SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 24:32-51
You know summer is near when the twigs and leaves of a fig tree get tender and come out. This generation won’t pass away until all of these things have happened. Jesus’s words won’t pass away.
Only God knows when the Second Coming will be. When the Son comes again, life will be normal as it was in the days of Noah before the flood. People ate, drank, and got married as normal. Some will be taken; others won’t.
Jesus says to keep watch because no one knows what day he will come, and he will come at an hour no one expects. It’s good for the faithful and wise servant to be taking care of the master’s household until he returns. If he is wicked, however, and beats his fellow servants and hang out with drunkards, he will be cut to pieces when the master returns and assigned a place amongst the hypocrites with weeping and gnashing of teeth.
BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 24, Day 5: Matthew 24:32-51
10) This generation won’t pass away until all of these things have happened. Jesus’s words won’t pass away.
11a) When the Son comes again, life will be normal as it was in the days of Noah before the flood. People ate, drank, and got married as normal. In Noah’s day, people were so wicked God destroyed them.
b) Only God knows when the Second Coming will be.
12) The man did not watch his house as he should, so thieves snuck in. We need to be watchful so we are not lost when Jesus comes.
13) We must keep the faith and God’s commands, so that we are ready when Jesus comes because no one knows when that will be. We are to be faithful and serve.
14) Just be mindful that Jesus is always watching, that this earth is temporary and not my home, that I belong elsewhere, and remind myself periodically that Jesus is coming again soon.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 24, Day 5: Matthew 24:32-51
I didn’t remember that only God knows when Jesus will return. This is encouraging since none of us know, so it’s best to treat every day as if Jesus will appear.
Great reminder!
End Notes BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 24, Day 5: Matthew 24:32-51
The fig tree grows abundantly in Isreal and is mentioned many times in the Old Testament as a symbol of abundance. We see in Jeremiah 24:1-10 and Hosea 9:10, figs or fig trees represent Israel. The Luke version of this story Luke 21:29-31: shows clearly that the fig tree is used a sign that the kingdom of God is near.
When these signs appear, so will Jesus:
- Catastrophes
- Abomination of desolation
- Israel will flee
- Tribulation and cosmic disturbances
The generation is the generation that sees these signs. Some Bible scholars believe that “generation” really means race and refers to the Jews, meaning they will survive to the end. No one knows which generation it will be.
Many are confused by how Jesus’s coming cannot be known since only God knows it, yest Daniel says it will be exactly 1,290 days after the abomination of desolation (Daniel 12:11).
The days of Noah were marked by evil, violence, and demons, which is why God destroyed humanity and decided to start over.(Genesis 6:1-5).
Again, how can people go on living with such evil all around them?
Bible scholar William Barclay on this passage: “It is in two sections and they seem to contradict each other. The first (verses 32-35) seem to indicate that, as a man can tell by the signs of nature when summer is on the way, so he can tell by the signs of the world when the Second Coming is on the way. The second section (verses 36-41) says quite definitely that no one knows the time of the Second Coming, not the angels, not even Jesus himself, but only God; and that it will come upon men with the suddenness of a rainstorm out of a blue sky.”
This dicotomy is explained by knowing that there are two second comings here: the rapture (where all believers will be caught up and meet the Lord in the air. The bodies of the dead will be resurrected, and all believers, living and dead, will be glorified) and then the Second Coming (where Jesus will set up his kingdom, judge his enemies, and reward the faithful).
While we wait for Jesus, we must wait for his coming, be faithful, and we’ll be rewarded when he comes. The evil servant is not ready, instead not attending to God’s business, mistreating others, and indulging in the pleasures of this world.
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Summary of passage: Jacob sees Esau coming towards him with 400 men so he divides up the women and children, putting the maidservants first, then Leah and her kids and finally Rachel and Joseph in the rear (obvious preference here). He went ahead and bowed 7 times to greet his brother.