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Series Code: MAT
Program Code: MAT000004S
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00:01 Music...
00:22 Pastor Bohr: Shall we bow our heads for prayer? 00:24 "Father in heaven, we come before Your awesome throne 00:28 in the name of Jesus 00:30 and we come boldly because we do come in His name. 00:33 We ask that You would bless our study together 00:36 that we might learn and apply the lessons 00:40 that You have for us today. 00:41 We thank You for the promise of Your presence 00:44 and we claim that promise. 00:46 In the precious name of Jesus, amen. " 00:49 The title of our study today is: 00:53 The Abomination of Desolation in History. 00:57 If you remember, in our last presentation 01:00 we studied Matthew chapter 24 and verses 4 through 14 01:06 and, of course, it dealt with the historical application 01:11 of those verses to the destruction of Jerusalem 01:14 and the events that led up to that great event. 01:17 So, let's start by reviewing what we studied last time 01:22 from Matthew 24 verses 4 through verse 14 01:28 and I'm going to do this quickly 01:29 because we want to move on to speak about 01:32 the abomination of desolation that is referred to 01:37 in Matthew chapter 24 and verse 15. 01:40 So, here's the review. 01:41 First of all, Jesus stated that false Christs and prophets 01:46 would arise to deceive many. 01:48 We noticed that that happened 01:50 between the death of Christ 01:51 and the destruction of Jerusalem. 01:53 Then, there's a mention of disasters... 01:56 wars and rumors of wars... 01:57 nation against nation... 01:59 kingdom against kingdom... 02:00 pestilence... famine and earthquakes. 02:03 We notice that those things existed 02:07 between the death of Christ 02:08 and the destruction of Jerusalem as well 02:11 and then, the reason for these disasters 02:14 caused by Satan 02:15 was so that God's people would be blamed 02:18 and that's Matthew chapter 24 and verse 9. 02:22 God's people would be cast into tribulation 02:26 and many of them would be actually killed 02:29 and that happened between the death of Christ 02:32 and the destruction of Jerusalem. 02:34 Then we are told that many would be offended 02:37 when that persecution came. 02:38 Absolutely that happened as well 02:41 according to what we studied last time. 02:43 We notice also that family members 02:46 would turn on family members and friends on friends. 02:49 We noticed that that happened 02:51 before the destruction of Jerusalem. 02:53 and then, we're told that many of God's faithful people 02:57 would have to stand before magistrates 02:59 and they were to think about 03:02 what they were going to speak about 03:03 when they appeared before magistrates and before rulers 03:06 because the Holy Spirit would give them wisdom 03:09 and words to speak at that moment. 03:12 Then we notice also that false prophets would arise 03:15 during that time predicting peace... peace for Jerusalem 03:19 when there really was no peace. 03:21 We notice also that because of the transgression of the law, 03:24 many people's love would grow cold 03:27 which means that their love at one time was hot 03:30 and then it just cooled off and disappeared 03:33 because of the deceptions of Satan... 03:35 because of what the false prophets were saying 03:38 and also, because of the persecution that arose 03:41 and then, Jesus says, 03:43 "In patience you will save your souls... " 03:46 and Matthew says, "Those who persevere 03:50 until the end shall be saved... " 03:52 and then we notice in Matthew chapter 24 and verse 14 03:55 that the gospel would be preached to the whole world 03:59 and then the end would come. 04:01 Well, the fact is 04:02 that we read several verses where it says 04:05 that the gospel went to the entire civilized Roman world 04:09 at that time 04:11 and then, we come after doing this review 04:14 to Matthew chapter 24 and verse 15. 04:18 It's speaking about the abomination of desolation. 04:23 It says there in Matthew 24 and verse 15, 04:26 "Therefore when you see... " he's speaking to his disciples, 04:31 "when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' 04:35 spoken of by Daniel the prophet, 04:39 standing in the holy place... 04:42 whoever reads, let him understand. " 04:46 So, notice that the abomination of desolation 04:50 could be seen by Christ's followers 04:53 and that abomination of desolation 04:55 was spoken of previously by the Prophet Daniel 04:59 and the abomination was to stand in the Holy Place. 05:03 Now, let's notice several important details 05:06 about this verse. 05:08 First of all, Daniel had previously written about 05:12 this abomination of desolation. 05:14 So, in order to understand what it means, 05:17 we need to go back to the book of Daniel. 05:19 Secondly, the abomination of desolation 05:23 was something that the followers of Jesus 05:26 would see... it was a sign that was visible to them. 05:30 And third, 05:31 the Holy Place was not within the city of Jerusalem, 05:35 but rather, outside the city of Jerusalem. 05:39 You say, "Why is that?" 05:41 Because the text tells us in the book of Luke 05:45 that the Roman armies would surround 05:47 the city of Jerusalem 05:49 and so, how could those inside the city 05:52 flee if the city was surrounded. 05:55 So, the sign is not something 05:57 that is placed inside the city of Jerusalem, 06:00 that sign has to do with the Roman armies 06:03 surrounding the city 06:05 and then something happening 06:07 so that God's people could flee from the city 06:09 without opposition by the Roman legions. 06:12 So, we need to go back to the book of Daniel 06:15 to understand the abomination of desolation 06:18 because Jesus said that Daniel spoke about 06:21 the abomination of desolation. 06:23 So, let's go back to the book of Daniel. 06:26 If you remember in one of our previous studies, 06:31 we notice that after the 70-year captivity of Israel in Babylon, 06:37 God restored the people to the city and the temple. 06:43 In fact, the city... the temple... 06:45 and the walls of the city were rebuilt 06:48 and the civil and religious institutions were reestablished 06:52 after the captivity beginning in the year 536 B.C. 06:57 And then, God gave His people 70 years 07:02 of grace to shape up. 07:05 In other words, now God is giving Israel 07:08 a second opportunity 07:09 after Babylon destroyed Jerusalem... 07:12 the city... the temple and the walls. 07:15 So, God is saying, 07:17 "I'm going to give you another 70... 07:20 another 70 weeks... in this case... 07:22 which is 490 years to shape up 07:25 or else the city is going to be destroyed once more. 07:30 Let's read the passage in the book of Daniel 07:33 so that we understand this. 07:35 The passage is in Daniel chapter 9 07:39 and we will begin reading at verse 25 07:42 and go through verse 27. 07:45 It says here, 07:46 "And after the sixty-two weeks... " 07:49 it's understood if you read the passage carefully 07:52 that's after the 62 and 7 weeks. 07:55 In other words, after 69 weeks, 07:58 what's going to happen? 07:59 "Messiah shall be cut off... " 08:03 the word "Messiah" means the anointed one... 08:06 "but not for Himself; 08:08 and the people of the prince who is to come 08:13 shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. " 08:16 So, notice, 70 weeks are given to the Jewish nation 08:20 to follow the principles that God has given them 08:25 and to accept the Messiah 08:27 and then, because they rejected the Messiah, 08:31 we're told that the city is going to be destroyed again 08:35 because we're told here that after 69 weeks 08:38 Messiah would be cut off... not for Himself... 08:41 and the people of the prince 08:44 who was to come 08:46 would destroy the city and the sanctuary once more 08:49 and then we find... it continues saying, 08:52 "The end of it... " that is, of the city and the sanctuary, 08:56 "shall be with the flood, 08:58 and till the end of the war desolations are determined. " 09:03 So, you notice the keyword, "Desolations are determined. " 09:07 And then, in verse 27 09:10 it returns to speak about what happens during the last week 09:13 the 70th week... then it says, 09:16 "He shall confirm... " that is the Messiah 09:18 shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; 09:21 but in the middle of the week He... " that is the Messiah... 09:26 shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. " 09:29 And then it repeats once again 09:30 the city is going to be destroyed. 09:32 It says, "And on the wing of abominations... " 09:35 that's the key word we found in Matthew 24, 09:38 "And on the wing of abominations 09:41 shall be one who makes desolate, 09:43 even until the consummation, 09:46 which is determined, 09:47 is poured out on the desolate. " 09:50 So, notice the word "abominations" is used 09:53 and the word "desolate" is used twice. 09:56 The abomination of desolation. 09:58 So, let's review what we find in this passage. 10:02 First of all, after the captivity, 10:04 God gave the Jewish nation... the Jewish theocracy 10:08 seventy weeks which is 490 years 10:12 to fulfill their mission. 10:14 At the end of the 69th week, 10:17 the Anointed One or the Messiah would come. 10:20 That's speaking about the baptism of Christ 10:23 and the Messiah would confirm the covenant 10:26 with many for one week... 10:27 that's the 70th week... the last one... 10:29 it would be cut off in the middle of the last week 10:33 which is what happened with Christ 10:35 and when He was cut off, 10:36 He would bring an end to sacrifices and offerings 10:40 which means that Israel no longer needed to sacrifice 10:44 animals because Christ the Lamb of God 10:47 who takes away the sin of the world 10:48 had been sacrificed. 10:50 And then we're told there in Daniel chapter 9 10:53 that after these events, 10:54 they people of the Prince who was to come 10:57 would destroy the city and the sanctuary once more. 11:01 Now, the big question is, 11:03 who are the people of the Prince who is to come? 11:07 Who are the people and who is the Prince? 11:10 Well, there are different interpretations. 11:12 Futurists believe that the prince who is to come 11:17 is the Antichrist who will rise after the rapture of the church 11:22 at the very end of time. 11:24 Others believe that the Prince that is spoken of here 11:28 as destroying the city of Jerusalem 11:31 refers to Titus who came in the year 70 11:35 and with the Roman legions besieged the city 11:38 and destroyed the city. 11:39 But there's another interpretation 11:41 which I believe fits best with this particular passage 11:46 as well as with other places in Scripture. 11:49 You see, when you read about the destruction of Jerusalem, 11:53 and now we'll refer to the first destruction of Jerusalem 11:56 by Nebuchadnezzar, 11:58 you find that it says that God destroyed the city of Jerusalem. 12:02 We're also told that Nebuchadnezzar 12:04 destroyed the city of Jerusalem 12:06 and we're told that Israel destroyed its own city. 12:10 You say, "Now, what are you talking about?" 12:12 Well, let's go to Daniel chapter 9... 12:15 Daniel 9 and verse 14... 12:17 Daniel chapter 9 and verse 14... 12:20 it says very clearly here that God was the one 12:24 who destroyed the city of Jerusalem 12:26 in the first destruction. 12:29 It says there, 12:30 "Therefore the Lord has kept the disaster in mind, 12:34 and brought it upon us: 12:36 for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works 12:40 which He does: 12:41 though we have not obeyed His voice. " 12:43 So, it says very clearly, 12:44 "Therefore the Lord has kept this disaster in mind, 12:47 and brought it upon us. " 12:49 So, the Lord brought the destruction of Jerusalem... 12:53 the first destruction of Jerusalem. 12:54 But we also are told 12:57 that Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the city. 12:59 If you go with me in your Bibles to 2nd Chronicles... 13:02 2nd Chronicles chapter 36... 13:05 that's the last chapter in 2nd Chronicles... 13:08 2nd Chronicles chapter 36 13:10 and we will read beginning with verse 17... 13:13 36 verse 17 says the following, 13:18 here it is... 13:21 "Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans" 13:25 God brought against Israel the king of the Chaldeans 13:28 who killed their young men with the sword 13:30 in the house of their sanctuary, 13:32 and had no compassion on young man or virgin, 13:36 on the aged or the weak; 13:38 He gave them all into his hand. " 13:40 That is... Nebuchadnezzar's hand. 13:41 So, you'll notice here 13:43 that Nebuchadnezzar was the one who destroyed Jerusalem 13:47 but the Bible also tells us 13:50 that Israel destroyed... 13:51 or brought destruction upon their own city. 13:54 You say now, "Where did you get that from?" 13:56 Well, let's go back to Daniel chapter 9, 13:58 Daniel chapter 9 and verse 11 says the following, 14:02 "Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law... " 14:05 here Daniel is praying... 14:07 "and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; 14:10 therefore the curse and the oath 14:12 written in the Law of Moses the servant of God 14:15 have been poured out on us, 14:16 because we have sinned against Him. " 14:18 So, because of their sins, destruction came upon the city. 14:22 They brought destruction upon the city. 14:24 And then, notice verses 14 and 15, 14:26 "Therefore the Lord has kept the disaster in mind, 14:29 and brought it upon us; 14:31 for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works 14:34 which He does, 14:35 though we have not obeyed His voice. 14:37 And now, O Lord our God, 14:39 who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt 14:42 with a mighty hand, 14:43 and made Yourself a name, as it is this day... 14:45 we have sinned, we have done wickedly!" 14:49 In fact, if you go to Jeremiah chapter 38, 14:52 Jeremiah chapter 38 it's even more explicit. 14:56 Let's read Jeremiah 38 and verse 23. 15:00 Jeremiah 38 and verse 23 says the following, 15:04 "So they shall surrender all your wives and children 15:09 to the Chaldeans. 15:10 You shall not escape from their hand, 15:12 but shall be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon. " 15:16 And now notice this, 15:18 He's speaking to Israel, 15:19 "And you shall cause this city to be burned with fire. " 15:24 So, who is it that brought destruction upon the city? 15:29 It was Israel. 15:30 So, if I ask you the question: 15:32 Who destroyed Jerusalem the first time? 15:36 Was it God? Was it Nebuchadnezzar? 15:38 Or was it Israel? 15:40 Of course the answer is, "Yes... " 15:43 This is the way it works. 15:45 Because of Israel's sins, God employed His servant, 15:49 Nebuchadnezzar, 15:50 to destroy the city and the temple. 15:53 By the way, something similar happened 15:56 with the second destruction of Jerusalem in the year 70. 16:01 I want to read you a statement that we find in the book, 16:03 The Great Controversy, pages 35 and 36. 16:07 It says there, 16:09 "The Jews had forged their own fetters; 16:13 they had filled for themselves the cup of vengeance. " 16:18 So, notice what it says, 16:19 "The Jews had forged their own fetters; 16:22 they had filled for themselves the cup of vengeance. 16:25 In the utter destruction that befell them as a nation, 16:29 and in all the woes that followed them 16:31 in their dispersion, 16:32 they were but reaping the harvest 16:35 which their hands had sown. 16:38 Says the prophet: 'O Israel, 16:41 thou has destroyed thyself: 16:43 for thou has fallen by thine iniquity. '" 16:46 That's Hosea 13:9 and 14:1. 16:49 "Their sufferings... " Ellen White writes, 16:52 "are often represented as a punishment visited upon them 16:56 by the direct decree of God. 16:58 It is thus that the great deceiver 17:01 seeks to conceal his own work. 17:02 By stubborn rejection of divine love and mercy, 17:07 the Jews had caused the protection of God 17:11 to be withdrawn from them, 17:13 and Satan was permitted to rule them 17:16 according to his will. " 17:19 Now, there's an interesting parable that Jesus told 17:22 in Matthew chapter 22... 17:25 the same book that we're studying from 17:28 and it's just a couple of chapters before chapter 24. 17:31 In Matthew chapter 22 and verse 7, 17:35 we find predicted the destruction of Jerusalem 17:38 and notice, all three are involved 17:41 in this story. 17:42 It says that servants were sent to Israel 17:46 and they rejected the servants and so in verse 7 it says, 17:50 "But when the king... " who is God the Father 17:52 "heard about it, He was furious. 17:54 And He... " that is God... 17:56 "sent out His armies... " which are the Romans 17:59 "and destroyed those murderers, 18:01 and burned their city. " 18:03 So, you notice, all three are involved 18:05 in the second destruction of Jerusalem. 18:07 God sent His armies... 18:10 He allowed the Roman armies... the legions 18:12 to come to destroy those who had killed the Son, Jesus Christ. 18:19 Now, let's go to Matthew chapter 23 and verses 38 and 39. 18:24 Matthew 23 verses 38 and 39. 18:28 Here Jesus is leaving the temple for the last time 18:34 and He speaks some words that we noticed 18:37 in a previous lecture. 18:39 It says there in Matthew 23 verses 38, 18:41 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 18:44 the one who kills the prophets 18:46 and stones those who are sent to her! 18:48 How often I wanted to gather your children together, 18:52 as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, 18:56 but you were not willing!" 18:59 Now, that's very important. 19:02 Jesus said, "I wanted to gather together all of the children... 19:06 all of Israel... I wanted to gather them together... 19:09 you who killed the prophets 19:11 and stoned those who were sent to her, 19:13 I wanted you to gather to Me. 19:16 But then He says, "You were not willing. " 19:21 And then comes the key word that we've been looking at, 19:24 verse 38, Jesus says to them, 19:27 "See... " and He's speaking to the religious leaders... 19:30 Scribes and Pharisees... 19:31 "See! Your house... it was no longer My house... " 19:37 it was no longer the temple of God... 19:38 He says, "Your house is left unto you desolate. " 19:43 In other words, Jesus left the temple 19:45 and then if you notice chapter 24 verses 1 to 3, 19:49 the next point 19:50 is that Jesus speaks about the destruction of Jerusalem. 19:53 So, notice, Israel rejected Christ... 19:58 therefore, the house was left desolate 20:01 and immediately after 20:03 the destruction of the city comes. 20:06 Let's read Mark 13 verse 14, 20:11 the parallel passage to Matthew 24 and verse 15. 20:15 Jesus said, "So when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' 20:21 spoken of by Daniel the prophet" 20:23 and now comes the detail that is not in Matthew, 20:26 "standing where it ought not... " 20:28 let the reader understand... 20:31 "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. " 20:35 So, Mark adds that the abomination of desolation 20:39 was put in a place where it should not be. 20:42 Now, when we read Luke, it's... 20:47 it's almost totally different than what you find 20:49 in Matthew and Mark. 20:51 It says in Luke chapter 21 and verse 20, 20:54 Jesus is speaking... 20:55 this is the same sermon that He preached in Matthew 24, 20:58 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, 21:03 then know that its desolation is near. " 21:07 So, I want you to notice here 21:10 that the abomination of desolation 21:12 spoken of by Daniel 21:14 Luke interprets... actually it's Jesus... 21:17 it's recorded in the gospel of Luke... 21:20 in the gospel of Luke, 21:22 it means the Roman armies 21:24 surrounding the city of Jerusalem... 21:26 in other words, that is the sign... 21:29 that is the abomination of desolation. 21:32 Now, I want you to notice 21:34 that the abomination is the siege of the city 21:37 by the Roman Legion. 21:39 It is not the destruction of the city itself. 21:43 Thus, the expression: Standing in the Holy Place 21:47 must refer to an area outside the city walls 21:51 rather than the destruction 21:54 of the city and the temple itself. 21:56 Now, Jesus told His followers to flee from the city. 22:01 However, they couldn't flee from the city 22:04 when the city was totally surrounded by the Roman legions. 22:07 So, the question is, 22:09 "What is it that was the abomination of desolation?" 22:14 The fact is that the abomination was the Roman legions 22:19 surrounding the city of Jerusalem 22:21 and that was the harbinger or the omen... 22:25 the sign... if you please... 22:27 that the desolation of the city was about to come. 22:31 In fact, Josephus said that Titus actually built 22:36 a wall around the whole city. 22:39 In other words, 22:41 there was no escape when Titus came to the city. 22:44 Now, Ellen White had something very interesting to say 22:48 about this sign that would be seen outside the city... 22:52 the abomination that would be seen outside the city... 22:56 the Roman legions. 22:57 In the book: The Great Controversy, page 26 23:00 she wrote the following, 23:02 "When the idolatrous standards of the Romans... " 23:07 notice... not only the standards... 23:09 "When the idolatrous standards of the Romans 23:13 should be set up in the holy ground, 23:16 which extended some furlongs outside the city walls" 23:22 so... even an area outside the city walls 23:24 was considered "holy" among the Jews. 23:27 So, once again, 23:28 "When the idolatrous standards of the Romans 23:31 should be set up in the holy ground, 23:33 which extended some furlongs outside the city walls, 23:37 then the followers of Christ were to find safety in flight. 23:42 When the warning sign should be seen, 23:45 those who would escape must make no delay. " 23:51 And Ellen White explains 23:53 what was on the idolatrous Roman standards. 23:56 She wrote in The Great Controversy, page 41, 23:59 "The gospel penetrated into regions 24:03 that were inaccessible even to the eagles of Rome. " 24:08 So, what did the Roman standard have? 24:11 The Roman standard had an eagle. 24:15 Now, let's talk a little bit about the history 24:18 of the Roman standard... 24:19 the idolatrous Roman standard. 24:22 The official standard of the Roman legions 24:26 in the time of Christ was the eagle. 24:29 Now, until the year 104 B.C., 24:32 the Roman legions had different beasts on their standards 24:37 depending on their division. 24:38 Some had a bull... some had a snake... 24:42 some had a lion and some had a vulture. 24:45 However, in the year 63 B.C., 24:49 the Roman General Pompey deified the Roman standards 24:54 and the eagle became the lone beast 24:59 that was on the Roman standard. 25:01 Now, why did Pompey adopt the eagle 25:05 as the insignia of the Roman standard? 25:09 The reason is very simple. 25:11 In a military campaign to Asia Minor, 25:14 Pompey adopted a god called: Mithra. 25:18 Mithra was the sun god in Asia Minor 25:22 and Pompey adopted Mithra as the patron god 25:28 of the Roman legions 25:29 and so, he adopted the eagle as the lone beast 25:35 on the Roman standard. 25:36 By the way, Constantine the Great 25:40 worshipped this God. 25:42 Constantine called this god: Deus Sol Invictus 25:47 which means: To the invincible sun. 25:50 The eagle standard thus became a symbol 25:53 of the invincibility of Rome. 25:56 As the sun defeats the darkness when it rises, 25:59 So, the Roman armies... 26:02 the Roman legions defeated their enemies. 26:04 Now, when you look at the Roman standard, 26:07 it had several characteristics, 26:10 first of all, it had an eagle. 26:13 The eagle's wings were outstretched. 26:17 A golden wreath surrounded the eagle 26:22 representing the orb of the sun 26:25 and in the talons of the eagle, 26:28 there were arrows. 26:31 Josephus tells us that when the Romans surrounded Jerusalem, 26:36 they offered sacrifices 26:39 and they worshipped their eagle standards. 26:43 What were they worshipping 26:45 when they bowed before the eagle standard 26:47 when they besieged Jerusalem? 26:48 They were worshipping the sun god Mithra. 26:52 Notice what Josephus had to say in his book: Wars of the Jews. 26:58 "Then came the ensigns encompassing the eagle, 27:03 which is at the head of every Roman legion, 27:07 the king, and the strongest of all birds, 27:11 which seems to them... " now listen carefully... 27:15 "seems to them... " that is to the Roman legions, 27:18 "a signal of dominion, 27:21 and an omen 27:23 that they shall conquer all against whom they march. " 27:27 Jesus spoke of the abomination of desolation as a sign. 27:30 Josephus says that the Romans considered their standards 27:34 as the signal of dominion and an omen 27:37 that they shall conquer all against whom they march. 27:41 Now, it's very interesting that in 1st Peter chapter 5 verse 13, 27:46 Peter referred to Rome as Babylon... 27:51 as a new Babylon. 27:53 It says there, "She who is in Babylon, 27:57 elect together with you, greets you; 28:00 and so does Mark my son. " 28:02 So, Peter refers to Rome as Babylon. 28:06 Therefore, a new Babylon destroyed Jerusalem 28:11 in the year 70 A.D. 28:13 just as old Babylon had destroyed the city of Jerusalem 28:18 in the days of Nebuchadnezzar. 28:20 And as we found in our study... in a previous study... 28:24 that Nebuchadnezzar is spoken of 28:30 as an eagle coming against Jerusalem, 28:32 so, the Roman legions come with their eagle standards. 28:37 It is no coincidence, Folks, 28:40 that in Matthew chapter 24 and verse 28, 28:44 we are told, "For wherever the carcass is, 28:49 there the eagles will be gathered together. " 28:54 You see, in the destruction of Jerusalem, 28:56 where the carcass was... where the carcasses were... 29:00 there, the eagles would be gathered together... 29:03 it's referring to the Roman eagles. 29:06 But now comes a very important question. 29:09 How could the Christians in the city of Jerusalem 29:14 escape the city 29:16 when the city was surrounded by the Roman legions? 29:19 There was no escape... 29:21 it was like a wall built around the city. 29:24 So how... when they saw the sign... 29:26 could they escape from the city? 29:28 Well, Flavius Josephus has the explanation 29:32 and by the way, Flavius Josephus was born in the year 37 A.D. 29:38 and he was an eye witness to the destruction of Jerusalem. 29:42 He was a historian that knew exactly what happened. 29:45 So, he wrote the following. 29:47 Let me give you a little bit of context. 29:49 In the year 66, Cestius Gallus 29:53 who was leading the Roman legions, 29:55 besieged Jerusalem 29:57 and everything looked like the city was about to fall 30:01 and then, suddenly, Cestius and the Roman legions fled. 30:06 It was like something spooked them 30:08 and, of course, Josephus... 30:11 he said that there was no explainable reason... 30:13 we know that there was an explainable reason 30:15 but anyway, this is what he stated in his book: 30:18 The Wars of the Jews... 30:19 "without having received any disgrace, 30:23 Cestius retired from the city, 30:26 without any reason in the world. " 30:30 In other words, he just picked up and left... 30:33 when everything looked like he was going to conquer the city 30:37 and the Jews... when they saw Cestius retreating, 30:41 they said, "See" the false prophet said... 30:43 "see... we told you that the city was not going to fall... 30:47 that God is with the city... " 30:49 and so, they went after the Roman legions 30:51 and Josephus tells us 30:53 that the Roman legions suffered many loses 30:56 because the Jews had come against them 30:59 as they fled back to Rome. 31:01 But then, the Romans came back 31:05 and this time, they did not retreat. 31:08 In the year 70, Titus surrounded the city 31:12 and as Josephus says, 31:14 the Roman legions were like a wall outside the city 31:18 and there was no escape. 31:20 However, God's people... His faithful people inside the city, 31:25 faithful Christians had seen the sign 31:28 and they had fled when Cestius Gallus retreated 31:33 and not one Christian we're going to find, 31:36 was destroyed when the city was destroyed. 31:38 Let's read Matthew 24 verses 16 to 22 31:42 which describes what happens 31:44 after the Christians see the sign 31:47 of the abomination of desolation. 31:50 Matthew 24 and verse 16, 31:53 we've already noticed verse 15. 31:54 verse 16 says, 31:57 "Then... " that is when they see the abomination of desolation... 32:00 "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 32:05 Let him who is on the housetop 32:08 not go down to take anything out of his house. 32:11 And let him who is in the field 32:14 not go back to get his clothes. 32:16 But woe to those who are pregnant 32:20 and to those who are nursing babies in those days!" 32:23 Very interesting. 32:25 This is quite a flight. 32:27 "Flee to the mountains from the city. " 32:30 Those on the housetop... don't go down to get anything, 32:32 those who are in the field... 32:35 don't go back even to get your clothes, 32:36 but woe... this is such a difficult time... 32:40 "woe to those who are pregnant 32:42 and those who are nursing babies in those days!" 32:44 And then comes a very interesting detail... 32:46 all of the Christians inside the city that escaped 32:52 were Sabbath keepers. 32:54 They observed the seventh-day Sabbath. 32:57 Now, I want you to notice what it says in verse 20. 33:01 "And pray that your flight may not be in winter... " 33:05 of course, because it would be very cold... 33:07 or on the Sabbath. 33:10 The Christians were keeping the Sabbath in the year 70 33:14 so, Sunday was not the day of worship. 33:17 And then, verse 21... 33:18 "For then there will be great tribulation... " 33:21 you notice that in verse 9, 33:23 there was going to be a tribulation 33:25 and many would be slain 33:26 but this is an intensified tribulation. 33:29 It says once again, 33:31 "For then there will be a great tribulation, 33:34 such as has not been since the beginning of the world 33:37 until this time... " remember that expression, 33:39 "such has not been since the beginning of the world 33:42 until this time, no, nor ever shall be. " 33:45 And then He says, "unless those days were shortened, 33:49 no flesh would be saved; 33:51 but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened. " 33:54 I want you to remember the expression here that says, 33:58 "that has not been since the beginning of the world 34:01 until this time. " 34:02 We'll come back with... in a few moments. 34:04 Let me just digress a moment and speak about 34:06 Lot's departure from the city of Sodom. 34:09 As you know, his wife went out of Sodom with him 34:13 but Sodom had not gone out of the heart of Lot's wife. 34:17 She looked back... 34:19 you notice, she was thinking, 34:20 "Oh! all of the things that I'm leaving behind. " 34:23 That's why Jesus said, "When you flee... 34:24 don't go back to get anything... 34:26 don't focus on what's behind you. " 34:28 Luke 17:28 to 32, 34:31 describes here the experience of Lot's wife. 34:36 "Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: 34:40 They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, 34:44 they planted, they built; 34:46 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom 34:48 it rained fire and brimstone from heaven 34:50 and destroyed them all. " 34:51 Now notice, "Even so will it be in the day 34:54 when the Son of Man is revealed. " 34:55 "In that day, he who is on the housetop, 34:59 and his goods are in the house, 35:00 let him not come down to take them away. 35:03 And likewise the one who is in the field, 35:06 let him not turn back... " 35:09 and then, we find a sermon in three words: 35:13 actually four... because there's an apostrophe, 35:16 "Remember Lot's wife. " 35:20 She looked back. 35:22 Now, in the book: Messages to Young People 35:25 page 419, 35:26 Ellen White wrote some words about why Lot decided 35:31 to establish himself in the cities. 35:34 It was because 35:35 life was so much more convenient there in the cities. 35:38 This is what the statement says, 35:42 "Lot chose as a place of residence 35:45 because he looked more to the temporal... 35:48 he chose Sodom as a place of residence 35:50 because he looked more to the temporal advantages 35:53 he would gain 35:55 than to the moral influences 35:58 that would surround himself and his family. " 36:00 So, in other words, he wanted the temporal advantages... 36:04 the financial advantages 36:05 instead of the moral influences of the cities. 36:08 And then Ellen White asks, 36:10 "What did he gain so far as the things of this world 36:13 are concerned?" 36:14 Here's the result. 36:16 "His possessions were destroyed, 36:18 part of his children perished in the destruction 36:22 of that wicked city, 36:23 his wife was turned to a pillar of salt by the way, 36:27 and he himself was saved 'so as by fire. ' 36:31 Nor did the evil results of his selfish choice end here; 36:36 but the moral corruption of the place 36:39 was so interwoven with the character of his children 36:43 that they could not distinguish between good and evil, 36:46 sin and righteousness. " 36:49 Ellen White describes the sign 36:52 that indicated to those Christians in the cities 36:55 that they should leave and not look back. 36:57 Great Controversy, page 30, 36:59 "But God's merciful providence was directing events 37:03 for the good of His own people. 37:05 The promised sign... " 37:07 which is the abomination of desolation... 37:09 "The promised sign had been given to the waiting Christians, 37:14 and now an opportunity was offered for all who would, 37:19 to obey the Savior's warning. " 37:21 So, the sequence that we find here is... 37:24 there's the sign... the abomination of desolation, 37:27 this is the sign that the... 37:30 God's faithful people should flee 37:32 and then, when they flee... 37:34 you have the great tribulation spoken of in verses 21 and 22. 37:40 So, the abomination was seen outside the city. 37:45 Let's talk a little about the desolation of the city. 37:49 Later... 37:51 this is after Cestius had the city surrounded and left... 37:54 Vespasian and then Titus returned to Jerusalem 37:58 and there was no retreat. 38:01 God's people had seen the Roman eagle standards 38:05 and how the Roman legions 38:07 bowed and worshipped the sun god 38:09 and they immediately escaped. 38:12 Now, I want you to notice this very important point, 38:16 "Thus, the final test came when the faithful saw the sign. 38:22 Those who were in the city... who were in apostasy... 38:26 they did not understand the sign 38:29 but there was a group that did understand the sign. 38:32 So, basically, the sign divided Jerusalem into two groups. 38:38 Those who saw the sign and escaped 38:41 and those who paid no regard to the sign and stayed. 38:44 We'll deal more with this a little bit later on. 38:48 So, immediately after God's people escaped, 38:51 then you have the terrible tribulation 38:54 described in Matthew 24 38:56 and 1.1 million Jews... according to Josephus, 39:00 perished in the destruction of the city 39:03 but Ellen White in Great Controversy page 30 wrote, 39:06 "Not one Christian perished 39:09 in the destruction of Jerusalem. " 39:12 Now, do you remember the expression 39:14 that I told you to keep in mind? 39:16 "Since the beginning of the world until this time... " 39:20 in other words, the worst period of tribulation 39:22 since the beginning of the world until this time... 39:24 you know, Josephus... I'm sure he was not reading 39:27 the sermon of Jesus in Matthew 24, 39:29 he uses a very similar expression. 39:32 He wrote in the book: Wars... 39:34 "The misfortunes of all men from the beginning of the world 39:39 if they be compared to these of the Jews 39:43 are not considerable as they were. " 39:46 And those in the city were all Sabbath keepers... 39:52 pray that your flight not be on the Sabbath. 39:58 So, national apostasy led to national ruin. 40:03 We find in Luke chapter 19 verse 41 to 44 40:07 the following words of Jesus, you see, 40:11 the rejection of the Messiah 40:12 now becomes the reason for national ruin. 40:18 It says there in Luke 19:41, 40:20 speaking about Jesus as He nears Jerusalem 40:23 from the east side. 40:25 "Now as He drew near, 40:26 He saw the city and wept over it, 40:29 saying, 'If you had known, even you, 40:31 especially in this your day, 40:33 the things that make for your peace!" 40:35 If you had only known how you could have peace... 40:37 he continues, 40:39 "But now they are hidden from your eyes. 40:41 For the days will come upon you 40:44 when your enemies will build an embankment around you, 40:47 surround you and close you in on every side... " 40:51 that's the Roman army surrounding the city. 40:53 And then... "and level you, 40:56 and your children within you, to the ground; 40:59 and they will not leave in you one stone upon another... " 41:04 and then comes the reason, 41:06 "because you did not know the time of your visitation. " 41:12 It was the rejection of the Messiah 41:15 that was the great abomination 41:17 that led to the desolation of the city. 41:19 And as I read in a previous lecture, 41:22 this Christian world at the end of time 41:24 will be guilty of the same sin. 41:27 You say, "But the Christian world... 41:29 they say that we accept the Messiah... " 41:31 true... 41:32 but they reject the law 41:33 which is a reflection of the Messiah's character. 41:36 How can you say that the law was nailed to the cross... 41:40 we don't have to keep the law of God... 41:43 that, you know, the law takes away our freedom, 41:46 and at the same time say, "I love Jesus... " 41:49 if the law is a reflection of the character of Christ? 41:52 You can't reject the reflection 41:55 and not reject Christ at the same time. 41:59 Now, let me get ahead of myself for a moment 42:02 so you see where we are going with this. 42:05 When the final test came for Jerusalem, 42:09 the sign separated the inhabitants of the city 42:13 into two distinct groups. 42:16 At the end, there will be a sign 42:19 that will separate the world into two distinct groups. 42:24 At the end of time, it will not be 42:27 the worshipping of the sun... the great abomination 42:31 but rather, the worshipping on the day of the sun. 42:35 You see, during the 1260 years 42:38 that the Papacy predominated in Europe, 42:42 they thought to change God's holy law 42:45 which is an abomination. 42:47 Daniel 7 verse 25 describes a Little Horn 42:51 that thought it could change God's law. 42:54 That is the abomination spoken of in Daniel chapter 8. 42:59 At the end of time, 43:00 the civil powers of the world will join with the Papacy 43:04 and they will impose The Day of the Sun. 43:07 The United States will impose a National Sunday Law 43:11 followed by a Universal Sunday Law. 43:13 This will be the sign... 43:15 they will separate the world into two groups. 43:18 Let me read you a statement from Great Controversy, 615 and 616. 43:23 I hope you'll stay tuned in this Series, Folks, 43:25 because we're going to prove all of these things from Scripture 43:29 and also the support of the Spirit of Prophecy. 43:33 Great Controversy 615 and 616. 43:36 She's speaking about the end time. 43:38 "As the Sabbath has become the special point of controversy 43:42 throughout Christendom, 43:44 and religious and secular authorities have combined 43:48 to enforce the observance of Sunday, 43:51 the persistent refusal of a small minority 43:55 to yield to the popular demand 43:57 will make the objects of universal execration. 44:01 It will be urged 44:03 that the few who stand in opposition 44:07 to an institution of the church and a law of the state 44:10 ought not to be tolerated; 44:13 that it is better for them to suffer 44:16 than for whole nations 44:17 to be thrown into confusion and lawlessness. " 44:20 And then she goes back to the times of Christ, 44:23 "The same argument many centuries ago 44:27 was brought against Christ by the 'rulers of the people. ' 44:30 'It is expedient for us,' said the wily Caiaphas, 44:35 'that one man should die for the people, 44:38 and that the whole nation perish not. '" 44:42 And then, she goes back to the end time, 44:45 "This argument will appear conclusive; 44:49 and a decree will finally be issued against those 44:52 who hallow the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, 44:55 denouncing them as deserving of the severest punishment 44:58 and giving the people liberty, after a certain time, 45:02 to put them to death. " 45:05 "Wow!" you say, "That could never happen 45:08 in these United States of America. " 45:10 Well, if you study Revelation 13 verses 11 to 18, 45:14 you're not only going to find that it is possible 45:18 but it is actually going to happen... 45:20 that at the end of time it won't be 45:22 worshipping the sun... 45:24 people are too sophisticated in the Western world 45:26 to worship the sun, 45:28 it will be worshipping on the "Day of the Sun. " 45:31 You say, "Well, there's no similarity whatsoever. " 45:34 It's not the same to worship the sun 45:36 as worship on the day of the sun... " 45:37 and I say in principle it is. 45:39 You say, "How's that?" 45:41 Well let me ask you, "Who created the sun?" 45:43 I'm sure your answer would be "God" 45:46 that is... if you are a Christian. 45:48 So, the question is, 45:50 "Did God create the sun for worship?" 45:52 No... the sun is a secular object. 45:55 It's to give us light. 45:57 So, let me ask you, 45:59 "What happens if you make the sun 46:01 an object of worship?" 46:03 That's what the Bible calls: Idolatry. 46:06 Now, let me ask you, 46:08 "Who created the first day of the week?" 46:09 The first day of the week was created by God. 46:13 You can read it in Genesis chapter 1. 46:16 You know, it was the evening and the morning of the first day 46:18 so, God created the first day of the week. 46:22 Let me ask you, "Did He create the first day of the week 46:25 as a holy day?" 46:26 No, He didn't... 46:28 it's a secular day that we're supposed to work. 46:30 The fourth commandment says, 46:32 "Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 46:34 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. " 46:37 So, God created the first day... 46:40 He did not create it to be used for worship. 46:43 So, what happens if we make the first day of the week 46:47 a day of worship? 46:49 It's the same principle. 46:50 It's idolatry 46:52 because any thing that man establishes for worship 46:55 that God did not establish for worship, 46:57 is idolatry. 46:59 I hope you're understanding what I'm saying. 47:01 Now, I want to go to John chapter 11 verses 48 through 51. 47:06 John 11:48 through 51. 47:10 Jesus has just resurrected Lazarus 47:14 and the religious leaders are furious at Jesus. 47:18 Because we're told that multitudes upon multitudes 47:22 of Jews are now following Jesus. 47:23 And so, now, Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin 47:26 meet and they say, 47:28 "You know, this is a national emergency 47:30 because if everybody believes in Jesus, 47:32 then the Romans are going to come and take away our nation 47:36 and we'll have no reason to exist. " 47:38 Christianity will take the place of Judaism. 47:41 And so, now they are going to plan 47:44 how to deal with this national emergency. 47:47 Let's read beginning in verse 48, 47:49 here Caiaphas is speaking. 47:53 "If we let Him alone like this, 47:56 everyone will believe in Him, 47:59 and the Romans will come 48:01 and take away both our place and nation. 48:04 And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, 48:08 said to them, "You know nothing at all, 48:11 nor do you consider that it is expedient for us 48:15 that one man should die for the people, 48:18 and not that the whole nation should perish. " 48:21 In other words, "Public enemy number one needs to die 48:24 to save the nation. " 48:26 Folks, at the end of time, 48:28 the same argument is going to be used 48:30 not against Christ but against the remnant... 48:33 the final remnant of Christ. 48:35 We find in Revelation chapter 12 verse 17 48:37 that the dragon was enraged against the woman... 48:40 went to make war against the remnant of her seed 48:43 who keep the commandments of God 48:45 and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. 48:48 This story will be repeated. 48:50 And Folks, I might mention 48:52 that those who did this professed to serve the true God. 48:56 They were not Atheists. 48:57 They were not secular people... 49:00 they were individuals who professed to be God's people 49:02 and they rose against the faithful remnant of that time. 49:07 This scenario will be repeated once again. 49:11 In Great Controversy page 27, 49:14 Ellen White explains this a little bit further. 49:18 I read... speaking about the Jewish nation, 49:22 the leadership primarily, 49:23 "They hated Christ 49:24 because His purity and holiness revealed their iniquity; 49:30 and they accused Him 49:32 of being the cause of all the troubles 49:35 which had come upon them in consequence of their sins. " 49:38 So, notice, they blame Jesus and say, 49:41 "The reason why all of these trials and problems 49:44 have come upon us is because of this man, Jesus. " 49:46 But actually, it was the purity and holiness of Jesus 49:50 that revealed their iniquity 49:52 that filled them with rage and anger against Christ. 49:56 The end-time remnant will reveal the character of Christ 50:00 in their lives 50:02 and the world will rise against them. 50:04 Not because God's people are causing all of troubles 50:09 although this is the way that the world will perceive it, 50:11 but because their purity and holiness 50:14 is a rebuke to the world 50:17 and they cannot stand what they are seeing. 50:21 And at the end of time, 50:22 it will not be the secular... the worldlings... 50:25 the Atheists... 50:26 it will be people who claim to be Christians 50:30 just like the Jews claimed to be the professed people of God. 50:34 She continues her commentary, 50:37 "Though they knew Him to be sinless, 50:40 they had declared that His death was necessary 50:44 to their safety as a nation. " 50:47 Folks, the same is going to be argued here 50:50 in the United States of America. 50:51 "To save the nation, 50:53 we need to get rid of those who are observing the Sabbath 50:55 because Sunday is a National Law 50:58 and God is punishing this nation 51:01 because these people will not go along 51:05 with the Law of the Church and with the Law of the State. " 51:08 She continues, "Though they knew Him to be sinless, 51:11 they had declared that His death was necessary 51:14 for their safety as a nation. " 51:15 And then, comes a quotation from John 11 verse 48, 51:19 "If we let Him thus alone," said the Jewish leaders, 51:23 "all men will believe in Him; 51:25 and the Romans shall come 51:27 and take away both our place and nation. " 51:29 Then she continues her commentary, 51:31 "If Christ were sacrificed... " notice this, 51:36 "they might once more become a strong, united people. " 51:41 So, what was the solution in destroying Christ? 51:45 "Oh, then we will be a strong united people. " 51:49 "Thus, they reasoned, 51:51 and they concurred in their decision 51:55 of their high priest, 51:57 that it would be better for one man to die 52:00 than for the whole nation to perish. " 52:04 And so, this abomination of the rejection of the Messiah 52:10 led to national ruin... 52:12 national apostasy led to national ruin. 52:17 They thought that by getting rid of Jesus and His followers, 52:21 they would save Jerusalem 52:23 but instead, by slaying Jesus 52:26 they brought destruction upon Jerusalem. 52:30 Now, let me touch on one point 52:32 before we bring this to an end. 52:35 The Jewish nation as a church 52:38 could not execute the death penalty. 52:41 So, they couldn't just arrest Jesus 52:44 and take Him and execute Christ, 52:47 they needed... for the State to make a decree 52:53 for Jesus to be killed 52:55 because as a church they could not do it 52:57 and so, what did they do? 52:59 They went before Pilate who was the civil ruler 53:02 and they said, "Pilate, we've got this problem. " 53:06 We have this man who claims to be the Messiah 53:09 and we want Him to be crucified... 53:12 we want Him to die... " 53:14 and Pilate said, "Folks, you know you have a church law, 53:18 go and judge Him by your law. " 53:20 And the Jewish leaders said, "But, wait a minute, 53:24 our law does not allow us to put anyone to death. " 53:27 And so, they said, "Pilate, we need the help of the State. " 53:32 We need the help of the civil power of Rome 53:35 in order for our desires to be fulfilled. 53:39 And so, to make a long story short, 53:42 because Pilate was intimidated by them 53:46 and they said, "We're going to tell the Emperor 53:49 that, you know, that you released a man that is guilty 53:52 who claimed to be a king... " 53:53 and for fear of losing his political position, 53:57 Pilate condemned an innocent man 54:00 and by the way, three times Pilate publically announced 54:04 that he found no sin or no guilt in Christ. 54:08 And yet, he condemned an innocent man to death. 54:12 In other words, there was a union of Church and State 54:17 involved in the death of Christ. 54:19 At the end of time, once again, 54:22 there will also be a union of Church and State 54:26 to give a decree against God's true faithful remnant 54:32 because they are... as it says in the story of Elijah... 54:35 they are troublers of the people. 54:39 I hope that you've understood what we have studied... 54:42 I've gotten ahead of myself a little bit, 54:43 because I want you to see where we are trending 54:46 in our study together. 54:48 So, let's review: What is the abomination of desolation 54:52 spoken of by Daniel the prophet? 54:55 It's when the Roman armies surrounded Jerusalem 54:59 and with their eagle standards which they put in the ground, 55:03 they knelt and worshipped their eagle standards 55:06 which represented the worshipping 55:09 of the sun god, Mithra. 55:11 When the Christians inside the city... 55:14 the city was besieged... 55:16 when they saw the sign they said, 55:18 "This is our opportunity to flee... " 55:20 but the city was surrounded. 55:22 Suddenly, as if by accident... 55:26 but we know that was in the providence of God, 55:28 Cestius Gallus picks up and leaves the city 55:32 and now the Jews inside the city... 55:35 you know, their false prophets say, 55:38 "See, we told you that God is with us... " 55:41 they go after the Roman legions 55:43 and the Roman legions suffer many losses 55:46 and at that moment, God's faithful people... 55:48 they've seen the sign and they leave the city... 55:52 they flee from the city 55:53 and not one Christian dies in the destruction of Jerusalem. 55:57 Just a few years later, the Roman legions came back 56:02 under the leadership of the General Titus 56:05 and this time, the city was besieged 56:09 and there was no retreat. 56:11 We're told by Josephus... 56:13 in fact, I would encourage you to read 56:15 the book: Wars of the Jews 56:18 where it describes Jerusalem in its condition before the siege, 56:22 during the siege and at the point of destruction. 56:25 It is a depressing story 56:28 of what happened to the people who were within the city 56:31 during the siege 56:32 and the destruction that actually took place. 56:35 National apostasy... 56:37 the rejection of the Messiah had led to national ruin 56:42 and the Jews were scattered all over the world. 56:45 Once again, they were led captive... 56:47 once again, the city was destroyed... 56:49 the temple was destroyed 56:51 and they were dispersed among all the nations. 56:56 And I repeat once again the sin of the Jewish nation 56:59 is the same sin that would characterize 57:02 the Christian world at the end of time. 57:04 The Jews rejected Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. 57:09 Whereas the Christian world will reject the law of God 57:14 which is a reflection of the character of Christ. 57:17 In other words, the law describes what Christ 57:20 in His character... in His person is like. 57:23 So, you can't say, "I reject the reflection 57:26 whereas I accept Christ the reality 57:30 who is reflected in the law. " 57:31 It's like looking in the mirror and saying, 57:34 "Well, I accept that I'm a person looking in the mirror, 57:38 but I reject that reflection. " 57:40 The fact is that the reflection is part of the individual 57:46 who is casting the reflection into the mirror. 57:49 So, I hope you've understood our study together. 57:53 The next time we will study how Matthew chapter 24 57:56 verses 4 through 14 apply in the end time 58:00 and then we will study the abomination of desolation 58:02 in the end. 58:03 God bless you and keep you. 58:05 Thank you for being with us. |
Revised 2021-11-15