Daniel’s 70th week ends with the victorious return of the Son of Man.
Matthew provides a wonderful account of Jesus’ return.
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another…” Matthew 25:31-32
Those on the right called ‘sheep’ had given the Master food, drink, clothing, and visited Him when sick and in prison. They had done those things indirectly by caring for those in need, i.e. those others of His brethren.
Their reward?
“Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world…” Matthew 25:34
Those who did not care for the needy of Christ’s brethren were cursed.
“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and angels.’ …And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:41, 48
Everyone on earth will witness Jesus’ return which will occur immediately after the 7 year tribulation period, i.e. Daniel’s 70th week.
“For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be…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.” Matthew 24:27, 30
The Greek word for ‘mourn’ is kopto which means lament, or sorrow over their rejection of Jesus at His first advent.
Jesus’ return is also described by John in the final book of the Bible.
“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war…Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” Revelation 19:11, 15
When Jesus returns He will kill the followers of the anti-Christ with the sword, but not the anti-Christ or the false prophet. They will be captured alive.
“These two were cast alive into the lake of fire…” Revelation 19:20
But their leader, the devil himself, will be imprisoned in the bottomless pit and be used one last time to deceive any in the kingdom who will not adhere to the laws of the king.
“He (an angel) laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years…” Revelation 20:22
Then John saw the souls of those who were martyred for the sake of the word.
“Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God…and they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.” Revelation 20:4
Therefore, Christ will end the great 7 year tribulation and rule the nations from Jerusalem for 1,000 years.
“Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet…Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.” 1 Corinthians 15:24-25, 28
Now the question (where is the kingdom?) has also been answered.
The kingdom is presently in the heart of believers, but will subsequently be totally physical and visible for 1,000 years in preparation for the next and final stage of God’s plan.
“For behold, I create new (renewed) heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind.” Isaiah 66:17
“Now I saw a new (renewed) heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away…” Revelation 21:1
For more, see my latest book “Looking Backward from the Future: …Until Messiah the Prince”
