Our Savior Will Come To Save the Day

“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.” (Re 19:11 AV)

 

What a wonderous prophecy.  This promises the LORD Jesus Christ will return to Earth and war against those who would permanently reject Him.  In a day when tolerance is the theme of our conversations, the idea of a warring Savior is rarely, if ever, preached from our pulpits.  But that doesn’t change a thing.  In our passage, the LORD judges and makes war in righteousness.  This is not up for debate.  It is not going to committee and then to the floor.  It is His was or death.  One or the other.  Every single soul that stands against the righteousness of God will be severely dealt with.  They will come to a certain and eternal end.  There is no dispute.  There is no debate.  This is no litigation.  There is no discussion.  If the soul had rejected the grace of God by the offering of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s cross, then he or she will be dealt with by the LORD’s justice and judgment.  Today’s saint doesn’t like to think of their LORD in that way.  But it is part of our Savior that is just as much of Him as His grace and mercy.  Like it or not, the LORD will make war against those who hate him.

When I think of this passage, I think of an old-time western.  One of those spaghetti westerns.  A crotchety but highly principled marshal must leave the territory.  He is on a trip back east or maybe to a remote fort somewhere.  While he is away, the territory is lost to a band of profiteers who manipulate, cheat, and kill.  They terrorize the territory and the town seat.  They intimidate the judge, deputy, and town businessmen.  Any newcomer is immediately brought under their thumb.  This group of thugs is relentless.  What makes this even worse is the ring leader of this gang has a vendetta against the now absent marshal.  In particular, the marshal's family.  They terrorize his wife, children, and extended family.  They steal and pillage anything they want off the marshal's homestead.  The graveyard is filling up quickly with the victims of this gang.  The marshal's picture is used for target practice.  His license to practice his craft is burned.  His nameplate is melted down for more bullets.  The marshal becomes the brunt of jokes.  Going to the saloon, there is a likeness pinned to the wall and over time, the townsfolk learn to disdain the marshal to the point of using this likeness as a dart board.  One can imagine how his wife and children feel.  This is her husband.  This is their father.  The abuse is relentless.

Soon, however, the marshal returns.  He sees the corruption that has enveloped his town.  He sees the torment his wife and children have endured.  He is moved to do something about it.  The quickest gun in the west takes on the whole gang.  He pulls out the peacemaker and deals with the entire lot of them from the center of the town.  One by one, he cuts them down like the evil men they are.  No one shot lands on him.  He is so quick not even one shot comes close.  All bad guys are gone!  Justice is served.  This is the attitude every believer should have.  We are the bride of Christ.  The world is insulting our husband.  They are mocking Him.  They are abusing that which is important to Him.  They are making martyrs of those who love Him.  They use His name as a curse word.  They are burning His houses, stealing what He rightfully owns, and making His creation miserable.  When He returns on His white horse, it all comes to an end!  In the meantime, we can have compassion as we try to win those who hate Him to His glorious grace.  But please, keep in balance, the understanding that He is the brunt of all that is wrong and He will return to set it all right.