"Behold He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even so Amen!" Revelation 1v7.
Here we have the whole essence of the book of Revelation. Jesus is coming again; Jesus is returning to earth, this time as a king and He will take control of the earth for God. The word "behold " invites every one of us to sit up and take notice. This word is repeated throughout the book; chapter 1v7; 2v10; 2v22 ;3v9; 3v11 ;4v1 ;4v2; 5v5; 6v2; 6v8; 9v12; 11v14; 12v3; 14v14; 15v5; 16v15;19v11; 21v3; 21v5; 22v7; 22v12. The message is for all of us to open our eyes and see plainly what God is revealing to us now concerning the future. The book begins and ends with the theme "The coming of the Lord"; here in chapter 1v7 and three times repeated in chapter 22. Ever since the prediction in Genesis 3v16 " that the seed of the woman would bruise the serpent's head", the world was expecting "the coming One." John the Baptist said in Matthew 11v3 " Are You the coming One?" In John 4v25 the woman of Samaria said "I know that the Messiah comes which is called Christ; when He is come He will tell us all things." The whole of Old Testament prophecy predicted the coming of Christ the Messiah. His first coming is now an historical fact, the idea of "the second coming" is even now on everyone's lips. He is coming again but this time in a different mode from the first coming. What John saw, every eye shall see, the return to earth in glorious splendor of the Christ, the Anointed One of God.
- He is coming with clouds - Clouds in scripture are always the symbol of the Divine presence. He returns to earth with the symbols of the Divine presence and therefore Divine approval. Clouds are also associated with Divine judgement and this second coming is altogether different from the first.
- The universe will be in total darkness (Matthew 24v29-30) - The sun will be darkened, there will be no light from the moon and the stars will fall from heaven. We can only believe that such cosmic convulsions will also lead to the obliteration of all artificial light. In essence the entire world will stop to witness the return of Jesus Christ.
- He is coming with the "armies of heaven" - These would be angels and redeemed saints. This picture in Revelation 19v11 suggests a Divine invasion of the earth in warrior mode. (see also Daniel 7v13-14).
- Against a pitch black skyline, the incomparable glory of Christ and His entourage will be seen by every eye . The breathtaking details are stated in Matthew 24v27; 24v30; 26v64; Mark 13v32; 14v62; Luke 21v27; 2nd Thessalonians 2v8. One quote will suffice to illustrate the point, Matthew 24v29-30 " Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken; and then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."
To be continued./
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