11 And I saw the heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon called Faithful and True; and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 And his eyes are a flame of fire, and upon his head are many diadems; and he hath a name written which no one knoweth but he himself. 13 And he is arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and pure. 15 And out of his mouth proceedeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And he hath on his garment and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid heaven, Come and be gathered together unto the great supper of God; 18that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of them that sit thereon, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, and small and great. 19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat upon the horse, and against his army. 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought the signs in his sight, wherewith he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that worshipped his image: they two were cast alive into the lake of fire that burneth with brimstone: 21 and the rest were killed with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, even the sword which came forth out of his mouth: and all the birds were filled with their flesh.

What possible meaning would these ideas have had for the Christians of John’s day?

As the dramatic scene unfolds, John stands transfixed, his attention riveted on the majestic, regal, mighty Rider. Jesus, the One who ascended to heaven (Acts 1:9–11) where He has been seated at the Father’s right hand, is about to receive the kingdom that the Father promised Him. In an earlier vision, John saw Jesus receive the title deed to the earth:

Three short observations of Christ as the warrior King on a white horse.

The picture contrasts sharply to that of His first coming. In Jesus’ procession into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, He rode on a donkey, a lowly beast of burden (Matt. 21:5). At Christ’s second coming the little domestic animal will be exchanged for the military steed.

Second, the scene in Revelation 19 stands in contrast to the scene in chapter 6, which refers to another rider on a white horse. That rider is Antichrist, who will bring new levels of evil to the earth, but the rider in chapter 19 will remove that evil.

Third, He will ride a white horse. In Revelation the color white symbolizes judgment (20:11) and victory.

The Lamb has become the conquering King.

He rides the traditional white horse ridden by victorious Roman generals in their triumphal processions through the streets of Rome. White also symbolizes the spotless, unblemished, absolutely holy character of the Rider.

Continuing his description of the astonishing scene before him, John notes that He who sat on the white horse is called Faithful and True.

The word “faithful” has the idea of trustworthiness; God is faithful to His promises and will fulfill them all. Christ will come and fulfill all the covenant promises of the Old Testament. All those who place their confidence in Him will be vindicated.

He is just as faithful to His promises of wrath and judgment as He is to His promises of grace and salvation. The description of Jesus as Faithful and True is in marked contrast with the unfaithfulness and lies of Satan (12:9), Antichrist’s evil empire (18:23), and wicked people (2 Tim. 3:13). The very fact that He is coming again as He promised confirms that Jesus is Faithful and True.

Because Jesus is faithful to His word and righteous character, it follows that in righteousness He judges. His holy nature demands a holy, righteous reaction to sin. And because He always does what He says, He must judge the wicked (Matt. 16:27; 2 Thess. 1:7–9; 2 Tim. 4:1).

Jesus came the first time as Savior; He will return as Judge.

The Lord Jesus Christ is seen in this vision as the warrior King who wages war against His foes. He is the executioner of all ungodly, unbelieving sinners. The only other reference in Scripture to Jesus waging war is in 2:16, when He warned the worldly church at Pergamum, “Repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.”

The Lord is a man of war! In righteousness He judges and makes war. The judging has been going on throughout the breaking of the seals, the blowing of the trumpets, and the pouring out of the bowls. Now He makes war.

Eyes of Fire

Describing the personal appearance of the majestic, awe-inspiring Rider, John writes that His eyes are a flame of fire. Nothing escapes the notice of His penetrating, piercing vision. He can see into the deepest recesses of the human heart, because “all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Heb. 4:13).

The eyes that wept over the fate of unrepentant Jerusalem and over the sorrow, suffering, and death in this sin-cursed world, John sees flashing with the fire of judgment.

His Crown

On His head John noted that Christ wore many diadems, which refers to a ruler’s crown. In this case, they are worn by Jesus to signify His royal rank and regal authority. Many indicates His collecting of all the rulers’ crowns, signifying that He alone is the sovereign ruler of the earth.

Earlier in the book the dragon, Satan, wore seven diadems (12:3). The beast or the Antichrist wore ten of them (13:1; 17:12) one for each of the ten kings who will be subservient to him.

The accumulated crowns on Jesus’ head speak of accumulated victories and dominions, He is the winner of many mighty battles and the holder of many sovereignties.

Name above all Names

John notes that Jesus had a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. All speculation as to the meaning of that name is obviously pointless, since the text plainly states that no one knows it except Jesus Himself. Even the inspired apostle John could not comprehend it.

This name is purposefully left in obscurity so that people will remember that it is God the Son of whom John was speaking and be reminded of the wonder and reverence due Him.

The Robe in Blood

Describing the final element of Christ’s appearance, John writes that He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood. The blood is not representative of that which He shed on the cross; this is a picture of judgment, not redemption. The blood is the blood of His slaughtered enemies. The imagery of this passage is similar to that of Isaiah 63:1–6:

The question arises as to why His garments are blood spattered before the battle has begun. But this is not His first battle; it is His last battle. He has fought for His people throughout redemptive history, and His war clothes bear the stains of many previous slaughters. At that day, they will be stained as never before when He “treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty”.

That the Rider’s name is called The Word of God identifies Him unmistakably as the Lord Jesus Christ. The second Person of the Trinity, the incarnate Son of God is called The Word of God because He is the revelation of God. He is the full expression of the mind, will, and purpose of God, “the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature”.

The Riders with Jesus

And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. (19:14)

The Lord Jesus Christ will not return alone, but will be accompanied by the armies which are in heaven. The white horses ridden by the heavenly cavalry are not literal horses, anymore than those ridden by hell’s cavalry in 9:7 and 16. Unlike the Lord Jesus Christ, the heavenly army is unarmed; He alone will destroy His enemies. The saints will come not to fight with Jesus, but to reign with Him (20:4–6; 1 Cor. 6:2). Those who have been Christ’s companions in His rejection now accompany Him at the judgment.

Jesus the Ruler

The rule of the King is described in graphic, powerful imagery. John notes first that from His mouth comes a sharp sword. The apostle had seen that sword in an earlier vision (1:16), where it was used to defend the church against the onslaught of Satan’s forces. Here it is the sword of judgment, the flaming sword dealing death to the King’s foes. That the sword comes out of His mouth symbolizes the deadly power of Christ’s words.

When Jesus was confronted by Judas and the Roman cohort at Gethsemane, He asked them, “Whom do you seek?” They replied, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He responded, “I am He,” and they fell to the ground (John 18:4–6). If such a mild utterance had that effect, what will it be like when Christ arms Himself for the “war of the great day of God, the Almighty” (Rev. 16:14)?

When the army of Julian the Apostate (A.D. 332–363) was marching to Persia, some of his soldiers were tormenting and torturing a Christian believer. Tiring of their brutal games, they looked down on their victim and asked him with unconcealed scorn, “Where now is your Carpenter-God?” The man looked up at them through his bloodied eyes and answered, “He is making a coffin for your emperor.”

The stern, swift judgment that marks the onset of Christ’s kingdom will be the pattern of His rule throughout the Millennium. During His thousand-year reign, He will rule the nations with a rod of iron; He will swiftly judge all sin and instantly put down any rebellion.

He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.

In a final look at the returning King, John saw in his vision that Christ wore a banner around His robe and on His thigh (across His chest and hanging down on His upper leg as He rides), on which He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS”

THE VICTORY OF THE CONQUEROR

And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh. (19:17–21)

The angel cried out with a loud voice. He addresses all the birds which fly in midheaven (cf. 8:13; 14:6), inviting them to feed on the results of the carnage that will shortly ensue. The angel thus declares Christ’s victory before the battle is ever fought. His invitation to the birds is reminiscent of Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:27–28:

The angel commands the birds to come and assemble for the great supper of God. This will not be the first time birds have feasted on human carrion in Scripture. Isaiah 18:6, describing the results of judgment on Cush (modern Ethiopia),

Even after the birds have gorged themselves, it will still take seven months to bury the remaining corpses (Ezek. 39:12).

That all-inclusive statement reveals the worldwide extent of the slaughter.

John saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.

But before there is any battle, it is all over. In an instant, the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image (13:11–17).

These two demonically empowered political and religious leaders of the world are dealt a horrible blow; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire. This is the first mention in Scripture of the lake of fire, the final hell, the ultimate destination of Satan, his angels, and the unredeemed (Matt. 25:41).

Apparently, these two don’t die, but are transformed miraculously into eternal form to burn in hell. They are the first of millions of men (20:15) and angels (Matt. 25:41) to arrive in the lake of fire.

Hell has always existed, but this is its final form. Unlike Hades, the lake of fire is not a temporary holding place,  Luke 16:23,  but a permanent place of incarceration and punishment. That the beast and the false prophet are still in the lake of fire a thousand years later when Satan is cast there (20:10) is a convincing refutation of the false doctrine of annihilationism. As the two most evil, vile, blasphemous people who have ever lived, it is only fitting that these two be the first to arrive in that awful place. The New Testament is clear on the eternality of punishment. 14:10–11; Matt. 13:40–42; 25:41; Mark 9:43–48; Luke 3:17; 12:47–48).

These sobering truths serve as a warning to unbelievers to repent (2 Pet. 3:9), and also to stimulate believers to godly living (2 Pet. 3:11). “The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts” (Rom. 13:12–14).