“Immediately after the tribulation of those days 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. 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. And he 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.”
‭‭- Matthew‬ ‭24‬:‭29‬-‭31‬ ‭ESV‬‬

When Jesus returns, the universe itself will tremble. The sun will darken, the stars will fall, and the heavens will shake — creation will respond to the Creator’s arrival. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear, and every eye will see Him. He will come not in weakness but in power and great glory.

His second coming will be utterly unlike His first. He once came in humility — born in a manger, rejected, mocked, and crucified. But when He comes again, He will come as King of kings and Judge of all. Every ruler and every skeptic will stand before His throne. Every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

For believers, this certain day should anchor our patience and strengthen our hope. Though Christ’s people are often scorned now, their vindication is sure. On that day, the Lord will gather His elect from every corner of the earth. Not one will be forgotten. Not one hair will perish.

Just as Noah had his ark and Lot his refuge, so every believer in Jesus has a hiding place in Him. The angels who rejoiced at our repentance will one day carry us safely into His presence.

So we wait — not in fear, but in faith. The Man of Sorrows will soon return as the King of Glory.

• Adapted from J.C. Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels