Matthew Chapter 24

VERSE 25-27 “See, I have told you beforehand. Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”

Having in our previous posts (Parts 22-42) expounded upon the Lord’s warnings found in Verses 24 and 25 concerning the “great signs and lying wonders”, with which this age will close, we will now precede on to our next verse, Verse 26, however we should like to mention once again that the statement made in Verse 25, viz. “See, I have told you beforehand” can be looked at from two different perspectives, one as relating to what has transpired before, particularly the events relating to the end of the Jewish age as mentioned in Verses 15-19, and/or it can relate to what is to come.

For those who wish to review Verses 23-25 once again before moving on we have provided a link which will take you back to Part 15 of our study and to those particular verses likewise at the bottom of that post a link bringing you back here.

The Sun of Righteousness Shall Arise

“That great delusions, “strong delusions” by Satan, are just before us is witnessed not only by our Lord’s words here, but also by the Apostle Paul. (2 Thess. 2:10-12)

Had it been foretold precisely what form these deceptions would take, this would have somewhat hindered their deceptive power. God permits these deceptions for the very purpose of separating the “over-comers” from all others, and merely guarantees us that the “elect” will be kept from falling. And yet it is quite possible that some of these trials, siftings and delusions, may come closest upon those possessing the largest degree of the light of present truth.

How all-important it is that we “keep ourselves in the love of God“; that we have not only a knowledge of the truth which alone might merely puff up, but that additionally we have the spirit of Christ, which it should produce–love to God and to each other and sympathy for all men; for “love builds up” character in likeness of our Lord.

The claim, “Behold he is in the secret chamber,” is already being made by Spiritualists –that they can have face-to-face interviews with the Lord at some of their séances; and that all who are in sympathy with their views may have the same privilege, etc.

What if the caution that, if it were possible, it would deceive the very elect, should be found to mean that the “very elect” will be subjected to the severest trials in this evil day? “Who shall be able to stand?” (Rev. 6:17) The answer through the Prophet is, “He that hath clean hands [an honest life] and a pure heart [a conscience void of offense toward God and man]…he shall ascend into the mountain [Kingdom] of the Lord…and stand in the holy place.” Psa. 24:3, 4

But how shall God’s people know assuredly that these manifestations are not genuine?

He has instructed us that his day will come as a thief in the night, that he will be PRESENT unseen by the world superintending the harvest work– gathering his elect, etc.

How do we know that he will not manifest himself to his watching people, as so-called Christian Spiritualists claim, in the “secret apartments“–in their séances?

We know that he will not so manifest himself to us, because (1) his instructions are that we shall be “changed,” made “like him,” and thus “see him as he is“; and (2) he forewarned us against these deceptions which would propose to show him to us in our unchanged or flesh condition saying, “If they shall say he is in a desert place or in secret apartments, believe it not“; because in no such manner will he be manifested.

On the contrary, “As the bright-shiner [the Sun] cometh out of the East [and can neither be confined to a solitary place nor to a private room], but shines [everywhere] even unto the [remote] West, so shall the presence [Greek parousia] of the Son of Man be.”

Our Lord’s revelation at his second presence will not be in a room, nor to a community in a wilderness or desert place; nor even to one nation as at the first advent; but it will be a general world-wide manifestation: “The sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in his beams.”

It is the searching beam of truth from the great Sun of Righteousness that already causes so much confusion amongst men, by shining into the dark places and discovering error and corruption of every kind. Whatsoever doth make manifest is light. And it is the great Light of the world, Christ (and ultimately also his associated Church), that shall bless mankind by bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness; for nothing is hidden that shall not be made manifest. “The day shall declare it“; and there could be no day without the Sun shining from the East even unto the West. “This is the true light which lights [in due time] every man that cometh into the world.” D581-583

“Our Lord furnished us a most beautiful illustration of the manner in which his presence will be revealed, when he said, “As the bright-shining emerges from the east, and illuminates even unto the west, so will be the presence of the Son of man.” (Matt. 24:27)

That most translations of this verse are faulty in using the word lightning, where sunlight is meant, is evident; for lightning flashes do not come out of the east and shine unto the west. They just as frequently come from other quarters, and rarely, if ever, flash clear across the heavens.

The Lord’s illustration, and the only one which will comport with his words, is the sun’s brightness, which does invariably emerge from the east and shine even unto the west. The Greek word astrape, here used, is thus shown to be improperly translated in this text, and also in the account of the same words by Luke (17:24). Another instance of the use of this word astrape by our Lord is found in Luke 11:36, where it applies to the brightness of a candle, and in the common version is rendered “bright-shining.”

Incorrect ideas of the manner of our Lord’s coming and revealing, firmly fixed in the minds of translators, led them into this error of translating astrape by the word “lightning.” They supposed that he would be revealed suddenly, like a flash of lightning, and not gradually, like the dawning sunlight. But how beautiful is the figure of sunrise, as illustrating the gradual dawning of truth and blessing in the day of his presence. The Lord associates the overcomers with himself in this figure, saying, “Then shall the righteous shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father.” And the Prophet, using the same figure, says, “The Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in his beams.”

The dawning is gradual, but finally the full, clear brightness shall thoroughly banish the darkness of evil, ignorance, superstition and sin.

An imperfect translation of the word Parousia has further tended to obscure the sense of this passage. In the Emphatic Diaglott and in Professor Young’s translation it is rendered presence; in Rotherham’s it is arrival; while in the common version it is rendered coming. And though the text of the Revised Version retains this last erroneous rendering–coming— yet in the marginal reading it acknowledges “presence” to be the true definition of the Greek.

The Greek word Parousia invariably signifies personal presence, as having come, having arrived; and it should never be understood as signifying to be on the way, as the English word coming is generally used. The text under consideration therefore teaches that as the sunlight gradually dawns, so shall the presence of the Son of man be gradually manifested or revealed.

Together with this illustration, our Lord coupled words of caution to guard us against certain errors which would be advanced about the time of his second advent, calculated to lead his Church astray.

“Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore, if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the bright shining [sun] cometh out of the east and [gradually] shines even unto the west so shall be the presence of the Son of man.”

Thus does our Lord put us on guard against two errors rapidly growing in our day.

The first error is the claim that our Lord will come in the flesh, in the wilderness or desert of Palestine; and, so believing, many have gone thither, and are waiting to see Jesus in the flesh, with the scars, as when crucified. Expecting him as he was, and not “as he is,” they seriously err, and blind themselves to the truth, as did the Jews at the first advent.

These false expectations lead this class to interpret literally the statement of the prophet (Zech. 14:4), “His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives,” etc. Blinded by false expectations, they do not see that the “feet” in this passage are figurative, as truly as in Psa. 91:12; Isa. 52:7; Psa. 8:6; 110:1; Eph. 6:15; Deut. 33:3; and in many other passages. If they knew what to expect, they would know not to go to Jerusalem to look for the man Christ Jesus; for the highly exalted king comes as the sunlight, making his presence and influence felt the world over. Wherefore, “Go not forth.”

Thus so many are found looking to the skies these attempting to force a literal interpretation on our Lord’s words found in Revelation 1:7, where it reads, “Behold, he comes with clouds; and every eye shall see him.” The book of Revelation is clearly stated to be a symbolic prophecy not a literal statement of facts.

The second error: “If they shall say, Behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.” Spiritism, ever ready to deceive by counterfeits, and ever ready to use advanced truths as a garment of light (2 Cor. 11:13, 14), has not hesitated to claim that we are in a period of dispensational change, the dawning of a glorious age. Among other such things, some of them even teach that Christ is present, and, we doubt not, ere long they will give séances at which they will claim to show him in the secret chambers. Should the error present itself in this form, or any other, let us remember our Lord’s words and repudiate all such claims as false, knowing that not thus will he reveal his presence, but “as the sunlight,” emerging gradually— “the Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in his beams.” (B155-158)

We continue with our next post.