Then I witnessed the opening of heaven and saw a white horse! The person seated on it is known as Faithful and True, and He judges and wages battle in righteousness. He will govern the nations with an iron rod and will strike them down with a sharp sword that comes out of his mouth. 19:11–15 in Revelation
Revelation 19 tells of an apostle John’s vision. It tells the story of “the Word of God” and “Faithful and True,” two powerful warriors. These titles clearly pertain to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as other Bible texts make plain (see John 1:1, Revelation 1:4-5). He was a defenseless infant when he was brought to this planet and did not resist his adversaries’ attempts to have him crucified. But now that He has risen from the grave, we can see him in all of his majesty!
“The kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him” are the targets of Jesus’ coming. These are the ones who would rather form an alliance with “the beast,” Satan, than submit to Jesus’ authority. They will meet God’s wrath at the end of time and be “slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse.”
You may be surprised to see Jesus shown as a powerful fighter. Typically, He is portrayed as the gracious Savior and benevolent Shepherd who gave his life to save sinful people. And it’s absolutely true! However, there is more than one side. By turning away from Jesus’ forgiveness offer, we are really declaring war on Him. And that’s not going to end well.
Are you anticipating and preparing for the day of Jesus’ return?
