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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - Revelation 19:11 - 19:11
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
The heaven opened (ton ouranon ēneōigmenon). Perfect passive participle (triple reduplication) of anoigō. Accusative case after eidon. So Ezekiel (Eze 1:1) begins his prophecy. See also the baptism of Jesus (Mat 3:16; Luk 3:21, but schizomenous in Mar 1:10). Jesus predicted the opened heavens to Nathanael (Joh 1:51). In Rev 4:1 a door is opened in heaven, the sanctuary is opened (Rev 11:19; Rev 15:5), angels come out of heaven (Rev 10:1; Rev 14:17; Rev 18:1), and sounds come from heaven (Rev 19:1).
Behold, a white horse (idou hippos leukos). Nominative case because of idou, not eidon. Cf. Rev 6:2 for hippos leukos. The emblem of victory in both cases, but the riders are very different. Here it is the Messiah who is the Warrior, as is made plain by “Faithful and True” (pistos kai alēthinos), epithets already applied to Christ (Rev 1:5; Rev 3:7, Rev 3:14). Cf. also Rev 22:6.
In righteousness he doth judge and make war (en dikaiosunēi krinei kai polemei). See Isa 11:3. The Messiah is both Judge and Warrior, but he does both in righteousness (Rev 15:3; Rev 16:5, Rev 16:7; Rev 19:2). He passes judgment on the beast (antichrist) and makes war on him. Satan had offered Christ a victory of compromise which was rejected.