Olivet Discourse

Lord Jesus Christ All right. So that's the big point that is up on the screen that I want you to see it is that heaven and earth will pass away Jesus says but my words will not pass away. Jesus has told us the end from the beginning. He told us what would happen before it happens. Why so that when it happens we would have confidence in him that we would trust in him. So that's what we need to we need to confide in. That's what we're going to come back to that's the really the Practical import of what we're looking into. So with that said this is where we're heading in in. This is just kind of summarizing what I just said and and pointing Us in the direction of what I'd like to accomplish in the next little while but the two chapters of Matthew chapter 24 and 25 are known as the Olivet discourse. The reason for this is of course, Jesus is giving this discourse while he is sitting upon the Mount of Olives and we will see that I here in just a few moments but These two chapters know the Olivet discourse serve as the single greatest concentration of prophetic teaching in the ministry of Jesus there as such some of the most controversial sections of the gospels because prophecy by Nature hasn't happened yet, right. It's something that is future to us. And so to a certain extent it is mysterious it is unknown and so it can be an area of great controversy. And what I'm going to do is basically this morning I'm going to give you my best understanding of this passion of passage of scripture as we look at it as we concentrate on it. In order to as we said trust in the words of Jesus Jesus told us what would happen before? It happens why so that we can learn he is trustworthy that heaven and earth will pass away but his words the words of Jesus will not pass away. We can trust in him we can confide in him. And so our goal is to examine the teachings of Jesus regarding the end times and to allow the scripture to remind us that the words of Jesus are steadfast ensure. They will not pass away therefore he is worthy of our trust. And so that's the Practical import of what we're looking at here today. So here's a survey of where we're heading. And if you have that hand out that I sent you and you looked at at it's over the last couple of days. Then you saw the big points that were to try to accomplish here today and next week between this week and next week. But what we're going to look at is number one the setting for the Olivet discourse. I want to take just a few minutes where to look at Chapter 30 or 23 scuse me, Matthew 23 and just trying to understand the setting to the better. You understand the setting for the Olivet discourse the better you can appreciate in discern the discourse itself. So we're look at the setting for the Olivet discourse. Then we're going to talk about the structure of the Olivet discourse that you know, what is it? How is it structured? What's the flow of thought to this discourse? And then we're going to look at the sequence where to get little bit more detail that's going to point three there, which I would like to start today, but we'll we'll really do with this more so next week. In more detail that is what I want to look at number 3, they're the sequence of end times events. I want to start talking through what Jesus said would happen that we are witnessing. We're living through at least some of it and so as we are looking at these things me to look more detail at the sequence of end times events. We can look at the words of Jesus and have confidence in what he said and what he said would happen we can watch that unfold. So jumping right in and trying to make some progress here this morning. Let's begin with the setting for the Olivet discourse the setting for the Olivet Olivet discourse if you have a Bible, let's let's begin by reading Matthew chapter 23. We're just going to read verses 37 to 39 here briefly and Well actually world will start in chapter 23 verse 37 and read down into the first couple of verses there a chapter 24 and let's understand the setting of The discourse before we jump into the discourse itself, but 23 verse 37 old Jerusalem Jerusalem. Now that kill us the prophets and stone has them which are sent unto you how often would I have gathered gathered that children together as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings and you would not be hold your house is left unto you desolate for I say unto you you shall not see me henceforth till you shall say blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord? And when Jesus went out the departed from the temple, his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple and Jesus said unto them. See you not all these things barely. I send you there shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down and as he sat upon the Mount of Olives the disciples came to him privately saying tell us when shall these things and what shall be the sign of that coming in a bit of the end of the world Now that passage gives to us the setting for the Olivet discourse that I want to just try and recreate here briefly for just a few moments before we look at the discourse of cell. First of all, recognize that Jesus has suffered rejection by the Jewish leadership the Jewish Nation know the Sanhedrin that would be the governing body of the Jewish nation made up by Pharisees and Sadducees but the leadership of the nation of Israel rejected Jesus as Messiah, the people of the nation had basically decided to side with the leadership. They had decided to follow the same Heatran rather than Jesus in Jesus recognized and so Jesus suffers the rejection of the Jewish nation and he laments of the city of Jerusalem in that in that passage is O Jerusalem Jerusalem. How often would I have gathered you together the hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but you would not he recognizes that the nation has rejected him. So he laments. Over the nation and he forecasts the fall of Jerusalem. He says your house will be left into you desolate. So as Jesus says these words he uttered these famous words that will look a little bit more closely just the second. He then depart from the city of Jerusalem, and he goes to the Mount of Olives when he arrives at the Mount of Olives and he sits down the disciples who are reveling in the temple as their depart departing from the temple and the City of Jerusalem are walking to the Temple Mount they are reveling in the Beauty and the Grandeur of the temple and they're saying hey Jesus Jesus makes an announcement that the the temple will be destroyed. The city will be will be destroyed and come to ruins. Was Jesus make that announcement he sits upon the Mount of Olives hits his disciples then decided together around him and inquire about the end times in other words. They're saying Jesus. What did you mean by that? When will these things happen? What will be the sign of your coming and end of the age? They want more detail regarding the announcement that Jesus just made. So what happens is Jesus sits down to to describe to answer the question and describe the event. I want you to realize what's going through the mind of a disciples. What is the context of this discourse recall that Matthew wouldn't read the whole chapter and encourage you to do that on your own it later. But Matthew chapter 23 record, they series of Woe that Jesus pronounces upon the Pharisees and the Sadducees Jesus is because they have rejected him. He pronounces woes upon them. In other words. He exposes their hypocrisy. He announces their ultimate judgment. He knows that he has been rejected. He predicts his own rejection. But he also predicts the downfall of Jerusalem this destruction of the city and the destruction of the Temple. But when I want don't want you to miss is in particular verse 39 of chapter 23 when Jesus says try saying to you you shall not see me henceforth until you say blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord in other words though? Jesus foretold the destruction of the city and the destruction of the temple. He also foretold of his return that Jesus would come back and this is what the disciples in particular wanting a little bit more information on is the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, let's focus on that verse chapter 23 verse 39 for just a moment. But what I want you to see is that Jesus Is saying he will return he will come back as he's leaving the city of Jerusalem in the Temple Mount and he's going to the Mount of Olives and he announces the fall of the temple in the destruction of the city. He says this isn't the end. I will be back. I'm coming back. But before Jesus comes back before the return of Messiah or what you and I have come to the label as the second coming of Christ. He says that there's a requirement there's a prerequisite to that namely Israel's repentance. He says I will come but only when you say blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord? In other words, Jesus is looking for the nation to repent and to acknowledge Him as the true Messiah before he comes back.

Now the points have to be to be made in all of this is I say there on the screen or in your hand out. Hypocrisy breeds a unique kind of spiritual blindness. The nation of Israel was full of their own hypocrisy and self-righteousness. They rejected Jesus as the true Messiah and that sort of hiphoprisy that they had breathed a unique kind of spiritual blindness, which oftentimes requires Extreme Measures to be rescued from in other words. God has to get rough with Hypocrites in order to bring them to the end of themselves and to bring them to genuine repentance because hypocrisy by definition is as people full of self-righteousness. They're confident in their own righteousness. They don't think they have any needs or problem. And so God has to get rough with Hypocrites many times in order to bring them to the end of themselves and to repentance will that's what God promises to do to the nation of Israel at large God promises to bring Israel to repentance and this job this subject of Israel's repentance has been the subject of many Old Testament Prophet. We don't have the time to go there and we're not going to take the time this morning, but you can have it you have it there in your notes Leviticus 26 was one of the first places God foretells that this would happen. He talked about the curses. God will bring upon the nation and how the whole point of those curses God is orchestrating History 2 to bring hardship upon the Jewish Nation to bring them to humility to bring them to Humble repentance Leviticus 26 as one of the first places that talks about that. Look at Hosea Daniel 9, which way to look at that in a few moments and then Zechariah 12. These are just some examples of places where God foretold of the repentance of the nation that he is. The bring them to repentance. And to what God is going to do is he is going to design history which will climax in a. The last three and a half years of human history before Jesus comes back that. Is what Jesus himself labels in Matthew 24 verses verse 21, Jesus labels that time. Of History those final three and a half years of human history. He labels that the Great Tribulation. Is designing that. Of History to bring Israel to repentance. So what Matthew 24 is going to cover what Jesus is going to talk about in Matthew chapter 24 in 1 chapter is going to be elaborated and expanded upon in the Book of Revelation. Now if you want more detail on that, but encourage you are Revelation series is all about this. We we in again if you want more detail on this like Rachel encourage you get on their website start listening through our re-listening perhaps if you were part of that Series in the past, listen through a revelation series to understand this era of history, but what Matthew 24 is going to cover in one chapter The Book of Revelation will cover in multiple chapters. But the port of that era of history is is these chapters these passages Matthew 24 Revelation 16:19 will describe this crucible that God is going to put the nation of Israel through to bring them to the end of themselves to bring them to humiliation to bring them to genuine repentance. And so this is the time. Of history that were, you know, we're studying that were interested in that the disciples were asking about So is Jesus announces the downfall of Jerusalem, he promises that he will one day return after Israel repents than upon this announcement. He leaves he leave the city and that's what's recorded in Matthew 24 first couple of verses when he says and Jesus went out in departed from the temple and his disciples came to him to show him the building of the Temple. And then Jesus has to like rehearse what he just said. He says didn't you hear me? I'm going to you know, I just announced these things will be destroyed. Well, he has to rehearse it and he says in Reverse to do you not see all these things are like I send you there will not be left one stone upon another that will not be thrown down. SOS Jesus emphasizes that point the disciples gather round, you know to ask a little bit more specific. That we talked about this before and I'm not going to take the time to recreate it all but you know Jesus a departure from the temple hear the act of Jesus leaving is rather fascinating because it's reenacting that thing the section from The Book of Ezekiel chapters 8 to 10 when God leaves his Temple and we won't go back and recreate that but if you recall the nation of Israel in the days of Ezekiel had rejected God and so is a result God was removing his presence. He was removing his Blessing he forsook the temple which is where he was supposed to dwell, right? He left the temple and he left the nation to be destroyed. Well Jesus in the New Testament is basically re-enacting that do you see? Jesus is the presence of God on Earth. He is leaving the temple. He's forsaking his people why is removing his presence because they rejected him just like what happened. It isn't Ezekiel. It's happening again in the New Testament contacts. And so Jesus is forsaken. He's leaving the temple because they rejected him and his he's leaving the disciples are just saying. Wow. Look at this Temple is there in N will Tonga show you pictures in just a second. The temple itself was a marvelous structure impressive and the disciple it was a mark of Jewish Pride. The temple was the herodian temple was a market with private the Jewish Nation at large reveled in this and so as they're walking through it, even though Jesus just declared that it that the temple would be the destroyed in the city would be destroyed any of the disciples are like look at this. Look at the Grandeur of this the Marvel of this. So that their evidencing the fact that they just missed Jesus is point, right? So Jesus Jose out of the city up the Mount of Olives and he says he rehearses it again guys. Look at this Temple it will be destroyed. And so the disciples want some further clarification, but just to illustrate the fact of why the Jews were so proud of this Temple why the disciples were were reveling so much in this Temple? Let me show you just a couple quick graphics and I'm not going to take long on there as if you were with us some of our previous studies particularly our geography study. Then we went long and hard on the herodian at Temple. It was a marvelous structure in the ancient world. But what I throw up there is a computer graphic regarding a know it's comparing Solomon's Temple in the Old Testament with herod's temple in the New Testament. We often talk about Solomon's Temple as a group beautiful structure and it was and it's day Solomon's Temple was one of the most important structures most most Yeah, I guess display from an architectural and a wealth standpoint. It was one of those construct impressive structure of the ancient world when it was built Solomon's Temple was we have multiple chapters in The Bible given to describe that but that the Temple of Solomon was nothing compared to herod's Temple herod's Temple, which is much larger much more grandiose much more impressive and Herod started work on it about 19 2019 BC, but he didn't you know, it actually wasn't completed. All the renovations excetera want completed until the 60s 80 and so it goes on for several decades. It was a huge structure gorgeous and it dominated the city of Jerusalem and this graphic is kind of fascinating in that it shows you the Temple mount in relation to the city of Jerusalem at large. The Temple Mount was get this it was about forty acres in size the Temple Mount complex just to put perspective on that. You can fit 26 to 626 American football field full size football field on the Temple Mount. It's huge. It was massive it dominated the city of Jerusalem. And yet this is and this is what the Disciples of Jesus were walking through as they're heading to the Mount of Olives this drawing that I throw up on the screen is act. I think this comes from the ESV Study Bible a series of drawings really helpful drawing this just to show you the complex that the temple stood upon. The next slide is a zoom into the temple complex itself, but you can have the court of Gentiles you have the court of women the court of Israel, you know, there's there's much that we could talk about here. I'm trying to Breeze through it for second time, but I just want you to visually look at these are drawing but a re-creation were mainly in the pond Josephus and some other first century resources to try and recreate what that Temple would it look like. Here's the temple itself, zoom into the actual structure of the Holy place the holy of holies. But as magnificent as these this Temple was the complex was Jesus were told that the temple would be destroyed the center of Jewish Pride would be devastated. If Jesus were told this would happen. This is just an artist rendition of a depiction of the fall of Jerusalem 8070 because of Jesus foretold this would happen. That's exactly what happened is a war broke out to the Jews and Romans and 80-66 it last for four years. The temple is destroyed the city of Jerusalem falls in a d70 and just like Jesus said not one stone of the temple was left upon another this picture is a picture of modern Jerusalem where the stones of the temple what happened was it is a fact of history. Josie was recorded this then what happened was when the temple itself was destroyed it caught fire and the precious metals the goal that overlay the temple Because of the Heat and it ran down through the cracks and so the Roman soldiers to get at the booty right to get ahold of that gold. What they did was they disassembled the temple Stone by Stone and they took the Temple of part in order to get at the gold and they took those stones and they threw him over the edge of that massive complex later. Right? So the temple itself was just disassembled still Stone by Stone The Complex. The Temple Mount is as it sometimes is called upon which the temple proper stood that still stands today. You can see in the city of Jerusalem. I've been there. But the temple itself was which is which is what Jesus was predicting was disassembled Stone by Stone. The stones were thrown over the edge and there's a pile of them that still are there. You can visit that in Jerusalem today and it's rather fascinating Visual Evidence of the fact that Jesus is prediction came to pass. But the point that I'm I'm trying to make is that Jesus in the Olivet discourse is foretelling the destruction of that Temple that he walk through but he's also for telling of the destruction of another attempt which is future even to Austin and we'll we'll talk about that in just a moment. But a quick point on the location of the element discourse, which I think it's kind of fascinating. We called the Olivet discourse because it is given from the Mount of Olives. Jesus is sitting on the Mount of Olives. That is the mountain east of the city of Jerusalem. He's sitting on the Mount of Olives as he gives this discourse. Why is that so appropriate because don't forget the Zechariah 14 in your Old Testament. We're not going to go there for a second time, you know taking too much time with it as it is but Zechariah 14:4 tells at the second coming of Jesus when the Messiah come comes back, he will touch down as we sometimes say upon the Mount of Olives and so how appropriate is it for Jesus to talk about his second coming while he's sitting up on the Mount of Olives and so it's kind of fast, but what Jesus as he sits down on the Mount of Olives for of his disciples and we don't get that from the Matthew account. We get it from The Mark account. You can see up there on the screen. Mark Chapter 13 Verse 3 tells us that four disciples Peter James John and Andrew four disciples show up to Jesus to to ask him to very specific questions after he exits the temple makes the announcement of the destruction of the city. They gather round and they say to him two things. Ask him. Two things. Number one. When will these things be? And then they say what will be the sign of your coming in the end of the age. When will these things be and what will be the sign of the coming in the end of the age in other words they're asking. We know the the win in the what how do we know this is coming and when will it come? But what I want you to see is that Jesus answers those two questions. Don't get confused here. Listen carefully. Jesus will answer those two questions in reverse. First what Jesus is going to do? He's he's going to discuss the signs leading up to the second coming. He's going to discuss the what? Secondly, Jesus is going to discuss the timing of the second coming the win. In other words. He's going to answer their there. They're two questions but is going to do it in reverse. So Matthew chapter 24 verse 4 verses for 2:35 is going to answer the second question the signs leading up to the second coming. And then versus 36 to 42 of the chapter. Jesus is going to talk about the timing of when these things will occur that make sense. Don't get confused by that is easy to get confused by that but Jesus is going to answer the questions. He's just going to do it in reverse. So what I want you to see what to do now now real quick what I want you to see what Jesus is going to cover in the Olivet discourse is the events leading up into the second coming. And I want to give you the bird's-eye view of the Olivet discourse the structure of the Olivet discourse. In other words what you are to be looking for as we look through these couple of chapters and it can get kind of confusing and here's why because the Olivet discourse as I stay in your notes is recorded in all three synoptic gospels Matthew Mark and Luke sometimes called the synoptic gospel comes from a Greek word. That means they they View at the same they come from a similar perspective the synoptic gospels all cover the Olivet discourse. This is both a blessing and a curse in that we have more information. We have a lot of information for comparison and contrast However, we also have so much information. It can be confusing. And so this is why the Olivet discourse is typically one of the most difficult portions of the whole Bible to study but what I want to see for instance Is Luke 21 for instance and we're not going to take the time to go there today? I have given lectures to this in the past. If you're interested in it, we talked about this during the patterns of Prophecy study when we talked with an H nation of Israel and the fall of Jerusalem in 87. That event is covered specifically in Luke 21.

However, Matthew 24 is talk about something else. They're very similar and it can be very confusing can be very difficult to to unravel this and we give a lecture to the fall of Jerusalem in our patterns of Prophecy series. We also talked about the relationship between Luke 21 in Matthew 24 how they're similar they sound very similar and we'll talk about why in just a moment but they're different. They're talking about two different events. We talked about their relationship in more detail in our Revelation series. We do a one-week survey of the Olivet discourse and that's up on our website in you know beneath our Revelation study. And so you can consult that if you want more information there but here's an example of how the old Olivet discourse can be so confusing Luke 21 is talking about the fall of Jerusalem in 8070. Matthew 24 sounds very similar, but it's dealing with a different fall of Jerusalem. It's talking about the fall of Jerusalem during the end of days the tribulation time. They see if you read those two chapters. They sound very similar. And why well because they're both talking about the fall of Jerusalem. But Luke 21 is talking about the fall of Jerusalem in 8070 while Matthew 24 is talking about the fall of Jerusalem. That is in the tribulation time. In other words, you can read Luke 21 has history from our perspective in history. Luke 21 has already happened its history Matthew 24 has not yet happen. Is prophecy. All right, and I'm not going to take the time to go through and build that case in the articulated haul those arguments you this morning, but we can address those if you got more questions about that, but what you're going to find in the Olivet discourse. All right, so think with me carefully through Matthew 24 now Matthew 24 and 25 is going to unfold in four major movements. It's going to unfold flow of thought is going to unfold in four major movements. Number one in Matthew 24 verses for 214. Jesus is going to describe a time that he labeled as the beginning of Sorrows. That is the time. I would love to get to this this morning because this is the end of this is where I'm getting most of the questions that you all are asking because this. That that Jesus talks about is the time. That you and I are living in So much of what you read about in Jesus's prediction of a time. That he labeled as the beginning of Sorrows, you know is you're looking around at the pandemic the earthquakes the famines the Locust plagues are taking place all over the world your, you know, if you're a Bible reader at an attentive Bible reading you're probably scratching your head and you're saying wait a minute did Jesus for tell these events? Yeah. He did and where he foretold of that is right there in a section. He calls the beginning of Sorrows. So we're talking about that here today best we can But after he talks about that, he's in is going to talk in Matthew 24 verses 15 to 22. He's going to talk about the abomination of desolation. Now we're going to Define that in due time. But this reference in Matthew 24 verse 15 when Jesus says when he does read the verse Jesus says this when you therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet. Stand in the Holy place. He says when you read this let him understand and then on he's going to go, you know into that the discourse but the point is Jesus is going to quote a passage from Daniel chapter 9, which anchors the timeline for us. It tells us it stinks. What Jesus is saying in Matthew 24 with a prophecy that had already existed a prophecy that Daniel gave back and Daniel chapter 9 and it's very important for us to recognize that we're to spend some time in Daniel chapter 9 here this morning because according to Jesus we're not going to understand the sequence of events in the end times. We're not going to understand the timeline. That Jesus is pointing out unless we understand the prophecy from Daniel. And so that reference in verse 15 that Jesus makes to Daniel's prophecy is incredibly important for us to understand. So weird to take some time to go back and recreate that but Jesus in the Olivet discourse is first of all, go to describe a time. Of time that he labels has the beginning of Sorrows which leads up to the final three and a half years of human history. How do we know? It's the final three and a half years of human history. It's we're going to see an event that will be Global and conspicuous known as the abomination of desolation. We'll talk about that in a little bit. But when that happens we know there's only three and a half years left of human history and Jesus will come back after that three and a half years after the bomb nation of desolation. So what Jesus has been going to do next in the Olivet discourse is from vs. 23 or 31. Of Matthew chapter 24. Jesus is going to describe the second coming up. So he's going to describe how he's going to come in at Clouds. All the world will see him. It's going to be a marvelous spectacular event. He's going to describe that in Matthew chapter 24 verse 23 231 and then In versus 32-2-42 of that same chapter Matthew 24 verse 32 to 42. Jesus is going to discuss the timing of these events when they will happen. After which she gives a series of Parables all of which implore us to watch carefully to keep your eyes out to watch what God is doing and that's really the tail end of chapter 24 and the rest of chapter 25 the Olivet discourse. And so that's where we're headed. That's the structure of the Olivet discourse. And what would it look at the neck both Mina between today and next week as we look at this passage of scripture? But let's talk more specifically about Daniel chapter 9 for just a few moments because like I said before as we study the sequence of end times events, we have to Anchor our time line. Where do how do we know? It's the end of the age in a when will these things be what's the sequence of events? Well the source that anchors are timeline that gives us The idea that there will be a seven-year tribulation. Or the spinal three and a half years of human history that Jesus caused the Great Tribulation where to get those ideas 7 years three and a half years. We get those ideas from Daniel chapter 9 a prophecy known as the 70 weeks prophecy and you're not going to understand Matthew 24 until you first understand Daniel chapter 9. All right, so go there briefly. Let's spend a few moments talking about. That's okay. If you got your Bible go to Daniel chapter 9 now, we're not going to take the time. To go to the whole chapter again. If you want to consult this in our Revelation study up on our website. We give a whole lecture to this chapter Daniel chapter 9 and the 70 weeks prophecy, but let me hit the high spots remind you of it. If you've if you're already familiar with this passage, if you're not then this will be an introduction to this passage. And then if you have you no more specific questions about a part of this prophecy or whatever texted the Daniel we're going to get to those in a few minutes, but Daniel chapter 9 The setting to the prophecy Daniel chapter 9 verse 19 versus is recalled. Daniel is in Exile in Babylon. He's a Jew whose living in Babylon because he was exiled there. But he's reading his Bible he reads Jeremiah the prophet and he recognizes that the time. Of the Babylonian captivity is almost over the 70 years are almost over. So Daniel begins to pray. He asks God to forgive the nation of their sins to restore the Jewish people back to the land and he begins to ask for God to keep his promises. Well God dispatches an angel Gabriel. He dispatches Gabriel to go to Daniel to tell Daniel what's going to happen? In the next 490 years of Hebrew history has Daniel chapter 9 verses 22 23 what I call the preface to the prophecy. That's Gabriel showing up and saying hey Daniel, I got an answer for you. You're praying about what's going to happen. I am going to I'm here to tell you what's going to happen. And then Daniel receives from Gabriel the 70 weeks prophecy, which is Daniel chapter 9 verses 24 to 27. Let's read that. Okay. So if you got your Bible Daniel chapter 9 verse 24 to 27 says this Gabriel speaking to Daniel says that 70 weeks are determined upon your people on the on your Holy City to finish the transgression to make an end of sins to make reconciliation for an equity to bring in Everlasting righteousness. And to seal up the vision in the prophecy and to anoint the most holy know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the Commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the prince shall be 7 weeks and 3 score in 2 weeks or 69 weeks. The street she'll be built again and the wall even in trouble this time. In after the three scoring two weeks shall Messiah be cut off. But not for himself. And the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary and the end thereof shall be with a flood and I'm to the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the Covenant with many for one week one more week in other words that the 70th week or 27. And in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice in the oblation to cease for the overspreading of the Abomination shall he shall he make a desolate even until the consummation and that determined shall be poured out. upon the desolate or the deciliter Don't let me explain these verses briefly before we get back to to Matthew 24 because Jesus by quoting this passage is telling us we're not going to understand Matthew 24 and less we first understand Matthew Works to me unless we first understand Daniel chapter 9. So this is what we have ahead of us Daniel chapter 9 verses 24 to 27 is a bold like this verse 24 gives us the scope of the prophecy. That is the who what when where of this prophecy that Gabriel is giving to have to Daniel verse 25 is going to talk about the coming of Messiah. I'm going to argue that that is referencing the triumphal entry itself. Verse 25 verse 26 is the crucifixion of Jesus the Messiah being cut off and then the destruction of the city of Jerusalem.

verse 27 is the prophecy that it we are most interested in and that is the 70 70th week of Daniel. in other words Well, and we'll talk about it more in a second, but versus 24 5 and 6 have already happened that's history from our perspective looking backwards versus 24 V and VI have already happened. That's history verse 27 is prophecy. It hasn't happened yet. We're still waiting for that. so what is this whole idea of the week the 70 weeks? Prophecy. Well understand briefly. That is he says it as Gabriel says and 2470 weeks are determined upon your people and upon your Holy City. What does he mean by 70 weeks? Well, the word weeks the word translated weeks in English is a word that simply means seven in the Hebrew culture. It was used the same way that you and I use the word doesn't What does that mean when I say dozen? What does that mean? It just means 12. It's a it's a number but I think it could be a number applying to anything right I can be I can talk about a dozen eggs or oatmeal others. If you it might be more like a dozen donuts, right? But either way the idea of a dozen it just simply means 12. It's just a number. That's the same way. This word is used weeks just means seven seven of something seven of anything. and when you're talking about the Hebrew calendar as you can see up on you know in your notes there on the screen 7 can reference many things can be us a 7 days when you and I hear the word week. We tend to hear we tend to think of seven days such as in Exodus chapter 20 verse 11 talking about the Sabbath write the the seven weeks or cheating 7 days in a week the 7th of which is called the Sabbath but the Hebrew calendar also had a week of weeks. For instance. The Feast of Pentecost was to be a week of weeks 7 weeks after the Feast of firstfruits came the Feast of Pentecost. in Leviticus 23 verse 15 or Leviticus chapter 25 talks about a week of years. Because every seventh year was to be the year of release but after seven sevens after 7 weeks of years. There was the Year of Jubilee right every 50th year. So the point is that term weeks 70 weeks. The word weeks can refer to days weeks or years. But I'm going to argue from the context as we continue to read the prophecy of Daniel Knight is talking about groups of years. So when Gabriel says I am about to tell you what's going to happen for 70 weeks. He's talking about 490 years of History. That he is going Gabriel is going to tell Daniel what will happen to the Jewish people in 490 years of of Hebrew history. And that's the whole point of us when he says I'm going to tell you what's going to happen in this 490. Your chunk is going to happen to your people that use upon the holy city Jerusalem and what it's going to accomplish are these six things and we're not going to take the time to comment and all those but it's basically the the summation of History God's going to punish the Jewish Nation all they need to be punished. He's going to take care of their sin. The sin will be taking care of the most holy place will be anointed Everlasting righteousness and the seal up the vision of Prophecy everything that God said would happen prophetically will will happen. It will come to this combination is climax. Within These 490 years of History Does that make sense? That's the scope of the prophecy verse 24? But let's look at the next verse. He says in verse 25 know therefore and understand that from the from the going forth of the Commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem on to Messiah the prince shall be 7 weeks and threescore and two weeks. The street should be built again and the wall even in trouble this time. Verse 25 Gabriel gives a snapshot of the first 69 weeks of years or in other words the first 483 years. And Gabriel tells Daniel you can start counting the 483 years from the commandant the going for the issuing of an edict the commandant that will allow Jerusalem to be rebuilt. In other words our time clock needs to start when this commandment Goes Forth. What commandment are we talking about? Will I throw up there in your notes? That the Commandments to go and rebuild Jerusalem is not the Commandment of Ezra chapter 1 when Cyrus releases the nation of Israel to go back to the promised land. That's not what we're talking about might be the commandant of Ezra chapter 7 which does have to do with the city of Jerusalem. That was that edict was issued in 4:58 BC. But what I'm going to argue and not on my own authority, I'm in of course leaning upon people much smarter than myself Scholars that are really into this. I'm going to argue the best. Reference hear of the Commandment to go forth and restore and build Jerusalem is the commandant given in Nehemiah chapter to where Nehemiah the bearer of the king is given the Commandment to go and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem when he is given that commandment it is in 4:45, BC. He has given that commandment Gabriel says boom from that commandment forward start counting 483 years or 69 weeks of years. Because after 483 years the Messiah is coming. That's what Gabriel foretells to Daniel. So is that what happened? Well, yes, that's exactly what happened the duration of 483 years if you count again because we're kind of arguing which one do we count from do we count from Stephenville to go backwards there are we counting from? 458 BC Ezra chapter 7 or are we counting from 4:45 BC Nehemiah chapter to argue. It's Nehemiah chapter 2. But either way if you even count from from 458, where does that take you cuz wherever there's no year zero and you can if you do the math it will take you to a d26 483 years. Will take you to 8026 which is the year that Jesus is baptized. It's the year that his ministry is inaugurated. but I'm actually going to argue. Like I said before that Nehemiah chapter 2 the better date to start with. So if we count 483 years are you with me? Are you still hanging in here? I know it's high school math here. But if we count 483 years from 4:45 BC and we have to say it can get kind of detailed if you're really interested on this guy. I would recommend a couple of great resources Harold owner for instance is a guy who put out a book called The chronological aspects of the life of price. I had to read that deliver times in an academic setting I would recommend his book probably first cuz it's just the most accurate. The point is if we count 483 years beginning at 4:45, BC guess where that takes us. It takes us to a d-33 not just the year, but some Scholars will go so far to arguing the month and the day they will argue. That it will take us to the day of the triumphal entry when Jesus walks into the city of Jerusalem. Now, the reason that significant is in Luke 19 verse 38 Jesus in the triumphal entry talks about the day. He says you need to understand this day of my presentation and it's rather a fascinating passage and I we talked about that before but Daniel chapter 9 has been heralded as one of the most dramatic examples of Prophecy anywhere in the Bible because you know Gabriel gave to Daniel over for almost five centuries in advance he gave Daniel the year for sure. If not down to the very day that the Messiah would be declared to the nation of Israel. And if you do the math it takes you right to the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ in 8033. It is stunning it is so fascinating fabulous. But that's what Gabriel for toll. Even says in the next verse however read verse 26. He says an after the three score in 2 weeks or again. He is he's referencing the last mention of threescore and two weeks their inverse. 25. He just after the three score and two weeks, she'll Messiah be cut off but not for himself and the people of the prince that that show, will destroy the city in the sanctuary. Now that next Fraser verse 26 after the 62 weeks. Messiah will be cut off but not for himself. What is that talking about the word cut off means to be executed for a capital crime was Jesus executed for a capital crime. Yes. He was called the crucifixion. However, it tells us he will be cut off or executed not for himself. In other words. He didn't deserve to be put to death.