Beholding the Second Coming: The Essence of Revelation - Revelation 1: 7-8

1:34The essence of Revelation, its content, its substance, its main theme, its ultimate outcome, what it is about. And it is a statement about Christ's second coming. And it's more than just a statement, it is a command to look and see, look upon these events. You see, Revelation was written to give us an opportunity to behold the second coming of Jesus Christ before it happens. This is a major geopolitical announcement. Behold, he is coming, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. So it is to be.

2:34Question that has intrigued political thinkers since ancient times is: why do nations come and go? Well, we know God is the one who raises up nations and puts them down. He is the one directing all of human history. But why? What are some things that happen? Why do nations go extinct? If you did a search and list, you went out and maybe you did a search for, typed in the words, a list of sovereign states or a list of sovereign, former sovereign states, you'd be overwhelmed with the number of states that have come and gone.

3:27Europe alone, well over 200. And when you add to that, Africa, Asia, and the Americas, the number of extinct states is overwhelming, far more than there are in existence. Plato and other philosophers likened political states and nations to naval ships sailing the oceans of time. And they made a comparison, the captain and the relationship to the crew, and that eventually all nations die. They come, they go, and some last longer than others, some for centuries, superpowers, some only for hours.

4:22But this whole idea that a state is like a ship going through the oceans of time. Only to get lost at sea, whether by some external force or by some kind of internal force, mutiny, division, all kinds of reasons. But a nation basically dies when its union ceases to exist. Its charter union. I mean, the peoples may even still be there, but when that union breaks down, the state breaks down. When that union between government and the Commonwealth breaks down, the state dies and replaced by another union.

5:37Sometimes states die because of external forces, invasion, some die because of internal pressures, civil war, or they get so weakened, as in the case of maybe Constantinople, they get so weakened that there's not much left and external forces come. And take them over. But the effect is a new union that binds the population to some sort of leadership. It's something that can be readily seen throughout history. Think about what was the unifying principle that gave rise to the United States.

6:25What was it that transformed the individual colonies into a federation of states? If you remember July 4th, 1776, or maybe take you back to July 3rd, 1776, we were in colonial America. And with the signing of this Declaration of Independence, we formally dissolved our political bands which connected us to England. And that ended colonial America and gave rise to the United States. And it was around this principle we hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men.

7:30Deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. A new ship was formed, the United States. How far will it sail under its chartered union? Will we always be the United States? Or maybe we'll still be the United States, but what will we be united around? May become more the issue. The 18th century, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, that political thinker, said it like this: If Sparta and Rome perished, what state can hope to last forever? The body politic is no less than the body of a man, which begins to die as soon as it is born and bears within itself the causes of its own destruction. The best constitution will come to an end.

8:30Thomas Hobbes, one of the founders of modern political philosophy, said it like this: Nothing can be immortal which mortals make. Union, attacks to union, challenges to union, the dissolving of union, forming more unions. And what happens when the Union of state becomes hostile to the union of the church. What happens when the unifying principle becomes not what people are for, but who people are against? What happens when the union that holds the state together is hostile to Christ? We have a government that we could very easily label anti-Christ.

9:36Welcome to the first century. Welcome to the context of the book of Revelation. And what do you do? What does the church do when they are threatened, when their union is threatened by the state, and the state sees them as a threat? Domitian saw behind the veil, if you will. He saw behind these Christian churches and these Christian movements. He saw behind them some enematic figure that he couldn't get his mind around, that he knew was a threat to his. Sovereignty.

10:34And so he sought to oppose him. And thus he did. Perform the sacrifice to the emperor himself. And so the emperor takes the place of God and seeks to make the church come under his authority and worship his authority so that there can be nothing higher than the best interest of the state. And where there's a collision between the interests of Christ and the interest of the state, Christ must bow. Such is the nature of government that is anti-Christ.

11:31What do you do? What do you do when this happens? You read these words. Behold, he is coming with the clouds. And every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. So it is to be. You read Revelation, that's what you do. Behold His second coming. That's what you do. This is an amazing book. It's about geography. It's about politics. It's about kingdoms. It's about realms. And it's about the eternal union that lives forever, that sails on forever.

12:25Because the builder is God Himself. And that's where Abraham left to seek that city which has its foundations from God. Well, this morning we've got this text before us that just really gives us a preview of his second coming, tells us what the book is about. And so this morning, as we are still getting our mind around all that's coming in the book of Revelation, I want you to behold three aspects of Jesus' coming so that you'll be encouraged to continue doing what only the church can do, so that you'll continue to be the church and do that which only the church can do. So three aspects that come right out of our text this morning. First, His coming will be glorious. As we began to behold his second coming by faith, behold, he is coming with the clouds. Notice the opening word is really a command, it's an interjection: to look, look, behold, fill your eyes and minds with this.

13:56Take in, grasp this. If you really translate it, it'd be like, be looking at this. That would be a good way to say it. Behold, be looking at this. No matter who you are, where you are, in what time, in what place. If you are in Christ, be looking at this. Let this truth stay present in your mind. Behold, he is coming. Notice the tense. It's not he will come. Oh, yes, he will come. He will come because he is coming. It's on its way. He is on his way.

14:45Think about that. Like Jesus said, you remember way back in John chapter 14, he told his disciples, do not let your heart be troubled, believe in God. Believe also. And me, in my father's house, are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you, for I go to prepare a place for you. Literally, I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again to receive you to myself, that where I am, you may be also.

15:23His first advent, his going to the cross, was setting in motion his coming. His going through the cross, through the grave, was his movement towards his coming. He is coming. He is coming with the clouds. The clouds. With the clouds. Certainly brings to mind the glorious event, the glorious picture that Daniel had prophesied many, many years before. You remember in Daniel chapter 7, and I'm going to read you a few portions of that. Remember, in Daniel chapter 7, there was this epic vision of these beasts coming. From the earth.

16:33They're representing kingdoms. And then there's this fourth beast, dreadful beast. Destroys everything. And Daniel wants to get his mind around this beast. And then Daniel chapter 7, verse 9. Read these words. I kept looking until thrones were set up. And the ancient of days took his seat. His vesture was like snow. And the hair of his head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames. His wheels were a burning fire. A river of fire was flowing and coming out from before him. Thousands on thousands were attending him, and myriads upon myriads were standing before him. The court sat and the books were opened. Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire.

17:42And then in verse 13, he says, I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven, one like a son of man was coming. And he came up to the ancient of days and was presented before him, and to him was given dominion. Glory and a kingdom that all the peoples, nations, and men of every language might serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away, and his kingdom is one which will not be destroyed. Sound familiar? One who comes and is given dominion, glory, and a kingdom. Look back in Revelation. Look back at verse 6, verse right before 7, where we are. And he has made us a kingdom, a priest to his God and Father. To him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. He had to Jesus be the glory, for he has made us a kingdom. So he is given a kingdom, he has given dominion, and to him all glory. That was the event as Daniel saw it.

19:02But Jesus also promised that this event would happen. Daniel prophesied this event. And Jesus promised it would happen. Remember Mark 14:61, where he's standing before the high priests, and they're trying to figure out how to crucify him. Some kind of charge. And the high priest was questioning him and finally gets to him and says, Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One? And in verse 62, Jesus said, I am. And you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming with the clouds of heaven.

19:50Coming with the clouds of heaven. Great glory. He will come. Of course, the high priest tears his clothes. Let's crucify him. In fact, as you survey Scripture, there is hardly an event in Scripture which is more widely attested than that of Christ's second coming. And it is no wonder that the last book of the Bible is a vivid reminder, a vivid reiteration of this second coming event. His coming will be glorious. Look, be beholding this. It's not like you can go outside and say, okay, now we can see him coming. No, the book is. Look into this. Read these words. Blessed is the one who reads these words. Be looking upon this event by faith. We can see it. We can see it. We know it is coming. And blessed is the one who lets. The words of this prophecy settle deeply in their minds.

21:08His coming will be glorious. Second, all will see it. All will see it. Look back at verse 7. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. This is going to be a public event, as Jesus said. If somebody comes up saying to you, you know, the Christ has come, you say, no, you ain't going to miss it, okay?

21:42You're not going to miss it. And the language here is very, very inclusive. Every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. Every eye. Every eye. I don't think we need to push this further than saying anything than more than all alive at the time of his coming will see it. I don't think we have to say at this point that the resurrection happens, that everybody dead knows. I think he's saying here that every eye will see him. Does it need to go beyond? We don't have to press this to say all past, present, and future will see him at this. Time, though all will certainly stand before him, all will see him.

22:40But here's the point: his advent, Jesus came in humility, and most missed it. His second coming will be glorious, and certainly all alive at the time are going to see it. All will see it. Their eyes will see it. It will be a public event. Notice this phrase: even those who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Not only will it be a public event, but all the tribes will mourn. But notice the distinction here. There is a Jew-Gentile distinction. There are all the tribes of the earth, and there are those who pierced him.

23:44Who are those who pierced him? Well, that's clearly a reference to the Jewish nation. And all tribes. Who is that? All other families, all other tribes of the earth. But I want to take a moment as we look at this. I want to answer the question: why will they mourn? Why will they mourn? There's going to be three parts to my answer. First, I want to look at the event itself as recorded in 19:11 through 21. And then I want to look at two kinds of mourning that I believe are going to take place. Two different kinds of mourning. First, let's look at the event itself. We want to behold the second coming in Revelation 19:11. We certainly see it. We see it. And let's take a moment and just look upon this event. You can turn there, keep your thumb in chapter 1. We'll come back. But just for a moment, I read these words earlier, but this is the climax high point of the book. Behold, he is coming. When is he coming? He is coming in Revelation 19.

25:06There are other things that are going to happen after that. But all this, the book of Revelation leads to this climactic event when heaven is open and a white horse and one who sits upon it is revealed. I'll just pick it up in Revelation 19:11. And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he And he who sat on it is called faithful and true, and in righteousness he judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written on him which no one knows except himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it he may strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, and he treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God the Almighty. And on his robe and on his thigh, he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of Lords. Stop there for just a moment.

26:25See this glorious scene. Frightful from one perspective. But notice there's an emphasis upon what he's wearing and what his armies are wearing. Two different kinds of robes, right? There's one, he is clothed in a robe dipped with blood, and they are clothed in fine linen, white and clean. It comes to an interpretive issue. Whose blood? Whose blood? I mean, think about this scene. You see this army coming, and here's one individual who's clothed in blood, and the rest white and clean.

27:22And the question is: whose blood? His or his enemies? And there are many who would take this as his enemy's blood. Many people I highly respect, learned from, sat under his enemies. His enemies, that this is a depiction of the one who comes to tread the wine press of the fierce wrath of God. And in the process, he's going to have blood, their blood. He is the one who avenges the blood. And so he is the one who gets himself soiled in judgment with the blood of his enemies.

28:15A lot to commend that view. I tend to think, not tend, I do believe it's his own blood that's being depicted here. Certainly, if it was his enemy's blood, that would cause people to mourn, right? But think for a moment if what's being depicted here is his own blood. And the reason I would say that it's his own blood, the word dipped in blood, is the word baptized. It is that he is baptized. Now, look at this: this army: one who is wearing a robe, baptized in blood. It's not just splattering, this is an immersion.

29:05Second, the clothing is being emphasized here in these verses. There are some who are white, or the rest, everybody else, is clothed in white. But throughout the book, the theme of his blood and what he has accomplished with his blood results in the freeing, the cleansing, the releasing of his people. Let me read to you just a few of them. We read one, chapter one, verse five. Remember, we just finished this last week. To him who loves us and released us from our sins by his blood.

29:52Turn over to chapter 4, verses 9 and 10. And they sang a new song, saying, Worthy are you to take. The book and to break its seals, for you were slain and purchased for God with your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth. You purchased for God with your blood. Men from there, you want to see the brotherhood, the eternal brotherhood? It's people from every nation, every tribe. And what is their unifying aspect? They have been purchased with his blood. Why are they white? Why are they released? Because they are one in him, having been redeemed, purchased with his blood.

30:43Look at chapter 7, verse 14. There's all of these. Let me just read verse 13. Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, These are who these who are clothed in the white robes, who are they? And where have they come from? I said to him, My Lord, you know. He said to me, These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

31:18Remember in chapter 22, verse 14. I'm sorry, chapter 22, yeah, 22, verse 14. Blessed are those who wash their robes. That they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter by the gates into the city. So I take it. It is a reference to his own blood. Now, get this scene. Get this scene. And even if you end up with it's his enemy's blood, it's still a frightful scene, okay? But get this scene. An army whose king is baptized in a robe of his own blood.

32:10And all these armies behind him, white and clean. Now let's pick up, keep reading in Revelation 19, verse 17. Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in mid-heaven, Come, assemble for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of those who sin on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves and small and great. Now that would be a cause, that would be a cause for mourning. Think about this scene now. Here you see King of kings, Lord of lords, coming.

33:01In his own blood, the blood-stained garment, blood-saturated garment, armies coming behind him, and then all of a sudden an angel calls and says, Okay, birds, all the birds, come here, come gather around. It's suppertime, it's suppertime. Come here, so that you may eat the flesh of all of these armies that have set themselves against this king of kings. Verse 19: And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against him who sat on the horse and against his army. You would think they would repent, right? Instead, they go forward with it.

33:55And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire, which burns with brimstone, and the rest were killed with the sword, which came from the mouth of him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. You see, the battle hadn't taken place, he just appears. The battle hasn't taken place yet.

34:26And when it does take place, the one who spoke the worlds in To order speaks and they're cut down and their flesh given to the birds of the air that the angel called. Well, this was the event itself as portrayed in Revelation. Now, going back, they mourn over him. The phrase, even, I'm going to talk about two kinds of mourning that I believe will take place. This event, first, the mourning of the Jews. The phrase, even those who pierced him, is a reference to Israel. This is the nation the Bible holds responsible for his crucifixion. I know it's a loaded question circles, but the Bible holds the Jewish nation responsible. Other nations were, Rome was not innocent, all that, but the Bible clearly holds the Jewish nation responsible for his crucifixion.

35:40But it's a mourning that I believe is going to lead to repentance. And that's because in Zechariah 12, 9, this event has already been spoken about. Zechariah 12, 9, let me just Read to you these words. And in that day I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on me whom they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only son. And they will weep bitterly over him, like the bitter weeping over a firstborn. In that day there will be great mourning in Jerusalem.

36:35John has this on his mind. They will look on me whom they have pierced. Remember in Zechariah, and then he goes on in Zechariah 14, verse 2: For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished, and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city. So Zechariah sees a day when there is a circling around Jerusalem.

37:15It's not God who has circled Jerusalem, it is the nations. The nations throughout Israel's history, when they got in trouble, they would make an alliance with the nations. And here, here, once again, the nations circle Jerusalem, and the city is going to be captured. It's going to be losing ground. It's going to be, again, experiencing plundering, women ravished, a horrible situation. Then the Lord will go forth and fight for those nations, fight against those nations, as when he fights on a day of battle.

38:09In that day, his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south. There will be mourning. They will look upon the one whom they pierced. It was not God who surrounded Jerusalem to destroy it, it was the nations. And it is the one whom they pierced that steps in and says, enough, no more Holocaust, no more.

38:52And they will realize it was their Messiah. It was Christ, the one they despised. Despised, who had always loved them, who came to them for their good, who they despised and rejected with an exclamation point, he's the one who says, No more Holocaust ever. And on that day, the remaining Jewish inhabitants of Jerusalem will realize that they crucified the one that God sent to bless them. Have you ever despised someone whom you later realized was being good to you? That's the kind of morning, a deep morning, that of Jewish repentance that will thoroughly impact every level of that society.

39:54And it will lead the nations in how to repent. We have not seen a national repentance, not like we're going to see. But then there's a second kind of mourning, a second kind of morning that will occur upon Christ's return, and it will be that of the dread of judgment. The morning of knowing that your time has come. I'm going to share a story with you. Might go a little bit longer, still. But I experienced this kind of mourning one time.

40:45When I was in between ninth grade and twelfth grade, I went to five different schools. I always found myself in a new place, new surroundings. And early in those years, I was lost and would try to make friends or whatever. It was always in this strange time of transition. I went to this one school, hadn't been there very long, and something really weird happened one day. I was at lunch, I'd made a couple friends, and an individual came up and started saying really mean things to me, pulled up his truck next to me and really started saying something. I didn't really know what was happening. I didn't know why. And so I, instead of saying, I'm sorry, you know, forgive me, what I did is I bowed up and said some things back. I challenged him. And then, as he got out of his truck and I got out of my truck, I had. My friends here. His friends were laughing at him. It was one of these stupid, selfish, immature, dumb things that I did in life.

42:09And I wasn't saved. I got out of the truck. He got out of his truck, and I saw this mountain of a man kind of rise up. At that point, the wise thing to do would have been, you know, what this isn't going to be a contest. You're right. I'm out of here. Instead, I challenged him again. I jumped into the back of my truck, and then this mountain, I didn't realize he was a senior. I didn't realize, and I'm a ninth grader. I didn't realize he was one of these star linebackers. I didn't realize he was way, way, way bigger than I was. I jumped into the back of my truck and I picked up the only thing that was there, and it was a broomstick.

43:01And I swung at him with all my might. And he just lifted up his arm and it broke over it. And then I remember those words, you're dead now. And this feeling of mourning just came over me. I, well, and it was foolishness. 32 stitches later. The contest wasn't very long. 32 stitches later, expulsion from school, total humiliation. I went to live with grandma. And in Providence, it wasn't long after that. I was born again. But the point of this I want you to focus on was this moment where certain defeat was apparent and the insanity of my sin, the insanity of what sin does. Instead of repenting, it challenges.

44:14And that's the kind of morning, that dread, like, uh-oh, I've really there's no hope for me now. It's the morning of knowing that your time has come. It's a morning of judgment, the fear of judgment. Well, this is the Gentiles when he appears. The morning will be that there is no repentance. The beast and his armies take their stand. You would think they would quit, but they take their stand to take on this one coming from heaven. But that's the unrepentant condition. That is the spirit of the age. This is what God judges. It challenges God's authority. It says, I want to live without God. And it challenges His authority. It will not bend. It will not bow. It will not yield. And it opposes God and His Christ.

45:22But they will mourn. The mourn of dread. And it will not be a long contest at all. Well, third. Beholding His second coming. His coming will be glorious. All will see it, and it will surely happen. Look back. So it is to be. Amen. Why is it going to happen? A couple reasons. I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who was and is, and who is to come. Because the Alpha and Omega purposes that it will happen. The Alpha and the Omega, He is the one that is responsible for cause and effect. He is the one who is directing human history and every detail in between.

46:08He knows the outcome because He purposes the outcome, and so it is to be. I mean, when we read Genesis, we learn that there will be a time when, or when we read Genesis, we understand there was a time when man dwelled with God. And when we read Revelation, we learn that there will be a time when man will. Once again, dwell in the presence of God. The second reason why this will surely happen is because Christ's coming is the Father's coming. I am the Alpha and Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. Look back. It's very clear who the Almighty is in this context. Look back and see verse 4.

46:59Grace, I mean, John to the seventh church, grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come. And then that is the Father. Then you have right verse 5, and from Jesus Christ. This is very clearly the Father here, the Almighty. The two events, the coming of the Father, cannot be separated from the coming of the Son because you cannot separate God the Father from God the Son. The two are one.

47:33Jesus always shows us the Father. You remember in his humility, Jesus showed us the Father's heart. Philip, if you've seen me, you've seen the Father. We were able to behold the Father in Jesus' humility. I mean, we couldn't get that close. We really got to see what the Father is like. That's why Jesus came in humility. But Jesus, when he comes, In glory, he shows us the Father's majesty in glory. His coming is the Father's coming. Jesus' glory is the Father's glory, and it will be for all eternity. Why?

48:17Well, Jesus has already told us that answer in John 5:23, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. The Father's glory is not going to be understood independent of the Son's glory. And so, for all eternity, we are going to relate to Father and Son in the person of Jesus Christ. There's going to be no distinction. Well, I wanted us to look at these aspects this morning so that you will be encouraged to keep on being the church, keep on doing what the church does. His coming is going to be glorious. All will see it. It will surely happen.

49:08So, what do we do? What do we do in those times when the state may turn hostile against the union of the church? What do we do? I mean, if Sparta and Rome perished, can we expect America to go on? Forever. Thomas Hobbes, back to his, nothing can be immortal which mortals make. But then there's Jesus's words: I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not overpower it. It is a ship that goes on. We keep doing what he called us to do.

49:59Remember some of the darkest days for England, World War II? Nearly a year before the U.S. entered the war, President Roosevelt wrote these poetic words to Winston Churchill. He said this: Sail on, O ship of state, sail on, O Union strong and great. Humanity, with all its fears, with all the hopes of future years, is hanging breathless on thy fate. I don't know how that might have encouraged Winston Churchill. I think he probably would have expected a lot more military support by that time. That would have probably been better, but instead, Roosevelt gives him this poem.

50:52One thing you can say about Churchill is he was able to keep an England unified during one of its dark. Darkest time. But another ship is sailing the oceans of time, one that Jesus has established, one of all people groups, one that will not die, one that will not come to an end or decay. And so I write these words as a poem, amending Longfellow's poem about the ship of state. And I say this to the church: Sail on, O church of Christ, in whom God does dwell. Sail on his eternal truth to tell.

51:50Sail on, O bride of Christ, in whom the eternal king does delight. Sail on that the nations may behold his light. Sail on, O Union, great and strong. You will endure the ages singing the victor's song. Behold, he is coming with the clouds. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this vision of your great and glorious appearing. Father, help us not to be moved by geopolitical movements. Around us, for you have purposed your truth for us to be witnesses in all parts of the earth.

52:45So, Father, we thank you. And Father, we ask that you would go with us now. Help us to continue to be what you have purposed us to be and do the things which you've purposed us to do.