Advancing Truth: The Desolation of Jerusalem and its Temple (Mat 24:15)

Thursday 16 April 2020

The Desolation of Jerusalem and its Temple (Mat 24:15)

The Desolation of Jerusalem and its Temple (Mat 24:15)

To understand eschatology, one very important event is the desolation / destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and the city itself.

This event was foretold by Jesus several times, and prophesied to the disciples and the Jews at that time, that it will soon take place.

This term "Desolation of the Temple" coincides with the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman general Titus as ordered by Emperor Nero.

It occurs in 3 occasions in book of Daniel.

Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Dan 11:31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.

Dan 12:11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.

In Matthew Jesus quoted Daniel directly, and refer this to the destruction of Jerusalem.

Mat 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place,
Mat 24:16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains.

Again in Mark, it says the same:

Mar 13:14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains.

In Luke's version of Jesus' warning, the abomination is not mentioned, and the sign that it is time to flee Jerusalem is explicitly said to be that Jerusalem would be surrounded by armies.

Luk 21:20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

Luk 21:21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.

You can read more of this at:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abomination_of_desolation

Coming back to Mt 23, we can see that Jesus was directing all His disgust and warnings at the Pharisees, and the religious Jews of His time, when He began to call out Woe, after Woe, after Woe at them.

In Mt 23:34-35, Jesus blamed them for killing all the righteous servants that God had sent to warn them to turn from their wicked ways.

Mt 23:36 ... And ALL THIS will come to THIS generation.

ALL WHAT? All the judgement of God is going to fall on that generation.

WHY.? WHY is there a Desolation of Jerusalem and its Temple?

Because they have killed and crucify those that God has sent to them. Even including Jesus, they were about to crucify.

WHY? Because they have corrupted the laws of Moses and have misrepresented it. They have broken the Old Covenant also called the Mosaic Covenant. Israel was in such a terrible backslidden state, that God had to send Jesus to annul the Old Covenant and usher in a New Covenant.

It is WRONG to interpret our present day persecution, calamities and pandemics as judgements from God - by quoting Mt 23:36. Yes, there were wars, and holocausts, and genocides and disasters. But NO.. the Judgement of God was on THAT generation, not ours.

Also, Jesus talked about that Jewish generation and not the present Jewish generation in general.

The heart cry of Jesus is about Jerusalem:

Mt 23:37-38. It's all about Jerusalem. V38: the house of Jerusalem is the Temple of Jerusalem. (See Luke 19:46 - my house is a house of prayer...). Solomon built the temple of God and called it the house of God, because the temple was special. It was the dwelling presence of God.

Interesting to see in Mt 23:38, Jesus said that their house is going to be desolate. The temple is usually called God's house, but now Jesus does not even recognize it as God's house, but as their house.

Today, Christians in the world calls their church buildings "house of God". It is a mistake because we are the "house of God". We are the temple of God (1 Cor 6:19). We are the dwelling place of God, not a building for gathering people.

In John 14: Jesus compared you as the house of God, and He has come to dwell in you. V20: God's house is in you. God's house will never be desolate, but their house will be desolate. Their house belongs to them. God's house belongs to God. Their house is going to be destroyed, but God is happy to dwell in us, His new house.

God is not going to rebuild the temple. There is a worldwide movement that is advocating for the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem and called it the Third Temple. (I will deal with the number of Temples in another writing).

God is not happy to rebuild another Temple in Jerusalem. God does not move from physical temple, to man's heart the spiritual temple, and then move back to another physical temple.

If God does that, then all that He had done through Jesus Christ is in vain.

God already has a temple, and that temple is the hearts of man/woman.
Any other temples is a desolation and void of God's presence and power.

Luke 19:41-44 Jesus tells them exactly WHAT is to come to Jerusalem. He said exactly HOW Jerusalem is going to fall, and that those who listen should flee away. (similar account in Mt 24).

You can read more about the Siege of Jerusalem here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Jerusalem_(70_CE)
It deals with HOW Jerusalem and the Temple is going to be destroyed and laid desolate.

Or if you prefer to watch, here are some historical video links: