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Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope-Episode 41
Gary continues his review of John Piper’s book, “Come, Lord Jesus.”
Two large prophetic passages are outlined for us in the Bible where both time indicators and sign indicators are used: the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24-25; Mark 13; Luke 21) and the book of Revelation. Revelation, with its visions, apocalyptic imagery, and symbols is a difficult book to interpret for those who are not intimately familiar with the Bible as a whole. The best place to start to understand Jesus’ prophetic plan is the Olivet Discourse. We are given a time text (Matt. 24:34) and specific events that are said to unfold prior to that first-generation’s passing. Therefore, we can test the events that Jesus said would take place before that first-century generation passed away with the Bible and history.
To understand Matthew 24, we must begin with a brief background study of Matthew 23. The disciples had just heard Jesus pronounce His “woes” on the Pharisees. Jesus ended His denunciation of Israel’s religious leaders with this bombshell: “Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!” (23:38). What “house” did Jesus have in mind? Matthew 24 begins: “And Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him” (24:1). So then, the “house” that is being left to them “desolate” in Matthew 23:38 is the “temple” that will soon be judged and torn down, stone by stone (24:1).
The disciples were obviously curious since the temple was the most holy site in all Israel. Earlier in His ministry, Jesus pronounced to the religious leaders that His own body was the true temple. The temple of stone was a temporary edifice that pointed to a greater, permanent temple (John 2:19-22). Only after Jesus’ resurrection did the disciples begin to understand that the true and everlasting temple is “the temple of His body” (2:21). The physical temple was designed to be temporary. To make the temple of stone a permanent structure in the light of Jesus’ atoning work would be a denial of the Messiah and His redemptive mission.
The disciples were surprised when Jesus told them that the temple was going to be destroyed, with not one stone left on top of another (Matt. 24:2). In response, they asked this multifaceted question: “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age” (24:3)? It is crucial that we pay close attention to when Jesus said these events would take place.
Last Days Madness
In this authoritative book, Gary DeMar clears the haze of "end-times" fever, shedding light on the most difficult and studied prophetic passages in the Bible, including Daniel 7:13-14; 9:24-27; Matt. 16:27-28; 24-25; Thess. 2; 2 Peter 3:3-13, and clearly explaining a host of other controversial topics.
Buy NowGary continues his review of John Piper’s book, Come, Lord Jesus. Pastor Piper discusses the actual language used by Jesus in the NT, but still argues that Jesus’ words didn’t actually mean what they appear to mean. Jesus promised He would come before that generation in the first century died, but Pastor Piper disagrees.
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