Time of Glory

Matthew 24:29-31 “Immediately after the distress of those days, ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the Heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ 30 At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the Heavens to the other.”
 
REMEMBER that time is a Kingdom characteristic. Jesus gives the time of the end – immediately after the distress of those days. That distress is not Jerusalem’s destruction in 70 AD, but it is the trials Jesus foretold in verses 26-28. The church will suffer in the world until his return. Men who despise God have been doing evil since Genesis 4. They will continue to reject God, kill his faithful, persecute the church and inflict chaos on God’s people until Jesus’ return.
   Yes, the distress often referred to as the tribulation of the church and the Christian’s life is very visible throughout the world from ancient past until today. Yet, Jesus gives us hope. Gloriously and thankfully, the Kingdom of God is also very visible in the world. The conflict between the two will continue until that day when the signs in the Heavens and the shaking of the earth declare that distress has ended. Jesus, the Son of Man, will be gloriously visible to all the world. “And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the Heavens to the other.” His angels will reap the harvest of the elect, and his church will be forever with her Lord.
   Jesus wanted his disciples to know three things here: 1) My throne is a heavenly throne. 2) Be of hope and encouragement when you experience persecution. 3) Know you will never be too far away from me, and I will always draw you to myself.   
   The disciples could not grasp Jesus’ throne and power would be in Heaven. But as he described his return, he clearly taught the universe is his domain. He affirmed all who are saved in Christ will be gathered to him. They should not be concerned about their earthly lives because their eternal lives are in his hands. Even those who have died before his return will be gathered to him.  
   The disciples would need to know this in their hearts as they faced great trials. Acts and the history of their lives tell us they faithfully taught Jesus’ words under great distress. We must know it, too. Stand firmly for Christ. Trust he is always near you. Live for him. Nothing else matters.