The degradation which the Lord Jesus endured
when He was here upon earth before, requires that He shall come back again in
power and glory in order to vindicate Himself. Is it reasonable to
suppose that the last view which this world shall have of our blessed Lord
before He takes His seat upon the Great White Throne to judge the wicked dead,
shall be that of the "lowly Nazarene"? Surely not. Need we remind our readers
of the depths of humiliation into which our Redeemer descended? Born
in a manger, with the beasts of the field for His first companions, and a bed
of straw for His cradle! Sharing the home of humble Jewish peasants and
spending His youth and early manhood at the carpenter's bench! During His
public ministry, so poor and so lightly esteemed that the common courtesies of
hospitality were denied Him - "He had not where to lay His head!" Despised and
rejected of men; the butt of Pharisaic contempt and the center of Jewish
ridicule! His life seemingly ending in defeat as He hung helpless upon the
cross, enduring the shame of a criminal's execution and taunted by his
heartless enemies! Is this the only sight which the earth is to have of the
Lord of Glory? Is the Son of God to retire from this world in apparent
defeat without any subsequent opportunity for vindicating Himself? Surely not.
Is it not evident then that He who was here before in humiliation must yet come
back to be glorified in His saints and to be admired in all them
that believe? Does not the very fitness of things, do not the claims of equity
and righteousness, insist, that He who was the willing Victim shall yet return
as the triumphant Victor? Does not the Cross of Calvary necessitate
that our Lord shall yet come back to our earth in order to substantiate His
claims and ratify His promises?
"For dogs have compassed Me: the assembly of the
wicked have enclosed Me: they pierced My hands and My feet. I may tell all My
bones: they look and stare upon Me. They part My garments among them, and
cast lots upon My vesture" (Ps. 22:16-18). Such was the picture that was
painted by prophecy. But this scene was not to be the finale. In this very
same Psalm we read, "All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto the
Lord: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Thee.
For the kingdom is the Lord's: and He is the Governor among the nations"
(vss. 27, 28).
"And they that had laid hold on Jesus led Him
away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were
assembled" (Matt. 26:57). See our blessed Lord standing there before the
Jewish Sanhedrim, arraigned before His own creatures! Mark Him as He offers no
defense in response to the false witnesses that testified against Him, and then
ask, Is this to be the last thing? Is there to be no sequel to
this? We do not have to seek far for an answer, for on this very occasion the
Redeemer declared, "Nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see
the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds
of heaven" (Matt. 26: 64). And again, it is written, "Behold, He cometh
with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced
Him." Yes, the Crucified Saviour is coming back again, coming back to
vindicate Himself in a world where He once endured the contradiction of sinners
against Himself, and, coming back to rule and reign as He first appeared in
order to suffer and die.