“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.” —Rev. 1:7
My mother used to say, “There are two sides to every story.” Whatever that may mean for stories in general, it is certainly true with reference to the return of the Lord. An old letter came my way some time ago, written in 1994. The writer remarked in one place, “It just seems as if the Lord must come soon with all the tragic events [that are] taking place.” That sentiment I hear again and again these days from Christians sensitive to the times. But when Christians make such remarks, they are usually thinking in terms of relief from distressing circumstances. That is one side of the story, but it pertains primarily to the Lord’s coming for His church. Then there is the dark side that pertains to His coming with His church. This is the side we often forget, or overlook.
He is coming! “Behold, He cometh with clouds.” It is affirmed here not as a possibility, but as a certainty. I must confess that in times past I have translated that into a vision of soft, white “summer day” cumulus clouds, a comfortable sight, perhaps like the cloud that “received Him out of their sight” when the Savior returned to glory after His resurrection. But a careful consideration of the verse will reveal that is not the case here. These are storm clouds; thick, dark, ferocious. These are angry clouds accompanying the return of an angry God coming to judge the earth. These foretoken not the rapture, but the revelation, an event that will be fulfilled at the close and consummation of the Great Tribulation that marks the terrible climax of this dispensation, when Christ will return to set up His millennial kingdom on earth. (See Rev. 19:11-21)
It will be an event universal in scope. “Every eye will see Him.” I have heard it said that TV may make it possible for this prophecy to be fulfilled. Nonsense! The Almighty will not need our technology to display His coming to the world; He is able to do “exceeding abundantly above all that we…think.” As the Creator of everything we are dependent upon for our technology, God will have His own means of advertising His presence to a rebellious world. The prophecy embraces the whole scope of His return, including His millennial reign and final conquest, because the next clause declares, that “they who pierced Him” will also be witnesses of it. The implication is that the “the rest of the dead” (i.e., the unsaved multitudes) will finally be released from their spiritual imprisonment to witness His final conquest. Death and hell will provide no exemption from the wrath of a holy God. (See Rev. 20:5ff)
That this is the correct understanding of this terse text is made unmistakably evident by the next clause, “and all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him.” This “coming” involves His ultimate triumph, and man’s final tragedy. Herein is the echo of a prophecy written long before:
“The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath… [Zephaniah 1:14-18].”
The “tragic events” that are taking place on our planet today, many of them, certainly are tragic. The violence of man and the calamities of nature wreak havoc on many. But these are nothing compared to the scope and severity of that which is here foretold. And there is no way out, except through the Son of God, “Whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus” Who is able to deliver us “from the wrath to come.” (Cf. I Thess. 1:10) If you have never trusted Him as your personal Savior and Lord, it is not too late, but tomorrow might be. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
Far too many have accepted the hedonistic false philosophy, “Let us eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” There should, in fact be no period after that clause. The biblical counterpoint is, “It is appointed unto man once to die, and after this the judgment.” [Heb. 9:27].” Those who ignore His word “treasure up [to themselves] wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God [Rom. 2:5].”
“Behold, He cometh with clouds.” The clouds are storm clouds. Trust the Savior before they break upon this rebellious race!
Sounding the alarm,
"Pastor" Frasier
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