In his penultimate series of visions, John saw the heavens open up, and from it, there emerged a white horse carrying the Rider. While the name of this Rider is not known to anyone, He is described by His qualities, such as being faithful and true. The vision of the Rider on a white warhorse with His eyes blazing like fire, wearing many crowns, signifies the supreme authority of this warrior who is on a mission to deliver us all. A similar scene of the heavens opening up occurred when Jesus was baptized by John, and the Spirit of God descended upon Him.
He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
Revelation 19:13 (NIV)
It is obvious that it is Jesus leading the charge against the forces of evil, and perhaps His robe is dipped in His own blood that washes all our sins. However, we must remember that the Rider is leading the armies of heaven into battle and obliterating the enemy with the sword from His mouth. Thus, the blood on His robe could simply belong to those He has trodden through the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. We tend to forget that even though the salvation of God came through Jesus, His judgment will also come through His Son.
Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, proclaiming victory, mighty to save.” Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress? “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.
Isaiah 63:1-3 (NIV)
After this, John saw an angel standing in the sun and calling out all the birds of the air to feast on the flesh of the kings and the generals, the free and the slaves, everyone great and small. The birds of the air might allude to the other angels of heaven who are called to annihilate the army of the beast. After the beast and his followers fell before the armies of heaven, both the beast and the false prophets were captured and thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulphur. Their followers, the kings, the merchants and the sea captains were all killed by the sword that came out of the mouth of the Rider.
The Thousand-Year Reign
And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
Revelation 20:1-3 (NIV)
While the beast and the antichrist were killed instantly by the Rider, there seems to be a further grace period for the ancient serpent as he is bound for a thousand years. We cannot fully comprehend why God would allow satan, the great deceiver, to live on albeit in the confines of the Abyss. Perhaps God still has a purpose for satan. After the thousand-year period, satan will be given more time to deceive other people. During these thousand years, those who did not worship the beast and were killed because of their loyalty to Christ will be resurrected. The second death will have no power over them as they will be priests in the house of God. These martyrs will reign together with Christ for a thousand years. After the thousand-year period, satan will eventually be judged along with the other people whom he has deceived. The additional time given to him could be to weed out the people who have still not put their faith in God even after witnessing His reign for the last thousand years.
The Judgement
After the thousand years are over, satan will be released from prison and will proceed to go to all the rebellious nations and gather them for one last battle to dethrone God. This was the final and latest battle in the war he started when he and the other fallen angels rebelled against the Ancient of Days. The last-ditch attempt at usurping God will be futile, as God’s fire from heaven will devour them. They will be captured and thrown into the burning lake of fire along with the beast and the antichrist.
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.
Revelation 20:11-13 (NIV)
The time for final judgment has come, as God revealed Himself to John in His vision. His presence was so terrifying that the earth and the heavens fled from His presence. The dead were raised back to life, both those awaiting judgment and the spirits that were in the sea. The ledger books that recorded our actions were opened in His presence. Those whose names were recorded in the Book of Life were granted the gift of eternal life, but those whose names were not found were thrown into the fiery lake along with the dethroned prince of the world. Thus, the salvation promised to us through Christ is fulfilled, as death has no power over His followers.
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.
Revelation 20:14 (NIV)
Discussion Questions
- Why does John say that no one knows the name of the Rider of the white horse?
- Why is the Rider’s robe dipped in blood?
- Who are the rest that are killed by the Sword of the Lamb?
- Why bind satan for a thousand years yet the beast and the antichrist were killed instantly?
The Jordan Valley 
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