Mount Olivet Discourse -
Part 9
by Paul George
Matthew 24:32- 35
Upon completion of His discourse about the tribulation and
second coming, Jesus now provides five parables that
illustrate and drive home the point of what He had just
taught. Since these parables are connected to Christ’s
preceding discourse, then they provide important parabolic
focus upon the eschatology lesson just given. All five of
these parables form a group. In other words, all the
parables must refer to the same event, in this case, verses
4 through 31. This means that it would not make sense to
have the first parable refer to the destruction of Jerusalem
in a.d. 70 and then have the final four relate to a still
future return of Christ.
These five parables relate to the second coming of Christ
and not the rapture of the church. This is true because the
entire Olivet Discourse was given to Israel and relates to
her tribulation and Christ’s return at the end of that
period. Truths relating to the rapture of the church are
revealed exclusively in the New Testament Epistles, which
were written specifically for explaining the intent and
nature of the Church age. The only exception to this is
Christ’s initial unveiling of the church’s hope in the Upper
Room Discourse (John 14:1- 3) shortly before His death.
The first of these parables, the lesson of the fig tree
illustration, is that when there are leaves on a fig tree
then one knows that summer is near. A parable is a lesson of
comparisons, moving from the known in order to explain the
unknown. In this instance, the leaves before summer would
refer to the events of the tribulation as outlined by Christ
in Matthew 24: 4- 31. Thus, when one sees these events then
they are to know that Christ’s return is near, "right at the
door" (Matthew 24:33). How is it that they know that
Christ’s advent is near, because "this generation will not
pass away until all these things take place" (Matthew
24:34). In other words, the events culminating in Christ’s
return will not exceed seven years.
What Jesus is saying is that the generation that sees the
beginning of these events will also see their end. When the
signs come, they will proceed quickly; they will not drag on
for many generations. It will happen within a generation. In
verse 35, He tells us about one thing that will pass away
and another thing that will not pass away. The passing away
in verse 34 would not happen until, "all these things take
place."
What God created is here called "the heavens and the earth,"
a poetic expression signifying the whole universe. Once the
unveiling of this "great tribulation" (Matthew 24: 21)
begins, that generation will not pass away until everything
is brought to completion. To add weight to what He had just
said, the Lord added the proclamation that His words were
more lasting than even the universe itself. The heaven and
the earth will be taken away, but what He has proclaimed
will last eternally.
The Bible teaches that God’s Word is sufficient for
everything needed to live a life pleasing unto Christ (2
Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3-4). This means that if
something is not revealed for us in the Bible then it is not
needed to accomplish God’s plan for our lives. The date of
Christ' s return is not stated in the Bible, therefore, in
spite of what some may say, knowing it is not important for
living a godly life. The Lord told Israel " The secret
things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed
belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe
all the words of this law" (Deuteronomy 29:29). The date of
Christ’s coming has not been revealed, thus it is a secret
belonging only to God.
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