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Please turn in your Bibles to 
Matthew chapter 16. Matthew 16, I'll pick up reading 
in verse 21. From that time, Jesus began to 
show to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer 
many things from the elders and the chief priests and scribes, 
and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took 
him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, Far be it from you, 
Lord! This shall not happen to you. 
But he turned and said to Peter, Get behind me, Satan! You are 
an offense to me. For you are not mindful of the 
things of God, but the things of men. Then Jesus said to his 
disciples, if anyone desires to come after me, let him deny 
himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever desires 
to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for 
my sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man 
if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what will 
a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will 
come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He 
will reward each according to his works. Assuredly, I say to 
you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death 
till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom. Amen." 
Well, let us pray. Our Father, we thank you for 
the written word and we pray now for the ministry of your 
Holy Spirit. We confess our sin, we confess our ignorance, we 
confess those things, Lord God, that would darken our understanding. 
We pray that you would thoroughly wash us in the blood of the Lord 
Jesus Christ. Cause us to receive with thanksgiving 
the Word of God. May it affect our minds and may 
it affect our hearts and may it affect the way that we conduct 
ourselves in this world. As we were reminded, it's grace 
alone through faith alone, but unto good works. Give us grace 
to apply these things in our own daily Christian lives. Help 
us as a local church to reflect your glory in a manner that is 
consistent with the Word of God. We thank you, Father, for saving 
us. We thank you for your love. We thank you for your mercy, 
your goodness, your kindness. We thank you for the current 
session of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is exalted, who is enthroned 
at the right hand of the Majesty on high, where he ever lives 
to make intercession for his people in his priestly ministry, 
but where he will come again in glory to judge the living 
and the dead. We ask our Father that each and everyone here this 
morning would be ready for that day, that each and everyone would 
know your saving mercies. God, you'd open hearts and cause 
the Spirit to do that work, cause them to believe on the Lord Jesus 
Christ that they may be saved. And for your people, God, strengthen 
and sanctify us and conform us more and more unto the image 
of your beloved Son. And we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Well, as we have seen, the Lord 
Jesus specifically deals with discipleship in verses 24 to 
26, on the wings, or on the heels rather, of His declaration about 
the necessity of Him. going to Jerusalem, dying and 
rising again. He then tells His disciples, 
this is what discipleship looks like. We are saved by grace through 
faith in the Lord Jesus, but those saved in such a manner 
take up their cross daily and they follow the Lord Christ. 
They deny themselves. It is not about them in this 
life. It is about Christ. It is about 
His gospel. He then asks those rhetorical 
questions in verse 26. What profit is it to a man if 
he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Of course, 
there is no profit. There is nothing that a man can 
give in exchange for his soul. Nothing is more precious to you 
than your own soul. And you need to consider these 
things. You need to understand these things. And then Jesus 
gives incentives to His disciples, specifically in terms of eschatology, 
or the doctrine of the end times. He indicates, according to my 
understanding, in verse 27, the second coming, when He will come 
in the glory of His Father to judge the living and the dead. 
And then in verse 28, there's an incentive given to His apostles 
specifically to encourage them. Verse 28, "...Assuredly, I say 
to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death 
till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." The presence, 
the arrival, the manifestation of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus 
Christ is that which most certainly encourages faithful discipleship. In other words, we take up our 
crosses daily, we follow the Lamb of God wherever He calls 
us to, because we know and are convinced that He is enthroned 
at the right hand of the Majesty of God Most High. We know and 
are convinced that when we have bore our cross successfully and 
effectively in this life, we will receive the crown of life 
that the Lord has promised, not only to Paul, 2 Timothy chapter 
4, but to all those who have loved is appearing." I indicated 
last week that I thought it would take some time to try and convince 
people that verse 28 deals with the destruction of Jerusalem 
in AD 70. I remain convinced that that is the proper interpretation. So this morning we're going to 
take up two broad considerations. First, the options of interpretation. We're going to look at a lot 
of text today. You're going to have to pay attention and track because 
I hope to lay out a case to show you that what is in view specifically 
is the destruction of Jerusalem. And we ought not to think, well 
that wasn't that big of an event. Obviously it was a huge event. 
But if we're right in our understanding that this is what Jesus is talking 
about, the destruction of the city of Jerusalem in AD 70 shows 
us the presence of Christ's kingdom. That's why it's huge, and why 
it's significant, and why it's big, and why we need to understand 
it. So first, the options in terms of interpretation, and 
then secondly, the specific event, the destruction of Jerusalem, 
I'll argue with seven particulars. But first, the options. Not everybody sees this as a 
text that refers to that destruction in AD 70. As far as I can tell, 
there's probably primarily four options. The first would be that 
it's a reference to the Mount of Transfiguration. That's what 
follows in chapter 17. Remember, Jesus takes Peter, 
James, and John up onto the Mount, and He reveals to them His glory. 
In fact, if you have the New King James Bible, this is certainly 
the mindset of the translators. If you'll notice, they insert 
a paragraph break And they put verse 28 with chapter 17. It's 
almost suggestive. It's interpretative. It's basically 
saying that what Jesus is talking about in verse 28 refers to this 
event at the Mount of Transfiguration. So probably the New King James 
translators, this reflects something of their convictions in terms 
of eschatology. So I've always tried to say, 
be careful when you come to your translations. The best of translations 
still have interpretative calls. there still are interpretative 
suggestions and it seems to indicate that this is the one that the 
translators of the New King James want you to take. Notice the 
language. There are some standing here 
who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming 
in his kingdom. Now that's an interesting turn 
of phrase and I think the event that we're looking for must be 
far enough away to say some. It must be far enough away to 
say Psalm, but it also must be near enough to say Psalm. He's not saying all of you apostles, 
he's not saying all of you twelve, he's not saying every single 
one of you are going to see the coming of the kingdom. Notice 
what we have in chapter 17. Now after six days, Jesus took 
Peter, James, and John, his brother. That doesn't satisfy this. Some, 
all of them would be alive, all of them would come to see the 
coming of the kingdom in this regard. Carson says, some who 
are standing here will not taste death before they see is an extraordinary 
way to refer to Peter, James, and John who witnessed the transfiguration 
a mere six days later. Again, the transfiguration isn't 
so much an evidence of the coming of the kingdom, but a revelation 
or a manifestation of the glory of the king. You see the flow 
of thought. In the call to discipleship, 
Jesus says you need to bear the cross and then you will receive 
the crown. Jesus has already indicated that 
He will bear the cross. In chapter 17, He manifests, 
gives them a preview, gives them a foreshadow or a foretaste of 
the glory that is His, the glory that awaits Him as the Messiah, 
as the Messianic King. Gil says that for that, at most, 
was but an emblem and pledge of his future glory. Chamlin 
says, nor is the event on the mountain depicted as a coming 
of Jesus to rule, it is instead a disclosure of his glory, foreshadowing 
his glorious return. Another option is that some see 
verse 28 as a reference to the second coming, the second physical 
coming when Jesus comes to judge the living and the dead. That 
doesn't make any sense in the context. Jesus is talking to 
the apostles. He says specifically, I say to 
you, amen, truly I say to you, there are some standing here 
who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming 
in his kingdom. All the apostles are dead. This 
cannot refer to the second coming. This cannot refer to that event 
in Acts chapter 1 when the disciples are gazing upon the ascended 
Christ and the angels say that you will see him return in glory. 
The idea here specifically is that there is going to be a coming 
of the kingdom that some of these men would see. Some see thirdly 
a reference to the resurrection. and coupled with that the day 
of Pentecost, the idea being that the coming of the kingdom 
of Christ is seen at his resurrection and at his Pentecost. Carson 
again says, the events were not far enough to warrant the phrasing, 
some standing here who will not taste death. We need an event 
that's far enough, but we need an event that's near enough. 
And that's the event that I argue is the destruction of Jerusalem 
in AD 70. So we'll move to that interpretation. I hope that you've heard of that. 
I'm assuming that everybody has heard that Jerusalem was destroyed 
in AD 70. I'm assuming at least if you've 
been here for any amount of time, you'll know that at least your 
elders interpret the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and in 
Luke 21 as pointing to that particular event. And I hope as we move 
through this material this morning, you will see the significance 
of it. It wasn't just another war. It wasn't just another instance 
of the Roman armies destroying a subject people, but rather 
it was covenantal in nature. It was transformational in nature 
in terms of Old Covenant to New Covenant. It's very interesting 
that Titus, not the epistle that Cam read this morning, but Titus, 
who would become a Roman emperor, he was the son of Vespasian. 
And Vespasian was the emperor at the time of the destruction 
of Jerusalem in AD 70. So his son Titus was the military 
leader, ultimately in charge of the troops that sacked the 
city of Jerusalem. He did such an effective job, 
but when people came and praised him for it, he deflected that 
praise and he said he was merely an agent of their god. It's interesting 
that Titus had an understanding in terms of the significance 
of this event more than modern Christians often have. So let's 
survey the evidence and see if indeed this is A.D. 70. The first 
observation is the sense it makes of the context. You ought to 
always look to make sense of a particular context. We ought 
to understand that the original hearers, the original learners, 
the original audience is crucial and helpful to understanding 
intention by the one speaking. The destruction of Jerusalem 
would occur about 40 years after the time that Jesus spoke this, 
about a generation. That fits the situation. He says, "...assuredly, I say 
to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death 
till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." What's 
the implication? Some shall taste death! Some will pass away. Some will enter the grave in 
that 40-year span. But there will be some who have 
not tasted death when they see the Son of Man coming in His 
kingdom. There would be apostles alive at the destruction of the 
city in AD 70. Spurgeon says it this way, he 
says, "...so near was that rain which would repay the losses 
of the saints for Christ's sake, that before certain of them were 
dead, the Lord would have held a rehearsal of it in His judgment 
of Israel." You see, Spurgeon says that this is a rehearsal, 
this is an evidence, this is foreshadowing, this is signifying. He goes on to say, "...by the 
siege and destruction of Jerusalem, and would have set up his kingdom, 
of which the judgment seat is an index and instrument." So 
the kingdom comes in its visible manifested glory in AD 70. It's typical and foreshadows 
that judgment to come that is in our future. So the argument 
is, is that if in fact Jesus did destroy the city of Jerusalem, 
and it wasn't Jesus directly, it was through the means of the 
Roman armies, the way that Yahweh would destroy nations via Babylon 
or via Assyria, then this highlights the reality, very practically, 
that you will stand before the Judgment Throne of Christ Most 
High. So don't just say, well this 
is a lesson in history, this has no bearing upon me today. 
Oh yes, it does. Most certainly it does. The fact 
that Christ prophesies, the fact that it comes true, indicates 
that when He speaks to His second coming to judge the living and 
the dead, that will certainly come true. You can't avoid it, 
you can't escape it, you cannot leave. Secondly, there's other 
passages in Matthew's Gospel that indicate this particular. Chapter 10 in verse 23, For those 
who were here in our exposition of Matthew 10 and verse 23, I 
argued that this was A.D. 70. 1023, when they persecute 
you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, 
you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the 
Son of Man comes. The idea coming in judgment against 
Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Turn to Matthew 24 for just 
a moment. I've already indicated this is 
the Olivet Discourse, and I believe that Jesus is speaking in detail 
here to that event of AD 70. Notice in verses 1 and 2, 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 you 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. What's Jesus talking about? He's 
talking about the temple that was then standing. He's talking 
about the temple that was right before their eyes. The one that 
they were looking at and saying, wow, isn't this beautiful? Jesus 
assures them that this will be torn down. Now to have an idea 
of a rebuilt temple in a rebuilt city... is to read into the text 
of scripture. What we find is that Jesus answers 
the very specific questions posed to him by his disciples concerning 
that event. You see, 24 is in a larger context. The whole begins when Jesus enters 
into Jerusalem. He enters Jerusalem in chapter 
21, verses 1 to 11 triumphantly. He comes according to Zechariah's 
prophecy. He comes with people praising. 
He comes with people adoring. He comes with the shouts of Hosanna. What does Jesus do when he sees 
the city of Jerusalem? He cleanses the temple. It's 
an act of judgment, it's a symbolic reference to the reality that 
things are not well here in this particular city. He then curses 
the fig tree according to chapter 21, verses 18 to 19. He says, 
let no fig, or let no fruit rather, grow on you ever again. Let no 
fruit grow on you ever again." And then there's a series of 
disputes and arguments. He disputes with the chief priests 
and elders over his authority. There's parables of condemnation. 
A lot of them, or at least one of them, having their taproots 
in Isaiah chapter 5. He disputes then with Pharisees, 
with Sadducees, with scribes. He poses a question concerning 
Messiah at the end of chapter 22. He says, who is Messiah? Is He David's son? They can't 
answer Him. And then on the heels of that, 
in Matthew 23, He pronounces woes upon the scribes and the 
Pharisees. He condemns them. He is outspoken. And at the very end, He says 
that judgment is coming upon this generation. And then He 
speaks in Matthew 24. And there's like brackets set 
around this Olivet Discourse. Look at it, Matthew 23 and verse 
34. Jesus says, "...therefore indeed 
I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you 
will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your 
synagogues and persecute from city to city, that on you may 
come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood 
of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, 
whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Assuredly, 
I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation." 
Turn over to 24. At verse 34, after the Olivet 
Discourse, he says, I'm sure that you've read Matthew 
24 before and you'll say some of that language doesn't seem 
to indicate the coming of judgment of Jesus in AD 70. Especially 
when it says that he's coming on the clouds. So I hope to show 
us when we get to Matthew 24, this is Old Testament language. 
Jehovah rode upon a cloud to bring judgment upon Egypt. God 
uses nations to bring judgment upon Israel in the Old Testament. Why is it so out of the mind 
that Jesus does the very same thing as the enthroned God-man 
sitting at the right hand of the majesty on high over his 
kingdom? So those are some other passages 
in Matthew's Gospel. 10, 24, and then 26, 59 to 64. The Lord Jesus standing before 
the high priest invokes or uses that same sort of language of 
coming in the clouds, the language that Pastor Cam read. at the 
outset of worship from Daniel chapter 7, before the high priest 
in verse 64 and 26, Jesus said to him, it is as you said, nevertheless 
I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at 
the right hand of the power and coming on the clouds of heaven, 
specifically to judge Jerusalem, to judge Israel for their violation 
of God's holy covenant. A third line of evidence are 
other passages in the New Testament. other passages in the New Testament. 
Turn to Luke 19 for just a moment. Luke chapter 19. So we've seen 
the sense it makes out of the context, the other passages in 
Matthew's Gospel. Thirdly, other passages in the 
New Testament. I suspect we'll have cause to 
reflect on more when we get to Matthew 24, just giving you some 
sort of main passages at this particular time. Notice in Luke 
19 at verse 41. Now as he drew near, he saw the 
city and wept over it, saying, If you had known, even you, especially 
in this your day, the things that make for your peace, but 
now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon 
you when your enemies will build an embankment around you surround 
you and close you in on every side, and level you and your 
children within you to the ground. And they will not leave in you 
one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of 
your visitation." He then cleanses the temple. This is an act of 
judgment, a foretaste, a foreshadowing. The Lord Jesus tells them what 
is going to be their lot. Notice the parallel to the Olivet 
Discourse in Luke 21, specifically verses 20 to 24. Luke 21, 20. But when you see Jerusalem surrounded 
by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let 
those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. You see, this 
is a localized judgment. This isn't the second coming 
of the Lord Jesus. There's no place to hide. There's 
no fleeing to the mountains of Judea when Jesus comes again 
in glory to judge the living and the dead. This is localized. This is specific. This has reference 
to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Then let those who 
are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst 
of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter 
her. For these are the days of vengeance. Remember that phrase 
for a little bit later. These are the days of vengeance 
that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe to 
those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies 
in those days." I don't think Jesus means that universally. 
When you tell the church, I'm pregnant, Jesus doesn't say from 
heaven, woe to you who are pregnant and nursing babies. has to do 
with a localized judgment. Pray that your flight may not 
be on the Sabbath. There's no flight when Jesus comes again 
in glory. There's no flight. It doesn't 
matter if you're pregnant, or you're nursing, or you're not 
pregnant, or you're not nursing. But if you have to escape the 
city of Jerusalem because Titus and his armies are descending 
upon it, I suspect it would be harder to do that when you've 
got an eight-month-old baby in your womb. And you've got to 
sort of waddle out of town. It's localized, it's specific. 
Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing 
babies in those days. Now I understand some say Luke 
21 certainly is the destruction of Jerusalem, but Matthew isn't 
all destruction of Jerusalem. I hope to show you in Matthew 
24 they are parallel through and through. For there will be 
great distress in the land and wrath upon this people, and they 
will fall by the edge of the sword and be led away captive 
into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled 
by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled." 
Turn over to the book of Acts, Acts chapter 2. Acts chapter 
2, language that is often interpreted as the end of the world sort 
of language isn't always that way in the Bible. In fact, in 
the Bible, in the Old Testament, you see that falling stars oftentimes 
symbolize falling nations. You see these references to cosmic 
phenomena in descriptions through the prophets concerning the fall 
and the rise of nations. And that is what we find elsewhere 
in the New Testament Scriptures. Look at chapter 2. Peter's preaching 
on the day of Pentecost and he says in verse 19, I will show 
wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath. blood and 
fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into 
darkness and the moon into blood before the coming of the great 
and awesome day of the Lord." You see, we immediately assume 
that must mean the end of days. It's the end. of the Jewish nation, 
was the end of a covenantal situation. Listen to how the Puritan John 
Owen describes verses 19 and 20 here. He says, "...the things 
here spoken of were those signs, prodigies, and judgments which 
God showed unto and exercised the people of the Jews withal 
before the destruction of Jerusalem, even those foretold by our Lord 
Jesus Christ in Matthew 24. And they were all wrought during 
the time that they enjoyed the dispensation of the gospel before 
described. In Acts 6, why is Stephen looked 
at suspiciously? Because he spoke about the end 
of the temple. Look at 1 Thessalonians 2, where 
the apostle highlights this reality as well. It's interesting. Jeremiah 
spoke against the temple. He was held in contempt. Jesus 
Christ spoke about the temple. He was held in contempt. Stephen 
spoke against the temple. He was held in contempt. You 
see, for the Israelites, for the Jewish nation, the temple 
signified the presence of God They couldn't conceive of it 
being gone. They couldn't conceive of it 
being stripped from them. They couldn't conceive of a reality 
when that would not be true of them. This was their national 
emblem. This was their identification 
as the people of God. This was everything to them. 
And again, we'll show that hopefully in just a few moments. But notice 
in 1 Thessalonians 2, beginning in verse 13. For this reason, we also thank 
God without ceasing, because when you receive the Word of 
God, which you heard from us, you welcomed it, not as the Word 
of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God." Isn't that 
beautiful? That's a sideline note. That's the way we ought 
to receive the Word of God. The Bible is faithfully preached. 
It's the Word of God. That's why the Helvetic Confession 
says that in the preaching of the Word of God, we have the 
Word of God. We need to receive it as such." 
Notice, "...which also effectively works in you who believe. For 
you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which 
are in Judea in Christ Jesus." Okay, Judea, just in case you've 
forgotten your geography, is the region where Jerusalem is. 
For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, 
just as they did from the Judeans, who killed both the Lord Jesus 
and their own prophets, and have persecuted us. And they do not 
please God, and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to 
speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to 
fill up the measure of their sins, but wrath has come upon 
them to the uttermost. What's Paul speaking of? The 
destruction of Jerusalem that is coming. Jonathan Edwards interprets 
this way, if we take it as a national punishment, a little after the 
time when the epistle was written, wrath came upon the nation of 
the Jews to the uttermost, in their terrible destruction by 
the Romans, when, as Christ said, was great tribulations, such 
as never was since the beginning of the world to that time. Now, 
some would argue that the interpretation that I am offering here sounds 
anti-Semitic. Sounds like it's anti-Jewish 
people. No, the disciples, the apostles, 
were Jews themselves. They were believers. Remember, 
though, the particular nation of Israel had been God's covenant 
people. And so when God sends His Son 
to live, to die, to rise again, and He is opposed that ultimately 
God brings judgment to bear upon those covenant breakers and he 
transfers the kingdom to the church of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's not anti-semitism, it's 
biblical theology. Fourthly, you know those men 
who say that verse 28 is a reference to Jesus' resurrection and perhaps 
the day of Pentecost, they're not far from the truth. You see, 
Jesus doesn't reign at the right hand of the Father. being the 
sovereign over this judgment that occurs in the destruction 
of Jerusalem in AD 70. He doesn't do that in a vacuum. 
It is closely associated with the events of his life. He lives, 
he dies, he rises again. He ascends on high. He is exalted 
to the right hand of God Most High and from thence he pours 
out his spirit upon the church. Christ rules and reigns at the 
right hand of the Father. John Gill indicates that there 
is this close connection of things in view here. He says, concerning 
chapter 16 and verse 28 in Matthew's gospel, "...rather of the appearance 
of his kingdom and greater glory and power upon his resurrection 
from the dead and his ascension to heaven when the Spirit was 
poured down in an extraordinary manner and the gospel was preached 
all over the world was confirmed by signs and wonders and made 
effectual to the conversion and salvation of many souls which 
many then present lived to see and were concerned in though 
it seems chiefly to have regard to his coming to show his regal 
power and authority in the destruction of the Jews when those his enemies 
that would not he should reign over them were ordered to be 
brought and slain before him and this the apostle John for 
one lived to be a witness of. So Gill argues verse 28 is A.D. 70, but he sees it as the culmination 
of the ascension, the pouring out of the Spirit, the manifestation 
of gospel blessing and grace, the furtherance of the church, 
and then the destruction of the enemies. And even this has to 
be argued today. We're so namby-pamby today. Oh, 
that doesn't seem legit, to rejoice over the destruction of one's 
enemies. Don't you know you need to be fair to everyone? Don't 
you know you need to love everyone? Don't you know you ought not 
to rejoice in the calamity of those who oppose God and His 
Christ? That's not Bible. That may be 
American, it may be Canadian, it may be political correct speak. But Paul is able to say, it is 
right with God to afflict those who afflict you. We'll see why 
judgment is a manifestation of the reign and the rule of Christ 
in just a few moments. A fifth line of argument. is the Old Testament prophecy 
concerning the destruction of Jerusalem. Old Testament prophecy 
concerning the destruction of Jerusalem. Go back to Deuteronomy 
28. I would actually argue that it 
is this particular interpretation that protects the church from 
anti-Semitism. It is this line of interpretation 
that protects the church from anti-Semitism. You see, when 
we understand the curses of Deuteronomy 28, and we understand the significance 
of AD 70, that subsequent to AD 70, the Jews entered into 
the rank and file of every other people group. so that when horrific 
events occur in history, Allah, the Holocaust, no one can say, 
well, this is the judgment of God upon those people for crucifying 
the Lord. That's not accurate. It's terrible. The judgment of God befell this 
generation, the ones to whom Jesus spoke. It befell those 
who cried out to Caesar himself, let his blood be upon us and 
our children. That was rendered in AD 70. Subsequent to AD 70, the Jews 
are like everyone else. It's anti-Semitism to see a rebuilt 
temple and the destruction of millions and millions of Jews. It's done. Edwards notes the 
connection, the tribulation that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24. 
It's not a future calamity for the Jewish people. It's a past 
judgment upon covenant breaking. Jews are to be told to believe 
on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved. Believe on 
Christ and turn from your sins and know the joy of everlasting 
life. Not doing anyone any favors by 
prolonging that wrath of God upon a nation or a people that 
were not directly connected with what happened in the first century. 
You can't blame the Holocaust on what happened in the first 
century. It's what happened in the mind of a nut, sinful, wretched 
man. You see, Deuteronomy 28 prescribes 
what will happen to Israel when they break covenant. What's going 
to happen to Israel when they break covenant? Deuteronomy 28 
specifically in verses 49 to 57 talk about judgment. Meredith Klein makes this perceptive 
observation. He says Old Testament history 
witnessed successive executions of this curse. Just think back 
for a moment to your Old Testament history. You say, well, I don't 
know any Old Testament history. Then show up on Wednesday night, 
because we're studying 1 Samuel, and that's in the Old Testament. Seriously, brethren, if you're 
defective in your Old Testament understanding, I'm committed 
until Jesus comes back or takes me home. We're going to keep 
going. 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles. So those first nine chapters 
of 1 Chronicles are going to be tough. A lot of genealogies. Those will be topical messages. 
We'll touch a few of the significant players. This is a way to enrich 
your Old Testament understanding. What's the church today deficient 
in? They don't understand the Old Testament. It's like having 
half a Bible, having half a book. You don't go to the store and 
buy half a book. As far as you're able, when somebody 
needs a Bible, give them a whole Bible. If you can't afford it, 
call me. I will drive, I will buy one, 
I will bring it to you. I'm not saying the New Testament 
alone is bad. The New Testament is glorious, 
but the New Testament concludes the Old Testament. So Meredith 
Klein makes this observation. Old Testament history witnessed 
successive executions of this curse. 8th century. What happened to the Northern 
Kingdom? The Assyrians came and destroyed. Just like was promised 
in Deuteronomy 28. What happens in the 7th century? 
Judah has filled up the measure of the cup of wrath and God sends 
Babylon. He calls Nebuchadnezzar, my servant. Do you get that? He calls Nebuchadnezzar my servant 
because he's doing God's will in bringing destruction to bear 
upon Judah for their having violated the covenant of God. Klein then 
says, and it was finally exhausted in the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. So you see, in many respects, 
when you understand verse 28 with an A.D. 70 referent, you 
have conclusion. You don't have some future slaughter 
of ethnic Jews. I mean, that may happen. The 
world's a bad place. I certainly can't, you know, 
say that won't happen. But it won't be a direct act 
of covenantal judgment from God Most High. That took place in 
AD 70. Notice in Isaiah 61. I told you to remember that statement 
in Luke 21. Look at Isaiah 61. It's an amazing thing. We all 
interpret Isaiah 61 properly with reference to the first coming 
of our Lord Jesus Christ. But somehow we jump ship, at 
least in a very important clause. Probably because Jesus doesn't 
quote this particular clause when he's in the synagogue in 
Nazareth in Luke 4. Because we aren't aware of the 
Old Testament, we miss the whole point. Well, maybe not the whole 
point. That's hyperbole. Notice 61-1. The spirit of the Lord God is 
upon me because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings 
to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, 
to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison 
to those who are bound. We've heard that, haven't we? 
Luke 4, Jesus in Nazareth, this is what he opens, this is what 
he reads, this is what he expounds. We see other instances in the 
gospel records where this is all applied directly to the first 
coming of our Lord Jesus. Notice in verse 2, to proclaim 
the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our 
God. You see, The salvation and the 
redemption of God's elect necessarily implies the exclusion and the 
judgment of those who oppose. And it's the same language that 
Jesus utilizes in Luke's Gospel. Turn to Daniel chapter 9. Daniel 
chapter 9. I must confess, I think I understand 
Daniel 9, I just don't think I can explain it very well, so 
bear with me. I think the main point I hopefully 
can explain very well. You'll know that most interpreters, 
not everybody, but most interpreters take this 70 weeks prophecy concerning 
the Lord Jesus Christ. There's a lot of differences, 
and a lot of details, and a lot of differences in terms of The 
particulars, but if you'll notice specifically at verse 26, well 
let's look at verse 24. 70 weeks are determined for your 
people and for your holy city. This is what Jesus is going to 
do when he comes. This is what Jesus is going to accomplish 
to finish the transgressions. to make an end of sins, to make 
reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, 
to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy." 
Jesus does that in His first coming, doesn't He? Jesus accomplishes 
these things in His first coming. And then notice verse 25, "...know 
therefore and understand that from the going forth of the command 
to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince There 
shall be 7 weeks and 62 weeks. The streets shall be built again, 
and the wall, even in troublesome times." Now notice, and after 
the 62 weeks, this means it's the 70th week. You've got 7 weeks 
and then 62 weeks. Okay? You've got 70 weeks and 
62 weeks. That equals 9. So if the 7 weeks 
have occurred, and then the 62 weeks have occurred, that brings 
us up to the 70th week. Messiah shall be cut off, but 
not for himself, and the people of the Prince who is to come 
shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall 
be with a flood. Until the end of the war, desolations 
are determined. So in conjunction with the first 
coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, there is a reference to the city 
being destroyed and this word, desolation. This comes up in 
the Olivet Discourse. Jesus speaks of the abomination 
of desolation. Let the reader understand. Just 
as Daniel the prophet spoke. I personally am convinced that 
what this refers to is that destruction in AD 70 that comes consistently 
or contemporaneously with Jesus' other redemptive work. A sixth 
line of evidence is the theological commentary we find in Hebrews 
chapter 8. You can turn there. Hebrews chapter 
8. I sure hope you're not saying, 
man, I can't wait to get home to that pot roast or that soup. I hope at least, even if you 
disagree with me, you're learning something about a position you 
disagree with. It's always nice, isn't it? Tell your enemy. And 
let me just suggest, or tell you blatantly, if you take the 
verse 28 as a reference to the Mount of Transfiguration, praise 
God, I'm not against you, I'm not your foe. The majority of 
early church fathers interpreted it that way. If you see it as 
a reference to the resurrection of Christ, verse 28, You're not 
anathema! John Calvin held that particular 
position. You see, we're not going to part company on a difference 
of interpretation on this point. I just happen to believe it makes 
the most sense. I happen to believe that these 
lines of evidence are very compelling, and I think the significance 
of AD 70 is helpful to understand from a point of view of a biblical 
theological and a covenantal theological point of view. So 
the significance of the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. You know there have been 
those who have said, you know in A.D. 70 probably about 1.1 
million people died. It's a big body count. There's 
a lot of casualties in that war. But you know there's been wars 
where there's more in terms of death. There's been instances 
in history where people, more people than 1.1 million died. 
So unfortunately, in America, to the south of us, that many 
babies die in the womb every year through state-licensed murderers 
going in and destroying them. The significance of AD 70 isn't 
primarily in the number of casualties, but in the covenantal transformation 
that took place. As we've already argued, keep 
your finger there for a moment or listen to what I'm going to 
say in just a moment. In Malachi 3, there's an instance, 
or an illustration rather, of just how, I'm sorry, Micah 3, 
of how important the temple was to Israel. It was their identity. It was that which they connected 
to. As far as they were concerned, 
the temple there meant God there, right? You see this all the way 
back in 2 Samuel 4, prior to the temple, prior to the building 
of the temple under Solomon. In 2 Samuel 4, they worship at 
the tabernacle. What was crucial? What was central 
in the tabernacle? You say, Pastor Butler, you're 
asking a lot of questions. Again, show up on Wednesday night, 
because we have all the answers. No, I'm not saying that. 2 Samuel 
4, what was imperative or what was central in the tabernacle 
and then temple was the Ark of the Covenant. 2 Samuel 4, the 
children of Israel go out and they get beaten, battled by the 
Philistines. You know what they do? Get the Ark and bring it 
out with us, then certainly we'll win. They were using the Ark 
as a lucky charm. They treated it like a holy horseshoe, 
or a three-leaf clover, or a four-leaf, whichever is the lucky one. They 
figured, let's just trot out the Ark of the Covenant. That 
means God is with us, and certainly we will defeat Philistines. We'll 
be basking in the blood of the Philistines by nightfall if we 
just trot out the Ark. What happens? God communicates 
to Israel that he's not a holy horseshoe, he's not a three-leaf 
clover, he is not a rabbit's foot, he is the God of heaven 
and earth, and he is not manipulated by men like Baal would be. He lets the Philistines win the 
battle and capture the Ark. You see, they attach symbolism 
or significance to that piece of furniture. It's the same at 
the temple. Look at Malachi chapter 3, verse 
8. This is an indictment against 
the leader's wickedness in Micah's day. Micah says, I am full of 
power by the Spirit of the Lord, and of justice and might, to 
declare to Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin. Now hear 
this, you heads of the house of Jacob, and rulers of the house 
of Israel, who abhor justice, and who pervert all equity. who 
build up Zion with bloodshed, and Jerusalem with iniquity. 
Her heads judge for a bribe, her priests teach for pay, and 
her prophets divine for money. Now notice, yet they lean on 
Yahweh and say, is not the Lord among us? Is not God present? What do you think they're looking 
at when they're saying this? Probably the temple. I mean, 
I can't be absolutely sure of that, but that's significant 
to them. Micah says, this is how you function. This is the perversity by which 
you carry out your ethics. And you have the gall to lean 
on the Lord and say, is not the Lord among us? No harm can come 
upon us. Look at what Micah then says. 
Therefore, because of you, Zion shall be plowed like a field. 
Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins in the mountain of the 
temple, like the bare hills of the forest. What's Micah saying? 
That which you rely on is going to be taken from before your 
eyes. Interestingly enough, it's this verse that gets Jeremiah 
off the hook when he's in hot water for prophesying the destruction 
of the temple. About a hundred years later, 
Jeremiah says, the temple is going to fall. The Babylonians 
are going to come. And they're deliberating with one another 
about punishing him and judging him. And they say, wait a minute, 
didn't Micah say this? Micah said this and we didn't punish 
him. Micah said this and we didn't imprison him. That lasted for 
just a little while with Jeremiah because he ended up getting treated 
poorly. You see, it was a symbolic referent for Israel. And I think 
this is what we find in Hebrews 8. Notice in Hebrews 8, we have 
commentary, we have interpretation, we have theology. Now probably 
Hebrews was written prior to the destruction of Jerusalem 
in AD 70. So that means the sacrificial system was in place. That means 
the temple was still standing. In fact, I argue that's why Hebrews 
is written. Because first century Jewish 
believers were being pressured to turn from Christ and go back 
to Moses. They were being pressured to 
turn from Jesus and go back to the priestly sacrifices. This 
is why the author takes pains to set forth the superiority 
and the supremacy and the glory of our Lord Jesus. He is higher 
than the angels. He is higher than the prophets. 
He is higher than Joshua. He's higher than Moses. He's 
higher than the Aaronic priesthood. Therefore, the author says, do 
not abandon him, do not apostatize, do not leave him, and certainly 
do not go backwards in redemptive history and offer up your bolek 
at the temple. And in chapter 8 specifically, 
7 and 8, he's highlighting the superiority of the New Covenant. It's a better covenant, founded 
on better promises, that affords a better hope. And then notice 
what he says after having quoted Jeremiah the prophet who prophesied 
concerning the New Covenant era. In verse 13 he says, in that 
he says, a new covenant. He has made the first obsolete. So if there's a new covenant, 
what happens to the first or the old? It's made obsolete, 
isn't it? When does that happen? It happens 
at the cross. It happens decisively with the 
death and the resurrection of Jesus. The temple or the veil 
is rent asunder. Access to God is through Christ 
the Lord, the High Priest and Mediator of the New Covenant. 
In Matthew 26, 28, he says that I shed my blood for the remission 
for sins for many. So it was decisively dealt the 
death blow in terms of Old Covenant religion at the cross. But notice, 
there's still a temple. There's still sacrifice. There's 
still people getting up on Sabbath morning and going out in their 
garden and taking out an animal and trotting it over to the temple 
so that it's throat could be cut and so that sin could be 
atoned for. Look at what the author says in 8.13, in that 
he says, a new covenant, he has made the first obsolete. Now 
what is becoming obsolete and growing old? You see, insofar 
as the people of that day were concerned, the presence of the 
temple, the presence of the sacrificial system, the presence of the priesthood 
indicated that the Old Covenant was still in play! The tenses 
that the author employs here captures all of this beautifully. He has made decisively the first 
obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete 
and growing old? The old covenant structure, the 
visible manifestation of those things, the vestiges, the remains, 
look what he says, is ready to vanish away. When you see Jerusalem 
surrounded by armies, then know that our desolation is near. 
Listen to Gil on this passage. This covenant was of right abolished 
at the time of Christ's death. Upon his ascension the Spirit 
was given, and the gospel published among all nations, by which it 
more and more disappeared. And in fact it quite vanished 
away when the city and temple of Jerusalem were destroyed, 
which was in a little time after the writing of this epistle, 
so that the apostle with great propriety says it is ready to 
vanish away. Baruch Meoz is a Reformed Baptist 
pastor. He is retired now. He labored 
for many, many, many years in Israel. This is his comment on 
813. He says, indeed, at the time 
the letter to the Hebrews was being written, the former covenant 
was becoming obsolete, ready to disappear, because the inexorable 
process of history was, under the hand of God, leading to the 
destruction of the temple, and to a cessation of the temple 
ritual. So you see, in Psalm, Christ 
says, you will see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom. Yes, 
the death. Yes, the resurrection. Yes, the 
ascension on high. He is at the right hand of the 
Father where He rules and He reigns and He makes intercession 
for His people. But it is at that right hand 
of His Father that He also exercises judgment. He exercises justice. He brings punishment upon the 
enemies of the kingdom. And that brings us, seventhly, 
to consider the way in which judgment is a sign of the kingdom. 1 Samuel 2, verse 10. Hannah's prayer. She associates 
the reign of Yahweh with the destruction of adversaries. The 
adversaries of the Lord shall be broken in pieces. From heaven 
he will thunder against them. The Lord will judge the ends 
of the earth." You see, contrary to Canada, contrary to America, 
where everything has to be fair, everything has to be equal, and 
it's wrong to ever rejoice in the destruction of one's enemies, 
the Bible doesn't see things that way. The Bible says that 
the execution of God's judgment is a joy to the righteous. It 
is a joy to the righteous. Notice in 2 Samuel chapter 8, 
2 Samuel chapter 8, and this is 
just a smattering of passages. I don't know if that's the correct 
use of smattering. Perhaps Pastor Cam can correct 
me later. He seems to be drawn to unique 
words. Smattering sounds like it might 
just be up his alley. But notice in 2 Samuel chapter 
8, this is under David. David, in the context, has consolidated 
power. David, in the context, has brought 
the ark to Jerusalem. It is the religious capital. 
David, in the context, has set up his throne in Jerusalem. It is the political capital. 
Jerusalem is flourishing, Israel is flourishing under the rule 
and the reign of David. Look at this summary statement 
in 2 Samuel 8 at verse 15. So David reigned over all Israel 
and David administered judgment and justice to all his people. Not he handed out raisin cakes 
on the street. Judgment and justice is a sign 
that the king is on his throne. When you see the Son of Man coming 
in His kingdom, when you see the city destroyed, when you 
see the covenantal transformation take place, you'll know the Son 
of Man is at the right hand of God Most High. What does Solomon 
do when he takes the throne? How do you secure the throne? 
You execute the enemies of the throne. Matthew 21, Matthew 21, we just did a quick 
glance at this particular section. I mentioned that one of the parables 
had its tap roots in Isaiah the prophet chapter 5. Context is 
pretty much the same. Isaiah 5, Israel is in bad shape. Isaiah 5, the prophet speaks 
to them concerning the judgment of God. Isaiah 5, the prophet 
speaks to them concerning the judgment of God via a parable. He tells the parable of a vineyard. 
and of the vineyard owner, and of those who are not working 
in the vineyard the way they should. When you get to Matthew 
21 at verses 33 and following, Jesus is the prophet of God. 
Jesus is indicting the nation. Jesus is suing them in a covenant 
lawsuit. Jesus is exercising that prophetic 
ministry, doing what the prophets did before him. And notice, he 
tells the very same parable concerning the vineyard. He tells the same 
parable concerning the rebellion of those who were supposed to 
work it. Notice specifically in verse 35, this is the treatment 
that the people of God have received. The vinedressers took his servants, 
beat one, killed one, stoned another. Again, he sent other 
servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. 
Then last of all, he sent his son to them, saying, They will 
respect my son. But when the vinedressers saw 
the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir. Come, let us 
kill him and seize his inheritance. So they took him and cast him 
out of the vineyard and killed him." It doesn't take a brain 
surgeon to figure out who the vineyard owner is and who the 
son is. It's Jesus. It's the way that's going to 
happen. Therefore, verse 40, when the owner of the vineyard 
comes, what will he do to those vinedressers? It's interesting, 
these men got it. Many today miss it. They said 
to him, he will destroy those wicked men miserably. He didn't 
know they were speaking this of themselves. Actually, it says 
that. They understood what he was talking about. And lease 
his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits 
in their seasons. Jesus said to them, have you 
never read in the scriptures the stone which the builders 
rejected has become the chief cornerstone? This was the Lord's 
doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. Therefore, I say to 
you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to 
a nation bearing the fruits of it." It's covenantal transformation, 
not just casualty counts. And then Revelation 19. Now I 
really suspect that my interpretation of Revelation would send some 
of you right over the edge, but it's a legitimate option. I believe 
the bulk of Revelation is detailing what happened to Jerusalem in 
A.D. 70. It's interesting, in Matthew, 
Mark, and Luke, we all have the Olivet Discourse. And everybody 
calls it the Little Apocalypse. What does that mean when Matthew 
24 and Mark 13 and Luke 21 are called the Little Apocalypse 
in comparison with the Big Apocalypse, which is the book of Revelation? 
Well, let me tell you, if Matthew, Mark, and Luke and their Little 
Apocalypse are describing a particular event, doesn't it stand to follow 
that the Big Apocalypse is describing that event? And isn't it curious 
that there's no Olivet Discourse in the Gospel according to John? 
I know it's an argument from silence, But there's a long, 
detailed theological interpretation and commentary in the book of 
Revelation. not the point. Look at verse 
1 of chapter 19. After these things I heard a 
loud voice of a great multitude in heaven. This is the judgment 
upon the whore, or Babylon. This is the judgment of Babylon 
on the heels of this. After these things I heard a 
loud voice of a great multitude in heaven saying, Alleluia, salvation 
and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God. For 
true and righteous are his judgments, because he has judged the great 
harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornications, and he 
has avenged on her the blood of his servants shed by her." 
Which is something else that Jesus indicates with reference 
to the Olivet Discourse. Again they said, Alleluia! Her 
smoke rises up forever and ever, and the twenty-four elders and 
the four living creatures fell down, worshipped God, who sat 
on the throne, saying, Amen, Alleluia! Then a voice came from 
the throne, saying, Praise our God, all you His servants, and 
those who fear Him, both small and great. And I heard, as it 
were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters, 
and as the sound of mighty thundering, saying, Alleluia! For the Lord 
God omnipotent reigns! You see what judgment evidence 
is? That the judge is the king. When you see the Son of Man coming 
in His kingdom, that's what Jesus is encouraging the Apostles with 
in Matthew 16, 28. It must be an event that is far 
enough away that it would only be some who witness. It must 
be an event that is near enough to the time that some might be 
alive to witness. A.D. 70, specifically the destruction 
of Jerusalem, and that covenantal transforming act of God fits 
the bill perfectly in my estimation. So back to Matthew 16, we'll 
conclude with just a couple of thoughts from the overall section. 
The Christology of the section we have seen, not just verse 
28, but extending all the way back to 13, when they go into 
Caesarea Philippi, we see Christ in His person, verse 16, Christ 
in his work, verse 21 to 23. Christ as judge, verses 27 and 
28. Christ is the Son of God. Christ has royal authority. Christ is altogether lovely. Christ is chief among 10,000. 
Christ is far more excellent than you and I can ever even 
imagine. The Christ depicted in this brief section of Holy 
Scripture is glorious. He is worth bowing to. He is worth believing on. He is worth following. He is 
worth taking up the cross daily and pursuing after. This Christ 
is glorious, brethren. If you are a believer this morning 
in Jesus, you own Messiah. You own the Son of the Living 
God. You own the one who went to the cross on behalf of his 
people, the one who died on behalf of his people, the one who rose 
again the third day on behalf of his people, and the one who 
calls us to take up our crosses daily and to follow him, and 
the one who gives incentive, and the one who gives encouragement, 
and the one who tells his people that it's not in vain. The cross 
precedes the crown, but the crown most certainly and assuredly 
comes. Brethren, that's the take-home 
message from this particular section. Jesus is glorious. If you are not a believer here 
this morning, May I tell you the same thing? Jesus is glorious. He is the Christ. He is the Son 
of the Living God. He is the one that secures salvation. Not by purchasing it. Not by 
calling you to try a little bit harder. Not by being a motivational 
speaker to rev you up. but by bleeding to death, by 
suffering at the hands of godless men, by going to the point of 
dereliction when crying out, my God, my God, why hast thou 
forsaken me? Going into the grave and rising 
again the third day, appearing to his apostles for several weeks 
and then ascending on high where he led captivity captive and 
he gives gifts to men. This Christ is glorious and he 
is coming again to judge the living and the dead and understand 
that symbolic of his reign Identifiable with His kingship, consistent 
with His majesty, is the judgment of His enemies. Where will you 
stand on that day? Where will you stand on that 
day? Will it be safely found in Him? Will it be holding on for dear 
life by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone? 
Or will it be Among those whom the Lord Jesus Christ will slay, 
will execute, will bring judgment upon, and will cast out away 
from the presence of God, away from the good manifestation of 
God's glory and power, and cast them into everlasting fire." 
You see, those are the options today. There's no third place. There's no, you know, I've kind 
of heard this and I'm thinking about it. If you are not with 
me, Jesus says in Matthew 12 30, you are against me. You may 
not be out there hanging up vicious signs about how bad Jesus is 
and about how bad Christians are, but if you're not trusting 
in Him, if you've not believed the gospel, you might as well 
be out there. You might as well side with them now, because you 
will side with them on the Day of Judgment when they're banished 
from the presence of God Most High. It's a terrifying reality. It's a terrible reality, but 
it is biblical. Do a little research, see what 
happened in A.D. 70. Do a little research and 
see how that does foreshadow the judgment to come. But even 
before you Google it, let me just remind you of a passage 
that I know you're familiar with, that as I've said in the course 
of this message, I think applies to the events in A.D. 70. I looked when he opened the sixth 
seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became 
black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood, and 
the stars of heaven fell to the earth as a fig tree drops its 
late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded 
as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island 
was moved out of its place. Biblical imagery, figurative 
language, does not demand a literal interpretation of mountains falling 
into the sea. It's cosmic phenomena to describe 
events going on. but be that as it may." You may 
take a different interpretation in terms of the location of this 
judgment. This you cannot miss. Verse 15, and the kings of the 
earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty 
men, every slave and every free man, hit themselves in the caves 
and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and 
the rocks, fall on us. It's got to be a pretty severe 
and terrible judgment for you to call upon Mount Sham to fall 
on you. It's got to be a very terrible and severe judgment 
for you to ask boulders to crush you. Think about what he's saying. Think about the judgment to come. 
Think about what faces you in eternity. They hid themselves 
in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to 
the mountains and the rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the 
face of Him who sits on the throne, notice, and from the wrath of 
the Lamb. He comes, the glory of His Father, 
comes riding in clouds to bring judgment to bear upon covenant 
breakers. And that judgment is so terrible 
that those covenant breakers would rather be crushed by stones 
than face the wrath of the Lamb. If this is AD 70, it points forward 
to a reality that is in your future. For the great day of 
His wrath has come. and who is able to stand. Take that home with you, think 
through it, and ask yourself the question, am I able to stand 
on that great day when Jesus comes again to judge the living 
and the dead? Let us pray. Father, we thank 
you for your word, and we thank you for this section in Matthew's 
Gospel, and for what it tells us concerning Jesus in his person, 
in his work, and in his role as judge, and as king, and as 
ruler, and as the one who has absolute authority and power. 
I pray that everyone here would be ready for the day when he 
comes again to judge the living and the dead, that everyone would 
find safe refuge in the Lord Jesus Christ, that you would 
grant grace, grant faith, grant repentance, grant those things 
that are necessary so that sinners may close with you. May that 
kingdom of grace come. May sinners be transferred from 
the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of your 
love. And we pray these things through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen.