Matthew 24: 28-29 “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. 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’” (NIV).
Jesus has started to answer the second question which had been asked by the disciples. The question was: “What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
After talking about false Messiahs, He made the above statement about “vultures.” Ever since the ascension of Jesus and the fall of Jerusalem, there have been plenty of people who have taken advantage of other people in a “religious” manner in this fallen world.
And I think this helps us understand the challenging question raised by the statement of Jesus: “Immediately after the distress of those days…” (Matthew 24:29). The question: What are “those days?” And what time period does “immediately” refer to?
I think “those days” are a metaphor for the past 1,950 years and counting since the fall of Jerusalem. These “days” have included continued suffering of the Hebrew people, and “religious” turmoil throughout the whole world due to many people rejecting Jesus.
“Those days” do not refer to the fall of Jerusalem tribulation. Jesus did not return after that seven year period.
And "those days" do not refer to the “end times” tribulation. Jesus is just starting to talk about the genuine rapture.
Thus “immediately” should be interpreted as what will take place when a time comes, which will be one hundred percent deemed by God the Father, which will start the final period for the world. Such will involve the first stage of the Second Coming of Christ, a final tribulation, the second stage of Christ’s coming which will entail a rescue of the Israelites from a military confederation of all nations, and the finale of “Judgment Day.”
I conclude this piece by asking: What will be the nature of this astronomy event?
Jesus said: “…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” (Matthew 24:29).
Prophecies regarding the sun, moon, and stars were addressed by me this past winter as I shared my study on the book of Joel. I examined the three separate times Joel talks about a similar astronomical event. Here is a fourth. Yet though they are adding up, I advocate the statements about the sun and moon not giving light are more than literary metaphors. I advocate they will be real astronomical events of some sort.
Consider the statement by Jesus recorded in Luke, which is a statement from the same discourse recorded here in Matthew. There in Luke 21:25, Jesus states: “There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.”
I do not know exactly what is going to happen. I do know it will be something supernatural which rocks our fragile ecosystem, carried out by our all-powerful God!
The point for us to focus on here is what this event is signaling. In my writings on the book of Joel this past February and March, I made the key statement: “The sun and moon being darkened indicate an aspect of an event where there is judgment, followed by a grand blessing of God.”
Looking ahead to the next verse, there is a general statement of judgment right from the start. That is why Jesus states: “…and all the nations of the earth will mourn” (Matthew 24:30). There will be guilt for many right from the top, because there will be a number of people from all nations who will fail to believe in Jesus. They will fail to think Jesus is seated at the right hand of the father. And they will fail to believe in His return to judge the living and the dead. Yet there Jesus will be!
On the flip side, there will be the grand blessing for all believers in Jesus!!!
The redeemed-in-Christ will be united with Jesus forever!!!
The rapture, a loud celebration, is coming!!!
I am excited!!!
Hunter Irvine
