PART I
The world is not expecting Christ to literally return to earth “with power and great glory”. But those who believe God and Christ, and believe what the Bible has to say do not doubt this. And the Second Coming may be much closer than we think. But the Rapture precedes the Second Coming of Christ. That is a divine necessity.
Jesus said this in His Olivet Discourse: 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. (Matthew 24:30 cf Mark 13:26)
When we read just this verse several questions come to mind:
1. What is “then” in reference to?
2. What is the “sign of the Son of Man”?
3. Which “heaven” is involved here?
4. Why will “all the tribes of the earth mourn”?
5. Why will absolutely everyone see Christ at His Coming?
6. What are “the clouds of heaven”?
7. What is this “power and great glory”?
1. What is “then” in reference to?
We simply need to go back to verse 29 to see what must happen before Christ comes, and it is truly devastating: 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 is speaking about earth-shaking cataclysmic cosmic events which will immediately precede the Second Coming, and are described in the 6th Seal of Revelation.
2. What is the “sign of the Son of Man”?
This is described in verse 27: 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. There will be a supernatural brightness or brilliance in the sky -- akin to lightning -- but far more intense. The sky will be lit up all across the globe in a manner never seen before, because Christ will be coming in the full brightness of His glory (as seen at the Transfiguration, and other times).
3. Which “heaven” is involved here?
Since the sky is in the “first” heaven or atmospheric heaven, this is the heaven in which Christ will be seen by all the inhabitants of the world.
4. Why will “all the tribes of the earth mourn”?
The nations of the earth will mourn because they are now facing terrible divine judgment and wrath (Jude 1:14,15). This is described in Revelation 6:12-17: 12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. 14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
5. Why will absolutely everyone see Christ at His Coming?
Every eye shall see Him, because every knee must bow to Christ, and unbelieving Jews (“they which pierced Him”) must see their true Messiah and King. We have two key passages which are related to this: Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Rev 1:7) Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2:9-11 cf Rom 14:11). In Isaiah 45:22,23, it is God who speaks this about Himself, therefore that is more confirmation that Jesus is God: Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
The world is not expecting Christ to literally return to earth “with power and great glory”. But those who believe God and Christ, and believe what the Bible has to say do not doubt this. And the Second Coming may be much closer than we think. But the Rapture precedes the Second Coming of Christ. That is a divine necessity.
Jesus said this in His Olivet Discourse: 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. (Matthew 24:30 cf Mark 13:26)
When we read just this verse several questions come to mind:
1. What is “then” in reference to?
2. What is the “sign of the Son of Man”?
3. Which “heaven” is involved here?
4. Why will “all the tribes of the earth mourn”?
5. Why will absolutely everyone see Christ at His Coming?
6. What are “the clouds of heaven”?
7. What is this “power and great glory”?
1. What is “then” in reference to?
We simply need to go back to verse 29 to see what must happen before Christ comes, and it is truly devastating: 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 is speaking about earth-shaking cataclysmic cosmic events which will immediately precede the Second Coming, and are described in the 6th Seal of Revelation.
2. What is the “sign of the Son of Man”?
This is described in verse 27: 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. There will be a supernatural brightness or brilliance in the sky -- akin to lightning -- but far more intense. The sky will be lit up all across the globe in a manner never seen before, because Christ will be coming in the full brightness of His glory (as seen at the Transfiguration, and other times).
3. Which “heaven” is involved here?
Since the sky is in the “first” heaven or atmospheric heaven, this is the heaven in which Christ will be seen by all the inhabitants of the world.
4. Why will “all the tribes of the earth mourn”?
The nations of the earth will mourn because they are now facing terrible divine judgment and wrath (Jude 1:14,15). This is described in Revelation 6:12-17: 12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. 14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
5. Why will absolutely everyone see Christ at His Coming?
Every eye shall see Him, because every knee must bow to Christ, and unbelieving Jews (“they which pierced Him”) must see their true Messiah and King. We have two key passages which are related to this: Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Rev 1:7) Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2:9-11 cf Rom 14:11). In Isaiah 45:22,23, it is God who speaks this about Himself, therefore that is more confirmation that Jesus is God: Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
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