The King is Coming! - Revelation 19:11-16
INTRODUCTION:
The entire book of Revelation has been building to this point. Everything up to our passage this morning has been introductory. This morning we reach the climax of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. There is nothing more clearly stated in the Bible than the fact that Jesus Christ is coming again. His coming again to this earth, will be visible, will be literal, will be physical, and will be glorious. The second coming of Jesus Christ to the earth is clearly referred to 1845 times in the Bible, it is mentioned in 23 of the 27 books of the New Testament. Out of the 260 chapters in the New Testament the second coming of Jesus Christ is mentioned 318 times. During Jesus Christ’s lifetime at His first coming, He referred to His second coming twenty-two times.
The second coming of Jesus Christ is the climax and the consummation of human history. This morning we will begin to look at the second coming of Christ which is so different than His first coming when He was meek and humble and willingly laid down His life for the sins of the world. When He returns the second time He will come as a conqueror and judge and king.
Let’s pray and then get into our Scripture passage for this morning.
--PRAY--
SCRIPTURE:
Turn in your Bibles this morning to Revelation 19:11-16. This morning we are just going to get an introduction to the second coming of Christ, and over the next several weeks we will look at the purpose of the second coming of Jesus Christ. Please stand if you are able in honor of the reading of God’s Word.
Revelation 19:11-16,
“And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’” (Revelation 19:11–16, NASB95)[1]
THE DESCRIPTION OF THE COMING KING (Revelation 19:11-13)
John begins by stating that he saw heaven opened, what must that look like? If you remember back in chapter 4 John had seen a door standing open in heaven and the Lord Jesus Christ had called John to come up so that he could be shown what must take place. Through that door John was ushered into the throne room of God. Here in verse 11 it is not a door that is open in heaven, but heaven itself is opened, the gates have been thrown wide and standing in the open heavens was a white horse with a rider sitting on him. John fixes his eyes on this rider and John describes for us the glorious revelation of Jesus Christ. Jesus is about to receive the kingdom promised to Him by the Father. Jesus Christ sits upon this white horse as a triumphant conqueror. A white horse was the traditional horse ridden by victorious Roman generals in their triumphal processions through the city of Rome.
This white horse symbolizes the spotless, unblemished, absolutely holy character of the Rider. Jesus Christ on this white horse stands in sharp contrast to the rider of the white horse who proceeded out of the first seal that Christ broke from the scroll in chapter 6. That rider had ridden out as a false messiah offering the world a false peace and the world fell for his deception and gave him a victor’s crown and he ruled the world. This world does not belong to this false messiah and the true King has now appeared to take back what is rightfully His.
John tells us that this rider is called “Faithful and True,” there are no titles that are more appropriate for Jesus Christ. He is faithful to keep all His promises and what He speaks is always true. Because Jesus is faithful to His word and faithful to His righteous character, it follows that His judgment is righteous as well. Not only does He judge righteously but John goes on to say that He also wages war righteously. When He came to earth the first time, wicked people judged Him. When He returns, He will judge all the wicked, ungodly people left on the earth. Jesus Christ is pictured here as a warrior King who will wage war against His foes, and He will be the executioner of all the ungodly, unbelieving sinners.
John continues giving us a description of the returning King. John tells us that the eyes of Jesus Christ are a flame of fire. Nothing will escape His piercing gaze; His flaming eyes speak of His righteous judgment on sin. These were the same eyes that wept tears over the fate of unrepentant Jerusalem, that wept at the tomb of Lazarus because of the unbelief of the people, these same eyes are now flashing with the fire of judgment.
John tells us that on the head of Jesus are many diadems. This is different from most of the other crowns mentioned in Revelation, the other crowns mentioned are the crowns or wreaths of victors, these diadems are the crowns of rulers, of kings, of royalty. They are worn by Jesus to indicate His royal authority, His sovereignty. That fact that He wears many diadems indicates that He is the Supreme and only King, there is no one besides Him. He alone is Ruler of the whole earth. This day had been foreseen at the sounding of the seventh trumpet, a loud voice from heaven had announced in Revelation 11:15, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15b, NASB95)[2] The many diadems that Christ will wear at His triumphant return are a fair exchange indeed for the crown of thorns that He wore during His first coming as wicked men mocked Him. There will be no mocking this time, all mouths will be silenced at His appearing.
After telling us that Jesus Christ is called “Faithful and True” John now tells that Jesus Christ has a name written which no one knows except Jesus Himself. The name and the meaning of it are unknown except by Christ. John could not comprehend it, at least not at this point, maybe Jesus Christ will reveal it at a later time. H.A. Ironside says that this name “’…that no man knew but He Himself’ speaks of His essential glory as the Eternal Son, concerning which He declared that ‘no one knows the Son except the Father.’” (Matthew 11:27b, NASB95)[3],[4]
John then tells us that He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood. The blood of His robe does not represent the blood shed at the cross for redemption, but this blood is the blood of judgment. Is this robe dipped in blood anticipating the bloodshed to come? John MacArthur writes, “The blood is the blood of His slaughtered enemies (Isaiah 63:1-6). Why are His garments blood spattered before the battle has begun? This is not His first battle. It is His last battle. His war clothes bear the stains of many previous slaughters.”[5]
John closes his description of the returning King of glory by announcing another name that He is called by that removes all doubt as to who this rider on the white horse is, John writes that the rider’s name is called The Word of God. With this title John makes clear that the rider of this white horse is the glorious Lord Jesus Christ. This is a title that John has used before to describe Jesus Christ. John’s Gospel opens using this title to describe Jesus Christ as God and as the Creator. Four times in the first 14 verses of John one Jesus is called the Word. In John’s first epistle in the first verse of chapter one John identifies Jesus Christ in the flesh as the Word of life. Jesus Christ is called the Word of God because He is the Creator and giver of all life and all things, but also, He is called the Word of God because He is the revelation of God as the second person of the Trinity. Paul tells us in Colossians 2:9-10, “For in Him [in Christ] all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;” (Colossians 2:9–10, NASB95)[6] As the Word of God, the revelation of God to man He will be the Judge of man, whom He created.
THE ARMIES OF HEAVEN (Revelation 19:14)
John reveals to us that Jesus Christ is not alone, but following behind Him on white horses are what John calls the armies which are in heaven. These armies that are following Christ on His return to earth are described as being clothed in fine linen, white and clean. Who are these armies that are accompanying Jesus Christ at His second coming? Some limit these armies to just the church, the Bride of the Lamb, who was described earlier as being clothed in fine linen, bright and clean. I believe that it is more than just the church, especially since John uses the plural armies. I believe that it is the saints, but also the holy angels. In Matthew 25:31 Jesus speaking of His glorious return says that all the angels will come with Him. In Matthew 24:30-31 Jesus taught that He would return with the angels and that they would gather together His chosen ones that are still alive on the earth. Jesus said, “… they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.” (Matthew 24:30–31, NASB95)[7]
These heavenly armies do not seem to be armed, Jesus Christ alone will destroy His enemies. The angels will gather His chosen ones that are still alive on the earth, and do Christ’s bidding. The saints come not to fight, but to reign with Jesus Christ in His Kingdom.
John Walvoord says of these armies following Jesus Christ, “The spectacle, however, of Christ on a white horse with a vesture dipped in blood accompanied by innumerable heavenly beings clothed in fine linen is a demonstration that now at long last the filthy, blasphemous situation in earth is going to be wiped clean with a divine judgment of tremendous character.”[8]
THE RULE OF THE COMING KING (Revelation 19:15-16)
John says that from the mouth of the Lord Jesus Christ comes a sharp sword. John had seen this sword before when He had seen the vision of the Lord Jesus Christ in chapter one. There as here it is a sword of divine judgment. In chapter two this sword was used against those who deceive and lead the church astray. Here we are told that this sharp sword is so that Jesus Christ may strike down the nations. As the Word of God Christ’s words can give life or they can be deadly. When He returns He will speak words of death. Jesus Christ’s words will strike down the nations as a sword wielded in battle. The dead will include all who oppose Him in the battle at Armageddon or what John had earlier called in chapter 16, “the war of the great day of God, the Almighty.” Often referred to as the “Day of the Lord” by the Old Testament prophets. The rest of the unredeemed people on the earth will be judged and sent to eternal punishment at the sheep and the goat judgment that follows Christ’s return. This judgment is recorded in Matthew 25:31-46. With this sharp sword Jesus Christ will establish His absolute rule on the earth.
This swift judgment that brings about the commencement of Christ’s kingdom will be the form of His rule throughout the millennial kingdom. John writes that Christ will rule the nations with a rod of iron. A phrase used to describe Christ’s millennial rule in the Old Testament. In Psalm 2, a millennial psalm in verses 4-9 it says, “He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger And terrify them in His fury, saying, ‘But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.’ I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.’” (Psalm 2:4–9, NASB95)[9] Jesus Christ will instantly put down any rebellion in His millennial kingdom, it will be as a rod of iron striking and shattering pottery.
Then returning again to the judgment that leads into the establishment of Christ’s millennial kingdom, John writes, “… He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.” (Revelation 19:15c, NASB95)[10] This is another view or description of divine judgment. We have seen this divine judgment portrayed this way in Revelation 14:19-20 where it was anticipating the slaughter at the Lord’s return, John wrote, “So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God. And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses’ bridles, for a distance of two hundred miles.” (Revelation 14:19–20, NASB95)[11] The splattering of the grapes being trampled in the wine press is a picture of the pouring out of the blood of Christ’s enemies. This same picture of Christ judgment is anticipated in Isaiah 63:1-6.
John finishes his description of Jesus Christ by revealing that on His robe and on His thigh, possibly a sash running from His shoulder to His thigh, John writes that a name is written, “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” Here at last has come One who has the right to rule the earth, One whose power and majesty will be shown forth by His authority as He judges the wicked earth with His sovereign judgment. Psalm 2 that I already read to you from spoke of God laughing at the nations in their rebellion against the Lord’s Anointed. God laughs because His Son will utterly destroy those who rebel against Him and God will give to Him the entire earth as His rightful possession. Psalm 2 ends in an invitation and blessing to those who come under the rule of the King of kings and Lord of lords. The psalmist writes in Psalm 2:10-12, “Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” (Psalm 2:10–12, ESV)[12]
CONCLUSION:
H.A. Ironside writing about the three names of Christ mentioned in this passage, first the name that no one knows, but Christ Himself, second His name “The Word of God,” and finally His name “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” he writes, “It will be noticed, then, that in these three names we have set forth, first, our Lord’s dignity as the Eternal Son. Second, His incarnation – the Word become flesh. And, lastly, His second advent to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords.”[13] Within these names we see key truths about the Lord Jesus Christ, He is the Eternal Son of God and as such has existed from eternity past and was there in the beginning and as John 1:3 says, “All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” (John 1:3, NASB95)[14] In other words, He was the Creator of all things. Second, as the Word become flesh this speaks of His incarnation, His first advent in which He gave His life for the sins of the world. His first advent was to deal with sin on the spiritual level, He died on the cross taking on Himself the punishment for your sin and for mine, and for the whole world if they would repent and believe that His death was for them, that He was buried in their place, and that He rose triumphant over sin and death so we too might have the hope of resurrection triumph over sin and death in Christ. This was the purpose of His first advent. Finally, as King of kings and Lord of lords this is Jesus Christ’s official title, as the Son of Man, He is the rightful Heir of all things. This title reveals that Jesus Christ is the supreme, glorious Sovereign of all the earth, of all things.
What does this mean for you and me? Because we are part of the church, the Bride of Christ, we will reign with Him. We will celebrate His reign and worship Him for all eternity, first in His millennial kingdom, then in the wonder and glory of the new heavens and the new earth.
[1]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[2]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[3]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[4]Ironside, H. A., Lectures on the Book of Revelation. Neptune, NJ : Loizeaux Brothers, 1920.
[5]MacArthur, John, Because the Time is Near : John MacArthur explains the book of Revelation. Chicago, IL : Moody Publishers, 2007
[6]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[7]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[8]Walvoord, John F., The Revelation of Jesus Christ. Chicago, IL : Moody Press, 1966
[9]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[10]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[11]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995
[12]The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL : Crossway, 2001.
[13]Ironside, H. A., Lectures on the Book of Revelation. Neptune, NJ : Loizeaux Brothers, 1920.
[14]New American Standard Bible : 1995 Update. La Habra, CA : The Lockman Foundation, 1995