Resolution 2. Revelation of Jesus 66

Welcome to a Revelation of Jesus. In the previous video, we focused on the first half of Revelation 19, which highlights the celebration that breaks out in heaven as the great tribulation is nearly over on earth and the second coming of Christ draws even nearer.

To review, Satan and his earthly Babylon kingdom have done all they can to defeat God’s faithful followers (saints) during the great tribulation, but they have failed. “They overcame [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Revelation 12:11).

This demonstration of “faith, hope, and love” (1 Corinthians 13:13) sets the stage for the marriage of the Lamb. The Lamb’s bride, that is, the whole created universe, including myriads of angels and other intelligent beings, has witnessed the fulfillment of Ephesians 3:10. “God’s purpose in all this is to use the church to display His manifold wisdom to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 3:10).

They are now convinced that humans can be trusted with the role that God designed for them when He created Adam and Eve “in the image of God.” “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God… because the creation itself will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:19-22).

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God created “the children of God” in His own image intending that we would “reign” with the Son of God: “To Him who overcomes I [Jesus] will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my Father on His throne” (Revelation 21:7 3:21). With the rest of the universe now on board with God’s plan, the time has come for humanity to be ushered into the presence of the heavenly family, bringing together every creature in the universe that wants to be a part of God’s kingdom. This will happen at the Second Coming of Christ, when Jesus returns to earth and takes His followers back to heaven.

The Second Coming is such a momentous part of God’s overall plan for humanity that it fills the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation. Even before the great flood destroyed the antediluvian world, “Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all” (Jude 14,15).

The psalmist wrote, “Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; a fire shall devour before Him, and a mighty tempest all around Him. He shall call to the heavens from above, ‘Gather My saints together to Me” (Psalm 50:3-5).

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Jesus Himself promised: “I will come again”, “All the tribes of the earth… will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (John 14:3, Matthew 24:30). The apostle Paul insists “He will appear a second time” and therefore we should “live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age while waiting for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:28, Titus 2:12,13). These are just a small sampling of the many verses that speak of the coming of Christ in glory.

The Second Coming is mentioned in several places in the Book of Revelation, and we will look at each one to see where it fits into the overall picture. But on the Revelation linear timeline, Christ’s return appears in the second half of Revelation 19. “Now [John] saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war… Out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations… and His name is called The Word of God… the King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:11-16).

This picture of Jesus returning as a man of war is not the aspect of the Second Coming of Jesus that we usually focus on. This passage does not say anything about “the dead in Christ rising” from their graves, or about “we who are alive and remaining” being “caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1Thessalonicans 4:16,17). There is no mention of our being “changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet” when our “corruptible will put on incorruption and our mortal will put on immortality,” (1 Corinthians 15:50-54).

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These things and much more will happen when Jesus returns. But in Revelation 19, the focus is on how Christ will return from heaven to deal with the beast, the false prophet, and their army of kings and mighty men. In previous videos we saw that these enemies of Jesus will be “gathered to the battle… at the place called Armageddon,” (Revelation 16:13-16) to “make war with the Lamb,” (Revelation 17:14) by “causing all [of Christ’s followers] who refuse to worship the image of the beast to be killed” (Revelation 13:15).

We will study this in more detail, but first, I want to clear up some confusion by taking a brief look at the other passages of Revelation that mention the Second Coming. I would encourage you to review videos 13, 22, 27, and 41 in which I lay out the distinct sections of Revelation on two linear timelines, showing how events in heaven correlate with events taking place on earth. The Second Coming is included in several of these sections to establish the context and emphasize the outcome of God’s initiatives within the overall theme of the controversy between God and Satan.

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The first mention of the Second Coming is Revelation 1:7: “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him” (Revelation 1:7). In the Chiastic structure of Revelation this section is the introduction, and it introduces a theme that is repeated many times: even though Jesus is doing everything possible to help and save us from the deadly attacks of Satan, many people will not accept the help that He is offering. They will find themselves mourning when they finally see a clear picture of who Jesus really is and realize all they have forfeited by rejecting Him. No doubt Jesus inspired John to include this sad outcome in the introduction, not wanting anyone to miss out on the glorious possibilities revealed in the rest of Revelation.

The same theme is presented in the next picture of the Second Coming: the sixth seal in Revelation chapter 6. As we saw in videos 14-26, the seven seals symbolically portray the first stage of the judgment which takes place in heaven before Jesus returns.

In this phase of the judgment, the angels have a chance to examine the Book of Life so that they can be satisfied that the people God has declared to be righteous are actually safe to be their eternal neighbors. Chapter 6 uses colored horses with their riders to symbolize the different categories of people who will be judged.

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Revelation 6, starting in verse 12, John uses a picture of the Second Coming to present the judgment of the people who will be alive when Jesus returns, focusing specifically on those who have rejected Him. “There was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth and the moon became like blood, and the stars fell to the earth… then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks… and said to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb” (Revelation 6:12-16). This presentation of the Second Coming is designed to correlate a heavenly event, the final judgment taking place in heaven, with the final events on earth just before Jesus returns. I will include links in the description so that you can review the scriptural support for this scenario.

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The third picture of the Second Coming is found at the end of Revelation chapter 14. As presented in the Cosmic Conflict series, which begins with video 41, Revelation chapters 12-14 take a detour from the Revelation timeline to give an overview of the cosmic conflict between God and Satan. This section begins with the birth of Jesus and Satan, the dragon’s unsuccessful attempts to destroy Him. After completing His mission on earth with His death and resurrection, Jesus returns to heaven, and war breaks out as Satan challenges Christ’s right to open the Book of Life and ratify the salvation of those whose names are written in it. The sacrifice Jesus made on the Cross completely overturns Satan’s arguments, and he is cast down from the courts of heaven and banished to the earth.

Satan then directs his wrath against God’s faithful followers through the dark ages, in the present evil age, and finally into the great tribulation. In his final campaign, he unites his earthly political and religious agents against those who refuse to submit, imposing the mark of the beast and the death decree. But in chapter 14, the faithful 144,000, symbolized by three angels, proclaim a final gospel appeal to the world, and a great multitude responds by “keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12).

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With this, the Son of Man returns to earth on a cloud to “harvest” the righteous into His kingdom, and to relegate the wicked “into the winepress of the wrath of God” (Revelation 14:18-20). The purpose of presenting the Second Coming in this section is to contrast the ugly, intolerant, and coercive character of those who follow Satan with the faithful, self-sacrificing character of Christ’s followers, and to contrast their ultimate fates.

This brings us back to Revelation 19. “And [John] saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse” (Revelation 19:1).

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The context is the end of the final crisis, as the image of the beast of Revelation 13, also identified as Babylon the harlot of Revelation 17, imposes the mark of the beast, and the death decree to enforce it. God pours out the bowls of the seven last plagues upon the Babylon oppressors. These plagues are not fatal, but do interfere with the efforts of the persecutors. But then, the final antichrist, identified as the lawless one in 2 Thessalonians 2 and the eighth king in Revelation 17:11, appears and unites the world. He is supported by the false prophet, an American miracle worker who sets up the image, mark, and number of the beast.

Satan the dragon uses the beast and the false prophet to organize the formerly warring forces for the Battle of Armageddon, a final effort to stamp out the saints who are supposedly bringing on the great tribulation by refusing to submit to the mark of the beast. I will include links in the description so that you can review the scriptural support for this scenario. (45-47,52,58-62)

All of this background in the final crisis is very focused on what Satan and his minions are up to. And indeed, chapters 16-19 have very little to say about the saints. This is in marked contrast to the rest of Revelation, where the faithful saints are second only to Jesus as the focus of the story. The Seven Churches are all about the trials and victories of the Church through the centuries of the Christian era.

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The seven seals give equal treatment to the faithful and the unfaithful as they are evaluated in the judgment. The Seven Trumpets present attacks by Satan, his demons, and his earthly armies as the bottomless pit is opened, but give equal time to the ministry of God’s faithful ambassadors, the two witnesses, who carry the gospel to the world in the last days.

The cosmic conflict presents the damage Satan has done through history as well as his plans for the final events. But it also presents the ministry of the 144,000, bringing God’s final worldwide invitation to salvation, which results in the conversion of the great multitude, ensuring Satan’s ultimate defeat.

In contrast, the only explicit mention of the faithful followers of Jesus in the final crisis is at the very beginning where they are pictured on the sea of glass, having had “victory over the beast” and singing “the song of Moses” as the seven angels come out of the temple with “the seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God” (Revelation 15:7). So it is fair to ask, where are they, and what are they doing during the final crisis?

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To answer this question, I want to refer you back to video 57. There we saw that when God’s final invitation has been delivered to the world, and the momentous events of the first half of the great tribulation have brought everyone on earth to a decision about accepting or rejecting the salvation Jesus is offering, the time for deciding will end. This point in time, sometimes called the close of probation, is not arbitrary, but is based on God’s recognition that there is nothing more that He can do to bring anyone else to repentance.

The most effective presentation of the gospel has been given to the whole world, and there is no one else willing to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. God’s faithful followers are secure in their decision to follow Jesus, and the rest of the world’s inhabitants are defiantly locked in their decision to reject Him.

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We see this clearly during the seven last plagues. God in His mercy makes a clear distinction between those who follow Him and those who do not; the sores and other plagues “came upon the people who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image” (Revelation 16:2). But over and over they double down in their rebellion; three times, in response to a new and escalating plague, “they blasphemed the name of God… and they did not repent” (Revelation 16:9,11,21).

This is a time when everyone on earth gets a chance to show the whole universe where their allegiance really is. These decisions are underlined by one of the most solemn announcements in the whole Bible, “He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still. And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me” (Revelation 22:11,12).

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During this brief period, as the unrepentant are still determined to destroy God’s faithful followers, God will protect the saints, first by hiding them in His “secret place” during the seven last plagues, and finally by rescuing them with “the brightness of His coming.” Revelation 19 presents the Second Coming as a military mission to overcome those who are bent on harming the followers of Jesus. “[John] saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called… ‘the Word of God.’ Out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations” (Revelation 19:11-16).

This shocking outcome is described in gruesome terms as “the supper of the Great God” (Revelation 19:17). “John saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, ‘Come and gather together for the supper of the Great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great” (Revelation 19;17,18).

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What a contrast this is to “the marriage supper of the Lamb” that we studied in the previous video! In that supper, those who had been faithfully watching and waiting for the return of the master are unbelievably honored to be seated with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the Master Himself serves them.

But in the “supper of the great God,” those who have stubbornly refused the offer of salvation face the fearsome prospect of being themselves the main course for the birds and beasts that will feast upon them! Their final fate shows that in its eternal results, sin is the great equalizer. In this life, there is a vast gulf between the honor and homage bestowed upon “kings… captains, and mighty men” and the contempt and dishonor shown to the “small and slaves.” But they will all be equal in the bellies of the birds.

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Jesus mentioned this slaughter in conjunction with His Second Coming, comparing it with the days of Noah before the great flood. People were obsessed with eating, drinking, getting married, and the affairs of everyday life, ignoring Noah’s warnings and oblivious to the danger that was approaching. Finally, the door to the ark was closed, it started raining, and the flood came and swept them away.

At the end of time, people will likewise be occupied with entertainment, the problems of life, everything except for Jesus, until the overwhelming events of the great tribulation crash down and sweep them away to destruction. Jesus concluded, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather” (Luke 17:26-37, Matthew 24:36-44).

The evidence is mounting all around us that we are on the verge of the momentous events that we have reviewed in this video, culminating with the Second Coming of Christ. More than ever before, now is the time to “abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming” (1 John 2:28).

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Besides the video series, I have also written a book called “A Revelation of Jesus” which has additional details.