Matthew 24 is a well-known chapter in which we find a speech by Jesus, which he gives in the closed circle of His disciples. Some translations have written above the chapter: Discourse on the last things (NIV/Telos). In the English-speaking world, this section is best known as: The second sermon on the mount.
Kingdom
The latter name links this argument of Jesus to His earlier Sermon on the Mount, which we find in Matthew 5 and 6. Both speak about the coming and establishment of the Kingdom (Matt. 5:3, 6:10, 24:14, 25:1 ,34). The fact that Jesus gives these speeches on a mountain is therefore illustrative, because a mountain is a model for the King (Rev.17:9-10), or the Kingdom. A mountain is a high place and it is a representation of how the Kingdom of Heaven will be established from heaven on earth (Dan.2:44-45).
hidden
In the fact that the Lord withdraws with His disciples and delivers this presentation in the private circle of His followers, we see depicted that the Kingdom would not be revealed to Israel, but hidden. The Lord leaves the city of Jerusalem and makes His plans known only to a select group, on a mountain on, in the height. A wonderful type of the position of Christ now and those who belong to Him (Col.3:1-3). So these things are not only said in Matthew’s Gospel, but also illustrated, as here.
out of the house, to the sea
But we also see this earlier in Matthew 13, for example when Jesus leaves the house and sits by the sea (:1). He gets into a ship and speaks to the crowd on land from the sea (:2). He does this through parables, which are called the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven (:11). The parables speak of the period in which the Kingdom would be hidden and the Lord says this not only in words, but also in His actions, He illustrates this.
Christ among the nations
He would leave the house of Israel and turn to the nations, of which the sea is a representation (Rev.17:15). In this present time, Israel is set aside and Christ is among the nations. The word of God is therefore spoken from the nations (>the sea) to the Jewish people (>the land).
This period was hidden by the Hebrew prophets (Eph.3:9; Col.1:26) and is a reversal of things previously foretold, for the Hebrew prophets prophesied that the Kingdom would begin with Israel and be established through Israel throughout the earth (Dan.2:35; 7:18,27).
interruption
Of course, it is not the case that God does not fulfill these promises. This will still happen in the future, after the hitherto secret period of interruption in God’s dealings with Israel. In the present time, God is gathering for Himself a people from all nations (Acts 15:14): the ecclesia, the body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23, 3:6).