Matthew 24:31
End Times Matthew 24:31 (NKJV) And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Song Of The Day
Bible Commentary
Matthew 24:31 is a Bible verse from the New Testament where Jesus is describing the scene of the coming of the Son of Man.
Many Christians have an image in their mind of what it could look like when Christ comes “in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30). We’ve seen various images of Jesus in the clouds looking down on the earth.
It has been my experience, however, that the Lord has His Own way of revealing His truth and promises, which is far grander than anything we could have imagined. Many times, the way we “think it will be” is not the way things transpire.
No matter how earnest our desire and intent to know the Lord’s will about His coming, it will be in a way no man can completely understand. The Bible gives us help in determining when the time is near, but each person has his own interpretation of even those scriptures.
So what do we need to know? How can we be warned and what should we do?
Jesus Christ is the answer to every question. He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). Each individual must look to Him for their own peace, guidance and wisdom. Jesus said in John 14:1,
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.”
If we let fear and anxiety take over, we are miserable and no help to anyone. But if we seek Christ every day, trusting Him for the answers we need, He will guide us with His peace and wisdom.
Unlocking the Truth – Rest in the Relief
Though it does not appear in the Bible, you may have heard the term, “The Rapture,” which describes the time when Jesus returns to gather His chosen people to Him who have accepted His gift of salvation. Matthew 24:31 alludes to this.
“And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”
It is interesting that in Matthew 24:31, Jesus speaks of His angels who will gather together His elect from the four winds. We recently studied Ezekiel 37:5, where we looked at the amazing story of the dry bones where the Lord speaks to Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 37:9-10 Also He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.
Note the Lord’s instruction to prophesy to the breath, which is the Holy Spirit, to “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”
Out of the four winds this breath of life was breathed into the dry bones, and they lived. This is an amazing analogy of where we find ourselves today, for we are like the dry bones, who had no breath in them. See Ezekiel 37:7-8.
Matthew 24:31 says the angels will gather together His elect from the four winds. You might ask the question, where exactly is it the Lord is gathering us to?
He is gathering us from something and to Himself.
He is gathering us out of the “dead pool” so-to-speak and into the light of Life, where He is.
He is gathering us out of the dryness and devastation of the world to the Kingdom of God, the New Jerusalem.
Jesus said in Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” He also said in Revelation 21:5, “Behold I make all things new.”
John spoke of his vision in Revelation 21:2, “And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.”
The Lord told His people who were like the dry bones, “I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it.” (Ezekiel 37:14)
Our “own land” is the Kingdom of God, the New Jerusalem, created for His chosen people who choose Him. Let’s read Matthew 24:31 again.
“And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”
We are gathered together to the Lord, the maker of Heaven and earth—rescued from the dryness and decay of the earth, rescued from darkness and despair, rescued from the noise and chaos, rescued from sickness and disease of mind, body and soul.
Come quickly, Lord! Study the Bible verse of Matthew 24:31, and rest in the relief of the coming of the Son of Man.
