The Destruction of the Temple

The Temple’s Destruction as a Sign of the End

Please turn your Bibles to Luke chapter 21. Over the next couple of months we will be Going through this chapter Looking at the various things that Jesus says about The coming of the end and here particularly he begins this discourse speaking of the temple.

Please stand when you have that for the reading of God's Word Luke chapter 21 beginning with verse 5 and. And while some were speaking of the temple how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings He said as for these things that you see the days will come When there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.

And they asked him teacher. When will these things be and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place? And he said see that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name saying I am he and The time is at hand do not go after them.

And when you hear of wars and tumults do not be terrified. For these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.

Amen.

You may be seated.

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word. We ask that you would open up before us. That our hearts will be open our ears our eyes. And we'd be receptive to your word in Jesus name. Amen, one of the features of being human, especially being a fallen human is being subject to deception.

Especially being deceived by outward appearances. This has been a theme throughout Luke as people have been deceived by those who are wealthy thinking that That their wealth indicates a more righteous status.

Those who have the outward trappings of religious obedience thinking that that would be something more righteous. But now we see this applied Even to the temple. It's the case that even today a lot of people see religious trappings as being a symbol of righteousness.

Note that we have a very simple worship here. We don't have images. We don't have Much that we go by apart from what God has given us. We have the word we have song we have prayer. Do not add things to this so those who are looking at the temple the image that God has given to prepare them for the true reality of his presence a temple being a place where a God dwells in that true reality.

Being where God will dwell in his people.

This is something.

That they can be deceived by. Now the temple is rightly supposed to be an illustration of that truth but in as much as they are impressed by it thinking that it is the thing in and of itself and Not something that points to another Just as one might think that the sacrifices are themselves That means by which one is right with God instead of the sacrifice they point to Jesus Christ.

In any of these cases one misses the point of the very illustration that God has given and one misses the point of the gospel itself and one misses the point of the resurrection as Christ has been raised from the dead destroying.

That temp that temple being destroyed and raised up and this temple of which we read of the stones Being laid on one another being destroyed and a new one being raised up in its place. That is far more glorious if One has eyes to see it in this first verse.

The preaching text by that way is only these first two verses and While some were speaking of the temple how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings worth noting that this temple is the temple that was Not the original temple that Solomon had built.

It's not even properly speaking exactly The temple that was rebuilt later, but it is that temple expanded by Herod the Great as a project begun in 19 BC and this was an especially glorious temple. It was really one of the greatest wonders of the ancient world.

This temple.

Being.

Very large.

Full of gold full of various kinds of offerings that it describes here. So not just large stones and then the then the commanded Gold that would plate everything but likewise also various things that people would donate banners, etc make it all especially glorious and This is why in John 2 verse 20 it speaks of When Jesus says that he if you destroy this temple He will raise it up again than three days that the people said it has taken us 46 years to build this temple and you will raise it up in three days.

Why do they speak of 46 years? That's talking about that temple project that it started in 19 BC so it's it's talking about this very recent temple project. This is a very glorious very glorious temple and Jesus disciples Notice how great it is.

While it does not mention his disciples explicitly here The other Gospels make it clear that it is disciples who are observing the temple when it says some were speaking of the temple. They're very impressed by it.

It is incredible as they have made this trek this pilgrimage all the way to Jerusalem. They are seeing this and they're very impressed by it and Jesus response is Not the affirming response that one would expect one might expect him to say.

Yes. Indeed. It is glorious. Look what God has done. Instead it is to point them to what God will do. He says as For these things that you see the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another That will not be thrown down and this is precisely what ends up happening in 8070.

In 8070 the whole temple is destroyed by Titus as he comes into Jerusalem destroys a temple and Every stone is torn down completely. Josephus and the and the Jewish Wars his work called the Jewish Wars.

He documents this Josephus being a Jewish historian he describes how the temple was burned and then the temple was Destroyed completely and the only thing that was remaining was the Western retaining wall on the Mount in Order that the soldiers would be able to have a place to camp Camping underneath that retaining wall.

This is the wall that you may be familiar with from Footage that you might see of Jerusalem of the Western Wall. This is not a wall of the temple. It is a retaining wall for the Mount every stone of the temple itself was torn down completely.

One of the ways that this is often Framed that is not exactly accurate. This does not really come from Josephus though. You may hear that it does is that when the people burn the temple What happened is all the gold fell in or melted it and came into the cracks of the stones and Because the soldiers were so greedy they went and tore all the stones apart to make sure that they could get all the gold.

Josephus does not describe this he describes in two different passages one that they use fire to destroy the temple and then two that they tore down all the stones and That they plundered it and they took all the gold but not the particular detail about it melting if you've ever if you've ever heard that that is a Later elaboration.

So he describes here this complete destruction, which indeed does Come to pass in 80 70. What is his point here? His point here is that they not be Distracted by outward glory, but recognize Inward glory.

Now, he does not speak directly to the nature of the inward glory, but that has been the theme throughout This book and that continues to be his point. And so it is evident here without an explicit mention of it that that is what he is drawing them to to not be distracted By the external things but rather to see what that points to.

Allow me to read the previous passage because it may not be obvious how it fits in with the previous passage. Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box and He saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins and he said truly I tell you this poor widow has put in more than all of them for they all contributed out of their abundance.

But she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on. So someone who is observing the scene would see the rich Putting in their wealth and thinking wow, these people are really generous. They're giving so much.

They are very righteous much more righteous than this poor widow. Yet Jesus is saying that the widow is actually more righteous because she is giving a greater percentage. She is giving much more in terms of an actual Sacrificial giving of herself Than the others are who are giving more in terms of actual currency value and Now he applies the same thing here.

The same thing happens with the stones of the temple. They are distracted by the the wealth in the the greatness of the temple. But those things are not an end to themselves. In fact, it will all be destroyed and something that continues on will remain Just as it is with the outward righteousness of the Pharisees or of the rich as they give much and they appear to be righteous but are not and the righteousness of The poor will continue on blessed be the poor as Jesus says.

So it is here That it is not that temple that continues on but rather it is another the old covenant. Covenant made with Moses by which God established his presence with the people saying that I will be You'll be my people and I will be your God.

That covenant has become Obsoleted in Hebrews chapters 8 and Hebrews chapter 8 it describes us says in Hebrews 8 for Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all as the speaking of Jesus. Since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law.

They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent He was instructed by God saying see that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.

So the author of Hebrews is explaining that if Jesus were present on earth at that time though He is a priest. He would not be serving in the earthly temple that temple with its magnificent stones. It's magnificent gold would not be the place where he would be serving because his temple is one that is more glorious and it says later on in verse 13 and Speaking of a new covenant He makes the first one obsolete and what is becoming obsolete is growing old and ready to vanish away so that covenant that God had made with the people that they would be permitted to live in the land that they would have Sacrifices to forgive their sins in the context of that covenant in other words Not providing any kind of eternal forgiveness, but providing them the transactional forgiveness that would permit them to live in the land that all these things are Obsolete and soon to pass away.

When is it that they would pass away if they had not passed away at the time that Hebrews describes? Is it not 80 70 where God? Indicates by the destruction of the temple that covenant had completely ended.

There was this overlapping period after the time of Jesus's resurrection to the time of 70 AD. There where both covenants are operative but yet at 70 AD. The old covenant is no more that there is no No reason to continue observing it that the temple does not stand that it is something that is obsolete.

By the way, this is very excellent evidence. That almost the whole New Testament if not the whole New Testament was written before 80 70. There is no book of the New Testament that speaks in a past tense sense of The destruction of the temple it only speaks prophetically of the temple being destroyed.

And this is something that you would expect that would be an excellent Christian Apologetic if it had happened that look the temple has been destroyed. Therefore it shows that this new cup that old covenant is obsolete yet.

The author of Hebrews talks about it as something that is still continuing on that there are priests serving at the altar in Acts. Luke describes Various history that goes up all the way. To sometime before the temple is destroyed because he never mentions that sometime in the 60s before 8070.

The only book that really has any possibility of being written afterward is Revelation. But even Revelation does not mention the fall of the temple seems that all the books were written before 8070 all kinds of Skeptics who try to cast doubt on the Bible saying that was written later that was written by people who were not eyewitnesses.

Though the Bible.

Clearly, it's written by eyewitnesses claiming to be so using proper names. Giving a lot of details that could be confirmed by others who are nearby etc. And they would say it's written later. Yet if it was written later Why does it not mention the destruction of the temple.

This seems like something that would be obvious to mention if you were arguing for? The Christian faith. Now what is it that comes in its place. It comes in place of that old covenant. Comes in place of that old temple.

I've already mentioned. John Chapter 2. John chapter 2. The Jews said to him what sign do you show us for doing these things? Jesus answered them destroy this temple and in three days, I will raise it up.

And the Jews said it has taken 46 years to build this temple and will you raise it up in three days? But he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead the disciples remembered that he had said this and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus Had spoken.

Jesus's body is rightly called the temple of God. Because it is where God dwells with man. God dwells with man and the humanity of Jesus Christ. And so as Christ's body is destroyed, but then raised from the dead.

Doing so in three days.

He has constructed.

He raising his own body from the dead evil even.

He has.

Constructed a great temple that is more glorious now. Not only is it the case that he has raised his own body from the dead by the way. The Bible attributes this raising of the dead of Jesus to all three persons of the Trinity.

Tributes it to the Father tributes it to the Son. Attributes it likewise to the Spirit. He is raised. He is raised from the dead. His body is raised but He has in that process United himself to his people such that they have died to the law joined to him and become his body.

Raising them up. And so the Bible speaks not only of Jesus's humanity as being the temple of God. It likewise speaks of believers individually being the temple of God. It likewise speaks of local churches being the temple of God where God dwells as we gather together.

And it also speaks of the Universal Church his body as being that which has been raised up from the dead and is the temple that surpasses and reap and comes after the Old Covenant Temple that temple was just an illustration of the glorious thing that God has done.

Building a new temple in living stones. And this is the glory of the New Covenant not one that is outwardly seen in stones and gold. But one that is seen only with eyes of faith to recognize the glory that God is accomplishing in building up for himself a body.

This is prophesied in 2nd Samuel chapter 7 Verse 12 when your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers as is speaking to David I will rise. I will raise up your offspring after you who shall come from your body and I will establish his kingdom.

He shall build a house for my name and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a son. Now you might imagine this is simply speaking of Solomon.

Solomon is the son of David. He builds the temple. He sits on the throne for a good period of time and his children do after him. But ultimately it is not until that kingdom Loses its glory outwardly and then is raised up when Jesus Christ The true son of David the true son of Solomon sits on the throne and constructs a much greater temple.

Not greater outwardly with stones and gold. But greater in ways that cannot be seen bringing more glory to God than an earthly temple ever could. This is the far greater temple and there are many implications To this truth that you must recognize.

Simply to categorize them. The Old Covenant having passed away should no longer be observed. But then secondarily there is a broader application to all kinds of outward glory that should not distract us first just to address the Old Covenant.

Observations that people have a temptation to be attached to. First of all, there are a number of temptations that people have to continue. Desiring the outward glory of the temple. You see this with many who are anticipating that it will be rebuilt physically as a Set of stones in Jerusalem constructing a physical building.

People get this from several passages, there's first Thessalonians, excuse me, second Thessalonians chapter 2. Which speaks of the man of lawlessness setting himself up in the temple of God. So people imagine that that temple must be rebuilt in order for him to be set up in that.

Yet if you remember the series that we did not too long ago on the Antichrist. That is talking ultimately about the church one who sets himself up as head over all the church. And then likewise people look at the vision that Ezekiel has.

Ezekiel has a vision of a temple that is especially glorious that has Specific dimensions people like pointing this out. Look at all the specific dimensions if this is going to be fulfilled. It has to be fulfilled in actual physical dimensions.

Yet the Bible speaks with illustrations of physical dimensions all the time. In Revelation you see the city of God. Zion come out of heaven with incredible dimensions. Where if you imagine the earth is a globe then the City would be this massive thing that sits on top of the globe, but not much smaller than the globe itself.

These are.

Illustrations that are being given with perfectly round numbers designed to illustrate things like the number of the people of God 144 ,000 being 12 times 12 times 1 ,000.

Showing.

Showing the fullness of God's people God's people being numbered in 12 being the 12 tribes 12 disciples, etc none of these passages require a Fulfillment be found in a physical temple and yet many people are looking for a physical temple.

They are essentially Not understanding the words of Christ here that we see in Luke that every stone will be torn down one from another the point is not that every stone will be torn down one from another and Then he leaves it open to eventually be rebuilt.

But rather that they should not be focusing on the glory of that temple being so impressed with it for them to be impressed with that and Then later impressed by a different one misses the point especially in light of the context where he's talking about them not being distracted Distracted by the the outward wealth of the Pharisees as they give etc.

And then people Want to continue on the outward glory of the temple by continuing to observe temple feasts. There are a number of people who want to observe things like the Feast of Booths. This is the regular the regular kind of observance where people would make tents and dwell in them for the period of time that God had given and at the time of the year that God had given in order to Remember their time in the wilderness and as part of that they were required to go to the temple now this is Very ironic because the temple no longer exists and when you see people have any kind of Observance of these temple feasts in the Old Testament at times where the temple did not stand.

They did not observe it plainly instead they replaced it with a fasting in a morning that doesn't seem to attend what people do today when they try to observe these things and by people I'm not speaking particularly of People who follow the religion of Judaism of modern Judaism.

I'm talking about even Christians who Think that there is some religious advantage and continuing to observe these things. But what goes through someone's mind is very simple at this point. They say oh it's in the Bible.

Therefore I must follow it. The problem is the whole Bible is given to us. Not just little parts in isolation and when Jesus here makes these statements, they have implications for the rest of Scripture.

There are the feasts there are statements people make about the Holy Land. Holy Land. Think about what's happened. God has set that land apart to give to the people that they might have it and live in it as long as they have the temple in order they can do the sacrifices to forgive them of their sins so that they would Be be clear in the terms of that covenant in order to continue living in.

Without the temple without the altar. They can't make the sacrifices in order to have the temporal forgiveness necessary in order to live in the land. People who speak about that land as holy as though it is still set apart for that people miss the point of this passage.

That the temple being destroyed the land is no longer holy it is desecrated just as the Old Covenant is obsolete. It's described in Hebrews 8 the land as Holy Land is obsolete. Don't don't refer to Jerusalem or Judea's Holy Land.

Don't. Yeah, talk about Holy Land tours and things like that. It is it's not a Holy Land you can you can go on a desecrated land tour and And and see the things of the the Old Testament and then there's all the theatrics of the wailing wall.

Where people go to the to the wailing wall? That was the retaining wall and the mount that I had mentioned that they that Titus Kept in order that the soldiers could camp underneath it. And they go and they place their hand on it and they put the little prayers inside of it and and mourn for it.

What a silly thing to mourn for the falling of a temple that was Intended to be temporary that was not designed to last forever, but was supposed to be an illustration of something greater when Jesus died on the cross and darkness covered the sky.

The curtain was torn the curtain between the Holy of Holies and the rest of the temple. Representing that there was now access to God's presence that was not there before. Can you imagine someone mourning that.

Can you imagine someone looking at that temple being or that that curtain being torn and in Mourning the loss of a beautiful curtain. The whole point is that that curtain being gone Represents that we have access to God in a way that was not so plain before.

People still by the Spirit back then had access to God yet yet in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. There is a more abundant presence that we have and we enjoy today. And so it would be foolish to mourn the tearing of the temple or excuse me the tearing of the veil.

How foolish is it to mourn? The fall of the temple. The fall of the temple is a beautiful thing because it points to The obsolescence of something that was just an illustration that pointed to something much greater.

Do not do not wail for the falling of the temple and every time you see someone go to the to the wall and Mourn for the temple just know that that they are mourning for something that they should be rejoicing over.

They should be rejoicing over the fact that we have a greater temple that Christ has erected that he has Through the resurrection Raised up his own body and in that brought his people to himself making a body for himself that he is building up in.

Building a temple in greater and greater holiness. And that is a wonderful thing. There are various Old Testament ceremonies that people go to superstitiously. People will wear prayer shawls. They will blow shafars, you know the the ram's horn.

Thinking that there's some kind of religious value in doing these things. They'll observe seders. Maybe you know people who this past week were observing a seder a Dinner for a holy week that God has not made particularly holy.

God has set apart through the resurrection. The Lord's Day as holy and only the Lord's Day as holy if people follow various various holy days that God has not made holy in Galatians. Chapter 4 verse 9 it says.

But now that you have come to know God or rather to be known by God How can you turn back again to the weak and worthless? Elementary principles of the world whose slaves you want to be once more you observe days and months and seasons and years.

What is it talking about in Galatians? It's talking about people returning to the trappings of Judaism not Understanding that they were designed to be a tutor to point people to something that was much greater the ceremonies.

Were designed as an illustration. Not the means themselves by which one would know God and if you consider just the Galatian heresy in general, there are several things to observe about this. There are those who Galatians the particular issue in Galatians, although it as I just read it expands to Jewish ceremonies in general.

The particular issue was circumcision people asking the question of whether or not Circumcision needed to continue in order for people to be right with God. Paul is very clear. That is not the case. There are various Hebrew roots folks who would claim that this is the case.

You need to be observing this you need to be observing all the different Old Testament Ceremonies need to be observing the Old Testament Sabbath on Saturday, etc. Now there are others who have Done away with the the Jewish slant on that but failed to recognize the greater lesson that is to be learned in Galatians if you've ever heard of the new perspective on Paul new perspectivism.

What that does is it says, you know Paul in Galatians is not really so concerned about faith versus works. He's not so concerned about how we are made right with God. Through the means of the Spirit through trusting in Christ alone.

Really it's just about the ceremonies and. So they remove the the Jewish lamp because they're not saying that we should continue with the ceremonies. But what they do say By implication by way of silence is essentially that one might be made right with God through various outward works.

But the whole point of Galatians is not just to address ceremonies. But that to address it those ceremonies are an illustration of A righteousness that comes only by faith. Paul says in Galatians 2 21 I do not nullify the grace of God for if righteousness were through the law then Christ died for no purpose.

Now think about that if you interpret law as referring just to the ceremonial laws of Moses. Which is how many people take this. Then what does that mean that it nullifies the grace of God to get righteousness through ceremonies.

But it doesn't nullify the grace of God to get righteousness through outward works. Now, of course both nullify the grace of God. It's not grace if it is earned. Grace that is through works is no longer grace.

Galatians 5 4 says you are severed from Christ. You who be justified by the law you have fallen from grace. This is the Core of all false religion is essentially to find righteousness through oneself rather than righteousness through Jesus Christ.

Even if you aren't turning to Jewish ceremonies, you very well may be falling into the same Scandal of trusting in outward things rather than trusting in the work of the Spirit. It is only through Christ uniting You to himself through the Spirit that you can be cleansed.

That you can have right standing with God if You are trying to be right with God through any other means. Repent turn from that you can be right with him through Christ through trusting in him for the forgiveness of sins and then him filling you with life.

You can walk in the ways that he is prepared beforehand for you Following after his will but not as a means of your right standing before him. Your right standing before him can only come through the grace of Jesus Christ.

Do not be deceived by outward things whether it be the Ceremonies that are very outward or even just works that are outward with less show. None of these things can make one right with God is only the grace of Jesus Christ that can make one right with God.

The ceremonies were an illustration in order to represent this. Think about what those ceremonies were. These ceremonies like circumcision Represent a circumcision of the heart that happens only through the Spirit the Spirit transforming the person.

What is it that the sacrifice is represented. Not our need to make sacrifices to God though in part they do illustrate a duty to God. But primarily what they are illustrating is the great sacrifice that we have in Jesus Christ our Passover lamb who has perfectly paid.

For our sins us deserving death him dying in our place giving us His forgiveness giving us his righteousness. These things as Paul says in Galatians, we're all a tutor all just a an instructor. Galatians 4 1 says.

I mean that in error as long as he is a child is no different from a slave though. He is the owner of everything. But he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father in the same way.

We also when we were children were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world but when the fullness of time had come God sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law to redeem those who were Under the law so that we might receive adoption as sons.

Because you are sons God has sent the spirit of his son into our hearts crying Abba father. So you are no longer a slave but a son and if a son then an heir through God. While one is a child he is under guardians, etc.

Until the appointed time when he comes of his own. This is what it's describing. Is it the Old Covenant? God's people were under Instructors the law was an illustration. It was a tutor for them explaining various things.

But now that we have reached a certain age to go back to that tutor would be foolish. We have something much greater.

Worship in Spirit and Truth

Now.

Taking this from beyond Particular Old Covenant concerns. It is good to think about the ways that we might be distracted by outward glory in general. Consider first worship. Many people are.

Are.

Distracted by the outward glory of worship and if you think about worship in different religions whether it be different versions of Christianity or things that claim to be Christianity or whether it be the religions of the world you can think about the things that I'm Mentioning.

You think about whether it be glorious looking idols whether it be a lot of decorations whether it be images whether it be Vestments, there's all kinds of things. It's important to realize that what Christ gives the the worship that he gives is primarily Seen in something that cannot be outwardly seen is primarily seen through faith.

There's a passage that I believe is frequently misunderstood that's worth It's worth spending a little time on and that is found beginning in John 1 Chapter. John 1 verse 17. For the law was given through Moses grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Okay, so he's comparing the Old Covenant in the New Covenant. He's comparing Moses and Jesus Christ. Can Moses mediating Old Covenant Christ mediating the New Covenant? What's the difference between these two.

Moses gives the law? Christ gives grace and truth. Now if you're not thinking about this you might miss something and think that the truth that it's referring to is Propositional correctness, I don't know how else to call it.

But that's what a lot of people think of when they think of truth just simple veracity. But what does that mean that Moses gave lies? That he didn't give truth. No one would say that about Moses. Moses.

His law was it was true. So, what does it mean that Christ gives grace in truth. When it speaks of truth, it's not just talking about things that are outwardly correct and not false in The sense of being incorrect and the sense of being not Voracious in John chapter 4 if you skip over to 4 if you've turned there.

In.

Verse 23 Jesus is speaking to the woman at the well and He says to her but the hour is coming and is now here where the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit in.

Truth.

For the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth. So what does he mean that we must worship in spirit and in truth? Once again, where the people before worshiping in lies.

No one would say that the commands that God had given the ceremonies that he had given were lies. That's not the point between considering something false and considering something true. The distinction between false and true here is something that is an illustration pointing to the greater reality.

Think of the difference between false teeth and real teeth, right? That's the difference between false and true here. It is an imitation or an illustration pointing to the more important reality. It's not talking about lies.

Versus truth. And so what was the temple? Well, that's an illustration of the true temple. What is all the outward? Glorious worship of the. Of the incense. Well that points to the true worship of prayer.

All the different kinds of worship are not false in that they are lies, but they are false in that they are illustrations of something that is greater and This is where true worship is found. But many people want some kind of outwardly glorious worship and they are willing to get that sacrificing inner glory.