“And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”
My Notes
What Does Luke 21:27 Mean?
Jesus describes his return: "they shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory." The vision combines Daniel 7:13-14 (the Son of man coming with the clouds of heaven to receive a kingdom) with the visible manifestation of divine glory. The return is public, powerful, and unmistakable.
The cloud is a consistent marker of divine presence throughout Scripture: the pillar of cloud in the wilderness, the cloud that filled the temple, the cloud at the Transfiguration, the cloud that received Jesus at the ascension (Acts 1:9). The cloud at the return completes the pattern — God's presence, visible and moving.
The combination of "power and great glory" means the return is both effective (power — dynamis) and magnificent (glory — doxa). The first coming was in weakness and obscurity (a manger, a carpenter's son, a crucified criminal). The second coming will be in power and brilliance. The humiliation of the first arrival is answered by the exaltation of the last.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How does the contrast between Jesus' first coming (hidden) and second coming (visible) shape your hope?
- 2.What does the cloud of divine presence throughout Scripture tell you about the nature of Jesus' return?
- 3.How do you live in readiness for a return that will be visible, powerful, and undeniable?
- 4.What changes in your daily life when you take the second coming seriously rather than theoretically?
Devotional
They will see him. Coming in a cloud. With power. And great glory. Not hidden. Not subtle. Not a still small voice this time. The return of Jesus will be visible, powerful, and impossible to miss.
The contrast with the first coming is the point. Jesus arrived the first time in a feeding trough, unnoticed by the empire, born to an unmarried teenager in a backwater town. The glory was hidden. The power was veiled. The King came disguised as a peasant.
The second time, no disguise. The cloud of divine presence — the same cloud that led Israel through the wilderness, filled Solomon's temple, and received Jesus at the ascension — will carry him back. The power that was restrained during the crucifixion will be fully displayed. The glory that was visible for three minutes on the Transfiguration mountain will be visible to everyone, everywhere, simultaneously.
The word "see" (horao) means to perceive with the eyes — visual, unmistakable, physical seeing. This isn't spiritual discernment or metaphorical awareness. They will see him. The return of Jesus is a sensory event that the entire world will witness. No debate about whether it happened. No need for faith to believe what your eyes can verify.
Everything that was hidden in the first coming will be revealed in the second. The power that raised Lazarus will shake the earth. The glory that transfigured his face will fill the sky. And every eye will see what Bethlehem's shepherds could barely glimpse.
The question isn't whether you'll see him coming. It's whether you'll be ready when you do.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Verily I say unto you, this generation,.... See Gill on Mat 24:34. See Gill on Mat 24:35. All the Oriental versions read…
The account of the destruction of Jerusalem contained in this chapter has been fully considered in the notes at Matt.…
Having given them an idea of the times for about thirty-eight years next ensuing, he here comes to show them what all…
coming in a cloud Metaphoricallyin great world crises (Mat 16:17; Mat 16:28); actuallyat the Last Coming. Act 1:11; Mat…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture