The Day & The Hour (Matthew 24:32-51)
Many people want to know about the end of time. There have been many predictions over the last hundred years, but none of them have worked out. Does the Bible tell us the key to this mystery? Can we find out when the end will be?
A few weeks ago, we started studying Matthew 24, an oft-used proof text for those who want to talk about the end of time. The primary reason people do that is because of the KJV translation of the disciple's questions. They have asked Jesus, "When these things will be, what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age." In the KJV, the last part of the question is "the end of the world." Jesus had been talking about the judgment of the Jewish nation and the destruction of the temple. That would undoubtedly be the end of their world, but not ours.
Now, let's see what the rest of the Chapter contains.
The Fig Tree
Matthew 24:32--33 (ESV) --- 32 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates.
Jesus returns to the idea of the fig tree. Back in Chapter 21, Jesus went to a fig tree looking for fruit and found none. This represents Jerusalem being fruitless and near to judgment. Now, Jesus brings the fig tree in for another illustration. This time, he says, "As soon as the branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near." This is connected in verse 33 to Jesus being near for judgment.
What is this figure about? He is still talking about destroying Jerusalem. In this case, he says that they will be ripe for judgment. Notice that Jesus doesn't give them a specific time to know precisely how long they have before Jerusalem will be destroyed. He speaks in generalities to say, "You will know when you see these signs." This is an encouragement for them to look out for the signs of judgment and be aware.
Everything Jesus says in Chapters 24-25 is in response to the disciples' questions. In the first 31 verses, he said there would be wars, rumors of wars, famines, and earthquakes, but those are the beginning of the birth pains. They are not the sign of the end of Jerusalem. He also foretold many false Messiahs and a great persecution of his people. All of this will take place before the armies of Rome surround the city and destroy the temple. History tells us that the next forty years will play out exactly as Jesus describes.
One of the most complicated parts of this Chapter is Jesus talking about his coming. Most people believe that refers to the second coming and the world's end, but Rome destroying Jerusalem would represent Jesus coming in judgment. This is similar to God destroying Jerusalem with Babylon six hundred years earlier. He uses the same type of apocalyptic language used by Joel and other prophets to discuss other nations. The Son of Man coming in judgment is not about the second coming and the end of time here, but about the destruction of Jerusalem. All of this easily fits the context of Chapter 24. If you need more understanding, re-listen to the sermon from two weeks ago.
This Generation
Matthew 24:34--35 (ESV) --- 34 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
Verse 34 reiterates that this is talking about the destruction of Jerusalem. He says, "This generation will not pass away until all these things take place." What does that mean? I think it means what it says. Jerusalem will be destroyed before those disciples (who are in their thirties) and the rest of their generation disappear from the earth. Consider other texts where Jesus has said the same thing.
Matthew 16:28 (ESV) --- 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
Matthew 26:64 (ESV) --- 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
Jesus has told the people of his generation that they will see a coming judgment and establish his kingdom. When we look at history, that's precisely what happened!
Now, many people get confused by verse 35. So I would like for us to look at it carefully. What does he mean? Some people might think that he is talking about the end of the world. However, consider why Jesus would add in the last part. He says, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." he also says, "But my words will not pass away." Why does he say that? If he talks about heaven and earth passing away, he should just say, "Heaven and earth will pass away." But that's not how this is worded. If you want to believe that he is transitioning to the end of the world, you will have to do something with, "But my words will not pass away." It seems connected to the phrase before it.
I believe this is a figure of speech. Look at another instance where Jesus uses this exact figure to say something very similar.
Matthew 5:18 (ESV) --- 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
The text in Matthew 5 is not talking about the end of time. Jesus used this exact figure to swear that the law would not fail. Now, I believe in Matthew 24 that Jesus uses this figure of speech to swear that his words will not fail. Jerusalem will be destroyed. It's like saying, "Heaven and earth will fail you, but my words will never fail you." It's as sure as the law. Jesus doesn't switch away from Jerusalem at some point to talk about heaven and earth being destroyed. That would be entirely off topic unless he is trying to draw a parallel to his final coming, which is possible.
No One Knows
Matthew 24:36--41 (ESV) --- 36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.
Before we discuss the different views of this text, let's agree on what it says. Jesus says that there is a specific day and hour that no one knows about except the Father. God the Father has appointed this hour for judgment. People will not expect judgment on that day and hour. But it will happen, and some will be swept away. He says this is what the Son of Man coming will be like. In the previous sections, the Son of Man coming represented Jesus coming to judge Jerusalem. But people differ on what this coming might represent.
How you view this section depends on your interpretation of verse 35. Let's consider two views. Maybe you think verse 36 talks about the day and hour heaven and earth pass away, or maybe you think it's about the day and hour of Jerusalem's destruction.
End of the World
If you think it's about the end of the world, you need to emphasize the word "that" to point out that Jesus is talking about another day besides Jerusalem being destroyed. Then, you will point to the Noah reference to verify your position. You will also have to explain why people are being left on earth. If this is the final judgment, why are people "taken" and others "Left behind?" Is it because the righteous have gone up to be with the Lord (31)? That might make sense.
Jerusalem's Day and Hour
I don't think we have to jump to the final judgment of Jesus. I think all of this makes more sense to be about Jesus preparing his disciples for a coming judgment on Jerusalem. If you take this to be about Jerusalem, this section clarifies that he won't tell them the day or the hour because no one knows that. He just tells them signs and tells them what must happen first. Then, he tells them it will come suddenly. People will not have time to make arrangements beforehand. This is similar to what he said in verses 17-18. It is sealed and won't be revealed until closer to the day (Dan 12, Rev 10). We tend to jump on a text and make it all about us, but we have to fight against the tendency to apply it to ourselves.
Stay Awake
Matthew 24:42--44 (ESV) --- 42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
The sudden coming of Jesus means that all who are his need to be ready for him to come in judgment. Jesus comes like a thief in the night. He's not going to come at an apparent time. He will come at a time when they don't expect it. It is interesting that, historically, Rome seems on the verge of collapse when Jerusalem is destroyed. They go through three Caesars and come close to bankruptcy in one year before Vespasian leaves Jerusalem to take the throne. We could imagine that the Jews in Jerusalem started to get excited, thinking that they might be able to rise in power and establish their kingdom on earth. But instead, Vespasian sends his son, Titus, to destroy the city and get control. Rome will go on to reign for over three hundred years.
Stay Diligent
Matthew 24:45--51 (ESV) --- 45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know 51 and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
To finish off this Chapter, Jesus again encourages his disciples to be faithful to him. They are going to go through tremendous persecutions as Jerusalem is destroyed, but they must not give up on him. If they remain faithful, they will receive a great possession. If they give up and side with the persecutors, they will join the hypocrites in judgment.
Application & Conclusion
Now that we have talked about what the text means let's talk about how we can apply this to our lives.
Regardless of how you interpret Matthew 24, the principles hold. Jesus wants his disciples to know that there is a judgment coming. Jerusalem will be destroyed before the disciples' generation disappears from the earth. Jesus promised it, and it happened. So, how important is it for us to believe that he will once again return to judge those who rebel against him? There are no second chances after you die or after Jesus comes. This will be the theme of Chapter 25.
The Judgment Day
All of these things give us principles that we can apply to ourselves. Like those who are around Jerusalem, the world will see judgment one day. No one knew the day or hour that judgment would come, and no one knows the day or hour our judgment will come. They couldn't enjoy the side of evil and swap sides at the last minute, and neither will we.
I don't believe this was about the final judgment, but it parallels it very closely. Consider what Paul says to the Thessalonians about the final judgment.
1 Thessalonians 4:13--17 (ESV) --- 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
This text tells us about the end where the dead are raised and living Christians rise to meet Jesus in the air. Notice that nothing like that is mentioned in Matthew. But, similarly, there is also no mention of a chance to swap sides at the last minute. The dead in Christ rise, but those who die outside of Christ don't rise to be with him. Once we die, we don't get a second chance.
1 Thessalonians 5:1--11 (ESV) --- 1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
This text goes on to tell us that the final day of judgment will come suddenly and will surprise those who are asleep in the Lord as a thief in the night. Sound familiar? But Paul encourages the Thessalonians by telling them to be sober and awake with faith and love.
Falling Asleep
Have we fallen asleep? Many of us have prepared our homes to protect against thieves, but have we protected ourselves from the Lord? The best protection against the Lord is to join his side and stay on it. The image of a thief coming in the middle of the night is terrifying. If someone told us that a thief was coming, we might get ready for a little while. But eventually, we might get a little more lax. We might stop being so diligent or prepared. We might start to think that he won't come anytime soon.
The world is slowly trying to convince us that God is not real and that Jesus is not coming in judgment. It wants us to love things that don't matter so they can make money off of us. Those who love the world are asleep. They don't know that Jesus could return at any moment and take away what they love. Then, there will be no more opportunities to change. We need to avoid the traps they have set for us. We need to be prepared and get ready for his arrival. It could be today, tomorrow, or a thousand years from now. But one thing is sure he is coming to save those who are his and destroy those who are not.
Jesus tells us in Chapter 7 of Matthew that many will say, "Lord, Lord, did we not do many might works in your name?" But Jesus will respond to them saying, "I never knew you." It's not just those who are refusing to go to church who are asleep. All who love the world and don't know Jesus are asleep. They will be caught off guard and miss out on the blessings of Christ.
Our goal should be to stay awake, alert, and full of faith and love. Even when things appear to be going well, Jesus might suddenly appear. We will talk about this more next week, but for now, let's talk about this on a fundamental level.
Are you "woke?" Being "woke" is not about seeing the political injustice of society. Being "woke" is about knowing God through the Son. Jesus is the ultimate resource for understanding true righteousness. Those who are awake submit to him with our whole hearts and live for him---being awake means following the ways of Jesus, loving him, and rebelling against the world. If we choose to love the world, we will regret it for all eternity. We will wish that we had given God more time and energy. Today we have the opportunity to serve him. Will we change the course of our lives and live for him?
Those of us who have been living on the fringe need to commit to this. We must all be faithful to the end so we can enjoy the blessings he promises to bring. If we can help you in some way, let us know.