“And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30).

The day when the Lord finally returns to Earth should be a time of great joy, for then the groaning Creation “shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Children of God” (Romans 8:21). Paul reminds us that “a crown of righteousness” will be awarded to all those at that day who “love His appearing” (II Timothy 4:8).

But for many it will be a time of great mourning—mourning over foolish choices and lost opportunities. The Jews, for example, “shall look upon (Jesus) whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son” (Zechariah 12:10). When the great Babylonish system of international commerce and finance is destroyed, then “the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more” (Revelation 18:11). All those who had opportunity to serve the lord, but refused or neglected to do so, will hear the awful words: “Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 25:30).

Even many Christians will be “saved; yet so as by fire” and will “suffer loss” of rewards they might otherwise have received had they been faithful and diligent (I Corinthians 3:15). How important it is, therefore, to “abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming” (I John 2:28).

If we abide in Him and love His appearing, even though all the nations of the earth mourn in that day when He comes, we can daily “rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2). HMM