If I Were Told the Future - Lesson 62

The Faithful and True Rider

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The Faithful and True Rider

Let's pray:

Our Father,

In this last lesson about Your servants, we wish to study another prophetic character: the ŤFaithful and True Riderť. Who is He, and what role does He play in prophecy?

We thank You in advance for answering these questions, through the Revelation of Your inspired Word. In Jesus Christ we pray.

Amen.

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The Faithful and True Rider

Revelation 19:11	Comments
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True.	The last prophetic character that we will examine in this section about the servants of God is the rider called ŤFaithful and Trueť. This rider, who appears near the end of the book of Revelation, is very similar to another character which we studied in a previous lesson...

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Revelation 6:1,2	Comments
Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, ŤCome and see.ť And I looked, and behold, a white horse. And he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.	Let's note the striking resemblance to the rider presented in the first seal, that we studied in the lesson ŤThe Rider on a White Horseť.
Revelation 19:11,12
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns.

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Psalm 45:2-4	Comments
You are fairer than the sons of men; grace is poured upon Your lips; therefore God has blessed You forever. Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One, with Your glory and Your majesty. And in Your majesty ride prosperously because of truth, humility, and righteousness; and Your right hand shall teach You awesome things.	The first seal illustrated the apostolic Church's success during the first century. Described with the same features, the Faithful and True rider goes out conquering, to resoundingly carry out God's will.

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Psalm 40:10,11,16,17

Comments

I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation.

Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord; let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me. (...)

Let such as love Your salvation say continually, ŤThe Lord be magnified!ť

But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God.

By combining the words ŤFaithfulnessť and ŤTruthť, this rider's name calls to mind a work of salvation, which the believer eagerly awaits.

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The Faithful and True Rider

Jeremiah 42:2,5,9,11

Comments

ŤWe are left but a few of many, as you can see. (...)

Let the Lord be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not do according to everything which the Lord your God sends us by you.ť (...)

[Jeremiah] said to them, ŤThus says the Lord, the God of Israel (...):

"Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid; do not be afraid of him," says the Lord, "for I am with you, to save you and deliver you from his hand."ť

The name ŤFaithful and Trueť also calls to mind God's intervention which liberated the scattered remnant of Israel from Babylon's hands.

Likewise, at the end of times, the Faithful and True rider will free spiritual Israel from spiritual Babylon's oppression.

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The Faithful and True Rider

Luke 16:11	Comments
Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?	The combination of ŤFaithfulť and ŤTrueť also refers to Jesus' words about the reward of men at the end of times.

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The Faithful and True Rider

Revelation 3:14

Comments

And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,

ŤThese things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God.ť

The book of Revelation clearly identifies the Faithful and True rider: Jesus Christ, the author of the letters to the seven churches.

Jesus is indeed the One who will bring salvation and deliverance to spiritual Israel, that is, His remnant Church at the end of time, from the hands of spiritual Babylon, which will be the subject of a future lesson.

Jesus is also the One who will reward men when He returns.

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The Faithful and True Rider

Revelation 19:11	Comments
Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True.	The words Ťheaven openedť indicate that the deeds of the Faithful and True rider take place at the end of times, that is, at Jesus' return.
Revelation 11:19
Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.

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The Faithful and True Rider

Revelation 19:11	Comments
I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.	According to the prophecy, the Faithful and True rider comes to judge and make war with righteousness. That is exactly what Jesus Christ will do when He returns.
Psalm 96:12,13
Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord. For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with His truth.

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At His return, Jesus will save His people and judge with righteousness:

ŤOur God shall come, and shall not keep silent; a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous all around Him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that He may judge His people: "Gather My saints together to Me, those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice." Let the heavens declare His righteousness, for God Himself is Judge.ť (PSALM 50:3-6)

ŤGive the king Your judgments, O God, and Your righteousness to the king's Son. He will judge Your people with righteousness, and Your poor with justice. (...) He will save the children of the needy, and will break in pieces the oppressor.ť (PSALM 72:1,2,4)

ŤThere shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. (...) With righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth. (...) Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of His waist.ť (ISAIAH 11:1,4,5)

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Revelation 19:11,12	Comments
I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire.	ŤEyes like a flame of fireť is another feature helping us to identify the Faithful and True rider as Jesus Christ. This description indicates Jesus' perfect insight, which enables Him to judge with righteousness.
Revelation 2:18
And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, ŤThese things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire.ť

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Revelation 19:12	Comments
His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns.	Having died on the cross for our salvation, Jesus, Ťcrowned with glory and honorť by the Father, now has Ťmany crownsť on His head.
Hebrews 2:9
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor.

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The Faithful and True Rider

Revelation 19:12	Comments
His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.	By showing that the Faithful and True rider has a name Ťthat no one knows except Himselfť, the prophecy calls to mind one of Jesus' promises to him who overcomes.
Revelation 2:17
To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.

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Genesis 32:29,30	Comments
Then Jacob asked [the Man], saying, ŤTell me Your name, I pray.ť And He said, ŤWhy is it that you ask about My name?ť And He blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: ŤFor I have seen God face to face.ť	Jesus, as the Man who fought with Jacob, or as the Angel of the Lord, often refused to reveal His name, Ťthat no one knows except Himselfť.
Judges 13:17,18
Then Manoah said to the Angel of the Lord, ŤWhat is Your name, that when Your words come to pass we may honor You?ť And the Angel of the Lord said to him, ŤWhy do you ask My name, seeing it is wonderful?ť

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Revelation 19:13	Comments
He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood.	Showing Jesus clothed Ťwith a robe dipped in bloodť, the prophecy calls to mind this passage from the book of Isaiah, announcing the glorious coming of the Messiah, the Savior. But why are His garments dipped in blood?
Isaiah 63:1
ŤWho is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah, this One who is glorious in His apparel, traveling in the greatness of His strength? - I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.ť

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Isaiah 63:2-4	Comments
ŤWhy is Your apparel red, and Your garments like one who treads in the winepress? - I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in My anger, and trampled them in My fury; their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, and I have stained all My robes. For the day of vengeance is in My heart, and the year of My redeemed has come.ť	Jesus' robe is dipped in blood because, when He returns, He will bring about the destruction of those who have rejected His call to salvation. But in spite of this scene of desolation, Jesus announces good news: ŤThe year of My redeemed has comeť.

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Isaiah 63:2	Comments
Why is Your apparel red, and Your garments like one who treads in the winepress?	The books of Isaiah and Revelation both compare the punishment of the wicked to a great vintage, in which the red grapes trod in the winepress symbolize those who rejected God's call to salvation.
Revelation 19:13,15
He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood (...). He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

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Revelation 14:18-20

Comments

ŤThrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.ť

So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.

This great vintage, described in the books of Isaiah and Revelation, will be the subject of a future lesson.

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Revelation 19:13	Comments
He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.	The Faithful and True rider is also called ŤThe Word of Godť, another expression which designates Jesus Christ.
John 1:1,14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (...) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

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Revelation 19:13,14	Comments
His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.	When He returns, Jesus, the Faithful and True rider, will be accompanied by the heavenly armies, mainly made up of angels.
2 Thessalonians 1:7,8
(...) when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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When He returns, Jesus will come with His armies of angels:

ŤWhen the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.ť (MATTHEW 25:31)

ŤNow Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."ť (JUDE verses 14 and 15)

ŤOr do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?ť (MATTHEW 26:53)

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Revelation 19:13,14	Comments
His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.	In addition to the angels of God, the heavenly armies accompanying Jesus when He returns will also include the saints whom Jesus took with Him when He ascended to heaven, as we have seen in the lesson ŤThe 24 Elders and the Four Living Creaturesť.
Revelation 19:8
The fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

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Revelation 19:15	Comments
Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations.	A sharp sword comes out of the rider's mouth. In our lessons on the letters to the seven churches, we have seen that this sword symbolizes the Word of God.
Revelation 1:16
Out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword.
Revelation 2:12
These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword (...).

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Revelation 2:16	Comments
Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.	The sharp sword, clearly separating the truth from lies, will become an instrument of punishment for those who choose the path of evil.
Revelation 19:21
And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.

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Revelation 19:15	Comments
Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron.	The prophecy announces that the Faithful and True rider will rule the nations Ťwith a rod of ironť, once again calling to mind one of Jesus' promises to him who overcomes.
Revelation 2:26,27
And He who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations - He shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the potter's vessels shall be broken to pieces - as I also have received from My Father.

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Revelation 12:5	Comments
And she bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and to His throne.	In our lesson ŤThe Pure Womanť, we have seen Jesus Christ's work of judgment of all nations, described with the words Ťto rule with a rod of ironť.
Psalm 2:8,9
Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

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Revelation 19:16	Comments
And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: ŤKing of kings and Lord of lords.ť	Finally, the Faithful and True rider is called ŤKing of kings and Lord of lordsť, clearly designating Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.
Revelation 17:14
[The kings] will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.

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Just like His Father, Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords:

ŤTherefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth.ť (PHILIPPIANS 2:9,10)

ŤThe king answered Daniel, and said, "Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret."ť (DANIEL 2:47)

Ť(...) He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.ť (1 TIMOTHY 6:15,16)

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John 14:1-3	Comments
Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.	Let's close this lesson with this important point: ŤFaithful and Trueť is a name which fills us with hope. This name gives us the assurance that the promise of Jesus' return is True, and that Jesus is Faithful to fulfill His promise!

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Let's thank God:

Our Father,

You said, through Your inspired Word: ŤBehold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; now this is His name by which He will be called: The Lord our righteousness.ť (Jeremiah 23:5,6)

This ŤBranch of righteousnessť designates the same person as the Faithful and True rider: Jesus Christ.

Please accept our sincere gratitude for the work of Your Son, which opens the way to eternal life. In His precious name we pray.

Amen.

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