1“And to the angel of the assembly in Sardis write:
“He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars says these things:
“I know your works, that you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2Wake up and strengthen the things that remain, which you were about to throw away, for I have found no works of yours perfected before my God. 3Remember therefore how you have received and heard. Keep it and repent. If therefore you won’t watch, I will come as a thief, and you won’t know what hour I will come upon you. 4Nevertheless you have a few names in Sardis that didn’t defile their garments. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5He who overcomes will be arrayed in white garments, and I will in no way blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 6He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.
7“To the angel of the assembly in Philadelphia write:
“He who is holy, he who is true, he who has the key of David, he who opens and no one can shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says these things:
8“I know your works (behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one can shut), that you have a little power, and kept my word, and didn’t deny my name. 9Behold, I make some of the synagogue of Satan, of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but lie—behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10Because you kept my command to endure, I also will keep you from the hour of testing which is to come on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11I am coming quickly! Hold firmly that which you have, so that no one takes your crown. 12He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will go out from there no more. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my own new name. 13He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.
14“To the angel of the assembly in Laodicea write:
“The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of God’s creation, says these things:
15“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. 16So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth. 17Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing,’ and don’t know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; 18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. 19As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent. 20Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with me. 21He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies.”
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.