Jesus Is Coming Again!

We'll be to Revelation 19 in just a minute and then back to Mark 13. So, there is your road map for the moment, okay? But we're going to look at several passages scriptures I mentioned this morning because there's a lot about the return of the king, the return of Jesus Christ. He is coming again. He's coming again, at the rapture to take his children home but he's coming again seven years later, to establish his kingdom, upon this earth as he promised all throughout the Old Testament in the manner in which he promised all throughout, the Old Testament that he would return as king of kings and Lord of lords and that is what we're looking at, this morning, as Christ explains that to his disciples in Mark 13, about his return.

But we're gonna start this morning actually up on the screen here, with this verse, this this passage from Isaiah chapter nine. So after you found your places there, if you look up the screen, Isaiah chapter nine, it says, for unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called wonderful, counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the prince of peace. Now, who is that passage talking about so far? It's talking about Jesus. He is the child that was born.

He was born Mary laid in a manger on or at least we celebrate at Christmas. He came to die for the sins of mankind. He came to save his people from their what? From their sins and he died on the cross and he rose again but is he finished? The answer is he isn't finished.

He went back to heaven but one day he is coming again and that concludes the rest of the passage of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end Upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. Jesus isn't finished yet. When you trusted Christ, if you have trusted Christ as your savior, you become a subject of the kingdom of God and of Jesus Christ but one day, that kingdom will become a visible kingdom upon this Earth when Christ returns with his saints to establish it to Jerusalem. In Daniel chapter seven, it says this, Daniel wrote, I saw in the night visions and behold one like the son of man.

By the way, Jesus refers to himself all throughout the New Testament as the son of man equating himself with this passage. I saw in the night visions, behold one like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the ancient of days and they brought him near before him and there was given him a dominion and a glory and a kingdom that all people, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away in his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. Now, if you're in Zechariah chapter 14, look at me with me if you would at verse one. Zechariah 14 verse one.

Behold, the day of the Lord what? Cometh. The day of the Lord cometh and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee for I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle and the city shall be taken, the houses rifled, the women ravished, and half of the city shall go forth in captivity, the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations as when he fought in the day of battle and his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount Of Olives which is before Jerusalem on the East and the Mount Of Olives shall cleave in the midst or the middle thereof toward the East and toward the West and there shall be a very great valley. Half of the mountain shall remove to the north, half of it toward the South, and you shall flee to the valley of the mountains for the valley of the mountain shall reach unto Azal.

Yey, you shall flee like as you fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, the Lord my God shall come and what? And all the saints with thee. Zechariah 14 tells us also of the return of Jesus Christ. He'll return his return to the mount of what? The Mount Of Olives.

Okay, look up here on the screen if you would. Acts chapter one verses nine to 11. After Christ's resurrection, forty days later, he did what? He ascended back up into heaven and where did he ascend from? He ascended from the Mount Of Olives and we read this in Acts one and when he had spoken these things, and when he had spoken these things while they beheld, why that would be his disciples beheld.

He was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel which also said, you men of Galilee, why stand you gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven. So, as disciples are gazing up into heaven after Christ who is just disappeared into the what? Into the clouds of heaven.

These two angels, these heavenly messengers show up and they tell them, he will so return in what? In like manner as you've seen him go up into heaven and that is described as we already say in a previous passage in Zechariah 14 and now if you would look to Revelation chapter 19. Revelation chapter 19. Revelation 19. And here we have another description of Christ's return in Revelation 19 and verse 11.

Revelation 19 verse 11. And I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse. He that sat upon him was called faithful and true. And in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire and on his head were many crowns.

He had a name written that no man knew but he himself. He was clothed in a vesture dipped in blood and his name is called the word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white, and clean. Out of his mouth go with a sharp sword that with it, he should smite the nations and he shall rule them with a rod of iron and he treaded the wine press of the fierceness of the wrath of almighty God and he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, what was written? King of kings and Lord of lords.

Jesus is what? Jesus is coming again and he's not coming as the lamb. He is coming as the lion. He is coming as the king of kings and the Lord of lords to execute judgement upon this world and to establish his eternal kingdom. Jesus is coming again.

Now, turn if you would back to Mark 13. Mark chapter 13. And I won't have you turn any place else for at least five minutes. Alright. Mark chapter 13 The first part of Mark 13 through verse 13 which we read a couple weeks ago.

Christ gives an answer to his disciples as to when he would return and when these things he was describing would come to pass. When will these things, his disciples asked him, come to pass of which you talk. Particularly, they are thinking about what? They're thinking about the kingdom. That's what is on their mind.

When are you going? When is this going to happen? When is your kingdom going to come to Earth? When is this going to be fulfilled? And Jesus begins to tell them and to describe what will precede his return.

Jesus told them that leading up to that event, there would be a great deception in regards to particular in particular to religion. A great apostasy led by who? By the Antichrist. He is also referred to and described as the son of perdition or lawless one in second Thessalonians two and he's described symbolically as a beast in Revelation chapter 13. He will come and lead in a great apostasy away from Christ followed by many world crises and a myriad of catastrophes like as the world has not experienced since the days of Noah.

It speaks of famine, death, disease and war, earthquakes and false prophets symbolized by horsemen that we read about last week in Revelation chapter six. But these as it says are just the what? These are just the beginning of woes. You think this is bad. What happens in the first half of what we call the tribulation Is nothing compared to what's going to happen in the what?

The last half of the tribulation. It is just the beginning of woes. That last half begins in verse 14. As we'll read in just a moment. The events described in these verses describe what we have called the seventieth week, a seventieth set of seven years described in Daniel chapter nine and verse 27 and he that is the antichrist shall confirm the covenant with many for what?

One week. Now, when we read the word week, we think about a week of what? Days, okay? A week to us is a week of days, okay? But week in Hebrew is a set of seven, okay?

So, like we use the word dozen, okay? If I said, here is a dozen, okay? Well, then you'd have to ask a dozen a dozen what? Okay, it could be most often when when you say a dozen, what are you talking about? Eggs.

Usually if you say, here's a dozen you would think, oh, they're giving me a dozen eggs because eggs usually come in a dozen. It doesn't come out of the chicken that way but it comes from the store that way, alright? But a dozen can be a dozen eggs. It could be a dozen days. It can be a dozen people.

It can be a dozen anything. In the book of Daniel this prophecy as we studied in detail last week is not a week or a set of seven days it's a set of seven years. And this last set of seven years of the seventy weeks of Daniel is disconnected from the first 69 sets of seven years or four eighty three years. Those four eighty three years concluded with the death of Jesus Christ on the cross or just prior to it at his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The last set of seven years or what we call the tribulation or the seventieth week of Daniel is yet to come.

And at the end of this seventy seventieth week, Jesus will return. At the beginning of this seventieth week, at the beginning of this set of seven years, the Antichrist will confirm a covenant with Israel and with other nations for seven years. And that begins what we call the tribulation period. He signs a treaty and brings a short lived peace from the escalating conflict in the world. He is acclaimed by the world as this great savior.

And eventually, he will take on the mantle of claiming to be the actual savior which he is not. He is an anti. He is a false Christ. He is the puppet of Satan. He is not the son of God.

The son of God has come. The son of God will return. But this man, the antichrist who signs this covenant is not him. He will deceive the world into thinking that he is the promised Messiah resulting in the placement of his image in the temple to be worshiped which will begin the second half of this terrible week called the tribulation. Mark chapter 13 and verse 14 with me if you would.

Verse 14. But when you shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing where it ought not let him that readeth understand then let them that be in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him that is on the housetop not go down in the house neither enter therein to take anything out of his house. Let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. But woe to them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days.

And pray ye that your flight be not in winter. For in those days shall be afflictions such as was not from the beginning of creation which God created unto this time neither shall be. And except that the Lord had shortened those days no flesh should be saved but for the elect's sake whom he hath chosen, he shall shorten those days. Let's stop there for just a moment. We'll come back to Mark in just a few minutes.

So, please make sure to mark that. This describes the beginning of the latter half of the tribulation. Sometimes referred to as the great tribulation. And it begins with this thing called the abomination of desolation. As Mark says, spoken of by the prophet Daniel.

Now, what is he talking about? Well, here we go. Daniel chapter nine twenty seven, he shall confirm with covenant with many for one week and in the midst of the week or three and a half years in he the Antichrist shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease. Okay? During the millennium, I mean, not during the during the tribulation, there will be a temple built on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

Now, is there a temple there now? There is not a Jewish temple there now. There is a Muslim mosque there but the temple is not there. And but apparently during the tribulation, there will be a temple built there once again and there will be sacrifices being made by the Jews. Once again, in the temple as there were before the temple was destroyed in 8070 by the Romans.

There are those who say that there have been drawings made and already prepared for that temple to be built beside the dome of the rock that exist right now on the Temple Mount and that there is room to do that. There are those that say that the timbers and all of the supplies to build that temple have already been gathered and prepared to build it. There are those that say that the priests that will serve in that temple have already been chosen. Now, I can't verify all of that information. But it is reported that all of those things are coming to pass and that temple could be built in a very brief time.

Three and a half years into the tribulation, the Jews will be making sacrifices in a temple on the Temple Mount. And the antichrist will stop it. The antichrist will break his covenant and the antichrist will put his image in the Holy of Holies to be worshiped in place of the worship of the true God. Daniel twelve eleven. And from that time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two ninety days or approximately three and a half what?

Approximately three and a half years. The latter three and a half years of the seventieth week of Daniel, the Antichrist will stop the sacrifices and will set up his image there in the temple. Second Thessalonians two three through four tell us, let no man deceive you by any means for that day. That is the return of Christ shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition. That's the Antichrist who opposeth and exalted himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God showing himself that he is God.

The antichrist will put his image in there. He will require the whole world to worship who? To worship him rather than the true and living God and the true messiah, Jesus Christ. Turn if you would. Hold your place in Mark.

Turn if you would. Your five minutes is up to Revelation chapter 13, okay? Revelation chapter 13 and too many verses in this passage to put on the screen so you can read it. Revelation 13 describes this as well. Revelation 13 and verse 13.

Speaking of the Antichrist and of the false prophet who will be the Antichrist right hand man. It says and he doeth great wonders so that he maketh fire to come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast which had the wound by a sword and did live and he had power to give life unto the image of the beast that the image of the beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed And he caused all both small and great, rich and poor, free in bond to receive a mark on their right hand and on their forehead. This we call the mark of the what? The mark of the beast. The antichrist will proclaim himself the Messiah, the savior of the world will set up his image.

And then he will command everyone everywhere to take upon themselves his mark. Without that mark, they won't be able to buy food. And if they do not have their that mark, their life will be likely taken. They will be marked for death by the Antichrist and many will be slain because they refuse to worship the beast. Fortunately, most of those will choose to worship the true God.

The Bible tells us of them in Revelation that come out of great tribulation who have put their trust in the true and living God. Revelation eleven two, it says this, but the court which is without the temple leave out and measure it not for it is given unto the Gentiles and this is the part I want you to see and the holy city, what is the holy city? Jerusalem. The holy city shall they tread underfoot forty and two months. Now for forty and two months the Antichrist and his soldiers will trample underfoot the temple and Jerusalem.

Forty and two months is exactly how long? Three and a half years. The last three and a half years of the tribulation. Daniel seven twenty five, I think I have that up here. Yes.

And he shall speak great words. This is the Antichrist against the most high. He shall wear out the saints of the most high and think to change times and laws and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of a time. Now, time, times, and then the dividing of a time. That's three and a half years again.

Reference. It references it in days. It references it in months. It references in in times, times, a half time. Three and a half years.

Several different passages of scripture. The latter half of the tribulation in which the antichrist will lead a revolt against almighty God. But not without God's reprisal. Not without God's reprisal and we'll get to that in just a minute. Several things will follow this event when he sets up his image to be worshiped in the temple.

In verse through 20 of Mark 13 back there that we just read Jesus said to his disciples and to those who will read this like us or particularly those who are alive when this happens. Particularly, the Jews that will be under attack, particularly the Jews who have turned back to the Lord. Jesus says to them, when you see this happening, when you hear about this antichrist breaking his covenant and setting up his image in the temple, do not go back to your house if you are in the field to get your belongings. Head for the mountains. If you're up on your roof and in those days, the roofs were flat, the steps came down from the roof usually on the outside of the house.

He said, if you're up on the roof, don't go back in the house. Come down the steps, run for the hills. Because what is about to happen has never happened this way before. The suffering that is about to happen has never happened in this way before. The enemy, your enemy, the antichrist, who is seeking to destroy you, you have never seen an enemy like this enemy.

Before. Run for the hills. Get out of town. Run for your life. Because things are about to get very very bad.

In the verses we read, it says, in Daniel seven twenty five, he shall wear out the saints of the most high. It says in eleven two of Revelation, he will tread underfoot the city for forty two months, three and a half years. The Antichrist will have the upper hand. He will believe himself, I'm sure. To be the victor.

Until what happens. Until Christ shows up. When Christ shows up, all of that will change. In Revelation chapter 12 and verse six, again, speaking to the Jews, particularly believing Jews of that time, it says, and the woman that is Israel fled into the wilderness where she hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and three square days or approximately three and a half years. Three and a half years, many remnant of Jews in particular will flee Jerusalem.

They will possibly hide themselves in Petra which the some hid themselves back in the days when they were fled from the Romans. Once again, to flee from the face of the anti Christ who is seeking to destroy and get rid of them once and for all. In verses 21 through 23, it says this, to them, it says, then, if any man shall say to you, low here is Christ or low he is there, believe him not, for false Christ and prophets shall rise and show signs and wonders to seduce as it were possible even the elect, even the redeemed. It says, if it were possible because I don't believe it is possible and I believe that's what it's telling us here for the truly redeemed and born again be deceived by the antichrist. Praise God.

We are kept by the power of who? We're kept by the power of God and God will not fail. His own. But take heed, behold, I have foretold you all these things. As we read a moment a moment ago in Revelation 13, the antichrist and the false prophet will call down fire from where?

From heaven, from from the sky, okay? The antichrist will recover from what seems to be a fatal wound. They will perform many other signs and miracles in an effort to prove that he is the true Messiah. Jesus once again forewarns the Jews and others in his day, do not believe them. This man is not Christ.

You will know Christ when you see him. There will be no doubt. When he appears, who he is. This man is not him. There are many today, false prophets in this world and some antichrist who claim to be the Messiah, reincarnated.

They are not him. Because the Bible tell us here in just a second, how you will know when you see him. At his second return. And then it tells us that God will pour out his wrath upon this world. Look if you would again in verse 19.

For in those days shall be afflictions such as was not from the beginning of creation which God created even unto this time neither shall be. Look if you would in verse 24. But in those days after the tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, the moon shall not give her light, the stars of heaven shall fall, the powers that are in heaven shall be taken, and then shall they see the son of man. Then shall God pour out his wrath upon the kingdoms of the Gentiles with the antichrist as their head. The seventh seal in heaven shall be broken and God will roll out judgement upon judgement upon judgement upon the Antichrist, his kingdom, and the kingdoms of this world and he will destroy them little by little before he returns to claim it for himself.

Look if you would in Revelation eight. Revelation eight. I'll show you here what I refer to as the seventh seal. There's much symbolism in the Book of Revelation but if you take time to read it and compare it to other scripture, it becomes quite clear what God is talking about here. There are seven seals of a scroll that Jesus, the lamb of God, is breaking each seal on that scroll and as he does, certain things happen on the earth.

Up until the middle of the tribulation, he has broken six seals. Now, he broke the seventh one and it says, in verse chapter eight verse one and when he open hath opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of a half an hour and I saw seven angels which stood before God and to them were given seven trumpets and another angel came and stood at the altar having a golden censor and there was given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne and the smoke of the incense which came with the prayers of the saints ascended before God out of the angel's hand and the angel took the censor and filled it with fire off the altar and cast it unto the earth and there were voices and thunderings and lightnings and an earthquake and the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. And what follows are the seven trumpet judgments in which God will unleash cataclysmic judgments upon this word one after another and will annihilate the kingdoms of men before he returns to set up his kingdom.

The judgments described herein are unimaginable. Several times over these judgments will destroy a third of the earth's population. It will destroy the cities of the earth. It will destroy the food supply. It will taint the water supply.

And man will suffer. Because man has chosen to follow who? The antichrist and not the true Messiah and the son of God. In Joel chapter two, it depicts these also. It says and I will show wonders in the heavens and the earth, blood and fire, and pillars of smoke.

The sun shall be turned into darkness, the moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord come. It shall come to pass that whosoever shall call in the name of the Lord shall be delivered for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance as the Lord has said and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. There is always mercy. There is always hope. And the Lord always answers those who call on him and what?

Faith. We'll save them from their sins and will usher them into his kingdom as we'll see here briefly in just a moment But woe unto the world, particularly those who follow who? The Antichrist. Because judgement of God has come. And this all proceeds the return of Christ.

We read about it in Revelation 19 as the king of kings and Lord of lords comes. Out of heaven is heaven opens up and he comes on a white charger, a white horse, stallion to this earth with his saints. He destroys the enemies gathered in the Valley Of Megiddo, North of Jerusalem to oppose him with just the words of his mouth. And it tells us in Mark chapter 13 and in verse 26. Mark 13 and verse 26.

It says, and then, shall they see the son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. Then, after these judgments have come, after the antichrist has defiled the temple, after the judgments have come, then, Christ shall come and the Bible says, every eye shall what? See him. We'll miss him, okay? There will be no mistaking when Jesus returns to this Earth.

He will come in the sky. He will come with brightness and glory and everybody will know. Some will welcome him. Others have gathered to defy him. Those who defy him will be destroyed.

Those who welcome him will be saved. That is always the case. He that believeth on Jesus is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name. Of the only begotten son of God. Second Thessalonians one seven through nine and to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power.

Bible tells us in Matthew 25 that when Jesus returns, not only will he destroy the armies that oppose him. We'll set his feet upon the Mount Of Olives. We'll enter into the temple and cleanse it. That he might be worshiped there. He will set up his kingdom and then he will divide the sheep from the what?

The goats. And we're told in Matthew 25 that the sheep will enter into everlasting happiness and joy. Reward, prepared for them. Into God's kingdom. But those who have rejected him and chosen instead, the mark of the beast angels.

The question today is the same as the question then. And that is to which group do you belong? Which group do you belong? The day of judgement will come. Christ will come.

Of which group do you belong? Those bound for the promised land, the kingdom of our God and savior Jesus Christ, are those bound for destruction? It all hinges in that day upon this question. What will you do with who? What will you do with Jesus?

It all hinges today upon that same question. What will you do with Jesus? There's a song in our hymn book that goes, what will you do with Jesus? Neutral you cannot be. One day, your heart will be asking.

What will he do? With me? He is coming again. Which side are you on? The Bible says, it is appointed on the man once to die but after this the judgment.

Who is the judge? Jesus Christ. Which side are you on? Have you chosen? The Bible says, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not what?

Perish, be destroyed, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be what? Saved. God came. He sent Jesus to die, to save you.

From this and from eternal destruction in hell. What have you done with Jesus? You must choose. The Bible says, God is long suffering, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. Yes, why hasn't he returned yet?

There's your answer. He's waiting for who? He's waiting for you. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, we thank you Lord for your word.

We thank you Lord that you will return someday. That you will fulfill all the promises you have made. Concerning your kingdom and concerning your people. Lord, thank you for the privilege of being a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ and Lord, I do pray that if there's one here today that is never trusted in Christ as savior, that they might make that all important decision before it is too late. Lord, I pray that you would work in their heart and open their eyes to help them see.

That this Messiah who will come in judgement is the same one who came and sacrificed himself. That they might not have to face this judgment. That they might be saved from it. And Lord, I pray that you would draw anyone here today to yourself that they might come as we sing this hymn of invitation this morning. Have you any room for Jesus?

In Jesus name, we do pray. Amen.