Jesus’ Return!
Satan knows his fate; he won’t give up easily. But nothing will stop Christ the King’s return to earth. In this installment in our Back to the Future series, we will explore Armageddon in more detail, including Christ’s victory over the Antichrist. We will also look at what is happening in Heaven during the final part of the Tribulation. We will see God’s final fulfillment of His New Covenant to Israel: their national salvation. And finally, we will explore what happens after Christ’s victory but before His setting up of the Millennial Kingdom. Armageddon Through the Antichrist and the False Prophet, he gathers his allies for war against Israel at a place we now call Armageddon (Revelation 16:12-16). Armageddon is in the valley of Megiddo, about 60 miles north of Jerusalem. The valley of Megiddo has not been a stranger to battles. “Over 200 battles have been fought in the region, from 1468 b.c. (with Pharaoh Tuthmosis III) to 1917 (with Lord Allenby of the British)”. (Enduring Word) Satan’s posturing doesn’t concern God. He has expected it and even planned it. He supernaturally cleared the Antichrist’s way to Israel by drying up the river Euphrates to gather the nations for judgment (Joel 3:2, 12). God will not be mocked. The Psalmist describes God’s reaction to an attempt to defeat God like this: “The Lord “laughs, the Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain (Psalm 2:4-6). As the Antichrist gathers his troops at Armageddon, Babylon is attacked and destroyed by the Antichrist’s enemies (Revelation 18:21). At this point, the Antichrist begins to move south towards Jerusalem, intent on destroying the Jews once and for all. Jerusalem falls again under Gentile control (Zechariah 12:1-3, 14:1-2; Micah 4:11-13), but not for long, as Jesus is not far behind. Celebration in Heaven As the Tribulation’s end is near, a great celebration in Heaven occurs (Revelation 19:1-10). The heavenly hosts rejoice over the righteous judgment of Babylon and the avenging of those saints who have died at her hands. A voice from Heaven urges those in Heaven to rejoice and be glad for the marriage supper of the Lamb to His bride. The Bible applies the symbolism of marriage to Christ and the Church. Christ is the bridegroom, and the Church is the bride. God, the Father, initiated the betrothal of the Church to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2). There was a betrothal period in Jewish marriage, during which the bride and groom remained apart until the wedding ceremony. The Father decided when the son would go get his bride for her presentation and the wedding ceremony. Similarly, the Church and Christ remain apart during the Church Age. God alone decides when He will send Jesus for His Bride. This sending and Christ’s return for the Church is what we call the Rapture. This is when the Church will be presented to Jesus (John 14:3). The wedding will occur after the Rapture, probably at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The final supper is a symbolic meal that signifies the end of the ceremony. John sees Heaven celebrating the Church’s eternal wedding to Christ in Revelation 19:7-9. National Salvation of Israel John the Baptist’s message to the Israelites at Christ’s First Coming was repentance and of the coming Kingdom (Matthew 3:2); however, the Nation of Israel rejected their Messiah and the Kingdom He offered (Acts 2:22-23). Because of this rejection, God partially hardened until all the Gentiles who will be saved are saved ( Romans 11:15, 25). Jesus was heartbroken over His rejection by His own people, and in Matthew 23:37-39, he lamented that Jerusalem will not see Him again until they accept Him as their Christ. The Old Testament also points to this eventual reconciliation but says that before Christ goes to them, they must first confess their sins, humble their hearts, and seek God’s face (Leviticus 26:39-42, Jeremiah 3:11-18, Hosea 5:15). They cry out for Messiah. At that time, forgiveness for sin and impurity will flow through the land like a fountain (Zechariah 13:1-2). God will give them a new heart and a new spirit, and they will be God’s people, and He will be their God (Ezekiel 36:24-28). At last, they will call on His name and be saved! (Zechariah 13:9). Christ’s Glorious Appearing and Return to Earth Israel sees their prayers answered with Christ’s return. When they see Him, they will mourn and weep bitterly over their rejection of Him (Zechariah 12:10-14, Zechariah 13). But just as God promised, He saves Israel supernaturally from its enemies and its sin (Jeremiah 31:34-35). The New Covenant is finally fulfilled for Israel! Jesus’s Second Coming will be spectacular. He will come back to earth in the same way He ascended to Heaven, but unlike His ascension, every eye will see His return. Jesus describes His return in Matthew 24:29-31. He says: “But immediately after the Tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 31 And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. Jesus’ return is also described by John in Revelation 19:11-16. “And I saw Heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness, He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe