the real Christ in a physical location during the siege against Jerusalem for he was in heaven executing judgment against his enemies consistent with the curses in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 and that brings us to consider the nature of his coming in verse 27 don't go there don't go there and now he's going to describe what is coming actually looks like I really believe this i thinkin this is nuts but but just follow it for a moment don't go in the desert don't go in the inner rooms notice verse 27 for as the Lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west so also will the coming of the Son of man be now let's just parse this a little bit shall we this will be expanded in verses 29 to 31 29 to 31 details or gives more amplification concerning this coming here it's just introduced in verse 27 as a corrective it's a corrective don't go looking in the wilderness and don't go looking in the inner rooms because as the Lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west so also will the coming of the Son of man be Gill explains it this way and i'll try and tease this out in just a moment he says but it is coming in his wrath and vengeance to destroy that people their nation city and temple so that after this to look for the Messiah in a desert or a secret chamber must argue great stupidity and blindness when his coming us was as sudden visible powerful in general to the rest of that nation as the lightning that comes from the east and in a moment shines to the west now let's just look at some passages to try and validate this is everybody with me you're in the desert you know you're in the chair your mouth is open shut it for a minute give it one of these and get ready to open up again because we got a few passage that we need to look at just to show and just to argue and demonstrate that verse 27 is not the second physical coming of our Lord it is the coming that will be further amplified expanded on and further explained in verses 29 to 31 but as I've said the function of verse 27 is a corrective the disciples are not to look in physical locations because his coming is a spiritual coming coming in judgment you can't find him in a desert you can't find him in an in her room because he's at the right hand of the Father and it's through those historical events that you know that he's at the right hand of the Father we get to that sign of the Son of Man it's in heaven it's in heaven and the sign is that through the destruction by the Roman armies this is an evidence that what Jesus says was true and that he was now in heaven executing the Vengeance of the Covenant upon these transgressors notice we got to remember the time indicator in verse 34 everything must take place in this generation so I forget that it's easily dismissed in the commentaries it's easily dismissed by people who have an alternate view of Matthew 24 but it's not easily dismissible either this generation means this generation or it doesn't and if it can be shown when we get to verse 34 that every time Matthew uses this generation he means the generation to whom Jesus is speaking then why would we import into Matthew 24 an alien meaning it's an evidence of our theology driving our exegesis where to let our exegesis drive our theology as well immediately in verse 29 whereas I argue further expands verse 27 it's immediately after the tribulation of those days two things in that verse connects us to the present context as I said most people jumped ship at this particular point verse 29 is well that can't mean what happened in 80 70 but there's too conspicuous points textually they connect us to the previous verses the word immediately notes that mark uses immediately a lot it's a favorite in Mark's Gospel Matthew doesn't use it nearly as Mark many times as Mark does and he suggests so that when Matthew uses immediately we really ought to understand him to be speaking of immediately and then he says those days what days here's where we're asked to suppose that those days of verse 29 means something in our future completely devoid of what we've already been discussing in terms of those days in verses 15 to 20 there's just again no textual evidence to drive that interpretation the back to 27 note the parallel passage in Luke 17 you thought I was going to say Luke 21 didn't you but it's luke 17 that parallels this section of the Olivet discourse verse 20 in Luke 17 now when he was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come he answered them and said the kingdom of God does not come with observation do you mean they're not visible it's not public not going to wake up on a you know Monday morning and you know drive down to the middle of chilliwack and look up on top of Mount Shannon and there's the kingdom of God it doesn't come with observation it's not a visible public thing let me just ask you if the kingdom of God can come in a non-visible non observable manner can't the King come likewise can't the King duplicate that pattern and calm as well without us being able to say hey there's Jesus on the top of Mount sham notice the kingdom of God does not come with observation nor will they say see hear or see therefore indeed the kingdom of God is within you I mean the commentators say it's spiritual in nature it's a it's among you it's it's that spiritual reign of the Lord Christ at the right hand of god most high we are inhabitants of the kingdom of God doesn't mean we go to a play each day does it does mean there's a moat around our kingdom but there is a kingdom that is among us or a kingdom that is within us isn't that the case this is biblical s guitar biblical theology notice in verse 22 then he said to the ciples the days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man and you will not see it and they will say to you look here or look there do not go after them or follow them why for as the lightening that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven so also the son of man will be in his day he's the same language there now notice in verse 31 in that day again we ought to consider in that day being consistent with the day he's already spoken of in verse 24 the day of the Son of Man in that day he was on the housetop and his goods are in the house let him not go down or come down to take them away he gives the same instructions that we find there in 20 for 15 to 20 it's a parallel usage there that does bespeak this whole reality that the kingdom of God comes without a visible demonstration in terms of you know moats and and castles and all that sort of thing so can it not be the case that the son of man can come without being physically present he can't send representatives he can't send delegates he can't send ambassadors I submit that he does that every Lord's Day through the preaching of the gospel Christ is here brethren if you don't believe that you don't have a proper view of breaching what does Paul say to the Ephesians that Christ came and preached peace to you read the book of acts specifically acts 19 did Jesus go to Ephesus no but Paul did so that when Paul is accurately preaching the Word of God well Paul could say that Christ came and preached peace to you he can do things by way of representation he can do things by way of delegation an ambassadorship that's the benefit and blessing of being a king you've got cronies that do your bidding so just to see if the kingdom can come without visible observation so can the king consider the Lightning matter that we find utilized by Christ in Matthew 24 27 for as the Lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west so also will the coming of the Son of Man be the presence of lightning is indicative of God's majestic glory Exodus 19 Exodus chapter 20 what surrounds the Sinai event it's lightning demonstrating that this God is glorious but as well lightning is indicative of God's terrible judgment you can just cite these texts or write these texts down Psalm 1814 Psalm 80-78 48 and 49 Psalm 90 74 in Psalm 144 6 just a couple of examples that lightning is associated with the judgment of God what's Jesus speaking about Harry speaking about the judgment of God we ought to hear that we ought to understand the similarities and usage as well there's a similar metaphor employed by our Lord in Luke 10 you can turn there Luke chapter 10 a similar metaphor utilizing lightning in Luke chapter 10 notice in verse 18 well verse 17 the seventy return with joy saying Lord even the demons are subject to us in your name and he said to them I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven that mean there was this actual physical representative in a red suit in a red cape I don't mean to mock or sound silly but he's not suggesting that there was this physical apparition its judgment through the preaching of the Apostles through the proclamation of the truth through the salvation of sinners Colossians 1 was taking place he has conveyed us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the son of his love I saw Satan fall like lightning through the proclamation of the truth you see it's a similar metaphor that speaks there of Satan's fall but if Jesus coming in Matthew 24 look at a very strict parallel in Zechariah 9 Zechariah chapter 9 the specific burden here is the salvage nation of Israel and the Vengeance of God upon their enemies and note Zechariah chapter 9 verse 14 then the Lord will be seen over them and his era will go forth like lightning the Lord God will blow the trumpet and go with Worrell winds from the south now we're going to meet a trumpet in verse 31 of Matthew 24 we see the similarity there and his arrow will go forth like lightning you see that lightning associated with the judgment of God but what I read over very briefly and very much essential to c is for the very first part of verse then yahweh notice will be seen over them how will your way be seen over them God his spirit he doesn't have a body like man he will be seen over them when he brings the judgment of God to bear upon his enemies they will see him they will know he's there they will observe through the historical phenomena the reality that Yahweh is with them did you see the similarities Jesus is doing no new thing in the Olivet discourse he stands on the shoulders of the prophets who have gone before him to execute the same judgment on the same covenant breakers of the same covenant it is consistent brethren to understand that this is what's going on back to Matthew 24 27 non preterist that means people that do not understand it the way I see it argue for a spiritual application of verse 27 John Calvin sees it as the light of the lightning is the spread of the gospel Matthew Henry sees it as Christ shutting up his spiritual Kingdom in the world no doubt dependent on Luke 70 the plate is brethren that every time the Bible says that Jesus is coming it doesn't necessarily mean the second physical coming and glory to consummate all things here it is conditioned by the context and the context is one of judgment that began in chapter 21 and has now come to prophetic explain explanation in chapter 24 this is no new thing this isn't something to go wow I can't understand this it makes perfect sense of the entirety of the context that we have been dealing with do not look for physical Christ's and physical locations because the coming in view is a judgment gunning orchestrated by the son of man who will be enthroned at the right hand of God where he must reign until all of his enemies are made his footstool lightning highlights his suddenness and its conspicuous ness Lords don't look at that guy that's in the desert or in the inner room but rather when the Son of Man comes you're gonna miss it there's any question you're not going to go home and say honey you know I met this guy is in the desert and i met this guy is in our own he might be the Christ now you're not going to miss this it's going to be conspicuous well those Roman army sacked the city in accordance with what Jesus has spoken here what do you think the first thought was in 80 70 when the people saw their City and their temple fall we shall listen to Jesus again we forget that there was a real live historical context where persons died and where they suffered and whether it was horrendous tribulation and trial the Brethren just imagine if you were one of those who fled you'd probably say I'm glad we listened to him wouldn't you I think I would I'm glad we listened I'm glad that our five year old is going to get to go to college I'm glad that we get to continue our loving relationship I'm glad this wasn't an age of wars it's an agent I mean we have said you know unspeakable blessing here in North America unspeakable blessing we're not getting shelled we're not getting shot we're not seeing Armie surround chilliwack or abbotsford we're just not seeing that but in the first century civil wars in Rome civil wars in Jerusalem wars up when you listen to Jesus and escape the city and escape the siege and your fleshly spirit you probably thought praise God that the Messiah told us how to leave maybe this is what David is alluding to in Psalm 103 who redeems all your life from its destruction oh it's only spiritual David yeah but he saved me out of some pretty hairy situations where I coulda lost my life in that you redeem my life from destruction Jesus redeemed them from destruction by the prophetic word here and then notice finally that's not a preacher's finally it's a real finally but we knew do need to look at verse 48 this is the reason for his coming I don't think it just reads States verse 27 I don't think it's just parallel to verse 27 I think the for that begins the verse and the New King James captures the argument for as the Lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west so also will the coming of the Son of Man be for wherever the carcass is there the Eagles will be gathered together now that's a bit of the cryptic saying isn't dead that's a tough one that's a that's a real melon scratcher what do we do with for wherever the carcass is there the Eagles will be gathered together well interpreters do a lot with it some say the coming of the Son of Man will be as public and obvious as Eagle circling over carrion in other words when you see Eagles circling over carrion that's an obvious thing and the coming of the Son of Man will be like that others suggest that when life abandons a body the vultures of the Eagles descend on it when the world has become rotten the Son of Man will come it's pretty common today the world so wicked Jesus must be coming back no I don't dispute that but I don't think that's what this means as well some suggest that Christ is the carcass and believers gather to him it's a really interesting version or a very interesting take on the passage others suggest it speaks to that eschatological feast where the bodies of the wicked are devoured Ezekiel 39 and revelation 19 again I think the simplest answer is often times the correct one for where the carcass is there the Eagles will be gathered together it's not a parallel to verse 27 it's not saying the same thing but its explanatory telling us something new it's giving us a further shade of information no quickly job 39 just to see the idiom used then just to show that Jesus is doing no new thing in terms of the use of biblical language think if you get Jesus use of biblical language it will help to solve the supposed mystery of Matthew 24 but notice in job 3927 does the eagle mount up at your command and make its nest on high on the rocket dwells and resides on the crag of the rock and the stronghold from there it spies out the prey its eyes observe from afar its young ones suck up blood and where the slain are there it is the conventions used in Ezekiel 39 as I've already said you can turn their zekiel 39 some take this as the eschatological feast when the enemies of God are ultimately devoured by birds they would parallel this with revelation 19 I certainly would too but I would have a different application of Revelation 19 but notice in Ezekiel 39 17 and as for you son a man thus says the Lord God speak to every sort of bird into every beast of the field assemble yourselves and come gathered together from all sides to my sacrificial meal which I am sacrificing for you a great sacrificial meal on the mountains of Israel that you may eat flesh and drank blood that's to every bird that's what they're supposed to do now no tabac 'ok chapter 1 a back accuses the same convention but i think in a way that is more similar to its usage here in Matthew 24 notice in a vaca copter one this is the context of Babylon judging Judah to contact similar to Matthew 24 Rome judging Judah just look at verse 5 in a packet one look among the nations and watch be utterly astounded fry will work and work in your days which you would not believe though it were told you where I am for indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans some of you may have objected to my use of that language that Christ at the right hand of the throne of God sends the Roman armies that might violate somebody's conception of gentle Jesus meek and mild gentle Jesus meek and mild at the right hand of God most high must reign till his enemies are made his footstool not all of his enemies were made his footstool through conversion some of them are dashed to pieces like a Potter's vessel it's Christ who sovereign over that catastrophe in 80 70 and here specifically God says verse 6 I am raising up the Chaldeans that's the Babylonians God's raising them up did you see that it's not a rabbit out of a hat this is what the Bible says God raises up the Chaldeans he calls them a bitter and hasty nation which marches through the breadth of the earth to possess dwelling places that are not there is there terrible and dreadful their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves their horses are also swifter than leopards and more fierce than evening wolves their chargers charge ahead their Calvary comes from afar they fly as the eagle that hastens to eat so in this particular context in Matthew 24 Jesus use a popular biblical idiom to speak concerning judgment and like unto Habakkuk one I argue that what's in view here are the N sins of the Roman armies as they enter into the city as they enter into the temple it is those Eagles that devour the carcass it is those Eagles that devour the dead body now Gil and Spurgeon actually both see it this way not actually Spurgeon takes a different position when we get to verse 29 but here I think he's consistent not that he needs me to say he's consistent but Gil says here the Roman armies are intended who's n sins were Eagles Spurgeon says Judaism had become a carcass dead and corrupt fit pray for the vultures or carrion heights of Rome turn to Psalm 78 for just a moment they're sold Psalm 74 I said that was a finally I just didn't say how long of a finally it was but really we're coming close Psalm 74 it's a contemplation of asaph probably with reference to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians though Gil says there was a handful of Jewish interpreters that place the application of psalm 74 to 80 70 but look it oh god why have you cast us off forever verse 1 why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture remember your congregation which you have purchased of old the tribe of your inheritance which you have redeemed this mountain Zion where you have dwelt lift up your feet to the perpetual desolations the enemy has damaged everything in the sanctuary your enemies war in the midst of your meeting place they set up their banners for signs imagine if an invading army came to chilliwack and their soldiers came into our church building and they were flying a flag it was an abomination that was repulsive that was blasphemous we would be utterly destitute we would be utterly grieved that they would bring that filth into this holy place that's what the psalmist is saying that's what christ is saying in Matthew 24 but I think the answer is even more conspicuous it's not only the Roman armies it's not only their incense it's not only the reality that they have come under the hand of Christ to bring judgment to bear but what's one thing I have constantly tried to emphasize throughout our exposition what Israel faces here is a result of their having violated God's covenant I spent time on a particular Sunday going through passages in Leviticus 26 in Deuteronomy 28 those were sections dealing with the curses of the Covenant if you go into land you do what you're supposed to do there will be blessing you go into the land you don't do what you're supposed to do there will be cursing note Deuteronomy 28 Deuteronomy chapter 28 perhaps our Lord in Matthew 24 28 is alluding to this he says wherever the carcass is there the Eagles will be gathered together look at the Covenant curse specifically in Deuteronomy 28 at verse 25 Yahweh will cause you to be too feated before your enemies you should go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them and you shall become troublesome to all the kingdoms of the earth your carcasses shall be food for all the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth and no one shall frighten them away don't look for false Christ's in the wilderness don't look for false Christ's in the inner rooms because the true Christ is at the right hand of God most high and he is pouring out that the Vengeance of the Covenant upon those who transgressed this isn't a new thing it should not have surprised anybody it had been conspicuous in the book of Deuteronomy it had been prosecuted already in the northern kingdoms in the eighth century BC the southern kingdoms in the sixth century BC and now here for the last time because Jesus says upon you all the guilt all the bloodshed from able to Zechariah will be required at your hands they rejected the prophet of prophets they rejected the Lord of glory they rejected the Christ that was sent by the vineyard owner they they they refused to bow to the Sun they ultimately say away with him away with him crucify him so verses 27 and 28 or the rationale as to why they ought not to pursue these false Christ for the coming of the real Christ is going to be conspicuous lisanna be visible are physical it will be visible through the events that transpire just as when Yahweh comes and he uses his lightning as a sort of of judgment and you will see Yahweh is what Zechariah says the Brethren we've gone from Dan to Beersheba just a couple of quick thoughts and then we go first we ought to appreciate the preserving effect of the elect of God verse 22 unless those days were shortened no flesh would be saved but for the steal X sake those days will be shortened Spurgeon makes this observation he says those who have been hated and persecuted by their own countrymen became the means of preserving them from absolute annihilation thus has it often been since those days and for the sake of his alack the Lord has withheld many judgments and shortened others the ungodly o to the godly more than they know or would care to own in other words we have a preservative effect upon society Jesus tells us where the salt of the earth brethren let's live like the salt of the earth let's function like the salt of the earth remember that when the the angel comes or God says to Abraham I'm going to destroy Sodom what does Abraham say well there's righteous people in the city will you spare them yeah you give me some righteous and I'll spare that there was no righteous and so the city was destroyed let's not be those kinds of Christians let's actually exercise a preserving effect upon society not because we're the the biggest social justice warriors are because we stand on the street corner saying you know we're believers and we're great and we're preserve chess be faithful be consistent be the guy who works hard be the lady works hard be the person who does what they're supposed to do without whining and grumbling and complaining pray for political leaders pray that the Lord saves them we live in a climate in an era in a particular particular time where we complain a whole lot more than we pray for that brethren you may not like these particular people but God can save these particular people pray for them be the biggest complainer are you one of the people that just do what they're supposed to do exercise that preserving effect upon society again some tea people get this well I've got to change my life I get a radically alter I got to sell my house at a shave my head I'm going to live on now just be faithful where God's planted you that's always the answer be faithful where God's planted you be faithful is a man faithful as a woman faithful as a child faithful as a parent faithful to do what you're supposed to do be a preservative in society secondly the nature of his coming I've explained it as a spiritual coming some will object while the disciples would have understood it this way when people say well that's not how they would have understood it I don't know specifically what they would have understood but I have in rebuttal this thought I think they would have understood it exactly the way I'm explaining it think about it the disciples at this point we're still struggling with the concept of his death they were still struggling with the concept of his resurrection they according to acts 1 were still struggling with the concept of his ascension and his second coming what are the Angels tell the disciples in acts 1 the way you've seen him go is the way he will come again I don't think they had a fully developed 21st century and times eschatology that mimics hours what were they more in tune with they were more in tune with these Old Testament passages where Israel saw your way through historical means they were more in tune with this Old Testament passages like Isaiah 19 when Yahweh rides on a cloud into Egypt that would be more akin to their expectation then would be the the mindset that many in the 21st century have in terms of his second coming I believe that's precisely how they would have understood it and then argue in terms of the day itself we have noted this is Tuesday night when he sits on the Mount of Olives and he gives this prophecy what happened on Tuesday on Tuesday they saw him cursed the fig tree and say that no fruit would ever grow from it again that was Israel on Tuesday they heard him tell the parable of the of the vineyard on the the Pharisees rightly interpreted he's going to destroy those miserable wretches and take their vineyard away from that they heard that it would hurt the parable of the wedding feast in in Matthew 22 7 when the master the father of the the one getting married is angry and sends armies to destroy the city it would still be ringing in their ears his pronouncement at the end of Matthew 23 after a long series of condemning was upon them he says upon you you there is vengeance coming they would have heard him say in 2338 behold I say to you your house your temple is left to you desolate in the beginning of this particular prophecy they heard him say that all these things would be following all these things would fall how would they have not understood it this way to speak to the temple and with reference to their Old Testament background of coming or judgment comings of Yahweh against the enemies of Israel and even against Israel at times that's what would resonate in their minds they wouldn't have had the vision that we have they would have had the Old Testament and the Old Testament would sufficiently explain to them how it would be that the son of man would come as I said it will be fleshed out expanded on amplified coming God willing next week and just by way of conclusion take Jesus lessons to heart there are times you not to believe there are times you're not to believe notice that the presence of signs and wonders do not automatically guarantee the presence of the true Christ Jesus does not deny that these false claimants to the messianic office do signs and wonders notice he doesn't say don't believe them because it's smoke and mirrors they're like those magicians that go before and they said he doesn't say that he says they'll deceive if possible even the elect through their signs and wonders the brethren get that in your head the presence of signs and wonders do not automatically confirm the presence of the true Christ not all that glitters is gold just because something is a sign and wonder doesn't necessarily mean that Jesus is behind it directly I mean obviously comprehensively solving all of that but those magicians were able to duplicate some of those plagues sweets as in credulity is sometimes come disciples one would wish that this modern age of disciples would follow this advice incredulity being suspicious being of aburian spirit examining daily what the scriptures say to make sure that Paul really was accurate Carson says empty-headed credulity is as great an enemy of true faith as chronic skepticism and then I've already quoted Spurgeon it is a grand thing to have such faith in Christ that you have none to spare for Impostors brethren I pray that these things will at least help you to understand the position you may continue to disagree with but I do believe that this is what the Spirit has intended in terms of our understanding it's not a matter of Orthodoxy in terms of if you don't subscribe to this interpretation your hellbound know if you're believer in Jesus Christ you're having bound even if you get Matthew 24 wrong your heaven bound because of what Christ is accomplished and if you're not a believer and you've got the best explanation a Matthew 24 that's out there you're hellbound the answer is not do i rightly understand Matthew 24 the answer is do I know Jesus Christ as my Lord and as my god will let us close in prayer father we thank you for the word of God we thank you for your graciousness to us and I pray that all these things would indeed be helpful that we would see how scripture does interpret scripture how we would see that so much of what Jesus says in this discourse of stuff that has been said before and I pray that you would go with us now that you would watch over us and that you'd bring us back together tonight that we may worship you in spirit and in truth and we pray these things through Christ Jesus our Lord amen we'll close with a brief time of meditation and then be dismissed you