And as this destruction is near and within ken, so it is sure. So when ye see these things come to pass, when ye see the Jewish nation embroiled in wars, distracted by false Christs and prophets, and drawing upon them the displeasure of the Romans, especially when ye see them persecuting you for your Master's sake, and thereby standing to what they did when they put him to death, and repeating it, and so filling up the measure of their iniquity, then say that their ruin is nigh, even at the door, and provide for yourselves accordingly." The disciples themselves were indeed all of them, except John, taken away from the evil to come, but the next generation whom they were to train up, would live to see it and by these instructions which Christ left behind him would be kept from sharing in it " This generation that is now rising up, shall not all be worn off before all these things come to pass, which I have told you of, relating to Jerusalem, and they shall begin to take effect now shortly. When second causes begin to work, ye expect their effects in their proper order and time. "As to the destruction of Jerusalem, expect it to come very shortly as when the branch of the fig-tree becomes soft, and the leaves sprout forth, ye expect that summer will come shortly. We have here the application of this prophetical sermon now learn to look forward in a right manner. 37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. 35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. 33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. 32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. 31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. 30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. 28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: 29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame” (Revelation 16:15).Mar 13:28 | MHC | STEP | Watchfulness Inculcated. Then they will realize that they have lost everything. As we near the second coming, probation will close, and those “outside the ark” will not know that the thief has come until Jesus appears in glory.
When the door of the ark closed, those on the outside did not know their fate was sealed “until the flood came and took them all away” (Matthew 24:39). This parallels the flood account in Genesis. Scripture is saying that the unconverted will experience Christ’s return as a thief in the night – sudden and unexpected. And Paul declares, “But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief” (1 Thessalonians 5:4). Christ warns, “Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief” (Revelation 3:3). The picture grows clearer when we add a few more verses to the mix.
What we end up with is a loud, destructive thief that everyone will see coming! How do we make sense of this? Peter also uses paradoxical language stating that “the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10). What kind of a “thief” is seen by “every eye”? At first glance, these texts seem contradictory. Jesus says, “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:27), yet in the very same chapter (v.43) He compares His return to a thief.
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