260. The Coming With The Clouds.

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. Even so, Amen. - Revelation 1:7.

THE doxology which precedes our text is most glorious.

It runs well in the Revised Version: "To him that loved us and loosed us?

Keeping to our Authorized Version, we can get the alliteration by reading "loved us and laved us."

To him who has made us kings, is himself a King, and is coming into his kingdom; to him be glory.

Our adoration is increased by our expectation. "He cometh."

Our solemnity in praise is deepened by the hope that our expectation will be speedily realized. The coming is in the present tense.

John, who once heard the voice, "Behold the Lamb of God!" now utters the voice, "Behold, he cometh!"

I. OUR LORD JESUS COMES.

1. This fact is worthy of a note of admiration— "Behold!"

2. It should be vividly realized till we cry, "Behold, he cometh!"

3. It should be zealously proclaimed. We should use the herald's cry, "Behold!"

4. It is to be unquestioningly asserted as true. Assuredly he cometh.

· It has been long foretold. Enoch. Jude 14.

· He has himself warned us of it. "Behold, I come quickly!"

· He has made the sacred supper a token of it. "Till he come."

· What is to hinder his coming? Are there not many reasons for it?

5. It is to be viewed with immediate interest.

· "Behold!" for this is the grandest of all events.

· "He cometh;' the event is at the door.

· "He," who is your Lord and Bridegroom, comes.

· He is coming even now, for he is preparing all things for his advent, and thus may be said to be on the road.

6. It is to be attended with a peculiar sign: "with clouds—"

The clouds are the distinctive tokens of his Second Advent.

· The tokens of the divine presence. "The dust of his feet."

· The pillar of cloud was such in the wilderness.

· The emblems of his majesty.

· The ensigns of his power.

· The warnings of his judgment. Charged with darkness and tempest are these gathered clouds.

II. OUR LORD'S COMING WILL BE SEEN Of ALL.

1. It will be a literal appearance. Not merely every mind shall think of him, but "Every eye shall see him."

2. It will be beheld by all sorts and kinds of living men.

3. It will be seen by those long dead.

4. It will be seen by his actual murderers, and others like them.

5. It will be manifest to those who desire not to see the Lord.

6. It will be a sight in which you will have a share.

Since you must see him, why not at once look to him and live?

III. HIS COMING WILL CAUSE SORROW. "All kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him."

1. The sorrow will be very general. "All kindreds of the earth."

2. The sorrow will be very bitter. "Wail."

3. The sorrow proves that men will not be universally converted.

4. The sorrow also shows that men will not expect from Christ's coming a great deliverance.

· They will not look to escape from punishment.

· They will not look for Annihilation.

· They will not look for Restoration.

· If they did so, his coming would not cause them to wail.

5. The sorrow will in a measure arise out of his glory, seeing they rejected and resisted him. That glory will be against them.

6. The sorrow will be justified by the dread result. Their fears of punishment will be well grounded. Their horror at the sight of the great

Judge will be no idle fright.

To his Lord's coming the believer gives his unfeigned assent, whatever the consequences.

Can you say, Even so, Amen.