When Will the Second Coming of Christ Occur?

When Will the Second Coming of Christ Occur

The last five studies have been from the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24:1-25:46; Mark 13:1-37, Luke 21:5-38). The discourse began because four disciples asked Jesus when His coming would occur and what would be the signs of His second coming. Then Jesus answered their two questions in reverse order. First, Jesus prophesied about the signs of His second coming. The signs were described as a series of birth pangs. The first series of signs were about events that will occur before the tribulation starts, signs that will occur during the first half of the tribulation, and the signs in the last half of the tribulation. In the last study, we learned what will occur at the time of the Second Coming of Christ.

Then Jesus answered the disciple’s first question: when would Christ’s Second Coming occur? Answering the disciples two questions in reverse order was a logical response because the signs will reveal when His Second Coming is very near. Then He explained that He could not reveal the year, month, or day. Our study is titled, “When will the Second Coming of Christ occur?” The study begins with the Parable of the Fig Tree, followed by an explanation of who will see the Second Coming, and then what will happen upon the earth at the time of the Second Coming. Our study is based on Matthew 24:32-41; Mark 13:28-32, and Luke 21:29-33.

Parable of the Fig Tree

Our study begins with the Parable of the Fig Tree (Matthew 24:32-33; Mark 13:28-32; Luke 21:29-33). Jesus gave this parable to help us understand the purposes of the signs that He gave to the four disciples. Here is the Parable of the Fig Tree from Matthew,

Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. Matthew 24:32-33 (NASB)

In order to understand this parable, we must understand how a fig tree grows. As spring approaches, a fig tree produces leaves and sprouts a very small fruit called breba which eventually becomes a fig in the spring. Jesus’ point is that when the leaves of the fig tree appear, then we know that summer is approaching. So, if we see the leaves in March, then we know summer is near or right at the door. The English word “near” appears two times in verses 32-33. Each time the Greek word for “near” is engus. The Greek word does not mean that if someone sees the leaves of a fig tree in March, that it means summer will occur at that very minute or tomorrow. The actual meaning of the Greek word is that a time delay will occur, but it will not be instantaneous nor it will be very long.

When Jesus said “when you see all these things,” He referred to all of the signs that He had just described in Matthew 24:4-28. When all these things are seen, then those who see them will know that the Second Coming is engus. We must notice that He used the word “all.” The word included every sign Jesus had mentioned.

The Greek word for “right” in “right at the door” is also engus. This means the Parable of the Fig Tree reveals that all of the signs must exist in order for anyone to know the Second Coming is right at the door. That is, those who see “all” of the signs will know that His coming is extremely close.

This Generation Will Not Pass Away

Then Jesus spoke of those who will see “all” of the signs in verse 34. He called then “this generation.”

Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Matthew 24:34 (NASB)

The Greek word that is translated as “generation” is genea. It has the primary idea of descendants, family, and race. Some state the word referred to the people who were living at the time Jesus was speaking, but that is impossible since that “generation” did not see all of the signs nor the Second Coming. If it had occurred, then Christ would be reigning as king upon the earth today from Jerusalem. Obviously, that is not occurring. The article “What does “this generation” mean in Matthew 24:34?”, published by NeverThirsty.org, explains that there are seven problems with the view that claims the word, “generation,” refers to the people who lived at the time of Christ.¹ What follows includes seven reasons “this generation” has not yet occurred also given in that article.

1) Gospel Preached to All the World

The first reason that “this generation” could not and did not refer to people who were alive at the time of Christ is that Matthew 24:14 says the gospel will be preached throughout the entire world. That never occurred before A.D. 70 and has not occurred yet. We know the gospel may have been preached in Spain since the apostle Paul desired to travel to Spain. So, it is possible it had occurred.

2) Abomination of Desolation Has Not Occurred

A second point is that Jesus referred to the abomination of desolation which is mentioned in Daniel 9:27 and Daniel 12:11. Since Daniel 12:7-13 refers to the end of the age, then the abomination of desolation must occur at the end of the age in order to accurately fulfill the prophecy. But since that has not yet occurred, then Jesus’ sign in Matthew 24;15 has not yet been fulfilled.

3) Christ Has Not Appeared in the Clouds

Third, Matthew 24:30 says that Christ would be seen in the clouds of the sky.

And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. Matthew 24:30 (NASB)

Some Bible teachers would have us believe that verse 30 says the people would see a sign and also see the Son of Man. The Greek scholar A. T. Robertson states that the correct understanding of the first part of the verse is “and then will appear the sign, which is the Son of Man in heaven.” That is, the sign is not something in addition to Christ Himself. The sign is Christ! Mark 13:26 clearly and literally tells us “they will see the Son of Man.” So, Jesus will be the sign, and not some celestial anomalies. Christ has never yet been visible to the human eye worldwide.

4) Citizens of the World Will Mourn

Another reason “this generation” did not refer to people of Jesus’ time is that Matthew 24:30 says “all the tribes of the earth will mourn” when they see the Son of Man coming. There are no historical records of anyone seeing Jesus in A.D. 70.

5) Angels Gathered the Elect

The event in Matthew 24:31 has not occurred yet. Those who claim verse 31 has already occurred cannot support their claim with any historical data. If all of the elect were gathered together, where did the angels collect them?

6) Revelation Reveals the Second Coming is Future

Sixth, according to Revelation, the events in verses 29-31 are future prophecies. They are not historical events. Why? Because Revelation was written about A.D. 95-96 and not before A.D. 70.

7) The Apostles Would Not See the Second Coming

A seventh reason “this generation” could not have referred to the Israelites who were alive at the time of Christ is that Jesus told His apostles that they would not see His Second Coming. Luke 17:22 records these words of Christ.

And He said to the disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.” Luke 17:22 (NASB)

The Greek word that is translated as “see it” at the end of the verse is horao. There are multiple Greek words that have been translated as “to see.” This Greek word means to see with the eye. It refers to visual sight. It is used in 1 Corinthians 15:6 to teach us that “more than five hundred brethren at one time” had seen Jesus after His resurrection. The word is translated as “appeared” in that verse. This means that the apostles never saw the Second Coming in their lifetime. One of the signs of Jesus coming is that the entire world will see Him, just as people see lightening. Therefore, “this generation” cannot refer to those who were alive at the time of Jesus. It must refer to a future generation.

Then Jesus said His words were accurate and would come true.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. Matthew 24:35 (NASB)

Principle—The Father Alone Knows

An eighth reason “this generation” did not refer to anyone who was alive at the time of Christ is that Jesus said He did not know when the signs and the Second Coming would occur (Matthew 24:36).

But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Matthew 24:36  (NASB)

We must notice that Jesus stated that only God the Father knew the time of the Second Coming. Therefore, “this generation” could not have referred to the nation of Israel or any other group of people at the time of Christ. It can only refer to those who will see all of the signs in Matthew 24:4-28 at some time in our future.

Therefore the generation that existed at the time of Christ never experienced all of these things. They never experienced the tribulation that was promised in Daniel 9:27 (see Matthew 24:21) nor the second coming of Christ. They never saw the elect gathered from the four winds as promised in Matthew 24:31. They did not experience all these things because they had not yet occurred. All of the signs are a yet a future event.

Some cults and false religions claim that verse 36 proves Christ was not God because He did not know the timing of His Second Coming. But Philippians 2:6-8 teaches that Christ was God and He limited the use of divine attributes when He came to earth. The same passage also teaches that He took on human flesh. He was both completely God and completely man. It is apparent from the gospels that He limited some of the divine attributes that He possessed. He suppressed His omniscience, omnipotence, and even His glory (John 17:5). So, He limited some of His attributes so that He could experience human life, yet He was without sin (Hebrews 4;15). He was holy and yet without sin.

Illustration—The Father Alone Knows

Jesus gave an illustration to help us understand His Second Coming. The illustration begins in verse 37.

For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. Matthew 24:37-41 (NASB)

The term “Son of Man’ is a Messianic expression that refers to Christ (Matthew 9:6; 12:32, 40; 13:41; 16:27; 17:9). Therefore, when Jesus said, “For the coming of the Son of Man,” He referred to His own Second Coming. Consequently, Jesus tells us that in the days before His Second Coming, people will be indulging themselves just as they did in the days before the universal flood that occurred in Noah’s time.

Now there is nothing wrong with eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage. But Jesus’ point is that the world will be given to those things. They will be indulging themselves in excess. Marrying and giving in marriage imply divorce and sexual indulgence. Ezekiel 16:49 reveals that God condemns the excesses of abundant food and careless ease. Eating, drinking, divorce, and ease are not sins unless one is given to them. That describes the world before the Second Coming. Today, we live in a world given to excess. Many in our world lives for pleasure. It is indulgence on steroid. That is another sign of the Second Coming that He did not give in Matthew 24:4-28.

Then Jesus tells us that when the universal flood occurred in Noah’s time, those who were given to the excesses of pleasure were taken away or removed. They did not understand that the universal flood would come and destroy them. For they had ignored Noah’s righteous preaching and warning (2 Peter 2:4-5). Those who were taken away from the earth were the wicked people (Genesis 6:5). Then Jesus used that illustration to explain that at His coming, two men would be in the field. One will be taken and one will be left. Those who are taken will be the unbelievers. They will be removed from the earth.

Likewise, two women may be grinding at the mill. If one is wicked, she will be taken and the righteous one will be left. We will discover later in Matthew 25:31-46 that the wicked will be sent to hell, but the righteous will remain on the earth and enter the millennial kingdom over which Christ will reign. Only God the Father knows when this will occur.

Conclusion

Luke 21:27-32 gives us some new information about Jesus’ teaching that Matthew and Mark do not include. Luke records these words of Christ,

And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Luke 21:27-31 (NASB)

A very important prophetic fact is introduced. Jesus states that when the second coming of Christ occurs, we should know our redemption is near. But what does He mean by that statement? The answer is given to us in verse 31 when Jesus adds that “When you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.”

If you are a believer in Christ, watch for the signs of His coming in your culture and around the world. Eagerly look forward to the Second Coming because when He comes we will finally see Him and enter into His kingdom which will last forever and ever. After the Second Coming, the millennial kingdom is next, followed by the eternal state described in Revelation 21-22. But only the Father knows when Christ will return. We are to pray and watch!

References:

1. John Calahan. Like the Master Ministries. “What does “this generation” mean in Matthew 24:34?” www.neverthirsty.org/bible-qa/qa-archives/question/what-does-this-generation-mean-in-matthew-24/