Matthew 24:1-3 – Answers to tough questions concerning Christ’s return

Waiting for the arrival of a baby about to be born into the world is both a joyful as well a painful experience. A pregnant mother, prior to the delivery of her child, will tell you she cherishes great hope of holding a new born baby and anticipates new possibilities. She also knows that there would be potential danger looming and would be anxious. It’s something every pregnant mother must personally experience and live through, even though it may be agonizing, distressing and disconcerting. This experience of pangs and new birth is being used here to illustrate the new world that God was about to bring to birth.

For Jesus, there are two central features concerning God’s future. The first feature would be concerning His calling and own destiny. In the last few chapters He had spoken fairly much about it. He came to Jerusalem fully aware that His mission of beckoning Israel to repentance would bring about hostility and violence against Himself, and He would be put to death. He also knew that God would vindicate Him after He had died by raising Him from death. The next feature would be the ultimate end of the Temple. Through His ministry Jesus had constantly and implicitly shown that He, and not the Temple, would be the real hub of God’s healing and restoration. He had performed and declared things in the temple that had indicated that the Temple was under judgement and He had the power to pronounce it. Hence when the disciples pointed to Him that magnificent Temple, He told them in no uncertain terms that it would soon be totally destroyed. Deducing from what Jesus had said concerning His calling and destiny, and what would happen to the Temple, His disciples realized the two events run concurrently. And if Jesus had been right, then when would all these take place? When exactly would the world see that Jesus is God’s Messiah?  

There were three things the disciples wanted to know, i.e. concerning the destruction of the Temple, His coming as King and the end of the ages. They heard all that Jesus had said would happen and understood somewhat. So they wanted to know when it would happen and what should they watch out for. When would the Temple be destroyed? When would the present age end? And when would God’s new age be ushered in?

We will definitely come to Jesus’ answers to these questions when we look at the verses that follow. For now let’s hold it, though the soon appearing of Jesus is sure. What must we as His followers do in preparation for that great day?