² Behold, he comes with clouds; and every eye will see him, and also those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will wail because of him.

• Behold, he comes with clouds.

Heaven appears to our spiritual eye as in a mist or in clouds — so, his coming is on the clouds of heaven, within the hearts of purified believers — just like he ascended: he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. Acts 1:9. 2000 years ago, to the Jewish High Priest and the Pharisees at his trial, Jesus said.. "you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven." Mark 14:62. This is not a particular generation in our time or later. Even Daniel in 538 BC saw Jesus coming on the clouds of heaven: "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him." Dan 7:13. See Howgill's testimony of the Lord's coming to men purified in this life, and those who die still in their sins.

• every eye will see him,

The second coming and the day of the Lord are one in the same personal experience, which occurs for all men in every generation. For those who are crucified to spiritually die on the inward cross of self-denial, the second coming occurs as the Lord appears to burn by baptism of fire the remaining sin in them. Their body dies in this baptism of death, but the believer is raised (resurrected) with Christ and translated into the kingdom of God. Though raised with Christ to live in the heavens, they still walk the earth as a new creature together, in union with the Lord. For those who physically die without having been purified on the inward cross and who are still slaves to sin, the appearance of the Lord when they physically die is a terror for they will suddenly see how hopelessly evil they are.

Jesus said, "So likewise, when you see these things happen, know that the kingdom of God is near. But take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts become weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the cares of this life, and that day come upon you unexpectedly. For it (the day) will come on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth." Luke 21:31,34-35

Jesus said: For the Son of man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels;
and then he will reward every man according to his works. (Not just a particular generation.)
Some standing here will not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom. Mat 16:27-8,Mar 8:38,9:1,Luk 9:26-27

• and also those who pierced him [will see him too] ;

Each time you sin, you are piercing Christ within you. If you have sorrow and regret, with resolve to not repeat the same mistake again, you have godly sorrow. From the Word of the Lord within: "your godly sorrow is a soothing balm to the wounds you have inflicted on me."

The wicked's eyes are opened when they physically die, to then experience the Day of the Lord, as described by Francis Howgill, (the kingdom-dwelling, early-Quaker):

"They shall look on Him whom they have pierced." For even in the wicked God has a witness which is pure, which checks often, though they regard it not, because the god of this world has blinded their eyes; but when Christ, the Light shall appear, He will make that to see in the wicked, which the god of this world has blinded; and they shall behold Him in dread; and His pure appearance shall make them horribly afraid. Although they would not see, they will be made to see; and they will be made to hear what they would not hear, when God sounds his trumpet, to give warning to all, that the dead, both small and great may arise, “some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”*

*Some to shame and everlasting contempt is not everyone else who did not awaken to everlasting life. The Lord says a perpetual shame and everlasting approach applies to the false prophets, Jer 23:30-40, which would include the preachers of Christianity not called by the Lord, not taught by the Lord, not perfected by the Lord, not authorized by the Lord, not sent by the Lord, not speaking with words heard from the Lord immediately before speaking, and not doing only what the Lord shows them to do. Everyone who fails to learn how to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, will meet His fury, (but not forever and accompanied by His compassion).

• and all the peoples of the earth will wail because of him.

  To those who die still sinning, on the day of their individual death, the Day of the Lord with His appearance is a sudden, frightening experience, which results in great weeping and gnashing of teeth.

  • Wail for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as destruction from the Almighty, Isa 13:6;
  • The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness has surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? Isa 33:14
  • For behold, the day comes that shall burn like an oven, and all the proud, yes, and all who do wickedly, will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. Malachi 4:1.
  • And the people shall be as the burnings of lime; they shall be burned up like thorns in the fire. Isa 33:12.
  • Therefore as the fire devours the stubble, and the flame consumes the chaff, so their root shall be like rottenness, and their blossom shall go up like dust because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. Isa 5:24
  • Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! For what good is it to you? The day of the LORD is darkness and not light. Amos 5:18

  Woe to you Christians who think grace excuses your continued sinning for the Day of the Lord will be a terror to you.
  (See Howgill for more on those not purified).
  
  From the Word of the Lord within:

  • I am the terror to most people.
  • There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
  • We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, male and female.
  • The Lord shall render to every man according to his works, good or bad.
  • Every man's work must pass through the fire; every man's work is judged by fire.
  • Everyone will be salted with fire.
  • I will devour those who do not follow, and snatch the righteous from the fire.
  • Judgment begins with the house of God.
  • The righteous will barely be saved."

Even the righteous that are snatched from the fire and barely saved, before they experience joy and gladness, know the terror of the Day of the Lord in themselves; as witnessed by, (from his actual experience), kingdom-dwelling, early Quaker Francis Howgill:

"They who have not yet seen this day of the Lords vengeance in themselves, have never seen the day of salvation. The prophet cried out: 'Who may abide the day of His coming, and who shall stand when He appears?' And many have been eye-witnesses of the dreadful day-of the Lord, which has appeared in them, wherein all peace has been hidden from their eyes; and all who ever came to see that day of joy and gladness, first knew the terror and the terrible day of the Lord in themselves. Therefore said the apostle: 'We, knowing the terror of the Lord, persuade men.'"

William Dewsbury, another kingdom-dwelling, early Quaker, also left a testimony of the terror in the Day of the Lord:

I was slain and baptized, and lay as a little child under his heavenly chastisements; as soon as ever my soul was brought to this, in my humiliation. Oh! then, the dreadful judgment was taken away, and the book of life was opened unto me, and the Lord spoke comfortably to me, 'I have loved you with an everlasting love;"and I was made a Christian through a day of vengeance, and of burning as an oven; and the haughtiness and pride of man in me was brought low.

After the terror, for the crucified and purified, the Day of the Lord is a great joy, as also witnessed by Francis Howgill:

"The appearance of God, who is eternal life, in his day, in his immeasurable Light, is a great joy, and source of rejoicing to the righteous. For he is to his people an everlasting light, and in his light they come to see light. He reveals the secret mysteries of his kingdom in those who see his day appear in their hearts, which makes all things manifest, even the secrets of the Lord, and his hidden treasure, and his durable riches, which never canker or rust, but are fresh, and keep their pure image and impression. By this Light all the righteous, who have waited on God’s appearance, come to see Him. As it is written, 'Lo! This is our God, we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice and be glad in his salvation.' Does he indeed come that you have waited for? Yes, come, 'and his reward is with Him;' and those who see Him find contentment in Him, and in his reward. And what is his reward? Joy, gladness, peace of conscience, assurance of God’s love sealed in the heart by the pure Spirit of the Lord, the streams of Life flowing forth continually from the great deep, which refresh and keep cool in the greatest extremity and heat of temptation; and this is enjoyed by those who have waited and do wait for it; even in the body they bear witness of Him and his coming.

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