Sermon: The foremost computation (Matt 24:15-16, 21)

WHAT IS FOREMOST?
The Foremost Computation (Matt 24:15-16, 21)
pdf
Dr. Paul Manuel—2011

(This sermon is part of Dr. Manuel's sermon series: "What is Foremost?" Links to
each of the sermons in the series will be found here as they are posted.)

Because Linda and I have been married for several years, she knows me well, so well that she can often predict quite accurately what I will do in a given situation. It is like that for many couples, even those married not as long.

A young man, wanted to get his beautiful young wife something nice for their anniversary. So, he decides to buy her a cell phone. She is thrilled with the gift, and he shows her how to use it, explaining all the nifty features it has. The next day, she goes shopping and decides to get her hair done while she's out. Her phone rings, and it's her husband. "Hi honey," he says, "How do you like your new phone?" "I love it," she replies. "It's so small, and your voice is clear as a bell. But there's one thing I don't understand.... How did you know I was at the beauty parlor?"

Some things are easier to figure out than others. The same is true for biblical prophecy. Some predictions are easier to figure out than others. To that end, God has provided an important clue with The Foremost Computation.

During the Olivet Discourse, Jesus addressed what people can and cannot know about the time of his return. In the midst of recording Jesus' description, Matthew inserts a rare editorial comment that explains how we can make...

XVI. The Foremost Computation¹

...which uses this, ....

• The parenthesis of God (Matt 24:15-16, 21)

as a marker. Please turn to...

Matt 24:15 [W]hen you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand.... 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.

As the chapter opens, Jesus is offering a timeline of future events that will culminate in his return. He describes two periods. The first period covers the years after his ministry on earth until the event in v. 15. The second period extends from the event in v. 15 until his return to reign.

One of the features of the first period Jesus describes will be a host of messianic pretenders. Look at what he says in...

Matt 24:4b Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, '1 am the Christ,' and will deceive many.

There have been several such pretenders. Luke mentions two examples from the first century...

Acts 5:36 ...Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered.

Others have made similar claims since then.

• In the mid-1600s, Sabbatai Zevi, an Ottoman Jew, claimed to be the messiah. He later converted to Islam.
• In the mid-1800s, Bahá'u'lláh (Glory of God), founder of the Bahá'i Faith, claimed to be the messiah. He died at the end of a lengthy imprisonment.
• In the mid-1900s, Sun Myung Moon, founder of the Unification Church, claimed to be the messiah. He is currently in semi-retirement, having transferred religious and business responsibilities to his children
• In the late-1900s, David Koresh, leader of the Branch Davidians, claimed to be the messiah. He died in an FBI siege of his Texas compound.
• In 2007, David Shayler, a British journalist, claimed to be the messiah. He also claimed to have divine powers, enabling him to influence the weather, prevent terrorist attacks...and predict football scores. (This last ability also makes him a prophet for profit.)

Jesus told his followers, including you, how to respond to messianic pretenders.

1. Your attitude at the end must be steady.

• There will be many claimants, so "[w]atch out that no one deceives you" (v. 4b).

One of the features of the second period Jesus describes will be a host of messianic predictions. Look at what he says in...

Matt 24:23 At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it.

There have already been several such predictions.² Paul had to deal with this in the first century. He writes...³

2 Thess 2:2 [Do] not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come.

Others have made similar calculations since then.

• William Miller, a Baptist minister, predicted the Lord would return in 1844 and convinced many to prepare for that event. Its failure to materialize was dubbed "The Great Disappointment," and Miller repudiated such date-setting.

• One of his followers, Ellen White, decided that Miller was right about the date just wrong about the direction: Jesus did not move from heaven to earth but moved from one room to another in heaven, thereby initiating a new phase in God's plan called "Investigative Judgment." It is a view that is conveniently difficult to confirm or deny.

• Charles Russell, founder of the Watchtower Society, predicted the Lord's invisible return in 1874, also difficult to confirm or deny, but he predicted the rapture of the saints in 1878, which did not happen.

• Russell's followers, known as Jehovah's Witnesses, modified the return date to 1914 but kept Jesus' presence invisible.

• Later, group publications strongly suggested that Jesus would begin his visible millennial reign in 1975. When that date saw no change, membership declined significantly.

• Herbert Armstrong, founder of the Worldwide Church of God, hinted that the Lord would return in 1975.

• After his death, his followers repudiated such date-setting.

• Harold Camping (b. 1921), general manager of Family Radio, predicted the Lord would return in 1994. He later changed the date to (today) May 21, 2011 (with the world ending five months later, on October 21). How do you think that will turn out?

• If we miss this date, though, do not be concerned; there will be others.

• Jack Van Impe, a televangelist, predicted the Lord will return in 2012.

As with messianic pretenders, Jesus told his followers, including you, how to respond to messianic predictions.

2. Your attitude at the end must be ready.

• There will be many calculations, but "do not believe" them (v. 23).

How can a person keep from succumbing to messianic pretenders and messianic predictions? ...The answer lies in the event Jesus cites in v. 15, the event that replaces speculation with revelation, the event Matthew highlights with his comment: "Let the reader understand." The quotation in this verse is from Dan 9, where the angel Gabriel tells about the actions of a particularly wicked individual who will desecrate God's temple.

Dan 9:27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing [of the temple] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.

John refers to this person as "the antichrist" (1 John 2:18). Paul calls him "the man of lawlessness" and describes what may be the same incident.

2 Thess 2:3 Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

The "day" Paul mentions here is "the day of the Lord" (v. 2), that period when God will defeat the forces of evil.

Jesus explains what his disciples need to be on the alert for, even as they see these other signs.⁴

• First, there is a particular person, and it is not the messiah, whose sinful activity will signal the approaching culmination of God's plan.
• Second, there is a particular place, and it is not the U.S., whose strategic importance will signal the approaching culmination of God's plan.

Attempting to ascertain the specific date of the messiah's return is a vain endeavor.⁵ Jesus said,

Matt 24:36 No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

It is, however, possible to know the general time of the messiah's return, which is why Jesus admonishes the disciples...

Matt 24:42 ...[to] keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

This passage raises two questions. The answer to the first question is fairly straightforward, even though the precise timing remains uncertain.

• How close are we to the end?

• Jesus identifies two indicators that mark the end as approaching, neither of which is evident yet: the prominence of this satanic representative and the presence of a functioning temple. While those elements could appear quickly, the fact that they are not evident now means Jesus' return is not imminent, certainly not today. It will come, but God has His own schedule, and it is not like ours. As Peter wrote...

2 Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient...not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

The answer to the second question is also fairly straightforward, although it depends to a great extent on you.

• How can you remain steady and ready to the end?

• Jesus issues several admonitions here. Some admonitions are specifically applicable to those who will be present at the time of this incident in the temple.⁶ Other admonitions are generally applicable, to those who are awaiting this incident in the temple.⁷

• In v. 10, Jesus warns about a wide-spread apostasy among his followers.

Matt 24:10 ...many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other,

• In v. 12, Jesus warns about "the increase of wickedness," a trend that clearly concerns him.

• We might think the way to counter the rise in unrighteousness is with a comparable rise in righteousness,⁸ but what Jesus laments is that as wickedness is increasing, love among his disciples is decreasing.⁹ In other words, while promoting righteousness is certainly important, countering unrighteousness also requires maintaining love for one another. As Jesus said...

John 14:35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

The "abomination that causes desolation" is the event that should grab the disciples' attention, because of all the events Jesus describes in this chapter, that event will occur just before his return.
He says in...

Matt 24:29a Immediately after the distress of those days.... 30a ...the Son of Man will appear in the sky....

The expectation various sources are hyping this day does not come as a surprise. During the Olivet Discourse, Jesus addressed what people can and cannot know about the time of his return. Even what people cannot know, however, does not stop them from guessing. As you wait for it, as you note the continued proliferation of messianic pretenders and the continued speculation of messianic predictions, as you wonder when he will make his appearance, remember The Foremost Computation and how the parenthesis of God indicates what many people miss: the event which will mark the imminence of that most glorious moment.

Having considered The Foremost Computation, we will look next at The Foremost Communication, which is available through the prayer to God, in Eph 6:18.

For the Bibliography and Endnotes, see the pdf here.

(This sermon is part of Dr. Manuel's sermon series: "What is Foremost?" Links to each of the sermons in the series will be found here as they are posted)