Read Revelation 19:11–21
We rewind again today, from yesterday’s “happily ever after” to today’s revisiting of the Second Coming of Christ. The heavens open, and Jesus appears, riding a white horse, with Heaven’s armies following Him. In this passage, John uses three unique names to describe Jesus. The first name—“Word of God”—may sound familiar. John uses it to introduce Jesus in the first chapter of his Gospel. From there, John takes us even further back in the Bible. The phrase “He will rule them with an iron rod” is a callback to Psalm 2—originally written about King David. It is a “royal psalm” that sings blessing over David and his descendants (including Jesus). This allusion leads perfectly into the second name: “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” This name reveals that, though He is in the line of David, Jesus far surpasses any earthly king.
The mysterious name mentioned in verse 12 further illustrates Jesus’ sovereignty. Cultural context is helpful here. In the ancient world, knowing someone’s name equaled having power over them. Think Genesis 2:19–20, when Adam names all the animals he has authority over, or Genesis 32, when Jacob wrestles with a nameless opponent, loses, and receives a new name from the victor, God. With a “name written that no one knows except Himself,” Jesus is subject to no one else’s authority. No one can control or manipulate Him.
However, Jesus’ ultimate authority does not stop His enemies from fighting. In verse 19, the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies gather to fight. But the beast and the false prophet are quickly taken captive, and the kings and their armies are taken down in one fell swoop by “the sword that came from the mouth of the rider on the horse” (v. 21). This sword symbolizes Jesus’ words, demonstrating that what He says is inherently powerful and effective. He spoke creation into existence and will create a new Heaven and a new earth one day. To get there, we must hold tightly to God’s Word and persevere through the trials and battles of this life. As the conflict in today’s passage reminds us, rebellion ends in swift defeat, while following Jesus leads to light
and life in abundance.
