Mon.’s Devo - The End of the Age

Read: Exodus 21:22-23:13; Matthew 24:1-28; Psalm 29:1-11; Proverbs 7:6-23 God’s laws reveal who God is. He is just and fair and loves mankind he created. His desire was for us to live together respecting one another and desiring fairness and justice. His laws gave us practical ways to do this. They dealt with the intent of the heart, taking responsibility for oneself and their animals, respecting one another and their possessions and treating one another fairly. They were never to charge interest on a loan. *** The only way this could happen was if there were just and fair judges. The judges must be honest, not prejudiced against the poor or women. They had to refuse to be bought or compromised. The witnesses had to be honest and forthcoming with the truth. They could not take bribes to distort the truth. *** If the system got broken and they were didn’t get the justice they needed from the courts, they were to cry out to the Lord who hears and is gracious. *** They were not to dishonor God or curse any of their rulers. They were not to hold back their offerings to the Lord of their crops, wine or first born of sons or animals. Newborns were to be given to the Lord on the eighth day. *** They were to treat foreigners like they would want to be treated. They were once foreigners, themselves. They were to plant their crops and harvest them for six years but on the seventh, they were to let their land rest. During this year they were to let the poor and the wild animals eat whatever the land brought on its own. This would be the Sabbath for the land. The people were to observe the Sabbath every seven days and rest from their work. *** God told them to pay close attention not to even mention the names of other gods or let their names come out of your mouth. *** In Matthew, the disciples are walking through Jerusalem commenting on all the buildings of the Temple. Jesus says that he saw the day when every stone would be thrown down. *** As they sat together on top of the Mt. of Olives which looks out over the Temple, the disciples asked him when would the Temple be destroyed and what would be the sign of his coming and the end of the age. *** Jesus gave them things that would lead up to it. Many would claim they were the Messiah. There would be wars and rumors of war. Nations and kingdoms would rise up against one another. There would be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in different places. But these would all be the beginning of the sorrow. His followers would be persecuted and hated because they were Christians. There would be much hate and betrayal. False prophets would rise up and deceive many. Lawlessness ad hopelessness would abound. But he who endures to the end will be saved. The gospel of the kingdom would be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations then the end of that age will come. *** Then he tells them what is about to happen in their time in verses 15-28. He warned them to flee to the mountains when they saw the desecration of the Temple. *** In 70 A.D., the Roman army came in and totally destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. The Christians fled to the town of Pella near the Sea of Galilee. More than one million Jews were killed in one day. Jesus was giving them practical advise to flee the city before this happened so they could escape. *** False Messiah’s would arise to lead the people astray but they were not to fall for their deception. *** Tomorrow, we will read what Jesus said about the sign of his coming. *** Lord, thank you that you give us the end from the beginning so we will endure till the end. Thank you for all the great things you have planned for us in our everyday and in our future. You are so good.