The King Returns To Conquer Part 1

Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. The return of Jesus in glory will rivet the attention of every eye on earth. History will culminate in one spectacular appearance that ends millennia of wrongs and ushers in a thousand years of peace after all the enemies of Christ have been vanquished. From the Moody Church in Chicago, this is Running to Win with Dr. Erwin Lutzer, whose clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line. Pastor Lutzer, the Bible does say that every eye will see him when he returns.

That must mean an extraordinary sight in the skies above the whole earth. And Dave, he's going to land on the Mount of Olives. And you and I have stood there together, and even as we looked at the Mount of Olives, I remember reading passages of scripture that we are going to be discussing in this message today. Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the people of the earth will mourn because of him.

And Zechariah says, his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives. The message that you are about to hear on Running to Win is actually chapter seven of my book entitled The King is Coming. We'd love to have this resource in your hands so that you are instructed regarding the future so that it can impact the way in which you live today. For a gift of any amount, we're making this book available. Here's what you do.

Go to rtwoffer.com, rtwoffer.com, or call us at 1-888-218-9337. Now let us listen carefully because the King is going to come. He's going to come in glory.

He's going to come in power. And yes, his feet shall touch the Mount of Olives. Today I have the privilege of speaking to you about the most dramatic, spectacular event in all of history that is still to take place. It is not only spectacular from the standpoint of earth, but nothing like it has ever happened in the universe before, and nothing else like it will ever happen again. I'm speaking to you about the glorious return of Jesus Christ. And it's an event that we can all look forward to, but also, may I say, that it is going to involve us. As a matter of fact, the return of Jesus, this return of Jesus, will eventually affect all the people on the whole earth who have ever lived, either directly or indirectly.

And for those who are alive, the billions that are alive, what an event it is going to be. I need to warn you in advance that parts of this are going to be shocking because we usually don't think of Jesus in the way that I'm going to preach him today. But if we accept that Jesus, the loving Jesus, we need to understand that with that love, there is also meticulous justice.

So I invite you to open your mind, your heart, to God and to his word. Now when we think of the return of Jesus, as I've mentioned, it is best for us to understand it in two phases. In earlier messages, we talked about the rapture of the church when we are taken up. And if you look at 1 Thessalonians 4, you'll notice that it is quite a different event than the passages we're going to return to today because that is the glorious appearing of Jesus that takes place. And today, we're speaking about the glorious, visible appearing of Jesus on planet earth.

And what an event that will be. Just hang on to your seats because you wouldn't believe it unless it were in God's word. Now let me say also that the reason for this is, first of all, to judge the earth.

You will be surprised at the unstoppable tsunami of justice that is hurled upon the planet, almost affecting our sensibilities. But also, another reason is so that the Jewish people who are alive at that period of time will believe on Jesus. Remember it says, Paul says, and so all Israel shall be saved. There are going to be a remnant of Jewish people who when Jesus appears will recognize him as Messiah, and they will be saved, and they will go into what we call the Millennial Kingdom. You say, well, what's the Millennial Kingdom all about? I'm so glad that you asked.

You're a little bit ahead of me, but I'm always glad when you're thinking. And the answer is the next message in this series is on the Millennial Kingdom, and I hope to answer at least a few of your questions at that time. Another reason is to show the absolute superiority of Jesus as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Now before we open the Bible, I have to ask this question. What will be going on on earth when Jesus appears? Antichrist will be in full bloom. If you were with us last time, you know that the mark of the beast will be given to people. And if you don't accept the mark, you will be put to death.

We talked about that. During the last three and one half years, he has awesome power, and all that dwell upon the earth worship him, except those whose names were written in the Lamb's Book of Life, as we covered in the last message. But Antichrist, Satan, who governs him, he reads books on prophecy. He knows what the Bible teaches.

He knows exactly what it teaches. He probably understands prophecy a lot more than we do. And he knows that soon Jesus is going to appear, and what he wants to do is to initiate one more solemn, massive assault on Jesus. And that's why in the 16th chapter of Revelation, you can read this on your own, but in verse 16, that's the only reference to what we call Armageddon. Or the Armageddon, of course, referencing the plain of Megiddo about 60 miles north of Jerusalem. And so the Battle of Armageddon is in full swing.

What is the Battle of Armageddon? It says in the previous verses in Revelation 16 that the dragon, you remember the unholy trinity I explained last time, the dragon who is Satan, the beast who is Antichrist, and then the false prophet who is representing the Holy Spirit in this godless satanic trinity. They open their mouths, and from their mouths evil spirits come. And these spirits are sent throughout the whole earth to gather people together in Jerusalem.

Now the reason that they give for the gathering might be varied. Maybe they're going to say we're going to take on Antichrist, but Antichrist knows exactly why they are gathering. It says in the Bible in Revelation to be there for the great war of God in the day of God Almighty. Final showdown, final massive showdown between Satan and Jesus. And that's the situation into which Jesus comes. Now for every verse of scripture in the Bible that talks about the first coming of Jesus, there are eight that refer to his second coming.

So I have many options, and I'm going to ask you though, I've chosen three of the most prominent, and we're going to look at all of those. And I hope that you have your Bible with you so that you can turn with me to three passages of scripture all describing the same event but helping us to understand it from a different point of view. The first one is Zechariah chapter 14, Zechariah 14. Take your Bible and turn with me to Zechariah. If you find it hard to find Zechariah, remember go to the division between the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Go back four or five pages because after Zechariah there comes Malachi. So you're almost near the end of the Old Testament. I'm going to pick it up in chapter 14 of verse 1. Behold a day is coming for the Lord when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered. There's going to be actually warfare house to house in Jerusalem when all the nations are gathered there. And then you'll notice it says in verse 3, then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on the day of battle.

Now catch this. On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley so that one half of the mount shall move northward and the other half southward. Wow, Jesus is going to come back to the Mount of Olives.

How appropriate that his feet shall stand there. In the days of Ezekiel the prophet we learn that the Shekinah glory left the temple area, Ezekiel said, and then it went through the Kidron Valley and it disappeared over the Mount of Olives. How appropriate that the Shekinah glory which disappeared over the Mount of Olives, that that glory should now return in the person of Jesus, triumphant, the one who embodies the very glory of God. Furthermore, it is appropriate because Jesus ascended to heaven from the Mount of Olives. And you remember how the disciples as they were looking up and Jesus disappeared behind the clouds. And by the way, he's going to come back with the clouds as we shall see. But when Jesus disappeared, you remember two men were there, two angels actually who said, why do you keep gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus who has gone up from you into heaven will likewise come back from heaven. And this is that event right there in the Mount of Olives. And that's why I always say to people that if you haven't had an opportunity to go to Jerusalem in this life and you won't have that opportunity, if you hang on to this message, I'll show you that if you're a believer, you're going to be there and it's going to be the best tour group that you've ever seen in your life. And Jesus is going to be your leader.

I mean, it is just unbelievable. You read this and you say, Lord, why not today? But I have to finish this message first. Now, Jerusalem, the Bible says is going to be the capital of the world. And if you read the rest of the 14th chapter, it's got all kinds of symbolism. It's talking about living water coming from Jerusalem.

It's talking about the name of God on horses, bridles, symbolic of the fact that God is going to be everywhere. And this is the millennial kingdom that I'm going to speak about next time. But there's something else that is going to happen. And that is I told you earlier that a Jewish remnant is going to believe on Jesus. You say, well, are you, where are you getting that? You know, that's a good question.

Whenever you hear somebody speak, you should always say, now, where is he getting that from? So let me tell you, you have your Bible open to Zechariah 14. Go back a chapter or two to chapter 12. You'll notice it says in verse 10, I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabits of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him as one mourns for an only child.

And we bitterly over him. They are going to deeply regret that they misread the signals that they didn't understand that Jesus was the Messiah. Look at what it says in chapter 13, verse 1. On that day, there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness. Verse 9, and I will put this third into the fire.

Two thirds of the people are going to be killed, by the way. That's what it says in verse 8 during the Great Tribulation, horrendous things happening. But notice verse 9, I will put this third into the fire and refine them as one refined silver and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name and I will answer them. I will say they are my people and they will say the Lord is my God, just as Paul wrote in the book of Romans. And so all Israel, a generation of Jewish people that are alive when Jesus Christ comes, are going to believe on Christ, be cleansed from their sins, and will enter into the Millennial Kingdom. Because after all, God even has some promises that he made to Abraham and to his descendants that haven't been fulfilled yet, as we shall see next time.

And of course, it's not only Jewish people, there will also be Gentiles who will be there in the Millennial Kingdom, those who trusted Christ during those difficult days during the Tribulation period. So that's the story from Zechariah. Jesus comes to the Mount of Olives.

It is a spectacular return. But it's also worldwide. For this we have to turn to the book of Matthew. And you remember in a previous message I spoke on Matthew 24 when we were talking about the Great Tribulation.

But now I pick it up in Matthew 24 at verse 27. Jesus is saying that, you know, if somebody says the Christ is over here, he said don't believe him. Don't even go see the guy, somebody who says I'm the Christ. Don't even go see the imam or the man for whom some Muslims are waiting because they believe that he is the Messiah.

When he speaks, you don't even have to listen to him. Because if it were the real Messiah, it says in verse 27, for as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

That'll become clear in a few moments. Immediately after the Tribulation of those days, the sun will be dark and the moon will not give its light. The stars will fall from the heaven. The powers of the heaven will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man. 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. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call. And they will gather his elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other.

Talk about a worldwide event. The Bible says that every eye shall see him. Now, how can that be possible? People have said, well, you know, if Jesus ascends to the Mount of Olives or descends to the Mount of Olives, every eye can't see him. Well, maybe television cameras would pick that up.

I'm sure they might. But maybe the infrastructure has been broken. And maybe we are without electricity. I can't prove this scripturally. But I would like to think that when Jesus begins to come out of heaven, and this will become clear in another passage, I think that the sign of the Son of Man is going to appear. And of course, as the world turns on its axis over a period of days, they continue to see Jesus in all of his splendor and in all of his glory appearing and coming to earth. So in that sense, if it happens over a period of time, every eye will see him, as the Bible says. Notice that when he comes, there are going to be all of these convulsions of nature. The sun is going to be darkened.

Of course, the moon will not be giving its light because the moon does nothing but reflect the light of the sun. The stars of the heaven are going to fall. I mean, you talk about a cataclysmic event and you have it here. And then the scripture says that the tribes of the earth will mourn. And some will mourn because they recognize Jesus as the Messiah, as we read in the book of Zechariah moments ago. Other people are going to mourn possibly because they're going to mourn over their sin, yes, and believe on Christ. Others are going to mourn in agony and reject Jesus.

But all the tribes of the earth will be aware that Jesus has arrived bodily on planet earth and that he has descended to the Mount of Olives, which is next to Jerusalem. Now you'll notice it says he sends his angels to gather his elect. And these angels, which are asked by God to gather the elect, some of the Christians, of course, have been hiding in caves.

Some of them have been all over. Some of the Jewish people who have believed and now many are believing in Christ, the angels are sent to be God's gatherers to gather the elect. Now, all of that seems strange to us.

It seems so foreign to our sensibilities. But think about this for a moment. When Lazarus died, Luke 16, it says that angels carried him into Abraham's bosom. It says that the angels accompanied him. I suspect that when a Christian dies, it is entirely possible that they see angels who take them to wherever Jesus designates they be, and that is to paradise. So the angels are sent to gather his elect.

From all over the world. The second coming, the glorious appearing of Jesus is spectacular. But let me say that the glorious appearing of Jesus not only is spectacular, but it is worldwide. As the lightning comes from one side of the sky and goes to another, so will be the sign of the Son of Man, which I interpret to be Jesus Christ's coming itself. Until now, we get to a passage in which you and I are intimately involved. If you want to know what will we be doing if you believe in the pre-tribulational rapture, we'll be in heaven during the tribulation.

But imagine this. You, my friend, as a believer, are going to be part of this glorious appearing. Of all the passages in the Bible that I love the most, will give you also some chills, is the 19th chapter of the book of Revelation where we have a more detailed description of this same event, the return of Jesus, and we learn that it is a very victorious event. Revelation 19, you have to see this now with your own eyes. Revelation 19, and we're invited to use our imaginations.

I will comment on the text in a moment after I have read it. Verse 11, Revelation 19. Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.

His eyes are like a flame of fire. On his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is the word of God.

And the armies of heaven arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords, no doubt as to who that is who returns to the earth.

Well, what can I say after that? This passage of scripture from the 19th chapter of the book of Revelation describes the wonder of Jesus Christ's return. And by the way, if you're a believer, the Bible teaches that we are going to be returning with him, all that in your future. You say, well, Pastor Lutzer, we've been hearing prophecy all of our lives, and it's never happened.

Well, that's the way the people thought in the Old Testament times. You know, Messiah is going to come. There's going to be a Redeemer. He's going to come out of Bethlehem, and centuries go by, and they keep saying, you know, we hear about these prophecies, and they never happen. But my friend today, eventually they did happen, and Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and someday these events are going to happen.

That's why I think it's so important for us to understand prophecy, and I've written a book entitled The King is Coming, 10 Events That Will Change Our Future Forever. I want you to have this resource to encourage you, to instruct you, and to bring a transformation in your life when you begin to realize that eternity is very long, and time is short. For a gift of any amount, this book can be yours.

Now, here's what you do. Go to rtwoffer.com. That's rtwoffer.com, or call us at 1-888-218-9337. Now, I'm going to be giving you that contact info again, but thanks in advance for helping us, because it is your gifts that make running to win possible. Ask for the book, The King is Coming. Go to rtwoffer.com. Of course, R-T-W-Offer is all one word.

R-T-W-Offer.com, or call us at 1-888-218-9337. You can write to us at Running to Win, 1635 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois, 60614. When history culminates in the return of Jesus, democracy will have run its course. Descending from heaven, Christ will slay his enemies with a sharp sword and set up a world government in Jerusalem. He will rule with a rod of iron, radiating absolute authority. Next time on Running to Win, more on the conquering king's return. Thanks for listening to our series on the return of Christ. This is Dave McAllister. Running to Win is sponsored by the Moody Church.