Sermon Tone Analysis

Revelation 19:11-21

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Caswell © 2004

Horses’ Long Wait For Rider

 

The most remarkable horse in the world has been kept in readiness since 1072 for the expected resurrection of Sultan Muhammad Ibn Daud.

The sultan ruled Iran as well as a large contiguous territory between the Tigris and the Oxus and his reign has been termed Iran’s Golden Age.

He extended the frontiers of his country through conquest and expansion, accumulating great wealth in the process.

As soon as he died and was laid to rest, myth and legend seized upon his memory, embroidering it with prophecies derived from national yearnings.

It was said that he would rise from his tomb, mount his horse and lead his subjects to new conquests and glory.

So strong was this belief that in all the intervening centuries a thoroughbred charger — complete with saddle and groom — has been kept in readiness before his tomb in the Mosque of Kuchan, province of Khorasan, waiting for the day when the dead sultan will emerge from his tomb to resume the reins of both mount and government.

It is one of the strangest manifestations of enduring faith and loyalty to be found in the modern world.

Of Course this story is only a legend.

It won’t happen.

But, Jesus Christ will soon return to the earth on a white horse to vanquish evil and establish His righteousness kingdom.

When He comes again Christ will come with clouds and every eye shall see Him.

Three main things stand out concerning Christ’s return; */Purity, Power and Purpose./*

*(Put Chart showing Rapture and Second Coming on OHP)*

 

*/Firstly,/* Purity    

 

*Revelation 19:11: */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./

/ /

/a.

Christ’s Integrity/

/ /

When God the Father decides that it is time for His Son to return He */opens the heavens/*.

He will no longer hide the glory and majesty of His Son.

In *Revelation 4:1* John saw a door opened in heaven and having received an invitation entered in.

But here God opens the heavens and His Son comes to the earth in victory.

Every one will see God and will always be able to from then on.

The word */opened/* is in the */perfect tense/*.

It will happen and remain that way.

Tragically not only will believers see God but the damned will see the Lord from their abode in hell.

*Revelation 14:9-10*.

This will add to their pain.

Jesus Christ returns to earth riding a white horse; a symbol of victory and power.

He is called */faithful /*and */true./*

Jesus Christ is faithful to fulfill His promises and true to His character.

He promised to return.

His work is done in */righteousness./*

Even though Christ judges and makes war, He does this with /absolute integrity/.

Christ doesn’t act out spite or personal pride but out of righteousness and holiness.

His justice is fair and appropriate.

Every one condemned to hell will acknowledge that God’s judgment is fair.

/b.

Christ’s Glory/

 

Christ’s appearance is also described in *Revelation 1:13-16: */and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.

His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.

/

 

There are a number of passages that indicate that Christ will return in glory and majesty.

Every one will see Jesus Christ return.

They will see Him come with power and authority.

*Matthew 26:64: */Jesus said to him, It is as you said.

Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven./

*Revelation 1:7: */Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him.

And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.

Even so, Amen.

*How will the wicked respond to the sight Jesus Christ, God’s holy Son coming back to the earth?*/ *Matthew 24:**30:* /Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth *will mourn*, and they *will see* the Son of Man coming on the *clouds of heaven with power and great glory*./

/c.

Christ’s Holiness/

 

When Jesus Christ appears in the heavens He will be seen all around the earth simultaneously, like the lightning that flashes from one end of the sky to the other.

All the tribes of the earth will mourn; every eye will see Him.

Firstly the sign of His coming will appear in heaven.

But He won’t return immediately.

I believe that Christ will take His time in coming.

He will allow the wicked to stew in their own juice.

Their fear will increase as they see Him come on the clouds.

They know that judgment has come.

They will be in absolute terror as they see a Holy God coming to execute Judgment.

They will call the mountains to cover them from God’s glory and wrath.

*Revelation 6:**15-17:* /And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, *hid themselves in the caves* and in the rocks of the mountains, and *said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!

For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?*/

/ /

*2 Thessalonians 1:6-10: */since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed./

Holy, Holy, Holy

 

Philadelphia pastor James Montgomery Boice once spoke to a discipleship group on the attributes of God.

He began by asking them to list God’s qualities in order of importance.

They put love first, followed by wisdom, power, mercy, omniscience, and truth.

At the end of the list they put holiness.

*/That did surprise me, Boice later wrote, because the Bible refers to God’s holiness more than any other attribute./*

The Bible doesn’t refer to God as /Loving, Loving, Loving! /Or /Wise, Wise, Wise! /Or /Omniscient, Omniscient, Omniscient! /But over and over we read the cry of the angels, */Holy, Holy, Holy!/*

 

*/Secondly,/* Power

 

*Revelation 19:**12-16:* /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, 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./

/ /

/a.

Perfect Knowledge.

/

 

To rule well a king must know his subjects well.

Jesus Christ’s eyes are like a flaming or flashing fire.

*/He sees all and knows all./*

Nothing is hidden from God’s sight.

The Lord searches out all things.

He knows the deepest, most hidden thoughts people have.

*Hebrews 4:13: */And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

/Nothing will be hidden from Christ when He returns.

He will execute judgment upon all sin and on all sinners.

/b.

Perfect Authority/

 

Jesus Christ has many crowns upon His head.

Earthly kings rule over a particular kingdom.