Matthew 24:29-31 The sun will be darkened.
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: August 15, 2019 Matthew 24:29-31
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
(Understanding the Text) I have always had a problem understanding the SDA interpretation of this passage, because they seem to apply it multiple times. There is a tribulation in the first verses of this chapter when the abomination of desolation that Daniel talks about is there. Then after the tribulation there are signs in the heavens. The sun darkens; the moon has no light; the stars fall from heaven; and the powers of the heavens are shaken. The early pioneers applied these verses to unnatural phenomenon that had happened previous to their time, but they also applied them to other events that would come after their time. I understand that Jesus is answering two different questions here, but I need to study this a lot more.
After the natural signs, then the sign of the Son of Man appears. I have wondered if astronomers will be able to see Jesus and His angels coming through telescopes for a while before He arrives. If so, that might account for the sign of the Son of Man. Jesus and His angels traveling through space might not look like the pictures that are painted of individual angels. The prophets describe a throne with wheels of fire and eyes, so when they are all traveling together, there might be some kind of shield or something surrounding them that would be difficult to interpret through the equipment readings that we have now. If people thought that some kind of asteroid was approaching the earth, they would be terrified. However, this is just idle speculation, and I could be way off in this thought also.
(Revelation of God) Jesus says that He is coming with power and great glory and many angels. He will give a loud trumpet call. Either He plays a musical instrument, or this is another way of describing His voice of many waters. He is sending out His angels to gather His human people to Him. Jesus says that they will not miss any. They will gather them all from everywhere. This part is easier for me to understand because I have read Paul’s explanations in his letters.
(Application) My application for myself is that Jesus has promised to come, and He will. I don’t know when because we are finished with the major prophecies, except the time of trouble, and that will be cut short, so I don’t know how long it will last. But we are down to the last leg of the race. The sin problem will be resolved. I just need to be faithful to the end of my life, and everything will turn out alright.
(Prayer) Help me to understand the parts of this chapter that I am not clear on right now. I hear people speak confidently of so many prophecies, and I do not have their confidence. I understand the basics, but I know that there is so much more that I don’t understand. In the end, I know the only confidence I need is in You. Give me faith and the persistence to keep my eyes on You and trust You until the end. I want to be with You.