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Christ Teaches About the End-Times, Part 4.

3/27/2018

Matthew 24:36-44.
“That day and hour” =
Which day and hour? Everything in 24:15-31? Or specifically 24:29-31?
“Nor the Son” = Does this little phrase undermine Christ’s deity?

The phrase is in two of the oldest NT manuscripts, supported by many others, and quoted by many ancient Christian writers. Its authenticity is solid.
It can’t undermine His deity since He calls Himself God’s Son. Jn. 10:29-33.
This gets us into the mystery of the hypostatic union.[1]
1. E.g., Jesus’ divine nature was omnipresent but His human nature was not. His human nature could get tired, but His divine nature could not.
2. He also subordinated the exercise of His divine attributes to the Father, when He became a man (John 5:19).
3. Jesus, being fully man, didn’t know.

24:37-44 -- His “coming.” Parousia.

Christ says there is an analogy between Noah and this coming.
- Normal human social activities will be on-going. 24:38.
- Noah enters the ark = Christ will gather believers to safety.
- The flood = the outpouring of God’s wrath upon the world.
- It’s interesting that God inserted a seven-day period. Genesis 7:6-10. This is an interesting parallel to a pre-tribulation rapture.

Christ introduces a new idea – an unknowable return for disciples only.
- There is a visible coming that can be known, to the day (Rev. 11:2-3, 12:6), and will be seen by the whole world.
- But Christ begins prophesying a coming that cannot be foreseen, not even by believers (24:42, 44, 25:13; Mark 13:33-35).

Paul said the rapture of believers was a mystery, a previously hidden doctrine newly revealed by the Holy Spirit through Christ or the apostles (1 Cor. 15:51). So, there is nothing said about it anywhere in the OT

[1] Hypostatic Union is the union of the two natures (Divine and human) in the person of Jesus.

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Christ Teaches About the End-Times, Part 3.

3/27/2018

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Recap:

Daniel predicted the rise of an evil world leader, at the end of this age, which he calls the “abomination that desolates”. Daniel 9:27, 12:11. This evil leader appears to be a continuation of Rome in some sense[1]. Christ re-affirmed Daniel’s prediction, Mt. 24:15.

Next:

The sun will go dark, the moon will not shine its light, meteors will shower down, and Christ will visibly appear in the sky. Mt. 21:29-30, Rev. 6:12-17.
1. This language draws on Isaiah 13:6-16, which was originally fulfilled by the Persians against Babylon (13:17-22). The “big” Day of the Lord will be global and much worse.
2. Evidently Christ’s words mean “the sun and moon will not shine in a normal way,” since Rev. 6:12 says the light of the moon will turn red, rather than go out entirely.
3. “Stars” = meteors. “Stars” being used as an idiom, i.e., “shooting stars.” An actual star would incinerate the earth.
4. The “sign of the Son of Man” is the Son of Man. E.g., the sign that is the son of Man. This is called an appositional genitive. He went up into the sky (Acts 1), He will return down through the sky.
5. This will be a worldwide day of utter horror for the unrighteous.
Christ’s angels will gather all believer from around the world. Mt. 25:31-33. This could refer to the Rapture (post-trib rapture view), or it could refer to Christ rescuing His mortal disciples from around the world.
Fig tree illustration. See 2 Thess. 2:1-4. None of the Caesars ever did what 2 Th. 2 predicted. We are not in the tribulation time. Normal persecutions & troubles for Christians =/= the Tribulation.
“This generation” = the Jews. 24:34. Not a generation, this generation. Luke 11:30 (Assyrian Ninevites / Jews).

[1] This harmonizes with Daniel 2, where the iron-legged kingdom has continuity with the brittle iron-&-pottery feet kingdom, after which Christ annihilates all world government (Daniel 2:35); and with Daniel 7, where the iron-toothed monster (Rome) has another horn (king) pop up on its head (Daniel 7:18, 21-22).

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Christ Teaches About the End-Times, Part 4.

Christ Teaches About the End-Times, Part 3.

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