Verse 29, without the backdrop of the Old Testament, would give
the impression that it is talking about a cosmic upheaval. However, in Isaiah
13:10, when the prophet wrote these words, he was referring to God’s judgement
of Babylon. Throughout the Old Testament, descriptions of cosmic turmoil were
commonly used to highlight divine judgement against a political power. They meant
to narrate the fact that God was vindicating those who had been suffering under
its tyrannical power. Hence verse 29 is saying that God
would vindicate His people and judge their enemies. He would be judging Jerusalem
and the temple that represent all that is opposed to God and the true people of
Israel. To see this as some dramatic
climatic and environmental changes before the coming of the Son of Man would add
confusion to what Jesus meant, i.e. plainly concerning the destruction of
Jerusalem and the Temple.
Like verse 29, if we read verses 30-31 without the context of the Old
Testament writing, we will misunderstand what Christ intents to tell us. Many
had taken this appearance of the Son of Man to mean Christ’s second coming.
Most first century readers would have understood this as an allusion to Daniel
chapter 7. In that chapter, we see one like the Son of Man (verse 13) stood in
contrast to the four beasts who emerge from the sea (3-12). He found acceptance
with the Ancient of Days and was vindicated and enthroned, and given power and authority
over all the nations. Note that in Daniel, the Son of Man was not about His
coming to earth but to the throne of God, where He was vindicated. Hence, what
Jesus said here was not about His coming but that God was vindicating Him through
the judgement of Jerusalem!
Therefore, what Jesus said in verse 30 is not about signs of His coming
but about His enthronement before the presence of God. And that He is given
victory over His enemies. The destruction of Jerusalem would be a sign that God
had vindicated Him. In saying that the tribes of the earth will mourn, Jesus
was saying that there would be national grief at the destruction of the Temple.
This would be a powerful sign that God had vindicated His Son.
Verse 31 is not, as many would think, was a gathering to dispense
eternal rewards. It is better to understand this verse as saying that the fall
of Jerusalem would be a great turning point for the church. Very much like the
pattern of many Old Testament prophecy, this verse tells us that the faithful
would be restored after the judgement. Here we are told that angels, to be more
precise, would be messengers that would go forth to all corners of the earth,
to gather the elect from every part of it through the Gospel proclamation.
We are the beneficiaries Christ’s enthronement. We have been gathered
from the nations to honor Him. Jesus had been enthroned and is now ruling through
the church. He has empowered us, His messengers to carry His message into all parts
of the earth. Let’s begin with our where we live. Let’s be found faithful in declaring
the Gospel of the Kingdom.
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