BIOLA RADIO PROPHECY MESSAGE
by Dr. Ralph L. Keiper
THEY SHALL SEE HIM
A s we study the second coming of Christ we come to the realization that His return is actually in two phases. He will first come in the air to receive His own, the Church, those who have been redeemed through this age of grace. The second phase is when our Lord Jesus Christ comes to the earth visibly. His coming will be glo rious. Whereas in the first place He is not seen by unbelievers, in the sec ond He will be physically upon the earth, and every eye shall see Him. One of the important pivotal points of prophecy deals with the Lord’s com ing for Israel. This race of people has been unquestionably the most perse cuted nation on the face of the earth. The people have been hated, cursed and killed. In fact, attempts have been made to annihilate them completely. How is it that a nation, suffering such great trials, has been able to endure? The only answer is found in the Word of God. The Lord is always faithful to His promise in that, in this case, He would preserve Israel through all of its vicissitudes until the day when she would finally be redeemed, brought back to her land, fully restored, de livered from her enemies, and forever secure in the presence of Almighty God. Let us clearly understand that this event is going to occur when the Lord Jesus Christ returns not to the air, but to the earth. This was John’s revelation, “Behold he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen” (Reve lation 1:7). Christ’s coming to this earth will not be quiet or silent. He will not come mysteriously, but He will come openly. There is not an eye which will overlook Him. He will be the glorified, majestic Messiah. However, they will see the marks of crucifixion upon Him. But the signs of His suffering will not
bring joy as they do for us. They will bring sadness. As a matter of fact, they will wail and mourn. Who will be do ing this on this glorious day? The text says every kindred of the earth. The wailing will be caused by the fact that they have rejected a Saviour whom they must now meet as Judge. They could have known the joy of being on their way to heaven, delivered from a Chnstless hell, but they were indif ferent to the opportunity. In rejecting the Word of God, they rejected the light that was within them. How wonderful to realize that you and I do not need to meet the Lord Jesus in this manner for we can know Him now as our Saviour, and thereby never face Him as judge. In Zechariah 12:10, we read these in teresting words, “And I will pom- up on the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one moumeth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first born.” The Old Testament prophets point out, that those who killed the Messiah are none other than the house of Israel. Now, this does not indicate that Israel was responsible for our Lord Jesus Christ’s going to the cross, as some erroneously think. God allowed this to take place in His great wisdom, mercy, love and grace. John 3:16 and abundant other passages reveal this fact. The Jews were in their day look ing for one who would deliver them from the political powers and bondage of Rome and of the other governments which were oppressing them. The dream world of Israel, which they have envisioned throughout the cen turies will come to pass. With our Lord as sovereign over all, righteous ness shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea, and they will know 14
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