by Brian Godawa
“Jesus told the scribes and Pharisees, “Truly I say to you, all these things shall come upon this generation,” that is, the destruction of their temple and city will be realized before the then-existing generation passes into history (23:36). It was the generation of those who rejected Jesus who would experience His wrath. The “this generation” of Matthew 23:36 is the generation upon whom Jesus pronounced judgment.
“But what of those who say that the Olivet Discourse is a prophecy about a still-future temple that must be rebuilt in Jerusalem and destroyed like the temple that was destroyed by the Roman military leader Titus in A.D. 70? This supposed future temple would have to be rebuilt with the same stones that made up the temple that was destroyed. Not just any stones will do. Jesus said that “not one stone here shall be left upon another, which will not be torn down” (Matt. 24:2).
“The temple that Jesus said would be destroyed is the same temple with the same stones that were pointed out by Jesus to His disciples. No future temple is in view. Jesus gives no indication that He has a future rebuilt temple in mind. Certainly Jesus’ disciples would not be thinking of a rebuilt temple when they were looking at an existing temple that Jesus said would be destroyed! But what if the Jews are able to rebuild the temple? Such a temple will have nothing to do with the fulfillment of any part of this prophecy.”
Gary DeMar, Last Days Madness: Obsession of the Modern Church, Fourth revised edition (Powder Springs, GA: American Vision, 1999), 52–53.
“And He answered and said to them, ‘Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here shall be left upon another, which will not be torn down’ ” (Matt. 24:2).
“Notice that Jesus says, “not one stone here shall be left upon another.” Jesus is not describing what will happen to some future rebuilt temple. No mention is ever made in the New Testament about a rebuilt temple. Those who claim that the temple must be rebuilt during a future period of “great tribulation” cannot point to one verse in the New Testament that describes such a rebuilding program. Even those who teach that the temple will be rebuilt admit, “There are no Bible verses that say, ‘There is going to be a third temple.’ ” The temple under discussion throughout the Olivet Discourse is the one that was standing during the time of Jesus’ ministry, the same temple that was destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70.”
Gary DeMar, Last Days Madness: Obsession of the Modern Church, Fourth revised edition (Powder Springs, GA: American Vision, 1999), 67–68.
For more details on the lack of a rebuilt temple, see the chapter, “The Myth that the Temple Needs to be Rebuilt” in Gary DeMar, 10 Popular Prophecy Myths Exposed: The Last Days Might Not Be as near as You Think (Powder Springs, GA: American Vision, 2010), 103-118.
[←278]
Fall of the Roman Empire: Because of the modern prejudice and bigotry of academia against Christianity, many scholars have sought to deny that Christianity was a significant factor in the fall of the Roman Empire. But famous historian, Edward Gibbon, an unbeliever, made a powerful argument that supported the thesis of Christianity leading to the fall:
“A candid but rational inquiry into the progress and establishment of Christianity may be considered as a very essential part of the history of the Roman empire. While that great body was invaded by open violence, or undermined by slow decay, a pure and humble religion gently insinuated itself into the minds of men, grew up in silence and obscurity, derived new vigour from opposition, and finally erected the triumphant banner of the Cross on the ruins of the Capitol. Nor was the influence of Christianity confined to the period or to the limits of the Roman empire. After a revolution of thirteen or fourteen centuries, that religion is still professed by the nations of Europe, the most distinguished portion of human kind in arts and learning as well as in arms. By the industry and zeal of the Europeans it has been widely diffused to the most distant shores of Asia and Africa; and by the means of their colonies has been firmly established from Canada to Chili, in a world unknown to the ancients.
Edward Gibbon, The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empire, Chapter 15 (Online Christian Classics Ethereal Library) https://www.ccel.org/g/gibbon/decline/volume1/chap15.htm
[←279]
The kingdom that never ends and grows as a mountain to fill the earth:
Daniel 2:44–45
44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, 45 just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”
Daniel 2:35
But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
