Ray Bakke tells a story which happened during World War II: “I knew an old Glasgow professor named MacDonald who, along with a Scottish chaplain, had bailed out of an airplane behind German lines. They were put in a prison camp. A high wire fence separated the Americans from the British, and the Germans made it next to impossible for the two sides to communicate. MacDonald was put in the American barracks and the chaplain was housed with the Brits. Every day the two men would meet at the fence and exchange a greeting. Unknown to the guards, the Americans had a little homemade radio and were able to get news from the outside, something more precious than food in a prison camp. Everyday, MacDonald would take a headline or two to the fence and share it with the chaplain in the ancient Gaelic language, indecipherable to the Germans. One day, news came over the little radio that the German High Command had surrendered and the war was over. MacDonald took the news to his friend, then stood and watched him disappear into the British barracks. A moment later, a roar of celebration came from the barracks. Life in that camp was transformed. Men walked around singing and shouting, waving at the guards, even laughing at the dogs. When the German guards finally heard the news three nights later, they fled into the dark, leaving the gates unlocked. The next morning, Brits and Americans walked out as free men. Yet they had truly been set free three days earlier by the news that the war was over.”
The great thing about having a Bible is that we not only know some of the struggles the world will face, we have been told the outcome of the final battle. We know that we are on the winning side, and that good will triumph over evil, truth will win out over the lie, love will conquer hate and Jesus Christ will reign. There is cheering in our camp even though the guards and dogs may still be seen, for we know that they will soon be gone and the gates to the prison will be opened. Dietrich Bonhoeffer writing his fiancé from a German prison observed: “A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes, does various unessential things, and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened ‘from the outside,’ is not a bad picture of Advent.” We cannot open the door, but there will be One who will come and open it for us. That will be the greatest freedom we have ever known.
Here in the 19th chapter of the book of Revelation we are told of the second coming of Jesus Christ. Far from being something we should dread, it is one of the greatest events the world will experience, and which Christians should anticipate with eagerness. The Bible calls it the “blessed hope” when it says, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope — the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:11-13). The second coming is our great hope.
Jesus Christ will come as a great warrior to put an end to the kingdom of evil and the fallen world as we presently know it. The return of Christ is not bad news, it is the best news a world racked by evil has ever been told.
Let’s look at what the Bible says about the end of the world, the final battle and the second coming of Christ. The first thing we need to know about the second coming is: Christ will come with great power. What an amazing picture John paints for us. All the armies of the world gather to fight against Christ and his army. It is a horrifying scene from the perspective of earth. All of the forces of evil gather in one place to make war against God and his kingdom. John gives us this symbolic imagery, “Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. . . . Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon” (Revelation 16:13-16).
But as we read the account, expecting to find a description of a horrific battle, we find none. There is no description because there is no battle. It is not even a contest. In fact, the victory is announced before the armies of evil arrive, and the birds of the air are called to come together for a great feast. They will satiate themselves on the flesh of kings and mighty men. Listen again to how the Bible describes the final confrontation between the armies of the antichrist and the army of God: “Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh” (Revelation 19:19-21). There is no real battle. The Lord simply picks up the antichrist and his false prophet and drops them into the lake of fire. The rest are destroyed by the sword coming out of Christ’s mouth, that is, he simply speaks the Word and they are gone. End of battle. End of story.
Here is the mystery of God: The evil empire has been permitted to make it appear that they are more powerful than the kingdom of God. God has permitted it to look as though good has been completely overpowered, only to have it win in the end. We hear the shout of triumph “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).
Long ago, the Psalmist asked the question: “Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One. ‘Let us break their chains,’ they say, ‘and throw off their fetters.’ The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath. . . .” (Psalm 2:1-5). Their efforts are in vain, for it is futile to fight against the all-powerful God.
The mere appearance of Jesus Christ will be overpowering, for the Bible says, “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30). And here is the second point that we need to understand about the second coming: Christ will come with great glory. The Hebrew word for glory is kabod. The word refers to something that is heavy in weight. We speak of something being weighty in importance, or someone who carries a lot of weight, meaning they have a lot of importance. It is a word that is the opposite of being light and frivolous. To have glory means something has weight and importance. It is real as opposed to something that is merely fantasy. The appearance of Christ will be with great glory. The whole world will feel the weight of his power and presence. Paul describes it like this: “And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming” (2 Thessalonians 2:8). The weight of Christ’s presence will crush the antichrist and his armies. They will not be able to stand against him or even tolerate his presence, let alone wage war against him.
When Jesus was put on trial by the religious leaders of his day, with the purpose of crucifying him, the high priest asked him if he was indeed the Son of God. Jesus answered him saying, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Mark 14:61-62). Imagine if you were that high priest. Think of what it will be like for this man who plotted Jesus’ death to face him at his second coming. Think of what it will be like for the antichrist and his followers. Imagine what it will be like for all those who have refused to give him any place in their lives, because he would interfere with their own selfish purposes and desires. They will be crushed by the weight of his glory.
Jesus described it for his followers like this: “Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:26-28).
In chapter 5 of Revelation we heard the question: “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” (Revelation 5:2). John began to weep because no one was found worthy, until he heard a voice saying, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals” (Revelation 5:5). And then in chapter 13 we heard the question: “Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?” (Revelation 13:4). The answer to that question is revealed in our scripture for today: “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns” (Revelation 19:11-12). The glory of his presence and the word he speaks is how he wins the war.
But Christ not only comes with great power and great glory, there is something more. The third point is: Christ comes with great people. One of the amazing revelations of scripture is that Christ not only comes with great power and glory, he will share his power and glory with us. He not only rules, he shares his rule with us, for he has said, “To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne” (Revelation 3:21). Those who are among the redeemed, who have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb share in his glorified life. The Bible says, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” (Romans 8:29-30).
Christ also shares his victory with us, and raises us that we might join him in the final battle, for the Bible says, “They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings — and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers” (Revelation 17:14).
This is the day that the whole created world, as well as the kingdom of heaven, is waiting for. The Bible says, “The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed” (Romans 8:18). That would be you, if you have given Christ your life. On the day that Christ returns, the children of God will be revealed and all creation will be set right. God places great value on those who belong to him. He will share his kingdom with you and you will reign with him, for the Bible says, “Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him” (2 Timothy 2:11-12).
You may see yourself as unworthy, but here is how God sees you according to scripture, “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10). It says, “Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years” (Revelation 20:6).
One of the leaders of the early church was Polycarp, who became bishop of Smyrna. He was put on trial by the political authorities of the day and told to deny the Christian faith. He looked at his accusers and replied, “For forty-six years have I served him, and he never did me wrong: how then can I revile my King, my Savior?” Because of his refusal to deny his Savior, they immediately took him out and put him to death. When Christian historians latr wrote about his death, they observed: “Polycarp was martyred, Statius Quadratus being proconsul of Asia, and Jesus Christ being King forever!” They recognized that even though this humble follower of Christ had been rejected by the world, he was highly esteemed by God, and nothing could change that since Jesus Christ is King forever. This is how it will be for all those who follow Christ. They will share in his power, his glory, and his eternal reign.
The prophet Daniel saw all of this years before when he wrote: “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men 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” (Daniel 7:13-14).
The apostle John wrote, “And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming” (1 John 2:28). Are you continuing in him? Do you have confidence? The Bible asks the penetrating question: “How will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3).
Rodney J. Buchanan
February 17, 2002
Mulberry St. UMC
Mt. Vernon, OH
www.MulberryUMC.org
Rod.Buchanan@MulberryUMC.org
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION (February 17, 2002)
1. When you look at the world and what is happening in it, does evil or good seem to be more powerful?
2. Why does God sometimes disguise his power in weakness? (Think of the crucifixion.)
3. Read Revelation 19:1-3. Is it appropriate to praise God for the downfall of an evil enterprise? An evil person?
4. How can the church work for the undoing of evil forces in the world?
5. Read Mark 9:28-29. Why is the church so often ineffective and powerless against the forces of evil according to these verses?
6. Should we only pray? Only work? Or work and pray?
7. Read Hebrews 12:28-29. Even when evil seems to have the upper hand, what is the reality?
8. Read Revelation 12:11. How do we overcome evil in the world? What does this mean in practical terms?
9. Read Luke 21:26-28. What would it feel like to live your whole life apart from Christ in rebellion against his laws, and then to see him at his second coming, with the skies parting and accompanied by great glory?
10. Read 2 Thessalonians 2:8. How difficult does the final battle seem to be?
