SECTION 11: THE PROPHECIES OF THE KING’S RETURN
CHAPTER 56
THE COMING OF CHRIST
OR
AN EXHORTATION TO WATCHFULNESS
Scripture To Consider:
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give her light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes [people] of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
“And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24.29-31
Something To Consider:
The tribulation of those days in which Jesus was speaking is to be ended or followed by the glorious appearing of King Jesus. His return, however, will be immediately preceded by certain definite signs, so startling and so terrifying that they can leave no doubt as to the certainty of the event which is to follow. These signs are described, however, in figures which are as ominous as they are impressive. According to Jesus, “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give her light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”
Then occurs the event all true believers of every age have been waiting for, for which the weary world has waited, by which the work of the true church will be crowned, and her hopes fulfilled, namely, the personal and glorious appearing of the crucified, risen, and ascended Lord Jesus. And according to Jesus, “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven.”
Whether this sign is to be distinguished from the event itself, and if so, what its nature may be, it is useless to conjecture. The event is gloriously stated by Jesus; “And then all the tribes [people] of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
For Christ’s enemies it will be a time of dread and of terror; “All the tribes of the earth will mourn.” For His faithful enduring to the end followers, it is to be a time of deliverance and of triumph according to Jesus; “And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” At that time His faithful servants will rejoice in the visible presence of their Lord, in the triumph and in the reign of their King.
More Scripture To Consider:
“Now learn this parable from the fig tree. When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near, at the very doors. Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things are fulfilled. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
“But of that day and hour no one knows, no, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days of the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”
“Then 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. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, you also be ready for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him.”
“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 24.32-51
Something Else To Consider:
With this great event in view Jesus urges upon His followers a spirit of watchfulness. For them, His coming is not to be unexpected. The signs to which He has just referred will as clearly warn of His approach as the budding of the trees after the winter freeze suggest the approach of spring. Even the generation then living was to witness the destruction of Jerusalem which was in itself to be a type and a sign of the greater event which lay in the more distant future.
However long the delay might be, the predictions by Jesus were certain to be fulfilled. Jesus declared that His words would by no means pass away without them being fulfilled. The exact time of His return, however, was known by no human being or angel. Of this even He, who became a man and humbled Himself, was voluntarily ignorant of the timing. According to Jesus, it was known only to His Father in heaven.
It was, however, to be at a time when the world would be indifferent and careless. As in the days of Noah men were absorbed in their usual worldly occupations and worldly pleasures until the very time of the flood. So at the very close of this present age, men, women, and young people will be indifferent and careless as to the return of Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords.
The event will at last come with startling suddenness. Fellow workers will be separated in the field of whatever occupation as well as in the home. One will be taken to meet the King and another will be left to his or her impending doom. In view of such an event our Lord urges watchfulness, such as should be shown by one who is on guard against the approach of a thief.
And still more, one should be as a servant who desires to be found faithfully employed at his or her assigned task when their Master returns. So Jesus urges upon His followers such conduct as becomes those who are waiting for the return of their Lord. And yet, this parable of the unfaithful servants seems to refer particularly to those of His followers who are appointed to positions of peculiar trust and power. It is one of three parables connected with the prophecy of the coming of the King.
It was probably spoken with immediate reference to His early disciples concerning 70 A.D., and yet has a future warning that is applicable to a later end time generation of followers. The early disciples and all disciples of every generation were and are to be found guarding themselves against carelessness, self-indulgence, indifference, and self-confidence.
We are also warned against abusing power or privileges. Unfaithfulness will be met by severe penalties, but the faithful and wise servants will be rewarded when our Lord returns. His coming is to be the motive of fidelity and loyal service. Will we be found in the end enduring to the end of our lives or unto the end of the age? Will we be found faithfully watching for the signs of our Lord’s return which according to Jesus will be immediately after the tribulation of the last days?
Something More To Consider:
One thing must be made clear concerning Matthew 24.29-31; that it is apparent that Jesus is most likely describing in brief terminology, a to the point short synopsis of end time events leading up to what is biblically named as the “Blessed Hope”, or more recently depicted as the rapture. No matter which term we prefer, Jesus was indeed explaining an end time event He describes as the gathering of His still alive on earth enduring to the end elect believers, before God the Father releases His forewarned of wrath upon a Christ rejecting generation of unbelievers.
The tribulation of those days that Jesus was referencing in our Scripture to consider, must not be mistaken for the tribulation described in the book of Revelation that depicts God’s wrath being poured out upon a rebellious Christ rejecting world. The tribulation of those days that Jesus is speaking of in Matthew 24.29 is instigated by the evil intentions of Satan, the Antichrist, and wicked ruling leaders and or global elites around the world.
It will be a time of great difficulties and perilous persecution, but the time of God’s wrath is not yet. His wrath is still futuristic after the removing of God’s elect still alive upon planet earth, unless God chooses to divinely protect His faithful people in the midst of His wrath as He did so for Noah, Lot, and the children of Israel in Egypt. That is why He is God and we are not.
A Few Final Words:
In order to prove that the tribulation of those days that Jesus was referring to leads to the coming of Christ, one only needs to look closely at Paul’s words of wisdom in 1 Thessalonians 5.9-11. “For God did not appoint us [end time faithful believers] to wrath [God’s wrath], but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake [are alive] or sleep [have died], we should live together with Him [with Jesus]. Therefore, comfort each other and edify one another, just as you are also doing.”
In other words, true born-again believers, according to Jesus and also according to the apostle Paul and the Holy Spirit, will be safely gathered together with other saints to forever be with the Lord. Therefore, according to Jesus, will true believing Christians at that time experience the tribulation of those days? Yes! Will true believing Christians at that time experience the wrath of evil men, Satan’s schemes, the Antichrist’s hatred, and non-believers’ persecution? Yes!
In Closing:
But by no means will a single true enduring to the end saint experience any of the God ordained tribulation judgment and wrath of Almighty God. Of that the Word of God is crystal clear! Whether we are removed from planet earth or gathered together in order to forever be protected, we have nothing to fear of God’s wrath!
Let’s Pray:
Our Father in heaven, thank You for the clear and concise biblical record of the second coming of Jesus Christ to this earth. Thank You Father for the precise timing of the second coming of Christ as it relates to other end time events. Help us father in our heeding the exhortations to watchfulness as it pertains to the coming of worldly tribulation, God’s end time wrath, and the soon coming of Christ and His gathering together of the saints of God. In Him Always, Amen!
According to Jesus 