Matthew Ch 24-25 Coming again
People can get confused when reading Matt chapter 24 and 25. But a couple of things help clear it up.
1st what was the question that Jesus was answering in the beginning of Chapter 24.
Mat 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
They asked Him when He was coming, and they said when shall these things be. And they asked what shall be the sign of His coming and of the end of the world.
And so in the verses following the question Jesus answers just that. Some miss understand and think that Jesus is talking about when He comes for the rapture. But that is a mistake. He is answering their question. He is talking about when He comes in power to start His 1,000 year reign. And that is the last period of time before the end of the world.
Taking note of what they actually asked helps clear it up and the 2nd thing that helps is a study in Revelation.
Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
We know from our study in Revelation that this happens late in the tribulation. So again Jesus is not talking about what happens before the tribulation. He is talking about what happens late in the tribulation before He comes to setup His 1,000 year reign.
Matt 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
The earth at that time will be worshipping the Beast and the devil. They will hate Jesus and when they see Him coming they will mourn.
No one sees Jesus appear with power and great glory for the Rapture.
Jesus has told them what they wanted to know. He has told them of what the signs will be before He comes at the end of the tribulation.
Now Jesus is going to go further and teach them what they need to know.
He is going to teach them what they should be more concerned about. And that is there is going to be a rapture and then the start of the tribulation, and then a 1,000 year reign.
And how you should live in light of all of that. How should the truths of what happens in the future affect people alive today?
What does Jesus say about that?
We do not have to guess. Jesus teaches what the main point is that we should be concerned about. Jesus teaches how it should affect our lives.
Jesus will teach this thru a series of parables.
Jesus switches from talking about coming at the end of the tribulation and is now talking about what happens before the tribulation starts. He is no longer talking about the signs of His coming and the end of the world.
He is talking about coming in the clouds and that there is no sign for that coming.
Matt 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
Matt 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Matt 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Matt 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
There are warning signs near the end of the tribulation for when Jesus is coming to setup His kingdom. However, there are no warning signs when He comes in the clouds for the rapture and for the start of the tribulation. No warning signs for that.
Matt 24:40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Matt 24:41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
Matt 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Now Jesus gives an illustration on this. You do not know when the Lord comes.
Matt 24:43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
Matt 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
He is now talking about the rapture. There are signs for when He comes to setup the kingdom. He has just given those. For what He is talking about now there are no signs.
Matt 24:45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
Matt 24:46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
All Christians should be servants of their Lord.
And the Lord has work for the servant to do. And the expectation is that the servant will be faithful to do the work.
The picture in this parable is that the Lord of the house sets down what the work is. And after being told to do the work, the servant is given free rein to do the work. The servant is made ruler of the household. So the servant is given the authority to do the work. And he has the responsibility to do the work. And he has the free will to work or not.
And then the Lord of the house leaves. Leaving the servant to have to motivate himself to keep working. And giving the servant the free will to do the job or not.
Matt 24:46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
And here is given the fact that the Lord will one day come back. And here is a real important part. There are rewards for the servant if the Lord finds him doing what he was told to do when the lord left.
The servant has no idea when the Lord of the house is coming back. So if he wants the blessing when the Lord comes back, then he has to be faithful and do the work every day.
Matt 24:47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
The picture is that a huge blessing comes if he is faithful to do the work.
This is all a picture of Jesus leaving His children with work to do. And how if Christians are found doing it when He returns, then He will be pleased and He will reward for it.
However, remember the Lord gave instructions, authority to do the work, and then the free will to choose to do it or not. Some will not. Jesus talks about a certain type of those next.
Some will not work, but still will not abuse their position for evil. Some will not work and will abuse their position and use it for evil. That is who Jesus is talking about next.
Matt 24:48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
Matt 24:49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
So this servant does not believe that his lord is coming back anytime soon. And so he missuses the authority and does evil things. He hurts the people that he was to guide and lead to get the work done. He abuses his fellow servants.
Important. The one put in charge was not to be absolute dictator ruler. The one put in charge was also a servant. A fellow servant with the others. In many ways on the same level as the other servants.
He forgets that and gets lifted up in pride and drunk with power, and with booze. And hurts his fellow servants. The Lord comes back and it is not good for the evil servant.
Matt 24:50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
Matt 24:51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
You could say that there are 3 groups. 1 the faithful servant doing the work and it is implied that he is doing it as a fellow servant and the right way. He gets blessed and rewarded.
A second group is not mentioned here but they exist. They are servants who are not doing the work, but they are not abusing the position. They are not mentioned. They do not get rewarded for doing the work that they are not doing.
The third group are those who abuse the position of being put over their fellow servants and hurt them. They get punished.
Jesus is teaching these parables in connection with His return at the rapture, and in relationship to being rewarded when He comes.
Being prepared for His return even when we do not know when that is. That is a major point. So Jesus stays on this topic with the parable of 10 virgins.
Matt 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
Matt 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Matt 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
Matt 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
Matt 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Matt 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Matt 25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
Matt 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Matt 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
Matt 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
Matt 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Matt 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Matt 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
There is a lot there that has to do with the Jewish marriage ceremony customs in those days. I am not going into all of that today. The main point is that once Jesus comes back it will be too late to change anything.
It will be sudden. It will be without warning. And whatever state you are found in at that moment is final. No redo’s. No opps, hold on, just give me a little time to get ready. Nope.
Having His children ready for His return and working when He comes is so important to Jesus that He keeps on this subject and teaches yet another parable.
Matt 25:14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
Matt 25:15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
Matt 25:16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
Matt 25:17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
Matt 25:18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.
Matt 25:19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
Matt 25:20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
Matt 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Matt 25:22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
Matt 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Matt 25:24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
Matt 25:25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
Matt 25:26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
Matt 25:27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
Matt 25:28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
Matt 25:29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
Matt 25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Every one of His children are given something to work with. Every Christian can do something for the Lord and we see here are expected to do something for the Lord with what they are given.
And we see that those that do something for the Lord will be rewarded. This is a common theme in these parables.
Matt 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
So we see that Jesus is still on the same subject.
Matt 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
Matt 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Matt 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
He has jumped forward now from before the tribulation to when He comes back to setup His 1,000 year reign. And we see Jesus again giving rewards.
And in connection to those rewards Jesus now teaches the substitution principal.
Matt 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Matt 25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Matt 25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
Matt 25:38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Matt 25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
The people are confused and say when did we every do any of those things to you.
Matt 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Jesus teaches that when you feed an orphan in Haiti that you did that to Jesus. The same Holy Spirit of the 3 in one God is in that saved orphan’s heart. Jesus considers that when you feed them that you did it to Him.
He counts all the good we do as doing it for Him. He is pleased with that and gives rewards in the 1,000 year reign accordingly.
Matt 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Matt 25:42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
Matt 25:43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Matt 25:44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Matt 25:45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
Matt 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Jesus finished teaching about what is important about the end times.
And it is really this. Live every day like He is coming back. Do good, and do His work. Be busy. Because He will come back suddenly with no warning.
You will not be able to make changes after He comes. And Rewards will be given out according to how you work today.
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