Matthew 24:29-41: Rapture, Second Advent, or Something Completely Different?

The whole reason that the Olivet Discourse is even in the Bible (See Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 17, 21) is because Jesus Christ wanted to mention the signs of his SECOND Advent to his 12 Jewish Disciples. We are going to focus on 13 verses in this passage, starting with his Second Advent and ending with descriptive details of the same event.

-v. 29-31: "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: 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. 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" (KJV). The Tribulation that Jesus is talking about here is in the same context as verses 21-22 of the same passage: "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened" (KJV). If God's Wrath was to be poured out at any time, it would most certainly have to be during the Tribulation and at his Coming. Why would His Wrath be poured out after the Tribulation if the Tribulation is the worst part of human history? Now going to verse 22, whoever said that we knew the distance from which the days are being shortened? In other words, the Great Tribulation isn't being shortened FROM the 3.5 Years, it is being shortened TO the 3.5 Years; the 7-year Tribulation is still exactly one week (See Daniel 9:24). I will now go back to verses 29-31. God's most VEHEMENT Wrath is finally coming to a close after this event takes place. He will come in the clouds, and the people who will mourn will be those who reject him. The angels will gather God's elect (Israel) because of the trumpet of Jesus Christ. I have reason to believe that this is not any sort of Rapture passage (Even if it was, it would not be directed to the Church; the Church was not even founded at this moment, since Jesus had not yet died on the Cross. In fact, it started on Pentecost in Acts 2). The Greek word episuago is not the same as harpazo; the same word is used in Matthew 23:37. It is talking about a normal gathering also similar to that of Deuteronomy 30:4. Just like a hen gathers a chicken under its wings, so shall God's chosen nation Israel return to her homeland to be in the Millenium and worship the king for 1,000 years!

-v. 32-33: "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh. So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors" (KJV). This is just another way of saying to first look for certain seasons and signs, and then look for the Second Advent when you see them. It may be important to note 1 Thessalonians 5:1, where Paul states: "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, YE HAVE NO NEED that I write unto you" (KJV). Christians were never told to look for signs, only for Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). Jews were always the ones who looked for signs, and never Christians (1 Corinthians 1:22).

-v. 34-35: "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (KJV). The generation that Jesus was talking about was the one that would witness the earlier events that were mentioned in the chapter and not the 12 Jewish Disciples. He goes on to say that one day, the world that we know will no longer be in existence when that day comes. Instead of having earthly riches, we will have HEAVENLY riches and be with the Lord forever!

-v. 36-41: "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left" (KJV). The unknown day in this context is talking about the Second Coming. Jesus does not know when he will come back, because his Father hasn't told him to fulfill his Second Advent (Similar TYPOLOGY to a Jewish Wedding). This passage goes on and uses Noah as an analogy to describe the Second Advent. But I believe that the most important part of this passage is verses 40-41, where there are 2 people in the field and 2 women at the mill, and one is taken and one is left. We are still not talking about the Rapture. Conclusively, the Rapture is not mentioned ONCE in the entire Olivet Discourse! Instead, this passage is talking about the process to populate the Millenial Kingdom! The one taken will go to judgment, while the one left can populate the Kingdom of Christ. Besides, the unsaved in Noah and Lot's day were the people that were taken. This is outlined in Matthew 25 with the Separation of Sheep and Goats/Judgement of Nations, but I will get to that another time...

In Conclusion, there is no mention of a Rapture in Matthew 24 (The Olivet Discourse). Mainly, this chapter highlights the characteristics of Jesus Christ's Second Advent, and how it will work. It also talks about who will populate the Millenium (See Matthew 13 for more in-depth information), and gives a stern warning that THE KINGDOM IS AT HAND!

Campbell, Charlie. âPreterism: Examined and Refuted.â Always Be Ready, 1 Nov. 2021, https://alwaysbeready.com/preterism-examined-and-refuted/.

Don’t overlook verse 34: “Truly I tell you, THIS generation will certainly not pass away until ALL these things have happened.”

If I am taking Jesus at his word, then these things have already happened. They just didn’t happen in the way we wanted to see it happen. He was referring to his coming in judgment on Jerusalem, not a final return.

When was this desolation supposed to happen? Within one generation. Luke further confirms that this account refers to the destruction of Jerusalem:

“When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22 For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. 23 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”

I know most of the readers here will not accept this interpretation, but give it some good thought. Jesus is not one to mislead his followers to believe some event that would occur thousands of years later would happen to them.

Chapter 24 is split. Jesus was answering two-three, depends on a comma, different questions from His disciples after Jesus drew their attention to the Temple and the fact that stones would be thrown down.

Questions:
1. When will it happen?
2. What will be the sign of Your coming?
3. What is the sign of the end of the age?

Question 1 answer was the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Verses 4-26, verses 32-35 jumps back to the destruction of Jerusalem.

Question 2 answer is the Second Coming
27-31. “Elect” are Jews, not Christians. (Remember the audience of Jesus AND Matthew. They were not Christians, they were Jews)

Verses 36-44 seems to be speaking more about a Rapture. There is no warning for this event: “one taken and the other left.” Might coincide with the sign of His Second Coming because once the Rapture happens the End of the World clock starts moving.

Honestly, the chapter is a mystery in some parts.

This is my interpretation and from commentaries.

Quote
Luke further confirms that this account refers to the destruction of Jerusalem:

Indy,
Luke also had a Mount of Transfiguration that was 2 days later than Mathew and Mark..

Since the premise can be a 1,000 years as a day, and a day is as 1,000 years, we’ve had about 2 days (2,000) years since Mathew and Mark’s version of the Mount of Transfiguration..

That means another Mount of Transfiguration can happen. Luke’s version..

Also note that only in Mark and Luke is there talk of a man carrying a jar of water, at Passover..

That’s happened literally 2,000 years ago, but it is due to happen in the sky at some point.

It’s still the 2 Fish above our heads at Passover..

And the Woman clothed by the sun, in the fall..

When that man Carrying a Jar of Water shows up in the Spring, at Passover, the Lion replaces the Woman in the fall..

There is lots still to come.
And it’s in Luke where He weeps for Jerusalem. And warns the Daughters of Jerusalem to weep for themselves.

And it’s also in Luke where the words no man knows is not recorded.

Only in Mathew and Mark that is recorded.

If Mathew,Mark,Luke and John tell time, it’s been about 2,000 years , or about 2,000 demon possessed swine ..

The swine account is recorded in Mathew,Mark and Luke.
But only in Mark, were they numbered. About 2,000.
Like 2 days worth..

The last 2 days, or 2,000 years..

Now, that discrepancy of the 2 day delay in Luke gets interesting..
It wouldn’t be interesting to those born 1,000 years ago. Or even 500 years ago..
Skeptics would say ‘see, that isn’t inspired. It’s off by two days’..

Finding the disharmony of the gospels may be a blessing to both skeptics and believers.
For two totally different reasons..

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