Dear saints, in Genesis 19, we hear of Lot, a righteous man and nephew to Abraham. He settled in the land of Sodom. He remained righteous despite the moral and ethical depravity of the city, but also foolishly remained there. As God prepared to judge and destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, He sends two angels to rescue Lot and his family. The wickedness of the city is seen in the narrative, and when Lot lingers, the angels forcibly take him, along with his wife and daughters, out of the city. The family, minus Lot’s sons-in-law, is rescued from disaster, though the effects of sin even in the righteous are soon seen.
In our Gospel lesson this morning, our Lord warns his disciples of what will soon come in Jerusalem. But as often is the case in Scripture, the warning has both an immediate and future meaning.
Our Lord had just finished teaching publicly, and as He was leaving the Temple, the disciples marveled at the complex. But Jesus stuns them saying, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” They reach the Mount of Olives, and the disciples ask what the sign of the Temple’s destruction and the sign of His return are.
Jesus answers the question about the end times first, concluding the verse before our lesson this morning. He begins to answer the first question saying, “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak.”
Just as Lot was warned of Sodom’s imminent destruction, Jesus warns His disciples of what will occur before Jerusalem’s. But unlike Lot, God’s faithful people will not have an angel escort them out. They must hear and heed the Word of Christ, staying vigilant in what is occurring around them. This is what happens. And it happens before Jerusalem is besieged and the Temple destroyed. Though most of the apostles had left Jerusalem and were serving in their vocation around the world, those Christians in Jerusalem knew of our Lord’s teaching. And when they saw the abomination of desolation take place, they knew the cities time was short. They heeded our Lord’s warning and fled to the hills and settled in a place called Pella.
But why does Jesus also say, “And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath.”? It is because of the urgency in the needed flight. Those who are pregnant cannot move as fast as others. Families with small children move slowly as a unit. Jesus shows concern for them, as their escape will be more difficult than others. The cold and damp conditions of winter would inhibit a rapid flight. And because of the legalism of the Jews, an escape on the Sabbath would be impeded by those trying to enforce their Tradition on the Christians escaping. God’s people are exhorted to pray because God listens. Everything is in His hands, and the judgment coming to Jerusalem may be delayed or even be sped up through fervent prayer.
All these things which our Lord said would happen have come to fruition. The abomination occurred. God’s elect fled. The city was sacked, and the Temple was destroyed. Most of the remaining population were killed. And still, there is more to our lesson. While what we have covered so far is history, the rest of the lesson is just as applicable to us today as it was in the days leading up to the destruction of the Temple.
Jesus warns us, “Then 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 arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it….”
There are ideas of what the abomination of desolation was, but we do not know for sure. What we do, however, know for sure is that abominations are rampant today, as they have been at all times. And tragically these abominations are spreading like a malignant tumor into many places that see themselves as a Christian church. False teaching is everywhere from false prophets and even false christs. Many have large followings and speaking out against their false teaching paints a large target upon your back and chest.
Apostasy and false teaching will continue to get worse until our Lord returns. Heretics and antichrists, large and small, will seek to damage the Church under the guise of wisdom and truth. Our Lord warns us here to hold firm to the true faith. Should a teacher say that Christ is in the wilderness with the pagans or in the halls of the philosophers, do not believe them. Christ is in His church, where He promised to be.
Yet we do not have the warning to flee in the sight of such abominations. Instead, we have the imperative to stand firm in the faith. We are to remain God’s faithful witness to the truth, even when the world and those aligned with it look to silence the proclamation of God and His Holy Word. When a siege is laid upon us, we seek refuge not in running away, but in our God. For He, as we heard and sang last week, is our Refuge and Strength. He is our very present help in trouble. Recall the words of the Introit: “Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutor! O Lord, let me not be put to shame, for I call upon you…Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!”
It is right for us to say these words today. It is not upon your own strength or merit that you believe in Christ. You do not keep yourself in the true faith. It is not your wisdom or understanding that keeps you from being led astray by a false teacher. Rather it is the Holy Spirit at work in you. He keeps you. He is gracious to you and comforts you in distress.
God is your deliverer; not you. When you are mocked for your old-fashioned, that is, Biblical beliefs, you will not be put to shame before Him. You will be His witness. When you are weak, He is strong. When your heart faints, He gives you courage. When you sin, He calls you to repentance and forgives you your trespasses. All this He does out of divine love for you. A love that took on your flesh, died, and rose for you, forgiving all the sins of those who trust in Him.
In the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple, you see the awful consequences of sin. Temporal consequences of destruction, starvation, and violence. And eternal consequences of disregard and unfaithfulness to God. We continue to see these consequences today with all the errors and abominations of our culture. But whatever may befall you temporally, cling to your Christ. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
As Jesus says, “For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.” When your Jesus does return, there will be no mistaking it. It will be known everywhere instantly. He will Himself descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And whether living or asleep, you will be gathered together with Him in the air, like vultures surrounding the corpse, and will always be with your Lord. He will gather you to Himself, rescuing you from the destruction of sin and delivering you to eternal life. Amen.
Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD
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