When The Son Of Man Comes

Did you ever try to take a picture of lightning? You have got to be fast and chances are you’ll probably miss the shot. That is how fast it will be when the Son of Man comes again.

For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so it will be on the day when the Son of Man comes. Luke 17:24

Are you longing to see Jesus come back? I know I am! I have made the following statement more than a couple of times. “Today would be a good day for Jesus to come.”

Then he said to his disciples, “The time is coming when you will long to see the day when the Son of Man returns, but you won’t see it. Luke 17:22

What did the Lord mean when He said “You won’t see it?” Did he mean they (the disciples) won’t live to see it? Or we won’t see it because it will happen so fast? As fast as lightning.

The speed at which the Son of Man comes again means he won’t be walking the streets. So He warned his followers not to believe anyone who says they have seen Him.

People will tell you, ‘Look, there is the Son of Man,’ or ‘Here he is,’ but don’t go out and follow them. Luke 17:23

Then in the next few verses Jesus painted a picture of how things will look when he does return. In His description, He used two illustrations. First, He spoke about the days of Noah.

As in the Days of Noah

In those days, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came and destroyed them all. Luke 17:27

The people in Noah’s day knew he was building a huge boat but they probably didn’t understand why. Oblivious to the activities of Noah, they continually enjoyed living life to the fullest.

I see the same things happening around us now. Entertainment and partying played a big part during Noah’s day. The entertainment business today takes in billions of dollars each year.

The signs of the times indicate how soon when the Son of Man comes again. But many people of the world would rather ignore the signs and the message of the coming Messiah.

The Destruction of Sodom

The second illustration He used pointed to the days of Lot and the sudden destruction of Sodom.

And the world will be as it was in the days of Lot. People went about their daily business—eating and drinking, buying and selling, farming and building— until the morning Lot left Sodom. Luke 17:28-29

Life in general continued, but perversion set the underlying tone throughout the city, hence the reason God destroyed it. Its destruction caught everyone off guard.

Then fire and burning sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. Yes, it will be ‘business as usual’ right up to the day when the Son of Man is revealed. Luke 17:29-30

Both of these illustrations showed people doing business as usual. When the Son of Man comes, again it will catch the world by surprise. And again, God will reduce the population. Jesus said;

On that day a person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack.
A person out in the field must not return home. Remember what happened to Lot’s wife! Luke 17:31-32

The Son of Man Comes for the Church

This time when the Son of Man comes, it’s not to destroy the sinners. He will come to take the born-again Christians home with Him. The Apostle Paul told us how the Lord will do it.

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout,
With the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God.
First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves.
Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth
Will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
Then we will be with the Lord forever. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Many people will wonder what happened while others will take credit for getting rid of the Christians. But fear will strike those who heard the salvation message and ignored it.

That night two people will be asleep in one bed; one will be taken, the other left.
Two women will be grinding flour together at the mill; one will be taken, the other left.” Luke 17:34-35

It will look like people disappearing when the Son of Man comes to gather His church. Namely, because it will happen faster than we can blink our eyes. As lightning flashes across the sky.

It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed.1 Corinthians 15:52

Are You Ready for When the Son of Man Comes?

Are you ready? I hope so because when the Son of Man comes not one Christian should be surprised. If you’re not ready, get ready by turning your life over to Christ, He died for your sins!

Lord, today would be a good day for Jesus to come. But until He does, show us what will it take to reach this business-as-usual world we live in.

Checkout out these related posts on other things Jesus has done for us.