Scriptural Highlights

• Jesus foretells the impending destruction of Jerusalem.
• Jesus describes the signs that will precede the Second Coming.

A study of this lesson will help us recognize the signs that will precede the Savior's Second Coming and encourage us to prepare for this great event.

The Impending Destruction of Jerusalem

1. Jesus' final teaching in the temple.
• READ MATTHEW 23:37-39. Jesus laments over doomed Jerusalem.
• Bruce R. McConkie on verse 38: "The House of the Lord, constructed to meet Mosaic needs, is no longer needed in the eternal scheme of things. Jesus is establishing new ordinances--sacramental emblems instead of sacrificial offering, among others--and the need for the old temple is over. He is now giving it back to men; it is no longer 'my house,' but 'your house'." (Mortal Messiah, 3:408)
2. JS-Matthew 1:2-4: "And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple; and his disciples came to him, for to hear him, saying: Master, show us concerning the buildings of the temple, as thou hast said--They shall be thrown down, and left unto you desolate.
        "And Jesus said unto them: See ye not all these things, and do ye not understand them? Verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here, upon this temple, one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down.
        "And Jesus left them, and went upon the Mount of Olives. And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying: Tell us when shall these things be which thou hast said concerning the destruction of the temple, and the Jews; and what is the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world, or the destruction of the wicked, which is the end of the world?"
• Bruce R. McConkie: "Upon that holy mount, east of Jerusalem -- from which the Risen Lord shall soon ascend unto his Father, and where at the day of his glorious return he shall again place his feet -- there Jesus and the Twelve rested quietly after an arduous day in the wicked city below them. Alone there, apart from the maddening throngs of Passover pilgrims and separated from the cursed leaders of a damned people, Jesus was prepared to teach and the Twelve to receive the mysteries of the kingdom. Thoughts of the doomed temple and of the Lord's return to receive the glad acclaim, 'Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord, in the clouds of heaven, and all the holy angels with him,' are uppermost in the minds of the spiritual giants there seated. They propose to the Lord two questions:
       "1. 'Tell us, when shall these things be which thou hast said concerning the destruction of the temple, and the Jews?'
       "2. 'And what is the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? (or the destruction of the wicked, which is the end of the world.)'" (The Mortal Messiah, 3:424)
• This discourse on the Mount of Olives is also known as the Olivet Discourse. The discourse comprises Matthew 24 and 25. Matthew 24 contains answers to the questions raised by the Twelve. Matthew 25 contains parables related to the Last Days, including the Parable of the Ten Virgins.
• "Over time, the verses in this chapter have been changed and rearranged, making it sometimes difficult to understand which event a particular verse describes. Fortunately, as part of his inspired translation of the Bible, Joseph Smith clarified the two prophecies and restored additional information. His inspiried translation of Matthew 24 is found in Joseph Smith--Matthew in the Pearl of Great Price." (Teacher's Manual, p87)
• We will use Joseph Smith--Matthew in our discussion.

1. WHAT DID JESUS PROPHESY ABOUT THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM AND THE CITY ITSELF?
• That "there shall not be left here, upon this temple, one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down" (v3).
• V12 refers to the "abomination of desolation" or the destruction of Jerusalem (spoken of by Daniel).
2. READ JS-MATTHEW 1:5-10. Signs to precede the destruction of Jerusalem.
• WHAT SIGNS DID THE SAVIOR PROPHESY WOULD PRECEDE THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM?
• It is important to note that in verses 5-10, Jesus is prophesying about the events that would precede the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jews.
• Verse 7 refers to the early Christians. This description of the suffering of the early Christians in Rome was written: "Covered with the skins of wild beasts, they were doomed to die by the mangling of dogs, or by being nailed to crosses; or to be set on fire and burnt after twilight by way of nightly illumination." (see Mortal Messiah, 3:428)
• WHAT BEHAVIORS AND ATTITUDES ARE COMMON IN A GENERATION WHERE INIQUITY ABOUNDS?
• "many shall come in my name, saying--I am Christ--and shall deceive many" (v6).
• "then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another" (v8).
• "iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold" (v10).
• Though these signs were prophesied to precede the destruction of ancient Jerusalem, these signs should serve as a warning in all ages. Do we see these signs in our own day?
3. READ JS-MATTHEW 1:11-15. How to avoid destruction.
• WHAT DID JESUS TELL HIS FOLLOWERS TO DO TO AVOID DESTRUCTION?
• Remain steadfast (v11).
• Stand in holy places (v12).
• Flee rapidly from Judea (v13-15).
• THE LORD COUNSELED HIS PEOPLE, WHEN THEY SAW THIS DESTRUCTION, TO STAND IN THE HOLY PLACE. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
• Bruce R. McConkie: "The counsel that the saints should then 'stand in the holy place' means that they should assemble together were they could receive prophetic guidance that would preserve them from the desolations of the day. The place of their assembly became holy because of the righteousness of the holy ones who comprised the Lord's congregation." (Mortal Messiah, 3:429-430)
• HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO US IN THIS DAY?
• When we gather together as "righteous" saints to hear the counsel of the Lord's servants we also stand in holy places. We stand in "the holy place" when we gather in Sunday meetings and conferences to learn the will of the Lord. Standing in "the holy place" arms us against the rising tide of wickedness that leads to eventual destruction.
• D&C 115:5-6: "Verily I say unto you all: Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations;
       "And that the gathering together upon the land of Zion, and upon her stakes, may be for a defense, and for a refuge from the storm, and from wrath when it shall be poured out without mixture upon the whole earth."
4. Jerusalem and the Abomination of Desolation.
• JS-Matthew 1:18-19: "For then, in those days, shall be great tribulation on the Jews, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, such as was not before sent upon Israel, of God, since the beginning of their kingdom until this time; no, nor ever shall be sent again upon Israel.
       "All things which have befallen them are only the beginning of the sorrows which shall come upon them."
• Bruce R. McConkie: "Whatever may be said of the sufferings and sorrows and death of the Lord's saints in the age of martyrdom, it was but a type and a shadow of the vengeance and slaughter destined to be poured out upon the Jews of that generation. The synagogues in which apostles were scourged would soon be drenched in the blood of those who wielded the lash. The currents of hatred that swept many of Jesus' disciples to untimely deaths would soon become a great tidal wave of anger and animosity against the Jewish people that would destroy their city, overrun their nation, and scatter their people. Those who with Roman hands crucified their King at Jerusalem would soon themselves be hanging by the thousands upon Roman crosses in that same benighted area." (Mortal Messiah, 3:429)
• The ancient Jews did not believe that their great city and temple could be destroyed. As noted by Elder McConkie, the Lord's prophecies were fulfilled. In 66 A.D. the Jews revolted against the Romans. They believed the Messiah would come and help them in battle. By 70 A.D. the Romans had destroyed the entire city.
       What happened to the ancient Jews should serve as a warning to us in our day. I once read that the reason history repeats itself is because no one listened the first time. The Lord will not allow wickedness to continue. The ancients of the Old Testament and Book of Mormon times stand as witnesses of this fact. "And thus we see that the Lord did visit them in the fulness of his wrath, and their wickedness and abominations had prepared a way for their everlasting destruction" (Ether 14:25).
       Today (May 21) was a beautiful Northwest spring day. As I walked home from the bus this afternoon, I walked through a small stretch of woods and through a quiet neighborhood. As I made my way home, I wondered how such things as happened to the Jews could happen in our time. It just doesn't seem possible that such a thing could happen in our time and to our society. And, I suppose, that is what these ancient Jews thought. And, yet, the Lord has spoken to us in our time and issued the warning, "And thus, with the sword and by bloodshed the inhabitants of the earth shall mourn; and with famine, and plague, and earthquake, and the thunder of heaven, and the fierce and vivid lightning also, shall the inhabitants of the earth be made to feel the wrath, and indignation, and chastening hand of an Almighty God, until the consumption decreed hath made a full end of all nations" (D&C 87:6).
       We must not take the Lord's warning lightly. We must do as he has instructed, "Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly, saith the Lord" (D&C 87:8).

Signs To Precede The Second Coming

1. In verse 21, Jesus makes the transitition from the ancient time to the Last Days, the time preceding the Second Coming.
2. V22: "For in those days there shall also arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch, that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect, who are the elect according to the covenant."
• WHAT EVIDENCE DO WE SEE THAT THIS PROPHECY IS BEING FULFILLED?
• Bruce R. McConkie: "False Christs are false systems of religion, false ways of worship, false claims as to how and in what manner men may be saved, all of which are taught by false ministers who are false prophets. And such is the state of modern Christendom." (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p626)
• Bruce R. McConkie: "On every hand there are those who suppose they know how to save society, to save nations, to save souls. They preach all sorts of gospels -- a social gospel; a racial gospel; a gospel of freedom or communism, of socialism or free enterprise, of military preparedness or reliance upon the wispy promises of foreign foes; a gospel of salvation by grace alone or of this or that doctrine. Streets and stadiums and temples are overrun, as the ancient prophets foretold, with the false ministers and teachers and politicians of the latter days." (A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p626)
• HOW CAN WE PROTECT OURSELVES FROM BEING DECEIVED BY FALSE PROPHETS?
• "And whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived" (v37).
3. V23: "Behold, I speak these things unto you for the elect's sake; and you also shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled, for all I have told you must come to pass; but the end is not yet."
• V28: "And they shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars."
• WHAT EVIDENCE DO YOU SEE THAT THIS PROPHECY IS BEING FULFILLED?
• THE LORD SAID THAT WE SHOULD "BE NOT TROUBLED" BY ALL OF THIS. HOW CAN WE FIND PEACE DURING TROUBLED TIMES?
• D&C 6:34-36: "Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.
       "Behold, I do not condemn you; go your ways and sin no more; perform with soberness the work which I have commanded you.
       "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not."
• M. Russell Ballard: "Although the prophecies tell us that these things are to take place, more and more people are expressing great alarm at what appears to be an acceleration of worldwide calamity.... Admittedly we have ample reason to be deeply concerned because we see no immediate answers to the seemingly unsolvable problems confronting the human family. But regardless of this dark picture, which will ultimately get worse, we must never allow ourselves to give up hope!...
       "...The Lord is in control. He knows the end from the beginning. He has given us adequate instructionn, that if followed, will see us safely through any crisis. His purposes will be fulfilled, and someday we will understand the eternal reasons for all of these events. Therefore, today we must be careful not to overreact, nor should we be caught up in extreme preparations; but what we must do is keep the commandments of God and never lose hope!
       "But where do we find hope in the midst of such turmoil and catastrophe? Quite simply, our one hope for spiritual safety during these turbulent times is to turn our minds and our hearts to Jesus Christ.... Armed with the shield of faith, we can overcome many of our daily challenges and overpower our greatest weaknessed and fears, knowing that if we do our best to keep the commandments of God, come what may, we will be all right." (Ensign, Nov. 1992, pp31-32)
4. V27: "And now I show unto you a parable. Behold, wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together; so likewise shall mine elect be gathered from the four quarters of the earth.
• James E. Talmage: "The 'body,' as that of the Church, is rendered 'carcase' in both authorized and revised versions." (Jesus The Christ, p532)
• Bruce R. McConkie: "And so we see the eagles of Israel scattered by the four winds from one end of heaven to the other. We see them flying in the skies of all nations in search of spiritual food, waiting for a day when life-assuring morsels will come into view. They are free, independent thinkers, anxious to escape the darkness of the night and to soar into the dawn of a new day. The creeds of men do not feed their souls. They are not at rest in the lands of their scattering. They yearn for that which their fathers enjoyed in the days of their ancient glory.
       "Then the food that will feed their souls is made available. The gospel is restored; the Book of Mormon comes forth; the gifts and graces enjoyed by the ancients are again found on earth. It is time for Israel to come home. The eagles are invited to feast upon the good word of God. They seek the food that satisfies the soul. They descend from their lofty heights of worldliness and feast upon those things of which men may eat and never hunger more. The gospel gathers Israel, and where it is, there the eagles of Israel shall be found." (The Millennial Messiah, p352)
• V31: "And again, this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come, or the destruction of the wicked."
• HOW ARE THESE PROPHECIES BEING FULFILLED TODAY?
• The fulfillment of these verses began after the organization of the Church when the first brethren went on mission to preach the good news of the Restoration. What we see today is a quickening of what began nearly 170 years ago. Consider this quickening.
       Membership: In the year of my birth, the membership of the Church stood at just over 1 million members. When I went on my mission in 1971, membership surpassed the 3 million mark. At the end of 1998, membership stood at 10,354,241.
       Stakes: In the month of my birth (December 1951), the 191st stake of the Church was created. About a year before my mission, the 500th stake was organized. At the end of 1998, there were 2,505 stakes in the Church.
       Temples: I believe there were 8 working temples at the time of my birth. By the time I went on my mission there were 5 more, with 2 under construction. At the end of 1998, there were 53 temples in operation and 45 more underconstruction or announced.
       The above are indicators of growth. What is even more significant in fulfilling this prophecy is how the face of the Church and missionary work has changed. The number of missionaries serving has quadrupled since I left on my mission in 1971. In the year of my birth, the vast majority of the Church membership lived in the intermountain west. Now, more than half of the membership lives outside of the United States. There are now branches of the Church in such exotic places as the Ukraine, Ghana, India, Thailand, Peru, etc. What is significant, is that so much of this change has taken place in the past few years. The Lord's prophecy is rapidly being fulfilled.
5. V29-30: "Behold I speak for mine elect's sake; for nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
        "And again, because iniquity shall abound, the love of men shall wax cold; but he that shall not be overcome, the same shall be saved."
• WHAT EVIDENCE DO WE SEE THAT THESE PROPHECIES ARE BEING FULFILLED?
• As we have seen a quickening in the extension of the gospel to the inhabitants of the earth, we have also seen a quickening in the fulfillment of verses 29 and 30. As we approach the close of the 20th Century, we can look back at a century that was the most brutal in the history of mankind. Two great wars were fought causing the deaths of 10s of millions of people. Hundreds of smaller wars and conflicts have been waged and continue to this day.
       The numbers and intensity of natural disasters seem to be increasing. Elder Ballard, in his October 1992 conference address indicated disastrous earthquakes have increased in every decade of this century over the previous decade, except for the 1940s. The intensity of storms seems to be increasing as we view the power of hurricanes like those of Andrew and last year's Mitch and the recent super tornado that did so much damage in Oklahoma.
       Iniquity seems to be growing as we see evidenced in the media culture. What we see in the movies today, was not believed possible only a few years ago. The television brings into our homes a culture that is the antithesis of what righteous people stand for. Brutality is glorified. Immorality is made to look desireable. It is becoming increasingly evident around us. There is amble evidence that the love of men continues to wax cold when we see disasters such as the Oklahoma bombing and our youth shooting each other in their own schools.
• Bruce R. McConkie: "Ours is the dispensation of desolation and war that will be climaxed by a worldwide Armageddon of butchery and blood at the very hour of the coming of the Son of Man. Jesus speaks thus for the elect's sake; none ohters can read the signs of the times. Carnal men will consider war as a way of life and a norm of society, not as a scourge sent of God to cleanse the earth preparatory to the return of his Son.
       "Nor is war all we face; as the crusades of carnage increase, so will the plagues and pestilence. Famine and disease will stalk the earth. And for some reason, as yet undiscovered by modern geologists, earthquakes will increase in number and intensity. These are the last days, and the judgments of God are at hand.
       "All this will be because iniquity abounds. Sin is the father of all the ills poured out upon mankind." (Mortal Messiah, 3:441)
• HOW CAN WE PREPARE FOR THE CHALLENGES BROUGHT ON BY THE FULFILLMENT OF THESE PROPHECIES?
• As previously discussed, the Lord taught his followers to "stand in the holy place".
• WHAT ARE SOME HOLY PLACES IN WHICH WE MAY STAND? HOW WILL THESE PLACES PROTECT US DURING THE DIFFICULTIES OF THE LAST DAYS?
• Ezra Taft Benson: "Holy men and holy women stand in holy places, and these holy places include our temples, our chapels, our homes, and the stakes of Zion, which are, as the Lord declares, 'for a defense, and for a refuge from the storm, and from wrath when it shall be poured out without mixture upon the whole earth'."
• Consider these notes from Old Testament Lesson 48:
• If we have studied the scriptures and the words of the prophets, we know that difficult times are ahead. Brothers Blaine and Brenton Yorgason wrote a wonderful book entitled Spiritual Survival In The Last Days. In the first section of the book the Yorgason brothers outline some of the difficulties that will challenge us as we approach the time of the Second Coming. They then list some practices that will enable us to spiritually survive through these difficult times. These include:
• Gaining a personal testimony and what we need to do to accomplish that..
• Sincere and humble repentance.
• Following the Lord's living prophets, which includes:
• Food storage.
• President Wilford Woodruff: "Lay up your wheat and other provisions against a day of need, for the day will come when they will be wanted and no mistake about it. We shall want bread, and the Gentiles will want bread, and if we are wise we shall have something to feed them and ourselves when famine comes." (JD, 18:121)
• Avoiding debt.
• President Gordon B. Hinckley: "I am suggesting that the time has come to get out houses in order....
       "I urge you, brethren, to look to the condition of your finances. I urge you to be modest in your expenditures; discipline yourselves in your purchases to avoid debt to the extent possible. Pay off debt as quickly as you can, and free yourselves from bondage." (Ensign, Nov. 1998, pp53-54)
• Living the Word of Wisdom.
• Sexual purity.
• Temple attendance.
• Receive personal revelation.
• Strive to rear spiritually unified families.
• D&C 38:28-30: "And again, I say unto you that the enemy in the secret chambers seeketh your lives.
       "Ye hear of wars in far countries, and you say that there will soon be great wars in far countries, but ye know not the hearts of men in your own land.
       "I tell you these things because of your prayers; wherefore, treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you by their wickedness, in a manner which shall speak in your ears with a voice louder than that which shall shake the earth; but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear."

The Second Coming

1. The abomination of desolation at the Second Coming.
• READ JS-MATTHEW 1:33-36. Sign of the Son of Man.
• Bruce R. McConkie: "Jerusalem, this time besieged by the armies of the earth, shall be direly desolated. But this time there will be a different destiny. The Lord himself will come to fight her battles; a remnant of the people will be saved; and the Gentile Jerusalem will become again a Jewish Jerusalem. Sodomic influences will be consumed with devouring fire, and the New Jerusalem will become, in all her glory and magnificence, the spiritual capital of the world." (Mortal Messiah, 3:447)
2. The glories attending our Lord's return.
• READ JS-MATTHEW 1:37. Jesus to return heralded by angels.
3. When will the Son of Man come?
• READ JS-MATTHEW 1:38-48.
• Bruce R. McConkie: "So shall it be with the destruction of the wicked, which is the end of the world. Such shall come without warning, as a thief in the night, where the wicked and ungodly are concerned. But with the elect of God, it is quite another matter. Though they do not know the day or the hour, yet the season and the generation are clearly revealed. It shall be the season and the generation in which the signs of the times are manifest." (Mortal Messiah, 3:455)
4. Watch, Pray, Take Heed, Be Ready!
• READ JS-MATTHEW 1:49-50. Blessed are those busy in doing good.
• WHAT CAN WE DO TO PREPARE FOR HIS COMING?

Summary

     As I conclude preparation for this lesson, it is a warm spring Northwest morning. It is easy on such a day to forget that here in the Pacific Northwest, the rain will return. Inhabitants of this region need to pay attention to the weather forcast and keep an eye on the sky or they may be caught in the rain unprepared.
     A few years ago, I took my daughter and a friend on a planned bicycle ride of about 50 miles in preparation for riding in the Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic. When we left home, the sky was overcast, not untypical for late spring and early summer. These overcast days do not necessarily mean rain. We left home without preparing sufficiently for rainy weather. Less than halfway into the ride it started to drizzle. We continued on and so did the rain. Eventually, we became so cold that we had to call home for a ride.
     Another time, my son and I were preparing for a cross-country bicycle ride and set out for a 100 miler. It had been raining, but it had stopped and the sky was starting to clear. The forcast was for improvement. What we failed to check was the weather for the entire route. We ended up riding into a cold spring rain woefully unprepared. We thought we could ride through it. Again, we became so cold that we dared not continue further. In fact, we were so cold that we didn't dare wait for a ride from home (at least a couple hours) so we returned to the nearest town and checked into a motel for the night. Fortunately, the weather did clear and we continued our ride the following day.
     Most of us have had experiences of getting caught in inclement weather unprepared because we either failed to check the forecast or we failed to heed it. In the Olivet Discourse, the Savior has given us the forecast. We need to, from time to time, compare the forecast to current conditions and make adjustments in our preparation. It is one thing to get caught unprepared in the rain, it will be quite another if we are caught unprepared as the events of the last days continue to unfold. While making the above bicycle trips we were seeking out dry places to give us shelter from the storm. The great storm described by the Master has started and we need to seek out "holy places" to give us refuge from latter-day conditions.

It is frustrating to me, as I have prepared this lesson, to go through Matthew 24 (Joseph Smith-Matthew) and spend so little time. And yet this is already the longest outline I have prepared in over a year. There is so much information contained in this chapter. It would be interesting to gather more statistics regarding the events of the last days. I we could certainly discuss in greater detail how to prepare for these events. It behooves each of us to go beyond these brief lessons and do more in individual and family study.

One final note, in summary. Over the past year, I have become a student of the year 2000 computer problem. The potential consequences of the Y2K bug have persuaded my wife and I to renew our effort in bringing our family food storage program in compliance with the teaching of the Brethren. We are not "caught up in extreme preparations" as Elder Ballard described it. But the signs of a potential problem have persuaded us to redouble our efforts in temporal preparation. The Master has provided us with a forecast for the Last Days. As we see these events begin to accelerate, we need to redouble our efforts in filing our spiritual storerooms. It temporal preparation is important, then spiritual preparation is vital.

Next Week

Lesson 22: Matthew 25