It was desirable, that, if they must flee, they might have the benefit and comfort of one sabbath more to help to bear their charges. To flee in the winter is uncomfortable to the body; but to flee on the sabbath day is so to the soul, and the more so when it remembers former sabbaths, as Ps. The greatness of the troubles which should immediately ensue v. There shall be great tribulation. Great, indeed, when within the city plague and famine raged, and worse than either faction and division, so that every man's sword was against his fellow; then and there it was that the hands of the pitiful women flayed their own children.
Without the city was the Roman army ready to swallow them up, with a particular rage against them, not only as Jews, but as rebellious Jews. War was the only one of the three sore judgments that David excepted against; but that was it by which the Jews were ruined; and there were famine and pestilence in extremity besides. Josephus's History of the Wars of the Jews, has in it more tragical passages than perhaps any history whatsoever.
It was a desolation unparalleled, such as was not since the beginning of the world, nor ever shall be. Many a city and kingdom has been made desolate, but never any with a desolation like this.
Let not daring sinners think that God has done his worst, he can heat the furnace seven times and yet seven times hotter, and will, when he sees greater and still greater abominations.
The Romans, when they destroyed Jerusalem, were degenerated from the honour and virtue of their ancestors, which had made even their victories easy to the vanquished. And the wilfulness and obstinacy of the Jews themselves contributed much to the increase of the tribulation. No wonder that the ruin of Jerusalem was an unparalleled ruin, when the sin of Jerusalem was an unparalleled sin-even their crucifying Christ.
The nearer any people are to God in profession and privileges, the greater and heavier will his judgments be upon them, if they abuse those privileges, and be false to that profession, Amos It was a desolation which, if it should continue long, would be intolerable, so that no flesh should be saved, v. So triumphantly would death ride, in so many dismal shapes, and with such attendants, that there would be no escaping, but, first or last, all would be cut off.
He that escaped one sword, would fall by another, Isa. The computation which Josephus makes of those that were slain in several places, amounts to above two millions. No flesh shall be saved; he doth not say, "No soul shall be saved," for the destruction of the flesh may be for the saving of the spirit in the day of the Lord Jesus; but temporal lives will be sacrificed so profusely, that one would think, if it last awhile, it would make a full end.
But here is one word of comfort in the midst of all this terror-that for the elects' sake these days shall be shortened, not made shorter than what God had determined for that which is determined, shall be poured upon the desolate, Dan.
Instead of complaining that our afflictions last so long, if we consider our defects, we shall see reason to be thankful that they do not last always; when it is bad with us, it becomes us to say, "Blessed be God that it is no worse; blessed be God that it is not hell, endless and remediless misery.
And now comes in the repeated caution, which was opened before, to take heed of being ensnared by false Christs, and false prophets; v. Times of great trouble are times of great temptation, and therefore we have need to double our guard then. If they shall say, Here is a Christ, or there is one, that shall deliver us from the Romans, do not heed them, it is all but talk; such a deliverance is not to be expected, and therefore not such a deliverer.
He foretels the sudden spreading of the gospel in the world, about the time of these great events v. It comes in here as an antidote against the poison of those seducers, that said, Lo, here is Christ, or, Lo, he is there; compare Lu. Hearken not to them, for the coming of the Son of man will be as the lightning. It seems primarily to be meant of his coming to set up his spiritual kingdom in the world; where the gospel came in its light and power, there the Son of man came, and in a way quite contrary to the fashion of the seducers and false Christs, who came creeping in the desert, or the secret chambers 2 Tim.
The gospel would be remarkable for two things. Its swift spreading; it shall fly as the lightning; so shall the gospel be preached and propagated.
The gospel is light Jn. It is God, and not man, that sends the lightnings, and summons them, that they may go, and say, Here we are, Job It is God that directs it Job ; to man it is one of nature's miracles, above his power to effect, and of nature's mysteries, above his skill to account for: but it is from above; his lightnings enlightened the world, Ps.
The seducers carried on their depths of Satan in the desert and the secret chambers, shunning the light; heretics were called lucifugae-light-shunners. But truth seeks no corners, however it may sometimes be forced into them, as the woman in the wilderness, though clothed with the sun, Rev. Christ preached his gospel openly Jn. See Ps. It was light out of darkness, ch. We read of the discomfiting of armies by lightning, 2 Sa.
The powers of darkness were dispersed and vanquished by the gospel lightning. The propagating of Christianity to so many distant countries, of divers languages, by such unlikely instruments, destitute of all secular advantages, and in the face of so much opposition, and this in so short a time, was one of the greatest miracles that was ever wrought for the confirmation of it; here was Christ upon his white horse, denoting speed as well as strength, and going on conquering and to conquer, Rev.
Gospel light rose with the sun, and went with the same, so that the beams of it reached to the ends of the earth, Rom. Compare with Ps. Though it was fought against, it could never be cooped up in a desert, or in a secret place, as the seducers were; but by this, according to Gamaliel's rule, proved itself to be of God, that it could not be overthrown, Acts , Christ speaks of shining into the west, because it spread most effectually into those countries which lay west from Jerusalem, as Mr.
Herbert observes in his Church-militant. How soon did the gospel lightning reach this island of Great Britain! Tertullian, who wrote in the second century, takes notice of it, Britannorum in accessa Romanis loca, Christo tamen subdita-The fastnesses of Britain, though inaccessible to the Romans, were occupied by Jesus Christ.
This was the Lord's doing. Another thing remarkable concerning the gospel, was, its strange success in those places to which is was spread; it gathered in multitudes, not by external compulsion, but as it were by such a natural instinct and inclination, as brings the birds of prey to their prey; for wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together v.
The lifting up of Christ from the earth, that is, the preaching of Christ crucified, which, one would think, should drive all men from him, will draw all men to him Jn. See Isa. The eagles will be where the carcase is, for it is food for them, it is a feast for them; where the slain are, there is she, Job Eagles are said to have a strange sagacity and quickness of scent to find out the prey, and they fly swiftly to it, Job So those whose spirits God shall stir up, will be effectually drawn to Jesus Christ, to feed upon him; whither should the eagle go but to the prey?
Whither should the soul go but to Jesus Christ, who has the words of eternal life? The eagles will distinguish what is proper for them from that which is not; so those who have spiritual senses exercised, will know the voice of the good Shepherd from that of a thief and a robber. Saints will be where the true Christ is, not the false Christs. This is applicable to the desires that are wrought in every gracious soul after Christ, and communion with him. Where he is in his ordinances, there will his servants choose to be.
A living principle of grace is a kind of natural instinct in all the saints, drawing them to Christ to live upon him. Some understand these verses of the coming of the Son of man to destroy Jerusalem, Mal. So much was there of an extraordinary display of divine power and justice in that event, that it is called the coming of Christ.
Now here are two things intimated concerning it. That to the most it would be as unexpected as a flash of lightning, which indeed gives warning of the clap of thunder which follows, but is itself surprising. The seducers say, Lo, here is Christ to deliver us; or there is one, a creature of their own fancies; but ere they are aware, the wrath of the Lamb, the true Christ, will arrest them, and they shall not escape.
That it might be as justly expected as that the eagle should fly to the carcases; though they put far from them the evil day, yet the desolation will come as certainly as the birds of prey to a dead carcase, that lies exposed in the open field. The army of the Chaldeans is said to fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat, Hab. The ruin of the New-Testament Babylon is represented by a call to the birds of prey to come and feast upon the slain, Rev.
Notorious malefactors have their eyes eaten out by the young eagles Prov. Note, When a people do by their sin make themselves carcases, putrid and loathsome, nothing can be expected but that God should send eagles among them, to devour and destroy them. It is very applicable to the day of judgment, the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in that day, and our gathering together unto him, 2 Th.
Now see here, 1. How he shall come; as the lightning, The time was now at hand, when he should depart out of the world, to go to the Father. Therefore those that enquire after Christ must not go into the desert or the secret place, nor listen to every one that will put up the finger to invite them to a sight of Christ; but let them look upward, for the heavens must contain him, and thence we look for the Saviour Phil.
Christ will appear to all the world, from one end of heaven to the other; nor shall any thing be hid from the light and heat of that day. How the saints shall be gathered to him; as the eagles are to the carcase by natural instinct, and with the greatest swiftness and alacrity imaginable. Saints, when they shall be fetched to glory, will be carried as on eagles' wings Ex. They shall mount up with wings, like eagles, and like them renew their youth. He foretels his second coming at the end of time, v.
The sun shall be darkened, etc. Some think this is to be understood only of the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish nation; the darkening of the sun, moon, and stars, denotes the eclipse of the glory of that state, its convulsions, and the general confusion that attended that desolation. Great slaughter and devastation are in the Old Testament thus set forth as Isa.
The sign of the Son of man v. It seems rather to refer to Christ's second coming. The destruction of the particular enemies of the church was typical of the complete conquest of them all; and therefore what will be done really at the great day, may be applied metaphorically to those destructions: but still we must attend to the principal scope of them; and while we are all agreed to expect Christ's second coming, what need is there to put such strained constructions as some do, upon these verses, which speak of it so clearly, and so agreeably to other scriptures, especially when Christ is here answering an enquiry concerning his coming at the end of the world, which Christ was never shy of speaking of to his disciples?
The only objection against this, is, that it is said to be immediately after the tribulation of those days; but as to that, 1. It is usual in the prophetical style to speak of things great and certain as near and just at hand, only to express the greatness and certainty of them.
Enoch spoke of Christ's second coming as within ken, Behold, the Lord cometh, Jude A thousand years are in God's sight but as one day, 2 Pt. It is there urged, with reference to this very thing, and so it might be said to be immediately after. The tribulation of those days includes not only the destruction of Jerusalem, but all the other tribulations which the church must pass through; not only its share in the calamities of the nations, but the tribulations peculiar to itself; while the nations are torn with wars, and the church with schisms, delusions, and persecutions, we cannot say that the tribulation of those days is over; the whole state of the church on earth is militant, we must count upon that; but when the church's tribulation is over, her warfare accomplished, and what is behind of the sufferings of Christ filled up, then look for the end.
Now concerning Christ's second coming, it is here foretold, [1. The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light. The moon shines with a borrowed light, and therefore if the sun, from whom she borrows her light, is turned into darkness, she must fail of course, and become bankrupt.
The stars shall fall; they shall lose their light, and disappear, and be as if they were fallen; and the powers of heaven shall be shaken. This intimates, First, That there shall be a great change, in order to the making of all things new.
Then shall be the restitution of all things, when the heavens shall not be cast away as a rag, but changed as a vesture, to be worn in a better fashion, Ps. They shall pass away with a great noise, that there may be new heavens, 2 Pt. Secondly, It shall be a visible change, and such as all the world must take notice of; for such the darkening of the sun and moon cannot but be: and it would be an amazing change; for the heavenly bodies are not so liable to alteration as the creatures of this lower world are.
The days of heaven, and the continuance of the sun and moon, are used to express that which is lasting and unchangeable As Ps. Thirdly, It shall be a universal change. If the sun be turned into darkness, and the powers of heaven be shaken, the earth cannot but be turned into a dungeon, and its foundation made to tremble. Howl, fir trees, if the cedars be shaken. When the stars of heaven drop, no marvel if the everlasting mountains melt, and the perpetual hills bow.
Nature shall sustain a general shock and convulsion, which yet shall be no hindrance to the joy and rejoicing of heaven and earth before the Lord, when he cometh to judge the world Ps. Fourthly, The darkening of the sun, moon, and stars, which were made to rule over the day, and over the night which is the first dominion we find of any creature, Gen.
The sun was darkened at the death of Christ, for then was in one sense the judgment of this world Jn. Fifthly, The glorious appearance of our Lord Jesus, who will then show himself as the Brightness of his Father's glory, and the express Image of his person, will darken the sun and moon, as a candle is darkened in the beams of the noon-day sun; they will have no glory, by reason of the glory that excelleth, 2 Co.
Then the sun shall be ashamed, and the moon confounded, when God shall appear, Isa. Sixthly, The sun and moon shall be then darkened, because there will be no more occasion for them. To sinners, that choose their portion in this life, all comfort will be eternally denied; as they shall not have a drop of water, so not a ray of light. Now God causeth his sun to rise on the earth, but then Interdico tib sole et luna-I forbid thee the light of the sun and the moon.
Darkness must be their portion. To the saints that had their treasure above, such light of joy and comfort will be given as shall supersede that of the sun and moon, and render it useless. What need is there of vessels of light, when we come to the Fountain and Father of light? At his first coming, he was set for a Sign that should be spoken against Lu.
Ezekiel was a son of man set for a sign, Eze. Some make this a prediction of the harbingers and forerunners of his coming, giving notice of his approach; a light shining before him, and the fire devouring Ps. It is a groundless conceit of some of the ancients, that this sign of the Son of man, will be the sign of the cross displayed as a banner.
It will certainly be such a clear convincing sign as will dash infidelity quite out of countenance, and fill their faces with shame, who said, Where is the promise of his coming? See Rev. All the kindreds of the earth shall then wail because of him; some of all the tribes and kindreds of the earth shall mourn; for the greater part will tremble at his approach, while the chosen remnant, one of a family and two of a tribe, shall lift up their heads with joy, knowing that their redemption draws nigh, and their Redeemer.
Note, Sooner or later, all sinners will be mourners; penitent sinners look to Christ, and mourn after a godly sort; and they who sow in those tears, shall shortly reap in joy; impenitent sinners shall look unto him whom they have pierced, and, though they laugh now, shall mourn and weep after a devilish sort, in endless horror and despair. Note, First, The judgment of the great day will be committed to the Son of man, both in pursuance and in recompence of his great undertaking for us as Mediator, Jn.
Secondly, The Son of man will at that day come in the clouds of heaven. Much of the sensible intercourse between heaven and earth is by the clouds; they are betwixt them, as it were, the medium participationis-the medium of participation, drawn by heaven from the earth, distilled by heaven upon the earth.
Christ went to heaven in a cloud, and will in like manner come again, Acts , Behold, he cometh in the clouds, Rev. A cloud will be the Judge's chariot Ps. When the world was destroyed by water, the judgment came in the clouds of heaven, for the windows of heaven were opened; so shall it be when it shall be destroyed by fire. Christ went before Israel in a cloud, which had a bright side and a dark side; so will the cloud have in which Christ will come at the great day, it will bring both comfort and terror.
Thirdly, He will come with power and great glory: his first coming was in weakness and great meanness 2 Co. Fourthly, He will be seen with bodily eyes in his coming: therefore the Son of man will be the Judge, that he may be seen, that sinners thereby may be the more confounded, who shall see him as Balaam did, but not nigh Num. It added to the torment of that damned sinner, that he saw Abraham afar off.
Note, First, The angels shall be attendants upon Christ at his second coming; they are called his angels, which proves him to be God, and Lord of the angels; they shall be obliged to wait upon him. Secondly, These attendants shall be employed by him as officers of the court in the judgment of that day; they are now ministering spirits sent forth by him Heb.
Thirdly, Their ministration will be ushered in with a great sound of a trumpet, to awaken and alarm a sleeping world. This trumpet is spoken of, 1 Co. At the giving of the law on mount Sinai, the sound of the trumpet was remarkably terrible Ex. By the law, trumpets were to be sounded for the calling of assemblies Num. Very fitly therefore shall there be the sound of a trumpet at the last day, when the general assembly shall be called, when the praises of God shall be gloriously celebrated, when sinners shall fall as sacrifices to divine justice, and when the saints shall enter upon their eternal jubilee.
Note, At the second coming of Jesus Christ, there will be a general meeting of all the saints. First, The elect only will be gathered, the chosen remnant, who are but few in comparison with the many that are only called.
This is the foundation of the saints' eternal happiness, that they are God's elect. The gifts of love to eternity follow the thought of love from eternity; and the Lord knows them that are his.
Secondly, The angels shall be employed to bring them together, as Christ's servants, and as the saints' friends; we have the commission given them, Ps. Thirdly, They shall be gathered from one end of heaven to the other; the elect of God are scattered abroad Jn. Undique ad coelos tantundem est viae-Heaven is equally accessible from every place.
See ch. Mat We have here the practical application of the foregoing prediction; in general, we must expect and prepare for the events here foretold. We must expect them; "Now learn a parable of the fig-tree, v.
Now learn what use to make of the things you have heard; so observe and understand the signs of the times, and compare them with the predictions of the word, as from thence to foresee what is at the door, that you may provide accordingly.
The beginning of the working of second causes assures us of the progress and perfection of it. Thus when God begins to fulfil prophecies, he will make an end. There is a certain series in the works of providence, as there is in the works of nature. The signs of the times are compared with the prognostics of the face of the sky ch. The things revealed must shortly come to pass Rev. Know that it is near.
Note, When the trees of righteousness begin to bud and blossom, when God's people promise faithfulness, it is a happy presage of good times. In them God begins his work, first prepares their heart, and then he will go on with it; for, as for God, his work is perfect; and he will revive it in the midst of their years. Now touching the events foretold here, which we are to expect, 1. Christ here assures us of the certainty of them v.
Note, The word of Christ is more sure and lasting than heaven and earth. Hath he spoken? And shall he not do it? We may build with more assurance upon the word of Christ than we can upon the pillars of heaven, or the strong foundations of the earth; for, when they shall be made to tremble and totter, and shall be no more, the word of Christ shall remain, and be in full force, power, and virtue.
See 1 Pt. It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than the word of Christ; so it is expressed, Lu. Compare Isa. The accomplishment of these prophecies might seem to be delayed, and intervening events might seem to disagree with them, but do not think that therefore the word of Christ is fallen to the ground, for that shall never pass away: though it be not fulfilled, either in the time or in the way that we have prescribed; yet, in God's time, which is the best time, and in God's way, which is the best way, it shall certainly be fulfilled.
Every word of Christ is very pure, and therefore very sure. He here instructs us as to the time of them, v. As to this, it is well observed by the learned Grotius, that there is a manifest distinction made between the tauta v. As to these things, the wars, seductions, and persecutions, here foretold, and especially the ruin of the Jewish nation; "This generation shall not pass away, till all these things be fulfilled v.
You may take my word for it, these things are at the door. Note, There may be greater trials and troubles yet before us, in our own day, than we are aware of.
They that are old, know not what sons of Anak may be reserved for their last encounters. But as to that day and hour which will put a period to time, that knoweth no man, v. Therefore take heed of confounding these two, as they did, who, from the words of Christ and the apostles; letters, inferred that the day of Christ was at hand, 2 Th.
No, it was not; this generation, and many another, shall pass, before that day and hour come. None of God's judgments are adjourned sine die-without the appointment of a certain day. Prudens futuri temporis exitum Caliginosa nocte premit Deus.
But Heaven has wisely hid from human sight The dark decrees of future fate, And sown their seeds in depth of nights. No man knows it; not the wisest by their sagacity, not the best by any divine discovery. We all know that there shall be such a day; but none knows when it shall be, no, not the angels; though their capacities for knowledge are great, and their opportunities of knowing this advantageous they dwell at the fountain-head of light , and though they are to be employed in the solemnity of that day, yet they are not told when it shall be: none knows but my Father only.
This is one of those secret things which belong to the Lord our God. The uncertainty of the time of Christ's coming, is, to those who are watchful, a savour of life unto life, and makes them more watchful; but to those who are careless, it is a savour of death unto death, and makes them more careless.
To this end we must expect these events, that we may prepare for them; and here we have a caution against security and sensuality, which will make it a dismal day indeed to us, v. In these verses we have such an idea given us of the judgment day, as may serve to startle and awaken us, that we may not sleep as others do. It will be a surprising day, and a separating day. It will be a surprising day, as the deluge was to the old world, v.
That which he here intends to describe, is, the posture of the world at the coming of the Son of man; besides his first coming, to save, he has other comings to judge. He saith Jn. Now this here is applicable, 1. To temporal judgments, particularly that which was now hastening upon the nation and people of the Jews; though they had fair warning given them of it, and there were many prodigies that were presages of it, yet it found them secure, crying, Peace and safety, 1 Th.
The siege was laid to Jerusalem by Titus Vespasian, when they were met at the passover in the midst of their mirth; like the men of Laish, they dwelt careless when the ruin arrested them, Jdg.
The destruction of Babylon, both that in the Old Testament and that in the New, comes when she saith, I shall be a lady for ever, Isa. Therefore the plagues come in a moment, in one day.
Note, Men's unbelief shall not make God's threatenings of no effect. To the eternal judgment; so the judgment of the great day is called, Heb. Though notice has been given of it from Enoch, yet, when it comes, it will be unlooked for by the most of men; the latter days, which are nearest to that day, will produce scoffers, that say, Where is the promise of his coming? Thus it will be when the world that now is shall be destroyed by fire; for thus it was when the old world, being overflowed by water, perished, 2 Pt.
Now Christ here shows what were the temper and posture of the old world when the deluge came. It is not said, They were killing and stealing, and whoring and swearing these were indeed the horrid crimes of some of the worst of them; the earth was full of violence ; but they were all of them, except Noah, over head and ears in the world, and regardless of the word of God, and this ruined them.
Note, Universal neglect of religion is a more dangerous symptom to any people than particular instances here and there of daring irreligion. Eating and drinking are necessary to the preservation of man's life; marrying and giving in marriage are necessary to the preservation of mankind; but, Licitus perimus omnes-These lawful things undo us, unlawfully managed.
Secondly, They were unreasonable in it; they were entire and intent upon the world and the flesh, when the destruction was at the door, which they had had such fair warning of. They were eating and drinking, when they should have been repenting and praying; when God, by the ministry of Noah, called to weeping and mourning, then joy and gladness.
This was to them, as it was to Israel afterwards, the unpardonable sin Isa. Knew not! Surely they could not but know. Did not God, by Noah, give them fair warning of it? Did he not call them to repentance, while his long-suffering waited? But they knew not, that is, they believed not; they might have known, but would not know. Note, What we know of the things that belong to our everlasting peace, if we do not mix faith with it, and improve it, is all one as if we did not know it at all.
Their not knowing is joined with their eating, and drinking, and marrying; for, First, Therefore they were sensual, because they were secure.
Note, the reason why people are so eager in the pursuit, and so entangled in the pleasures of this world, is, because they do not know, and believe, and consider, the eternity which they are upon the brink of. Did we know aright that all these things must shortly be dissolved, and we must certainly survive them, we should not set our eyes and hearts so much upon them as we do. Secondly, Therefore they were secure, because they were sensual; therefore they knew not that the flood was coming, because they were eating and drinking; were so taken up with things seen and present, that they had neither time nor heart to mind the things not seen as yet, which they were warned of.
Note, As security bolsters men up in their brutal sensuality; so sensuality rocks them asleep in their carnal security.
The knew not, until the flood came. The flood did come, though they would not foresee it. Note, Those that will not know by faith, shall be made to know by feeling, the wrath of God revealed from heaven against their ungodliness and unrighteousness.
The evil day is never the further off for men's putting it far off from them. They did not know it till it was too late to prevent it, as they might have done if they had known it in time, which made it so much the more grievous. Judgments are most terrible and amazing to the secure, and those that have made a jest of them. The application of this, concerning the old world, we have in these words; So shall the coming of the Son of man be; that is, 1. In such a posture shall he find people, eating and drinking, and not expecting him.
Note, Security and sensuality are likely to be the epidemical diseases of the latter days. All slumber and sleep, and at midnight the bridegroom comes. All are off their watch, and at their ease. With such a power, and for such a purpose, will he come upon them.
As the flood took away the sinners of the old world, irresistibly and irrecoverably; so shall secure sinners, that mocked at Christ and his coming, be taken away by the wrath of the Lamb, when the great day of his wrath comes, which will be like the coming of the deluge, a destruction which there is no fleeing from. It will be a separating day v. Two ways this may be applied.
We may apply it to the success of the gospel, especially at the first preaching of it; it divided the world; some believed the things which were spoken, and were taken to Christ; others believed not, and were left to perish in their unbelief.
Those of the same age, place, capacity, employment, and condition, in the world, grinding in the same mill, those of the same family, nay, those that were joined in the same bond of marriage, were, one effectually called, the other passed by, and left in the gall of bitterness.
This is that division, that separating fire, which Christ came to send, Lu. This renders free grace the more obliging, that it is distinguishing; to us, and not to the world Jn. When ruin came upon Jerusalem, a distinction was made by Divine Providence, according to that which had been before made by divine grace; for all the Christians among them were saved from perishing in that calamity, by the special care of Heaven. If two were at work in the field together, and one of them was a Christian, he was taken into a place of shelter, and had his life given him for a prey, while the other was left to the sword of the enemy.
Nay, if but two women were grinding at the mill, if one of them belonged to Christ, though but a woman, a poor woman, a servant, she was taken to a place of safety, and the other abandoned. Thus the meek of the earth are hid in the day of the Lord's anger Zep. Note, Distinguishing preservations, in times of general destruction, are special tokens of God's favour, and ought so to be acknowledged.
If we are safe when thousands fall on our right hand and our left, are not consumed when others are consumed round about us, so that we are as brands plucked out of the fire, we have reason to say, It is of the Lord's mercies, and it is a great mercy. We may apply it to the second coming of Jesus Christ, and the separation which will be made in that day.
He had said before v. Here he tells us, that, in order to that, they will be distinguished from those who were nearest to them in this world; the choice and chosen ones taken to glory, the other left to perish eternally. Those who sleep in the dust of the earth, two in the same grave, their ashed mixed, shall yet arise, one to be taken to everlasting life, the other left to shame and everlasting contempt, Dan.
Here it is applied to them who shall be found alive. Christ will come unlooked for, will find people busy at their usual occupations, in the field, at the mill; and then, according as they are vessels of mercy prepared for glory, or vessels of wrath prepared for ruin, accordingly it will be with them; the one taken to meet the Lord and his angels in the air, to be for ever with him and them; the other left to the devil and his angels, who, when Christ has gathered out his own, will sweep up the residue.
This will aggravate the condemnation of sinners that others shall be taken from the midst of them to glory, and they left behind. And it speaks abundance of comfort to the Lord's people. Yet they shall not be forgotten or overlooked in that day.
Can you help me understand what He meant by this? Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. NASB Matthew It is called the Olivet Discourse. And Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. Truly I say to you, not one stone here shall be left upon another, which will not be torn down.
Jesus proceeds to answer their question. The key to understanding verse 34 is to understand His message. The message is also given in Mark and Luke with some additional details. If we combine all of the information together we have a more complete understanding of His sermon. Jesus answered the first part of the question when He described the destruction of Jerusalem in A.
Jesus had already predicted this would occur because they would reject Him Luke But scripture also indicates that Jerusalem will be occupied at the end of the age during the Great Tribulation Daniel So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.
And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering ; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.
NASB Daniel History indicates that this prophecy was fulfilled in AD After a siege of the city and the slaughter of its people, the Romans burnt the temple, then tore it apart brick by brick to reach the precious metals that had melted into the rubble Matthew —2.
After Jesus takes a seat on the Mount of Olives with the temple in view, the disciples ask Him for more details. Their questions focus on "the end of the age," meaning the end times. They also wonder about when Jesus will return. Christ's response fills the remainder of this chapter, as well as the next Matthew Jesus begins to describe a time when He will be gone from the earth and the disciples will be on their own.
He warns them that many will come claiming to be the Christ: the Messiah. They will hear news and gossip about violence, conflict, and other tragedies. There will be international conflicts and famines and natural disasters. None of these will mean the end has arrived.
At most, they are signs that the end is approaching Matthew —8. That era will bring great suffering to the followers of Christ. They will be persecuted and murdered. This hate will be due to the world's rejection of Christ.
Many who seemed sincere in following Jesus will fall away under this pressure and even betray and hate their former friends. Liars will arise and lead many self-identified Christians away from the faith. Rejection of morality and law will expand. The influence of godly love will fade from the world. Those who survive these events, however, will see the gospel will be preached throughout the world, right as the end comes Matthew — One vivid sign of these end days will fulfill a prophecy mentioned extensively by the prophet Daniel Daniel ; ; ; This "abomination of desolation" involves some undefined, depraved defilement of the temple.
Those who see this happen should run for their lives, not even hesitating to gather supplies. Those days will be terrible beyond imagining. Jesus describes them as a great tribulation, worse than anything else in history.
In fact, those events will be so terrible as to threaten all human life Matthew — While many terrible things happen in AD 70, they don't rise to the levels depicted in these descriptions. Most likely, all that Jesus describes in these passages is set to happen in what is—at the time of this writing—still the future.
When Christ's second coming finally occurs, it won't be secret in any way, shape, or form.
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