Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away

Continuing His discourse from the Mount of Olives, the Lord Jesus described the immediate events surrounding His return to earth. It will be swift, eye-catching, and accompanied by disruption in the stellar heavens; angels will summon the elect of Israel with ‘a great sound of a trumpet’.

A parenthesis follows in the Lord’s teaching before the narrative is again taken up in chapter 25 verse 31. The intervening verses emphasize the practical responsibilities of watchfulness, readiness, and patience.

The Lord’s words which follow from verse 32 of chapter 24 have been the subject of various interpretations, some of which seek to determine a date for the Lord’s return; such speculation is, however, futile, and was never the intended purpose of these verses. It is clear, nonetheless, to those who embrace the entirety of prophetic truth taught in scripture, that the imagery applied in these verses and in the chapter which follows refers to events concerning the nation of Israel just prior to, and at the time of, the Lord’s return to the earth. His reference to the fig tree points, as in other scriptures, to the nation, set aside in view of their fruitlessness, 21. 19, yet to be restored in a coming day. In confirmation of this, the Lord’s reference to ‘this generation’, 24. 34, may indicate His preserving hand upon the seed of Abraham through the course of history and on into times yet future. Should any doubt, as many do, the certainty of Israel’s restoration, the Lord verifies it by emphasizing the immutability of His words, which ‘shall not pass away’, v. 35.

The days of Noah were days of unbelief, resulting in rejection of the revealed word of God in respect of impending judgement. The return of the Lord in glory will take many by surprise, even though it is clearly indicated, and with some detail, in the scriptures. The ones in the field and at the mill who are left are examples of those who have endured faithfully through tribulation days, they will enjoy millennial blessing. The careless and unbelieving are summarily judged at the Lord’s return. The chapter closes with a parable to emphasize these truths.