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Behold, He Cometh with the Clouds (Revelations 1:7-20)
I. This is what God himself has said the church will see when He comes.
And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven
(Acts 1:9-11).
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 (Hebrews 9:28).
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
(Col 3:3)
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: butwe know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure (1John 3:1-4).
II. This is what God himself has said that the world will see when He comes again.
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen
(Rev. 1:7).
Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 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
(Matthew 24:29-30).
Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 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 toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south
(Zechariah 14:1-4).
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. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 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. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS
(Revelation 19:11-16).
III. Note the differences between the coming of Jesus at the rapture for the church and the coming of Jesus to the earth to judge the Christ rejecting world and the beast.
A. When Christ comes for the church it will be like a thief in the night, secretly quietly when no one suspects. When he comes to the earth it will be the most public display of power and noise and terror the world has ever experienced.
B. When Christ comes for the church He will gather the saved, when He comes to the earth He will judge the wicked.
C. When He comes in the rapture He will meet the church in the air. When He comes to the earth He will touch down at Mount Olive
(1 Thessalonians 4:17; Zechariah 14:4).
D. When Christ comes for the church He will appear just like He was when He left as Jesus the son of God and son of man. When He comes to the earth He will appear as the most supernatural being the world has ever seen. The very sight of Him will strike terror into the hearts of those He is coming to judge
(Acts 1:11 and Rev. 19:11-16) .
E. When He comes to the earth it will be to gather the saints. When He comes to the earth He will be coming with the saints
(Matthew 24:31; Jude 1:14-15).
IV. Knowing this how should you live & what should you do
(1 Pet. 3:10-12; Luke 21:34-36)?
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, & to stand before the Son of man
(Luke 21:34-36)