MATTHEW 24:29-31
Note the exact words of the verses in Revelation above, for they are referring to the same event as Christ (v.30; cp.
Rev.6:17). Christ triggers a great earthquake on earth and astronomical happenings in the heavens above (v.12-14). Men,
great and small, are terrified and hide themselves (v.15) and cry for immediate death instead of having to face Christ (v.16).
Why? Because they know something: “The great day of God’s wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” (v.17).
The disciples had asked, “What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” And Christ is answering
them. Terrifying astronomical happenings will be a sign.
Thought 1. Happenings in nature should cause us to turn our attention toward God. They are reminders of the
stressful events that are to occur in the end time. As Christ said: “Look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemp-
tion draweth nigh” (Lk.21:28). If we look up and trust Him now, catastrophes and circumstances can be borne much
better. His presence with us assures us of strength and endurance and victory (Heb.12:3; cp. 1 Cor.10:13; Mt.28:20;
cp. Heb.13:5-6).
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(24:30) Jesus Christ, Return—End Times: when Christ returns, there will be a second event to occur—there will be
the sign of Christ’s appearing in the heavens. What is the sign? Christ does not specifically say. There are four different
thoughts.
g159 Some say the sign will be a star, just like the star that proclaimed His birth.
g159 Others say it will be the Shekinah glory, His glory shining forth in all the splendor and brightness of God
Himself. His glory will, of course, shine forth as described; but again, Christ does not say specifically that
this is the sign.
g159 Some, including many of the early church fathers, believe the sign will be the cross of Christ. There is no
question that seeing the cross appear in the sky universally would attract attention and signal that
something is about to happen. The cross is the symbol of Christianity and points toward the purpose of God
in the world more than any other single thing.
g159 Many believe the sign to be simply the appearance of the Son of Man Himself (Mt.26:64; Dan.7:13-14).
Note four points.
1. When the sign appears, “all the tribes of the earth mourn.” They know exactly what the sign is and what it means:
the judgment and rule and reign of Christ. The tribes (people) do not have to guess and interpret what it means.
2. When the sign appears, “all the tribes of the earth mourn...and see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven.”
3. The Lord says that His coming will be as lightning, quick and sudden (v.27). Will there be time for a sign other than
His personal appearance?
4. The disciples had asked about the sign: “What shall be the sign of thy coming...?” (v.3). Christ gives them a number
of signs. Perhaps He is simply saying, “Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man [Himself]....” This would, of course, be
a fulfillment of Daniel’s well-known sign of the Son of Man and His coming (Dan.7:13-14).
Whatever the sign, there is one important thing to note: everyone knows exactly what it means. God’s Son is coming to
judge and to rule and reign over all the earth.
“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he
sit upon the throne of his glory: and before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall sepa-
rate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats” (Mt.25:31-32).
“The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust
unto the day of judgment to be punished” (2 Pt.2:9).
“But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved
unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men” (2 Pt.3:7).
“And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord
cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that
are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of
all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him” (Jude 14-15).
“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the
heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great,
stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book
of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according
to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up
the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And
death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not
found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev.20:11-15).
Thought 1. There shall be a sign that triggers the coming of the Son of Man. Whatever the sign is, four things are
certain.
1) Now the stars point toward the eternal power and Godhead and love of God in a beautiful creation. Then
the stars shall point toward the wrath of God.
2) Now the Shekinah glory, the glory of God, shines before men calling them to righteousness. Then the
Shekinah glory shall shine before men consuming them for their unrighteousness.
3) Now the cross stands before the world attracting the world to God. Then the cross shall stand before the
world condemning the world.
4) Now Christ stands before the world as its Savior. Then Christ shall stand before the world as its Judge.
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