Understanding Church Gatherings
“Remembering this saving commandment and all those things WHICH CAME TO PASS for us: the cross, the grave, the resurrection on the third day, the ascension into heaven, the sitting down at the right hand, THE SECOND AND GLORIOUS COMING AGAIN.” Chrysostom, Liturgy
“I challenge anyone to prove my statement untrue if I say that the entire Jewish nation was destroyed less than one whole generation later on account of these sufferings which they inflicted on Jesus. For it was, I believe, forty two years from the time when they crucified Jesus to the destruction of Jerusalem.” Origin, the 100’s AD
The Social Aspect of Church Attendance
One of the greatest complaints many former Latter-day Saints have with Mormonism is that when they step back and examine everything it’s often nothing more than a social club with some religious applications depending on how devout the person is. In other words it really doesn’t matter what a person believes as long as they belong, as long as they are a cheerleader for the faith, as long as they are there to participate in the activities with smiles on their face.
Now stay with me. If a denomination teaches that there are mandatory rituals and practices (like taking the LDS baptism, sacrament or the Catholic communion) then meeting on Sundays has at least a soteriological purpose (meaning their members have to participate to remain in God’s good graces) which justifies meeting together every Sunday in a brick and mortar building than those that have nothing but social interaction for believers to attend to.
The Role of Rituals and Traditions
In this sense, country club mentalities are truly far more prevalent in non-denoms that eschew weekly ritual than those who provide them to their weekly congregates. Of course, I disagree that such rituals are at all necessary, but that’s besides the point – in light of the fact that Mormon’s and Catholics, and Lutheran’s believe such things ARE necessary they have a better reason to hold weekly church in brick and mortar places than places like CAMPUS, or Calvary Chapel, or any other non-denom.
So what is the purpose of people flowing into non-liturgical, non-ordinance laden, non-communion churches today – especially the mega-churches? Is it to hear the Word of God? We can hear the word on the radio, on television, read it on our own, and now especially watch it online from a thousand different places, can’t we? So it isn’t that. Is it to worship (or do what people call worship)? You know, sing, stand, raise hands? Again, we can all do that in our cars, through TV or on the internet, too, right?
Fellowship and Social Interaction
What is it that causes people today to get up out of bed on sunday, change their clothes, drive across town, find a place to park, find a seat in the auditorium, pay money to the institution, listen to music, hear a message and then, like cattle, flow back out into the world? Oh . . . oh . . . right . . . for “fellowship?” For the experience of feeling united with like minded believers? To enjoy social intercourse with others who obviously believe the same things that we do? Fine. Good. But isn’t that the same reason people join country clubs?
My point is while we can call Mormonism a club (which it is) the LDS and the Catholics actually have more of a practical reason to gather together every Sunday than those who flow into churches that eschew liturgy and ritual saying it is unnecessary. Here’s the final point – SINCE non liturgical churches are gathering for no other reason than to socialize (because hearing the word and worship can be done online and for free today) why build the edifices, embrace the overhead, and burden those who attend financially? Could it be that the leaders of such places are “playing church,” and they want the nicest country club around, saying one to another, “Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. And they said, Go to, let us build.
Examining Modern Evangelicalism
"Us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” It is an entirely fascinating culture, this thing we call modern-day evangelicalism because all of the biblical elements are readily available outside of it, or at least outside the material aspects of it. Again, we can read and hear the word outside of it, we can worship outside of it, we can socialize outside of it, why the heck do believers continue to follow these men and their fantasies “to build a city and a tower to reach heaven?” Wouldn’t Jesus' actual Churches reflect Jesus Himself, born in a manger and with no place to rest His head, and nothing that man would desire of Him? Instead, since Constantine and His mama, the majority of believers seek the exact opposite?
Wouldn’t it be great if believers would rise up and refuse to flock to such locales but will only gather in places that come without financial burden, a burden on time, and burden to serve the machine. His yoke is easy, His burden light – how come many of the churches that bear His name aren’t? That being said, I did have a sister Barbara tell me the other day that she has been watching our services while on vacation and that there IS a tangible difference between what is experienced live and what is experienced through the internet. So instead of taking this point to such an extreme, how about a compromise? Gathering in places to meet and sing and study, but working hard to simplify them, deconstruct them so to speak. Wouldn’t that be nice if Evangelicalism unitedly decided to liquidate all the superfluous assets surrounding them, dumb the whole thing down, and use the excess to really make a dent in something – instead of surround themselves in comfort? All stuff to just consider in an age where people are getting wise to the game – and aren’t going to continue to play it before long.
Understanding Jesus' Teachings on His Second Coming
Okay, let’s continue forth with what Jesus Himself said about His second coming (in the Gospel accounts) so we can then get into examples from the rest of the Bible of what His chosen twelve thought about it. Here in the state of Utah, there are pastors almost screaming from the pulpit for their congregates to get themselves ready because, “He’s-a-coming and they had better be on high alert!” I’m sure it is being shouted all over the earth – as it has been for centuries. But what does the Bible really say? The focus that these preachers put on the eminent return of Christ really makes me sad not so much because they differ with me on end times – but because they are unduly burdening their congregates who ought to walk in faith that God will take good care of them always. The hype is just not necessary.
Matthew 24: The Disciples' Questions
In our study of Matthew 24 we have to recall that the disciples have come to Jesus (at the beginning of the chapter) with three questions. I would suggest that Matthew 24 contains Jesus' answer to these three questions, which were: “Tell us, when shall these things be?” (which were the “things” Jesus had been describing to the Jewish leaders in the temple and His prophecy of the things that would happen to the temple itself), and “what shall be the sign of thy coming,” “and of the end of the age?” (NOT the “world” but the end of the Jewish age. Right off the bat for futurists to use the rest of the chapter to describe the end of the world is completely errant. Jesus is describing for His disciples the end of the Jewish age). Check the Greek!
Alright, we left off last week reading verse 22, where Jesus, describing the end says: “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days would be shortened.” Let’s pick up Jesus where continues His description of the signs of “when these things should be?” at verse 23 through 26, where He adds (to last week’s discussion) saying: 23 Then, if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24 For there shall arise false Christ’s, and false prophets.
False Prophets and Messianic Claims
and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
During the first half of the first century there were many false prophets that had arisen in the Roman Empire claiming to have the authority to perform astonishing acts by divine power. According to the church historian Eusebius, when Fadus was procurator of Judea, a man named Theudas led a vast multitude to the Jordan where he promised to divide the river before them. Josephus tells us that upon hearing of this, Fadus sent an armed cavalry against them and many were killed and captured. At about this time a self-proclaimed prophet from Egypt gathered a vast crowd of common people to the Mount of Olives overlooking Jerusalem. From there he promised that at his command the walls of Jerusalem would fall before them allowing them entrance into the city. However, when Felix heard of this, he sent his army against them and four hundred people were killed and two hundred more were taken prisoner. Furthermore, in Samaria many people worshipped a man named Simon. Claiming to be someone great, this man performed many magic acts and many people asserted that he was the divine power. But one of the more convincing cons was Vespasian who believed himself to be the Messiah and was followed by many.
Vespasian's Claims and Miracles
Before his triumphal entry into Rome, Vespasian apparently healed a blind man and a man with a withered hand fulfilling Matthew 24:23-24: “At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.” 2nd Thessalonians 2:3- says Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Of course futurists are still waiting for this miracle-working demon to show up, but the historical record strongly suggests he already has!
Vespasian's Influence and Legacy
Immediately prior to becoming Caesar, Vespasian, the former Roman general of the Jewish War, was approached by a blind man and a man with a withered hand. These two men fell before the emperor and begged to be healed. Initially reluctant, Vespasian finally agreed to try to heal them. Josephus writes: “With a smiling expression and surrounded by an expectant crowd of bystanders, he [Vespasian] did what was asked. Instantly the cripple recovered the use of his hand and the light of day dawned again upon his blind companion. Both these incidents are still vouched for by eye-witnesses, though there is now nothing to be gained by lying.”
Shortly after Nero’s death, Rome fell into civil war. Not long after becoming emperor of Rome, Vespasian inaugurated a new age of peace having put an end to both the war in Israel and the civil war in Rome. Vespasian had “revived” the Roman Empire. Having done so, he easily represents “the beast” whose wound had been healed spoken of in Revelation 13. Furthermore, an ancient Jewish prophecy predicted that a king would arise out of Israel to rule the world. During Israel’s
The Return of the Messiah and Biblical Prophecies
During the war with Rome, many Jews fully expected the Messiah to rise up and forcibly establish a new world order. The Jews, however, ultimately lost this war; and this prophecy was regarded by many to have been fulfilled in Vespasian. Having been stationed in Israel immediately before becoming emperor, Vespasian, the beast of Revelation, was widely regarded as the Jewish messiah by the people of his time. Additionally, during the Jewish War, the leaders of the Jewish rebellion compelled a great many people to act as prophets sent by God. These people were suborned to predict that God would deliver Israel from the Romans in order to encourage the people to continue fighting. One of these prophets was the cause of a multitude of deaths. According to Josephus, this man made a public declaration in Jerusalem that God had commanded the people to seek refuge in the temple where they would be miraculously delivered. Of course, Jesus warned His apostles to be on the lookout for such deliverers. Naturally, these predictions proved to be false and these false prophets were collectively responsible for a tremendous loss of life.
The Coming of the Son of Man
There are several ways to understand this apocalyptic verbiage and one or more of them could be correct – they are that viable. First of all, relisten to what Jesus says: For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. In the simplest of terms, we could say that the coming of the Son of Man would be quick, bright, and evidenced in signs in the sky from the east, and not his literal presence on the ground. In the Old Testament, when God was described as coming in the clouds, the spirit of the Lord was pictured riding dark storm clouds accompanied by rumblings of the earth, thunder, and lightning. Listen to 2nd Samuel 22:10-15 as an example: “He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet. He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind. He made darkness his canopy around him—the dark rain clouds of the sky. Out of the brightness of his presence bolts of lightning blazed forth. The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded. He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy, with great bolts of lightning he routed them.”
Fulfillment of Prophecies
In Matthew 24:27, Jesus promises to return in a like manner. The fact that Jesus likens his return to “lightning that comes from the east” illustrates the fact that when Christ comes on the clouds in judgment he will do so as the Lord had done in the past – riding on dark storm clouds accompanied by lightning. Matthew 24:27 was fulfilled both literally and symbolically in the Jewish War. Historical confirmation of the lightning marking the second coming of Christ may be found in the writings of the Roman historian Tacitus who said: “In the sky appeared a vision of armies in conflict, of glittering armor. A sudden lightning flash from the clouds lit up the Temple. The doors of the holy place abruptly opened, a superhuman voice was heard to declare that the gods were leaving it, and in the same instant came the rushing tumult of their departure." In this brief account, Tacitus, a secular Roman, may have unknowingly recorded the lightning flash associated with the heavenly return of Jesus. Admittedly, Tacitus recorded this in A.D. 66. But Jesus is describing the sign of His coming so it is possible Tacitus inadvertently reported something prophetic that he didn’t even understand. Also notice how Tacitus mentions “a superhuman voice was heard” which is literally an echo of 2 Samuel 22:14 which says: 2nd Samuel 22:14 The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice. Josephus also mentions this in his War of the Jews, saying: “[B]efore sunsetting, chariots and troops of soldiers in their armor were seen running about among the clouds, and surrounding of cities." Perhaps the most detailed description of the second coming is found in Revelation 19:11-14. Revelation 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
The Second Coming and Historical Accounts
as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
In these verses, Jesus is pictured riding a white horse leading an army of angels on horseback on the clouds. The description of the second coming in Revelation 19:11-14 and Josephus’ account of the army in the clouds over Israel bear an uncanny resemblance. Could both Tacitus and Josephus had unwittingly record the glorious second coming of Christ? Additionally, according to Tacitus: “[a] sudden lightening flash from the clouds lit up the Temple.” He seems to imply that lightning struck the Temple during what appears to be the miraculous appearance of Christ. Where did the Temple stand? On the “eastern” edge of Jerusalem. Therefore, if lightning struck the Temple, as Tacitus seems to imply, then in this event one can appreciate the literal fulfillment of the “lightning that comes from the east” mentioned in Matthew 24:27.
The Role of the Roman Army
It seem that the lightning Jesus mentions in verse 27 that would accompany the miraculous coming “of Christ on the clouds” was a sign for the Christians in Jerusalem to leave the city, first at the start of the war in Iyyar of A.D. 66 (which Tacitus reports) and then following the entrance of the Roman army into the city under Florus, and then later again in the fall of that same year. According to Josephus, Wars of the Jews 2.19.4, the second time Jerusalem was surrounded by armies (during the Jewish War) was when Cestius encamped with the 12th Legion on Mt. Scopus to the northeast of Jerusalem in Tishri – A.D. 66. This “12th Legion” was mustered out of Syria where it at one time guarded Rome’s eastern borders against the Parthians. The 12th Legion had another name – “Legio duodecima Fulminata” which means “armed with lightning.” And the military flag of the 12th Legion which was flown wherever they went was none other than “a lightning bolt.” Again, this army was brought in from the eastern borders of the Roman Empire and encamped to the northeast of Jerusalem before entering the city. When they entered its flags bearing lightning bold flying high, another possible sign connected to Matthew 24:27 which says: “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” Additionally, we have to note that the symbol of Rome was Aquila” who was the messenger of Jupiter that carried Jupiter’s lightning bolt. Just another way verse 27 had fulfilment in the destruction of Jerusalem.
Symbolism and Fulfillment
Let’s end with verse 28 of Matthew 24 where Jesus says: “For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.” Vultures and eagles easily ascertain where dead bodies are, and come to devour them. So with the Roman army. Jerusalem is like a dead and putrid corpse. Its life is gone, and it is ready to be devoured. Could Jesus be saying that the Roman armies will find Jerusalem out (as an eagle would with a dead carcass) and will come around it, to devour it. When it comes to how God has always worked on fallen men and nations all that Jesus says rings true – where wickedness abounds God uses instrument of chastisement to fall upon them – in this case, the Romans.
I personally find it interesting that Jesus does not use the term vulture to describe the invading Roman armies but truly the Greek describes eagles. To me, this speaks of a superior “hawkish” army of power coming in and overwhelming prey while it’s still living and not just a crusty old buzzard picking on the bones of something already dead. Additionally, it is said that the Roman armies had eagles sewn onto the epilets of their uniforms. More potentiality.
Additionally, just prior to the fall of Jerusalem, the remaining Jewish rebels fled to the temple fortress for refuge. Eventually the Romans broke into the temple causing a great massacre. Concerning the aftermath, Josephus writes: “Nor was there any place in the city [of Jerusalem] that had no dead bodies in it, but what was entirely covered with those that were killed either by the famine or the rebellion; and all was full of the dead bodies of such as had perished, either by
The Implication of Unburied Bodies
I think there is a sound implication in verse 28 (and later in Revelation 19:21) these unburied bodies became food for the vultures. Listen – because of the apocalyptic nature of the words Jesus uses these explanations (which in my opinion are solid) are the WEAKEST in proving His return in 70AD. Just wait until we get to what the Apostles actually wrote. They make the case. Stay with us.
Three Reminders
First, SUNDAY’s BEST
Second, IN HIS WORDS SPOT
THIRD, SPOT TO SUPPORT ALATHEA MINISTRIES.
