Gloriana Hallejuah! He's Coming

GLORIANA! HALLEJUAH!
GLORY! HAIL THE LORD GOD!

Gloriana! Hallejauh! The Lord God is coming. Gloria Alleluia! The King is Coming. Behold the clouds are parting, The Rider is darting. The mountains tremble at His Name, the Seas rumble to proclaim, and the Nations faint. Upon the clouds is One Crowned. He hath endowed mortal flesh with Divine Presence. The God Head who was dead having Risen now doth descend. Our Sins forgiven, His Scepter from Heaven. Thorns pierced His brow, now a Crown of Gold stands most proud. A cross was His Mercy Seat, now a Noble Stead to carry a King. His blood descended His broken body for Forgiveness, His robe dipped in Blood to preform Judgement. His Tomb torn asunder by God's Resurrection Power, the tombs of the earth shall give up the dead in greater wonder upon His Return. Glory! Hallelujah!

I think of a mountain in Jerusalem. On that mountain is a church, the purported place when Jesus Christ ascended into Heaven after spending forty days with His disciples post Resurrection. This mountain is known my the natives as Mount Olivet, or more commonly, The Mountain of Olives. It is the place Christ is believed to have spent his final hours before His arrest by the Sanhedrin authorities, and there three churches there with olive trees that make every pilgrim envisage the scene. Mount Olivet, the place where Jesus chose the cup of suffering that would set free the slaves of sin, the place where after preparing His disciples He was caught up into Heaven, is the same place where He shall come again. The image I used and doctored above feels to me a fitting visualization of Christ's Return. Our Lord wore a crown of thorns during His Passion, and when He returns a crown of glory will be placed on His head. We our told by Prophet Zachariah (not the father of John the Baptist, but prophet whom the Jews slayed in the Temple) that the Messiah will descend upon the Mountain, "Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south." (Zachariah 14:4). The angels tell the Apostles who having watched Jesus ascend into the heavens, mention Christ will return to the mountain they beheld Him ascend up into heaven, "Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.
Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:7-11). There has been a major debate in Christendom about Christ's Return. Some believe there are two events, The Rapture and The Second Coming, the former Jesus will descend As He ascended and catch up all His followers, and the latter known as Second Coming is when He comes on the horse in wrath to judge the wicked (Revelation 19:13-16). I am not going to try and disprove one end times view or other, but it has occurred to me, that Jesus when He sets foot on the Mount of Olives again happens after Jesus comes in wrath, and that what two angels say to apostles doesn't mean Jesus has to land on same spot as Mountain Olivet. Let me make the case. The Prophet Zachariah says prior to the Lord (who is Jesus, see Romans 10:9) shall wage battle prior to standing on mountain that splits in two, ""Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south." (Zachariah 14:4). This is the exact same description as the Prophet and Apostle John, "Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords." (Revelation 19:11-16). Then when angels tell the Apostles "He shall return as he has left," well that could merely be, "Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him--even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen!," (Revelation 1:7); the emphasis by angels could be Jesus coming in same way, on the clouds, not the same place. Jesus does eventually stand on the Mount of Olives as Prophet Zachariah says, but the timeline is different than conventional wisdom:

I. "Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.
Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:7-11).
II. "Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him--even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen!," (Revelation 1:7)
III. "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory." (Matthew 24:30).
IV. Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God (Jesus, see John 1:1-15). The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses." (Revelation 19:11-13).
It is evident that what is emphasized in these different texts and prophecies of Christ's Second Coming is clouds and coming from heaven, not the location of the Mount of Olives. The point is Jesus Christ will return in same way He left (clouds and heaven), not to same place. He does eventually go to Mount of Olives and splits it in two during the war and battle described in following verses:

1) "He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. ¹⁴ The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. ¹⁵ From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. (Revelation 19:13-16)

2) "Then I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus and for proclaiming the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They all came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years. This is the first resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.) ⁶ Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years. When the thousand years come to an end, Satan will be let out of his prison. ⁸ He will go out to deceive the nations—called Gog and Magog—in every corner of the earth. He will gather them together for battle—a mighty army, as numberless as sand along the seashore. ⁹ And I saw them as they went up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded God’s people and the beloved city. But fire from heaven came down on the attacking armies and consumed them." (Revelation 20:4-10)

3) "Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south." (Zachariah 14:4).

A major important detail to pay attention to: When Jesus came into Jerusalem as Suffering Servant and Savior, He rode on a donkey, and He rode from Mount Olivet, the village where the donkey was is Mount Olives, "As they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two disciples. Go to the village ahead of you,” He told them, “and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt beside her. Untie them and bring them to Me. 3If anyone questions you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” 4This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: 5“Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘See, your King comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden, They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on," (Matthew 21:1-7) and when Jesus returns He shall come on a hore (which in those days is war), "Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords." (Revelation 19:11-16) and finally Zachariah tells us after the war and wrath Christ stands on Mountain, " "Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south." (Zachariah 14:4). Here is the revelation! Jesus Christ came from Mount Olivet on a Donkey to become the Sacrificial Lamb and die on cross for our sins, and Jesus Christ shall come to Mount Olivet on a horse and then set foot on the mountain as King of Kings and Ruler of Jerusalem! It thus makes sense why Jesus will first come on clouds and on horse to judge and then set foot on Mount Olivet, for it is that same region that He came on donkey to fufill His mission to save us from sin, damnation, and separation from His presence. From Mount Olivet Jesus rode a Donkey, to Mount Olivet He will ride a Horse.

A clear picture of Christ's Second Coming and Return appears upon examination of the details in each of texts. It thus becomes evident and vivid that there is no confusion anymore for those who picture Jesus descending on mountain and the image of Him coming on a horse. Both happen, but from timeline of events seen in Scriptures above, Jesus first comes with armies of heaven for a great battle, which is in both the prophet Zachariah's words and the Apostle John's apocalypse from Jesus Christ. Thus the confusion many Christians have had now ends, because Jesus comes on clouds (Revelation 1:7) with an army and wages war (Revelation 19:13-17), sets foot on Mountain He ascended from (Zachariah 14:4) and splits it, then He reigns for a thousand years/millennium (Revelation 20:4-10). Then after all the war described by Zachariah and John, and defeat of the devil, The Holy Trinity creates a new heaven and earth (Revelation 21:1-4) and a New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:4-49).

A question many linger in minds of many Christian brothers and sisters, why does Jesus have to wage war for a thousand years and rule in the Jerusalem of this world before bringing the New Jerusalem? Why not annihilate all the enemies, including Satan? The answer is that Jesus Christ must fulfill the Messianic prophecies of David's Anointed who is suppose to rule from Jerusalem forever. Christ when He first came was the Suffering Servant and Bridegroom to die for sin and save us from hell (Isaiah 53, Romans 4:24-25) and refused the Messianic Kingship during His Suffering Servant period on Earth (John 6:15), but when Jesus returns He shall be what Jews have been waiting for, a King (Revelation 19:16). This is why Jesus will not simply obliterate all his opponents, He still will fulfilled the Messianic King prophecies prior to making a New Heaven and New Earth. He shall rule forever as Nathan the Prophet told King David (2 Samuel 7:1-53), and His Kingdom will reign forever because Jesus Christ is both Son of David and Son of God (Romans 1:1-10), Jesus Christ is fully God (Colossians 2:9, John 1:1-15, John 17) and fully Man (Hebrews 2:5-18). Jesus will fulfill the prophecies of God to Nathan and King David by ruling forever in the Jerusalem of today and then New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:4). Just as Jesus fulfilled the prophecy that Elijah must come before Him in two ways, "For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come." (Matthew 11:14) and "Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus." (Matthew 17:3). Notice either way the prophecy is fulfilled about Elijah coming as prophets in Tankh and Old Testament fortold, and also pay attention that these two Elijah explanations are in same Gospel of Matthew and they happen after each other.

Our God and Savior, Jesus Christ shall rule on throne of David in the world we know now, and in world to come. He is coming... and we need to be ready to receive Him. Let us not be caught naked at His Second Coming, "Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is he who stays awake [Keeps watch and is looking forward to His Return]  and who keeps his clothes [that is, stays spiritually ready for the Lord’s return], so that he will not be naked—spiritually unprepared—and men will not see his shame." (Revelation 16:15, AMP+NLT). Our God and Savior Jesus Christ is coming to rule as the King of Kings, and He will rule with scepter of iron (iron has always been war and conquest), and we who follower Him shall get to reign in this blessed rule (Revelation 20:6-7) if we remain faithful to Him no matter what tests us. Amen.