Matthew 24:26-31 “Don’t Miss Jesus’ Return”

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 04 Aug 2013

Translation

24:26 “Therefore, if they happen to say to y’all, ‘Look, He is in the wilderness!’

don’t start going out [there,

or if they say,] ‘Look in the inner rooms!’

Don’t believe [them – even for a second]!

24:27 For just as the lightening comes out of the East and flashes as far as the West,

thus will be the coming of the Son of Man.

24:28 For wherever the carcass happens to be, it is there that the raptors will be gathered together.

24:29 And immediately after the distress of those days,

the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give off her glow,

and the stars will fall from the heavens,

and the powers of the heavens will be shaken,

24:30 and then the sign of the Son of Man will be revealed in the sky,

and then all the families of the earth will mourn,

and they will see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds of the heavens with power and much glory,

24:31 and He will commission His angels with a great sound of a trumpet

and they will gather together His chosen ones out of the four winds

from [one] end of the heavens over to [the other] end of them.

Introduction: Missing out on the second coming – story of mom at BJHS

My mother tells the story of when she was at Bob Jones High School as a boarding student. As I recall, one Sunday she got up with her alarm and rushed over to the cafeteria for breakfast before church, but not a soul was there. Suddenly, it occurred to her that Jesus must have come back and taken everybody else and left her behind. She panicked and went back to her dorm, and it was then that she realized it was time-change Sunday. Her roommates were still there, and she hadn’t been left behind by the rapture after all.

 

We are in the middle of Matthew 24, where Jesus is talking about His coming. So far we’ve seen that it will demand perseverance of His disciples through persecution and through deceptive teaching, and, while the details up to v.26 fit the context of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, the prophetic details are not so prominent as to focus on figuring out the date of the coming of Christ; the point is more to obey the same directives Jesus gave His disciples, which include:

  1. Keep your eyes on Jesus, believing in His name, even when Christians are persecuted for it.
  2. Keep loving people even when everybody’s love has grown cold.
  3. Keep preaching the good news of the kingdom.
  4. Don’t hang around trouble
    1. By the way, I do not believe that Jesus was teaching His disciples to be conscientious objectors to defending their homeland. We have to keep the parallel passages together. Jesus was telling His disciples that fleeing to the hills was appropriate when the armies surrounding Jerusalem (spoken of in Luke 21:20) were in fulfillment of the abomination of desolation prophecied in the book of Daniel (which is Matthew 24’s wording). I just thought I’d make that clarification for the sake of soldiers who are called to defend communities that should be defended.
  5. Don’t prioritize material possessions
  6. Don’t forget God’s sovereignty when the pressure is on, and
  7. Don’t take shortcuts to comfort and safety when you’re tempted to quit waiting on Jesus.

 

Now I’m going to try to cover the next six verses, and I want to answer three questions as I do so:

1)      How does this text relate to the rest of prophecy in the Bible?

2)      Was this text fulfilled in 70AD, or is it yet to be fulfilled?

3)      And what are we, as Christians, supposed to do with this information?

We start back in at v.26

 

24:26 “Therefore, if they happen to say to y’all, ‘Look, He is in the wilderness!’ don’t start going out [there, or if they say,] “Look in the inner rooms!” Don’t believe [them – even for a second]!

Εαν ουν ειπωσιν ‘υμιν Ιδου εν τη ερημω εστιν, μη εξελθητε Ιδου εν τοις ταμειοις, μη πιστευσητε

 

24:27 for just as the lightening comes out of the East and [shines] flashes as far as the West, thus will be the coming of the Son of Man.

‘ωσπερ γαρ ‘η αστραπη εξερχεται απο ανατολων και φαινεται[3] ‘εως δυσμων ‘ουτως εσται [και[4]] ‘η παρουσια του ‘υιου του ανθρωπου

 

24:28 for wherever the carcass happens to be, it is there that the raptors [eagles/vultures] will be gathered together.

οπου [γαρ[8]] εαν το πτωμα εκει συναχθησονται οι αετοι.

 

24:29 And immediately after the distress of those days, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give off her glow, and the stars will fall from the heavens and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

Ευθεως δε μετα την θλιψιν των ‘ημερων εκεινων ‘ο ‘ηλιος σκοτισθησεται και ‘η σεληνη ου δωσει το φεγγος αυτης και ‘οι αστερες πεσουνται απο του ουρανου και ‘αι δυναμεις των ουρανων σαλευθησονται

 

24:30 and then the sign of the Son of Man will [appear] be revealed in the sky, and then all the families of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds of the heavens with power and much glory,

και τοτε φανησεται το σημειον του ‘υιου του ανθρωπου εν [τω[18]] ουρανω και τοτε κοψονται πασαι ‘αι φυλαι της γης και οψονται τον ‘υιον του ανθρωπου ερχομενον επι των νεφελων του ουρανου μετα δυναμεως και δοξης πολλης

 

24:31 and He will commission His angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they will gather together His chosen[21] ones out of the four winds from [one] end of the heavens over to [the other] end of them.

και αποστελει τους αγγελους αυτου μετα σαλπιγγος φωνης[22] μεγαλης και επισυναξουσιν τους εκλεκτους αυτου εκ των τεσσαρων ανεμων απ’ ακρων ουρανων ‘εως [23] ακρων αυτων.

Conclusion: I started out this study with three questions:

1)      How does this text relate to the rest of prophecy in the Bible?
I think I have demonstrated that prophecy throughout scripture is closely interrelated and that Jesus is the same author who inspired Daniel and Joel and Zecheriah, as well as the Apostles Paul and John the Revelator.

2)      Was this text fulfilled in 70AD, or is it yet to be fulfilled?
I think I have shown that there is fulfillment to be found in 70 AD, but not ultimately until the return of Christ. The events of our sovereign Lord’s judgment in the earth have similarities with the final worldwide day of judgment, so what we see in Jesus’ prophecies about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD typifies what will happen at that future time.

3)      And what are we, as Christians, supposed to do with this information?

a.       Remember to “Set your mind on heavenly things, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” (Col. 3:1-4)

b.      Don’t be afraid of missing the second coming like my Mom was. Instead, prepare yourself by repenting of sin and placing your hopes of salvation upon Jesus’ death and resurrection so that when He does come, you will go to be with Him rather than be among the mourners who are cast into hell.

c.       Rejoice that justice will be brought to bear on all the hidden corruption and against all the injustices of people who are too powerful to challenge right now. Evil will not be left unpunished. There will come a day when Jesus will settle every score and establish perfect justice and righteousness! Praise the Lord!

d.      Look forward with eager anticipation for the return of Christ! When He makes His glorious appearance in the sky and gathers us up and we meet Him in the air, those are going to be marvelous and exciting times! I can’t wait to see what it will be like!

e.       “…lift up you head, [Christian,] for your redemption is drawing near!”



[1] A.T. Robertson cites Simon son of Gioras from Josephus’ Wars, IV.9-7, as a false messiah in the desert.

[2] A.T. Robertson cites John of Giscala from Josephuys’ Wars, V.6.1, as a false messiah in “inner chambers.”

[3] A couple of Greek manuscripts (D, Θ, f1, 700) spell this word in middle/passive voice. It wouldn’t change the thrust of the meaning, though.

[4] A slight majority of the Greek manuscripts do not have the word kai “also” here, therefore it is not in the Critical editions of the Greek New Testament (GNT), but it is in the Byzantine (Patristic) editions and the Textus Receptus (T.R.), and therefore in the KJV. It doesn’t change the meaning though.

[5] Exodus 19:16; Deuteronomy 32:41; 2 Samuel 22:15; Job 20:25; Psalm 18:14; Ezekiel 1:13; Daniel 10:6; Habakkuk 3:11; Zechariah 9:14; Revelation 4:5

[6] Calvin, however, takes this figuratively and focuses on the rapidity of lightening, saying that it means the rapid spread of Christians sharing the gospel throughout the world. Lightfoot’s position is similar, “When Jerusalem shall be reduced to ashes, and that wicked nation cut off and rejected, then shall the Son of man send His ministers with the trumpet of the Gospel, and they shall gather His elect of the several nations, from the four corners of heaven: so that God shall not want a Church, although that ancient people of His be rejected and cast off: but that ancient Jewish Church being destroyed, a new Church shall be called out of the Gentiles.” The use of the words and the context do not seem to me to point in this direction, however.

[7] Chrysostom pegs it at v.26, Calvin and A.T. Robertson at v.29, Jamieson Fausset & Brown at v. 32, Hendriksen at v.13

[8] Although the majority of Greek manuscripts (and therefore the Patristic and T.R. editions of the GNT) include this word, the only ancient manuscript is W from the 5th Century. Critical editions follow a majority of the oldest known manuscripts (א, B, D, L, Θ) as well as the ancient Latin and Coptic versions. Thus the KJV reads “for” and the NAS, NIV, and ESV do not.

[9] Cf And does the eagle rise at thy command, and the vulture remain sitting over his nest, on a crag of a rock, and in a secret place? Thence he seeks food, his eyes observe from far. And his young ones roll themselves in blood, and wherever the carcasses may be, immediately they are found. Job 39:27-30, Brenton

[10] Hendricksen says it means that when the world is dead enough in sin, that is when Jesus will come to it like a vulture, but that seems to me to bring outside ideas in which do not flow from the text itself.

[11] Not also the prophetic use of “those days” in Jeremiah 3:16,17,18; 5:18; 31:29,33; 50:4,20; Joel 2:29; 3:1;and John - Revelation 9:6.

[12] A.T. Robertson, however, noted, “Here we have a prophetic panorama like [Rev. 1:1] with foreshortened perspective…. Literalism is not appropriate in this apocalyptic eschatology.”

[13] LXX of Joel 2:10 = same verb as Mt. 24 (suskot-), but in Acts 2, Peter supplies a different verb from a parallel statement later in Joel 2:31 – metastrephw. Cf. Joel 3:14-16

[14] There are three more passages describing a partial darkening of the stars which seem to relate to spiritual rebellions against God: Daniel 8:10 and Rev. 12:4, there is a horn or a dragon which sweeps some of the stars out of the sky, the latter sweeping a third of the stars out, perhaps paralleling Rev. 8:12 “The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.” (NASB)

[15] Calvin takes it all figuratively, “As long as the Church’s pilgrimage in the world lasts, the skies will be dark and cloudy, but as soon as the end of distress arrives, the daylight will break…He does not mean that they shall fall in actual fact, but according to men’s way of thinking… Christ speaks in hyperbole to teach the elect that even if they were swept off the ground and flung into the air yet they would be brought together to assemble under their Head…” This is more figurative than I can agree with, although I can see the possibility of fulfillment in an eclipse or a pall of smoke which removes celestial objects from view temporarily.

[16] They forsook the commandments of the Lord their God, and made themselves graven images, even two heifers, and they made groves, and worshipped all the powers of the heavens, and served Baal. (2 Kings 17:16, LXX)

And he built again the high places, which Hezekiah his father had demolished; and set up an altar to Baal, and made groves as Ahab king of Israel made them; and worshipped all the powers of the heavens, and served them... And he built an altar to all the powers of the heavens between the courts of the house of the Lord. (2 Kings 21:3-5, LXX, cf. the undoing of this in 2Kings 23:4-5)

“I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the powers of the heavens stood by on His right hand and on His left. And the Lord said, ‘Who will deceive Ahab king of Israel...?’ Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will deceive him...’”  (2 Chronicles 18:18-21, LXX)

“He acts according to His will among the powers of the heavens, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and there is no one who will resist His power, and say to Him, ‘What have you done?’” (Daniel 4:32, LXX)

“…when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from the heavens with His powerful angels…” (2 Thessalonians 1:7b, NASB)

[17] Job 9:6-7  Who shakes the earth under heaven from its foundations, and its pillars totter. Who commands the sun, and it rises not; and he seals up the stars. (Brenton)

“my cry [came] before him, even into his ears. Then the earth shook and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains were disturbed, and were shaken, because God was angry with them. There went up a smoke in his wrath, and fire burst into a flame at his presence: coals were kindled at it. And he bowed the heaven, and came down: and thick darkness was under his feet... And he sent forth his weapons, and scattered them; and multiplied lightnings, and routed them. (Psalm 18:6-14, Brenton)

[18] The Patristic and T.R. editions follow the majority of Greek manuscripts (with 5th Century W the oldest witness) which have the definite article “the” here, but the Critical editions do not include the definite article due to its nonpresence in four of the most ancient Greek manuscripts (א, B, L, Θ – although there is almost no support among the later Greek miniscule manuscripts for the omission). Curiously the English versions flop-flop, with the KJV that usually follows the majority omitting the definite article, and the NASB and NIV which usually follow the Critical text rendering it with the definite article (“the sky”). Go figure.

[19] A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and she was with child; and she *cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. (Revelation 12:1-3, NASB) Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished. (Revelation 15:1, NASB)

[20] All occurrences of koptw in the Greek Bible: Matt. 11:17; 21:8; 24:30; Mark 11:8; Luke 8:52; 23:27; Rev. 1:7; 18:9.

[21] See notes on v.24 which explain “the elect” as those who will make it into heaven, whether Jew or Gentile.

[22] Although the majority of Greek manuscripts (including some of the oldest: B, D, X, Π) support the word “voice/ sound,” several others of the oldest known manuscripts omit it (א, L, W, Δ, Θ), therefore it is not in the Critical editions and therefore not in the NASB. It is in the Patristic and T.R. editions, and therefore in the KJV. Curiously, the ESV and NIV include the word “call” here even though they normally follow the Critical text.

[23] Two ancient Greek manuscripts (B & Θ) add the word “the” here (also in f1 and f13 minuscules), so later Critical editions of the GNT decided it was original, even though it is not in the majority of Greek manuscripts or even in the majority of the most ancient manuscripts. All English versions, however, add the word “the” – even the ones that follow the majority text, because it fits the English idiom.