Revelation 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him [was] called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes [were] as a flame of fire, and on his head [were] many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he [was] clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies [which were] in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on [his] vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

This picture that is drawn is a picture of aggressive warfare.  This picture is shortly to be reality, the coming of Christ to judge the nations of this world and to rule them with a rod of iron.  The energy which is exerted, is exerted in righteousness.  As we consider this text, it will pay for us to note that these remarks of the end of the world are here shown just as the long awaited marriage of the lamb is taking place.

Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed [are] they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. 

The lamb has just been married and is receiving the kingdom which he was to have.  He has had his wedding and he then comes to earth to finish the war.  A marriage is the ultimate reconciliation or atonement of two individuals becoming one.  When that reconciliation had taken place to the degree of marriage, then our Lord comes to smite the nations and rule them with a rod of iron. He has many crowns, he is the king of all spheres in all the universe.  Jesus is coming not as a humble minister or a carpenter’s son but as King of Kings or Lord of Lords. As we consider the marriage, how did this marriage come about this joining of two?  Before the marriage takes place, they are not joined yet.  The war that he comes to finish commenced in heaven. We want to understand how this marriage came about.  The battleground is here on earth, but the battleground used to be in the courts of heaven.

Little by little Lucifer came to indulge the desire for self-exaltation. The Scripture says, “Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness.” Ezekiel 28:17. “Thou hast said in thine heart, . . . I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. . . . I will be like the Most High.” Isaiah 14:13, 14. Though all his glory was from God, this mighty angel came to regard it as pertaining to himself. Not content with his position, though honoured above the heavenly host, he ventured to covet homage due alone to the Creator. Instead of seeking to make God supreme in the affections and allegiance of all created beings, it was his endeavour to secure their service and loyalty to himself. And coveting the glory with which the infinite Father had invested His Son, this prince of angels aspired to power that was the prerogative of Christ alone.  {PP 35.2}

Self-exaltation to serve self is the core and foundation of every discordant note on this planet.  To serve me, what I want.  Everywhere where this want is exercised, there is discord and war.

Proverbs 13:10 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised [is] wisdom.

Contention comes in no other way but from pride.  From a sense of me, what I want.  How I feel.  Here little by little, Lucifer came to regard and indulge in the desire for self-exaltation.  To the point that it developed, that he would even contest the seat of God himself.  In this subtle little by little manner, Satan thought to contend.  He made little comments here and there about injustices against him.  There came a war in heaven.  The war came to Christ.  God was attacked.  God doesn’t attack, but he was attacked.  The basis of the attack was, you are too hard a God, and you want to keep everything to yourself.  You’re selfish.  That was the attack.  So, the war was in heaven, as we know.  The challenge was brought from Lucifer to Christ and the battleground changed place from heaven to earth.  Here God had created humanity, which was after his own image.  Individuality and freedom, all these things he bestowed upon us and crowned Adam.  Humanity was crowned as kings of this world.  The battleground of Christs and Lucifers war, which Lucifer brought to the earth, was regarding the method of Christ’s authority.  Satan thought he was a beautiful being and of a better calibre than Jesus.  I will be like the most high; I will exalt my throne above Gods, higher than Christ.  This consideration of Lucifer, that he had the qualities in himself to rule with more majesty than Jesus was the ground in which the battle was fought.

Rulership

It is of most consequence how we act as kings in our own sphere.  It is of most consequence because the way we act and the way, which we do things, shows of whom we are following.  As the battleground was taken, Satan came, and there he said to Eve, you will be as gods.  I want to put you in a better position than you are and she accepted that and so did Adam.  Here the gates were open for warfare on this earth. What Satan did on earth was to reveal the character of God and also his own character.  We can’t forget this.  Everything we do on earth is revealing the character of God or the character of Satan.  This war was revealed to the whole universe.  Here Satan accomplished the fall of man.

Satan accomplished the fall of man, and since that time it has been his work to efface in man the image of God, and to stamp upon human hearts his own image . . .. He intercepts every ray of light that comes from God to man, and appropriates the worship that is due to God . . . .  {AG 161.2}

But the only begotten Son of God has looked upon the scene, has beheld human suffering and misery. . . . He looked upon the schemes by which Satan works to blot from the human soul every trace of likeness to God; how he led them into intemperance so as to destroy the moral powers which God gave to man as a most precious, priceless endowment. He saw how, through indulgence in appetite, brain power was destroyed, and the temple of God was in ruins. . . . The senses, the nerves, the passions, the organs of man, were worked by supernatural agencies in the indulgence of the grossest, vilest lust. The very stamp of demons was impressed upon the countenances of men, and human faces reflected the expression of the legions of evil with which they were possessed. Such was the prospect upon which the world’s Redeemer looked. What a horrible spectacle for the eyes of infinite purity to behold! . . .  {AG 161.3}

God made man in his own image and Satan is trying to erase that.  We either have the stamp of God or Lucifer on our characters.  There are only two options.  We know that in Revelation there is mentioned the mark of the beast and the seal of God.  This is what the whole issue is about, will you be like God or Satan?  Satan is feverishly trying to get rid of that and that is where the war is.

We had the wherewithal to choose and act in a right correct manner.  God gave that to us and Satan believes his method of government is better.  How does he take Gods government away?  Meat eating, coffee, tea, tobacco and alcohol to destroy the powers of the brain.  This is where the warfare is.  Satan is trying to efface Gods stamp of perfection.  What is Satan doing to us?  Working the senses, nerves and passions.  You have an intense feeling of disappointment or offence, whatever it may be, that is the sort of evil we experience.  The battle ground is here, our heart, its been changed from heaven to us.  The whole universe is watching, what are you going to do with such a feeling?  What are you going to do with such desires?  God won’t make you serve him.

The war was such an ache because the war was against Christ and then Satan went and brought in others.  That hurt Christ.  You could have left them alone and we could have dealt with it, one on one but no, Satan brought in more.  Now there was a third person.  Satan, the angels, and man.  God bestowed man on neutral ground.  He bestowed so much love on him.  You can choose.  Man is placed in the middle of this war.  The drawing of Christs love and the pulling of Satan.  It has been like this for how long?  Are you tired of the pulling and shoving of the evil one?  Or are you tired of the drawing of the love of Christ.  We get tired of the wooing of the love of God or tired of Satan pulling us?  Are you tired of coming to church?  Does sitting in the business meeting tire you out?  Or does the rattling of the enemy tire you out?  Jesus saw this.  So he left man be, he didn’t say do this, do that.  God came down later after everyone sinned in a casual and relaxed way and said, where are you? I want to talk, knowing full well what happened.  With such gentleness and love, it made them feel worse.

In order to fully realize the value of salvation, it is necessary to understand what it cost. In consequence of limited ideas of the sufferings of Christ, many place a low estimate upon the great work of the atonement. The glorious plan of man’s salvation was brought about through the infinite love of God the Father. In this divine plan is seen the most marvellous manifestation of the love of God to the fallen race. Such love as is manifested in the gift of God’s beloved Son amazed the holy angels. “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). This Saviour was the brightness of His Father’s glory and the express image of His person. He possessed divine majesty, perfection, and excellence. He was equal with God. “It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell” (Col. 1:19). . . .  {AG 160.2}

Christ consented to die in the sinner’s stead, that man, by a life of obedience, might escape the penalty of the law of God.  {AG 160.3}

Jesus was the majesty of heaven, the beloved commander of the angels, who delighted to do His pleasure. He was one with God, “in the bosom of the Father” (John 1:18), yet He thought it not a thing to be desired to be equal with God while man was lost in sin and misery. He stepped down from His throne, He left His crown and royal scepter, and clothed His divinity with humanity. He humbled Himself even to the death of the cross, that man might be exalted to a seat with Him upon His throne. In Him we have a complete offering, an infinite sacrifice, a mighty Saviour, who is able to save unto the uttermost all that come unto God by Him. In love He comes to reveal the Father, to reconcile man to God, to make him a new creature renewed after the image of Him who created him.  {AG 160.4}

Our heavenly Father made an infinite sacrifice in giving His Son to die for fallen man. The price paid for our redemption should give us exalted views of what we may become through Christ.  {AG 160.5}

Jesus came down to get married.  To become one with his bride but first he had to put his stamp on his bride before he could be one with her.  So with love, intense love, he came.  With gentle, meek, love.  He came to reconcile to bring one again, to make a marriage.  We see that after the marriage then he will finish the war.  But he’s coming because he is in love with his creation.  He allowed Satan to display himself.   When Satan ruled the earth it was a groaning prison house.  We are born into this.  Because we are born into this, we think it is normal but it is not.  We can say its going to finish soon because it is.  We can rejoice in the pain as its going to finish because Christ’s form of government wins every time but it takes a long time to win. This is the reality of it.  I left my crown behind, I took it off, and I came to serve and to have a marriage.  Man was to be exalted to the seat with him.  Those that get married, marry as they want to be together all the time.  In courtship you see each other and then you have to go home, and you didn’t like that so you said, lets get married.

God places before him the highest objects of ambition–a spotless white robe, a crown studded with jewels, a scepter, a throne of glory, and honor that is as enduring as the throne of Jehovah. {TMK 91.2}

This was his motive for coming to the earth, I want to make me a people to be with me.  The condemnation of the world will come.  What love, such love.  He came on this earth to establish a church.  We need to understand what the scriptures are saying so we can have purpose.  What is God trying to teach us?

Matthew 20:25 But Jesus called them [unto him], and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

When Jesus came to earth, one of the important things he wanted to tell his newly founded bride to be was about the warfare we are in and how to rule.  How does the world rule?  Satan works the passions.  The world rules after the pattern of Lucifer.  God says you know how they do it in the world it wont’ be like that among you. Here Jesus established the core of what the war was about.  Satan said I could rule better so Jesus said, demonstrate and he did and there were groanings.  God says I will put my mark back on you, I’m reforming man.  What I originally gave Adam, I want you to have.  When you go to heaven, you’re going to be a priest or a king.  He is training how to rule.  The 144,000 will be kings in heaven.  Those kings need to learn a very valuable lesson before they go – how to rule.  We have the most equipped ground to learn how to rule because everyone has got a mind of their own as Satan has put his ingredient in and God has put his in.

The ground in which we have our training is very well equipped.  We can thank God for that, he knows what we need.  If I were to be your minister would you be offended?  No, we like to be served.  Has anyone asked you a question and you said, no I don’t want that.  I often wonder why people reject gifts when it comes from the heart.  The ministry of Jesus was not always appreciated.  The ministry of Jesus is a test whether or not we are a child of God.  There is something about the ministry of serving that doesn’t sit with humanity.

John 13:5 After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe [them] with the towel wherewith he was girded. 6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? 7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. 8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

Why is it that Peter was offended and said don’t wash my feet?  It was a service to him.  If it was the young lad to wash his feet, he would have accepted that but of Jesus?  No.  if you don’t do it, you have no part with me, then Peter said, wash all of me.

Matthew 11:5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is [he], whosoever shall not be offended in me.

Jesus is saying I’m healing the sick, I’m helping the poor, I’m preaching the gospel, I’m down with the people and blessed are you if you don’t get offended. Why does humanity get offended with such a ministry?  Why is it that the condescension of the great God to earth is such an offence?  Why?

Matthew 13:55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? 56 and his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this [man] all these things? 57 and they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

The way he presented himself and then his claim, and the way he was, was an offence.  If you’re a king, act as a king.  They wanted Jesus to act different than he was.  You have all things and you are the Son of God, then what are you doing?  He consisted in this lowly ministry and it was an offence.  Are you offended of Jesus?  The pulling, the battle, God wooing you to his side and Satan pulling you?

Mark 4:16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

You’re happy, Jesus is here, wonderful, the truth is good.

Mark 4:17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.

When we come across the gospel we like it because we are going to be kings, we’re going to have this paradise.  So with gladness they receive it but they have no roots.  When the training comes to be kings, they get offended.  When persecution comes, there is immediately an offence.  Why?  They don’t like the ministry of service.  They don’t like to do the hard yards.  To do it as a feeling of important.  God is going to make me do this and that.  Jesus came to serve.  Do you know how long he did his active ministry for?  Three years and then they killed him.  For three years he acted as a minister should serve, and then they killed him because we have been born in a prison house and we like it and we want oppression over us, a king.  Where are we at?  Are we tired of Jesus wooing?

Are we tired of the prison house?  Are we tired of the leadership which God is displaying?  This method of leadership is to come into every method of Gods ways.  The bible says you are to look after yourself with health, you are to be healthy, so you do it with kindness, and you don’t treat your body rough.  In the family you are kind and you serve, and in the church, and in every sphere God wants us to be kings according to his way.  You know how they do it in the world, you don’t do it like that.  See, the Method, that’s what you don’t do.  Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and you shall rest.  The prison house will be open and you can go out into green pasture.  But people don’t like it how they are served.  Jesus was establishing his kingdom as the king in the kingdom and he was washing, serving, and healing his servants and yet he was the king.  The world was saying, we have no king but Caesar.  Israel said we want a king.

Samuel 8:10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. 11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint [them] for himself, for his chariots, and [to be] his horsemen; and [some] shall run before his chariots. 12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and [will set them] to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. 13 And he will take your daughters [to be] confectionaries, and [to be] cooks, and [to be] bakers. 14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, [even] the best [of them], and give [them] to his servants. 15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put [them] to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. 18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day. 19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; 20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. 21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD. 22 And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.

When Jesus comes on a horse, what is he destroying?  The nations.  We want to be like other nations to rule over us.  He will destroy it as it is opposing his government.  Whatever your profession, if you rule the way Lucifer rules, you will be destroyed.  Why is it that people like to be told what to do?  I’ve been in a church where people tell us what to do.  The church likes it a lot.  The thing I found strange was when I was in a position in the church and I didn’t know what to do, no one told me what to do.  That was a bit of a stumbling block.  God doesn’t tell us what to do when it comes to individuality.  That is Gods method.  It feels different, I’m not being drummed up here.  There are people in this world who want to be told what to do.  In Gods church is it not like that.  You do the sermons, the bible studies, and you do it according to individuality.

God says to Adam, here this is your world.  He brought the animals before him and said, what are you going to call them?  What are you going to do?  Adam named all animals.  God is intrigued with the individuality of you and me.  What will you do to everything God has given you.  What will you do to the position you hold, will you start appointing and telling?  Or let it naturally come about? Israel wanted a king.  King Saul was the first king that was given to Israel and they suffered.  What was described, he did, and the people were oppressed by him.  Then Saul’s children weren’t heirs of this throne.

David was the king, Saul couldn’t control himself.  Here a shepherd boy, someone who cares for the sheep and who will fight off the beasts.  He was a type of Christ because Christ was like that.  God will not let people get away with people offending his little lambs because he loves them.

David laid off his kingly attire, and clothed himself with garments similar to the priests’, which had never been worn before, that not the least impurity might be upon his clothing. Every six paces, they erected an altar and solemnly sacrificed to God. The special blessing of the Lord rested upon king David, who thus manifested before his people his exalted reverence for the ark of God. “And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.” The dignity and pride of king Saul’s daughter were shocked that king David should lay aside his garments of royalty, and his royal scepter, and be clothed with the simple linen garments worn by the priests. She thought that he was greatly dishonoring himself before the people of Israel. But God honored David in the sight of all Israel by letting his Spirit abide upon him. {1SP 411.1}

Saul’s daughter saw David without his pomp and she was offended and despised him in her heart.  The dignity and pride of King Saul’s daughter was shocked.  In the ministry of Jesus, in his preparation for coming into the kingdom is humble.  It is down to earth principle and humanity is shocked.  If you were shocked, you were testifying to the mark in which you have.  If you were not shocked, you testify to your love for Jesus.  Not everyone loves Jesus, they say they do when he comes as a king, but not when he comes as a man of sin and sorrows made sin for us.  They are offended, that is not my king.

My appeal is that Jesus left his crown, he took it off, and he didn’t come to earth with a crown.  The first time he got a crown back again, it was a crown of thorns.  He has many crowns when comes back as per revelation.  The first thing he comes back as conqueror of is death, he rules it, and he conquers it.  He can raise anyone up.  He is the king of death.  How did he become king of death?  By going through it.  Do you want to be a king with Jesus?  Go through with him, suffer what he suffered.  They’re in the text, his eyes of a flame of fire.  He knows how to be a father to the children.  He has done it and shown it.  To take control of the family is to serve to the uttermost.  To be the king of the local church, he becomes a member, a brother in the same sufferings as you and me.  In the king of heaven, he doesn’t consider it of more value that he can’t’ come off it for us. Revelation 18 is the message of the last days and the message which we profess.

Revelation 18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. 4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

Babylon is a kingdom and is fallen.  All nations rule like her.  Come out of that rulership, come out.  Are we coming out?  All nations, the kings of the earth, those who are in positions of leadership are drunk with that intoxication.  The voice from heaven today is come out properly in every sphere.  The soul, the family, the church, the country, the world and God will put you on his throne. Jesus is coming to smite the nations.

Revelation 18:7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

The past of Christ is a path of sorrow, and if you say you will see no sorrow, you are saying that which Babylon says, and you will regret it.  Do not be offended with the minister of Jesus that becomes part of you and in you and you think that it can’t be Jesus.  Anyone that comes close to you for the sake of salvation, don’t bite them.  In doing that you will accept Jesus Christ and God will make us sit in heavenly places.

Amen.