Category: Matthew

THE THIEF / MATTHEW 24:43

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(KJV) Matthew 24:43

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.

THE THIEF / MATTHEW 24:43

This is not a direct or exact comparison of two things because Christ is certainly not like a criminal; when He comes, He will take what is rightfully His. The point here is that Christ’s coming at an unknown time will be as unexpected as that of a thief who breaks into a house. His devoted followers must be ready at any time for the Lord’s return (Matthew 24:44).

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THEREFORE KEEP WATCH – YOU DO NOT KNOW ON WHAT DAY / MATTHEW 24:42

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(KJV) Matthew 24:42

Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

THEREFORE KEEP WATCH – YOU DO NOT KNOW ON WHAT DAY / MATTHEW 24:42

THEREFORE KEEP WATCH

The words “keep watch” (Greek gregoreo) are in the present imperative tense, meaning this is a continuous action at the present time. That is, we must always be prepared right now and from here on – ready for the Lord’s return at any time (John 14:3). There will be no instant warning signs, so Christ’s followers must always live as if He could come today (Matthew 24:44; Mark 13:33-37).

YOU DO NOT KNOW ON WHAT DAY

Christ’s warning that His followers must always be ready relates to His return from heaven to take His church out of the world during the rapture – the event described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (Matthew 24:40; John 14:3). This means that it applies to us today.

Jesus clearly states that His coming for His followers living before the tribulation will be at an unexpected time and without warning – “because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” In fact, Jesus says that He will return at a time when they “do not expect Him” (Matthew 24:44). This clearly points to an element of surprise, amazement and unexpectedness, even for His faithful followers in the church. This is sometimes referred to as the first stage of Christ’s second coming (the second stage being His expected return to earth following the tribulation period).
Unlike Christ’s coming at the rapture, His final return “with power and glory” to judge the world after the tribulation (Matthew 24:30; Revelation 19:11-21) will be expected, anticipated and foreseen by His followers (Luke 21:28: Matthew 24:33). Some Bible passages even give time frames of the period preceding this event (Daniel 9:25-27; Revelation 11:1-2; 12:6; 13:5-7) The events and signs during the tribulation will create an attitude of certainty and expectancy for those who boldly follow Christ during this time of intense persecution. They will not experience the element of surprise that the present-day Christian church will have at the time of the rapture (Matthew 24:44; John 14:3). Christ’s coming after the tribulation is sometimes regarded as the second stage of Christ’s second coming (Matthew 24:44).

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ONE … TAKEN … THE OTHER LEFT / MATTHEW 24:40

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(KJV) Matthew 24:40

Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

ONE … TAKEN … THE OTHER LEFT / MATTHEW 24:40

Christ’s statement that “one will be taken and the other left” is directly related to the warning He has already given to His disciples, which includes all who would follow Christ as part of His church. For this reason, these words likely refer to those who will be taken out of the world when Christ calls them to be with Him at “the rapture” of the church (John 14:3). The word “rapture” comes from the Latin word rapture, which means “caught away” or “caught up.” This Latin word carries the same meaning as the Greek harpazo, which is translated “caught up” in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. This event, also described in 1 Corinthians 15, refers to the time when the church (all true followers of Christ – those alive and those who have died and whose bodies will be resurrected) will be taken from the earth to meet the Lord in the air. Those who are alive on earth and truly following Christ at this time will be prepared for this event, yet it will still involve a real element of surprise (Matthew 24:37).

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THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN / MATTHEW 24:37

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(KJV) Matthew 24:37

But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN / MATTHEW 24:37

Jesus’ statements about “the coming of the Son of Man” have a double reference:

To the first stage of His coming at an unknown and unexpected time to take His followers to heaven (the rapture of the church: Matthew 24: 2; John 14:3; Revelation 3:10),
To the second stage of His return after the tribulation, when He will destroy the wicked and gather all the righteous into His kingdom (Revelation 19:11 – 20:4). This double reference is evident as Christ describes three different categories of people in His illustration of “the days of Noah” (Matthew 24:37-44). These three categories and their relation to Christ’s coming are as follows:

Those who still refuse to accept Christ during the terrible tribulation are represented by the victims of the flood in Noah’s day. Because they do not know the time of Christ’s return, they will be unprepared and destroyed in the end (Matthew 24:38-39, 43; Luke 17:26-28). This is the second stage of Christ’s return – the one occurring after the tribulation.
Those who do accept Christ during the tribulation are represented by Noah. Because of the sign of the end time, these believers will know almost the exact time of the Lord’s return. As a result, they will be prepared and saved (Matthew 24:27; Genesis 7:4). This too refers to the second stage of Christ’s return.

Present-day Christians – the true church – living before the tribulation are represented by Jesus’ disciples (the ones to whom He is addressing His message). They will not know the time of Christ’s return to take them to heaven (Matthew 24:42, 44: John 14:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:14). Though some of the issues described in Matthew 24:1-14 will be evident in society and in nature, there will be no specific and definite signs directly preceding the Lord’s return to take His faithful followers, both the living and the dead, to heaven with Him (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Christ states that His coming at this time will occur suddenly and unexpectedly (Matthew 24:42, 44). Notice that Jesus compares the disciples (His faithful followers in the church) not to Noah (tribulation Christians) but to the flood victims (compare “they knew nothing” Matthew 24:39, with “you do not know,” Matthew 24:42). In other words, people in the church will be like the flood victims in one sense: they will not know the time of Christ’s return for them, just as the flood victims did not know the time of the flood and were surprised when it came. The main difference, of course, is that Christians realize that Jesus is coming and will be saved from destruction if they are ready at all times (Matthew 24:44).

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ONLY THE FATHER / MATTHEW 24:34

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(KJV) Matthew 24:36

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

ONLY THE FATHER / MATTHEW 24:34

This verse explains that only God the Father knows the time of Christ’s return. We must understand that this statement comes from the perspective of Christ’s time on earth. Certainly, now Jesus, who is Himself God and has since returned to His former glory with the Father (John 1:1-2; 17:5), has future knowledge of His return – both before and after the tribulation (Matthew 24:44). Christ’s followers during the tribulation can also know the time of His final return by observing the signs of the tribulation that Christ described.

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THIS GENERATION / MATTHEW 24:34

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(KJV) Matthew 24:34

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

THIS GENERATION / MATTHEW 24:34

This may refer to the generation that witnesses the beginning and the increase of the general signs leading up to the last days (Matthew 24:4-14) and ending with the signs of the tribulation (Matthew 24:5). “This generation” may also refer to the Jewish people as a race.

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ALL THESE THINGS / MATTHEW 24:33

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(KJV) Matthew 24:33

So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

ALL THESE THINGS / MATTHEW 24:33

This refers to all the signs that will occur during the great tribulation (Matthew 24:15-29). The sign that will be the climax, or highest event of that period, will be the “abomination that causes desolation.” This sign will mark the beginning of the final stage of the tribulation (Matthew 24:15). As the prophetic events unfold, Christ’s followers during the tribulation who search the Scriptures (God’s written Word as revealed in the Bible) will “see all these things” and know that the Lord’s return “is near, right at the door.”

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THE FIG TREE / MATTHEW 24:32

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(KJV) Matthew 24:32

Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:

THE FIG TREE / MATTHEW 24:32

The leaves blooming on the fig tree (Luke 21:29-31) represent events that will occur during the tribulation (Matthew 24:15-29). Some interpret the fig tree itself to represent the restoration of Israel as a political state or nation, which has already taken place (Hosea 9:10; Luke 13:6-9).

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GATHER HIS ELECT / MATTHEW 24:31

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(KJV) Matthew 24:31

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.

GATHER HIS ELECT / MATTHEW 24:31

When Jesus Christ returns to earth after the tribulation, the following events will take place:

God’s conquest over the wicked (Matthew 24:30; Revelation 19:11-21), the antichrist (Revelation 19:20) and Satan (Revelation 20:1-3);
The separation and judgment of people alive on earth when Christ returns (Matthew 13:41; 25:32);
The gathering of God’s people of all time, including those already in heaven (Mark 13:27; John 14:3; Revelation 19:14; 20:4, 6) and those alive on earth at Christ’s return (Matthew 13:40);

Christ’s thousand-year reign on earth (the millennium; Revelation 20:4).

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Blessings,
Margarita & Stace