The praise we heard last time (verses 5b and 6) is powerfully supported by a promise. We are now secured that He whom we praise, Jesus Christ, will return. Verse 7, “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” As He himself promised, before He ascended to heaven, He will come as He has gone, on the clouds. And then all will see Him. All the people of the world, "Also those who have pierced Him.” These are not only the soldiers who literally pierced Jesus’ side (John 19:37) but all of us. It is our sins that caused Him to be crucified and condemned to death. How tragic are our sins... How great is His love…
We continue to read, “And all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.” At the Second Coming, sin with standing will cause a great terror to all who do not love Him. Then they will cry, "Mountains fall upon us and hills cover us.” (Luke 23:30) Then grace and mercy will give way, then His glory and power will no longer be saving and redeeming but convicting.
What encouragement as well as exhortation this is for the churches in Asia Minor and us. The Lord is coming back! Let that define our lives, and let us constantly keep that in mind. Then the world no longer has any power over us, for we are kings and priests in His service. Then we will no longer be slaves of the world and our own hearts; we will be set free and look forward as stewards to the coming of our Master. Then there is a looking forward to the time when we can give an account of the expectation that is within us...
Then in verse 8 follows another self-revelation from God. God Himself takes the floor and says who He is. “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” It is not clear who is speaking here, the Father or the Son. But does it matter? After all, God's speaking comes from both the Father and the Son; they are One.
And God Himself emphasizes the lesson we just learned; He encompasses all times. He is at the beginning and at the end. And all the while He is faithful. He is always the same, the One. Yes, moreover, He is Almighty. A triple testimony of God: He is eternal, faithful, and omnipotent. Wouldn’t we go out to Him then?