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Author: Stephen Weller
1,006 words, 5 minutes read time

The Coming of the Son of Man

Scripture: Matthew 24:29-31; Luke 21:25-26, 28

With the previous lesson we covered a short section on the coming of false christs. With this lesson we will cover a short section on the arrival of the Son of Man.

^{Mt 24:29} “Immediately after the tribulation of those days, L^{k 21:25} there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves. ²⁶ People [will be] fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. ^{Mt 24:29} The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

 We have come to a very difficult passage to interpret and has been interpreted in various ways by different commentators. Difficulties lie in which parts are actually literal and which parts are figurative and what is the time frame. Which parts might relate to the period of the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70 and which parts to the end of time. Does the tribulation of those days refer to the tribulation we studied that occurred in A.D. 70 or the end of time or both? The signs in the sun and moon and stars is further described by saying the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven. How is the sun darkened and the moon not seen? Is it possibly because of warfare or volcanic action? Stars falling from heaven has to be something that looks like stars falling. See the difficulty of trying to specifically explain these events other than to say that these verses describe an event that will be profound and not missed being seen when it happens. We find a similar description in Revelation 6:13 – 14.

^{Mt 24:30} “Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ^{Lk 21:28} Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. ^{Mt 24:31} [The Son of man] will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

In some way these signs will appear in ways that draw attention to the coming of the Son of Man. It will be a time when all will mourn over how the event affects them. As the events unfold during the time described “great tribulation” there will be a growing understanding that something enormous is about to happen. For those of unbelief it will be a time of mourning but for those of belief it will be a time hoped for.

When Jesus ascended to heaven, those who watched were told that he would return in the same way (Acts 1:11) bringing history to an end. It will be a time when our redemption draws near, when mortality puts on immortality. “For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:53 ESV). It will be a time of the redemption of our bodies (Romans 8:23).

Isaiah tells us to hear when the trumpet is blown (Isaiah 18:3). Paul says, ⁵¹ “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” (1 Corinthians 15:51 – 52 ESV). The Christian community is divided over the meaning of the “last trumpet.” Is it the last of the seven trumpets or some special last trumpet? Paul further says, “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16 ESV). The more I think about verses like those of Revelation 11:15 – 19 the more I am persuaded that the last trumpet is the seventh trumpet. The gathering of the elect at this trumpet call is the rapture.

When Jesus returns, he will bring with him from heaven the redeemed and will gather to himself all believers alive on the earth. Consider what John has to say about this in Revelation 19:11 – 16 ESV: ¹¹ “Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. ¹² His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. ¹³ He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. ¹⁴ And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. ¹⁵ From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. ¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”

Conclusion

There is much we don’t understand about the verses covered, but one day when we pass to the other side of death, we will know. Will you be one of the redeemed spoken of in this lesson?