| Church School Lesson: The Harder They Fall |
"The Harder They Fall"
July 27, 2025
Background: Matthew 23:37-24:35; Mark 13:1-23; Luke 21:5-24;
Print: Matt. 24:1-8, 15-24; Key Verse: Matt. 24:2; Devotional: Matt. 23:1-12, 37-39
Matthew 24:1-8 (ESV)
1 Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple.
2 But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray.
5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.
6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains
Matthew 24:15-24 (ESV)
15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
17 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house,
18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak.
19 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days!
20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath.
21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.
22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.
24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
Matthew Chapter 24 (Commentary)
24:1-2 are often referred to as the Olivet Discourse because they include a lengthy section of Jesus’s teaching to his disciples while on the Mount of Olives (24:3).
As Jesus departed the temple, the disciples observed the splendor of its buildings constructed by Herod the Great (24:1). Knowing what was to happen in the future, Jesus shocked them by revealing that the temple they so admired would be completely destroyed. Not one stone will be left here on another, he said (24:2). This would be the result of Israel’s rejection of her Messiah.
24:3 When [would] these things happen? The disciples wanted to know the timing of the temple’s destruction, which they connected to Jesus’s return and the end of the age. While the Romans would overrun Jerusalem and decimate the temple in AD 70 under the Roman general Titus, the messianic age was yet future. So in chapter 24 Jesus described the tribulation period that will precede his millennial kingdom. The tribulation will begin with the seventieth of Daniel’s “seventy weeks” (see commentary on Dan 9:24-27).
24:4-8 Here Jesus speaks of the first half of the seven-year tribulation period. He used the imagery of the beginning of labor pains to describe the events of this time, which would be characterized by worldwide grief and agony (24:8). The first half of the tribulation will be characterized by wars and rumors of wars (24:6). Messianic pretenders will arise to deceive (24:5). Nation will rise up against nation, and famines and earthquakes will be common (24:7). But the end is not yet (24:6). The tribulation will be a time of sorrow and unexpected pain, which will eventually lead to the end of the age, the return of Christ, and the birth of the messianic kingdom.
24:15 The second half of the great tribulation will commence with what Jesus called the abomination of desolation, spoken of by the prophet Daniel. According to Daniel, the Antichrist “will make a firm covenant with many for one week” (Dan 9:27)—that is, for the seven-year tribulation period. He will be a world leader who will bring peace to the Middle East.
The Jews will be permitted to rebuild their temple and once again offer sacrifices. However, “in the middle of the week” (at the midpoint of the tribulation), the Antichrist “will put a stop to sacrifice and offering” and set up “the abomination of desolation” in the temple (Dan 9:27; see commentary on Dan 9:24-27). He will finally be revealed for the evil beast that he is (see Rev 13:4-8). This “abomination” will be an image of the Antichrist as he profanes the temple, sets himself up as God, and demands worship.
24:16-22 Those who will not bow down to the Antichrist will have to flee, leaving their property and possessions behind if they are to escape death (24:16-20; cf. Rev 13:15). It will be a time of great distress unlike any the world has ever seen (24:21). If not for the fact that God will limit those days so that the time is cut short, no one would be saved. But for the sake of the elect—those who will be saved during the tribulation—those days will be cut short (24:22).
24:23-28 Jesus warned that many false messiahs and false prophets will arise to lead people astray (24:24).