Jesus has taught, cast out demons, healed, and been with the people. He has been received by some and reviled by others. He has entered Jerusalem and left, just before the last week of his life. Things are coming to a conclusion. He is the Son of David who will sit upon an eternal throne and rule over an eternal kingdom not of this world, and his warning about the soon destruction of the Temple – all is pointing to the future when he will be seen as “the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory . . . [to] gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven” (13:26,27).
The application of Jesus’ teaching? “Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come . . . Stay awake” (13:35,37).
Lo! he comes with clouds descending,
once for favored sinners slain;
thousand, thousand saints attending
swell the triumph of his train.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
God appears on earth to reign.
Yea, amen! let all adore thee,
high on thine eternal throne;
Savior, take the pow'r and glory,
claim the kingdom for thine own.
O come quickly, O come quickly;
alleluia! come, Lord, come. –Charles Wesley (1758)