In this lesson we will see that in the completing stage of God’s full salvation the overcoming believers will be the heavenly armies following Christ, who is called Faithful and True, the Word of God, and King of kings and Lord of lords.
In the completing stage of God’s full salvation the overcoming believers will be the heavenly armies following Christ, who is called Faithful and True, the Word of God, and King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:11-16). Verse 14 speaks of the overcomers as the heavenly armies, saying, “The armies which are in heaven followed Him on white horses, dressed in fine linen, white and clean.”
Verse 11 says, “I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sits on it called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.” The overcoming believers will follow Christ, who is called Faithful and True. Christ is faithful both to God and to those who believe in Him. In His faithfulness He defeats and destroys those who oppose God and persecute the believers. Christ will be faithful in destroying Antichrist and true in carrying out God’s economy, and in righteousness He will judge and make war with Antichrist and the rebels who follow him.
As the One who defeats Antichrist, Christ is called the Word of God (v. 13). The Word of God is the definition, explanation, and expression of God. As the Word of God, Christ speaks for God not only by imparting life as grace into God’s chosen people (John 1:1, 4, 14) but also by executing God’s judgment upon Antichrist and his followers. Even as the Lord fights, He speaks for God and expresses God. God is righteous and sovereign; He is also a God of order and cannot tolerate disorder and rebellion. As Christ fights against Antichrist, He will declare that God is sovereign, righteous, and orderly, that God is over everyone, and that He does not tolerate rebellion against His authority. Therefore, when Christ fights against Antichrist, He fights as the Word of God, and His fighting will be a powerful speaking.
Christ is also called King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16). The fact that this name will be written on Christ’s garment and His thigh indicates that it will be openly revealed and known to all. The garment signifies Christ’s attributes, His character, especially His righteousness in His humanity, and the thigh signifies His standing strength, His stability. His title King of kings and Lord of lords is exhibited in His righteousness and stability.
Speaking concerning Christ as the Lamb, Revelation 17:14 says, “He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and they who are with Him, the called and chosen and faithful.” This verse shows that those who are with the Lamb, the armies following Christ, are called, chosen, and faithful. Notice that the word chosen is after the word called. To be called is to be saved, but to be chosen is to be approved by the Lord on the basis of an overcoming life. Today many are called, but in the future few will be chosen (Matt. 22:14). We all have been called. However, in order to be among the chosen in the future, we need to live an overcoming life today. The chosen ones must be those faithful to the Lord who will become His army.
We must be impressed with the fact that to be called is one thing and to be chosen is another. Those who will follow the Lord as the King of kings and Lord of lords will not only be called but also chosen. Although we have the assurance that we have been called, we do not yet have the assurance that we have been chosen. This will be decided at the judgment seat of Christ. After we have been raptured, we will stand before the Lord at the judgment seat, and He will decide whether or not we are qualified to be chosen. Only those who are chosen will be His armies to fight against Antichrist.
The armies consist of those who are both the bride and the guests called to the marriage dinner of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7-16). Hence, the guests invited to the marriage dinner and the bride are the same. The bride consists of the called guests, and the called guests make up the bride. After the wedding all the guests will become the army. Those in the Lord’s armies will be “dressed in fine linen, white and clean” (v. 14). This fine linen is the second garment of the overcomers, which qualifies them both to attend the marriage dinner of the Lamb and to fight with Christ against His enemy. Thus, the wedding garment becomes the fighting garment. The second garment qualifies us not only to attend the wedding but also to be in the army. The overcomers who follow Christ to fight against His enemy will be a properly formed heavenly army.