Those sacrifices, separated from faith in the one true sacrifice of Christ, were pure idolatry in the sight of God. They would continue to offer up their own sacrifices to God in the Temple. But over the years it became increasingly evident that the people of Jerusalem would continue to trust in their own merits and reject the Holy Spirit’s ministry. For a time after the Day of Pentecost, the Gospel was received in Jerusalem, at least by some. The unforgiveable sin, as Jesus also talked about it in the Gospels, was their sin against the Holy Spirit who preached repentance to them through the apostles and held out the promise of forgiveness through faith in Christ. But they could have been forgiven for that. Yes, it was bad that the Jews crucified Jesus. Idolatry is what had firmly taken root in the city of Jerusalem over the forty years following Christ’s death and resurrection. Idolatry is man’s attempt to worship God apart from Jesus Christ, apart from faith in His death on the cross for our sins. Idolatry is the worship of a false god, elevating someone or something above God. Idolatry is that great abomination that God hates, and that brings with it desolation and destruction. Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. In both cases, the words of Christ to His dear Christians are the same: Flee to the mountains! The literal tribulation leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem mimics the spiritual tribulation leading up to the second coming of Christ.
When will Jerusalem be destroyed, and what will things be like before You come at the end of the age? Jesus’ answer addresses both questions, even though they are separate events-separated by at least 2,000 years. In the verses before our Gospel, the disciples asked Jesus this question: “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” It’s really two questions. His disciples, earlier in the day, had pointed out to Him the beautiful craftsmanship of the temple in Jerusalem, and Jesus had prophesied that destruction was coming to that city and to that temple. Our Lord urgently warns us today about future events that His Christians will face-or at least, future events from the perspective of Holy Week, when He spoke the words of our Gospel.
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