马太福音24:29-31 最后一天不会让我们害怕

29“那些日子的灾难一过去，日头就变黑了，月亮也不放光，众星要从天上坠落，天势都要震动。30那时，人子的兆头要显在天上，地上的万族都要哀哭。他们要看见人子有能力，有大荣耀，驾着天上的云降临。31他要差遣使者，用号筒的大声，将他的选民从四方，从天这边到天那边，都招聚了来（“方”原文作“风”）。”

24章前面的经文里，我们看到一直有各种预兆，提醒我们末日将要到来，战争、战争的传言、地震等等。然后我们看到另一些预兆，表明末日越来越近了，很多假先知、许多人的爱心渐渐冷淡、福音传遍天下。今天的经文耶稣告诉我们审判日来临当时的兆头，有太阳、月亮和星星的兆头，耶稣要在大荣耀里在云中显现，号角吹响天使要招聚选民。

听起来让人害怕是吗？对于世界上那些不信的人来说确实如此，但是对于神的子民来说这不是可怕的一天。读帖撒罗尼迦前书4章13-18节，那一刻不会让我们害怕，因为耶稣将会在一瞬间、在眨眼之间改变我们，我们的罪性不见了，我们要穿戴他的公义。我们不会害怕，我们要像美丽的新妇等待她的丈夫。

信心会改变我们看事物的方式，不是吗？在最后一天确实会改变，但是现在信心也会改变我们看待事物的方式。我们把困难看作是祝福，因为我们知道在前面等待我们的天国；我们把失望看作是一个提醒，因为神的应许从来不让我们失望；我们把死亡看作是通往永生的转门。路加也记下了耶稣所说的相同的话，“你们就当挺身昂首，因为你们得赎的日子近了”（路加福音21:28）。

祷告：主耶稣啊，我里面的一部分，就是那常常拖累我的罪性，应当害怕末日的到来。但是在我的新人里面，我迫不及待的盼望那天的到来，在那天我要和所有被造之物一同被更新。我要和使徒约翰一同祈求，“主耶稣啊，愿你快来！”阿们。

Matthew 24:29-31:  “Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

        We looked at signs that have always been around to remind us the last day will come – wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, etc. Then we saw signs that it’s getting close – many false prophets, the love of many growing cold, the gospel being preached to the whole world. And now Jesus comes with the “right now” signs of Judgment Day.  There will be signs in the Sun and moon and stars. Jesus will appear in the clouds with great glory. There will be a trumpet call and the angels with appear to gather the elect. 

Sound scary? For the people of the world who don’t believe, it will be. It won’t be a scary day for God’s people.  Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.  It won’t be scary for us because in that moment, Jesus will change us in a flash, in a twinkling of the eye. Our sinful natures will be gone and we will be clothed in his righteousness. We will not be afraid. We will be like the beautiful bride waiting for her husband.

Faith changes the way we see things, doesn’t it? It certainly will on the last day, but it also changes the way we look at things right now. We see hardships as blessings, because we remember to look ahead to heaven. We see disappoints as reminders that God’s promises never fail. We see death as swinging door that leads to life.  When Luke records these same words of Jesus, it says, “Stand up, lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28).   

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, a part of me should be afraid for that last day, that part of me that is always dragging me down, my sinful nature. But in my new man, I can’t wait for that day to come when I will be made new along with the creation.  Then I cannot help but pray with the Apostle John. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”  Amen.