MATTHEW 24:32-41
Thought 2. In the eyes of men, it has been a long time since Christ spoke these words, and an innumerable list of
events have happened. Therefore, men assume that the second coming is a fable, the figment of hopeful imagina-
tion. God knew this would happen.

“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own
lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things
continue as they were from the beginning of the creation....But, beloved, be not ignorant of this
one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffer-
ing to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But
the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away
with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works
that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what
manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hast-
ing unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved,
and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to this promise, look
for new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Pt.3:3-4, 8-13).

Thought 3. Three things are certain to happen in human history: “the beginning of sorrows” (v.8); “the great tribu-
lation, such as was not since the beginning of the world” (v.21); and “the Son of Man coming in the clouds of hea-
ven with power and great glory” (v.30). Heaven and earth shall pass away, but not the words He spoke, not what He
said would happen. What He said would happen will happen. These three events are certain.


DEEPER STUDY # 1
(24:33-34) Jesus Christ, Return: note the time involved in these two verses—they agree. “When ye shall see all these
things...it is near” (v.33). All will happen in “one generation” (v.34).


2
(24:

36) End Time: the actual day and hour that Christ will return are known only by God. Note two things.
1. The return of Christ is a real event that is yet to happen. There is “that day and hour.” There is a fixed day and a
fixed hour when Christ will return. It is an actual event.
2. The return of Christ is secret. “No man knoweth...my Father only.” Some have thought they knew, but Christ is ex-
plicit: “No man knoweth, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” (See note—2 Th.2:1-2.)

“And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither
to look thereon” (Rev.5:3).
“The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong
unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Dt.29:29).

Thought 1. Some things are to be left entirely in God’s hands. The exact day and hour of the Lord’s return is one of
these things. Watchful believers will be sensitive to the season (fig tree, v.32-33) and know the generation (v.34),
but the exact hour and day are hid from men, even from the wisest and most spiritual men. Only God Himself
knows when Christ shall return. If a man claims to know the hour and day, he is the man from which we should
flee. That man’s word conflicts with the Lord’s Word.

3
(24:37-39) Jesus Christ, Return: the coming of the Lord will be sudden—unexpected—shattering to the world of unbe-
lievers. Christ says three things.
1. When will Christ return? His coming finds its counterpart in Noah’s day. He will come when the world is living just
as it was living in Noah’s day:
g159 Living sensual lives, eating, drinking, marrying, divorcing, and remarrying time after time (see DEEPER
STUDY #3,4—Mt.24:38; cp. Lk.17:26-30).
g159 Refusing to heed Noah’s message of righteousness and coming judgment (2 Pt.2:5).

a. Note that eating, drinking (water), and marriage are all necessary to maintain life. It is the excessiveness,
the lust for more and more, the extravagance that is sinful. It is setting one’s mind upon the pleasure of the
flesh and of the world and lusting for more and more. (Cp. Ro.1:24.)
b. Note another point: What is it that Christ says will characterize the age? Not stealing and murder and
immorality, but eating and drinking and marrying time after time. When the earth was destroyed the first
time, it was because “the earth was corrupt...and...filled with violence” (Gen.6:11). However, the sins that
bring the second destruction of the earth seem to be eating and drinking and marrying time after time.
These are the sins stressed by Christ.
c. Note the words “until the day that Noah entered into the ark.” While Noah was building the ark, he
preached the righteousness of God and the coming judgment. The people had the testimony of Noah’s life
and his belief in God’s Word as a warning, a warning that man was responsible to live righteously and that
judgment was coming. They saw Noah’s building the ark. They saw the ark sitting there, yet they rejected
Noah’s message and testimony. They went on living in worldliness, in their eating and drinking and in
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