The Lord came out from the temple, indicating that He had left the temple. This was to fulfill His word in Matt. 23:38, concerning His leaving the temple to the rejecting Jews as their house of desolation. This was equivalent to God's glory leaving the temple in the ancient time (Ezek. 10:18).
The entire precincts of the temple.
This was fulfilled in A.D. 70 when Titus and the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem.
To receive the vision of the Lord's prophecy concerning this age, we need to climb the high mountain to enter into His presence.
The disciples' question concerned three matters:
1) the time when "these things" would take place, including not only the destruction of the temple (v. 2) but also the things mentioned in Matt. 23:32-39 ;
2) the sign of Christ's coming;
3) the sign of the consummation of the age.
The Lord's word from Matt. 24:4-51; 25:1-46 answered the disciples' question concerning these three matters.
Matt. 24:27, 37, 39
Gk. parousia, which means presence. Christ's coming will be His presence with His people. This presence (parousia) will begin with the rapture of the man-child (Rev. 12:5) and the rapture of the firstfruits (Rev. 14:1-4) and will end with His appearing on the earth with the saints. During the period of His parousia there will be the great tribulation (v. 21; Rev. 9:1-21; 11:14; 16:1-21), which will begin with supernatural calamities (Rev. 6:12-17; 8:7-12); Christ's descending to the air (Rev. 14:14); the rapture of the majority of the believers to the air (1 Thes. 4:15-17); the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10); and the marriage of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7-9). (See the chart "The Seventy Weeks and the Coming of Christ, with the Rapture of the Saints" at the end of the New Testament.)
The Lord's answer has three sections: the first section (vv. 4-31) concerns the Jews, who are the chosen; the second (Matt. 24:32-51; 25:1-30) concerns the church; and the third (Matt. 25:31-46) concerns the Gentiles (the nations). The first section, concerning the Jews, should be interpreted literally, whereas the second section, concerning the church, should be interpreted spiritually, because it is spoken in parables for the reason given in Matt. 13:11-13. For instance, the winter in v. 20 is the actual winter, but the summer in v. 32 is a symbol signifying the time of restoration. The third section, concerning the Gentiles, also should be interpreted literally.
Some aspects of the prophecy in vv. 4-14 have been fulfilled, and some are in the process of being fulfilled. At the time of the great tribulation, which will be the consummation, the end, of this age, the prophecy will be fully fulfilled.
Wars here denotes all the wars from the first century to the present. They are signified by the red horse of the second seal in Rev. 6:3-4.
The end denotes the consummation of this age (v. 3; Dan. 12:4, 6-7, 9), which will be the three and a half years of the great tribulation. Although vv. 6-9 and v. 14 are in the section concerning Israel, the tribulations and the preaching of the gospel mentioned in these verses take place generally, in the whole world, from the time of Christ's ascension to the end of this age. Verse v. 15, immediately following v. 14, speaks concerning the beginning of the great tribulation (v. 21), which is the time when Antichrist will set up his image in the temple of God, which image will thereby become the abomination of desolation.
Nation denotes the people, the Gentiles; kingdom denotes an empire.
Famines issue mainly from war. According to history, war has often brought famine, signified by the black horse of the third seal in Rev. 6:5-6.
Birth pangs are for the bringing forth of a child. In His New Testament economy, God's desire and purpose are to bring forth many sons (Gal. 3:26; Heb. 2:10) as His expression. Hence, birth pangs here refers to all the tribulations in the New Testament age, including wars, famines, earthquakes, afflictions, and persecutions, as mentioned in vv. 6-9 and v. 21. The birth pangs here are suffered only by the New Testament believers for the Lord's sake, whereas the travailing in birth in Rev. 12:2 refers to all the travailings suffered throughout the generations by God's people in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. These tribulations, along with the preaching of the gospel (v. 14), are used by God to produce His many sons so that He can constitute the church in this age, accomplish the kingdom in the coming age, and produce the New Jerusalem in eternity as the ultimate consummation of the church and the kingdom that He may have an eternal expression in eternity future. Gal. 4:19 and Rev. 12:2 and Rev. 12:5 confirm this viewpoint.
Referring to the Jewish disciples, who were the prophets and wise men sent to the Jews (Matt. 23:34).
See note Matt. 10:221.
The gospel of the kingdom, which includes the gospel of grace (Acts 20:24), brings people not only into God's salvation but also into the kingdom of the heavens (Rev. 1:9). The gospel of grace emphasizes forgiveness of sin, God's redemption, and eternal life, whereas the gospel of the kingdom emphasizes the heavenly ruling of God and the authority of the Lord. This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole earth for a testimony to all the nations before the end of this age. Hence, that preaching, signified by the white horse of the first seal in Rev. 6:1-2, will be a sign of the consummation of this age.
The gospel of the kingdom is a testimony to all the nations (Gentiles). This testimony must spread to the whole earth before the end of this age, the time of the great tribulation.
See note Matt. 24:62a.
No one knows the length of time spanning the events mentioned in vv. 4-14. But the prophecy in vv. 15-31, concerning the remnant of the Jews, definitely will be fulfilled in the last three and a half years of this age, the time of the great tribulation, the second half of the last week prophesied in Dan. 9:27, which will begin with the setting up of Antichrist's image (the idol) in the temple (v. 15) and will end with Christ's open coming (v. 30).
Abomination denotes an idol (Deut. 29:17). Here it refers to Antichrist's image, which will be set up as an idol in the temple of God (Rev. 13:14-15; 2 Thes. 2:4) at the beginning of the great tribulation (v. 21). Hence, this idol will be another sign of the consummation of this age.
Holy place here refers to the sanctuaries in God's temple (Psa. 68:35; Ezek. 7:24; 21:2).
For those who are pregnant or are nursing babies, it will be difficult to escape.
Winter is a time when escape is difficult.
On the Sabbath one was allowed to walk only a short distance (Acts 1:12), a distance not adequate for escaping. The mentioning of the Sabbath here indicates that the Jews would still keep the Sabbath after the restoration of the nation of Israel. The disciples, the audience for the Lord's word here, had a twofold status, one as representatives of the remnant of the Jews and the other as the New Testament believers, who constitute the church. In the section of the Lord's word that concerns the Jews (vv. 4-31), the disciples represent the remnant of the Jews, whereas in the section that concerns the church (Matt. 24:32-51; 25:1-30), they represent the New Testament believers. In the four Gospels, in matters regarding outward circumstances, the Lord treated His disciples as Jews, but in matters concerning spirit and life, He considered them New Testament believers.
The great tribulation will occur in the last three and a half years of this age. See note Rev. 11:24d. The great tribulation spoken of here will have Jerusalem as its center and Judea as its circumference, whereas the trial mentioned in Rev. 3:10 will have Rome as its center and the whole inhabited earth as its circumference.
The great tribulation will last only three and a half years. See note Rev. 11:24d.
The chosen here refers to the Jews, God's chosen people (Rom. 11:28). So in the succeeding verses.
The Jews rejected Jesus as their Messiah and are expecting a Messiah who is yet to come. They need to be warned that Messiah, the Christ, will not arise here or there on earth but will descend from heaven on the cloud.
Antichrist will be the last of the false Christs and will work signs and lying wonders with the power of Satan in order to deceive the perishing (2 Thes. 2:3, 9-10).
Another beast in Rev. 13:11 denotes the last of the false prophets (Rev. 19:20), who will do great signs to deceive those who dwell on earth (Rev. 13:13-14).
Lit., give.
The wilderness is where a person might go in order to separate himself from the world. His doing this might easily cause people to wonder whether he is the Messiah, as happened in the case of John the Baptist (Matt. 3:1; John 1:19-20).
Or, private rooms; a place where a person can make himself appear mystical so as to charm people.
The second coming of Christ has two aspects: one is the secret aspect, related to His watchful believers; the other is the open aspect, related to the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles. The lightning here signifies the open aspect, which will take place after the great tribulation (vv. 29-30), whereas the thief's coming in v. 43 signifies the secret aspect, which will occur before the great tribulation. Lightning may be considered as being concealed in a cloud, waiting for an opportunity to flash forth. In a similar way, Christ will be clothed with a cloud (Rev. 10:1) in the air for a time and then will suddenly appear, like a flash of lightning striking the earth. Hence, the Lord's coming like a flash of lightning will be a sign of the end of the Lord's parousia (see note Matt. 24:33d). This implies also that the Lord is like electricity.
See note Matt. 24:33d. So in vv. 37, 39.
Taken in context, vv. 15, 21 imply that at the end of this age Antichrist will be the cause of the great tribulation. It is he who will need to be judged and destroyed. All people in Adam are dead (1 Cor. 15:22); thus, the evil Antichrist, who with his evil armies will war against the Lord at Armageddon (Rev. 19:17-21), is in the eyes of the Lord a stinking corpse, good for the vultures' appetite. Furthermore, in the Scriptures both the Lord and those who trust in Him are likened to an eagle (Exo. 19:4; Deut. 32:11; Isa. 40:31), and the swift, destroying armies are likened to flying eagles (Deut. 28:49; Hosea 8:1). Hence, the vultures here, being predatory birds of the eagle kind, refer undoubtedly to Christ and His overcomers, who will come as a swift, flying army to war against Antichrist and his armies and destroy them at Armageddon, thus executing God's judgment upon them. This indicates not only that at His appearing, Christ with His overcoming saints will appear in the place where Antichrist is with his armies, but also that Christ with His overcomers will appear swiftly from the air like vultures. This corresponds with the flash of lightning in the foregoing verse.
This is strong proof that the open coming of Christ will take place after the great tribulation (v. 21).
This supernatural calamity will occur in heaven after the great tribulation, at the close of the end of this age (see note Rev. 6:122a). This differs from the calamities of the sixth seal and the fourth trumpet (Rev. 6:12-13; 8:12), which will occur at the beginning of the great tribulation.
We have no way of knowing what this sign is. However, it must be supernatural and clearly visible (perhaps like the lightning in v. 27), appearing in heaven.
The tribes here are the tribes of the nation of Israel, and the land is the Holy Land. At the Lord's appearing, all the tribes of Israel will repent and mourn (Zech. 12:10-14; Rev. 1:7).
Lit., beat the breast.
By this time the Lord will no longer be in the cloud but on the cloud, appearing to the people on earth. This is the open aspect of His second coming. See note Rev. 10:12a and note Rev. 14:141.
In Christ's first coming He manifested His authority in acts such as His casting out of demons and His healing of diseases (Mark 6:7; Matt. 8:8-9), to vindicate Himself as the heavenly King; whereas in His second coming He will exercise His power to execute God's judgment, to destroy Antichrist and his armies, and to bind Satan, for the establishing of His kingdom on earth.
Deut. 30:3-5; Isa. 43:5-7; 49:9-13, 22-26; 51:11; 56:8; 60:4; 62:10-12; 27:13; Ezek. 34:13; 37:21; 28:25
After the great tribulation, at His coming back to earth, the Lord will gather together to the Holy Land the scattered Jews from all parts of the earth. This will be the fulfillment not only of the Lord's word in Matt. 23:37 but also of God's promise in the Old Testament (see references above).
But indicates that v. 32 begins another section. This section, Matt. 24:32-51; 25:1-30, concerns the church.
Jer. 24:2, 5, 8; Hosea 9:10
The fig tree, signifying the nation of Israel, was cursed in Matt. 21:19 (see notes there). It passed through a long winter, from the first century A.D. to 1948, when Israel was restored as a nation. At that time its branch became tender and put forth its leaves. To the believers this fig tree is a sign of the end of this age.
The branch's becoming tender signifies that life has come back.
The putting forth of leaves signifies engaging in outward activities.
Winter signifies the time of being dried up (Matt. 21:19), the time of tribulation (vv. 7-21); summer signifies the age of the (restored) kingdom (Luke 21:30-31), which will begin at the Lord's second coming.
All these things refers to the things predicted in vv. 7-32.
Generation here does not refer to a generation defined according to an age or a person, like the generations mentioned in Matt. 1:17 it refers to a generation defined by the moral condition of the people, like the generations in Matt. 11:16; 12:39, 41-42, 45 and Prov. 30:11-14.
The Son, standing in the position of the Son of Man (v. 37), does not know the day and hour of His coming back.
The Lord's coming (parousia) will be like the days of Noah. This indicates that when the Lord's parousia is about to come, it will be like the days of Noah; that is, the situation before the Lord's coming will be like that in the days of Noah.
For indicates that this verse is the explanation of why and how the Lord's parousia will be like the days of Noah. In the days of Noah the following conditions existed:
1) people were befuddled by eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage,
2) they did not know that judgment was coming, until the flood came and took them away.
When the Lord's parousia is about to come, people will likewise be befuddled by the necessities of this life and will not know that God's judgment (signified by the flood) will come upon them by the Lord's appearing. The believers, however, should be de-drugged and should soberly know that Christ is coming to execute God's judgment upon this corrupted world.
In the beginning, eating, drinking, and marriage were ordained by God for man's existence. But because of man's lust Satan utilizes these necessities of human life to occupy man and keep him from God's interest. At the end of this age, near the coming of the Lord's parousia, this kind of situation will be intensified.
At that time indicates that while the worldly people are befuddled by the material things and have no sense of the coming judgment, some of the sober and watchful believers will be taken. To the befuddled and senseless people, this should be a sign of Christ's coming.
These men must be brothers in Christ.
Both in the field and grinding signify working for a living. Although the believers should not be befuddled by the necessities of this life, they need to work for a living. Any thought of giving up proper work by which one earns a living is another extreme of Satan's tactics.
This is to be raptured before the great tribulation. This rapture is a sign of the Lord's coming (parousia) and a sign to the Jews.
These women must be sisters in the Lord.
See note Matt. 24:403.
See note Matt. 24:404.
Householder refers to the believer, and house to the conduct and work that a believer has built up in his Christian life.
A thief comes at an unknown time to steal precious things. The Lord will come secretly, as a thief, to those who love Him and will take them away as His treasures. Hence, we should watch (v. 42).
Householder refers to the believer, and house to the conduct and work that a believer has built up in his Christian life.
This is the Lord's secret coming to the watchful overcomers.
Household refers to the believers (Eph. 2:19), who constitute the church (1 Tim. 3:15).
Give them food refers to ministering the word of God and Christ as the life supply to the believers in the church.
Here to be blessed is to be rewarded with the authority to rule in the manifestation of the kingdom.
In the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens, the Lord will set the faithful slave over all His possessions. This will be a reward to him.
The evil slave is a saved believer, as seen in the fact that
1) he was appointed by the Lord (v. 45),
2) he called the Lord "my Master,"
3) he believed that the Lord was coming.
This is to mistreat fellow believers.
This is to keep company with worldly people, who are drunk with worldly things.
Referring to being cut off from the glorious Christ, from the glory of His kingdom, and from His glorious presence in His kingdom, unable to participate in Christ and the glory of His kingdom in the manifestation of the kingdom, which the faithful slaves will enjoy (v. 45; 25:21, 23). This corresponds with cast out ...into the outer darkness in the conclusion of the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30), which completes this section, vv. 45-51.
This is not to perish eternally but to be chastened dispensationally. See note Heb. 12:281a.
See note Matt. 6:22b.
See note Matt. 8:123b.
