When We See Jesus in Midair
There has never been a more spectacular sight than when we see Jesus Calling for His Bride! I’ve been reading about the ancient city of Alexandria before the time of Christ. Their great drama of pageantry marching down the Ceremony Boulevard called “Canopic Way” appeared and sounded from another world. Yet nothing of human history will match seeing the great Bridegroom with His innumerable Living Creatures, Cherubims and Seraphims plus the host of heaven descend from Heavenly Jerusalem. The sky will dazzle with beauty beyond the pale of this world system.
Every expression of Heaven’s beauty will be manifest in this long prophesied moment. David spoke by the Holy Spirit of the Rapture and Christ’s appearance with the following words, “All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the Ivory places, whereby they have made thee glad.” (Psalms 45:8) That great city that Apostle Paul declared an unnamed man (Actually himself) had seen will be gleaming in the backdrop. He spoke of it as in the third heavens and our Bible indicates that the second heavens will vanish so this city of Ivory will be gleaming in the sky.
This Apostle had never lacked for words but was rendered incapable of describing the glory he witnessed. He would not allow himself to identify that he was the man to behold such splendor.“I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body: I cannot tell; whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body: I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.” (II Corinthians 12:2-5)
We must believe that all the matchless glory of Heaven will accompany this eternal Son of God as the Father sends Him to possess His Raptured Bride. There has never been an entourage as will accompany this Triumphant King. He keeps His promise to His disciples. “Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (St. John 14: 1-3)
We will not view Him as the Son of man, but as both Son of Man and Son of God. He will be clothed in the glory He had with the Father before this world began. “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” (John 17:5) When He descends to meet His Bride we will see the same glory that John saw in the first chapter of Revelation. Listen as John describes the details of his vision and drama that was revealed to him. “And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.” (Revelations 1:12-13)
The Son of God was given a name which is above every name by His Father and the first title was that of the Eternal High Priest that dwells in the Holy of Holies. The beauty of this office is far superior to an earthly priest and His attire was witness to the same. “His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.” (Revelations 1:14-15)
He is the ancient of days and His entire person is clothed with a manifestation of the Divine that we as earthly souls cannot grasp. When we see Him this state of His being will startle us to speechlessness. His knowledge of us will make every weakness magnified a thousand times. The only grace that can stand before Him will be Divine Grace. His voice will sound like a thousand orchestras. Beauty and clarity will be of a Divine quality.
When careless people talk of going in this Rapture they know nothing of the true reality of His Holiness. There is a multitude of people that talk of this event like it is just another party or earthly celebration. This hour will be the culmination of six thousand years of prophecy and it will be a moment of sheer splendor for the righteousness, but unsurpassed terror for the impure and sinful. The foolish virgins will be left with nothing but a sad knocking on a closed door.
The very atmosphere of this Glorious day will be full of awesome righteousness. The wicked will search for a hiding place. We will see Him as He is and His glory will leave no doubt of His external plans for His own. Jesus Christ Himself prophesied, “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” (Matthew 24:27)
The midair above us will be the Hallelujah Boulevard where the Bridegroom will appear with His Heavenly entourage. The unholy will flee in terror while the righteous arise to join the grandeur. One writer spoke of the righteous dead being as “dust that sings”. Paul said of the living saints, “The mortal shall put on immortality.” Ready or not, here He comes!
Joseph Chambers