“Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen“
Verse five describes what Jesus is in Himself. The latter half of verse five shows what He is to the church. This verse shows what He is to Israel, and the next verse shows what He is to eternity and all creation. This may be an outline of the book: What Jesus is to the church, to Israel, and to eternity.
Behold,
Any time the New Testament uses the word “behold,” an important statement follows. Evidently, the Holy Spirit thinks that this statement about the coming of Christ is important. This is the second “behold.” The first “behold” resulted in a doxology. “Behold” is a dramatic term and means “look at this” (1:18; 3:20; 22:12; 1 John 3:1).
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).
“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” (John 1:29).
I had a sudden and stark “behold” experience a few years ago. I was traveling from Winnipeg, Manitoba to Vancouver, British Columbia, by airplane. My seatmate and I entered such an extended conversation that I did not listen to the flight attendant as we landed. I got off the plane and rented a car. As I drove away from the airport, a radio announcer reported Calgary, Alberta weather. I thought that it was strange that Vancouver would give Calgary weather in such detail. Then I had my “behold” experience; I was in the wrong city!! “Behold” is a word to wake us up. It tries to gain our attention. God wants to direct our attention toward the coming of Christ. This event is of unusual dimension in God’s mind.
He is coming with clouds,
“He is coming” is present tense with a future meaning. John makes an emphatic statement by using this kind of grammar.
Jesus will come two times in the future. First, He will come in the “clouds.” This is the rapture. Secondly, He will come right to the earth. This is the Second Coming. First, He will come “for” His saints (John 14:3, Philippians 3:20; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; 1 Corinthians 15:23), then He will come “with” His saints (Zechariah 14:5; Colossians 3:4; Jude 14; Revelation 19:11-14). We should view both of these events as one coming in two stages. This is the climax of all prophecy.
and every eye will see Him,
Jesus’ coming will be public (Matthew 24:27). He will come in visible glory. At the Second Coming, every person on earth will see Jesus.
even they who pierced Him.
“They who pierced Him” may refer to the nation Israel. Israel will finally see their Messiah come. Israel is in a state of apostasy today (Romans 11:7). What they deny today, they will accept in that day. Jesus will restore the nation Israel to Himself at this time and establish His universal rule over the earth as King Jesus, King of the World. Amazingly, the people of His birth reject Him today.
“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn” (Zechariah 12:10).
And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.
The word “mourn” means to bewail as a token of grief. “All the tribes of the earth” will beat their breasts in grief for Jesus. Imagine all the nations of the earth wailing because of Jesus’ death on the cross!
Even so, Amen
John adds a personal seal to his statement about the coming of Christ to establish His rule. He understood the impact that Jesus will make when He comes.
“Even so” is the Greek, and “amen” is Hebrew for affirmation. John strongly affirms his belief in the Second Coming and its impact on the world.
Principle:
The coming of Christ is the pivotal point of history.
Application:
All history is moving toward a focal point. One day Jesus will break through the clouds, and all creation will change. His coming will impact everything in the world. He will restore the world to its original intent.
