THE GLORIOUS APPEARING
REVELATION 19:11-21
WITH THE COMBINATION OF THE RAPTURE, THE RISE OF THE ANTICHRIST, AND THE TRIBULATION PERIOD,
THE LAST MAJOR EVENTS OF THE LAST DAYS BEFORE THE ETERNAL STATE ARE THE GLORIOUS APPEARING AND THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF JESUS. THIS IS THE TIME THAT CHRISTIANS BOTH IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH HAVE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO AND CELEBRATING WHEN IT OCCURS.
THE QUESTION IS ASKED BY THE TRIBULATION SAINTS IN HEAVEN IN REVELATION 6:10:
REVELATION 6:10-11:
THEY CALLED OUT IN A LOUD VOICE, “HOW LONG, SOVEREIGN LORD, HOLY AND TRUE, UNTIL YOU JUDGE THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH AND AVENGE OUR BLOOD?” 11 THEN EACH OF THEM WAS GIVEN A WHITE ROBE, AND THEY WERE TOLD TO WAIT A LITTLE LONGER, UNTIL THE FULL NUMBER OF THEIR FELLOW SERVANTS, THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WERE KILLED JUST AS THEY HAD BEEN.
AT THE TIME OF HIS GLORIOUS APPEARING THIS QUESTION WILL BE ANSWERED.
THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF TWO ADVENTS OF JESUS. THE FIRST ADVENT WE CELEBRATE AT CHRISTMAS. JESUS COMES INTO THIS WORLD, HUMBLE AND IN LOW ESTATE, TO LIVE A SINLESS LIFE AND TO BE A SACRIFICE FOR MANY ON CALVARY. AT THE FIRST ADVENT JESUS IS A HELPLESS BABE, CERTAINLY NOT RECOGNIZED BY MANY AS A FURTURE KING. PAUL OFFERS THIS GREAT DESCRIPTION OF JESUS’ FIRST ADVENT IN PHILIPPIANS:
PHILIPPIANS 2:8: AND BEING FOUND IN APPEARANCE AS A MAN, HE HUMBLED HIMSELF BY BECOMING OBEDIENT TO DEATH— EVEN DEATH ON A CROSS!
JESUS’ SECOND ADVENT WILL BE TOTALLY OPPOSITE. JOHN TELLS US OF SEEING CHRIST IN HIS GLORY IN CHAPTER 1:
REVELATION 1:17-18:
WHEN I SAW HIM, I FELL AT HIS FEET AS THOUGH DEAD. THEN HE PLACED HIS RIGHT HAND ON ME AND SAID: “DO NOT BE AFRAID. I AM THE FIRST AND THE LAST. 18 I AM THE LIVING ONE; I WAS DEAD, AND NOW LOOK, I AM ALIVE FOR EVER AND EVER! AND I HOLD THE KEYS OF DEATH AND HADES.
UNLIKE THE ANTICHRIST AND THE TIME OF THE TRIBULATION THAT BROUGHT FEAR, DEATH AND TORTURE TO THE REMAINING PEOPLE OF THE WORLD, HERE JESUS IN HIS GLORIOUS STATE TELLS US NOT TO BE AFRAID. HE REMINDS US THAT HE IS IN CONTROL AND THOUGH THESE TERRIBLE THINGS WILL HAPPEN, HE HOLDS THE KEYS OF DEATH AND HADES.
HOW COMFORTING IT IS TO STAND AT THE GRAVESIDE OF A CHRISTIAN AND KNOW THAT THIS PIECE OF LAND IS NOT THEIR FINAL HOME. JESUS RESURRECTION GAVE HIM AUTHORITY OVER DEATH AND THE GRAVE, AND AT THE TIME OF HIS GLORIOUS APPEARING THE FATE OF THE UNHOLY TRINITY: SATAN, THE ANTICHRIST AND THE FALSE PROPHET WILL BE SEALED. THOSE WHO WERE MARTYRED FOR THEIR FAITH WILL KNOW THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION, AND THE HEAVENLY CHOIR WILL SHOUT “HALLELUJAH”, SO BE IT!
THE GLORIOUS APPEARING OF OUR LORD IS RECORDED IN BOTH THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS.
WHILE WE COULD LOOK AT MANY FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT BUT WE SHALL JUST CONSIDER THREE:
ISAIAH 9:6-7:
FOR TO US A CHILD IS BORN, TO US A SON IS GIVEN, AND THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE ON HIS SHOULDERS. AND HE WILL BE CALLED
WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD, EVERLASTING FATHER, PRINCE OF PEACE. 7 OF THE GREATNESS OF HIS GOVERNMENT AND PEACE THERE WILL BE NO END. HE WILL REIGN ON DAVID’S THRONE
AND OVER HIS KINGDOM, ESTABLISHING AND UPHOLDING IT WITH JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM THAT TIME ON AND FOREVER.
THE ZEAL OF THE LORD ALMIGHTY WILL ACCOMPLISH THIS.
WE OFTEN READ THIS PASSAGE AT CHRISTMAS AS WE CELEBRATE THE FIRST ADVENT. THIS PASSAGE THOUGH IS ALSO A PROPHETIC PASSAGE THAT LOOKS FORWARD TO THE SECOND ADVENT AND HIS MILLENNIAL REIGN. WE ARE TOLD THAT HIS GOVERNMENT WILL BE PEACEFUL AND GREAT, ESTABLISHED IN JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS FOREVER. THIS IS NOT WHAT HAPPENED AT THE FIRST ADVENT, FOR HIS MISSION WAS CALVARY. THIS IS SPEAKING OF HIS MILLENNIAL REIGN.
NOW CONSIDER
DANIEL 7:13-14:
“IN MY VISION AT NIGHT I LOOKED, AND THERE BEFORE ME WAS ONE LIKE A SON OF MAN, O COMING WITH THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN. HE APPROACHED THE ANCIENT OF DAYS AND WAS LED INTO HIS PRESENCE. 14 HE WAS GIVEN AUTHORITY, GLORY AND SOVEREIGN POWER; ALL NATIONS AND PEOPLES OF EVERY LANGUAGE WORSHIPED HIM. HIS DOMINION IS AN EVERLASTING DOMINION THAT WILL NOT PASS AWAY, AND HIS KINGDOM IS ONE THAT WILL NEVER BE DESTROYED
HERE WE READ OF A VISION IN WHICH DANIEL SEES SOMEONE COMING WITH THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN. HE IS GIVEN SOVEREIGN POWER OVER ALL NATIONS AND PEOPLES, AND HIS RULE IS AN EVERLASTING RULE, NOR WILL HIS KINGDOM EVER BE DESTROYED. THIS CAN ONLY BE TALKING ABOUT THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST.
ZECHARIAH 14:3-4:
THEN THE LORD WILL GO OUT AND FIGHT AGAINST THOSE NATIONS, AS HE FIGHTS ON A DAY OF BATTLE. 4 ON THAT DAY HIS FEET WILL STAND ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, EAST OF JERUSALEM, AND THE MOUNT OF OLIVES WILL BE SPLIT IN TWO FROM EAST TO WEST, FORMING A GREAT VALLEY, WITH HALF OF THE MOUNTAIN MOVING NORTH AND HALF MOVING SOUTH.
IN THIS PASSAGE ZECHARIAH IS PREDICTING A BATTLE THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN. IT IS THE CLIMATIC BATTLE OF ARMAGGEDDON, WHERE SATAN’S FORCES WILL MEET THEIR GREAT DEFEAT. WE ARE ALSO TOLD THAT HIS FEET SHALL STAND ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES. THIS ONLY HAPPENS AT THE TIME OF JESUS GLORIOUS RETURN.
IN THE NEW TESTAMENT THERE ARE ACCORDING TO TIM LAHAYE OVER 318 CONCERNING THE GLORIOUS RETURN OF THE LORD. THE ONE THAT I WILL DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO, IS THE ONE THAT RE-ITERATES THE INFORMATION OF ZECHARIAH EXCEPT THIS TIME IT DOES NOT COME FROM A PROPHET, BUT AN ANGEL.
ACTS 1:9-11:
9 AFTER HE SAID THIS, HE WAS TAKEN UP BEFORE THEIR VERY EYES, AND A CLOUD HID HIM FROM THEIR SIGHT. 10 THEY WERE LOOKING INTENTLY UP INTO THE SKY AS HE WAS GOING, WHEN SUDDENLY TWO MEN DRESSED IN WHITE STOOD BESIDE THEM. 11 “MEN OF GALILEE,” THEY SAID, “WHY DO YOU STAND HERE LOOKING INTO THE SKY? THIS SAME JESUS, WHO HAS BEEN TAKEN FROM YOU INTO HEAVEN, WILL COME BACK IN THE SAME WAY YOU HAVE SEEN HIM GO INTO HEAVEN.”
THIS PASSAGE PROMISES THE RETURN OF CHRIST IN THE SAME MANNER AS HE ASCENDED. THE RESULTS WILL BE AMAZING AS THE MOUNT OF OLIVES WILL SPLIT IN TWO WHEN HIS FEET TOUCH GROUND. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT THERE IS A FAULT LINE THAT RUNS THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE MOUNT OF OLIVES AND THE EARTHQUAKE AT JESUS ARRIVAL WILL FOLLOW THAT FAULTLINE.
THE NEW TESTAMENT ALSO GIVES SEVERAL OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST:
1. THE GLORIOUS APPEARING IS DEFINITELY A POST-TRIBULATION EVENT.
MATTHEW 24:29-31: IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE DISTRESS OF THOSE DAYS “ ‘THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT; THE STARS WILL FALL FROM THE SKY, AND THE HEAVENLY BODIES WILL BE SHAKEN.’ 30 “THEN WILL APPEAR THE SIGN OF THE SON OF MAN IN HEAVEN. AND THEN ALL THE PEOPLES OF THE EARTH WILL MOURN WHEN THEY SEE THE SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN, WITH POWER AND GREAT GLORY. 31 AND HE WILL SEND HIS ANGELS WITH A LOUD TRUMPET CALL, AND THEY WILL GATHER HIS ELECT FROM THE FOUR WINDS, FROM ONE END OF THE HEAVENS TO THE OTHER.
2. CHRIST’S RETURN WILL BE A PERSONAL RETURN.
THE ANGELS DECLARED IN ACTS 1:11 THAT JESUS WILL RETURN IN THE SAME WAY HE ASCENDED.
3. CHRIST’S GLORIOUS APPEARING WILL BE A BODILY APPEARING. THE PASSAGE THAT WE READ FROM ZECHARIAH 14:4 INDICATES THAT HIS FEET SHALL STAND ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES.
4. THE GLORIOUS APPEARING WILL BE A VISIBLE AND GLORIOUS EVENT.
REVELATION 1:7: LOOK, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS,” AND “EVERY EYE WILL SEE HIM, EVEN THOSE WHO PIERCED HIM”; AND ALL PEOPLES ON EARTH “WILL MOURN BECAUSE OF HIM.” SO SHALL IT BE! AMEN.
JOHN’S DESCRIPTION IN REVELATION 1:12-17 AND 19:11-12 LEAVE NO DOUBT THAT CHRIST WILL APPEAR IN THE FULL GLORY OF HIS DIETY.
5. THE SECOND ADVENT OF CHRIST WILL BRING FINAL DELIVERANCE TO THE ELECT. THE WICKED OF THE WORLD WILL FACE THEIR JUDGMENT, THE RIGHTEOUS QUESTION “HOW LONG” WILL FINALLY BE ANSWERED. ISRAEL WILL SEE SPIRITUAL REVIVAL, AND THE DAVIDIC KINGDOM WILL SEE PROPHECY FULFILLED AS DAVID’S DESCENDANT JESUS SITS ON THE THRONE.
ON THE GREAT DAY OF HIS RETURN CHRIST WILL DEFEAT ALL HIS ENEMIES, CAPTURE ALIVE THE ANTICHRIST AND THE FALSE PROPHET, AND CAST THEM INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE TO BE TORMENTED FOREVER.
REVELATION 20:1-3:
AND I SAW AN ANGEL COMING DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN, HAVING THE KEY TO THE ABYSS AND HOLDING IN HIS HAND A GREAT CHAIN. 2 HE SEIZED THE DRAGON, THAT ANCIENT SERPENT, WHO IS THE DEVIL, OR SATAN, AND BOUND HIM FOR A THOUSAND YEARS. 3 HE THREW HIM INTO THE ABYSS, AND LOCKED AND SEALED IT OVER HIM, TO KEEP HIM FROM DECEIVING THE NATIONS ANYMORE UNTIL THE THOUSAND YEARS WERE ENDED. AFTER THAT, HE MUST BE SET FREE FOR A SHORT TIME.
YOU AND I AND ALL THE SAINTS WILL BE PART OF HIS VICTORIOUS ARMY, AND OUT JOB WILL BE TO CHEER HIM ON, AS HE WILL DESTROY THE FORCES OF THE ENEMY SINGLEHANDED. HE IS THE LORD OF THE AGES. HE DOES NOT NEED OUR HELP, BUT HE DESERVES OUR WORSHIP.
WE WILL BE GOING TO A HEAVENLY WEDDING BANQUET AND A MARRIAGE.
REVELATION 19:7-10:
LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD AND GIVE HIM GLORY! FOR THE WEDDING OF THE LAMB HAS COME, AND HIS BRIDE HAS MADE HERSELF READY. 8 FINE LINEN, BRIGHT AND CLEAN, WAS GIVEN HER TO WEAR.” (FINE LINEN STANDS FOR THE RIGHTEOUS ACTS OF GOD’S HOLY PEOPLE.) 9 THEN THE ANGEL SAID TO ME, “WRITE THIS: BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO ARE INVITED TO THE WEDDING SUPPER OF THE LAMB!” AND HE ADDED, “THESE ARE THE TRUE WORDS OF GOD.”
WHAT A SIGHT THAT IS GOING TO BE. A RADIANT CHURCH SPOTLESS AND WHITE, PRESENTED TO CHRIST THE BRIDEGROOM. I HAVE ALWAYS PICTURED THE HUSBAND OR GROOM BEING THE PROTECTOR OF THE FAMILY AND IF THAT’S CHAUVENISTIC I DO NOT APOLOGIZE FOR THIS PASSAGE SHOWS THE TRUTH IN IT.
OUR LORD SACRIFICED HIS LIFE FOR HIS BRIDE ON CALVARY. HE ENDURED THE PAIN AND TORTURE OF THE CROSS SO THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO ENDURE ETERNITY WITHOUT CHRIST. HE GAVE US HIS WORD TO GUIDE US THROUGH THIS WORLD. HE DID NOT LEAVE US ALONE BUT SENT THE COMFORTER, THE HOLY SPIRIT TO SPEAK TO OUR HEARTS AND MINDS THE THINGS HE WANTS US TO KNOW. HE MADE US THAT GREAT PROMISE IN JOHN 14.
JOHN 14:1-3:
“DO NOT LET YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED. YOU BELIEVE IN GOD; BELIEVE ALSO IN ME. 2 MY FATHER’S HOUSE HAS MANY ROOMS; IF THAT WERE NOT SO, WOULD I HAVE TOLD YOU THAT I AM GOING THERE TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU? 3 AND IF I GO AND PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU, I WILL COME BACK AND TAKE YOU TO BE WITH ME THAT YOU ALSO MAY BE WHERE I AM.
HE WILL KEEP THIS PROMISE AT THE TIME OF HIS GLORIOUS APPEARING. HE WILL PROTECT HIS SAINTS FROM THE ATTACKS OF THE EVIL ONE, AND WE SHALL COME TO HIM AS WE SHOULD A BEAUTIFUL BRIDE WHOSE HUSBAND HAS EVERYTHING PREPARED AND READY FOR ETERNITY. AND THE BEST PART IS THAT IT WILL NEVER END. A MILLION BILLION YEARS FROM NOW IT WILL STILL BE AS FRESH AS THE DAY OF HIS APPEARING. THE BEST PART IS…
