There is a pattern in the Bible of astronomical symbols used as the arrival of God or His Presence. These as far as I have found always are in a direction from east to west and stopping in Israel when it is referring to an event on Earth. Two examples of this are the star of Bethlehem and the rapture at the end of the Church age. The star of Bethlehem is said in Matthew 2 to have appeared in the east and led the wise men to Bethlehem where the baby Jesus was so they could worship him. Although there are many ideas of what the star of Bethlehem actually was, it is undeniable it went in a direction from east to west. One of the best and scripturally sound explanations I have heard for the nature of the Star of Bethlehem is the "Skeninah Glory" of God the Father's Presence. This Shekinah Glory was shown as in the LORD's leading the children of Israel at night in the wilderness of in His dwelling in the holy or holies in the tabernacle and temple. At the the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for the Church at the rapture, the rapture is referred to as the Morning Star in Revelation 22, 2 and 2 Peter 1. Of course the Morning Star refers to the natural object that is a picture of this namely the planet Venus rising in the morning and going from east to west. The planet Venus as the morning star after a while becomes more and more obscured by the twilight of the soon rising sun until it is practically totally lost in the light of the rising sun when it actually does rise.
The rising sun in the bible sometimes called the dayspring refers to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in power and great glory at the end of the 70th week of Daniel or the Great Tribulation to set up Jesus and God's Kingdom. This is a fulfillment of God's promise of the Messianic Kingdom in the line of King David of Israel. It will last for a 1000 years and will be a time of people of all the nations and Israel giving glory to God with Him ruling Personally in the person of Jesus Christ over all the Earth from Jerusalem. God the Father or the LORD will come with Jesus at His coming to set up His Kingdom and God the Father and His glory will dwell in the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom Temple in Jerusalem according to Ezekiel and the Gospels. The Lord Jesus Christ calling His second coming as the lightning that shines from the east even to the west is referring to the same event as His coming referred to as the rising sun and they are both in the direction from east to west. Other scriptures give more details that Jesus at His coming to set up His Kingdom on Earth will land on the Mount of Olives and will then proceed to Jerusalem through the East Gate or Golden Gate directly into the then Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount. This will be a glorious occasion for all true believers in the One true God who exists in 3 Persons. All true Christians of God's saved people in this age both from Jews and Gentiles (the nations) as well as the holy angels will join with Jesus in His coming as the rising sun to set up His Kingdom as in Revelation 19.
A main reference to the Lord Jesus Christ coming as the Rising Sun is found in the last chapter of the Old Testament. In this reference in Malachi 4 the Lord Jesus Christ is referred to as the rising Sun of righteousness that will consume those on Earth who are still in their sins and in rebellion against God. At the same time God will heal and give the victory over their enemies to the people then on Earth who were living for Him. This will be despite intense persecution for their faith in the LORD(God the Father) and His Annointed (Messiah or Christ) Jesus of Nazareth who is also the eternal Son of God. Malachi 4 is as follows:
For behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be as stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up(although their souls will still continue forever), saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun or righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye(you) shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts. Malachi 4:1-3
In this passage the Lord Jesus Christ is called the "dayspring" which means rising sun and it is also then in a direction from east to west. This passage also refers to God's judgment of the wicked and implies His establishing the just or believers in Him on Earth. This passage also makes clear God will establish His righteous Kingdom over all the Earth. The reference in Job 38 to the Lord Jesus Christ coming to set up God's Kingdom on earth as the dayspring or rising sun in Job 38 is as follows:
Hast(have) thou(you) commanded the morning since thy(your) days; and caused the dayspring(rising sun) to know his place; That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it? It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment. And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm(proud) shall be broken. Job 38:12-15
A final scripture reference to this event with this same type of word picture is when the Lord Jesus Christ as part of His answer to His disciples questions about the end of the world said His coming to set up His Kingdom would be like the lightning shining brightly from one end of heaven to the other from east to west. Although somewhat different this is a very similiar word picture as the rising sun and it also refers to the Lord Jesus Christ's return to Earth to set up His Kingdom. The main point Jesus was making in this case is that His coming would be clearly unique and different from the appearance of false Christs or false Messiahs that will be fairly common and convincing in the Great Tribulation or 70th week of Daniel. The reference to the Lord Jesus Christ coming from east to west to set up His Kingdom in Matthew 24 is as follows:
Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ (Messiah), or there; believe it not. For there shall false Christs(Messiahs), and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers(probably referring to the Jewish Temple); believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Gospel of Matthew 24:23-27-31
From these references I think the reader can see that there are a number of references to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to set up God's and His Kingdom on Earth. This is also the Kingdom promised to David in his line from which the Lord Jesus Christ traces His geneaology as a man. The above scripture references make clear some basic things about the Lord Jesus Christ coming to set up His Kingdom as the rising sun. They include Jesus' brightness will consume those who are still rebellious, unbelieving or unrepentant and the angels will take them to hell, that God will establish those then on Earth who had trusted in Him and His Annointed One Jesus Christ for salvation, that Jesus' Kingdom will cover all the Earth, that Jesus' coming will be very dramatic from Heaven to distinguish His from false Christs or Messiahs and that His coming then will be from east to west. If it is not already the case I hope you the reader will trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour and invite Him into your life that He died for your sins and rose from the dead to give you new life so you won't risk being in your sins when the Lord Jesus Christ comes at the end of the Tribulation. Furthermore I hope that you can totally avoid experiencing the Tribulation of Earth by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ before the rapture of the Church just before the Great Tribulation starts.
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