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. 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.
Heaven is opened and Christ appears on a white horse as Faithful and True, judging and making war in righteousness. He comes no longer in shame and suffering but as the victorious King in His own glory and His Father's, attended by the armies of heaven on white horses, with eyes like a flame of fire, many crowns, a blood-dipped robe whiter than snow, and the titles The Word of God and KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. In righteousness He judges the living and the dead to avenge His children who were persecuted and killed for refusing to transgress God's law, to defeat the beast and the kings gathered against Him with the sharp sword of His mouth and the winepress of God's wrath, and to cast the beast, the false prophet, Satan and the wicked into final destruction. His coming shakes the earth and vindicates His authority and law, bringing terror and hiding to those who rejected Him and mocked His trial and crucifixion, while bringing joy and deliverance to the saints who recognize Him as Savior. Because the day of judgment is at hand, these are testing truths and the last call of mercy to be sounded to all, so people must have sins pardoned and cleansed and prepare by following God's written Word, growing in grace, and trusting the faithful and true Helper for courage and refuge.
The Rider in Glory
Heaven is opened and Christ is seen on a white horse, called Faithful and True, judging and making war in righteousness. His eyes are as a flame of fire and on His head are many crowns, even a crown within a crown, and He has a name written that no one knows but Himself. He is clothed with a vesture dipped in blood and with a robe whiter than snow such as no fuller on earth can white, with feet like fine brass and girded about the breasts with a golden girdle. His name is called The Word of God, and on His vesture and on His thigh is written KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
He comes in His own glory and the glory of the Father, escorted by the armies in heaven upon white horses, clothed in fine linen white and clean, even the holy angels and the heavenly host. He returns as a mighty conqueror in heavenly glory, no longer in the shame, suffering and sorrow of His first coming but victorious in heaven and earth. The earth trembles before His majesty.
Those who despised, mocked and degraded Him at His trial and crucifixion will see Him honored in kingly power as He is. His pierced hands and the wound in His side will remain as witnesses to the price of redemption, and His royal title will make plain the authority they rejected. The scene they enacted will stand before them in all its degrading particulars, giving them a knowledge of the wrath of the Lamb, the value of the human soul, and the Christlikeness they might have obtained and did not.
Righteous Judgment and Victory
In righteousness He judges and makes war, and His coming is a righteous judgment over the living and the dead. That judgment searches creation, so that to stand clear in it sins must be pardoned and the life cleansed from sin.
He comes to avenge His children who were falsely witnessed against, bruised with fetters, burned at the stake, tortured and killed for refusing to worship the idol sabbath and for refusing to transgress the law of God. Those who forced disobedience to God's law, compelling others to transgress what God commands all to obey, will perish under His righteous judgment and war. The retribution is proportionate: as men have carried out Satan's spirit and purposes in causing pain to human beings, so they will suffer in return. In proportion as men caused pain to others they will themselves be punished and perish, and nothing they have done will be forgotten, for compelling people to do evil is a heinous sin.
The chapter describes His victory over the beast and the kings who gather against Him, who enforce the beast's worship and persecute Christians. Out of His mouth goes a sharp sword to smite the nations, He rules them with a rod of iron, and He treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. That work is set with the harvest of the earth and the winepress of wrath, the resurrection, the deliverance of God's people, and the final judgment before God with the books opened and the wicked cast into the lake of fire.
The verse stands in the setting of the final judgments: the beast and the false prophet are cast into the lake of fire, afterward Satan is bound for a thousand years, the wicked are raised, and Satan and the wicked are finally destroyed and cast into the lake of fire. It is the soon-coming battle of Armageddon, where He as King of kings and Lord of lords leads forth the armies of heaven on white horses, clothed in fine linen clean and white. The sequence ends with Christ's triumph and reign on earth and the deliverance of God's people.
He descends in the clouds wrapped in flaming fire to judge and make war in righteousness, and His coming shakes the earth. His coming brings terror and anguish to those who rejected Him and opposed His faithful people, so that they seek to hide from His presence and from the wrath of the Lamb. At the same time it brings joy to the saints, who recognize Him as their Savior. His coming from heaven before long will vindicate His authority and the laws of His kingdom.
Warning and Preparation Now
The truths of Revelation 18 and 19 are for all to read and understand. They are testing truths for this time, and the last call of mercy to be given more fully to the world. In mercy God shows long forbearance, holding back His judgments while waiting for this message of warning to be sounded to all, because many have not yet heard it. His coming in righteousness to judge and make war connects with the judgments that will soon fall on the earth, and people must be told that the day of judgment is at hand.
Heaven opened reveals Christ on a white horse, called Faithful and True, judging and making war in righteousness, whose name is KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. This is set with the resurrection, the deliverance of God's people, the harvest of the earth and the winepress of wrath, and the final judgment before God with the books opened and the wicked cast into the lake of fire. Set with that coming judgment and victory, it grounds Adventist hope and name. His coming is a judgment in righteousness to judge and make war in which He searches creation, and to stand clear people must have their sins pardoned and be cleansed from sin. He comes crowned with glory, clothed in a robe whiter than snow, with feet like fine brass and the title King of kings and Lord of lords.
The coming is among the future events for which people are to prepare by following God's written Word, growing in grace, and seeking a close relation with Him. Jesus understands human weakness and gives the help needed to remain faithful. As the faithful and true and invisible yet present divine Helper He gives courage in times of need and a sure refuge to those who entrust their cares to God.