Return of the King (12/30/22)

The Lord would like us to understand some details about His return to the Earth. The Lord is not coming to the earth as He did the first time. He is returning in great power, glory, and majesty. Christ is placing an emphasis on His return so His people are ready and prepared. 

“It was of these people, moreover, that Enoch in the seventh [generation] from Adam prophesied when he said, Behold, the Lord comes with His myriads of holy ones (ten thousands of His saints) To execute judgment upon all and to convict all the impious (unholy ones) of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed [in such an] ungodly [way], and of all the severe (abusive, jarring) things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” (Jude 1:14-15 AMPC)

Christ’s return will melt the wicked and all those who have received the mark of the beast. Jesus will have His people trample the ashes of the wicked people who were scorched by the all-consuming fire of His coming. 

““For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, and all the arrogant (proud, self-righteous, haughty), and every evildoer shall be stubble; and the day that is coming shall set them on fire,” says the Lord of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear My name [with awe-filled reverence] the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go forward and leap [joyfully] like calves [released] from the stall. You will trample the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I do this,” says the Lord of hosts.” (Malachi 4:1-3 AMP)

The Lord will even delegate authority to His people to release His judgments on the wicked (on the day of His return):

“For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation. Let the godly ones exult in glory; Let them sing for joy on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their throats, And a two-edged sword in their hands, To execute vengeance on the nations And punishment on the peoples, To bind their kings with chains And their nobles with fetters of iron, To execute on them the judgment written. This is the honor for all His godly ones. Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)” (Psalms 149:4-9 AMP)

Treading of the Winepress

It’s important for us to understand the the Book of Revelation to not completely in order. We need the Holy Spirit to interrupt and understand the book. If we read it as if all the events happen chronologically then we will misinterpret and misunderstand. For example, the treading of the wicked (grapes of wrath) occurs at the second coming and return of King Jesus. The King returns in His glory in Revelation Chapter 19 to judge the wicked and establish His Kingdom on the Earth. Therefore, portions of Revelation Chapter 14 are fulfilled at the same time of the Lord’s return in Revelation Chapter 19:

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who was riding it is called Faithful and True (trustworthy, loyal, incorruptible, steady), and in righteousness He judges and wages war [on the rebellious nations]. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many royal crowns; and He has a name inscribed [on Him] which no one knows or understands except Himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, [dazzling] white and clean, followed Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword (His word) with which He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He will tread the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty [in judgment of the rebellious world]. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name inscribed, “KING OF KINGS, AND Lord OF LORDS.”” (Revelation 19:11-16 AMP)

We can see from the above scripture that Jesus is returning to wage war against the antichrist, the false prophet, Satan, the antichrist’s armies, and the wicked unrepentant sinners. He is going to harvest the grapes (people) that are appointed for wrath, and He is going to trample and kill them. We see this harsh judgment manifested with the picture of His rope that is dipped in blood. The blood is spattered upon His garments from all the evil doers He has personally killed with His sword:

“Who is this who comes from Edom, With crimson-stained garments from Bozrah [in Edom], This One (the Messiah) who is majestic in His apparel, Marching in the greatness of His might? “It is I, [the One] who speaks in righteousness [proclaiming vindication], mighty to save.” Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press? “I have trodden the wine trough alone, And of the peoples there was no one with Me. I also trod them in My anger And trampled them in My wrath; And their lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I stained all My clothes. For the day of vengeance [against ungodliness] was in My heart, And My year of redemption [of those who put their trust in Me—the year of My redeemed] has come. I looked, but there was no one to help, And I was amazed and appalled that there was no one to uphold [truth and right]. So My own arm brought salvation to Me, And My wrath sustained Me. I trampled the peoples in My anger And made them drunk with [the cup of] My wrath, And I spilled their lifeblood on the earth.”” (Isaiah 63:1-6 AMP)

We understand that Jesus Himself will return to personally execute the wicked by treading them down in His wrath and spilling their blood on His clothing. According to Revelation Chapter 14, the harvest of the righteous, and the treading of the grapes of wrath will happen at the same time. Therefore we know that both of these events occur at Jesus’ return to the Earth depicted in Revelation Chapter 19.

“Again I looked, and this is what I saw: a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was One like the Son of Man, with a crown of gold on His head and a sharp sickle [of swift judgment] in His hand. And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to Him who was sitting upon the cloud, “Put in Your sickle and reap [at once], for the hour to reap [in judgment] has arrived, because the earth’s harvest is fully ripened.” So He who was sitting on the cloud cast His sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped (judged). Then another angel came out of the temple (sanctuary) in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. And another angel came from the altar, the one who has power over fire; and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Put in your sharp sickle and reap the clusters of grapes from the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe [for judgment].” So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and harvested the grapevine of the earth, and threw the grapes into the great wine press of the wrath and indignation of God [as judgment of the rebellious world]. And the grapes in the wine press were trampled and crushed outside the city, and blood poured from the wine press, reaching up to the horses’ bridles, for a distance of sixteen hundred stadia.” (Revelation 14:14-20 AMP)

The Day of the Lord

The Lamb desires us to be prepared for His return as Judge and King. As the day of the Lord approaches, let’s ask the Holy Spirit to be life within us and give us grace to fulfill the following scripture:

“So, beloved, since you are looking forward to these things, be diligent and make every effort to be found by Him [at His return] spotless and blameless, in peace [that is, inwardly calm with a sense of spiritual well-being and confidence, having lived a life of obedience to Him].” (2 Peter 3:14 AMP)

Let us watch, pray, and stay alert. We must buy gold refunded by fire, which speaks of Christ’s character, nature, fruit, and life; manifesting in us due to sufferings, trials, and the cross-life. We need to be prepared with white clothing, which represents right living before God; when we allow Christ to live through us in the righteousness that He is. We should put the Lord’s salve in our eyes, so that we can see and understand His will purpose, will, and plans in the coming days before His return. We must be able to see the Lord clearly so we are ready for the day of the Lord (Revelation 3:18).

We have understood the loving-kindness of the Lord. We have felt the Father’s heart for us and experienced the great love and mercy of the Savior. Now we are about to witness the severity of the Lord. Let us abide is His goodness so we remain only spectators of His fierce wrath:

“The great day of the Lord is near–near and hastening fast. Hark! the voice of the day of the Lord! The mighty man [unable to fight or to flee] will cry then bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, [Jer. 30:7; Joel 2:11; Amos 5:18.] A day of the blast of trumpet and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the high towers and battlements. And I will bring distress upon men, so that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord; their blood shall be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord's indignation and wrath. But the whole earth shall be consumed in the fire of His jealous wrath, for a full, yes, a sudden, end will He make of all the inhabitants of the earth. [Luke 21:35, 36; II Pet. 3:10-13.]” (Zephaniah 1:14-18 AMPC)

“Wail, for the day of the Lord is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty (All Sufficient One—Invincible God)! Therefore all hands will fall limp, And every man’s heart will melt. They [of Babylon] will be shocked and terrified, Pains and anguish will grip them; They will be in pain like a woman in childbirth. They will stare aghast and horrified at one another, Their faces aflame [from the effects of the unprecedented warfare]. Listen carefully, the day of the Lord is coming, Cruel, with wrath and raging anger, To make the land a horror [of devastation]; And He shall exterminate its sinners from it. For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not flash with their light; The sun will be dark when it rises, And the moon will not shed its light. In this way I will punish the world for its evil And the wicked for their wickedness [their sin, their injustice, their wrongdoing]; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud And will abase the arrogance of the tyrant. I will make mortal man more rare than fine gold, And mankind [scarcer] than the pure gold of Ophir. Therefore I will make the heavens tremble; And the earth will be shaken from its place At the wrath of the Lord of hosts In the day of His burning anger.” (Isaiah 13:6-13 AMP)

-Ty Unruh