Matthew 24:26 says, Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.  Jesus is still speaking of those who claim to see Jesus anywhere, and warning people, especially those who follow Him, to not be deceived.  Verse twenty-seven the declares, For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  Jesus tells us that when He returns, after His death, burial and resurrection, that it will be seen world wide, from east to west, and will be as visible as a lightening flash.  There will be no doubt that it is Christ Who is returning.  Verse twenty-eight says, For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.  Matthew Henry says this refers to the gospel going to the world.  Just as the eagles gather where there is a carcus, so will the gospel go to where there are people to receive it.  We know that some of these verses referred to the coming persecution of the early disciples, but also refer to the time immediately before the return of Christ.  In verse twenty-nine Jesus says, Immediately after the tribulation 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:  This verse definitely refers to the second coming of Christ.  There has not been a time in history when these things occurred, but there is coming a day when they will.  Verse thirty states, And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.   In that day, the whole world will see the Son of man, Jesus Christ Himself, returning in power and with great glory.  This is a reference to the second coming of Christ.  Verse thirty-one says, And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.  Jesus tells us that at the day of His second coming that the angels will gather those who follow Him from all over the world.  I believe that this will happen in an instant.  Verse thirty-two says, Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:  Jesus is still talking about the time of the second coming.  He tells us just as the branch of the fig tree putting on leaves is a sign that summer is near, so are the things that He had listed a sign that His return is closer.  Verse thirty-three declares, So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.  Again, Jesus tells us that when we see all these signs that His return is near, even at the door. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.  As Matthew Henry says, this referred to the beginning of the persecution of the believers, and not to seeing the second coming of Christ during that generation.  In verse thirty-five Jesus declares, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.  All these centuries later, God's word is just as true and certain as it was when Jesus spoke it.  The time of the second coming of Christ draws closer each day.  We are simply to rest assured in that knowledge and not attempt to determine the day that it will happen.