Revelation 19:11-21
The Son of God was born into this world about 2,000 years ago in literal fulfillment of prophecy. The prophecies became more and more specific as God progressively revealed His plan. He foretold that the coming Redeemer would be:
1. Of the human race (Gen. 3:15)
2. From a section of that race- Shem (Gen. 9:26)
3. From a nation of that section- Hebrew (Gen. 12:3)
4. From a tribe of that nation- Judah (Gen. 49:10)
5. From a family of that tribe- David (2 Sam. 7:16)
6. Born of a member of that family- virgin woman (Isa. 7:14)
7. Born in a village of that family- Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2)
And there are MANY more prophecies about the first coming of Christ into the world (His life, ministry, death, burial, resurrection, ascension). Isaiah 53 contains about 30 prophecies of Christ in just 12 verses! His crucifixion was described in detail about a 1,000 years in advance in Psalm 22. Prophecy proves the inspiration of scripture (2 Pet. 1:19-21; Isa. 46:9-10).
Jesus Christ, who is the truth and cannot lie, promised His disciples, “I will come again”. The writer of Hebrews said that Christ will “appear the second time” (Heb. 9:28). There are much more prophecies of His second coming in glory than of His first coming in humiliation. The prophecies of His second coming will be just as literally and exactly fulfilled as were the prophecies of His first coming. The world acknowledges that Jesus was born but most do not know the truth about who He is and why He came. He was born of a virgin and was God in the flesh. He was the king of the Jews but His own nation rejected Him. He willingly laid down His sinless life on the cross as a sacrifice to pay for the sin of the world. He arose bodily the third day and then ascended up to Heaven. He is coming again in glory to rule and reign on the earth. The world can tolerate baby Jesus in the manger but they scoff at the prophecies of His coming again in glory. The world is not looking forward to this event but God is! It is the most anticipated event in scripture.
The Son of God was born into this world about 2,000 years ago in literal fulfillment of prophecy. The prophecies became more and more specific as God progressively revealed His plan. He foretold that the coming Redeemer would be:
1. Of the human race (Gen. 3:15)
2. From a section of that race- Shem (Gen. 9:26)
3. From a nation of that section- Hebrew (Gen. 12:3)
4. From a tribe of that nation- Judah (Gen. 49:10)
5. From a family of that tribe- David (2 Sam. 7:16)
6. Born of a member of that family- virgin woman (Isa. 7:14)
7. Born in a village of that family- Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2)
And there are MANY more prophecies about the first coming of Christ into the world (His life, ministry, death, burial, resurrection, ascension). Isaiah 53 contains about 30 prophecies of Christ in just 12 verses! His crucifixion was described in detail about a 1,000 years in advance in Psalm 22. Prophecy proves the inspiration of scripture (2 Pet. 1:19-21; Isa. 46:9-10).
Jesus Christ, who is the truth and cannot lie, promised His disciples, “I will come again”. The writer of Hebrews said that Christ will “appear the second time” (Heb. 9:28). There are much more prophecies of His second coming in glory than of His first coming in humiliation. The prophecies of His second coming will be just as literally and exactly fulfilled as were the prophecies of His first coming. The world acknowledges that Jesus was born but most do not know the truth about who He is and why He came. He was born of a virgin and was God in the flesh. He was the king of the Jews but His own nation rejected Him. He willingly laid down His sinless life on the cross as a sacrifice to pay for the sin of the world. He arose bodily the third day and then ascended up to Heaven. He is coming again in glory to rule and reign on the earth. The world can tolerate baby Jesus in the manger but they scoff at the prophecies of His coming again in glory. The world is not looking forward to this event but God is! It is the most anticipated event in scripture.
This present age was a mystery God planned before the world began but kept secret until he revealed it through Paul after the fall of Israel. The mystery of the body of Christ and our rapture to heaven is only found in Paul’s epistles. This age began with a glorious appearing of Christ as recorded in Acts 9 when the message of grace came down to Paul and it will conclude with a glorious appearing of Christ when the body of Christ goes up to meet Him in the air. After that rapture God will resume His dealings with Israel and fulfill the final seven of the 490 years prophesied in Dan. 9. It is AFTER the seven year tribulation period that Christ returns visibly to the earth to establish His righteous kingdom.
The theme of Revelation is stated in its introduction (1:7). The bulk of the book is about the judgments that will come on the earth before Christ returns. But throughout Revelation we are given several glimpses of His return. In chapter 19 we finally come to the actual event. At this point in the book the climax of the revelation has been reached with the presentation of Jesus Christ as the glorified King of kings and Lord of lords. All which precedes this passage is in a sense introductory and that which follows is an epilogue.
I. The Advent of Christ (vs.11-13)
This is the second white horse rider in Revelation. He stands in stark contrast with the first white horse rider who came at the beginning of the tribulation (6:2), the antichrist.
A) His powerful entry (“I saw heaven opened”) – sudden, unexpected, public, visible, glorious, terrifying descent from heaven to earth (Matt. 24:27-30). There is a marked out path He takes into Jerusalem.
B) His names:
1. Faithful and True – in contrast with antichrist who was unfaithful (broke covenant) and false. No man is faithful and true in his flesh. Faithful to His promises and true to His person. He is who He says He is and will do what he says He will do!
2. No man knew – He receives a new name (3:12; 2:17; 19:7), describing His deity, no man knows but He knows. W
3. The Word of God – The scripture refers to Christ as "the Word" seven times. As the Word He reveals and declares the Father. In this passage the Creator redeems His creation (Jn. 1:1-3, 14, 18)
4. King of kings and Lord of lords – His title as the Son of Man, the kingdoms of the world become His kingdoms, therefore He has many crowns
1. Faithful and True – in contrast with antichrist who was unfaithful (broke covenant) and false. No man is faithful and true in his flesh. Faithful to His promises and true to His person. He is who He says He is and will do what he says He will do!
2. No man knew – He receives a new name (3:12; 2:17; 19:7), describing His deity, no man knows but He knows. W
3. The Word of God – The scripture refers to Christ as "the Word" seven times. As the Word He reveals and declares the Father. In this passage the Creator redeems His creation (Jn. 1:1-3, 14, 18)
4. King of kings and Lord of lords – His title as the Son of Man, the kingdoms of the world become His kingdoms, therefore He has many crowns
C) His description (contrast with first coming). He comes:1. Not on a donkey but a fiery white charger
2. Not with His eyes filled with tears but as a flame of fire
3. Not called a blasphemer and deceiver, but called Faithful and True
4. Not wearing a crown of thorns but many crowns
5. Not wearing purple robe stained with His blood but His vesture dipped in the blood of His enemies
6. Not forsaken by His followers but with His armies following Him in conquest
7. Not with a mouth speaking words of grace but of judgment
8. Not to bear the wrath of God on the cross but to tread the winepress of the wrath of God
D) His purpose – He is coming to judge and make war with His enemies (“man of war” Ex. 15:3; Isa. 42:13-14; Zech. 14:3). Contrast with this age: grace and peace!
II. The Armies of Christ (v.14)
The word “armies” implies different groups return with Christ to the earth. He comes with angels (Matt. 25:31; 2 Thess. 2:7-9). One angel slew 185,000 Assyrian soldiers! He comes with His saints (Zech. 14:5; Jude 14-15). This is primarily about the saints of Israel. The remnant of Israel still on earth when Christ comes will be raptured into the land.
III. The Authority of Christ (vs.15-16)The government of the world will now be on His shoulders (Isa. 9:6-7; Zechariah. 14:9). Ps. 2; Isa. 11:1-9; 63:1-6
A) He smites – sword of His mouth (2 Thess. 2:8; 1:16; 2:16; 19:21)
B) He rules – rod of iron, forced subjection (1 Cor. 15:24-25)
C) He treads – all His enemies will be under His feet
IV. The Avenging of Christ (vs.17-21)
This is the battle of Armageddon (14:17-20; 16:12-16). Armageddon means the mount of Megiddo. The valley there is a great battlefield. Napoleon called it the most natural battlefield in the world. It was there that Deborah and Barak destroyed Sisera and his host (Judg. 5:19) and King Josiah was overthrown by Pharaoh-Necho, king of Egypt (2 Kings 23:29). Slaughter and lamentation are associated with Megiddo (Zech. 12:11). It is a real locality, and the battle yet to take place there will be just as real. Many prophecies (Isa. 34; Zech. 14).
This supper is in contrast with the marriage supper. One is of joy and the other of judgment. BOTH take place upon the return of Christ to earth: (Isa. 63:4)
A) Destruction of His enemies (Ezek. 39:17-22) – “flesh” 6 times, they chose the flesh and now their flesh is devoured. God will use the fowls to eat the carcases in order to cleanse the land and prevent pestilence.
B) Deliverance of His people – permanently joined to His people, they to their land ("Beulah")
It may seem that evil will prevail in this world. But, we know how it will end! God’s word is absolutely SURE (Matt. 24:35).
2. Not with His eyes filled with tears but as a flame of fire
3. Not called a blasphemer and deceiver, but called Faithful and True
4. Not wearing a crown of thorns but many crowns
5. Not wearing purple robe stained with His blood but His vesture dipped in the blood of His enemies
6. Not forsaken by His followers but with His armies following Him in conquest
7. Not with a mouth speaking words of grace but of judgment
8. Not to bear the wrath of God on the cross but to tread the winepress of the wrath of God
D) His purpose – He is coming to judge and make war with His enemies (“man of war” Ex. 15:3; Isa. 42:13-14; Zech. 14:3). Contrast with this age: grace and peace!
II. The Armies of Christ (v.14)
The word “armies” implies different groups return with Christ to the earth. He comes with angels (Matt. 25:31; 2 Thess. 2:7-9). One angel slew 185,000 Assyrian soldiers! He comes with His saints (Zech. 14:5; Jude 14-15). This is primarily about the saints of Israel. The remnant of Israel still on earth when Christ comes will be raptured into the land.
III. The Authority of Christ (vs.15-16)The government of the world will now be on His shoulders (Isa. 9:6-7; Zechariah. 14:9). Ps. 2; Isa. 11:1-9; 63:1-6
A) He smites – sword of His mouth (2 Thess. 2:8; 1:16; 2:16; 19:21)
B) He rules – rod of iron, forced subjection (1 Cor. 15:24-25)
C) He treads – all His enemies will be under His feet
IV. The Avenging of Christ (vs.17-21)
This is the battle of Armageddon (14:17-20; 16:12-16). Armageddon means the mount of Megiddo. The valley there is a great battlefield. Napoleon called it the most natural battlefield in the world. It was there that Deborah and Barak destroyed Sisera and his host (Judg. 5:19) and King Josiah was overthrown by Pharaoh-Necho, king of Egypt (2 Kings 23:29). Slaughter and lamentation are associated with Megiddo (Zech. 12:11). It is a real locality, and the battle yet to take place there will be just as real. Many prophecies (Isa. 34; Zech. 14).
This supper is in contrast with the marriage supper. One is of joy and the other of judgment. BOTH take place upon the return of Christ to earth: (Isa. 63:4)
A) Destruction of His enemies (Ezek. 39:17-22) – “flesh” 6 times, they chose the flesh and now their flesh is devoured. God will use the fowls to eat the carcases in order to cleanse the land and prevent pestilence.
B) Deliverance of His people – permanently joined to His people, they to their land ("Beulah")
It may seem that evil will prevail in this world. But, we know how it will end! God’s word is absolutely SURE (Matt. 24:35).
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