JESUS CHRIST: RIDING HIS WHITE STALLION
Only five hundred people saw Him go up into the clouds, but the world will see Him return. He left Jerusalem knowing that the Romans would level the city. He will return to make it His capitol for one thousand years. Since Christ ascended to the Father’s right hand, Satan has spent two thousand years trying to destroy His name. Jesus will return with an even greater name than when He left. They called Him the Risen Lord, but He will soon be called the King of Kings.
Even before His first coming, the Psalmist – speaking by the Holy Ghost – prophesied about His position after He returned to Heaven. The Father said, “Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion” (Psalm 2:6). Jesus Christ occupied the highest possible seat in the majestic temple at the Father’s right hand. David declared, “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Psalm 110:1). At every moment the Son of God has the Father’s ear while He waits for the Word to come again.
This coming is not the Rapture in which He will come into the mid-air. Notice, John spoke of the Rapture in the fourth chapter of Revelation. He stated, “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven” (Revelation 4:1a). When John entered that door, He saw the raptured elders and an innumerable multitude of saints. These righteous and glorified saints are seated on thrones and are worshipping with unrestricted access to the Father, while they are singing of their redemption. It’s impossible to read chapter four and chapter five of Revelation and not see that the saints have been moved from the earth to heaven. They even speak of their future position as kings and priests back on the earth.
Let’s view the difference from chapters four, where there is a “door opened in heaven,” to chapter nineteen, where heaven is opened from border to border. At the glorious moment when He comes back to earth, heaven will swing wide its portals so that the sin sick world will see what they rejected for that liar and deceiver, whose name is Satan. One glimpse at the shining city behind the descending multitude and Satan’s army will tremble in despair. We must remember that the great gulf between earth and heaven will have rolled up like a scroll at the Rapture of His saints. Now, that sin is judged and the celestial city is in full view, the previously great distance between heaven and earth will progressively disappear.
The Holy Scripture calls this great moment, “His Second Coming.” He did not come to the earth when He raptured His saints. He called them up to meet Him in the air and then they returned to the Pearly White City together. This is truly His second coming to earth. The first coming was to redeem the fallen family. This coming is to complete the redemption of the earth. I believe the entire earth will return to a pre-flood condition as we read about in Genesis. My first book was entitled, Miracles, My Father’s Delight. The following paragraph is my description of the world before sin dumped its rot on the perfect earth.
“The truth is, as God’s people often forget, He is not just a past-tense Originator; He is a Creator right now! He is a God of creation, and His creative powers underscore His entire universe. As the scripture says, ‘By him all things consist’ (Colossians 1:17). Such creation is an ongoing process. Every time a thorny rosebush reaches down inside its cellular system to produce the dew-splashed, fragrant petals, it is a powerful reminder of God’s creation. Every spring, when the tree buds appear, and when the dingy brownness of winter explodes into a vibrant montage of green grass, buttercups, and rainbow colored foliage — all are results of God’s creative power. He is a God of creative miracles.” (Miracles, My Father’s Delight, Joseph R. Chambers.) He is going to redeem it all back to its original glory and perfection.
Nothing is more breathtaking about His Second Coming than Himself. He comes in the fullness of all His attributes and offices. There are forty-one descriptive words spoken of Him in Revelation chapter one and He comes in the fullness of them all. “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God” (Revelation 19:11-13). One of those forty-one titles is “Amen.” He is Amen – finality, fullness, complete perfection, and eternal. All of that is revealed in His person.
To look upon Him in this exceedingly divine and transcending state will be to look at life as stupendous and to know perfect fullness and happiness. The very least of a sad emotion will be impossible in His presence. Even in this state of such divine revelation, His redemptive character will still be present. He will be wearing a vesture dipped in blood.
This is the marvel of the moment. He will have finished His high priestly office of intercession before the Eternal Father. Now, the Antichrist and the False Prophet must be cast into the Lake of Fire and Satan must be bound for a thousand years. The kingdoms of the world will be subjected to His kingship and this earthly kingdom will be governed in righteousness. All of this activity is both divine and redemptive. Before the Son leaves the Pearly White City, He must again enter the temple in His Father’s presence and dip His vesture in His own blood. The Divine Blood has continued its redemptive qualities to this closing moment. He, then, adds this blood-soaked vesture to His kingly attire and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will startle this world.
Brian
Hello Joseph,
Again, wonderful article.
I have an odd question, and I don’t know that scripture tells us anything about this future time, but I’m curious anyway.
You eluded to that future time above, “He is going to redeem it all back to its original glory and perfection.”
Here is my question:
The way I see it, there are three kinds of people on the earth at this time.
1) Those who are rapture ready and will be leaving soon. (1 Thes 4:16)
2) Those who will go into the tribulation and be killed for their faith in Christ rather than join the “system”. (Revelation 6:9)
3) Those who are born of the devil (John 8:44) (Rev. 14:9-11) and will join the antichrist in taking the mark, and hell.
So, group #1 is raptured and gone from the physical plane.
group #2 is martyred and is gone from the physical plane.
group #3 is thrown into the abyss with the devil and his angels.
Who is left to live on earth during the millennium? Or after that 1000 years?
Is it possible that we (the risen saints) are able to manifest in physical bodies, and if so, then what genders would we be, since Jesus taught that there is no gender in heaven (Matthew 22:29,30) , or if not us, then who?
I hear lots about the tribulation and the rapture, but nothing (even speculation) about who populates the planet at that time, and then if physical existence continues after the 1000 years, during the time that satan is “released for a short time”, and then even after that time, who is still in the physical plane?
It seems like it might be nice to “transcend” the spiritual into the physical, and with all unrighteousness completely cleansed from all existence (at least any existence that we are aware of) there wouldn’t seem to be a reason for us not to enjoy the “garden” once again.
thanks in advance for your thoughts on this….
brian
Richard
I am so thankful for this blog. It gives me so much hope in this fallen world. I hope the rapture of the church and his second coming is soon.
georgette
Dear pastor Chambers,
Thank you so much for your articles, you give us a glimpse of heaven while we are still on earth.
It’s breathtakingly beautiful to behold such glory; I truly can’t understand anybody in their right
mind to reject all of that, and to hold on to infinite earthly things.
Keep up the good work brother Joseph, and be a very loud voice condemning every thing that is not of
God, in this evil world that we live in.
I truly cannot wait to meet my Saviour and King along with all His faithful servants, who will be
living one day, very soon I hope, in this glorious, glorious city called “JERUSALEM”.
Blessings,
Georgette.
Jim
What beautiful and inspirig words! Thank you so much.
My one question after such a moving description of the Son’s coming kingdom is this: in what sense is this second coming/millenial reign a reward to the Son for his obedience and victory over sin?
He is now, in a sense, still working as our Intercessor, continuing the work of redemption. Will the earthly Kingship of Christ be a “resting” or “reward” to Him for these works? Secondly, once the Son’s kingdom is over, will a “transfer” of placement or status occur? It states that he will give the kingdom back to the Father, and will “put an end to all rule, and all authority and power (ICor. 15:24).”
Thanks and God bless
Noreen Jackson
Oh, thank you for this article. It is so enlightening. I just got off the phone with a friend who is not saved, does not have a computer by choice and thinks Christians are as bad a muslims. She named people here in Denver, talked about Catholics and the sexual debauchery. I told her Catholics were not necessarily saved Christians and that that is a religion whereas true Christianity is based upon a sacrificial gift by Christ and subsequent acceptance of the gift. She is not easily taught. I have witnessed to her for years. I feel attacked every time I talk to her. Anyway, anything you could post re that would be so welcome. Thank you for this wonderful article that makes me very happy and secure in my belief in my King Jesus.
Robert McDevitt
Again Joe, One Thousand Years is Biblical symbolism. Never, ever did any of the fathers of the Church,( the guys who were taught by the Apostles); never has this been interpreted literally.
Literalism is an incorrect understanding of Holy Scripture. A modern, (Protestant), mistake.
Pax Christi,
Robert McDevitt
Jim
Pastor Chambers:
After the millenium is over, will Jesus’ lose some of His authority? It states in I Cor 15:24 that He will deliver the kingdom back to the Father, and that He will put down all rule and authority and power. Does this refer to His own authority or to His defeating all other authority (principalities and powers)? Thanks.
Ed Wood
Hello Pastor Joseph.
Concerning Bible literalism I think from reading in context we can see which parts are to be taken literally, and which are to be read figuratively.
For example, when we read about Noah, Abraham, Moses, Judges, Kings, Chronicles and the like, this is history and should be literally read as such. Same for the gospel accounts of Jesus’ life and book of Acts.
The prophetic books often incorporate symbolism, but point to real events or individuals. For example in Daniel’s book empires likened to statue parts or various beasts as does Revelation where we have the red dragon and old serpent representing Satan. And there is the beast which represents the Antichrist.
Many psalms are expressions of devotion and praise to God and can use figurative language. The Song of Solomon certainly does.
Jesus’ parables certainly used figurative stories and illustrations to present fundamental truths.
Now concerning the Millennium, I personally can’t find any support in the Bible for the reference to the 1000 year reign of Jesus being other than exactly that, though I am open to Scriptural evidence to the contrary if anyone can provide some. Maybe someone can make an argument that “a day to God is like a thousand years and a thousand years as a day.” Yet even so this would not at all negate the fact of a coming era when Jesus will literally reign on earth which I think is the main idea here.
The commentary and opinions of the early church fathers certainly contain some great thoughts and reflections but I personally don’t take take their authority above the divinely inspired books which comprise the canon of scripture, (apocrypha not included) which was closed out with the book of Revelation.