His appellations Revelation 19v11, v12 v13, v16.
John fixes our gaze on the one who sits upon the white horse. He is given four names which reveal His character
and answers the question we might have......
Who is He? who comes to
take over the world!
Names given to people in holy scripture tend to have more significance than today. At the commencement of the new testament He was given the name Jesus, which means "Jehovah Saviour"; thus He is presented as the one who will save the world( Matthew 1v21, Mark 1v1,
Luke 2v31-32, John 1v29). The titles given Him at the end, however reveal Him as the judge of the world which has rejected the overtures of Divine grace in His first coming.
- He is called "Faithful and True"..... His dependability. v11
Here is one on whom we can rely for everything!
Faithful is
pistos and declares absolute loyalty. Firstly He is loyal to God who has committed all judgment to Him. In Hebrews 3 v1-2 He is described as "the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to Him that appointed Him, as Moses was faithful in all God's house". It is one of the greatest characteristics that can be said of anyone that they are faithful, dependable. Note He is faithful to God who sent Him, He is also faithful to man whom He came to save. Concerning this one Paul recorded in Romans 10v11 "Whosoever believeth in Him shall not be ashamed." He was faithful in His words, He was "the faithful witness"(Revelation1v5); He was faithful in His works, "I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do(John 17v4).
True is
alethinos and refers to that which is real as opposed to all other falsehoods and false people and false deities. The world is full of falsehoods and deceptions, this is the truth, He is the truth; all else is a lie! In Thayer's lexicon this word is variously described as follows; "that which has not only the name and semblance, but the real nature corresponding to the name"; "opposed to what is fictitious, counterfeit, imaginary, simulated." "opposed to what is imperfect, defective, frail, uncertain." He is true, He is the truth!!
- He has an undisclosed name...........His inscrutability. v12
Isaac Watts composed a hymn which starts as follows
I join all the glorious names
of wisdom, love, and power,
that ever mortals knew,
that angels ever bore:
all are too mean to speak his worth,
too mean to set my Saviour forth.
This sums up the thought perfectly. Much has been written about this glorious person, but we are only touching the fringe. John wrote in chapter 21 of his gospel "there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which if they were written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written". The inscrutability of Christ is well documented in scripture; e.g. Matthew 11v27 "...no man knoweth the Son save the Father....". Concerning God the Father, with Whom Christ holds perfect equality Paul wrote "...how unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!" Romans 11v33. The same author spoke of "the unsearchable riches of Christ" Ephesians 3v8.
- His name is called the Word of God..His Deity. v13
The word used is
logos; it means
language (which is tangible), which conveys a thought(which is intangible). In short Jesus is the revelation, the expression, of God; apart from Jesus God forever remains unknown. John makes this clear in his exposition of the
logos in chapter1v1-18 of his gospel. He ends this prologue to his gospel with this statement, "no man hath even God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him." The word "declared" is "expounded or told him out'" Jesus, the Son of God is the only explanation of God. He co-existed with God (verse 1); He was equal to God (verse 1); He demonstrated the power of God in creation (verse 3); He revealed God as the source of all life (verse 4); He brought the light of God to the doorstep of every man (verse 9); and He became flesh and dwelt among us (verse 14). The last mentioned means that, when He walked on this earth, God was walking; when He spoke, God was speaking; when He acted God was acting. He was and is the only representation of God. He never hid the reason why He was here. He came from God to bring fallen man back to God. His deity is there for all to see. He will continue in the future to unfold the character of God which is Infinite. He has revealed God in every aspect of His character, that we can know; in this final revelation of God to the world, He reveals God in His uncompromising antagonism toward sin.
- He has a name written King of kings, and Lord of lords. His authority v 16
We are all well aware there is a structure in society in which there are lords, and in which there are kings. This structure is necessary for the good order of any society, and there have been many lords and many kings throughout the ages of time. There has never been any lord or any king like this. Of those who are privileged to call themselves lord or king, Jesus Christ is King of all kings and Lord of all lords, who have ever been and who ever will be. The name is written on His vesture (character) and on His thigh (power) and that name will stand forever. He is supreme in the universe and will command all; His word will be the law and that law, according to the prophet Isaiah, will go forth from from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2v3); nothing will stand in His way.
Amazon bookshelf George Neilly
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