I always thought that it was interesting that John said
“Jesus IS coming on the clouds” in the PRESENT tense, and not “Jesus WILL come on the clouds”
Revelation 1:7
Behold, He is (present tense) coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.
Based on John using the present tense, I don’t think it refers to the 2nd coming, otherwise the 2nd coming was occurring when John wrote revelation.
Instead, I would argue that the phrase “coming in the clouds” alludes to Daniel 7:13-14 and Christ’s being in the presence of the Father with all power, glory, dominion, and an everlasting kingdom. Similar to the phrase “coming in his kingdom”
With this understanding in mind, I would argue Matthew 24’s use of the “coming of the son of man on the clouds” should be understood in the same way as the high priest “from now on will see” Christ coming on the clouds and sitting at the right hand.
Mathew 26:64 “From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power
j and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
so the question then becomes, is Christ’s “coming on the clouds of heaven” / “coming in his kingdom” to be understood as the same “coming in the glory of the father to repay”?
Matthew 16:27-28
27For the Son of Man will come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done.
28Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”
Revelation 22:12-13 Behold, I am coming quickly , and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done.
13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”