THE VISIBLE RETURN OF KING JESUS

We have finally reached the climax of the book—the visible return of Jesus to take His throne as King of kings.

Revelation 19:11 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.”

John now sees heaven open and a rider emerge astride a white horse.  He recognizes the rider.  It is He who is called Faithful and True (trustworthy and transparent), the One who comes in righteousness to judge and make war—for all the morally correct reasons that He embodies as God.  This can only be Jesus and is supported by the scriptures below.

John 5:22 “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.”

Acts 17:31 “Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”

2Timothy 4:1 “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom.”

Revelation 1:5 “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness….”

1 John 5:20 “…that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.”

Revelation 3:14 “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God

Jesus is returning to judge those on planet earth and to “make war” with Satan and his armies.  I really liked a quote I found attributed to Merrill Tenney:  “Because He is faithful He must discharge His office as judge, not shrinking from the administration of discipline or punishment where it is needed. Because He is true He cannot alter the standards of God which condemn sin. Favoritism and laxity cannot be found in Him, for He is the perfect administrator of justice in a world where injustice has long since reigned. . . . The meekness of Calvary and the sternness of Armageddon may seem inconsistent, but wherever sin exists, they may both be found.”

Revelation 19:12 “His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.”

As John continues to describe the returning King, He compares His eyes to a flame of fire and describes Him as angry with righteous anger and intense with purpose.  I loved the comments Tony Garland made in his commentary regarding the eyes of Jesus.

“His eyes are singled out as being like a flame of fire. This evokes the image of a gaze which instantly pierces the deepest darkness to lay bear all sin. It is a reference to His omniscience, omnipresence, and judgment. There is no evil activity of men which Jesus does not see. There is no den of iniquity so dark that Jesus is not there. There is no work of man which will go unjudged by His piercing gaze. Truly, God is an all-consuming fire.”

Psalms 90:8 “Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.”

Job 34:21–22 “For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings. There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.”

Hebrews 12:28–29 “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.”

John also notes that Jesus is wearing a wreath of many crowns and displays a name that only He knows—a special name between Father and Son.  The Greek indicates that this name is a descriptive title concerning His authority and character that is gratifying and joyous. 

Philippians 2:9 “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name….”

What a contrast to the man that was mocked with a crown of thorns, beaten to a pulp and murdered on a cross.  He will return on a magnificent horse as a mighty conqueror wearing a royal circlet of crowns proclaiming His power and authority.

(to be continued…)