21. Messiah’s Visible Return

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Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church

Adult Sunday School

22 July 2018

MESSIAH’S VISIBLE RETURN

Zechariah 14:1-11 (KJV)

1Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 2For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 5And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come,and all the saints with thee. 6And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: 7But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light. 8And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. 9And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

10All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin’s gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s winepresses.11And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited. 

  • MESSIAH’S VISIBLE RETURN (1) 

1Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 2For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

 11And 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. 12His 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. 13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which were  in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. (Rev. 19:11-16 KJV)

“His name is called The Word of God.” 

In Zechariah 12 and 13, we have studied the future deliverance and conversion of Israel. This Zechariah 14 continues the second oracle and concludes it with the Messiah coming to establish His Kingdom in Jerusalem. It is climactic. The earth is God’s focus in His creative work of the universe. Israel is God’s focus among the nations of the earth. Israel is a great nation because she is God’s chosen vessel to receive His Special Revelation. Israel sits at the centre of three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. The Lord Himself says so in Ezekiel 5:5, “Thus saith the Lord GOD; This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her.” 

The Bible-Presbyterian Church at her inception in 1937 imbibed from the dispensationalist the doctrine of the pre-millennium. Christ will return to rule physically on earth from Jerusalem for 1,000 years (Rev. 20:1- 6). This is even before the establishment of the nation of Israel on 14th May 1948. We praise God for this spiritual heritage that gives to us the proper biblical perspective to view this decaying world. The belief in Israel’s Restoration in Christ’s Second Coming and her preeminent role during His Millennial Reign is a most blessed one. This doctrine is called Covenant Pre-millennialism. God has not forsaken Israel, although Israel has rejected her Christ. All references to Israel being restored to head the nations of the world in Christ’s millennial reign mean exactly and literally as we see in this last chapter of Zechariah. The nations of the world gather themselves together against Israel (v1-2), our Lord Jesus returns to save Israel from certain destruction (v 3). This is vividly revealed to us in Revelation 19. Our Lord Jesus Christ, He that is Faithful and True, will ride on a white horse with the heavenly army to judge and make war against the nations, “And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron” (Rev 19:15a). 

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Re-order my life, Lord, to be ready for Your Return! 

  • MESSIAH’S VISIBLE RETURN (2) 

1Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 2For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 5And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

11Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11 KJV)

“In that day the Lord’s feet will stand before Jerusalem.”

Anti-Semitism was at its height during the Second World War when 6 million Jews were exterminated by the German army under Adolf Hitler. The worst is yet to be for there will be a future time, when all the nations of the earth will be gathered against Jerusalem (Zech. 12:2-3, 14:2). 

1The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. 2Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. (Zech. 12:1-2 KJV)

The city will be plundered, and the armies will exile half of the people and leave half. Zechariah announced in verse 1, “Behold, the day of the Lord cometh…” That day of the Lord is yet future but its coming is absolutely certain. The spoils of war will be divided. Israel shall have entered into a covenant with the false Messiah or Antichrist who shall suddenly and treacherously turn upon God’s people (Dan. 9:27; Matt. 24:15; Mk 13:14). The Lord will intervene at the breaking point to fight for His people Israel (v 3). 

 27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Dan. 9:27-10:1 KJV)

15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) (Matt. 24:15 KJV)

14But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:(Mk. 13:14 KJV)

The trials and temptations that befall a Christian are with God’s permission. God knows the amount of pressure we are able to withstand. He will provide surely a way out (1 Cor 10:13). Israel since 1948 has fought and won 6 battles against overwhelming odds. This final battle will be the worst. Our Lord Jesus returns with His glorified saints and angels (v 5) to intervene and save Israel (Rev 19:11-16). This will occur on the same day when the Lord returns and there will be some interesting geographical changes. The Mount of Olives will be split, by a great earthquake, into two by a large valley as the Lord returns visibly and physically, just as He left (v4; Acts 1:11). A valley of escape will be formed for His people. The impact globally is further described in Revelation 16:18-20“…and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell…And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.” Singapore will not be spared on that day though it seems safe from earthquake today. 

“And the Lord directs your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 3:5) I reaffirm my faith in You that I may partake of the first resurrection at the rapture and returning with You to save Israel. 

  • JERUSALEM TRANSFORMED 

4And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 5And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. 6And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: 7But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light. 8And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. 9And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.10All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin’s gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s winepresses. 11And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited. 

KJV Psalm 46:1<To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth.> God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. 4There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. 5God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. 6The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. 7The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. 8Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth. 9He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. 10Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. 11The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. (Ps. 46:1-47:1 KJV)

“God is our refuge and strength. a very present help in trouble.” 

As a result of the great earthquake (v 5), great physical changes will transform the Holy Land. A new and living river shall flow from Jerusalem toward the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. They will be joined. The streams shall be perennial and not dry up even in summer. The Dead Sea shall come alive, filled with all kinds of fishes. It is possible to go fishing in the Dead Sea like the many who fish for St Peter’s fish in the Sea of Galilee today (v 8). Psalm 46:4 also shed further light: “There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.” 

The land will be turned into a plain that will allow smooth traffic flow for the nations of the world to come to Jerusalem to worship the King of kings and Lord of lords. The day will be neither light nor darkness (v 6). In the evening, there shall be light (v 7). We cannot fully fathom this new lighting condition. The climate will also be transformed, there will be a supernatural canopy over the land protecting it from the storm and rain, Isaiah 4:5-6, “And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.” 

Most emphatically, “…the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one” (v 9). Ponder this blessed truth – God physically dwelling in the midst of His people – “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.” On earth today, God has been denied and forgotten, His honour discarded and His commandments transgressed. Nations seek not His glory nor show forth His praise. May it not be so for us! 

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Ps 46:10) Help me, Lord, to love and honour You!