"Behold He cometh in the clouds and every eye shall see Him" by Holger Neubauer

"Behold he cometh in the clouds;

and every eye shall see him”

by Holger W. Neubauer 

Countless individuals both within and without the church cite Revelation 1:7 as proof positive that when Jesus returns every single person on the face of the earth will witness the event. In their minds, our position that affirms that Jesus returned when Jerusalem fell is falsified. Yet, John affirmed in Revelation 1:1 these things would “shortly come to pass” and that the “time was at hand” (Revelation 1:3). These time statements are repeated at the end of the book as well (Revelation 22:6,10). John affirmed the book of Revelation was “signified” or “symbolized” (Revelation 1:1). Could it be that the phrase “and every eye shall see him” has a deeper symbolic meaning? This writer affirms it does. Revelation 1:7 says, “behold he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him: and all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.” Notice please the statement, “behold he cometh with clouds.” The very fact that Jesus was coming with the clouds is evidence that he would not be seen by the naked eye. Clouds describe the fact that the presence of Jesus was shrouded. No one would  see Him except by the signs that were about to come to pass. This fits the prophetic language of Isaiah as he pointed to the end of Old Covenant Israel when he said, “Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see, but they shall see” (Isaiah 26:11).

In Exodus 19:9 the Lord told Moses, “I will come to thee in a thick cloud.” The Lord's presence was shrouded by the cloud. Exodus 34:5 records, “And the Lord descended in the cloud.” The Lord's presence was again shrouded by a cloud. Isaiah 19:1 records these words, “the Lord rideth on a swift cloud.” There the Lord's presence was shrouded from the Egyptians as God punished their nation with the armies of Sargon of Assyria (Isaiah 20:1-5). In Matthew 17:5 the presence of Moses and Elijah was shrouded by a “bright cloud.” The cloud “overshadowed them” as the Lord spoke “out of the cloud.” The cloud shrouded the presence of the Lord but the presence of the Lord was clearly known. This is the idea that John is affirming. John also mentions “and they that pierced him” (Revelation 1:7), a clear reference to the Jewish nation that put Jesus to death. Now consider Matthew 24:30, “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Jesus affirmed what he just prophesied would come to pass in that generation (Matthew 24:34). Who would see the Son of man coming in the clouds? All THE TRIBES OF THE EARTH! This is exactly the idea of “EVERY EYE WOULD SEE HIM.” Jesus said His coming would be “as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth unto the west; so shall the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:27). This shining from the east to the west would be true of a land but not of a globe. All in the land would see! This agrees perfectly with Revelation 1:7! Every eye would see Him! But how? Through the signs and the ultimate fall of Jerusalem! Isaiah said, “They will not see, but they will see.” Jesus also said, “Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 23:39). Jesus here foretold that those Jews would not recognize him without recognizing his people of His church. Jesus on another occasion said, “and ye see me no more” (John 16:10). Paul affirmed though they knew Jesus after the flesh, “yet now henceforth know we him no more” (2 Corinthians 5:16). He would only be seen through His words which were coming to pass!

But will not Jesus return in “like manner” (Acts 1:11)? Absolutely, shrouded by the cloud! Let us carefully look at Acts 1:9-11, “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a CLOUD received him out of their sight.” Then the two men in white apparel said, “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.” Jesus went into heaven by means of the cloud. The cloud took Jesus out of their sight. The imagery is the same. The Lord would be shrouded by the cloud. If someone leaves his friends wearing jeans and a polo shirt and then boards a plane but is promised to come back in the same way, would we conclude that the friend is returning in jeans and a polo shirt or that he was returning in a plane? Just be honest. Our friend would obviously be coming back on a plane. The same imagery of being shrouded by the cloud is found when the two witnesses “ascended up to heaven in a cloud” (Revelation 11:12). In this same verse we have the Lord's words, “Come up hither” (Revelation 11:12). There, after Jerusalem fell, heaven was opened and the dead were judged (Revelation 11:18,19).

The name of the book of Revelation is from the Greek “apokalupsis.” This word refers to the revealing or unveiling of Christ. The book begins with the statement, “The Revelation of  Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:1). The same Greek word is found in Luke 17:30 where the Lord said, “Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” In the very next verse Jesus said, “In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the  house, let  him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back” (Luke 17:31). Luke 17:30,31 is a clear reference to Jerusalem's fall. Jesus was revealed in Jerusalem's fall. But, Jesus was revealed in the Revelation. Therefore, the fall of Jerusalem is synchronous with the Revelation and they refer to the same exact event. Jesus words were proven to be true as every stone of the temple was removed (Matthew 24:2). This event is corroborated in Revelation 11:1-8 as the temple is measured and the Great city that was about to be judged is identified as the place where Jesus was crucified. This coming would be seen in the sign (Matthew 24:3). The great coming of the Revelation was the coming of Jesus in the clouds as Jerusalem fell, and Heaven was opened and dead saints would hear the voice of God say, “come up hither”(Revelation 11:12). All of these events were shrouded by the cloud. Thanks be to God that Jesus returned in the clouds and now heaven is open to all the saints.