Matthew 24:29-31 Your Redemption Draweth Nigh

“then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man,” Jesus in Matthew 24:30

 “And the Pharisees and Sadducees…to test Him asked Him [for] a sign from heaven.”  (Matthew 16:1) 

“There is a profound theology [in] this language of cosmic catastrophe at the end of the age.  It illustrates the transcendence of God and the dependence of his creation on its Creator.”  (George Eldon Ladd, Revelation)

In contrast to the false Christs whose “arrivals” must be pointed out to others (v. 26), the world’s attention will be riveted to the dramatic return of Christ, much like a lightning bolt that flashes across the sky (v. 27).  

Accompanying His return will be four astronomical signs.   The sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, stars will fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens will be shaken (v.29).  Similar phrases are used elsewhere in the Bible when speaking of the End Times.   Joel 2:10 says “the sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.”  (See also Isaiah 13:10, 34:4, Ezekiel 32:7 and Amos 8:9.)   

Another item debated in the study of the End Times is if this apocryphal language is literal.  Many scholars agree that this “earth shattering” language is figurative.   But the Bible records two times when the sun was literally darkened:  the plague upon Egypt (see Exodus 10:21-23) and Jesus’ crucifixion (see Matthew 27:45).

When Jesus says “powers of heavens” (v.29) He is not speaking astronomically but of “the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places,” (Ephesians 6:12; see also Ephesians 1:21 and 2:2).   The powers of the heavens will be shaken and cast into the lake of fire as a final act of judgment with His return (see Revelation 20).

The Pharisees and the Sadducees will get exactly what they demanded in Matthew 16:1 when they asked Jesus for a sign from heaven.  He denied them then.   But not forever.   One can almost hear a colloquial voice saying, “Oh, don’t you worry, now, Mr. Pharisee and Dr. Sadducee; you’ll get your sign, alright.”   But it will not be a sign of amusement or entertainment; it will be a sign of awful, terrifying judgment.  
                                                                                               

Let’s remember that the return of Christ comes immediately after the tribulation of those days (v. 29) where the followers of Christ will be delivered up and put to death and hated by all nations because of Christ (v. 9).   Therefore when Christ comes for vengeance and judgment, all the tribes of the earth will mourn (v.30).

 And He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other, (v. 31).  This is yet another verse whose meaning is debated.   Many say this is the rapture, when believers “will be caught up…to meet the Lord in the air,” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).   

But is this interpretation conclusive?    Revelation 19:14 says the armies of heaven will follow Him as He returns to earth.   And verse 31 says the elect will be gathered not from earth but from one end of heaven to the other.  But Mark 13:27 softens this polarity by saying the elect will come from both heaven and earth.  Blomberg, in The New American Commentary on Matthew (p. 363), captures this lack of closure:  “Disputes about a pretribulation, midtribulation, or posttribulation rapture will have to be settled by other texts.”  

 No event in the history of our planet since creation will impact earth as the return of the Lord   For most it will be a terrible day of reckoning and judgment.    Yet for those who have suffered for His sake, God’s Word gives this exhortation:  Straighten up and raise your heads, “for your redemption draweth nigh,” (Luke 21:28, KJV). 

Matthew 24:22-28: “Behold, I have told you in advance”

“As lightning comes from the east and shines [in] the west, so will… the Son of Man,” Jesus, Matthew 24:27

"Christ's return does not mean that he literally comes back to this earth. Rather, it means that he takes Kingdom power toward this earth and turns his attention to it... Bible evidence shows that in the year 1914 C.E. God's time arrived for Christ to return and begin ruling.”  (Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, "You Can Live Forever In Paradise On Earth," p. 147)

"The prophets, they spoke about me. It took me time to learn that, but I am what they were expecting, what they have been expecting for 2,000 years." (Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda, alive today, who preaches to followers in 35 nations, many of whom have “666” tattooed on their bodies.  Source: CNN, Feb. 2007)

Jesus continues to speak of the “great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be,” (v.21).   This unprecedented tribulation is mentioned in the same paragraph in Matthew 24 as “the abomination of desolation as spoken of by the prophet Daniel,” (v.15).     

The Lord shows His complete sovereignty over the tribulation by letting us know that He has ordained their duration:  “And if those days had not been cut short [past tense], no human being would be saved.  But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short [future tense],” (v. 22).    Most Bible scholars agree these days have been numbered at 3 ½ years or forty-two months (see Daniel 7:25; 12:7; Revelation 11:2; 13:5).

But who are the elect for whom those days will be cut short?   If one ascribes to a pre-tribulation rapture, then the elect certainly could be those who come to faith after the rapture of the church.   Some say the elect are the Jews of whom the Lord is not yet finished; in Isaiah 44:1 Israel is referred to as the LORD’s “chosen.”

As mentioned before (v.5), false Christs (v. 24) will be a factor.  Spiritual famine will be the norm and many false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead many astray, if possible, even the elect (v. 24).  (Personally, I find strong parallels between Matthew 24:21-24 and Revelation 13:11-18.) 

May we not be led astray (v. 24).   Rather, let’s remember Jesus’ warning, “See, I have told you beforehand, (v. 25).”  No one will need to go in the wilderness (as a false Christ named Theudas did in those days as reported by Josephus in Antiquities 20.97-99) or to inner rooms (v. 26) in order to see Him, as the Jehovah Witnesses claim.  

  

In contrast, His return will be obvious to all on earth; as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man, (v.27).  Craig Blomberg, in The New American Commentary on Matthew, (p. 361) says His return “will be unmistakable in its nature, universal in its visibility, and cosmic in its scope and effect.”  There will be no need for a news bulletin or a tweet because peoples’ attention world-wide will be jolted to His return, just like wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather, (v. 28).   

The precise timing and details surrounding Christ’s return are ambiguous; Christ-loving, Bible-believing Christians have different opinions.     But all Christians agree that God is sovereignty over the End Times.  First, He has dictated both when and how long the tribulation will be; it is not “open” to discussion.   Second, the Father knows the day and hour of His return (v. 36) but when it happens, the world will know with certainty.   

“Therefore let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching,” (Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV).    Maranatha!  Come, Lord Jesus!

Matthew 24:15-21: The Abomination of Desolation

“There will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning…and never will be.” Jesus, Matthew 24:21

The study of theology is “exploring a mystery, not solving a problem,” (Dr. Imad Shehadeh, Arab Christian theologian).

“There are many difficulties in deciding between these interpretations,” (ESV Study Bible, notes on Daniel 9).

As a citizen of your country, what is hallowed ground for you?   Where is the one place that if you are there, your emotions are stirred?   For Americans, it may be Ground Zero in New York City, a graveyard at Normandy, standing next to the original Declaration of Independence in Washington DC or a MLK’s room at the Lorraine hotel in Memphis.   

For the citizens of Biblical Israel, it is likely that their most hallowed ground was the Holy of Holies, the inner-most room within the Jerusalem temple.  This is the place entered ONLY once a year and ONLY by the High Priest who sprinkled blood and burned incense on the altar.   This action cleansed the Jews of their sins for the year (see Leviticus 16).  Here is where sinful man was reconciled with Holy God, even if only for the next year.  This was very holy ground for Israel.

Now imagine as an American if a foreign army attacked Ground Zero again, or dug up the American graves in Normandy or destroyed the original Declaration of Independence or ransacked MLK’s room at the Lorraine hotel, what signal would that send to our country?   What emotions would that stir in you as a citizen?  

These are the emotions that Israel had to deal with when told a Gentile will enter the Holy of Holies.   This is what Jesus is referring to when He speaks of the abomination of desolation (v. 15).   The desecration of the Holy of Holies is the ultimate mocking of God’s holiness and the ultimate insulting of Israel as God’s son (see Exodus 4:22, Hosea 11:1).   

Jesus is teaching His disciples what are the signs of His coming and “the close of the age” (Matthew 24:3).   Mark’s version (Mark 13:14) also speaks of the abomination of desolation but Matthew adds detail that his Jewish readers, familiar with the Old Testament, would understand.  Matthew includes Jesus’ reference to the prophet Daniel (v.15).

There are three primary opinions among Bible scholars today as to when the abomination of desolation is to take place; each opinion fits into the mainstream of Christian thought.  One is that it happened in 168 BC as predicted in Daniel 11:31 and fulfilled by king Antiochus as detailed in 1 Maccabeus 1:54-61.   The other opinion is that this was fulfilled with the destruction of the temple in AD 70.   A third opinion says it has yet to happen and that Jesus is referencing the “seventy weeks” of Daniel 9:24-27.  I believe this option because when the abomination happens, there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be (v. 21).   

I believe it is likely that the abomination of desolation will happen with the rise and the world-wide worship of the anti-Christ (see Revelation 13:11-18).  The other two possible fulfillments are types, or fore-shadowings; the ultimate fulfillment of the abomination of desolation has not yet happened.  But when it does, tribulation such has never been seen and never will be seen will accompany it.   Revelation 14, 16 and 19 chronicle an unprecedented tribulation.

And when this happens, Jesus says, flee to the mountains!   Do not return to your house, or get your cloak, just go (vv. 16-18).   Have pity on those women who are pregnant or nursing infants (v. 19) because the journey will be rough.   Jesus adds, pray your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath.   If the Jewish elite condemned the Sabbath healing of a man (see John 5:10; Matthew 12:9-14), how much more will they protest a Sabbath flight? A Sabbath day’s journey, according to the Pharisees, was a little over 2 miles, not far enough to disappear into the mountains (see Acts 1:12).  

We western Christians have had easy lives.   This ease is not guaranteed for tomorrow and certainly not for the next generation.  May we prepare our children and ourselves to abide in the vine, love Jesus with all our heart, soul and mind and to prepare to persevere for we do not know with certainty when the tribulation will be or what it will hold. 

Matthew 24:14: Proclaiming the Gospel and the Call for Martyrs

“this gospel…will be proclaimed [to] the whole world…and then the end will come.”  Jesus, Matthew 24:14

“The blood of the martyrs is the seedbed of the church.”  (Second century Church father Tertullian)

“There are no closed nations when men and women freely choose to lay down their lives for the sake of the gospel.”  (Adoniriam Judson, 1788-1850, America’s first international missionary) 

Today the missionary fervor of the church appears to be high.   Africans, Asians, Europeans and Americans (North and South) are obeying His call to the take the gospel to the remotest ends of the earth (see Acts 1:8).   Modern technology and political changes are allowing for new penetrations of the gospel.  The “bamboo curtain” surrounding China is proving to be porous and unprecedented revival is happening there.

  

Today the gospel is being heard for the first time in hundreds of years in places like Bosnia and Albania.   More Muslims are coming to Christ now than ever in history.    I have heard accounts of great awakenings currently happening in places most of the Christian world considers to be totally shut-off to the gospel.  

Yet there is still a long ways to go.   The Joshua Project (joshuaproject.net) estimates that 2.83 billion people today live in an “unreached people group,” meaning they have no active gospel witness within their culture.

David Robinson is a friend and a pioneering missionary of our generation.   He uses an illustration to show how much work must still be done to proclaim Christ throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, “ethnos”:  Line up 2 billion people (still shy of the 2.83 billion unreached peoples); put each person one meter apart.  If you started at one end of the line and drove a car at 50 mph, 10 hours a day, 365 days a year, how long will it take to drive the length of that line?  7 ½ years.  Friend, there is still much work to be done.    

Also there is a connection between suffering and reaching the world with the gospel.  That is why I believe this passage here in Matthew 24 about proclaiming the gospel is in the midst of many promises of suffering.   All of the easy places to preach Christ have already been reached; the places that remain unreached today are hostile to the gospel.   We must be willing to suffer and die if we are to push the gospel into new frontiers. 

One must wonder if we are willing to suffer and die for the gospel.  Never has so much abundance been given to the church as it has today.   Yet instead of using that wealth to proclaim Christ, Who is the greatest treasure, we are using that wealth to pad our comforts.  World Magazine (February 23, 2002) reports on “the rule of 3s”.  American Christians give approximately 3% of their income to Christian causes and a scant 3% of American Christians tithe.  Of the money that is given, 3% makes it to Christian causes beyond the borders of America.    I sometimes wonder if the Lord is preparing to remove our lampstand (see Revelation 2:5).

Meanwhile the Chinese church, hardened by persecution, is taking the gospel “back to Jerusalem.”   Jerusalem is where the gospel began 2000 years ago, then it moved to Europe, then America and now East Asia is becoming the epicenter of our faith.   The Chinese want to proclaim Christ across the Muslim Asian Republics, fully aware of the hardships required, and thus complete the process of taking the gospel “back to Jerusalem.”

One hundred years from now, what will you wish you did with your life today?   Will we dream big dreams of proclaiming the gospel throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations?    Or will we pursue small dreams that stop at the grave?  Oh Christian, dream big dreams!  As John Piper says, “Don’t Waste Your Life!” 

Matthew 24:14: Proclaiming the Gospel and His Return

“this gospel…will be proclaimed [to] the whole world…and then the end will come.”  Jesus, Matthew 24:14

It is our unspeakable privilege to be caught up with Him in the greatest movement in history — the ingathering of believers “from all tribes and languages and peoples and nations”...then the supremacy of Christ will be manifest to all.   (John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad)

Here Jesus says one of the great verses, in my opinion, in all of the Olivet Discourse.    As western Christians today, we fervently snatch up any book, movie or ministry about the End Times, no matter how embarrassingly done or poor in its exegesis.   As a result, many well-meaning Christians do extreme and strange things.  We approach His return as a jigsaw puzzle to be solved, yet largely remain uninvolved in proclaiming Christ.  

Yes, scholarly effort is needed when reading the eschatology passages.  Yet one main point is plain to see:   “this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come,” (v. 14).   The Lord has pegged His return to the world-wide witness of the gospel.  

The “Left Behind” series has its place.  But if we truly hunger for the “Parousia” (the second coming of Christ), we must be willing to invest and even lay down our lives for the sake of the proclaiming Christ to the world.

When Christ speaks of “nations” (v.14), He is not speaking of a country or political entity such as Australia or Zimbabwe.  Rather the word here for nations is ethnos, meaning a people distinguished by the same language and culture, such as the 12 million Magyar people of central Europe spread across five countries or the 2.5 million Dhanger people who are a subset within the cultural mosaic of the vast Indian subcontinent. 

  

This meaning is reinforced in Revelation 7:9-10: “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude…from every nation [i.e., ethnos] from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb…crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’”  

John MacArthur believes that Matthew 24:14 is fulfilled in Revelation 14:6-7, “Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth to every nation and tribe and language and people.  And he said with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give Him glory…’”  (However, other commentators, like William Lane Craig, find language like this in Revelation to be highly symbolic.) 

Reports are coming out of Muslim countries saying that many are coming to faith not through missionaries but because Jesus Christ has appeared to them in a dream.   A friend of mine has recently trained pastors in Iraq and said that of the 14 pastors he trained in one session, 8 of them had become Christians through dreams.

The point is this: the Lord does not need us to communicate Christ to the world.  He could use rocks as His witnesses if He so desired.  But He has made us His “ambassadors” (2 Corinthians 5:20).   This is a humbling charge; a great stewardship has been bestowed on us.  And I want God to use me; I want to be a sharp tool in His tool belt.    I am but a jar of clay (2 Corinthians 4:7); yet may He show His grace by using me as His witness.  

There is no greater pursuit than the pursuit of God; there is no greater cause than the cause of Christ.   What are you pursuing?  What is your cause?   Are we giving our lives to that which does not survive the grave?  Are we passively on the sidelines of world-wide gospel proclamation?  Or are we living for that AWESOME eternal moment when we, along with one from every nation, will stand before the throne praising the Lamb?