In Matthew 24 Verses 36-50, Jesus shifts from signs to readiness. As the days of Noah were, judgment came suddenly upon the unaware. He declares that no man knows the day or hour. He compares His coming to the days of Noah, when judgment came suddenly upon the unaware. Two are in the field – one taken and one left. A thief comes in the night. A servant is either found faithful or judged evil. Matthew 24 Verses 36-50 is not about speculation. It is about watching, discerning seasons, and being found doing when the Lord comes.
GOSPEL OF MATTHEW BIBLE STUDY SERIES
This study of Matthew: Matthew 24 Verses 36-50 – As the Days of Noah Were is part of a verse-by-verse teaching series through the Gospel of Matthew.
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Matthew 24 Verses 36-50
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Scriptures used in this lesson on Matthew 24 Verses 36-50
- Hebrews 10:13, Matthew 16:18, 1 Corinthians 15:24–28, 1 Corinthians 15:52, 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17, John 6:54, John 5:26–29, Daniel 12:2, Acts 24:15, Revelation 20:11–15, Revelation 20:4–6, John 6:40, Matthew 24:36, Matthew 24:32-35, 1 Thessalonians 5:2–5, Matthew 24:37-39, Luke 17:26–27, Matthew 24:40-42, Matthew 24:41, Matthew 13:30, Matthew 13:41–42, Matthew 5:5, Revelation 5:10, Matthew 24:43–44, Matthew 24:45-51, James 2:26, James 1:22, Matthew 5:16
Matthew 24 Verses 36-50
We looked at every passage about the fig tree while studying Matthew 21:18-19. We saw clearly that the fig tree does not represent natural Israel. The fig tree is a symbol of God’s blessings. It is a sign of prosperity. Not once in all of Scripture does it say that the fig tree is natural Israel. This brings us to the focus of this lesson in Matthew 24 Verses 36-50, where Jesus moves from signs to readiness.
When we ended last time, we had given the seven signs of the end of our age – the seasons of the end of the church age. We saw that one thing that has to happen is that natural Israel must return to the olive tree. That must take place before this age can end. Another thing that happens is found in Hebrews 10:13: it says that all His enemies are set under His feet, and He sits in the heavens until all His enemies are made His footstool.
Hebrews 10:13
13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
So all the enemies have to be put under His feet. The enemies against the kingdom of God must be placed under Christ’s feet before He can come and end this age and begin the next.
Number three – 1 John 3:2, Ephesians 4:13, and John 14:12 show that there will be a people who are like Him.
Then we saw in Ephesians 5:27 that there will be a church that is spotless, glorious, and without blemish, which He can present unto Himself as a bride. Matthew 16, 18 talks about a church that will storm the gates of hell. He says, I’ll build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Matthew 16:18
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
These things must happen before this age can end. Then we saw in 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 that the last enemy must be defeated, which is death. When I’m debating someone about an any-minute rapture, I use this one to quiet the debate. It’s difficult to dispute.
When does the End of Our Age Come?
1 Corinthians 15:24–28
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
Death must be defeated. This is so far beyond our comprehension. What does that mean? To me, it means that people stop dying. I know death has been defeated in that we have eternal life if in Christ, but this is speaking about something beyond that. This is the last enemy and something yet to come. I know that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is life eternal through Christ Jesus (Romans 6:23).
If there is a people like Him and He was sinless, then there must be a sinless people. When a sinless people exists, we will see it in their lives. If an individual is sinless, is death there? No. Death is overcome. To overcome death, we must overcome sin. That must happen because the last enemy has to be defeated (1 Corinthians 15:24-28).
What is the Unquestionable Event Showing the End of this Age?
Finally, in 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4, we saw that there will be an unquestionable event that signifies the end of this age and the beginning of the next.
1 Corinthians 15:52
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1 Thessalonians 4:16–17
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
What is that event? It is the resurrection. When the resurrection happens, it is over. The next age begins. We looked in St. John chapter 6 and saw that Jesus said if you eat His flesh and drink His blood, He will raise you up on what day? The last day.
When did Jesus say the Resurrection would happen?
John 6:54
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
How many days are after the last day? No days. There are not seven years after the last day. There are not three and a half years after the last day. It’s the last day. And in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, when Paul talks about the resurrection and the rapture of the church, that is the last day.
When I came to that point, I saw that you cannot have a rapture without a resurrection. They go hand in hand. When the rapture happens, the resurrection happens. In 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4, when Christ comes, and the resurrection of the dead is mentioned, the catching away of the church in 1 Thessalonians 4 occurs only then. The rapture and the resurrection are inseparable.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, the catching up of believers and the resurrection occur on the same day – the last day. There are no days after the last day. There are no seven years, and there are no three-and-a-half years. The resurrection is the last day. This truth forms the background for understanding Matthew 24 Verses 36-50. With that foundation in place, we now turn directly to Matthew 24 Verses 36-50.
Beginning this Lesson – Matthew 24 Verses 36-50
Now this is where we begin tonight. The resurrection includes how many people? All people – the just and the wicked. So is it two resurrections, or one resurrection with two results? That question matters because it shapes our theology. The pre-trib rapture theory teaches that Christ comes, raptures His church, resurrects the dead, goes to heaven, then returns seven years later for another resurrection and the white throne judgment. I began to examine what Scripture actually says. So we start in John 5:26.
John 5:26–29
26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
It is important that we understand how many resurrections there are. In Saint John 5:26-29, Christ is speaking, and that is where we begin. This same truth is also found in Daniel 12:2, but I wanted to go directly to the New Testament and see what Christ Himself says.
Daniel 12:2
2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
John 5:26 says that as the Father has life in Himself, He has given the Son to have life in Himself and authority to execute judgment because He is the Son of man. He says the hour is coming when how many will hear His voice? All who are in the graves. How many will come forth? All.
According to that passage, in the mind of Christ, there is one resurrection day. All are raised on the same day, which is the last day. All who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth – those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of damnation. There are two outcomes, but one resurrection day. There is one day when Christ speaks, and resurrection happens, and that agrees with the rest of Scripture.
One Resurrection Day – Just and Unjust
Now let us look at another passage – Acts 24:15.
Acts 24:15
15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
We are seeing that there is one resurrection day – a resurrection to life and a resurrection to damnation. Acts 24:15 says there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. How many resurrections are there? One. There is one resurrection day, with two outcomes – life and damnation.
Go to Revelation 20, where confusion often arises. I believe we can touch it and help clarify it.
Revelation 20:11–15
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
What is the Description of the Last Day?
This is a description of the last day. It shows resurrection day and what happens. The confusion about two resurrections comes from Revelation 20, especially beginning around verse 4.
In that passage, angels cast the devil into the bottomless pit. Then John says he saw thrones, and judgment was given to them. He did not say bodies. He said souls. John is very specific. He makes it clear that it is not bodies, but souls. He says he saw the souls of those who were beheaded.
Revelation 20:4–6
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Are these dead people? Yes. John says he saw the souls that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or received his mark, and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years (Revelation 20:4).
What is the Millennial Reign of Christ?
This is the millennial reign of Christ. These souls are reigning with Christ now. If I am absent from my body, where am I? I am present with the Lord. Second Corinthians 5:8 tells us that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.
That is what the verse says. If I am not here and my body is in the ground, and I am present with the Lord, then I am reigning with Him now if I have not received the mark and have kept myself pure. Revelation 20:5-6 says the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is called the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection. On such, the second death has no power. They shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with Him a thousand years (Revelation 20:5-6).
The first resurrection is when you leave this body to be with Him. You reign with Christ. You have not received the mark of the beast, and you are present with Him. Second Corinthians 5:8 teaches that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. These are souls, not bodies. They reign with Christ during the thousand years – the millennial reign. If you have loved ones who have gone on in the Lord, they did not receive the mark. They kept themselves pure. They are with Him now.
What Happens to the Unsaved Dead?
If they were not saved, their bodies remain in the ground until the day of resurrection. Then death and hell and the sea give up the dead. If their names are not in the Lamb’s book of life, they are cast into everlasting judgment. It is either everlasting damnation or everlasting life for everyone.
The Resurrection Is the Last Day
Right now, it is the church age. It will reach its climax in the resurrection of the dead. From that point forward, it is everlasting. There are no seven years. There are no three-and-a-half years. That is what Scripture teaches.
Revelation 20:4 clearly says these are souls who did not worship the beast. They reign with Christ during His kingdom age. Second Corinthians 5:8 shows they are present with the Lord. There is one resurrection day. It may be described as two resurrections – just and unjust -, but it is one resurrection day. That day is the last day of this age.
That is the point. Resurrection Day is the last day. Jesus said He will raise you up at the last day (John 6:39-40).
John 6:40
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Matthew 24 Verses 36-50 – No One Knows the Day or Hour
It’s the last day when Christ comes again, and the resurrection of the dead happens; it’s the last day of this age. Jesus says that no angel, no man knows the exact time of the beginning and end of an age. Only the father knows the exact day and hour.
Matthew 24:36
36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
There are signs for each event, just as there are signs for the changing of seasons. That is what we were studying. Jesus said no man knows the exact day or hour (Matthew 24:36). Yet He also said it is like the fig tree. When it blossoms, you know summer is near.
Matthew 24:32-35
32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
You can see the signs and recognize the season (Matthew 24:32-33). Believers should not be unaware when God moves. First Thessalonians 5 shows that we should recognize the times and seasons.
How can We Know when Spiritual Seasons Change?
When seasons change, everyone knows it. The world prepares for winter before it arrives. People can read natural signs. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees because they could read the sky but could not discern the signs of the times (Matthew 16:2-3). Believers are in the light. We can look at what is happening in the earth. We can examine the seven things I mentioned earlier, and we can know when the season is changing. That is the context of First Thessalonians 5.
I also pointed out how chapter divisions interrupt the flow. Paul was speaking about the resurrection in 1 Thessalonians 4:16. The thought continues directly into chapter 5. Paul did not say, “Stop! Chapter 5 verse 1.” This was a letter/epistle to a church. There is no break between 1 Thessalonians 4: 18, i.e., “Wherefore comfort one another with these words,” and 1 Thessalonians 5:1, i.e., “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.”
Paul continues his thought with the conjunction “…but.” What “times” and “seasons” was Paul referencing? The times and seasons of the coming of the Lord with a shout, the dead in Christ raised, and the catching up of those who are alive and remain. We, as believers, should know the times in the seasons.
Read on, and you will see.
The Thief Comes to Those in Darkness
1 Thessalonians 5:2–5
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
Matthew 24 Verses 36-50 – The Thief in the Night
We have heard Jesus say He comes as a thief in the night (Matthew 24:43). The question is whether that applies to the believer. It does not. The thief comes at night and only to those in darkness. We are in the day. First Thessalonians 5:3-4 says that when they say peace and safety, sudden destruction comes upon them, but we are not in darkness that that day should overtake us as a thief. The thief principle does not apply to the believer. We should read the seasons. We should look at what is happening in the world and align it with Scripture. The seven things we discussed must happen before Christ comes again.
When natural Israel is grafted back into the olive tree (Romans 11:23-24), the fig tree is blossoming. When the enemies of the kingdom are put down one by one, when the church storms hell’s strongholds (Matthew 16:18), and when a glorious church without spot or wrinkle is conformed to His image (Ephesians 5:27), then we know the day is near. Those are the signs of the end of this age.
The tribulation is not the focus of those signs. Matthew 24 addresses the Mosaic tribulation, not a future seven-year period. The resurrection of the dead, the ingrafting of Israel, the perfected church, and the church overcoming are not the focus of Matthew 24. That chapter marks the end of the Mosaic age. Believers are not in darkness. We can discern seasons.
As the Days of Noah Were – Matthew 24 Verses 36-50
In Matthew 24 Verses 36-50, Jesus says that as the days of Noah were, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be.
Matthew 24:37-39
37But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
The coming Jesus is talking about in this context is likened to Noah’s day. This is the coming of the Son of man upon that generation (Matthew 24:34). The Lord did not physically come in Noah’s day. He sent a flood. That was judgment. It ended one age and introduced a new covenant.
This coming upon Jerusalem, Jesus says, will be like that. It is not merely about His advent. It is about judgment that ends an age and brings covenant transition. In Noah’s day, there was judgment and then a covenant signified by the rainbow. God said, “This is my covenant with you” (Genesis 9:13). That judgment brought a new covenantal order. Jesus says so shall also this coming be.
Apathy Before Judgment
In the days of Noah, there was apathy. People were eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage. There was nothing wrong with those things in themselves. The problem was that God was left out. They made room for material life but not for spiritual life. That pattern is very similar to our age. We always make time to eat, and we make time for marriage. We often make time for everything except the things of God.
Emphasis was placed on the material. The eternal was ignored. That is the issue. When material things take priority over the things of God and the Spirit, judgment follows. If someone becomes more interested in temporal things than spiritual things, a flood is on its way. The principle is clear. We are to seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33).
Who Was Taken Away in Noah’s Day?
If we seek anything else first, a flood is coming. That is certain. Matthew 24:39 says it took them away. We need to ask who “them” are. It is important to be clear about that. Luke 17 helps us understand who “them” are and clarifies who was taken away.
Luke 17:26–27
26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Luke 17 helps clarify this. I went through it again because many of you have tried to explain it and found it difficult. Luke 17:26-27 says that as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage until the flood came and destroyed them all. The “them” are those who were “destroyed.” They are the wicked. The flood destroyed them and took them away. The ones taken were the unjust.
Who is Removed, the Righteous or the Wicked?
Jesus says, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. That coming will be like Noah’s day. It is a coming that removes the wicked. Judgment removes the wicked. That is the principle. When a society indulges in immorality and rejects God, judgment follows. God’s pattern is that the wicked are taken away.
Matthew 24 makes the same point. The emphasis is that the wicked are removed. The flood took the wicked away. That is what we must see when we read Matthew 24:39. It’s not the rapture of the church. It’s the wicked taken in A.D. 70.
Matthew 24 Verses 36-50 – One Taken and One Left
Who Was Taken in Noah’s Day?
Matthew 24:40-42
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
One of the most misunderstood statements in Matthew 24 Verses 36-50 is the phrase “one taken and one left.” Then two will be in the field, one taken and one left. The one taken is the wicked. That means this is not a rapture scripture (Matthew 24:39-40). In Noah’s day, the wicked were destroyed. Luke makes that clear. The ones taken are the wicked.
You will not find a rapture in Matthew 24. You find the wicked removed. Proverbs 11:5 teaches that the wicked are destroyed by their own wickedness. That is the principle. When judgment came against Jerusalem, the wicked were taken away. That is what Matthew 24 is describing. It is not the just being removed. It is the wicked. The same language appears again with two women grinding.
Matthew 24:41
41Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
One is taken and one left. The one taken is the wicked (Matthew 24:41-42). That is consistent.
The Parable of the Tares Explains It
In Matthew 13:30, we see this principle appear again in the parable of the tares.
Matthew 13:30
30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
In the parable of the tares, Jesus said to let both grow together until the harvest. At the time of harvest, He would tell the reapers to gather first the tares. The tares are removed first. They are bound and burned. The wheat is then gathered into the barn. That is the order.
In Matthew 13:41, He explains the parable. The Son of Man sends forth His angels. He shows who is gathered out and who is taken. It is the same principle.
The Wicked Are Removed First
Matthew 13:41–42
41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 13:41 says the Son of Man will send His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend and those who do iniquity. The ones removed are the offenders. The righteous are not removed. They never have been and never will be removed.
The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and all that dwells therein. The meek shall inherit the earth.
Matthew 5:5
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
The things that offend in the kingdom are the things removed. The offenders are gathered out. The Jews were offending the church, so what was offending was removed. Matthew 13:42-43 shows they are cast into a furnace of fire with wailing and gnashing of teeth, and then the righteous shine forth in the kingdom of their Father.
What does the Parable in Matthew 13:47-49 Mean?
Matthew 13:47-49 gives another parable. The kingdom is like a net cast into the sea that gathers every kind. This is Resurrection Day. It is the last day. The good are gathered into vessels, and the bad are cast away. At the end of the world, the angels separate the wicked from among the just. The wicked are taken from the just. That is always the order.
I am not a Jehovah’s Witness, but I do see the principle. Acts 17:11 tells us to search the Scriptures to see if these things are so. That is what I began to do. Years ago, as I studied Revelation, I moved from a pre-trib rapture to a mid-trib view, and then saw something different. It troubled me because I did not want to teach error. I knew I would stand before the judgment seat of Christ, so I had to teach truth (2 Corinthians 5:10).
We are going to inherit the earth. Scripture says so. Jesus said the meek shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). Revelation 5:10 says we shall reign on the earth. That is the principle.
Where will Christ Followers Reign with Him?
Revelation 5:10
10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
Every translation I have shows the same principle. The wicked are severed from the just. The just remain on the earth. The earth is our inheritance. In the parable of the tares, the tares are gathered first and burned. The wheat remains. The wicked are always taken from the just. That has always been the pattern.
When I first taught this, some thought it sounded like the doctrine of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. I am not a Jehovah’s Witness. Yet they do hold that principle. There is truth in more than one place. Baptists hold truth about baptism. Pentecostals hold truth about the Holy Spirit. Still, God calls us to go on into maturity. There is more than one small truth. The consistent teaching is that the wicked are removed, not the justified. The earth is the inheritance of God’s people.
This is exactly what happened in AD 70. Luke 21:18 speaks of the desolation. Jesus warned that when Jerusalem was surrounded by armies, the desolation was near. He told His people to flee to the mountains. The natural response would have been to run into the walled city. Instead, the just went to the mountains, and the wicked remained in the city. The wicked were destroyed.
History records that over a million Jews died in that siege. Not one Christian perished. Luke 21:18 says not a hair of your head shall perish. During the desolation of Jerusalem, the Christians were preserved.
How can We Know the Signs of the End of this Age?
Hebrews 13:8 says He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If He protected His people then, He can protect us now. The disciples asked about the signs of His coming in Matthew 24:3. If we seek Him as they did, He will show us. Acts 10:34 says He is no respecter of persons. He loves me as He loved Peter. If I ask, He will answer.
I believe we can know the signs of the end of this age. I have always been able to move when God made a turn. Often, I have listened and followed through faith, Pentecost, kingdom, and restoration. We can look at a fig tree and know summer is near (Matthew 24:32). In the same way, we can look at the Word and discern when things are changing. If we are in the light, we should be able to see.
Jesus then gives the parable of the servant.
Matthew 24:43–44
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
We have looked at 1 Thessalonians 5:1-5 and seen that we should not be overtaken by the changing of an age. We are to be in the light. He is the light and the truth (John 8:12; John 14:6). If I walk in Him, I should be able to move when He moves. There are only two groups. Some are in light, and some are in darkness. There is no gray.
Second Peter 3:10 shows the same division. There will be scoffers who mock and question His coming. Those are in darkness. Others are watching and looking. Revelation 3:3 warns that if we do not watch, He will come as a thief. Revelation 16:15 says blessed is the one who watches and keeps his garment. If I watch and keep, I will not be ashamed. There is no excuse for a believer to be unaware.
What It Means to WWhat It Means to Watch in Matthew 24 Verses 36-50atch
Watching is not staring into the sky. Watching is discerning seasons and doing what we are called to do. It is staying in tune with Him so that when He turns, we turn. The final warning in Matthew 24 Verses 36-50 is the parable of the faithful and evil servant.
The Faithful and Evil Servant – Matthew 24:45-51
Matthew 24:45-51
45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Who Is a Faithful and Wise Servant?
The parable of the servant follows this principle. The question is, who is a faithful and wise servant? The faithful servant gives meat in due season and is found doing when the Lord comes. That servant is made ruler over all his Lord’s goods.
The evil servant says in his heart that the Lord delays. He lives carelessly and strikes his fellow servants. He eats and drinks with the drunken. The Lord comes when he is not looking, and he is cut off and appointed with the hypocrites, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Each of us must decide which servant we will be.
Watching Is Doing
There are two servants. One is rewarded, and one is judged. The difference between them is simple. One was watching, and one was not. Watching is not staring into the sky. It is not peering into the clouds. Watching is doing. Watching is fulfilling what we are called and purposed to do. The servant was blessed because the Lord found him doing when He came. Watching is doing.
The issue is what we are called to do. If the Lord came this moment, would we be appointed with the hypocrites and face weeping and gnashing of teeth, or would we inherit His goods? Where are we as a church in the matter of doing? James 2:26 speaks to that principle.
James 2:26
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Faith without works is dead. James chapter 1 verse 22 says,
James 1:22
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Why do We Need to be Doers?
He says we are deceiving ourselves. Matthew chapter 5 verse 16, Jesus Himself says,
Matthew 5:16
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
We have taught much about the purposes and callings of God. I believe our fellowship understands that the devil only has the place we give him. We see that many of our errors come from our own flesh. The Lord is King and the earth is His (Psalm 24:1). That is good ground to stand on.
Talking Is Not Doing
Still, I had to ask myself where I am. Talking is not doing. We have a vision, but vision must become action. I told Ted I was tired of talking and wanted to see us begin to do. I was excited writing about pastors coming together and churches uniting. You know I have prayed for unity in this city. I want to see pastors encouraged and lifted up. I sense something beginning to happen.
The principle of the parable is watching. Watching is doing. Both servants were called servants, yet one was judged and the other rewarded. The faithful servant did something. The unfaithful servant was cut off and appointed with the hypocrites. The other was made ruler over the Lord’s goods.
Matthew 25:1-13 shows the same pattern. Ten virgins expected to meet the Lord. Five were prepared, and five were not. The difference was in the doing and preparation. God wants us to do what we are called to do. If the Lord came now, where would we stand? Would we be entrusted with His goods or placed with the hypocrites? That is the question as Matthew 24 closes and the discourse moves into chapter 25.
Called With Purpose Before Birth
I believe Scripture teaches that God knew us in our mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5). I believe every child is known of God. Their members are written in His book (Psalm 139:16). Their names are known to Him (Revelation 13:8). Each life carries purpose. We are born for a reason. God does not make mistakes.
The Final Warning of Matthew 24 Verses 36-50
The message of Matthew 24 Verses 36-50 is not speculation but readiness.
I want to close by encouraging us to do what we are called to do. Whatever our purpose is, we must fulfill it. We do not want to be wicked or unjust servants. We must not become apathetic and say we will get serious tomorrow. No one knows when He will come.
James 1:22 tells us to be doers of the Word and not hearers only. We are to let men see our good works and glorify the Father. We are to pray thy kingdom come, and thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). May we walk purposefully and fulfill the will of God for our birth. Amen.
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