Revelation Decoded 9 Chapt 1:6-8 Behold, He is coming with the clouds

Transcription

1 Revelation Decoded 9 Chapt 1:6-8 Behold, He is coming with the clouds WOW. This is a powerful segment of Scripture. It is almost unthinkable that this event would refer to anything but the second coming and final return of Jesus right? With phrases like HE s COMING in the clouds and EVERY eye will see HIM and ALL the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him how could it possibly refer to anything else but the return of Jesus? We have seen and have always been taught that the Scriptures speak often of our LORD s second coming with this sort of cloud-coming judgment language. (Acts 1:9-11, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10) This has to be the majestic event at the end of the world that the historic, universal Church has affirmed all these centuries right? Perhaps, but what if it isn t? We have taken a strong look at what we believe is the timing of John s writing of the Book of Revelation, and the phraseology he uses to present to his readers when these things will take place we read phrases like things which must soon take place (vs.1) and Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near. (vs. 3) So first and foremost, based on the continuity, it stands to reason that verses 6-7 must also follow in the same context, and must be read and understood in light of, and within the time construct, of what John already wrote in the verses before. We cannot go from accepting and agreeing in the first few verses that John means very soon in their lifetimes, to propelling the next few scriptures into an abstract, intangible future a few thousand years away. It does not logically follow. I ask you to consider for a moment that these verses refer to a judgement prophesied against first century Jerusalem, whose destruction occurs in A.D. 70. John s purposes look to the approaching desolation of the Temple and the destruction of Jerusalem under the Roman generals Vespasian and Titus. I am well aware that this is a view and position that would be very alien and strange to the ears of most Christians today. All I ever hear is, Wow. This makes all the sense in the world! Why have I never heard of this??? And many variations of this same sentiment. I can literally see the puzzle pieces start to fall into place with people and the lights start to turn on. So let s examine some strong reasons why we can legitimately consider why this might be true. 1

2 To place this in its proper perspective, let s look at v.9 of Revelation 1. The theme in v. 7 (of Jesus coming in the clouds) MUST have relevance to the people the Apostle John is writing to at that particular time and place, including himself! What possible relevance or comfort would these words have for these people going through the worst tribulations of their lives, to warn them of catastrophic events that are yet to take place two or three thousand years in the future??? John is ministering to a particular, persecuted minority. GOD s concern with those suffering for the Faith in its infant stages in the first century is a major, recurring theme throughout Revelation. Surely he couldn t be telling these persecuted saints that the time is near, and that they must heed, keep what he is writing to them God is concerned with your terrible persecution, but HE will deliver you, spare you, rapture you so you don t have to face these horrific events and avenge you ~ only thousands of years into the future. Take courage and persevere!!! NOTE: While America, in its historical infancy in this world, has seen and experienced some horrendous and catastrophic events and tragedies on our own soil (911, Pearl Harbor, Civil War, etc.), it has not had to suffer the horrors of a black plague, holocaust, and the evils machinations of dictators like, Stalin, Lenin, Hitler, and other world class mega-maniacs who killed people by tens of millions. As much as we love to call our opposing political party candidates these things, which I find obnoxious and insulting, a watering down of how truly diabolical these men were, and an indication that we truly do not know our history. Next, let s look at the very usage of the phrase coming in the clouds throughout the entirety of the Scriptures. While this may, at first glance, sound like the Second Coming of our LORD, not to mention that HE will come in the clouds at the end of history, this time in judgment of all the nations of the world, we find that this type of judgement language is used symbolically of other divine historical judgments in the Bible. The expression of the coming of the LORD is used in many contexts that do not refer to the second coming of Jesus. Let s look at a few: Revelation 2:5, 3:20, Deuteronomy 33:2, Isaiah 19:1, Zechariah 1:16, Malachi 3:1-2, Matthew 10:23. This leaves the possibility open of another meaning that can be applied in Revelation 1:7. The specific language of the LORD coming with the clouds is used in the Old Testament with reference to real time, historical judgments not associated with the end of the world, although it sure sounded like it. (Remember Jeremiah 4:22-24? I looked on the earth, and behold, it was formless and void; And to the heavens, and they had no light. I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking, and all the hills moved to and fro.) In Isaiah 19, we find a warning to Old Testament Egypt. In that prophecy, GOD threatens judgment upon an ancient nation, a judgement which transpired when the Assyrian King Esarhaddon conquered Egypt in 671 B.C. Notice the language that Isaiah uses for that prophecy Isaiah 19:1-4 Clearly, the prophecy applies to Egypt. Just as clearly it claims the LORD is about to come to Egypt. There isn t a single Bible scholar or interpreter on the planet that believes the Egyptians saw GOD Almighty siting on a cloud and descending among them in judgement. In Micah 1:3-7, we see the coming of the LORD in judgment against Samaria and Judah, having to do with the Babylonian conquest. 2

3 Here Micah is telling us that this isn t just another human kingdom coming to conquer another human kingdom due to human whims, pride, and thirst for power, but lifts our view higher up to GOD s view, to be able to see the true spiritual significance of what we only view as human, materialistic, worldly, and political events. NO. We are shown over and over again that it is GOD who uses any and all elements, worldly or spiritual, to accomplish HIS heavenly purposes and bring judgment upon Samaria and Judah for their rebellion and disobedience to HIM. (On earth, as it is in Heaven) This is a foundational principle in our knowledge and understanding of the reality of GOD s sovereignty over everything in the created universe. (Proverbs 16:9, Daniel 2:20-21, 4:17, Romans 13:1-2, Ephesians 6:1-9) Next we can plainly see that our LORD HIMSELF, placed the time of HIS coming in the clouds within the lifetime of the people that were living in HIS day. (Matthew 16:28, 24:30, 34) Let s take a look at another specific instance of this... Matthew 26:64. Here the LORD HIMSELF uses this language speaking to the high priest and everyone around him saying, you shall see. This passage is VERY similar to Revelation 1:7. I see this as a reference to HIS judgment of Israel in A.D. 70., which our LORD speaks of in several places such as Matthew 21 (which we will look at closer later) and 22:1-7 which will be witnessed by many of those who stood against the LORD and HIS Messiah on that day. While we can disagree on the exact application of this particular verse, there is nothing in the Scriptures that prohibits us applying Revelation 1:7 in this localized, time specific way, i.e., the desolation of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Now we get to the very next verse which tells us that and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So this becomes the very next question WHO exactly will see HIM in this particular instance? Is it every eye of all the tribes on all the earth? This is what we have been classically taught most of our lives. That somehow when Jesus returns, we will all see HIM in the sky; all at the same time; all over the entire globe. I remember hearing one preacher explain that with the advent of smart TVs, smart phones, ipads, etc., the technology exists where we will see at HIS return, the image of Jesus will hijack all social media all at once, and HIS image will be projected to all the ends of the earth. (I used to have dreams about it. I would dream that I would hear explosions, shouting, and screaming, and I would walk outside and see Jesus suspended in mid-air up in the sky.) So what does it mean when John says EVERY eye shall see HIM? Simply this. It means that the LORD coming in the clouds will be a public event, not hidden in a corner or obscured from the view of all except a chosen few as we have been led to believe over and over again throughout the centuries. The idea that only a certain enlightened few have been given the insight as to how and when the LORD would return, and then go out to write books, go on talk shows and regale us all with their fanciful fairytales predicting the rapture and second coming of Jesus. Which, as history has so well attested, have been wrong at least 100% of the time. Also, the Bible tends to use the words all and every in many situations that do not mean a worldwide, global universality. This is where I have to sincerely apologize to all my students throughout all my years of teaching because one of my most popular sayings has been, All means all, and that s all all means. I have come to realize that I was dead wrong on that assumption. 3

4 For instance, I m pretty sure the whole congregation of Israel (women, infants, children, the aged and infirm) did not go out to war in Joshua 22:12. Who believes that rebellious Israel sinned against GOD on every hill and under every green tree? (Jeremiah 2:20) Was a census truly taken of the entire inhabited earth by a decree from Caesar Augustus in Luke 2:1? Did literally all Judea, Jerusalem, and all the district around the Jordan come and get baptized by John? (Matthew 3:5-6) So when we take a close look at the passage in Revelation 1:7-8, we see two very important and critical qualifiers as to the identity of those eyes who will see HIM. One is those who pierced Him and the other is the tribes of the earth. The passage says every eye shall see HIM but then adds an explanatory word in the Greek kai meaning to include those who pierced HIM. So it can very well be translated every eye shall see Him, even, that is, along with, including those who pierced HIM. Then, who are the ones who pierced our LORD? I had always been taught that it was all of humanity who was responsible for HIS crucifixion, due to the fact that HE died for the sins of all humanity for all time, we are all positionally, or spiritually responsible for HIS death. We have also been taught that it was ultimately the Romans who are held responsible for crucifying Jesus. But, that isn t what is being said here, and the Bible doesn t teach that anywhere. Certainly every generation has to make a decision for or against Jesus Christ as Messiah, but no other generation in the history of humanity will ever have the chance to turn HIM over to the Roman authorities to have HIM crucified. So who does the Bible hold responsible for the actual, physical crucifixion of our LORD? The shocking truth we are about to find out is that the judgment Jesus is calling down upon those who pierced HIM in Revelation, is the judgment and punishment of those first century Jews who not only rejected Messiah, and demanded HIS torture and death upon a Roman cross, but also tried to wipe HIS New Testament Church off the face of the earth by any and all means necessary. And it all starts here John 1:10-11, Matthew 3:7-10, 11:16-24 Not long after this, the religious leaders accused Jesus of being in league with Satan because HE cast out demons. (Matthew 12:24) Our LORD again calls them brood of vipers (Matthew 12:34) condemned by their own words (Matthew 12:37). In Matthew 21:33-45, we are given a very stark and blunt insight as to the condition Israel was in before GOD. Who is the land-owner who plants the vineyard? GOD. Who are the vinegrowers or tenants? Israel. Who are the servant/slaves sent to the vineyard to collect its produce? The prophets. What happens to these prophets from GOD? They are beaten, stoned and killed every last one. By who? The tenants/israel. The landowner sends his son thinking they have to accept and respect HIM. Jesus. The tenants, say to each other, This is the heir. Come, let s kill him and take his inheritance. (John 11:47-53) So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Crucifixion. Who does GOD hold responsible for this act of evil and rebellion? The tenants / Israel. What is HIS reaction / response? Interestingly enough, Jesus asks the actual scribes and pharisees what the landowner should do. They literally hung themselves with their own words! (2 Samuel 12:1-7) He will bring those wretches to a wretched end! They say. and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time. What does Jesus reply? 4

5 Matthew 21: Yikes! I had always thought this was a parable about the Second and final coming of Jesus. It seems so much clearer now. They literally hung themselves with their own words, but it wouldn t be the last time. In Matthew 27:19-25, we hear the awful curse the first century unbelieving Jews collectively called down upon themselves and their own children. Also, in this very parable, our LORD makes a messianic temple reference to HIMSELF as the rejected cornerstone of the Holy Temple of GOD. (Psalms 118:22-24) Now read what the Apostle Paul says about that very same cornerstone. (Ephesians 2:19-22) Jesus is the cornerstone of the new Temple of GOD, which is the spiritual Temple of the New Testament. The Apostle Peter reaffirms this and adds that we all as believers, Jew or Gentile, are the spiritual bricks of that Temple. (1 Peter 2:4-6) (So we are either senseless as sheep or thick as bricks, according to the prophet Jethro Tull.) While instance after instance can be presented to show the complete rebellion and obstinacy of the Jews of that day to believe in Jesus, try to kill HIM, etc., Matthew 23 gives us the full picture of the complete and utter corruption of the Law and the Prophets by the religious leadership of Jesus day, and HIS response to their complete refusal to receive HIM. Let me ask you Saints, are not vs a retelling of the parable of the vineyard/tenants? Who does Jesus say will kill HIM? Matthew 17:9-13, 20:17-19, 26:3-5, Mark 8:31,10:33, John 5:18, 7:1, 8:37, 11:53. Who do the Apostles say killed Jesus? (Acts 2:22-23, 3:13-15,5:30-31, 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16) Here the Apostle Paul accuses the Jews of killing both Jesus and the prophets, just like our LORD does in Matthew 23. Paul even mentions the wrath that was to come upon the unbelieving Jews like Jesus does! Let s be clear, while the Romans were the tool used by the Jews to have Jesus crucified, the blame lies squarely on the unbelieving Jews. BTW who do we think Jesus was referring to when HE uttered the words forgive them FATHER, they know not what they do? (Luke 23:34) Yes, the Romans not the Jews. We must be completely clear on this point: this does not mean in the slightest that all Jews for all time in history are guilty of crucifying their Messiah. Jesus said plainly, it is the Jews who rejected HIM in HIS generation. Does this make this view anti-semitic? Not in the slightest. It is the same as saying it was Hitler who murdered the Jews in the Holocaust, not all Germans everywhere for all time. Unfortunately, too many Christians throughout the centuries have tragically and mistakenly blamed all Jews everywhere for all time, and that has left the issue a very sensitive one. GOD already promised the Jews that only the soul that sins is the soul that dies. (Ezekiel 18:19-20) One last minor, your big detail. According to most Futuristic Dispensationalism and its end time scenario, Zechariah 13:7-8 means 2/3 rd of all the Jews will be wiped out to save the last third. These same Dispensationalists support and even set up foundations and charities to fly Jews back to Israel to claim their authority over the land, only to have two-thirds slaughtered by the anti-christ. This sounds a bit more anti-semitic to me don t you? Next week we will discuss all the tribes of the earth. Stay tuned! 5