What is the context?
Jesus now speaks of what follows the distress: the darkening of sun and moon, falling stars, and the shaking of heavenly powers. The language recalls Isaiah 13:6–13 and 34:1–8, where upheaval in the heavens accompanies God's judgment. The prophets provide the setting for hearing these words.
The Son of Man appears with power and great glory, and the tribes of the earth mourn. Daniel 7:9–14 describes one like a son of man coming with heaven's clouds and receiving enduring dominion. The mourning also recalls Zechariah 12:10–14, where Jerusalem's people and clans mourn over the one pierced. Zechariah describes mourning among Jerusalem's people and clans, providing a concrete background for the scene.
Jesus then sends angels with a great trumpet call to gather His chosen people from the four winds. Isaiah 27:12–13 joins a great trumpet with the gathering of Israel's scattered people to worship the LORD. Mark 13:24–27 gives the related account of the Son of Man and the gathering. The warning about false private appearances is followed by a scene of His power and His care for those who belong to Him.
How is this passage commonly understood?
Christians commonly read this as a promise of Christ's glorious coming and the gathering of His people. They differ over the preceding period of distress and how the gathering relates to other promises of His return.
Calvin on 24:29–31 understands the distress to encompass the church's trials through its earthly life, ending in Christ's final appearing and the gathering of His scattered church. Wesley on 24:29–31 likewise reads these verses as His final coming and identifies the gathered people as those who have endured in faith.
Walvoord on 24:26–31 places the scene after a future great tribulation and distinguishes it from an earlier gathering of the church into heaven. He understands the elect here broadly as the saints of all ages, while acknowledging another view that gives special emphasis to Israel. His own explanation shows that readers who expect a future tribulation do not all identify the gathered people in exactly the same way.
Where does this fit in God's plan?
God's purpose brings His people to their King. Daniel 7:13–14 gives the Son of Man a kingdom served by people of every nation and language, with a rule that will not pass away. Revelation 1:5–7 joins Jesus' saving blood, His people made a kingdom, and His coming with the clouds. It explicitly says every eye will see Him and repeats the mourning of the tribes.
The trumpet also has a hopeful New Testament connection. 1 Corinthians 15:50–57 speaks of the dead being raised and believers being changed at the trumpet, with death overcome through Jesus Christ. This is a related promise of resurrection and victory, rather than proof that every detail of the two passages describes an identical sequence. The future held before God's people is life with the victorious Son, whose rule defeats even death (1 Corinthians 15:20–28).
What is our position?
We don't have a position on this passage yet. When our study reaches a conclusion the text supports, it will appear here.