Revelation 1:7: “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth, shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.”

This verse has two direct referents; (a) the phrase “coming with clouds” is found in Daniel 7:13 and (b) the phrase “look on him whom they have pierced” is from Zechariah 12:10. Other passages in the Scriptures also give us more context for interpreting Christ’s “coming”.[1]

Coming With Clouds

Daniel 7:13 speaks of the “Son of Man… coming with the clouds of heaven”. Jesus spoke of Himself as the “Son of Man,” a title used of the Messiah, (Matthew 26: 64 and Luke 19:9-10). In the context of His predictions of the destruction of Jerusalem, He clearly foretells that the “Son of Man” will be seen “coming in a cloud with power and great glory,” (Luke 21:27; Matthew 24:30.) The use of the terms “Son of Man” and “coming with clouds” brings to mind Daniel chapter 7, which so often serves as a referent to passages throughout the book of Revelation. The Revelation, “coming, appearance,” of Jesus Christ in Revelation 1:7, is a record of the fulfillment of Daniel’s vision, and the establishment of Christ’s kingdom, Daniel 7:13, 14, 22, 27.

Daniel 7:27 was fulfilled when Jerusalem was destroyed in AD 70. The old, fallen kingdom of Israel ceased to exist and the Kingdom was given to Christ and His Body, “the people of the saints of the Most High; their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them,” Daniel 7:27. This completed the translation of the kingdom from an earthly kingdom to a heavenly one as foretold by Daniel.

Revelation 1:7 refers directly to the words of Christ in Matthew 26:64:
“Jesus saith unto him, Thou [the High Priest, singular] hast said: nevertheless I say unto you [plural, the chief priests and scribes], Hereafter shall ye [plural] see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”

When Jesus said: “ye shall see,” He was referring to Zechariah 12:10, “They shall look on Me whom they have pierced”

“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. (Zech. 12:10)

This prophecy has been literally fulfilled according to John 19:37; it does not await a future fulfillment:
“36 For these things were done, that the Scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. 37 And again another Scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.” (John 19:36-37)

The phrase “they which pierced Him” refers directly to the men who pierced His side when they crucified Him, especially the chief priests and scribes to whom Jesus was speaking in Matthew 26:64. This verse requires that Christ’s coming in the clouds be fulfilled in the generation which crucified Him. It requires that some of these men should be alive when He “comes with clouds” in order to witness, in the flesh, His appearance or revelation.

The referent Scripture in Zechariah 12:10 foretells that “they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a first-born.”

These are the ones who grieved for the demise of their fleshly kingship and priesthood. The slaughter of the babes of Bethlehem: “Rachel weeping for her children and would not be comforted, for they were not,” marked the end of the fleshly lineage of David’s heirs to the throne. Jesus’ miraculous escape marked Him as the last and only survivor for David’s dynasty, “an only child,” a “first-born.” When He was “pierced,” crucified, those who hoped for the fleshly fulfillment of the promises “mourned for Him as one would mourn for an only Son, and were in bitterness for Him as one that is in bitterness for his Firstborn, (or Heir).”

The people mourned not only their kingship but also their priesthood. The legitimate priesthood, descended from Aaron, had ceased to exist because the office had become merely a political appointment by Rome instead of the God ordained line of succession. The change of person in the pronouns in Zechariah 12:10: “look upon me” and “mourn for him” may indicate that they looked upon Christ, the One Who was pierced, and mourned for David whose dynasty and promises seemed to be ending in defeat.

In one sense of the word, the entire nation participated in and was judged for the crime of their leaders, for the nation ceased to exist as a fleshly nation. In this sense, they were all guilty of having “pierced” Him. Yet, those who would accept His grace were forgiven, even as He prayed for them while on the cross. His shed blood became the genetic blood of the New Israel.
[1] See WS at 1:7: “Coming”.