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The Words That Stand Forever

In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus has been telling the disciples about a time we call the Great Tribulation. Beginning with Matthew 24:29, He tells them what happens after the Great Tribulation:

“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.’

“Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 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.

“Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.”

— Matthew 24:29-35

Throughout the history of the church, faithful followers of the Lord Jesus Christ have looked forward eagerly to our Lord’s return. The second coming of Christ has been a powerful motivation for Christians to live righteously and share the good news, generation after generation.

We must take special notice of the last five words in Matthew 24:30: “with power and great glory.” Jesus will arrive on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. His power has already been demonstrated by these cataclysmic events that have shaken the heavens. But as awesome and terrifying as these events have been, they hardly compare to what these events mean to us as believers:

On that day, He will demonstrate His power by overthrowing Satan and the demonic forces once and for all. He will demonstrate His power in saving and protecting His elect. He will demonstrate His power by establishing His rule in righteousness.