History of Redemption: Blog Post 43

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.  His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.  He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.  And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.  From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron.  He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.  On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.  - Revelation 19:11-16 ESV.  

What kind of man do you picture when you hear the name Jesus?  Do you picture a humble, yet weak man?  Do you picture a pacifist, carrying a peace banner?  Do you picture a kind and gentle teacher of morality?

Let me tell you what the bible tells us about Jesus.  He is a warrior.  He has a sword coming out of his mouth, sharp enough to strike down the nations.  His eyes burn with the fire of God’s wrath.  He comes to judge, and He comes to make war.  His robe is drenched in blood.  He is followed by the most powerful, and fearsome army you could ever imagine.  He has tattooed on his thigh this name, “King of kings and Lord of lords”.

For too long, Christian churches in America have watered down the Jesus of the bible, in the name of making him “more accessible”.  As I try to reconcile this watered down version of Jesus, with the Jesus spoken of by God in Revelation, I want to vomit.  I am disgusted by the multitude of churches that have turned Jesus into a pathetic spineless hippy.  I am disgusted by all the churches that refuse to even mention the wrath of God, and that would never suggest that Jesus Christ will return to judge and to make war.

We should today (and every day) stand in awe and fear of the Jesus Christ of the bible.  He is Faithful, and He is True, and He is coming to judge and to destroy those opposed to Him.  And he is coming to set free and to reign over and to protect forever those who have believed in Him.  Let us understand who this Jesus is that we are believing in.  He is awesome!

And let not a single day go by, when you do not remember that this great and mighty and sovereign warrior king laid down all of his weapons and all of his power and then laid down His life .... for you.

“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead” (Revelation 1:17).