Misconception: When the Bible says that people will see Jesus “coming on the clouds,” it means that Jesus will come visibly.​—Matthew 24:30.

Fact: The Bible often associates clouds with something hidden from view. (Leviticus 16:2; Numbers 11:25; Deuteronomy 33:26) For example, God told Moses: “I am coming to you in a dark cloud.” (Exodus 19:9) Moses did not literally see God. Likewise, Christ ‘comes on the clouds’ in that people perceive his coming even though they cannot literally see him.

Misconception: The expression “every eye will see him,” used at Revelation 1:7 when speaking of Christ’s coming, is to be understood literally.

Fact: The Greek words in the Bible for “eye” and “seeing” are sometimes used in the sense of discerning or perceiving rather than referring to literal sight.b (Matthew 13:15; Luke 19:42; Romans 15:21; Ephesians 1:​18) The Bible says that the resurrected Jesus is “the one . . . who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man . . . can see.” (1 Timothy 6:​16) Thus, “every eye will see him” in that all people will perceive that Jesus is the one who brings God’s judgment.​—Matthew 24:30.