WEEK 41
“The Rider on the White Horse”
Date: June 11, 2003
Place: Allendale Baptist
Text: Revelation 19:11-21
Introduction
Last week in the first section of chapter 19 we caught a glimpse of the praise and worth going on in heaven.
A time of rejoicing because the false church and government will be destroyed.
Tonight we will study the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Someone has said the surest thing in the world is not taxes and death, but the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Forty days after His resurrection the Lord ascended into heaven and is there today interceding on our behalf.
On the day of His ascension they Bible tells us in Acts 1:10-11; “The disciple were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. Men of Galilee, they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”
The second coming of Jesus Christ is the hope the church waits for and longs for.
300 times in Scripture the second coming of Christ is mentioned.
The Bible teaches us that Christ ascended into heaven from the Mt. of Olives and will descend from heaven to the Mt. of Olives.
The Bible never contradicts itself, but some are confused about the second coming.
The Rapture of the church is not the second coming of Christ.
His second coming will be a secret coming.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 says; “Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”
His second coming will also be a public coming.
The Bible tells us that every eye shall see Him.
In these verses John describes the Conqueror in verses 11-16; and His conquests in verses 17-20:3
If you remember what seems like ages ago back in chapter 6:2 we saw the rider on the white horse that was the false Christ. Here in chapter 19 we will see this Rider is the true Christ.
He is not coming in the air to take His people home as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, but to the earth with His people, to conquer His enemies and establish His kingdom.
Verse 11
Now the writer John sees the Heavens opened and the One that ascended into heaven and has been seated at the right hand of the Father is now returning to take back the earth from the beast and establish His kingdom.
This event given in Revelation is so different from the description of the Rapture.
At the Rapture, Christ meets the church in the air; in this event He comes with His church to the earth.
At the Rapture there is no judgment; in this event it is all about judgment.
“White horse”
In the Roman triumphal processions, the victorious general rode his white horse up to the Via Sacra to the temple of Jupiter.
We are told in the NT Jesus’ first coming was in humiliation on a colt.
John gives us a picture as the conqueror on his war horse, coming to destroy the wicked.
“Called Faithful and True”
Someone said Jesus can be called Faithful and True because He is faithful to His promises and true to His character.
Verse 12
“eyes like a flame of fire.”
My Grandmother had a picture of Jesus in her living room. No matter where you were in that room, the eyes of Jesus seemed to always be looking directly at you.
This reminds us that nothing escapes His penetrating view.
And also He can see all rebellion and unbelief.
“a name no one knew”
This is amazing to some; John apparently was able to see the name but did not comprehend it.
There are mysteries connected with the person of Jesus Christ that no created being will ever be able to comprehend.
Verse 13
“He was clothed with a robe dripped with blood”
This is not from the battle of Armageddon, which will begin in verse 15.
Christ’s blood stained garment symbolizes the battles He has already fought and won against sin, Satan and death.
“His name is called the Word of God”
A word is a means of expressing thought.
In Jesus, God has fully expressed Himself to man.
As the Word of God, Jesus is the image of the invisible God
Colossians 1:15 says; “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.”
Jesus is the express image of His person.
Hebrews 1:3 tells us; “Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
And Jesus is also the final, full revelation from God.
Hebrews 1:1-2 says; “God who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the words.”
Verse 14
We see here when Jesus come He will be accompanied by the armies of heaven clothed in white linen and on white horses.
This is no doubt an army made up of the saints of God; NT and OT Saints and I believe the angels of heaven.
All of heaven empties to follow Christ.
But we need to notice here they are not required to fight.
Jesus will defeat His enemies by Himself.
Verse 15
“Sharp sword”
This sword comes out of the mouth of Christ implies that He will win His battle with the power of His word.
What is it that Jesus to speak against the Devil in the wilderness temptation?
Verse 16
Some commentators describe this as a banner across His chest and runs down His thigh.
King of King and Lord of lords describes the Lords supreme reign and all must submit to His authority.
Verses 17-21 describes the most frightening holocaust in human history- the Battle of Armageddon. It is not so much a battle but an execution.
Verse 17 & 18
“The great supper of God”
This is the destruction of God’s remaining enemies before the earthly kingdom is set up.
We see in these verses the vultures are summoned to attend and they will feed on the bodies of those who were slain by the Lord.
“Both small and great” means people from all walks of life and every social class.
Verses 19-20
In a final attempt to prevent Christ from taking the reins of his government, the beast allies with the armies of the world to make war against the Lord and His army.
But the battle is a useless attempt.
Both the beast and the false prophet are captured and thrown alive into the lake of fire of burning brimstone.
Verse 21
* The rest of the follower of the beast and the false prophet will be killed with the sword of the Lord and their bodies consumed by the vultures.
