3.5.26 5.22.2022 By any other Name
Lordship in the Book of Revelation • Sermon • Submitted
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Entice: The primary problem with trying to use the book of Revelation to predict the future is that the images are
rooted in the past,
drawn explicitly from Scripture,
and not intended
to predict the future--
that's why said predictions are so malleable. When you are operating outside of the intent of scripture and the comprehension of the original audience; the sky is the limit. John’s goal is not to elicit an
"Oh No"
"Oh No"
"Oh My",
"Oh My",
or an
"O Dear",
"O Dear",
but an
"Ah-ha!"
"Ah-ha!"
Or better yet...
“I see!”
“I see!”
When we hear the echo of inspired Scripture in John's work it should
deepen our faith
deepen our faith
and
focus our determination.
focus our determination.
John's purpose is to encourage a harried Church in an oppositional culture. God's people had been there before and would be again. In fact, that is more or less our continuing role as we provide Kingdom presence amid a fallen world.
Faithfulness under pressure is only possible when we recognize the presence of our conquering Lord over our lives in this Empire-riddled, fallen world.
Engage: As John seeks to communicate the visions, he received on Patmos the entire Scripture is his playground. If you and I are to truly understand the Apocalypse and the role of disciples in our world we need to be at home in the Scriptures. We need to read them, hear them taught, and obey them. It is also essential that we have the almost playful attitude that John has as he draws upon the rich heritage of the Bible to proclaim the Lordship of Jesus.
Expand: In our text today the Lord Jesus Christ is depicted in regal glory The vision of Jesus in Revelation 19.11-16 connects the divinity of Jesus with that of the Father. It demonstrates the unified purpose of God in salvation history. It is a Biblical connecting point.
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.
12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.
13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.
14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.
15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
This image-rich passage would be interesting but nearly unintelligible to someone who was not well-versed in the OT scripture. I think that John was very conscious that he was in effect bringing the Canon of scripture to a close. He closes as many open loops as is possible given the overall purposes of the book of Revelation. This passage looks back as if to say. Check! Complete! Finished!
Excite: Jesus has overcome the world. The cross is sufficient. The tomb is empty. We may flinch at the four horseman of the Apocalypse but there is only one who is all conquering, only one who deserves our allegiance.
Explore:
The reality of His Lordship is the foundation for our faith.
The reality of His Lordship is the foundation for our faith.
Explain: In this passage the Names our Lord wears disclose His divine nature...
First of all, He is called.
Body of Sermon:
Faithful and True.
Faithful and True.
(Judging and ruling in righteousness)
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.
His name reveals His nature.
His name reveals His nature.
His nature reflects His rule.
His nature reflects His rule.
These realities comport with what John said in His Gospel. They reflect what Paul proclaimed. They are the foundation for our own faithful and true living.
Next, we find that Jesus wears a name
Known only to Himself.
Known only to Himself.
This seems odd…but John has seen more and reveals more than we expect and he makes connections we might barely notice.
(As YHWH in flesh Jesus is ineffable by nature but reveals His nature to us.)
12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.
Here is John at his most playful as he integrates us into The Old Testament name-game. In a subtle intertextual conversation, he reminds us of three OT visions of the almighty, that hinge on asking a “theophany” of God “what is your name?)
29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him.
Ineffable
Ineffable
Jacob asked what is your name? The non-answer spoke volumes. God’s name like His nature is inexpressible.
13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?”
14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ”
Immortal
Immortal
Moses...who should I say sent me? "I am who I am" YHWH=I am who I am, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and end.
The third story, from the book of Judges, concerns the birth of Samson. First The Angel of the Lord (an OT appearance of God in flesh) tells Samson’s mom that he is coming and how he should be raised. She told Manoah, her husband. They prayed and waited and eventually God returns and reaffirms the promise and requirements. Manoah offers sacrifice and says,
17 And Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, “What is your name, so that, when your words come true, we may honor you?”
18 And the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?”
Wonderful
Wonderful
His name is wonderful! Wonderful indeed! He has saved us because wonderful is in His nature.
Jesus like the Father is ineffable in His glory, eternal by nature, wonderful in redemption.
He has chosen to make Himself know as redeemer and ruler, but we cannot control or limit Him.
Next, we are reminded that Jesus’ is named as
Word of God.
Word of God.
13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.
He is both our High Priest and Sacrifice offered.
With this name/title John hearkens back to his own written Gospel and the theological purposes for which he wrote. The whole array of powerful images evoked by John 1.1 “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” come into play, John highlights two central truths of the saving ministry of Jesus.
Intervention
Intervention
Incarnation
Incarnation
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
The final name He wears, the name by which He extends His rule over all eternity is
King of Kings.
King of Kings.
14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.
15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
Jesus is the judge, the messenger of God's Wrath. This wrath is directed against
The world
The world
in rebellion
His weapon
His weapon
His message of truth.
His wrath
His wrath
is directed at those who reject His eternal rule.
Shut Down:
The rule of Christ is the consistent content of the visions John saw and the topic of what He wrote. This rule should be the content of virtually every sermon you hear from the book of Revelation. If it is not, we are facing a basic interpretive problem. To focus on the principalities, the powers the pretenders, and the posers rather on the one who purchased us by His own blood robs us of the power and encouragement of this book.
He Rides!
King of Kings!
Word of God!
The ineffable Creator!
Faithful and true!
He is all of those things whether we respond or not.
Right now,
right here,
you have the chance to claim Him, to say
"He is my Lord."