 I think this is our sixth installment in the Olivet Discourse, Matthew 24. I don't feel too terribly bad about that. They would be equivalent to probably two normal Sunday morning sermons, so the sixth is okay. We'll keep moving through the text. But we're working our way through the Olivet Discourse from Matthew 24. And tonight we come to this little section I want to cover, verses 29 to 35. We've got a few sections left to work through in this text. Before Pastor Rick will take over and work through first and second Thessalonians with us, some key texts there. So we're going to soon wrap up Matthew chapter 24. As we consider this text, I know specifically with eschatology as we're studying the book of Daniel in small groups, studying our future hope on Sunday mornings. As we progress through this period over the next several months as we study eschatology together, these things will begin to congeal, begin to harmonize. Many of the moving parts that are sometimes difficult to keep up with or difficult to understand will begin to come together. And so tonight we'll begin to take a look at a few of those, maybe a few texts from the Old Testament, a couple of texts from the New Testament to help us with respect to this text in Matthew 24 verses 29 to 31. And we'll begin to do that as we work through Daniel also during small groups. I know on Tuesday and Wednesday nights we're getting close to Daniel this week, Daniel chapter 7, so we'll begin to see that take shape as we study Daniel together as well. So Matthew chapter 24, I want to read the text and then we'll get into a sermon this evening. Matthew chapter 24, beginning at verse 29. Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other. Let's pray. Father Heaven, as we often do, we just come to you and acknowledge our weakness, acknowledge our dependence upon you, acknowledge our need of understanding, and acknowledge your infinite wisdom and the great help of your spirit to guide us, Lord, as we seek to understand your word. Help us tonight, Lord. And again, these things I know are highly debatable and highly thought through and talked about and discussed and want to be faithful to your word. And yet we understand, Lord, that in many things, in many ways, some of these things are difficult to understand. So we pray for your guidance, pray for your help, and pray, Lord, that you would just be, as you are, gracious and merciful to us as we study your word, seeking to know the truth that you've revealed here for us. We love you. We thank you for this time together, certainly this time together tonight, but also, Lord, just the study that we're involved in at this time in our church, where as a church body, we are studying end times of scatology and looking at those things that you have said about what will come. So we look forward to that glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Lord Jesus Christ, come quickly, Lord Jesus. We love you in Jesus' name. Amen. All right. Matthew 24, verses 29 to 31. In this section of text, these few verses here, in the Lord's own words, we have described in the text the event that has been the hope and anticipation of believers of every age throughout church history. It is the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's been a subject of many who have prayed with the Apostle John over the years in the face of this wicked and perverse generation. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. We pray that frequently. I know I do. And it is in the consideration of our forward looking hope, striving to live holy lives that believers share mutual sense of eminency about the Lord's return, a mutual sense of excitement about the Lord's return. I know it's talked about around here fairly regularly. So much so that Paul said to Titus in Titus chapter 2, verse 11, that the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, all the while, verse 13, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for himself his own special people zealous for good works. To this point, there have certainly been those who have come in his name. Many of them saying, look, he's in the desert, or look. He's in the inner rooms, you know, come and see. There's many who have said, look, he's building a compound in Waco. Or look, he's mixing the Kool-Aid in Jonestown, right? With all these people that have said these things, we know there would be fakes and frauds and counterfeits. There's still many who make fools of themselves today picking dates. And when those dates aren't right, they pick dates again. And when those dates aren't right, they pick dates again, always trying to come up then with the next, you know, understanding or the next explanation for why their dates were wrong. And beginning here, though, in Matthew chapter 24, 29, the Lord gives us some of the clearest instruction that we have in the Bible with respect to the Lord's return. And it all begins with chapter 24 in verse 29. Immediately, the Lord says, after the tribulation of those days. Now in the context, it's apparent that the tribulation of those days refers to that great tribulation described by the Lord in verses 15 through 28. If you remember our sermons on that text for the last couple of weeks. Immediately, after the tribulation of those days, that tribulation described in verses 15 to 28, immediately is the Greek word euthyos, euthyos. It means at once or immediately. So immediately, at once, after the tribulation of those days, this comes to pass beginning in verse 29. This serves then to set up an outline for us then with respect to Matthew 24 on this point. We have, let me give you that outline if you want to jot these verses down, we have the introduction to the Lord's Olivet Discourse. That's the Lord's statement regarding the destruction of the temple and the questions of the disciples. And we see that introduction to the Lord's Olivet Discourse in verses 1 through 3. Then as we've discussed, we have the entire church age from the first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ until His return described in general terms as a time of plipsis or a time of tribulation, that time of tribulation of church age described in verses 4 through 14. Remember that tribulation, so it's plipsis or it's verbal cognate phlebo is something that is described as endured by the saints. It's something that the saints endure. They go through tribulation. We're in a time of tribulation now. And of the approximate 55 occurrences of those words, 47 refer to the tribulation endured by the saints. We're in a time now of tribulation, okay? These beginnings of birth pains, as they are called in chapter 24, verse 8, will increase in frequency and they will increase in severity until there comes a time of great tribulation as described in verses 15 through 28. The text doesn't indicate exactly how long this period will last, with the exception of saying that these days will be cut short for the sake of the elect and we'll take up the subject of the length of that time period more closely in our study of Daniel and small groups. And then this period of great tribulation is followed Euthelos immediately by the coming of the Son of Man in verses 29 to 31. So you have a basic outline of the Olivet discourse, right, the introduction one through three, the entire church age versus 4 to 14, the great tribulation is described in beginning in verses 15 to 28, followed by the coming of the Son of Man in verses 29 to 31. The signs that the Lord gives as indicators of the coming of the Son of Man in this text are cosmic in scope. You look at verse 29, immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens and natural laws, the forces of nature, so to speak, will be shaken. And this is the setting in which the Lord Jesus Christ returns. This is the coming, the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in glory and power. Therefore, it's most likely that although these cosmic descriptions or cosmic expressions are often used in scripture symbolically or metaphorically as we'll see, here it's pointing to that day foreshadowed by that language and is therefore most likely a literal display in the heavens of the second coming of the Lord. This is the setting for the appearance of the Lord. Turn with me first to Luke chapter 21. Luke chapter 21, let me give you some examples of what I'm speaking about here. This is the setting for the appearance in great glory and in great power of the Lord Jesus Christ. Luke chapter 21, and look at verse 25. Again, this is Luke's description of this same time period. Verse 25, and there will be signs in the sun, in the moon and in the stars, and on the earth distress of nations with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring, men's hearts failing them from fear, literally means dying, right? They don't merely faint, they pass away from fright, they die from fright. Men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth for the powers of the heavens will be shaken, then they will see the Son of Man coming into cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up, lift up your heads because your redemption draws near. Now some will say that these events, this language is used symbolically in the past. And I wanna show you some examples of that. Turn with me to Isaiah chapter 13. Isaiah chapter 13. We see this language, this cosmic distress, several places in the Old Testament and used as a description for judgment that takes place in the Old Testament, but used there with an eye to the future, so to speak, foreshadowing that great and terrible day of the Lord. And we'll see a couple of passages of scripture that refer specifically to that. So first is in Isaiah chapter 13 and look beginning at verse six. Isaiah chapter 13 verse six. Whale the prophet says, for the day of the Lord is at hand. It will come as destruction from the Almighty, therefore all hands will be limp, every man's heart will melt, and they will be afraid. Pangs and sorrows will take hold of them. They will be in pain as a woman in childbirth. And see the repeated use of this language, right? We see the same language expressed in Matthew chapter 24, the pangs of childbirth. We see the day of the Lord referred to throughout the Old Testament, also in the New Testament, destruction from the Almighty. So we see this repeated use of language. This has a specific time-bound reference associated with this. We'll also see how it foreshadows the coming of the Son of Man as stated by the Lord in Matthew 24, all right? Look at verse eight. They will be afraid. Pangs and sorrows will take hold of them. There will be pains as a woman in childbirth. They will be amazed at one another. Their faces will be like flames. Behold, the day of the Lord comes, cruel with both wrath and fierce anger to lay the land desolate. And he will destroy its sinners from it. For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light. The sun will be darkened and it's going forth and the moon will not cause its light to shine. And so you see a similarity in the language, don't you, between Isaiah 13 and Matthew 24? Although this event is specifically referring to the judgment that was coming up on the Babylonian empire at that time by their enemies, the Medes, and all that was fulfilled in 539 BC, this language here foreshadows this time of the end spoken of by the Lord in Matthew 24, verse 29. We see that. We have a foreshadowing or a double reference, if you will, to a lot of the language that's used here. Look at verse 11. I will punish the world for its evil. Another Babylonian empire having conquered the known world at that time, but here the language begins to expand. And again, there is the idea that there's a future reference in mind here with the coming great and terrible day of the Lord. I will punish the world verse 11 for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. I will halt the arrogance of the proud who will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. I will make a mortal more rare than fine gold, a man more than the golden wedge of over. Therefore I will shake the heavens and the earth will move out of her place in the wrath of the Lord of hosts and in the day of his fierce anger, it shall be as the hunted gazelle and as a sheep that no man takes up. Every man will turn to his own people and everyone will flee to his own land. Everyone who is found will be thrust through and everyone who is captured will fall by the sword. Their children also will be dashed to pieces before their eyes. Their houses will be plundered and their wives ravished. And let me ask you, this specifically again is referring to the coming judgment of God on the kingdom of Babylon by the Medes, specifically fulfilled in 539 BC. From our study of Daniel, how was the kingdom of Babylon conquered? Was it conquered with a great war? Described by what we see here? And now we've seen in Daniel, specifically now in Daniel chapter six, Daniel chapter five into Daniel chapter six, how it was conquered without a fight. Conquered without a fight. So what's this language here then referring to? It's referring to a future time. Judgment upon Babylon is a foreshadowing of judgment upon the nations of this world at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, right? We have language being foreshadowed here. Look at Isaiah chapter 34. Isaiah chapter 34. In other words, you understand what I'm saying there with that comment, it's that judgment. These words in Isaiah 13 are not descriptive of how Babylon fell in Daniel chapter five. These words are although describing that particular fall of the Babylonian empire specifically, have a future reference and that reference is the great and terrible day coming of the Lord. Look at Isaiah chapter 34 and look at verse one. And again, speaking here of end times destruction, come near you nations to hear and heed you people, let the earth hear and all that is in it, the world and all things that come forth from it for the indignation of the Lord is against all nations and his fury against all their armies. He has utterly destroyed them. He has given them over to the slaughter. Also their slain shall be thrown out. Their stench shall rise from their corpses and the mountains shall be melted with their blood. All the hosts of heaven shall be dissolved and the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll. We've seen this language before, haven't we? All their hosts shall fall down as the leaf falls from the vine as the fruit falling from a fig tree. For my sword shall be bathed in heaven. Indeed it shall come down on Edom and on the people my curse for judgment. It's interesting that that area of Edom is where Revelation speaks of the battle of Armageddon taking place. Indeed it shall come down on Edom and on my people my curse for my judgment. Verse six, the sword of the Lord is filled with blood. It is made overflowing with fatness, with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the Lord has a sacrifice and bosra and a great slaughter in the land of Edom. The wild oxen shall come down with them, the young bulls with the mighty bulls. Their land shall be soaked with blood and their dust saturated with fatness. For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance, the year of recompense for the cause of Zion. Its streams shall be turned into pitch. It's dust into brimstone. Its land shall become a burning pitch. Look with me at Amos chapter eight. Amos chapter eight. If you wanna jot down these texts and go back and take a look at them, there are several others we're passing over a few. I'm gonna hit some highlights. Amos chapter eight. I wanna take a look specifically at Amos chapter eight with respect to its New Testament reference in Acts chapter two. But first, Amos chapter eight and look beginning at verse nine. Amos chapter eight, verse nine. Where the Lord says in verse nine, it shall come to pass in that day, says the Lord God, that I will make the sun go down at noon and I will darken the earth in broad daylight. I will turn your feasts into morning and all your songs into lamentation. I will bring sackcloth on every waist, baldness on every head. Sorry, Pastor Rick. I will make it like morning for your only sun and its end like a bitter day. Behold the days are coming, says the Lord, that I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread nor of thirst for water, but of hearing of the words of the Lord. Remember that section of text, Amos chapter eight and go with me to Acts chapter two. Acts chapter two. Again, one of the ways that we can see how these texts are treated is by looking at how the New Testament authors treat them. And there would be some that would take Acts chapter two and Peter's quotation of this text from Amos chapter eight and say, okay, well, this is fulfilled in the time period surrounding Acts chapter two, right? So look at Peter and Peter's interpretation of this text in Acts chapter two, verse 14. So Peter, standing up with the 11, this is chapter two, verse 14. He raised his voice and said to them, Men of Judea, in all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and heed my words. These are not drunk, as you suppose, it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel and it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. Your young men shall see visions, your old men dream dreams. And on my men servants and on my maid servants, I will pour out my spirit in those days and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls in the name of the Lord shall be saved. That's a reference to Joel. We looked at Amos chapter eight, Joel chapter two. This is a quotation or a what Peter sees as the fulfillment of this text. It's interesting though, if you look down at verse 19, that although he takes this text, applies it to the pouring out of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in Acts chapter two, he also quotes the text in full beginning of verse 19 with a reference to the coming, great and terrible day of the Lord. In other words, not seeing it as fulfilled in Acts two, but also quoting that section of text that deals with the coming of the Lord at the end of the age. In verse 19, I will show wonders in heaven. We see that in Matthew chapter 24 verse 29, right? Cosmic signs of the Lord's return. I will show wonders in heaven above, signs in the earth beneath, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, same kind of language, right? The moon into blood before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And again, that's the great and awesome day of the Lord. It shall come to pass that whoever calls in the name of the Lord shall be saved. Look at Romans chapter eight. This is also a time that the earth itself is awaiting in anticipation its redemption and groans under the weight of the curse in Romans chapter eight. Look at Romans chapter eight and look down at verse 19. Four, you could say in verse 19, even the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. Or the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it in hope because the creation itself also will be delivered from bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now again, same kind of language, right? Creation groaning as we through a period of tribulation, Matthew chapter 24 verse eight, go through the beginning of birth pangs and these signs, these wars and rumors of wars and earthquakes and famines and pestilences as these things increase in frequency and increase in severity, even the creation itself groans under the weight of that. Look at verse 22. We know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now, right? Now Matthew 24 again, back in Matthew chapter 24, dealing then again in verses 29 to 31 with what is still yet to come, dealing with the future. So Matthew 24, after the abomination of desolation, after those events described in verses 15 to 28, after the signs in the heavens described in Matthew chapter 24 verse 29 verse 30 says, then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and with great glory. Now in other words, this sign verse 30 of the coming of the Son of Man will be the coming of the Son of Man himself. He is the final sign, unparalleled in power, unparalleled in glory, overtly visible in the heavens, unmistakable, there's no indication here of a secret return of Lord Jesus Christ that precedes a visible return. This is entirely visible in the heavens, overtly visible, unmistakable. And it's the coming of the Son of Man. I want you to turn back with me to Daniel. Again, I hope you're writing some of these texts down and you'll put these pieces together. Daniel chapter seven in this title comes from a text that we'll look at in small group this week, Daniel chapter seven. Look at verse 13, where Daniel records, I was watching in the night visions and behold, one like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven, he came to the ancient of days and they brought him near before him. Then to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away and his kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed. Again, I think the connection here between this title, the Son of Man in verse 30 with this reference to the Son of Man in Daniel chapter seven, very important. What Daniel is referencing in Daniel chapter seven is the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to receive the kingdom, the everlasting dominion that will never be destroyed which shall never pass away. His kingdom ruled by the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of Man. And again, he references them in verse 13 as coming in the clouds of heaven, coming to the ancient of days and they brought him near before him. Again, language tied to Matthew chapter 24, verse 30, that can't be a reference to something that takes place around the destruction of the temple in AD 70 or couldn't have taken place around the sack of Jerusalem at that time. It still remains future. And again, Matthew chapter 24 verses 29 to 31 speaking of a time that is still yet to come, a time where the future in the future when the Son of Man will appear in heaven. So again, referencing Daniel chapter seven. Again, look at with me at Daniel chapter 12, just a few pages to the right. Daniel chapter 12. And again, speaking of this time, we're referencing these two texts now in Daniel that specifically connect to what the Lord is saying in Matthew chapter 24. You have in Daniel chapter 12, verse one, at that time, Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation even to that time. And at that time, your people shall be delivered. Everyone who is found written in the book. Now think with me for a moment. He makes reference in verse two or verse one to a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation even to that time. Where do we see that before? Back in Matthew chapter 24, right? The Lord Jesus Christ speaks of the great tribulation, a period of tribulation, so great it was greater than any tribulation that had come before it and would be greater than any tribulation that would come after it. Great tribulation. Again, Daniel referring to the same thing here in Daniel chapter 12, a time of trouble, verse one, such as never was since there was a nation even to that time. And at that time, your people shall be delivered. And what does Jesus say in Matthew chapter 24, verse nine, verse 29, immediately after the tribulation of those days, you'll see the signs in heaven and the coming of the Son of man on the clouds, right? So again, Daniel chapter 12, tied specifically to Matthew 24. We're talking about the same sequence of events in the same time period, again in the future. Your people shall be delivered. Everyone who is found written in the book. So what happens when the Lord Jesus Christ comes? When the Son of man comes on the clouds of heaven, he comes to gather his elect from the four corners of the earth. What the Lord Jesus Christ is saying in Matthew 24, ties specifically here to what Daniel is recorded in Daniel chapter 12. Many of those who sleep, this is verse two, many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. This is also tied, if we want to consider the sequence of these events and the connectedness of these texts with Matthew chapter 24. We can also consider Revelation chapter six, again, yet future, where verse 12 says this, I looked, when he opened the sixth seal and behold, there was a great earthquake, the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, the moon became like blood, the stars of heaven fell to the earth as fig tree, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it's shaken by a mighty wind, then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. We see that language in Matthew chapter 24, we see that language in Luke 21, we see that language in Mark 13, right? Same language, verse 15, the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks, fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the land. For the great day of his wrath has come and who is able to stand? So again, we see the same language there, we use what we see in Matthew chapter 24, verses 29 to 31, speaking of a future time, referenced here again in Revelation chapter 6, verses 12 and following. Look with me again at Zechariah chapter 12, Zechariah chapter 12. We look through Matthew chapter 24, verse 30, he makes reference to the sign of the Son of Man that will appear in heaven and he says that all the tribes of the earth will mourn, all the tribes of the earth will mourn, that's a reference to Zechariah chapter 12. Look there at verse 10, Zechariah chapter 12, verse 10. And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and supplication, then they will look on me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for him as one mourns for his only Son and grieve for him as one grieves for a firstborn. In that day, there shall be great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Haddad Ramon and the Plain of Megiddo. And the land shall mourn every family by itself, the family of the house of David by itself and their wives by themselves, the family of the house of Nathan by itself and their wives by themselves, the family of the house of Levi by itself and their wives by themselves, the family of Shimei by itself, their wives by themselves, all the families that remain, every family by itself and their wives by themselves. All right, speaking again of this time at the end when the Son of Man comes, look at chapter 13 and drop down to verse 7, chapter 13, verse 7. Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is my companion, says the Lord of hosts. Strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. We see that fulfilled, don't we? In the Garden of Gethsemane, on the night of the Lord's arrest. Then I will return my hand against the little ones and it shall come to pass and all the land says the Lord, that two thirds in it shall be cut off and die, but one third shall be left in it. I will bring the one third through the fire, will refine them as silver is refined and test them as gold is tested. They will call on my name and I will answer them. I will say this is my people. Each one will say the Lord is my God. Behold, chapter 14, verse one, the day of the Lord is coming. Your spoil will be divided in your midst. I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem. The city shall be taken, the house is rifled, the women ravished, half the city shall go into captivity, but the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then the Lord will go forth to fight against those nations as he fights in the day of battle. And in that day, his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west, making a very large valley. Half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south. Then you shall flee through my mountain valley for the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. Yes, you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, King of Judah. Thus the Lord my God will come and all the saints with you. Do you see that? It shall come to pass in that day that there will be no light. The lights will diminish. It shall be one day which is known to the Lord neither day nor night, but at evening time it shall happen that it will be light. In that day it shall be that living water shall flow from Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea. And he continues. Again, what you see in Zechariah chapter 14 specifically, language that apparently points forward to the destruction of the temple in AD 70, but then additionally points forward beyond that again to the coming of the Son of Man and the great and terrible day of the Lord, where these cosmic signs in the heavens will be clearly visible, right? All these texts connecting together now giving us a more clear picture of what the Lord is referring to in Matthew chapter 24 and the Olivet Discourse. Back in Matthew chapter 24, look with me quickly at verse 31. Matthew chapter 24 verse 31. Here the Bible says that he will send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they will gather together his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other. So as far as the gospel is preached to all the kingdoms of the earth in verse 14, during that time of tribulation, during the church age in which the gospel of the kingdom is preached to all nations that are heaven, as widely as the gospel is preached will be as widely as he will then come and gather together to himself his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other and all will be ushered into the glory of his kingdom, right? What he says here is the great sound of a trumpet. It's interesting that we'll look at this when we have time going through Daniel, but this correlating to the sound of the trumpet in the Jubilee in Leviticus chapter 25. If you go back and look at Leviticus chapter 25 and look at what is taught there, instructed there with respect to the Jubilee what you have then in terms of Daniel's 70 weeks is a 10-fold Jubilee. What happened to the end of that 10-fold Jubilee? You have here, Matthew chapter 24 verse 31, the great sound of a trumpet, right? So just in the same way that the trumpet sounded at the Jubilee at the end of the Jubilee in Leviticus 25 there will be a great sounding of a trumpet at the end of this Jubilee, of this 70 weeks to so to speak at the end. Again, the sound of a trumpet referenced in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 52, again referenced in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 16 and here with our time running out, the ushering in of his elect to the glory of his kingdom. Again, we don't know specifically according to Matthew chapter 24 verse 36, no one knows not even the angels of heaven but my Father only knows of that day and the hour that it will come. And so what is the Lord's then instruction to us? It's watch, right? Watch, study, think, meditate on scripture, put these things together, think, study, pray, ask for the Lord's help and to be watchful, be attentive. We don't know when that hour is coming but we certainly pray for it, don't we? In the midst of this wicked and perverse generation Lord Jesus come quickly, amen. Let's pray. Father in heaven, Lord, we do pray for your soon return or the consummation of all things where your saints will rule and reign with you and your kingdom for a thousand years. We look forward to that day or we look forward to your speedy return until that day Lord, if you tarry until that time I pray that we'd be watchful and we would carefully study these things. We would consider what you said in your word. We would think on your word and meditate on your word and Lord, in light of even what Paul says to Titus that we would live in light of the hope of your glorious appearing that it would impact the way that we think, that it would impact the way that we live, impact the things that we desire, impact the way that we think about the things that we have or the things that we're doing help us to have the mindset set on things above, not on things on the earth but set certainly on the certainty of your soon return that we might live for you more fervently, live for you more faithfully, that we might witness as you've called us to during this time preaching the gospel of the kingdom at the ends of the earth and knowing Lord that on that day you'll gather together all of your elect, they will be caught up together with you and we will all sit down at the marriage supper of the lamb and rejoice in the kingdom together worshiping the lamb who is slain. We love you and thank you for these glorious promises I hope in you for them in Jesus' name, amen.