SS - The KING Is Coming - The MAN on the White Horse

Turn with me in your Bibles to Rev. 19.

We have stated, and allow me to clarify again - concerning the coming of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ -

There are TWO PARTS to His SECOND Coming -

Initially, He came into this world, as a baby, in Bethlehem’s manger over 2000 years ago - AS PROPHEISED!

Micah 5:2 “But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, Though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”

Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, And shall call his name Immanuel.”

Matthew 1:21 - “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

At ANY Moment, His IMMINENT RETURN Will Be In the Air to gather His Saints - COMMENCING THE 2 PHASES OF HIS SECOND COMING!

John 14:2–3 - “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 - “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

Paul, hence, comforts those Church Age surviving saints concerning their loved ones who have already gone home to be with the Lord

Their bodies will be gloriously resurrected, springing up out of the cold ground to meet the Lord in the air - AT THE RAPTURE!

And immediately joining them will be the saints, who are presently alive when the Lord Jesus Christ returns.

Someone once asked interrogatively - “WHY WILL THE DEAD BE RAISED FIRST, BEFORE THE LIVING SAINTS OF GOD?”

The answer is simple - “THEY HAVE 6-FEET FURTHER TO GO!”

NONETHELESS, THE ORDER IS NOT IMPORTANT, IT WILL STILL BE ONE GLAD REUNION DAY!

Paul therefore, reminds us, “To comfort one another with these words.”

YOU KNOW - THAT TRULY BRINGS HOPE TO THE CHILD OF GOD!

One of these days soon - Jesus WILL Return -

God the Father will look over at The Son of God, and tell Him - “IT’S TIME - GO BRING MY CHILDREN HOME!

He will step through the clouds, the trump of God shall sound & OFF WE WILL GO!

The supersonic aircraft of today, WILL NOT, have anything on the saved - ON THAT DAY!

It will happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye!

All the sin, sadness, sickness, strife, sorrows, struggles, & set-backs will ALL be over!

Our loved ones, who knew the Lord and have gone on before us, will Jesus bring with Him - in the air!

AND JUST THAT QUICK, WE WILL BE GONE!

BUT THAT IS NOT ALL THERE IS, IN BIBLE PROPHECY!

Hence - His SECOND RETURN TO EARTH IS COMPRISED OF -

His IMMINENT RETURN In the Air to Gather His Saints

IN THE COURSE OF GIVEN TIME, HE WILL RETURN AGAIN, WITH HIS SAINTS, TO THIS EARTH!

The Rapture, just discussed, Will Have ALREADY Taken Place - AT THIS SECOND PHASE OF HIS RETURNING!

We, have previously looked at the Judgement Seat of Christ, this will have since passed - AT THIS SECOND PHASE OF HIS RETURNING.

The Great Tribulation Will ALREADY Be in FULL-FORCE, with the Dragon, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet creating havoc, horror, and Hell on earth.

BUT - WHAT NOW?

The RAPTURE has snatched us away -

The GREAT TRIBULATION HAS BEEN TAKING PLACE ON EARTH

BUT - WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE SAINTS OF GOD, WHAT IS NEXT IN ORDER?

That is the MISSION of the MESSAGE - THIS MORNING!

Let’s Begin -

By means of QUICK REVIEW, immediately FOLLOWING the Rapture of the Saints in the Air - that is, THE RAPTURE, or the forceful snatching away of Christians -

WHILE Great Tribulation is being doled out upon this earth - such as having NEVER been seen before!

The Antichrist WILL have been revealed!

The False Prophet WILL be active and working

There WILL be this UNHOLY Trinity alive and wreaking havoc on earth!

BEFORE, we EVER get to HEAVEN - we will appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ!

Where that BEMA SEAT is located, I do NOT know!

Yet - it is for certain, with ALL the hosts of saints to stand before the Lord Jesus Christ -

That will be a time of the JUDGING OF OUR WORKS, NOT OUR SALVATION!

THANK GOD, THAT TOOK PLACE AT CALVARY!

Making our way through the Book of Revelation - we get to Revelation 19 - the scene has shifted, as the Apostle John paints a very BEAUTIFUL SCENE taking place - known as THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB!

KEEP IN MIND - while the Great Tribulation is going on below - UP ABOVE, the BEMA SEAT & MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB IS TAKING PLACE!

Revelation 19:7 - “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.”

Revelation 19:8 - “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”

Revelation 19:9 - “And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.”

Take note to a few particulars given -

FIRST - in verse 7 - “and his wife hath made herself ready.”

Let’s Establish WHO/WHO in the text!

“for the marriage of the Lamb is come” - WHO is the Lamb?

We can all say, “I KNOW, I KNOW - IT IS CHRIST”.

And that is CORRECT!

Where in Scripture can we prove that Christ IS the Lamb?

For sake of time - write down as I read, John 1:29 “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

1 Peter 1:19 - “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”

Isaiah 53:7–8 - “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, Yet he opened not his mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: And who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living: For the transgression of my people was he stricken.”

Therefore - the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, IS the Bridegroom!

Don’t forget, Scripture NEVER truly contradicts Scripture!

Mark 2:18–20 - “And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.”

John 3:29 - “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.”

OK! - The LAMB, being the Lord Jesus Christ, IS The Bridegroom - THAT IS ESTABLISHED!

WHO is the Wife, or the Bride? - (Rev. 19:7) - “and his wife hath made herself ready.” -

And the CORRECT answer is - THE CHURCH!

And, how do we know this, from the Word of God?

Ephesians 5:23 - “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.”

Here - we are seeing an illustration of the relationship between a husband/wife depicting the relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Bridegroom, with His Bride - the Church!

Ephesians 5:25 - “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”

Ephesians 5:31–32 - “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.”

2 Corinthians 11:2 “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.”

I have espoused you - is harmozo - “or to join together. Hence to join in wedlock, to marry.”

Here we see the sanctity of marriage, illustrated by the church - to Christ!

The Lord Jesus Christ does NOT want His Bride to be half-in/half-out!

He desires that there be NO SPIRITUAL ADULTERY on the part of His Bride!

That is why it is important to -

1 John 2:15 - “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

2 Corinthians 6:17 - “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,”

Hence - the command in 1 Peter 1:15–16 - “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

ON A SIDE NOTE ABOUT THE WIFE, HIS CHURCH -

Everyone on the Day of the Wedding - is EXCITED about “THE DRESS”!

ILL: I’ve been told that every little girl begins planning HER DAY when she is very young!

That would include the preparation of THE WEDDING DRESS that she is to wear - for her husband to be!

The world was in great AWE at the Wedding of Prince Charles to Lady Diana - and her Wedding Dress and Train ARE still held in HIGH REGARDS!

John writes in Revelation 19:8 “And to her (THE BRIDE, THE CHURCH) was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”

“What then in the righteousness of saints?”

Remember back to the day that you were gloriously saved - upon WHOSE merits were you saved?

Romans 6:23 - “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it (SALVATION) is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Titus 3:5–6 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;”

Romans 3:21–26 - “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

Philippians 3:9 - “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”

The righteousness of saints is their JUSTIFICATION, upon the sole merits of the Lord Jesus Christ -

In short, upon one’s placed faith in the finished work of Christ - His Righteousness is imputed, or Placed on the Account of His Saints!

Hence the impact of 2 Corinthians 5:21 - “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Notice ONE MORE peculiar verse to draw to your attention - AT THIS MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB!

Revelation 19:9 - “And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.”

Let’s be perfectly clear, here, for a moment!

On one’s MOST SPECIAL DAY OF THEIR LIFE - Does EITHER of the couple have to CALL one another , OR SHOULD HAVE TO call - saying, YOU ARE INVITED TO YOUR WEDDING?

OF COURSE NOT - THAT’s SILLY!

IT SHOULD just be the norm - to show up for your OWN wedding!

AND - I KNOW - there are ALL the horror stories of being the ONLY ONE to show up at the altar ON THAT DAY!

That is NOT typically, THE RULE!

ON THIS GRAND DAY TO COME - THERE WILL NOT BE ANY “NO SHOWS” GOING A.W.O.L. at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!

Then WHO is John speaking about - “they which are called unto the Marriage Supper of the Lamb?

Even though the specific name is NOT given, as MOST Bible commentators express,

Just as you would CALL on those “CLOSEST FAMILY/FRIENDS” to attend THAT DREAMFUL BLISSED DAY-

Most believe those whom John is referencing are the OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS & THOSE WHO WERE SAVED DURING THE GREAT TRIBULATION, MARTYRED, & PRESENT IN HEAVEN!

They are the INVITED GUESTS, not part of the Church Age Dispensation, but still expected to be present on THAT DAY!

AGAIN! - Just NOT to be confused with the Church - SHE IS EXPECTED, AS THE BRIDE!

You DO NOT call a bride to her wedding!

ONE LAST PARTICULAR WORTH MENTIONING - speaking of Wedding Days!

This Wedding Day is NOT like OUR traditional Wedding Days - BUT RATHER THAT OF JEWISH TRADITION!

In the description provided by Warren Wiersbe - take careful note

“Jewish weddings in that day were quite unlike weddings in the Western world. First, there was an engagement, usually made by the parents when the prospective bride and groom were quite young. This engagement was binding and could be broken only by a form of divorce. Any unfaithfulness during the engagement was considered adultery.”

“When the public ceremony was to be enacted, the groom would go back to the bride’s house and claim her for himself. He would take her to his home for the wedding supper, and all the guests would join the happy couple. This could last as long as a week.”

Today, the church is ‘engaged’ to Jesus Christ, and we love Him even though we have not seen Him (1 Peter 1:8 “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:” ). One day, He will return and take His bride to Heaven. At the Judgement Seat of Christ, her works will be judged and all her spots and blemishes removed. This being completed, the church wil be ready to return to earth with her Bridegroom at the close of the tribulation to reign with Him in glory.”

This ALL adds to the happiness between the bride and the Bridegroom!

Once the intimate occasion takes place -

The Lord Jesus Christ THEN RETURNS, with His Bride; BACK to Earth, upon a white horse - thus, symbolizing victory - NOTE,

HIS Description.

His EYES - Revelation 19:12 “His eyes were as a flame of fire”.

There is so much that can be expressed just by the look into someone’s eyes!

Without saying a word, joy can be articulated -

Like that when a newborn baby comes into this world -

Many times, a mother can say more with her eyes - expressing love, without saying one syllable!

Without saying a word, fear can be exemplified just by the eyes!

There have been stories told, of those in the foxholes of war -

Literally paralyzed with fear over an unexploded shell within the soldier’s confines -

And the look in their frozen eyes tell a million images!

Without saying a word, dismay is overwhelming just by the eyes!

No doubt, like the glance, from the eyes of the rejected Son of God - into the eyes of sorrowful Peter!

YET - on THAT DAY - the look from the eyes of the SOVEREIGN VICTORIOUS KING -

His eyes as they were a flame of fire SHALL be too much for rejecting mankind!

Not ONE rejecting sinner will be able to gaze into THOSE eyes!

HIS EYES.

HIS EMMINENCE- Revelation 19:12 “His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns”.

In my research, on the word CROWN, there are TWO distinct words used -

The one, stephanos, is generally depicted by those who have achieved by victory of some sorts. It is used 8 times in Revelation.

A reward for martyrs in 2:10

A reward for perseverance in 3:11

A crown worn by Heaven’s elders in 4:4, 10

Worn by the rider of the white horse in 6:1

Worn by the woman in 12:1

Worn by the son of man in 14:14

Worn by Christ, who is said to have conquered in 3:21 and 5:5.

THIS IS NOT THE STEPHANOS CROWN WORN BY CHRIST WHEN HE RETURNS!

Thus - it has to be the OTHER CROWN!

The second crown, DIADEM, was the one worn by royalty!

Perhaps worn by a king, who just triumphed over an opposing king, would wear the opposing crown.

Hence - we could gather a crown, exquisitely created with precious metals and jewels inlay.

Could we see the CONQUERING KING wear BOTH of these crowns?

He IS the Sovereign Ruler & Conqueror of ALL!

HIS EYES.

HIS EMMINENCE.

HIS ENTITLEMENT - Revelation 19:11 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True”.

His FIRST Entitlement Was - FAITHFUL & TRUE!

From the appearances and descriptions set forth of the FIRST RIDER ON THE WHITE HORSE (6:2) - He was the Antichrist!

From the appearance of HE who rides in upon THE OTHER WHITE HORSE - there is no doubt as to Who HE is - “Faithful and True”, the Lord Jesus Christ!

We can go back to the Word of God, and recount while Christ was hanging on the Cross -

There were those who ridiculed and mocked the Lord Jesus Christ, Matthew 27:42 - “He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.”

YET - He who uttered for the last time, John 19:30 - “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” -

The Price for Man’s Sin Was Paid for by the Lord Jesus Christ, Who STAYED on the Cross til IT WAS FINISHED - HIS SECOND COMING ALSO PROVES HE WAS FAITHFUL & TRUE!

As one Bible commentator put it, there have been those who have denied the Return of the Lord Jesus Christ - His SECOND COMING PROVES HE IS FAITHFUL & TRUE!

As there are many who have possibly given up, ridden with doubt as to WHEN the Lord Jesus Christ will come again - HIS SECOND COMING PROVES HE IS FAITHFUL & TRUE!

His SECOND Entitlement Was - He Has An UNKNOWN NAME. - 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.”

There is NOTHING MORE to say!

His THIRD Entitlement - HE is Called “THE WORD OF GOD”!