Chapters twenty-four and twenty-five of Matthew's gospel share Jesus' private teaching with his twelve concerning the destruction of Herod’s temple, Jesus' return, and the end of the age. At the core of this teaching is the reassurance that Christ will return for HIS elect despite the reality that HE must depart. We all desire to know when a beloved will return if he or she must go away. Love attracts us to one another and anxiety can rise up when that attraction is disrupted. The key point that Jesus wants his disciples to remember is that we MUST remain awake and alert, longing for HIS return. The biblical truth is that God is always faithful and Christ, the Son of God, is also faithful. If Jesus promises that he will return, then the signs that he speaks of in this apocalyptic teaching are trustworthy. Jesus will return and when we see the events that Jesus speaks of, both historical and eschatological, we know that Christ will be back soon.