TRIBULATION

Matthew 24 Continued

E. J. Davis

V. 29 - “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:” There is going to be a terrible upheaval in the heavens. Read Rev. 16:8-10 and Rev. 6:12.

V. 30 - “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” The Son of man once crucified, seen in the darkened sky coming to deliver His people is the sign. All the tribes of Israel shall see Him, a real man of flesh and bones. Zech. 12:9-14. “The clouds of heaven” are the heavenly hosts of saints. Heb. 12:1. In Rev. 19:14 they are called the armies in heaven. He comes “With power and great glory” - Rev. 19:11-13,15,16.

V. 31 - “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Israel will be gathered where they have been scattered, Dan. 9:7. Redeemed men shall call them back by trumpeting God’s Word.

V. 32,33 - “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.” Another sign is the fig tree (the nation Israel), Hos. 9:10; Isa. 5:1; 6:9-13. As a nation, Israel is yet tender and putting forth some leaves. It is a sign that Israel’s spiritual restoration is near. They will get fruit, when they accept their Messiah.

V. 34 - “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” This could mean the generation when Israel became a nation (1948) will not pass off the scene until all these things be fulfilled. But He changes times and seasons and can lengthen days or shorten them (Dan. 2:21).

V. 35 - “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” II Pet. 3:10; I Pet. 1:25; Heb. 1:10-12.

V. 36 - “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” Jesus as a man didn’t know, but He does now as God, for God knows all things.

V. 37-39 - “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” It will be a surprise to the world and unwelcome as a thief, even as the flood was. It came suddenly sweeping upon the ungodly and took them away in judgment. Gen. 6. This is not the rapture of the church as some preach, but when He comes in judgment.

V. 40-41 - “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” It will be separative and selective. The one taken will be taken in judgment as it was in the flood. Those left were in the ark, they were safe. That day will show plainly who is a believer and who is not. The believer will be left for blessing in the earth.

V. 42,43 - “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.” Watchfulness is the admonition. Tribulation will be night time, Christ will come to Israel, as a Day Star. II Pet. 1:19. We are not in that time, for we are of the day. I Thess. 5:5,6,24.

V. 44-47 - “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.” This message to Israel, is an example to us that God loves faithfulness. Let us be wise and take this to heart.

V. 48-51 - “But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” This principle applys to us also. The wise and faithful servant watches and expects his Lord to come any day.