The End Times
Part 3 – Abomination and Desolation
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org
SCRIPTURE READING
Matthew 24:15-27
The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times
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— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.
22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.
26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.
INTRODUCTION
The disciples ask Jesus, when will the end come, and Jesus explains to them that no one but the Father in Heaven knows. He then proceeds to tell them what the end will look like, and what will take place.
I believe the reason Jesus did so, was to instruct us, and keep us from falling into traps set by false prophets.
Many have been deceived in years past, by many who claim to be Jesus, or know where Jesus is, or is going to be.
These false prophets have used the Lord to manipulate people for their own evil desires.
Jesus begins by telling the Disciples, “Watch out that no one deceives you…”
This speaks of two things. First, even those closest to Jesus can be deceived, and secondly, there are people out there trying to deceive God’s children.
Jesus says not to fear when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, this has to take place.
This is the “beginning” of the birth pains.
After this, believers will be persecuted, and put to death. They will be hated by all nations because of Christ.
This is taking place RIGHT NOW!
There are many believers around the world being put to death because of Christ, and many who are hated because of Him.
It is during this time many false prophets will rise, and are rising.
Since the beginning of the end has already happened, let’s look at what Jesus says will happen next.
I. THE ABOMINATION
a. 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
i. Jesus is telling us that the prophecies in Daniel will take place. The Anti-Christ will invade Israel, take over the Temple, thus defiling it.
ii. Daniels vision in Daniel 8:9-14 tells us that this reign of the Anti-Christ will last 6 years and 4 months by the Gregorian calendar.
b. Daniel 9:25-27 “25 Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. 26 After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. 27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”
i. This prophecy is broke into three sections. The first is the establishing and fulfillment of the command to rebuild Jerusalem, which will honor God until the coming of the Anointed One, Jesus.
ii. The second part of this prophecy speaks of the Anointed One (Jesus) being put to death, the crucifixion.
iii. The third part of this prophecy speaks of what is to come next…The rising of the anti-christ.
c. v16-20 “let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.”
i. Jesus is speaking of the Jews here, note He mentions “those in Judea”, and “pray it doesn’t take place on the Sabbath”, because travel was forbidden by the Sanhedrin.
II. DAYS CUT SHORT FOR THE ELECT
a. This is the Great Tribulation, the end, the time of the anti-crist, specifically, the last 3 ½ years.
b. v22 “22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.”
i. This speaks of the slaughter of the Jews, and the fact that if it were not for the days being cut short, no Israelite would survive.
ii. What event cut the days of tribulation short? The Second Coming. Remember, this was the question the Disciples asked Jesus which brought about this discussion to begin with.
III. THE SECOND COMING
a. Matthew 24:24-26 “23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.
26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.
i. Revelation 13 speaks of the anti-christ and the false prophet.
ii. The signs and wonders from them will be offered as proof that the anti-christ is the savior.
iii. They will specifically try to deceive Israel (the elect) because the Jews do not believe Jesus was the Messiah, and they are still waiting for Him to come!
iv. Jesus then describes His second coming, and how it will eclipse all those who pretended to be Him.
CONCLUSION
We see from Jesus’ discussion with the Disciples about the end and Jesus’ second coming, that the beginning of the end has already taken place.
The prophecies have been fulfilled, the temple established to honor God until the Anointed Ones coming (Jesus’ birth), the Anointed One being put to death (the crucifixion), and the prophecy which is awaiting fulfillment, the anti-christ coming to power.
We see Jesus speaking directly to the Israelites, warning them that a time is coming like nothing the world has ever seen before, or will ever see again.
Jesus tells them that the anti-christ will try to re-establish the temple, and claim to be the Lord and Messiah by performing great signs and wonders.
The anti-christ will deceive many of the Israelites who do not accept Jesus as the Messiah, and still await the coming of the Anointed one.
Jesus also says that if it were not for the days being numbered and cut short, the entire Jewish race would be wiped out.
This is how the Tribulation will begin, next week we will continue to read as Jesus tells us how He cuts the tribulation short with His second coming, and what will take place at that time.
