Jesus teaches his Disciples about the time they (and we) will live in. The destruction of the Temple was real and symbolic – God is going to shake everything, so that Christ (the unshakeable) will be revealed. Here we have no real and lasting home; we live as strangers and aliens, whose hearts are set on a new city, whose architect and builder is God.
Like the exiles we will build houses, get married and live in our exile. We do not know when the day and hour will come. We will work to be a blessing for the place of our exile. But we will not settle or set our hearts upon it – it is passing away.
- Matthew 24:1–14 The Destruction of the Temple and the End Times
The Destruction of the Temple and the Coming of Jesus
We live in extraordinary times, as the world faces the destructive power of a tiny virus. But we are not the first Christians to do so, and we may not be the last. More than ever we need to trust in what God has told us in his word and not to add to it when it leaves us still questioning. We do not know whether these are the last days, or “are but the beginning of the birth pains”. But we know who holds history in his hands.
A Tale of Two Times
What we can be sure of is that this world is not destined for perfection, but for judgement. The end times run from the crucifixion of Christ to his coming again in glory.
- They are to be characterised by wars and rumours of wars, national conflicts and natural disasters.
- But they are also described as “the year [or season] of the Lord’s favour” (Lk 4:19). They will be a time when “this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations”, and when “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom 10:13).
Understanding these times is a challenge and, just as Jesus foretold, there are any false prophets and misleading guides. There are times when God withholds grace and lets the world feel some of the consequences of its sin and rebellion. And there are times when he extends his mercy in his infinite patience. We can see this in history, and we will continue to experience both times until the end finally comes.
Understanding the Times
When the people of Israel were judged and committed to exile, God gave them a time for their return. In his wisdom, he has given us no such time for our current exile. It seems that he has told us enough so that we will not be either surprised or misled, but not enough so that we become preoccupied with times and seasons.
We need to understand this enough for us to fulfil our part in these times and trust God for what we do not understand. In times of more obvious judgement we are not to despair, but to continue to live and share the good news of God’s mercy. And it times of more obvious mercy, we are not to get comfortable, knowing that judgement is coming, living as those who will be held to account.
So, let us not be surprised and doubt God’s faithful love in Jesus
“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” (1 Pet 4:12)
In this present crisis, some of us and those we love, may die. Equally some of us will discover miraculous healing. Paul understood this – “For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.” Rom 14:8).
Equally, let us not neglect our calling, in easy times and hard ones:
“Therefore, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.” (1 Pet 4:19)
Doing good, living the gospel we proclaim, is our true calling, in season and out of season (2 Tim 4:2)
Let Scripture be your Truth
There have always been Christians who emphasise God’s judgement and they tend to withhold the grace of God that they are called to share. And there have always been Christians who have emphasised mercy, and they tend to put too much hope in the transformation of this world
In his last week with his Disciples, Jesus took care to teach them about these things. Not everything, but what they needed to know. Let us rest on scripture and understand the time that we have been called to live in.
“the one who endures to the end will be saved.”