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VBVMI StaffI found some confusion in the Revelation Study, Lesson 5E covering Matthew 24. When Jesus discusses the fig tree parable and reference to Noah's time, isn't this alluding to signs we will see before the rapture?
In Matthew 24:30-35 Jesus is speaking of the events of Tribulation, explaining that the timing of His Second Coming will be clearly understood in the same way that we can tell when a fig tree is about to produce fruit:
The events of vs.30-35 will be an event that can be foreknown and anticipated with fair accuracy.
Jesus’ Second Coming can be known with great precision, based on the book of Daniel. According to Daniel 9, Jesus’ Second Coming will take place one “seven” after the start of Tribulation. In other words, Christ return exactly seven years later, which is why Jesus says the people of that time can know the end is near.
In this passage, Jesus uses the second person plural pronoun, “you”, referencing a future generation of Israel that will experience these things. In other words, Jesus was speaking personally to a future Israel that will endure Tribulation. He spoke in this way expecting the believing Jews of that future generation to read Matthew 24 so they might be prepared for the trials they would face.
Now, in verse 36, the context changes:
Jesus begins describing a very different event, one that no one knows. He announces the change of context with the word “but” indicating He is moving to a different day. This other day is very different than His Second Coming. In fact, not even Jesus Himself knows the timing of that day. Clearly, this is a different day, which tell us the context of Matthew 24 has changed abruptly. The passage is not perfectly chronological. The passage is organized as a chiasm, as Pastor Armstrong explains in his teaching on the Olivet discourse.
These verse describe the Rapture. Remember, the Rapture has no preceding signs and will happen without any warning at all. As Jesus says:
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org