Matthew 24

Matthew 24 is a very difficult chapter to understand. It is helpful to go back in Matthew to see the context.

1. Matthew 12 saw leaders accuse Jesus of working through Satan,thus committing blasphemy of the Spirit. They would no longer be granted forgiveness.

2. In Matthew 21 he said those falling on the corner stone would be ground to powder. They perceived he spoke of them when saying the wicked husbandmen would be destroyed..

3. In Matthew 22:1-10 was the parable of the wedding feast where the murderers of the King's messengers would have their city burned.

4. Matthew 23:34 says they would be sent prophets, wise men, and scribes but they would kill some and chase them from city to city.

Thus God would bear record against them with prophets and scriptures from scribes, the scriptures being finished before Israel's destruction by 135 AD.

Most teachers either teach Matthew 24 is speaking of the end of the world or stop it at the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70. It likely has two parts, the first the fall of Jerusalem and second the end of the world. Some say it only covers the fall of Jerusalem if the word translated world is translated age. ie The age of Israel in the land.

I hold the view that it covers the period from the destruction of the temple in 70 AD to the destruction of Judea up to 135 AD. Though he covers the fall of Jerusalem he also points to other problems in Judea that he doesn't clarify in Matthew 24. He seems to allude to ongoing war from the Gentiles in Luke. 

Luk 21:24  AndG2532 they shall fallG4098 by the edgeG4750 of the sword,G3162 andG2532 shall be led away captiveG163 intoG1519 allG3956 nations:G1484 andG2532 JerusalemG2419 shall beG2071 trodden downG3961 ofG5259 the Gentiles,G1484 untilG891 the timesG2540 of the GentilesG1484 be fulfilled.G4137 

Jerusalem has been trampled underfoot periodically from that time. We cannot say for certain if the time of the Gentiles ended in 74 AD when Tatian's army departed, or later, or if it continued into the Muslim conquest.

At least some of Christ's prophect is concerned with time after 70 AD.

Many were carried into captivity after 70 AD. This action can be included without it violating the "This Generation" passage. Plus, we know many apostles and early writers lived well past 70 AD. Also keep in mind Rome had an Army in Jerusalem till 74 AD, about 3 1/2 years which would give Revelation literalists reason to believe Revelation fits the 70-74 AD timeline. To counter this Bar Kokhba wars in 135 were also 3 1/2 years. So yo have three scenarios that wouldn't violate any of the passages. Which is best?

Premillinialists teach God will destroy Judea first and then Jerusalem sieged, but this is backwards from Matthew 24. Which says"when you see Jerusalem surrounded then flea Judea. So, they are backwards. Judean fortresses were conquered, but to the extent they could surround Jerusalem. There would be war in Judea after Jerusalem's fall, and history makes this clear. War could be up to 74 AD or could linger through the Bar Kokhba revolt. 

Mat 24:8  All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Surrounding wars in Turkey and Greece and Europe are just a beginning as Rome's leaders consolidate regions, Judean wars would wait till these were finished.

Jesus seems to say the 7 years before the destruction of the temple is the beginning of sorrows, and this judgment would continue into Galilee after its destruction. In 63 AD Pompeo surrounded Jerusalem but withdrew, in Ad 70, 7 years later Jerusalem fell. This would match a 7 year tribulation period. 3 1/2 years if you start from the actual siege.

The fall of Jerusalem matches the 3 1/2 year tribulation of Revelation, but then an early date is required.

Israel had other fights with Rome up until the False Messiah Bar-Kokhba. The Talmud listed him as a false messiah. Christ's prophecy said false Christs would arise and this fits his wording. Most view these false Christ's as pre-temple destruction, but the wording suggests they would arise after Jerusalem's fall, but before Judea's fall.

http://www.religionacademy.com/second-roman-%E2%80%93-jewish-war

Jesus said the temple would be torn down

then jesus said false Christs arise

He said when Jerusalem was surrounded to flee Judea.

He said not to return to Jerusalem and not return to Judea.

Thus he was saving the Church from the Tribulation in Jerusalem and the genocide in Judea that occurred after.

Thus Christ's prophecy could be played out past the fall of Jerusalem and into the massacre of Judea about 118 AD.

This would mean the book of Revelation is concerned in some respect with the fall of Judea and Israel proper, and not the temple fall only. That had occurred in AD 70 20 years prior to the writing of Revelation. Pentecostals showed prophesying continued after revelation , but cannot show it continued after the fall of Judea Revelation being completion of the scribal work and John completing prophecy through his preaching and teaching

Rev 10:10  And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.

Rev 10:11  And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

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The writing of the book of Revelation may have been John prophesying. Prophesying can be through preaching or scripture. Prophecy was expected to cease according to I Cor. 13.

It seems prophecy to the Jews ended with the prophets and Apostles finishing their work before the fall of Judea in 135. As John finished Revelation and after ended his life on earth. Prophesy ceased a few years before the total fall. God gave some time to repent. They did not.

The struggle lasted for three years before the revolt was brutally crushed in the summer of 135. After losing Jerusalem, Bar Kokhba and the remnants of his army withdrew to the fortress of Betar, which also subsequently came under siege. The Jerusalem Talmud relates that the numbers slain were enormous, that the Romans “went on killing until their horses were submerged in blood to their nostrils” (Taanit 4:5). The Talmud also relates that for seventeen years the Romans didn’t allow the Jews to bury their dead in Betar.

Jerusalem was surrounded in 63AD but the general withdrew, allowing the people of Jerusalem to flee if they chose. Pompeo.

Jerusalem was seiged twice by armies, 63-135, the abomination of desolation could have been either event. Likely the first.

In the 63 siege the standards were raised but the temple not destroyed, giving the church time to flee.

The Talmud seems to match Revelation concerning blood to the Horses bridles in Betar.

Rev 14:20  AndG2532 theG3588 winepressG3025 was troddenG3961 withoutG1854 theG3588 city,G4172 andG2532 bloodG129 cameG1831 out ofG1537 theG3588 winepress,G3025 even untoG891 theG3588 horseG2462 bridles,G5469 by the space ofG575 a thousand and six hundredG5507 G1812 furlongs.G4712 

It says the wine press was outside the city, so in Judea but outside Jerusalem. That is if it is speaking of Jerusalem and not Babylon or Rome.

Here is a history.

http://thecompletepilgrim.com/betar-fortress/

It seems Matthew 24 includes history from AD 63 70,and alludes to later trouble in 118AD to 135, the wars and rumors of wars being the wars of Hadrian and Bar Kokhba being one of the false messiah's.

When compared to Luke there is no confusion with a possible end of the world prophecy. It is all consummated in that generation without doubt. The generation the bricks are thrown down.