PONDERING... The Greeting Part 2: An Awful Return (Revelation 1:7-8)

The Greeting Part 2: An Awful Return

GIST: Because Jesus is coming back physically and magnificently, the world will mourn and weep, but we don't have to forever. 

SCRIPTURE: Revelation 1:7-8

7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

     When we hear the word "awful" today, it carries the distinct connotation of something terrible. This hasn't always been the case. In fact, there was a time when this was only a secondary definition. Check out how Noah Webster defined it in 1828:

"1. That strikes with awe; that fills with profound reverence; as the awful majesty of Jehovah.
2. That fills with terror and dread; as the awful approach of death."

     Both of these definitions are still in our dictionary today, but being "full of awe and reverence" has slid down to like the 7th or 8th definition on the list. Yes, this is a bit of an English nerd moment. (I'm done. Thank you for bearing with me.) Nonetheless, it fits right in with the passage here. Jesus is returning, and it will be awful in the full denotative sense of the word.

1. Jesus is coming back physically and magnificently. 

"Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him,"

     The are many similar references in the New Testament to what is sometimes called Jesus' bodily return (meaning He will be returning physically, not just spiritually). I just want to point out two real quick. Matthew 24:30 is almost identical to this passage. As Jesus tells His disciples about the end times, He says: "Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, 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." Then in Acts 1:9-11, we see, "9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”"

     Why point this out? There are those who doubt or deny the physical return of Christ because it has not happened yet, or because they reject His existence altogether. Peter warned us this would happen, as it was happening even in his day. He says it better than I ever could, so just chew on this for a second. Yes, it's a longer quote, but it is worth your time, I promise.

"9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells." 2 Peter 3:9-13

     Jesus is coming back. His delay is grace--that more will be saved! And when He returns, it will be quick and astonishing. Every eye will see Him. This is not a localized return, or a secret coming. He will appear in the sky in such a way that only God can, and the entire world will see Him. You cannot ignore Jesus now, no matter how hard you try. To live a life of integrity means to take seriously His claims to be God and the only path to salvation. Even if you choose to reject Him even in the face of this, you can't just ignore Him. Still, people try. But when He returns, there will be no ignoring Him. He will return physically and magnificently (see also Philippians 2:9-11, and Romans 14:10-12.)

2. And the world will weep.

"even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen."

     And here we see the other side of awful. Jesus' return will be amazing. Every one will see Him coming on the clouds. Yet, the world will weep. Why? I think this "even those who pierced Him" line is significant. This refers to...everyone. Let's just put this into context. Why did Jesus die?

4 Surely he has borne our griefs

and carried our sorrows;

yet we esteemed him stricken,

smitten by God, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,

and with his wounds we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray;

we have turned—every one—to his own way;

and the Lord has laid on him

the iniquity of us all. -Isaiah 53:4-6

Everyone

     We are all the ones who pierced Him. The whole world will see the one who died because of them. This will lead to tears of sorrow. Like what we see in Zechariah 12:10 "10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn."

The Lost

     However, some tears will be intensified, which I think is implied by the "wailing". This group also includes those who have rejected Him. Not only did He die for them, but they have disdained His death and refused to accept His forgiveness. Living under the lie that this world was all about them, they will be faced with the awful Truth, and they will wail.
     Of course, this also implies judgment. In several places, Hell is described as a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Nonetheless, this is not a wailing of remorse, but guilt and bitterness. It is important to remember, people do not go to Hell because they wanted Jesus, but some how messed up. People go to Hell because they willingly rejected Him.

Even so, Amen.

     This little phrase might seem thrown in here, but it is significant. Because of modern usage, I think the ESV is a little confusing here. When we say "even so", we mean despite whatever else might have been said or done. However, the Greek word being used here has the same meaning as the Hebrew, Amen: It is True. (Holman: This is Certain., NASB: So it is to be.) Therefore, to both the Jew and the gentile, the whole world, this is true. Jesus is coming. The world will weep.

3. But we don't have to forever. 

"11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;

you have loosed my sackcloth

and clothed me with gladness,

12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.

O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!" 

-Psalm 30:11-12

     We will weep when we see Jesus because our hands are guilty. However, that does not have to be our eternal state. Look at the last line here real quick.

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

     This is an affirmation of His eternity and control. When Jesus returns, people will mourn and weep. Those who have failed to acknowledge this power and glory, will continue to do so for eternity in Hell. They have lived for themselves rather than God. But, we don't have to continue to mourn, or tremble. We can be weeping in relief and exultation...if we know Him. If we're His. And we can say with John at the end of the book, "Come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20b). Our mourning will be turned to joy, as He will wipe away every tear from our eyes!

Consider these lines from the famous hymn, It is Well with My Soul:


My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!—
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.