Have you ever found yourself riding an emotional roller coaster; one that has really high highs and really low lows and it seems as if you are going up and down at such a fast pace that you are about to lose your lunch? Well, the disciples have been riding an emotional roller coaster like that for about a month. It began with Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. It seemed as if all of Jerusalem were riding high with them, but then there was a betrayal, an arrest, and a crucifixion. As Jesus’ body was laid in the tomb the disciples were plunged into the depths of despair. There they stayed for three days, but then the women came running, He is risen. He is risen from the dead just as He said, the women shrieked and once more the disciples were riding high. Over the following forty days the disciples vacillated from confusion to conviction, from panic to peace, from fear to faith as Jesus repeatedly appeared to His disciples and gave them what Saint Luke calls “many convincing proofs that He was alive.”[1]
It was during one of these appearances when Jesus lead His disciples to the village of Bethany. Bethany was where Jesus began His triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The memory of that day prompted the disciples to ask, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”[2] Jesus dismisses their question saying in effect “that’s none of your business”. Instead He tells them they should be focused on the coming of the Holy Spirit. He tells them, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”[3] Having given them this great commission, Jesus raises His hands and blesses them. While He was blessing them “He was taken up before their very eyes.”[4] Luke tells us the disciples were “looking intently up into the sky as He was going.”[5] I thought we might spend some time today doing the same thing; I thought we might spend some time this morning looking intently up into the sky.
Today we look through the eyes of Saint John as he records in Revelation 19:11-16 a vision that he received of our ascended Savior. John received this vision of our ascended Savior while he was in exile on the island of Patmos. This was a time of intense persecution for Christians. In the years that followed Jesus’ ascension, Christians were mauled by dogs, fed to the lions, boiled in oil, and burned at the stake. Tradition tells us all but one of the original twelve apostles were martyred during this time. The only apostle left was the exiled John and his days were rapidly drawing to an end. John had been creaking along an exceptionally long low point on his emotional roller coaster when Jesus invites him to look intently up into the sky.
In verses 11 John writes, “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.” It was not only the gate to Eden that was closed to mankind when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. The very gates of heaven were sealed to those whose hearts and minds had become evil and hostile in sin. If not for the sacrifice of the one and only Son those doors would have remained forever sealed, but the sacrifice having been made, those doors have been opened and remain open to all who believe in Jesus as their Savior.
Through John’s eyes we peer through these open doors and see our ascended Savior seated atop a white horse as He parades through heaven victorious over sin, death, and the devil. Our ascended Savior is called faithful and true because He does what He says He will do. Both promises and punishments are given in accordance with holy justice. In Deuteronomy 7:9-10 the prophet explained, “9 … the faithful God, keeping[s] his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. 10 But those who hate him he will repay to their face by destruction.” In Mark 16:16 the apostle expounded, “16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” As promised our ascended Savior dispenses justice.
In verse 12 we see that our ascended Savior does what He says He will do because He has the power and ability to do it. We see our ascended Savior’s “eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.” Burning eyes and crowned head are symbols of our ascended Savior’s omniscience and omnipotence that is they are symbols that He is all-knowing and all-powerful. The eyes of our ascended Savior burn into the hearts of men and see the secrets of their souls. Jesus knows who men truly are and not just what they pretend to be. The head of our ascended savior is adorned with “many crowns”. He who once wore a crown of thorns now wears not only the crown of victory won on the cross but the jewel encrusted crown of a Sultan, Emperor, or King. He wears the crown of absolute power for God the Father has seated our ascended Savior “at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.”
In verse 13-14 we see that our ascended Savior’s power and ability have been proven in battle. We see our ascended Savior “13 dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.” We see our ascended Savior in command of the armies of heaven. The ten thousand times ten thousand mighty ones who do His bidding are dressed in fine linen, white and clean to symbolize the sinless purity of this angelic army. They are an impressive sight, but our eyes are drawn to the One who commands them. We notice that our ascended Savior’s robe has been stained by blood. At first, we think of the blood that was shed as payment for our sins, the blood that washes us clean and purifies us from all unrighteousness, but the blood that stains our ascended Saviors’ garment is not His own. In Isaiah 63:2 the prophet Isaiah asks our ascended Savior, “Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress?” In verse 3 our ascended Savior answers, “I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing.” The blood that stains our ascended Savior’s robe is that of our enemies. It is the blood of those who seek to lead us astray and do us harm. It is the blood of the defeated.
In verse 15 we see that our ascended Savior defeats our enemies with His sword and scepter. We see out of our ascended Savior’s “mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.” God’s word is like a sword or a scepter, that is it is powerful and effective. God’s Word was used to create the heavens and the earth in the beginning, it was used to silence Satan in the wilderness, it is used to call the elect out of darkness into His wonderful light, and it will be used to crush God’s enemies like grapes when the day of Judgment comes.
In verse 16 we see that the enemies of our ascended Savior will be crushed like grapes, but those who believe will be treated like royalty. We see on our ascended Savior’s “robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” All the kings and lords of this earth have been placed under the feet of our ascended Savior. But these are not the kings and lords that have been embroidered on His garments. Our ascended Savior is the King and Lord of the saints. We are the kings and queens for whom our ascended Savior is the King. We are the lords and ladies for whom our ascended Savior is the Lord. We, who here on earth have been marginalized, mistreated, and mocked, will rule alongside our ascended Savior for all eternity in heaven. He promised us, “I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones.”[6] He promised, “if we endure, we will also reign with him.”[7] He promised to make us “a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.”[8] Our ascended Savior promised to be the King of kings and queens and Lord of lords and ladies.
Can you imagine how John must have felt? All of his friends had been murdered, he had been exiled to this remote island, and he was nearing the end of his life. I imagine John felt abandoned, rejected, and alone. At times, don’t you feel the same way? Maybe you feel that way right now? Maybe you have recently suffered a loss? Perhaps the death of a loved one? Perhaps your children are growing up and moving away? Maybe it is you who are moving and leaving behind friends and family? Maybe it is a loss that has you feeling like you are all alone? Or maybe it is a health issue. Maybe your doctor told you something that you did not want to hear and were not ready to hear. You know your family and friends will be there to support you, but you are afraid because ultimately this is something you are going to have to face all alone. Or maybe you feel broken on the inside. Maybe the thought of facing another day is more than you can deal with right now. Maybe, even though your life is full of blessings you have a sadness inside you that you can’t explain. Maybe even when you are surrounded by people who love you, you feel all alone.
You don’t have to be staring your own mortality in the face while in exile on an island after all your friends have been murdered to understand how John felt. I think that is why Jesus gave John this revelation of our ascended Savior and I think that is why He has preserved this revelation for you and me as well. I think our ascended Savior knows that from time to time we need to stare intently up into the sky. I think He knows that we need to see our ascended Savior seated atop a white horse, commanding the armies of heaven, and crowning the saints. I think our ascended Savior knows that from time to time we need to see that we are not alone.
It is not difficult for us to understand why the disciples were staring intently up into the sky as Jesus ascended into heaven. I know I have appreciated the opportunity to see our ascended Savior through the eyes of saint John. I hope you have too. However, as much as we may like to spend our days looking intently up into the sky, there is work to be done. The disciples were reminded of the great commission Jesus gave them to be His witnesses in Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. “when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.””[9] It is o.k. to take a moment, or two, or three when you really need it, to look intently up into the sky and see your ascended Savior, but it shouldn’t consume all of our time. Having been comforted and reassured by the image of our ascended Savior, it is time for us to be about His work. It is time for us to be His witnesses in our city, county, and country, it’s time for us to go make disciples of all nations so that others might have the opportunity to stare intently up into the sky. Amen
[1] Acts 1:3
[2] Acts 1:6
[3] Acts 1:8
[4] Acts 1:9
[5] Acts 1:10
[6] Luke 22:29-30
[7] 2 Timothy 2:12
[8] Revelation 1:6
[9] Acts 1:10-11