At this point evil is defeated – victory is won – Now the wicked must be put away permanently – The righteous to their reward (Heaven).  We await the Bridegroom – BUT – John shows us a warrior!

 

The Word of God (19:11-16)

 

v. 11 – John saw … “a white horse” – sign of victory – the final ride.  The rider = “faithful and true” – names = the character of the person – Jesus.  Present continuing tense – “He judges and makes war” – not one time.  He is the One coming to the rescue of the persecuted church.  They would be excited by one who comes to make war for them. 

 

v. 12 – Descriptions now repeat characteristics we have see/heard before. 

“Eyes like blazing fire” – as in 1:14 – Nothing is hidden from Him – majesty.

“crowned with many diadems (royal crowns)” – widespread dominion.

“a name known only to Him” – name reveals characteristics – something hidden.  No one has the upper hand over Christ – name unknown – remember the earlier culture’s gods – never revealed their name so humans could not know all about them or control them (a carryover against that mentality).   Our God revealed His name (I AM), but here there is still the upper hand of God in Christ.

 

v. 13 – “a robe dipped in blood” – Jesus is the Lamb who was slain.  It is by the cross that He won the victory – He rides in as the conqueror because of what He did on Calvary! 

His name is called “The Word of God” – the third time he is referred to this way.  The Scriptures were supremely important to both Jesus and Greeks.  Here the full association of the Word of God to Jesus is made – Jn. 1:1; 1 Jn. 1:1 - allude to this as well.

 

v. 14 – “The armies of heaven” – angels? – Saints are the Bride.

“on white horses” – again – victory is depicted here

They don’t fight  - no weapons are mentioned – Jesus just wins the fight.

 

v. 15 – He defeats the enemy with His sharp sword – THE WORD (Eph. 6:17b).

The armies play no part in this victory.  They are there to witness – He will rule the nations with an iron scepter (rod).  He has absolute authority.  Only He can do these things.  He alone will completely overthrow those opposed to God – the winepress of the wrath of God.

 

v. 16 –“ Name written on His robe and on His thigh” – forth reference to His name.  The Greek  indicates the name written in two places – robe=for all to see – thigh=the undergirded name – Ps. 45:3 – The sword was worn on the thigh of the soldier of this time too – the Word.  The title fits His capacity as supreme ruler – Not Caesar/Emperor – Only Jesus is supreme Ruler of all.  This is what the people then needed to hear, understand, believe in and hold onto for their hope in the midst of persecution.

The Overthrow of the Beast and the False Prophet

 

v. 17 – An angel standing in the sun – a great place to command the birds to come (with a loud voice) to another supper (of God).  Contrast to the marriage supper of the Lamb. 

 

v. 18 – The supper?  A feast of corpses of the disobedient (Ez. 39:4; 17-20).  None is excluded – great and small – free and slave – everyone!  All non-believers.  The overthrow of evil is total.

 

v. 19 – All evil led by the beast is arrayed for battle against the rider on the white horse and His army. 

 

v. 20 – The beast and the false prophet are captured – period!

No battle is mentioned – no match for the “Word of God.” 

They seemed so powerful to those in the world – with signs, miracles, etc., but they are no match for the Lamb – the Word of God!

The false prophet deceived many to take the mark of the beast – like Babylon. . .  Her big sin was … she took many along with her – deceived many – on purpose.  Now – they are thrown alive into the lake of burning sulfur.  This is a sign of total and literal destruction known to John’s time.

 

v. 21 – The Word destroyed all other followers of the beast and evil.  The birds were gorged with the flesh of them – total and complete destruction – nothing left – the birds ate their remains – nothing left of evil at all – a graphic way to show how complete this destruction really is in God.