Sermon Central
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That's Him Series
Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Aug 24, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: This is not just another angel; it’s none other than Jesus Christ Himself executing a divine ‘touchdown’ in the end zone of this life. Link included to formatted text, audio & video, and PowerPoint Presentation.
That’s Him!
http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/ThatsHim.html
It’s the darkest time the world has ever known—the Great Tribulation. It’s that 7 yr. period of time after the rapture of the church when hell goes on holiday, demon spirits infest the earth, the antichrist takes rule, and people are tortured and die by the billions.
I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be here! And I won’t! And you don’t have to be either.
But as humanity’s darkest hour looms large a bright beacon appears at the mid point, after 3.5 years. Call it a ‘survey trip’ if you will. This is not just another angel; it’s none other than Jesus Christ Himself executing a divine ‘touchdown’ in the end zone of this life.
I believe that’s Him! Don’t let it bother you that He’s called an angel…many times the Bible refers to Christ as the “angel of the Lord”…though He exists on a completely different level than the created angel beings, for He is their Creator! The Great I Am! Alpha and Omega! He is God!
Remember, “angel” means, simply, messenger…and Jesus Christ is the messenger of the new covenant. He is the gospel, but He also brought that good news to earth.
Gen. 22:15
15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven…
That’s Him!
Is. 63:9 / Judges 2, 6, 21, 22…we see Jesus in these passages in pre-incarnate appearances / II Sam. 24, as well.
A. Because of His Magnificence.
This angel possesses many characteristics which belong exclusively to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Notice 4 things:
1. Clothed with a cloud
v. 1 In scripture, clouds are the symbol, often, of deity.
Like Ex. 16:10, when God led Israel thru the desert in a pillar of cloud
Ex. 19—dark clouds covered Sinai when the Lord gave Moses the 10 commandments…and the voice of God thundered from the clouds.
Ex. 24 and 34—God appeared unto Moses again in a cloud of glory.
Ps. 104:3—He (God) maketh the clouds His chariot.
In the NT, on the mount of transfiguration…
Mt. 17:5
While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased…
In Acts 1, Jesus ascended back to heaven, clothed w/ a cloud.
And Rev. 1:7 says “behold, he cometh with clouds…”
And so I say, That’s Him!
2. Crowned with a rainbow
v. 1 The rainbow is God’s sign to man that He will never again destroy the earth with a flood.
Well, this rainbow also appeared in Rev. 4, when John was called up to heaven, the first thing he saw was the throne of God, encircled by a rainbow.
And here in ch. 10, could it be that though hell is broken loose on earth, Jesus Christ appears w/ clouds, and w/ a rainbow, a reminder that He is the only possible peace in the midst of the storm? I believe so! That’s Him!
3. Countenance like the sun
v. 1 That’s the signature of the glorified Christ
Rev. 1:16—His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength
Mt. Of Transfiguration, Mt. 17:2—His face did shine as the sun
Paul on road to Damascus, saw Jesus as a light of the brightness of the noonday sun
The Prophet Malachi called Jesus the ‘sun of righteousness’
He is the bright and morning star / described as bright and radiant in splendor / the shekinah glory of God Almighty / streets of gold may glimmer, the gates of pearl may radiate, but Jesus will outshine them all! / later in Rev. we’re told there’s no sun or moon in heaven, for the Lamb is the light thereof! Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the most glorious Jesus Christ. That’s Him!
4. Coming in judgment
v. 1b A clear reference to judgment, as brass and fire are both symbols of judgment.
The judgment of the tribulation will become most intense at this half-way point of the tribulation…after 3.5 years.
And Jesus Christ stamps His feet of judgment upon 2 parts of the earth in v. 2…the land and the sea!
Who is He that is clothed w/ a cloud? / crowned w/ a rainbow / countenance as the sun? / coming in judgment?
That’s Him, because of His magnificence…
B. Because of His Might.
v. 2-4 Jesus Christ here holds the same book He held in Rev. 5, the title deed to the earth. Remember?
“Who is worthy to open the book?” / The Lamb!
And in a powerful, mighty gesture of His ownership, in ch. 10, He stamps 1 foot on the land, 1 on the sea, symbolizing that He’s taking possession… “I’m back!”
He owns it all…every drop of water / grain of sand
