29 “Immediately after the distress of those days
‘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.’”
30 “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”
In our verses for today, our Lord describes the end times where the world has become the domain of Satan’s man, the Antichrist – the lawless one and the ill effects that will most certainly ensue from his reign. It will be a dreadful and dire time to be sure. The earth will be replete and reeling with false prophets, counterfeit miracles, signs, wonders and every imaginable evil. Where spiritual corruption is rampant (Sodom and Gomorrah ring a bell??) judgment soon follows. Paul speaks of this in 2 Thessalonians:
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. 2 Thess 2:7-10 (NIV)
“Satan doesn’t surrender his prey without a fight. He comes racing after the converted soul, chariot wheels churning the dust, seeking to discourage you, to defeat you. He pursues you with the intensity of Pharaoh. He may use your old friends, a spot of persecution, or discouraging responses by your family. He may show you a hypocrite in the church or afflict you with a general slacking of zeal. He may launch a missile of temptation right at your heart or fire a volley of trials and troubles into your life.” Robert J. Morgan
Immediately following the distress of those tumultuous times, the Lord Jesus will return – Hallelujah! His entrance to the earth will be preceded as well as accompanied by unusual displays in the heavens – a darkened sun and moon, stars falling from the skies, heavenly bodies shaken – a frightful sight for all occupying earth at that time. It will be a visible change such that the entire world must take note of – FOX and CNN will be going crazy. These signs in the skies are prophesized throughout the Old Testament. The Prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel pen:
9 See, the day of the LORD is coming --a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger-- to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. 10 The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. 11 I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless. Isaiah 13:9-11 (NIV)
7 When I snuff you out, I will cover the heavens and darken their stars; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light. 8 All the shining lights in the heavens I will darken over you; I will bring darkness over your land, declares the Sovereign LORD. Ezek 32:7-8 (NIV)
The sure consequences of rampant evil are not too dissimilar to the time of righteous Noah when God had the waters flood the earth. The earth was corrupt and full of violence and Scripture states God was grieved over making mankind:
7 So the LORD said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth--men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air--for I am grieved that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. Gen 6:7-8 (NIV)
Indeed, Jesus states in this same chapter of Matthew a few verses later the comparison between the timing of God as in Noah’s day with the timing of Jesus’ return. Remember, all but Noah and his family was taken by surprise:
36 “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they 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. Matt 24:36-39 (NIV)
Jesus’ coming is a certainty my friends and as the timing is unknown, we best be ready for if then Christ is not your Savior, He will be your judge.
“He who provides for this life, but takes no care for eternity, is wise for a moment, but a fool forever.” John Tillotson