Matthew 24:29 “Immediately after the tribulation of
those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its
light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens
will be shaken.
In Bible times the Jews understood this figurative language “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, more precisely than we do today. This figurative language was quite common in the prophetic portions of the Bible about the downfall of a nation. That is the reason Jesus chose to utilize this highly figurative language. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of these types of symbols in the Bible.
The first thing that we must understand is that each particular gospel had a particular audience that the words were for. For example the book of Galatians is a Pauline Epistle (letter from Paul) written primarily for a Gentile audience. Paulis principally concerned with the controversy surrounding Gentile Christians and the Mosaic Law during the a Apostolic Age.
Paul had passed through this area on his second missionary journey (Acts 16:6)and again on his third Acts 18:23). In any case, the new Christians whom Paul is addressing in Galatians are converts from paganism (Galatians 4:8).
The gospel of Matthew was written primarily to a Hebrew audience. Any Jew familiar with the Bible in its original Hebrew, language would have quickly realized what Jesus is saying. The problem is the Gentiles, are not accustomed to dealing with such symbolic language like the sun being darkened and the stars falling, etc. without taking it literally. However to the Jews, this was not a new language. Matthew’s Jewish readers were certainly well versed in the sort of imagery and understood the meaning represented the downfall of a nation.
Take for example the prophesied fall of Babylon to the Medes in 539 BC. This type of apocalyptic, figurative language, was used to describe the desolation and the judgment of God by invading forces.
"Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. And I will punish the world for their evil..." (Isaiah13:9-11)." This is applied to Babylon, as mentioned in verse 1 The burden against Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw.
The fall of Babylonis represented by the stars and constellations of heaven withdrawing their light, and the sun and moon being darkened (9-10). There is no contextual subject matter that has changed from Babylon to physical/material.This destruction “was against Babylon” And it will be as a destruction from God.
Isaiah 13 speaks of remarkably similar events accompanying Babylon's collapse in the Old Testament era." Matthew 24:29refers to Isaiah 13:10, something recognized by all commentators. Isaiah's prophecy speaks of Babylon's collapse while Matthew prophecy speaks of Israel’ scollapse.
Whenever there was anoverthrow of the rulers and authorities of a nation it was represented by thesun, moon, and stars not give their light that "world" was destined by God to end? When Jesus said,"Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened,and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken (Matthew 24:29)." No doubt it is the over throw and abolition of the Mosaic dispensation, or old covenant; the destruction of the Jewish governments, governors, dominions and political states. The time would be during the great tribulation. (Matthew 24:29)
Jesus' words echo those of the prophet Joel, who likewise prophesied regarding the "day of the Lord," when the time arrives for the nations to be judged: There the day of the Lord will soon arrive. Joel 3:14-16 (NKJV)
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will grow dark, And the stars will diminish their brightness. The Lord also will roar from Zion, And utter His voice from Jerusalem; The heavens and earth will shake; But the Lord will be a shelter for His people, And the strength of the children of Israel.
In Bible figurative language, when the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken refers to governments and rulers. So should we look for a literal fulfillment in the heavens, and the literal sun, moon and stars grow dark? Of course not.
Notice how God was going to use Gentiles to overthrow the nation of Jews. “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. 22 For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. Luke 21:20-22(NKJV)
Luke19:43-44 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
No doubt the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the
stars will fall from heaven, in Matthew 24:30 was also figurative language about the overthrow of the old Jewish kingdom and dispensation,
All this happened during Jesus contemporary generation.
In Bible times the Jews understood this figurative language “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, more precisely than we do today. This figurative language was quite common in the prophetic portions of the Bible about the downfall of a nation. That is the reason Jesus chose to utilize this highly figurative language. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of these types of symbols in the Bible.
The first thing that we must understand is that each particular gospel had a particular audience that the words were for. For example the book of Galatians is a Pauline Epistle (letter from Paul) written primarily for a Gentile audience. Paulis principally concerned with the controversy surrounding Gentile Christians and the Mosaic Law during the a Apostolic Age.
Paul had passed through this area on his second missionary journey (Acts 16:6)and again on his third Acts 18:23). In any case, the new Christians whom Paul is addressing in Galatians are converts from paganism (Galatians 4:8).
The gospel of Matthew was written primarily to a Hebrew audience. Any Jew familiar with the Bible in its original Hebrew, language would have quickly realized what Jesus is saying. The problem is the Gentiles, are not accustomed to dealing with such symbolic language like the sun being darkened and the stars falling, etc. without taking it literally. However to the Jews, this was not a new language. Matthew’s Jewish readers were certainly well versed in the sort of imagery and understood the meaning represented the downfall of a nation.
Take for example the prophesied fall of Babylon to the Medes in 539 BC. This type of apocalyptic, figurative language, was used to describe the desolation and the judgment of God by invading forces.
"Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. And I will punish the world for their evil..." (Isaiah13:9-11)." This is applied to Babylon, as mentioned in verse 1 The burden against Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw.
The fall of Babylonis represented by the stars and constellations of heaven withdrawing their light, and the sun and moon being darkened (9-10). There is no contextual subject matter that has changed from Babylon to physical/material.This destruction “was against Babylon” And it will be as a destruction from God.
Isaiah 13 speaks of remarkably similar events accompanying Babylon's collapse in the Old Testament era." Matthew 24:29refers to Isaiah 13:10, something recognized by all commentators. Isaiah's prophecy speaks of Babylon's collapse while Matthew prophecy speaks of Israel’ scollapse.
Whenever there was anoverthrow of the rulers and authorities of a nation it was represented by thesun, moon, and stars not give their light that "world" was destined by God to end? When Jesus said,"Immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened,and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken (Matthew 24:29)." No doubt it is the over throw and abolition of the Mosaic dispensation, or old covenant; the destruction of the Jewish governments, governors, dominions and political states. The time would be during the great tribulation. (Matthew 24:29)
Jesus' words echo those of the prophet Joel, who likewise prophesied regarding the "day of the Lord," when the time arrives for the nations to be judged: There the day of the Lord will soon arrive. Joel 3:14-16 (NKJV)
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will grow dark, And the stars will diminish their brightness. The Lord also will roar from Zion, And utter His voice from Jerusalem; The heavens and earth will shake; But the Lord will be a shelter for His people, And the strength of the children of Israel.
In Bible figurative language, when the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken refers to governments and rulers. So should we look for a literal fulfillment in the heavens, and the literal sun, moon and stars grow dark? Of course not.
Notice how God was going to use Gentiles to overthrow the nation of Jews. “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. 22 For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. Luke 21:20-22(NKJV)
Luke19:43-44 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
No doubt the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the
stars will fall from heaven, in Matthew 24:30 was also figurative language about the overthrow of the old Jewish kingdom and dispensation,
All this happened during Jesus contemporary generation.
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