John 20:19-23, Revelation 19, Job 40, Zechariah 1-5

Revelation 19:

Having described the great Babylon – the military and economic powers ranged against God and his people – and its fall, John now turns to describe the final judgment, this time in terms of a great last battle.

The first part of chapter 19 describes the song of worship and praise to God for his salvation and vindication and that justice is now finally coming in its entire fulfillment:

“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

Then after this description of all this praise to God comes a description of the final battle.

Jesus is depicted as the great conquering hero riding on a white horse who brings judgment to all those in rebellion against God. His robes are dipped in blood – already covered and soaked in blood before the battle even commences, for it is his blood, the blood of the cross through which he reigns. And his weapon is the Word, a sharp doubled-edged sword coming out of his mouth. He is King of kings and Lord of lords, and his judgment will prevail, and all those who have rebelled against God will finally experience the full wrath of God. Jesus who died for his enemies now holds them to account for their rejection of him.

And this description therefore is to function to cause us to rejoice that the battle belongs to the Lord and Christ and his people will one day be fully and finally vindicated. It is also to function to cause us to bow the knee before Christ, to be saved by him through his bloody death on the cross for us, before that great and terrible day when he comes in judgment.