We see in Matthew 24:31 the Elect being gathered
at the Second coming of Christ.
Who are these Elect?
Only Jews,
or could it be the Church?
*
The word translated "Elect"
that we find in Matthew 24:31
is used throughout the New Testament.
And it is also translated as
"chosen"
and the "election"
or "choice".
And while it is used in ordinary ways to reference anything
or anyone being selected
( aka chosen ),
if we look closely at
who is called the elect
or chosen,
we can see it is referring to all the believers,
and not just those who survive
the time of the Great Tribulation.
If you do a word study, you'll find 50 or so verses
that use the same Greek word used in the New Testament.
But only a handful of references in the Old Testament in the Hebrew.
Several Old Testament references can be found in the book of Isaiah,
Referring to Jacob,
or His Servant
or Jerusalem
as elect
or chosen by God.
See Isaiah
Chapter 14:1 -
and will yet Choose Israel
Chapter 42:1 -
Chosen Servant
Chapter 45:4 -
Israel my Chosen one
Chapter 65:9 -
My Chosen ones shall inherit
So, it is clear in the Old Testament scriptures,
That God has called the Jews His chosen people.
The point I am trying to make is
that we - the believers-
are all part of His chosen people now.
And there is only One group -
not Two.
I'd like to focus on what we can learn in the New Testament.
First let's look at two verses in Matthew
( and which are also recorded in Mark ).
Matthew chapter 24 verses 23 - 25
Jesus says,
23 "Then if anyone says to you,
'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!'
do not believe it.
24 For false christs and false prophets will rise
and show great signs and wonders to deceive,
if possible,
even the elect.
25 See, I have told you beforehand.
And in
Matthew chapter 24 verses 29 - 31
we read
29 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from heaven,
and the powers of the heavens
will be shaken.
30 Then the sign of the Son of Man
will appear in heaven,
and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn,
and they will 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 great sound of a trumpet,
and they will gather together
His elect from the four winds,
from one end of heaven to the other.
Jesus shares a lot of information in Matthew chapter 24
about the end of the age and his return.
And we see that Jesus was sharing this message
in private to His disciples,
and not the general crowd
He often would address.
See Matthew chapter 24 and verse 3,
3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives,
the disciples came to Him privately, saying,
“Tell us, when will these things be?
And what will be the sign of Your coming,
and of the end of the age?”
Without going through the whole chapter,
I would like to mention what pertains to our topic,
"The Elect".
He warns about possible deception of the elect.
And later
He states His elect are to be gathered
upon His visible return to earth.
Are the elect only Jews
who believe during the time of the great tribulation
as some have taught?
I don't see that in this passage.
Looking at other passages of scripture,
we find a much broader definition
of the elect or chosen.
I will share a few here,
and encourage you to do your own word search
to see all the passages that reference
the elect, chosen,
or choice of God.
In Romans chapter 8,
We see Paul clearly teaching
that we are the elect,
and that we should not let tribulation or persecution
make us feel or think for a second
that God does not love us.
It is a longer passage than I would normally read,
But it shows who the elect are,
and it gives strong encouragement for us
no matter what is going on in our world.
31 What then shall we say to these things?
If God is for us,
who can be against us?
32 He who did not spare His own Son,
but delivered Him up for us all,
how shall He not with Him
also
freely give us all things?
33 Who shall bring a charge against God's elect?
It is God who justifies.
34 Who is he who condemns?
It is Christ who died,
and furthermore
is also risen,
who is even at the right hand of God,
who also makes intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall tribulation, or distress,
or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril,
or sword?
36 As it is written:
"For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."
37 Yet in all these things
we are more than conquerors
through Him who loved us.
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life,
nor angels nor principalities nor powers,
or things present
nor things to come,
39 nor height nor depth,
nor any other created thing,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Another passage that shows
we are the elect
can be found in Colossians chapter 3 and verse 12,
we read,
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved,
put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
And in 1st Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 4,
we read,
4 knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.
Okay, but some will point out,
and correctly so,
that scripture also refers to the children of Israel
as the elect or chosen of God.
I would simply say
that it is true.
Just as it is true
that we are now part of the election
or chosen of God.
Paul explains the expansion of God's chosen to
include the Gentiles in several of his letters.
Romans, Galatians and Ephesians
all explain this "mystery".
Romans chapter 11 covers this expansion
of who is the elect
to include both the believing Jews,
and the believing Gentiles.
I recommend you read and study the whole chapter.
For now I'm just going to reference
a few key verses in the chapter.
Romans 11 and Verse 5 we read,
Even so then,
at this present time there is a remnant
according to the election of grace.
Verse 7
What then?
Israel has not obtained what it seeks;
but the elect have obtained it,
but the elect have obtained it,
and the rest were blinded.
Verse 17 and 18,
And if some of the branches were broken off,
and you,
being a wild olive tree,
were grafted in among them,
and with them
became a partaker of the root
and fatness of the olive tree,
18 do not boast against the branches.
But if you do boast,
remember
that you do not support the root,
but the root supports you.
This "mystery" is again referenced in
Ephesians chapter 3 verse 5 and 6
we read
which in other ages
was not made known
to the sons of men,
as it has now been revealed
by the Spirit
to His holy apostles and prophets:
6 that the Gentiles
should be fellow heirs,
of the same body,
and partakers of His promise
in Christ
through the gospel,
Peter references our unique identity
in 1st Peter chapter 2 verses 9 and 10
we read,
9 But you are a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood,
a holy nation,
His own special people,
that you may proclaim the praises of Him
who called you out of darkness
into His marvelous light;
10 who once were
not a people
but are now
the people of God,
who had not obtained mercy
but now have obtained mercy.
I'll close with this promise made by Jesus,
as He knew the end times are going to be difficult,
in Mark chapter 13 and verse 20
we read,
20 And unless the Lord had shortened those days,
no flesh would be saved;
but for the elect's sake,
whom He chose,
He shortened the days.
And this assurance found in Revelation
concerning the end
chapter 17 and verse 14,
see read,
These will make war with the Lamb,
and the Lamb will overcome them,
for He is Lord of lords
and King of kings;
and those who are with Him
are called,
chosen,
and faithful."
AMEN!
--
Saved by Grace,
Andrew Cross
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some,
but exhorting one another,
and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:23-25
