Matthew 24:31 (1st century historical fulfillment?)
Matthew 24:30 - The sign of the Son of Man (1st century historical understanding & fulfillment?):
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Matthew 24:30 - Tribes of the earth will mourn (1st century historical fulfillment?):
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Matthew 24:30 - Coming on the clouds with angels (1st century historical fulfillment?):
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Matthew 24:31
Matthew 24:32-33 - Parable from the fig-tree (1st century biblical & historical fulfillment?):
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Matthew 24:31: "And He-will-send-out His angels with (a) loud trumpet. And they-will-gather-together His chosen (ones) from the four winds, from (the) ends (of the) heavens to their (other) ends."
The same Greek words that are used in the various passages will be CAPITALIZED.
Summary
It is written in Matthew 24:30-31: "THEY-WILL-SEE the Son (of) man COMING ON THE CLOUDS (of) heaven with power and great glory. And He-will-send-out His ANGELS with (a) loud trumpet. And they-will-gather-together His chosen (ones) from the four winds, from (the) ends (of the) heavens to their (other) ends.".
One understanding of that event would be that the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, would have come in the clouds with His army of angels (around the start of the First Jewish-Roman War that led to the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple around AD 70), and then would have sent His angels to gather together the souls of His chosen ones who would have been waiting under the earth where Hades would be located. The souls of His chosen ones would have been there after dying, waiting to be gathered into the kingdom of their Father in the heavens.
Historians recording about 1st century events wrote about an event that happened around AD 66, in which an army of glittering appearance was SEEN in the CLOUDS around the start of First Jewish-Roman War. Just after describing that event, a description of an event at the feast of Pentecost was given in which a multitude was heard saying "Let us remove hence" when the priests went into the inner court of the temple. Then another description was given of someone named Jesus who was crying aloud: "A voice from the east, a voice from the west, a voice from the four winds", which words were resembling the words used by Jesus Christ when He described the chosen ones being gathered together "from the four winds, from (the) ends (of the) heavens to their (other) ends" (Matthew 24:31).
You can find below evidences for that.
1st century events
The 1st century historian Josephus wrote in "The Wars of the Jews":
(6.5.3): "[o]n the twenty-first day of the month of Artemisius [Iyyar], a certain prodigious and incredible phenomenon appeared; I suppose the account of it would seem to be a fable, were it not related by those that saw it, and were not the events that followed it of so considerable a nature as to deserve such signals; for, before sunsetting, chariots and troops of soldiers in their armor were seen running about among the clouds, and surrounding of cities. Moreover, at that feast which we call Pentecost, as the priests were going by night into the inner [court of the temple,] as their custom was, to perform their sacred ministrations, they said that, in the first place, they felt a quaking, and heard a great noise, and after that they heard a sound as of a great multitude, saying, "Let us remove hence." But, what is still more terrible, there was one Jesus, the son of Ananus, a plebeian and a husbandman, who, four years before the war began, and at a time when the city was in very great peace and prosperity, came to that feast whereon it is our custom for every one to make tabernacles to God in the temple, began on a sudden to cry aloud, "A voice from the east, a voice from the west, a voice from the four winds, a voice against Jerusalem and the holy house, a voice against the bridegrooms and the brides, and a voice against this whole people!" This was his cry, as he went about by day and by night, in all the lanes of the city."
The Romans historian Tacitus (who was born in the 1st century) also wrote about these events, and he said that a superhuman voice was heard to declare that the gods were leaving.
The Roman historian Tacitus wrote in "The Histories":
(5.13): "in the sky appeared a vision of armies in conflict, of glittering armour. A sudden lightening flash from the clouds lit up the Temple. The doors of the holy place abruptly opened, a superhuman voice was heard to declare that the gods were leaving it, and in the same instant came the rushing tumult of their departure."
Angels can gather souls from Hades?
Jesus said that "He-will-send-out His ANGELS with (a) loud trumpet. And they-will-gather-together His chosen (ones)" (Matthew 24:31).
ANGELS can have access to Hades and carry (or gather) souls of people who died, as Jesus described for example in Luke 16: "it-came-about (that) the poor (man) died and he-was-carried-away by the angels to the bosom (of) Abraham. And the rich (man) also died and was-buried. And having-lifted-up his eyes in Hades (while) being in torments, he-sees Abraham from a-distance, and Lazarus in his bosom" (Luke 16:22-23).
The Roman historian Tacitus recorded that "a superhuman voice was heard to declare that the gods were leaving it, and in the same instant came the rushing tumult of their departure". Could it be that Jesus the Son of Man sent out His ANGELS so that "they-will-gather-together" (Matthew 24:31) souls from where Hades was located and so that these souls would depart from there at the declaration of His voice?
Souls would have been waiting under the altar?
The 1st century historian Josephus described that the multitudes departed as "the priests were going by night into the inner [court of the temple,]". The priests would have been near the altar in the temple of Jerusalem when the departure of the multitude was heard.
In Revelation 6, there were souls described as being specifically under the altar, waiting for the judging and avenging of their blood to happen from the ones dwelling upon the earth, as it is written: "And when He-opened the fifth seal, I-saw under the altar the souls (of) the (ones) having-been-slain because-of the word (of) God and because-of the testimony which they-were-holding. And they-cried-out (with a) loud voice, saying “Until when, holy and true Master, are-You not judging and avenging our blood from the (ones) dwelling upon the earth?”" (Revelation 6:9-10).
These souls were waiting for the "avenging our blood from the (ones) dwelling upon the earth”" (Revelation 6:10). In the context of Jerusalem surrounded by armies and before its desolation, Jesus described those days as the days of vengeance, as Jesus said in the parallel account in Luke to Matthew 24:15-16: "But when you-see Jerusalem being-surrounded by army-encampments, then recognize that her desolation has-drawn-near [...] Because these are days (of) vengeance" (Luke 21:20-22).
For more similarities between Matthew 24/Luke 21 & Revelation 6:
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The souls were leaving?
The Romans historian Tacitus (who was born in the 1st century) wrote that "the gods were leaving". This expression could be understood as souls ascending out of the earth.
The expression "gods" was used for example in 1 Samuel to describe Samuel as ascending out of the earth, as it is written: "And the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up to you?” And he said, “Bring up to me Samuel.” [...] And the woman said to him, “I have seen gods ascending out of the earth.” And he said to her, “What did you perceive?” And she said to him, “An upright man ascending out of the earth, and he having been clothed with a double cloak.” And Saul knew that this (was) Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the earth, and prostrated in reverence to him. And Samuel said, “Why did you trouble me, (that) I should come up?”" (1 Samuel 28:11-15).
Samuel would have been in the earth, specifically where Hades was located. Hades can be described as being in the earth in the Bible. For example, Jesus said that after His death: "the Son (of) Man will-be three days and three nights in the heart (of) the earth" (Matthew 12:40). Jesus was specifically after His death and before His resurrection in Hades, as it is written: "he-spoke concerning the resurrection (of) the Christ — that His soul was neither abandoned to Hades" (Acts 2:31). So the soul of Jesus was not abandoned in Hades after His death, as this was written concerning His resurrection.
The souls departed at the feast of Pentecost specifically because the angels would have been harvesting the wheat at that time?
The 1st century historian Josephus described that the multitudes departed specifically "at that feast which we call Pentecost". Pentecost would have been the time of the wheat harvest in early summer.
Jesus said in Matthew 13 that "at (the) time (of) the harvest I-will-say (to) the harvesters: [...] gather-together the wheat into my barn" (Matthew 13:30). Jesus then added that this harvest would be the conclusion of the age and that the harvesters would be ANGELS, as He said: "the harvest is (the) conclusion (of the) age. And the harvesters are ANGELS. [...] so it-will-be in the conclusion (of) the age. The SON (of) MAN WILL-SEND-OUT HIS ANGELS [...] Then the righteous (ones) will-shine-forth like the sun in the kingdom (of) their Father" (Matthew 13:39-43).
The "conclusion (of) the age" in Matthew 13:39 is again mentioned later in Matthew 24. The disciples of Jesus asked Jesus in Matthew 24: "what (will be) the sign (of) Your coming and (the) conclusion (of) the age?" (Matthew 24:3). Jesus described 27 verses later "the SON (of) MAN coming on the clouds (of) heaven with power and great glory. And HE-WILL-SEND-OUT HIS ANGELS with (a) loud trumpet. And they-will-gather-together His chosen (ones)" (Matthew 24:30-31). Those words were similar to what Jesus said in Matthew 13 that "it-will-be in the conclusion (of) the age. The SON (of) MAN WILL-SEND-OUT HIS ANGELS" (Matthew 13:40-41). This would suggest that the wheat harvest would happen when "HE-WILL-SEND-OUT HIS ANGELS with (a) loud trumpet. And they-will-gather-together His chosen (ones)" (Matthew 24:30-31).
For more similarities between Matthew 24 & Matthew 13:
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The wheat harvested would end up in the kingdom of their Father?
Matthew 13 mentions that as the ANGELS gather-together the wheat, it is described: "Then the righteous (ones) will-shine-forth like the sun in the kingdom (of) their Father" (Matthew 13:43). The kingdom of their Father would be "the kingdom (of) the heavens" (Matthew 3:2) as John the Baptist was proclaiming when he also said that Jesus will "gather-together His wheat into the barn" (Matthew 3:12). The righteous ones would shine forth in the kingdom of their Father in the heavens.
A similar expression to that of the righteous ones who "will-shine-forth like the sun" (Matthew 13:43) was used in Daniel 12 in the context of many in the earth who would rise, as it is written: "many of the ones sleeping in the broad (ground) of the earth will rise: "(some) to everlasting life, but (some) to reproach, and to dispersion and everlasting shame. And the ones understanding will-shine as (the) lights of heaven" (Daniel 12:2-3). Jesus mentioned "Daniel the prophet" in Matthew 24:15, 16 verses before mentioning that "He-will-send-out His angels with (a) loud trumpet. And they-will-gather-together His chosen (ones)" (Matthew 24:30-31).
When asked "How are the dead (ones) raised?" (1 Corinthians 15:35), Paul mentioned wheat, as he wrote: "you-do not sow the body (which) will-come, but (a) bare seed, perhaps (of) wheat" (1 Corinthians 15:37). The seed of wheat would be sown in the earth. Paul would also mention how the righteous "will-shine-forth like the sun" (Matthew 13:43) or like "will-shine as (the) lights of heaven" (Daniel 12:3), indicating that the glory of heavenly bodies can be like the glory of the sun and other lights of heaven: "(there are) heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. But the glory (of) the heavenly (is) one (kind) [...] (There is) one glory (of the) sun, and another glory (of the) moon, and another glory (of the) stars" (1 Corinthians 15:40-41). Paul would also mention the kingdom of the heavens in that same context, indicating that "flesh and blood are not able to-inherit (the) kingdom (of) God" (1 Corinthians 15:50).
Paul also mentioned "the last TRUMPET. For it-will-trumpet, and the dead (ones) will-be-raised" (1 Corinthians 15:52). The Greek word for "TRUMPET" (salpigx 4536 in Greek) is only used 1 time in all the Gospels, and that 1 time is found in Matthew 24:31 in which Jesus said that "He-will-send-out His ANGELS with (a) loud TRUMPET. And they-will-gather-together His chosen (ones)".
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