Revelation 1:7–8 7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

• John begins with a word that is often overlooked in our reading, but should instead be one marked with a highlighter: BEHOLD

• John begins with a word that is often overlooked in our reading, but should instead be one marked with a highlighter: BEHOLD

• The word “behold” serves as the Master Sergeant entering a room of privates and yelling “A-ten-shun!” It always introduces someone or something of great importance. The Greek word is idou, and its translation is look, but it is a look with 49 exclamation points behind it. LOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This arresting call to attention is used 122 times in the New Testament. Look!!!!!!!!! At a few of them:

• The word “behold” serves as the Master Sergeant entering a room of privates and yelling “A-ten-shun!” It always introduces someone or something of great importance. The Greek word is idou, and its translation is look, but it is a look with 49 exclamation points behind it. LOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This arresting call to attention is used 122 times in the New Testament. Look!!!!!!!!! At a few of them:

• The word “behold” serves as the Master Sergeant entering a room of privates and yelling “A-ten-shun!” It always introduces someone or something of great importance. The Greek word is idou, and its translation is look, but it is a look with 49 exclamation points behind it. LOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This arresting call to attention is used 122 times in the New Testament. Look!!!!!!!!! At a few of them:

• The word “behold” serves as the Master Sergeant entering a room of privates and yelling “A-ten-shun!” It always introduces someone or something of great importance. The Greek word is idou, and its translation is look, but it is a look with 49 exclamation points behind it. LOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This arresting call to attention is used 122 times in the New Testament. Look!!!!!!!!! At a few of them:

Mt. 1:23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

Mt. 2:9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.

Mt. 3:16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.

Mt. 17:5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”

Mt. 21:5 “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

Mt. 25:6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’

Lk. 24:49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem

until you are endued with power from on high.”

Jn. 4:35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!

Acts 12:7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands.

Rom. 9:33 As it is written: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense,And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”

1 Cor. 15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—

2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Jude 14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,

• This same word appears 25 times in the Book of Revelation beginning with Rev. 1:7.

Rev. 1:7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

Rev. 1:18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.

Rev. 3:11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.

Rev. 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Rev. 4:1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

Rev. 4:2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.

Rev. 5:5 But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”

Rev. 7:9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

Rev. 14:1 Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads.

Rev. 16:15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”

Rev. 19:11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.

Rev. 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

Rev. 21:5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

Rev. 22:12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.

• Anytime we see the word behold, we should say, “OK, what am I to behold? What is so important here that the Spirit of God calls my careful attention to see and note?” Therefore, let us ask that question of verse seven.

Revelation 1:7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

Revelation 1:7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

• He – Who is He? Who has just been described in the preceding verses? Jesus

Revelation 1:7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

• He – Who is He? Who has just been described in the preceding verses? Jesus

Revelation 1:7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

• Behold, He is coming with clouds – Look !!!!!!!!!!!! Jesus is coming with clouds!

• The plain sense of this statement certainly makes sense, but since this statement is flagged for careful attention, we should make certain that the plain sense here is the right sense. Therefore we use other Scriptures to interpret this Scripture.

• The plain sense of this statement certainly makes sense, but since this statement is flagged for careful attention, we should make certain that the plain sense here is the right sense. Therefore we use other Scriptures to interpret this Scripture.

• A quick search online or in a topical Bible for “Scriptures about the second coming of Jesus” brings up a treasure house of verses. Spending five minutes reading through some of them will convince anyone that the Bible has much to say about Jesus coming with the clouds. We will look at some of these in a moment, but for now it is sufficient to say that the plain sense of this statement makes sense in the light of the rest of Scripture.

• In fact, as we study through Revelation, we will discover that this verse is the theme verse of The Revelation. The message given by God the Father to God the Son, Who gave it to the angel, who gave it to John, who sends it to the seven churches and thence to us is that Jesus is coming again. And the next time He comes, it will not be as a helpless baby in a humble manger, but as a Conquering King on a white horse. He will not come as the Suffering Servant, but as the Lord of Lords to establish righteousness in His empire.

• And if we do more than a cursory read of other Scriptures about the second coming of Jesus, but instead engage in a more careful study, we will find that this theme of the return of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God is a recurring theme throughout the Scripture.

• And if we do more than a cursory read of other Scriptures about the second coming of Jesus, but instead engage in a more careful study, we will find that this theme of the return of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God is a recurring theme throughout the Scripture.

• And the truth presented in these passages, taken together, tell us not that He may return, not just that Jesus will return, but that Jesus must return. The Scriptures offer many reasons why Jesus must return to the earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

• And the truth presented in these passages, taken together, tell us not that He may return, not just that Jesus will return, but that Jesus must return. The Scriptures offer many reasons why Jesus must return to the earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

• God the Father has promised that His Son will rule over the earth.

Psalm 2:6–9 6 “Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion.” 7 “I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. 8 Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ ”

Isaiah 9:6–7 6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

• God the Father has promised that His Son will rule over the earth.

• Jesus has not yet exercised governmental rule over the nations of the earth – but He will!

• Jesus Himself promised He would return.

• Jesus Himself promised He would return.

Matthew 24:29–30 29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

• The Holy Spirit, speaking in the rest of the New Testament promises the return of Christ.

1 Thessalonians 4:15–17 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

• God´s promises to and prophesies for Israel require the return of Christ to rule over the earth.

• God´s promises to and prophesies for Israel require the return of Christ to rule over the earth.

Luke 1:32-33 "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."

Zechariah 14:9 “And the LORD shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be -- "The LORD is one," And His name one.”

John Phillips says in Exploring RevelationOne of the most stirring pages in English history tells of the conquests and crusades of Richard I, the Lionhearted. While Richard was away trouncing Saladin, his kingdom fell on bad times. His sly and graceless brother, John, usurped all the prerogatives of the king and misruled the realm. The people of England suffered, longing for the return of the king, and praying that it might be soon.

Then one day Richard came. He landed in England and marched straight for his throne. Around that glittering coming, many tales are told, woven into the legends of England. (One of them is the story of Robin Hood.) John’s castles tumbled like ninepins. Great Richard laid claim to his throne, and none dared stand in his path. The people shouted their delight. They rang peal after peal on the bells. The Lion was back! Long live the king!

One day a King greater than Richard will lay claim to a realm greater than England. Those who have abused the earth in His absence, seized His domains, and mismanaged His world will all be swept aside.

• Jesus Himself seals the promise in verse 8. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”