Read & Reflect

REVELATION 19:11-12

• How does the vision of Jesus as the Judge on a white horse contrast with the way he entered Jerusalem (cf. Matthew 21:5-7)? What can I learn about the heart of Jesus for me from this contrast (cf. Phil 2:6-8)?

REVELATION 19:11-16

• What are the names of Jesus listed in these verses? Which name is personally meaningful to me in my life and why?

REVELATION 19:14-16

“It would be as much a mistake to suppose (as some, sadly, have done) that this passage predicts, and legitimates in advance, an actual military battle between followers of Jesus and followers of other gods as it would be to suppose that the reality which corresponds to the monster that comes up from the sea is an actual physical creature with the heads, horns and so on described in chapter 12. The victory here is a victory over all pagan power, which means a victory over violence itself.  Jesus himself spoke of victory–but it was not the victory one might expect, over the forces of Rome. Indeed, when others wanted to fight Rome, he hinted strongly if strangely that this was missing the proper target. The true enemy was the dark power that stood behind Rome and all other pagan empires. Jesus spoke about fighting a battle with the real enemy, the Satan, the one who had led all humanity, Israel included, into rebellion against the creator God. And Jesus seems to have believed that the ultimate way to fight this true battle was by giving up his life.” [1]

• What do the images in this passage symbolize, if they don’t refer to actual military battle?
• How can I participate in the victory of Christ?

REVELATION 19:21

• What lessons can be learned about the nature of the word of God, from the description of the “sword that came from the mouth” of the rider (cf. Heb 4:12)?

[1] Revelation (N. T. Wright for Everyone Bible Study Guides)  N. T. Wright and Kristie Berglund, Location 784.