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 Matthew 24is embraced by end times prophecy gurus as one “of the most important [chapters] in the Gospels.”[1] In dealing with “Signs of the Lord’s Return” and looking at Matthew 24, John Walvoord states; “For one approaching the description that Jesus gave of signs of the end of the age, the task of describing a period, then almost two thousand years in advance, is in itself a tremendous undertaking. In keeping with the accuracy of Scripture, however, the signs predicted have been fulfilled in many respects throughout the present age.”[2] Walvoord and Chafer identify Matthew 24:3-25:46 as a passage dealing with Christ’s bodily return at the end of the world (“kosmos”). They inform us that; “[t]he second coming of Christ is posttribulational and premillennial. The literal interpretation of the prophecies relating to the second coming of Christ...makes clear that it is the prelude for the casual event which establishes the reign of Christ on earth for a thousand years.”[3] Hitchcock and Ice tell us that Matthew 24:27-31 deals with Christ’s second advent “where He descends from heaven and arrives on earth to stay and set up His messianic kingdom.”[4] When addressing the time text of Matthew 24:34C I Schofield concludes that the world generation cannot mean those to whom Christ was speaking “because none of ‘these things,’ i.e. The world-wide preaching of the kingdom, the great tribulation, the return of the Lord in visible glory, and the regathering of the elect, occured at the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, A.D. 70.”[5] Using Matthew 24:33as a base text Dave Hunt explains that; “For the first time in history, all of the signs heralding the Second Coming could come together at any moment. In fact, the present generation - unlike any generation before it - has more than sufficient reason for believing that the Second Coming is very near.” Why does Hunt believe this, because; “we are the first generation in history...which have developed and stockpiled arms...which actually have the potential to destroy all life on this planet.”[6] Hitchcock instructs that; “[b]egining in Matthew 24:29, the Second Coming of Christ is chronicled…[and] earth’s final days get started...as ‘birth pangs.’ Get ready for the first contraction.”[7] Many popular prophecy writers and weighty premillennial theologians appeal to Matthew 24for the Second Coming of Christ. It is also evident that these writers believe our generation is the last before this coming. Are these things so?
By Trev McCallum | 28 May 20009 2009
It is easy to hold a particular viewpoint and then run for proof texts. This is a general characteristic of many dispensational premillennial prophecy gurus. Writers assume the position and then seek to proof text it. Hence the development of an elaborate system of prophecy charts, which require extensive study to understand, and much end times rhetoric. But the question should arise; does a plain histiorical reading of Matthew 24actually tell us these things? Does the text actually allude to fulfilment in our generation or any generation other than the contemporary hearers? I assert that by interpreting verses 1-34 in a futuristic fashion you are bringing a prophecy system back into the text. The text, read in light of all Scripture, does not allow for a distant future fulfilment. Jesus announces His prophetic timeframe in Matthew 24:34 (cf. Matt 23:36). He emphaticallyf states that all things He has spoken of (at least) up to verse 34 will take place within “this generation.” Now, we must understand that original Scripture did not have chapters and verses. These were added later for easy reference and are not inspired. It must be recognised that the theme in Matthew 24flows from the context set in Matthew 23. In this previous chapter Jesus pronounced “woes” upon the Pharisees and scribes for defiling God’s house ( Matt 23:13-16, 23, 25, 27, 29). Matthew 23culminates with Christ informing them that the house of socio-political Israel is “left unto you desolate” ( Matt. 23:38). Why? Socio-political Israel has killed the prophets ( Matt 23:37) and will crucify the very Son of God ( Matt 21:33-45, cf. Acts 2:23). At Christ’s trial before Pilate the dreadful Pharisaical cry; “away with him, away with him, crucify him...we have no king but Caesar” ( Jn 19:15). Arriving at Matthew 24, “Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him to shew him the buildings of the temple” ( Matt 24:1). It is clear from the context of Matthew 23that the “house” to be left desolate is the temple that was standing at that time. This is clearly why the disciples enquire of the Lord as to “when shall these things be” ( Matt 24:3). So we must understand that the disciples understood the coming of Christ at the end of the age alluded to the destruction of the temple. Remember that Jesus has just told the Pharisees and scribes “All these things shall come upon this generation” ( Matt 23:36). This is the context of Matthew 24and its fulfilment timeframe. The disciples were asking our Lord when He would return in judgement of Jerusalem (i.e. Socio-political Israel) and destroy the temple and Old Testament sacrificial system (viz. Heb 8:13). Thus the context of the prophecies in Matthew 24is the temple’ destruction in Christ’s judgement coming against socio-political Israel. The Old Testament system of animal sacrifices for sin will culminate and end with the destruction of the temple and physical Jerusalem. This would be the sign of the end of the age. It is important to note this context.
The time texts of Matthew 23:36and 24:34 bookend these prophecies. They give the fulfilment timeline. Jesus does not leave it up to you or me to interpret. The prophecies are wedged neatly between when they will occur. Their fulfilment was futuristic to Jesus’ contemporary hearers and retrospective for us. The Lord means what He says regarding the timeframe for socio-political Israel’s judgement. Every other time Jesus uses the phrase "this generation" it means exactly that - the generation who are there and hearing Him. A generation is around 40 years. Theological gymnastics must be done to interpret this verse in any other fashion. By plain understanding, interpreting Scripture with Scripture, fulfilment must be within the first century A.D.
In Matthew 24:1-34 Jesus lays out His covenantal judgement of socio-political Israel (cf. Matt 21:33-45) and the abrogation of the Old Testament age (cf. Heb 8:13). This judgement culminates in the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70 ( Matt 23:37-38, cf. Matt 24:2). Not one of its stones will be left upon another; all will be destroyed ( Matt 24:2). The epicentre of the Jewish world would be destroyed. But why does the Lord take an entire generation (i.e. 40 years) to bring this judgement? Socio-political Israel is given opportunity to repent and believe upon their promised Mesfsiah. In the days of Jonah the Lord gave Nineveh 40 days to repent, He gives Israel 40 years. The unfaithful bride of God was to be judged within a generation. If Israel did not repent, acknowledge the removal of the sacrificial Law and embrace the Messiah God would bring judgement upon her within 40 years. The disciples understood the magnitude of the destruction of the temple. It was the end of their world, the only paradigm they knew. Thus in Matthew 24:3they asked Jesus when these things would take place. In other words, they wanted to know when would the time be that “not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down” ( Matt 24:2).
From verse 3 through 14 we read that there will be wars, rumours of wars, famines, false prophets (teachers) and a great persecution of those who trust in Christ. Note that these “signs” can be ascribed to any era in history. The key to understanding this prophecy is the contextual timeframe bookends of Matthew 23:36and 24:34. The prophecy concerns events that are near at hand not in the distant future. History attests that after Jesus’ crucifixion there were many wars and many rumours of wars. In fact, as Gary DeMar indicates, there were wars across the Roman Empire from A.D. 14 to the death of Nero in A.D. 68. These wars “took place during the Pax Romana, the Roman Peace. Wars are not signs except during a time of declared peace.”[8] Acts 7:11and 11:28 clearly indicate that a great famine occurred before the destruction of the Temple. Many false messiahs arose in the time leading up to A.D. 70. Acts 5:37talks of Judas of Galilee who drew people away after him. Simon, in Acts 8:9-11, claimed to be called the “Great Power of God.” Paul also indicates that false teachers and deceivers were present in the early church, teaching a foreign Gospel. The book of Acts clearly demonstrates that the early Christians were persecuted, brought before kings, hated and killed. Due to these tribulations, which culminated in Jesus’ judgement coming on socio-political Israel, many in the early church fell away or were excommunicated. Those who did persevere to the end of this great tribulation were saved.
From a cursory reading it seems that verse 14 has not taken place yet, let alone before A.D.70. Again, the time texts of Matthew 23:36and 24:34 must shape our Scriptural investigations. Verse 14 states: "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." First we must look at the Greek word used for "world." The word is “oikoumene”.[9] This word means the inhabited earth, the Roman Empire. The literal translation is the "earth," not the entire "world." When a Greek author spoke of the entire world (literally every speck of the globe) the word "kosmos" is used. Jesus was speaking of the inhabited earth, the Roman Empire, not the entire world. Let me give an example of this. In Luke 2:1we read that Caesar Augustus sent out a decree to tax the entire world. The Greek word used here for "world" is “oikoumene” not “kosmos.” We know that the decree went to the inhabited Roman Empire, and there alone. The decree did not go to China or any other populated area of the globe that was outside of the Roman Empire. No credible scholar or person would argue Caesar sent a decree to anywhere other than the Roman Empire. The Greek word “oikoumene” means the inhabited earth, the Roman Empire in the context of Luke 2and therefore of Matthew 24:14. Thus, once the Gospel is preached to all the earth (i.e. Roman Empire, the “oikoumene”) the end of the Old Testament age will be ushered in. This is accomplished through God's judgement of socio-political Israel in the destruction of the Temple. So Matthew 24:14speaks of the end of the Old Testament age - not the end of the entire “kosmos.” The New Testament writers speak of the end of the age in this manner. They are referring to the end of their world, the Jewish sacrificial system. The end of the age was when “the kingdom of God will be taken from you [socio-politcal Israel] and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it” ( Matt 21:43).
But you may still assert that it was not possible for all the earth (Roman Empire) to receive the Gospel before A.D.70. Is this correct? What does the Bible say? Jesus tells us it will happen before the passing of the generation of His contemporary hearers. The Scriptures also assert that this took place prior to the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70. Paul clearly teaches this view point. He declares that Gospel has been preached to the nations. In fact he says this in Colossians 1:23 "if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven" The Bible asserts that the Gospel was preached in all of the earth, prior to A.D. 70. Again, in Romans 16:26Paul says: "Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith." The Gospel of Jesus Christ was made known to the nations, within the first century.
Let us end with two quotes. Reformed Baptist preacher John Gill had this to say regarding Matthew 24:3; “this coming of his, the sign of which they inquire, is not to be understood of his coming a second time to judge the world, at the last day, but of his coming in his kingdom and glory, which they had observed him some little time before to speak of; declaring that some present should not die, till they saw it.”[10] The Prince of Preachers, Charles Spurgeon asserted; “the destruction of Jerusalem was more terrible than anything that the world has ever witnessed, either before or since. Even Titus seemed to see in his cruel work the hand of an avenging God.”[11] After this brief look at ( Matt 24) verses 1-14 I will address verses 15-34 in the next article.
[1] LaHaye, T, Hindson, E, The Popular Bible Prophecy Commentary, Harvest House Publishers, 2006, p. 358.
[2] Walvoord, J F, Major Bible Prophecies - 37 Crucial Prophecies that Affect You Today, 1991, Zondervan Publishing House.
[3] Chafer, L S, Walvoord, J F, Major Bible Themes - 52 Vital Doctrines of the Scripture Simplified and Explained, 1974, Zondervan Publishing House, pp. 331-332
[4] Hitchcock, M, Ice, T, The Truth Behind Left A Biblical View of the End Times, Multnomah Publishers, Inc, 2004, p. 36.
[5] Scoffield, C I, The Scofield Study Bible, 1945, Oxford University Press, Inc, p. 1034.
[6] Hunt, D, Countdown to the Second Coming, 2005, The Berean Call, pp. 46-47.
[7] Hitchcock, M, What Jesus Says About Earth’s Final Days, 2003, Multnomah Publishers, Inc, pp. 40-41.
[8] DeMar, G, Is Jesus Coming Soon? American Vision, Inc, 2006, pp. 30-31.
[9] Strong's Greek word reference number 3625
[10] As cited in Bray, J L, Matthew 24Fulfilled, 5th edition, American Vision, Inc, 2008, p. 20.
[11] As cited in the Introduction of Demar, G & Gummerlock, F X, The Early Church and the End of the World, American Vision, Inc, 2006, p. vii.
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