In This Issue

• THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION
• GOD GAVE US A PATTERN
• MORE INFORMATION...

THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION

In Mark 13:14, Jesus gives His disciples recognizable signs about the upcoming destruction of Jerusalem and He tells them what to do when those signs become evident. “’So when you see the “abomination of desolation,” spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not’ (let the reader understand), ‘then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.’” Luke’s parallel account is very helpful here, because Luke clearly defines for us just what Jesus and Daniel meant by the “abomination of desolation” standing where it ought not. Luke’s account says, “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near” (Luke 21:20). The “abomination” was the heathen Roman armies and they would arrive to make Jerusalem and its temple desolate. This would be an event in the not too distant future, and those to whom Jesus was speaking would see it with their own eyes.

Then Jesus continues, “And let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his garment. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those with nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter. For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be” (Mark 13:15-19).

The Jewish historian Josephus was present at the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple. In his book, Wars of the Jews, he recorded in detail an eyewitness account of the destruction and desolation, such as never had been before, and has never been again. The final downfall of the city occurred during the time of the Passover when there were Jews from every nation assembled in Jerusalem for the feast. Literally millions were slain. The city was totally devastated and its temple completely dismantled. Had it not been for the fact that the armies under the direction of Roman general Titus pulled back and hesitated for a short time, none of the residents would have had opportunity to escape. Almost certainly this is what Jesus alluded to when He said, “And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days” (Mark 13:20).

The shortening of the days had two different effects on the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Those who had believed Jesus, correctly recognized it as their opportunity to escape, and they did just that. Those who had discounted or perhaps even forgotten the words of Jesus erroneously thought the siege was over, and made no attempt to leave the city. When the siege resumed, they perished. 

–Clarence R. Johnson

GOD GAVE US A PATTERN

God has never left man to his own ways; He has always told him what he must do to be accepted of Him. Many have the misconception that it does not matter what one does in religion, as long as he is sincere. This idea implies that man, even without a revelation from God, could determine a way to live that would please God. However, God said, "It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (Jeremiah 10:23). Solomon warned: "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Proverbs 14: 12). God has given us the Bible to guide us! The seamstress must carefully follow her pattern to make the exact desired garment. A builder must adhere to his blueprint to build the designed structure. So, men must strictly follow God's Scriptural pattern to live and worship acceptably.

God's Old Testament Patterns

God told Noah to build an ark. He then said, "This is the fashion which thou shalt make it of," giving him the kind of wood, number of floors, dimensions, and so forth (Genesis 6:14-16). Noah carefully followed God's pattern: "Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he" (v.22). Noah's obedience demonstrated his faith (Hebrews 11:7). 

God commanded Moses to construct a tabernacle (with furnishings) as a center of worship for Israel. He gave detailed instructions concerning its materials and even for the size of each object. He then said, "According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it" (Exodus 25 :9). Notice the word pattern used by God here! 

Similarly, the Lord gave David a blueprint (which he was to give to his son, Solomon) for constructing the temple. "All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern" (I Chronicles 28:19). Again, the word pattern shows the exacting nature of God's instructions.

The Lord's Pattern for His Church Today

The Lord has a spiritual temple today - the church. Its builder is "greater than Solomon" (Matthew 16:18; 12:42). It is not a physical building, but one made up of people (all the saved, Acts 2:47). Paul told Christians, "Ye are God's building" (I Corinthians 3:9). Rather than the stone and cedar of Solomon's temple, the church is composed of living material: "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house" (I Peter 2:5). 

Is there a pattern (a blueprint) for the church Jesus built? Just as God gave instructions for the building of Noah's ark, Moses' tabernacle, and Solomon's temple, so He gave specifications for the church. Jesus gave the twelve the pattern for the church: "Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matt. 18:18). Jesus first made this statement to Peter in connection with the promise to build the church (16:18-19). A more literal translation is: "Whatsoever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven.” God's instructions for the church would be (and were) given through the apostles, recorded in the New Testament.

The book of Hebrews teaches that the law of Moses typified the New Testament system (i.e., "the heavenly"). Speaking of the Mosaic priests who followed God’s pattern for tabernacle worship, the writer tells us they served “…unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: “for, See, saith He, that thou make all things accord to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount" (Heb. 8:5). Therefore, we are a to follow God's pattern for us today. 

Did God Intend the New Testament To Be a Pattern?

Many Scriptures demonstrate that God most certainly expects men to follow His revelation given through the apostles. The Jerusalem Church "continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine" (Acts 2:42). The things Paul wrote were "the commandments of the Lord” (I Cor. 14:37). He warned that if any man or angel preached a message different from what Paul preached, he would be "accursed" (Gal. 1:8-9). Everything taught or practiced had to be "in the name of [by the authority of] the Lord Jesus" (Col. 3:17). We must strictly abide in the doctrine of Christ (2 John 9). The one who speaks must speak ''as the oracles of God" (or, as God's word speaks; I Pet. 4:11).

We must not "go beyond the things which are written" (I Cor. 4:6, ASV). The curse of God is upon anyone who adds to or subtracts from God's word (Rev. 22: 18-19). Those not obeying the epistles written by the apostles were not to be fellowshipped (2 Thess. 3:14). Paul enjoined, "Hold fast the pattern of sound words, which thou hast heard of me" (2 Tim. 1:13). One could not hold to a form or pattern that is constantly changing, which suggests that the New Testament was a fixed and permanent pattern for all to follow. Christ promised to be with those who teach His message given through the apostles "unto the end of the world" (Matt. 28:20).

The New Testament - Still God's Pattern Today

Occasionally someone says that "although the New Testament was the law for people of the first century, we live in a different time and thus cannot still be expected to follow it today. However, Jude 3 declares that the system of belief given to them was "once for all delivered unto the saints" (ASV). The word translated "once" here is the same one translated "once" in Heb. 9:28. There it is evident that Christ being "once offered" means that He died once for all time -- Christ need not and will not die again for us. Likewise, once in Jude 3 shows that "the faith" (the New Testament) was given once for all time. It will never be changed or amended, but shall stand as God's pattern for us all to follow until time shall end! 

There is No Need for a Change in the Pattern

When Jesus built His church and, through the apostles, gave the New Testament as the pattern by which it was to continue, He thereby gave men "all things that pertain to life and godliness" (2 Pet. 1:3). Through the inspired Scriptures God’s people were completely furnished unto all good works, constituting a pattern of doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteous living (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Although we live in a changing world, this blueprint from God is unchangeable, because: 

Human nature has not changed. Men still sin (Rom. 3:23), and thus still need the salvation that comes through the changeless Gospel of Christ (1: 16). 

Sin has not changed. It is still "the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4) and results in death – separation from God (Rom. 6:23). Thus, it is still essential that we live by God s instructions to avoid sin and death.

Satan has not changed. He is still the tempter (I Thess. 3:5; Matt. 4:3), wishes to devour us (I Pet. 5:8), and thus wants to take away God's Word from our hearts so we will be lost (Luke 8:12). He wants us to be in Hell with him eternally (Matt. 25:41). To resist him we must carefully follow God's Word -- the pattern God has provided to guide us to Heaven. Jesus used what was written in the Scriptures to resist and overcome Satan's temptations (Matt. 4:4, 7, 10). We, too, must have God's Word in our hearts to keep from sinning against Him (Psalm 119: 11).

Christ has not changed. He is still both Head and Savior of His church (Eph. 5 :23) and has all authority in Heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18). He is "the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him" (Heb. 5:9). His New Testament (9:15) is the pattern we must carefully obey. His Word will judge us at the end of time (John 12:48).

His will for the church has not changed. He still has just one church (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 4:5). It began on Pentecost (Acts 2) and is the one that continues to follow the New Testament pattern. We must not confuse modern denominations with the Lord's church. It must be without blemish (Eph. 5:27), accomplished only by following the New Testament pattern!

Some reject the idea of following God's Word as a pattern and thus restoring [the church], as it existed in the New Testament. They sometimes ask, "Which church in the New Testament do you wish to restore, Jerusalem where there was prejudice against the Gentiles, Corinth with its many problems (including a man living openly in adultery), or another? They were all imperfect. Such is an effort to belittle the idea of restoring the church the New Testament reveals.

Any thinking person who carefully studies the Bible should understand that no person or congregation is to be imitated except as they follow Christ (1 Cor. 11:1). The New Testament makes it clear what God did, and did not approve of, in every first century church. Then, it still is the sole means by which we determine if He approves of us today. Not some particular person or congregation, but the New Testament is God's pattern for us to follow! 

- Joe E. Galloway, Matters of the Faith, Vol. 8, Number 1.

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