The Gospel According to Matthew - Week 35

Awake Us Now

This teaching is from Matthew 24:29-39

We continue our study of Jesus’ Mount Olivet Discourse with the verses in Matthew 24: 29-30 with the return of Jesus “coming on the clouds”* in power and glory. Coming on the clouds is referenced in Revelation 1:7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him…” (There will be no doubt when Jesus returns!!)

Coming on the clouds is also referenced in Daniel 7:13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven.”*

As people begin to understand what Jesus is saying they will realize that what is written in the Old Testament refers to Jesus!

Pastor circles back to some words from last week’s teaching and shares further about the “abomination that causes desolation.” Matthew 24:15 ““So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand.“

We take a look at some events that could be considered the abomination that causes desolation. • Antiochus Epiphanes (167BC) This event would probably have come into the disciples minds when Jesus said abomination that causes desolation. This Syrian king conquered Jerusalem and desecrated the temple by building an altar to zeus and sacrificing pigs on it. This lead to a great revolt by the Maccabees who threw out the Syrians and cleaned the temple. • Gaius Caligula (40AD) ordered a statue of himself to be set up in the temple at Jerusalem but before it could be done Gaius died. • Zealots in Winter (67/68 AD) during this revolt against Rome, zealots took over the temple and used it as their headquarters. • The Romans siege (70AD) when the temple and Jerusalem were destroyed (discussed last week). These all either were or could be the abomination that causes desolation.

As we see in the Bible there are repeated themes and events: -God’s people turn away from Him -judgement comes -God intervenes to save His people -His people rejoice -then they turn away from Him -God steps in to save His people -His people rejoice -then they turn away from Him -it brings judgement on them -then He rescues them

With this repeating theme we see that there could also be a • Future Event (? AD) and the reader will also still need to “understand” what Jesus is talking about.

Matthew 24:31-33 We are tasked to learn the lesson that as we see all these signs of the times that Christ’s return is ever nearer.

He is coming soon!

As we continue with our reading of today’s verses we read that no one knows the day and hour of Jesus’ return. As in Noah’s day when people were eating and drinking and knew nothing until the flood came, so it will be when Christ returns - many will be found unprepared.

SO THEREFORE BE AWAKE AND READY FOR CHRIST’S RETURN!

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