In Matthew 24, Jesus told His disciples that the temple buildings, which were cherished by men, would be torn down (Matthew 24:1–2; see also Mark 13:1; Luke 21:5). His disciples then asked Him, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3). Notably, the disciples were not asking about the temple buildings alone but also about the sign of Jesus’ coming and the end of the age. These are not matters that pertain to Israel alone but to all people (e.g., Revelation chapters 6–22). To suggest that Jesus’ answers in Matthew 24 apply only to Israel or Jews is therefore inconsistent with Scripture. Furthermore, in Mark’s account of this same discourse, Mark concludes by noting that Jesus’ admonition to watch for His coming was directed at all people, not merely His Jewish disciples or Israel (Mark 13:37).
In response to His disciples’ questions, Jesus also said this about His coming: “…there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will” (Matthew 24:21). He continued: “But 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 the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other” (Matthew 24:29–31). Jesus plainly stated that His coming will be after the great tribulation. He also specified that at His coming, His sign will appear in the sky and He will come on the clouds—not on a horse and not with His saints. His elect, who will be on the earth at that time (Matthew 24:1–28), will then be gathered to Him in the sky. Angels and a great trumpet will accompany this gathering. It is also worth noting that prior to His appearing in Matthew 24:29–31, Jesus had made no mention of an earlier coming. This is the first mention of His coming in the entire discourse, which is associated by the gathering of His saints from the earth to Him in the sky (Matthew 24:29–31).
In his well-known passage on the resurrection and the rapture, Paul echoes these very words of Jesus: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). Paul’s description of believers being caught up in the clouds at the sound of the trumpet—when Jesus appears in the sky—is a direct echo of what Jesus said will happen after the great tribulation (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:52). This is consistent with the testimony of Scripture, which affirms that the apostles, including Paul, did not contradict Jesus but proclaimed what He taught (Acts 5:42; 2 Corinthians 4:5).
Kwadwo Omari, PhD
March 19, 2026.
A Very Important Message:
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). Therefore, If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, I invite you to put your faith in Him. Pray the prayer below to accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour: “I come to you God in Jesus’ name and surrender my life unto you. I repent of my sins and I ask You to forgive me all my sins. I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord, and I believe with my heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead. I thank you God for saving me, in Jesus name, Amen”. If you sincerely prayed this prayer, believe and be assured that you are saved, because the Bible says, “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13, Romans 10:9-10, Acts 16:31). Find a Bible believing church to attend so that you can be taught and trained to grow in the ways of God. God bless you.