Getting Revelation -Pt 3- The Rally Cry of Revelation

Rev 1:7 - "Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen."

First and foremost, when reading this verse, the student who is more than casually familiar with the New Testament realizes that this statement has been made before -- by Jesus Christ!

Mat 24:30 - "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."

John is quoting the words of Christ here, a definate and sound allusion to the Olivet discourse as recorded in Mat 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21. It is interesting to note that John had no Olivet discourse recorded in his gospel -- it would seem to reason that the book of Revelation stands as his own unique version of Jesus' Olivet discourse.

In that prophetic discourse, Jesus limited the fulfillment of his prophesies to take place before that generation to whom he was speaking had passed away, including this glorious "Cloud coming." (Mat 24:34,Luke 21:32,Mark 13:30) Therefore whatever great event he was referring to, it was something that was witnessed by that first century transitional generation, "upon whom the end of the age had come" (1 Cor 10:11, Heb 9:26).

Now, back to Rev 1:7 - Literal translations of this verse lend much aid in properly understanding its aim:

"Lo, he doth come with the clouds, and see him shall every eye, even those who did pierce him, and wail because of him shall all the tribes of the land. Yes! Amen!" (Rev 1:7,YNG)

"Every eye" that would see him was every eye of those "who pierced him" - and those "tribes" who would "wail because of him" were all 12 "tribes" of Israel! This word "tribes" (gr:phyle,5443) is exclusively used in the NT when referencing the 12 tribes of Israel alone (check it out - its used 31 times in the NT)! The unbelieving twelve tribes had put to death the apostles and prophets, and the very son of God, and now the time of the final judgment foretold upon them beginning at Moses, throughout their history, and finally by Christ himself (Mt 23:29-39,Lk 23:27-31,19:41-44 & in many of his parables), had arrived.

According to history, this time of great judgment on the Jews indeed came within the scope of that same generation which witnessed Christ's crucifixion -- it began with 3.5 years of awful tribulation on the Christian church from 62-66AD (under Nero Caesar) and then 3.5 years of judgments on the nation of Israel during the horrific siege on Jerusalem (from 66-70AD) culminating with the thorough and fiery destruction of the Jewish temple in 70AD, just as (and just when) Christ had foretold.

The next installment will examine the phrase "He comes with clouds!" which opens same verse (1:7), and which draws its roots soundly in the Old Testament scriptures!