Jesus was asked by his disciples what would be the sign of His return and of the end of the age (Matthew 24:3b).  Matthew gave an account of Jesus’ responses to those questions (24:4-31).

In Matthew 24:4-14, Jesus stated a brief overview of the entire 70th Week, from the beginning to the very end.  In this passage, He provided highlights of the first five seals (as described by John in Revelation):

• 24:4,5 (First Seal);
• 24:6,7a (Second Seal);
• 24:7b (Third Seal);
• 24:7b,8 (Fouth Seal);
• 24:9-12 (Fifth Seal).

Next, Jesus’ discussion returned to the midpoint of the 70th Week, where He expanded upon John’s Fifth Seal, in somewhat more detail, as well as the Sixth Seal (Matthew 24:15-29).  The Fifth Seal will encompass the “Great Tribulation” period, while the hallmark of the Sixth Seal will be conspicuous “cosmic disturbances” (24:29).  The responses by Jesus in Matthew 24:4-31 parallel the descriptions of the six seals by John in Revelation 6:1-17 (see Parallels Between the Six Seals and the Olivet Discourse).

Jesus included a direct answer to his disciples’ question about what would be the “sign” of His coming—likening it to lightning flashing from the east to the west (Matthew 24:27)—before detailing His future return in the clouds.  The latter will be at the Pre-Wrath Rapture (24:30,31), when the Son of Man (Jesus) will appear in the sky, soon after the opening of the Sixth Seal.