THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS

Passage: Mark 13:14-27

Key verse: 26

NIV

14 “When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’[a](A) standing where it[b] does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. 16 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 17 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!(B) 18 Pray that this will not take place in winter, 19 because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world,(C) until now—and never to be equaled again.(D)

20 “If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. 21 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it.(E) 22 For false messiahs and false prophets(F) will appear and perform signs and wonders(G) to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 23 So be on your guard;(H) I have told you everything ahead of time.

24 “But in those days, following that distress,

“‘the sun will be darkened,
    and the moon will not give its light;
25 the stars will fall from the sky,
    and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’[c](I)

26 “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds(J) with great power and glory. 27 And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.(K)

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Footnotes
  1. Mark 13:14 Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11
  2. Mark 13:14 Or he
  3. Mark 13:25 Isaiah 13:10; 34:4
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Abomination of Desolation

14 “But when you see (A)the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be ((B)let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 (C)Let the one who is on (D)the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, 16 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 17 And (E)alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 18 Pray that it may not happen in winter. 19 For in those days there will be (F)such (G)tribulation as has not been (H)from the beginning of the creation that (I)God created until now, and never will be. 20 And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for (J)the sake of the elect, whom (K)he chose, he shortened the days. 21 And (L)then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. 22 (M)For false christs and false prophets will arise and (N)perform signs and wonders, (O)to lead astray, if possible, (P)the elect. 23 But (Q)be on guard; (R)I have told you all things beforehand.

The Coming of the Son of Man

24 “But in those days, after (S)that tribulation, (T)the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and (U)the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see (V)the Son of Man coming in clouds (W)with great power and glory. 27 And then (X)he will send out the angels and (Y)gather (Z)his elect from (AA)the four winds, from (AB)the ends of the earth (AC)to the ends of heaven.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Be on your guard (14-23) Jesus predicts the fall of Jerusalem as well as the end of time. Those who are on guard paying attention to Jesus' warning would survive. We must flee to the mountains, leaving all the things of this world behind. We should pray in such days. God would shorten the days of suffering for the sake of the elect. We should not be deceived by the false messiahs who claim to be the Christ. We are the most blessed because Jesus foretold all these things so that we may be on our guard. 2. The Son of Man coming in clouds (24-27) Following all those distresses, even the sun, the moon, and the stars will be darkened. But at that time of agony, we will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. The end of the world will be the glorious day for all the elect. He will send his angels to gather his elect from all corners of the heavens and the earth. No elect will be missed on that day. But for the nonbelievers, that day will be their most terrible day of forever destruction.

Prayer: Lord, to live by faith in this world is to face a series of suffering and distress. However, the day of your coming will be very soon.

One Word: Come Lord! Our Messiah! Come quickly!