A -- Wherein will the sign of the Lord's Coming differ from the false

B -- Principally in its magnitude:

`For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the

west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be' (27).

This indicates the world -wide nature of this sign.  The next passage

fixes its date, and gives further details concerning the sign in the heavens.

A -- Pardon me, but are you one of those who believe in fixing dates

for the Lord's Coming?

B -- If you mean that any man can know `the day and the hour', most

certainly not, but if you mean whether the parousia will take place before or

after the tribulation, yes, we can speak definitely:

`Immediately after the tribulation of those days ...' (29).

This refers back to verse 21, which is the `great tribulation' referred

to in Daniel 12.

A -- How do you know that the great tribulation of Matthew 24 is the

same as that of Daniel 12?  It does not say so.

B -- Well tell me just exactly what it does say, and I will tell you

just exactly what Daniel 12 says.

A -- `Such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time,

no, nor ever shall be' (Matt. 24:21).

B -- `Such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same

time' (Dan. 12:1).  Can you possibly have two separate tribulations answering

to these descriptions?

A -- No, I see that they must refer to the same event.

B -- So then the sign of the Lord's parousia is not seen till after the

great tribulation of Daniel 12; and if that Coming is the hope of the church

of which you are a member, that church must share the hope of Israel.  The

greatness of the sign is seen by its forerunners:

`... shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,

and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens

shall be shaken: and Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in

heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the land mourn, and they shall

see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great

glory' (Matt. 24:29,30).

A -- Why do you say `tribes of the land'?

I read `tribes of the

B -- The passage refers to Zechariah 12:12, where it speaks of the

mourning of the families of Israel after they look upon Him Whom they have

pierced.  Revelation 1:7 refers to the same event.  The Coming in the clouds

of heaven refers to Daniel 7 where the Son of man is given dominion, glory