CET: 9 The Nature of Christ’s Return & the Church’s Rescue

Chapter 9

The Nature of Christ’s Return & the Church’s Rescue

Contents

A) There will be two appearances of Christ during His Second Coming

B) The Church will know when Christ is coming: Understanding Matthew 24:32-51

Primary Points

• There is one Second Coming of Christ. But within His Coming, Christ will appear at two different times. Both appearances are described as visible.
• 
  In Christ’s first appearance He comes for the Church’s Rescue (cf. Matt 24:29-31). In Christ’s second appearance He comes with His Church for the Battle of Armageddon (cf. Rev 19:11-21).
• In between these two appearances of Christ on Earth, He remains in Heaven with the Church while His Angels execute His Wrath on Earth during a considerable but unknown period of time.
• 
  Scripture does not tell us how much time elapses between Christ’s two appearances, or how long Christ’s Wrath lasts.
• It is impossible to live today expecting Christ’s Return every hour of every day.
• Christians will know Christ’s Return is near when all the events Christ described in His Endtimes Teaching occur.
• Unbelievers will be completely surprised by Christ’s Return, but not Christians.

A) There will be two appearances of Christ during His Second Coming

There is some confusion over the nature of Christ’s Second Coming. For example, Post-tribulationism teaches that there will be only one visible appearance of Christ during the Second Coming, occurring at the Battle of Armageddon. This view is necessary to support its claim that the Church is on Earth during Christ’s Wrath, evidently right up to the time of this Battle. Likewise, Pre-tribulationism has a rather complicated view of Christ’s appearances during His Second Coming (cf. ch. 13, sec. B.5). For example, one of his “comings” is in a “secret, silent” arrival to “rapture” the Church (cf. ch. 13, sec. B.3).

What does the Bible teach? Contrary to Post-tribulationism, Scripture describes two visible appearances of Christ during His Second Coming. Contrary to Pre-tribulationism, nowhere does Scripture describe or teach a “secret, silent, rapture” or arrival of Christ.

Christ’s two visible appearances in His Second Coming can be described in this way. In Christ’s first visible appearance He comes for His Church. In Christ’s second visible appearance He comes with His Church.

Christ’s first visible appearance for His Church is described in Christ’s Endtimes Teaching in the now familiar passage of Matthew 24:29-31. Jesus said:

Immediately after the completion of the greatest persecution, then ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’

Then the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the sky. And then all the peoples of the Earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of Heaven, with power and great glory.

He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet sound, and they will lift up and gather together God’s elect people from one end of the sky to the other, from everywhere on Earth” (Matt 24:29-31 ^[1])

Throughout the Endtimes Essentials this first visible appearance of Christ at His Second Coming is referred to as Christ’s Return. Christ made it clear that His first visible appearance occurs immediately after the completion of the greatest persecution (v. 29) and immediately before the Church’s Rescue and Christ’s Wrath begin.

As explained elsewhere (ch. 6, sec. B), Revelation 6 describes the same sequence and Christ’s first visible appearance. After The Beginning of Birth Pains (cf. Rev 6:1-8) and The Greatest Persecution (vs. 9-11), we read:

I watched as the Lamb broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood. Then the stars of the sky fell to the earth like green figs falling from a tree shaken by a strong wind. The sky was rolled up like a scroll, and all of the mountains and islands were moved from their places. ^[2]

Then everyone—the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy, the powerful, and every slave and free person—all hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to survive?” (Rev 6:12-17 NLT)

This is also describing Christ’s first visible appearance. As in Christ’s Endtimes Teaching, this appearance is immediately followed by the Church’s Rescue described in Revelation 7:9-14. Notice in the above text that at Christ’s first appearance, it is said the wrath of the Lamb … has come (v. 16-17). Christ’s Wrath begins at His first visible appearance.

Paul gave us another description of Christ’s first appearance when he wrote:

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. (1 Thess 4:16-17 NIV)

Other important descriptions of Christ’s first appearance during His Second Coming include 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10 and 2:1-4. Notice some attributes of this first appearance of Christ for His Church:

1) Christ will come immediately after the completion of the greatest persecution (Matt 24:29; cf. Rev 6:12).

2) Christ will be accompanied by Cosmic Signs in the sun, moon, and stars (Matt 24:29; cf. Rev 6:12-13).

3) Christ will be coming on the clouds of Heaven (Matt 24:30; cf. 1 Thess 4:17).

4) Christ will be coming with His angels (Matt 24:31; cf. 1 Thess 4:16; 2 Thess 1:7).

5) God’s elect people are still alive and are left … everywhere on Earth (Matt 24:31; cf. 1 Thess 4:17).

6) Angels … will lift up … God’s elect people … from everywhere on Earth into the sky (Matt 24:31; 1 Thess 4:17)

7) The dead in Christ will rise in the first resurrection (1 Thess 4:17; Rev 20:5; cf. 1 Cor 15:52).

8) Everyone—the kings of the earth … the generals … will be hiding themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains (Rev 6:15).

9) The wrath of the Lamb will have come and begun, including the Trumpet and Bowl Punishments (Rev 6:16-17; cf. chs. 8-9; 15-16)

10) The throne of the beast Antichrist, and his kingdom will continue to reign on Earth (Rev 16:10) after Christ’s first appearance, even working to gather Christ’s enemies at Armageddon (16:13-16).

Now let us look at a description of Christ’s second visible appearance in Revelation 19:

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war… The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean…

Then I saw the beast [Antichrist] and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and … thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. (Rev 19:11, 14, 19-20 NIV)

Earlier in verse 8 it says Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her [the Church] to wear. So the armies coming with Christ are not Angels, but the Church. Notice that at this appearance the kings of the earth and their armies are gathered together to wage war (v. 19). The text makes it clear that this appearance occurs at the Battle of Armageddon at the end of Christ’s Wrath (cf. Rev 16:12-16) when the Antichrist is finally destroyed.

The Apostle Paul described the second appearance of Christ when he wrote:

Then the man of lawlessness [Antichrist] will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming. (2 Thess 2:8 NLT)

Here again the Antichrist is being destroyed at the Battle of Armageddon at this second appearance of Christ. Finally, Zechariah 14 also describes this second appearance of Christ when we read:

The LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle [at Armageddon]. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two (vs. 3-4 NIV). ^[3]

There are many differences in the descriptions of these appearances. Some things are mentioned in some of the descriptions that are not in others. But an “argument from silence” is never best. It is possible to reconcile such differences. For example, just because the description of Christ’s appearance in Matthew 24:29-31 does not mention that Christ will stand on the Mount of Olives and split it in two, would not necessarily mean that Zechariah could not be giving us additional information about the same appearance. However, there are several differences in these descriptions that are much more difficult to reconcile into one and the same appearance of Christ.

Notice some attributes of the second appearance of Christ with His Church and how it will be different from His first appearance. In Christ’s second appearance …

1) Christ will appear at the Battle of Armageddon (Rev 19:11-20; cf. Rev 16:12-16), instead of immediately after the completion of the greatest persecution (Matt 24:29; cf. Rev 6:9-17).

2) Christ will be coming as a rider on a white horse (Rev 19:11), instead of coming on the clouds of Heaven (Matt 24:30; cf. 1 Thess 4:17).

3) Christ will be coming with the armies [Church] of heaven, instead of coming with His angels (Matt 24:31; cf. 1 Thess 4:16; 2 Thess 1:7).

4) The Church will be following Christ coming down from heaven (Rev 19:14), instead of still being everywhere on Earth (Matt 24:31; cf. 1 Thess 4:17).

5) The Church will be following Christ coming down from heaven (Rev 19:14), instead of being lifted up … from everywhere on Earth into the sky to meet the Lord in the air (Matt 24:31; 1 Thess 4:17)

6) The Church will be riding on white horses (Rev 19:14), instead of being carried by angels (Matt 24:31).

7) The Church is already in their resurrected bodies, dressed in fine linen, white and clean (Rev 19:11), instead of being rescued and resurrected in their human bodies at Christ’s first appearance (1 Cor 15:52).

8) The kings of the earth and their armies will be gathered together to wage war against Christ at Armageddon (Rev 19:19; 16:16), instead of Everyone—the kings of the earth … the generals … hiding themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains (Rev 6:15) all over the world.

9) The beast Antichrist is captured and thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur (Rev 19:20; cf. 2 Thess 2:8), instead of being allowed to remain ruling on Earth (Rev 16:10).

It seems obvious that Matthew 24:29-31 (cf. 1 Thess 4:17) and Revelation 19 (cf. Zech 14:3-4) are describing two different appearances of Christ. Let us draw some conclusions from the points made above on this rather complicated issue.

First, Revelation 16:12-21 and 19:11-21 make it clear that the Battle of Armageddon occurs at the end of the period of Christ’s Wrath. Afterwards, Christ’s 1,000-year Reign begins (cf. Rev 20:1-6). However, the appearance of Christ in Matthew 24:31 will occur immediately after the completion of the greatest persecution (v. 29), not the end of Christ’s Wrath.

Therefore, Christ’s appearance described in Matthew 24:29-31 marks the beginning of Christ’s Wrath on the unbelievers of this world. His appearance in Revelation 19 marks the end of that Wrath.

Second, in Matthew 24 Christ returns with Angels to gather together God’s elect people in the sky (v. 31). In Revelation 19 He is coming with the saints (vs. 8, 14) He Rescued and resurrected at His first appearance some extended time earlier, to kill a gigantic army and the Antichrist on the Earth. Therefore, the initial appearance of Christ described in Matthew 24:29-31 is not the same appearance described in Revelation 19 at the Battle of Armageddon. These above differences can be summarized in the following table:

Contrasting Christ’s Two Appearances During His 2^nd Coming

Christ’s 1st Appearance in Matthew 24	Christ’s 2nd Appearance in Revelation 19
Occurs immediately after The Greatest Persecution at the beginning of Christ’s Wrath.	Occurs at the time of the Battle of Armageddon at the end of Christ’s Wrath.
Saints are still alive and are left on the Earth.	There are no saints living on the Earth.
Christ appearing to rescue His Church.	Christ appearing to punish His enemies.
Angels lifting the Church from Earth to meet Christ in the sky.	White horses carrying the Church from Heaven to fight Christ’s enemies.
Kings of the Earth hiding from Christ’s Wrath.	Kings of the Earth gathering to fight Christ.
Antichrist continues to rule on Earth.	Antichrist is captured and eternally placed in Lake of Fire.

To summarize, in Christ’s first appearance He comes for His Church in the Church’s Rescue to begin His Wrath. In Christ’s second appearance He comes to the Battle of Armageddon with His Church to consummate His Wrath.

In between these two appearances of Christ on Earth, He remains in Heaven while His Angels execute His Wrath on Earth. It is not Christ, but Angels who are described as releasing the Trumpet and Bowl Punishments (cf. Rev 8:2; 15:1).

Likewise, during Christ’s Wrath on Earth the saints are with the Lord (1 Thess 4:17) in Heaven. This is what Jesus was describing when He said, “I go and prepare a place for you [and] I will come back and take you [in the Church’s Rescue] to be with me that you also may be where I am [in Heaven]” (John 14:3 NIV). And because they are with the Lord forever (1 Thess 4:17) after the Church’s Rescue, they will return to Earth with Christ for the Battle of Armageddon at the end of Christ’s Wrath. They will also remain with Christ on the Earth during Christ’s 1,000-year Reign (cf. Rev 20:4).

The time period between Christ’s first appearance for His Church, and His second appearance with His church is not known. Scripture does not tell us the duration of Christ’s Wrath in the Trumpet and Bowl Punishments.

Therefore, the following outline of Christ’s appearances and subsequent events are suggested:

1) Christ appears first to Rescue His Church from The Greatest Persecution and begin His Wrath (cf. Matt 15-31; 1 Thess 4:15-17; Rev 6:12-17).

2) At the Church’s Rescue the saints are translated to Heaven to be with the Lord forever (1 Thess 4:17; cf. John 14:1-4). Both Christ and the saints remain in Heaven during Christ’s Wrath.

3) Christ’s Wrath immediately follows Christ’s first appearance, including the Trumpet and Bowl Punishments, and lasts for a considerable but unknown period of time (cf. Rev 6:12-17)

4) Christ appears a second time with the Church to consummate His Wrath at the Battle of Armageddon (cf. Rev 19:11-19; Zech 14:4; Isa 63:1).

5) Christ’s 1,000-year Reign begins (cf. Rev 20:1-6).

6) The Great White Throne Evaluation occurs after the Millennium when Eternity has begun (cf. Rev 20:7, 11-15; Matt 25:31-46; 1 Cor 3:12-15; 2 Cor 5:10).

7) God the Father will come to live for Eternity in a new and perfect city on a new and perfect Earth (Rev 21:1-5).

For a complete outline of all Endtime events see Appendix B in Endtimes Essentials book #2, The Beginning of Birth Pains.

The two visible appearances of Christ during His Second Coming can be illustrated in the following graphic:

The above corrects several common views on the Endtimes. Pre-tribulationism claims that there is only one visible appearance of Christ, at the Battle of Armageddon. Therefore, it further claims that the Church’s Rescue being described in Matthew 24:31 is 1) The gathering of Israel on the Earth, or 2) The gathering of the Church in Heaven, which was “raptured” 7 years earlier, for the Battle of Armageddon. ^[4] Both of these views are unbiblical and are discussed later in this book (cf. ch. 13, sec. B.5; ch. 15, sec. E).

Likewise, Post-tribulationism claims there is only one visible appearance of Christ. Therefore, from this view His first appearance for the Church’s Rescue before His Wrath, and His second appearance with His Church at the end of His Wrath are the same event. Therefore, in Post-tribulationism, the Church’s Rescue described in Matthew 24:31 occurs at the same time as the Battle of Armageddon. But as we have seen, this is not biblical. Post-tribulationism will also be evaluated elsewhere. (cf. ch. 11, sec. D).

Because of the amount of confusion on this issue it may be helpful to point out that in 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 Paul actually described both appearances of Christ. He writes:

For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns [at His second appearance for the Battle of Armageddon; cf. Rev 19:11-19], God will bring back with him [on white horses!] the believers who have died [and who were rescued alive or resurrected in Christ’s first appearance].

We tell you this directly from the Lord [from Christ’s Endtimes Teaching, Matt 24:30-31]: We who are still living when the Lord returns [at His first appearance] will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven [at His first appearance, on the clouds of Heaven, Matt 24:30, not as a rider on a white horse, Rev 19:11] with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God.

First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves [in the first resurrection, Rev 20:5]. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth [at Christ’s first appearance] will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air [for the Church’s Rescue]. Then we will be with the Lord forever [including in Heaven while Angels execute Christ’s Wrath on the Earth]. (1 Thess 4:14-17 NLT)

Admittedly, it is confusing that Paul described Christ’s second appearance in verse 14 and His first appearance in verses 15-17. This confusion has led some [e.g. Post-tribulationists] to interpret Paul as saying that after the Church’s Rescue the saints immediately return to Earth for the Battle of Armageddon. As explained elsewhere, this is not the best interpretation of these events (cf. ch. 11, sec. D). As the graphic above illustrates, the Trumpet and Bowl Punishments of Christ’s Wrath occur between the two appearances of Christ.

It is possible that the Apostle Paul was not aware of the above details about Christ’s Second Coming. We should remember that there is “progressive revelation” in Scripture. The OT Prophets did not possess all the divine revelation of the NT Apostles. Likewise, it is probable that the Apostle Paul, writing 1 Thessalonians around A.D. 50, ^[5] did not have the divine revelation that the Apostle John had over 40 years later when he wrote the Revelation (ca. A.D. 95 ^[6]). It is Revelation 19 that helps us most clearly understand there will be two visible appearances of Christ during His Second Coming. It is probably because Paul did not have this revelation that he put these appearances together in the text above.

B) The Church will know when Christ is coming Understanding Matt 24:32-51

B.1) Illustrating the need for the Church to know when Christ is coming (Matt 24:50-51)

What are you doing at this moment? Reading this book, of course. Where are you? At home? Your office? Take a moment to think about where you are, and what you are doing right now.

Now imagine this. All of a sudden you hear a loud noise that sounds like a trumpet. It just keeps blowing. You go outside to see where it is coming from. As you do you immediately recognize that everything has gone completely black as if it is midnight. If it is during the day, you notice the sun has stopped shining. Not like a cloud is passing by, but the sun itself has gone dark. And if it is night right now, you notice that the moon is bright red in a way you have never seen before. And as you look up into the sky, you see something you were not expecting.

All of a sudden, a blinding bright light in the sky pierces the pitch darkness. And out of this bright light appears a Person shining with the glory of Heaven. You see His face and immediately recognize it is the Lord Jesus Christ. And you see millions of Angels streaking across the sky, picking up people… including YOU. And you realize– this is THE DAY. The Day of Christ’s Return and the Church’s Rescue.

If all of that happened in the next few minutes would you be surprised? If Jesus Christ visibly appeared to all the world right now as you are reading this, would He have come at an hour that you were not expecting Him? Do you understand that if that happened you would be going to Hell? Jesus said in His Endtimes sermon:

“But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk.

The master of that [wicked, Matt 24:48] servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers” (Luke 12:45-46 NIV; cf. Matt 24:51 ^[7]).

That is Hell. ^[8] And why do these people go to Hell? Because Christ came even at an hour they were not expecting Him.

This warning seems to put all of us in a very scary situation. We all probably have to agree that if Jesus Christ returned right now, we would not have been expecting Him at this very hour. So what is the point of this illustration? First, it demonstrates the importance of understanding an important section of Christ’s Endtimes Teaching.

As explained in the previous chapters, Jesus gave the general sequence of Endtime events in the first portion of His Endtimes Teaching (cf. Matt 24:4-31). He then described how people will experience His Return (cf. vs. 32-51). And He concluded this section of His teaching with the serious warning quoted above. Accordingly, this portion of Scripture has been misinterpreted to teach that a real Christian could lose their salvation if they are not sufficiently watching for Christ’s Return. Therefore, it is important that we accurately understand these verses.

Second, the illustration above exposes the error of the popular myth that the “rapture” could occur “at any moment,” even right this very second. People who teach this misunderstand Christ’s warning. Even for them, if Christ’s Return and the Church’s Rescue occurred today, it would have occurred on a day and even at an hour they were not expecting. Nobody lives expecting Christ’s Return every hour of every day. Not even the people who teach we should be living this way. It is simply not possible. And thankfully, not even Jesus expects us to live that way.

The solution to all the false teaching and confusion over these verses is to clearly understand them. And here is an important truth that will help you do that. As you read this section of Christ’s Endtimes Teaching keep one thing in mind: Christ was contrasting what His Return will be like for believers in comparison to unbelievers.

[Read Matt 24:32-51. Again, notice how Christ contrasts believers with unbelievers]

B.2) How will we know Christ’s Return and the Church’s Rescue are near? (Matt 24:32-35)

In verses 32-35 Jesus said:

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it [Christ’s Return and the Church’s Rescue, vs. 30-31] is near, right at the door.”

Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (NIV) ^[9]

What was Christ referring to when He said it is near? It was what He had described immediately before this in verses 30-31: Christ’s visible Return and the Church’s Rescue. Therefore, notice what Christ was saying. He expects His people to know when His Return and the Church’s Rescue is near. The phrase, even right at the door suggests a very high level of immediacy and expectancy. In another teaching on this topic recorded by Luke, Jesus said regarding His Return:

“Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him.” (Luke 12:35-36 NIV)

Imagine the picture that Christ gives us. These servants are literally gathered together inside their master’s house waiting at the front door for him to return from a wedding banquet. They are not doing anything else. They are only focused on listening for their master to knock on the door, announcing His arrival so that they can immediately open the door for him. The only way these servants could have that kind of focus, readiness, and expectation is if they knew their master was returning very soon. Like within a few minutes.

How will Christians know that Christ’s Return is so close? How will they be able to have such an intense level of focus and expectation of Christ’s Return? The illustration above proved we cannot achieve or maintain such a focus hour after hour in our daily lives now. So how will Christians be able to expect Christ’s Return on the exact day and even hour (Matt 24:51) it occurs? Jesus answered these questions when He said: “When you see all these things, you will know that it (His Return) is near, right at the door” (Matt 24:33).

What does all these things refer to? Probably not the Cosmic Signs and Christ’s visible appearance described in the immediately preceding verses (30-31). If you are not expecting these things on the day they occur, it seems you will experience the punishment Christ warned of in verses 50-51 because Christ would have Returned on a day and at an hour you were not expecting Him.

Therefore, all these things includes all the Endtime events Jesus described previously in His Endtimes Teaching. This included unprecedented wars and famines in the beginning of birth pains (Matt 24:6-8), the Antichrist’s abomination that causes desolation in a rebuilt holy place (v. 15) or Temple in Jerusalem (cf. 2 Thess 2:3-4), and the greatest persecution (v. 21). When Christians see all these things, they will know that Christ’s Return and the Church’s Rescue, is near, right at the door (v. 33).

There is an additional reason that the Last Generation Church will know that Christ’s Return and the Church’s Rescue, is near, right at the door (v. 33), and will be like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him (Luke 12:35-36). This is because Scripture tells us 8 times that The Greatest Persecution will last exactly 1,260 days (cf. Dan 7:25; 9:27; 12:6-7; Rev 11:2, 3; 12:6, 14; 13:5). This often ignored biblical fact will be explained further in the book, The Beginning of Birth Pains. ^[10]

Jesus went on to say that the generation that will see all these things signaling Christ’s Return, will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened (v. 34). Therefore, the Endtime events that Jesus described were not intended to refer to things that would occur to some degree throughout Church history. On the contrary, the events that will occur to signal Christ’s Return will be unprecedented in their effect, and occur in one generation, when the Last Generation Church is on Earth. ^[11]

Jesus ended this section by saying: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (v. 35). What words? The words He just used in His Endtimes Teaching to describe the events that will end this world as we know it. The fact that His words regarding the Endtimes will never pass away means there is nothing that will change them. These events and the end of this world will occur no matter what else happens.

B.3) Until Endtime events occur, no one can know the timing of Christ’s Return (v. 36)

Next, Christ made the well-known statement: “But about that day or hour of His Return and the Church’s Rescue (cf. vs. 30-31) no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (v. 36 NIV). In chapter 1 it was noted:

This is wrongly interpreted in many ways. Some think this means Christ’s Return could happen at any time without any clear warning. Others misuse this statement to criticize those who would point to current events indicating the Endtimes are near. Misinterpreting Matthew 24:36 is probably why 45% of Evangelical Christians claim: “It is impossible to know the circumstances that will precede Jesus’ return.” In many ways, the apathetic view of the Endtimes is based on wrongly interpreting Christ’s statement that no one knows the timing of His Return. (B.3)

It was pointed out there that many common mistakes are made when interpreting Matthew 24:36. For example:

The first mistake is a failure to notice that knows is in the present tense. This is missed by almost everyone who interprets this verse. Jesus did not say “no one will ever know the day or hour” of His Return. He said, when He was speaking with His disciples over 2,000 years ago, “no one now knows about that day or hour.”

Jesus gave us several signs of His Return that we are supposed to be looking for. Before those happen, no one can know the timing of His Return. But in a verse just before verse 36, Jesus said: When you see all these things [the signs of His Return], you know that it is near, right at the door. (Matt 24:33 NIV).

And as noted above, if you do not know the day or hour of Christ’s Return when He comes, you will be cast into Hell. So clearly, the Last Generation Church at some point will know about that day or hour of Christ’s Return. In fact, as noted above, because Scripture states 8 times that The Greatest Persecution will last exactly 1,260, it will be argued elsewhere that the Last Generation Church will know the exact day Christ will Return and Rescue them.

The point here was summarized in chapter 1:

Jesus did not intend to say that Christians will never know the timing of Christ’s Return. It is only unbelievers that will not know the timing of Christ’s Return. Christians will know the timing of Christ’s Return because they will be watching for the signs of His Return in obedience to His commands. It is unbelievers who are expected to have an apathetic view on Christ’s Return, not believers.

But again, until all these things in the Endtimes occur, no one knows (present tense) the timing of Christ’s Return.

Let it be added that it is possible that neither Christ nor the Angels still know the timing of Christ’s Return. The Trinity is a perfect unity of Persons, but they have different roles. God the Son is under the authority of God the Father, and part of that relationship may be that only the Father still knows when He will send His Son back to Earth. However, it will be Christ who will open the seven seals of the scroll containing Endtime events (cf. Rev 5:6-7; 6:1). When that happens, Christ and the Angels will surely know about that day or hour of Christ’s Return.

B.4) When Endtime events occur, Christians will know Christ’s Return is near (vs. 37-42)

Jesus went on in His Endtimes Teaching to describe the difference between how pagans and Christians will experience His Return. We read: “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man” (Matt 24:37 NIV).

Jesus said the coming of the Son of Man will be like the days of Noah. What was He referring to? For one thing, when God punished the Earth in the worldwide Flood, Noah knew the exact day it would occur, but the rest of the world had no idea.

In Genesis chapter 7 verse 1 we read: The LORD then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family” (NIV). Why? Because in verse 4 God says, “Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made.” Notice then that Noah and his family knew the exact day that their rescue would begin, and God’s wrath would begin. Accordingly, we read in verse 10: after the seven days the floodwaters came on the earth.

Jesus was using Noah and his family to illustrate how Christians will experience Christ’s Return. Like Noah, they will know that it is near, right at the door because they will see all these things (v. 33) happen that Christ said would signal His Return.

As noted, with the example of the Flood, Jesus was contrasting what His Return would be like for Christians, as opposed to unbelievers. How did unbelievers in Noah’s day experience the coming of God’s wrath? Jesus went on to say:

“For in the days before the flood, people [the unbelievers] were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah [and the believers] entered the ark; and they [the unbelievers] knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” (vs. 38-39 NIV)

We have already noted that Noah and his family knew exactly seven days beforehand that God’s wrath was coming (Gen 7:1, 4). No doubt they were working frantically to make final preparations for the Flood to begin. But all the people of the world were going about their normal daily lives in the days before the flood … and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away (vs. 38-39). Unbelievers were totally caught off guard by the coming of God’s wrath in Noah’s day. They were completely surprised. This will also be true for unbelievers before Christ’s Return. They will be going about their daily lives having no idea that Christ and His Wrath are coming.

In verses 40-41 of Christ’s Endtimes Teaching He continued to contrast what Christians and pagans would experience when He Returned. He said, “Two men will be in the field; one will be taken to be rescued, and the other left on the Earth to be punished. Likewise, when Christ Returns, two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken to be with Christ in the Church’s Rescue, and the other left on Earth for Christ’s Wrath. ^[12]

Some are confused that both believers and unbelievers are portrayed here doing the same things right before Christ’s Return. There is an impression that both are experiencing normal life at this time. Such an interpretation fits into the Pre-tribulational view that the “rapture” will occur without warning, even for the believer.

But Jesus corrects this interpretation in this very passage. He said believers will experience His Return like Noah and his family experienced the coming of the Flood. Because they knew God’s Wrath would begin soon, they were preparing for this very thing and living quite differently from others.

Therefore, how do we explain believers in the field or grinding with a hand mill, even though they will be experiencing the greatest persecution (v. 29) and know that Christ’s Return is near, right at the door” (v. 33)? The simple answer is that even Christians in such circumstances will still need to eat. They will still need to be acquiring and preparing food.

Finally, in verse 42, Jesus essentially repeated what He said in verse 36: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” Again, present tense, neither we nor his disciples over 2,000 years ago, could know on what day our Lord will come. Which is precisely why Christ has wanted every generation of His people to keep watch for the signs of His Return that would enable them to know that it is near, right at the door (v. 33). This command to watch for signs of Christ’s Return will be discussed further in the next chapter.

B.5) Christ’s Return will come like a “thief in the night” for pagans, not Christians (v. 43)

Jesus continued in His Endtimes Teaching to illustrate the differences between believers and unbelievers at His Return. In verses 43-44 we read:

“But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.” (Matt 24:43 NIV)

Here Jesus introduced the well-known illustration of His Coming like a thief in the night (1 Thess 5:1). Many have used this statement to claim this is how Christians will experience Christ’s Return. But notice again that Jesus said it is possible for the owner of the house to know at what time of night the thief was coming and to have kept watch and … not have let his house be broken into. This illustrates the fact that Christians in the Last Generation Church will know when Christ is coming.

The Apostle Paul had Christ’s Endtimes Teaching, probably in its written form. He knew Christ had used the illustration of a thief coming at night to refer to His Return. However, it would seem that like today, many in the Early Church had misunderstood Christ’s statement. They too thought that even Christians would be surprised by the timing of Christ’s Return, like a thief breaking into their house at night. But the Apostle corrected this misunderstanding when he wrote of Christ’s Return:

Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people [unbelievers] are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.

But you [Christians] aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. (1 Thess 5:1-4 NLT)

The Apostle made the same distinction as Christ. The day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night for the pagan people of this world. But for brothers and sisters in Christ, they will not be surprised when the day of the Lord comes. Therefore, as noted above, even in Matthew 24:43 Christ implied that the owner of a house can know at what time of night the thief is coming and to not have his house be broken into.

B.6) Unbelievers will be completely surprised by Christ’s Return, but not Christians (vs. 44-51)

We noted above that the key to understanding Matthew 24:32-51 was to recognize that Jesus was repeatedly contrasting what His Return would be like for believers and unbelievers. This helps us correctly understand the difficult statement in verse 44. Christ said to His disciples: “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” (v. 44).

Why is this a difficult statement? Because everything Christ had said before this about the fig tree (v. 32) and the days of Noah (v. 37), made it clear that He expected His people to know when His return is near, right at the door (v. 33). So how could Jesus later say, the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him? The you seems to refer to the disciples He was talking to, and would extend to Christians in the Church.

There is another problem with this statement that was introduced above. Jesus said a few verses later:

“The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (vs. 50-51; cf. Luke 12:46)

As explained above, if Christ Returns even at an hour that surprises you, you will go to Hell. So how do we reconcile this with Christ’s statement in verse 44 that the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him?

Fortunately, Jesus taught on these things in another teaching recorded by Luke.

[Stop reading and read Luke 12:35-46]

As noted above, there Christ said, “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him” (Luke 12:35-36). Again, this communicates a very high level of expectancy for Christ’s Return. The only way that servants could be waiting like this, is if they knew when their master was to return.

The disciples who were listening to this teaching understood that the above illustration about servants communicated a very high level of expectancy for Christ’s Return. Therefore, they were puzzled when Christ said a little later in this teaching: “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” (Luke 12:40; cf. Matt 24:44). For the disciples, this seemed to imply something different than the high level of expectancy Christ had described for His disciples concerning His Return.

Accordingly, Peter interrupted Jesus to ask a very important question. Luke records that Jesus said, “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” (Luke 12:40). Then Luke records: Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?” (v. 41). In other words, Peter is asking, does your warning that people will not be expecting your Return at the hour it occurs, apply to us, your followers, or to everyone else, the unbelievers?

Jesus goes on in Luke to contrast a faithful and wise manager (v. 42) who is a Christian, as opposed to a servant who begins to beat the other servants … and get drunk (v. 45), like an unbeliever. In answer to Peter’s question, Jesus explains The master of that wicked servant will come … at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers (v. 46). So in Luke’s version, who was Jesus referring to when He said, “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” (Luke 12:40)? He was referring to unbelievers, who will not be expecting Christ to Return at the hour it occurs and will be sent to Hell.

It is admitted that Christ’s repeated use of you in the text seems to imply that this warning was directed toward the disciples. This is especially true of Matthew and Mark’s versions where only a few disciples heard this teaching (cf. Matt 24:3; Mark 13:3). But Luke tells us that Jesus made this same statement during another teaching when a crowd of many thousands had gathered (Luke 12:1). Therefore, it makes sense that Christ would address both believers and unbelievers in this teaching. Therefore, Jesus intended to do the same in the version of this teaching given in Matthew and Mark.

Luke’s version of this teaching helps us to better understand the same statement in Matthew 24:44. Jesus was referring to unbelievers when He said, “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” This is why in the verses that immediately follow, Christ also clearly distinguishes between how believers and unbelievers will experience His Return. Just as in Luke 12:42-46, in Matthew 24:45-49 Jesus again contrasts the faithful and wise servant (v. 45) who is the Christian, as opposed to a servant who is wicked and begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards (vs. 48-49) like an unbeliever. He then concludes:

The master of that [wicked, v. 48] servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites [Hell], where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matt 24:50-51)

Just as Jesus explained in Luke’s version of this teaching, those for whom Christ’s Return will come at an hour when you do not expect him (Matt 24:44), are the same unbelievers who will be like a wicked servant for whom his master … will come … at an hour he is not aware of (v. 50). Again, unbelievers will be completely surprised by Christ’s Return, but not Christians (vs. 43-51).

Again, you were warned that the Bible’s teaching on the Endtimes is rather complicated!

1. For an explanation of the suggested translation of Matt 24:29-31 see ch. 3, sec. E. and ch. 4, sec. C. ↑
2. Some understandably claim Rev 6:12-17, and especially v. 14 is describing the very end of Christ’s Wrath and is parallel to Rev 16:20: Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found (NIV). It is agreed by most this last reference is describing the end of Christ’s Wrath. The view that Rev 6:14 and 16:20 are describing the same event seems supported by the NIV translation of 6:14, every mountain and island was removed from its place. Accordingly, Beale writes that 6:12-17 is describing “the final judgment and the very end of the world” (398; cf. Osborne, 293).However, it is more likely that Revelation 6 and 16 describe a progression of the destruction of the Earth’s islands and mountains (cf. MacArthur, Rev, 207; Thomas, 737-8). First, one of Beale’s arguments is that, “The whole of the sun, moon, and stars are destroyed in 6:12-13” (399). But that is not at all what the text says. Rather, the appearance of the sun and moon are simply and temporarily changed. Likewise, based on Rev 8:12, it does not seem that Rev 6 is even describing that all the stars fell to the earth.Second, even NIV’s removed from its place could mean merely “moved” rather than completely “removed” from the Earth.

   Third, there is only one instance in the NT where the relatively rare Greek word in this text (ekinēthēsan) probably means to “completely remove” (cf. Rev 2:5). However, simply move is by far its most common meaning in the NT (cf. Matt 23:4; Acts 17:28). It can even refer to people shaking their heads (Matt 27:39; Mark 15:29). It seems best to translate ekinēthēsan in Rev 6:14 to mean all of the mountains and islands were moved from their places (NLT, NASB), rather than completely removed from the Earth.

   Fourth, merely (!) moving the islands and mountains would be the expected result of the great earthquake (6:12) that will be occurring at this same time, rather than completely removing them.

   Therefore, we see a progression of destruction of the Earth’s islands and mountains in Rev 6 and 16. At the beginning of Christ’s Wrath, they are simply moved. At the end of His Wrath they are removed. This would reflect the general progression of destruction portrayed throughout the Trumpet and Bowl Punishments described in Revelation. ↑

3. A third biblical description of Christ’s second appearance on Earth to complete His Wrath is Isa 63:1 that describes Christ as coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson … robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength. ↑
4. Speakman notes:Some [Pre-tribulational] scholars, however, argue that the “gathering of the elect” described in Matthew 24:31 refers not to the Rapture but to the calling together of God’s heavenly armies—including, perhaps, believers raptured seven years earlier, prior to the Great Tribulation—for the Battle of Armageddon. (39)Apparently, these Pre-tribulationists would have the same view of Matthew 24:29-31 as Post-tribulationists. Nevertheless, both views do not sufficiently consider the obvious differences in the two appearances of Christ during His 2^nd Coming. ↑
5. An Introduction to the New Testament, D. A. Carson, Douglas J. Moo, Leon Morris (Zondervan, 1992), 347. ↑
6. Carson, Moo, and Morris conclude after a detailed discussion: “We are inclined, then, to follow the oldest tradition [from Ireneus] on this point and date Revelation in the last years of [the Roman Emperor] Domitian” (476), whose reign was A. D. 81-96 (474) (Introduction). For more on this see the evaluation of Preterism in chapter 12, sec. B. ↑
7. Matthew’s version refers to the damned as hypocrites perhaps not making it as clear that they are sent to Hell. However, Carson comments on them: “his lot is with the punishment given those most constantly held up as vile in this Gospel (6:2, 5, 16; 16:3; 23:13-29). (Matthew). Leon Morris adds: “The wailing and grinding of teeth … stands for the anguish and suffering of those who are finally lost” (Matthew, 618). ↑
8. Wiersbe misses the fact that Christ is only addressing unbelievers in Matt 24:50-51, and believes church leaders are the subject. He writes:If the spiritual leader is obediently doing his job when the Lord returns, he shall be rewarded. But if that leader is not doing his job when the Lord returns, he will be dealt with in a severe way. I prefer to translate Matthew 24:51: “And shall punish him severely and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.”.. [This] suggests loss of reward and loss of opportunity. (at Matt 24:45)On the contrary, Jesus is describing sending unbelievers to Hell (cf. Luke 12:46). ↑
9. Christ’s illustration of a fig tree blossoming in Matt 24:32-33 has probably been widely misunderstood. It has been common to teach that Jesus was giving a prophecy here, and that Israel becoming a nation in 1948 was its fulfillment. OT illusions to Israel being a fig tree are used to support this.But it is doubtful there is any truth to this. Granted, Israel becoming a nation in 1948 and fending off an overwhelming army of its enemies in the Six Day War (1967), seem only possible with divine intervention. God was certainly enabling these events in preparation for Endtime prophecies concerning the nation of Israel.However, there is no indication that Jesus intended such a prediction by using the illustration of a fig tree (v. 32). Second, 1948 is now over 70 years ago, which stretches the limit of the meaning near, right at the door (v. 33). Thirdly, Christ said His Return would be near … when you see all these things. As noted in this section, these things include The Beginning of Birth Pains and The Greatest Persecution. Jesus never explicitly mentioned the establishment of Israel as a nation in His Endtimes Teaching. ↑
10. For more on the timing of Christ’s Return and the length of The Greatest Persecution see The Beginning of Birth Pains, ch. 13, sec. D. ↑
11. For more on this generation (Matt 24:34) see ch. 12, sec. B.2. ↑
12. For more on Matt 24:40-41 see chapter 4, sec. C.3. ↑