Question: Dear Dr. Roane, what do you think about the Second
Coming of Jesus? I am so confused when I listen to some preachers on television
and radio. What about Matthew 24:29?
Answer: Well, once again to give you a quick answer again, not
much when I hear the rants and pontifications of some of the doomsayers. In
principle some of what they say is correct. Times will increasingly grow worst;
men shall be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. That we can be sure of;
as someone has said, you judge the future by the past, and, personally, I
don’t see human behavior changing all that much, especially without Jesus. One thing I am sure of is that no born-again Christian will suffer the wrath of God
I find it interesting that In Josephus Wars (vi. 5, § 2) that we have
the records of false prophecy in connection with Judæa and Jerusalem. Up to the
last moment of the capture of the city by Titus (70 AD) that men were buoyed up
with false hopes of deliverance, based on the predictions of fanatics and
impostors, so I am not so sure that we shall be delivered from all of the
so-called Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21) that shall transpire during the end
times.
Benson Commentary has this to say concerning Matthew 24:29.
Immediately after,
&c. — We now come to the last act of this dismal tragedy, the destruction
of Jerusalem, and the final dissolution of the Jewish polity in church and
state, which our Lord, for several reasons, might not think fit to declare
nakedly and plainly, and therefore chose to clothe his discourse in figurative
language. Commentators, indeed, have generally understood this, and what
follows, of the end of the world, and of Christ’s coming to judgment: but the
words, immediately after the tribulation of those days, show evidence that he
is not speaking of any distant event, but of something immediately consequent
upon the tribulation, before mentioned, and that must be the destruction of the Temple and city of Jerusalem, and the abolition of the Jewish polity, civil and
religious. It is true, his figures are very strong, but not stronger than those
used by the ancient prophets upon similar occasions. The Prophet Isaiah speaks
in the same manner of the destruction of Babylon, Isaiah 13:10, 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. The Prophet Ezekiel describes in similar terms the destruction coming on
Egypt, Ezekiel 32:7-8. 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. The Prophet Daniel also uses similar language, when
speaking of the slaughter of the Jews by the little horn, meaning probably
Antiochus Epiphanes: And it waxed great even unto the host of heaven, and cast
down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.
And lastly, God, by Joel, foretelling this very same destruction of Jerusalem,
Joel 2:30-31, says, I will show wonders in heaven and in the earth, blood, and
fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon
into blood. So that great commotions and revolutions upon earth are often
represented by commotions and changes in the heavens.
Now, in reference to Luke 20:34, I feel that we Pentecostals are
stretching the allegory a bit too far when we try and separate Joel’s prophecy
from Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost. I for one find it most difficult
to get it past 70 AD when Titus razed the walls and city proper of Jerusalem. And
I am not alone in this. Here is what Gill's Exposition of
the Entire Bible has to say:
In that day, he
which shall be upon the housetop... Either for diversion or devotion, when he
shall hear that the Roman armies are approaching Jerusalem, to besiege it: and
his stuff in the house; or "his vessels", his goods and furniture; or
his utensils, and instruments of trade and business: let him not come down; the
inner way of the house, from the top: to take it away; with him in his flight,
but let him descend by the steps, or ladder, on the outside of the house, and
make his escape directly to Pella, or the mountains: and he that is in the
field; at work, and has laid down his clothes in some certain part of the
field, or at home: let him likewise not return back; to fetch them, but make
the best of his way as he is; See Gill on Matthew 24:17 and See Gill on Matthew
24:18.
So, in my opinion, we need to take a second look at some of the text
proofing that we use to describe our days.
Now, the simple fact is that no one knows when Jesus is coming again,
but rest assured He will. During the meantime, we preachers must be careful to
properly and scripturally context anything we say about that awesome day when
the Son of Man will return.
Trust this helps,
Take care, and remember He cares for you!
