His Perfect Love

Guest (Male): Pastor Matt VanderVen says there's coming a time when Jesus will return and judgment will occur. But right now, we're living in a time where God is patient and wanting to save as many as possible.

Matt VanderVen: I think it's just good for us to remember that the judgment comes only after a very, very long period, which you and I don't think of it this way, but we're living in the period of long suffering. If I could describe to you the church age, the church age is the period of long suffering.

And we long for Christ to come, but we are living in that time of long suffering and patience that more and more people will get saved before the Great Tribulation. That's because Jesus has incredible patience and mercy. There is no rush to judgment. Jesus doesn't rush in to do anything. Jesus is graciously given an enormous amount of time for repentance to this fallen world.

Guest (Male): Don't you just love this time of year as we collectively remember Jesus coming to this earth to die for our sins? There's a good reason to celebrate not only at Christmas, but all year long. But today on His Perfect Love, we're going to talk about the second coming of Jesus, and it will look much different than His first.

You see, when He comes again, He will judge and make war. Let's head over to Revelation chapter 19 as Pastor Matt VanderVen offers this picture of what's to come. We start off today in Matthew chapter 24.

Matt VanderVen: So we're told that lightning comes from the east and rests, and if it flashes to the west, so the Son of Man will be. And then look further down in verses 29 through 31 here. Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. Isn't that what we just read in Zechariah?

The stars will fall from heaven and the powers of the heaven will be shaken. 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. Everybody's going to see Him again, nothing hidden. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to another.

The other thing that's going to happen at that time is the 144,000, plus those that got saved—we call them tribulation saints, or what we sometimes call latter tribulation saints. Again, I'm getting into the weeds theologically here in terms of seminary, but they call them latter theological saints. It's just separating from the first three and a half years, or the first five years of the Great Tribulation. There's a term for it for the latter half, because we know the population of the earth and many were martyred in chapters 7 and 11. So we know most of those tribulation saints had died. In chapter seven, we read, "How long, Oh Lord, will it be until You avenge our blood?" Remember that, as they were under the altar?

Well, there's going to be those that—just connecting these dots—towards the latter end of the Great Tribulation will receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. And I think that's wonderful and hallelujah and amen, because that's beautiful mercy, love, and grace by our Lord to even allow or continue to give the gospel that people would get saved.

Those individuals, because this is filling in a lot of the blanks for a lot of the questions I've been getting through this whole series this time. What happens to those that are on the earth? Are there people here? What does He mean He's going to come and gather, but there's judgment of others at that time? Well, now it's filling in the blanks. There are going to be some people on the earth that are going to be the latter tribulation saints that did get saved. The angels go ahead of you and I and Jesus, and what does the angel do? He gathers them, the people that are born again that are still alive on this earth, and He gathers them to one place.

Now where does He gather them? Now you're tying back to an earlier chapter that the 144,000 are going to be gathered at the very perfect spot when Jesus Christ comes. And I covered it in that chapter: Where is Jesus Christ going to come down on again? What mountain? Mount of Olives, because Zechariah tells us that. So the 144,000, as we've previously read in Revelation, are already going to be there.

The 144,000 are part of God's who? His elect, His born again. So those that are also born again are going to be gathered where? Right around the Mount of Olives with the 144,000, just as Jesus Christ comes down to the earth. And then the angels went before Him. And then what happens after? Jesus is leading us, we come down, they see, all of the earth sees, Jesus Christ in the air, Him coming, and then when He comes down and touches on Mount Olives, all the 144,000, plus all of the latter Great Tribulation saints, then you and I coming behind, we're all brought together. He brought the family of God, the entire family, at that point.

Now, I know there's some people here, "Well, what, we know we have glorified bodies. We know Jesus has glorified body. What about the great or the latter Great Tribulation saints?" Because at that point, do they have a glorified body? No, because they got saved in the latter half of the Great Tribulation. I want you to hold that question. I introduced it, so I got you thinking about it, but I want you to think about that, because everybody else to that point has got their glorified body, okay?

This is important. We'll come back to it, but I want us just to be thinking about that because now we're connecting all the dots and God's bringing through the whole prophecy so we can see exactly how it's going to look, where we're going to be, where everyone else is going to be, what's going to be happening on the earth. The other nations that are still going to be in rebellion because they're going to be mourning because they're not saved and they wanted to keep their monarchy on the earth, if you will—the kings, remember the leaders, those that turned around and mourned Babylon, and the fall of the commercialization, the fall of the religion, the fall of all of it? They were mourning, remember, chapters 17 and 18?

They're still alive on the earth. They're still there. And then the judgment's coming. And that's why He said that the eagles and even the birds would be gathered to eat the carcasses, because there's going to be another judgment that's going to happen. And we know that as really the Battle of Armageddon.

There's an important point to that because there was a valley that was created. And that's interesting. I'm getting ahead of myself; we'll come back to that in the battle. But it all ties together as God—everything that Jesus does has a purpose. When He comes down and He touches and that mountain breaks, that has a purpose. Everything and the timing of everything Jesus does has a purpose.

So we see here that it's a literal coming. We understand that. It's a second advent called the parousia. Again, what triggers the second coming? Well, have you ever wondered that? Just since you're in the book of Matthew, look at Matthew chapter 23. I thought that's a good point. What causes that second coming? What happens right before on earth? Because we know what we just saw in heaven what's happening: Hallelujah, hallelujah, worship and praise. But what is also happening on the earth?

Chapter 23, verse 39: This is a beautiful point that Jesus has made when He talks about this in His gospel. "Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. You were not willing to come unto me. See, your house is left desolate." He's talking about the Jewish people at the time of His coming.

"For I say to you, you shall see me no more till you say"—till who says? This is important. Don't miss this. Who says this? Is this all the nations, or is He specifically talking about one group of people that are going to finally humble themselves and repent and call out to Jesus Christ? These are the same people that, oh by the way, were told to flee in Matthew 24 and run into the wilderness where God supernaturally protects them and has a purpose in protecting them there, so that they would come into a new covenant—Jeremiah 31:31, if you're tracking with me.

Who's saying this? What group of people on the earth are saying this that Jesus says, "I will come again when you say"? Who's you? The Jews, that's right. The Jewish people. God's not done with the Jewish people. Have you heard people trying to use replacement theology? The church has replaced Israel? Absolutely not! When Israel—not Zionism, the national aspect, but Jerusalem—not the religious aspect, but the heartfelt call of the individuals that are Jewish, call out to Jesus and they say what? "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." That's going to be uttered on this earth by the Jews. You even know what they're going to say. He was that specific.

He tells you what they're going to say, when they're going to say it, and then right after they say it, what happens next? We come back with Jesus. You've heard me often say the Great Tribulation, yes, it's a judgment on the evil wickedness, but God doesn't waste anything. We've been reading in Isaiah—and this is really important, that's why I really want everybody to be here on Wednesdays, you need to be here—because we're looking at the Old Testament scriptures that give revelation and understanding to the New Testament.

In the book of Isaiah, the prophet has been doing what? He's been telling the people, "Repent." And then right after repentance comes what? Comes comfort. Remember we talk about that, because you have reconciliation and restoration. That's God's entire plan. Reconciliation, right? And that begins with conviction, goes to repentance, next comes reconciliation and obviously then comfort. And that's what God wants to do in every one of our lives.

So what does God do as He did in the Old Testament and even does with us? God will bring judgment. A lot of times, now that judgment isn't the same way. Maybe I should say it a different way: God will bring correction. God will bring correction. And when He brings that correction, sometimes it's as severe as needed to get our attention so that we do what? We get convicted and we repent and turn away. Metanoia: to turn away from our sin. And He'll amp it up in relationship to the amount of depravity, and that's real love.

And you know, we've sometimes seen people that are very broken say, "Boy, how low do you have to really get before you're finally willing to turn from the sin, to turn from that addiction, to turn from whatever's going on?" And everybody's different. God is uniquely dealing with every human being in that, because every human being has a different threshold for which they are broken. Okay, some people, it takes a lot to break them, like literally.

Well, the Jewish people in this context, what does it take? Now that we're this far in Revelation, what does it take for the Jewish people to finally come to Christ and to say, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord"? What does it take? It's a very simple thing. A definite article and two descriptors: The. Great. Tribulation.

That's what it took. God doesn't make mistakes. Why does it take the Great Tribulation? Because that's what it took to bring conviction to the point of where they are willing to cry out to Jesus and say, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." And the minute that they do that, Jesus does what? Comes back. Because there's repentance and then what follows repentance? Reconciliation. And what comes after reconciliation? Comfort. And when He comes back, what is He going to do with the Jewish people? He's going to comfort them. He's going to protect them.

He's the same God, He's the same Jesus. I just want all of us to see this. It's wonderful. It's really wonderful. But so we see that He's coming, and it's because of the crying out of the Jewish people in Matthew 23:39. And again, it's during those mounting forces we read in Revelation that the armies assembling for the Battle of Armageddon, they completely want to wipe out the nation of Israel off the map. Hard-pressed by the terrible persecution, the antichrist, Israel and the nations, they're going to turn their hearts towards Jesus and He's going to do what, as He always does? Just in the right amount of time, He's going to deliver them.

He's going to come right at the right amount of time where the Battle of Armageddon they're not going to be able to destroy the Jewish people. And when Jesus comes, He comes on a white horse. In biblical times, what did the white horse, or what did a horse speak of? A couple of things back in Jesus's day: honor, power, and don't miss this last one: speed. Honor, power, and speed. Those are descriptives of not only the horse that Jesus Christ rides, but also His timing, His faithfulness, and His power to do it. He's the conquering king.

Now the color of the horse, what does white symbolize in the scripture? Victory and purity. Victory and purity. This isn't just any horse, this is the king's horse. Can you imagine the horse in heaven that was chosen for this? I don't know. I'm sure Jesus can speak to the horse. I don't know if we'll be able to do that. Maybe it's Wilbur. "Hey Wilbur, you ready for this?" I don't know, maybe it's Mr. Ed. I don't know! But I can tell you what, that horse is going to be standing strong. That horse is going to be standing strong and ready.

Now, I certainly don't believe horses get saved or go to heaven. I want to be clear here. The horses in heaven were created for the day such as this. But how marvelous that horse is going to be, just like that donkey that was chosen for Jesus Christ to make that triumphant entry. That donkey had to walk so strong in lowliness but still strength coming through saying, "I have the King of Kings on my back, and I was created and born for this moment, and it's worth it."

It says He who sat was called Faithful and True—certainly a glorious title for Jesus. And I like that the word "faithful" there is pistos, meaning trustworthy, meaning dependable. And then "true" or "truth" there, alethinos. And it means real or genuine. In other words, this is the genuine article right before you. So in righteousness He judge and makes war, and Jesus comes as a righteous judge to make war. And again, very important, remember that the world rejected Him before He rejects them in righteous judgment. I just need us to remember that. Jesus is a God of absolutes and truth that is derived from the fullness of His grace. His grace and truth is the combination of His perfect love.

And I think it's just good for us to remember that the judgment comes only after a very, very long period, which you and I don't think of it this way, but we're living in the period of long suffering. If I could describe to you the church age, the church age is the period of long suffering. Because we're seeing these things, they grow evil and more wicked day after day, and we long for Christ to come, but we are living in that time of long suffering and patience that more and more people will get saved before the Great Tribulation.

That's because Jesus has incredible patience and mercy. There is no rush to judgment. Jesus doesn't rush in to do anything. Jesus is graciously given an enormous amount of time for repentance to this fallen world. But now He comes to judge a world hardened and totally given over to the rebellion against Him. And the first seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments, even though that destroyed half of the world's population, there is no end to wickedness or evil.

So the war that Jesus brings about is only for those who willingly reject Him, or willfully, maybe is a better way to say it. Those who want to be the lord over their lives and wreak havoc and wickedness on His children and creation. So we got through one verse in about 25 to 30 minutes. I love God's plan. The flexible is not easily be broken. So maybe we can go through one more verse. Verse 12.

His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written on Him that no one knew except Himself. Okay, so it says His clothes was dipped in blood, right? That idea there. As we read on, His clothe was dipped with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called the Word of God. So a lot going on here.

First, His eyes were like what? Like—notice that word "like," a simile, a metaphor, something like a flame of fire. They're not actually flames of fire, but they're like a flame of fire. His eyes pierce through the secrets of our hearts—it's maybe another way of saying it. His eyes pierce through the secrets of our hearts. It burns through any superficial facade. If you try to put a facade up in front of Him, it burns through it. There are no secrets here that Christ does not know. Spurgeon said His eyes are like a flame of fire to read us through and through, and know us to our innermost soul.

And on His head were many crowns. You know, the last time the earth saw Jesus, He wore a crown, but it was a crown of thorns, but not anymore. Now He wears many crowns. And again, the word that we have in here for the Greek is diadema, right? That's the word speaking of a royalty and authority. It's not the word stephanos anymore. That's a crown for an achievement. No, it's not a crown for an achievement. The fact that there are many crowns means that Jesus is the ultimate royal authority and power. That's what He wants us to see here.

It's a visible manifestation of what we mean when we say King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It's an expression of an unwavering, unlimited sovereignty. That's what He's teaching us here. He had a name that written that no one knew it but Himself. Now I'm not going to ponder or guess; it does us no good to speculate. I have a saying: when the Bible's silent, I need to be silent, too.

In verse 13, as we read, He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood and His name is called the Word of God. So His robe dipped or sprinkled if you prefer in blood, Bible students debate whether this is right His own blood reminding us of the cross or the blood of His enemies. There's a real debate in that. But I'd ask you, would you turn with me to Isaiah chapter 63 please? Here this morning, Isaiah 63. I'd like to look at verses one through six. I'm just going to read that and we'll come back to this and I'll give some explanation here what's happening.

Isaiah 63, right? Some of you have a title, "The Lord in Judgment and Salvation." Some of you have a title—remember that's man-made. But Isaiah 63, verse 1: "Who is this who comes from Edom with dyed garments from Bozrah, the one who is glorious in His apparel, traveling in the greatness of His strength? I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Why is your apparel red, and your garments like one who treads in the winepress? I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me."

Speaking of God: "For I have trodden them in my anger, and trampled them in my fury. Their blood is sprinkled upon my garments, and I have stained all my robes." What is the best commentary for Scripture? Scripture. "For the day of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of my redeemed has come. I looked but there was no one to help, and I wondered that there was no one to uphold. Therefore my own arm brought salvation for me, and my own fury it sustained me. I have trodden down the peoples in my anger, made them drunk in my fury, and brought down their strength to the earth."

So what we just read here in Isaiah 63, verses one through six: His clothe was a robe dipped in blood. And again, there's a lot of speculation and a lot within seminaries and scholars try to debate this. But just looking at this, first of all, Edom—what we just read in Isaiah 63—that's about 187 miles to the west, right? Bozrah is located in the southern Jordan area, about 129 miles south of Amman.