Coronation of the King, Pt. 1

Doug Batchelor: The Great Basin bristle cone pine is one of the longest-living organisms on earth. Incredibly, it can live more than 4,000 years. In fact, one specimen called the Methuselah tree in the White Mountains of California is believed to be over 4,700 years old, and it's among the oldest living trees on the planet. This tree was around when the Egyptians were building the pyramids. Some of these ancient evergreens found on lonely mountaintops have weathered thousands of years of intense freezing wind, pounding rain, scorching sun, and violent electrical storms.

How have they managed to survive for millennia of such harsh weather and adverse conditions? They do it by sending their roots deep, and wrapping them tenaciously around the solid rock, and hanging on. You know, friends, Jesus tells us that there's a time of tribulation coming just before His return, an intense, frightful storm of trouble unlike anything we've ever seen. Is your life anchored on the solid rock of Christ? Let's explore together from the Bible just what will happen in the last days.

The lesson tonight dealing with "The Coronation of the King" is based on a story that you're going to find in your Bible in 2 Kings chapter 11. And just to give you the background, there was a king named Jehu, King of Israel. He came into power, and one day he killed two other kings. He killed the King of Judea, the Southern Kingdom, and he killed his rival in the Northern Kingdom. When Ahaziah died, his mother, who was the daughter of Jezebel, her name was Athaliah, was a wicked queen. She did not want one of her grandchildren to rule in her place. Normally, it would have been one of the sons of David that would be ruling in the place, but she was so bloodthirsty and ruthless, she killed her grandchildren, slaughtered her grandchildren so none of them would be king, and she ruled over the land for six years as a tyrant.

Well, this reminds us of something that's happened several times in the Bible where the devil has made an effort to eliminate the royal seed. See, the devil knew that the Son of God was going to come into the world to save humanity, and back in the days of Moses, Satan was worried that the Savior was going to come, so he got the King of Egypt to kill all the baby boys. And then during this story, Queen Athaliah, she killed all the descendants of David, because God said the Messiah would come through the house of David. And then, King Herod, he went into Bethlehem, he killed all the baby boys in Bethlehem, because, why? Trying to destroy that Savior child.

Then you go to Revelation and you read where the dragon tried to destroy the man-child, and all of it starts to come together when you see the stories in the history in the Bible. You see what I'm saying? So, Athaliah was not able to get all of the grandchildren of David. Actually, the aunt of a baby boy, one years old, by the name of Jehoash, she scooped him up when they were annihilating all the other children, took him off to the temple. Athaliah was a pagan queen, she didn't spend much time in God's temple. And he was hidden there for six years. How long did I say? Six years.

Well, it's kinda hard for a seven-year-old boy to stay quiet for very long. The high priest, Jehoiadah, he loved him like his own son. He knew he was the last surviving heir of David's throne, and Athaliah was making things worse and worse, and he said we can't wait forever. So when Jehoash turned seven, after six years of being in captivity, the high priest said, "Now's the time." And then one preparation afternoon he got the guard together, he said I've got something special to show you. He got 300 of the secure guard, and he said, "The son of David is still alive, one survived. He is the rightful king, we need to coronate him." And in one day, the Bible says, he brought out Jehoash, the young boy, the people came to the temple to worship, they said the son of David still lives. Everyone was wondering where that missing boy was. And the people shouted, they blew the trumpets, they put a little crown on his head, they gave him the royal scroll of the covenant, and they proclaimed him king.

Well, wicked Queen Athaliah heard all the commotion, she came running into the temple and she said, "Treason, treason," and the high priests said take her out and kill her and all that follow her. And in one day, the son of David came out of the temple, they blew the trumpets, the people rejoiced, he received the kingdom, and all the enemies were slain.

That is an allegory for what is coming, friends. Jesus is our Savior. He's our high priest. He's by the throne of God and the heavenly temple. He's going to come out of that temple, and He's going to rescue His people. Now, there's something that you find in the Bible, a lot of scholars have looked at this, they call it the millennial week. If you look at Bible history, you can see that you just add up the ages in the Bible, we know how long Adam lived and how long Abraham lived, it gives a very detailed chronology.

Notice this, it's very interesting. Adam was created somewhere around 4,000 years B.C., we don't know the exact date, and I'm not going to try and give that to you. For 2,000 years, God preaches the gospel through what we call the patriarchs, that'd be Adam, Seth, Noah, Enoch, Methuselah. By the way, who's the oldest man that ever lived? Some of you have heard this before, yeah. People say Methuselah. Methuselah lived 969 years, he's actually the oldest man that ever died, it's a trick question. His father, Enoch, was taken to heaven, he's still alive. He's the oldest man that ever lived. But then Abraham was born about 2,004 B.C. For the next 2,000 years, God works in a special way through the Hebrew people, then Jesus comes along.

Jesus is born, believe it or not, 4 B.C. I know that sounds confusing. How could Jesus be born four years before Christ? But when they set up the A.D./B.C. dating method, they just took their best stab at the date they thought Jesus was born, and then later they found out that they were off several years, because they know King Herod the Great died about 2 B.C. He was still alive when Jesus was born. Jesus was baptized in 27 A.D. The Bible says it was as He began to be 30 years of age, so you just count back and they say, "Oh, they were off a little bit." Anyway, so Jesus was born about 4 B.C.

And now, here we are 2,000 years later, so you've got three stages you see, three phases. You've got the age of the patriarchs, 2,000 years, age of the Jews, 2,000 years, the age of the church, 2,000 years, and then you get to Revelation, it says we live and reign with Christ during the thousand years when Satan is bound. That'll be nice when Satan is bound, right? The Bible always seems to work through a pattern of six and one, six and one, six and one. Moses stayed at the foot of the mountain for six days, and then God called him up into the clouds on the seventh day. The Bible tells us that the Jews would farm their land for six years, but the seventh year they let it rest. You can read where you can have a Hebrew slave for six years, but the seventh year he would go free.

How many times did Joshua march around the city of Jericho? Seven times, it's actually 13 times, another trick question. He marched around the city one time for six days, then on the seventh day he marched around the city seven times, and they blew the trumpets, and the city fell. Our Joshua is coming soon, there's going to be a shout, trumpets are going to blow, and Jesus is going to come. You know, Jesus's name in Hebrew is Yeshua, same name. So it's interesting in the story I read about King Jehoash, it says that for six years Athaliah ruled over the land. How many days in a week?

Something interesting. I can see why we've got a 24-hour day, it's because that's how long it takes the earth to rotate on its axis. And while most of the civilizations have a month with 30 days, that's the lunar cycle, and we got a year with about 365 days, because that's how long it takes the earth to go around in its circuit, but all the world celebrates a seven-day week. It's not mathematically practical. The only place the world can trace it to is Genesis.

The Bible tells us a day with the Lord is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like a day, 2 Peter chapter 3 verse 8. For 6,000 years, Jesus has been sowing the seed of the gospel. That's His own parable. He's coming in Revelation to harvest the earth. And I guess I'm saying all of these things just to let you know, friends, that I believe we're living at the sunset of this world's history. In our study tonight, I'm going to go through a few things with you. We're going to be talking about Jesus coming again, something about how He's coming again, because one of the main things Jesus tells us is do not be deceived, and then we're going to talk a little bit about the eminence or the nearness of His coming. First question, who is the king who will soon emerge from this temple in heaven that we just described? You can read in Revelation 14:14, "Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat one like unto the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown."

Jesus, the King of kings, is going to be coming again. Now, it seems like everybody's talking about how we can create a civilization out in space. I don't know if you've been watching the news, but just this week, Captain Kirk had an out-of-this-world experience. You saw that? I mean, you got to admire that. Ninety years old, and he went up in this largely-experimental rocket ship that Jeff Bezos built. I was a little jealous. I'd do it if I was given half a chance. And everybody's thinking, you know, how can we get out of this world? You've not only got Jeff Bezos, the owner of Amazon, you've got Richard Branson, Elon Musk, all of these private entrepreneurial billionaires are working on space programs. Musk said he wants to die on Mars. And these guys are doing some amazing things. They're talking about how we can move civilization out, because there's so much fear, thinking people are saying the world is just not going to last.

There's so many problems that are growing exponentially that people need to be now thinking about how to get out of here. Well, Jesus has planned a way for you to get out of here alive. I want you to know that. Matter of fact, commenting on William Shatner going to space, Prince William said, "Repair this planet, not find the next one." The Duke of Cambridge has suggested wealthy entrepreneurs should focus their resources on solving problems on earth rather than engaging in a new space race. So, these wealthy, thinking people realize that there are serious problems in the world unlike anything any other generation has ever faced before.

Now, we're going to talk in the next few minutes about how Jesus is coming, because I'm going to take my Bible real quick, we've been giving a lot of Scripture, but I like to hold the book. I want to read something to you, Matthew 24. If you have your Bibles, Matthew chapter 24. Some of you have a Bible on a device, and look at the first verse there. "Then Jesus went out and He departed from the temple, and His disciples came to Him to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said, 'Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you not one stone upon another will be here that will not be thrown down.'"

We went to Israel a couple of years ago, I've been there three times now, and they took us on a private tour to show us the foundational stones that Solomon used in his temple. They've got one stone that is bigger than a fully-loaded 747. It's heavier, I should say. It's huge, and we don't even know how they cut or moved it. So, when Jesus--they looked at these stones, He says, there will not be one stone left upon another, the disciples were thunderstruck. They were horrified. And when they got Him alone upon the Mount of Olives, they said, "Lord, tell us, when will these things be?" This is verse 3, "What will be the signs of Your coming, sign of Your coming, and the end of the age?"

Notice the first thing Jesus tells them when He begins to talk about His return, "Take heed that no man deceive you." Now, why would Christ say that? Except that there's going to be a lot of deception connected with His return. "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am Christ,' and will deceive many. And you'll hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you're not troubled." There have been wars through history. "For all these things need to come to pass, the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there'll be famines, and pestilence." We've got a pestilence in the world right now. "And earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows."

Global pestilence, beginning of sorrows, "Then they'll deliver you up to tribulation to kill you, and you will be hated of all nations for My name's sake. Then many will be offended and betray one another and will hate one another." Many false prophets, notice again, "Don't be deceived, many false prophets will arise and deceive many." The word "many" is contrasted with the word "few." It's like the majority are going to be false prophets. It's going to be a lot of deception regarding His return. "Because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he that endures to the end will be saved." And I want you to be one of those. I want to be one of those. What do you say?

Friends, in just a moment we're going to continue with today's presentation, but before we do, you know, a lot of folks misunderstand how Jesus is coming again. There's a lot of confusion about will His return be a secret? When is the tribulation taking place? And to help clear this up, we have a special free offer for you. It's a book that I've written called "Anything But Secret." This resource is absolutely imperative. Jesus warned us there'll be many false Christs and false prophets. How can you avoid being deceived? Filled with Scripture resources, this will bless your heart. To get your free copy, call the phone number on your screen and ask for offer number 106, or visit the web address. And after you read this incredible resource, make sure and share it with a friend. But let's get back now to today's presentation and learn some more amazing facts from the Word of God.

When it comes to the return of Christ, there are three views in interpreting prophecy. One view is called preterism, that basically says that everything you read in Revelation basically came to an end by 100 A.D. The Antichrist was Nero, and they put it all in the past, it's all pre. Then you've got a historism, which is that the Book of Revelation and prophecy covers the panorama of history. That's largely our approach, it's actually the most universal approach through Christian history.

Then you've got something called futurism. Futurism basically says that everything from Revelation 4 when the trumpet blows is still future. Now, when it comes to the Tribulation, historically Christians believed he that endures to the end, endures what? That there's going to be time of trouble such as there never has been. We're here, but God saves us out of that.

Let's find out what the Bible says about how He's coming. Because when Jesus came the first time, did His own people, with the Scriptures, have the right interpretation? Did they recognize Jesus when He came? Now, I mentioned I'm Jewish, so I'm not trying to disparage my Jewish family at all, but the Jews who had the Bible, they were looking for the Messiah to come as a conquering king, wipe out the Romans, make them a world empire again. And when Jesus came as a lamb, they said, "We don't want that, we want someone who's going to come in and give us world power and get rid of our oppressors," and they had misunderstood the prophecies. They switched the prophecies of Christ's coming quietly as a lamb, meekly, with the ones of His coming like a lion in the second coming, and they weren't ready. Now the devil is doing the same thing. He's got Jesus coming quietly when He's coming like a lion.

Let's find out what the Bible says. Now, if we disagree, there's still a lot of things in the program I think you're going to find beneficial, but you owe it to yourself to at least study these things. Let's find out why historically Christians believe Christ's coming was going to be a loud event, and that He's going to deliver us through tribulation. Will Jesus come quietly when He returns? "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with a voice of the archangel, with a trumpet of God." These are loud things. Again, Jeremiah 25:30, "The Lord will roar from on high. He will utter his voice from His holy habitation. He will roar mightily against His fold. He will give a shout." The Bible says a trumpet, a roar, a shout, it's audible.

What else do we learn? "Our God shall come and shall not keep silent." Now, we all agree saints are going to be caught up, but I don't believe it's a secret. "He shall not keep silent. Behold, it will be very tempestuous all around Him," Psalm 50 verse 3. Pastor Doug, what about that verse where it says Jesus comes like a thief? Absolutely, let's read it together. Some people quote part of it, they don't read the whole thing. "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night." What happens on that day when he comes like a thief? Is it quiet? "In which the heavens pass away with a great noise and the elements melt with fervent heat, both the earth and the works that are in it are burned up."

So, when Jesus comes like a thief, does it sound like there's still life going on here on earth? If you read that, it says the earth and the things in it are burned up. What other physical evidence will accompany Jesus's return? Well, things are not only happening audibly, but it's going to be tactile. You can read, it says, "And there was a great earthquake, such a mighty earthquake and a great earthquake as had not occurred since men were upon the earth." It's something where the whole world is shaking when Jesus comes, that's Revelation 16, verse 18.

There was a earthquake we felt in Sacramento a couple months ago. Yeah, some people--I was out of town when it happened, and some of my friends, and we had an earthquake. I remember I was giving a Bible study up in the Redwoods at a Christian camp, and all of a sudden, I heard the teenagers screaming, they were on the volleyball court, and I looked out, and all the cars in the parking lot were bouncing, and then I realized my feet, rolling under my feet, and the trailers were all bouncing. They had a pretty significant earthquake. And I thought, "Oh, Lord, is this it?" You know, when the ground starts moving under your feet, and I thought, "Well, if it is, I'm glad I'm giving a Bible study right now." Hope that happens when it does. So, we're used to earthquakes in California. Our friends that are watching, not so much maybe.

Who will see Jesus when He returns? Is it going to be just a couple of people? What's the Bible say? Matthew 24, Jesus tells us, "Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the heavens, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn and they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." It says he's coming in the clouds. We'll talk about what those clouds are in a minute. "Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him."

Now, someone's going to ask the question, "Pastor Doug, if Jesus's coming is going to be, you know, we've got a round world, how is every eye going to see Him on a round world?" Well, it doesn't say they see Him simultaneously. You know, as He comes, the Bible says we're caught up to meet Him in the air as He sweeps around the circle of the earth. The saints are caught up, everybody alive will see Him that day. That's all that's saying. It's not going to be an event where someone says, "Did you catch it? Jesus came last night. I got it, yeah, I made a Facebook live of the whole thing and you missed it." Everybody's going to know when Jesus comes. Every eye will see Him.

Who will be with Jesus when He returns? This further emphasizes that it's going to be a vivacious event. "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the," how many? "All the holy angels." Well, if everybody's got a guardian angel, and now there are nearly 8 billion people in the world, the Bible tells us that one angel rolled away the stone at the tomb when Jesus rose, and so scared the Roman guard they fell down as though they were dead. One angel came from the Lord and 185,000 Syrians were killed in one night. Can you imagine the heavens being filled with the glory of all the holy angels, and God, the Son himself, and Christ said He's coming in the glory of the Father? That's going to be an event that is going to be very visual.

What will the brightness of Jesus's coming do to the living wicked? Now, we got people who are lost, we got people who are saved, there's no third category, you know that. I hope you're in the right category. What happens to the wicked when Jesus comes? "When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who know not God." That's 2 Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 7 and 8, He's coming with His mighty angels, and the wicked are destroyed by the brightness of His coming. This is the verse I just gave you, 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 8, "Then that lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming." It's going to be so bright.

You know, you've probably gone on a date, and you've tipped over a stone or log, and you see all the little bugs that were kind of hiding. As soon as they see the light, they crawl away. And then you've got a moth on dark night, the moth comes to the light. You've got both categories when it comes to the second coming. You've got one group that's going to say, "This is our God. We've waited for Him and He will save us." They come to the light, and the others are going to run from the light, so you just need to decide if you're a cockroach or a butterfly. But everybody's going to do one of the two things when Jesus comes.

What will happen to the righteous who are dead at Jesus's coming? So, we've got righteous who are alive, but then there's saved people who are dead. Listen to what it says. "The dead in Christ rise first," 1 Thessalonians 4:6. There's a resurrection that takes place, another stupendous event. At this point, what will happen to the living and the resurrected saints? So, those who are saved, that have been resurrected, then those who are alive, and you know, wouldn't it be wonderful to be in that group when Jesus comes where you don't ever have to die? Now, as long as I'm saved, whatever the Lord wants is okay, but it's like Woody Allen said, "I'm not afraid of death, I just don't want be there when it happens." But you know, I think I'd prefer to skip it and just ask someone else what it was like. But you know, God wires us to live.

What's going to happen? The good news in the Bible, "The dead will be raised incorruptible, and we who are alive will be changed," or transformed. "For this corruptible," these bodies that get old and die, "Must put on incorruption." We get glorified bodies in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. "This mortal puts on immortality," and that's 1 Corinthians 15 verse 52 and 53. After being changed, what happens to the righteous? So, this is the good news, 1 Thessalonians 4:17. "Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them," who's the them? The dead who are resurrected. "Will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we will always be with the Lord."

By the way, those clouds are clouds of angels. In Acts chapter 1, when Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples stood there looking, gazing up into the heavens. It says He was received up into the clouds, and suddenly, they look and there's two men standing there, and they said to them, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand here gazing into the heavens? This same Jesus that you have seen go from you into heaven will come in the same way that He was gone." When He came, He was real, when He ascended, He was real, when He comes back, He's going to be real. He was visible, He will be visible again. And He left with the angels, He's coming with the angels.

So, as we're talking about these verses, and there's many more you'll see in your lesson, we've seen that the coming of Christ is a literal event. It's personal, it's visible, it's audible, it's physical, it's vitalizing, it's glorious, it's climatic. It's like the crescendo of history is when Jesus comes. And so, I don't think you're going to have to flip through the channels and find out if He came yesterday. So, it's going to be a very real event.

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