Look Up In The Sky

Q

Re: Matt. 24:28, “For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.” I trust your interpretations. Can you help me understand what this verse means?

A

The context of Matt. 24:23-28 is where to look for signs of the Lord’s return. Jesus said not to go out into the desert looking for Him, even if someone claimed to have seen Him there, or to believe He was sequestered in some inner room. In Matt. 24:27 He said just as lightning is visible all over the sky so will His coming be. The verse you’re asking about comes next.

Since eagles are not carrion birds (they don’t eat dead carcasses) many scholars believe the proper translation of the Greek in Matt. 24:28 should be vulture, a bird from the eagle family that does feed off dead carcasses. If you’re out in the country looking for a carcass the best thing to do is look up in the sky. When you see a group of vultures circling overhead you know where to find the carcass. So up in the sky is where they should look for the sign of His return. He confirmed this in Matt 24:30 by saying, “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky …”