73. That the 24th chapter of Matthew, the 13th chapter of Mark, and the 21st chapter of Luke, where similar words occur, do not describe the destruction of the temple and of Jerusalem, but that the successive changes of state in the Christian Church are there foretold in their order, even to its last state, when it comes to its end, will be seen in the major work where those chapters will be explained. In the meantime let it appear from these statements in the above-mentioned Evangelists.
Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man, and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and glory. And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from one end of the heavens to the other end thereof. Matt. xxiv 30, 31; Mark xiii 26, 27; Luke xxi 27.
It is well known that such happenings were neither seen nor heard at the destruction of Jerusalem, and that it is believed at this day that they will come to pass in the time of the Last Judgment. Similar statements are to be found in the Revelation which, from beginning to end, treats solely of the last state of the Church, where these words occur:
Behold (Jesus Christ) cometh in the clouds, . . . and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Rev. i 7.
The particular explanation of these words may be seen in THE APOCALYPSE REVEALED, nos. 24-28; also what is signified by kindreds of the earth, and by their wailing, in nos. 27, 348, 349.
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