Last 5 Days
The Glory of the Final Victory
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.
17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, 18 to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” 19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21 And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.
Revelation 19 is a preview of Jesus’ Second Coming, not the rapture. He will descend with His saints from heaven to the earth (Zech. 14:4). Unlike the rapture, He will meet them in the air to bring them with Him according to 1 Thess. 4:16-17. The prominence of the Second Coming is the judgment of the wicked (Rev. 19:11, 15, 17-21). The rapture does not mention such a thing (John 14:1-3; 1 Thess. 4:13-18). The signs accompanying the Second Coming are described as the darkening of the sun and the moon and the disruption of the “powers of the heavens” which are associated with judgment (Matt. 24:29-30). But not the rapture as in the Second Coming, Christ will return to rule as King and Judge of the world.
In John’s vision, he saw heaven being opened and Jesus riding out on a white horse to receive the kingdom His Father promised Him. Roman generals returning from war rode on white horses through the streets to announce their victory, Jesus returns and rides on a white horse to declare His victory too. He has been given many names in the Bible. Here, the name is “Faithful and True.” In Revelation 3:14, He is also called “the faithful and true witness.” It suggests that we can trust Him to rule faithfully and righteously as nothing can escape His piercing eyes that were described as “like blazing fire.”
The “many crowns” He wore symbolized His authority as the King over all of creation. It was a custom in the olden days for kings to collect the crowns of the kings they defeated (2 Sam. 12:30). “Many” signifies He is the ruler of the whole world, “the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords” (v. 16). Another unknown name was given to Him as it was “written on Him that no one knows but He Himself;” and another is “the Word of God” which reveals God to us. There was blood on His clothes that were from the enemies He slew from previous battles (Isa. 63:1-6).
But in this last battle, it will have so much blood as “He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty” (v. 15). This serves as a warning to all, that God will call everyone to account for how they live their lives before He returns.
“From his mouth comes a sharp sword” suggests the deadly power of His words. A battle won by words, not swords. He rules with a rod of iron, a promise to His followers that evil will be judged and destroyed without mercy. The sentence, “He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty” is a vivid symbol of an ancient practice of stomping on grapes in the wine-making process. The splattering of grape juice represents the great amount of blood that will be shed. He has a banner around His robe and thigh, “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” It is an imagery of His sovereign, absolute power, and rule. So, we can trust the loving and merciful yet righteous and powerful King as there is none like Him.
“An angel standing in the sun,” a prominent place to make an important announcement. The worldwide darkness of the fifth bowl is lifted as Babylon’s destruction becomes visible (Rev. 18:9-19). The angel cried loudly to “all the birds that fly” to “the great supper of God” to feast. The brief but catastrophic Day of the Lord will see the death of millions and the birds will feast on the dead bodies of “the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” It will take seven months for them to finish feeding on the dead bodies according to Ezekiel 39:12. It is an undignified way to die especially for kings and mighty military commanders. They will not be paraded on white horses in the streets of Rome but destroyed in the final battle. This is the same fate that awaits all the enemies of God in the world. No one will escape the Judge unless He becomes his Savior. Jesus can be your Savior if only you would ask Him.
Next, John saw, “the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army.” The beast is the Antichrist, leader of the last and greatest empire in history; and with the kings of the earth are the ten kings and their armies, they will assemble to make war against God and His people. But in an instant, “the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs on by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.”
Rev. 14:11 described it as a place where “the smoke of torment will rise forever and ever. There will be no rest day or night.” The rest of the beast’s followers will be killed by the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the white horse, and the birds will feed on their flesh to finish up.
What a way to end – physically eaten by birds and spiritually tormented in eternity. No one can escape the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords but only those who have put their faith in Him.
For Christians, Jesus’ Second Coming is a day of justice as good triumphed over evil. The wicked will be destroyed while the saints will rule with the Lord as they judge the world with Him. It is the day of glorification for us as His people. Praise The Lord as victory awaits those who stand firm until the end when Christ returns for His bride, the Church! Amen! The hope and completion of Christ’s salvation plan.