Matthew 24:1-28
1. Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
I guess that the disciples were talking about how beautiful the city of Jerusalem was… especially the temple. Jesus says that Jerusalem would be destroyed – and it was in 70 A.D. To me this also says that what looks strong and immovable, what looks like it will be around forever, won’t. It is not to be my foundation, what I’m holding on to, my security.
5For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,a ‘ and will deceive many.
23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect–if that were possible. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time. 26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the desert,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.
When I read this today, I noticed for the first time that Jesus goes back to the idea that many will be deceived twice in the same chapter. He must really want us to understand that the enemy wants to trick us.
Have you ever been lied to, or really believed something that is not true? I have – and I don’t like it. I want to make my decisions and choose my path based on truth – or I can end up really lost. (And I don’t like being lost, in any way, shape, or form!)
Aside from really trying to find out the truth, the best way I can think of not being deceived is to know the truth, or to put in another way, to know the TRUTH. Jesus said “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”
21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now–and never to be equaled again. 22 If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
Jesus begins to tell His disciples that things will get pretty bad – there will be wars and persecution and “great distress”. But then He says “those days will be shortened.” To me that says that He is ultimately in control. Bad things will happen – even to His children – ALL prophecy will be fulfilled, the nations of the world will gather against the LORD, but He will shorten the days. He will only allow so much.
And JESUS IS VICTORIOUS OVER SATAN. PERIOD. WE WIN!
Psalm 29:1-11
The Voice of the Lord
1 Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of his[a] holiness.
3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders,
the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,
Sirion[b] like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord strikes
with flashes of lightning.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;
the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
Just yesterday, in Exodus 19, we read about God appearing on the mountain and calling Moses to give him the Law. His voice was loud, accompanied by thunder, smoke, a trumpet that got louder and louder… and a mountain that trembled. So did the people. God wanted them to know He is powerful, not like the gods of Egypt that sat on a shelf scowling at them, but doing or going nowhere. So, although God can be very gentle and often speaks to us in a “still, small voice,” He is never wimpy.