Matthew 24:26-31

Matthew 24:26-31
During the destruction of Jerusalem and subsequent troubles in Judea, there would be many who expected the messiah to come and deliver the nation. The Jews could not believe that God would allow a wicked nation to destroy them. After all, they were the “chosen people.” However, the Jews had the same idea in the days of the Babylonian invasions (606, 597, & 586 BC), but God still leveled Jerusalem through the Babylonian Empire. The same would now happen through the Romans and there would be no deliverance. Therefore, Jesus warns His disciples that they were not to expect the His return during the siege. Instead, the nation would be destroyed and left to the “vultures.”
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days…” In other words, after the fortified cities of Judea have been leveled, then “the sun will be darkened…” To the present day reader, this sounds like the end of time; it sounds like Judgment Day. And it is Judgment Day, but not the final judgment. It is judgment on the Israel nation. The terminology used in verse 29 is typical in Old Testament prophecy when God would refer to the fall of a nation. Isaiah 13:9-13 uses these terms to foretell the fall of Babylon. Isaiah 34:1-4 uses similar terms to talk about the fall of the nations around Israel. The idea is, “lights out for that nation.” The sun, moon, or stars will not shine for them any more because they will be destroyed.
The “sign of the Son of Man” and the “Son of Man coming with the clouds” is not referring to the final judgment. Our context is the fall of Israel. When the Lord “comes with the clouds,” the scriptures are referring to judgment. In Isaiah 19:1, Isaiah speaks of the Lord “riding into Egypt on a swift cloud.” In other words, God was coming swiftly to overthrow the nation. In our context, Jesus is coming with the clouds to judge the nation of Israel. Jesus made a similar statement to the high priest in Mark 14:62 warning him that he would see this judgment. Verse 34 confirms that this verse is referring to the fall of the nation since, “this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.”
“Coming with the clouds” also signals the salvation of God’s people. Therefore, verse 31 tells us that the Lord will then send out His “angels” to gather His elect. “Angels” is a word from the Greek that simply refers to messengers. In scripture angels may be spirit beings or simply servants of God on earth. In this context, it refers to men and women who will go out and preach the gospel to gather those who will serve the Lord, thus the elect. That gathering started then, but continues to go on to this day and will continue until the Lord returns.
Berry Kercheville