“..And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven..” Matt.24:30a
“Are the signs in the heavenly bodies to be regarded as literal? Yes. (a) For this very purpose they were created.” Gen 1:14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
Robert Govett; The Prophecy on Olivet. Pg 64
We are next informed that “the sign of the Son of man shall appear in the heaven” What is this sign? Some have said that it means only ‘the Son of man the sign;’ but this were to make the sign of His appearing and His appearing (though they are stated distinctly) but one and the same thing.
Robert Govett; The Prophecy on Olivet. Pg 66
This author agrees with Mr. Govett that these are two distinctive things and that is why the Holy Spirit made them thus. It was upon a careful study of Rev. chapter six that it dawned on me what this sign might be.
The Spirit, through the apostle John, reveals that the consummation of this present age; and in particular the final years is summed up in 7 seals in God’s heavenly book. The sixth seal is particular and unique in that it has, what seems like upon first glance, the Son of God returning before the seventh seal. It is the seventh and last seal in which the seven trumpets of God are blown. Remember it is the last trump in which the Son of God returns to the earth in victorious fashion at Armageddon.
But it is the sixth seal where the people of the earth cry out to the rocks and mountains.
Rev 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
It is said that He is “sitting” on the throne when they see him. The Lord Jesus is said to be riding on a white horse along with his saints at the battle of Armageddon.
Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
There is surely a distinction between sitting and riding and that we should not assume it is the same. To do so would affect the literal interpretation of the scripture unless we are lead otherwise.
Could it be that the sign that our Lord speaks of in Matt 24 the signaling the beginning of final judgment upon earth? The Lord is seen by the peoples and tribes of the earth as preparing to rise up in judgment. The authority of the Son of God seen by the fact that He is seated on the throne of judgment.
Psa 82:1 A Psalm of Asaph. God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.
Psa 82:2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.
Psa 82:3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
Psa 82:4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
Psa 82:5 They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
Psa 82:6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.
Psa 82:7 But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.
Psa 82:8 Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.
The Lord is warning the inhabitants of the earth of the coming judgment. But has God done this in the past? Has he revealed himself before final judgment? Yes, most assuredly He has.
Exo 14:24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,
Exo 14:25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
One might argue that no one has seen the face of God and lived. My answer to them would be “correct”. For the Egyptians that saw His face died immediately after.
Exo 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
Exo 14:26 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.
Exo 14:27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
Exo 14:28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.