An Interpretation of Matthew 24-25 (Part 25)
Dr. Thomas Ice
An Interpretation of Matthew 24-25
Part XXV
by Thomas Ice
"But immediately after thetribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not giveits light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavenswill be shaken." -Matthew 24:29
Thefinal phrase of verse 29 says, "the powers of the heavens will be shaken." Is this phrase to be taken literally,like the three previous phrases, or should one apply speculative exegesis tosay that it means something other than what it says? Do powers of the heavens refer to angelic entities or to thephysical universe?
Powers of The Heavens
Thesame basic phrase is used in all three accounts of the Olivet Discourse (Matt.244:29; Mark 13:25; Luke 21:26). The phrase "powers of the heavens" most likely has the idea of "the sun,moon, and stars, spoken of in summary fashion," as they have been specificallymentioned earlier in the verse. Leon Morris says, "The word for heaven is singular in the reference tothe stars, but plural where the powers are spoken of."[1] "Thus the Lord describes theastronomical bodies being shaken as the earth is in an earthquake."
All the forces of energy, here called powers of the heavens, which hold everything in space constant, will bein dysfunction. The heavenlybodies will careen helter-skelter through space, and all navigation, whetherstellar, solar, magnetic, gyroscopic, will be futile because all stablereference points and uniform natural forces will have ceased to exist or elsebecome unreliable.[5]
A Heavenly Shaking
Theverb "shaken" is used about 15 times in the Greek New Testament. The verb is sometimes used as ametaphor, as in 2 Thessalonians 2:2: "that you may not be quickly shaken fromyour composure." However, most ofthe time it refers to a physical shaking, as in Acts 16:26: "suddenly therecame a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house wereshaken." A physical shaking of theheavens is what our Lord intends in this context.
Preterists,like Ken Gentry, however, believe that this phrase does not reference aphysical shaking. Gentry says thefollowing:
Consequently,we may legitimately apply Matthew 24:29 to the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70. Christ draws upon this imagery from Old Testament judgmentpassages that sound as if they are world-ending events. And in a sense it is "the end of theworld" for those nations God judges. So it is with Israel in a.d.70.[6]
Mostcommentators recognize that the shaking of the heavens in this passage is anallusion from Haggai 2:6 which says, "For thus says the Lord of hosts, 'Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and theearth, the sea also and the dry land.'" What does this passage mean? We have a divine New Testament commentary that we can look to in Hebrews12 that tells us what it means.
And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised,saying, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also theheaven." And this expression, "Yetonce more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as ofcreated things, in order that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdomwhich cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God anacceptable service with reverence and awe (Heb. 12:26-28).
Inthis fifth warning passage, the writer of Hebrews contrasts the first shakingof the earth, a physical one, at the Exodus with a future shaking, which willinclude the heavens as well. Hetoo has in mind Haggai 2:6. Thefuture shaking will be much greater than the past shaking since it will includethe heavens as well. Since thefirst shaking at the Exodus was physical then it follows that the secondshaking will also be a physical one, just as Christ describes in His propheticsermon of Matthew 24. "Thediscourse is entirely plan," notes amillennial interpreter R. C. H. Lenski, whounderstands this as a future physical event. "The whole sidereal world shall collapse. . . . This is made plain by the last 'thepowers of the heavens shall be shaken' or dislocated. All that hold the heavenly bodies in their orbits and enablessun and moon to light the earth will give way."[7] "This convulsion in the heavens, previous to the Messiah's descent therefrom, is not as yet to be regarded as the endof the world, but only as a prelude to it,"notes H. A. W. Meyer. "The earthis not destroyed as yet by the celestial commotion."[8]
Signs in The Heavens
Matthewand Mark do not record Christ's statements about the human response to thesegreat events, but Luke does. William Kelly says, "It is Luke only who mentions the moral signs ofmen's anguish spite of the deceits and pretensions of that day."
"And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and uponthe earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and thewaves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which arecoming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken" (Luke21:25-26).
Luke is the only one to call the activity in thesky involving the sun, moon and stars a sign. Robert Stein says, "the signs associated with the Son ofMan's coming are cosmic, whereas those associated with Jerusalem's fall areterrestrial, so that Luke kept these two events distinct."[10]
Oneof the purposes to which God gave in His creation of the sun, moon, and starswould be for "them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years" (Gen.1:14b). Who would these signs befor? They will be signs to thoseupon the earth. When one pondersgreat events down through history, in no other event would signs in the heavensbe so appropriate than for the second coming of Christ from heaven to earth.
Luke'sAccount
Clearly,Luke 21:20-24 refers to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in a.d. 70. The second half of verse 24 says, "and Jerusalem will betrampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles befulfilled." Equally clear is thatthe last half of verse 24 is descriptive of a period of time that commencedafter the Roman vanquishing of Jerusalem in the first century. That phrase has a beginning point,which began after a.d. 70. It has a time interval described by theexpression, "Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles." That verse also provides an endingpoint when it says, "until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." There is no way that this event hasalready been fulfilled and it looks to a time when events that took place in a.d. 70 will be reversed.
Verse24b provides a textual transition from a.d.70 to events just before the second coming of Christ. Even a renowned preterist such as F. W. Farrar recognizesthe shift from a.d. 70 in verses20-24 to the second advent, or what he calls "the Last Coming" in verses 25-28.
From this point onwards the prophecy takes a wider range, andpasses beyond the narrow limits of the destruction of Jerusalem to the finalcoming of the Son of Man, and the one is represented in St. Matthew asfollowing "immediately" on the other, by St. Mark as "in those days." No other meaning could have been foundin the words when they were first heard or read.[12]
Atthis point in Luke 21 we have an example of what Tim LaHaye and I call "TheMountain Peaks of Prophecy" in our book Charting The End Times.[13] Plumptre has provided an excellentexplanation of this in the following statement:
As men gazing from a distance see the glittering heights of twosnow-crowned mountains apparently in close proximity, and take no account ofthe vast tract, it may be of very many miles, which lies between them; so itwas that those whose thoughts must have been mainly moulded on this prediction,the Apostles and their immediate disciples, though they were too conscious oftheir ignorance of "the times and the seasons" to fix the day or year, livedand died in the expectation that it was not far off, and that they might, byprayer and acts, hasten its coming (2 Pet. iii. 12).[14]
Clearly, in Luke 21, Christ sees two differentevents. One in the first century(21:20-24) and the other, still future to our time (21:25-28). However, neither Matthew 24 nor Mark 13relate in any way at all with the a.d.70 event, since neither the destruction of the Temple or Jerusalem is mentionedin them. Instead, the Matthew andMark account of the Olivet discourse clearly speak of the rescue of the Jewishpeople, rather than their judgment as happened in a.d. 70. Mostpreterists do not even deal with this issue, let alone provide a satisfactoryanswer to that problem.
Insummary, we have seen that great supernatural events will accompany Christ'sreturn to planet earth. Is that sohard to imagine or believe? Apparently for some it is. Nevertheless, Scripture (both in the Old and New Testaments) speaks ofIsrael being regathered in her land, in unbelief (her current status today), asa national entity. She will gothrough a time called the tribulation that will lead to the conversion of theremnant to faith in the Messiahship of Jesus. This will then precipitate the second coming of Christ forthe purpose of rescuing a now converted nation, who calls for His protectionagainst the armies of all the nations that have gathered in Israel to wipe herout. Instead, Christ destroysIsrael's enemies and commences His reign in Jerusalem for a thousandyears. That is what the Biblesays. Since it teaches this, allBible-believing Christians should say "amen." Maranatha!
(To BeContinued . . .)
Endnotes
ADDIN EN.REFLIST Farrar, F. W. The GospelAccording to St. Luke, with Maps, Notes and Introduction. Cambridge: At The University Press, 1899.
Gentry, Thomas Iceand Kenneth L. The Great Tribulation: Past or Future? Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1999.
Govett, Robert. TheProphecy on Olivet. Miami Springs, FL:Conley & Schoettle, 1881.
Ice, Tim LaHaye andThomas. Charting the End Times: A Visual Guide to Understanding BibleProphecy. Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 2001.
Kelly, William. AnExposition of the Gospel of Luke. Oak Park,IL: Bible Truth Publishers, 1971.
Lenski, R. C. H. TheInterpretation of St. Matthew's Gospel.Columbus, OH: The Wartburg Press, 1943.
MacArthur, John. Matthew24-28, The Macarthur NewTestament Commentary. Chicago: Moody, 1989.
Meyer, HeinrichAugust Wilhelm. Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Gospel of Matthew. 2 vols. Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1879.
Morris, Leon. TheGospel According to Matthew. Grand Rapids:Eerdmans, 1992.
Plumptre, E. H. TheGospel According to St. Luke. 12 vols. Vol.3, Ellicott's New Testament Commentary. London: Cassell & Company, n. d.
Stein, Robert H. Luke, The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1992.
Toussaint, StanleyD. Behold the King: A Study of Matthew.Portland, OR: Multnomah, 1980.
[1] ADDIN EN.CITE <EndNote><Cite><Author>Morris</Author><Year>1992</Year><RecNum>64</RecNum><MDL><REFERENCE_TYPE>1</REFERENCE_TYPE><AUTHORS><AUTHOR>LeonMorris</AUTHOR></AUTHORS><YEAR>1992</YEAR><TITLE>TheGospel According to Matthew</TITLE><PLACE_PUBLISHED>GrandRapids</PLACE_PUBLISHED><PUBLISHER>Eerdmans</PUBLISHER><SHORT_TITLE>Matthew</SHORT_TITLE></MDL></Cite></EndNote>Leon Morris, TheGospel According to Matthew (Grand Rapids:Eerdmans, 1992).
[2] ADDIN EN.CITE<EndNote><Cite><Author>Toussaint</Author><Year>1980</Year><RecNum>41</RecNum><MDL><REFERENCE_TYPE>1</REFERENCE_TYPE><AUTHORS><AUTHOR>StanleyD.Toussaint</AUTHOR></AUTHORS><YEAR>1980</YEAR><TITLE>BeholdThe King: A Study of Matthew</TITLE><PLACE_PUBLISHED>Portland,OR</PLACE_PUBLISHED><PUBLISHER>Multnomah</PUBLISHER><SHORT_TITLE>BeholdThe King</SHORT_TITLE></MDL></Cite></EndNote>Stanley D. Toussaint, Beholdthe King: A Study of Matthew (Portland, OR:Multnomah, 1980).
[3] Contrary to ADDIN EN.CITE<EndNote><Cite><Author>Govett</Author><Year>1881</Year><RecNum>92</RecNum><MDL><REFERENCE_TYPE>1</REFERENCE_TYPE><AUTHORS><AUTHOR>RobertGovett</AUTHOR></AUTHORS><YEAR>1881</YEAR><TITLE>TheProphecy on Olivet</TITLE><PLACE_PUBLISHED>Miami Springs,FL</PLACE_PUBLISHED><PUBLISHER>Conley &Schoettle</PUBLISHER><SHORT_TITLE>Olivet</SHORT_TITLE></MDL></Cite></EndNote>Robert Govett, TheProphecy on Olivet (Miami Springs, FL:Conley & Schoettle, 1881).
[4] Morris, Matthew, pp. 609-10. For further reasons not to take this a an angelic reference see ADDIN EN.CITE<EndNote><Cite><Author>Meyer</Author><Year>1879</Year><RecNum>62</RecNum><MDL><REFERENCE_TYPE>1</REFERENCE_TYPE><AUTHORS><AUTHOR>HeinrichAugust WilhelmMeyer</AUTHOR></AUTHORS><YEAR>1879</YEAR><TITLE>Criticaland Exegetical Handbook to The Gospel ofMatthew</TITLE><PLACE_PUBLISHED>Edinburgh</PLACE_PUBLISHED><PUBLISHER>T& TClark</PUBLISHER><NUMBER_OF_VOLUMES>2</NUMBER_OF_VOLUMES><SHORT_TITLE>Matthew</SHORT_TITLE></MDL></Cite></EndNote>Heinrich August WilhelmMeyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Gospel of Matthew, 2 vols. (Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1879).
[5] ADDIN EN.CITE<EndNote><Cite><Author>MacArthur</Author><Year>1989</Year><RecNum>84</RecNum><MDL><REFERENCE_TYPE>1</REFERENCE_TYPE><AUTHORS><AUTHOR>JohnMacArthur</AUTHOR></AUTHORS><YEAR>1989</YEAR><TITLE>Matthew24–28</TITLE><SECONDARY_TITLE>The MacArthur NewTestamentcommentary</SECONDARY_TITLE><PLACE_PUBLISHED>Chicago</PLACE_PUBLISHED><PUBLISHER>Moody</PUBLISHER><SHORT_TITLE>Matthew24–28</SHORT_TITLE></MDL></Cite></EndNote>John MacArthur, Matthew24-28, The Macarthur NewTestament Commentary (Chicago: Moody,1989).
[6] Kenneth L.Gentry in ADDIN EN.CITE<EndNote><Cite><Author>Gentry</Author><Year>1999</Year><RecNum>83</RecNum><MDL><REFERENCE_TYPE>1</REFERENCE_TYPE><AUTHORS><AUTHOR>ThomasIce and Kenneth L.Gentry</AUTHOR></AUTHORS><YEAR>1999</YEAR><TITLE>TheGreat Tribulation: Past or Future?</TITLE><PLACE_PUBLISHED>GrandRapids</PLACE_PUBLISHED><PUBLISHER>Kregel</PUBLISHER><SHORT_TITLE>GreatTribulation</SHORT_TITLE></MDL></Cite></EndNote>Thomas Ice and KennethL. Gentry, The Great Tribulation: Past or Future? (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1999).
[7] ADDIN EN.CITE<EndNote><Cite><Author>Lenski</Author><Year>1943</Year><RecNum>116</RecNum><MDL><REFERENCE_TYPE>1</REFERENCE_TYPE><AUTHORS><AUTHOR>R.C. H. Lenski</AUTHOR></AUTHORS><YEAR>1943</YEAR><TITLE>TheInterpretation of St. Matthew'sGospel</TITLE><PLACE_PUBLISHED>Columbus,OH</PLACE_PUBLISHED><PUBLISHER>The WartburgPress</PUBLISHER><SHORT_TITLE>Matthew</SHORT_TITLE></MDL></Cite></EndNote>R. C. H. Lenski, TheInterpretation of St. Matthew's Gospel(Columbus, OH: The Wartburg Press, 1943),p. 947.
[8] Meyer, Matthew, vol. 2, p. 149.
[9] ADDIN EN.CITE<EndNote><Cite><Author>Kelly</Author><Year>1971</Year><RecNum>93</RecNum><MDL><REFERENCE_TYPE>1</REFERENCE_TYPE><AUTHORS><AUTHOR>WilliamKelly</AUTHOR></AUTHORS><YEAR>1971</YEAR><TITLE>AnExposition of The Gospel of Luke</TITLE><PLACE_PUBLISHED>Oak Park,IL</PLACE_PUBLISHED><PUBLISHER>Bible TruthPublishers</PUBLISHER><SHORT_TITLE>Luke</SHORT_TITLE></MDL></Cite></EndNote>William Kelly, AnExposition of the Gospel of Luke (Oak Park,IL: Bible Truth Publishers, 1971).
[10] ADDIN EN.CITE<EndNote><Cite><Author>Stein</Author><Year>1992</Year><RecNum>98</RecNum><MDL><REFERENCE_TYPE>1</REFERENCE_TYPE><AUTHORS><AUTHOR>RobertH.Stein</AUTHOR></AUTHORS><YEAR>1992</YEAR><TITLE>Luke</TITLE><SECONDARY_TITLE>TheNew AmericanCommentary</SECONDARY_TITLE><PLACE_PUBLISHED>Nashville</PLACE_PUBLISHED><PUBLISHER>BroadmanPress</PUBLISHER><SHORT_TITLE>Luke</SHORT_TITLE></MDL></Cite></EndNote>Robert H. Stein, Luke, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1992).
[11] ADDIN EN.CITE<EndNote><Cite><Author>Farrar</Author><Year>1899</Year><RecNum>94</RecNum><MDL><REFERENCE_TYPE>1</REFERENCE_TYPE><AUTHORS><AUTHOR>F.W. Farrar</AUTHOR></AUTHORS><YEAR>1899</YEAR><TITLE>TheGospel According to St. Luke, with Maps, Notes andIntroduction</TITLE><PLACE_PUBLISHED>Cambridge</PLACE_PUBLISHED><PUBLISHER>AtThe University Press</PUBLISHER><SHORT_TITLE>Luke</SHORT_TITLE></MDL></Cite></EndNote>F. W. Farrar, TheGospel According to St. Luke, with Maps, Notes and Introduction (Cambridge: At The University Press, 1899).
[12] ADDIN EN.CITE<EndNote><Cite><Author>Plumptre</Author><Year>n.d.</Year><RecNum>104</RecNum><MDL><REFERENCE_TYPE>1</REFERENCE_TYPE><AUTHORS><AUTHOR>E.H. Plumptre</AUTHOR></AUTHORS><YEAR>n.d.</YEAR><TITLE>The Gospel According to St.Luke</TITLE><SECONDARY_TITLE>Ellicott's New TestamentCommentary</SECONDARY_TITLE><PLACE_PUBLISHED>London</PLACE_PUBLISHED><PUBLISHER>Cassell&Company</PUBLISHER><VOLUME>3</VOLUME><NUMBER_OF_VOLUMES>12</NUMBER_OF_VOLUMES><SHORT_TITLE>Luke</SHORT_TITLE></MDL></Cite></EndNote>E. H. Plumptre, TheGospel According to St. Luke, 12 vols.,vol. 3, Ellicott's New Testament Commentary (London: Cassell & Company, n. d.).
[13] ADDIN EN.CITE<EndNote><Cite><Author>Ice</Author><Year>2001</Year><RecNum>40</RecNum><MDL><REFERENCE_TYPE>1</REFERENCE_TYPE><AUTHORS><AUTHOR>TimLaHaye and ThomasIce</AUTHOR></AUTHORS><YEAR>2001</YEAR><TITLE>Chartingthe End Times: A Visual Guide to Understanding BibleProphecy</TITLE><PLACE_PUBLISHED>Eugene,OR</PLACE_PUBLISHED><PUBLISHER>HarvestHouse</PUBLISHER><SHORT_TITLE>Charting</SHORT_TITLE></MDL></Cite></EndNote>Tim LaHaye and ThomasIce, Charting the End Times: A Visual Guide to Understanding Bible Prophecy (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 2001).
[14] Plumptre, Luke, p. 345.