Page 147 - The MacArthur Daily Bible

TN_02_MacArthur_Bible_Feb.qxd 8/8/03 14:37 Page 128

FEBRUARY 7

24:2 not one stone shall be left here. These 24:14 preached in all the world. Despite all
words were literally fulfilled in A.D.70.Titus,the the tribulations that would come—the decep-
Roman general, built large wooden scaffolds tion of false teachers, the wars, persecutions,
around the walls of the temple buildings,piled natural disasters, defections from Christ, and
them high with wood and other flammable all the obstacles to the spread of the gospel—
items, and set them ablaze. The heat from the the message ultimately penetrates every part
fires was so intense that the stones crumbled. of the globe. God is never without a witness,
The rubble was then sifted to retrieve the melt- and He will proclaim the gospel from heaven
ed gold,and the remaining ruins were “thrown itself if necessary (see Rev.14:6).and then the
down”into the Kidron Valley. end will come. “The end” refers to the final,
excruciating birth pangs. This is how Christ
characterizes the time of Great Tribulation
described in the verses that follow.
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation
9
and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations
21
10
for My name’s sake. And then many will be winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will
offended, will betray one another, and will hate be great tribulation, such as has not been
11
one another. Then many false prophets will since the beginning of the world until this
22
12
rise up and deceive many. And because law- time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those
lessness will abound, the love of many will grow days were shortened, no flesh would be
13
cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will
14
saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be be shortened.
preached in all the world as a witness to all the 23 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is
24
nations, and then the end will come. the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For
“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination
15 false christs and false prophets will rise and
of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the show great signs and wonders to deceive, if
25
prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever possible, even the elect. See, I have told you
16
reads, let him understand), “then let those beforehand.
17
who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let 26 “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is
him who is on the housetop not go down to in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in
27
take anything out of his house. And let him the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. For as the
18
who is in the field not go back to get his lightning comes from the east and flashes to
19
clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant the west, so also will the coming of the Son of
28
and to those who are nursing babies in those Man be. For wherever the carcass is, there
days! And pray that your flight may not be in the eagles will be gathered together.
20
DAY 7:Why all the specific details about the tabernacle, and what do they mean for us today?
Ever since God dictated the blueprints of the tabernacle to Moses, people have wondered
about the significance of the exact details. Several terms are used to indicate times in the Bible
when events, persons, or things represent larger ideas: typology and foreshadowing. For example,
the sacrifice of the lambs in the Old Testament had not only a limited immediate significance in
understanding the cost of forgiveness,but this practice also foreshadowed the eventual sacrifice of
the Lamb of God, Jesus, on the cross.
Because at least some parts of the tabernacle hold special significance—the ark representing
God’s covenant with His people—students of Scripture have looked for other possible deeper
meanings.Ingenuity in linking every item of furniture and every piece of building material to Christ
may appear most intriguing; but if New Testament statements and allusions do not support such
linkage and typology, students ought to proceed with caution. The beauty and efficiency of the
tabernacle’s design presents a tribute to God’s creative character, but those who look for hidden
meaning in every tent peg and covering stitch run the risk of missing the big picture in the details.
The New Testament points repeatedly to the awesome fact of God’s presence with people as rep-
resented in the Tabernacle. Other New Testament lessons (particularly the Book of Hebrews) help
identify the intended symbols and deeper meanings.
128