Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 24:29

29 Immediately after the tribula[illegible: 1 letter]ion of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.

Mark saith, Ch. 13.24. In those days after that Tribulation, the Sun shall be darkned, and the Moon shall not give her Light, and the Stars of Heaven shall fall, and the Powers that are in Heaven shall be shaken, Luke saith, Ch. 21.25. And there shall be signs in the Sun, and in the Moon, and in the Stars, and upon the Earth distress of Nations with Perplexity, the Sea and the Waves roaring: Mens Hearts failing them for Fear, and for looking after those things, which are coming on the Earth, for the Powers of Heaven shall be shaken. Interpreters are much divided in the Sense of these Words, whether they should be interpreted of Christs coming to the last Iudgment, and the signs of that: Or, 2. Concerning the Destruction of Ierusalem. Those who interpret it of the Destruction of Ierusalem, have the Context to guide them, as also the reports of Historians, of strange Prodigies seen in the Air, and Earth, before the taking of it; likewise the word Immediately after, &c. But I am more inclinable to interpret them of the last Iudgment, and to think that our Saviour is now passed to satisfie the Disciples about their other Question, concerning the end of the World, for altho, Christ's coming may sometimes signifie, that remarkable Act of his Providence, in the Destruction of his Enemies; yet the next Verses, speaking of his Coming with great Power and Glory, and of his Coming with his Angels, and with the sound of a Trumpet, and gathering his Elect from the four Winds, the Phrases are so like the Phrases by which the Scripture expresseth Christ's coming to the last Judgment, 1 Cor. 15.52. 1 Thes. 4.16. and Christ speaking to his Disciples asking of him, as well about that, as the Destruction of Ierusalem: I should rather interpret this Verse, with reference to the last Judgment, than the Destruction of Ierusalem, before spoken of, or at least, that these signs should be understood common both to the one, and the other; as divers of the other signs mentioned in this Chapter are. Some do think, that the darkening of the Sun and the Moon here, the falling of the Stars, and the shaking of the Powers of Heaven, are to be taken Metaphorically, as signifying the great Change should be in the Ecclesiastical and Civil state of the Iews, and it is true, that such kind of Expressions, do often in Scripture so signifie, Isa. 13.10. & 24.23. Ezek. 32.7. Ioel 2.31. But without doubt the litteral Sense is not to be excluded, whether we understand the Text of the Destruction of Ierusalem, or of his coming to his last Judgment, for, as Historians tell of great Prodigies seen before the former, so the Apostle confirms us, that there will be such things seen before the day of Judgment, 2 Pet. 3.10.12.

Marginal references: Joel 3.13. Act. 2.2[illegible: 1 letter].