Revelation Chapter 1
VERSE 7 continued, “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.”
As was stated in out last post we would like to present another perspective of verse 7 as taken from Brother Shallieu and “The Keys of Revelation”.
BEHOLD, HE COMETH WITH CLOUDS; AND EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM…
“To conclude that an initial spectacular visual display will accompany Jesus’ Second Advent is erroneous. This text is figurative, NOT literal.
Only by interpreting this text in a figurative sense can all scriptural testimony related to the subject of the coming of Christ be harmonized, for the Bible depicts Messiah as coming:
Seated on a white cloud (Rev. 14:14)
Seated on a white horse (Rev. 19:11)
Seated as a refiner of silver and gold (Mal. 3:3)
Seated on the right hand of power (Matt. 26:64)
Standing at the door, knocking (Rev. 3:20)
Having a chain in his hand (Rev. 20:1)
Having a sharp sickle in his hand (Rev. 14:14)
Having a trumpet (1 Thess. 4:16)
Having a golden crown on his head (Rev. 14:14)
Having many crowns on his head (Rev. 19:12)
Having a sharp sword going out of his mouth (Rev. 19:15)
Obviously, all of these references, these different postures, are figurative allusions to various activities Messiah will be engaged in at his Second Coming. For example, Jesus is to rule the nations with a rod of iron (Psa. 2:9; Rev. 19:15). Surely that rod is not literal. The thought is that in establishing his reign of peace, Messiah will brook no interference in carrying out God’s reclamation program of redemption; nor will he tolerate any insubordination on the part of earth’s subjects over whom he is to reign. But he will rule or shepherd the nations in love and with law and order.
Another factor must be considered. Since his crucifixion and ascension to the divine plane of glory, Jesus has become the express image and likeness of the Father’s person (Heb. 1:3).
Further, the Scriptures clearly teach that “no man hath seen God at any time” (in the past), “nor can see” (in the future) 1 Tim. 6:16; 1 John 4:12. In other words, the glory of the divine office is such that in a physical sense no man can look thereon and live. The Master declared in no uncertain terms that “the world sees me no more,” that “the kingdom of God comes not with observation” or outward show (Luke 17:20; John 14:19). The Day of the Lord “comes as a thief,” that is, secretly and quietly; and if any man say, “Lo, (see) here is Christ, or (see) there; believe it not…Behold, I have told you before” (Matt. 24:23–25; 1 Thess. 5:2–4).
Jesus counseled his followers to watch and pray for his return—to be like those servants who watch for their lord to return from the wedding—because such an attitude of heart and mind would keep them alert and help them detect his invisible return preparatory to the establishment of his Kingdom (Mark 13:33; Luke 12:36). The Master promised that the Day of the Lord would not overtake his people as a thief; they would be spiritually informed through the light of God’s Word and the fulfillment of certain prophecies not merely predictive of the imminence of his coming, but indicative of the fact of his arrival ALREADY CONSUMMATED.
Satan, the usurper, “the god of this world,” “the prince of the power of the air,” is likewise invisible to the naked eye but, nonetheless, a very real personality (2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2). Thus the Lord comes quietly to steal his crown jewels, his “little flock,” his body members, who are elect and precious in the sight of God, to take them home to heaven (Luke 12:32).
Throughout the Gospel Age, the Lord’s people have, with the eye of faith, recognized Jesus as their Redeemer and Deliverer. Of the billions of people who have lived and are now living, comparatively few have had such eyes of faith and understanding. The majority, as the Apostle Paul declared, are blinded by Satan and by error, and fail to get a proper, true view of Christ. Although the god of this world has blinded the minds of all unbelievers “lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ…should shine unto them,” the Lord has graciously promised to open their blind eyes in due time (Isa. 35:5; 2 Cor. 4:4).
The sense in which the world will see Jesus is comparable to the proverbial remark of the blind man who exclaimed, “I see, I see.” Although blind, he saw or understood the situation (the “eyes of his understanding” having being opened).
The world will be made aware of Messiah’s presence and rule for “behold, he comes with clouds”; i.e., he will manifest his authority and be revealed in a time of great “trouble, such as never was since there was a nation,” terminating the Gospel Age (Dan. 12:1).
“The Lord Jesus shall be revealed . . . in flaming fire [in consuming trouble] taking vengeance on them that know not God [who, not really acquainted with God, fail even to obey the light of conscience, which all possess to some extent], and [also on those who, while knowing God] . . . obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 1:7, 8).
Continued with next post.
VERSE 7 continued, “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.”
As was stated in out last post we would like to present another perspective of verse 7 as taken from Brother Shallieu and “The Keys of Revelation”.
BEHOLD, HE COMETH WITH CLOUDS; AND EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM…
“To conclude that an initial spectacular visual display will accompany Jesus’ Second Advent is erroneous. This text is figurative, NOT literal.
Only by interpreting this text in a figurative sense can all scriptural testimony related to the subject of the coming of Christ be harmonized, for the Bible depicts Messiah as coming:
Seated on a white cloud (Rev. 14:14)
Seated on a white horse (Rev. 19:11)
Seated as a refiner of silver and gold (Mal. 3:3)
Seated on the right hand of power (Matt. 26:64)
Standing at the door, knocking (Rev. 3:20)
Having a chain in his hand (Rev. 20:1)
Having a sharp sickle in his hand (Rev. 14:14)
Having a trumpet (1 Thess. 4:16)
Having a golden crown on his head (Rev. 14:14)
Having many crowns on his head (Rev. 19:12)
Having a sharp sword going out of his mouth (Rev. 19:15)
Obviously, all of these references, these different postures, are figurative allusions to various activities Messiah will be engaged in at his Second Coming. For example, Jesus is to rule the nations with a rod of iron (Psa. 2:9; Rev. 19:15). Surely that rod is not literal. The thought is that in establishing his reign of peace, Messiah will brook no interference in carrying out God’s reclamation program of redemption; nor will he tolerate any insubordination on the part of earth’s subjects over whom he is to reign. But he will rule or shepherd the nations in love and with law and order.
Another factor must be considered. Since his crucifixion and ascension to the divine plane of glory, Jesus has become the express image and likeness of the Father’s person (Heb. 1:3).
Further, the Scriptures clearly teach that “no man hath seen God at any time” (in the past), “nor can see” (in the future) 1 Tim. 6:16; 1 John 4:12. In other words, the glory of the divine office is such that in a physical sense no man can look thereon and live. The Master declared in no uncertain terms that “the world sees me no more,” that “the kingdom of God comes not with observation” or outward show (Luke 17:20; John 14:19). The Day of the Lord “comes as a thief,” that is, secretly and quietly; and if any man say, “Lo, (see) here is Christ, or (see) there; believe it not…Behold, I have told you before” (Matt. 24:23–25; 1 Thess. 5:2–4).
Jesus counseled his followers to watch and pray for his return—to be like those servants who watch for their lord to return from the wedding—because such an attitude of heart and mind would keep them alert and help them detect his invisible return preparatory to the establishment of his Kingdom (Mark 13:33; Luke 12:36). The Master promised that the Day of the Lord would not overtake his people as a thief; they would be spiritually informed through the light of God’s Word and the fulfillment of certain prophecies not merely predictive of the imminence of his coming, but indicative of the fact of his arrival ALREADY CONSUMMATED.
Satan, the usurper, “the god of this world,” “the prince of the power of the air,” is likewise invisible to the naked eye but, nonetheless, a very real personality (2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2). Thus the Lord comes quietly to steal his crown jewels, his “little flock,” his body members, who are elect and precious in the sight of God, to take them home to heaven (Luke 12:32).
Throughout the Gospel Age, the Lord’s people have, with the eye of faith, recognized Jesus as their Redeemer and Deliverer. Of the billions of people who have lived and are now living, comparatively few have had such eyes of faith and understanding. The majority, as the Apostle Paul declared, are blinded by Satan and by error, and fail to get a proper, true view of Christ. Although the god of this world has blinded the minds of all unbelievers “lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ…should shine unto them,” the Lord has graciously promised to open their blind eyes in due time (Isa. 35:5; 2 Cor. 4:4).
The sense in which the world will see Jesus is comparable to the proverbial remark of the blind man who exclaimed, “I see, I see.” Although blind, he saw or understood the situation (the “eyes of his understanding” having being opened).
The world will be made aware of Messiah’s presence and rule for “behold, he comes with clouds”; i.e., he will manifest his authority and be revealed in a time of great “trouble, such as never was since there was a nation,” terminating the Gospel Age (Dan. 12:1).
“The Lord Jesus shall be revealed . . . in flaming fire [in consuming trouble] taking vengeance on them that know not God [who, not really acquainted with God, fail even to obey the light of conscience, which all possess to some extent], and [also on those who, while knowing God] . . . obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 1:7, 8).
Continued with next post.
