Matthew 24:30
At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.
At that time
This phrase indicates a specific moment in the eschatological timeline. In the Greek, "τότε" (tote) is used, which means "then" or "at that time," suggesting a sequence of events. This points to a future fulfillment of prophecy, emphasizing the certainty and divine timing of the events described. It reassures believers that God's plan unfolds precisely as intended.

the sign of the Son of Man
The "sign" (Greek: "σημεῖον," sēmeion) is a significant indicator or miracle that reveals the presence or action of God. In this context, it refers to a visible manifestation that heralds the return of Christ. The "Son of Man" is a title Jesus frequently used for Himself, rooted in Daniel 7:13-14, which speaks of a divine figure given authority and glory. This sign will be unmistakable, affirming Jesus' identity and authority.

will appear in heaven
The Greek word for "appear" is "φαίνω" (phainō), meaning to become visible or to shine. This suggests a revelation or unveiling in the sky, visible to all. "In heaven" indicates the celestial realm, emphasizing the divine origin and nature of the sign. This visibility underscores the universal scope of Christ's return, seen by all humanity.

and all the tribes of the earth will mourn
"All the tribes" (Greek: "πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαὶ," pasai hai phylai) refers to all peoples or nations. The mourning (Greek: "κόπτω," koptō) signifies deep sorrow or lamentation. This reaction is due to the realization of Christ's true identity and the impending judgment. It reflects the fulfillment of Zechariah 12:10, where mourning accompanies the recognition of the Messiah.

They will see the Son of Man
The verb "see" (Greek: "ὄψονται," opsontai) implies a physical and undeniable witnessing. This visibility is crucial, as it confirms the reality of Christ's return to both believers and unbelievers. The repetition of "the Son of Man" emphasizes His role as the divine judge and king, fulfilling His promises and prophecies.

coming on the clouds of heaven
"Coming" (Greek: "ἔρχομαι," erchomai) denotes arrival or advent. The "clouds of heaven" are symbolic of divine presence and majesty, as seen in Old Testament theophanies (e.g., Exodus 13:21, Daniel 7:13). This imagery conveys the glory and authority of Christ's return, echoing His ascension (Acts 1:9-11) and promising His return in the same manner.

with power and great glory
"Power" (Greek: "δύναμις," dynamis) refers to might and authority, while "great glory" (Greek: "δόξα μεγάλη," doxa megalē) signifies overwhelming splendor and honor. This description highlights the majesty and sovereignty of Christ at His return, contrasting His first coming in humility. It assures believers of His ultimate victory and the establishment of His eternal kingdom.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Son of Man
A title Jesus frequently used for Himself, emphasizing His role as the Messiah and His connection to humanity. It is rooted in Daniel 7:13-14, where the "Son of Man" is given dominion and glory.

2. Heaven
The realm where God resides, often depicted as the sky or the celestial sphere. In this context, it is the place from which the sign of the Son of Man will appear.

3. Tribes of the Earth
Refers to all the peoples and nations of the world. The mourning signifies a recognition of Jesus' authority and possibly regret for not acknowledging Him sooner.

4. Clouds of Heaven
Symbolic of divine presence and majesty. In the Old Testament, clouds often signify God's presence, as seen in the Exodus account and the transfiguration of Jesus.

5. Power and Great Glory
Describes the manner of Jesus' return, emphasizing His divine authority and majesty, contrasting with His first coming in humility.
Teaching Points
The Certainty of Christ's Return
Jesus' return is a foundational truth of Christian eschatology. Believers are called to live in anticipation of this event, maintaining faith and readiness.

The Global Impact of Christ's Return
The mourning of all tribes signifies the universal recognition of Jesus' lordship. This should motivate believers to share the Gospel with urgency.

The Majesty and Authority of Christ
Jesus will return with power and great glory, affirming His divine authority. This should inspire awe and worship in believers, reinforcing their commitment to His teachings.

The Call to Repentance
The mourning of the tribes can be seen as a call to repentance. Believers should examine their lives and ensure they are living in alignment with Christ's teachings.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the title "Son of Man" enhance our understanding of Jesus' identity and mission?

2. In what ways does the imagery of Jesus coming on the clouds of heaven impact your view of His return?

3. How can the certainty of Christ's return influence your daily life and priorities?

4. What steps can you take to ensure you are ready for Jesus' return, both personally and in your community?

5. How does the global mourning at Christ's return challenge you to engage in evangelism and discipleship?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Daniel 7:13-14
This passage describes the "Son of Man" coming with the clouds of heaven, receiving dominion and glory, which directly correlates with Jesus' description of His return in Matthew 24:30.

Revelation 1:7
This verse echoes the theme of Jesus coming with the clouds and every eye seeing Him, reinforcing the global and visible nature of His return.

Zechariah 12:10
This prophecy speaks of mourning for the one they have pierced, which parallels the mourning of the tribes of the earth in Matthew 24:30.
The Signs of the HeavensJ.A. Macdonald Matthew 24:29-31
The Kingdom Comes in Crises of JudgmentH. R. Haweis, M. A.Matthew 24:29-34
The Last CongregationJ. Parsons.Matthew 24:29-34
The Manifestation of Christ in JudgmentE. T. Marshall.Matthew 24:29-34
The Sign of the Son of ManA. J. Gordon.Matthew 24:29-34
Tokens of PerditionE. Griffin, D. D.Matthew 24:29-34
People
Daniel, Jesus, Noah, Noe
Places
Jerusalem, Judea, Mount of Olives
Topics
Appear, Breast, Clouds, Glory, Heaven, Lament, Mourn, Nations, Power, Sign, Sky, Smite, Sorrow, Tribes
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Matthew 24:30

     1045   God, glory of
     1105   God, power of
     1193   glory, revelation of
     2024   Christ, glory of
     2051   Christ, majesty of
     2221   Christ, Son of Man
     2505   Christ, ascension
     4805   clouds
     5952   sorrow
     9130   future, the

Matthew 24:27-31

     1450   signs, kinds of
     8746   false Christs

Matthew 24:29-30

     4272   sky
     9170   signs of times

Matthew 24:29-34

     2565   Christ, second coming

Matthew 24:30-31

     1412   foreknowledge
     2345   Christ, kingdom of
     7125   elect, the
     8106   assurance, nature of
     9145   Messianic age
     9220   day of the LORD

Library
The Carrion and the Vultures
'Wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.'--MATT. xxiv. 28. This grim parable has, of course, a strong Eastern colouring. It is best appreciated by dwellers in those lands. They tell us that no sooner is some sickly animal dead, or some piece of carrion thrown out by the way, than the vultures--for the eagle does not prey upon carrion--appear. There may not have been one visible a moment before in the hot blue sky, but, taught by scent or by sight that their banquet
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Two Forms of one Saying
'He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.' --Matt. xxiv. 13, R.V. 'In your patience possess ye your souls.'--Luke xxi. 19. These two sayings, different as they sound in our Version, are probably divergent representations of one original. The reasons for so supposing are manifold and obvious on a little consideration. In the first place, the two sayings occur in the Evangelists' reports of the same prophecy and at the same point therein. In the second place, the verbal resemblance is
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Watching for the King
'Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh. 45. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season! 46. Blessed is that servant, whom his lord
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

March the Twentieth the Lord is at Hand!
"Ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." --MATTHEW xxiv. 42-51. Then let me always live as though my Lord were at the gate! Let me arrange my affairs on the assumption that the next to lift the latch will be the King. When I am out with my friend, walking and talking, let me assume that just round the corner I may meet the Lord. And so let me practise meeting Him! Said a mother to me one day concerning her long-absent boy: "I lay a place for him at every meal! His seat is always ready!" May
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

What Lasts, and what Passes Away.
25th Sunday after Trinity. S. Matthew xxiv., 35. "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My word shall not pass away." INTRODUCTION.--Yes! all will pass away! This beautiful world and all that is on it. Our houses, our churches, our cities, will crumble away; the very earth with its mountains and rivers, and plains, and seas, will pass away. The stars will fall from heaven, the sun will have exhausted its fires, the moon will sink into night. But the words of Christ will last. SUBJECT.--Incessant
S. Baring-Gould—The Village Pulpit, Volume II. Trinity to Advent

"And Watch unto Prayer. "
1 Pet. iv. 7.--"And watch unto prayer." "Watch." A Christian should watch. A Christian is a watchman by office. This duty of watchfulness is frequently commanded and commended in scripture, Matt. xxiv. 42, Mark xiii. 33, 1 Cor. xvi. 13, Eph. vi. 18, 1 Pet. v. 8, Col. iv. 2; Luke xii. 37. David did wait as they that did watch for the morning light. The ministers of the gospel are styled watchmen in scripture and every Christian should be to himself as a minister is to his flock, he should watch over
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Of Meditation Upon Death
Very quickly will there be an end of thee here; take heed therefore how it will be with thee in another world. To-day man is, and to-morrow he will be seen no more. And being removed out of sight, quickly also he is out of mind. O the dulness and hardness of man's heart, which thinketh only of the present, and looketh not forward to the future. Thou oughtest in every deed and thought so to order thyself, as if thou wert to die this day. If thou hadst a good conscience thou wouldst not greatly
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

Warning.
"Take heed that no man deceive you."--Matt. xxiv: 4. "Christ in you, the hope of glory, whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus."--Col. i: 27, 28. To give a warning is a sign of love. Who warns like a mother, and who loves like a mother? Your mother, perhaps, is gone, and your father is gone. Let me take the place of those who have departed, and lift up a warning voice. With Paul I would say: "I write not these
Dwight L. Moody—Sowing and Reaping

Destruction of Jerusalem Foretold.
^A Matt. XXIV. 1-28; ^B Mark XIII. 1-23; ^C Luke XXI. 5-24. ^a 1 And Jesus went out from the temple [leaving it to return no more], and was going on his way; and his disciples came to him ^b as he went forth ^a to show him the buildings of the temple. ^b one of his disciples saith unto him, Teacher, behold, what manner of stones and what manner of buildings! ^c 5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and offerings, he said [The strength and wealth of the temple roused
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Second Coming of Christ.
^A Matt. XXIV. 29-51; ^B Mark XIII. 24-37; ^C Luke XXI. 25-36. ^b 24 But in those days, ^a immediately after the { ^b that} ^a tribulation of those days. [Since the coming of Christ did not follow close upon the destruction of Jerusalem, the word "immediately" used by Matthew is somewhat puzzling. There are, however, three ways in which it may be explained: 1. That Jesus reckons the time after his own divine, and not after our human, fashion. Viewing the word in this light, the passage at II. Pet.
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Christian Conception of Life Has Already Arisen in Our Society, and Will Infallibly Put an End to the Present Organization of Our Life Based On
The Condition and Organization of our Society are Terrible, but they Rest only on Public Opinion, and can be Destroyed by it-- Already Violence is Regarded from a Different Point of View; the Number of those who are Ready to Serve the Government is Diminishing; and even the Servants of Government are Ashamed of their Position, and so often Do Not Perform their Duties--These Facts are all Signs of the Rise of a Public Opinion, which Continually Growing will Lead to No One being Willing to Enter Government
Leo Tolstoy—The Kingdom of God is within you

The Evening of the Third Day in Passion-Week - on the Mount of Olives: Discoures to the Disciples Concerning the Last Things.
THE last and most solemn denunciation of Jerusalem had been uttered, the last and most terrible prediction of judgment upon the Temple spoken, and Jesus was suiting the action to the word. It was as if He had cast the dust of His Shoes against the House' that was to be left desolate.' And so He quitted for ever the Temple and them that held office in it. They had left the Sanctuary and the City, had crossed black Kidron, and were slowly climbing the Mount of Olives. A sudden turn in the road, and
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

A Key to the Knowledge of Church History
A KEY TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHURCH HISTORY [Ancient] Edited by JOHN HENRY BLUNT, M.A. Editor of "The Dictionary of Theology," "The Annotated Book of Common Prayer;" Author of "Household Theology," Etc. Etc. "This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations."--St. Matt. xxiv. 14 Rivingtons Waterloo Place, London Oxford, and Cambridge MDCCCLXXVII [New Edition]
John Henry Blunt—A Key to the Knowledge of Church History

Our Lord's Olivet Discourse Shows that There is no Universal Triumph of the Gospel Before his Second Advent.
The Olivet Discourse of our Lord is recorded in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. We cannot now attempt a detailed exposition of these highly interesting and important chapters, but would simply single our from them a few things which throw light upon our present inquiry. At the beginning of Matt. 24 we find that three of His disciples asked our Lord, "Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the age?" (vs. 3). What then was the answer which
Arthur W. Pink—The Redeemer's Return

Third Sunday Before Lent
Text: First Corinthians 9, 24-27; 10, 1-5. 24 Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain. 25 And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air: 27 but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others,
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

The vineyard and Its Keepers
'Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: 34. And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Watching the Horizon
"Thy Kingdom Come." "Thou art coming! We are waiting With a hope that cannot fail; Asking not the day or hour, Resting on Thy word of power, Anchored safe within the veil. Time appointed may be long, But the vision must be sure: Certainty shall make us strong, Joyful patience must endure. "O the joy to see Thee reigning, Thee, my own beloved Lord! Every tongue Thy name confessing, Worship, honour, glory, blessing, Brought to Thee with glad accord! Thee, my Master and my Friend, Vindicated and enthroned!
by S. D. Gordon—Quiet Talks on the Crowned Christ of Revelation

Another Shorter Evening Prayer.
O eternal God and heavenly Father, if I were not taught and assured by the promises of thy gospel, and the examples of Peter, Mary Magdalene, the publican, the prodigal child, and many other penitent sinners, that thou art so full of compassion, and so ready to forgive the greatest sinners, who are heaviest laden with sin, at what time soever they return unto thee with penitent hearts, lamenting their sins, and imploring thy grace, I should despair for mine own sins, and be utterly discouraged from
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

There is a Blessedness in Reversion
Blessed are the poor in spirit. Matthew 5:3 Having done with the occasion, I come now to the sermon itself. Blessed are the poor in spirit'. Christ does not begin his Sermon on the Mount as the Law was delivered on the mount, with commands and threatenings, the trumpet sounding, the fire flaming, the earth quaking, and the hearts of the Israelites too for fear; but our Saviour (whose lips dropped as the honeycomb') begins with promises and blessings. So sweet and ravishing was the doctrine of this
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

An Analysis of Augustin's Writings against the Donatists.
The object of this chapter is to present a rudimentary outline and summary of all that Augustin penned or spoke against those traditional North African Christians whom he was pleased to regard as schismatics. It will be arranged, so far as may be, in chronological order, following the dates suggested by the Benedictine edition. The necessary brevity precludes anything but a very meagre treatment of so considerable a theme. The writer takes no responsibility for the ecclesiological tenets of the
St. Augustine—writings in connection with the donatist controversy.

The Completion of Our Saviour's Prophecies Confirmed Pagans in their Belief of the Gospel.
I. The completion of our Saviour's Prophecies confirmed Pagans in their belief of the gospel. II. Origen's observation on our Saviour's disciples being brought before kings and governors; III. On their being persecuted for their religion; IV. On their preaching the gospel to all nations. V. On the destruction of Jerusalem, and ruin of the Jewish oeconomy. VI. These arguments strengthened by what has happened since Origen's time. I. THE second of these extraordinary means, of great use to the learned
Joseph Addison—The Evidences of the Christian Religion, with Additional Discourses

Dogmatic.
I. (i) Against Eunomius. The work under this title comprises five books, the first three generally accepted as genuine, the last two sometimes regarded as doubtful. Gregory of Nazianzus, [303] Jerome, [304] and Theodoret [305] all testify to Basil's having written against Eunomius, but do not specify the number of books. Books IV. and V. are accepted by Bellarmine, Du Pin, Tillemont, and Ceillier, mainly on the authority of the edict of Justinian against the Three Chapters (Mansi ix., 552),
Basil—Basil: Letters and Select Works

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