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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Revelation 19:11 - 19:16
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Rev_19:11-16
11And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 15From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."
Rev_19:11 "And I saw heaven opened" This is a perfect passive verbal form and may relate to Eze_1:1. Several times in Revelation heaven has been opened (in partial ways) to reveal truth to John in progressive stages (cf. Rev_4:1; Rev_11:19; Rev_15:5). See Special Topic at Rev_3:7.
▣ "a white horse" The bridegroom in the previous paragraph is revealed further as an all-conquering warrior. This describes Jesus' coming as the Jews expected Him the first time, a powerful military general. This is somewhat different from Paul's description of the Second Coming (the Parousia) found in 1Th_4:13-18. For a group of persecuted Christians this is an extremely encouraging metaphor. Interpreters must remember
1. that this is not a full and complete discussion of the Second Coming
2. that it is clothed in symbolic, apocalyptic language
3. that it is true; our God, in Christ, is personally coming again to receive His own (cf. Joh_14:2-3) and to judge all mankind according to their deeds (cf. Gal_6:7)
▣ "He who sat on it" Although there is a white horse in Rev_6:2, this is obviously different.
▣ "called faithful and true" The terms "Faithful and True" in Hebrew convey trustworthiness (cf. Rev_3:14 as well as Rev_1:5; Rev_3:7).
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▣ "in righteousness He judges and wages war" This is an allusion to Isa_11:3-5 (cf. Isa_9:7; Isa_16:5; Isa_32:1; Psa_96:13), which describes the New Age of righteousness, the New Age of the Spirit. See Special Topic below.
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Rev_19:12 "His eyes are a flame of fire" This is a description of Jesus from Rev_1:14; Rev_2:18. It has an OT angelic background from Dan_10:6.
▣ "On His head are many diadems" This refers to royal crowns. Jesus has more crowns than
1. the rider on the white horse in Rev_6:2 (which symbolizes effective warfare)
2. Satan (the red dragon of Rev_12:3)
3. the beast of Rev_13:1
▣ "and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself" This may be an allusion to Rev_2:17, but if it is, its meaning is still uncertain. Some see it as an allusion to the ancient belief that to know the name of gods was to have power over them. Others believe that it represents the fact that no one can completely know the character of Christ. Since the title is unknown, it does not refer to any of the titles of Jesus ("Faithful and True" of Rev_19:11, and "The Word of God" of Rev_19:13) found in this passage (or in the book) including "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" of Rev_19:16.
Rev_19:13 "He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood" This is an allusion to a poem of YHWH's judgment from Isa_63:3, which is also alluded to in Rev_19:15. The term "dipped" (MS A, UBS4 gives it a B rating) or "sprinkled" (MSS à *, P from Isa_63:3) is in perfect tense; commentators disagree as to whether it refers to
1. the blood of his enemies, which seems to be the focus of the paragraph and is reflected in a Targum on Gen_49:10-11 (however, in context, the battle has not occurred)
2. His own redemptive, sacrificial blood in which the saints have washed their own garments white (cf. Rev_7:14)
3. it is even possible it is the blood of His witnesses, who are precious to Him
In context option #1 seems best.
▣ "and His name is called The Word of God" This is the term logos, which links the book of the Revelation with the Apostle John, for he is the only biblical author who uses this as a title of Jesus (cf. Joh_1:1; Joh_1:14; 1Jn_1:1).
The gospel is both a person (the Living Word of God, Jesus) and a message (the written Word of God, the Bible). This same dual aspect is reflected in the biblical use of the term "faith," which is both a personal act of welcoming Jesus and a cognitive act of believing doctrinal truths ("the faith," cf. Jud_1:3; Jud_1:20).
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Rev_19:14 "the armies which are in heaven" This has been interpreted in two ways.
1. Because of Rev_17:14 and the description of the saints in Rev_19:8 in this immediate context, many have assumed that this refers to the saints.
2. Because of the OT background of Deu_33:2; Psa_68:17; and Zec_14:5 as well as the NT passages of Mat_13:41; Mat_16:27; Mar_8:38; Mar_13:27; Luk_9:26; 1Th_3:13; 2Th_1:7, many believe that it must refer to the angels.
This same ambiguity is present in many passages.
Rev_19:15 "from His mouth" This is an allusion to Isa_11:4 and Rev_1:16; Rev_2:16. This same judgmental metaphor has been found in Jewish apocalyptic literature (cf. IV Esdras 12:6; the Psalms of Solomon 17:10,45,49; and the book of I Enoch 62:6).
▣ "a sharp sword" This is a metaphor for the power of the gospel or of God's spoken word (cf. Genesis 1; Isa_55:11; Joh_1:1; 2 Thess. 7:8), not a literal description.
The end-time destruction of rebellious human armies is depicted in Ezekiel 38-39. This destruction is accomplished by (1) the sword (cf. Eze_38:21 and Rev_19:15; Rev_19:21) or (2) fire from heaven, cf. Eze_38:22; Eze_39:6; and Rev_20:9. This parallel between Revelation 19 and Revelation 20 (i.e., the different ways of destroying the armies of the nations), both of which reflect Ezekiel 38-39, implies a recapitulation. The Second Coming of Christ in 19 is repeated in different language in Rev_20:1-10. Recapitulation has already been seen between the seals, trumpets, and bowls.
▣ "the nations" The OT origin of these armies is the godless nations listed in Ezekiel 38 from all over the Ancient Near East (cf. Rev_19:2; Rev_19:5-6; Rev_19:13). John is using the end-time battle of Ezekiel 38-39 (or possibly Psalms 2) as the source of his imagery about the eschatological battle between good and evil! Jesus has by far the biggest sword! See notes at Rev_2:26; Rev_10:11.
▣ "He will rule them with a rod of iron" This is the second of three descriptions about the one riding on the white horse. This description of judgment comes from Psa_2:9; Psa_110:5-6 (cf. Rev_2:27; Rev_12:5).
▣ "and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty" This third description of judgment is an allusion to Isa_63:2-3; Jer_51:33; Lam_1:15; Joe_3:13 (cf. Rev_14:19-20). The color of crushed grapes reminded the ancients of blood, death, and battle!
For "wrath of God" see note at Rev_7:14.
Rev_19:16 "on His thigh a name written" There has been much discussion about the term "His thigh":
1. this was the place that a sword normally hung
2. this was the place that His garment was most clearly seen on horseback
3. it was the strongest muscle of his body and was symbolic of His might
▣ "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS" Does this refer to one name or two? Rev_17:14 shows that it refers to one name (cf. 1Ti_6:15). It has two possible OT backgrounds:
1. a description of YHWH (cf. Deu_10:17 and Enoch 9:4)
2. a Babylonian and later Persian title of deity transferred to YHWH (cf. Dan_2:37)
It is interesting to note that this phrase in Aramaic adds up to 777, in contradistinction to the number of the beast, which is 666. Ultimate perfection versus ultimate imperfection.