Ralph Porter

© 2002

    Messianic expectation was high-everyone was expecting Messiah! Those who took Daniel's time table seriously knew the 69 weeks were coming to an end! It was time for the promised Messiah to come and present Himself to them.

    Based on and Zechariah 9, three steps to restoration expected, in accordance with what God had promised:

         1)    Restoration to land

         2)    Coming of Messiah

         3)    Blessing for Israel

    As the years went by, it began to look as though God had forgotten His promises     to them. Nothing happened!

    This left the Jewish people of that day with a problem:

         -Israel returned to the land as promised.

         -But Messiah didn't come.

         -God's blessing was never seen either.

    Jewish Christians also had a problem:

         -Israel returned to the land as God promised.

         -Messiah came as promised, but He died on a cross.

         -No blessing ever came!

    Both groups of Jews in that day had to struggle with the same question: "What happened to God's plan for Israel? Had God forgotten about it? Had He abandoned them? Matthew wrote his gospel to answer that question.

    Matthew demonstrates that Messiah came just as God promised He would. Jesus demonstrates that He is their Messiah. The evidence is sufficient for anyone who really wants to know the truth. In spite of all the evidence, Israel rejects their Messiah. The Messiah, in turn, rejects Israel. He proclaims judgment against that evil generation. His prophecy was fulfilled in A.D. 70 when Rome destroys Jerusalem.

    Nevertheless God isn't through with Israel! Christ will return at the end of the age and fulfill His promise to another generation that genuinely seeks His arrival and receives Him.

    As we saw last week, Matthew 19-25 describe the formal presentation and rejection of their Messiah. In previous chapters Jesus had foretold what was going to happen. Now He formally presents Himself to them and they respond by formally rejecting Him.

    Matthew 23-25 contain His formal response to them. He begins with the proclamation of judgment on that generation (23). In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus predicts the judgment that will come on Israel because of their rejection (24-25). His message contains a dual fulfillment which begins with that generation which is under condemnation for their rejection of Him and concludes during the great tribulation at the end of the age when He comes back to earth to reign.

    As Jesus and His disciples come out of the temple, they are admiring its beauty and commenting on it. They seem to be wondering among themselves how the greatness and beauty of the temple they are looking at relates to the words of woe Jesus has just pronounced against that generation which He has condemned for rejecting Him. Surely such a magnificent worship center must be part of God's plan for the future of their people! Jesus responds by announcing that this beautiful new temple will be destroyed! Not even one stone will be left in place. They will all come down!

    Two logical questions come to the disciples minds: "When will this happen?"

"What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? Jesus answers their questions in the following message. In reality He reverses the order of their questions. First He presents three main signs that will point to the end of the age (24:4-31). The He addresses the issue of when these things will come to pass (24:32-51).

    What are the signs that we should watch for as indicators of the end of the age? Jesus answers apply first to the immediate judgment which was about to come on that generation in A.D. 70, when Rome destroys the city of Jerusalem and the temple is destroyed. Ultimately His answers go beyond the immediate future and apply to the final judgment during the Great Tribulation, which will precede our Lord's coming.

1.    TRIBULATION   24:4-26

    The first half of the tribulation period begins with international turmoil (4-8). It will be characterized by a series of political and natural crises: false Christs, political conflicts, and natural disasters. These crises are described as the "beginning of birth pains." This is the beginning-not the end! But it is the start of an irreversible process which will lead to the end.

    During the second half of the tribulation, the bad conditions get worse (9-14)! The hard times intensify, concluding with severe persecution for God's people, such as never before in the history of the world (9). It will never be that bad again either. As a result of their suffering, the natural consequences of affliction follow. Many people abandon the faith (10). False prophets are able to deceive many people (11).

    Many of those who are suffering grow cold and throw in the towel (12). But, in the end, those who remain faithful are delivered (13). In the midst of all that adversity, the good news that "the king is coming!" is preached everywhere (14a). Then the end comes (14b). How will we know that the end of the age is coming and the Lord's coming is near? Here is the evidence to watch for.

    On the basis of what Jesus has already told them about what's going to happen, He gives them a warning sign to tell them when they ought to run for the hills (15-21). The sign to flee will be an abominable thing which causes desolation. This warning will fulfill Daniel's prophecy introduced in Daniel 9:26-27. That prophecy tells us that the Antichrist will break his covenant to protect Israel at the middle of the tribulation and will persecute God's people. The exact fulfillment of the abominable thing is not clear now; but it will be apparent to those living at that time. When they see that sign, they should escape to the hills, for following this warning comes a period of unequaled persecution

    The suffering at that time will be so intense that no one could survive, if God did not intervene supernaturally to end the period. However, Jesus assures us that God will intervene to end the affliction (22). At the end of the time He has promised, He will break in and stop the suffering and deliver those who have struggled through to the end and survived.

    Another logical consequence of the extreme suffering God's people are going through is a desire for Christ to come. Many will step forward at that time proposing that they are the Christ, or that they have seen Him (23-26). Because of their intense desire for His coming, many will be led astray by these deceivers. This leads into the introduction of the second sign of His coming and of the end of the age. This sign has to do with the way He comes. It won't be the way people are proposing. It'll be a notable sign that everyone will be able to see!

2.    VISIBLE SIGN OF CHRIST'S COMING   24:27-30

    Jesus warns His followers not to chase after these "sightings!" His coming won't be like that. When He comes, it will be apparent to all. Just as lightning which shines in the sky is visible on a dark night (27), God will turn down the lights and the sky will be darkened as never before (29)-His sign will be visible everywhere as He appears in all His glory (27, 30). This will happen after the distress of those days (29a). Thus the timing is clear for it comes after the tribulation, which Jesus has already described as a time of unequaled affliction!

    There are two ways to understand the reference to the vultures. Some consider it to be parallel to God's invitation to the vultures in Revelation 19:17-19. God invites them to come clean up the scraps after Jesus' coming and His judgment on the nations of the earth.

    Another possibility is that Jesus' coming is anticipated by referring to a common saying which refers to the way vultures gather around a carcass. "Where there's a carcass, there are vultures!" (28). In the same way, when Jesus comes, people will take note and be drawn from everywhere to be where He is! This won't be a private viewing that just a few close friends will know about. Everyone will see it! Either way, Jesus is describing His coming to judge the earth and establish His kingdom. This isn't a reference to Jesus' coming to gather His church!

    The false Christs and false prophets show off "signs and wonders" and deceive many. However, when Jesus comes, people will see "the sign" of the Son of Man in heaven-the reappearance of the Shekinah glory of God!

3.    REGATHERING OF ISRAEL   24:31

    The third sign of the end of the age will be when the angels gather God's people from wherever they have scattered when they fled from the abomination. The Old Testament prophets foretold a miracle by which God would draw His people together from the farthest corners of the earth-wherever they may be scattered! This will be fulfilled at the end of the age.

1.    LESSON FROM THE FIG TREE   24:32-35

    Tender twigs and leaves on a fig tree demonstrate that summer is near. In the same way the fulfillment of the signs Jesus has just been describing demonstrates that His coming is near.

    That generation won't pass away until promise of coming fulfilled. Nor will His Word pass away until it has been fulfilled as promised!

2.    THREE LESSONS ABOUT KEEPING WATCH   24:36-51

    The second declaration about the time of His coming exhorts God's people to be watching. Jesus uses three common life-situations to illustrate the need for being prepared. No one knows "the day nor the hour" of His coming. No one knows when He will come! Therefore we should always be prepared for His coming. We should be watching for Him.

    It's amazing how many people try to tell us when His coming will occur. It's also amazing how many have been wrong! Some people say that Jesus says no one knows "the day nor the hour," not the year. It doesn't say week or month either! That's not the point! If I only knew the month or the year a robber was coming, I'd still tune up my burglar alarm system! The point in Jesus declaration is that no one's expecting it! The three illustrations demonstrate that no one will know when to expect Him!

Lesson from Noah's days   36-41

    Noah's times demonstrate the danger of not watching. People paid no attention to what God was doing until the judgment came; then it was too late! It will be just like that for people who aren't watching for Jesus' return also. People pay no attention until Jesus appears; then it'll be too late!

    Our Lord's coming is compared to Noah's day. In his day, people paid no attention until the flood came and "took them all away." That was a taking away in judgment! Those "taken away" died in the flood!

    So it will be when Jesus comes! One will be taken and one left! The faithful are delivered; those who have ignored Him are taken. The taking here-as in Noah's day-is a taking away for judgment. He's not talking about the rapture; He's talking about judging people who won't be entering the new age-the millennium. God will remove them from earth and take them away!

Lesson from the thief   42-44

    Matthew warns his readers-Jewish people trying to figure out what happened to God's program-to watch, just as we would watch if we knew a thief was coming! We would certainly attempt to protect ourselves from the coming thief!

    This isn't a call to those who are looking forward to His coming. We're watching expectantly-hoping for His return. This is a different kind of warning. It's a warning to people about to suffer loss when He comes again!

    A thief doesn't rob people who are watching him. He causes harm to people who ignore him. In the same way Jesus won't harm people who are watching for Him. He only harms people who ignore Him! Those expecting Jesus suffer no harm from His coming. The damage only comes to those who pay no attention to Him.

Lesson from the servant   45-51

    A servant whose master has gone away for a long time will be faithful as long as he believes his master may return soon. The servant becomes careless and unfaithful when he forgets about the master and fails to be concerned about his coming.

    Jesus' followers ought to be aware of His plan and eagerly expecting His return. Then they'll be faithful to Him and ready when He comes. They should be caring for His affairs until He comes.

    The servant doesn't begin with total disregard for the master. He becomes that way gradually, in small increments. As time goes by the servant gets increasingly sloppy, as it seems increasingly less likely that the master will come back today. First he lets the dust accumulate for a couple of days. Then he lets the cobwebs gather.  Eventually he begins to use his master's funds to buy things for himself! He begins to think he's the boss and mistreats the other servants. When the master does come, his condition is blatantly obvious and the consequences well-deserved.

    The wise servant will always be ready for his master's return. Even so God's people should be alert, watching for Jesus to come again.

    Jesus is talking about His glorious second coming, to rule over His kingdom; not the gathering of the saints to meet Him in the air. Jesus is talking about coming to judge the earth. Those taken-like the people in Noah's day-are taken away in judgment. The description of the scene, and the related warnings, are totally different.

    Paul tells us that he is talking about the coming of our Lord to gather us to Himself. It's the same verb for coming, but the surroundings and the purpose are different. Nevertheless, the instruction for God's people is still appropriate. These parables are dealing with the issue of readiness. We too are instructed to be ready. So what does this passage say to us today?

Be ready!

    Just as they should be living with a view to His coming to judge the earth, we should be living with a view to His coming to gather the saints to be with Him forever. We should be living expectantly, evaluating our circumstances in the light of this blessed hope!

Don't look at life, or world events, through the eyes of the world!

    We should be alert to what God's doing, prepared to participate. People of Noah's day, like the victims of a thief, paid no attention to God and what He wanted them to see. The servant forgot about the master and his coming and began to live for himself and his own profit. We should look at life from perspective of God's plan. We are His servants. We should use the resources He has placed in our hands for His glory. Are you ready for His coming, if He should come today?