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Emphatic Elements in the Greek: Matthew 24 (part 5)

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The following is section two from a series on emphatic elements in the Greek New Testament, written by biblical language expert Justin Alfred. Previous blog entries in this series:

Section V – Matthew 24:29-31

“But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken, 30 and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 31 ‘And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other” (Matthew 24:29-31).

According to the eschatological chronology given prior to this passage, this is unequivocally referring to the period of time “immediately after the great tribulation” that we see being described in Daniel and Revelation covering a seven or three and one-half year time period, depending upon whether one adopts a pre or mid-tribulation rapture position:

Daniel 7:23-27

“Thus he said:’The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. 24 ‘As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. 25 ‘And he will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time (i.e., 3 ½ years – my note). 26 ‘But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. 27 ‘Then the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him” (Daniel 7:23-27).

Revelation 11:1-13

“And there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, ‘Rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and those who worship in it. 2 ‘And leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months (i.e., 3 ½ years – my note). 3 ‘And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days (i.e., 3 ½ years – my note), clothed in sackcloth.’ 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 And if anyone desires to harm them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies; and if anyone would desire to harm them, in this manner he must be killed. 6 These have the power to shut up the sky, in order that rain may not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they desire. 7 And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. 9 And those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. 10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. 11 And after the three and a half days the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were beholding them. 12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, ‘Come up here.” And they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies beheld them. 13 And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; and seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven'” (Revelation 11:1-13).

Revelation 12:1-6, 13-17

“And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; 2 and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. 4 And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven, and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child. 5 And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she might be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days (i.e., 3 ½ years – my note) . . . . 13 And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. 14 And the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, in order that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time (i.e., 3 ½ years – my note), from the presence of the serpent. 15 And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood. 16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 12:1-6, 13-17).

Jesus’ prediction will not occur until after the Great Tribulation

The clear and unmistakable point to be made, therefore, is that all that Jesus is referring to in Matthew 24:29-31 will not occur until after the Great Tribulation.  This is quite significant with regard to the Preterist view, which maintains that most (Partial Preterists), if not all of the above prophecies (Full Preterists) were fulfilled in 70 AD when Jerusalem was sacked by the Roman troops under Titus.[1]  However, NEVER in history, either biblical or extra-biblical history, have we any record of the events mentioned in Matthew 24:29-31 occurring AT ANY TIME!

Further, it is also important to note that the following prophetic words in Matthew 24:29 come from Isaiah: “But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”  Also, consider this from Isaiah 13:10: “For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not flash forth their light; the sun will be dark when it rises, and the moon will not shed its light.”

This prophecy was given in connection to the ultimate fall of Babylon to the Medes in 538 BC.

Thus, some have viewed Isaiah 13:2-16 as not necessarily limited to the destruction of Babylon in 538 BC, but rather as a picture of God’s overall judgment against sin and against those who reject His love, grace, mercy and truth, which would include Babylon and any other country or people who resolutely God and His truth in favor of their own self-deification (e.g., Nazi Germany, the former Soviet Union, etc.).[2]  Indeed, Isaiah 13:11 is addressing the “world” as a whole: “Thus I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud, And abase the haughtiness of the ruthless” (Isaiah 13:11).

Land, water, and air will be destroyed

It is also interesting to note that the Hebrew word for “world” used here is תֵּבֵל (tēbēl – tevel), and it appears to come from the Akkadian word tœbalu (tabalu), which means “dry land,” and the Akkadian verb from which it derives appears to be abœlu (abalu), which means “to dry up or day out, and to present food offerings.” Furthermore, the Akkadian verb apœlu (apalu) also means “to present food offerings.”  Thus, our English word “tablet” is derived from this word, as “dry land” in the Semitic culture of that day referred to “flat land.”  Be that as it may, the significance of this word as the derivative of the Hebrew word תֵּבֵל (tēbēl – tevel) is important because Isaiah 13:11 is saying that “all arable and life giving, productive sources of human existence (i.e., land, water, and air)” will be destroyed, which is exactly what we read in Revelation 16:

“And I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, ‘Go and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God into the earth.’ 2 And the first angel went and poured out his bowl into the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant sore upon the men who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image. 3 And the second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living thing in the sea died. 4 And the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying, ‘Righteous art Thou, who art and who wast, O Holy One, because Thou didst judge these things; 6 for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and Thou hast given them blood to drink. They deserve it.’ 7 And I heard the altar saying, ‘Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Thy judgments.’ 8 And the fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun; and it was given to it to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues; and they did not repent, so as to give Him glory. 10 And the fifth angel poured out his bowl upon the throne of the beast; and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain, 11 and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds. 12 And the sixth angel poured out his bowl upon the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, that the way might be prepared for the kings from the east. 13 And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; 14 for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. 15 (‘Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his garments, lest he walk about naked and men see his shame.’) 16 And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called HarMagedon. 17 And the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air; and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, ‘It is done.’ 18 And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty. 19 And the great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And huge hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague was extremely severe” (Revelation 16:1-21).

The picture given to us, therefore, is once again that all of these things will take place “immediately after the great tribulation,” not before.  Thus, the Full Preterist View is inconceivable at best, and the Partial Preterist View has very little solid scriptural support as it attempts to use far too many metaphors and similes—in my opinion—in order to justify its positions.  This is turn brings us to Section VI in Matthew 24,which of course we will cover next week.

Stay tuned!

Questions or comments? Join the conversation below!

[2] George A. Buttrick, The Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. 5 (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1956), 254-255.

Comments

  1. This is an excellent article , I enjoyed it very much , and agree with the interpretation ,. I want to share with others I’m so glad to read these scriptures and find this post ! Thank you .

  2. This is perhaps the most frightening set of scriptures I have ever read. In Matthew 24:31, the text is very clear that Jesus will gather His elect after the great tribulation.
    For those who believe in a rapture before the tribulation (I thought I was one before thinking hard about this verse), what do they do with this passage?

    • Cynthia,

      There are many, very reliable “Chapter and Verse” bible studies in text, audio and video format available thru Blue Letter Bible. My I suggest listening to them on your own and letting the Holy Spirit instruct you from there. Thru the years I have listened to “Thru the Bible” with J. Vernon Magee, Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel’s, Chuck Missler of Koinonia House and there are many more to suit your taste and style of learning.

      Daily Devotional’s are also link thru BLB. “My Utmost for His Highest” by Oswald Chambers was particularly good today.

      J.

      • Thank you, J. I love J Vernon MaGee, and have listened to many of his sermons over the radio, but never in a methodical way. I think I should.

    • The elect ones being gathered sounds like a reference to God gathering the Jews from all over the world to Jerusalem, fulfilling the prophecy in Isaiah 11 that God would do so. It does not conflict with the belief of a pretrib rapture for the church. The the last seven mentioned in Daniel 9 will be the time of Israel, as the age of the Gentiles will be finished before then. That is one of the arguments for a pretrib rapture.

    • Cynthia,

      Since we are looking at Matthew 24 as a starting point with this post we need to look at Matthew 24:3 very carefully because Jesus is answering questions. Logically this might be the same as me saying to my wife at lunch something like, when are you going to get back from the store and what are we having for dinner? There is a when question and also a what question which are both related to time but not necessarily the same time.

      Question 1) Tell us, when will these things be? This is reflective of the preceding verse.
      Question 2) What will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?

      Looking at this passage yourself you will probably see where the division seems to be between answering the two questions.

      I don’t think a good argument can be made that the apostles didn’t understand they are asking two different questions and that Jesus didn’t understand they were asking two different questions.

      • Also, not to over-complicate this but question 2 that I mentioned could be two questions making a total of three. In this case in Jesus’ time of speaking he might have answered these three questions, all potentially with different time periods as answers.

        1) Tell us, when will these things be?
        2) What will be the sign of your coming?
        3) What will be the sign of the close of the age?

    • Cynthia,

      The entire pre-Trib rapture [myth/false teaching] is unsustainable by all of the teachings in the NT. Just one example is the parable of the wheat and the tares (or darnel). The tares are burned FIRST, then the righteous shine forth like the sun…

      While the author does not elaborate or differentiate, there is a big difference between the wrath of the antichrist (this persecution causes the Church to grow) and the wrath of God.

      The entire Tribulation is 3.5 years, which starts with the abomination that makes desolate, and the antichrist is allowed to overcome and kill the saints for precisely 3.5 years.

      The rapture is really only a second phase of the resurrection, which occurs at the LAST trump (7th trumpet). The dead in Christ rise FIRST…

      All of the teachings of Christ, Paul, and John are in complete harmony. They are just not in harmony with any pre-Trib scenario…

      From proper context in Matthew ch. 24 and Luke 21, it is when the celestial signs are occurring, after the Tribulation, that you are to look up!
      [compare Luke 21:25 and verse 28]

  3. Cynthia~

    Actually, the rapture does happen before the Great Tribulation. Jesus actually comes twice. The first time is the rapture (I Th. 4:16-17) where He comes for His church. The second time, which is what is known as the second coming, is the end of the world. That is what is being discussed in Matthew 24:29-31. The elect spoken of who are gathered by Christ are those people who become born again during the last 3 1/2 years.

    I haven’t done enough study to know whether the rapture is at the beginning of the Tribulation or in the middle, but one thing to consider is that believers have always had to endure the trials that will take place in the first 3 1/2 years. Things, however, are going to be very different during the last 3 1/2 years. During this time, the Earth and its inhabitants will experience the very wrath of God, something from which believers are spared because they are in a covenant relationship with Him.

    I hope you have a blessed day!
    Barbara

    • Thank you for clarifying, Barbara. This is a very difficult topic, especially because I believe that it pertains to us. Scary stuff here. I certainly hope you are right.

      • Cynthia~

        While I very much appreciate your kind remarks, it isn’t about my being right; it’s about what the Word says is right. We each need to follow God’s command to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Tim. 2:15).

        I pray that as you study and pray that the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth as we are promised in John 16:13 and that you will be blessed in all spiritual things.

        Your sister in Christ~
        Barbara

    • I really believe you to be sincere, Barbara; but your understanding of Scripture is not in the same league as others in here. I respect your sincerity; but you really need to read and ponder more than post and express incomplete understanding of the Scripture.

      Not sure where you get your two-comings theology; but it, as Tom says above, is unfounded.

  4. Has anyone else read a book called “Nobody Left Behind?” It’s interesting as it refutes a lot of the “Left Behind” series by using all scripture and not various excerpts taken out of context.

    Did you know there are three “Great Tribulations” mentioned in the Bible? (Matt 24, Rev 2, and Rev 7). They’re not all mentioning the same event.

    Additionally, the common scripture used that is supposedly about “rapture” (1 Thes 4:16-17) says that Jesus will descend “with a shout”, “with the voice of the archangel”, and “with the trumpet of God”. This is hardly a quiet event where Christians are taken away.

    If you want a logical approach to end-time prophecy, check out this book and abandon the spectacular fantasy that the “Left Behind” folks created.

    • Ireed~

      Would you explain your reasoning behind your statement that there are three “Great Tribulations”? In other words, what, specifically, in the three passages that you cited, supports that view? As I understand the Word, Matthew 24 and Revelation 7 are discussing the same event, the world-wide tribulation which precedes the end of the world. Revelation 2, however, is only discussing personal tribulation, the oppression and affliction that each church/believer experiences, to varying degrees, of course.

      Your comment on I Thessalonians 4:16-7 is that this event “…is hardly a quiet event where Christians are taken away.” Where in the Bible does it say that this is a “quiet event”? In addition, the phrase “caught up” used in verse 17 to explain what happens to believers is harpazp (Strong’s G726), and it is defined in Thayer’s as such: “used of divine power transferring a person marvelously and swiftly from one place to another, to snatch or catch away.” In Matthew 24:31, however, we are told that Jesus is going to have His angels “gather together his elect,” which means to “gather together in one place” (episynago, Strong’s G1996). While similar in the one aspect that believers are going to be brought together, they are clearly different in that one is through “divine power” while the other is through “angels,” and they are also different in that one is instantaneous while the words, “gather together” in implies that the other is not.

      Yours in Christ~
      Barbara

      • Hi Barbara,

        Thank you for this discussion! I’m not as articulate as I wish that I could be.

        Rather than rehash the specific views I was trying to present in my own words, I’d rather just link to explainations of the three distinct “Great” tribulations mentioned; I read this a long time ago:
        http://insight2bp.homestead.com/020.html
        (I looked at the comment rules, and I think that providing links is permitted.)

        What I was trying to point out in terms of the “rapture” was the fact that as I understand from the “Left Behind” series was that the people that were left behind after the rapture didn’t know where many of their loved ones went. I would say that is impossible because Jesus is coming back a second time with a shout, and no one is going to miss it.

        Take care,

        • Ireed~

          Thanks for the link. I will read what it has to say.

          You are right. When Jesus comes back the second time, no one will miss it, but this is different than the rapture. Although I did read everything from the “Left Behind” series, I don’t look to it for biblical truth. If you have a minute, I would be interested in your opinion about what I said on the differences between the rapture and the Tribulation as I wrote in my response to you and to Ben.

          Yours in Christ~
          Barbara

          • Hello Barbara,

            First, I realized I pasted the wrong link in my other reply. I hope you haven’t gotten around to reading that one yet. The one I intended to paste is:
            http://insight2bp.homestead.com/055.html
            I understand if you do not read these, since they’re a bit long. However, they’re very well written and an easy read.

            I’ve attempted several rough drafts to send a response as you requested (I know rough drafts seem like overkill for a comment section in a blog). Rather than state anything that may be inaccurate, misleading, or something that I don’t have a great grasp on, I will instead abstain. In the mean time, I will be studying and trying to learn this accurately.

            Thank you and God bless,

    • It is impossible to separate the rapture from the resurrection. The dead in Christ rise FIRST…

      The Rapture is the 2nd phase of the resurrection.

      The sky will disappear/vanish when Jesus shouts and THE DAY OF THE LORD will have begun…

      Nobody will miss it… EVERY EYE will see Him

      The same God that SPOKE the world into existence will SHOUT (i.e. like a battle cry)

      There are not multiple Tribulations. Which ‘tribulation’ would be “a time of trouble such as never was?” Christians invented pre-Trib dribble because they are desperate to avoid persecution or any tribulation… but Tribulation is a good thing! The early Church thrived under persecution and there will be more Tribulation saints than can be numbered… People try to make separate ‘tribulation’ and ‘great tribulation’ periods, but it is only one time of tribulation, which is designated as 3.5 years twice in Daniel and 5 times in Revelation.

      Also, in Rev. 16 we see that Jesus comes like a thief (for judgment/wrath) just before the battle of Armageddon [verses 15 & 16]. The context of Jesus coming like a thief is never in the context of a secret, pre-Trib rapture.

      • Tom, thanks. I was beginning to think that no one in here actually had a grasp on what the Scripture actually teaches. Tradition and the comfort of believing what the masses believe has blinded so many, even the well-intended truth seekers.

        I agree with you that the whole pre-trib, mid-trib theologies are borne of an unwillingness to suffer. It seemed to be the underpining of Hal Lindsey’s Late Great Planet Earth, a book that popularized rapture theory in the 20th century.

        I have participated in these BLB blogs for less than a week, now; and frankly, I have found little value in it. I see the same kind of silly emotionalism and intellectual posturing that abounds in congregational Christianity. I was hoping to find broken hearts and love for Elohim that transcended human pettiness. I hope those of you who remain in here find more than I did.

  5. Barbara,

    You said

    “Actually, the rapture does happen before the Great Tribulation. Jesus actually comes twice.”

    Hebrews 9:28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear A SECOND TIME, apart from sin, for salvation.

    Hebrews states that the next time Jesus returns is for the completion of our salvation. Please explain to us why you are teaching that there are two more comings of Christ awaiting?

    • Ben~

      When we talk about the “comings” of Christ, it is understood that what is being referred to are the two great events that mark Christ’s interventions into the history of mankind, the first being when He came as a lowly servant to die for mankind’s sins and the second when He comes as conquering King. In this, you are correct. However, this does not preclude other lesser “comings.” We know that that Christ, or the second person in the Trinity, “came” to Earth in His pre-incarnate state as an Angel (e.g. Gen. 16:7-13), and we know that Christ “came” and showed Himself numerous times (e.g. the upper room, the road to Emmaus) after he was crucified and after He put His own blood on the mercy seat (Heb. 9:12) and before He finally ascended.

      If you are asserting that I Thessalonians 4:16-17 are not about Jesus coming to rapture His church (see my response to Ireed above), then about what are these verses referring? Also, as I wrote in my initial post, the wrath of God will be poured out upon the Earth during the Tribulation (I believe the last 3 1/2 years), so how can this be reconciled to the fact that Jesus already had God’s wrath poured out upon Him for our sins, so why would God again pour His wrath upon believers? Doesn’t it make more sense that believers have been removed?

      Yours in Christ~
      Barbara

      • Please excuse the bad English in my second paragraph. The second sentence should read, “Also, as I wrote in my initial post, the wrath of God will be poured out upon the Earth during the Tribulation (I believe the last 3 1/2 years), so how can this be reconciled to the fact that Jesus already had God’s wrath poured out upon Him for our sins? In other words, why would God pour out His wrath upon believers?”

        • Good points, Barbara. Jesus had two PROPHESIED comings in Israel’s program. First, to die for their sins. Second, to establish the kingdom on earth (at the end of the tribulation period).

          The coming that Paul refers to in I Thessalonians is another coming of Christ, previously unprophesied. This coming is to rapture up, not Israel, but the Body of Christ to have eternal life in heaven.

          So, when Hebrews 9:28 says Christ will appear a second time, it is referring to Israel’s program. But, that does not preclude Christ from appearing to rapture up the church, the Body of Christ.

          • Eric,

            I believe that any prophesy about Jesus dying for sins and establishing a kingdom on Earth was meant for all people, not just Israel. Also, what in Hebrews 9:28 leads you to believe that this is just referring to “Israel’s program”? I say this because, while Israel certainly has a significant place during the unfolding of the Tribulation, any Gentile who calls upon the name of the Lord during this time will also be saved.

            If I’ve missed what you are trying to say, let me know.

            Have a blessed day~
            Barbara

        • Hi Barbara,

          I agree with your response. Salvation in the tribulation period is for both Jew and Gentile, not just the Jew. Revelation 14:6 shows an angel preaching the everlasting gospel “unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” That definitely includes everyone.

          All I am saying is that God has two plans He is unfolding in scripture. He created the nation of Israel in Genesis 12:1-3 to be a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:5-6) to the Gentiles (Zechariah 8:23; Isaiah 61:6) to reconcile the earth back to God.

          God also created the body of Christ to reconcile the heavenly places back to Himself (Ephesians 1:10; 1:20-23; Colossians 1:15-20).

          The rapture is of the body of Christ for God to reconcile the heaven back to Himself. This is what Paul talks about in I Thessalonians 4:13-18. Once that take place, the prophecy program of reconciling the earth back to God through the nation of Israel starts again with the seven-year tribulation period, at the end of which Jesus makes His second coming to gather those saved under Israel’s program into God’s kingdom on earth. As Revelation 14:6 says, this includes Gentiles. It is this second coming to which Hebrews 9:28 refers. I say it is Israel’s program, because God called Israel to be a kingdom of priests to the Gentiles to reconcile the earth back to God, as God says in Exodus 19:5-6: “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” When you read the book of Hebrews, you can see that it is written to the Hebrews. Therefore, it is written to Israel and refers to Israel’s program, which culminates in Jesus’ second coming at the end of the tribulation period.

          I hope this helps clarify that there are two comings of Jesus remaining–one to rapture the body of Christ to their place in heavenly places and one to raise Israel from the dead to be in God’s eternal kingdom on earth. Both programs have both Jews and Gentiles in them, because God’s salvation is to all. I just refer to God’s earthly kingdom as Israel’s program, since God specifically called the nation of Israel to reconcile the Gentiles back to Himself for that program.

          This is a very brief explanation, so, feel free to ask questions or make comments for further discussion.

  6. There appears to be a movement in time frames during matthew 24: This i cannot prove or discuss but I certainly like the blog of scriptures and the 5 comments thus far. There is a process needed to understand the timing of certain events in matt 24 whether; past present or future

  7. I think we must look in a different direction to start to endeaver this matter. That is that ther’e scriptures applying to the nation of Israel,the mystery of the church. comprised of both Jew and Gentile ; whose furtures seem somewhat differened t. One being heavenly 1 Thes. 4 , John 14:1 and one earthly, fullfilling the Davidic covenant.Romans 11 tells us that the Gentiles’ purpose is to make the Jews jelous. When the fuulfillment of the “purpose” is complete , the mystery of the churh which was reserved for one apostle , the apostle Paul , the church will be taken out and God’s prophetic dealings with the nation will be accomplished.As of now this is what I’m seeing but always desirous to come to a more perfect understanding.

    • The mystery of the church (Christ IN you, the hope of glory) is completed with the Resurrection/Rapture and the marriage of the Lamb. Note that the “mystery of God” is finished at the 7th trumpet:

      REV 10:7
      But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

      …which is the LAST trump [in a series] Paul describes in 1 Cor. 15:51-21 concerning the Resurrection:

      Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
      In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the LAST TRUMP: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

      We will be like Him, and see Him as He is…

      1 John 3:2
      Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

      The “times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21) will complete at the end of the 3.5-year Tribulation, at the end of this age (epoch):

      Luke 21:24
      And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

      You will know God as intimately as Jesus knows the Father and the Holy Spirit, and somehow we will be ONE with them – the mystery of God is complete…

  8. Barbara,

    You did not explain the meaning of Heb 9:28. You just talked about these supposed “lesser comings” that the Scriptures speak nothing about. Heb 9:28 says that the next time Jesus returns will be for the completion of salvation. This takes place at His return that is described in Matt 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, the only coming that is left!

    Titus 2:11-13 is an important passage concerning the errant teaching of multiple comings of Christ.

    Titus 2:11-13 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for THE BLESSED HOPE AND GLORIOUS APPEARING of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

    The grammar in this passage is very important to this debate. Where it says “The blessed hope AND glorious appearing” the Greek word και (kai) is equivalent to our English word “and” or “also.” It is often used to connect two nouns in some way. Sometimes it means the second noun is in addition to the first noun yet still showing distinction, in other words two unrelated things are mentioned together. (i.e. “heaven and earth.”)

    Given certain conditions, “kai” is used to restate, or connect two nouns together, as referring to the same person or thing, (i.e. “the God and Father.”) or in the case of impersonal nouns indicating that one noun is a subset of the other, joining two things together as a unit as we have in the phrase “the blessed hope and glorious appearing”. This grammatical rule is called The Granville-Sharp rule, and it states as follows;

    “If two nouns of the same case are connected by a “kai” [and] and the article is used with both nouns, they refer to different persons or things.[Sharp’s rule VI] If only the first noun has the article, the second noun refers to the same person or thing referred to in the first.”

    The key to understanding this rule is the use of the definite article (the). When we have two nouns connected by “kai” (and), we must check and see if the definite article (the) is used before BOTH nouns, or just the first noun. If it is used before BOTH nouns, Sharp’s rule VI applies, and the two nouns are referring to separate things or persons being distinguished or contrasted. But, if only the first noun has the definite article, Sharp’s rule I applies. Both nouns refer to the same person (in the case of personal nouns) or two things are joined in some kind of unit (with impersonal nouns). With this in mind here is Titus 2:13 in Greek.

    προσδεχομενοι την μακαριαν ελπιδα και επιφανειαν της δοξης
    Looking for the blessed hope and appearing the glory

    του μεγαλου Θεου και σωτηρος ημων Χριστου Ιησου
    the great God and Savior of us Christ Jesus

    Granville Sharp’s first rule actually applies twice in this verse. It applies to the phrase “the great God and Savior.” Both “great God” and “Savior” are nouns both of which are in the genitive case. The first noun “great God” has the definite article “the” and the second noun does not. This means that the Greek word “kai” [and] is being used to restate, and the second noun is referring to the same person as the first noun.

    So what’s cool about this passage in the Greek is that it is stating that both Great God and Savior is applied to Jesus Christ. The same rule applies in the phrase “the blessed hope and glorious appearing” although in this case the nouns are impersonal things which are being referred to as a unit or the first noun is a subset of the second.

    Titus 2:13 is stating that THE BLESSED HOPE for which Christians should look for is (or included within) the “glorious appearing” of Christ. The NIV actually translates this passage well applying Granville’s rule.

    “While we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

    So Barbara why is this important to your statement about “lesser comings” or Jesus coming back multiple times? Because the Scriptures define for us when “the glorious appearing of Christ” takes place.

    Matt 16:27
    27 For the Son of Man will come in THE GLORY of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

    Matt 24:29-31 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and GREAT GLORY. 31 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.

    Mark 8:38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in THE GLORY of His Father with the holy angels.”

    The blessed hope that Christians should look to is the SECOND (Heb 9:28) coming of Christ. It is not some mystical lesser coming of Christ to whisk away Christians in order to have some cosmic wedding. The rapture which occurs immediately after the resurrection therefore occurs at the second coming when the elect our gathered.

    YOU
    If you are asserting that I Thessalonians 4:16-17 are not about Jesus coming to rapture His church (see my response to Ireed above), then about what are these verses referring?

    Paul is not teaching some separate coming of Christ in 1 Thess 4:16-17. I always hear this passage used concerning the rapture teaching that Jesus is coming back secretly to take the church to heaven. It says nothing about heaven nor does it occur at some separate lesser coming from the SECOND coming. It harmonizes perfectly with every other passage the NT gives us concerning the SECOND coming.

    Matt 24:29-31
    1a- And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory
    2a- and He will send His angels
    3a- a great sound of a trumpet
    5a- and they will gather together His elect
    6a -the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven

    1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
    1a -For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven
    2a- with the voice of an archangel
    3a- with the trumpet of God
    4a- the dead in Christ will rise first
    5a- then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up
    6a- Caught up together with them in the clouds

    1 Cor 15:52
    3a -at the last trumpet
    4a- the dead will be raised incorruptible
    5a- and we shall be changed

    Also Barbara something else concerning your idea that there is a lesser coming before the actual SECOND coming.

    In Revelation 20:4-6 it says that the saints who are beheaded during the great tribulation are included in the FIRST resurrection. If the rapture immediately follows the FIRST resurrection of those who are “in Christ” as 1 Thess 4 clearly explains then how on earth can there be a rapture before the tribulation period?

    YOU
    Also, as I wrote in my initial post, the wrath of God will be poured out upon the Earth during the Tribulation (I believe the last 3 1/2 years), so how can this be reconciled to the fact that Jesus already had God’s wrath poured out upon Him for our sins, so why would God again pour His wrath upon believers? Doesn’t it make more sense that believers have been removed?

    God’s wrath will not be poured out upon believers during the Tribulation, it will be poured out upon those who take the mark and align themselves with the antichrist and his cause. Christians who heed Jesus’s commands He have in Matt 24 will escape this wrath and be provided with places of refuge.(Rev 12) Although false prophets and false Christ’s will attempt to lure Christians out of their places of refuge to buy into the lie. Hence Jesus’ command in Matt 24:26

    Therefore if they may say to you look, he is in the desert may you not COME OUT [or] look, he is in the secret chambers may you not believe it.

    • Ben,

      This is 100% correct. You cannot separate “the blessed hope” from “the glorious appearing.”

      Jesus only taught a VERY VISIBLE coming… like lightning which lights up the entire sky…

      Nor can the resurrection/rapture be separated.

  9. I agree that the Preterists are wrong in thinking that Matt. 24 was fulfilled in 70AD. Matt. 24 and Rev. chapter 6 are referring to the same events. Since Revelation was written long after 70AD, Matt. 24 is not about the destruction of the temple. The question from Matt. 24:3 that Jesus answers in the rest of Matt. 24 is what will be the SIGN of your 2nd coming and the end of the age. Jesus talks a lot about the end of the age in his parables from Matt. 13:39-40, 49. This sign of Jesus soon 2nd coming are the seals of Rev. chap. 6 which are occur during the 70th week of Daniel. Rev. chapter 6 seal #1 is deception (Matt. 24:4-5), seal #2 is wars (Matt. 24:6-7), seal #3 famines and seal #4 pestilences are in Matt. 24:7. Seal #5 (Matt. 24:9-28) is the persecution of the elect (saints, Christians). The antichrist of Matt. 24:15 and 2Thes. 2:3-4 is revealed and starts to rule for 3.5 years at the midpoint of Daniels’s 70th week. This is the start of the great tribulation (Matt. 24:21). The great tribulation does NOT last the full 3.5 years because it is shortened for the elects sake (Matt. 24:22). Seal 6 is Matt. 24:29 which are signs in the sun, moon and stars. This is the SIGN of the Day of the Lord (Christ, Jesus) see Joel 2:31. The SIGN of the day of the Lord (changes in the sun, moon & stars) in other verses about Jesus 2nd coming, gives you a reference point to time synchronize all these other verses. The gathering together of His elect of Matt. 24:31 are the same great multitude that comes out of the great tribulation in Rev. 7:9,14. This is the rapture which occurs in the 2nd half of the 70th week of Daniel. Matt. 24:33,42-44 tells us to watch for the signs (the seals & Sign of the day of the Lord) because we will not know the exact day or hour (vs. 36) Jesus will come. Luke 17:26-30 & Matt. 24:38-39 tell us that as soon as we are raptured judgement and the actual Day of the Lord will come upon the Earth. 2Peter 3:10 tells of the Earth burning up on the Day of the Lord, this is what happens during the trumpet judgements of Rev. chap. 8. Jesus then returns to the Earth again at the very end of the 70th week of Daniel with the 7th trumpet of Rev. 11:15 and begins His 1000 year earthly reign. This completes the anointing of the most Holy from Daniel 9:24. The nations of the Earth oppose Jesus and He then pours out the bowl judgements upon them gathering them at the 6th bowl Rev. 16:16 for the battle of Armageddon. Daniel confirms that the Bowls occur after the end of the 70th week in Daniel 12:12 ” Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the 1335 days.” not just the 1260 days (3.5 years) of the 2nd half of the 70th week of Daniel. The 144,000 from the 12 tribes of Israel are sealed in Rev. chap. 7 before the harming of the earth, sea & trees at the trumpet judgements. They are sealed at the time the elect are gathered together and raptured. The 144,00 remain on Earth during the rest of the 70th week of Daniel and are there when Jesus returns again to set up his 1000 year reign on Earth.

    • Any future 70th ‘week’ or ‘seven’ is a myth or false teaching. The count is very specific and starts [and ENDS] from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem.

      Daniel 9:24-25 (KJV)
      24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

      25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

      The Messiah started His public ministry AFTER 69 ‘weeks’ or ‘sevens’ had been completed (7+62).

      Daniel 9:26a (KJV)
      And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself:

      Jesus the Christ was “cut off” or crucified AFTER the 69th ‘week'(i.e. in the middle of the 70th ‘week’ or ‘seven’). No future 70th week is possible or implied. Furthermore, all 70 weeks must be in succession from the start (the decree).

      The problem is compounded further when one realizes that ALL 70 weeks are determined on “thy people” (Daniel’s people) in verse 24. This is why many of the pre-Trib and mid-Trib positions often insist that the Tribulation is specifically a punishment of the Jews, which is complete nonsense.

      When you re-read the Scriptures without the interference of the myth of a future 70th ‘seven,’ then everything falls into place…

      The entire tribulation period is only 3.5 years, which is the exact amount of time the antichrist will be ALLOWED to overcome the saints (Rev. 13:5-7)

      5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

      6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

      7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

      The wrath of the antichrist is not the same as the wrath of God. The Church will be on planet earth until the 7th trumpet judgment [the last trump]. Most of your post is accurate or fairly close. Without the myth of a future 70th ‘week,’ the plain and straightforward teaching of Scripture becomes clearer…

  10. You wrote: {“Rev. chapter 6 seal #1 is deception” }

    This is another common end-time myth or false teaching. People often identify the rider on the white horse as the antichrist. But WHY? Nowhere in the Bible, or in any piece of literature for that matter is the color ‘white’ ever used symbolically in such a convoluted manner. How is the color white representative of deception?

    Also, WHY do the so called “Four horsemen” all have to be bad guys?
    The 5th seal shows the martyrs, which actually is POSITIVE. So why cannot the rider of the first horse be positive also?

    Revelation 6:2
    2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

    The same Greek word translated as “conquering” could be translated as “overcoming.” When you read my modified version below, you may see that this rider might not be the antichrist.

    2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth [OVERCOMING], and [with the intention] to [OVERCOME].

    Personally, I believe this is more representative of the spread of the Gospel. Jesus taught that the Gospel will be preached to every nation (nationality) and this is more in line with the OVERVIEW of events, which is what Rev. ch. 6 really is:

    THE BEGINNING OF SORROWS:
    Compare Matthew 24:14 & Rev. 6:2 -Gospel preached as a witness
    Compare Matthew 24:6 & Rev. 6:4 -wars and rumors (red horse)
    Compare Matthew 24:7 & Rev. 6:5-6 -famine (black horse)
    Compare Matthew 24:9 & Rev. 6:7-8 – death (pale horse)

    Obviously, the things in Rev. ch. 6 are not completely linear; they overlap. So you do not have all the wars before all the famines, etc. You have had martyrs in the past, and today (e.g. Sudan), but they will dramatically increase during the Tribulation.

    Like all of the labor pains, they will increase both in size (amplitude/strength) and in frequency [with pauses in between] reaching a climax at the end of the Tribulation (e.g. the earthquake that I like to call “the Mother of all Quakes”)

    REVELATION 6:12-17 reveals an OVERVIEW of the Celestial SIGNS, the earth being shaken, and the VISIBLE coming of Jesus the Christ in glory BEFORE the 7th seal has been opened:

    12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

    13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

    14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

    15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

    16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

    17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

    This is because the seals are not meant to give a linear timeline as much as they are to be a progressive revelation, an overview of the end-times. More specific details are given later in Revelation.

    However, although there will be much deception during the Tribulation, the antichrist will be obvious… He will declare himself to be God. The color white as a symbol does not fit. Certainly, Jesus rides a white horse [symbolically] in Rev. ch. 19, so making the color white in Rev. 6:1 represent deception seems very dubious…