And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
The verse describes the visible second coming of the Son of man, who will be seen coming in the clouds with great power and glory. This coming occurs after the tribulation and after the cosmic signs in which the sun is darkened and the moon stops giving light and the stars fall and the powers of heaven are shaken. These signs in the sun, moon, and stars mark the nearness of the second advent. After this sight of the Son of man, He sends His angels to gather His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.
The Lisbon earthquake of 1755 is identified as an early sign in this prophetic sequence of signs in the sun, moon, and stars. The verse belongs to the discourse on the Mount of Olives to Peter, James, John, and Andrew, in which the description of the destruction of Jerusalem and the great day of His coming were mingled. The two great crises were blended in mercy because the disciples could not have endured the future events as He beheld them, and they were left to study out the meaning for themselves. His words reach beyond Jerusalem to the final conflagration when the Lord rises out of His place to punish the world for iniquity. The entire discourse was given not for the disciples only but for those who will live in the last scenes of this earth's history.
The powers of heaven are the sun, moon, and stars; they are shaken by the voice of God and moved from their places, but do not fall or pass away. The shaking of earthly powers through war, famine, and pestilence comes first, and the later shaking of the heavens also includes the earth. The shaking of nations in Europe is a shaking of earthly powers, not the heavenly signs. The signs in the heavens and distress on earth are tokens that Christ's coming and the day of final destruction are near, so those who see them are to watch and heed the warning rather than be caught unprepared or overtaken unawares.
The verse shows His soon coming, for which people must be fitted by accepting special truths, and the circulation of the health journals is a powerful agency in preparing people to accept those truths. The coming in power and great glory is what the churches are looking and waiting for, and the work of spiritual and health books is to help prepare God's people for these last days and to sanctify and purify the churches as they await Him. The Lord comes in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory to meet His people, and meeting Him requires preparation now as a grand and noble work in which believers help one another. Part of that preparation takes place in the home, where parents bring sunshine and pleasantness by kindly words and deeds, and by doing this they educate themselves to praise the Lord in the assembly of His people.
The verse describes the visible second coming of the Son of man, who will be seen coming in the clouds with great power and glory. This coming occurs after the tribulation and after the cosmic signs in which the sun is darkened and the moon stops giving light and the stars fall and the powers of heaven are shaken. These signs in the sun, moon, and stars mark the nearness of the second advent. After this sight of the Son of man, He sends His angels to gather His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.
The Lisbon earthquake of 1755 is identified as an early sign in this prophetic sequence of signs in the sun, moon, and stars. The verse belongs to the discourse on the Mount of Olives to Peter, James, John, and Andrew, in which the description of the destruction of Jerusalem and the great day of His coming were mingled. The two great crises were blended in mercy because the disciples could not have endured the future events as He beheld them, and they were left to study out the meaning for themselves. His words reach beyond Jerusalem to the final conflagration when the Lord rises out of His place to punish the world for iniquity. The entire discourse was given not for the disciples only but for those who will live in the last scenes of this earth's history.
The powers of heaven are the sun, moon, and stars; they are shaken by the voice of God and moved from their places, but do not fall or pass away. The shaking of earthly powers through war, famine, and pestilence comes first, and the later shaking of the heavens also includes the earth. The shaking of nations in Europe is a shaking of earthly powers, not the heavenly signs. The signs in the heavens and distress on earth are tokens that Christ's coming and the day of final destruction are near, so those who see them are to watch and heed the warning rather than be caught unprepared or overtaken unawares.
The verse shows His soon coming, for which people must be fitted by accepting special truths, and the circulation of the health journals is a powerful agency in preparing people to accept those truths. The coming in power and great glory is what the churches are looking and waiting for, and the work of spiritual and health books is to help prepare God's people for these last days and to sanctify and purify the churches as they await Him. The Lord comes in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory to meet His people, and meeting Him requires preparation now as a grand and noble work in which believers help one another. Part of that preparation takes place in the home, where parents bring sunshine and pleasantness by kindly words and deeds, and by doing this they educate themselves to praise the Lord in the assembly of His people.