Notes: Matthew 24:23 To Matthew 24:31

*Matthew 24:23 / *Mt. 24:23 -

The "then" in Matthew 24:23-26 and Mark 13:21 refers to the same time as the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24, when there will be false Christs and false prophets (Matthew 24:5,11), and which time God has shortened (Mark 13:20, Matthew 24:22).

It is sometimes claimed that the Greek "then" always requires that it is subsequent in time. But in Matthew 24:23 the original Greek word (tote: G5119) translated as "then" can sometimes refer to a past time period (Romans 6:21, Galatians 4:8,29), or to a time period which is presently ongoing (Matthew 27:16; 2 Corinthians 12:10, Luke 16:16; John 10:22 - Greek). For example, Matthew 27:16 does not mean that Barabbas was not a prisoner until that moment.

Similarly, Matthew 13:26 does not require that the tares sprouted after the wheat, but can mean that they grew up at the same time. For the "then" is referring to the same time as the preceding "when", just as it is in 2 Corinthians 12:10 and Romans 6:20-21. Similarly, the "then" in Matthew 24:23-26 is referring to the same time as Matthew 24:22, just as the "then" in Matthew 24:10 is referring to the same future time of worldwide persecution of Biblical Christians as Matthew 24:9.

Also, Matthew 24:23-26 refers to the future Tribulation time of Matthew 24:22, for Matthew 24:23-26 comes before Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming, which will not occur until immediately after the Tribulation (Matthew 24:27-31).

Similarly, the "then" of Matthew 25:1-13 refers back to during the Tribulation and at the subsequent Second Coming, not sometime after it. That is, it is a parable to recapitulate the Second-Coming rewards and punishments of those in the Church which had just been previously referred to in Matthew 24:46-51.

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*Matthew 24:24 / *Mt. 24:24 -

(Re: *Deceived)

Here the original Greek does not say: "if it were possible", in the sense of it not being possible. Instead, it says: "if possible", meaning that false Christs and false prophets will in our future perform great miracles by the power of Satan (2 Thessalonians 2:9, Revelation 13:13-18, Revelation 19:20), as part of his intention to deceive as many of the elect as possible. The Bible nowhere says that it is impossible for any elect person to ever be deceived. Instead, Jesus Christ had started out in Matthew 24 by specifically warning the elect: "Take heed that no man deceive you" (Matthew 24:4), meaning that it is possible for the elect to be deceived, if they do not take heed to Jesus' warning regarding great-miracle-working false Christs and false prophets who will appear in our future (Matthew 24:4-5,23-25, Revelation 13:13-18, Revelation 19:20).

The elect can also be deceived in other ways, whether before they become Christians (Titus 3:3, Romans 7:11), or after (1 John 3:7; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Corinthians 15:33, Galatians 6:7, Ephesians 5:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:3). The apostle Paul warns the elect: "The Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils" (1 Timothy 4:1). The time will come when some "shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (2 Timothy 4:4). For it is possible for Christians to commit apostasy, to the ultimate loss of their salvation (Hebrews 6:4-8, John 15:6; 2 Timothy 2:12b).

The fact that Christians can be deceived into committing apostasy does not mean that Satan is stronger than God, or that God would for no reason abandon a Christian, but means that the principle of the "deceivableness of unrighteousness" (2 Thessalonians 2:10, Proverbs 17:4a) applies even to Christians.

(See paragraph 2 of Hebrews 6:4 below. Also, see Matthew 7:24 above)

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*Matthew 24:27 / *Mt. 24:27 -

At Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming, He will be literally seen in clouds in the sky by everyone (Revelation 1:7, Matthew 24:30), just as lightning is literally seen in clouds (Matthew 24:27). His Second Coming will not be secret (Matthew 24:26-31).

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*Matthew 24:28 / *Mt. 24:28 -

This is not referring to the rapture, but to a dead body being eaten by eagles (Job 39:30b, Revelation 19:21). In Matthew 24:28 the original Greek word (ptoma: G4430) translated as "carcase" is used to refer only to a dead body (Matthew 14:12, Mark 6:29, Mark 15:45, Revelation 11:8-9).

~

(Re: What is "the rapture"?)

See section 2 of 1 Thessalonians 4:17 below.

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*Matthew 24:29 / *Mt. 24:29 -

(*Immediately) / (*Expected?)

The timing referred to in Matthew 24:29-31 was not what was "originally expected", but was what Jesus Christ Himself taught about when His future, Second Coming and the gathering together (rapture) of the Church will actually occur in relation to the future Tribulation of Matthew 24 and Revelation chapters 6 to 18 (cf. also 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8, Revelation 19:2 to 20:6).

(See Matthew 24(space) above. Also, see the "Details" section of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 (Overview) below)

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(Re: Literal)

Matthew 24:29 can refer literally to clouds blocking the light from the sun and moon. And it can refer to what we still today call "falling stars", that is, meteors, but ones which will also be meteorites, that is, ones which will pass through the clouds and be seen before they land on the earth. So "heaven" in Matthew 24:29-31 can mean the first heaven, the sky/atmosphere. Also, "the powers of the heavens" which will be shaken can refer to the literal, fallen-angelic "powers" who currently rule the non-Christian world from high above the earth (Ephesians 6:12, Ephesians 2:2).

(See Matthew 24:30 and 2 Corinthians 12:2 below)

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(Re: Same as the sixth seal of the future Tribulation?)

No, see the "Same as Matthew 24:29?" section of Revelation 6:12 below.

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*Matthew 24:30 / *Mt. 24:30 -

(Re: Future)

Matthew 24:30 refers to Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming, when He will appear in the clouds of the sky, the first heaven: "they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (Matthew 24:30). And this will not occur until immediately after the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24 (Matthew 24:29-31; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8, Revelation 19:7 to 20:6). Matthew 24:30 will occur at the same time as the future Matthew 24:29 and Matthew 24:31.

(See the "Sign" section below. Also, see Acts 1:11 and 2 Corinthians 12:2 below)

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(Re: Physical return)

There is no need for a return of Jesus Christ's spiritual presence, for it never left (Matthew 28:20b).

Matthew 24:30 refers to His future, physical, visible return in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. For the whole point of Matthew 24:30, just as the whole point of the rest of Matthew 24, is to distinguish Jesus Christ's future, physical, Second Coming from the preceding, future, physical coming of false Christs (Matthew 24:4-5,24-30).

(See also Zechariah 14(space) above)

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(Re: Coming in the clouds = the Second Coming)

Jesus Christ's coming in the clouds is His future, Second Coming (Matthew 24:30), immediately after the future Tribulation (Matthew 24:29), when He will set His feet on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:3-21).

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(Clouds of heaven)

The "clouds of heaven" (Matthew 24:30) will be the literal clouds of the first heaven, the sky.

(See 2 Corinthians 12:2 below)

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(*Sign of the Son of man / *Every eye shall see)

The "sign of the Son of man" (Matthew 24:30a), if it is not the sign of the Cross, can be the appearance of Jesus Christ Himself (Luke 11:29-30) in the sky at His future, Second Coming, when "they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (Matthew 24:30b). Before He lands on the earth (Zechariah 14:4, Acts 1:11-12), He could circle the globe in the sky so that everyone will be able to see His Second Coming with their own eyes, as Revelation 1:7 and Matthew 24:27,30b require. Or, most people could see His Second Coming via a live, breaking-news video feed to their smartphone, computer, or television. This is also the whole point of Matthew 24:23-31: If Jesus Christ's Second Coming is not obvious to everyone at the same time, then it is not really Jesus Christ. Another test is that the Church's physical resurrection, and then its gathering together (rapture) to hold a meeting in the sky with the returned Jesus, have to occur at the Second Coming of the real Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:1, Matthew 24:30-31; 1 Corinthians 15:21-23,51-53, Revelation 19:7 to 20:6).

(See also the "When Jesus Christ returns" paragraph of the "Details" section of Revelation chapters 6 to 22 (Overview) below)

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(Re: The dead seeing Jesus)

Everyone seeing Jesus Christ at His future, Second Coming (Revelation 1:7, Matthew 24:30) will not require the resurrection of any dead non-Christians at that time. For the souls of the dead in hell/Hades are able to see things (Luke 16:23). Dead non-Christians will not be resurrected until sometime after the future Millennium (Revelation 20:5), which will not begin until after Jesus' Second Coming (Revelation 19:7 to 20:6).

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(Re: A judgment coming)

Matthew 24:30 is Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming, to judge the world. But it is only the temporal judgment of Revelation 19:11 to 20:3, which will happen before the future Millennium of Revelation 20:4-6. Matthew 24:30 is not the eternal judgment of Revelation 20:11-15, which will not happen until sometime after the future Millennium and subsequent events (Revelation 20:7-15).

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(Re: *Mourning)

Matthew 24:30 refers only to non-Christians, who will be left on the ground mourning at Jesus Christ's future, Second Coming. Matthew 24:30 does not refer to Christians, who will be raptured (gathered together) into the sky (the first heaven) at that time (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17), from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven (Mark 13:27; 2 Thessalonians 2:1). Also, Matthew 24:30 is not referring only to non-Christian Jews mourning, but to all non-Christians of all tribes (or kindreds) of the earth. For Matthew 24:30 means that everyone on the earth will see Jesus' Second Coming (Revelation 1:7). The same Greek word (phule: G5443) translated as "tribes" in Matthew 24:30 is translated as "kindreds" in Revelation 1:7.

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(Re: Why would they mourn?)

All the non-Christians in the world will mourn (Matthew 24:30) and wail (Revelation 1:7) because they will know in their spirits that Jesus Christ is coming back in wrath to punish them for their unrepentant sins (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10).

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(Re: Why was Jesus not obvious to the world the first time that He came?)

Jesus Christ came the first time to suffer and die on the Cross for our sins, and to physically rise from the dead on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). If He had come the first time like He will return, in glory (Matthew 24:30), no one would have crucified Him (1 Corinthians 2:8).

~

(Earth)

See section 3 of Revelation 1:7 below.

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*Matthew 24:31 / *Mt. 24:31 -

(Re: *Post-tribulation rapture)

Note that nothing in the Bible teaches or requires a pre-tribulation rapture of the Church. Instead, the Bible shows that Jesus Christ will not come and gather together (rapture) the Church until immediately after the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24 (Matthew 24:29-31; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8). That is why the marriage of the Church does not happen until Revelation 19:7, in connection with Jesus' Second Coming and the physical resurrection of the Church at that time (Revelation 19:7 to 20:6; 1 Corinthians 15:21-23,51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-16). Matthew 24:30-31 refers to the same Second Coming of Jesus and gathering together (rapture) of the Church as 2 Thessalonians 2:1, which refers to the same Second Coming of Jesus and catching up together (rapture) of the Church as 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17.

Jesus Christ will not return and gather together the Church until sometime after there is a falling away (an apostasy) in the Church, and the future Antichrist sits (at least one time) in a third Jewish temple in Jerusalem and proclaims himself God (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, Daniel 11:31,36, Revelation 11:1-2, Revelation 13:4-8), and the abomination of desolation (possibly a standing, android image of the Antichrist) is set up in the holy place (the inner sanctum) of the third Jewish temple (Matthew 24:15-31, Daniel 11:31). For when Jesus returns to gather together (and marry) the Church, He will destroy the Antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:1,8, Revelation 19:7,20). Before Jesus returns, the Church will have to go through the future, literal 3.5 years of the Antichrist's worldwide reign (Revelation 13:5-10, Revelation 14:12-13, Revelation 20:4-6, Matthew 24:9-31).

At Jesus Christ's Second Coming (1 Thessalonians 4:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:1, Matthew 24:30), the Church will be physically resurrected and caught up together/gathered together (raptured) (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:1, Matthew 24:31), not to remove the Church from the earth (Proverbs 10:30, John 17:15,20), but to take the Church only as high as the clouds of the sky to hold a meeting in the air with the returned Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

At that meeting, Jesus Christ will judge everyone in the Church (Psalms 50:3-5, cf. Mark 13:27) by their works (2 Corinthians 5:10, Romans 2:6-8, Luke 12:45-48, Matthew 25:19-30). And then Jesus will marry in the clouds the obedient part of the Church (Revelation 19:7-8, Matthew 25:1-12), those in the Church (of all times) who "overcame" to the end (Revelation 3:5, Revelation 2:26). They will then mount white horses and come back down from the sky (the first heaven) with Jesus (Revelation 19:14) as He defeats the Antichrist (the individual-man aspect of Revelation's "beast") and the world's armies (Revelation 19:15-21). Jesus will then make the marriage supper of Revelation 19:9 for the physically-resurrected and married obedient part of the Church in the earthly Jerusalem (Isaiah 25:6-9; 1 Corinthians 15:54). Jesus and the obedient part of the Church will then physically reign on the earth for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4-6, Revelation 5:10, Revelation 2:26-29).

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(Re: Is this the post-trib, *U-turn theory, whereby the Lord meets the Church in the air only to bring it right back down to the earth?)

No, for there will be no U-turn except for those in the Church who will be living in Jerusalem at the time of the rapture (see the section below), just as there should be no pre-tribulation, "bungee-jump" theory, whereby the Lord descends from the third heaven to the first heaven (the atmosphere of the earth), as in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, only to immediately snap back up into the third heaven.

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(Re: But here is the problem with your popping up in the air and right back down: Everything which occurs in the Bible has a reason or explanation for its occurrence. But there is no explanation for why your popping occurs)

Note that the rapture is not a popping up in the air and right back down, but rather is a catching up and a gathering together to Jesus Christ at His future, Second Coming (1 Thessalonians 4:17; 2 Thessalonians 2:1). That is, the rapture will take Christians straight up into the sky wherever they are on the earth. But this will be thousands of different places in the sky (the first heaven), all around the globe. So then they will need to be gathered together by angels (Mark 13:27; cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:1) to the one place in the sky where the returned Jesus will be, which will be right above Jerusalem, before He sets His feet on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:4). For example, if a Christian is raptured into the sky above New Zealand, he will then need to be led by an angel over oceans and continents until he arrives above Jerusalem.

So this is one purpose for the rapture: to get Christians from all around the globe into one place in the sky above Jerusalem, to meet with the returned Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:17b).

A second purpose will be so that the Church can then be judged by Jesus Christ (Psalms 50:3-5, cf. Mark 13:27), and the obedient part of the Church can then be married to Jesus (Revelation 19:7-8, Matthew 25:1-12), in the sky, before Jesus Himself descends to wage war against the world's armies (Revelation 19:15-21).

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(Re: *Dangerous)

The mistaken idea of a pre-tribulation rapture is dangerous, because when no pre-tribulation rapture occurs, and pre-trib Christians begin to suffer in the future Tribulation of Revelation chapters 6 to 18 and Matthew 24, they could think that God has somehow been defeated by Satan, that Satan by his power has caused a pre-trib rapture not to happen despite God wanting one to. Or they could think that God has cruelly broken His (supposed) promise, that He has pulled the rug out from under them, that He lied to them and must now be laughing at their surprise and suffering (Proverbs 1:26), so that in their rage they could curse God and commit apostasy during the Tribulation (Isaiah 8:21-22, Matthew 24:9-13, Matthew 13:21), to the ultimate loss of their salvation (Hebrews 6:4-8, John 15:6; 2 Timothy 2:12).

And even if they instead rightly think: "Okay, we must have just been mistaken in thinking that the rapture was supposed to be pre-tribulation. Satan has not defeated God, and God did not lie to us"; nonetheless, because they had held so strongly to the pre-trib idea for so long, their minds could be unprepared to face the long Tribulation that lies ahead of them (just as holding too strongly to the mistaken idea of preterism, or historicism, or symbolicism, or spiritualism, could leave some Christians unprepared mentally to endure the future Tribulation).

The Bible gives those in the Church clear warning ahead of time about everything that they are going to have to face during the future Tribulation (Mark 13:23, Revelation chapters 6 to 18, Revelation 1:1, Revelation 22:16), so that they can be better prepared mentally not to be blindsided (1 Peter 4:12-13) or deceived by anything that is coming (Matthew 24:4-5,23-25, Revelation 13:13-18, Revelation 19:20), and so that they can be better prepared mentally to endure the future Tribulation with patience and faith to the end (Matthew 24:9-13, Revelation 13:7-10, Revelation 14:12-13, Revelation 20:4-6), that is, until death or until Jesus Christ's Second Coming, immediately after the Tribulation (Matthew 24:29-31, Revelation 19:2 to 20:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8).

(Re: A *camp hike analogy)

As an analogy of this mental preparation, imagine that some kids were at a summer camp, and their counselor told them: "Tomorrow, there is going to be a long, hard hike". The kids walked away and started talking among themselves. One of them said: "Well, he didn't say that we all have to go on the hike, right?" And a second kid said: "And he didn't say that we all have to go the whole distance". But a third kid said: "I'm pretty sure that he meant that the hike's whole distance is for all of us. He didn't say that there is going to be a long, hard hike for only some of us, and a day of goofing off or only a short, easy hike for others of us". But the first kid answered: "Nah, we don't have to go on that hike. I'm going fishing tomorrow". And the second kid answered: "We all don't have to go the whole distance". But the third kid answered: "Don't be so sure, you two. I'm going to bed early so I'll be all fresh and ready for the whole distance of the hike".

The next day at the morning camp meeting, the first kid brought his fishing pole and was all set for a day of fishing. But the third kid wore his sturdy hiking boots, and had a big canteen of water on his belt, and was all mentally prepared for a long day of hard hiking. The counselor then told the kids: "Okay, in a few minutes we're all going to start on the hike that I told you about, so make sure that you have everything you need". The first kid felt sick to his stomach when he heard that. He dropped his fishing pole and sat down on the ground and started crying like a baby. He just could not imagine starting on a long, hard hike after he had been all set for a day of just sitting around fishing. But he was forced to go on the whole hike anyway, and this made him and the second kid (who thought that he would not have to go the whole distance) so mad at the counselor that they grumbled against him to the other kids during the hike, cursing him out as a cruel taskmaster (cf. Isaiah 8:21-22, Matthew 24:9-13, Matthew 13:21).

But the third kid took the whole hike in stride (cf. Revelation 14:12, Revelation 13:10), and stuck up for the counselor the whole time, even though the third kid suffered awfully from blisters on his feet (from his boots) during the hike. The counselor, even though he was at the head of the hiking line, could overhear what the kids said behind him. And after the hike was over, he made sure to reward the third kid by giving him as a gift the counselor's own fishing pole, and by making sure that the third kid was assigned day after day to only the most enviable camp duties, like getting to build and light the nightly campfire, and getting to make the evening camp announcements over the camp's PA system. But the counselor made sure to assign the first and second kids to the worst garbage-removal and latrine-cleaning duties day after day.

~

(Re: Will not people who have a real relationship with Jesus Christ not fall away, regardless of their end-time view?)

See Matthew 7:24 above.

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