gathered (Mt 24:29-35)

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Psalm 7; Matthew 24:29-35


"And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." (Matthew 24:31)

Tribulation, the sun, moon, and stars failing, every tribe mourning when the sign of the Son of Man appears in heaven, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. They will see him as clearly as lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west (v. 27). This may be the main reason Jesus referred to himself as the "Son of Man" in the gospels; it is a reference to Daniel 7:13-14,

I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
that all people, nations, and languages should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.

If indeed this whole section concerns three different things, (1) the destruction of the Temple / Jerusalem, (2) the last days, and (3) the Coming of the Son of Man, then this paragraph would seem to refer to the last days immediately being followed by his coming, which will be unmistakable and in which his people will, without doubt, participate.

What is much less clear is what Jesus means by saying that "this generation will not pass away until all these things take place" (v. 34). Again, I think we need to hold these things lightly and onto Jesus tightly - but I'll share what I briefly read from the "NET" Bible footnotes (http://www.bible.org/netbible/). This is one of the hardest verses in the gospels to interpret. "Generation" could mean (1) the race of the Jewish people, (2) humanity, (3) the people living when they see the portent in the heavens (v.29). None of these is particularly satisfying, though probably the third makes the most sense. Similar to this is Matthew 16:28 where Jesus says that "there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom." Perhaps we'll get some more clarity on this by the end of Matthew's Good News.

Finally, Jesus assures us that "heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away" (v. 35). The tone of all this is assurance - Jesus is not trying to frustrate or confuse or frighten us. When he says that he will send his angels to gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other, he is assuring us that his chosen ones, his own, the ones he has his eye and his heart on, will be gathered to himself. They will be intentionally and definitively sought out and found and brought to him. None lost finally. Whether "lost" at sea, or burned at the stake, or dismembered or beheaded; whether forgotten in a prison cell, or buried in an unmarked grave; or whether just an "insignificant" Christian, whose life didn't seem to make a difference... The glorious, victorious Son of Man will commission his angels and we will be brought home.

* * * * *

Again, it's amazing how these "random" Scriptures complement each other...

O LORD my God, in you do I take refuge;
save me from all my pursuers and deliver me,
lest like a lion they tear my soul apart,
rending it in pieces, with none to deliver...
Arise, O LORD, in your anger;
lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;
awake for me; your have appointed a judgment.
Let the assembly of the people be gathered about you;
over it return on high...
I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness,
and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.
(Psalm 7)