The next of the eight events or circumstances which the divine Master Jesus said would come upon His generation (nothin' but a bird!) is that of:
6. The heavenly luminaries going berserk. Jesus said, "immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken." Note this happens IMMEDIATELY after the great tribulation! So, granted that the great tribulation is in the past we make nonsense of Jesus saying immediately! Let's interpret scripture with scripture again! Here are a few Old Testament passages where heavenly luminaries "going berserk" symbolize judgment:
Isaiah 13:1, 5, 10 – where such symbolism is used with respect to ancient Babylon
Isaiah 34:4,5 – where it is used regarding Edom
Ezekiel 32:2, 7 – and regarding Egypt
Cf. Amos 8:9, Zephaniah 1:2, 14-15, – and Isaiah 24
"We have an infallible interpreter of this figurative language in the person of the apostle Peter. Peter states that the events of the day of Pentecost fulfilled the prophecy of Joel 2:28-32 which he quotes…
In Joel two things were prophesied: the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and judgment upon Israel. Peter declares that the prophecy is fulfilled in regard to the Spirit. Quoting both elements of the prophecy, Peter indicates that he also expected the fulfillment of the judgment prophesied by Joel. Since the one was fulfilled Peter also expected the other. As he stated in Acts 2:16, "but this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel." He expected a judgment upon Israel along with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The judgment through the grace of God was delayed but came in the year A.D. 70 with the complete destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish economy." — An Eschatology of Victory by Marcellus J. Kik
Consider Revelation 6:12-17. Without delving into an interpretation of the text, we note that there is another New Testament passage (besides the three records of the Olivet Discourse) in which the "berserk heavenly lights" symbolism is used.
Yes, the impending end of an age figuratively brought in a new heavens and new earth. The lights of Judaism, shining in the midst of all the pagan religions of the OIKOUMENE were about to be darkened. The old covenant's foreshadowing sacrifices would now be eclipsed by the substance – Christ Jesus!
7. The sign of the Son of Man coming on the clouds (Matthew 24:30). Certainly this refers to His final second coming!? Not so fast! Note, He does not say coming to Earth as it says in our Acts 1 "guardian text." Is this quibbling? Well let's first once again look to the Old Testament for this imagery, then take another peek at Daniel, namely 7:13,14.
Per Isaiah 19:1ff and Psalm 97:2,3 clouds are associated with divine judgment. According to Psalm 104:3, "He makes the clouds His chariot." Per Matthew 26:64, sometime after His Olivet Discourse standing before Caiaphas the high priest, Jesus said, "…I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven." Again, does it make sense that Jesus is saying to the high priest, "At least 2,000 years from now when you are raised to a resurrection of damnation you will see me coming to Earth?"
Three of the Gospels record that Jesus died at the ninth hour (our 3 pm). This was the same hour that the regular evening sacrifice was made in the temple which was about to be left desolate (Cf. Exodus 29:38,39). The once for all true sacrifice was being offered through the eternal Spirit (Hebrews 9:14) at the same time. Did that escape the notice of the Jewish religious leaders, mocking as they watched Him die on the cross?
When darkness covered the land for three hours (Matthew 27:45) before the moment of Jesus' death, what did they think? Did a chill run down their cowardly spines when the earth shook, and when they later discovered their temple curtain mysteriously torn in two from the top down (Matthew 27:51)? Were they included among those to whom those resurrected saints appeared (Matthew 27:52, 53) after Jesus' own resurrection? Perhaps, the Bible doesn't say. Did they later connect the dots and recognize that the One they crucified was the Son of Man of whom Daniel spoke?
Also, how is He both COMING on the clouds and SITTING on the right hand of power? Is He coming in a wheelchair? Which seques us to Daniel 7:13,14. There the Son of Man is depicted as coming to Heaven's throne, not to Earth. That vision of Daniel's is a prophecy of Christ's ascension and heavenly session! Cf. Psalm 24, and one of our guardian texts, the great commission. Jesus the King of glory has ascended and is now exalted with the name above all names, all authority in heaven and on earth having been given to Him.
The figure depicts the Son of Man, now in heaven exercising His reign in judgment on earth! That is how He is seen "coming on the clouds." It is His coming with severe punishment for THAT generation, requiring of them all the blood shed from Abel to a man named Zechariah about whom you can read about in 2 Chronicles 34:20-22 (Cf. Matthew 23:35, Luke 11:51). Again, per Luke 21:20-22, those were "the days of vengeance."
"The sign of the passing away of the pre-Messianic age and the beginning of the Messianic reign was the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple. As the old dispensation passed away, the sign would introduce the new dispensation. The Temple, made with hands, would vanish for the Temple made without hands.
If Judaism had been allowed to hold sway with its shadows and carnal ordinances, it would have been a hindrance to the spreading of the Gospel. The apostle Paul states in the eleventh chapter of Romans that the fall of the Jews was a blessing to the rest of the world. He speaks of it as the enriching of the gentiles and the reconciling of the world. The catastrophe of Jerusalem really signalized the beginning of a new and world-wide kingdom, marking the full separation of the Christian Church from legalistic Judaism. The whole system of worship, so closely associated with Jerusalem and the Temple, received, as it were, a death blow from God himself. God was now through with the Old Covenant made at Sinai: holding full sway was the sign of the New Covenant.
Thus when it is kept in mind that it was no sign in heaven but rather the sign of the Son of Man in heaven; That it was a sign spoken of rather than the personal appearance of Christ; and lastly, that it is a sign asked for by the disciples concerning the passing away of the age, then one has no difficulty in believing that the prophecy was fulfilled at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem and within the contemporary generation indicated by Christ in verse 34." — An Eschatology of Victory, by Marcellus J. Kik
Matthew 16:28, spoken some time before the Olivet Discourse, should also be considered. "Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." Everyone who was standing near Jesus 2,000 years ago has tasted death! THAT generation…nothin' but a bird.
To be continued. Go to A Survey of Eschatology, Part Eight