I met
John at the Future Congress prophecy convention.
Really really solid teacher. Enjoyed him very much. This should
help those of you who believe, wrongly, that we
are in the tribulation already. I pray you see
it in this well written article.
Mercer
Ron
Reese did you go? I wore my name tag with Mercer
written under my real name. My husband and I
loved it.
Noah
Hutching was a hoot as was getting to know Doc
Marquis. Spoke several time to Gary and his
wife. Found out he has a brother in Wisconsin,
not too far from us.
John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if
it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a
place for you. (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I
am, there ye may be also.
The first mention of the Lord’s Second Coming is
found in John 14. This caught His disciples by surprise as
He just told them He was going away. He assured them of His
return, or as it is now known as His Second Coming. Since
the Lord rose from the dead, His coming for the church and
believers being with Him for eternity has been the hope of
the believers:
The hope of the Lord’s return is not just mere hope,
but the Bible calls it the Blessed Hope. It is a special
hope that energizes believers and helps them through this
life. Living without the Blessed Hope, a believer can grow
cold and worldly. Living with the Blessed Hope keeps
believers focused on the Lord and spiritually vibrant:
Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the
glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus
Christ;
The Two Comings of the Lord in the Old Testament
Studying the Old Testament, with an understanding of
the New Testament, one can clearly see the two comings of
the Messiah. The Old Testament does not implicitly say that
the Messiah is coming twice, nor does it say how long the
gap between His First and Second Comings is. Because the Old
Testament does not say there are two advents that does not
mean there cannot be two since the New Testament clearly
proves there are. It takes spiritual discernment to
understand the two comings, and sometimes it even requires
dividing a verse to understand the two comings.
The Lord Jesus was preaching in a synagogue at
Nazareth when He quoted from Isaiah 61:1,2. This is recorded
in Luke 4:18,19. He quoted part of the verse and then sat
down. He then told the people, “This day is this scripture
fulfilled in your ears.” When comparing Luke with Isaiah,
the section that the Lord left out is clear. He ended with
“To preach the acceptable year of the Lord,” while Isaiah
continues with “and the day of vengeance of our God.” The
reason the Lord stopped when He did is that the rest of the
verse pertains to His Second Coming. His First and Second
Comings were both contained in Isaiah 61: 1,2, and the Lord
showed this divide when He preached. Luke 4:18,19 and Isaiah
61:1,2 follow:
Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because
he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he
hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach
deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the
blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, (19) To
preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Isaiah 61:1 The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me;
because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings
unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the
prison to them that are bound; (2) To proclaim the
acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our
God; to comfort all that mourn;
This concept of the two comings is found in the Old
Testament, and yet not specifically stating there were two
comings, carries over into the New Testament and the Second
Coming of the Lord Jesus. The New Testament teaches that the
Lord’s Second Coming is in two phases. With the first, He
returns for His church. With the second, He returns with His
church to defend Israel at the battle of Armageddon.
In the first phase, He meets His church in the air
1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall
descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ
shall rise first: (17) Then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet
the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
This event takes place in the moment the Bible calls
the “last trump”. This phase is limited to the believers in
the Lord Jesus.
1 Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of
an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and
the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be
changed.
In the second phase, He returns to defend Israel and
destroy the armies of the world gathered at the battle of
Armageddon. The unbelievers will be in terror when the Lord
returns to judge the nations.
Revelation 6:15-17 And the kings of the earth, and
the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and
the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid
themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us
from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from
the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is
come; and who shall be able to stand?
During the second phase, the Lord returns with His
church. This event takes place after the church is in heaven
with the Lord Jesus at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. At
the end of the Marriage Supper, He leaves heaven to judge
the earth, and His church returns with Him being described
as the armies of heaven:
Revelation 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven
followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white
and clean.
The First Phase of the Second Coming
The Book of Revelation precisely lays out the events
showing both phases of the Lord’s Second Coming. The key to
understanding the Book of Revelation is found in chapter 1,
verse 19. This verse divides the book into three sections:
what John has seen, the things which are, and the things
which shall be hereafter:
Revelation 1:19 Write the things which thou hast
seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall
be hereafter;
The things which John has seen are found in chapter
one, and it is the vision of the Lord Jesus. The things
which are can be found in chapters two and three. These are
the letters to the seven churches. There is no doubt that
the church is “the things which are” because at the end of
each letter the Bible states:
Revelation 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear
what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
After the seven letters to the churches, the scene
moves to heaven and this is where “the things which shall be
hereafter” takes place. All reference to the church in the
“which shall be hereafter” are now portrayed in heaven and
not on the earth.
Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a
door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard
was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said,
Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be
hereafter. (2) And immediately I was in the spirit; and,
behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the
throne.
The very first thing that John heard pertaining to
the “hereafter” was a voice like a trumpet calling him to
heaven. The book of Revelation tells us that the voice of
the Lord Jesus is just like a trumpet:
Revelation 1:10,11 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's
day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last …
The Bible associates the coming of the Lord Jesus for
His church with a trumpet sound. This is what John heard
when he was called to heaven, as the voice of the Lord Jesus
is just like a trumpet. In times past, the trumpet was used
during a battle to give signals to the army. It was also
used to announce the presence of royalty. The trumpet blast
connected with the rapture of the church comes from the Lord
Jesus and not an angel.
At the last trumpet sound for the church, the Lord
Jesus is going to descend from heaven with a shout, the
trumpet of God. This is a trumpet sound by the Lord Himself
and not an angel to call His church to heaven, and this call
is not for judgment. When studying the Book of Revelation,
it is important to understand the trumpet sound to call the
church is made by the Lord and not an angel. There are
angels blowing trumpets, but it is for judgment.
The only trumpet sound connected with the Lord Jesus
is found in Revelation 4:1. It is very possible from this
verse that the trumpet command He will use to call His
church to heaven is “Come up hither”. He will call His
church just like He called John to heaven:
1 Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of
an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and
the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be
changed.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall
descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ
shall rise first:
When John was called to heaven, immediately he was in
the spirit and before the throne of God. This is the same
language found in 1 Corinthians 15:52, that believers are
changed in the “twinkling of an eye”.
Revelation 4:2 And immediately I was in the spirit;
and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the
throne.
Revelation chapters four and five are about the
throne of God and events surrounding the throne. The fifth
chapter is very important in understanding the conclusion of
the first phase of the Lord’s coming. In this chapter, the
church is before the throne of God. Their location before
the throne is extremely important. It is the raptured
believers who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lord
Jesus and not angels:
Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou
art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof:
for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy
blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and
nation;
This concept of the church being before the throne
is reinforced in Revelation 7:
Revelation 7:9,10 After this I beheld, and, lo, a
great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations,
and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the
throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and
palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying,
Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto
the Lamb
(14) … These are they which came out of great
tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them
white in the blood of the Lamb.
Revelation 7 is a very interesting chapter. At first
reading, it is easy to think it is part of the seven seal
judgments but it is not. It is like a parenthesis between
seals six and seven. This chapter refers back to the time
before the judgments began. The previous chapter describes
awesome judgments on the earth and ends with the Second
Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. This chapter begins before
there are judgments on the earth!
Revelation 7:1 And after these things I saw four
angels standing on the four corners of the earth, (3)
Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees,
till we have sealed the servants of our God in their
foreheads.
Chapter seven is directly connected to chapter 5 as
they both show the church before the throne and not on
earth. This chapter offers another view of the church in
heaven. Being a “parenthesis,” it is showing that while all
the horrible events are taking place on earth, the church is
in heaven with the Savior. Remember, the key to this chapter
is that it takes place before any of the seals are broken.
The great multitude of this chapter were not killed by the
seal judgments because it takes place before the judgments
began.
The believers before the throne are witnessing the
events leading up to God’s judgments on the earth. They are
in heaven with the Lord Jesus before even one judgment is
loosed on the earth. This is the most important concept that
the church is in heaven with the Jesus before one judgment
begins. Obviously, the Lord Jesus came for His church before
He begins the judgments upon the earth.
In Revelation chapter five, God the Father is on the
throne with the book that is sealed with the seven seals of
judgment. This is the book that contains all the judgments.
He gives this book to Jesus Christ who then opens the seals
and the judgments begin:
Revelation 5:1 And I saw in the right hand of him
that sat on the throne a book written within and on the
backside, sealed with seven seals. (7) And he came and took
the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the
throne
The entire church is before the throne witnessing
these events. The believers are with the Lord Jesus before
any of the judgments begin, and no verse in Revelation
indicates that during the judgments people are added to
those before the throne. The church is complete in
Revelation chapter five. The first phase of the Lord’s
Second Coming is nearly complete. The church is in heaven
with Him.
In Revelation chapter six, the seals are opened and
the judgments begin. When the fifth seal is opened John sees
a group of people under the altar. These people are distinct
from those before the throne. These are the people who died
after the church was called to heaven, and they are not
placed with the church before the throne, but under the
altar.
They are dying in huge numbers because they did not
submit the antichrist and His forces on earth. These people
are given white robes and told to rest until events are
fulfilled:
Revelation 6:9,10 And when he had opened the fifth
seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were
slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they
held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O
Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our
blood on them that dwell on the earth?
(11) And white robes were given unto every one of
them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet
for a little season, until their fellowservants also and
their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should
be fulfilled
The completion of the fifth seal takes place in
Revelation 20. The people who were placed under the altar
will be resurrected after the Marriage Supper of the Lamb,
and even after the Lord returned with His church to defeat
the antichrist.
Revelation 20 states that these people were killed
because they would not worship the antichrist and his image.
Their resurrection is called the “first resurrection”. In
contrast, the second resurrection takes place after the
Lord’s 1000 year reign on the earth. This second
resurrection is for the wicked and eternal damnation:
Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon
them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls
of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for
the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast,
neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their
foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned
with Christ a thousand years.
(5) But the rest of the dead lived not again until
the thousand years were finished. This is the first
resurrection.
A close examination of Revelation 20:4 reveals the
two distinct groups in heaven. The church that was before
the throne and the fifth seal saints that were under the
altar. This verse mentions thrones and then the plural
“they” and “them” who sat on the thrones. The verse adds
that judgment was given to these people on their thrones.
This verse shows that it is not the Lord Jesus who judges,
but He has turned the judgment over to another group of
people. The verse then continues with the resurrection of
the saints of the fifth seal judgment. It is the people
sitting on the thrones who judge this resurrected group and
not Jesus Christ.
The Lord Jesus promised the believers who overcame
the Laodicean church that He would grant them to sit with
Him on His throne! This is truly an amazing verse that the
Lord would share His authority with His church:
Revelation 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant
to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am
set down with my Father in his throne.
This sharing of authority then can be seen in
Revelation 20:4, when He turns judgment over to His bride
the church! It is the church that judges the saints that
were placed under the altar. It is amazing to see the trust
that the Lord has in His bride.
In review, there are two separate and distinct groups
of believers in the Lord Jesus in heaven. The first is the
church, which is before the throne of God prior to any of
the judgments beginning on earth. The second group is formed
after the judgments begin. They are listed under the fifth
seal judgment and are found under the altar. These people
arrive in heaven because they were slain and so are told to
be patient until events are fulfilled.
Revelation 13 details the circumstances of how the
people found under the altar are going to die. The Bible
details how the beast/antichrist is going to be given power
over all nations. Then the Bible warns, “If any man have an
ear, let him hear.”
Revelation 13:9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
(10) He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity:
he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the
sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
What is so telling about this particular warning is
that it is NOT given to the church. In Revelation 2 and 3,
on seven occasions the Lord specifically warned the
churches. The reason the church is not warned in Revelation
13 is that it is before the throne and complete. This
specific warning is for those who, when they die, are found
under the altar since they are not considered part of the
church.
In the gospels on several occasions, the Lord also
used a phrase about having ears and hearing. On these
occasions, He did not say “unto the churches”. He did this
because the church was not yet in existence at this time.
So, both before the church and after the church age, the
Lord did not use the phrase “unto the churches”. The verses
showing this follow:
Before the church:
Matthew 11:15 He that hath ears to hear, let him
hear.
The church age:
Revelation 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear
what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
After the church age:
Revelation 13:9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
The fact that Revelation 13:9 leaves out “what the
Spirit saith unto the churches” is strong evidence that the
entire church is with the Lord Jesus in heaven and before
the throne. It is not on earth.
Revelation continues to document the judgments and
then comes to the final one which is the destruction of
Babylon . This is the world’s religious, political and
economic system. After all this destruction, the Bible once
more focuses on the church in heaven. In chapter 19, the
church is referred to as “the bride”. This is the third time
in Revelation the entire church is recorded to be in heaven.
It is found in chapters 5, 7, and now 19.
A great multitude of believers are rejoicing in
heaven because the Marriage Supper of the Lamb is about to
take place. Blessed are all they which are called to the
marriage supper. The bride, which is the church, is dressed
in clean and white linen:
Revelation 19:6 And I heard as it were the voice of a
great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the
voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord
God omnipotent reigneth.
(7) Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to
him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath
made herself ready.
(8) And to her was granted that she should be arrayed
in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the
righteousness of saints.
(9) And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they
which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And
he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
The end of the Marriage Supper completes the first
phase of the Lord’s coming, and now events quickly shift
into the second phase. This is the Lord Jesus returning with
this bride/church to defend Israel at the battle of
Armageddon.
The Second Phase of Christ’s Second Coming
Immediately after the Marriage Supper, the Lord Jesus
prepares for war. He is going to leave heaven and return to
Jerusalem and destroy the beast, the antichrist, along with
their armies at the battle of Armageddon. The Lord’s church
follows Him and is referred to as the “armies of heaven”.
His army is dressed white linen.
Revelation 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold
a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful
and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
(14) And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon
white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
The battle does not last long as the Lord destroys
the antichrist and his armies that are gathered around
Jerusalem .
Revelation 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp
sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he
shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the
winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
(19) And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth,
and their armies, gathered together to make war against him
that sat on the horse, and against his army.
The Old Testament also concurs that the Lord Jesus is
returning with His church to defend Israel . Revelation 19
and Zechariah 14 are both reporting on the same incident.
John reports that the Lord is returning with His church
called the armies of heaven while Zechariah sees the Lord
returning with all His saints.
Zechariah describes the Lord Jesus standing in
Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives . At His presence, there is
a tremendous earthquake, which shakes the entire world:
Zechariah” 14:1-4 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh…
(2) For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to
battle… (3) Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against
those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. (4)
And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of
Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount
of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof…
As reported in Revelation 19, the Lord Jesus then
destroys the forces of evil gathered around Jerusalem .
Zechariah 14:12 And this shall be the plague
wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have
fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away
while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall
consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume
away in their mouth.
Zechariah also sees the Lord returning with His
church. He refers to the church as “all the saints.” At this
time, the Lord is not returning to Jerusalem for His church,
but He is returning with His church. Both the Old and New
Testament are clear about this.
Zechariah 14:5 … and the LORD my God shall come, and
all the saints with thee.
The Clouds of Heaven
The Bible also describes a massive number of
believers returning with the Lord Jesus Christ. The usual
phrase describing this throng is the “Clouds of Heaven.” The
New Testament uses the phrase "The Clouds of Heaven" several
times, but it actually originated in the Old Testament.
The prophet Daniel first uses this phrase, and he
identifies what exactly are the Clouds of Heaven. Daniel
gives a rare glimpse of heaven in the Old Testament. The
prophet actually sees events taking place before the very
throne of God. He refers to the Holy God of Israel as the
Ancient of Days. The prophet sees God on His throne, and the
prophet uses fire to describe everything about God and
surrounding His throne.
Daniel witnessed something else around the throne and
that was a countless number of believers. The prophet
recorded the number of believers as thousand times thousands
and ten thousand times ten thousand. This huge number is
beyond calculation.
The Clouds of Heaven then are the innumerable number
of believers who are in heaven with the Lord Jesus and
return with Him. These are the saints that Zechariah stated
are coming with Jesus Christ. The following verses show
God’s throne and this huge number of believers. Remember,
Revelation shows that it is the church before the throne:
Daniel 7:9 ...the Ancient of days did sit, whose
garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the
pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his
wheels as burning fire. (10) A fiery stream issued and came
forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto
him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him…
The Clouds of Heaven then are this enormous number of
believers who surround the throne of God. It appears the
Bible uses the term “Clouds of Heaven” because this huge
throng of believers from a distance appears as a massive
cloud. From other Scriptures, the Bible reveals that the
believers are dressed in pure white.
The Lord leads this massive white cloud, the Clouds
of Heaven. They return with Him and are present when He
establishes His kingdom on earth. The following verses from
Daniel 7 show the Son of Man, the Lord Jesus, returning with
the Clouds of Heaven to set up His kingdom on earth:
Daniel 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold,
one like the Son of man came with the Clouds of Heaven, and
came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near
before him.”
(14) And there was given him dominion, and glory, and
a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should
serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which
shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be
destroyed.
Just prior to His crucifixion, the Lord Jesus was
questioned by the high priest about being the Son of God, He
answered by joining two Scriptures together which were
Daniel 7:13 and Psalm 110:1. He then related them to His
Second Coming. The Lord stated He was returning with the
Clouds of Heaven. The high priest fully understood Jesus was
quoting the prophet Daniel and the meaning of this verse. He
used this statement to condemn Jesus to death for blasphemy,
because this phrase was related to the coming of Israel ’s
King Messiah.
Matthew 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said:
nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son
of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the
Clouds of Heaven.
Thus the “Clouds of Heaven” obviously becomes a very
important term because the prophet Daniel used it regarding
the coming of the Messiah, and the Lord Jesus quoted it to
the high priest.
The Coming of Jesus Christ With The Clouds of
Heaven
With this foundation, let’s now look at the New
Testament and the coming of the Lord Jesus with the Clouds
of Heaven. When Jesus’ disciples asked what the sign of His
coming was, He listed several events. These events include
both awesome wars and natural disasters. Then, when all was
fulfilled, the people of earth would see Him coming with
power and great glory. And, when He returns to earth in
great glory, the Clouds of Heaven are with Him. Jesus
directly linked His Second Coming with the Clouds of Heaven.
All the gospel writers link the Second Coming with
the Clouds of Heaven. The verses from the gospels follow:
Matthew 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the
Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the
earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the
Clouds of Heaven with power and great glory.
Mark 13:26 And then shall they see the Son of man
coming in the clouds with great power and glory.
Luke 21:27 And then shall they see the Son of man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
The Apostle John also makes this link between the
Second Coming and the Lord returning with the Clouds of
Heaven. John, in the Book of Revelation, sees the Lord’s
return with the clouds, and all the people of the earth
mourning.
Revelation 1:7 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.
When studying Matthew 24 and the Lord’s return to
Israel , the two advents come into focus. In this chapter,
the Bible describes horrible events coming upon the earth
with huge numbers of people dying. These are the people who
will be placed under the altar when they die believing in
the Lord Jesus. To those that make it through, without being
martyred and still having never taken the mark of the beast,
they will be saved at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ:
Matthew 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end,
the same shall be saved.
This message is not directed at the church, because
the church is in heaven with the Lord Jesus, and it returns
with Him as the Clouds of Heaven. To those that endure to
the end, they shall see the “Clouds of Heaven” coming with
Jesus Christ:
Matthew 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the
Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the
earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the
clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
When the Lord Jesus returns, His feet are going to
stand on the Mount of Olives . He then destroys the armies
surrounding Jerusalem as the prophet Zechariah stated.
Jesus’ return in Revelation 19, and His feet standing on the
Mount of Olives in Zechariah 14 tie directly together. The
Old Testament clearly maps this out, and the events of
Revelation directly tie in.
John sees more than just the Lord Jesus returning. He
sees the Church returning with Him. He refers to the Church
not as the Clouds of Heaven, but “the armies in heaven.”
This army returns with Him clothed in pure white linen. This
“army in heaven” that John writes about are the Clouds of
Heaven which Daniel saw in his vision. This is the Clouds of
Heaven which the Lord Jesus told the high priest He was
returning with. He is coming back with His bride, the
Church.
The Clouds of Heaven is the glorious Church returning
with the Savior. The Church was in heaven and then returned
with the Lord Jesus to defend Jerusalem . What a sight to
witness, the Son of God returning in His power and glory
with the Clouds of Heaven.
Revelation 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven
followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white
and clean.
God is setting an awesome backdrop to the Second
Coming of Jesus Christ. Either through natural events or
manmade actions, the sky is totally darkened. It is so dark
that even the sun’s light is blocked. There is total
darkness. With this background, suddenly there is an
explosion of light as the glory of Jesus Christ lights the
sky. Directly behind Him are the Clouds of Heaven dressed in
pure white!
Imagine being on earth and seeing this happening. The
entire sky filled from one end to the other with this
massive white cloud, and at the head is the Lord Jesus in
flaming fire, manifesting His glory! What Daniel actually
witnessed was the Church returning with King Messiah, the
Lord Jesus! The verses to show this follow:
Matthew 24:29, 30 Immediately after the tribulation
of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall
not give her light… (30)…And then shall appear the sign of
the Son of man in heaven…and they shall see the Son of man
coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
The idea of the Lord’s coming for the Church is so
powerful that the Bible tells us to comfort one another with
this hope in a time of sorrow when experiencing the loss of
a loved one. The loss is only temporary as there will be a
uniting when the Lord comes for the believers. This is the
blessed hope, the coming of the Lord for the Church and
being with Him forever:
Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the
glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus
Christ.
Looking for the coming of the Lord is the blessed
hope. It is not just a hope, but it is a blessed hope.
Following the Church's gathering with the Lord is the
marriage supper of the Lamb. And, it is a blessing to be
called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.
There is a double blessing for those who are waiting
for the Lord’s return. There is the blessed hope and then
the blessing of anticipating the marriage supper of the
Lamb. All believers should be living with the blessed hope,
and the excitement of the marriage supper.
If these two hopes are not motivating a believer,
there is something radically wrong with that person’s faith.
Living with the blessed hope is one of the true signs of a
believer. Jesus is only returning for those that are looking
for Him:
Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the
sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he
appear the Second time without sin unto salvation.
The Second Coming is not just a doctrine, but it is
to be a living reality in a believer’s life. If this reality
is not in a person’s heart, it is a sign something is
radically wrong. Sin and the love of the world kill the
blessed hope. Wrong doctrine about the blessed hope also
deadens the reality of the Lord’s coming for the Church and
the subsequent marriage supper of the Lamb.
The Coming of the Lord Draweth Nigh
“And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth
himself, even as he is pure.” 1 John 3:3.
The reality of the blessed hope has an awesome effect
on the believer. It is not just the doctrine of the blessed
hope, but it is the living reality that affects lives. This
reality causes tremendous spiritual growth.
In the letter to Titus, the Bible lists eight effects
the blessed hope has on a believer’s heart. When a person
lives with the anticipation of the Second Coming, the
results include: victory over ungodliness and worldly lusts;
sober mindedness; righteousness; godly living; victory over
iniquity; purifying; a purifying process; and a zealousness
for good works. Maybe the weakness of many Christians is
because they lack the blessed hope in their heart. The
Bibles verses to show the effects of the blessed hope
follow:
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth
salvation hath appeared to all men, (12) Teaching us that,
denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live
soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
(13) Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious
appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
(14) Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us
from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar
people, zealous of good works.”
The blessed hope is spiritual life to a believer, and
without it, worldliness sets in and chokes the word of God
in a person’s life. Notice in Titus 2:11-14 the blessed hope
is in the very middle of this admonition to live godly. This
verse was placed there to show how important the blessed
hope is to our spiritual life. False doctrines that do not
teach the reality of the blessed hope rob spiritual power
from believers. These types of teachings create weak
believers because of the false teaching about the Lord’s
Second Coming.
The Bible tells us what to do about waiting for the
return of the Lord Jesus. We are to wait with patience for
His return. Just as a farmer plants his crops and patiently
waits until the crops mature, so we are to wait for the
coming of the Lord.
The Bible also tells us to establish our hearts about
His coming. When a person establishes the blessed hope in
his heart, holiness naturally flows. The Bible leaves no
doubt that we are to focus on the blessed hope and live
every day as the Lord could return for His Church. We are to
live with patience looking for His Second Coming. The
Scriptures to show this follow:
James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the
coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the
precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it,
until he receive the early and latter rain. (8) Be ye also
patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord
draweth nigh.
1 Thessalonians 3:13 To the end he may stablish your
hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father,
at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
The blessed hope is an anchor for our soul. This is
the hope which God has set before us. He requires that we
keep the blessed hope with full assurance until He returns
or we pass away. This hope steadies us during the storms of
life. We are to lay hold of this hope and let no one or
anything take it away from us. The Bible verses to show this
follow:
Hebrews 6:11 And we desire that every one of you do
show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto
the end:
(18) That by two immutable things, in which it was
impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong
consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the
hope set before us:
(19) Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul,
both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within
the veil”
The Bible places nothing in the way deterring the
Lord’s coming for His Church. There is no event which is
required to take place before He descends from heaven with a
shout for His bride. We are to be aware of world events in
light of Bible prophecy, but our anticipation should be for
the blessed hope. Focusing on world events rather than the
blessed hope can hinder one’s faith and often create fear.
No matter what happens in the world, we are to stay focused
on the Lord Jesus’ Second Coming. This is the anchor for
your soul in the time of trouble.
Not Appointed to Wrath
1 Thessalonians chapters 4 and 5 give a very nice
picture of the phases of the Lord’s Second Coming. In 1
Thessalonians 4, Paul deals with the first phase. He
explains how the Lord is going to return with all who died
in Christ, and then they which are alive at this time will
be instantly resurrected. The entire church will meet in the
air and will then be taken before God’s throne in heaven:
1 Thess 4:16,17 For the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel,
and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise
first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up
together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the
air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
This is the Blessed Hope, the Lord Jesus returning
for His church. The following verse explains that believers
should comfort one another with the Blessed Hope:
1 Thess 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these
words.
After finishing the first phase with an
encouragement, Paul then turns to chapter 5 for the second
phase of the Lord’s coming. He addresses the Day of the
LORD. During the Day of the LORD, Jesus Christ is returning
with His church to Jerusalem .
He ties together the expression “times and the
seasons” which is the restoration of the kingdom to Israel
with the Day of the LORD. This is most important as the
context of the 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 is the Day of the
LORD.
After the Lord Jesus returns, during the Day of the
Lord, He will restore the kingdom to Israel with Him
reigning as King:
Acts 1:6 … Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again
the kingdom to Israel ? (7) And he said unto them, It is not
for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father
hath put in his own power.
1 Thessalonians 5:1 But of the times and the seasons,
brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
(2) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the
Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
Paul warns that the Day of the LORD is going to come
suddenly upon the world with great travail. The Day will
overtake the world and none shall escape it:
(3) For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then
sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman
with child; and they shall not escape.
He then states that believers were not in darkness
but were children of the light. The Day would not overtake
the believers, and they should not sleep but watch and be
sober. Believers are called children of the day meaning they
can see, while unbelievers are called of the night. The use
of “day” in verses 4 through 6 is not to be confused with
the Day of the LORD:
(4) But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that
day should overtake you as a thief. (5) Ye are all the
children of light, and the children of the day: we are not
of the night, nor of darkness. (6) Therefore let us not
sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
Because believers are of the light, they are to walk
in faith, love and hope. The hope is the “hope of salvation
which is the coming of the Lord Jesus for His church:
(8) But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting
on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the
hope of salvation.
Paul then states what is the “hope of salvation”. It
is obtaining salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ who will
deliver the church from the wrath that is to be poured out
during the Day of the LORD. The church is not appointed to
this wrath.
Remember, the Day of the LORD is the context of 1
Thessalonians 5:1-11; therefore, the Bible clearly states
that the church is not appointed to God’s wrath which is
poured out during that Day:
(9) For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to
obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
The Lord Jesus comes for His church before God’s
wrath is poured out on the world. The church is in heaven,
before the throne, with the Lord Jesus and then experiences
the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. The church is not appointed
to God’s wrath.
Is it possible that God wants His church to watch for
the coming Day of the LORD because just prior to it, the
Lord Jesus returns for His church? I believe when chapter 4
and 5 are read together that this is the message.
This section of scriptures concludes with a reference
back to chapter 4 and the coming of the Lord for the church.
It states whether we wake or sleep we should live together
with Him, and then adds that believers should comfort and
edify one another. This is how chapter 4 ends!
(10) Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep,
we should live together with him. (11) Wherefore comfort
yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye
do.
Our focus now is to live with the Blessed Hope, the
coming of the Lord Jesus for His church who delivered us
from the wrath to come. We are to wait for Him:
1 Thessalonians 1:10 And to wait for his Son from
heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which
delivered us from the wrath to come.
mercer