Revelation 19:11; I Saw Heaven Opened

Revelation 19:11 (KJV)  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 

The words “And I saw” in v11 introduce the first of eight scenes that constitute the action phase of the seventh bowl. The scenes that follow this one which tells of the return of Christ are the invitation to the birds of prey (v17-18), the defeat of the beast (v19-21), the binding of Satan (Revelation 20:1-3), the Millennium and the defeat of Satan (Revelation 20:4-10), the placement of the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11), the judgment of those whose names are missing rom the Book of Life (Revelation 20:12-15), and the new heaven and the new earth (Revelation 21:1-8).

This series of scenes has attracted a good bit of attention, particularly in regard ngical sequence in the fulfilment of these scenes is very strong. Progression from Christ’s return to the invitation to the birds of prey and from that invitation to the defeat of the beast is obvious. So is the progression from the binding of Satan to the Millennium and final defeat of Satan and from that final defeat to the new heaven and the new earth with al this entails.

This series of scenes connects with the pouring out of the seventh bowl in Revelation 16:17-21 and flows naturally from the concluding part of the intercalation (Revelation 17:1-19:10) that expands upon the introductory summary (Revelation 16:17-21).

Revelation 16:17-21 (KJV)  And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. 

The final song of Revelation 19:1-8 celebrates the marriage of the warrior-Messiah, but this marriage cannot happen until He returns to secure a victory on the battlefield (cf. Psalm 45). The present passage in v11-16 concerns itself with the advent leading to this last great conflict with the false Christ and his hosts in their assault on the Messiah and His people – And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 

The Messiah returns in response to the preliminary movements of the enemy recounted briefly in Revelation 17:12; 13, 16-17 to implement the climactic war of Revelation 17:14 that culminates in a horrible Armageddon (Swete, Moffatt, Beckwith, Ford). This picture climaxes the New Testament emphasis on the second coming of Christ and the vindication of the Christian hope (Matthew 13:41-42; 25:41; Romans 2:5; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8; 9-10; 2:8) (Mounce).

Matthew 13:41-42 (KJV)  The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 25:41 (KJV)  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Romans 2:5 (KJV)  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 

2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 (KJV)  And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 

2 Thessalonians 1:9-10 (KJV)  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. 

2 Thessalonians 2:8 (KJV)  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 

It answers specifically to the theme verse of Revelation 1:7 which tells of the worldwide audience this event will have (cf. Matthew 24:27-31). (Walvoord)

Revelation 1:7 (KJV)  Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. 

Matthew 24:27-31 (KJV)  For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

In fact, this is the only event in Revelation that corresponds to that coming narrowly construed to refer to Christ’s personal coming. This is the personal and direct exercise of His judicial power in crushing to the last anti-God forces on earth (Moffatt). It also furnishes meaning to the figure of Christ as the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David (Revelation 5:5).

Revelation 5:5 (KJV)  And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. 

[Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22 – An Exegetical Commentary, Moody, 1995, 381-382]