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The Voice of Hope - The Great Day of God Almighty: Part 1 || Revelation 19:11-21 · WDAC Podcasts Homepage

• 0:00
  Speaker A: I now can sing Since I've been redeemed I'm on the everlasting, everlasting rock I faith in Christ my redeemer King I'm on the everlasting, everlasting rock Then
• 0:16
  Speaker B: row, row pillows welcome to the Voice of Hope, a Bible teaching program that's produced by Heralds of Hope. I'm your host, Anthony High we place
• 0:30
  Speaker A: you on the highest place for you are the great high priest we place you high above all else all else and we come to you and worship at your feet. We place you we place you on the highest place for you for you are the great high priest we place you we place you high above. And we come to you and worship at your feet. And we come to you and worship at your feet.
• 2:06
  Speaker B: In this episode, we continue our study through the Book of Revelation. As we near the end of this fascinating book, we see Jesus coming as a conquering, glorious king. We've seen his mercy, his grace, and now his justice. There'll no longer be any question about his power. Do you look forward to this day? Before today's teaching, I have exciting news about an upcoming event. If you, your children or your grandchildren love to read, check out our annual Readathon. Please visit our website@heraldsofhope.org events to learn more. And now join us as J. Mark Horse teaches from Revelation, chapter 19, verses 11 to 21 and let's open God's Word together.
• 3:02
  Speaker C: Most of you have probably heard the saying anticipation is half the fun. And that's true. Whether we're planning a vacation or moving to a new location, maybe getting a different car, or even shelling out money for the latest iPhone. Our excitement builds as we head to the airport, pack the U Haul, savor that new car smell, or track the UPS shipment as we eagerly wait for our order to arrive. If your experience has been like many of mine, sans the iPhone, I'd say anticipation is more than half the fun. Because somehow when the anticipated time or thing arrives or your purchase is delivered, there's often a bit of a letdown, one writer explained waiting for the delivery of his new iPhone. Like I know by the time you read my weekly letter next week, I'll already have adapted to the new phone. It won't feel special or new or like my life is any different. That's a total bummer. Not in like a that cost me 1200 bucks way, but more. What is the point of my life if my favorite product on earth gives me fewer than seven days of joy kind of way to which I can already hear some of you thinking, come on, it's just a dumb phone. Obviously, you can't expect it to change your life. And yet, you and I often think this way, don't we? And I believe that as long as we live on earth, we'll need to deal with this reality. However, every genuine follower of Christ can anticipate a singular future event. That I can guarantee you the reality will far exceed the anticipation. I'm talking about the second coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, on the great day of God Almighty. Indeed, as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 2. 9, he's paraphrasing the prophet Isaiah. Eye has not seen nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love him. As we continue our study in Revelation, we've arrived at the day spoken of in chapter 16, verses 13 and 14. Let me read those for you. They record the sixth bowl, judgment. And I saw three unclean spirits, like frogs, coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are spirits of demons performing signs which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Our text for today is Revelation, chapter 19 and verses 11 to 21. And I've titled our study the Great Day of God Almighty. Now I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse. And he who sat on him was called Faithful and true, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed him on white horses. Now out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, and that with it he should strike the nations, and he himself will rule them. With a rod of iron he himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he has on his robe and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, come and gather together for the supper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses, and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great. And I saw the beast. The kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against him who sat on the horse and against his army. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet, who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These too were cast alive into the lake of fire, burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. This text reveals several details that should fuel our anticipation as we await the great day of God Almighty. The first detail is the glorious conqueror John wrote, I saw heaven opened. I want you to think with me of other times recorded in the Scripture when the heavens were opened. It happened at Jesus baptism. Matthew, chapter 3 and verse 16. Jesus promised the disciples they would see this phenomenon in John 1:51. And the heavens were opened when Stephen was martyred in Acts 7:55. But the opening of heaven this time is different from any that has ever occurred or will occur until then. This one is for the glorious appearance of Christ with his saints. Just as we believe that he ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father, so we also believe that from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. And so the Lamb, now married, leaves the Father's house and comes to take possession of what is rightfully his own. Now even a casual study should make the contrast between this event and the Church's catching up clear. At the rapture, Christ will meet his own in the air, and there is no evidence of immediate judgment upon the earth. You can read about that in 1 Thessalonians, chapter 4 and verses 13 to 18. At the second coming, Christ comes to earth with his saints to bring divine judgment and to establish his righteous rule for 1,000 years. According to Revelation, chapter 24, as the heavens opened, John saw a white horse. For John's readers, picturing the white horse and rider followed by the armies of heaven gave them a very clear message. They were quite familiar with the pageantry and the worship and the rewards of Roman generals as they returned victoriously from conquering their enemies. John's glimpse into the open heavens revealed to him a victory parade unlike anything the world had ever seen or ever would see. Interestingly, we encountered a rider on a white horse way back in Revelation, chapter 6 and verse 2 at the opening of the first of the seal judgments. Let me read that. And I looked, and behold a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow, and a crown was given to him. And he went out conquering. And to conquer. The rider is not named in either text, but they cannot be the same person. From chapter six I conclude that this is the beginning of the Antichrist's reign, and he will consolidate it through negotiation and persuasion rather than by force. Only later does he reveal his true character as a ruthless tyrant. And so this usurper blasphemously assumes control over the world, and by that he aims to displace God and thwart his plan. In our text, the description and everything said about the rider on the white horse unmistakably identifies him as the same Jesus who ascended from the Mount of Olives before the eyes of his watching disciples. At his second coming his feet will stand again on those same sacred heights. According to Zechariah 14:4, his appearing in this scene from our text stands in stark contrast to his first coming. Then he rode meekly into Jerusalem on a donkey colt. But now in his majesty he rides prosperously because of his truth, meekness and righteousness. Those concepts come from Psalm chapter 45 and verse 4. Now I want you to notice how the rider on the white horse in our text is identified. He who sat on him was called faithful and true, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. The description of Jesus as faithful and true echoes the words of Revelation 3:14, and it clearly distinguishes him from those he is coming to judge. So the dragon, the Antichrist, and the false prophet, they're all deceivers through and through. It's their character as well as their modus operandi. But their deception will not stand. Praise God. Christ will judge with righteous judgment. And so he judges the beast, the Antichrist, the false prophet, and their followers, and makes war on them. When sin becomes irredeemable and incurable by corrective measures, then it must be put down by the force of arms. Mercy, slighted and abused, brings on the executioner. So the world, banded together in arms against its true sovereign, and now he brings the sword of his insulted majesty against them. The depiction of Christ's appearance reminds us of the initial picture we're given in Revelation 1:13 16. His eyes are like a flame of fire. They see through and through. They search all the depths. They look beneath all the masks, penetrate all the darknesses, and test everything, even to the smallest fragment. This flaming vision also speaks of the fierceness of his wrath against his enemies. If there were ever a time when looks could literally kill, this will be the time. And then further, to demonstrate his kingship, many diadems rest on his head. Many indicates that he has collected all of the crowns of the rulers of the earth, and signifying that he alone is the sovereign ruler of all. You know that collecting a vanquished king's crown was customary in the ancient world. You can read an example of that in 2 Samuel 12:30. The dragon, as maybe you recall, has seven diadems on his seven heads as the possessor of seven great world powers. That's chapter 12 and verse 3. The beast has ten diadems on his ten horns, as combining ten sovereignties, chapter 13 and verse 1. The collection of crowns on the head of Christ expresses accumulated victory and dominion. He comes as the One anointed and endowed by heaven to bring an end to satanic rule and deception. Finally, he bears a name that no one knows except He Himself. And since this is stated as a fact, all of our speculation to try to guess what that name is is useless. I don't know. But Jesus may have been thinking about this when he said to his disciples, all things have been delivered to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to Whom the Son wills to reveal him. And then, in addition, he wears a garment sprinkled with blood. This is certainly not the blood of redemption. This is the blood of his enemies. The prophet wrote, I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me for I have trodden them in my anger, and trampled them in my fury. Their blood is sprinkled upon my garments, and I have stained all my robes. For the day of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of my redeemed has come. That's Isaiah 63, 3, 4. Now some people would ask, how can his garments be stained with blood before the battle even begins? But I want to remind you that this is certainly not the first battle that Christ has fought against his enemies. Who but he cut Rahab and wounded the dragon? Who but he fought for Israel in the days of Joshua, when opposing kings were put to the sword along with all their armies? And who but he fought from heaven against the kings of Canaan and Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, when the stars and their courses fought against Sisera? Yes, Christ has many victories to his credit. Another description of the glorious conqueror who appears in this Great day of God Almighty is His name, the Word of God. This name belongs originally and essentially to him and is consistent with John's other writings. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. HA Ironside points out the significance of the three names given to Christ in this text, and I quote him a name written that no man knew but He Himself, that speaks of his essential glory as the Eternal Son, concerning which he declared that no man knows the Son but the Father. The second name is the Word of God, and the third title is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. In these three names we have set forth first, our Lord's dignity as the Eternal Son. Second, his Incarnation, the Word became flesh, and lastly, his second advent to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. That's the end of the quote. Verses 15 and 16 give us further details about our glorious conqueror. Out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should strike the nations, and he himself will shepherd them with a rod of iron. He himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he has on his robe and on his thigh a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The word that's used here for sword refers to a long Thracian sword. They were usually large and longer than many others. The size of it demanded both hands, and so the fighter who wielded it relied on the sword's momentum rather than a shield for his defense. By New Testament times, this term evoked an image of overwhelming and almost unstoppable force. That's an ideal metaphor for decisive judgment. Here the word is used symbolically to represent a sharp instrument of war with which Christ will smite the nations and establish his absolute rule. It is His Word that will slay his enemies. This shows us how easily he accomplishes his purpose. He speaks and it is done. He commands and it's accomplished. He demonstrated this when the armed mob came to arrest him in Gethsemane. You remember when he said to them, I am He. They went backward and they fell to the ground. You can read that account in John 18, verse 5. So think about it. If such a mild statement caused his enemies to fall back, then what will it be when he crowns himself for the battle of the great day of God Almighty, when he comes with the armies of heaven to tread the winepress of the fierceness of Jehovah's anger? I tell you, resistance will be absolutely futile. His rule over the nations with a rod of iron is prophesied in Psalm 2:8 9 Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron you shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. So Christ will swiftly judge all sin, and he will instantly put down all rebellion. Using the same imagery of ruling with a rod of iron, Jesus promised that believers would rule under him in the kingdom. He said, he who overcomes, and he who keeps my deeds until the end. To him I will give authority over the nations and and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of a potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from my Father. Another image of the completeness of judgment is his trampling of his enemies in the winepress of the wine of the wrath of the anger of God Almighty. This vivid symbol of God's wrath comes from that ancient practice of stomping the grapes as part of the winemaking process. The splattering of the grape juice pictures the pouring out of the blood of Christ's enemies. Together These passages Isaiah 63 and Revelation 14:19, 20 reinforce the sad conclusion that on the day of judgment mercy will not be available. Nothing is more inflexible than divine judgment when grace has been spurned and rejected. These scenes of awful judgment flatly contradict the modern view that God is dominated entirely by his attribute of love. The concluding description of Christ reveals several things to us. On his robe, previously described as dipped in blood, and also on his thigh there is a name written King of kings and Lord of Lords. The psalmist sang in anticipation. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty. Now normally a warrior carried his sword on his thigh, but here we know that the sword proceeds from Christ's mouth, and in its place is a name representing it. For the psalmist defines the sword in this case as as his glory and majesty. I would encourage you to read Psalm 45. So the sword stands for authority and the right to punish evildoers. It tells of the majesty and dominion of the one who bears it and the authority. Majesty and dominion of Christ are that he is king of kings and Lord of lords. That is now no longer mere theory or appointment, but it is a present assertion, and he comes armed in order to enforce his rights. John's vision presents the victorious Christ astride a white war horse. Verses 11 to 16 the title appears twice, once on his robe and once on his thigh. I believe this double location is unique in Scripture, and it's deliberately done to emphasize total public and permanent authority as Christ rides to judgment and redemption. From the perspective of a soldier on the ground and one on a horse, the outer thigh sits right at the observer's eye level, and we know from history that Greco Roman cavalry often branded or emblazoned insignia on the thigh guard or the fascia for quick identification in combat. John's detail captures that wartime realism. Everyone, angelic and human can read Christ's supremacy and then further swearing under the thigh According to Genesis 24:2, 3 invoked the covenant marker of circumcision. Displaying Christ's title on his thigh signals the unbreakable covenant he fulfilled and that he is now enforcing Ancient Near Eastern idiom placed power or offspring in the thigh. It proclaims that the fullness of divine potency rides with the King of Kings. And one final Hebrew legal practice reinforced agreements with duplicate witnesses according to Deuteronomy 19:15. By engraving the same royal title in two different places, John shows that Christ's kingship is doubly attested irrefutable in heaven and on earth, in priestly garment and warrior thigh in covenant and in conquest. What an awesome description of this glorious conqueror. I hope you can join me next time as we look at three additional details that will fuel our anticipation of the great day of God Almighty Jesus
• 24:51
  Speaker A: the Mighty Lord, Great is Thy name still through eternal years Thou art the same Changeless thy holy world to evermore Thy name we glorify Thy name. Jesus the Mighty Lord Jesus our King Praise for Thy wondrous love Gladly we sing Love in thy shines Evermore Thy name We glorify thy name Adam. So by thy mercy Lord save by thy power Live by thy gracious hand Give every heart shall be under me Thine evermore Thy name we glory by Thy name.
• 26:53
  Speaker B: There's so much symbolism in these verses and we can miss a lot at the first glance. But there's one thing that is clear. Jesus is the King of the Universe. His power is in his word. Just like it was in Genesis 1 where God spoke and it happened. J Mark began with the question of anticipation. Do you long for the day when evil is vanquished and justice reigns? I trust that you do. If today's teaching has encouraged you, we'd love to hear from you. Your stories and responses mean so much to us. You can reach us at heraldsofhope.org contact or by email@hopeheraldsofhope.org or you can call us at 866-960-0292 to explore more Bible teaching and encouragement, please visit heraldsofhope.org programs. You can also listen to and share the Voice of Hope wherever you get your podcasts. As I mentioned at the beginning of the program, our annual readathon is coming up and we'd love to have you join us. You can learn more by going to that same website, heraldsofhopes.org events join us next time as we continue our journey through Scripture. Thank you for listening to the Voice of Hope.
• 28:29
  Speaker A: Till we meet, Till we meet, Till we meet at Jesus feet. Till we meet, Till we meet. God be with you. Till we meet again.