| Christ's Second Comings "In the Clouds" [The following is taken from The Seven Times and the Latter Days.] |
Among all the facets of end-of-the-age prophecy, no single topic is more discussed than the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Here is a fairly extensive look at many of the most often-quoted and debated prophecies about that event. In a number of parables, Jesus spoke of his going to heaven and his later return. Probably the shortest and simplest parable was this statement recorded by Luke: A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. Luke 19:12 "Letting the Bible interpret the Bible," we find three different passages -- two in Daniel, one in Revelation -- that describe the time and the place in which Christ receives his kingdom in "the far country," heaven. The two passages from Daniel were partly quoted on pp. 7-8. Only the second, more important one will be cited here, with key phrases italicized: I beheld till the thrones were cast down [set in place], and 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. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: . . .the judgment was set, and the books were opened. . . 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. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him: him dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 The second capitalized phrase above ("there was given him dominion") fulfills the first part of Luke 19:12 ("receive for himself a kingdom"), as does the second capitalized phrase in this parallel passage from the book of Revelation: [A] throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. . . . And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices. . . And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the back side, sealed with seven seals. . . . And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. . . . [And] lo, in the midst of the throne. . .stood a Lamb as it had been slain. . . And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. . . . I heard the voice of many angels. . .saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and bless-ing. . .for ever and ever. . . . The Lamb. . .is Lord of lords, and King of kings. . . Revelation 4:2-3,5; 5:1,3,6-7,11-13; 17:14 In both passages, the Lamb (Son of man: Christ) came before the throne. Daniel states a key phrase: "The Son of man came with the clouds of heaven." These words were quoted by Jesus, and were the direct cause of his condemnation by the Jews, and thus for his subsequent crucifixion: [T]he high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, . . . Ye have heard the blasphemy; What think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death. Mark 14:61-64 (Matthew 26:63-66) But Jesus also spoke of the "clouds of heaven" in the famous parallel passages of Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, when he gave his long prophetic synopsis of the End of the Age. He spoke his prophecy in response to his disciples' question, "What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the age?" -- and they were clearly asking him about earthly events. The Lord told them his coming would be preceded by great wars among ethnic groups and nations, great earthquakes, famines, persecutions, and false Christs. Then, In those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.* And then shall they see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.** And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.*** Mark 13:24-27 (Cf. Matt. 24:29-31; Luke 21:25-27) * Cf. Revelation 6:12-14: "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth. . .and the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together. . ." ** Rev. 6:15-17: "And [the people on Earth]. . .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?" *** Rev. 7:9f. Paul also used this key phrase when he prophesied about the Rapture: We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede them which are asleep [in death]. 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. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 Two important distinctions can be made between the above verses about Christ's coming in the clouds, and the two similar descriptions given in Daniel and Revelation. First, Daniel and Revelation describe Christ coming to receive power; in contrast, the latter passages show that he has by then received power. Second, the former passages take place in heaven, while the latter involve both heaven and Earth -- although Christ himself remains "in the air," that is, in the spiritual world. Continue Return to index |