THE PROCLAMATION OF THE ENTIRE BOOK

The Proclamation for the Entire Book

"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." "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."

The Prophetic Anticipation of the Book

"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."

This is the grand climax of the book and the ages. But John can't wait until he gets to that point in his story, so he writes it now. This is just a rift in the clouds of judgment for the purpose of encouraging those who must go through judgment.

There is revelation of the king. "He cometh with clouds."

Clouds are the environment of Deity. Ex. 16:10; 40:38; Matt. 17:5. "And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud." "While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him."

The King was to come with Clouds (Dan. 7:13). "I saw in the night visions, and, 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."

The King declared that he would come that way (Matt. 26:64). "Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven."

The King went away that way and it was asserted he would return that way (Acts 1:9; Matt. 24:30). "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."

There is recognition of the king. "Every eye shall see him."
This will be a public event, literal, personal, visible. At least every soul in the world shall get one glimpse of the face of Christ. Those who pierced him shall also see him. This probably refers to the Jewish nation, but it certainly extends beyond that (Zech. 12:10 cf. John 19:37). This undoubtedly takes in the whole program of eschatology. "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn." "And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced."

There is realization of the king. "And all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him."
Cf. Matt. 24:30; Zech. 12:10.
This includes Israel first, but it extends to all the tribes of the earth.

This statement means that all shall recognize and realize this is the Messiah they have hated, scorned, killed, rejected.