Introduction
A. The Results of the King’s Return
People often ask, “What’s wrong with the world? Why are there such things as injustice, turmoil, conflict, disease, pain, tragedy, and chaos?” The answer is simple: the King is absent. As the Messiah of Israel, He came once and promised to right the world. Although He was rejected as the King of Israel (John 19:14-15), He will return again as the Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6) and the “King of Kings, and Lord of Lords” (Rev. 19:16). He is going to take back this world from Satan, the usurper, who has had it for a long time (John 12:31; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2; 1 John 5:19; Rev. 12:9). When the King comes back, war, injustice, and anarchy will end; pain and disease will be brought to a bare minimum in his Kingdom. He will seize the reins of the world’s governments and rule with firmness, though with compassion.
B. The Reasons for the King’s Return
We find two elements to Christ’s return: one is positive– salvation–and one is negative–the judgment associated with His return.
1. Symbolized
In Revelation 10:8-10 John says, “The voice which I heard from heaven spoke unto me again, and said, Go and take the little scroll which is open in the hand of the angel who standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little scroll. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. And I took the little scroll out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey, and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.” This followed John’s vision of Christ’s returning with the title deed to the earth. John experienced it as being sweet because of the wrongs that are righted, the salvation that comes about for Israel and an innumerable amount of Gentiles, and the honor given to Christ as He establishes His Kingdom. But John then experienced the bitterness of judgment as people are eternally damned and nations are destroyed for their rejection of Jesus Christ. Like John we may have that mixed reaction. We rejoice in His salvation but are disheartened by the judgment that awaits the world.
2. Specified
In the last five chapters of Zechariah, we find those same two elements emphasized: the salvation of Israel and the restoration of the earth and the fearful judgments that fall. In contrast to His first coming, when evil men succeeded in killing Him, He will destroy His enemies at His Second Coming. Only after judgment will He begin healing a sick world and allowing the wonders of His salvation to come to pass.
a) Judgment
God’s judgment is not easy to comprehend. Isaiah 28:21 calls it “his strange work” because it seems contrary to His love. However God’s judgment is inextricably linked with His love–He loves so much He protects us from evil forever. The only way He can do that is to destroy evil and those who have rejected His grace.
The Bible is filled with oracles of judgment, especially in the major and minor prophets. For example Joel 3:12-16 says, “Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat [the valley created when Christ returns to the Mount of Olives]; for there will I sit to judge all the nations round about. Put in the sickle; for the harvest is ripe; come, get down; for the press is full, the vats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision; for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth shall shake; but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.” There you see the two sides: the great judgment, but also the hope of salvation for God’s people.
“This article originally appeared here at Bible Bulletin Board.”
