Revelation 19:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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.

NIV: 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.

NASB: And 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.

CSB: Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True, and with justice he judges and makes war.

NLT: Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war.

KJV: And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

NKJV: 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.

This verse reports that the apostle John saw heaven open and observed a rider on a white horse. The rider is identified using names such as Faithful and True. The earlier rider of a white horse, seen by John (Revelation 6:2), was given no such description. The rider in Revelation 19:11 is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, who identified Himself to the church in Laodicea as "the faithful and true witness" (Revelation 3:14).

Coming in this context, Christ is faithful to avenge the death of the martyrs and to keep His promises. He promised to come again, and true to His word He will come to earth a second time at the close of the tribulation. Because He is all knowing, nothing escapes His attention. Jesus knows all about His enemies' injustices, immorality, and blasphemy, and He judges them righteously. He goes to war with them.

In the ancient Roman world, victorious generals would ride white horses in a victory parade. Their legions would follow them and drag their captives behind them, So, appropriately, Jesus, the believers' commander-in-chief, rides a white horse as He returns to earth. The description which follows emphasizes Christ's absolute majesty, power, and victory.

Revelation 19:11–21 presents one of Scripture's most spectacular moments of victory: the second coming of Jesus Christ. In this event, Christ returns to earth at the close of the tribulation. At His first coming to earth, Jesus appeared as a baby and sacrificial Savior. This time, He arrives as King of kings and Lord of lords. Many prior Scriptures prophesied this epic day of victory (Matthew 25; Zechariah 14:1–4; 2 Thessalonians 2:7–12; Hebrews 9:27–28; Jude 1:14–15). Christ arrives in a blaze of glory, obliterating His enemies single-handedly, at the head of the armies of heaven. The Antichrist and False Prophet become the first two cast into the lake of fire, ushering in the beginning of Christ's millennial reign on earth.

Revelation 19 begins with a multitude in heaven singing a doxology to God. He is praised for judging religious Babylon and avenging the martyrs. They are joined by the twenty-four elders (Revelation 4). Voices cry out joyfully that the Lord reigns and the marriage supper of the Lamb is ready. Then, John sees heaven open and observes Jesus—now coming as the glorious and invincible King of kings and Lord of lords—as He descends from heaven to execute judgment. The armies of earth gather to battle the Lord. The battle concludes with the Antichrist and False Prophet being thrown into the lake of fire and the graphic slaughter of their followers.

This chapter describes the victorious second coming of Christ, His victory over the Antichrist and the False Prophet after the fall of Babylon (Revelation 17—18). Christ's first arrival on earth was to redeem (Matthew 2; Luke 2:1–21; John 1:1–14; Galatians 4:1–5). The purpose of His second coming is judgment and the establishment of His reign on earth (Psalm 2). This is separate from the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13–17), the event in which Jesus returns in the air to take Christians from earth to be with Him. Jesus' second coming begins the millennial kingdom, leading up to the final judgments and the appearance of the New Jerusalem.

The word ''revelation'' means ''an unveiling or disclosure.'' This writing unveils future events such as the rapture, three series of judgments that will fall on the earth during the tribulation, the emergence of the Antichrist, the persecution of Israel and her amazing revival, as well as Jesus' second coming with His saints to the earth, the judgment of Satan and his followers, and finally, the eternal state. This content, combined with the original Greek term apokalypsis, is why we now refer to an end-of-the-world scenario as ''an apocalypse.''