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“Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.” – Revelation 1:7
Jesus Christ is coming back. Yes, really.
The book of Revelation contains visions, symbols, warnings, worship, conflict, and hope. Yet before we get far into its difficult imagery, the above verse puts the central truth plainly before us. History is going somewhere. Jesus will not remain unseen forever. The crucified, risen, and reigning Christ will appear openly and unmistakably.
The verse begins with one urgent word: “Behold.” Some translations say, “Look!” It is a call to pay attention. We spend so much of life looking elsewhere. We look at our schedules, our worries, the news, our bank accounts, our health, our relationships, and the problems in the world. Those things matter, of course. But Revelation lifts our eyes above them all: Look—Jesus is coming.
“He is coming with the clouds.” Throughout Scripture, clouds are often connected with God’s presence, glory, and authority. Jesus used similar language when He spoke of the Son of Man coming “with the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 24:30). This is not a picture of Jesus quietly slipping back into the world unnoticed. His return will reveal His majesty. The One who was mocked, rejected, beaten, crucified, and buried will come in the full glory that belongs to Him.
John then says, “Every eye will see him.” No one will miss it. Jesus’ return will not be an event for a small group of insiders or a private spiritual experience that people can explain away. Every eye means every eye. Every nation, generation, social class, culture, and worldview will be confronted by the reality of Jesus Christ.
That should both comfort us and sober us.
It comforts believers because so much is hidden right now. Jesus is Lord, but the world often does not act as though He is Lord. Faithfulness may seem unnoticed. Prayer can feel quiet. Obedience can look small. Evil sometimes appears to have the upper hand. But the day is coming when the truth about Jesus will be visible to everyone. No one will be able to deny who He is.
But it also sobers us because Christ’s return means our lives matter deeply. We will not drift endlessly through history without accountability. Jesus is not only Savior; He is also King and Judge. The question is not simply whether we agree that He exists. The question is whether we have received Him, trusted Him, and yielded our lives to Him.
The phrase “even those who pierced him” brings us back to the cross. It points to those directly involved in Jesus’ crucifixion, but it also reminds us that human sin is the reason Christ went to the cross. We should not read this verse as if the cross were only someone else’s story. Our rebellion, pride, selfishness, dishonesty, bitterness, and indifference all reveal our need for the Savior who was pierced for us.
Yet the good news is that the One who was pierced is also the One who comes. His wounds are not evidence of defeat; they are the marks of His sacrificial love and victorious redemption. The returning King is the crucified Lamb. For those who trust Him, His coming is not a reason for terror but for hope.
The verse says that “all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him.” This mourning includes the grief of those who finally see the One they rejected. It is the sorrow of realizing too late that the true King stood before them all along. But for Christians, this verse also calls us to a deeper kind of mourning now: honest repentance. Before Christ comes visibly, we have the gracious opportunity to turn to Him sincerely.
So John invites us to a very practical response. Live awake. Do not let your faith become a Sunday habit with little effect on Monday through Saturday. Sunday, in this sense, is the least difficult day of your week. If Jesus is coming, then forgive the person you have been avoiding. Confess the sin you have been excusing. Make peace where you can. Serve faithfully even when nobody applauds. Speak about Christ with humility and courage. Hold your possessions, ambitions, and anxieties with an open hand.
In other words, live as you have been enabled to be. The Holy Spirit has made you capable of living Christlike.
And when the world feels unstable, remember this: the final word does not belong to violence, corruption, illness, loss, or death. Jesus is coming. Every eye will see Him.
John closes with, “So it is to be! Amen.” That is not mere religious language. It is faith speaking with confidence: This will happen. God will keep His promise. The King is coming.
So look up. Live faithfully. Repent quickly. Hope deeply. Jesus Christ is coming with the clouds.