Coming With CloudsAccording to Revelation 1:7, it is affirmed that Jesus is coming with clouds. This of course is end time prophecy. The question before us is when does it occur and what does it mean? That is always the question of students of end time prophecy. The prophets wanted to know the same thing. "Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when he testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow." (1 Peter 1:10, 11) We've answered this first question in our previous study of Revelation 1:7, overview. Go to lastdays-eschatology.net/revelation1-7.html if you need to review that section. The first text we'll consider as background for Revelation 1;7 is Daniel 7:13. Daniel 7:13John has in mind Daniel's prophecy of the end time. I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven!..." (7:13)We shall later observe that Jesus made extensive use of this text during his ministry. The setting for Daniel 7:13, is the vision of the four beasts or kingdoms which Daniel saw, the latter of which being the fourth dreadful and terrible beast which contextually is identified as the Roman Empire, with its ten heads and ten horns. This however does not provide with sufficient accuracy the timing of Jesus' coming with clouds. For this reason, some have alleged that the book of Revelation was written post A.D. 70, as late as 96 A.D., a time beyond the Roman invasion of Judea and consequent destruction of the temple. However, the horn (kingdom) of Daniel's prophecy which receives major attention in the text is not the fourth dreadful and terrible beast. That kingdom merely set the stage for the main act performed by the kingdom called the "little horn." The identity of the little horn more accurately determines the chronological setting of the last days vision of Daniel. First, the little horn is both separate from the first three kingdoms, (lion, Babylonian; bear, Medo-Persian; and leopard, Macedonian or Alexandrian kingdoms. Of the little horn it is said that these three had fallen prior to its appearance as the main act of the end time scene, (Daniel 7:8). Secondly, this little horn came up among the ten-horned dreadful and terrible beast, i.e. the Roman empire. Thus, historically, it succeeded the fall of the first three kingdoms and played a major role among the 4th kingdom. Some have erroneously assumed that the "little horn" was an 11th horn meaning it was part of or an addition to the ten-horned beast. But, if the little horn became the 11th horn, then the ten-horned kingdom is no longer a ten-horned kingdom but an eleven-horned kingdom. The test says nothing to support and eleven-horned beast. Thirdly, the activity of this little horn engages in war against the saints prevailing against them until the Ancient of Days comes, the time equivalent to that of the saints possessing the kingdom. Thus, the coming of the Ancient of Days, i.e. Jesus' coming with clouds = the time the saints possessed the kingdom. Hence, the time intermediate of the possession of the kingdom is the time in which the saints are engaged in war. Fourthly, the saints of the Most high being persecuted, are Christians as they are engaged in battle against the little horn or beast. The enemy of the church during the days of Rome and prior to the Jesus' coming with clouds were the Jews. Jesus prophesied that the kingdom would be taken from them and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits of it. God took the kingdom from Israel , an unholy nation guilty of murdering the prophets and Savior and gave it to the saints, a royal priesthood and holy nation, (Matthew 21:33-43; 1 Peter 2:5, 9). Establishing the identity of the little horn as Israel in the time of the Christ and his apostles, before they are destroyed by the Romans, clearly places the writing of the Book of Revelation as pre- A.D. 70. The divinely decreed, shortly to come to pass message of the book finds its fulfillment in the events surrounding Jerusalem's fall. This is the time of Jesus coming with clous.
See more on Revelation and Jesus' coming with clouds.
Subscribe to our Last Times Newsletter
Have a business or product to promote? Learn how to use free Google adwords.
|
