I think I took this picture back in 2022, a few trips ago. This is on the Mount of Olives, looking— You can see the temple walls back there and the mosque, which is where the temple was. But the thing I want you to notice is all these boxes up front. Those are graves.
Many Jewish people believe that—based on the prophecy in Zechariah 14—that the Lord’s going to return to the Mount of Olives, so they want to be buried on the Mount of Olives so they get first dibs.
Since we’re talking about buffets, it’s kind of like the guy who just happens to be at the front of the buffet at the end of prayer every time. That, apparently, is what those guys are thinking: “If we can just get ourselves in the front of the line,” the Mount of Olives.
But when Jesus was teaching right near that spot, this message we’re about to unpack, none of those boxes were there, and there would have been a lot more trees. But let’s drop in on verse 3 of Matthew 24.
“As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately saying, ‘Tell us [two questions: One, when will these things be?]’”
What things? The destruction of the temple that Jesus had just promised. They had just left the temple, which you can see from here. When will these be? And second question, two parts: What will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?
Jesus’s teaching is prompted by the disciples’ questions, and here’s where things get complicated right from the start:
1. Past
There are at least three major interpretations of Jesus’s sermon, depending on whether you see it as past (often called “preterist,” which just means past). By “past,” we don’t mean Jesus’s past. He was still looking toward it, but from our perspective, past.
According to this view, Jesus either doesn’t answer their second question, or he does so metaphorically/ partially. A preterist—N.T. Wright, for example, is a preterist—believes this is past, believes Matthew 24 is referring only to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Wright believes in a second coming, but not from here.
2. Future
Second, future. Some believe this passage is completely talking about the future, often called “futurist.” To many dispensational theologians, as well as others, according to this view, Jesus does not answer the first question here, related to the destruction of the temple. As Ray Wenger illustrates,
“Matthew’s account of the Olivet Discourse [another name for the Sermon on the Mount of Olives] simply does not include the A.D. 70 event.”
3. Past-Future
Third option, combining these two: past and future (preterist-futurists). There are many different interpretations that fall into a combination of these two. According to this view, Jesus answers the disciples’ first question referring to the destruction of the temple (now past) and their second question referring to his second coming (now future).
As Charles Quarles points out, those who hold this interpretation maintain a variety of positions as to when the shift occurs from past to future. If I haven’t totally lost you by this point, let me exemplify the confusion.
Some place the shift in Matthew 24:21. Carson believes that. Others, Matthew 24:32. Brown believes that. Others, Matthew 24:36. France believes that. Some contend that the shift is overlapping. Beasley-Murray holds that position. Some argue this is a single prophecy with two fulfillments (Davies and Allison). In other words, “there’s no shift, but he is referring to both at the same time.” Still with me? Barely.
I hold a version of this, what you could call an “alternating/intensifying of near and far,” that “near” meaning the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and “far” meaning the second coming. One of the ways that we could break this down— and I know it’s precarious to take this position and base things on a demonstrative pronoun, but the shift in the pronouns is interesting to me.
If you look at that little chart there:
Near, “these things” (verse 3, verse 8), uses the pronoun “tauta” in the Greek, which is “these.”
Far, “those things” (twice in verse 22 and verse 29), uses a different pronoun, “ekeinos,” which is “those things.”
And then near, “these things,” switches back to “tauta.”
And then far, “that day,” which is singular for “ekeinos.” And then “those days,” which are plural.
There is a chance that Jesus is alternating “near” and “far,” but the two should not be divorced because the near is warning and preparation for the far, which is not far.
Now let me illustrate. Let’s talk spanking. Proverbs 23:13-14 says,
“Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die. If you strike him with a rod, you will save his soul from Sheol” (Proverbs 23:13-14).
Sheol is the grave, the underworld. Here the point is not that if you discipline your child, you will atone for their sin. That’s not it. But discipline, when properly administered—that is, out of love, not anger. We’re not talking about abuse—when properly administered, it reorients your child so as to remind him or her that he’s not the center of the universe. Kids are born thinking they’re the center of the universe. Some adults apparently were not spanked enough. They still think in their narcissistic self that they’re the center of the universe.
What this passage is saying is, if that doesn’t change when you’re a child, one day when you stand before the One who is the center of the universe, you’re in for a big awakening. So what Proverbs is saying: Better to reorient your child when they’re young, to learn it’s not all about them, so that they’re prepared one day when they stand before the King of the universe and realize it’s not all about them.
Do you see the near and far? The near judgment/discipline is preparing for the far judgment before God. Something like that is happening here. Like we saw last week, even though the first section may specifically be referring to the fall of Jerusalem, it has huge implications for the second coming. So we don’t view the fall of Jerusalem as mere history, but also as prophecy. If God would do that, he won’t hesitate to judge America.
Let’s pick up where we left off last week and try to listen to the words of Jesus, hopefully gaining a better understanding of why he is alternating between near and far. I’m going to give you a ton of examples from the Bible of near and far, but let’s start in verse 15.
“So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel [that’s Daniel 9:27], standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains” (Matthew 24:15-16).
What is the “abomination of desolation”? Some way back suggested Antiochus Epiphanes fulfilled that in 168 B.C. He sacrificed a pig on the altar in the temple and triggered the Maccabean revolt.
Others pointed to Emperor Caligula. He tried to erect a statue of himself in the temple around A.D. 40. He was unsuccessful, and shortly after that was assassinated.
These kinds of examples may provide previews of the near judgment, but Jesus is most immediately pointing toward Titus, when he destroyed the temple. He was son of the Roman emperor who destroyed the Temple in A.D. 70. How do we know? Compare Matthew’s version with Luke’s version, Luke 21:20,
“But when you see Jerusalem [same words] surrounded by armies [so he doesn’t say ‘abomination of desolation,’ he says ‘surrounded by armies’], then know that its [there it is] desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains” (Luke 21:20-21a).
Luke is most likely paraphrasing for his Gentile audience, but notice he uses the same words. When you see “desolation” (same Greek word), he specifically defines this desolation as an invading army.
The Roman invasion was an “abomination of desolation,” maybe not the ultimate one, but it was one, not only because they left destruction in their wake, but also because their banners displayed the emperor’s image. Their cargo carried many idols. Their goal was to destroy Jerusalem, defiling and removing the temple and killing and enslaving people.
Jesus is preparing—in Matthew 24—his followers for this unspeakable event. But the way he does this is he uses two primary warnings. Why two?
In 1838, the U.S. Navy sent out a six-ship expedition to map the Pacific Ocean, to conduct scientific research, and to collect specimens that would eventually be the basis of the Smithsonian Institution. They also named the newly discovered Antarctica, but most of you— How many of you have never heard of this expedition? Raise your hand. Yeah, I had never heard of it until recently.
I’m thinking, what in the world? This is bigger than Lewis and Clark. How many of you have heard of Lewis and Clarke? Yeah. Lewis and Clark, big air time. This expedition, nothing. So sometime I want to walk through why. An award-winning author unpacks that in a very interesting way. Can’t do it today.
What I want to focus on today is one thing I’ve been noticing about the captain of this expedition, who was remarkably gifted in doing two things.
First, underreacting at key moments. For example, when the main ship, the Vincennes, was leaving the harbor in what is today American Samoa, there was a narrow area the ship had to go through. Remember, these are big sailing vessels, and there wasn’t enough room to fully tack, so the ship’s sails lost momentum and stalled. The current was dragging this large ship toward the rocks. All hands on deck, waiting for the captain’s order to direct them. “What are we going to do to save our lives?” They couldn’t find the captain.
Somebody found him off in a corner with his head in his hands, having what they called a “fainting spell.” People, when you’re the captain of a vessel, and your vessel may be crushed on the rocks, it’s not time for a fainting spell. Serious underreaction.
But then he also had a knack for overreacting. All throughout the four-year journey, he would scream at his sailors and humiliate his officers for tiny infractions, many of which only existed in his head. He had some of his Marines flogged simply because they wouldn’t sign up for an extra year that he added on. He flogged his own Marines. Throughout the voyage, he successfully alienated most all of his officers and crew, allowing his own deep insecurities to prompt him to both underreact and overreact simultaneously.
I think this is what Jesus is getting at. Let’s look closer. Verse 16, don’t under-react.
1. Don’t underreact.
“Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath” (Matthew 24:16-20).
He’s giving us here two different versions of underreacting.
First, flee despite distractions. The command to flee is in verse 16,
“those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.”
Then he gives two examples of potential distractions:
“Let the one who is on the housetop not go down,”
To what? To fill your suitcases with stuff. Why? Because your lives are more important than your luggage. Flee.
He gives a second example:
“…let the one who is in the field not turn back.”
Why? To get your cloak. Big mistake. You think, “I’ve got time.” Jesus is saying, “No, you don’t. Flee. Flee despite distraction.”
Secondly, flee despite difficulties. He gives four examples (he starts with an “alas,” a woe): pregnancy, those nursing infants, winter (there were more storms in the winter), and Sabbath (often gates were locked and travel was difficult on Sabbath). So here, Jesus is essentially saying, “Run for the hills! Get out of dodge! Don’t let anything distract you! Flee!”
In the 4th century, a church historian named Eusebius (in his book Ecclesiastical History) records that when the Romans invaded—started in A.D. 68, and then the invasion/the assault on Jerusalem was A.D. 70—many Christians quickly fled Jerusalem, thereby preserving their lives based on what Jesus said here.
Next is an interlude, verse 21:
“For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short” (Matthew 24:21-22).
So this time of tribulation, which seems to be, he’s starting with the near (like the A.D. 70), but then it seems to go beyond that because it will be so intense that God puts a governor on it and a time limit. Don’t underreact.
2. Don’t overreact.
Second set of warnings: Don’t overreact. Verse 23:
“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it” (Matthew 24:23-26).
Fake deliverers and false prophets will seek to convince you. Do not believe it. They will seek you to try to cause you to panic and follow them. Do not go out.
Do you feel the confusion here? Like, first it’s “flee.” Now it’s “don’t follow them.” So in one case, he’s talking about, “don’t underreact.” Here he’s talking about “don’t over react,” “don’t panic.” Why? Verse 27:
“For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather” (Matthew 24:27-28).
Here he uses two simple illustrations to make one point. First, if you’re out in the field at night and the lightning strikes, are you going to know that? Yeah. Like, after you pick yourself up off the ground. You will not miss that. If you’ve ever been in a lightning storm, in the field, in the night— you’re not going to miss it.
So also, if there’s a dead wildebeest and there are a bunch of vultures swarming around, they’re not going to miss the wildebeests, and you’re not going to miss them. His point is the same: “You’re not going to miss my coming. It’s going to be obvious.” And he goes right into verse 29:
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matthew 24:29-31).
Those who interpret Matthew 24 as just history (the invasion of Jerusalem) will read this, what we could call cataclysmic language or apocalyptic language—what is that? Language that has a lot of destruction and violent upheaval in it (like sun not shining, stars falling, heavens shaking)—as taken right out of the Old Testament prophets like Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Joel. Let me show you one example, and you’ll see it’s almost identical. Isaiah 13:10,
“For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light. Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of its place, at the wrath of the Lord of hosts in the day of his fierce anger” (Isaiah 13:10, 13).
That passage is talking about the fall of Babylon. So the point they’re making, which is a good point, is that there are times when God uses this cataclysmic language to describe a significant event, to communicate that this is a massive change in the world order (when Babylon fell or when Jerusalem falls).
I agree with all that. I agree that cataclysmic language/apocalyptic language can refer to a major change in the world order. I just believe it’s more than that. I have a hard time believing that these words are not also pointing beyond the fall of Jerusalem to the second coming of Jesus.
I want to show you six characteristics of his second coming that he outlines here. Here they are. You ready?
Number one, his coming will be dreadful. Dreadful. Verse 29:
“sun…moon…stars…and the powers of heaven will be shaken” (Matthew 24:29).
If we are not in Jesus, his return will be unimaginably full of dread, dreadful, a terrifyingly unstabilizing event.
If you’ve ever been in an earthquake when the ground is moving beneath your feet, and everything you thought was sure is not sure— Or even the hurricane, Helene, where suddenly trees that seemed immovable are moving. That’s the image here. When Christ comes, everything you counted on as predictable and reliable suddenly will no longer be that way. Terrified, dreadful.
Second, visible. Look at verse 30:
“Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:30a).
The sign of the Son of Man could refer to Jesus himself as the sign. But often when this word “sign” is associated with “trumpet” in verse 31, the sign is a banner or a placard or a standard of some kind.
In either case, the point is super clear that the coming of Jesus is visibly unmistakable. It’s not a subtle, secretive event. Nobody’s going to be going, “Did he come? I thought he came. I thought I saw something.” No. Visible.
Number three, judicial.
“…then all the tribes of the earth will mourn” (Matthew 24:30b).
Why are they mourning? Imagine a middle school classroom. The teacher gives them an assignment, says, “Sit and do this assignment.” She leaves the classroom for a little while. The kids suddenly go crazy. They’re making paper airplanes. They’re pranking one another. They’re having a party. And suddenly, at the door, the principal shows up. Facial expressions change. It’s judgment time. That’s why the earth will mourn. It’s judgment time. Judicial.
Number four, magisterial. Verse 30:
“…they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30c).
Do you remember the last time Jesus came into Jerusalem? Did he come on a cloud? He came on a donkey. Not quite a cloud. He came in humility. But he made clear: “Next time, I’m coming in great power and glory.”
If those words like “magisterial” or “sovereign” sound too big to you, just think (here it is): No one will question who’s in charge. That’s what it means. Everybody knows who’s in charge. Magisterial: when his sovereign power and great glory are manifested globally.
Number five, audible. Verse 31:
“And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call” (Matthew 24:31a).
Notice again, no ambiguity. Loud trumpet calls, like Paul’s last trumpet in 1 Corinthians 15:52 or the trumpet of God in 1 Thessalonians 4:16. Audible, loud. Again, nobody’s going to miss it.
Number six, universal. Verse 31, second half:
“…they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matthew 24:31b).
You couldn’t be more clear that this is not a little, localized, secret event. The impact of his coming will be universal. It will affect everyone, but not in the same way. The elect are gathered. Non-believers are judged. Verse 30, “all the tribes of the earth will mourn.”
Paul, in 2 Thessalonians 1, illustrates the universal but contrasting experience of Christ’s coming. Verse 6. This is 2 Thessalonians 1.
“…since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord [they wanted to be away from his presence here, they will be away from his presence there] and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed” (2 Thessalonians 1:6-10).
This seems like a universal experience, not just a Jerusalem experience, but for the whole world. So let’s go back to our question, our near/far question: Why does Jesus then alternate between near and far? We know he does everything for a good reason. What if Jesus is using this interplay between near and far to enable us to be both alert, but not alarmed?
I want to give you some other examples of near and far that may be helpful, or may overload. We’ll see. Hang in there, because this isn’t unusual for Jesus. He does it in Luke 13:1 and gives us two case studies to help us.
“There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, [this is case study number one] ‘Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?’” (Luke 13:1-2)
So everybody who was hearing him knew exactly the situation he was referring to, when Pilate killed these Galileans. And Jesus says, “You think they were worse?” Verse 3:
“‘No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. [Case study number one. Case study number two:] Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish’” (Luke 13:3-5).
Do you see what he’s doing here? He’s talking about two disasters, horrific events (mass killing, a natural disaster of a tower falling), and he’s saying, “Do you think these people are any different from you?” He’s doing two things here, a near thing and a far thing.
The near thing is he is pushing against our temptation to offer up quick explanations. You know how we do that: Something bad happens to someone, maybe someone we don’t like, “They got what’s coming to them.” “That’s why that accident happened,” that flood that hit that town. “Do you know who they vote for? That’s why they got that.”
Jesus is saying, slow down. Slow down. Don’t try to categorize people and figure out some kind of one-to-one where you always know why God is doing everything he’s doing, as if you’re better than them. Because Jesus says, “Hey, they’re no worse than you.” So he’s doing something very near: preventing us from jumping to these false assumptions.
But then he’s doing something very far. Look at verse 3 and verse 5. They’re both identical.
“No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3, 5).
So the near/far is simultaneously addressing false conclusions about the near and unreadiness for the far. So let’s summarize this:
Near without far can lead to rashness, both the rashness of conclusions (like we just saw) and rashness of actions, like the Thessalonians, some of whom apparently had sold everything, quit their jobs, and were just waiting on a mountain for Jesus. “He’s coming. We’re done.” Rashness.
But then the far without near can lead to indifference. Like Peter addressed in 2 Peter 3:4,
“They will say, ‘Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation’” (2 Peter 3:4).
Like, “Nothing is changing. Nothing will ever change.”
Let’s move a step closer to our lives.
In a World War II HBO series called Band of Brothers (which I haven’t seen, but I’ve read about), there is a Lieutenant Speirs who comes up to a private, Albert Blithe, who—as McCullough records—was “frozen by fear.” The event is D-Day, and Blithe acknowledges that, during the battle, he was so terrified, he just ran and hid during the fight. So the lieutenant says to him,
“You hid in that ditch because you think there is still hope. But Blithe, the only hope you have is to accept the fact that you’re already dead, and the sooner you accept that, the sooner you’ll be able to function as a soldier’s supposed to function.”
Encouraging words. But what is his point? His point is “die before you die so that you can truly function as a soldier.” Christians understand a version of that, don’t we? Die before you die, so that you won’t be afraid to die and you’ll really be able to live. Paul develops this, and there’s a near/far piece to this. Colossians 3:1,
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have—”
What? You have… Let’s try that again. You have died. You’ve died. Blithe, you’re dead. And your life, after you’ve died,
“…your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:1-4).
Do you see the near and far? The near: Die before you die. In this case, it’s not just a mind game. You’re actually dead in Christ. His death is your death. His burial is your burial. His resurrection is your resurrection. That is the truest version of you. It’s in him.
Some of us are living the fake versions of ourselves. The truest version of ourselves has died in Christ. Therefore, now we are free to live as those who, when Christ appears (who is our life), will appear with him in glory. So you see how the near shapes the far, is fueled by the far, and then transforms the way we live today.
Paul goes on to develop that. Look what he says next, Colossians 3:5,
“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: [what is that?] sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming” (Colossians 3:5-6).
So the near death in Christ is preparing us for death— Or flip that, really. Near life in Christ is preparing us for life. Let me give you a practical example:
Samuel Parkison, in his book To Gaze Upon God, tells of a friend who had been addicted to porn with little success, no matter what he tried. The friend said,
“I kept asking, ‘Why do I even keep doing this? I hate it, I get no real joy out of it,’ but I eventually realize that my sinful desire was a perversion of a much deeper desire; a faint whisper of something better. I realize that it wasn’t even sex that I ultimately longed for, but rather communion with God in the [using a new word here for many of us] beatific vision.”
Are you familiar with that? How many of you have heard of “beatific vision?” Some of you. You’re not Catholic. It actually has a rich Protestant history. What is the beatific vision?
The beatific vision is the vision that goes back and toward who and what we were originally and ultimately designed for. We were made to be with and behold God. You see that from start to finish. We were made to be with and behold God. Our hearts are restless, as Augustine said, until they find rest in him.
Ultimately, our glorified soul (as Parkinson points out) will, in heaven— and when I say “heaven,” I’m talking about not just temporary, but new heavens, new earth—ultimately be reunited. Our glorified soul with our glorified body, reunited to do what Job longed to do: to see God in the flesh and not be consumed. That is the beatific vision.
The reason that is so significant, and what this friend observed, is the reason we’re going after all these trivial pursuits and addictions and things that ultimately bind us and blind us to what is truly beautiful. The reason we give ourselves to what matters and don’t long for what truly matters is we’ve lost this vision of what we were ultimately made to be and do.
The reason many of us feel like, “Well, that just sounds impossible” is because we view it as a quick fix. Parkison goes on to say,
“What such a believer needs is a break in the clouds and a burst of light to cut through the firmament— a hope and a joy that transcends the suffocation of temporal, fleshly desires.”
In other words, we see “far” what we were ultimately made for, which changes the “near,” what we do and love today. Let’s pray for this.
Father, we are people of the moment. I know I am. I get all caught up with what I have to do today, the pressures I feel, and I can be so blind to the beauty of who you are in your splendor and holiness. We pray this morning that you would shine light into our souls, break through the clouds, and pour fresh air from heaven into our hearts that are often suffocating on fleshly desires. We pray that you would open our eyes to the way the near prepares us for the far, so that we’re not so consumed with today that we lose sight of the promises that will actually inform and empower us today.
I pray for those who don’t know you. Draw them today, Lord. For those of us who are not prepared to stand before you, may today be a day of repentance and faith. Lord, open our eyes to the way you are teaching us through even disasters to not jump to conclusions or be unprepared for the future.
So, Lord, we have feasted this morning on a large passage, a lot to think about, and we need your Spirit to help us know what to focus on now. So hear us as we cry out to you, in Jesus’s name, amen.
