1Why do the nations rage,
and the peoples plot a vain thing?
2The kings of the earth take a stand,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against Yahweh, and against his Anointed, saying,
3“Let’s break their bonds apart,
and cast their cords from us.”
4He who sits in the heavens will laugh.
The Lord will have them in derision.
5Then he will speak to them in his anger,
and terrify them in his wrath:
6“Yet I have set my King on my holy hill of Zion.”
7I will tell of the decree:
Yahweh said to me, “You are my son.
Today I have become your father.
8Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance,
the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.
9You shall break them with a rod of iron.
You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”
10Now therefore be wise, you kings.
Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11Serve Yahweh with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
12Give sincere homage to the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish on the way,
for his wrath will soon be kindled.
Blessed are all those who take refuge in him.
Christ appeared in heaven with His army behind Him. The first thing John notices is the white horse Jesus is riding. Riding a white horse symbolized victory and conquest in the ancient world. A king rode a dark horse into battle. White horses drew the attention, especially of archers. When a king approached a city offering peace, he rode a donkey; thus, Jesus rode a donkey’s colt when offering peace to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. A conqueror rode a white horse into the capital city after he had conquered it. So, when coming to set up His kingdom, Jesus comes as the world’s conqueror.
John now describes Jesus. Calling Him “faithful” and “true” looks at Jesus’ character. A third character trait, “righteousness,” describes how Jesus does two things, which, in a sense, are the same activity. He judges and makes war. His burning eyes take the reader back to John’s vision of Jesus in Chapter 1. The presence of “many crowns” indicates the significance of His coming. The Greek term used for “crown” here is the diadem, the ruler’s crown, rather than a stephanos, the victor’s wreath.
Jesus’ secret name is not explained. Normally, one’s name indicates one’s character. Here, it may indicate His infinitude. Jesus’ robe is described as “dipped in blood,” most likely a reference to His crucifixion, not the blood of His opponents, since He is just now arriving and has not yet begun to judge. He is then named “the Word of God,” which takes us back to John 1 and Jesus’ role as Revealer of the Father (John 1:18).
John pauses to mention the army following Jesus. They are wearing white, clean, fine linen, which is symbolic of purity. These would be robes offered to the saints in Sardis (Rev 3:5) who were promised white garments for overcoming and being faithful to Christ. The white horses this army rides indicate that they are victorious as well. They are sharing in Christ’s victory. This indicates that Jesus is bringing back with Him those who have earned the right to rule with Him in His kingdom, those who have been faithful to the end. It is very likely that this army accompanying Jesus will not include all believers, especially within the church, since not all will have been faithful. This can be seen from such parables as the Parable of the Talents, in which one servant loses reward for faithlessness while others are assigned cities to rule for being faithful and productive, while their master, symbolic of Jesus, was away receiving His kingdom.
Next, John turns back to describing Jesus, and reflects again on the picture of Him from Chapter 1. The sharp sword with which Jesus smites the nations is either an executioner’s sword or a military weapon, or both. The sword is symbolic of Jesus speaking judgment and destruction upon His enemies. Jesus is then described, not as a Lamb or as a Savior, but as the ruler who “rules with a rod of iron” (Psalms 2:8-9). Jesus’ reign will be strict and powerful, even destructive for those who would rebel. Jesus is then identified as the one treading the winepress of God’s wrath. This indicates that judgment upon rebellious mankind and Satan will not be through intermediaries, like angels. Jesus will do the judging Himself.
John ends this description with the “name,” which describes Jesus’ sovereign rule over the whole earth, in fulfillment of numerous Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah’s reign.