Parallel livesMatthew 24:1-2, 15-21, II Thessalonians 2:1-4

The difficulty of prophecy

1. Prophecies not spelled out clearly

2. There are signs and symbols to wade through

3. Prophecies not listed in chronological order

4. Time is not time

5. Things happen at various times or same time

6. There is a lot of room for disagreement

As we continue to study the second coming, we must look at…

• The various questions being asked and answered

• The times of these events• How they overlap• Places and peoples

In this chapter Jesus is talking about the end times, but He is answering several questions

Some about Jerusalem (local prophecy)

Others about the second coming (Universal prophecy)

Persecuted because of ChristWorldwide turning from the faith

World wide betrayal of the faithfulSchism in the church worldwideFalse prophets will deceive many

Love for the Lord and ministry will grow cold everywhere

Today we will look at JerusalemMatthew 241Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2“Do you see all these things?” he asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

This prophecy…Would take place in 70 AD – RomansEye-witness accounts tell a story of devastation and near annihilation

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—16then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house.

18Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. 19How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.

“the abomination that causes desolation”Events of absolute evil in God’s temple

• 168 BC – A pig was sacrificed to Zeus on the altar of the temple

• 70 AD – The Roman’s placed an idol in the temple area after burning the temple

• near the second coming – The antichrist will be worshipped in the temple

2 Thessalonians 21Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, 2not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come.

3Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

The temple is Israel has been rebuilt twice

When it is rebuilt again we will know the end is closer

These prophecies help us connect the dotsThat we are connected to IsraelThat we are on parallel journeys

That no matter how important we are we may be called to suffer for Christ

Put this together with what we studied last week about the events in the world…

One day, most people turn away from God…The world will worship the antichrist willinglyIt will be easy thing to do – It will be popular

it will be expected of everyone

What can we glean practically from this?We have a connection to Israel

Watch what happens in JerusalemLet us keep our eyes on Jesus

Know our scriptures