Cecil A. Fayard
Elliott Baptist Church
October 10, 2004
The Second Advent of Christ
Jude 14 - Revelation 19:11-21
INTRO: In the little book of Jude verse 14, we read: “Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints.”
Nearly two thousand years ago, the Lord Jesus Christ stood upon the Mount of Olives after He had risen from the dead, after He had been seen by the disciples, and after “He was seen of above five thousand brethren at once” (I Cor 15:6a).
Christ stood on the Mt. of Olives and Luke says: “He lifted up His hands and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed the, He was parted from then, and carried up into heaven” (24:50-51).
In Acts 1:10-11, we have a beautiful picture of our Lord’s ascent into heaven from the Mt of Olives.
Friends, at the end of the seven year tribulation period, the Lord Jesus Christ will descend from heaven and once again set foot on the Mt of Olives as the angels had promised. Zechariah 14:4 prophecies this great event.
We want to turn to Revelation 19:11-21 and get a full length picture of our Lord’s return.
I. VSS 11-16, THE BODILY RETURN OF CHRIST TO THE EARTH AS KING OF KINGS
A. Vs 11, Jesus Christ comes out of heaven riding upon a white horse.
1. This house is a war horse, a charger.
a. White is an emblem of the riders spotless character, of His purity, of His unscarred holiness.
b. Jesus is not seated on a donkey as we saw during His first advent. When He comes to earth the second time, He will not come as the meek and lowly one. He will come to subdue wickedness, to destroy evil doers, to overthrow the Anti-Christ, and to remove Satan from the earth. He’s not on a donkey; He’s on a charger (Psa 45:2-6).
2. He is coming as the “Faithful and True” one.
a. Faithful to all His promises.
b. True to His threatening.
c. Today, men reject the Word of God; they reject the threatenings of judgment against them as unbelievers. One day the world will see that He is faithful to His Word. He will come again and execute judgment.
3. He is coming to “judge.”
a. The first time Christ came He came to seek the lost, to save the lost (John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world....”).
b. He came the first time in grace. Now at the end of the tribulation, He comes in righteous judgment.
4. He is coming to “make war.”
a. The first time, He ministered to the needy, fed the hungry, healed the sick.
b. The first time He came He invited the heavy laden to come to Him and rest, “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden...”
c. When He comes to the earth the second time, all of this is changed.
1.) He will come to make war riding on a charger.
2.) He will come with the deliberate purpose of shedding the blood of His enemies.
B. Vs 12, Flaming eyes and many crowns.
1. He is coming with flaming eyes.
a. At His first advent, His eyes glowed with compassion and tenderness. Christ wept at the grave of Lazarus, and He wept over Jerusalem which rejected Him.
b. At His second advent, His eyes flash with a flame of fire. His anger is aroused. His eyes “Shall pierce through every veil of hypocrisy and scorch into the very souls of His enemies” (Pink 249).
2. He is coming with many crowns upon His head.
a. Once His head was crowned with thorns, the symbol of the curse.
b. Now He comes crowned with glory and honor.
c. He comes here, not as a sufferer but as conqueror.
d. “Many crowns” is a picture of His universal sovereignty— King of Kings.
3. He is coming with a name known only to Him.
a. His person is incomprehensible. In scripture, names express nature.
b. There are depths in Christ that no finite mind can grasp.
C. Vs. 13, He comes wearing a vesture dipped in blood.
1. Once His blood stained His own raiment, now it is the blood of others on His vesture. He was lifted up that men might shed His blood; now He comes to shed their blood.
2. He is coming as the Word of God.
a. This title connects the two advents.
1.) In John 1:14, we read of His first advent: “The Word became flesh....”
2.) Now, the Word comes riding a white charger. He comes as God. John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with god, and the Word was God.”
D. Vs 14, Remember Jude 14 says, “The Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints.” Friends, believers will follow our Lord to battle.
1. We will follow our captain.
2. Because we shall be like Him, we will share His feelings as He comes to make war.
E. Vs 15, The Lord comes to smite the nations.
1. He comes with a sword.
a. He came the first time to save.
b. When He comes the second time, He will come to slay men physically by the Sword.
2. He will come to rule with “a rod of iron.”
a. When Christ returns to earth, He will not invite voluntary allegiance; He will compel obedience.
b. All opposition will be put down. Enemies will be subdued.
3. He comes to tread “the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.”
a. This fulfills (Isa 63:1-6).
b. So dreadful will be this treading, that blood will be to the horses bridles (Rev 14:20).
F. Vs 16, He will come as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
1. All earthly power collapses and withers at His sight.
2. Jesus will rule from the throne of David in Jerusalem for 1,000 years.
II. VSS 17-18, THE BIRDS GATHERED FOR THE SUPPER OF GOD
A. Vs 17, An angel will stand in the sun and will invite the fowls to come to the feast of God. They come from all over the earth. (ILL: blackbirds, gulls).
B. Vs 18, He comes to overthrow the armies of the world who come against Jerusalem.
1. “Flesh, flesh, flesh, flesh, flesh! Five times over! They chose to walk after the flesh spiritually and now their flesh must be devoured literally!” (Newell 312).
2. The birds will feast on those who despised the invitation to the marriage supper.
a. Have you despised the invitation?
b. Today is the day of salvation.
III. VSS 19-21, THE OVERTHROW OF THE ANTI-CHRIST & HIS ARMIES
A. Vs 19, The armies of the whole earth will come against the people of God.
B. Vs 20, Christ comes to overthrow the beast and false prophet.
1. The order is given and these evil leaders are arrested.
2. They are “cast alive” — this means in a body into the fire of hades. One thousand years later, two men in human bodies, will still be in the lake of fire (Rev 20:10).
C. Vs 21, The remnant are slain by Christ and the fowls eat their supper.
CONCLUSION: In Rev 20:1-3, we see that Satan is bound for 1,000 years. Are you ready for eternity?
For additional copies of the sermon CD's, please contact the church office:
Elliott
Baptist Church
566 Nat G. Troutt Road
Elliott, Mississippi 38901
Phone: 662-226-4425
Pastors Email: cecilafayard@msn.com