Revelation 19

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on Him that no one knows but He Himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of His mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: King of kings and Lord of Lords. ‭‭Revelation‬ ‭19‬:‭11‬-‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Our powerful King will return to Earth again, and show Himself as the “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (verse 16).  His second coming will be under much different circumstances than His first.  When He first came to Earth, He came as a baby, lived as a servant, and suffered in order to be sacrificed as a lamb for our sins.  He brought forgiveness and mercy.  When He returns, He will bring judgment.  “His eyes are like blazing fire” (verse 12), and “Coming out of His mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations” (verse 15).  Over the centuries, the vast majority of human beings have been given a chance to get to know Him.  Trusting in and following Jesus involves making a life-changing decision.  Prior to Jesus’ return, there is a chance for unbelievers every single day to turn away from sin and towards Him.  But there will come a day where there are no second chances.  The evil in this world will have to face a judgment day.  He is a conquering King, a warrior on a white horse that symbolizes His victory over Satan and all that is evil.  In His first coming, Jesus arrived in the most humble of circumstances.  In His second coming, Jesus will arrive with the armies of heaven at His side.  The battle lines have been drawn between God and evil, and the world will one day see THE King ride onto the battlefield for the final battle, which He will win.  When Jesus is given the full title “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS”, this indicates someone who has the power to exercise absolute dominion over all in His realm.  In the case of the Lord Jesus, the realm is all of creation.  In the end, all other rulers will be conquered or abolished, and He alone will reign supreme as King and Lord of all the Earth.  There is no power, no king, and no lord who can oppose Him and win.  The writer of Hebrews says this of the Lord Jesus: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful Word” (Hebrews 1:3).  Paul gives us further evidence of Jesus’ power and Lordship: “God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).  Jesus being King of kings and Lord of lords means that there is no higher authority than Him.  His reign over all things is absolute, certain and secure.  It is foolish to wait until He returns to acknowledge His power and control over our lives.  Surrendering our lives to Him today allows eternity to start now!  “For You granted Him authority over all people that He might give eternal life to all those You have given Him.  Now this is eternal life: that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent” (John 17:2-3).   Understanding and embracing the fact that eternity is not something out in the distant future will change the way we approach everything in our lives.  Knowing God means developing an intimate, close, personal relationship with Him.  It changes everything about the way we think, act, and speak.  It has eternal consequences for us, and those around us.  And…it can start today.  Here is an awesome description of the zeal of believers in the first-century church from Andrew Wommack Ministries: “They had such a depth of relationship with a Living God that it was contagious. In Rome, Christians knew their God so intimately that they sang His praises as they were burned at the stake. There are historical accounts of Nero the emperor sticking his fingers in his ears and saying, ‘Why must these Christians sing?’  They had much more than a doctrine and a hope. They had a present-tense relationship that allowed them to endure with joy terrible atrocities. There are historical accounts of Romans, when witnessing the joy of these Christians who were being martyred, jumping out of the stands and rushing to them. They knew they would be doomed to the same fate, but they willingly accepted death so they could know God in the same close, intimate, and personal way as these Christians.  Let me ask you this question. It’s not intended to condemn you, but to enlighten you. How many people would die to have what you have? Is anyone envious of your relationship with the Lord? If not, then may I suggest to you that you aren’t experiencing eternal life as the Bible describes it and as our Lord Jesus died to give you.”  1 John 5:11-12 puts it very simply:  “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.  Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”  Choose life with the “King of kings and Lord of lords!”