Revelation Study Series 24b - God’s Mysterious Plan Fulfilled (Chapter 19b)
05.29.22
Last week we read of what John saw in a vision revealed to him by God. There were vast crowds of people shouting…
“Praise the Lord! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God. (vs. 1)
We talked about being invited to a wedding and wedding feast. Believers are the bride, and Jesus is the Groom!
All are invited to the wedding, but not everyone will choose to come. Not everyone will choose to accept and believe. The wedding feast in Heaven is only for those who come, accepting His invitation, dressed for the wedding. Those that have been saved!
At a wedding all eyes are on the bride.
At this wedding, all eyes will be on the Groom (Jesus)!
Revelation 19:11-13
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for He judges fairly and wages a righteous war.
12 His eyes were like flames of fire, and on His head were many crowns. A name was written on Him that no one understood except Himself.
God has many names: “I Am”, “Jehovah”, “El Shaddai”, and many others. They all give us a glimpse of God and His character/attributes.
Many of His names were revealed to those that are His as they needed to know Him by that specific name. “Jehovah Jireh” - “the Lord provides” was what Abraham called God when He provided a ram to be sacrificed instead of Isaac on Mount Moriah.
We do not know this name yet for the Lord! We will one day!
“The apostle Paul, not at the beginning but at the end of his ministry, before his execution, said, “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death” (Php 3:10, italics mine).
No one knows the Son but the Father. My friend, learning to know Him is one of the things that is going to make heaven heaven. He is so wonderful that it is going to take the rest of eternity to really know Him.” -J. Vernon McGee
Revelation 19:13
13 He wore a robe dipped in blood, and His title was the Word of God.
There is no doubt who this is! It is Jesus! “His title was the Word of God.”
John 1:1-5
1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He existed in the beginning with God.
3 God created everything through Him,
and nothing was created except through Him.
4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and His life brought light to everyone.
5 The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness can never extinguish it.
This Rider on the white horse is Christ, and what is written is revealing His return to the earth, His Second Coming!
Jesus spoke of this…
Matthew 24:27, 29-31
27 For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes.
…
29 “Immediately after the anguish of those days,
the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light,
the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
30 And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And He will send out His angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather His chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.
Jesus’ Second Coming will be at the end of the Seven Year Tribulation. It will end the Seven Year Tribulation!
The end of the Great Tribulation does not cue Jesus’ coming! Jesus’ cues/ends the Tribulation!
Jesus will come with all of those that are His, and there will be a battle. This battle is called Armageddon!
The Bible tells us that Jesus will come and stand on the Mount of Olives…
Jesus told His disciples after His death, burial, and resurrection, just before He ascended…
Acts 1:8-11
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be My witnesses, telling people about Me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After saying this, He was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see Him.
10 As they strained to see Him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them.
11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday He will return from heaven in the same way you saw Him go!”
Just as Jesus went up from the Mount of Olives, He will come down to the Mount of Olives!
This was also prophesied about…
Zechariah 14:3-9
3 Then the Lord will go out to fight against those nations, as He has fought in times past.
4 On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. And the Mount of Olives will split apart, making a wide valley running from east to west. Half the mountain will move toward the north and half toward the south.
5 You will flee through this valley, for it will reach across to Azal. Yes, you will flee as you did from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all His holy ones with Him.
6 On that day the sources of light will no longer shine,
7 yet there will be continuous day! Only the Lord knows how this could happen. There will be no normal day and night, for at evening time it will still be light.
8 On that day life-giving waters will flow out from Jerusalem, half toward the Dead Sea and half toward the Mediterranean, flowing continuously in both summer and winter.
9 And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day there will be one Lord—His name alone will be worshiped.
Scripture is clear! Jesus will physically stand on the Mount of Olives, ending the Great Tribulation, and the battle of Armageddon will begin…
Revelation 19:14-15
14 The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed Him on white horses.
(This army consists of the angelic hosts, and those that are His that were raptured before the Tribulation, or who died not worshiping the beast, nor receiving the mark of the beast during the Tribulation.)
15 From His mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress.
Jesus Christ will speak and this battle will be over, victory will be won!
Revelation 19:16-21
16 On His robe at His thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.
17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, shouting to the vultures flying high in the sky: “Come! Gather together for the great banquet God has prepared.
18 Come and eat the flesh of kings, generals, and strong warriors; of horses and their riders; and of all humanity, both free and slave, small and great.”
19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the world and their armies gathered together to fight against the One sitting on the horse and His army.
20 And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast—miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
21 Their entire army was killed by the sharp sword that came from the mouth of the One riding the white horse. And the vultures all gorged themselves on the dead bodies.
All of this ushers in what is called the Millennial reign. When Jesus, Himself will physically rule and reign with those that are His on this earth for 1.000 years.
Life Application:
Its rider was named Faithful and True (vs. 11)
His title was the Word of God. (vs. 13)
From His mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. (vs. 15)
On His robe at His thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords. (vs. 16)
Their entire army was killed by the sharp sword that came from the mouth of the One riding the white horse. (vs. 21)
Jesus, who is Faithful and True, with the title Word of God, King of all kings, Lord of all lords…speaks (“sharp sword”)...and the enemy is defeated!
God’s Word wins!!! God’s Word reigns!!!
Isaiah 11:4 He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of His word, and one breath from His mouth will destroy the wicked.
God’s Word is faithful!!! (You can count on it/depend on it completely, solely!)
Isaiah 40:8
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever.
Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will disappear, but My words will never disappear.
God’s Word lives! God’s Word is alive!
1 Peter 1:23
For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living Word of God.
God’s Word is the very power of God! God’s Word is not merely letters written on paper or scrolls, it is Jesus, the Son of God!!!
Hebrews 1:1-2
1 Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets.
2 And now in these final days, He has spoken to us through His Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son He created the universe.
It is by God’s Word that you have victory!
It is by God’s Word that you will reign with Him!
It is by God’s Word that you have life everlasting!
It is by God’s Word that His power is alive, and working in you and for you!
Matthew 4:4
4 But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Let me explain to you why this is all so important, why it matters!
It doesn’t matter what the news says!
It doesn’t matter what the world says!
It doesn’t matter what the President or world leaders say!
It doesn’t matter what Oprah, Ellen, Dr. Phil, the View, or even what Judge Judy says!
It doesn’t matter what Hollywood says!
It doesn’t matter what social media says!
It doesn’t matter what anyone else says!
Any word, written, or spoken, any recording, video, or media of any kind other than God’s Word will fail! It is not Faithful and True!
It will not last! It will not reign! It will not win! It will not give you victory, it will not give you life, nor show you the way of life, neither add to your life!
The only thing that should matter to you is what God’s Word says!
It is the only Truth, and it is the only power by which you and I should live!
Hebrews 4:12
12 For the Word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes, and He is the One to whom we are accountable.
When anyone cares more about what others say, rather than what God has said…it is because they do not want to know/hear the Truth!
They do not want to be accountable to the Truth!
They would rather hide from God, than acknowledge His Truth!
Understand…
God created this world by His Word!
God sent His Word!
God keeps His Word!
God will end this world by His Word!
God will usher in the New Heaven & Earth by His Word!
Most important of all, God keeps you by His Word!
Psalm 119:89-93
89 Your eternal word, O Lord,
stands firm in heaven.
90 Your faithfulness extends to every generation,
as enduring as the earth You created.
91 Your regulations remain true to this day,
for everything serves Your plans.
92 If Your instructions hadn’t sustained me with joy,
I would have died in my misery.
93 I will never forget Your commandments,
for by them You give me life.
If God’s Word is that important to Him! It ought to be that important to you!!!
Is it? (repeat)
How important is God’s Word to you? How necessary?
His Word ought to be like food or water to you! His Word ought to be like breathing!
When has His Word changed your thinking or actions?
When have you chosen to trust it? Live by it, and live by it alone?!
What has His Word been speaking to you, that you know you need to change, cling to, or do?
Paul wrote…
Philippians 2:16
Hold firmly to the Word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.
