Matthew 24 For Dummies - Part 7

When Is Christ Returning and What Are the Indicators of His Coming? - Part 2

In the previous Blog I offered, what seems clear in the text, both the timing and the signs of Christ's future, second coming.   This is the coming that is prophesied throughout the Scripture. After Jesus ascended to Heaven, the angels said to the Apostles, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”” (Acts 1:11, ESV).  The Apostle Paul makes it very clear in 1 Corinthians 15:23–24 (ESV), that His Second Coming will bring to pass the end of all things, for we read:

²³ But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. ²⁴ Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.

 This is the enduring hope of the Christian but more importantly it will be a Day when He comes “. . . to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.” (2 Thessalonians 1:10, ESV). 

So when will things take place?  No one but the Father knows (v36).

What will be the indicators leading up to this glorious Day?  There are none (vv37-39).

How then shall we live?  We are to be ready (v44).

Matthew identifies two elements to this glorious Day of the Lord.  Here's what I see and then I will show you in the text where they are:  #1.  There is surprise; and #2. There is separation.

#1. Surprise

“Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:42–44, ESV)

Jesus illustrates the first point.  Storms poignantly asks: "Has a thief ever called your home to tell you when he planned on breaking in? Did he say, 'Hey, I’m coming to steal everything you’ve got at about 3: 30 a.m. Be sure you leave your back door unlocked!'”[1]

The art of thievery requires that you don't signal your places. I remember in Staff College writing a paper of the Normandy Landings on D-Day.  Why was it not an overwhelming success?  Why were so many men lost on those beaches?  The fog that was intended to cover the landing blew away.  To the chagrin of the troops clear skies emerged and the Allies were sitting ducks on the beaches. 

Christ will come when we least expect it. Paul and Jesus are in total harmony.  Paul wrote, “For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2–3, ESV)

Paul also wrote of the unexpectedness of Christ's return: “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51–52, ESV)

#2. Separation

“Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.” (Matthew 24:40–41, ESV)

Good scholars surmise that at that hour one will be taken in judgment and the other left. Some suggest vice versa.  The point is that the world will experience a great separation.  I'm not certain that we can be textually confident to the point we can say who is taken and where.  I think that R.T. France provides the safest analysis:

"We are not told where or why they are 'taken' . . . The verb itself does not determine the purpose of the 'taking,' and it could as well be for judgment [in contrast 'for redemption'] . . . For the moment saved and lost live and work together (as in the parable of the weeds, 13:30, but when 'that day' comes, the separation, will be made and will be final."[2] [emphasis mine]

Application

So Christ's application is again, "Be ready."  “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” (Matthew 25:13, ESV).   From this point onward Jesus provides a total of four parables for the sheer purpose of emphasizing, illuminating and illustrating this most important point: be ready.  They are: The parable of "the homeowner and the thief (24:42–44), the good and wicked servants (24:45–51), the 10 virgins (25:1–13), and the talents (25:14–30).^[3]

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[1] Storms, Sam (2013-04-30). Kingdom Come: The Amillennial Alternative (Kindle Locations 4660-4661). Christian Focus Publications. Kindle Edition.

[2] France, R.T., The Gospel of Matthew, The New International Commentary on the New Testament, William B. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI, 2007, Page 941

^[3] Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1875). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.