Study Desk

"And at that time the sign of the Son of Man [coming in His glory] will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth [and especially Israel] will mourn [regretting their rebellion and rejection of the Messiah], and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN with power and great glory [in brilliance and splendor].

"And He will send His angels with A LOUD TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect (God's chosen ones) from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

"But of that [exact] day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son [in His humanity], but the Father alone.

"But understand this: If the head of the house had known what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

"Who then is the faithful and wise servant whom his master has put in charge of his household to give the others [in the house] their food and supplies at the proper time?

"Blessed is that [faithful] servant when his master returns and finds him doing so.

"I assure you and most solemnly say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.

"But if that servant is evil and says in his heart, 'My master is taking his time [he will not return for a long while],'

and begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards;

"For it is just like a man who was about to take a journey, and he called his servants together and entrusted them with his possessions.

"To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and then he went on his journey.

"But the one who had received the one went and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

"His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little, I will put you in charge of many things; share in the joy of your master.'

"His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little, I will put you in charge of many things; share in the joy of your master.'

"But his master answered him, 'You wicked, lazy servant, you knew that I reap [the harvest] where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter seed.

"For to everyone who has [and values his blessings and gifts from God, and has used them wisely], more will be given, and [he will be richly supplied so that] he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have [because he has ignored or disregarded his blessings and gifts from God], even what he does have will be taken away.

"But when the Son of Man comes in His glory and majesty and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.

"All the nations will be gathered before Him [for judgment]; and He will separate them from one another, as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats;

and He will put the sheep on His right [the place of honor], and the goats on His left [the place of rejection].

"Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you blessed of My Father [you favored of God, appointed to eternal salvation], inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.