Jesus Leads Heaven's Armies on a White Horse

Revelation 19 Shows Angels and Saints Following Jesus in Battle of Good and Evil

White horse next to tulip tree.
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A magnificent white horse carries Jesus Christ as he leads angels and saints in a dramatic battle between good and evil after Jesus' return to Earth, the Bible describes in Revelation 19:11-21. Here's a summary of the story, with commentary:

White Horse of Heaven

The story begins in verse 11 when the apostle John (who wrote the book of Revelation) describes his vision of the future after Jesus has come to Earth a second time:

"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 wages war."

This verse refers to Jesus bringing judgment against evil in the world after he returns to Earth. The white horse that Jesus rides symbolically depicts the holy and pure power that Jesus has to overcome evil with good.

Leading Armies of Angels and Saints

The story continues in verses 12 through 16:

"His 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. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses[...] On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."

Jesus and the armies of heaven (which are made up of angels led by Archangel Michael, and the saints -- dressed in white linen that symbolizes holiness) will fight against the Antichrist, a deceptive and evil figure who the Bible says will appear on the Earth before Jesus returns and will be influenced by Satan and his fallen angels. Jesus and his holy angels will emerge victorious from the battle, the Bible says.

Each of the horse rider’s names say something about who Jesus is: "Faithful and True" expresses his trustworthiness, the fact that "he has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself" refers to his ultimate power and holy mystery, the "Word of God" highlights Jesus’ role in creating the universe by speaking everything into existence, and "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" expresses Jesus’ ultimate authority as an incarnation of God.

An Angel Standing in the Sun

As the story continues in verses 17 and 18, an angel stands in the sun and makes an announcement:

"And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, 'Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.'"

This vision of a holy angel inviting vultures to eat the dead bodies of those who had fought for evil purposes symbolizes the complete destruction that results from evil.

Finally, verses 19 through 21 describe the epic battle that occurs between Jesus and his holy forces and the Antichrist and his evil forces—culminating in the destruction of evil and victory for good. In the end, God wins.

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Hopler, Whitney. "Jesus Leads Heaven's Armies on a White Horse." Learn Religions, Feb. 8, 2021, learnreligions.com/jesus-christ-heavens-armies-white-horse-124110. Hopler, Whitney. (2021, February 8). Jesus Leads Heaven's Armies on a White Horse. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/jesus-christ-heavens-armies-white-horse-124110 Hopler, Whitney. "Jesus Leads Heaven's Armies on a White Horse." Learn Religions. https://www.learnreligions.com/jesus-christ-heavens-armies-white-horse-124110 (accessed March 19, 2024).