24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;
25 the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
27 And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.
Also found in Matthew 24:29-31 and Luke 21:25-27.
The functional disturbances in the sun, moon, and stars occur at the close of the Great Tribulation period, and are literal. These are spoken of in the sixth seal judgment (Revelation 6:12-14). There is no definite article before the word “clouds.” The Son of Man will come in clouds, clouds of glorified saints and angels. The Revelation speaks of this in 19:11-16. The word nephele (clouds) is used of a multitude of individuals in 1 Thessalonians 4:17, where the saints will be caught up in clouds (no article) at the Rapture, and in Hebrews 12:1, where the writer visualizes the crowds that pack the Greek stadium. The word was used in classical Greek of an army of soldiers. The second advent of Messiah is spoken of here. He comes at the close of the Great Tribulation to defeat Antichrist and set up the Millennial Kingdom. The gathering of the elect refers here to the regathering of all of Israel at the second advent of Messiah. Israel will be saved in sovereign grace, and restored to fellowship with and service to God for the Millennial Kingdom. — Wuest, pages 251-252.
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