A Walk In the Garden Lesson 2 Notes

Lesson 2 – A Walk in the Garden

Matthew 24:15-30

v. 15 - The abomination that causes desolation – a deliberate attempt to mock and deny the reality of God's presence. (Daniel 11:12)

The standards of these desolating legions, on which they bear the images of their idols.
John Wesley described all of Jerusalem as Holy.

168 BC. Antiochus Epiphanies – sacrificed a pig in the temple to Zeus (Greek) Jupiter (Roman). Over 100K Jews were slain. Side note of history of him, as picture of what the future will be like.

41 AD - Caligula (Emperor Gaius) wanted to put a giant statue of himself in the Temple (was dissuaded by King Herod Agrippa 1)

66 AD – Zealots killed the priest in the temple.

70 AD. Titus placed an idol where the temple had been.

v. 16 – The Mountains were close and an easy place to hide.

v. 17 – the roof was a place of prayer and of drying vegetables, had a stair case.

v. 18 – Field hands would wear an extra cloak in the morning when it was cold. As the day warmed, they left it at the end of the field.

v. 19 – Travel has always been hard with kids. It still is. During the siege of Jerusalem, Mothers ate their children.

v. 20 – Winter time – wadis would be flooded (dry creek beds) and would make travel difficult.
The haste will be so great that it will cause undue difficulties for those who are hindered because of pregnancy or who for other reasons have problems traveling.
Sabbath - Jewish law forbade riding horses and mules. Walking was also limited to distance. Would be hard to arrange secret travel for fear of discovery.

v. 21 - The horrors of the Holocaust of WW2 are a somber warning that the desolation that comes from humanity's unleashed depravity will yet be unequaled. It is a mere shadow.

v. 22 - It is cut short to allow for survivors. Trouble is ahead – it will be bad. But the return is sudden. The will be so bad that if they are allowed to run their course the entire human race would be destroyed. But according to God's time table, they will be shortened.
God controls the persecution; He does not and will not forget His people. God's people will be rescued.

v. 24 – False christ and false messiahs will appear and perform miraculous signs and wonders to deceive. These are done under the power of the devil.

The signs are not proof they are from God. Signs should not validate that someone is preaching the truth. If what they say is out of line with the word of God then the sign does not matter.

People will accept these signs regardless of what is said. We should always test everything. We must know God's word so that we will not be duped.

v. 26 - The desert has had messianic overtones for diverse groups within Israel. They associated the desert with God's forthcoming deliverance. (Essenes of the Qumran Community)

Messianic pretenders would gather their followers in the desert before making a public appearance.

Simon son of Gioras - joined the fugitives of Masada in the desert and hid in the hills.

The Inner Rooms - John of Gischala - with army of 6K seized the temple during the Jewish rebellion and how 2400 Zealots joined him there in the inner quarters of the temple.

v. 28 - Jesus is describing the nation of Israel as a lifeless corpse, surrounded by vultures / eagles (both birds of prey)

Proverbial use: Could mean "Where there is a situation ripe for judgment, there the judgment will fall."

Vultures find corpses very quickly. Picture of the swiftness of the judgment. (Could also be a reference to the fact that Rome had an eagle on its standard.)

V. 29-30 - Darkness will come. Literal and figurative. The darkness of the moral decay of the human race. Also the moon and sun being darkened. Zephaniah 1:14-16 talked about the darkness. Against this backdrop is how we will see the sign of Jesus.

All through out the Old Testament God has been described as Light. Light in a dark place. The shining of light. (Paul's conversion, the bright light. Light of the Gentiles, a Great Light. Best way to notice the light is against the backdrop of darkness.

The return will be unmistakable. Lighting flash, it will be obvious to everyone.

The return of Emmanuel (God with Us) will be heralded by the shining of the essential glory that belongs to him. The suddenness of the explosion of light will be so fast that there is no chance to make a change. When that sign happens, the decision will be made. The sign of Jesus will appear in the sky and all will see its glory.

But some will mourn at the appearing of this sign. Those who have chosen wrong.

They who have turned their back on the only person who could save them.

Zechariah 12:10-14 - Could also be tears of joy. Like someone who you have longed to see, finally appears. You are so happy that you cry.

What Jesus has said is intended to promote caution can to satisfy their curiosity. He wants them to prepare for the events rather know every detail of the event.

These things should drive us to prayer now. If you don't pray when things are good, what makes you think you can do it later?