OCTOBER 27, 2021 READINGS... Mark 13:1-23 & Matthew 24:1-25 & Luke 22:5-24 &
Mark 13:24-31 &Matthew 24:26-35 & Luke 21:25-33
Matthew, Mark, and Luke record for us Jesus’ answer to the questions from His disciples. Matthew is the most specific in the questions that were asked. The questions had three parts, based upon Jesus’ statement in reference to the Temple that, “not one stone would be left on top of another”. We know the fulfillment of this statement happened about 40 years after Jesus made it. In 70 AD Rome was no longer willing to deal with the Jewish nation and its people’s rebellion against Caesar. So, Titus invaded Israel with his troops, intent on the destruction of the entire nation of the Jews. They came to Jerusalem and began to put fire to the city. When they came to the Temple, they burned it down, in the process they melted all the Temple implements that were made of gold. We are told the melted gold even filled the cracks in the Temple stones. Titus commanded his troops to completely raze the Temple…he wanted it leveled to the ground, and then he poured salt on the ground and cursed it that nothing should ever grow on it again. Thus, we have the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy concerning the Jew’s beautiful Temple. This is the answer to the first question by the disciple’s…” when will this happen?”
The second and third questions are tied together, and unlike the first question, have yet to happen. Although, every New Testament writer considered the time in which they lived the “last days” …we know that Jesus has not returned and the world has not ended. Jesus told His followers to not be deceived for there would be many who would come and falsely claim to be the Messiah. There would both wars, and rumors of wars. There would be famines and earthquakes…but these would be like birth pains, moving toward the real event. Jesus said His followers would be arrested, persecuted, and killed…simply for following Him. Are you living for Jesus with such passion, that when it comes time to die for Jesus, you will be ready? He told them of the coming apostasy, the rise of false prophets, and that the love of many would grow cold. The whole world would have the opportunity to hear the Gospel, and then the end would come. For the Jewish reader particularly, Jesus references a coming event that had already happened in the past. He called it the “abomination the causes desolation”, referred to by Daniel the prophet. Daniels prophesied of a man named Antiochus Epiphanes who would enter the Temple and defile it…this happened, and the Temple needed to be cleansed of this defilement. So, God raised up a family called the Maccabees, who led the Jewish people in rebellion and eventually retake the Temple and cleanse it…this event was where the Jewish people got their celebration of Hanukah. This would happen again at the end of time, this time it would be Antichrist. Jesus told His followers to not listen to those claiming the Messiah had come…truth be told that when He comes no one will need to tell anyone else, for all eyes will see Him. Jesus is coming again…ARE YOU READY? I hope so.
Please share your thoughts from today’s reading.
TOMORROW’S READINGS… Mark 13:32-37 & Matthew 24:36-51 & Luke 21:34-38 &
Matthew 25:1-46
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