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Revelation 19:7-16

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ

  • Rich Jones
  • Weekend Messages
  • August 30, 2020

The return of Christ is so significant in the scriptures that there are more than 300 references in the New Testament alone. For every one reference to the Lord’s initial coming there are eight references to the Lord’s second coming.

  • Sermon Notes
  • Scripture

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ
Revelation 19:7-16                             
August 29-20, 2020

A large portion of Revelation refers to the Great Tribulation, the seven-year period when God pours His wrath on the unbelieving world. John writes of the Apocalyptic events of those days; both tragic and devastating.

But the Tribulation will end with an event the world has been anticipating for thousands of years – the return of Jesus Christ to rule and reign on the earth in person; the Second Coming of Christ.

Back in the day when newspapers were a thing, they would size the front-page headline according to the significance of the event.  The largest type — reserved for the most important events — is called Second Coming Type.  That font is reserved for the greatest story any newspaper could ever print.

The return of Christ is so significant in the scriptures that there are more than 300 references in the New Testament alone.  For every reference to the Lord’s initial coming there are eight references to the Lord’s second coming.

Near the end of Jesus’ ministry, he came into Jerusalem being hailed as the King of Israel as the crowds with Him were shouting, “Hosanna to the son of David; blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” He was riding on the foal of a donkey, a beast of burden. What a contrast to the Second Coming of Christ when he comes on a white horse with the armies of heaven. What is common between them, however, is that on both occasions, it was Jerusalem He entered.

Jerusalem is called the “possession of peace,” but it has been and will be the epicenter of conflict and of war. It is also the epicenter of future events and it will be the focal point again when Jesus returns. This will truly be the Triumphant Entry!!

 I.  First, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb

  • Verse 6 — John heard the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters, like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.”
  • The end of the great Tribulation is near, Babylon the Great has fallen; heaven is made ready for the return of Christ.
  • But before Christ returns victoriously to the earth, there is an event that will take place in heaven that should be very interesting to all of us because we will be part of it…the marriage supper of the Lamb.

A.  The church is the bride of Christ

  • This is not the first time in scripture we have heard that the Son of God is to have a bride.

 Ephesians 5:31-32 …Because we are members of His body. For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.

  • It’s very clear that the bride of Christ is the church – it’s us! Men typically don’t like being thought of as a bride, but women are called sons of God, so… deal with it.
  • Verse 7 – the bride has made herself ready. This is a reference to the bride’s heart!

Illus – A bride is beautiful, and a lot of time goes into her preparation for the wedding. But the most important part of her preparation is what is happening in her heart, just as it is in the husband’s heart.

1 Peter 3:3-4, Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart…

  • What a contrast to the description of Babylon, the great whore who has chosen the party life and the stuff of the world instead of the offer of life from God!
  • Our heart is of utmost important to the Lord.

 Ezekiel 36:26-27, “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes…”

B.  Fine linen is given to the bride

  • Verse 8 – “it was given to her… to clothe herself in fine linen.”
  • John also wrote that the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
  • The wedding dress is an important part of any wedding. A lot of time is spent finding just the right wedding dress.

 Note: It’s common tradition for a bride to wear a white dress because many believe a white dress represents the bride’s purity, but in fact it represents the holiness that God gives to the bride, the church, and represents the purpose and goal of Christ’s relationship to us and our relationship to Him.  In other words, God gives His righteousness as a gift, and He expects us to live according to that righteousness.

  • We are not saved because of our works, but those who are saved do good works. These are the righteous acts of the saints.
  • I have heard it asked, “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”
  • The “righteous acts of the saints” is what happens when the church puts on the fine linen, the righteousness of God, and then lives that out in their lives.

Illus – We are supposed to change the way we live when we put on fine clothes. My mom used to get frustrated with me when I wouldn’t change my clothes after church. When you’re wearing church clothes, you’re not supposed to be doing dirty things. I used to work with cows for a neighbor. Imagine doing that in the same clothes you wear to church.

C.  Blessed are those who are invited

  • Verse 9 — This is a powerful verse! The invitation is the greatest honor that could ever be extended.
  • We know that God comes to us and knocks on the door of our heart to invite us into a relationship to Him.

 Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”

  •  But the problem is that some people are not willing to come.

Luke 14:15-24 — Those who took the invitation lightly.

  • One thing is for certain, God does not take the invitation lightly. In fact, He even goes so far as to entreat with great passion.

 2 Corinthians 5:20, Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

The word “imitate” in the Greek is “mimic.”

II.  Jesus will Return as a Champion

  • John was in such awe that he fell on his face in worship but was immediately corrected. The angel then pointed him to Jesus…
  • “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” All of prophecy points to Jesus. Worship Him, the angel is saying. We are then drawn to what happens next.

A.  He comes to set things right on the earth

  • He comes on a white horse – the sign of a champion. And the armies which are in heaven were following Him on white horses.
  • Who are these armies? This is the church; we will return with Him.

Jude 14, Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones.”

Colossians 3:4, When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

  • It’s interesting that the Antichrist, the false messiah, comes on a white horse as well as one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse (Revelation 6). But the similarity ends there.
  • The Antichrist comes on a white horse because he is a deceiver. At first it appears that he will be good, able to solve economic and political difficulties. He will even be able to bring peace to the Middle East when he negotiates a covenant of peace between the nations and Israel. I believe he will negotiate for a Palestinian State as part of that covenant.
  • But he is deceiver, three and a half years after that covenant of peace is signed, he betrays Israel, taking back the temple and in fact, he takes the whole city of Jerusalem.
  • So the white horse of the Antichrist represents the fact that he is a deceiver and empowered by Satan, the father of lies.
  • Jesus, however, is called, “Faithful and True.” In Hebrews in says, “He who promised is faithful.” You can stand on the promises of Him who is called Faithful and True.
  • He promises to come again, He promises to never leave us or forsake us, He promises to give peace in this life. He promises an eternal relationship with God, He promises to forgive every sin you’re ever committed. He promises rewards in heaven for the good things you do in this life.
  • He who is faithful and True sits on a white horse and comes again to set things right on the earth. There is so much wrong on this earth, and some have wondered why God doesn’t come and set things right?
  • The answer is found in the patience of God; waiting for the all who will come to Him to respond.

2 Peter 3:7-9, The present heavens and earth by His word are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.  But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as 1000 years, and 1000 years as one day.  The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

  • When Jesus returns, He comes with eyes like flames of fire. Have you ever seen anyone with eyes of fire? I have – my mother; it was that one time I misbehaved.
  • He will strike the nations that comes against Israel in the great battle of Armageddon. Even when Antichrist realizes that the Lord Jesus Himself has come to face him in battle, he attacks.

Revelation 19:19, And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies, assembled to make war against Him who sat upon the horse, and against His army.

B.  He comes to rule the nations

  • Verse 6 – “Hallelujah, for the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns.”
  • Verse 15 – he will smite the nations and he will rule them with a rod of iron.
  • In the Greek, the word here is “shepherd;” He will shepherd with a rod of iron.

App – The idea of a shepherd is so helpful because we know that a shepherd carries a staff and Christ’s staff is made of iron.  But the shepherd is also a healer. If God disciplines, he also heals.

Illus – In that day, healing water will flow from Jerusalem.

Zechariah 14:8, And in that day living waters will flow out of Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and the other half toward the western sea; it will be in summer as well as in winter.

Ezekiel 47:9, It will come about that every living creature which swarms in every place where the river goes, will live. And there will be very many fish, for these waters go there and the others become fresh; so everything will live wherever the river goes.

  • The point of Revelation is to see Jesus. It’s not the revelation of the Antichrist, it’s the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
  • Some Greeks came to one of the disciples and said, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
  • You come to church because you want to draw nearer to Jesus; you read His Word because Jesus is the Word and when you read Revelation, you fall more in love and have deep respect for He who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Revelation 19:7-16             NASB

7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” 8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.” 10 Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND Lord OF LORDS.” 
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