Gary Eugene Howell uses the Berean Standard Bible. The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible, BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee. The Text of the Berean Standard Bible was dedicated to the public domain as of April 30, 2023.
Verses 1-2
As Jesus left the temple and was walking away, His disciples came up to Him to point out its buildings.
“Do you see all these things?” He replied. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
Commentary
For the remainder of this chapter and throughout the next, Jesus speaks to the disciples about the future, covering events from 70 AD all the way to His second coming more than two thousand years later. He begins with the First Jewish–Roman War, which was only a few decades away. Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed. This was God’s judgment against Israel for killing the prophets and for crucifying Jesus (see Matthew 23:29–36).
Verse 3
While Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?”
Commentary
Moments earlier, Jesus told the disciples that not one stone of the temple would remain upon another. It now appears that the disciples assumed such a catastrophic event could only occur at the end of the age.
Jesus does not directly correct their assumption. He doesn’t tell them of the rapidly approaching Jewish–Roman War, which was only a few years away. Instead, He begins to give the disciples, and us as readers of Scripture, instruction and guidance concerning His second coming, which we are still waiting for today.
Verses 4-5
Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
Commentary
This verse is self-explanatory. Jesus warns His followers that spiritual deception will be a constant danger. False messiahs and false teachers will arise, claiming spiritual authority in order to mislead people. The responsibility is placed on believers to remain alert and discerning, testing every claim against the truth of Scripture.
Popularity, charisma, or a large number of subscribers, is not proof that a person speaks for God. Because many will be deceived, the only safeguard is a growing knowledge of Christ and a commitment to His Word so that we are not led astray.
[And by the way, the best method for growing in your knowledge of Christ is to regularly associate with Christians who are more knowledgeable than yourself.]
Verses 6-7
You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
Commentary
Jesus is subtly telling the disciples that it’s going to be a long time from then, but they didn’t understand. How many wars have there been since Jesus walked the earth? The number is probably in the tens of thousands. In my lifetime alone, the United States has been involved in more than 14 military conflicts that most Americans would describe as “wars.” Notice, however, that Jesus says, “but the end is still to come.” Again, He is hinting that it may be a very long time.
“There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.” I remember when I was in elementary school, there was a severe famine in Ethiopia. Television broadcasts showed children so emaciated they appeared almost like skin and bones. In the United States, parents would tell picky children to eat their dinner because there were “starving kids in Africa.” The phrase was meant to help children appreciate the food they had, since elsewhere in the world, many children had none at all.
In 1984, about 50 of the world’s most famous rock and pop stars came together to record a song about the Ethiopian famine. The song was titled ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ and still to this day it’s played on the radio every Christmas season.
As for earthquakes, according to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, approximately 55 occur every day around the world.
Verse 8
All these are the beginning of birth pains.
Commentary
“The beginning of birth pains” is an indication that the tribulation will be worse than all the wars, famines, and earthquakes that have ever taken place. Jesus is saying that all the wars and famines throughout history were only the beginning of birth pains.
In the Bible, creation is often portrayed as a living, sentient entity capable of responding to God’s purpose. For example, Paul writes:
The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time. (Romans 8:19-22)
In speaking of creation, Paul is referring to all the animals, insects, birds, and fish, which are subjected to futility in that they kill and are killed by one another. I interpret creation’s bondage to decay as a reference to the second law of thermodynamics, which states that everything moves from order to disorder; everything deteriorates.
When Jesus speaks of wars, earthquakes, and famines as the beginning of birth pains, the birth he is referring to is his second coming and his 1,000-year Millennial Reign, during which time:
The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat; the calf and young lion and fatling will be together, and a little child will lead them. The cow will graze with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play by the cobra’s den, and the toddler will reach into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the sea is full of water. (Isaiah 11:6-9)
For the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Then He will judge between many peoples and arbitrate for strong nations far and wide. Then they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer take up the sword against nation, nor will they train anymore for war. And each man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, with no one to frighten him. (Micah 4:2b-4)
No longer will a nursing infant live but a few days, or an old man fail to live out his years. For the youth will die at a hundred years, and he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed. They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No longer will they build houses for others to inhabit, nor plant for others to eat. For as is the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people, and My chosen ones will fully enjoy the work of their hands. They will not labor in vain or bear children doomed to disaster; for they will be a people blessed by the LORD—they and their descendants with them. Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear. (Isaiah 65:20-24)
The 1,000-year Millennial Reign is a sabbath rest for the earth and creation.
Verse 9
Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.
Commentary
Don’t be confused. We just read several verses about the Millennial reign of Christ, but now we return to Jesus’s description of what will happen before that. He is speaking of Christians being persecuted and killed, and of all nations hating Christians because of Him.
One thing that has always puzzled me is why people hate Jesus. From the time I was seven years old, I have always seen Him as the one seeking to save me; the one who is rescuing me from death.
In works of fiction and in cinema, when someone comes to the rescue of others, that person is portrayed as the hero. Yet when Jesus gave his own life to save everyone from death, most of the world rejects him. Why? It makes no sense.
Imagine if a firefighter saved a family from a burning house, but afterward the news portrayed him as a terrible person. Or if a lifeguard rescued a man from drowning, only to be fired from his job.
That is exactly what the world has done to Jesus. He didn’t rescue hundreds or thousands; Jesus made a way for billions of people, throughout all of history, to be saved from death. Yet the world hates him.
And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. (John 3:19-20)
Verse 10
At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another,
Commentary
“Many will fall away.” A question often asked after reading this verse is, “Does this mean a person can lose their salvation?”
Let’s review the Parable of the Sower.
And He told them many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed. And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings. Still other seed fell on good soil and produced a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold. (Matthew 13:3-8)
Later in that same chapter, Jesus explains its meaning:
Consider, then, the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he remains for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.
The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
But the seed sown on good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and produces a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.” (Matthew 13:18-23)
Does the phrase, “many will fall away,” mean that we can lose our salvation? No. Instead, take notice of what is being discussed in Matthew 24; “Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.”
Those who fall away are the seed sown on rocky ground. They have no root, which means they were never filled with the Holy Spirit.
These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. (Matthew 15:8)
I firmly believe that within Christianity, some are filled with the Holy Spirit, while others have yet to be filled. Some people participate in Christianity for years before truly being saved through faith.
God has a person’s entire lifetime to work out their salvation, and for some, it takes that long to reach the point of putting their faith in Christ.
But there are still others who put on a good show, making everyone think they’re a devoted Christian, while in reality, they never actually place their faith in Jesus. These, I believe, are the ones we see fall away. They have no root.
A core component of faith is trust. Those who place their trust in Jesus Christ and in God’s Word will not be shaken when hardship comes or when tragedy strikes. But those who have never truly trusted Christ have no foundation to stand on. When persecution comes, because they don’t have faith (they don’t truly value Christ), they see no reason to stay, so they fall away.
You and I might do the same with lesser things we aren’t fully committed to. When I was trying to learn how to surf, I made the mistake of buying too short a board. I struggled and struggled to stand. Every time I fell, I got pounded by the waves. Salt water would fill my sinuses, and it quickly became something that wasn’t fun. Rather than persevering through the hardship and spending hundreds of dollars on a longer board, I chose to quit.
For Christians who are not filled with the Holy Spirit, the choice to quit during persecution becomes a simple issue of comfort. They never truly trusted Christ enough to endure suffering for Him. It is the Holy Spirit that gives us the strength to endure. But without the Holy Spirit, persecution causes them to decide it isn’t worth it, and so they fall away.
Verse 11
and many false prophets will arise and deceive many.
Practical Application: Recognizing False Teachers Today in the Internet Age
Because of the internet, it’s very easy today to peek inside other churches. Before the internet, a person might have had no clue what went on in any church besides their own congregation. Today, however, nearly every church live streams its services. Recently, while planning a weekend trip to another city, I searched online for a church to attend on Sunday, the last day of our trip. After identifying a few possible options, the first thing I did was watch videos of their recent sermons. The first one I clicked on, however, turned out to be a pastor twisting Scripture to make it not about following Christ but about following him as the pastor. He reinterpreted Scripture in a way that made it sound as though the church needed to be faithful to him personally, and that his congregation should never question him because he, quote-unquote, “spoke for God”.
We don’t worship, idolize, or exalt our pastors. This was someone who had pushed Jesus aside and placed himself on the throne; a false teacher deceiving those still in his congregation.
Many false teachers have arisen today, and because of the internet, they have a much greater reach and influence than they did in the past. Some even use religion in combination with their online platforms as a path to stardom. The more clicks and subscribers they gain, the more money they make and the more famous they become.
This is why I often say that you should be ever seeing and ever perceiving (i.e. be on your guard against false teachers). Read your Bible. Know it well. When you hear false doctrine, be able to say to yourself, “Wait a minute; that’s not what the Bible says.”
The Danger of Swinging Too Far
Nearly everything in life can be illustrated with a bell curve. A bell curve shows the majority in the middle, with opposite extremes at each end.
If we created a bell curve to represent our ability to identify false teachers, one end would include those who believe every preacher, priest, and Bible teacher is sent from God above; and how dare anyone question what they’re preaching. These are the people who walk into a church with rose-colored glasses. A few friendly greetings from church members are all it takes to convince them it’s a great place to worship. Such individuals are easily led astray because they don’t know what’s in the Bible. They’ve never read it and certainly do not study it. They have no way of recognizing when they’re being spiritually lied to.
At the other extreme of our bell curve are those who accuse nearly every pastor of being a false teacher. These individuals point to almost anyone who interprets a passage differently than they do and declares them to be destined for hell. Pastors who have been faithfully preaching and teaching the Bible for 50 years may be resoundingly condemned by someone who hasn’t even been a Christian for 5 years. Such people have spent very little time studying the Word of God.
Some people, out of pride, enjoy trying to show others how smart they are. One simple way to exalt themselves is by putting other people down. By declaring everyone else a false teacher, they subtly position themselves as wiser than all those they condemn.
Also, keep in mind that on internet platforms such as YouTube, the driving force of content creation is often that of making money. One of the ways to attract large audiences is to be scandalous, shocking, and controversial. So whenever you see one Christian online pointing out the wrongdoing of another Christian, it is often the content creator’s intention to provoke outrage in order to gain more views and generate income. Of course, this is not always the case. Sometimes legitimate Christ-following teachers will point out those who are genuinely false teachers. But be wary of click-bait titles and images designed to look scandalous; they are meant to get you to click so the creator can make more money.
In the middle of the bell curve are those who do not major in the minors. These are believers who focus on the essentials of the faith rather than getting caught up in trivial or secondary matters. They understand that not every difference in practice or interpretation is a threat to their walk with Christ. For example, an individual who regularly attends a traditional evangelical Christian church may have a friend who is a Messianic Jew. He can join his friend on a Friday evening to celebrate Shabbat even though he doesn’t believe Saturday is inherently a sacred day. He participates in the fellowship and respects his friend’s traditions, while remaining firm in his own understanding of Scripture. This approach reflects spiritual maturity: it shows discernment without harsh judgment, flexibility without compromise, and the ability to maintain unity and love among believers who may have different practices but share the same faith in Christ.
Verse 12
Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.
Commentary
In Matthew chapter twenty-two, Jesus declared, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37:40)
Because sin has multiplied in the world, people increasingly hate God and hate one another. We can already see this beginning to unfold today. A man was shot and killed simply for expressing his views about Jesus, and many people publicly celebrated his death. Another man, the CEO of an insurance company, was murdered in broad daylight, and afterwards thousands of people publicly elevated the murderer to hero status.
As believers, we have to be careful that our love does not also grow cold. It can be easy for us to feel bitterness and contempt toward those who commit such evil acts. But remember that Jesus loved those who killed Him, showing us the standard we are called to follow, even toward those who hate us.
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34a)
Verse 13
But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
Commentary
In verse ten, I concluded that those who fall away are those who had yet to place their faith in Christ (they are not filled with the Holy Spirit). When trials and tribulations come, they fall away. In verse thirteen, Jesus says that those who persevere to the end will be saved. I take this to mean that those who do place their faith in Christ will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to be able to persevere; not by their own strength, but by Christ’s. By fully trusting in him, we learn to rely on him rather than on ourselves.
Verse 14
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Commentary
This is already happening. I cannot think of a single country on the map in which the gospel has not already reached and been preached. However, there are many people groups within the geographic borders of various countries who have yet to hear the gospel. A people group is a distinct culture, language, or ethnic group. Most of these unreached people groups are in North Africa, the middle east, and Asia. Today, however, if you walk into nearly any church in America and look at the missionaries they support, you will very likely find that some of them are serving in these parts of the world.
What does this tell us about how soon the end will come? A little later in this passage, Jesus says that He is right at the door. In my mind, I picture Him as already having His hand on this metaphorical doorknob and just beginning to turn it.
Verse 15
So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand),
Commentary
In order to understand this verse, Jesus is directing us to the book of Daniel. So let’s go there and see what Jesus is referring to.
Seventy weeks are decreed for your people and your holy city to stop their transgression, to put an end to sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy Place.
Know and understand this: From the issuance of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Messiah, the Prince, there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of distress.
Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and will have nothing.
Then the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood, and until the end there will be war; desolations have been decreed. And he will confirm a covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of the temple will come the abomination that causes desolation, until the decreed destruction is poured out upon him.” (Daniel 9:24-27)
Daniel 9:24 Commentary
When the angel Gabriel says to Daniel, “Seventy weeks,” he is using a “week” to represent a period of seven years. Seventy weeks, then, is (7 X 70 years) = 490 years.
Daniel 9:25 Commentary
Here Gabriel tells Daniel when the Messiah will come; centuries before Jesus walked the earth. Sixty-nine “weeks” (7 + 62), or sixty-nine sets of seven years, would pass. Exactly as Gabriel foretold, Jesus the Messiah arrived and fulfilled every prophecy concerning Himself.
But the prophecy speaks of seventy weeks. What about the seventieth? Most pastors, theologians, and scholars, as well as this commentary author, conclude that the prophetic clock was paused after the sixty-ninth week to allow the gospel to go to the Gentiles (non-Jewish people). This interval is commonly called the Church Age.
Within the context of what we are reading here in Matthew 24, Jesus just said, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come”. (Matthew 24:14)
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you will not be conceited: A hardening in part has come to Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. (Romans 11:25)
Daniel 9:26-27 Commentary
When the pause for the Gentiles ends, the final seven-year “week” described by the angel Gabriel will occur. This period is known as the Tribulation. During these seven years, the Jewish people will accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. However, bringing them to that point will require an unprecedented period of suffering and upheaval. The Antichrist will show up, and at first the Jewish people will believe he is the Messiah. Then he will commit an act in the temple (the holy place) so offensive (the abomination), that it will expose him as a fraud. Realizing he is not the Messiah, the Jewish people will flee (the desolation).
To read about these end times prophecies in greater detail, I encourage you to read, with prayer, the entire book of Daniel. [link Daniel chapter one]
(now let’s return to Matthew chapter 24)
Verses 16-21
then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve anything from his house. And let no one in the field return for his cloak.
How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight will not occur in the winter or on the Sabbath. For at that time there will be great tribulation, unseen from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be seen again.
Commentary
Remember that Jesus is speaking to the disciples about events that, from their point in history, haven’t happened yet. Therefore, some of what Jesus describes refers to 70 AD, while other parts refer to His second coming. Some of His descriptions have a dual application. This passage is an example of that. Jesus is warning both those who would experience the war in 70 AD and those who will experience the tribulation that the events will be so severe that people should flee Judea immediately, without even going back for their personal possessions. This point of dual application to different periods of time will become clearer when we read the parallel accounts of this discourse in the Gospels of Mark and Luke.
During the Tribulation, conditions will become so bad so quickly that Jesus warns people not to even go back inside their homes to retrieve anything. Just run.
Imagine a pregnant woman trying to flee for her life. Picture a mother carrying a newborn baby, struggling to escape. Jesus adds that it will be even more brutal if this happens in winter when it’s cold outside. The urgency will be so extreme that no one should stop to grab a coat. Imagine people fleeing into winter weather without a coat!
Jesus concludes by saying that the Tribulation will be a time of distress and suffering unlike anything that has ever happened before or will ever happen again.
Verse 22
If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.
Commentary
The NLT says it this way: In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones. (Matthew 24:22 NLT)
And the NIV puts it this way: “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.” (Matthew 24:22 NIV)
To emphasize just how bad the tribulation will be, if God doesn’t cut it short, the entire human race would go extinct.
Verses 23-25
At that time, if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if that were possible. See, I have told you in advance.
Commentary
This verse has the same meaning as verse 11.
and many false prophets will arise and deceive many. (Matthew 24:11)
This is a warning not to believe anyone who claims to be the 2nd coming of the Messiah. They will even perform “great signs and wonders”. Notice, however, that Jesus didn’t say they will perform miracles. We don’t put our faith and hope into sleight of hand, political backroom deals, or agenda-driven journalism. Don’t be deceived by such things. Instead, we place our faith, hope, and trust in Jesus alone.
The real 2nd coming of Christ will be unmistakable, (as we will read about in the next verses).
Are we meant to know and understand future Prophecies?
I have met people who believe it’s not for us to understand end-times prophecies. For example, some people claim “We are not meant to understand the book of Revelation”. To this I strongly disagree. Jesus says right here in this verse, “See, I have told you in advance.” In other words, one purpose of prophecy is that we can know beforehand what is going to happen.
Having said that, however, the farther back in history we look, the less people of those eras could have understood certain future prophecies. For example, before the invention of global communications, television, smartphones, and video, no one could have imagined how all peoples and tribes and tongues and nations could see two dead bodies lying in Jerusalem (Revelation 11). In 1800’s America, it took months for a simple letter to travel from California to New York. People back then could not have conceived how anyone in North America, South America, or any other part of the world could instantly see what was happening in Jerusalem. Today, however, we can watch news events live, even when they are occurring on the other side of the world.
The closer we get to Jesus’s return, the easier it becomes to understand end-times prophecy. This is true not only because of our technological understanding of how such events are possible, but also because, as time passes, more and more prophesy becomes fulfilled. Hindsight makes fulfilled prophecy much easier to understand, and the number of remaining, unfulfilled prophecies are fewer in number. A jigsaw puzzle becomes progressively easier as the number of pieces left to find decreases.
Verses 26-28
So if they tell you, ‘There He is, in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Here He is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.
Commentary
These verses are crucial. If Jesus hadn’t said this, anyone could claim to be His second coming, and we would all be left shrugging our shoulders and asking one another whether it were true.
But Jesus is telling us here that there’s no way anyone will mistake His second coming. It will be such a massive event that everyone on earth will know, without a doubt, that it’s happening.
“For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”
I enjoy watching lightning. Some people are scared of it, but whenever I see a storm approaching, I like to sit on the patio and watch the incredible display. A bolt of lightning, even miles away, can, for an instant, turn night into day. There’s no way anyone in my neighborhood wouldn’t know the storm is approaching. The same is true for Jesus’s second coming; everyone will know it’s happening. So don’t be deceived by anyone who claims to be Christ.
“Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.”
Here’s a similar example: whenever we look into the sky and see a dozen vultures circling, we know there’s a carcass directly beneath them. When people look up and see Jesus coming on the clouds, they’ll know it’s the 2nd coming.
Verse 29a
Immediately after the tribulation of those days:
Commentary
Jesus says, “Immediately after the tribulation.” This tells us that His second coming follows directly after the end of the tribulation. However, in just a few verses, Jesus is going to tell his disciples that no one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven. What, then, should we conclude? (Remember, there are no contradictions in the Bible. When something appears to be a contradiction, the problem lies in our own lack of understanding).
If the tribulation lasts seven years, and Jesus’s second coming occurs immediately after it, how can it also be true that no one knows the day or the hour? In that case, anyone could simply reason, “The tribulation began on this date, so Jesus’s second coming will occur seven years later on that date.” The angels especially could determine this easily, since they are the ones responsible for announcing the beginning of the tribulation.
One possibility is that the event of which no one knows the day or the hour is not Jesus descending on the clouds. Rather, it could refer to something else that occurs prior to the tribulation.
Let’s keep going and see what that event might be.
Verse 29b
‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Commentary
Could the sun being darkened and the moon not giving light be something as simple as dark clouds? Could it be an eclipse? Or is this something more miraculous? I tend to dismiss the idea of dark clouds because everyone sees storm clouds on a nearly regular basis. No one would give this even a second thought. Eclipses, though very dramatic, are also something modern-day people would not consider inexplicable.
Therefore, I tend to interpret this verse as describing the actual sun growing dim, or something greater than the moon blocking the sun’s light. This would also cause the moon to grow dark, because moonlight is merely reflected sunlight. This would obviously be something that’s never happened before and would instantly get the entire world’s attention (Remember, Jesus said there’s no reason to believe anyone who claims to be the second coming Messiah, because His actual second coming will be unmistakable).
There are other places in the Bible where this description of the sun going dark, the moon not giving light, and the stars falling is used. However, I believe those instances are foreshadowing this end-times event now being discussed (see Isaiah 13 and Ezekiel 32).
“Stars falling from the sky” could be a substantial meteor shower or miraculous forces pulling all man-made satellites out of their orbits, which from the ground would appear like shooting stars as they burn up in the atmosphere.
“Powers of the heavens will be shaken.” In the Bible, the word “heavens” has been used to describe the sky (where the clouds are), outer space (where the stars are), and also heaven itself (where the angels are). Paul, in 2 Corinthians 12, describes himself as having been taken up to the third heaven, meaning not the atmosphere or outer space, but the place where God abides. The heavens being shaken could refer to any of these three, or perhaps even all of them. This could refer to something such as massive lightning storms all over the planet, or some sort of interruption to our lunar tidal cycle, causing massively high and low tides, or it could be that heaven itself is somehow shaken.
Verse 30
At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Commentary
In Acts chapter one we read the following:
After He had said this, they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. They were looking intently into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:9-11)
“He will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.” The sign of the Son of Man appearing in the heavens will be Jesus coming on the clouds. He will descend with the clouds and land on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, exactly as He departed.
“and all the tribes on earth will mourn”
There is an often-quoted phrase used by atheists that goes something like, “I’ll believe it when I see it. If God would just rip open the heavens and step down from the sky, I would immediately believe.” However, this verse proves the opposite. God will literally flash from the heavens like lightning, visible as far as the east is from the west. Then He will descend from the sky, standing atop the clouds; and what does it say? All the tribes of the earth will mourn! The atheists, upon seeing Jesus descending, won’t suddenly believe and be baptized. No! They will mourn. The very sight of Jesus’s return will be so dreadful to them that it will provoke grief, not faith.
Always remember: we do not worship God by proof; we worship Him by faith. Jesus is patient and gracious. Doubting Thomas asked for proof, and as far as I know, he is the only person in history who was accommodated when he said he would not believe until it was shown to him. For the rest of us today, asking for proof before believing is completely contrary to faith.
Seeking proof before belief essentially makes a person God’s judge. They want to examine the evidence and decide whether it is valid. they want to judge God. Faith, on the other hand, centers on the heart. A person who truly wants to believe will do so, even without proof.
I would rather associate with people who genuinely want to be my friend than with those who feel obligated to act like my friend. Jesus feels the same way. He is looking for people whose hearts genuinely love Him, not those who are compelled by proof to acknowledge Him.
Verse 31
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 the heavens to the other.
Commentary
When Christ returns, the human race will enter what is called the Millennial Reign of Christ. It is a period of 1,000 years during which Jesus will rule over all the governments of the world. He will be King. During that time there will be peace on earth, diseases will be cured, and people will live much longer than they do today.
However, only believers will be allowed to enter this Millennial Reign. Unbelievers will not be permitted to enter. This is another reason why Jesus, only moments earlier, mentioned that wherever the vultures gather, there is a carcass.
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying overhead, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings and commanders and mighty men, of horses and riders, of everyone slave and free, small and great.”
Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies assembled to wage war against the One seated on the horse, and against His army. But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. And the rest were killed with the sword that proceeded from the mouth of the One seated on the horse.
And all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. (Revelation 19:17-21)
This is also why Jesus said, ‘If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.’
During the persecution carried out by the Antichrist, nearly all believers will be killed. Then, when He returns, Christ will kill all the unbelievers.
“I will make man scarcer than pure gold, and mankind rarer than the gold of Ophir.” (Isaiah 13:12)
When the Millennial Reign begins, there will be very few people left on the earth. To illustrate, imagine a scenario in which only five people remain alive in the entire state of Texas. Texas is 268,000 square miles in size. A person who survives the tribulation and enters the Millennial Reign might find that they are the only person alive in an entire city. Places filled with skyscrapers will be like ghost towns.
Jesus will send out His angels to gather the elect from the most distant places on earth and will probably bring them to Jerusalem.
Furthermore, the verse says that the elect will not only be gathered from every part of the earth, but also from one end of the heavens to the other.
In the gospel of Mark it’s recorded this way: And He will send out the angels to gather His elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. (Mark 13:27)
The angels will also gather the elect from heaven. Every believer from all of history who went to heaven will be given a resurrected body and brought back to earth for this thousand-year reign. So start making your plans, because whatever you didn’t get to see or do in this life, you will have 1,000 more years to see it and do it. In this life, did you not get to visit the Grand Canyon, see the pyramids in Egypt, or the giant redwood trees in California, or walk along the great wall of China? During the Millennial Reign of Christ, you’ll have 1,000 years to visit those places and everywhere else on earth. Since there will be peace on earth and goodwill toward all people, there will be nowhere you could visit that would pose any danger. You could spend 1,000 years visiting every continent, country, city, state, town, and village on earth, and you will be warmly welcomed everywhere you go.
Verses 32-33
Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you will know that He is near, right at the door.
Commentary
Jesus is instructing us on how to recognize when He is about to return. He begins by saying, ‘Learn this lesson…’ In other words, He wants us to understand the signs of His imminent return.
All deciduous trees, including fig trees, lose their leaves in the fall and grow new leaves in the spring. I have two pear trees in my yard, and every spring I start watching their buds. When the buds turn from brown to green and begin to swell, I know summer is near. Within a week or two, the buds will open, the trees will put out new leaves, and then the flowers will appear, eventually producing delicious pears.
Jesus is saying that when you see all the events He has just described happening, you will know that His return is near.
Verse 34
Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened.
Commentary
The word “this” in verse 34 has been hotly debated for a very long time. Shouldn’t it read “that generation”? If Jesus were referring to end-times prophecy; to events that were two thousand years in the future, wouldn’t He have said “that generation” instead? Why did He say “this generation,” which sounds as though He was referring to the people living in His own time?
This is often the passage that Preterists point to when claiming that Jesus has already returned. But I find that position ridiculous, because the conditions described after Jesus’s second coming are nothing like anything the earth has ever experienced. Furthermore, when we read 2 Thessalonians, it says:
Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to Him, we ask you, brothers, not to be easily disconcerted or alarmed by any spirit or message or letter seeming to be from us, alleging that the Day of the Lord has already come. Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3)
So then, what is Jesus referring to when He says that this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened?
One possibility is that Jesus’s use of the phrase “these things” may refer back to the disciples’ original question in verse 3, when they asked about the destruction of the temple and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen?” If so, Jesus may be narrowing the scope of His discourse and bringing it back to their original question about the temple’s destruction. In that case, the generation living at the time of Jesus would indeed be the ones who would see the destruction of the temple.
For much of my Christian walk, I leaned toward interpreting this verse as referring to the generation alive at the time of the tribulation. But again, why didn’t He say ‘that generation’? The word ‘this’ normally refers to something nearby. Furthermore, Jesus used the phrase ‘this generation’ elsewhere to refer specifically to the people who were alive at that time, (see Matthew 11:16–17 and Matthew 23:36).
Today, my inclination is to interpret this verse as Jesus referring to the Jewish people as a whole. The Amalekites, Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Moabites, and Edomites no longer exist. It is truly miraculous that the Jewish people have survived to this day. So it may be that when Jesus says ‘this generation,’ He is referring to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Jewish people will never be wiped out; they will never pass away.
Verse 35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
Commentary
Jesus is telling the disciples that everything He has just described is absolutely going to happen. It is more likely that heaven and earth will cease to exist than for these end-times prophecies not to happen.
Verse 36-41
No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. And they were oblivious until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.
Commentary
Now hold on just a minute! Only a moment ago, Jesus was telling us to learn a lesson from the fig tree. He said that when we see all these things happening, we will know that His second coming is near. Now He’s telling us that no one knows when it will take place. What’s going on here?
There are two ways to view this verse. The first is to take it at literal face value and conclude that He is saying no one knows the exact day and hour of His second coming; as in a precise moment, such as a hypothetical ‘Tuesday at 11:36 a.m. Eastern Time.’
Some people might conclude that since He had just told us to know summer is near when the fig tree’s buds begin to open, perhaps we can know the season of Christ’s return, but not the exact day or hour.
However, I don’t tend to hold this view because the next verses describe how, just like before the flood, people will be eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage. In other words, people will be completely oblivious to what is about to happen to them. If, like the example of the fig tree, everyone could look around and say to themselves, ‘Well, we can’t say for sure the exact day or hour, but it’s obvious that Jesus will return within the next three months,’ they would not be planning weddings.
Furthermore, consider what will be taking place in the world: wars, famines, earthquakes, nation rising against nation, Christians being killed around the world, the multiplication of wickedness, the abomination of desolation, the sun darkened, the moon failing, and the stars falling. Does that sound like a time when someone would be planning a wedding? No! They would say “You know, honey, there’s a lot going on right now. Maybe we should postpone the wedding.”
Here’s what I’ve concluded. The day and hour that no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father, is the pre-tribulation rapture. Just as in the days of Noah, life will be proceeding as normal for everyone on earth. People will be eating and drinking. They will wake up in the morning and have breakfast before heading off to work. They’ll put on their best clothes and go to a wedding. They will be working in the fields or laboring at the mill. They will be completely oblivious to what is about to happen that very day.
The church (i.e. Christ followers) will be removed. This is the rapture. Then God’s wrath will be poured out upon the earth (the tribulation), and after the tribulation Jesus will return to be King in Jerusalem (the Second Coming and Millennial Reign). At that time, Christ followers will be given glorified bodies and will return to the earth to live here for another 1,000 years. After this, the earth will be destroyed by fire, and God will create a new earth like the Garden of Eden, where we will live for eternity.
And the One seated on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” (Revelation 21:5a)
Verses 42-44
Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come. But understand this: If the homeowner had known in which watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. For this reason, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.
Commentary
Jesus is again stating that the rapture will occur on a day no one expects. Then He gives the example of a house being robbed. If you knew at what time of the night the thief was coming, you would have been ready. Jesus is telling us to be ready for the rapture. Although we don’t know the day He is coming, we do know that it will happen, so we should be ready.
I’ve heard pastors offer interpretations of this verse suggesting that Christians might not be ready or are failing to keep watch. For example, one pastor interpreted the verse to mean that Christians might be going about their daily activities while losing focus on spiritual priorities. While that may be good advice, I disagree that the interpretation applies to this verse, because the remainder of this chapter, and the entire next chapter, focuses on what becomes of those who do not keep watch and are not ready; and it is not Spirit-filled believers that Jesus is referring to. So, let’s dig in.
Verses 45-47
Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the others their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
Commentary
The faithful and wise servants whom Jesus has put in charge are His followers (i.e. Christians). “To give the others their food at the proper time” refers to sharing the gospel.
Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4b)
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:18b-20a)
Blessed is the servant whom Jesus finds doing His will when He returns. In the Millennial Reign, that person will be put in charge of many things.
Verses 48-51
But suppose that servant is wicked and says in his heart, ‘My master will be away a long time.’ And he begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not anticipate. Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Commentary
Okay, here is our first glimpse into the identity of those who are not keeping watch and are not ready when Jesus returns. Jesus says, “suppose that servant is wicked.” No Holy Spirit-filled believer who puts their faith in Jesus Christ is ever labeled as “wicked.”
For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. (Ephesians 1:4a)
In this parable, Jesus tells the story of a Christian who assumes the Messiah isn’t coming back anytime soon and begins to mistreat his fellow Christians. This is someone who isn’t really interested in the will of God, but instead is interested in his own selfish gain. This could be the pastor who’s on a power trip (think of Tony Alamo, Jim Jones, and David Koresh).
Jesus continues by saying that the servant who isn’t ready may be eating, drinking, and getting drunk. In other words, he’s pursuing worldly pleasures.
One evening a man sat down on his couch and turned on his television to watch the local news. But what he saw immediately shocked him. The news story being broadcast showed a mug shot of the man he knew as the assistant pastor at his church. The news report said, “Local pastor arrested for drunk driving.”
A young woman searching for Christian fellowship with people her age decided to attend a church’s young-adult barbecue social event. Upon arriving, however, she noticed that the young-adult-ministry pastor was openly drinking a beer in front of all the late teens and early twenties Christians from the ministry he was leading. She left and never went back to that church again.
“The master of that servant will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not anticipate.”
It’s true that the Christian church has been waiting two thousand years for Christ to return. In that time, perhaps 100 generations have come and gone without seeing the Lord return. However, whether a person witnesses the return of Christ or dies and then stands before Him to be judged, the outcome is the same.
Those who do not put their faith in Jesus Christ, even though they call themselves Christians, will be assigned a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Any time we see the phrase “weeping and gnashing of teeth,” it is referring to hell. Therefore, throughout Matthew 24 and 25, we can conclude that when Jesus is talking about those who are not ready and not keeping watch, He is referring to Christians who are not saved. He is speaking of those who call themselves Christians but have not been filled with the Holy Spirit, because they have not put their faith in Him.
These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men. (Matthew 15:8-9)
One of the objections often put forth by non-believers is that Christians are hypocrites. While this is often used merely as an excuse to reject Christ, what they are actually noticing are the very people Jesus describes here: “But suppose that servant is wicked and says in his heart, “My master will be away a long time.”
In other words, the hypocrisy that unbelievers point to is evidence that Jesus’s warning is true. Among those who call themselves His servants are some who are not truly His. These are the ones who neither keep watch nor are they ready.
Again, I want to point to a song written by Curtis Mayfield titled “People Get Ready”. In it he sings,
“People Get Ready
There’s A Train A Comin’
You Don’t Need No Baggage
You Just Get On Board
All you need is faith
To Hear The Diesels Hummin’
You Don’t Need No Ticket
You Just Thank The lord”
Notice that he sings “People get ready”…..“all you need is faith”. The people who are ready are those who put their faith in Jesus Christ. If you have not yet done so yourself, ask the Lord in prayer to help you to have faith in Him.
“I do believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24b)
Photo credit: flickr Creative Commons, Vultures by Mike Prince
