1: “As He came out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings.’” – The temple was one of the greatest wonders of the ancient world. The disciple looked at this great building with huge blocks as a symbol of strength for the Jewish people.
2: “Then Jesus asked him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.’” – Forty years later the Temple was destroyed, burned, and dismantled by the Roman army. Only one supporting wall remained standing.
4: “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” – The disciples thought that the destruction of the temple might be a sign that the end times had arrived. They were asking Jesus for a little insight and forewarning so they would be prepared.
5: “Beware that no one leads you astray.” – Jesus is teaching that we must keep our focus on Him. Things will occur and people will come and go but His Truth remains unchanged.
7: “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come.” – Events of mankind will come and go. War, destruction, and strife are a result of humanity’s inability to co-exist. When the end arrives and how it is to come is not for us to speculate.
8: “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birthpangs.” – All types of destruction will take place but there is so much more. All we face is the beginning. The end is not for us to see.
Points to Contemplate:
Do you place your faith in the achievements of man?
Do the great buildings of modern civilization illustrate our majesty over nature? Does our exploration of space prove our greatness? Is there anything that man has created that has lasting power and significance over eternity? Why do we place so much importance on things we have created when they pale so greatly besides God’s creation? Besides the tremendous loss of life, wasn’t one of the main issues we faced with the destruction of the World Trade Center buildings was how easily one of our greatest creations could be destroyed? Does 9/11 provide you with an understanding of how the disciples must have felt when Jesus predicted the destruction of their great and glorious Temple?
