Post by mfox on May 2, 2018 2:41:35 GMT
The following is my understanding of Matthew chapter 24 also know as the Olivit discourse. Only God knows the truth of this chapter and I do not desire to take anything away or add to his scriptures. This is my view of these events that some people believe to be different. Please read each verse and reference verse as you go through this study.
My book references for this study was the NIV study Bible, The apocalypse code by Hank Hanegraaff, and The fall of Jerusalem by Josephus.
Matthew chapter 24 is Mathews version of the Olivit Discourse other versions are found in Luke chapter 17 and 21 and Mark chapter 13. It is important to note that some versions have different words in them this is not by any means any contradictions but different words were used because they were written to different audiences. Take note also that neither Matthew, Mark or Luke actually heard Jesus, words only Peter’ James’ John and Andrew were present when Jesus gave the Olivit Discourse.
If the book of Revelation was written in the mid 60’s and not the mid 90’s (as some believe) then that would change a lot of views of what the Book of Revelation is about. If it was written before 70 AD you would think that it would include a warning about the destruction of Jerusalem and the coming great tribulation on the saints under the Roman rule of Nero which I think it does. This would then possibly change some peoples views of Matthew chapter 24. The book of Revelation was written to the seven churches in Asia, to warn them about what must soon take place because the time is near. If the book of Revelation was written after 70AD, it seems unlikely that there would be no reference at all to the worse day in Jewish history when almost eleven out of twelve people died (1.1 million killed and 97000 taken prisoner) their city and temple was destroyed. Jesus prophesied that their temple would be destroyed in their generation. Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed in their generation just like Jesus had said.
Matthew chapter 23 must be read before Matthew chapter 24 to fully understand the context of Matthew chapter 24,especially from
Matthew chapter 23:33-39.
33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’[c]”
Their are two fortellings to Mathew chapter 24
Matthew Ch 21:33-45
33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a wine press in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. 34 When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.
35 “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36 Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. 37 Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.
38 “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”
41 “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”
42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
“‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’[h]?
43 “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. 44 Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”
45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them.
and Matthew Ch 22 :1-14
1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
4 “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’
5 “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.
13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
Jesus was explaining how Israel would reject and kill their Messiah.
The disciples asked Jesus three questions in Mt 24:3
When will this happen ? (the destruction of the temple)
What will be the sign of your coming? (to bring judgment to Jerusalem)
And the sign of the end of the age? (the temple age)
Mark chapter 13, Luke chapter 21 are other versions of the Olivit discourse.
Jesus used the term this generation in the book of Matthew in Ch 23:36
36Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.
Matthew 24:34
34Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
to mean this actual generation as he also used the term this generation to mean this actual generation in
Mt 11:16
16To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others
Mt 12:39
39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
MT12: 41-42.
41The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.
and 45
Mt 23:36 .
36Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.
Why would Jesus confuse them by using the term this generation in Matthew 24 if he meant a different generation as he meant this actual generation in those other verses.
Other key verses Mt Ch 16:28
28Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
Mt Ch 10:23
23When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
Mt Ch 26:63-64
63But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
64 “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
lets read and discus the verses of Matthew chapter 24.
Please pray and read each verse as you go through the study.
Mt 24 :1-2
1 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down
Jesus and his disciples are leaving the temple area and Jesus tells them that the temple will be destroyed.
Mt 24:3
3As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?
”
The three questions asked by the disciples we mentioned above.
Mt 24:4 Jesus answered:
4“Watch out that no one deceives you.
Watch out that no one deceives you ( you means the disciples that were asking him the questions. Jesus always meant the disciples when he said the word you to them. Jesus also said many times to the Pharisees in chapter 23 woe to you to mean the Pharisees that he was talking to. They were to warn other Christians and non Christians ) (notice how many times he says you in the verses)
Mt 24:5-8.
5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
The things mentioned in these verses happened before 70AD, there were many false Christ, wars involving Rome, wars between Rome and the Jews, and both Rome and Jerusalem had civil wars, there were also famines and earth quakes in various places.
Mt 24:9-13 beginning of birth pains.
9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
We see this prophesy partially fulfilled in the book of Acts. (Vs 13 - those who stand firm to the end will be saved, means, standing firm even until death, and they will receive life.
Mt 24:14
14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
This shows that the disciples were asking about the end of the temple sacrificial age as the whole world was preached to before 70AD .
Paul says the gospel was preached to the whole known world in
Romans Ch 1:8
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world
and
Ch10:17-18
,17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. 18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:
“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.”
Paul also mentions it in
Colossians Ch 1:6
6 that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.
and Ch 1:23
23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant
.
Acts chapter 2:5
5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.
This verse shows that Jews from all over the world heard the gospel in their own tongue and could take it back to their own countries and share the good news.
Mt 24:15-16
15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand— 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
When you (This generation) see the abomination that causes desolation. Spoken of through the prophet Daniel.(let the reader understand) then let those in Judea flee to the mountains. (The next verse from Luke ties into this verse.)
Luke 21:20
20When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies you know its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains let those in the city get out and let those in the country not enter the city.
(This shows that these verses are the same moments in 70 AD not in our future)
Josephus in his account of the fall of Jerusalem wrote, "The city and the temple were filled with the dead bodies (from the civil war happening inside the city). Into the sacred untrodden precincts they poured armed to the teeth with their hand dripping with blood of there fellow countrymen." They suspended the daily sacrifices because of the fighting and the Romans were disgusted by how the Jews profaned their holy ground. Titus said to them," you disgusting people why are you trampling dead bodies in your Temple. I do not believe there is a God watching over you now I compel you not to desecrate your Temple." If you change your battle ground no Roman will go near it or insult it".
The Jews desecrated their own Temple but not by pigs blood as Daniel was prophesied about Antiochus IV Epiphanies in 167BC but this time it was the corpses of Pharisees.
The Roman armies and what was happening in the temple were the abomination which caused desolation. When the Roman armies first surrounded Jerusalem and withdrew the Christians fled the area not one Christian was killed in the siege. When Jesus died the temple veil was torn into two from the top to the bottom. God tore the veil into two. The Jews rejected and killed there Messiah and they didn't recognize who Jesus was because he wasn't who they thought the Messiah would be they thought the Messiah would kick out the Romans. This then set up the abomination that caused desolation. Isaiah 66 states that God saw the Jews sacrifices as an abomination. Only the rejection of Jesus' death can cause it to happen as that was the final sacrifice that was needed to take place to pay for our sins.
Mt 24:17-18
17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak.
Do not hesitate leave at once.
Mt 24:19
19How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!
Josephus wrote in his account that Mary daughter of Eleazar became so hungry and filled with fury at the looters she took her baby boy and said, "poor little mite why should I save you for slavery if we live come be my food" and she cooked and ate half of her baby to spite the looters. It was the only time the looters and partisans shrunk away quivering from anything. News got out to Titus and he was so disgusted by this abomination and how they desecrated their own Temple that he said he would not let a city that did these things to remain on the earth for the sun to look upon.
Mt 24: 20
20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.
When Jesus mentioned the Sabbath he was speaking to the generation who were still under the Sabbath law. The Sabbath wouldn't mater to gentiles in the distant future. Back in the first century the gates of Jerusalem were closed on the Sabbath. Jesus was saying that if this happened on the sabbath the saints wouldn't of been able to leave the city before it was too late.
Mt 24:21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.
This was the worse time in Jewish history, God abandoned them and their city was destroyed and about eleven out of twelve people were killed.
Mt 24: 22
22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
The 97000 prisoners could be some of the elect. They may have realized that Jesus was the Christ, as his prediction would prove his divinity and many of them were taken to other nations and may have spread the gospel. (this next verse from Luke also ties into this verse)
Luke Ch 21:24
24They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
This is the same section or time line in Mt Ch 24
Telling us Jesus is still talking about the siege of Jerusalem.
Mt 24:23-26
23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time.26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.
Josephus wrote that during the siege false prophets were told by the party chiefs to deceive the people to reduce the number of deserters. They told the people that God had promised them deliverance and that God commanded them to go up to the temple area to receive the sign of their deliverance in the last surviving colonnade. When the Romans in their fury found them they set ablaze to the colonnade and not one out of the 6000 people (mostly women and children) survived.
Mt 24:27
27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Jesus coming will be like lightning in the sky it will be sudden. When the Romans broke into the temple in their fury they didn’t stop, not even Titus could stop them they just kept killing and destroying everyone and everything in their path.
Mt 24:28
28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.
There were dead bodies every where.
Mt 24:29
29“Immediately after the distress of those days
“‘the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’
I feel this verse is not to be taken literally, the sun will not be darkened, the moon will still give its light , the stars will not fall from the sky and the heavenly bodies will not be physically shaken. This verse is written in the same way as
Isaiah Ch13: 9-10
9 See, the day of the Lord is coming
—a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger—
to make the land desolate
and destroy the sinners within it.
10 The stars of heaven and their constellations
will not show their light.
The rising sun will be darkened
and the moon will not give its light.
Which refers to the judgment of Babylon. This is the judgment of Jerusalem. Isaiah and Joel uses most of the same terms. The Jewish people listening to Peter would have recognized these words as describing God’s judgment. Now Jesus is saying that it will fall on their nation.
Acts 2:16
16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
Peter says that days of and after Pentecost was prophesied about in Joel chapter 2.
Acts 2:20
20The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
Was a quote from Joel 2:31
31The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
This shows that Matthew 24:29 and Acts 2:20 and Joel 2:31 are talking about the same event.
Mt 24:30
30“Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory
Josephus wrote of how a star stood over the city in the shape of a broadsword and of a comet that remained a whole year.
Coming on the clouds or a day of clouds in the old testament also meant coming destruction just like in
Isaiah Ch 19:1
1 See, the Lord rides on a swift cloud
and is coming to Egypt.
The idols of Egypt tremble before him,
and the hearts of the Egyptians melt with fear
Ezekiel Ch 30:3-4
3 For the day is near,
the day of the Lord is near—
a day of clouds,
a time of doom for the nations.
4 A sword will come against Egypt,
and anguish will come upon Cush.
When the slain fall in Egypt,
her wealth will be carried away
and her foundations torn down.
Joel Ch 2:1-2
1Blow the trumpet in Zion;
sound the alarm on my holy hill.
Let all who live in the land tremble,
for the day of the Lord is coming.
It is close at hand—
2 a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and blackness.
Like dawn spreading across the mountains
a large and mighty army comes,
such as never was in ancient times
nor ever will be in ages to come.
When Rome besieged the city as Jesus had predicted The high priest would have remembered what Jesus said in
Matthew 26:63-66
63 But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
64 “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66 What do you think?”
“He is worthy of death,” they answered.
Did you notice above that Jesus said FROM NOW ON? How could they see him from now on?
They would of realized that Jesus was the Messiah as he claimed to be the one mentioned in Daniel chapter 7:13-14
.Daniel 7:13-14
13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
It also states here with power and glory just like this verse in Matthew
The new testament mentions a few times that Jesus is coming on the clouds the only problem is that it never says that he is coming on the clouds to the earth. The only mention of where Jesus is going on the clouds is in Daniel 7:13, Jesus was coming on the clouds TO heaven.
All the people of the earth will mourn. I believe that mystery Babylon is Jerusalem and the nation of Israel. This verse matches the nations mourning over the destruction of Babylon the great in Revelation 18:9-11
9 The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, 10 standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’
11 “And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore:
It also was mentioned when God warned Jerusalem of destruction in Jeremiah 4:28
For this shall the earth mourn,
And the heavens above be black,
Because I have spoken.
I have purposed and will not relent,
Nor will I turn back from it
These verses show that the known earth would mourn when Jerusalem was destroyed because the nations shared in her sins and grew rich from her.
Mt 24:31
31And he will send 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.
This is not the rapture it doesn't say gather them up to heaven it just says gather his elect. It even says in verse 29 immediately after those days meaning everything up to that verse in this chapter. If this was the rapture in a way like a lot of people believe it would be before the events of this chapter like the desecration of the temple.
If this was the rapture then why would Jesus tell us in verse 16 to flee? Why would we flee if we would be shortly raptured?
The book of Matthew was written to Jews and I believe that they would of understood this verse to be God gathering them from the world onto himself and would of thought back to (not that these were the same events but to understanding the contex)
Isaiah 11:12
He will raise a banner for the nations
and gather the exiles of Israel;
he will assemble the scattered people of Judah
from the four quarters of the earth.
and
Isaiah 27:12-13
12 In that day the Lord will thresh from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt, and you, Israel, will be gathered up one by one. 13 And in that day a great trumpet will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled in Egypt will come and worship the Lord on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.
This is after In Mt Ch 23: 37
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing
Jesus wanted to gather the Jewish people together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wing (to protect them) but they were not willing.
It also says from the four winds of heaven and Jew from all over the earth came to Jerusalem for the passover in 70AD.
Who are the elect?
In Mark Ch 13:20
20 “If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them.
I believe the elect are the Jewish people God chose protect the 97000 people did survive like in Romans 11:1-10
Romans 11:
1 I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, 3 “Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”? 4 But what does the divine response say to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace.[c] But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. 8 Just as it is written:
“God has given them a spirit of stupor,
Eyes that they should not see
And ears that they should not hear,
To this very day.”[d]
9 And David says:
“Let their table become a snare and a trap,
A stumbling block and a recompense to them.
10 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see,
And bow down their back always.”[e]
In Luke Ch 21:24
24They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
I believe Jesus chose to protect and save the elect and they would have realized who Jesus was and tell the story of his prediction coming to pass in their generation to the other nations. Jesus also did not want all of the Jews there to perish he wanted some to survive.
Mt 24:32-33
32 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door
When you see these signs it is imminent.
Mt 24:34
34I tell you the truth this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened. This is the key verse. Jesus is telling us that all he has said in this chapter is about the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple.
It is also one of the most miss understood verses in scripture.
Bertrand Russell a world class philosopher and leading intellect wrote a book called why I am not a Christian.
Albert Schweitzer believed Jesus was a false prophet.
Gerald Sigal an unbelieving Jew wrote on the web site Jews for Judaism that Jesus unfulfilled his promise.
Why are these three people claiming these things ?
Because Jesus said in Mathew Ch24:34
34I tell you the truth this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened
.
They believe like most people that these things did not happen in that generation therefore Jesus’s prediction did not come to pass in that generation making him to be a false prophet. But I believe history and the understanding of what the scriptures really mean in Mathew Ch 24 proves that these things did happen in that generation in 70 AD, and reveals Jesus to be who he says he is the Christ the Messiah and is sitting on the thrown.
Mt Ch 24:35
35Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
I believe when "Jesus said this to show that he meant what he said in verse 34 and it is to be taken literally to prove that he was the Messiah.
Mt Ch 24:36-38
36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 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;
A warning no one knows exactly when this will happen, only the Father. God is warning people to always be ready. Live a Godly life we don't know when your last day will be.
Mt Ch 24:39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
Notice the words say the flood came and took them away not the flood came and killed them. They were judged. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of man. (Judgment)
Mt Ch 24:40-41
40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
This is also one of the most misunderstood verses in scripture. This is not the rapture, this is judgment. Notice the word used in these two verses taken. Just like the words took them away in verse 39. In Noah’s day It was better to be left like Noah than to of be taken away.
Jesus tells us we’re they will be taken when He was asked in
Luke 17:30-37
30 “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. 32 Remember Lot’s wife! 33 Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. 34 I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. 35 Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.” [36] [e]
37 “Where, Lord?” they asked.
He replied, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.”
Thus they were taken in judgement
Mt Ch 24:42-44
42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.
Another warning, keep watch, be ready, you do not know which day will be your last. Live a Godly life.
Mt Ch 24:45-51
45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
A third warning, learn the lesson of Israel, who thought they could do as they please, and that God would always be with them. God will show his grace and warn you to get right with him, but his patients has limits. Again, live a Godly life, you never know what day will be your last. You may miss out on the blessing of Gods plan for your life that will bless you and others. God ended his time with Israel and shared that blessing with the gentiles. He now uses Christians gentiles and Jews by spiritual birth, not Jewish birth, to spread his message to the world. Be ready when Jesus comes back.
This study reminds me of Mt 21:13
13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’[e] but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’[f]”
when Jesus cast the money changers out of the temple, saying "it is written my house will be called a house of prayer." A few chapters later in MT 23:38 Jesus said
38"look your house is left to you desolate."
Jesus went from saying my house to your house, showing that Gods presence would leave the temple.
I am doing the study because first I believe that the truth matters. Secondly if Jesus is predicting these things at that time it is important and needs to be understood . Lastly, I believe if people understood that this prophecy has been fulfilled in that generation almost two thousand years ago it would vindicate who Jesus was and help people especially the Jews to believe in Jesus as The Messiah.
