Last night in Bible Study we were in Revelation 19. This chapter of the Word of God describes in graphic and vivid language when Jesus will return for the second time and judge His enemies. There's a lot of controvery about the end of time and the book of Revelation, but all Christians agree that when Jesus returns, it will not only be to bring peace, but to make war.
But this makes us feel a little weird. As my mom brought up last night, it changes our view of Jesus. So often we think of Jesus as this meek and mild, emaciated prisoner who goes to the cross just to bring peace and love. We think of Him with tears in His eyes, slowly dying, wishing there was another way to save the world. But that would cause the picture painted of Jesus in Revelation 19 to cause a bit of a problem. This is what it says about Jesus' return:
"Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True, and He judges and makes war in righteousness. His eyes were like a fiery flame, and many crowns were on His head. He had a name written that no one knows except Himself. He wore a robe stained with blood, and His name is the Word of God. The armies that were in heaven followed Him on white horses, wearing pure white linen. A sharp sword came from His mouth, so that He might strike the nations with it. He will shepherd them with an iron scepter. He will also trample the winepress of the fierce anger of God, the Almighty. And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh: KING OF KINGSAND LORD OF LORDS." (19:11-16)This is Jesus. The same Jesus who died to bring peace is now making war. When we separate Christ's judgement from His love, we're maligning His character. We like to focus on His love because it makes us feel good. Jesus in a bloody battle makes us uncomfortable. The only blood we see Him associated with is His own. But to distinctly separate the cross and His second coming, His love and wrath, His war and peace is to paint a false picture of Jesus.
There was a clip from a Voddie Baucham sermon going around, on "A Sissified, Needy Jesus." Dr. Baucham said wisely,
"I despise the picture that is painted in our culture of this sissified, needy Jesus. ... He's just yearning for you. He's just longing for you. He wants friendship and relationship with you. He needs you. Oh, you're just breaking his heart. No. He's going to break you. ... By definition, God is self-sustaining, self-sufficient and self-existent. Therefore, by definition He needs nothing. God does not need you, and He's gonna prove it one day."And then he read Revelation 19:11-16. Culture can handle needy Jesus. They can handle a good teacher, who teaches good morals, and dies for peace. What they can't handle so much is Jesus coming back to make war, to destroy His enemies with the sword and to bring final and lasting judgement.
If you think about it, Jesus could have skipped the cross, done it another way. He could have called down armies of heaven and stormed death's gates. But instead, He created the cross and chose that as His means of victory. He did this to bring love and to make war. The cross was a war act. It wasn't big and bold like we think of war being. But it was bloody. And it was the pinnacle of all human history. It was this that was the rescue mission. When Jesus returns to bring judgement, it will be no rescue mission. It's an all out war. And there will be no prisoners.
I don't know about you, but I serve no sissified, needy Jesus. I serve the Faithful and True.