Hi Mike,

Will Jesus return in a ‘literal’ way, so that every physical eye will see Him, or are these passages speaking of a symbolic or figurative return? (Matt. 24:27-31 and Act 1:9-11)

Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it.

J____

Hi J____,

The answer to that question is that, as surely as His own disciples saw him after His resurrection, just as surely his enemies will see him when He sets up His kingdom on this earth. The fact that I have never seen Christ of the flesh will be no more of a hindrance keeping me from recognizing Him than the fact that Peter, James and John had never seen Moses or Elijah on the mount of transfiguration. Peter, James and John recognized two men that they had never seen in their lives. It will be the same with the return of Christ:

Mat 24:27 For 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.
Mat 24:28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn,
Mat 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

According to Heb 12, this ‘cloud’ that Christ returns in is the risen, overcoming elect; “a cloud of witnesses…” While there are many things in God’s word that are symbols for something higher, when the subject is Jesus Christ or “the son of Man,” these words are never symbols of something with a higher meaning. So when we are told that “they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory,” what is meant in this case, is exactly what is said:

“For 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.“

That “cloud of witnesses” is elsewhere called “the church which is His body.” I understand that there is a called ‘body’ which opposes that ‘cloud of witnesses,’ who make up those of the first resurrection. But that ‘cloud of witnesses’ which is the chosen ‘body’ of believers, is not a headless body. Christ is said, in symbolic language, to be returning on a ‘white horse.’ Just believe what is written there in Mat 24:

“… And they [ All the tribes of the earth] shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.“

It will not be a ‘headless horseman.’ This time He will not be seen only by and in His saints. He will also be seen by “all the tribes of the earth.” ‘All the tribes of the earth’ have no spiritual perception at all during the millennium. Yet “they shall see the Son of Man…” and He will, through His saints, “rule with a rod of iron.” This, too, has nothing to do with rebuking in their hearts. Rather, this is a continuation of ‘the seven vials’ (bowls) being poured out on the rebellious flesh that will be ‘crushed as a potter’s vessel’ throughout this ‘1000 year reign.’ Look at what is revealed in Rev 21:

Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
Rev 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
Rev 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Rev 21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.

Why are we told that this ‘bride’ is shown to John by “one of the angels which had the seven vials?” This phrase, ‘one of the angels which had the seven vials,’ is used in one other place in Revelation:

Rev 17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

Satan, the false prophet and the beast are all “cast alive into the lake burning with fire and brimstone.”

Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Rev 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

The fact that Satan is not mentioned here, plus the fact that orthodox Christian doctrine demands judgment upon death, has lead all orthodox Christian scholars to conclude that this event takes place at the beginning of the millennium. It most assuredly does not occur at the beginning of the millennium. The fact that the beast and the false prophet are cast into this ‘lake of fire’ sets the timing of this event at the white throne judgment, “when the thousand years are expired.”

Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

The beast and the false prophet are not “cast into prison” during the one thousand years reign. The orthodox Christians who have been victimized by the false doctrines of “the beast and the false prophet” from Christ’s ascension, are dead and in their graves during the millennium. They “know not anything.”

Ecc 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

During the millennium they are still very much alive, but they are not in authority. They are rather “ruled with a rod of iron.” This is not a Biblical” equivalent for being “drawn to Christ.” This is not the inward working of God’s spirit in the hearts of the inhabitants of the millennial kingdom. This is an outward ‘rebuking of nations afar off:’

Mic 4:3 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off…

“Afar off” is not a geographical statement. Nothing in this universe is ‘afar off’ to Christ and His elect. But these nations are spiritually “afar off.” And as soon as Satan is released from his prison, it becomes painfully obvious just how “afar off” the nations are.

Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Rev 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

That is how ‘converted’ the nations which have been “ruled with a rod of iron”are.

This ‘rulership of the nations’ is reserved for Christ as the head of His body and His elect as his “called AND chosen and faithful” body.

Mat 20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
Rev 17:14 These [ the ten horns of the beast(corporately, the nations)] shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end [ called AND chosen AND faithful], to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands [ called AND chosen and faithful]; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

“The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years are finished.” The beast and the false prophet are “cast alive into the lake of fire.”

“The rest of the dead” means all who are not included in that “blessed and holy… first resurrection.” The beast and the false prophet are definitely not in the first resurrection.

So I come back to my question posed above; why are we told that this ‘bride’ is shown to John by “one of the angels which had the seven vials?” Look at where the Holy Spirit has seen fit to place this statement:

Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea [ no more flesh Rev 17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.].
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

This is “after the thousand years are finished.” So what does that have to do with the fact that this is shown to John by “one of the angels which had the seven vials?” Here is what is so significant about that verse of scripture:

Rev 15:1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
Rev 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
Rev 15:3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
Rev 15:4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
Rev 15:5 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:
Rev 15:6 And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.
Rev 15:7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
Rev 15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

Now ask yourself; what is this ‘temple?’ We don’t need to wonder what this is telling us. The scriptures interpret themselves for those who have been “given eyes to see and ears to hear:”

Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God,
1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

So,”the temple of God” is God’s elect who “will reign on earth.” Now ask yourself; where do the seven angels come from?:

Rev 15:6 And the seven angels came out of the temple

What are we told these ‘angels’ are wearing?

“And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles…”

And what are we told ‘white linen’ represents?

Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

“White… linen” is the righteousness of saints.

There, that is simply what we are told. “The seven angels came out of the temple…clothed in pure and white linen.” So these messengers, these angels come from God’s elect who “will reign on earth.” Now ask yourself, where do these angels get the vials to pour out on the earth?:

Rev 15:7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God,

They are given their seven vials by “one of the four beasts.” And who are we told these beasts represent? What is the higher meaning of this ‘four beasts’ symbol? The answer to this question has been right before our eyes for nearly 2000 years.

Rev 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
Rev 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Is there a commentary in existence anywhere that points out the scriptural definition of the symbolism of these four beasts AND the four and twenty elders? Henry and Barnes and other commentaries tell us that these beasts and these “four and twenty elders” say that they will “reign on earth,” but they do not recognize that this is an admission of the fact that heaven is not a geographical location but the realm of the spirit in which God’s throne exists in the hearts and minds of His elect saints who are “called AND chosen AND faithful. But they cannot see the significance of this wonderful revelation because of the fact that they do not believe that there is any difference between the called and the chosen!

Such a thought is far too spiritual for the natural man. To him ‘heaven’ is up from the earth. It is somewhere out beyond the visible stars. They may not claim to know exactly where heaven is, but the one thing they all agree on is that it is a physical place, with a physical city, with physical streets of gold, etc., etc.. The Truth of God’s Word is that one does not budge one inch to get to heaven. Christ Himself admitted as much when He said, after His ‘ascension,’ “Lo, I am with you [ here on earth] even until the end of the age.” And again, Paul tells the gentile, heathen Athenians:

Act 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
Act 17:25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
Act 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
Act 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
Act 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

If this scripture is true, and I am ‘foolish’ enough to believe that it is, then “God is not far from every one of us… for in Him we live and move and have our being.” How then is it possible that He could be in a ‘heaven’ which is a physical planet, with a physical city on that physical planet, with physical streets paved with physical gold. Just hearing these spiritually immature thoughts put into words should make anyone with the spirit of God within them to cringe in shame and disgust at the thought of taking all the wonderful, spiritual, invisible aonian blessings that we are given, and materializing them away into the physical realm of “the things that are seen.”

Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Putting all these scriptures together tells us the significance of why we are told :

And again the scriptures declare:

Heb 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Now let’s nail down who these seven angels with the seven vials are:

Rev 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him [ The angel of God]. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

This messenger, this “angel” of God, is “your fellow servant” and “your brother that has the testimony of Jesus.”

And again God declares:

Rev 22:8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Rev 22:9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

Angelic spirits are not “fellow servants” or “of your brothers.” It is true that the elect are “as Christ.” But this is not true of the angel spirits:

Joh 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

And once again we are told:

1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

So the angel (messenger) with the seven vials that comes out of the temple (“ye are the temple”) is a fellow servant and of those who have the testimony of Jesus (the elect of God, the called and chosen and faithful) “and of them which keep the sayings of this book.”

So yes, Christ returns to rule with a rod of Iron. But the ‘rod of iron’ is not the inward working that is now taking place in the hearts of the overcomers. It is completely a time of outward worship and obedience and does not affect the hearts and minds of the untested and untried millennial population. Rather, ‘the angels that have the seven vials’ are working throughout the entire millennium, so that “no one can enter into the temple,” which temple we are, until the seven angels have poured out the entire wrath of God upon all flesh. This statement includes all the carnal minds that are cast into the lake of fire.

Rev 15:1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
Rev 15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

I hope this clears up this question in your mind. It is refreshing to see the growth in the things of the spirit.

Mike