Matthew Chapter 24

We continue once again with our discussion on Verse 44 “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”

In our previous post we were comparing the suddenness of the flood and that of trouble coming upon the present world with the suddenness with which the Lord will come to gather the last of the faithful.

Not only was the earth (the civilized world) flooded with water from above, but much of the water rushed in down here. In other words, there were two sources of inundation, namely, (1) rain vie the collapse of the last ring or veil of water from above and (2) water rushing in from the surrounding ocean beds down here (2 Pet. 3:5, 6). The level of the earth in the Flood area changed radically, causing a great depression into which the water rushed. (That principle is shown today by little islands appearing and disappearing overnight in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Earthquakes cause the land topography to change.) It is a marvel that the Scriptures are terse and yet so comprehensive!

Comment: The antitype will also have two sources of inundation: (1) trouble arising from the anarchistic people down here and (2) trouble caused by a flood of fallen angels materializing.

In Verses 40 and 41, two are together; one is taken and one is left. These verses apply especially to the very end of the age when certain ones will be selected to go when the Lord comes to take his jewels home. In a general sense this has been true since 1878, but in a special sense the verses are applicable to the rapture (translation), when the whole “family” goes into the Ark together.

Question: Luke 17:34–36 lists three categories of those who will comprise the feet members to be taken collectively at the end:

(1) Two will be in one bed; one shall be taken, the other left.

(2) Two will be grinding together; one shall be taken, the other left.

(3) Two shall be in the field; one shall be taken, the other left.

Could these be clues as to the three backgrounds of the feet members? Perhaps the “one bed” is a description of those in the Bible Student movement, for these brethren are more doctrinally agreed on present truth. Possibly those “in the field” are those outside the systems in a more independent condition. These not being as closely knit to any one ecclesia tend to be more independent thinkers, whether this is good or bad depends on their knowledge of the truth, especially the Harvest message. Then “grinding” would be those under the auspices of the systems who leave at the end, in the nick of time, so as not to submit to the Church-State system.

In respects to this last class there are those who are being ground and those who are doing the “grinding”. Those being ground are new believers, not familiar with the truth, while those “grinding” are (ministers, teachers and etc.) some of whom may have become familiar with the truth, but who have been reluctant to profess such, nor to follow the Lord’s injunction to leave Babylon as soon as they learned of her true condition.

Answer: This interpretation seems harmonious and may be the case. Off the top of our head, we do not see anything to contradict the thought.

Comment: It is interesting that the translators supplied the gender; male and female (men and women). The original just says “two shall be” in one bed, grinding together, in the field. The lack of gender is more appropriate.

Matthew 24:39 reads in part: “And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away.” The period of time will come to a terminal point in the future just as it did in Noah’s day. It was a 120-year period of time—until the Flood came. That was a 120-year parousia period in the days of Noah. The Lord’s coming to take his Bride class home (Verses 42 and 44) corresponds to an antitypical terminal point of the 120 years, which started with the beginning of the parousia in 1874. Thus there are two comings with regard to parousia and two comings with erchomai.

Luke 17:26, 27 is similar to Matthew 24.

“And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.”

However, Verse 28 introduces another picture pertaining to Lot. In substance Verse 28 is very similar to that which pertains to Noah, except that additional points are brought in about buying and selling, and planting and building. Verse 29 confirms the thought in Matthew 24 regarding the day the Flood came.

“But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.”

Here a sudden point of time is contrasted with the days of Lot. Before, it was the days of Noah being contrasted with the day the Flood came. Here the days of Lot are contrasted with the day that fire and brimstone cascaded from heaven on Sodom.

In Luke 17:30 the Lot picture substantiates what Matthew 24 is saying, but in addition, a new word is introduced: “when the Son of man is revealed.

Matthew 24 contrasts parousia with erchomai, whereas Luke 17 contrasts parousia, the presence (“the days of Noah” and “the days of the Son of man”) with apokalupto.

The Greek apokalupsis is quite different from parousia. Apokalupsis is future—when the Son of man is revealed to the world in the Time of Trouble, in “flaming fire” (2 Thess. 1:8). Judgments will reveal that a new power or control is taking over. “When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness” (Isa. 26:9). The fiery judgments will reveal to man God’s displeasure.

Continued with next post.