The Old Testament often used the term "eagle" to describe a foreign nation coming upon the Jewish nation for punishment." (cf. Deut. 28:49; Hos. 8:1; Hab. 1:8).
Matt. 24:29-35 -- Apocalyptic Language Further Describes the Downfall of Jerusalem
Matt. 24:29-31 -- "Immediately after the tribulation of these days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from the heaven, and the power of the heavens shall be shaken" (Matt. 24:29). Kik writes:
"The above portion of Scripture employs such strong and vivid language that many think it can be descriptive of nothing else than the end of the world and the second coming of Christ. These descriptive terms would seem to indicate a catastrophic end of the earth. And yet when this passage is studied in the light of prophetic language and pronouncements, it can readily be seen that it is descriptive of the passing away of Judaism."<18>
Such language is used throughout the Bible to describe the destruction of wicked nations. In describing the downfall of Babylon, God said, "For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine" (Isa. 13:10). The downfall of Idumea is pictured in these words: "And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll ..." (Isa. 34:4-5). In describing the fall of the leaders in Egypt, God said, "And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light. And the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee ..." (Ezek. 32:7-8).
Since such language is used in the Old Testament to describe the destruction of nations, it is not surprising that Jesus used similar language, "Because they clearly fit His purpose of emphasizing that Jerusalem's destruction will be an outpouring of wrath from God."<19> Foy E. Wallace, Jr. wrote: "The signs in the heavens, the darkening sun and the falling stars, refer to the falling of Jewish dignitaries, casting down of authorities and powers, long established, and signified the darkness that settled upon the Jewish state ..."<20>
Matt. 24:30 -- "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven" (Matt. 24:30a). The Lord did not say, "And then shall appear the Son of Man in heaven," but "the sign of the Son of Man in heaven." Roy Deaver wrote: "The `appearance' in judgment would be the sign. The sign would be on earth, in Jerusalem. The destruction of Jerusalem would be the sign of the coming of the Lord, and would be conclusive evidence that He was reigning in Heaven."<21> Lightfoot describes the "sign" in these words:
"Then shall the Son of Man give a proof of himself, whom they would not before acknowledge: a proof, indeed, not in any visible figure, but in vengeance and judgment so visible, that all the tribes of the earth shall be forced to acknowledge him the avenger. The Jews would not know him: now they shall know him, whether they will or no (Isa. 25:2)."<22>
"And then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (Matt. 24:30b). When the Jews scattered throughout the world heard of the destruction of Jerusalem, there would be great mourning. The Lord coming in the clouds in this verse does not refer to the Lord's Final Coming. Isaiah pictured the Lord coming in Judgment upon Egypt, but look at the language he used: "Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it" (Isa. 19:1). Jesus was saying, "and they shall see (through acts of judgment upon them, J.M.) the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."
Matt. 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." The basic meaning of "angels" in this context is "messengers" (cf. the use of the term aggelos in Matt. 11:10; Mark 1:2; Luke 7:24,27; 9:52; James 2:25). "The gathering of the elect `from the four winds' of Matt. 24:31 must refer to the conversion of the Gentiles .... Such preaching to the whole world would precede the passing of that generation."<23> "It is our studied conviction that reference is here made to those teachers and preachers of the gospel who would be involved in getting the whole gospel to the whole world."<24> "Then shall the Son of Man send His ministers with the trumpet of the gospel, and they shall gather together His elect of the several nations from the four corners of heaven"<25>
"If the preceding language (Matt. 24:30-31) referred to the second coming, one must understand Jesus to be telling His disciples that when they saw the sun and moon darkened and the stars falling around them, they would know His second coming was at the doors! Or, when they saw Him coming in the clouds, and the angels gathering the elect from the four winds, they would know the second coming was at the door. Such signs would appear to be too late to be helpful if Matt. 24:29,31 are to be understood as literal references to His second coming. That coming would already be past instead of being "nigh," as in the parable of the fig tree."<26>
Matt. 24:32-35 -- "Now learn a parable of the fig tree..." (Matt. 24:32). Just as leaves of the fig tree give evidence that summer is nigh, so "all these things" prior to the destruction of Jerusalem would let them know that it was nigh, "even at the doors." Matthew used the word "generation" (as I demonstrated earlier) to mean those living at that time. Some of them would be living and witness all these things. Consider the Lord's use of "all these things": (1) "All these things shall come upon this generation" (Matt. 23:36); (2) "See ye not all these things?" (Matt. 24:2); (3) "When shall these things be?" (Matt. 24:3); (4) "For all these things must come to pass" (Matt. 24:6); (5) "But all these are the beginning of sorrows" (Matt. 24:8); (6) "When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors" (Matt. 24:33); (7) "This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled" (Matt. 24:34). Thus, every sign mentioned in Matt. 24 was fulfilled before that generation died. The Lord gave great force and emphasis to what He had said by adding, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Matt. 24:35).
Matt. 24:36-44 -- The End of the World
Matt. 24:36 is the transition verse, as has already been pointed out. The change of expressions shows that a new subject is being discussed. In the first section (Matt. 24:4-35) the plural days is used (Matt. 24:19,22,29). In the second section (Matt. 24:36-51) the singular day (or hour) is employed (Matt. 24:36,42,44,50; cf. Matt. 25:13).
Matthew's use of the term "day" throughout his account of the gospel would immediately reveal to the apostles what the Lord had in mind. Jesus said, "Many will say to me in that day ..." (Matt. 7:22). Again, "But I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment ..." (Matt. 11:22). "But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment ..." (Matt. 11:24). Jesus again said that "... every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment" (Matt. 12:36). Nowhere in the New Testament is the plural expression, "the days" or "those days," applied to Christ's Second Coming at the Judgment. Furthermore, the term "the last days" does not refer to a short period just before His Second Coming (cf. Heb. 1:1-2; Acts 2:16-17; 2 Tim. 3:1).
Since no man knoweth, "not the angels of heaven, but my Father only" (Matt. 24:36b), then it is sheer folly for anyone to speculate and prophesy about when the Lord will come. "When anyone tells you that Jesus is coming soon, your guess is as good as his, and his is no good at all."<27>
Matt. 24:37-41 -- The second coming of Christ will be "as the days of Noe were" (Matt. 24:37). In the "days that were before the flood" people were going about the normal affairs of life (eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage) when the flood suddenly came upon them (Matt. 24:39). McGarvey wrote:
"The point of comparison with the days of Noah is not the wickedness of the world at the time of the second coming, for all the practices mentioned, eating, drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, are in themselves innocent. But it is the suddenness with which the event will come to an unexpecting world. As `they knew not until the flood came and took them all away, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be.'"<28>
Just as people did not heed the preaching of Noah before the flood (2 Pet. 2:5), so many do not heed the Lord's warnings about the Judgment; some even scoff at the idea that there will be a Judgment (cf. 2 Pet. 3:3-10). Matt. 24:40-41 also emphasizes that the days before the Final Coming will be characterized by normal activities and conduct on the part of people. These verses also emphasize a separation.
Matt. 24:42-44 -- Since no one knows when the Lord will come again, and since there will be no signs (such as the signs given regarding the destruction of Jerusalem), then it will be necessary for everyone to watch and be ready. In Matt. 24:42 Jesus said "Watch therefore," but in Matt. 24:44 He said "therefore be ye also ready." Just as the thief gives no advance announcement of his visit, neither will Christ give a prior notice of His Second Coming (cf. 1 Thess. 5:2-6; 2 Pet. 3:10).
Matt. 24:45-51 -- the Parable of the Watchful Servant
Matt. 24:45-49 -- "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season" (Matt. 24:45)? "This passage is, in fact, a parable, though it is not expressly so called. The design is to show that His disciples should act as if they were each moment expecting His return."<29> The faithful Christian will be found doing what the Lord has assigned him to do when the Lord returns, but the unfaithful Christian will think the Lord is not returning, and will begin to live contrary to God's will (Matt. 24:48-49).