I Come Speedily!

Jesus will arrive at the end of the present age to deliver and reward his saints, and to judge and punish his enemies.   Jesus will arrive “on the clouds of heaven,” as promised in the Scriptures. The coming of the Son of Man will result in the completion of the Kingdom of God, the end of death itself, the gathering of the saints to be with Jesus, the arrival of the New Creation, and the final judgment of men and nations.

Christ's return is essential to the message of the Book of Revelation, and references to this event occur throughout the book. This includes descriptions of his arrival found at the beginning and the conclusion of Revelation.

The Book begins by declaring that Jesus has given his servants vital information concerning prophetic events that will soon come to pass. The seven churches of Asia must obey the things about being unveiled by the Risen Christ, because the time of fulfillment is at hand.

[Photo by Iván Levyv (Mexico) on Unsplash]

The opening words of Jesus echo two passages from the Book of Daniel. However, there is a key difference:

• “But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to king  Nebuchadnezzar what things must come to pass in later days” - (Daniel 2:28. From the Septuagint version).

• “And you, Daniel, close the words and seal the book until the season of the end, until many are taught, and knowledge is increased” - (Daniel 12:4, the Septuagint ).

• “The REVELATION of Jesus Christ, which God gave him TO MAKE KNOWN to his servants THE THINGS THAT MUST COME TO PASS soon. <….> Blessed is he who reads, and they who hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things that are written in it, FOR THE SEASON IS AT HAND” – (Revelation 1:1-3).

The events that were in a distant future for the prophet Daniel and the Babylonian king are now imminent (“soon” or 'en tasei'). This idea occurs again in the final chapter of the Book of Revelation, for Jesus is coming soon (Greek, 'tachu'), and this hope serves to encourage the seven beleaguered churches of Asia.

The ideas expressed in Revelation 1:1-3 are reiterated in Revelation 22:6-7, which adds that Jesus will arrive with rewards for men and women based on their deeds:

• “These words are faithful and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel TO MAKEN KNOWN to his servants THE THINGS THAT MUST COME TO PASS soon (‘en tachei’). And behold, I COME SOON. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book” -(Revelation 22:6-7. Again echoing Daniel 2:28 AND 12:4. Note the verbal allusion to Zephaniah 1:14).

• “Behold, I AM COMING SOON! AND MY REWARD IS WITH ME, TO RECOMPENSE each man according to his deeds” – (Revelation 22:12. Note the verbal allusion to Zephaniah 1:14 and Isaiah 62:11. Compare Revelation 3:11, 22:7,.22:20).

Christ’s greeting to the churches in Revelation 1:4-6 includes an additional description of his return, which echoes Daniel 7:13, a passage used several times in the Book. Jesus and the Apostle Paul also use the same passage when describing the arrival of the Messiah on the clouds:

• “Behold, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS. And every eye will see him, and THEY WHO PIERCED HIM. And ALL THE TRIBES OF THE EARTH WILL MOURN over him” – (Revelation 1:7. Note the allusions to Daniel 7:13, Zechariah 12:10, and 12:12 in the Septuagint version).

• “And behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him” – (Daniel 7:13).

• “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven. And then ALL THE TRIBES OF THE EARTH WILL MOURN, and they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN with power and great glory” – (Matthew 24:30-31. Note also the verbal allusion to Zechariah 12:10. Compare Matthew 26:64, Mark 13:26, 14:62, Luke 21:27, Acts 1:9-11, 1 Thessalonians 4:17).

The final day will mean judgment and wrath for the wicked and impenitent (“the tribes of the earth will mourn”), but this will be a day of rejoicing and glory when Jesus gathers his saints (“He will send his angels to gather his elect from one end of heaven to the other”).

John saw the exalted Son of Man pictured as the high priest of his people in his first vision. The description includes language from the seventh chapter of the Book of Daniel, the same passage that describes the arrival of the Son of Man – (Revelation 1:9-20):

• “And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands. And in the midst of the lampstands ONE LIKE UNTO A SON OF MAN, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girded about at the breasts with a golden belt. And HIS HEAD AND HIS HAIR WERE WHITE AS WHITE WOOL, white as snow. And his eyes were as A FLAME OF FIRE” – (Revelation 1:12-13. Compare also Daniel 10:6).

• “I beheld until thrones were placed, and one that was ancient of days sat. His raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool. His throne was fiery flames, and the wheels thereof, burning fire. <…> And behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him” – (Daniel 7:9, 13).

Jesus ministers in the sanctuary of the tabernacle, walking among the seven “golden lampstands,” and lampstands represent churches. Next, Jesus will send letters to each of the seven congregations of Asia in chapters 2 and 3, which include corrections, commendations, and promises to Christians who “conquer”  – Revelation 1:18-20, 2:1).

Christ will reward his overcoming saints when he returns, and the promises of the seven letters anticipate everlasting life in New Jerusalem; however, wicked men and apostates will receive punishment, including the “second death”:

• “To him who overcomes, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God. <…> He who overcomes will not be harmed by the second death. <…> And I will certainly not blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father and his angels.” Etc. – Revelation 2:7. Compare Revelation 2:11, 2:17, 2:26-29, 3:5, 3:12, 3:21).

• “I AM COMING SOON! Hold fast that which you have, that no one may take your crown” – Revelation 3:11. Note the verbal allusion to Zephaniah 1:14. Compare Revelation 22:7, 22:12, 22:20).

THE DAY OF THE LORD

Each of the three sevenfold series described in chapters 6 through 16 ends with a scene of final judgment, and each concludes at the same moment. The opening of the sixth seal by the Lamb, for example, results in the Day of the Lord, the time when God’s wrath is unleashed on His enemies:

• “And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. And THE SUN BECOME BLACK as sackcloth of hair, and THE MOON BECOME AS BLOOD. And THE STARS OF HEAVEN FELL TO THE EARTH, as a FIG TREE CASTS HER UNRIPE FIGS when SHE IS SHAKEN of a great wind. And the heaven was removed as A SCROLL WHEN IT IS ROLLED UP, and every mountain and island was moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the princes, and the chief captains, and the rich, and the strong, and every slave and freeman, HID THEMSELVES IN THE CAVES AND IN THE ROCKS OF THE MOUNTAINS; and THEY SAY TO THE MOUNTAINS ANDTO THE ROCKS, FALL ON US, AND HIDE US from the face of him that sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath is come; and WHO IS ABLE TO STAND?” – (Revelation 6:12-17. Note the verbal allusions to Isaiah 2:10, 2:19, 34:4, Daniel 8:10, Joel 2:10-11, 2:30-31, 3:15, Hosea 10:8, Nahum 3:12).

The series of seven trumpets likewise ends with the day of judgment. When the  seventh trumpet is heard, the unrighteous are judged and condemned, but the saints receive everlasting life and eternal rewards:

• “And the seventh angel sounded his trumpet. <…> And THE NATIONS WERE ENRAGED, and your wrath came, and the time of the dead to be judged, and to give their reward to your servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to those who fear your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth” – (Revelation 11:15-18. Compare Psalm 2:1, Revelation 6:12-17).

The harvest of the earth is described in Chapter 14. Once again, language about the Son of Man from Daniel 7:13-14 is applied to a vision of John:

• “And I saw, and behold, a white cloud. AND ON THE CLOUD I SAW ONE SITTING LIKE UNTO A SON OF MAN, having on his head a golden wreath, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the sanctuary, crying with a great voice to him that SAT ON THE CLOUD: Send forth your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap is come. For the harvest of the Earth is ripe. And HE WHO SAT ON THE CLOUD cast his sickle upon the earth, and the earth was reaped” – (Revelation 14:14-16. Compare Psalm 2:1, Daniel 7:13, Matthew 13:37-43, Revelation 6:12-17).

Thus, the Son of Man gathers his saints. The counterpart to this “grain harvest” is described in the next paragraph, Revelation 14:17-20. The grapes gathered from the vineyards are thrown into “the great wine-press of the wrath of God.” This portrays the fate of the men who rebel against the Lamb – (Psalm 2:2, “The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers gathered themselves together, against the Lord and his Christ”).

When the Son of Man appears, he will send his angels to gather the nations before him for judgment and punishment. This interpretation of Revelation 14:17-20 is confirmed by several cross-references - (Isaiah 63:1-3, Joel 3:13, Revelation 19:17-21).

• “But whenever the Son of Man arrives in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his throne of glory. And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them, one from another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left” – (Matthew 25:31-33).

• “The Son of Man will send forth his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and those who do lawlessness, and he will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth” – (Matthew 13:41).

The vision recorded in Daniel 7:9-27 portrays both the victory of the saints and the condemnation of their enemies. Judgment is made by “the Ancient of Days FOR the saints.”

Political power is taken from “the little horn” and the existing governments that persecuted the saints, and the kingdom is then given to the men and women represented by the Son of Man – (Compare Revelation 20:4, “And judgment was given for them”).

When the Son of Man arrives, he will deliver his saints and judge their persecutors. Both events will occur at that same time, namely, the Day of the Lord. Faithful saints will inherit everlasting life in New Jerusalem, but disobedient men will be excluded from the city and access to the Tree of Life:

• “Behold, I AM COMING SPEEDILY, AND MY REWARD IS WITH ME, to recompense each man according to his works. I am the Alpha and the Omega, THE FIRST AND THE LAST, the beginning and the end. Blessed are they who wash their robes, that they may have the right to come to THE TREE OF LIFE, and may enter in by the gates into the city. Without are the dogs, AND THE SORCERERS, AND THE FORNICATORS, and the murderers, and the idolaters, AND EVERY MAN WHO LOVES AND MAKES A LIE” – (Revelation 22:12-15. Note the verbal allusions to Genesis 2:9, Isaiah 41:4, 44:6, 48:12, Zephaniah 1:14-15, Malachi 3:5. Compare Revelation 1:8, 1:11, 2:8, 21:6).

The sixth bowl of wrath unleashes the great final battle at the place called “Armageddon.” The voice of Jesus is heard, declaring his soon arrival. This time, he compares his return to the actions of a thief, an analogy found elsewhere:

• “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches and keeps his garments, LEST HE WALK NAKED AND THEY SEE HIS SHAME” – (Revelation 16:12. Note the echo of Isaiah 47:3. Compare Revelation 3:18).

• “Remember therefore how you have received and heard; and keep it and repent. If, therefore, you will watch, I will come as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you” – (Revelation 3:3).

• “Watch, therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken through” – (Matthew 24:42-43. Compare Luke 12:39, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 2 Peter 3:10).

On the last day, all men who chose to take the mark of the Beast are cast into the Lake of Fire, which is “the second death,” where they will join the Beast and the False Prophet – (Revelation 20:11-15).

The Book of Revelation begins in the late first century with the seven churches of Asia, and it concludes with the return of Jesus “on the clouds of heaven,” the gathering of his elect, the judgment of all men, and the arrival of the New Heavens and New Earth.

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[Citations of Old Testament passages in this article are based on the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, the Septuagint (see the links here and here). Text printed in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS represents quotations and verbal allusions from the Old Testament. The Septuagint is represented by the Roman numeral for ‘seventy’ or LXX based on the Latin name of the translation, ‘Interpretatio septuaginta virorum’]

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SEE ALSO:

• One Final Judgment - (Each of the three sevenfold series of Revelation concludes with a final judgment scene that transpires at the End of the Age)

• The Son of Man - (The one like a Son of Man in Daniel’s vision is the source of Christ’s self-designation as the Son of Man authorized to rule the Kingdom)

• Priestly Company - (The 144,000 males on Mount Zion comprise the first fruit of the final harvest, the priestly company that follows the Lamb)

• Je Viens Bientôt! - (Jésus arrivera à la fin de l'âge actuel pour délivrer et récompenser ses saints, et pour juger et punir ses ennemis)