There are numerous passages in the Bible that deal with the whole subject of eschatological events or end-time happenings, or the 2nd Coming, and probably one of the fullest is found in Matthew chapters 24 and 25. The New Testament just like the Old Testament looks at the end of history by using contemporary occurrences. Jesus is going to use the destruction of the temple by the Roman general Titus to foreshadow the typical events of the end times. This chapter is so difficult to understand because Jesus answers 2 questions at the same time (cf. Matt. 24:3), and never really tells us where the 2 are separate. He talks about His own body being destroyed and He’ll rebuild it in 3 days (cf. Jn. 2:19; Matt: 16:21). But the context here seems to be that the temple itself is going to be destroyed and those events are going to happen soon after His death. But then he also talks about the events that will precede the end of the world, and both of these are kind of mixed together, where it’s very hard to know which event occurs at which time. This whole passage in the Bible is apocalyptic and prophetic language which is always difficult to interpret, e.g. the sun turned into blood; stars fell are (cf. Matt: 24:29) apocalyptic language. The whole book of Revelation is apocalyptic language; a lot of numbers, a lot of animals, and a lot of colors. 1st and 2nd Thessalonians parallel Matthew 24 and these are all apocalyptic literature.

There are 3 major things that all of these passages seem to tell us: Number 1, the exact time is uncertain, but the event is certain. Jesus is coming again. He is coming in bodily and physically. I don’t know when but I know He’s coming again. Number 2, we can know the general time, but not the specific time. Number 3, the event is going to occur when it is unexpected. Now, that tells me it’s not going to occur right now because everybody is speculating about end-time events. There’s an anticipation in the world right now about the second coming of Christ, therefore that is not when He will come. He will come just at the moment when no one (including believers) are expecting Him. He will come extremely suddenly. The New Testament words are like the “fluttering of a gnat’s wings or the blinking of an eye. Because of the suddenness and unexpectedness of that event, the Bible relates several things that we ought to be doing as believers. One of them is quit predicting/speculating when He will come, just be ready. Number 2, be prayerful; and lastly be faithful to your assigned tasks. BE READY, BE PRAYERFUL, AND BE FAITHFUL.