(Rev. 1:7)
“BEHOLD, he cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see him.” And who is he that is coming? “Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness and the first-begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.” So wrote the beloved apostle John. And another prophet asks: “But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth?” He comes in judgment. “All kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.” “All that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth.” The dead, small and great, shall stand before Him, and from His face the heaven and earth shall flee away.
Friend, do you know the Lord, the coming King of kings and Lord of lords? And do you long to meet Him? Or does His coming wake but terrors in thy soul. The very mention of His name drew forth from that beloved apostle’s heart—though suffering for His name—a glorious burst of praise. “Unto him that loveth us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and made us kings and priests unto his God and Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever, Amen.”
Yes, beloved reader, He who is coming with the clouds, whom every eye shall see, is the same One who once was pierced; taken by wicked hands and crucified and slain. Yet in His death (full though it was of man’s deep cruel guilt and enmity) there was God’s remedy for sin. A holy, spotless victim dying in the room of sinners, giving His life a ransom for the lost; and His blood cleanseth from all sin.
O matchless, boundless, unexampled love of God! to give His well-beloved, His only One, to suffer and to die for rebel sinners such as we. Yea, perfect grace of Christ Himself to leave the glorious heights of heavens above, and to stoop to poverty and shame and death for me and thee. “Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” He came—rejected and despised, refused by man, the object of His love, and was received again to heavenly glory. Now crowned and seated on His Father’s throne, the mighty conqueror of Satan and the grave; there He waits—a Saviour and a Prince—waits to be gracious! And in His blessed name we plead with thee today. Believe! Receive! Be reconciled!
“Behold he cometh.” Oh! hasten then without delay. Flee from the wrath to come. Yea, flee to Him, to Him alone. The coming Judge is now the sinner’s refuge and shelter from the coming storm. He is the Mighty, Everlasting, Rock of Ages.
Hear now His gracious words:— “Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.” Oh, what a friend of sinners! Yea, He is the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep, and whose own precious blood alone avails to cleanse from every stain.