Many of the passages which relate to the appearing of the Lord to judge this earth have a character so peculiarly their own, and differ so widely from those that refer to His coming for the Church, that it seems unaccountable how they ever could have been applied to it. For instance, in Rev. 1:77Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7), His appearing is announced by saying: "Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him." Again, "They shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." Matt. 24:3030And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:30). And, "As the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matt. 24:2727For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24:27). Here, His coming is with clouds; it is like the lightning flash, which spreads from one end of heaven to the other. Every eye beholds Him, and terror and dismay follow.
When He comes for His saints, as related in 1 Thess. 4, He does not come with clouds, which are symbolic of providential power and judicial authority. He is not seen by every eye, nor do we read of any such effects being produced. There is no symptom of anything judicial. He comes purely on a mission of love when He descends from heaven to take to Himself the Bride which He has purchased with His own blood and which He has chosen to be His heavenly companion forever. His concern is with the Church—with His saints, and with them only—to take them to Himself forever, for such is the desire of His heart. He comes as a Redeemer, a Savior, a bridegroom, and every idea is excluded but the fulfillment of the purposes and promises of love. He comes to present the Church to Himself—"a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing., but that it should be holy and without blemish."
W. Ord