<p>21:26 <i>Men will be fainting for fear in expectation of the things which are coming on the world- </i>We are to be in expectation of the Lord's return (s.w. 2 Pet. 3:12,13,14); the Lord comes on the unworthy when they are not expecting Him (Lk. 12:46 s.w.). The magnitude of the world's problems will block the vision of worldly people, so that they refuse or are rendered unable to look beyond them to the things of the Lord and His Kingdom &quot;coming on the world&quot;.</p><p><i>For the powers of the heavens shall be shaken</i>- The Greek phrase is used only elsewhere in Rev. 6:13. This vision is clearly an expansion upon the Olivet prophecy. There, the stars fall &ldquo;as a fig tree casts her unripe figs&rdquo;. This too is the language of the Olivet prophecy (Mt. 24:32). The lack of spiritual maturity in Israel is related to the stars of Israel- see on&nbsp;<i>Sun... moon... stars</i> falling. The appearance of comets would certainly give the impression of falling stars, and I suggest that the main fulfilment will be in terms of things visibly seen in the sky, as hard proof to all the world that the Lord Jesus is returning. And it is this which provokes chronic fear in the hearts of the worldly. The events of judgment day will be a &lsquo;shaking&rsquo; of the world, including the faithful (Lk. 6:48 the house built on the rock could not be &ldquo;shaken&rdquo;, s.w.). Heb. 12:26,27 surely allude here, saying that just as the earth shook when the old covenant was instituted, so the &ldquo;heavens&rdquo; would also be shaken. The suggestion of the context is that this day of shaking both heaven and earth was almost upon the readership- who were Hebrews, Jewish Christians.</p>