and Jerusalem. The return of Israel to Palestine has ceased to be a possible event in the future; it is already taking

place before our eyes, and under the protection of the British flag (written in 1930).

The Lord follows His Word with regard to the time with a reference to Noah and the suddenness of the flood,

`So shall also the coming of the Son of man be' (Matt. 24:39).

This note is again sounded in the reference to the two women grinding at the mill, and the two men in the field.

Luke's addition: `In that night there shall be two men in one bed' (Luke 17:34) completes the whole day and night.

Working in the field represents the day time, grinding at the mill the early hours of the morning, and sleeping in the

bed the night. The parable of the Virgins likewise speaks of this same thing, concluding, as it does, with words

almost identical with Matthew 24:42:

`Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh' (Matt. 25:13).

The one thing that appears from the various passages that deal with the question, `When shall these things be'? is

that the Lord did not tell them. What He did was to urge readiness because the day and the hour were unrevealed.

Before concluding this section on Matthew 24 we draw attention to some of the passages of Old Testament

Scriptures cited, or alluded to by the Lord, which but confirm the growing conviction that the coming of Christ as

revealed in Matthew 24, is entirely connected with Israel:

Matthew 24:7.- Citation Isaiah 19:2.- `Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom'.

Isaiah 19:3 says that as a result of this upheaval of kingdoms `they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers,

and to them that have familiar spirits, and to wizards'. These will introduce `the signs and wonders and miracles of

the lie', and lead the world into the tragedy of the end. It behoves those who have eyes opened to see, to avoid the

slightest approach to these things of darkness.

Matthew 24:15.- Citation Daniel 9:27.- `The abomination of desolation'.

This `desolation' must be connected with 23:38, `Your house is left unto you desolate'. It is most clearly

associated with Israel - see the whole of Daniel 9.

Matthew 24:21.- Citation Daniel 12:1.- `Then shall be great tribulation'.

A comparison of these two passages will prove that they refer to the one event.

Matthew 24:24.- Reference Isaiah 8:18.- `Signs and wonders'.

There are `signs and wonders' that are spoken of in the Scriptures, and these will be fulfilled as surely as those

signs that accompanied the Messiah's first advent (Matt. 11:4-6). In Isaiah 8 there is the great contrast between the

God-given signs and wonders, and the result of the efforts of wizards that peep and mutter, and which seek unto the

dead (see also Isa. 19:3).

Matthew 24:29.- Citation Isaiah 13:10 and 34:4.- `Sun be darkened. Moon shall not give her light. Stars

shall fall'.

Isaiah 13:9-13 declares that this shall be in the day of the Lord, which shall be characterized by wrath and fierce

anger. The passage connects it with the fall of Babylon in verse 19, as in Isaiah 34:5,6 it is connected with wrath

upon Idumea.

Matthew 24:30.- Citation Zechariah 12:10-12.- `The tribes of the land mourn'.

There shall be a national mourning for the death of Christ, the great fulfilment of the day of atonement, which

will be followed by the blessed ingathering, or sunteleia.

Matthew 24:30.- Citation Daniel 7:13.- `The Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and

great glory'.