Matthew 24, Part 3

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Fig Tree Illustration

Matthew 24:32–35 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. 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.
Again Christ uses a fig tree for a teaching object. In trying to explain when the coming of the Lord would be, he uses a plant that would have been common and the life cycle understood by all. From the fig tree learn its lesson.
As soon as - when - the branches become tender and put out its leaves, you know that summer is near. Just like outside today, the crocus and the daffodils are popping through the soil and we are beginning to see bloom buds and even some blooms. This tells us (hopefully) that spring is soon around the corner. Specifically, what this tells us is that the amount of cold needed to satisfy its chilling degree days. Being exposed to 10-14 weeks at 35 to 45°F. stimulates a bio-chemical response that “turns on” flower formation and initiates root growth. The plant wakes up when conditions are right.
Jesus uses the fig tree to tell us that we see the physical signs…what is coming next. He tells the disciples if we see the things spoken of about the end times all falling into place, the physical signs are there and He is describing what is coming next. When you see all these things, you know that He is near, at the very gates. The events (signs) will be witnessed by one generation. The disciples had asked two questions—one about Jerusalem’s destruction and one about the end of the world. In answering their questions, Christ nowhere drew a definite line between the two questions. The signs and events that precede one shall precede the other. The implication is clear: just as the signs and destruction of Jerusalem took place within a generation, the signs and destruction of the world will also occur within a generation. Keep this in mind though, it is not that a,b,c,d will happen and BOOM the second coming. In verse 8, Christ says Matthew 24:8
Matthew 24:8 ESV
8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
These are but the beginning…
This only starts the ball rolling, but it continues to get worse. One thing he is clear about though, that once these events take place, the generation that sees them will not pass until world comes to an end. There isn’t any guess work here. Truly, I say to you - What Jesus says will happen, will happen. The tribulation will occur, and heaven and earth will pass away.
We have to keep our eyes open too. It’s been a long time (in our timeframe) since Jesus spoke these words and many things have happened. It may be that some have grown weary and think it is not going to happen. It was only a fable, or a story used to scare us into doing good. God knew this would happen and He even sends another warning of the end times in 2 Peter.
2 Peter 3:3–13 ESV
3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. 8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. 11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Three things are certain to happen in human history: “the beginning of sorrows” (v.8); “the great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world” (v.21); and “the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (v.30). Heaven and earth shall pass away, but not the words He spoke, not what He said would happen. What He said would happen will happen. These three events are certain.

No One Knows Day or Time

I think one of the hardest things for many of us to accept is we don’t know everything. The end time event is kept from us, we only know the signs leading up to it.
Matthew 24:36 ESV
36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
But keep these things in mind: The return of Christ is a real event that is yet to happen. There is “that day and hour.” There is a fixed day and a fixed hour when Christ will return. It is an actual event. The return of Christ is secret. “No man knoweth … my Father only.” Some have thought they knew, but Christ is explicit: “No man knoweth, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” Some things are to be left entirely in God’s hands. The exact day and hour of the Lord’s return is one of these things. Watchful believers will be sensitive to the season (fig tree, v.32–33) and know the generation (v.34), but the exact hour and day are hid from men, even from the wisest and most spiritual men. Only God Himself knows when Christ shall return. If a man claims to know the hour and day, he is the man from which we should flee. That man’s word conflicts with the Lord’s Word.
Matthew 24:37–39 ESV
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.
The coming of the Lord will be sudden—unexpected—shattering to the world of unbelievers. His coming finds its counterpart in Noah’s day. He will come when the world is living just as it was living in Noah’s day: Living sensual lives, eating, drinking, marrying, divorcing, and remarrying time after time, and Refusing to heed Noah’s message of righteousness and coming judgment.
2 Peter 2:5 ESV
5 if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;
When will Christ come? He will come just as He came in Noah’s day: at a shocking time. Just as they “knew not” that the end was coming, so He will come again when the world knows not. They knew not means this: they did not expect the coming judgment. They did not believe the fact, the word, the message. They were close-minded; they did not bother too much about listening and studying the matter. Therefore, they were ignorant about the truth. They did not know the Word of God. They were placing more faith in themselves and what they can accomplish than what God said. They are materialistic. They were more concerned about what they were going to do today, than what could happen...
You see, every day we wake up… we could be placing our feet on the floor and wind up stepping into glory.
Matthew 24:40–41 ESV
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.
The coming of the Lord will catch many by surprise. The example given is two men working in a field and two women grinding at the mill. One is taken…the other left. Now, if this does not speak of a rapture, what does?
Anyways, what is chilling is scripture gives the indication that 50% of the people on earth at the time of the rapture will not be saved and will endure the tribulation. Look to the person to your right or to your left. Which one of you will still be sitting here if the rapture occurred right now?

Be Ready, and Watch

Matthew 24:42–51 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. 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.
Remember, this is Christ’s last week on earth. This was His last chance to teach the disciples. Everything He said was critically important and had to be clear, concise, and direct to the point. He has answered the question of when the end times will come. Now comes the application.
“Stay Awake!” is the exclamation he used. Then He shared three parables to explain what He meant by “Stay Awake.”
We must stay awake so we can be alert and watch. What does it mean for a believer to watch?
The believer watches and stays ready for the Lord’s return. He does not know the exact hour of the Lord’s return; therefore, he is to watch and stay ready at all times (vv.42–44). He should be so ready that his eyes are open and watching for the signs of Christ’s return.
The believer watches his ministry and his duty to God. He sees to it that he serves faithfully and wisely.
The believer watches his attitude and behavior (vv.48–49). He stays his mind upon the Lord’s return and walks soberly and godly among others.
The believer watches by being ready to die and to meet the Lord through death (He. 9:27). Christ does not mention this point, but its truth is ever so clear to the maturing believer.
The first parable Christ shared concerned the owner of a house. He represents the professing believer. The owner had a house to look after. He was blessed, for he owned a house, and it was full of possessions. The belongings were valuable enough to attract a thief. But, the owner lived without being watchful and without regard that he could lose everything. The owner suffered disaster. The thief came while the owner was asleep. The owner ceased watching, and the thief broke into his home, taking his most prized valuables. Christ’s point made is clear: readiness is essential. By readiness, Christ meant diligence. We are to be diligently living a life of righteousness, looking for His return.
Christ gave two reasons why we are to be ready: (a) He is definitely coming, and (b) He is coming in an hour when the unprepared will not expect Him (v.44, 50).
The second parable Christ shared concerned the faithful and wise servant. He represents a genuine believer, a person who not only professes Christ but lives for Christ. The genuine believer may be a minister, a teacher, or a young learner in Christ. But note: the point is not the believer’s position but his being faithful and wise. The simplest believer is to be faithful and wise, no matter who he is or what his calling is. Christ put this parable in the form of a question: “Who then is a faithful and wise servant?” He does this to stir more thought about the issue at hand and to force a much more personal application. A wise servant oversees the Master’s household and feeds the Master’s family. He is given the responsibility to rule, to oversee, to look after the household and family of the Master. But he is under his Lord and he is to oversee primarily by example. His accountability is clearly stated. The Lord is coming, and when He comes, He will judge what the faithful servant is doing. The servant will be looked at and observed to see if he is managing the household and feeding the family faithfully and wisely. His reward will be unbelievable. The Master will make the faithful servant ruler over all His goods. The idea is that he will be placed first: looked upon, loved, and considered first, as though he were the only one. He had been managing, looking after only a small portion for the Master. Now he will be given a much greater responsibility to oversee for his Lord.
The third parable Christ shared concerns the evil servant. He represents a professing believer. Some say he is even a professing minister. If so, he is not a genuine believer, despite his profession and ministerial position. He is unfaithful and untrustworthy. His life is tragic. Christ covers his attitude, his behavior, and his end or judgment. Note the word heart. The attitude of his heart is, “My Lord delayeth His coming; there is plenty of time.” He doesn’t put faith in the Word of God enough to stay awake, to stay vigilant, and to keep looking. Note that it is after the evil servant says there is plenty of time that he begins to live as he wishes. His attitude (his heart) determines his behavior. He acts unjustly. He begins to “smite his fellowservants.” He seeks more and more materially, both power and things. He strikes and mistreats anyone who stands in his way. He seeks “filthy lucre” (acceptance, esteem, gain, property, money), and he seeks to lord it over people. He lives carnally. He begins “to eat and drink with the worldly [drunken].” He walks with them, sits with them, lies with them. He is their companion in sin. He is indulgent, living to please the flesh.
But then…he gets caught. His end and his judgment are certain. There is no escape. The Lord will catch the evil servant unexpectedly. Some deny that the Lord is coming to judge them; others ignore His coming; and still others put the thought out of their minds. But nothing will keep the Lord from coming: “the Lord of that [evil] servant shall come.” And He will come when the evil man is not looking for Him. To the evil person, the Lord’s coming will be the most frightful experience of human history.
In talking about meeting the Lord, it must be remembered that every man meets the Lord at death: “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (He. 9:27).
Hebrews 9:27 ESV
27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,
The point Christ makes is that the evil man will face eternal doom at the end of the world. As other Scriptures point out, the Great White Throne of judgment is to take place at the end of the world. The Lord will condemn the evil servant to death—with the hypocrites. He will be “cut asunder,” cut off from among the living and from among believers; and most tragic, he will be “cut asunder” from God’s presence. His position and place will be with hypocrites. Where are the hypocrites? Christ says “[Where] there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth”.
Which one are you? The unaware owner? The faithful servant? Or the unfaithful servant? You see, we can choose to remain vigilant, to stay awake, to look for the signs. Or, we can live life like we have no cares in the world. The choice truly is ours, but the question is…which one will you choose?
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