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THE COMING OF THE LORD
WHAT WILL THAT DAY BE LIKE?
After Jesus had paid for the sins of the world, been buried and raised to life again, He appeared to select groups of His followers, from time to time and in various forms during a period of about 40 days.
On the last day of Jesus' physical presence on earth He led a group of about 500 followers to Bethany "...and He lifted up His hands and blessed them" (Luke 24:50). In the middle of this blessing - His arms outstretched as if to embrace every one of His beloved disciples - He was lifted up in their sight and was covered in the clouds of heaven. Gone! The last physical image of their Lord that the disciples had was one of Him stretching out His arms in love toward them, calling out blessings upon them while being enveloped in the clouds.
Some time passed; perhaps hours. Finally, God sent two angelic messengers to tell them it was all right to stop staring up into heaven. They told them, "This same Jesus...will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven" (Acts 1:11). This same Jesus is going to come back to the earth in the same manner in which He left. There will be some additional aspects, however. We are told that every eye will see Him when He returns to earth again. Only the five hundred saw Him depart but millions will see His glorious appearing. "Every eye (not every TV camera) will see Him" (Rev 1:7). How can it be that every eye will personally see His return?
Jesus said about His coming, "For as the lightning comes from the EAST and flashes to the WEST, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be" (Matt 24:27). Here Jesus describes the appearance of His coming. He says it is like lightning that flashes from the EAST and shines to the WEST. We know that when Jesus comes again it will be like His departure. The disciples saw Him with His hands lifted up, He was pronouncing blessings upon His followers and it will be like a flash of light that shines out of the east and toward the west.
What is it that shines out of the east and travels toward the west? Is it any wonder then that the prophet Hosea says that "His going forth is established as the morning" (6:3 NKJV)? David said that "He who rules over men...shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises" (2 Sam 23:3,4).
The return of Christ is a glorious hope of the Church. But for the Chirst-rejector it will be a terrible day. "For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming will burn them up" (Mal 4:1). Yes, Christ is coming to earth again. His return will be like His departure but every eye will see Him. For the unsaved people His appearing will be like an oven. In great glory and an unapproachable furnace of brilliance, Jesus will appear - without warning - and the intensity of His person will consume the wicked.
"But to you who fear My name," says Malachi, "the Sun of Righteousness will arise with healing in His wings;" (4:2). With hands lifted up, blessing His faithful followers He will return to this planet!
Abraham saw a vision of the coming of the Lord. Jesus said that Abraham saw That Day and he rejoiced to see it (Jn 8:56). Some time ago I had a dream that illustrated what Jesus said about His return. My wife and I, along with our son, were on a high plateau on a beautiful summer day. The sun was overhead and the sky was clear. Suddenly I heard a loud noise and turned to look. My son was standing on the edge of a cliff looking downward toward the eastern horizon. In a moment the entire eastern sky lit up like the morning. A brilliant light illuminated the sky although it was about noon. My son did not have to tell me what was going on. I knew. He threw hands in the air, jumped up in joy and shouted, "Jesus!" I do not know if this was the coming of the Lord in the air or His coming to the earth. I do know that Jesus is literally coming to earth again and I may live to see it with my physical eyes.
One day soon - at midday - the Sun is going to come up! At some point on this planet it will be noon when the Son returns. Men will look to the east at the brightest part of the day and see the Sun arising! With the deafening roar of a furnace and blinding light Jesus Himself will appear in the heavens and circle the earth. Every eye will indeed see Him just as they could see the light of the natural sun; except this light will move much faster than the sun. As the sun appears to travel from east to west, so will the Son shine from east and travel around the earth so that every eye will see Him!
With hands outstretched Christ will return just like the angels said to the first disciples. How does your heart respond to this great promise? Do you long for that day, Christian friend? Does it fill your heart with a holy fear and excitement? Does your inner man sigh and grieve because of the evil in the world and the injustice men show to one another?
Or are you a scoffer? Is it foolishness to you? Or does the thought of facing the resurrected Christ seem like facing a nuclear furnace whose flames would comsume everything? For those who know and love Him those arms of love and those pierced hands will exude a healing power. Do you long to bask in the holy light of the Sun of God? Let Him find you expecting His return. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
- David E. Stewart
Jan. 31, 1997