Page 10 - March 2025 - Truth & Tidings

e have reached the concluding tribulation” (Mar 13:24). His coming will
sections of Mark’s account of be at the end of Daniel’s 70th week. Details
Wthe Olivet Discourse. Having of that period have been given by the Lord
considered the Prelude to the Address already (vv14-23).
(13:1-4), the Perils of the Age (vv5-13), Then there are the Tokens of His coming.
and the Period of Affliction (vv14-23), we His arrival will be heralded by distur-
now turn to the Point of Arrival (vv24-27). bance in the heavens: “The sun shall be
In our next article we will consider the darkened, and the moon shall not give
Parables of Anticipation (vv28-37). her light, and the stars of heaven shall
The Point of Arrival (vv24-27) fall” (vv24-25). These cosmic disturbances
precede His coming as the Son of man. Joel
In His instruction to the disciples about predicted, “And I will shew wonders in
the Great Tribulation period (vv14-23), the the heavens and in the earth, blood, and
Lord anticipated much deception about fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be
His coming. Some would say, “‘Look, turned into darkness, and the moon into
here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’” blood, before the great and the terrible
(v21 ESV). The disciples must not believe day of the LORD come” (Joe 2:30-31). In
such claims. Matthew records that “as the addition to these physical changes, the
lightning cometh out of the east, and shi- Lord states that “the powers that are in
neth even unto the west; so shall also the heaven shall be shaken” (Mar 13:25). This
coming of the Son of man be” (Mat 24:27). may refer to growing panic in the demonic
1
The arrival of the Son of man would not realm as they anticipate their imminent
be a private matter; it would be a public defeat (cp. Mat 8:29; Jas 2:19).
manifestation.
Note first the Timing of His coming. It Next, consider the Triumph of His
will take place “in those days, after that coming. “And then shall they see the Son
of man coming in the clouds” (v26). Ac-
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the KJV cording to John, “Every eye shall see him,
unless otherwise noted. and they also which pierced him: and all

74 TRUTH kTidings March 2025