The Vultures Gather
Matthew 24:15-28
November 17, 2024 anno Domini
It’s too poignant a proverb not to preach on. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. Where you see vultures circling something is dying or dead. Vultures are a sign of the end and that’s where we are. We are a week away from the end of the church year and it’s the end of the world. We’re in the last days.
The vultures are circling. What should we do? Jesus tells us, “When you see the abomination of desolation … flee to the mountains.” The abomination of desolation was prophesied by Daniel 500 years before Christ. Daniel was in captivity in Babylon when he received Revelations like Saint John. These revelations were apocalyptic. They revealed what would happen in the future.
But if you’ve ever read Daniel (and you should) or if you’ve ever read Revelation (and you should) you know that these revelations are still mysterious. They might refer to a single event, or to multiple events over time.
In his visions Daniel sees this abomination of desolations, an abominable act done in the very temple of God. There would be a time when there would be no burnt offerings for 1290 days or 3 ½ years or half of 7. What does this mean? What is this abomination of desolation?
In its nearest context it likely refers to the Seleucid King Antiochus IV. He insisted God’s people call him Antiochus Epiphanies (which means “God manifest.”) He wanted to be known and called “God.” He tried to force the Jews away from their faith in the Lord. He made them worship pagan gods and eat pork. In 168 B.C. he entered the temple in Jerusalem, erected an altar to Zeus and sacrificed pigs on the altar. When the Jews protested, he killed a great lot of them and sold many others in slavery. No doubt where the dead corpses of the Jews fell, the vultures gathered.
In the context of Matthew’s Gospel Jesus connects the abomination of desolation to an event that would come upon his hearers. Forty years after Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead the Romans surrounded Jerusalem to destroy it. Oddly, miraculously, the Romans briefly backed off their siege. During that time, remembering these words of Jesus, the Christians of Jerusalem fled.
Jesus words might remind you of Sodom and Gomorrah’s destruction in the days of Lot. When judgment is coming forget about your Patagonia sweater and your silver coin collection and your family pictures. For heaven’s sake get out of Jerusalem. Run for safety if you can. But alas Jesus says, that is not so easy for pregnant women, who cannot run, much less walk fast in the last months of pregnancy. And for those moms who are nursing – well, little infants do not understand anything but feed me now. And if you’ve ever travelled with an infant – you know you cannot travel light or fast, you need everything for the little one’s comfort. The forces and armies of judgement are no respecter of persons or times.
After the Christians fled, the Romans resumed their siege of Jerusalem. The end of the city and her people was gross and horrific. It was the end of the nation, and the temple. Of interesting note is that the word for vulture can also mean eagle. Do you what was pictured on the battle standards of Roman legions? The Eagle. Wherever the corpse is the eagles gather. So it was in 70 AD.
What do we learn from these two historic fulfilments of the vultures gathering around the corpse of Jerusalem. In the end the Holy Things of God will be desecrated. People will claim to be God as did Antiochus and the Roman Caesars. God’s people will be tortured, murdered, and enslaved. The cause is not the outside world, but the end comes because of God’s own people. Israel had been under foreign rule for 500 years before Christ came because she did not trust and fear the Lord her God. Then, when Jesus of Nazareth was born and lived the leaders of Israel killed their Savior. They murdered the Holy One of God. They didn’t want Jesus as their Christ, they wanted their own kind of Christ. They didn’t want a Savior from sin who died on a cross. They wanted a Savior who restored an earthly nation to power and prestige.
In case you haven’t noticed the vultures are circling. The world is dying. Ukrainians are dying. Russians are dying. Jews are dying. Palestinians are dying. Two to three thousand unborn children die every day in our nation through abortion. The family is dying. Marriage is dying. False Christ’s have risen in the church. Many churches are no longer preaching the death of Christ for sinners. Instead they are preaching that the death of the unborn is godly and a woman’s right. They are preaching the death of marriage because two men or two women cannot be fruitful and multiply. They are proclaiming that loving sin is the Christian’s good and necssarywork.
Don’t think you can escape the abomination of desolation. The end of the world is coming because God’s own people rejected Him. It began with Adam, continued with Judah and Israel, culminated in the Jews, and sadly continues even in the church. God is holding out for His remnant, the few who will believe, but the vultures are circling. What will you do when given the choice between Christ and your social security check? Christ and your job or business? Christ and your child? If you don’t think that’s coming, you haven’t been listening to God’s Word or the few journalists who expose the hatred of Christendom.
Jesus told us where to flee in these latter days. Flee to the mountains. Again think of Lot. He was to get out of the valley of desolation and abomination. He was to flee Sodom and Gomorrah and follow God’s Word. The mountains are God’s Word. On Sinai God gave His Word. On Calvary God gave His final Word, the word of salvation, Jesus death for sinners. It is a sad commentary that in the end you may have to leave a church to find God’s Word.
God’s Word will tell you of the Christ. God’s Word will show you your sins that you might repent, and show you your Savior that you might believe and be forgiven. God’s word will tell you that His goal is not heaven on earth, where all the wrongs are righted by social justice, economic equality and saving the planet from humanity. God’s goal is your salvation. His goal is to rescue people from His righteous judgment by preaching the righteousness Christ won for you by His life, death, and resurrection. The Scriptures will enlighten your eyes to see that God’s will is not making heaven on earth, or pursuing your pleasures, or tolerating sin. His will is that you turn from your sins, flee the coming judgment and run to Christ, live in His forgiveness. You will see in God’s Word His desire for you in the baby in the manger, the man on the cross, and that former corpse risen from the dead and living. Then you can look forward to Jesus returning. On that day He will not be hidden in a diaper or in a scandalous death, but just as you see the lightning in a storm, you will see Him come, your will hear the shout of the archangel and the trumpet call of God.
Finally let me encourage you with a little twist on that poignant proverb – wherever the corpse is the vultures will gather. The word corpse can also mean body, and as I said, the word vulture can also be eagle. One of the differences between vultures and eagles is that vultures feast on death. Eagles like living meat. Isaiah the prophet said, “but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” (Is 40:31). So here’s the twist – while we wait, let us feast on the living body of Christ. Let us gather together to hear God’s Word of life and to feast on our Savior that we might be strengthened. Let us flee to this mountain and ascend these steps to learn of the true Christ and be eager for the coming of the Son of Man. In the name of Jesus. Amen.