Hunsinger Lane Baptist Church Revelation 19:11

Please turn to Revelation 19:11, it is on page x in a chair bible near you.

Read the passage

(Introduction) Now I’ve never been to Ruth Chris before, I’ve imagined what it would be like. Sitting down with some sweet tea and then seeing my waiter come out with the 40 oz medium-rare tomahawk steak I just ordered. Seeing that steak come right out of the kitchen would have me jumping up and down. Well, our passage this evening, on a much larger scale, is just that: seeing the final course just about to begin. Our passage comes to us right after an angel of the Lord judges an evil force named Babylon, then there is rejoicing in the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. There is a pattern of evil, judgment, and rejoicing. But that is only the appetizer in this great meal of judgment. There is a greater evil, a greater judgment, and a greater rejoicing to happen: when Christ comes to defeat Satan. You have Satan, the greater evil, Christ’s greater final judgment, and then eternal rejoicing in the new heaven’s and the new earth. Our passage of seeing Jesus descending to begin his judgment is like finishing your appetizer and then seeing your waiter open the door from the kitchen with your tomahawk steak. You can see the final meal coming, or in our case, you can see the final judgment about to take place.

Main Point: Christ Will Come to Judge the World. So, Prepare Yourself by Trusting in the Faithfulness of Christ for Your Righteousness.

Our passage can be split into two parts and they each answer a question. So we will look at our passage through those three questions.

1. What is Coming from Heaven?

(Exegetical-Jesus is the Rider) The apostle John’s first sight is heaven being opened. Then out of heaven comes one sitting on a white horse. We can see the figure sitting on the white horse is Jesus if we just look down to verse 13 in our bibles: Revelation 19:13 “He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.” Jesus is the Word of God, in John’s gospel and John’s revelation.

(Exegetical-The Heaven’s Being Opened) It could be easy for us to pass over that Jesus comes from the heavens, which have been opened. But let’s think about it some more. Is there another time in Jesus’ ministry where the heaven’s are opened? His baptism! Right as Jesus is beginning his ministry he is baptized and the heavens are opened. Then here we have the end of Jesus’ ministry. So the heavens being opened serve as bookends to Christ’s ministry. But why is this the case? It is because when the end and beginning of Jesus’ ministry necessities heaven being opened, this tells us about who Christ is! Christ is from heaven, he is God-incarnate and has come to dwell among men. Jesus himself is heaven on earth. When Jesus comes for his second-coming, he is bringing the power of heaven with him, because he is God.

(Exegetical- White Horse) Let’s keep reading: “and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True”. We learn more about the character of Christ when he comes on a white war horse. But again, there should be another bible story coming to mind as you see Jesus entering on a horse: Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.

(Exegetical- Donkey/White Horse Contrast) Just about a year ago we sat under the preaching of Mark 11:1-11 which recounts Jesus entry on a donkey. Pastor Sam’s last point in his sermon was “Jesus is a Humble King”. Then I wrote down in my notebook: “His entrance n the donkey shows his humility. The only reason we celebrate this entry and not fear it is because he entered on a donkey and not a war horse with a sword”. But now friends, in our corporate study in the scriptures, that time has come. Jesus has come to judge. He has entered on a war horse. Reflecting on his judgment should be sobering, but like the triumphal entry it is meant to lead to rejoicing because of who Jesus is. Let us understand more about who Jesus is and then what he does in our next point.

2. What Is He Like and What Does He Do?

(Exegetical- faithful & true) John describes Jesus as faithful and true. At first, these two characteristics paired with his judgment caught me off guard. I expected more of “he is violent or he is just”, but under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, when John sees Jesus descending he sees him as faithful and true.

(Exegetical- faithful and true) Jesus is faithful and true because he is faithful to fulfill God’s promise to judge the earth. God sent Christ to fulfill his promise to save the world and God sends Christ to fulfill his promise to judge the world. Who else would God send but the one who is perfectly faithful and true. Christ has no blemish. Thus, he is the judge. So let’s see how he judges:

(Exegetical- in righteousness, he judges and makes war) Look back down, “The one sitting on it is called faithful and true, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.” We see here Christ is going to judge in righteousness. Well, what righteousness is he judging from? His own! His truthfulness, his faithfulness, Christ is judging from his standard of righteousness. Then to those who do not meet his perfect standard, he will judge and destroy, or make war against.

(Application-Unbeliever Gospel Presentation, including exegetical remarks on Christ’s judgment)- If you are not a Christian here this evening you should know that we are reading about will come to pass, this is future history. Jesus will come to judge and if one is not living perfectly to his standards they will be defeated. So must all Christians then perfectly faithful and true like Christ? No! Christians trust in Christ’s faithfulness, in the salvation he offers. Do you remember when I said Christ has no blemish? Well that is true when it comes to his perfect nature, but he does have physical blemishes. He has pierced hands because he endured a judgment himself. The judgment that was meant for us he took upon himself. Then, he defeated death and if you repent from your sins and trust in him he will take on the wrath for you and find you faithful and true.

(Application-Individual Believer for Judgment Day Preparation)- Last month I was listening to a sermon from a pastor who was preaching on Job 3, he asked his congregation: “Are you assuming you can be so busy that death won’t find you?”. Brothers and sisters of Hunsinger Lane Baptist Church, our verse is inevitable: Christ will come to judge. Do you reflect often on that final day? Or do you find yourself too busy for judgment. Friends, do not become too busy for judgment, because judgment won’t be too busy for you. Do not wait to clean up your act, or to finally cut that side dish of sin out of your life until later in your life.

Listen to Jonathan Edwards’ 19th resolution for his life: “Resolved: Never to do anything, which I would be afraid to do if I expected it would not be more than an hour before I would hear the last trump sound.  (i.e. when Jesus returns.)”.

Is that how you live your life? Or do you presume on God’s patience to keep putting breathe in your lungs and keep the world spinning? Friend if you are harboring unrepentant sin in your heart, repent! See that Christ will come to judge, with a sword! We must have a biblical, reverent fear of God. A fear that knows we cannot stand before him still trusting in our own good works and expect to live. Individual Christian, live your life looking to Christ’s return.

(Application-Individual Believer for perseverance) Our passage should cause us to reverently fear God, but it should also cause us to rejoice! Christ has defeated death on the cross and soon he will defeat Satan himself. We should rejoice in knowing that when Christ comes to judge he will look at us as his sheep, and protect us from the evil one.

Have you found it hard to persevere in the trials of your life lately? How often have you preached to yourself “Christ will soon come to defeat all the ills of this world? How often have you prayed for Christ to come soon? Brother, Sister, do these things as they bring peace like a river to our souls.

(Application-Corporate for ministering to others) Do not only think about this verse for yourself though, think about how it applies to us corporately. One of the many reasons I love our church is because how many close relationships we have. But you and I know that with these relationships means baring one another’s burdens. If you have been struggling with how to counsel some of your fellow members going through trials, help them turn their eyes upon Jesus’ return! “Brother right now your job is bringing much stress and anxiety, but when Christ comes he will take your painful labor away”. “Sister, now you have tears because of familial hardship, but soon you will have tears because of the comfort of Christ”. When we are encouraging one another, let the low hanging fruit of pointing to Christ’s return come from a branch we pluck from often.

Genesis 3:15 “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.””

Revelation 20:10 “and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

Church, continue to mediate on Christ’s return throughout your week, knowing that Christ is a war-maker, because he is a covenant keeper. Praise him for his loving-kindness towards sinners like us.

Let’s pray: Lord, help us as a church to live in light of the final day. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.