Today’s reading is Revelation 19:1-20:15.

The Revelation 19:11-16 description of Jesus is not the picture we like to think of very often. But there it is.

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. 

Wow!

He judges and makes war. His eyes are a flame of fire. His robe is dipped in blood. A sword comes from His mouth. He rules with a rod of iron. He treads out fury of God’s wrath. Armies follow behind Him. 

That is our Savior. That is a far cry from the Casper Milquetoast fellow so many make Him out to be. Today we are told Jesus just loves so much. How could He possibly judge anyone? Even when we see this picture, we rather like to think of Him as only behaving that way toward the really, really bad people, at least the people who are worse than us.

Basically what I get from this is I want to be on His side. I don’t want to be on the receiving end of the sword and trampling. I want to be following along behind. The issue is not really how good I am. The issue is have I surrendered my life to Him. He wins. I better be on His side.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?