I want to take the scenic route to get into this passage today. I spent a considerable amount of time reading about the Temple. (In case you wanted to know what considerable means that means I spent too much time reading about the Temple.) But, I think it is helpful to understand some of the later verses regarding the destruction of Jerusalem.
According to Acts 4:13, Peter and John are referred to as, “unlearned and ignorant men.” The disciples are rural, outdoor people except for Matthew perhaps. They have not spent their lives in the big city. But now they are spending all day long in the temple with Jesus. Jesus is perfectly comfortable there, but surely the disciples feel a little out of place. New York City often referred to as “The City.” To the Jews, Jerusalem is “The City.”
In Luke 20, Jesus has been teaching in the temple courts. Before that, he drove out the moneychangers. So now the disciples have spent a day or two at the temple.
Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. Luke 21:5
It’s always so easy to come down hard on the disciples for being ignorant or foolish or petty. But I’d like to take a few minutes to review the temple and what it was like.
What is known as the second temple was built in the same location as the first temple. The foundations of the second temple were laid about 535 B.C. by Jewish exiles returning from captivity in Babylon. When Herod the Great became king of Judea the second temple had stood for about five hundred years. The building had suffered considerably from natural decay over the years as well as from the assaults of hostile armies, and Herod, desirous of gaining the favor of the Jews, proposed to rebuild it. This offer was accepted, and the work was begun (18 B.C.), and carried out at great labor and expense, and on a scale of surpassing splendor. The main part of the building was completed in ten years, but the erection of the outer courts and the embellishment of the whole were carried on during the entire period of Jesus' life on earth (John 2:16, John 2:19-21). The temple was completed in A.D. 63. (Taken from biblestudy.com)
There is a lot more to the temple than a single building. Even the city of Jerusalem itself was regarded as holy. I want to show a map of the city so that you can see how the city, even at it’s peak during Herod’s time, was dominated by the temple. Archaeologists have found stones as large as 36 ft x 12 ft x 10 ft weighing 400 tons! (Actually, they have found larger stones up to 44 x 16 x 12 ft weighing 570 tons. The largest stone in the Great Pyramid weighed 11 tons.) These large stones were used to form the temple wall and the outer court. By joining these large stones together with lead and iron straps, they were able to extend the temple mount and then fill the interior creating a huge, flat open area.
Not only is the size impressive (36 acres), but the elevation is significant. The temple mount is higher than the rest of the city. Anywhere you are in the city, the temple is above you. I’ve got a short video clip from UCLA that shows a 3D rendering of the temple as seen from the City of David.
What you see in that image is the wall of the temple court and the portico on the south side. What I think of as the actual temple (or sanctuary) is not even visible from within the city because the outer court is so enormous.
The main entrance was from the south side of the temple, barely visible in the video. There were two gates. You actually walked through a covered area and up stairs to arrive inside the outer court of the temple. Kind of like coming up out of a subway. This area is known as the court of the Gentiles. Now we are in the outer courts. Josephus wrote of the temple, ““Whatever was not overlaid with gold was purest white.”
From there, it is an increasing holiness. You’ve got the outer courts, or court of the Gentiles. Then, there is the court of Women. Carl explained last week that this was called the court of Women because it was the last area women were allowed to enter. Then comes the court of Israelites, court of Priests, Holy Place, and Holy of Holies.
The temple sanctuary was 15 stories tall.
According to Acts 4:13, Peter and John are referred to as, “unlearned and ignorant men.” The disciples are rural, outdoor people except for Matthew perhaps. They have not spent their lives in the big city. But now they are spending all day long in the temple with Jesus. Jesus is perfectly comfortable there, but surely the disciples feel a little out of place. New York City often referred to as “The City.” To the Jews, Jerusalem is “The City.”
In Luke 20, Jesus has been teaching in the temple courts. Before that, he drove out the moneychangers. So now the disciples have spent a day or two at the temple.
Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. Luke 21:5
It’s always so easy to come down hard on the disciples for being ignorant or foolish or petty. But I’d like to take a few minutes to review the temple and what it was like.
What is known as the second temple was built in the same location as the first temple. The foundations of the second temple were laid about 535 B.C. by Jewish exiles returning from captivity in Babylon. When Herod the Great became king of Judea the second temple had stood for about five hundred years. The building had suffered considerably from natural decay over the years as well as from the assaults of hostile armies, and Herod, desirous of gaining the favor of the Jews, proposed to rebuild it. This offer was accepted, and the work was begun (18 B.C.), and carried out at great labor and expense, and on a scale of surpassing splendor. The main part of the building was completed in ten years, but the erection of the outer courts and the embellishment of the whole were carried on during the entire period of Jesus' life on earth (John 2:16, John 2:19-21). The temple was completed in A.D. 63. (Taken from biblestudy.com)
There is a lot more to the temple than a single building. Even the city of Jerusalem itself was regarded as holy. I want to show a map of the city so that you can see how the city, even at it’s peak during Herod’s time, was dominated by the temple. Archaeologists have found stones as large as 36 ft x 12 ft x 10 ft weighing 400 tons! (Actually, they have found larger stones up to 44 x 16 x 12 ft weighing 570 tons. The largest stone in the Great Pyramid weighed 11 tons.) These large stones were used to form the temple wall and the outer court. By joining these large stones together with lead and iron straps, they were able to extend the temple mount and then fill the interior creating a huge, flat open area.
Not only is the size impressive (36 acres), but the elevation is significant. The temple mount is higher than the rest of the city. Anywhere you are in the city, the temple is above you. I’ve got a short video clip from UCLA that shows a 3D rendering of the temple as seen from the City of David.
What you see in that image is the wall of the temple court and the portico on the south side. What I think of as the actual temple (or sanctuary) is not even visible from within the city because the outer court is so enormous.
The main entrance was from the south side of the temple, barely visible in the video. There were two gates. You actually walked through a covered area and up stairs to arrive inside the outer court of the temple. Kind of like coming up out of a subway. This area is known as the court of the Gentiles. Now we are in the outer courts. Josephus wrote of the temple, ““Whatever was not overlaid with gold was purest white.”
From there, it is an increasing holiness. You’ve got the outer courts, or court of the Gentiles. Then, there is the court of Women. Carl explained last week that this was called the court of Women because it was the last area women were allowed to enter. Then comes the court of Israelites, court of Priests, Holy Place, and Holy of Holies.
The temple sanctuary was 15 stories tall.
“Along the fascia of the temple were all of these gold shields, so that if you would look at the temple, the reflection of the gold was so tremendous that it was like looking at the sun itself. And you couldn't just look at the temple because of these gold plates when the sun was reflecting off of it. It would be hard on your eyes and like looking in a mirror.” Chuck Smith
If Josephus had written a travel guidebook, the temple of Jerusalem would have gotten 10 stars out of a possible 5 star rating.
I know we spent a while going through all of this, but I hope it gives you a better picture of what the temple was like. Also, looking through all of this has really helped me to see why Jesus’ comments about the temple were always such a big deal. For example, early in Jesus’ ministry, the Pharisees catch the disciples picking heads of grain and eating them on the Sabbath. Jesus answers, “I tell you that one greater than the temple is here.” (Matthew 12:6)
Now, Jesus was described by the prophet Isaiah as one who “had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.” Contrast that against what we’ve just seen and what the temple represents (the House of the Lord). The Pharisees could not accept who Jesus was. After saying, “one greater than the temple is here,” and then healing on the Sabbath, the Pharisees were so furious that for the first time they began to look for a way to kill Jesus.
So the disciples are understandably impressed with the beauty and splendor of the temple. Not only that, but it is dedicated to God. "Hey, Jesus, isn’t that neat?"
But Jesus said, “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.” Luke 21:6
The disciples are certainly speechless. Maybe they’re talking amongst themselves, “What did he say? Did he say every stone would be thrown down? How could every stone be thrown down?” At that moment, no one felt up to the challenge of pressing farther.
Most of you know that this prophecy came true, just as Jesus said it would. In 70 AD, just 7 years after the temple was completed, Titus invaded Jerusalem.
“It is said that at the fall of Jerusalem, the last surviving Jews of the city fled to the temple, because it was the strongest, most secure building in the city. Roman soldiers surrounded it, and one drunken soldier started a fire that soon engulfed the whole building. Ornate gold detail work in the roof melted down in the cracks between the stone walls of the temple, and to retrieve the gold, the Roman commander ordered that the temple be dismantled stone by stone. The destruction was so complete that today, they have true difficulty learning exactly where the temple was.” David Guzik
See this picture for the First Century Street.
I want to read a passage from Chuck Smith about his experience during a visit to Jerusalem.
“Today when you go to Jerusalem, as you go up the walk next to the western wall that leads on to the temple mount area, they have excavated the area to the right side of this walk. They have excavated down to the pavement that was the Roman street that went through the bottom of the Teropian Valley. And as they have excavated down to this Roman street, street level at the time of Christ, down there on the pavement which was made of great huge stones, there are these huge stones that have been pushed over the wall and that cracked the pavement down below. And you see them as they are just lying there in disarray as they fell and were pushed over the wall and crashed into the valley several hundred feet below, breaking the pavement down below. I've climbed down in to that area and I've touched these big stones and I've marveled at them. Because as I looked at them, I realized I was seeing the fulfillment of the prophecy of Jesus Christ. "Not one stone was left standing upon another." They filled the Teropian Valley with stones that they pushed over from the temple, watching them crash below. But it fulfilled literally the prophecy of Jesus, as He said, "You look at these stones, but there shall not be one left standing upon another that will not be thrown down." Thus, as you go up on the temple mount, there is no evidence anywhere of where the temple of Solomon stood. The temple mount that he built is there. But there is no evidence at all of the place of the temple, because not one stone was left standing upon another.”
Clearly, the temple had become an idol to the Jews. It was more important to them than God himself. Good things can become idols. Sometimes the good things become the worst idols. God will not allow us to hold onto our idols. He will break those things up if he needs to. Even destroying a temple originally built for Him.
Parallel passages in Mark 13 and Matthew 24 indicate a passage of time between the answer at the temple and the question in verse 7. The disciples point out the temple on their departure from the city, but the question comes back on the Mount of Olives, in private.
“Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?” Luke 21:7
Mark’s gospel specifies that only Peter, James, John, and Andrew are present. In Matthew, the question is expanded, “what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Matthew 24:3
So, one last map.
I want you to take a look at the location of the Mount of Olives relative to Jerusalem and the temple. The peak of the Mount of Olives is 200 feet above the temple mount. In the John Farmer director’s cut of this scene, the disciples are high enough on the Mount in order to see the temple sanctuary. As long as they were anywhere along the western slope, they could see the outer wall of the temple.
I imagine that the disciple asking the question is gesturing toward the temple as they ask the question. The manner of the question makes you think that no one has asked Jesus anything since the first observation about the temple, at least a 30 minute walk from the temple.
He replied: "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not follow them. Luke 21:8
Jesus made this point also in Luke 17:23 while talking about the coming of the Kingdom of God. And history has born this out. There have been many who have made claims to be the Messiah. In 130 AD, a man named Bar Kokhba was believed by many Jews to be the Messiah. He started a widespread revolt against the Romans, enjoyed some early success, but was soon after crushed. In the present day, we have the likes of Jim Jones and David Koresh leading people astray.
If anyone comes to you with news that the Messiah has come, you can reject them outright based on Jesus’ own words.
“When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.” Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.” Luke 21:9-11
This passage from verse 8-18 refers to the present age, not just signs of the end of the age. Matthew 24:6 describes them as “the beginning of birth pangs.” In Romans 8:22 we read that “the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” Just as the tempo and pace of Jesus’ earthly ministry accelerated toward the end, so to will the terrible events at the end of our age.
Also to note: “All these things preceded the destruction of Jerusalem. Were there wars? The Romans were frequently at war with the Jews, the Samaritans, the Syrians, and others during this period. Were there earthquakes? Historians tell us of great earthquakes in the Roman Empire before Jerusalem was destroyed. Were there famines? Acts 11:28 tells of one in this period. Were there fearful sights? The volcano at Pompeii erupted just seven years before Jerusalem was destroyed. Were there signs in the heavens? Not long before Jerusalem was destroyed, a comet that looked like a sword hung over the city by night for a year.”
“Yet, Jesus also speaks of general conditions that will precede His second coming. The world has seen incredible catastrophe since the time of Jesus. Even in our century we have seen genocide on an unimaginable scale, world wide war, and whole continents given over to disease and famine; yet these things in themselves are not the signs of Jesus’ coming.” David Guzik
I have a student bible that has one of the best explanations of biblical prophecy that I have found to date. It likens prophecy to a series of mountain ranges. From a distance, the mountains look two dimensional. In reality, there can be a big separation between them. A larger mountain in the far distance may appear the same as a closer smaller mountain. In this case, it seems as though there are two mountains in line with each other, one close and the other far away. The destruction of Jerusalem was close (less than 30 years away) and the end of the age was farther away (more than 2000 years away), and there were marked similarities between the two.
Jesus is clear that these things will happen, but he is also up front, “Do not be frightened.” Isaiah 45:7 says “I make well being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things.” God is in control.
“But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. This will result in your being witnesses to them.” Luke 21:12-13
Paul testifies to this in Philippians 1:12 “what has happened to me [being a prisoner] has served to advance the gospel.” What has happened to the apostle Paul has happened again and again to saints and martyrs throughout history. Believers will continue to give testimony before kings and governors up until the end.
But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. Luke 21:14-15
The best Biblical account of this is in Acts 6:9-10 during the trial of Stephen. “Opposition arose … These men began to argue with Stephen, but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.” God will give us the words to speak, and we should not strategize or plan how to impress the authorities with our own wisdom.
You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. All men will hate you because of me. Luke 21:16-17
Jesus did not come to bring peace to the earth but division. Christ brings peace between the believer and God (Luke 2:14, John 14:27). Christ’s coming brings conflict between Christ and the antichrist, between light and darkness, and between Christ’s children and the devil’s children. This is going on around the world even today. Christians are persecuted in many countries. Families will disown children who accept Christ, and I saw not long ago a story about a suspected honor killing carried out in New York City.
John 15:19 holds the answer to why the world will hate us.
“If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” John 15:19
Listen to the words of Jesus, “I have chosen you … I have chosen you out of the world… I have chosen you.” Do not be terrified.
“… not a hair of your head will perish. By standing firm you will gain life.” Luke 21:18-19
Perseverance is a sure indication of salvation. Matthew 10:22 “He who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Hebrews 3:14 “We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.” Hebrews 6:11-12 “We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”
“When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.” Luke 21:20-21
This is kind of backwards. Flee toward the enemy, not away from the enemy. Run from the protection of the city walls into the risk of open spaces. It is said that every Christian in the city fled. Most of them went to Pella in Decapolis, as they had been instructed. And, they were safe.
For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Luke 21:22-24
Of those who stayed in Jerusalem 1,100,000 died and 97,000 were taken into captivity. Following the destruction of Jerusalem, the Romans renamed the city and would not allow any Jew to enter the city except on the anniversary date of its destruction when they were invited to come and mourn bitterly.
No wonder why Jesus was weeping on his arrival to Jerusalem as we read in Luke 19. He could see what was in store for the people of Jerusalem and it grieved him deeply.
Gentiles will have both spiritual opportunities and control of Jerusalem. That ends when God’s purpose for the Gentiles is fulfilled. Romans 11:25 – “until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.” Jerusalem was retaken by the Jews in 1967. Is the end nearer now that before? Of course! And yet, the temple mount is still control by the Arabs, i.e. Gentiles. So the end is not quite here, yet.
The next portion of Scripture reveals the second coming of Jesus. Do you know what the word Advent means? It means coming. What time of year do we talk about advent? That’s right, Christmas time. We talk about the first advent, Jesus born of the Virgin Mary in a stable in Bethlehem.
Do you know what happened to the temple sacrifices following the destruction of the first temple? Because the Jews could no longer offer blood sacrifices as required by the law, their sins could not be atoned or paid for because there is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood. As a result, the teachers of the law came up with a kind of substitutionary belief: studying the sacrifices in the Scriptures is the same as offering them. Is thinking about something the same as doing it?
What do we see in the present day at Christmas time? Often times, we make a treasure out of our memories. We remember all the fun and all the stories. I remember how I felt. Is that forward looking or backward looking? Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that Christmas is bad. What I’m trying to say is that I’m a whole lot more comfortable with the idea of what’s already been done than looking forward to what will happen. Am I remembering Christ or am I believing in Christ?
Said another way, do I think of Christ in terms of who he is, or what he did?
Let’s try and look at it a different way. Who am I? I have a name. John. After that, how would I answer the question. I am the father of six kids. I am an engineer. If you want to go deeper, suddenly, I’m telling you all about what I’ve done in my life. In a lot of ways, I let what I do define who I am.
What’s important about Jesus? He was born in a stable. He fulfilled prophecy. He lived a sinless life. He worked many miracles. He was tortured and died on a cross. He rose from the dead. Fulfilling prophecy, working miracles, living a sinless life and rising from the dead are made possible by who he is. Jesus is the Son of God. No man can live a sinless life. Only Jesus could do that. Only Jesus could pay for the sins of the world. He alone is worthy.
If we look at the saving work of Christ, there are basically six steps.
1. His Death – as substitute (for us, we are free from penalty) and as representative (as us, we have victory over sin)
2. His Burial – in turn our burial so that we have new life
3. His Resurrection – ratifies what was accomplished in his death
4. His Ascension – God accepts the sacrifice of his Son
5. His Reign at the Right Hand of God – Interceding on our behalf
6. His Second Coming – All things will be brought under the authority of Christ
The only one that hasn’t happened yet is the Second Coming. But just as surely as the other five have happened, the sixth one will happen, too. Make no mistake about it. Jesus is coming back and he is coming back soon. He is coming back both because he said he would and because of who he is. King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The Alpha and Omega. The beginning and the end.
“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Luke 21:25-27
I will not predict what the signs will be like. I do imagine that they will be unmistakable. Regarding the roaring and tossing of the sea, it is interesting that the nations at present are worried about global warming and the potential for sea level to rise. Due to the global economic crisis, there is a backlash against all the greenhouse gas restrictions in Europe because they are so expensive. Some member countries of the European Union are resisting the implementation. (Anguish and perplexity among the nations, perhaps?)
To be clear, I’m not saying that Jesus is talking about global warming. I am saying that we are seeing more and more events that look like the end is near.
“They will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud.” Jesus is coming with power and great glory. It is not an event that will be hidden. People won’t be watching it on CNN. It will be apparent to all as described in Luke 17, “like the lightning, which flashes up the sky from one end to the other.” There will be no doubt that the Son of God has returned.
“When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:28
We should look forward to the return of Christ. The uncertainty and dangers will be nothing in comparison to eternity with Him. The great tribulation that is coming should press us to carry out the Great Commission. Jesus has allowed such a time to pass before his return so that “the full number of the Gentiles [can] come in” to the Kingdom of God.
“He told them this parable: ‘Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.’” Luke 21:29-32
Okay, so one of the easier parables to interpret. Jesus doesn’t even give us a chance to get confused about the fig tree as a symbol for Israel. All trees sprout leaves, and you can see that and know that summer is near. All the tribulations of this world are a sign that the kingdom of God is near. “The world has seen incredible catastrophe since the time of Jesus. Even in our century we have seen genocide on an unimaginable scale, world wide war, and whole continents given over to disease and famine.”
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Luke 21:33
Jesus is the Word. John 1:1 “The Word was God.”
“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap.” Luke 21:34
Don’t get distracted by the things of this world. C.S. Lewis wrote “the modern Christian and even the modern theologian may hesitate to give to the doctrine of Christ’s Second Coming that emphasis which was usually laid on it by our ancestors.” Why? “We keep on assuming that we know the play. We do not even know whether we are in Act I or Act V.” Jesus commands us to have an Act V attitude.
Probably 10 years ago or more, Melissa and I went to Furman to watch a 4th of July fireworks display put on by the Greenville Symphony Orchestra. There was a concert up front and then music during the fireworks. It was really good, but we sat right behind this guy and every time two or more fireworks went off at the same time, he would clap and yell, “Grand finale, grand finale.” This went on for probably 20 minutes, until the grand finale. I have to confess that it really got on my nerves, and Melissa and I laugh about it to this day. But, it is a good reminder of what our attitude needs to be. We need to live as though Jesus will come back tomorrow.
The spiritual parallel about the fireworks story is that every fireworks show has a grand finale. You don’t know when it will come, but there will be one. I’ve been to small shows where I said, was that it. I’ve been to big shows where the grand finale was so big and the wind so still that you couldn’t really see the fireworks for the smoke. You can be sure that this age will come to an end, and there will be no mistake when it does. No one will say when Jesus returns, was that it?
“For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth.” Luke 21:35
The second coming will be a global phenomenon compared to the destruction of Jerusalem which is a local event. As described by Jesus, it’s kind of the inverse of “you can’t take it with you when you die.” You won’t escape the tribulation if you are on the earth. There is no Social Security, 529, pension, 401(k) plan for that. It will affect everyone on the earth.
“Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:36
Before the destruction of Jerusalem, those people who saw the armies surrounding the city and heeded the words of Christ and left the city were spared. Likewise, those who watch and pray will be able to escape all that is about to happen. This could be the rapture as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18.
Watch AND pray. Reading on the internet about what’s going on in Jerusalem does not consist of watching and certainly does not amount to prayer. We need to be obedient to Christ in following the Great Commission and fervent in prayer as Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.”
“Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple. Luke 21:37-38
Just a short comment, the Greek word for evening is night and the root word for early in the morning is dawn. Those last few days before his betrayal, Jesus was in the temple all day every day, and the people were arriving at dawn to hear him.
His return is closer this year than it was last year. It is closer today than it was yesterday. Are we ready?
Jesus himself testified to the apostle John, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
And let us echo John’s prayer, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”
May He come soon and find us ready.
If Josephus had written a travel guidebook, the temple of Jerusalem would have gotten 10 stars out of a possible 5 star rating.
I know we spent a while going through all of this, but I hope it gives you a better picture of what the temple was like. Also, looking through all of this has really helped me to see why Jesus’ comments about the temple were always such a big deal. For example, early in Jesus’ ministry, the Pharisees catch the disciples picking heads of grain and eating them on the Sabbath. Jesus answers, “I tell you that one greater than the temple is here.” (Matthew 12:6)
Now, Jesus was described by the prophet Isaiah as one who “had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.” Contrast that against what we’ve just seen and what the temple represents (the House of the Lord). The Pharisees could not accept who Jesus was. After saying, “one greater than the temple is here,” and then healing on the Sabbath, the Pharisees were so furious that for the first time they began to look for a way to kill Jesus.
So the disciples are understandably impressed with the beauty and splendor of the temple. Not only that, but it is dedicated to God. "Hey, Jesus, isn’t that neat?"
But Jesus said, “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.” Luke 21:6
The disciples are certainly speechless. Maybe they’re talking amongst themselves, “What did he say? Did he say every stone would be thrown down? How could every stone be thrown down?” At that moment, no one felt up to the challenge of pressing farther.
Most of you know that this prophecy came true, just as Jesus said it would. In 70 AD, just 7 years after the temple was completed, Titus invaded Jerusalem.
“It is said that at the fall of Jerusalem, the last surviving Jews of the city fled to the temple, because it was the strongest, most secure building in the city. Roman soldiers surrounded it, and one drunken soldier started a fire that soon engulfed the whole building. Ornate gold detail work in the roof melted down in the cracks between the stone walls of the temple, and to retrieve the gold, the Roman commander ordered that the temple be dismantled stone by stone. The destruction was so complete that today, they have true difficulty learning exactly where the temple was.” David Guzik
See this picture for the First Century Street.
I want to read a passage from Chuck Smith about his experience during a visit to Jerusalem.
“Today when you go to Jerusalem, as you go up the walk next to the western wall that leads on to the temple mount area, they have excavated the area to the right side of this walk. They have excavated down to the pavement that was the Roman street that went through the bottom of the Teropian Valley. And as they have excavated down to this Roman street, street level at the time of Christ, down there on the pavement which was made of great huge stones, there are these huge stones that have been pushed over the wall and that cracked the pavement down below. And you see them as they are just lying there in disarray as they fell and were pushed over the wall and crashed into the valley several hundred feet below, breaking the pavement down below. I've climbed down in to that area and I've touched these big stones and I've marveled at them. Because as I looked at them, I realized I was seeing the fulfillment of the prophecy of Jesus Christ. "Not one stone was left standing upon another." They filled the Teropian Valley with stones that they pushed over from the temple, watching them crash below. But it fulfilled literally the prophecy of Jesus, as He said, "You look at these stones, but there shall not be one left standing upon another that will not be thrown down." Thus, as you go up on the temple mount, there is no evidence anywhere of where the temple of Solomon stood. The temple mount that he built is there. But there is no evidence at all of the place of the temple, because not one stone was left standing upon another.”
Clearly, the temple had become an idol to the Jews. It was more important to them than God himself. Good things can become idols. Sometimes the good things become the worst idols. God will not allow us to hold onto our idols. He will break those things up if he needs to. Even destroying a temple originally built for Him.
Parallel passages in Mark 13 and Matthew 24 indicate a passage of time between the answer at the temple and the question in verse 7. The disciples point out the temple on their departure from the city, but the question comes back on the Mount of Olives, in private.
“Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?” Luke 21:7
Mark’s gospel specifies that only Peter, James, John, and Andrew are present. In Matthew, the question is expanded, “what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Matthew 24:3
So, one last map.
I want you to take a look at the location of the Mount of Olives relative to Jerusalem and the temple. The peak of the Mount of Olives is 200 feet above the temple mount. In the John Farmer director’s cut of this scene, the disciples are high enough on the Mount in order to see the temple sanctuary. As long as they were anywhere along the western slope, they could see the outer wall of the temple.
I imagine that the disciple asking the question is gesturing toward the temple as they ask the question. The manner of the question makes you think that no one has asked Jesus anything since the first observation about the temple, at least a 30 minute walk from the temple.
He replied: "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not follow them. Luke 21:8
Jesus made this point also in Luke 17:23 while talking about the coming of the Kingdom of God. And history has born this out. There have been many who have made claims to be the Messiah. In 130 AD, a man named Bar Kokhba was believed by many Jews to be the Messiah. He started a widespread revolt against the Romans, enjoyed some early success, but was soon after crushed. In the present day, we have the likes of Jim Jones and David Koresh leading people astray.
If anyone comes to you with news that the Messiah has come, you can reject them outright based on Jesus’ own words.
“When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.” Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.” Luke 21:9-11
This passage from verse 8-18 refers to the present age, not just signs of the end of the age. Matthew 24:6 describes them as “the beginning of birth pangs.” In Romans 8:22 we read that “the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” Just as the tempo and pace of Jesus’ earthly ministry accelerated toward the end, so to will the terrible events at the end of our age.
Also to note: “All these things preceded the destruction of Jerusalem. Were there wars? The Romans were frequently at war with the Jews, the Samaritans, the Syrians, and others during this period. Were there earthquakes? Historians tell us of great earthquakes in the Roman Empire before Jerusalem was destroyed. Were there famines? Acts 11:28 tells of one in this period. Were there fearful sights? The volcano at Pompeii erupted just seven years before Jerusalem was destroyed. Were there signs in the heavens? Not long before Jerusalem was destroyed, a comet that looked like a sword hung over the city by night for a year.”
“Yet, Jesus also speaks of general conditions that will precede His second coming. The world has seen incredible catastrophe since the time of Jesus. Even in our century we have seen genocide on an unimaginable scale, world wide war, and whole continents given over to disease and famine; yet these things in themselves are not the signs of Jesus’ coming.” David Guzik
I have a student bible that has one of the best explanations of biblical prophecy that I have found to date. It likens prophecy to a series of mountain ranges. From a distance, the mountains look two dimensional. In reality, there can be a big separation between them. A larger mountain in the far distance may appear the same as a closer smaller mountain. In this case, it seems as though there are two mountains in line with each other, one close and the other far away. The destruction of Jerusalem was close (less than 30 years away) and the end of the age was farther away (more than 2000 years away), and there were marked similarities between the two.
Jesus is clear that these things will happen, but he is also up front, “Do not be frightened.” Isaiah 45:7 says “I make well being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things.” God is in control.
“But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. This will result in your being witnesses to them.” Luke 21:12-13
Paul testifies to this in Philippians 1:12 “what has happened to me [being a prisoner] has served to advance the gospel.” What has happened to the apostle Paul has happened again and again to saints and martyrs throughout history. Believers will continue to give testimony before kings and governors up until the end.
But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. Luke 21:14-15
The best Biblical account of this is in Acts 6:9-10 during the trial of Stephen. “Opposition arose … These men began to argue with Stephen, but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.” God will give us the words to speak, and we should not strategize or plan how to impress the authorities with our own wisdom.
You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. All men will hate you because of me. Luke 21:16-17
Jesus did not come to bring peace to the earth but division. Christ brings peace between the believer and God (Luke 2:14, John 14:27). Christ’s coming brings conflict between Christ and the antichrist, between light and darkness, and between Christ’s children and the devil’s children. This is going on around the world even today. Christians are persecuted in many countries. Families will disown children who accept Christ, and I saw not long ago a story about a suspected honor killing carried out in New York City.
John 15:19 holds the answer to why the world will hate us.
“If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” John 15:19
Listen to the words of Jesus, “I have chosen you … I have chosen you out of the world… I have chosen you.” Do not be terrified.
“… not a hair of your head will perish. By standing firm you will gain life.” Luke 21:18-19
Perseverance is a sure indication of salvation. Matthew 10:22 “He who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Hebrews 3:14 “We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.” Hebrews 6:11-12 “We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”
“When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city.” Luke 21:20-21
This is kind of backwards. Flee toward the enemy, not away from the enemy. Run from the protection of the city walls into the risk of open spaces. It is said that every Christian in the city fled. Most of them went to Pella in Decapolis, as they had been instructed. And, they were safe.
For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Luke 21:22-24
Of those who stayed in Jerusalem 1,100,000 died and 97,000 were taken into captivity. Following the destruction of Jerusalem, the Romans renamed the city and would not allow any Jew to enter the city except on the anniversary date of its destruction when they were invited to come and mourn bitterly.
No wonder why Jesus was weeping on his arrival to Jerusalem as we read in Luke 19. He could see what was in store for the people of Jerusalem and it grieved him deeply.
Gentiles will have both spiritual opportunities and control of Jerusalem. That ends when God’s purpose for the Gentiles is fulfilled. Romans 11:25 – “until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.” Jerusalem was retaken by the Jews in 1967. Is the end nearer now that before? Of course! And yet, the temple mount is still control by the Arabs, i.e. Gentiles. So the end is not quite here, yet.
The next portion of Scripture reveals the second coming of Jesus. Do you know what the word Advent means? It means coming. What time of year do we talk about advent? That’s right, Christmas time. We talk about the first advent, Jesus born of the Virgin Mary in a stable in Bethlehem.
Do you know what happened to the temple sacrifices following the destruction of the first temple? Because the Jews could no longer offer blood sacrifices as required by the law, their sins could not be atoned or paid for because there is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood. As a result, the teachers of the law came up with a kind of substitutionary belief: studying the sacrifices in the Scriptures is the same as offering them. Is thinking about something the same as doing it?
What do we see in the present day at Christmas time? Often times, we make a treasure out of our memories. We remember all the fun and all the stories. I remember how I felt. Is that forward looking or backward looking? Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that Christmas is bad. What I’m trying to say is that I’m a whole lot more comfortable with the idea of what’s already been done than looking forward to what will happen. Am I remembering Christ or am I believing in Christ?
Said another way, do I think of Christ in terms of who he is, or what he did?
Let’s try and look at it a different way. Who am I? I have a name. John. After that, how would I answer the question. I am the father of six kids. I am an engineer. If you want to go deeper, suddenly, I’m telling you all about what I’ve done in my life. In a lot of ways, I let what I do define who I am.
What’s important about Jesus? He was born in a stable. He fulfilled prophecy. He lived a sinless life. He worked many miracles. He was tortured and died on a cross. He rose from the dead. Fulfilling prophecy, working miracles, living a sinless life and rising from the dead are made possible by who he is. Jesus is the Son of God. No man can live a sinless life. Only Jesus could do that. Only Jesus could pay for the sins of the world. He alone is worthy.
If we look at the saving work of Christ, there are basically six steps.
1. His Death – as substitute (for us, we are free from penalty) and as representative (as us, we have victory over sin)
2. His Burial – in turn our burial so that we have new life
3. His Resurrection – ratifies what was accomplished in his death
4. His Ascension – God accepts the sacrifice of his Son
5. His Reign at the Right Hand of God – Interceding on our behalf
6. His Second Coming – All things will be brought under the authority of Christ
The only one that hasn’t happened yet is the Second Coming. But just as surely as the other five have happened, the sixth one will happen, too. Make no mistake about it. Jesus is coming back and he is coming back soon. He is coming back both because he said he would and because of who he is. King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The Alpha and Omega. The beginning and the end.
“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Luke 21:25-27
I will not predict what the signs will be like. I do imagine that they will be unmistakable. Regarding the roaring and tossing of the sea, it is interesting that the nations at present are worried about global warming and the potential for sea level to rise. Due to the global economic crisis, there is a backlash against all the greenhouse gas restrictions in Europe because they are so expensive. Some member countries of the European Union are resisting the implementation. (Anguish and perplexity among the nations, perhaps?)
To be clear, I’m not saying that Jesus is talking about global warming. I am saying that we are seeing more and more events that look like the end is near.
“They will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud.” Jesus is coming with power and great glory. It is not an event that will be hidden. People won’t be watching it on CNN. It will be apparent to all as described in Luke 17, “like the lightning, which flashes up the sky from one end to the other.” There will be no doubt that the Son of God has returned.
“When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:28
We should look forward to the return of Christ. The uncertainty and dangers will be nothing in comparison to eternity with Him. The great tribulation that is coming should press us to carry out the Great Commission. Jesus has allowed such a time to pass before his return so that “the full number of the Gentiles [can] come in” to the Kingdom of God.
“He told them this parable: ‘Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.’” Luke 21:29-32
Okay, so one of the easier parables to interpret. Jesus doesn’t even give us a chance to get confused about the fig tree as a symbol for Israel. All trees sprout leaves, and you can see that and know that summer is near. All the tribulations of this world are a sign that the kingdom of God is near. “The world has seen incredible catastrophe since the time of Jesus. Even in our century we have seen genocide on an unimaginable scale, world wide war, and whole continents given over to disease and famine.”
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Luke 21:33
Jesus is the Word. John 1:1 “The Word was God.”
“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap.” Luke 21:34
Don’t get distracted by the things of this world. C.S. Lewis wrote “the modern Christian and even the modern theologian may hesitate to give to the doctrine of Christ’s Second Coming that emphasis which was usually laid on it by our ancestors.” Why? “We keep on assuming that we know the play. We do not even know whether we are in Act I or Act V.” Jesus commands us to have an Act V attitude.
Probably 10 years ago or more, Melissa and I went to Furman to watch a 4th of July fireworks display put on by the Greenville Symphony Orchestra. There was a concert up front and then music during the fireworks. It was really good, but we sat right behind this guy and every time two or more fireworks went off at the same time, he would clap and yell, “Grand finale, grand finale.” This went on for probably 20 minutes, until the grand finale. I have to confess that it really got on my nerves, and Melissa and I laugh about it to this day. But, it is a good reminder of what our attitude needs to be. We need to live as though Jesus will come back tomorrow.
The spiritual parallel about the fireworks story is that every fireworks show has a grand finale. You don’t know when it will come, but there will be one. I’ve been to small shows where I said, was that it. I’ve been to big shows where the grand finale was so big and the wind so still that you couldn’t really see the fireworks for the smoke. You can be sure that this age will come to an end, and there will be no mistake when it does. No one will say when Jesus returns, was that it?
“For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth.” Luke 21:35
The second coming will be a global phenomenon compared to the destruction of Jerusalem which is a local event. As described by Jesus, it’s kind of the inverse of “you can’t take it with you when you die.” You won’t escape the tribulation if you are on the earth. There is no Social Security, 529, pension, 401(k) plan for that. It will affect everyone on the earth.
“Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:36
Before the destruction of Jerusalem, those people who saw the armies surrounding the city and heeded the words of Christ and left the city were spared. Likewise, those who watch and pray will be able to escape all that is about to happen. This could be the rapture as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18.
Watch AND pray. Reading on the internet about what’s going on in Jerusalem does not consist of watching and certainly does not amount to prayer. We need to be obedient to Christ in following the Great Commission and fervent in prayer as Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.”
“Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple. Luke 21:37-38
Just a short comment, the Greek word for evening is night and the root word for early in the morning is dawn. Those last few days before his betrayal, Jesus was in the temple all day every day, and the people were arriving at dawn to hear him.
His return is closer this year than it was last year. It is closer today than it was yesterday. Are we ready?
Jesus himself testified to the apostle John, “Yes, I am coming soon.”
And let us echo John’s prayer, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”
May He come soon and find us ready.
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