The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

We inquire, If this feature of the Second Advent is to be invisible, that is, if no human
being will see Him in person, then in what way will this feature of the Second Advent be
made manifest to the world? The reply is that it will not be revealed to the world by His
riding on a literal white horse; nor as having a literal sword going forth out of His mouth
that with it He should smite the nations. Rather it is that these things, together with all the
other features describing this person and His actions, are symbolical. Some one may
inquire, May it not be even though all these things are symbolical, that the vision as a
whole represents a visible descent of the Son of God to earth? Not so, we answer. If visible
it must be by some kind of veiling of His glorified person, and if we keep in mind what we
have learned respecting our Lord's glorious change of nature at His resurrection, that He is
now the highly exalted, immortal, Divine One, dwelling in light that no man can approach
unto, it becomes evident that no mortal man could look upon Him in His glorified body,
or upon His majestic person, and live. In view of these facts the vision under consideration
could not represent a visible manifestation of the person of the glorified Christ. But let it be
borne in mind that while His presence will not be visible to the physical sense, there will
be a manifestation of such a character, accompanied by such supernatural demonstrations,
as will constitute convincing evidence to the beholders that the Divine Ruler, Christ, has
taken to Himself His great power, and is using that power to destroy the enemies of Truth
in whatever way they may be operating. Furthermore, these supernatural manifestations
will be of such a character as to sanctify God in the eyes of all the world and cause all who
live through the troubles to acknowledge His rulership. One aspect of the same scene
seems to be referred to in Ezek. 37:28; 38:23; 39:27,28.
The particular delineations that are associated with this person are of course symbolical,
and represent the different attributes and characteristics which will be exercised by Christ
in the great judgment work He is at the time to perform. The first thing of a symbolical
character that appeared to St. John's vision was that of the opening of the heaven.
The meaning of this as given by Mr. Barnes appeals to us as being both reasonable and
clear: To St. John beholding the vision it was as though there was an opening in the sky,
that is, in the expanse above--in the visible heavens as they overspread the earth. The
Hebrews spoke of the sky as a solid expanse; or as a curtain stretched out; or as an
extended arch above the earth--describing it as it appears to the eye. In that expanse or
arch, the stars are set as gems (Isa. 34:4); through apertures or windows in that expanse the
rain comes down. (Gen. 7:11.) These expressions of Scripture in many places evidently
have a symbolical meaning associated with them. As illustrating this we call attention to
several: At Christ's baptism (Matt. 3:16), it is said that the heavens were opened and the
Holy Spirit descended. Again in the instance of Stephen's martyrdom, the heavens are
represented as opened to him and he saw the Son of God seated at the right hand of
power. (Acts 7:56.) Another instance is that in connection with St. Peter's vision in which
he saw heaven opened and a certain vessel descending unto him. (Acts 10:11.) Another use
of the same is found in Rev. 4:1, in which St. John saw a door opened in heaven. Now all
these instances, while seemingly real to those who described them, were visions and are
evidently symbolical, each one designed to teach a distinct truth. The one in connection
with the Savior's baptism was intended to teach that heavenly things were at the time