The Beginning of Sorrows - Thoughts on Matthew 24, | Stephen Bohr | Part 2

Summary

Highlights

• Pastor Bohr's love for travel provides quiet time for in-depth study. 🧳
• The Anchor School of Theology invites learners to explore prophetic insights. 📚
• Each chapter in prophetic scripture builds upon the previous, interconnecting messages. 📜
• Historical prophecies are precursors to future global events. 🌍
• Romans' idolatrous standards were a sign for Christians to flee Jerusalem. ⚠️
• Symbolic prophecy interpretation is vital for understanding end times. ⏳
• Christians are encouraged to focus on spiritual readiness over material concerns. 🕊️
• The destruction of Jerusalem parallels future tribulations for believers globally. 🌐

Key Takeaways

• Travel offers tranquility and focus for deep study. ✈️
• The Anchor School of Theology covers significant prophetic chapters. 📖
• False prophets and disasters foreshadowed the destruction of Jerusalem. ⚔️
• Prophetic events have dual fulfillments—historical and end times. 🔄
• Understanding prophecy requires symbolic interpretation. 🔍
• Faithfulness is key to enduring trials and tribulations. 💪
• Interpreting signs is crucial for readiness for Christ's return. 🚨
• Believers must prioritize spiritual preparation over material. 🙏

Overview

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction The narrator appreciates traveling because it allows for uninterrupted research time. At the office, despite being pet-friendly and having three dogs, one of which belongs to their son and is obsessed with playing ball, their work often gets interrupted.
• 00:30 - 05:00: Research and Preparations The chapter titled 'Research and Preparations' describes the challenges faced by the narrator when conducting studies at the office, due to the presence of some obsessive compulsive workers. These interruptions hinder the progress of their work. However, the narrator finds a productive environment when traveling and staying at a serene place with good food and tranquility, allowing them to focus on their studies and make significant progress.
• 05:00 - 10:00: Upcoming Theology School and Prophetic Interpretation The chapter discusses the upcoming Anchor School of Theology, an event scheduled to take place in March. The speaker encourages those with available time to attend. This year's focus will be on prophetic interpretations, particularly from the books of Revelation and Daniel, including Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Revelation 12, 13, and 17. It was mentioned that a brief overview of these topics was given at the Summit earlier this year.
• 10:00 - 15:00: Lesson Overview and Promotion The chapter 'Lesson Overview and Promotion' focuses on understanding the symbolic representations within the series discussed. The key highlight of this chapter is not the information itself, as it has been covered in individual presentations, but rather how to interpret these symbols, which provides a unique perspective on the series.
• 15:00 - 30:00: Sequence of Historical Events The chapter discusses the unique structure of a series where each chapter builds upon the previous one, creating an interconnected narrative. The speaker mentions giving multiple presentations at different venues, highlighting a personal involvement in presenting a large number of sessions. The speaker encourages participation, specifically reaching out to retirees or those able to take a vacation, indicating a call for active involvement in the ongoing educational activities.
• 30:00 - 50:00: Signs and Fulfillment The chapter discusses the current state of the world in various aspects such as politics, natural events, and moral issues. It suggests that we are at a critical point in history. The Anchor school is recommended for high school students to comprehend these changes, indicating that there is much to be learned about signs and their fulfillment in today's world.
• 50:00 - 60:00: Abomination of Desolation The chapter 'Abomination of Desolation' discusses the nearing end of a prophetic timeline. The speaker encourages participation in further discussions or events, noting the financial requirements, which are minimal at $200 for a week's instruction. Participants are responsible for their lodging, meals, and transportation.
• 60:00 - 75:00: Conclusion and Final Remarks Kathy, a frequent Summit attendee, used to live in Florida but resides elsewhere now. The speaker expresses surprise at her presence and encourages attendance at Anchor, a destination Kathy has yet to visit. They highlight the importance of participating in the Summit due to the valuable experiences and speakers it offers.

The Beginning of Sorrows - Thoughts on Matthew 24, | Stephen Bohr | Part 2 Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 um I got a lot of work accomplished today one of the reasons I like to uh travel is because I have no interruptions in doing my research at the office we have three dogs we are pet friendly and they all like to play ball and one of them my son's dog is compulsive obsessive when it comes to the ball he has to play all the time and
• 00:30 - 01:00 then there are also some workers at the office don't tell them this that are obsessive compulsive so I have to interrupt the studies all the time my course of s but um when I travel and I'm staying at this uh wonderful place um good food Tranquility quiet I get a lot done I'm actually studying now for our
• 01:00 - 01:30 upcoming um anchor School of Theology which uh is something that takes place in March if any of you have some free time I would greatly encourage you to come this year this year we're going to take a look at Revelation at Daniel 2 Daniel 7 Revelation 12 Revelation 13 and Revelation 17 I did a little bit of this at the Summit this year but that was only a
• 01:30 - 02:00 little synthesis uh this is a very important series um we are going to deal with how to interpret the symbols of those chapters and what makes the series unique is not so much uh the information that is in these chapters because I have done presentations on each individual chapter many times but
• 02:00 - 02:30 what makes the series unique is that uh each chapter builds upon the previous one it's how they are interconnected that makes a difference now at the summit I did six presentations but uh at our anchor School we're going to do 24 have 24 hours and uh so that's what I'm working on if any of you um are retired or can take a week's vacation it would be very
• 02:30 - 03:00 much worthwhile uh to come if you have uh kids you know that um are in high school uh that would be a great thing to send them to the Anchor school because we're going to deal with exactly where we are in the course of history we are at the very end as we look at what's happening in the political world what's happening in the natural world so-called also in the the moral world or IM moral world I guess that you would
• 03:00 - 03:30 say uh it becomes very very clear that we're reaching the very end of the prophetic chain and so I would encourage you to to come if you're able um the financial arrangements are you know we charge really charge a pittance $200 for the whole week of instruction but then you have to get your own lodging and uh you have to provide your own meals and transportation
• 03:30 - 04:00 there uh so if you want any more information let me know Kathy you know she used to live in Florida lives up here now I was very surprised to see her here uh she comes to our Summit every year I don't think she's have you come to Anchor ever no she's never come to Anchor you got to come this year um and uh you know she she has come every year she knows what a blessing it is uh to come to our Summit where we have several speak ERS and of
• 04:00 - 04:30 course I teach the anchor School of Theology so anyway that's uh my my advertisement for tonight my promotional item now let me tell you what we're going to do this evening we are going to study very briefly lesson number three if you have your study notes that's page 29 those who don't have the study notes it's okay you'll be able to follow along but this
• 04:30 - 05:00 chapter lesson three I am only going to cover it briefly quickly to give you a picture and then we are going to dedicate most of our time to lesson number four the abomination of desolation in history then tomorrow evening we of course are going to study lesson number five Matthew 24 the end time
• 05:00 - 05:30 fulfillment and then on Sabbath morning uh I believe that the first session is uh during Sabbath school is that right Dan during Sabbath School uh we will be dealing with a second part of the end time fulfillment and I believe we have two sessions in the afternoon right or one session okay one session in the afternoon we're going to deal in the afternoon with when Satan will personate
• 05:30 - 06:00 Christ and why it's very important to know that because if you're teaching that the personation of Christ by Satan is before the close of probation you might be tempted to say well when I see that I know that we're near the time of close of Probation and I can get ready but when Satan personates Christ you can't get ready because that's after probation has closed and I'm going to prove it with many many different points
• 06:00 - 06:30 um in our last presentation here on Sabbath afternoon okay let's have a word of prayer and then we'll begin on page 29 if you have the study notes if you don't that uh get close to someone that does that way it'll be nice and warm let's pray Father in heaven we uh open your word tonight with reverence we open your word word with an
• 06:30 - 07:00 open heart and with a willingness to receive and to obey what you teach us take away every obstacle from our minds or hearts that would keep us from hearing your voice we want to hear your voice and we want to obey your will so we ask that you'll be with us and through your spirit that you will open truth to us this we pray in the precious and Most Holy Name of Jesus
• 07:00 - 07:30 amen now last night we touched upon some of the things that we're going to talk about just briefly for a few minutes as we beginning begin this evening what I want to show you is the sequence of events that took place in history we're not going to deal with the end time in our first part of our study tonight we're going to see the chain of
• 07:30 - 08:00 events that took place in the time of Christ up to the time of the destruction of Jerusalem in the year 70 so if you have uh the study notes on page 29 you remember that we read last night Matthew 24 5-8 where it speaks about many coming in Christ's name and claiming to be Christ and wars and rumors of wars Nation Rising against Nation Kingdom against Kingdom
• 08:00 - 08:30 pestilences earthquakes earthquakes famines Etc now what I want us to notice is that all of these things were fulfilled leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem in other words all these things were already historically fulfilled but in our study tomorrow night and the first one on Sabbath we're going to see that the same chain of events that happened in the past leading
• 08:30 - 09:00 up to the destruction of Jerusalem will be Global events that take place at the end of time in the whole world are you understanding the principle now I'm not going to read all the statements that we have but but I just want you to get catch the gist of this and if you don't have the study notes I would encourage you to get the study notes you can call Secrets unsealed or you can actually go uh and download our app and if you want to just
• 09:00 - 09:30 read it there you can read it there but it's really important this is a really important series now you'll notice first of all false christs that's in verse four were there false Christ that Rose leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem yes in Acts 536 and 37 it speaks about theodus
• 09:30 - 10:00 and Judas of Galilee who claim to be prophets but were false prophets and they claim to be the Messiah by the way the word Christ means Messiah you understand that right Barabas claimed to be the Messiah but anyway we have these two another one that claimed was Simon Magus acts 89 and 10 Ellen White and Desire of Ages confirms
• 10:00 - 10:30 this on page 628 she says many false Messiahs will appear claiming to work miracles and declaring that the time of the Deliverance of the Jewish nation has come see that's talking about the past these will mislead many Christ's words were fulfilled between his death and The Siege of Jerusalem many false Messiahs appeared so we know from the Bible that they're false Messiahs or false christs Ellen White repeats the same and then
• 10:30 - 11:00 flavius Josephus who was born in the year 37 ad in other words he was a an eyewitness of the destruction of Jerusalem also confirmed that there were false prophets and deceivers and you can read the statements there there's three of them from flavius Josephus that there were individuals that claim to be the Messiahs that were going to deliver
• 11:00 - 11:30 the Jewish Nation from the Romans and I'm not going to read the statements because I want to go through this briefly were there wars and rumors of wars leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem you have the documentation here in the study notes um I'm not going to pursue that let me just read one statement here that is found on page 31 Desire of Ages 28 prior
• 11:30 - 12:00 to the destruction of Jerusalem men wrestled for the supremacy Emperors were murdered those supposed to be standing next to the throne were slain there were wars and rumors of wars and the historian tacitus who was a Roman historian wrote this the history on which I am entering is that of a period rich in disastrous he's speaking about
• 12:00 - 12:30 between Christ coming first coming and the destruction of Jerusalem he says terrible battles torn by civil struggles horrible even in peace four Emperors failed By The Sword fell by the sword there were three Civil Wars more Foreign Wars and often both at the same time and he was a Roman historian of that period so that was fulfilled wars and rumors of War
• 12:30 - 13:00 there were also famines this is on page 31 I'm going quickly acts 11: 28 speaks about the Great Famine there was a Great Famine that took place that is uh described after the resurrection of Christ Josephus called this Great Famine me mentioned this Great Famine as well and he also mentions other famines that took place at the same
• 13:00 - 13:30 time uh and then you have the scripture that tells us that there were there was famine and there was Hunger um this had been PR predicted in Deuteronomy chapter 28 God told Israel you know if you go after other gods and you forsake me uh you know the enemy is going to come and Surround you and um in Lamentations 4:10 it says that parents even ate their
• 13:30 - 14:00 children because of the hunger does Matthew 24 mention hunger yeah famine Josephus wrote concerning the leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem bottom of page 32 in the meantime countless thousands of Jews died of hunger in every house where there was the least morcel of food relatives fought over it gaping with hunger The Outlaws prowled around like Mad Dogs
• 14:00 - 14:30 gnawing at anything belts shoes and even the leather from their Shields so was that fulfilled leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem absolutely how about pestilence this is on page 33 absolutely um you can you can read here uh in Desire of Ages page 32 thousands perish from fam and pestilence what happens when people
• 14:30 - 15:00 are sh in a city and there's terrible hunger the end result is always what pestilence what does pestilence mean it means disease and so there was disease leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem how about earthquakes does Matthew 24 mention earthquakes I want you to catch the picture that all of these things were fulfilled in a restricted
• 15:00 - 15:30 sense leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem other words Matthew 24 has how many fulfillments one person understood what I what I taught last night how many applic how many fulfillments does Matthew 24 have it has two did Jesus say so the disciples say what is the sign that leads to the destruction of Jerusalem where not one stone will be on another and the
• 15:30 - 16:00 destruction of the world so this is the first application the historical application there was pestilence you can read the section about earthquakes there were earthquakes everywhere leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem according to tetus the Roman historian and also according to Josephus once again Josephus who was an eyewitness you're not dealing with somebody who's writing hundreds of years
• 16:00 - 16:30 afterwards you're writing you have reading from someone who lived in that time so he knows what he's talking about you remember that I mentioned last night that there were also troubles is that one of the one of the signs troubles remember that's riots insurrections internal strife not external Wars but internal strife there was Mark 13: vers eight says for nation will rise against Nation Kingdom against
• 16:30 - 17:00 Kingdom and there will be earthquakes in various places and there will be famines and troubles these are the beginning of Sorrows and you can read that whole section and you're going to find uh clear evidence that there was much civil unrest in society not only external Wars but also Society was a mess uh let me just read you this one statement from the
• 17:00 - 17:30 great controversy page 28 where Ellen White describes and she's uh depending somewhat in her statements on Josephus uh she wrote Satan aroused the fiercest and most debased patience um passions of the Soul Men did not reason they were Beyond Reason controlled by impulse and blind rage they became satanic in their cruelty in the family and in the nation among the highest and
• 17:30 - 18:00 the lowest classes alike there was suspicion Envy hatred Strife Rebellion murder there was no safety anywhere friends and Kindred betrayed one another parents slew their children and children their parents does that sound like uh internal strife and that's exactly what the word troubles means so were all these signs fulfilled fi leading up to the destruction of
• 18:00 - 18:30 Jerusalem absolutely Jesus was right now what was the purpose of all of these things you remember that uh that Rome burned right during uh who who which emperor during Nero and whom did Nero blame he blamed God's people for all the calamities that were Tak Place particularly in this case the fire that
• 18:30 - 19:00 destroyed the city of Rome what was Satan's hidden agenda in causing all these things that we've spoken about so far what's in the next verse what does it say then what does that word indicate then the next thing right because of this this
• 19:00 - 19:30 then they will deliver you up to tribulation don't forget the word tribulation It's Not Great Tribulation it's not qualified it's a little tribulation and there's going to be people who are going to die let me ask you did many Christians die during that period oh absolutely you're going to see the evidence so it says then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you you and you will be hated by All Nations
• 19:30 - 20:00 for my name's sake now in the next page and a half you have all of the evidence of this I'm not going to go into it but the Jewish Sanhedrin beat Peter and John right after the day of Pentecost the Jewish Sanhedrin stoned Steven Saul of Tarsus persecuted and killed the Christians
• 20:00 - 20:30 and Jesus predicted in John 161 and2 speaking to his disciples these things I have spoken to you that you should not be made to stumble they will put you out of the synagogues yes the time is coming that whoever kills you will think he offers good Ser God's service so were there go God's followers did they die they certainly they were
• 20:30 - 21:00 killed tacitus wrote the Roman historian first Nero had self-acknowledged Christians arrested then on their information large numbers of others were condemned the Roman historian tacitus now the next thing was you remember that we read I think from the Gospel of Luke where it says that God's people when they're persecuted they will have to appear before Kings and
• 21:00 - 21:30 rulers did that happen absolutely notice Mark 13 that's in Mark Mark 13:9 but watch out for yourselves for they will deliver you up to councils and you will be beaten in the synagogues you will be brought before rulers and Kings for my sake for a testimony to them did the Apostle Paul have to appear before Roman rulers yes he
• 21:30 - 22:00 did acts 24 speaks of him going before phelix Acts 26 1:3 he had to give witness before agria Paul also appeared before fesus who was a procurator of Judea and she adds also that Paul witnessed before Nero was that fulfilled that they had to appear before rulers and Kings
• 22:00 - 22:30 absolutely who helped them when they had to appear well you know it doesn't say in Matthew but but remember that Mark 13 and Luke 21 follow have the same sermon and they add information that Matthew doesn't have so we have to look at all of the all of the stories of this sermon of Christ and then we need to put everything together were they aided by the Holy Spirit when
• 22:30 - 23:00 they went before Kings and rulers they most certainly did what happened on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit was poured out right you think that maybe at the end there's going to be a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit and God's people are going to have to be taken before Kings and rulers to give witness and that there're going to be persecution against God's people yeah on a global scale because Matthew 24 has a twofold full mov we already proved it and you might
• 23:00 - 23:30 say oh Pastor B you're scaring us I'm not trying to scare you I'm just I'm just sharing what the Bible teaches and uh you know we should we should have the same faith that the three young Hebrews had they said to Nebuchadnezzar by the way that story that story in the Little Valley of dura is going to be repeated on a global scale at the end of
• 23:30 - 24:00 time you remember Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar lived as a beast for a while didn't he Daniel 4 he went out and ate grass he became a [Laughter] vegan he lost it because of his pride and um you remember the story he said I'm going to I'm going to incinerate all all three of you for not bowing before the
• 24:00 - 24:30 image is that going to take place again yes because Revelation 13 which is what I'm studying now for the for our anchor School speaks about the Beast by the way the Beast is not an animal the Beast is a symbol of a system of a global system and I can tell you it represents the Roman Catholic papist
• 24:30 - 25:00 the Beast is going to raise an image the image not is not a great big statue the image is symbolic an image is a replica of something else and you know for many for some of you you know you say well can't you prove it Well we'd have to be here until midnight but the image will be built by another Nation it
• 25:00 - 25:30 will act just like the papacy does and you remember there was a command to kill everyone who did not bow before the image and worship the image is that in Revelation 2 that's in Revelation 2 but in Revelation Babylon is not that that place over in Iraq Babylon is a global system the Beast is a global
• 25:30 - 26:00 system the Beast that rises from the earth and raises up an image of that first Beast is a system it's a global system once you once you learn how inter how to interpret the symbols of Prophecy Revelation can be easily understood but many people take Revelation literally you know somebody said to me oh so you believe the popee is a beast huh said
• 26:00 - 26:30 no it's the system the apostate system that has introduced all kinds of doctrines that are contrary to the Bible and added to the Bible that are not there now notice friends and relatives will be betray God's
• 26:30 - 27:00 people did that happen leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem yes Mark 13:12 says now brother will betray brother to death and a father his child and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death then you can read Luke 21:16 I like Matthew 102 34-36 Jesus says to the disciples do not think that I come to bring peace on the earth I did
• 27:00 - 27:30 not come to bring peace but a sword that doesn't sound like Jesus isn't Jesus the prince of peace I didn't come to bring peace I came to bring the sword what did he mean is he saying that that Christians should use the sword no because In this passage listen this passage it's not the Christians that are using the sword it's others that are using the sword against Christians you say really it says do not think I have come
• 27:30 - 28:00 to bring peace on Earth I did not come to bring peace but a sword for I have come to set a man against his father a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law and a Man's enemies will be those of his own household I can tell you a story briefly I taught theology for 6 years in a university in the country of
• 28:00 - 28:30 Colombia and uh I had a a student a young lady who after class came and talked to me you know I like to talk to the students to get acquainted with them and not in an in academic environment and she told me her story she was from a family of staunch Roman Catholics by the way this is no reflection on individuals that are me members of the Catholic
• 28:30 - 29:00 Church the Catholic Church isn't the Beast it's the papacy that's the Beast it's not the same thing the Roman Catholic Church is filled with people who love the Lord and they serve him according to the best knowledge they have in fact most of God's true people are in the Roman Catholic Church how could you say that Pastor B because they don't know any better and you're only responsible when you have the opportunity to know
• 29:00 - 29:30 and you reject there are many sincere people in the Protestant churches as well but these prophetic beasts are not the people they are the systems in which the people are are you understanding the difference so this girl told me a story she said you know an evangelist came to
• 29:30 - 30:00 my my town and I decided to go to to the sth Adventist Evangelistic meetings by the way that means that we present all of the message of the Bible and at the end she decided that she would get baptized into the seventh Aven church so she went home and she told her parents you know I've been going to these meetings she hadn't told them I've been going to these meetings and uh I've heard the truth and I'm convinced that
• 30:00 - 30:30 it's the truth that I'm going to get baptized her father according to her said if you get baptized in that church you're not our daughter anymore you have to get out but she was convicted and so she got baptized and when she got home everything she had was outside the door and her father met her and he said
• 30:30 - 31:00 leave we don't want to ever see you again see what did Jesus mean when he said he's going to put uh a daughter against mother against father against daughter-in-law what he's saying is that people will react by going against you because you're taking a stand by the way did many fall away as a result of the
• 31:00 - 31:30 persecution remember that we read in Matthew chapter 24 that it said many shall stumble when we when we do our next Presentation tomorrow night I'm going to show you what the word stumble means it means to to depart from the faith because of persecution I don't want to be persecuted and so the result is leaving the faith and we find that in Matthew 24:10 and then many will be
• 31:30 - 32:00 offended this is because of the persecution will betray one another and will hate one another the Apostle Paul mentioned someone by the name of deus says Deus has forsaken me having loved this present world and has departed for thessalonica there's one example of someone who departed from the faith in 2 Timothy 4:16 Paul said say when he was in prison all forsook
• 32:00 - 32:30 me was there an apostasy yes and in 1 John 2:19 John says they went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that none of them were of us so did many depart from Faith as a result of persecution yes and
• 32:30 - 33:00 then of course it mentions false prophets I'm just going to summarize very quickly false prophets then it says in page 41 lawlessness would abound but then it says he who endures till the end in other words he who is faithful Until the End will be saved were there those that were faithful oh yeah you can read in the book of Acts
• 33:00 - 33:30 faithful and then it speaks about preaching the gospel to the whole world do you know what the Apostle Paul said in Romans 1:8 first I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all he's writing to the Romans that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world Paul's fa Faith was spoken where throughout the whole world and in Colossians 1 123 he wrote if indeed you
• 33:30 - 34:00 continue in the faith grounded and steadfast and are not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which you have heard which was preached to every creature under Heaven of which I Paul became a minister so was the Gospel preached to the whole world of that time of course not all of the globe because there was not uh you know the the Bible is describing what is happening in that C of the world the Roman
• 34:00 - 34:30 world and yet he says the gospel went to the whole world so let me ask you were all of these things fulfilled between when Christ went to heaven and the destruction of Jerusalem yes because Matthew 24 has how many fulfillments two one literal with the literal Jews in the past literal Jerusalem and then a global fulfillment with God's spiritual people at the end
• 34:30 - 35:00 of time so now let's go to page 45 I didn't intend to spend that much time but but what we looked at so far is the foundation for what we're going to look at now and tomorrow uh let's just review the list that we have here on page 45 this is a this is a sequence that we just looked at false Christ and false prophets deceive men disasters which is Satan's stealth plan
• 35:00 - 35:30 to what to blame God's people tribulation during which some die did some die yes many fail by the wayside when the when the persecution came families turns on family members and friends the faithful witness before Kings presidents and magistrates The Holy Spirits gave them words to speak false prophets
• 35:30 - 36:00 predicted peace peace because of the transgression of the law the love many of many grew cold the faithful needed to be to endure to be patient and persevere he who endures till the end and the gospel went where to the entire world this is the first fulfillment of Matthew 24 we only went through verse 14 but now we're going to go to verse
• 36:00 - 36:30 15 we're going to talk about the abomination of desolation in its first fulfillment see we're not tonight we're not going to go to the end time fulfillment tonight we are only going to deal with the historical fulfillment with literal Jerusalem are you understanding so far yeah okay let's read Matthew 24:15 therefore when you see there's something
• 36:30 - 37:00 that could be seen therefore when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet standing in the Holy Place whoever reads let him understand there's several important points here they could see it the disciples could see it followers of Jesus could see
• 37:00 - 37:30 it what could they see the abomination of desolation but who spoke about the abomination of desolation before Jesus did Daniel so where do we have to go to understand this duh you got to go back to Daniel right and where is the abomination of desolation standing it's standing where it ought not according to mark in the Holy place so there's three important points
• 37:30 - 38:00 in this verse number one we have to go back to the Book of Daniel to understand what the abomination of desolation is because Daniel spoke about it second the abomination of desolation was a sign that the followers of Christ could see with their eyes and three the holy place was not located within the city because the followers of Jesus could see
• 38:00 - 38:30 it and then Escape so the abomination of desolation must have been outside the city because if it was if the abomination of desolation was inside the city God's people could not have escaped are you following me or not now so let's go back to Daniel and I'm going to send iiz I'm only going to present a short
• 38:30 - 39:00 picture God called the Jewish nation and he established them at Mount Si when he gave them the law they officially became his chosen people and God said if you obey my voice and keep my Covenant you will be my special people what does the word if mean it's condition they were not irrevocably
• 39:00 - 39:30 chosen they were chosen to take the gospel to the world but God says there's an if you're my special people if you obey my voice and keep my Covenant that's in Exodus chapter 19 what was their history like for 800 years after that they did not obey God's voice they did not keep God's covenant
• 39:30 - 40:00 in fact they mingled with the Nations they fell into idolatry they even came to the point of sacrificing their kids they they worship the Bales conterfeit God so what God did he sent them into captivity Babylonian captivity the story is in Daniel chapter 1 and also in 2 Chronicles
• 40:00 - 40:30 chapter 36 they they were leted away all the nobility was led away solom um Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the temple he burned up the city and all the people went captive but God had promised that they would that they would be captive for 70 years and then after the 70 years this is in Jeremiah 259 and10 after 70 years
• 40:30 - 41:00 they would return to their land and they would rebuild the city they would rebuild the Temple and they would reestablish the religious system that's exactly what happened Ezra chapter 1 says that A King by the name of Cyrus who was the King of the kingdom of mle Persia that came after Babylon he gave a decree for God's people to go
• 41:00 - 41:30 back to their land just like God had said 70 years later exactly and now God is saying I'm going to give you another chance and that's where the prophecy of the 70 weeks comes in and I only you know I have a full presentation on the Book of Daniel but all all I can do is synthesize here so the people went back and God says now I am going to give you 70 weeks of years to see how you
• 41:30 - 42:00 behave during the 70 weeks of years by the way that's a symbolic expression see many people make the mistake of making the time periods of Daniel Revelation literal they say oh time times and the dividing of time well that that's three and a half years so it must be the Antichrist is going to rebuild the Temple and sit in in the temple for three and a half literal years we're
• 42:00 - 42:30 dealing with symbols how many of you if if I plan to come back here in three and a half years what would you say if I said I'll see you in time times and the dividing of time it's also expressed as I'll see you in 1260 days or I'll see you in 42 months you say I'm crazy why just not say three and a half years because these expressions are symbolic in Bible
• 42:30 - 43:00 prophecy a day equals a year so it's 70 weeks of years which is 7 * 70 equals 490 so God after the Captivity gives Israel 490 years to shape up are you with me and he says after the first seven weeks which is 49 years the wall and the
• 43:00 - 43:30 city and the temple will be rebuilt that happened then he says after another 69 after another 62 weeks which is 434 years he says the Messiah is going to come who would that be that's the year 27 ad if you go 69 weeks of years from 457 BC when the decree was given
• 43:30 - 44:00 forward for 483 years which is 69 weeks it takes you to the year 27 ad and the Messiah would come the word Messiah means anointed when was Jesus anointed when he was baptized so he have the date for his baptism then the prophecy says in the middle of the last week in other words
• 44:00 - 44:30 three and a half years after his baptism Messiah will be cut off other Messiah would be killed the year 31 ad Christ was killed the Messiah and then three and a half years later the Jewish Sanhedrin the ruling body of the Jewish Nation stoned
• 44:30 - 45:00 Steven the first Christian martyr and at that moment they were on the they were beyond the point of no return the 70 weeks came to an end so Jesus said or God said to Daniel I'm going to give you another chance but then he says to
• 45:00 - 45:30 them if during this period you don't repent and you don't Shape Up probation is going to close for you as my chosen instrument to share the gospel with the world and I'm going to turn to the Gentiles that's the way it worked out now what happened let's read Daniel chapter 9:26 and 27 what I just described and after 62 weeks Messiah
• 45:30 - 46:00 shall be cut off but not for himself because Jesus didn't die for himself he died for us and then it says and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary now let's stop there for a moment who is the prince who is to come that is going to destroy the city in the sanctuary there's three
• 46:00 - 46:30 ideas the first is that the prince is some nasty Antichrist that is going to rebuild the Jewish temple and is going to sit in it for three and a half years and persecute the Jews in the future no good other another view is that the prince was Titus who was the one that came with the Roman Legions and destroyed Jerusalem in the
• 46:30 - 47:00 year 70 the third interpretation is that the prince is none other than Jesus the prince who is to come is Jesus you say now wait a minute Pastor how can the prince who is to come be Jesus well to answer that question let me ask you who destroyed Jerusalem in the year
• 47:00 - 47:30 70 how many say that Titus and the Roman Legions destroy the city how many uh are willing to say that it was um the Jews who destroyed the city how how many of you say that it was the Jews themselves who destroyed the city because there's three IDE is God destroyed the
• 47:30 - 48:00 city Titus destroyed the city or Israel itself destroyed the city well let's let's talk about the Jerusalem in the Old Testament when Israel enter into captivity who destroyed the city if you read Daniel 9:14 it says God destroyed the city
• 48:00 - 48:30 but if you read 2 Chronicles 36:17 to20 it says Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the city and in Daniel I'll mention Jeremiah 3823 it says Israel destroyed the city he said now wait a minute Israel destroyed the syia by their Disobedience they were the ones that brought destruction and God used Nebuchadnezzar to destroy the city are you with me so who is the
• 48:30 - 49:00 prince who is to come who will destroy the city notice once again the people of the prince who are the people of the prince the prince is Jesus who are the people of the prince the Jewish Nation shall destroy the city did the Jews destroy their own City by their choices by rejecting the Messiah yes notice this remarkable statement by
• 49:00 - 49:30 Ellen White in the chapter on the destruction of Jerusalem uh great controversy 35 through 36 she she understood this the Jews had forged their own feeds they had filled for themselves the cup of Vengeance in the utter destruction that befell them as a nation and in all the woes that follow them in their dis verion they were but reaping the Harvest which their own hands had
• 49:30 - 50:00 sown says the prophet oh Israel thou Hast destroyed thyself she's quoting from Hosea 13:9 why for thou Hast Fallen by thine iniquity their sufferings are often represented as a punishment visited upon them by the direct Ree of God it is thus that The Great Deceiver
• 50:00 - 50:30 seeks to conceal his own work by stubborn rejection of divine love and mercy the Jews had caused the protection of God to be withdrawn from them and Satan was permitted to rule them according to his will now go with me for a moment to Matthew 22 in verse 7 here's the very interesting this
• 50:30 - 51:00 story it says there it's a parable of Jesus the parable of the vineyard you know Messengers are sent to the vineyard at vintage time to get the Harvest and the workers of the vineyard reject the message they kill the the ones that come for the grapes so God in his Mercy he sends more Messengers after that and they do the same to
• 51:00 - 51:30 them by the way you have the two stages that we've talking about talked about Israel the first stage is between sin and the Babylonian captivity the second stage is the 70 weeks that God gave them Messengers are sent Messengers are sent and then the parable says and last of all he sent his own son who is that Jesus
• 51:30 - 52:00 Jesus he said they're going to respect my son but what did they do they said this is the air cast him out of the vineyard and killed him and then Jesus asked them what do you suppose God is going to do with the ones who did that to his son and Jesus said the kingdom will be taken
• 52:00 - 52:30 from them and given to the Gentiles God has no more plan for the Jewish theocracy now as individuals God loves them many of them are Messianic Jews they they love Jesus but as an entity as a system God has finished with the function of the Jewish Nation to reach the world world with the gospel now it is a task that belongs to the
• 52:30 - 53:00 church the worldwide church are you following me or not now I want you to notice Matthew 22 and verse 7 it says but when the king heard about it that they killed the son he was Furious and he sent out his
• 53:00 - 53:30 armies who were the armies Titus and the Romans and destroyed those murderers and burned up their city are you catching the picture who destroyed Jerusalem in the year 70 was it God yes was it the Romans was that the
• 53:30 - 54:00 Jews so who are the people of the prince who is to come the people are the Jews the prince is Jesus and Jesus is the one who came now if you're following along let's prove this with the Bible Matthew 2338 and 39 we're on page 48 Matthew 233 38 and 39 are you following me so far lots of History
• 54:00 - 54:30 here and uh not a lot of time to give you all of the details but I hope that you catch the general picture Matthew 23 38 and 39 tells us the reason why the Jewish nation was rejected all Jerusalem Jerusalem the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her how often I wanted to gather your
• 54:30 - 55:00 children together this is Jesus speaking as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings but you were not willing see your house before this when Jesus entered Jerusalem in the triumphal entry it says this is Matthew 21 it says Jesus entered the temple of God and the money changers were there and he says get out of my
• 55:00 - 55:30 house but now after telling telling this series of Parables about how the Jewish Nation rejected him Jesus said to them your house is left unto do desolate in other words the Jerusalem Temple no longer had any protection probation closed and in the year 70 the Romans came and there was no shelter the City was
• 55:30 - 56:00 destroyed and that's what Daniel says he says the people of the prince who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary the end of it shall be with a flood until the end of the war desolations are determined see the word desolations there you know what abomination of desolation is the Abomination leads to Desolation that's what it means
• 56:00 - 56:30 now let's notice Luke 21:20 this is going to really get interesting now Luke 21:20 is a parallel chapter to Matthew 24 and Mark 13 in other words each chapter has details that the other chapter doesn't have now Matthew says when you see the abomination of desolation standing in the Holy place of
• 56:30 - 57:00 which Daniel wrote Luke says something almost totally different or I would say totally different he says in Luke 21:20 but when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies then know that its desolation is near so what is the abomination of desolation
• 57:00 - 57:30 when you compare Matthew with Luke armies which armies when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies know that its desolation or destruction is near what is it that they were going to see the Roman armies that besiege Jerusalem what did Jesus tell his followers to do when they saw the abomination of
• 57:30 - 58:00 desolation he told them to flee because the city is going to be destroyed in other words the de the Abomination I'm going to explain what it means right now the Abomination was The Omen that the city was about to be destroyed the Desolation is the destruction and the Abomination is the sign shows that it's going to be destroyed and the faithful in the city need to
• 58:00 - 58:30 flee so let me ask you this is the abomination of desolation something that was placed inside the city no it was placed where it says when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies not in the city but surrounded by armies know that its destruction is
• 58:30 - 59:00 near Josephus gives us a very interesting description of what the Roman armies did when they surrounded the city this is the sign okay that destruction is near I'm going to read first of all from the book The Great controversy page 26 and then later on I'm going to read a quotation by Josephus we're at the
• 59:00 - 59:30 bottom of page 48 by the way here is a description of what the omen is when the idolatrous standards of the Romans you know what standard is it's the it's kind of an aole and it's the IGN when the idolatrous standards of the Romans should be set up in the Holy Ground which extended some furlongs
• 59:30 - 60:00 outside the city walls what were the standards of the RS idolatrous what idolator standards why are they called idolator standards I'm going to explain it in a minute so when the faithful Christians inside the city saw the idolatrous standards of the Romans with their armies outside each division with its enzy each division
• 60:00 - 60:30 with its standard those inside the city who were faithful to Jesus having received this warning 40 years before they would say oh there's a sign the city is surrounded by armies let's flee and they fled she continues when the idolatrous standards of the Romans should be set up in the Holy Ground which EX SED some furlongs furlongs outside the city walls
• 60:30 - 61:00 then the followers of Christ were to find safety and flight when the warning sign should be seen those who would Escape must make no delay now Josephus makes a very interesting uh remark in um and El white is quoting him in great controversy page 40 page 41 she says the gospel penetrated into regions that were inaccessible even to
• 61:00 - 61:30 the Eagles of Rome so the enzy or the standard Roman Standard had an eagle now you say why is that important let me give you a little history of the Roman Standard you know at first the Roman Legions had many different animals according to the division of the of the Legion you know some had the enzy of a
• 61:30 - 62:00 bull some had a snake some had a lion some had a vulture but in the year 104 BC Marius who was the general of the Roman Legions at that time did an Excursion to Asia Minor where turkey is today by the way and he embraced the religion of Asia
• 62:00 - 62:30 Minor the God's name was Mithra he was the son God and he admired Mithra and the son God so much this was in the year 63 that he went over there that he came back and he standardized the standards of the Romans he said all of the all of the standards are going to have an eagle now and I have a picture of one of those
• 62:30 - 63:00 by the way Constantine was a great admire of the sun too he called Sunday deos Soul Invictus which means the day of the Invincible son and Josephus adds that when the Romans whenever the Romans besieged the city the first thing that they would do would be to place the standards in the ground and then they would kneel and they will render worship to their
• 63:00 - 63:30 standard in that way they were rendering worship to the Sun God Mithra H interesting now I have a picture of this enzyme it has an eagle without stretched Wings don't forget this because we're going to come back to it without stretched Wings the head of the eagle IS F faing right its wings are stretched out it has
• 63:30 - 64:00 a golden round wreath around it representing the sun and it has arrows in its talents can you think of another nation in the world that has an enzy similar to that the United States of America we're going to talk about that in the final
• 64:00 - 64:30 fulfillment now Josephus tells us then that they offered they would offer sacrifices to their son God let me read uh here flavius Josephus Wars of the Jews he explains why the Romans would nail their standards in the ground when they besiege the city he says then came the enzy encompassing the eagle which is at the
• 64:30 - 65:00 head of every Roman legion see the king and the strongest of all birds which seems to them a signal of dominion and an omen that they shall conquer all against whom they March but now something strange happened if the Romans had the city surrounded and God's people were inside and they saw the sign how could they escape if
• 65:00 - 65:30 the city was surrounded are you with me or not here's where we need to know again history it just so happens that in the year 66 ad four years before the City was destroyed a Roman general came to besiege the city his name was cestius gallus and he surrounded the city and everything looked like the city
• 65:30 - 66:00 was about to fall he had it besieged people were hungry there was pestilence there was Insurrection and so it looked the city was about to fall and then suddenly something happened for apparently no reason at all when it looked like the city was going to fall cestius took all of his legiance and he left and the Jews who were inside the city
• 66:00 - 66:30 they said see we told you the city wasn't going to fall they're fleeing from us for no reason at all they went after the Roman Legions and they killed many of the Roman soldiers at that moment the faithful Christians in the city had seen the sign and they left and then in the year 70 Titus and the Roman Legions returned and there was no
• 66:30 - 67:00 Escape are you catching the picture let me read you what Josephus wrote about this cestius experience he says cestius without having received any disgrace retired from the city without any reason in the world this is contemporary he was
• 67:00 - 67:30 there and so they were able to flee and I want you to notice what we find in Matthew 24:16 to 22 how much of what they had in the city did they take with them I just say I going to bring my computer let me give me the cell phone I can't live without a cell phone oh how can I live my comfortable
• 67:30 - 68:00 house how can I live my 401k I know they didn't have all those things but I'm trying to make a point notice how what Jesus said then this is verse 16 then let those who are in Judea free flee to the
• 68:00 - 68:30 mountains get out let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house and let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes but woe to those who are pregnant and those who are nursing babies in those days and now comes a very interesting little detail that is inserted here by Jesus all of those who fled were Sabbath
• 68:30 - 69:00 Keepers really This is 40 years after Jesus went to heaven and they are still keeping the Sabbath and so it says here continuing and pray that your flight may not be in winter we can understand why because it's very
• 69:00 - 69:30 cold or on the Sabbath and then comes the tribulation the Great Tribulation for then there will be Great Tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time nor ever shall be and unless those days were shortened no flesh would be but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened I like the way that Luke
• 69:30 - 70:00 explains it in Luke 17 28-32 he says likewise as it was in the days of lot they ate they drank they bought they sold they planted they built in other words business as usual carrying on life as usual but on the day that lot went out of Sodoma Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all even so will it be in the day when the son of man is
• 70:00 - 70:30 revealed in that day he who is on the housetop and his goods are in his house let him not come down to take them away and likewise the one who is in the field let him not turn back and then comes one of the shortest sermons that Jesus pre preached remember Lot's wife no white that that that Luke is here comparing what happened in the days of L with what's going to happen at the end that's us don't go back to take
• 70:30 - 71:00 anything because soon Jesus will come and then we'll have everything you know I don't envy people like Bezos and and uh you know all these multi-millionaires because all that they have is going to be mine someday it's going to be yours too the meek will inherit the earth remember Lot's wife what happened with Lot's
• 71:00 - 71:30 wife she was turned into a pillar of salt you know why because Jesus says when salt loses its saltiness it's no good except to be trampled by men J say you are the salt of the world don't lose your saltiness in other words once again well salt is a symbol right when Jesus said you're the salt of the earth it doesn't mean that we're a salt shaker it's a symbol we're supposed to
• 71:30 - 72:00 give flavor to the world that's what it means don't interpret symbols literally because you just get all messed up what was the result of Lot's choice you know he chose to live in the city Abraham gave him the choice he said you know go to the city where you have all the you have the supermarket and you have you know you have uh plumbing and you have all these conveniences you know
• 72:00 - 72:30 or you can stay here in the country and lot said probably Lot's wife said oh no the conveniences of this see that's so nice there what what did he gain messages to Young People page 419 lot chose as a place of residence because he looked more to the temporal advantage he would gain than to the moral influences that would surround himself and his
• 72:30 - 73:00 family what did he gain so far as the things of this world are concerned his possessions were destroyed part of his children perished in the destruction of that Wicked City his wife was turned to a pillar of salt by the way and he himself was saved so as by fire in other words like a brand plucked from the
• 73:00 - 73:30 burning nor did the evil results of his selfish Choice end there but the moral Corruption of the place was so interwoven with the character of his children that they could not distinguish between good and evil sin and righteousness and that is proven by the fact that after he left the city his daughters made him drunk and committed incest with their own father they learned that in the
• 73:30 - 74:00 city El white WR in great controversy page 30 but God's merciful Providence was directing events about those who were in the city of Jerusalem for the good of his own people the promised sign had been given to the waiting Christians and now opportunity was offered for all who would to obey the savior's warning and then of course the followers of Jesus had seen
• 74:00 - 74:30 the Abomination and now the Desolation came the destruction predicted by Daniel later Vespasian and Titus returned to Jerusalem with the Roman Legions and there was no retreat they put their son standards in the ground but nobody could escape the city in other words what was the final test for everyone in the city was there a
• 74:30 - 75:00 special test the sign the way that you reacted to the sign decided whether you would be saved or lost right those who saw the sign and and and fled survived those who stayed perished and the beautiful thing is that in great controversy page 30 Ellen White wrote not one Christian perished in the
• 75:00 - 75:30 destruction of Jerusalem because they'd seen the sign and it fled by the way Josephus wrote something very interesting that's very similar to Matthew 24 this is what he wrote the misfortunes of all men from the beginning of the world he's speaking about the terrible destruction of the city what was happening there the misfor the misfortunes of all men from the beginning of the world if they be
• 75:30 - 76:00 compared to these of the Jews are not considerable as they were in other words there was no crisis since the beginning of the world like this and you know it's exact exactly what Jesus said he used the expression that there's no time of trouble such as this since there was since the beginning of the world nor would be and once again I reiterate
• 76:00 - 76:30 that those who fled those who saw the sign of the eal standards and the Romans worshiping the sun they escaped and they were Sabbath Keepers it's helpful to know the context of uh the fact that they're Sabbath Keepers isn't it we'll come back to that later now let me end by talking
• 76:30 - 77:00 about the reaction of the Jewish Nation to Christ was it the rejection of Christ that led to the destruction of Jerusalem yeah it was the rejection of Christ that led to the destruction of Jerusalem let's read about this in Luke 19 41-44 here Jesus is descending the M from the Mount of
• 77:00 - 77:30 Olives on the east of Jerusalem he's going to enter through the Golden Gate into the City and now he's going to cry it says now as he drew near he saw the city and wept over it saying if you had known even you especially th in this your day the things that make for your peace but now they are hidden from your eyes in other words you don't know what's coming for the days will come upon you
• 77:30 - 78:00 when your enemies will build an embankment around you and Surround you see this is The Siege and Surround you and close you in in on every side and level you and your children within you to the ground and they will not leave you one stone upon another and now comes the reason because you did not know the time
• 78:00 - 78:30 of your visitation who was the visitor Christ now I'm going to end there you can read the next two pages because time is short did you understand what we studied tonight two people
• 78:30 - 79:00 did this is important folks I know this is history you know I is an interesting statement I think I referred to it last night she says the great sin of the Jewish nation is that they rejected Christ the great sin of the Christian world at the end of time is they reject the law particularly one commandment in the
• 79:00 - 79:30 law we're going to study that you say well that's not the same sin rejecting Christ and rejecting the law are not the same sin yes they are what is the what is the law a reflection of the character of Christ so how can you say I love Christ but I hate the reflection are you with
• 79:30 - 80:00 me Jesus is the embodiment of the law he's the law in living flesh so how can you say I love Jesus who is the law in living flesh but I hate the Ten Commandments doesn't make any sense so she's right when she says the Sin of the Christian world at the end of time is going to be rejection of the law just like the Jews rejected
• 80:00 - 80:30 Christ now in our study tomorrow Lord willing we are going to go to page 55 Matthew 24 the end time fulfillment and this is going to take us this has two parts so it's going to take us uh tomorrow and then the second part we'll deal with in the first presentation and Sabbath and then on Sabbath afternoon Lord willing we will deal with when does
• 80:30 - 81:00 Satan personate Christ and why it's a really really fascinating and important uh thing to know lest we be deceived so anyway uh shall we sing a song want to sing what should we sing how about we sing number 214 we have this hope am when I pastored
• 81:00 - 81:30 Fresno Central Church for 20 years we sang that song every single conclusion of the worship service so I love that song Let's have somebody come and Lead it because if I lead it everybody will leave so we have something to play want to
• 81:30 - 82:00 play okay we have this hope that burns with it our
• 82:00 - 82:30 hearts hope in the coming of the [Music] lord we have this faith that Christ Alone impart faith in the promise of his
• 82:30 - 83:00 word we believe the time is here when the Nations far and near shall awake and shout and sing hallelu Christ is King we have this hope that burns within our
• 83:00 - 83:30 hearts hope in the coming of the [Music] lordus Christ Our are united in his
• 83:30 - 84:00 blood love for the [Applause] waiting people of the world people who need our Savior Love soon the heavens will open wide Christ
• 84:00 - 84:30 will come to claim his bride all the universe will sing hallelu Christ is [Music] King we have this hope this faith and God's great love we are united in
• 84:30 - 85:00 [Music] Christ let's pray Father in Heaven thank you so much for the message tonight thank you for making more clear to us these events that have taken place in the past and what they tell us about the future father like those Christians in the city when they saw that Sign May each one of us be looking for the signs may we know your word may we know what
• 85:00 - 85:30 you have prophesied what you've told us about that when we see things we will know what we must do be with each of us now tonight I pray bring us home safely and bring us back tomorrow again we ask in jesus' holy name amen than