|
An Introduction to Matthew Chapter 24
Matthew Chapter 24 Introduction: We need to look at Mark 13:1-37 and Luke 21:1-38 and compare. There are not contradictions but one gospel writer may not have included all that can be said and so all three fill in the gaps. Our Lord mentions words "spoken of by Daniel the prophet" in verse 15. So lets see what Daniel has to say before we try to understand all of thus. We need to look at Daniel and and discover the GAP as I call it. a) The Image in Daniel: Read Da 2:28-45 In verse 32-33 Gold was Babylonian Silver was Medo-Persian Brass was Grecian Iron was Roman But look at 34. A stone cut out without hands destroyed the whole image. See 34-35 In verse 38 we are told Babylonia was the head of gold. In verse 39 follows another kingdom that is inferior. That would be the Medo-Persian (Silver) and it happened in chapter 5 verse 31. Then another which is Brass (Grecian) And then the fourth of Iron and we know the Roman followed that. There is no mention of a fifth kingdom in this dream and interpretation. BUT notice that in verse 44 we see that the ten toes represent 10 kings and it is during the days of these kings that God will set up a kingdom. Was this the kingdom of heaven that started wiith John the Baptist and which had suffered violence or another? Notice this kingdom will break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms and it shall stand forever. SO DID THIS HAPPEN IN THE PAST OR IS IT YET FUTURE? If future then there was a gap somewhere before we get to the feet and toes that are a mixture of clay and iron (which some say is democracy). b) Before the Medo-Persian when Belshazzar was king of Babylon there was another dream that Daniel had at this time. So this was Daniel's dream and not the king's dream. See Dan 7:1 There were FOUR beast this time. Before it was an image with four metals (some precious) but now four beasts. Lion with eagles wings = Babylon Bear raised up on one side with three ribs in it's mouth = Medo-Persian Leopard with four wings and four heads = Grecian Thrace, Macedonia, Syria and Egypt. Dreadful beast with great iron teeth = Roman But notice it had ten horns like the feet in the image had ten toes. From Da 7:8-11 we see a little horn who is destroyed by Christ at his coming in verse 11. Notice in verse 9 that the thrones were cast down during the time of this little horn and the Ancient of Days did sit. In verse 17 of chapter 7 we see that these four beasts are four kingdoms that will arise out of the earth. Yet we are taken down to the little horn that came up out from among the ten and it is during his time that Christ comes and destroys him and the Ancient of Days did sit. Then in verse 18 we see that the saints shall take the kingdom and possess it for ever. So there must have been a gap from when the dreadful fourth beast appeared and the time of these 10 horns and the little horn just as we saw in the image. In verses 19-20 we see that Daniel wanted to know more about that fourth beast and those ten horns and of that other little horn that came up. Please notice that this little horn made war with the saints in verse 21 until the Ancient of days CAME and then judgement was given to the saints and they possessed the kingdom. So again a gap somewhere after this fourth beast came on the scene and this little horn Verse 23 thru 28 explain more. Remember the Roman empire encompassed all of middle east and Egypt, etc. So these ten arise out of that empire and the little horn somewhere from that empire (probably Syria). Verse 25 says that this little horn will think to change the times and the laws and he will rule with absolute power for 3.5 years (time, times and half time). But verse 26-27 tell us that the Lord's kingdom will come and all dominions will serve and obey him. c) In chapter 8 Daniel has another vision. Ram with two horns - Medo-Persia (one higher=Persia). He goat with a horn - Grecian and Alexander the Great. But in verse 8 the great horn was broken and then four came up in it's place. Alexander died early in life and his four generals took over the kingdom. Out of one of them came a little horn. This little horn is claimed to be Antiochus Epiphanes, by most scholars, who came up out of Syria, from the Seleucidan dynasty. BUT look at verses 19-27 It is explained who they all are. In verse 22 we see the kingdom of Alexander divided into four kingdoms. 1) Macedonia: Cassander was made king, to which belonged Greece. 2) Syria: Seleucus was made king, which included the eastern countries. 3) Egypt: Ptolemy was made king, to which belonged Lybia, Palestine, Arabia, and Caelesyria. 4) Asia Minor: Lysimachus was made king, which included Thrace, Bithynia and other places. In verse 19 we read the words "I will make thee know what shall be in the LAST END of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be." In verse 23 we read the words "in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up." Larkin points out that these kingdoms did not disappear at once but were gradually absorbed by the Roman Empire at different times, with Egypt as the last one to loose its identity. Since then, Egypt, Greece, and most recently Syria (which Larkin did not mention) have all regained their identity. Antiochus did not live in the "latter time" of those kingdoms., but was the eighth out of 26 kings that ruled over Syria. Larkin also says that Antiochus never waxed great. Notice this king comes out one one of these four, so does all this start narrowing down the location from witin the old Roman Empire that the anti-christ comes from. It is strange that Antiochus Epiphanes almost fulfills this but not entirely. We know that he came from Syria. The point is that we see yet another gap. These four kingdoms that came out of Alexander's kingdom and a king from one of them standing up against the Prince of princes in verse 25 yet destroyed not by man's hand. d) Chapter 9 - the key to the gap In verse 24 we read this: "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy." 70 weeks = 490 years Thy people = Israel (see verse 20 and really all of chapter 9 to verse 20). Upon thy holy city = Jerusalem (vs 2, 7, 12, 16 'THY CITY Jerusalem, thy HOLY mountain' It has to do with the nation of Israel, the Jews, and the city of Jerusalem. This shows that the seventy weeks have nothing to do with the "Gentiles" or the "Church," but only the Jews and Jerusalem and for the accomplishing of the things mentioned. To finish the transgression: Was that accomplished at Calvary or at 70 AD? And what transgression? That of Israel. And what is it? Their unbelief. Did that end in 70 AD? Make an end of sins. The Lord paid for sins but did he make an end of the sins of Israel at Calvary, or are they still in unbelief? Have their sins been taken away in a practical sense? Paul speaks of it yet in the future and not when Christ died as a substitute for his people. Romans 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall TURN AWAY UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS. 28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. Everything listed will be done during the seventy weeks of years. "To finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy." Verse 25 tells us when it starts. The 70 weeks are broken down into three parts. 7 weeks 62 weeks 1 week (70th) Jesus was crucified after the 62nd week or 69th total but not in the 70th. Here is the gap again. Since it has nothing to do with the Gentiles and the church age it jumps from the 69th to the 70th just as everything we have seen so far jumps to the end. So this does as well. The gap is between the 69th and 70th week. I would mention that in verse 26 it says the PEOPLE of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. That happened in 70 AD. It did not say the kingdom of the prince that shall come but the people of the prince that shall come. People = tribe, flock nation but not a kingdom. Kinsman, kindred. Notice it does not say that the people under the leadership of this prince shall destroy the city. This prince comes at some later date than his people come and destroy the city. So he did not come in 70 AD but must come after that. So again a gap between the prince that shall come and his people that came in 70 AD and destroyed the city and the temple. AFTER RESEARCH I have discovered that the PEOPLE that destroyed the city and the sanctuary were mainly Syrians and Arabs under the authority of Rome. They were troops assembled from the people of that area. To verify you can see Josephus on this. Since that is the case then the prince of these people could very well be a Syrian and perhaps a Syrian Jew with Islamic ties. It says, PEOPLE, not Government or Kingdom or Empire. |
