| Luke 21 vs25 says "And then
there will be signs in the sun, moon and stars and on the earth distress
of nations with perplexity, the sea and waves roaring. Mens hearts failing
them because of fear and the expectation of those things which are coming
upon the earth. Revelation also uses similar language of God making war
against those on the earth. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
This same language is used in Matthew 24 where it speaks the language of
Isaiah 13 and Ezekiel 32:7. There it uses the language of the sun been
darkened and the moon not giving light and the stars falling from heaven
and the heavens will be shaken. Most people understand rightly that this
is apocalyptic language. However we find from Isaiah and Ezekiel that it
isn't last day language, even though it is apocalyptic.. So then what is
it all about in Matthew?, as its always been understood as the return of
Christ and the last day. When we read Isaiah 13 and also Ezekiel 32:7 we
find that this apocalyptic imagery is used not to describe the end of the
world or time, but rather it is used to describe the end of a Kingdom by God.
There in the prophets the language describes the end of the Babylonian and
Assyrian Kingdoms. The reason I say that this is rather the correct
interpretation is because this fits with what Jesus says in this same
dialogue in Luke 21 as well as Matthew 24,when he says that this
generation will not pass away till all these things have come to pass. The
context clearly indicates that the generation Jesus is speaking about is
the generation who asked him when the temple would be destroyed. This
interpretation certainly harmonises the Gospels and makes sense as the
next verses after this. It can easily be interpreted in this light to mean
the end of the Kingdom of Israel. Fortunately in Matthews gospel we are
given more light for after these events in Matthew 25, there we see when
Jesus comes there is resurrection and eternal life. So clearly this coming
of the Lord is not the return of Jesus Christ in chapter 24. Rather it is the coming of
the Lord in jugement on that unbelieving generation.
So then lets look at the next verses and see if they really do contradict this imagery of the end of the Kingdom of Israel. Lets look at vs 27 then. Then shall they see the son of man coming in a cloud, with power and great glory. I hear you say, see! it says the son of man "coming" in glory!!!!! Now in the original greek this word for coming can also mean going and the context will decide which is right. First of all, so far the context has been about the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. In Matthew24 it says immediatly after this tribulation you will see the Son of man coming in glory. Well Jesus never returned to earth after that tribulation when Israel were exiled out the land. So if we are to be glued to the belief that this is talking of the return of Christ to earth, then all the critics will have good ground to say the bible is not true. many have fallen and been crushed at this hurdle. Schweizer said because Jesus had promised the Kingdom and it never came after Israels judgement. Therefore Jesus was a failed Christ who failed to bring in the Kingdom of God. This has caused many people to say the word of God is not true. If Schweizer is right with His interpreatation and we are honest we will stare this glaring failure in the eye.I will show why indeed this is a false interpretation and none needs to fall into unbelief because Jesus never returned to earth at that time. Because if this is speaking of Jesus return to earth , then the bible is confused and that is certainly not the case. Quite simply this coming is not the return of Jesus to earth but is the going of Jesus into heaven before the ancient of days in His ascension. lets look at where Jesus himself speaks this language of "coming in the clouds". At His trial in Jerusalem the High priest asks him if he is the Christ, the Son of the blessed. Jesus answered them "I am and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of God and "coming in the clouds of heaven!!" In Luke we read that Jesus answers the High priest saying you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of God and doesn't mention the coming in the clouds of heaven.In Matthew 26:63-64 we read that in answer to whether he is the Christ. Jesus answers you have said so. he then tells them they will see the son of man sitting at the right hand of power(Gods throne) and coming in the clouds of heaven. So if we see all three of these scriptures together he tells the High priest, he is the Christ and that "hereafter" they will see him seated at the right hand of God coming in the clouds of heaven.The implications of this are that they will see it in their generation. Jesus clearly knows this is the delegation that does not want him to rule over them as King and that he will soon be put to death. But he will be raised to life and ascend to the right hand of God as the scriptures prophesied concerning the Christ. Also after Jesus is seated at the right hand of God they will see him coming in the clouds of heaven. Now if we incorporate the scriptures of Luke 17 which speaks of the same event, even more light is shed on the meaning of the coming of the son of man. Since Luke 21 doesn't include in the dialogue the event of Noah and the flood, but Luke 17 and Matthew 24 do.There is indeed overlap and also its context makes it clear that we are speaking about the same and not different events. In Luke 17 the events of Noahs day as well as lots day are spoken of and then brought to relate to the day when the Son of Man will be revealed in vs 30 vs 31 then continues and tells of what will happen in Israel on that day. It will be a horrible judgement. So then the day or days of the Son of Man may well be likened to the terrible day of the Lord. It is the day or days when Israel will receive retribution from the hand of the Lord. This was also indeed spoken of in the beginning of Lukes gospel. It refers to Malachi 4:5-6 where it is said speaking of John the Baptist " Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord...... So then this dreadful day of the Lord was to happen after the days of John the Baptist. Indeed John the Baptist was the one who came in the spirit of Elijah. So after John appeared on the scene calling Israel to repent for the kingdom of God was at hand, then after that "The great and terrible day of the Lord" was to happen in Israel. This then seen together with these other scriptures, I have mentioned backs up that this is what happened in AD70 when the Romans under the emperor Titus destroyed israel by the hand of God. It all fits together in the timeline of Historical events that were prophesied, including Daniel 9. So since it is a clear misinterpretation to say Jesus returned to earth after his death and ascension. It is clear that when he said to the High priest that he would see him, that this would happen in that generation and not at some othertime in the future. Jesus says the same thing to the people he was addresing when he said this generation will not pass away until all these things have been fulfilled. So then in the context it would be correct to interpret the word "coming" as "going" on the clouds of heaven. In Daniel 7:13 we read "....behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven into the presence of the Ancient of days. There was given to him glory dominion and a Kingdom. So that all nations and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom will never be destroyed." So clearly this coming on the clouds of heaven has everything to do with Acts 2 . Jesus movement was upwards not downwards thats why it is referred to as his ascension. Therefore it is clearly going up in the clouds of heaven, to the Ancient of days, where after Jesus ascension, Jesus is seated at the right hand of God and declared to be King with a Kingdom and dominion. This all happened in that generation. So then it becomes clear that when the Kingdom of Israel comes to an end 40 years after ascension to the right hand of God. God in Jesus comes to Israel in judgement to remove her existance from among the nations. So we are talking here about a period of forty years. So that generation saw that Jesus was declared to be the Christ in Jerusalem because he was seated at the right hand of God and had taken the throne of David as Acts 2 tells us. Having received the Kingdom the Spirit is poured out and the Kindom of God begins because the King of Gods Kingdom has inaugurated the Kingdom of God in the now instead of on the last day. Therefore the Kingdom is now and also not yet, because Jesus must still come again to establish the Kingdom. Yet 40 years after the Kingdom begins, because Jesus the Christ is at the right hand of God the scriptures of Malachi 4 are fulfilled forty years on from the time of Christs ascension to the throne, when the Son of Man carries out the day of the Lord upon Israel. Even if we are to interpret the Son of man coming in the clouds and not going in the clouds. This still means it is a coming of the Lord,not in salvation, but a coming in judgement and vengeance upon Israel.Now we can continue to deal with the rest of the verses that come after this. |
