What Jesus Did! 'The Time Is Near!' — Matthew 24:32-35

As Jesus addresses the disciples' two questions from Matthew 24:3, he returns now to the question about when the Temple will be destroyed. Unlike the days of the Son of Man's surprising return in glory to be seen by all people, there will be clues of Jerusalem's destruction. A believer paying attention to things like the ordinary, everyday signs of the seasons will be able to see this destruction coming. Jerusalem's enemies will march against her. They will seek to destroy her, her influence, and her power. This will happen in the very generation of people with whom Jesus is talking at the moment.

This was true. Christians saw the mounting crisis between Rome and Jerusalem. When they saw Jerusalem was going to be surrounded by armies, they left and their lives were preserved but Jerusalem was devastated and the Temple was destroyed.

But Jesus' key point here is not the destruction of Jerusalem. Anything man-made can also be man-destroyed and time-eroded and is destined for decay. But Jesus' words, God's words, are eternal. They are firm and sure and a foundation on which to build our lives.