Jesus Second Coming: His Royal Procession

A. When Jesus returns to earth, He will make a royal procession to His throne in Jerusalem. This will involve a 3-stage process which will include many events occurring over a 30 day period.

B. Stage 1: Jesus’ royal procession across the sky to rapture the Church and to be seen by every person on the earth (Mt. 24:30; Rev. 1:7). Every eye will see Jesus as His kingship is proclaimed with authority over each nation. This requires a global procession over every inhabited place.

7 He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him...all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him... (Rev. 1:7)

C. Every unbeliever will see Jesus clearly enough to have a deep emotional response of mourning. He will travel close enough to the earth and slowly enough across the sky for every unbeliever to see Him clearly enough to understand what is happening and to mourn over rejecting Him.

30 The Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds…with power and great glory. (Mt. 24:30)

D. Stage 2: Jesus’ royal procession on the land as He travels or marches through Edom or modern-day Jordan warring against the Antichrist’s armies on His way to Jerusalem (Isa. 63:1-6; Hab. 3:12; Ps. 110:5-6; 45:3-5). He will set foot on the earth (somewhere in the Middle East) and then march through Bozrah in Edom (Jordan) on His way to liberate Jerusalem (Rev. 19:11-21).

12 You marched through the land in indignation; You trampled the nations… (Hab. 3:12)

E. Stage 3: Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem through the Mount of Olives to be crowned king (Ps. 24:7-10; Jer. 3:17; Zech. 14:3-5; Rev. 19:11-21). Jesus will be celebrated as the Son of David in a coronation parade in Jerusalem and will be crowned King (Zech. 6:13; 14:9). The gates of Jerusalem will be opened to receive Jesus as their messianic King (Mt. 23:39).

7 Lift up your heads, O you gates [of Jerusalem]! The King of glory shall come in. 8 Who is this King…? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle [Armageddon]. (Ps. 24:7-8)

F. Jesus will lead a royal procession into Jerusalem as David did when he bought the ark into Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6). David merged the account of his procession into Jerusalem with the ark with a prophecy of Jesus’ procession into Jerusalem at His second coming (Ps. 68:24-33).

24 They have seen Your procession, O God, the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary...29 Because of Your Temple at Jerusalem, kings will bring presents to You...till everyone submits himself...scatter the peoples [nations] who delight in war…32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth...33 To Him who rides on the heaven of heavens... (Ps. 68:24-33)

G. Jesus' royal procession will begin in the sky at the seventh trumpet (1 Cor. 15:52; Rev. 11:15) with the rapture and will end in Jerusalem. I refer to these events as Jesus’ royal procession because He will come in great glory and flaming fire and trumpet blasts. He comes with billions of angels and saints as He travels on clouds across the earth for all to see the overwhelming power of His kingship (Mt. 16:27; 24:29-31; 25:31; 1 Thes. 3:13; 4:14-16; 2 Thes. 1:8).