"Behold, He Cometh!"
Revelation 1:7
Revelation 1:7 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.
Introduction: How many of you have wished for the Lord Jesus to come back in the last few months? Probably most of us have due to what's happening at home and around the world. G. Campbell Morgan, a preacher from the last century said "To me the second coming is the perpetual light in the path which makes the present bearable. I never lay my head on my pillow without thinking that: maybe before the morning breaks the final morning may have dawned. I never begin my work without thinking perhaps he may interrupt my work and begin his own."
Our text this morning is a powerful statement of the surety of the second coming of Jesus Christ. The Apostle John has a unique distinction in the history of the church in that church tradition tells us that he is the only disciple to die a natural death. The setting for our text is the Isle of Patmos. Somewhere between 81 A.D. and 96 AD, the Apostle John was banished in Patmos by the emperor Domitian for preaching the Gospel at Ephesus.
Revelation 1:9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
The Gospel declares that Jesus is Lord and God, but Domitian required to be called Dominus et Deus "Lord and God." Something had to give! To shut him up, Domitian had John thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil before the Porta Latina at Rome but John suffered no injury! The only way that Domitian could get rid of him was the same way he got rid of his wife - exile.
It was here on this island that Apostle John wrote Revelation (Apocalypses.) John, during his exile in Patmos lodged into a grotto of which today's name is "Apokalypsis". At the Emperor Domitian's death in 97 AD John returned to Ephesus where he lived to a ripe old age. As you can imagine at the time of John's vision he was in a difficult place in his life. He was being persecuted for his faith and things looked very bleak to say the least. It is my belief that the Lord gave this vision to him to encourage His servant and all those who would follow him. Let's look
I. The Promise of His Coming
a. The Scriptures and His Coming
There are over three hundred references to the coming of Jesus Christ in the OT alone. Some mention His first and second coming within a single verse but there can be no doubt that He is coming again.
Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
Isa 25:8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. 9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
Daniel 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
b. The Signs of His Coming
(From an article entitled "10 Signs of the Times") "No one can tell us with certainty what tomorrow's weather will be except the one who causes it - God - but by listening to the weather report or looking at the sky, people use their eyes and their brains to at least make an educated guess about tomorrow's weather. Likewise, no one can tell us with certainly when the exact timing of Jesus' return will be except the one who will cause it to happen, God the Father (Mt. 12:36), but by listening to the right information sources, people can use their eyes and their brains to at least make an educated guess about how close we are to the return of Jesus Christ. Jesus said that when you see certain things begin to happen, "Look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption draws near," and "when you see them happen the kingdom of God is near" (Luke 21:28,31). Jesus and Paul both taught that the proper way to wait for His return is to therefore be watchful, ready and sober (Matthew 24:42-44,25:13; 1 Th. 5:6).
The apostle John wrote that when Jesus appears, we who believe in Him shall become like him, and everyone having this hope in Him purifies himself (1 John 3:2, 3). In 1 Th. 4:18, Christians are commanded to encourage each other with words about the return of Christ. Hebrews 10:24, 25 also says that as we should regularly meet to encourage one another, especially as we see the Day of Jesus' return approaching.
Although we cannot say with certainty how today's events are related to Bible prophecy, it is unwise to ignore them. The following are 6 for your consideration"
1. Wars and rumors of wars
"And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom."(Matthew 24:6,7a)
2. Famines, Pestilence, Earthquakes
"And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows." (Matthew 24:7b, 8).
3. Deceivers who claim to follow Jesus
And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you for many will come in My name saying that I am the Christ and will deceive many." Mt. 24:4, 5
4. People of Israel return to their land
"Thus says the Lord GOD: 'Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel.'" (Ezekiel 37:21, 22)
5. Increased wickedness & loss of love
"And because wickedness shall abound, the love of many will wax cold." (Matthew 24:12)
6. Strong delusion
And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie. (2 Th. 2:11 NKJV)
All six of these signs are already occurring and there remain only a few more things left until the Lord will return.
c. The Surety of His Coming
Jesus assures us of His coming:
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.' 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
The angels assure us of His coming:
Acts 1:11 "Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."
The Apostles assure us of His coming:
1 Thessalonians 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
II. The Person of His Coming
a. His designation
Revelation 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
His essence: The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet which declares that Jesus is divine and comprises all that goes between!
His equality: He is also the "I am" and "the Lord" which is translated, "the Lord the God." Jesus is the "pierced One" because He made Himself equal with God!
His eternity: He is the Lord, "which is, which was and is to come," indicating that He is, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8
His entitlement: He is the "Almighty" which is Shaddai in Hebrew and is used to indicate that He is "Lord of Hosts" commanding all the hosts or powers in heaven and earth, and so able to overcome all His Church's enemies. It occurs often in Revelation, but nowhere else in the New Testament save 2 Co 6:18, a quotation from Isaiah. He is the Lord God Almighty!
b. His description
What a difference for John. When he first met the Lord there was nothing distinctive about Jesus personal appearance. He was a Jew, raised in Nazareth, the son of a carpenter and for the first 30 years of his life there was almost nothing to separate Jesus from his fellowman.
In Isaiah 53:1 we read, "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him." When John was with the Lord the Lord was the "meek and lowly" one who had no home and no possessions but the clothes on His back and by the time He died He didn't even have those but that's not what John saw. Let's let the Scriptures speak for themselves:
Revelation 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
This is what John saw and this is what "every eye shall see" on the day that He returns from heaven.
Finally let's look at:
III. The Power of His Coming
a. The presentation at His coming
To understand the reference to "clouds" we need to compare the manifestation of God in the clouds at Sinai, in the cloudy pillar, the Shekinah glory in both the Tabernacle and the Temple dedication with Solomon and at the transfiguration and you will know what our Lord will look like when He appears." (Vincent's Word Studies). Do you recall our reference to Daniel?
Daniel 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
Vernon Grounds writes, "A friend told me of an incident that happened while he was in seminary. Since the school had no gymnasium, he and his friends played basket ball in a nearby public school.
Nearby, an elderly janitor waited patiently until the finished playing. Invariably he sat there reading his Bible. One day my friend asked him what he was reading. The man answered, 'The book of Revelation.' Surprised, my friend asked if he understood it. 'Oh, yes,' the man assured him. 'I understand it!' 'What does it mean?' Quietly the janitor answered, 'It means that Jesus is gonna win.'"
Grounds concludes, "That's the best commentary I have ever heard on that book. Jesus is going to win. That's the biblical mind-set."
Morning Glory, January 4, 1994, p. 9
b. The purpose in His coming
When Jesus was here the first time He came as the savior. The angels announced this truth:
Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Acts 5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
Matthew 18:11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
But when He comes the second time "...they which pierced him: and all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him..." He comes the second time as the judge of all men. For those who believe not:
John 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
Acts 10:42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
Acts 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
Romans 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
2 Timothy 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
Revelation 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
Conclusion: How will Jesus judge and by what standard?
Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Romans 2 speaks of the standards of judgement that will be used.
Romans 2:1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
WARNING SIGNS
At an intersection, the green light changes to yellow;
At the theater the house lights flash;
In the Battalion Tactical Operations Center a Warning Order comes down from Brigade;
At the airport terminal the boarding call comes over the intercom;
At a railroad crossing the lights begin to flash;
In a small Midwestern town the tornado siren screams;
On the football field the two minute warning sounds;
In the cargo bay of a C-140 a red-light comes on;
In the Desert of Judea, a voice of one calling in the wilderness is heard declaring, "Prepare the way of the Lord."
What do each of these have in common? They are signs or warnings that we need to prepare ourselves for what is about to happen.
2 Peter 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
