What is the meaning of Revelation 1:7? Behold • “Behold” is a divine attention-getter, inviting the reader to look with expectancy and urgency. John uses it the way the prophets did—see Isaiah 40:9 and John 1:29—to summon us to an event that will shape all history. • The call is not merely to observe but to align our hearts with what follows; the entire book hinges on taking this command seriously. • Scripture consistently pairs “behold” with God’s decisive actions (Isaiah 7:14; Revelation 21:5), underscoring that what is announced will certainly occur. He is coming with the clouds • The return of Jesus is personal, visible, and bodily, echoing Daniel 7:13-14: “One like a Son of Man was presented before the Ancient of Days… His dominion is an everlasting dominion.” • Acts 1:9-11 confirms this same manner of return: “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way.” • Matthew 24:30 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 add detail: His coming includes glory, angelic proclamation, and the gathering of His people. • Clouds throughout Scripture signal God’s manifest presence (Exodus 13:21; Matthew 17:5). Here they herald His kingship unveiled to the world. Every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him • No corner of the globe is excluded; the revelation is universal—public, not private (Matthew 26:64; Philippians 2:10-11). • “Those who pierced Him” recalls Zechariah 12:10 and is quoted in John 19:37. It points first to Israel’s responsibility, yet Romans 3:23 makes clear all humanity shares in the piercing through sin. • The statement assures vindication: the rejected Messiah will be unmistakably identified as Lord, answering centuries of skepticism. • Visibility implies accountability; once He appears, neutrality is gone (Hebrews 9:28; Revelation 6:16-17). All the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him • The mourning mirrors Zechariah 12:10-12, blending sorrow that leads to repentance with dread among the unrepentant (Luke 23:48; Acts 2:37-38). • “Tribes” underscores the global scope—every ethnic group is included (Genesis 12:3; Revelation 7:9). • Some will grieve in saving contrition (2 Corinthians 7:10); others will lament in hopeless terror (Revelation 14:10-11). • Jesus foretold this in Matthew 24:30: “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.” So shall it be! Amen. • John places two affirmations back-to-back: “Yes” (Greek nai, rendered “so shall it be”) and “Amen,” the Hebrew term for certainty. Together they form a double seal of assurance (2 Corinthians 1:20). • The phrase invites readers to echo the agreement. Revelation ends the same way: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (22:20). • This confident closure reminds us that God’s promises are irrevocable (Numbers 23:19); the return of Christ is settled reality, not hopeful speculation. summary Revelation 1:7 announces the climactic unveiling of Jesus Christ. We are summoned to pay close attention, reminded that He will come personally and gloriously in the clouds, visible to every human eye. Those responsible for His crucifixion—and indeed all humanity—will face Him, resulting in worldwide mourning that divides the repentant from the rebellious. John seals the promise with a double affirmation, assuring us that Christ’s return is certain and imminent. |
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