Signs in the Sky Before Christ's ReturnBible World
21:27Luke 21:27
And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Then they shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory means Christ will visibly return to this world in the clouds, in the same manner as He ascended, on a great white cloud crowned and surrounded by angels. His coming belongs to the prophecy that joins the destruction of Jerusalem with the final judgment, placed after those foretold events and just before the end of world history. Before that sight there will be calamities by land and sea, distress of nations, roaring waves, failing hearts, great tribulation and signs in sun, moon and stars, which testify as surely as budding trees that His coming and the kingdom of God are near. The dark clouds will roll back to reveal the clear sign of the Son of man, and as He draws near with heavenly music and innumerable angels the graves open, the dead are raised, the living saints are changed in an instant and caught up to meet the Lord in the air. That certain, soon, at-the-door coming bids believers look up for their redemption draweth nigh, not in idle expectancy but in waiting, watching, praying and working, made ready in sobriety and righteousness and fitted by present truth to stand before Him in peace.
Context and Preceding Signs
The saying belongs to the prophecy in which the destruction of Jerusalem and the final coming of the Son of man are joined together. They are described together because the disciples could not yet bear a full view of the future. The prophecy reaches beyond the fall of Jerusalem to the final judgment, when the Lord rises to punish the world for its sin. That discourse is for those living in the last scenes of earth's history.
The temporal retribution upon Jerusalem could be delayed only a short time, and a world is represented in its destruction, so the warning sounds down to this time. The coming is placed after the events foretold concerning Jerusalem and is connected with scenes in world history just before that coming.
Before the Son of man is seen coming there will be calamities by land and by sea, signs in the sun and moon and stars, and distress of nations with perplexity. The sea and the waves roaring will pass their borders, with destruction in their track, engulfing ships sailing on the waters and hurrying their living freight into eternity without time to repent. Men's hearts will fail them for fear in looking after the things coming upon the earth, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then He will be seen coming, in a time of great tribulation such as never was, when the judgments of God are about to fall on the earth, with great earthquake and unprecedented trouble. The upheavals being experienced, with intense trouble and what may be expected in earthly conditions, make the promise significant and announce that the coming is near. Before that appearing the saints are to escape the coming troubles and afterward stand before Him, watching and praying to that end.
The powers of heaven so shaken are the sun, moon, and stars. They are moved out of their places at the voice of God, but they do not fall or pass away. The shaking of earthly powers is distinct and comes first, through war, famine, and pestilence; then the voice of God shakes the heavens and the earth. In that sequence the clouds part and the Holy City comes down through the opening in Orion.
The signs in the sun, moon, and stars, with distress and perplexity among the nations, testify that the coming and the kingdom of God are near. As the shooting forth of the fig tree and all trees shows summer nigh at hand, so seeing these things come to pass shows the kingdom nigh at hand. The heavenly, earthly, church, and world conditions described as signs show that Christ and the day of vengeance are at hand, to which the prophecies of Daniel and John point especially. The distress of nations is therefore a sure sign that the coming and the believers' redemption are drawing near.
Manner of Glorious Return
The verse portrays the visible second coming of Christ to this world in a cloud, in the clouds, with power and great glory. It will take place in just the same manner as He ascended. He will appear on a great, glorious white cloud, crowned and surrounded by angels. That appearing comes after men's hearts fail for fear and the powers of heaven are shaken, in a time of great tribulation such as never was when judgments are about to fall on the earth.
The cloud first appears in heaven as the sign of the Son of man, and as it draws near to earth Jesus is seen upon it. Darkened, clashing clouds roll back to reveal that clear sign. The appearance of the white cloud itself is that sign, while changes in the setting and rising sun are not the sign of His coming.
His approach is accompanied by heavenly music and innumerable angels surrounding Him. The graves open and the dead are raised. Those who rejected and crucified Christ see Him, and see the saints glorified. At that time the saints are changed in an instant and caught up to meet the Lord in the air, having escaped the coming troubles to stand before Him.
Certainty and Call to Readiness
The coming described is certain, soon, near, and at the door, answering those who say in their hearts that the Lord delays His coming. When these distresses and shakings begin to come to pass, believers are to look up and lift up their heads because redemption draweth nigh and the kingdom of God is nigh at hand, as surely as the shooting forth of the fig tree and all trees shows summer nigh. It follows great tribulation such as never was, with the judgments of God about to fall, and after a great earthquake and unprecedented trouble, and its signs in sun, moon, and stars with turmoil among nations testify that the end is near.
It is given to quicken weakening faith and to keep believers from idle expectancy that leads to carelessness and deficiency of character. Instead they are to be waiting, watching, and working, earnestly giving the commissioned warning, and acting without delay rather than assuming postponement. They must watch and pray so they can escape the coming troubles and stand before Him, with sobriety at all times and in all places, but not with sadness or gloom.
The nearness of that appearing makes the promise significant and calls for preparation to meet the Lord in peace. That fitness comes by accepting the special truths and present truth for that event and the last days, which sanctify, purify, enlighten, arouse, and convince. Those weighed down by excess, drunkenness, or the cares of life may be caught unawares, while watchfulness, prayer, and Christ's righteousness prepare people to face what is coming.
That preparation is now a grand and noble work of helping one another. In it parents fill their homes with sunshine and pleasantness by kindly words and deeds. By doing so they train themselves to praise the Lord together with His people when they meet Him in the clouds in power and great glory.
Then they shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory means Christ will visibly return to this world in the clouds, in the same manner as He ascended, on a great white cloud crowned and surrounded by angels. His coming belongs to the prophecy that joins the destruction of Jerusalem with the final judgment, placed after those foretold events and just before the end of world history. Before that sight there will be calamities by land and sea, distress of nations, roaring waves, failing hearts, great tribulation and signs in sun, moon and stars, which testify as surely as budding trees that His coming and the kingdom of God are near. The dark clouds will roll back to reveal the clear sign of the Son of man, and as He draws near with heavenly music and innumerable angels the graves open, the dead are raised, the living saints are changed in an instant and caught up to meet the Lord in the air. That certain, soon, at-the-door coming bids believers look up for their redemption draweth nigh, not in idle expectancy but in waiting, watching, praying and working, made ready in sobriety and righteousness and fitted by present truth to stand before Him in peace.
Context and Preceding Signs
The saying belongs to the prophecy in which the destruction of Jerusalem and the final coming of the Son of man are joined together. They are described together because the disciples could not yet bear a full view of the future. The prophecy reaches beyond the fall of Jerusalem to the final judgment, when the Lord rises to punish the world for its sin. That discourse is for those living in the last scenes of earth's history.
The temporal retribution upon Jerusalem could be delayed only a short time, and a world is represented in its destruction, so the warning sounds down to this time. The coming is placed after the events foretold concerning Jerusalem and is connected with scenes in world history just before that coming.
Before the Son of man is seen coming there will be calamities by land and by sea, signs in the sun and moon and stars, and distress of nations with perplexity. The sea and the waves roaring will pass their borders, with destruction in their track, engulfing ships sailing on the waters and hurrying their living freight into eternity without time to repent. Men's hearts will fail them for fear in looking after the things coming upon the earth, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then He will be seen coming, in a time of great tribulation such as never was, when the judgments of God are about to fall on the earth, with great earthquake and unprecedented trouble. The upheavals being experienced, with intense trouble and what may be expected in earthly conditions, make the promise significant and announce that the coming is near. Before that appearing the saints are to escape the coming troubles and afterward stand before Him, watching and praying to that end.
The powers of heaven so shaken are the sun, moon, and stars. They are moved out of their places at the voice of God, but they do not fall or pass away. The shaking of earthly powers is distinct and comes first, through war, famine, and pestilence; then the voice of God shakes the heavens and the earth. In that sequence the clouds part and the Holy City comes down through the opening in Orion.
The signs in the sun, moon, and stars, with distress and perplexity among the nations, testify that the coming and the kingdom of God are near. As the shooting forth of the fig tree and all trees shows summer nigh at hand, so seeing these things come to pass shows the kingdom nigh at hand. The heavenly, earthly, church, and world conditions described as signs show that Christ and the day of vengeance are at hand, to which the prophecies of Daniel and John point especially. The distress of nations is therefore a sure sign that the coming and the believers' redemption are drawing near.
Manner of Glorious Return
The verse portrays the visible second coming of Christ to this world in a cloud, in the clouds, with power and great glory. It will take place in just the same manner as He ascended. He will appear on a great, glorious white cloud, crowned and surrounded by angels. That appearing comes after men's hearts fail for fear and the powers of heaven are shaken, in a time of great tribulation such as never was when judgments are about to fall on the earth.
The cloud first appears in heaven as the sign of the Son of man, and as it draws near to earth Jesus is seen upon it. Darkened, clashing clouds roll back to reveal that clear sign. The appearance of the white cloud itself is that sign, while changes in the setting and rising sun are not the sign of His coming.
His approach is accompanied by heavenly music and innumerable angels surrounding Him. The graves open and the dead are raised. Those who rejected and crucified Christ see Him, and see the saints glorified. At that time the saints are changed in an instant and caught up to meet the Lord in the air, having escaped the coming troubles to stand before Him.
Certainty and Call to Readiness
The coming described is certain, soon, near, and at the door, answering those who say in their hearts that the Lord delays His coming. When these distresses and shakings begin to come to pass, believers are to look up and lift up their heads because redemption draweth nigh and the kingdom of God is nigh at hand, as surely as the shooting forth of the fig tree and all trees shows summer nigh. It follows great tribulation such as never was, with the judgments of God about to fall, and after a great earthquake and unprecedented trouble, and its signs in sun, moon, and stars with turmoil among nations testify that the end is near.
It is given to quicken weakening faith and to keep believers from idle expectancy that leads to carelessness and deficiency of character. Instead they are to be waiting, watching, and working, earnestly giving the commissioned warning, and acting without delay rather than assuming postponement. They must watch and pray so they can escape the coming troubles and stand before Him, with sobriety at all times and in all places, but not with sadness or gloom.
The nearness of that appearing makes the promise significant and calls for preparation to meet the Lord in peace. That fitness comes by accepting the special truths and present truth for that event and the last days, which sanctify, purify, enlighten, arouse, and convince. Those weighed down by excess, drunkenness, or the cares of life may be caught unawares, while watchfulness, prayer, and Christ's righteousness prepare people to face what is coming.
That preparation is now a grand and noble work of helping one another. In it parents fill their homes with sunshine and pleasantness by kindly words and deeds. By doing so they train themselves to praise the Lord together with His people when they meet Him in the clouds in power and great glory.