Signs Of The Times

For hundreds of years, there have been people trying to decide just when the Lord is going to come.  Someone is constantly claiming a new insight in an effort to excite people.  Over the centuries hundreds of these predictions have turned out to be false, yet people still flock to the prophets.  In Deuteronomy 18:18-22, God gave some specific guidelines about prophets.  “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.  But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.  And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?  When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.”  God said if the prophecy did not happen, it was proof the prophet was not from God, and he was to be executed for lying about God. 

The Jews had long been concerned about the end times, and Jesus disciples were no exceptions, as we see in Matthew 24:3.  “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”  They recognized Jesus as a prophet from God who they needed to hear.  They had seen many signs proving he was from God and had seen a few prophecies fulfilled already.  Though they did not yet fully comprehend what it meant, they knew Jesus was God in human form, and had been involved in the creation of the world, and planning all things.  Understanding these things, Christ’s statements about the end of time should be at least as authoritative and probably more than any other prophet or teacher.    Unfortunately, far too often, his teaching are ignored in favor of more modern scholars and teachers. 

Many of the prophets have focused on the wars and naturals disasters as signs of the times indicating when the Lord will return.  Jesus addressed these things in Matthew 24:4-8.  “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.  And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.  All these are the beginning of sorrows.”  Jesus said the disciples were not to let anyone mislead them in claiming to be the Messiah or representing him in a special way.  Wars and natural disasters prove nothing about the timing of the end of the world, but are only the beginning of the effects of sin on the world.

Of far more immediate concern is the world’s attitude toward the Christians.  Matthew 24:9-12 warns, “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”  The World will hate the Christians, and many will turn away from Christ in an effort to gain popular approval.  False prophets and teachers will deliberately mislead people, and because sin becomes widely accepted, others will simply go along with it and stop worrying about what God has said.  Real Christians will stay true to God’s Word despite what others do.  The end would not come until all the world had the opportunity to hear and be saved. 

To put it very simply, Jesus said most of the signs these prophecy teachers have referred to indicate nothing about the time of the end.  They are just signs indicating we live in a sinful time. 

Appearances Can Be Deceiving

To make sure the disciples remembered a point, Jesus would repeat it in different ways.  The scribes and Pharisees made frequent unprovoked and illogical attacks on Jesus that exposed their lack of spiritual development, and in responding, Jesus was able to emphasize spiritual lessons to his disciples.  He had just made the point that it is far more important that the inside of the dish be clean than that the outside be clean.  He reinforces that point with another example in Matthew 23:27-28.  “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.  Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” 

A visit to Forest lawn Cemetery and Memorial gardens in in California is like going to a fabulous art museum.  Everything is made of polished marble or granite, and everywhere you look are beautiful paintings, and sculptures.  However, as you look closer, you begin to realize all the slabs of stone are engraved with the names of the individuals who are interred behind them.  If you were to remove the slabs of stone you would be looking at urns of ashes and piles of decayed flesh.  The beauty is in reality an illusion to distract one from what the whole thing is about.  Who knows what toxic materials or pathogens may still linger behind the beautiful façade? Jesus accused the religious leaders of giving a similar illusion of peace and beauty, while hiding the reality that what was really there was far less pleasant.  Unfortunately, in many modern churches, the focus is on changing the outward behavior to make it more acceptable without worrying about changing the underlying attitudes and nature.  Though it may seem very nice, it is still lost and hell bound.   

He went on rebuking them in Matthew 23:29-32.  “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.  Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.  Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.”  The fact that they went to the trouble of memorializing men of God that their ancestors had killed only revealed the hypocrisy of their own position.  They were simply trying to incorporate the beliefs their ancestors had rejected without getting rid of what was not right.  In doing so, they revealed they were no more interested in pleasing God than their ancestors.  Today, we see a similar attitude in the religious world, with people wanting to be more inclusive and not wanting to take strong doctrinal positions.    They ought not to expect God to honor their practices. 

Matthew 23:33-36 warns, “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?  Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.   Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.” 

Jesus would send teachers and pastors who would try to teach them the truth, but they would reject them, as Paul describes in II Timothy 4:3-4.   “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”    They will be more interested in making themselves seem good than in pleasing God. 

Man’s Principles Or God’s

God has set the standard for what it takes to get into heaven and please him.  Unfortunately, as they gain power, religious leaders begin to change the rules to suit themselves, rather than sticking to what God commanded.  Invariably their attempt to produce spiritual fruit through fleshly means is counter-productive.  This is what Jesus said about the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23:13.  “But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.”  They had placed so many rules and guidelines on the people that they could never focus on obeying God.  In modern “Christian” circles they might place so much stress on speaking in tongues or attending some special training that people never learn how to be saved or study the scriptures. 

One of the problems with this is that there is and over emphasis on one thing and a neglect of other areas of Christian life, as Jesus described in Matthew 23:14.   “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.”  Under the Law, a widow’s land was to be preserved in her family forever.  The Rabbinical schools had decided that if someone else could make it more productive, they could condemn the property and seize it under a law similar to our modern laws of Eminent domain, leaving her children or heirs with nothing for the future.   Though it was approved by the Religious courts, it was a violation of God’s law, and no amount of praying about it would make it right.  Unfortunately, those who get sucked into such teachings tend to go even further than their teachers did, as Matthew 23:15 points out.  “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.”

As they get more caught up in their own standards and philosophies, their teachings become increasingly illogical and picayunish, as Jesus describes in Matthew 23:16-22.  “Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!  Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?  And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.  Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?  Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.  And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.  And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.”  For example som churches got so strict they would not allow anyone to serve in the church who was not wearing a suit and tie, while others went so far as to demand that he had to wear a white shirt.   

Leaders can get so caught up in minutia and trivial details they ignore more important things.   For example, the Pharisees were very concerned with making sure they tithed on the spices in their kitchen, according to Matthew 23:23-24.  “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.  Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.”  They were so strict about doing those things perfectly they would condemn anyone who didn’t do things just the way they did.  They had no concept of being fair, or forgiving others or even just trusting God to work things out, even though those things are far more important.  As Jesus said they would get choked on a tiny gnat, while completely ignoring something far more important.  He described them as being like a little child who washes off the outside of the dish, but leaves the rotten food inside because he doesn’t want to touch it, in Matthew 23:25-26.  “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.  Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.”  Unless we take care of the more important things. It doesn’t really matter how much we focus on the details.   

Putting On A Show

There is an old saying that “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”  The problem is that the more powerful a person becomes, the easier it is to abuse that power, and the more difficult it is for others to hold him accountable.  This is true whether we are talking about political leaders, business leaders, religious leaders, or even a family leader.  At some point, they may conclude it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks, because everyone must do what they say.  The scribes and Pharisees had obtained that kind of power in Matthew 23:1-4. 

“Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.  For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.”

The scribes and Pharisees had assumed the mantle of Moses and the Old Testament prophets, teaching what God said.  Unfortunately, they had begun to abuse their position, setting standards for others to meet while excluding themselves from those requirements.    In a very real sense, they were usurping God’s authority, setting different standards for themselves than for other people.   Their whole focus was on maintaining their prestige and power, as Matthew 23:5-7 tells us.   “But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.” 

The phylactery was a head band or wrist band designed for holding a passage of scripture where one could easily review it to help in memorizing it.   Under the law, Jewish garments were to have a blue ribbon and a fringe around the hem to remind them they were God’s people, according to Numbers 15:38-39.   The scribes and Pharisees had gotten in the habit of exaggerating the size of their phylacteries and borders to make people think they were extremely spiritual.  In modern religious circles, they would insist wearing special clothing to call attention to their religious practices and carrying a huge Bible or other religious symbol.  They made a big point of being called Rabbi so everyone would know how important they were.    

Jesus was very specific that Christians are not to focus on such things.  In Matthew 23:8-12, he commanded us not to use such titles.  “But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.  And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.  Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.  But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.  And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” 

In modern English, the term Rabbi is the equivalent of calling someone Reverend or Pastor.   Such terms imply one is greater or more important than another, and Jesus said we are all equals before God.  Traditionally, the Catholic priests have been called Father, but Jesus is quite clear that title belongs only to God.  The title Master was the equivalent of Doctor in modern society, in the sense of him being a teacher.  Jesus Christ is the ultimate teacher, and the only one entitled to use it.  When we begin to use such titles, we are usurping some of God’s authority.  While it may not be big issue in itself, it reveals an underlying problem.    We need to be more concerned with pleasing God than with how others see us.   Instead of dressing and acting like a Christian, we need to just be one. 

The Greatest Commandment

For three hundred years, the conservative Pharisees had been trying to defeat the liberal Sadducees, but when Jesus defeated them they were more upset at him than at the liberals, much like today’s Republicans when President Trump scores a victory over the Democrats.   Their hatred for him outweighed any political or doctrinal differences with the Sadducees, and they attempted to attack him again.  Matthew 22:345 describes the attack.  “But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.  Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law?”  One of the brightest of the lawyers though he could mess Jesus up by asking which was the greatest commandments, after all, they were supposed to keep them all. 

Matthew 22:37-40 describes Jesus’ response.  “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment. Mt 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”  The lawyer overlooked what Moses said repeatedly in Deuteronomy.  Deuteronomy 6:4-5 states, “O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”  Deuteronomy 10:12-13 says, “And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?”  Deuteronomy 30:16 commands, "In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.” 

Clearly, loving God was the greatest of the commandments, and would result in keeping the other commands.  All of the law could be summed up in loving God and loving your neighbor, and the lawyer could not deny it was what Moses had said.

This is a crucial concept for Christians.  The attitude is far more important than the mechanical actions.  Romans 7:6 states, “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.”  When we have a proper attitude of love toward God, and toward other people, we will tend to naturally do what is right, because we care about them.  Instead of worrying about what the rules say, we will focus on what is best for them.    

The Pharisees biggest complaint was that Jesus might be the Messiah.  Jesus then confronted them on that point, In Matthew 22:41-45.  “While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?

They say unto him, The son of David.

He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?  If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?” 

If Messiah was to be a descendant of David, how could David refer to him as being greater than himself?  If he were David’s son, he would be genetically like David, at best a copy of him.  Tradition would thus indicate he was inferior to David. 

The Pharisees were left with no answer to his question, according to Matthew 22:46.  “And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.”  They concluded it would be better to leave him alone than to embarrass themselves by trying to stump him.    

Ignorance Leads to False Doctrine

After the Greek Empire under Alexander the Great conquered so much of the region, the Greek language and customs became the standard of world culture,  a group of wealthy7 and influential Jews adopted Greek culture in order to be more acceptable outside Israel, enabling them to compete in business and sports events while retaining their Jewish citizenship.  While the Pharisees were fanatical about following the Jewish religion, this group, known as Sadducees, practiced the Jewish religion purely as a way of relating to the Jews.   Jesus’ teachings were as damaging to their position as it was to the Pharisees.  When the Pharisees were unable to discredit him, the Sadducees decided to try, in Matthew 22:23-28

 “The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.  Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.  And last of all the woman died also.  Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.”   

The Sadducees asked a hypothetical question in an attempt to make Jesus look stupid, because as Acts 23:8 tells us, “For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.”  They had no interest in the answer, because they didn’t believe there would be a resurrection.  Like many in the news media today, their question was solely to get people’s attention so that they could launch an attack. 

Jesus destroyed their basis for an attack in Matthew 22:29-32.  “Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.  For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.  But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”   

The question demonstrated their ignorance of what the Jewish religion taught.  There is no marriage in heaven.  The same ignorance of what the scriptures taught kept them from understanding that the scriptures taught God is simultaneously the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, even though Abram had died before Jacob was born.  If Abraham was dead, he could no longer have a God.  Thus the very basis of the Jewish religion indicates there is a resurrection, and the Sadducees were hypocritical in the practicing it if they did not believe in a resurrection. 

For almost three hundred years, the Pharisees had not dared openly confront the Sadducees about their beliefs, and as a result, they had become quite influential.  The Jews were amazed that Jesus was so clear about what they were doing, according to Matthew 22:33.  “And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.  False doctrines to today are frequently overlooked an allowed to grow because no one takes the time to find out what the scriptures really say, or because those who know are afraid to say anything.   We can avoid such false doctrines by simply taking the time to study the scriptures. 

More Than a Fire Escape.

Jesus had just pointed out that the Pharisees and priests thought they were more holy than other people because they were so religious, yet Jesus said the unreligious were more apt to get into heaven than they were.   Jesus used another parable to reinforce what he had taught about what is required for salvation.  

“And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.  Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.  But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.” (Matthew 22:1-6)

God planned a way for mankind to be saved, from the very beginning of the world.  By giving the law, he effectively gave the children of Israel a special invitation.  Christ came, dying on the cross and completing our salvation so that the supper is now ready.  Mankind did not welcome God’s offer, as Romans 1:28-32 explains.  “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”  Throughout history, people have deliberately ignored God’s invitation, mocking and even killing those who invite them to come to Christ. 
 

“But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.  Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.  Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.” (Matthew 22:7-9)

Adam and Eve’s sin resulted in man being by nature sinners, but Christ made atonement for sin.  John 3:36 tells us, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”  When people refused to accept Christ, they were condemned, but God sent out his servants to invite anyone who wished to come.

“So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.  And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:10-14)

Even though salvation is readily available to anyone, it is not to be taken lightly.  God is not desperate for people to go to heaven, and will not drop his standards to get them to come.  The wedding guest without the wedding garment just came for a free meal, with no concern for the purpose of the feast.  He was arrested and punished for such disrespect.  Similarly, today Christ offers those who believe in him an entire new life.  Unfortunately, many just look at making a profession of faith as an insurance policy or a  fire escape from hell and have no interest in being Christians.  As Luke 14:26-27 warns, that will not save them.  “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”  There must be a sincere commitment to Christ. 

Hebrews 10:26-30 warns about not taking our salvation seriously.  “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.  He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?  For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.”

While everyone is invited, only those who sincerely commit to Christ will be saved.