The Coming Dominion - part 2

Previously (5 Dec) we looked at a couple prophesies before written before Christ's time on earth. Now let's look at a couple written after Christ's time on earth, in the book of Revelation. Like the Daniel 7 passage, these are visions of heaven.

The first one is:

Rev 11.15-17 (NET) Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.”
16 Then the twenty-four elders who are seated on their thrones before God threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and worshiped God 17 with these words:
“We give you thanks, Lord God, the All-Powerful, the one who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and begun to reign.

This passage talks of a single kingdom of the world. That means a single power ruled the earth. I decline to discuss who or what that single power is. The main point is that kingdom becomes the kingdom of the Lord and His Christ, who will then rule over that kingdom forever. The kingdom of the world changes hands.

A second point that I would like to make, is that there is no distinction between the rule of God and the rule of His Christ. The text says "he" not "they" will rule. There is a blurring of identities between God and His Christ. This is consistent with the passages we looked at before. In Isaiah 9.6, the child that is born is called "Mighty God." In the vision in Isaiah 7.14, two personnas are introduced--the "Ancient of Days" and the "son of man". But in the interpretation by the angel that follows, only one personna is named--the "Most High."

The second passage is:

Rev 19.11 (NET) Then I saw heaven opened and here came a white horse! Thec one riding it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice he judges and goes to war. 12 His eyes are like a fiery flame and there are many diadem crowns on his head. He has a name written that no one knows except himself. 13 He is dressed in clothing dipped in blood, and he is called the Word of God. 14 The armies that are in heaven, dressed in white, clean, fine linen, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth extends a sharp sword, so that with it he can strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod, and he stomps the winepress of the furious wrath of God, the All-Powerful. 16 He has a name written on his clothing and on his thigh: “King of kings and Lord of lords.”

Before I look at details, I would like to make a comment about time. Several of the prophesies we are looking at are visions of things taking place in Heaven. As we know time in Heaven is different from time on earth. To God a thousand years is like a day and a day is like a thousand years. Visions show spiritual events happening in Heaven that have effects on earth. However, it is very difficult to determine when the effects of earth will occur, or whether the effects on earth take place in a single time span or are spread out over multiple time spans. Because of this I frequently avoid pinpointing fulfillment of prophesy in human history.

The first question that must be answered about this passage is, "Who is the rider of the white horse?" One of his titles is "Word of God". In the first chapter of his gospel, John calls Jesus the "Word" implying "Word of God." Another title in this passage is "Faithful and True" which Jesus uses of Himself earlier in Revelations in the letter to the Laodiceans (3.14). The image of the sword from his mouth is used by Jesus about Himself in the letter to Pergamum (Rev. 2.16). So the answer to the first question is that the rider of the white horse is Jesus.

The second question is, "What is the rider doing?" He is judging and making war (the verbs are present tense). Making war is a means of executing justice. He is stomping the winepress of the furious wrath of God. After making war, he will rule (the verb is future tense) with an iron rod. The verb to rule is literally to shepherd, indicating that his style of ruling will be much different from that of the kings of the earth. Many might say that this image of Christ is very different, or even in contradiction of the image of the humble Christ in the gospels, but that is the topic of another day. He will rule with an "iron rod". The rod can be the scepter of a king, or the rod of a shepherd. Psalms 23.1, 4 says, "The Lord is my shepherd, ... his rod and his staff comfort me."

The third question is, "What is His weapon?" His weapon is the sword that extends from his mouth. His weapon is His Word. This is consistent with His life on earth. While in the desert after He was baptized, He battled with Satan by quoting from the Hebrew Scriptures. In His confrontations with people He was constantly quoting the Scriptures to correct their misunderstandings. He also healed the sick, cast out demons, and stilled the wind with His Word.

The fourth question is, "Who is He fighting against?" He is fighting against the nations.