What does it mean that the sun shall be darkened and the moon not give her light?

The darkening of the sun and moon points to a great shaking of the world as people know it. In one reading, it looks ahead to the final dissolving of the present creation when Jesus returns in glory, where even the brightest lights in the sky fade next to him. In another reading, it pictures the removal of God’s special presence and the old religious order after Jerusalem’s fall. Either way, it shows that what once seemed steady and permanent will not last forever.

What does it mean that he will send his angels to gather his elect from the four winds?

The angels are God’s messengers and servants. Jesus says he will send them out to gather his elect, meaning all those whom God has chosen and saved. The “four winds” and “uttermost part of the earth” picture every direction and every place. No one who belongs to Christ will be missed or left behind. Some understand this gathering as the final meeting of all believers with Jesus when he returns. Others see it also in the way God sent out gospel preachers to bring in his people from all nations.

What was happening when Jesus spoke about these signs and his coming?

Jesus had just left the temple and told his disciples that not one stone of it would be left on another. On the Mount of Olives they asked him privately about when these things would happen and about the end. He first described the coming troubles and the fall of Jerusalem. Then, in the words about the sun, moon, stars, and his coming in the clouds, he looked beyond that first disaster to God’s greater plans, including his own coming in glory and the gathering of his people.

Why does this passage say the stars of heaven shall fall and the powers in heaven be shaken?

This language shows a huge shaking of what seems fixed and unchangeable. One way to read it is as a picture of the final breaking apart of the present heavens when Jesus returns. Another way sees it as describing the fall of the old religious leaders and systems after Jerusalem’s destruction. The wording is strong on purpose. It tells us that even the greatest powers in the sky or on earth cannot stand against God’s plan, and that Jesus’ rule will outlast every other power.

How have faithful readers understood the timing of these events differently?

This passage has been understood in more than one way. Some see the signs in the sky, the coming of the Son of man in the clouds, and the gathering of the elect as mainly about the final return of Jesus and the end of the world. Others see much of this as describing what happened after Jerusalem’s fall, when God removed the old order and spread the kingdom among the nations. Many also hold that the first events point forward to the final day, so both views have some truth.

What does this passage teach about what happens to God’s people in the end?

These words show that God does not lose track of his people. Even after great trouble, Jesus speaks of sending out his angels to gather his elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven. This means distance, scattering, and danger cannot separate believers from him. In the end, whether one stresses the final day or the spread of the gospel, the clear message is that all who belong to Christ will be brought safely to him.

How can this passage give comfort to believers today?

The passage is serious, with talk of darkness, falling stars, and shaking powers, yet it also brings comfort. It says that Jesus comes with great power and glory, not as a weak or hidden figure, and that he will gather his elect from every place. For believers, this means that no matter how unstable the world feels, Christ’s rule is sure. Even when everything else is shaken, his promise to come and to bring his people to himself will stand.

Mark.13.24

Mark 13:24

Q: Who is the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory?

The “Son of man” is Jesus speaking about himself. He says there will be a time when he is seen coming in the clouds with great power and glory. This fits what Scripture says about God coming in the clouds to judge and to save. Here Jesus shows that the honor of final judgment belongs to him. Some see this as his visible return at the end of the age, while others see a picture of his risen rule shown in judgment on his enemies and the spread of his kingdom.

KJV Jesus

But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,

The Return of the Son of Man

But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,

And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.

And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

Cross References

No cross references available for this verse.