Our Redeemer is Faithful and True

 

As I look back on the road I've travelled,
I see so many times He carried me through;
And if there's one thing that I've learned in my life,
My Redeemer is faithful and true.
My Redeemer is faithful and true.

[Chorus:]
My Redeemer is faithful and true.
Everything He has said He will do,
And every morning His mercies are new.
My Redeemer is faithful and true.

My heart rejoices when I read the promise
'There is a place I am preparing for you.'
I know someday I'll see my Lord face to face,
'Cause my Redeemer is faithful and true.
My Redeemer is faithful and true.

[Chorus]

And in every situation He has proved His love to me;
When I lack the understanding, He gives more grace to me.

[Chorus]

The song by Steven Curtis Chapman and James Isaac Elliott is a re-telling of Psalm 103:17.  But like so much of Scripture, each verse can be seen as a foretelling of other Scriptures.  I was reminded of this theme when I studied Revelation 6:1-2.

I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals.  Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!"  I looked, and there before me was a white horse!  Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

As we have studied the Revelation of John, we have seen the image of the Lamb who was slain in Revelation 5:6 "Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders."  Pictured as the sacrifice for sin AND as the mighty conqueror, John uses a special word for "lamb", seen 29 times in Revelation and once in John 21:15--it means one who has overcome, one that is victorious.  The idea of the lamb as a victorious military leader seems to come from the apocolyptic tradition.

We have also had the pleasure of studying the seven seals, the purpose of which is to conceal the message.  Isaiah 8:16-17 says "Bind up the testimony and seal up the law among my disciples. I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob.  I will put my trust in him."  Daniel 8:26 says, "The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future."  We have also mentioned that in the Roman culture, the last Will and Testament of a ruler is sealed seven times, each seal representing a witness to the Will of the ruler.  Keep this in mind as we see who breaks the seals in the coming verses.

The four living creatures was mentioned in Revelation 4:6-7: "Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.  In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures...The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle."  These creatures are an exalted order of angelic beings whose task is to guard the heavenly throne and lead in worship and adoration of God.  I'm sure that one of the items near the throne that was being guarded by these special creatures was the scroll, the written Will of God concerning the final settlement of His estate, the heavens and the earth.  And now, after millenniums of time have passed, we get to see, through John's eyes, a glimpse of what happened when that scroll was opened.

At the command of one of the creatures, a white horse appears, with a rider who will break the first of the seven seals.  The imagery of the "four horsemen of the Apocalypse" was first seen in Zechariah chapters 1 and 6.  Zechariah 1:8 says, "During the night I had a vision--and there before me was a man riding a red horse!  He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine.  Behind him were red, brown, and white horses."  And Zechariah 6:1-3 says, "I looked up again--and there before me were four chariots coming from between two mountains--mountains of bronze!  The first chariot had red horses, the second black, the third white, and the fourth dappled--all of them powerful."

Zechariah's vision had to do with vengeance on  the enemies of Israel, and for that reason the red horse was mentioned first--the color of blood, as the armies of God made war on the nations.  In John's vision, the white horse is the first one we see.  White is the color of purity, the color of light.  Revelation 19:11 says, "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose name is Faithful and True.  With justice he judges and makes war."  His job is to wipe out the blackness of sin.  There is a striking parallel with the account of Creation: the first thing God did when he wanted to make us a home called Earth was to dispel the darkness.  In order to do that, he created light.  After that, every other creation followed in order; but without light, the rest of creation would have been futile.

There is a slogan used by minorities and oppressed peoples: No Justice, No Peace; Know Justice, Know Peace.  Their point is that unless oppressors are brought to justice and held accountable for their oppression, then peace will always be just out of reach.  Peace on Earth is just a dream.  In the same way, God knows that heaven and eternal rest cannot dwell where sin abides.  So to lay the foundation for the Peace that Passes Understanding, Sin must be conquered.  The rider of the White Horse is given a crown--not a royal crown signifying reigning over the earth, but rather more like a golden victory wreath.  This is the same word that is used in Revelation 14:14 "I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on that cloud was one like A Son Of Man with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand."  The rider of the White Horse has overcome the world, and has conquered sin.  That is the mandate he is given in verse 2--to be a conqueror bent on conquest.

Psalm 45.4 says, "In your majesty ride forth victoriously in behalf of truth, humility and righteousness; let your right hand display awesome deeds."  Awesome, indeed: the first witness to the Final Will and Testament of God is a warrior riding a White Horse, who will wipe out the stain of sin.  Only then can the foundation of Heaven be laid.  There is no sin allowed in God's heaven.  If you are mired in sin, and are separated from God, I urge you to rid yourself of sin by means of confession and repentance.  God is Faithful and True; he will forgive, and show mercy.  But you must act now, before it is too late.  When the Lamb begins to read the Book of Life, it will be too late to add your name.  Once the rider of the White Horse traverses the earth, you will stand naked and ashamed before Him.  This is what we see when the second seal is broken--but more about that next time.  Until then, those of us who have confessed and believe will be able to say

We’ve been made

more than conquerors

Overcomers in this life

We’ve been made

victorious

Through the blood of Jesus Christ!

When troubles

come knockin’ at your door

Don’t be afraid,

It’s not like before

Don’t you give in,

don’t let it bring you down

You don’t have to worry anymore!

We’ve been made

more than conquerors

Overcomers in this life

We’ve been made

victorious

Through the blood of Jesus Christ!

Hold on,

we’re getting stronger everyday

There’s no reason

for you to go astray

Don’t be leaning

to your understanding

Lean on him and we’ll all say:

We’ve been made

more than conquerors

Overcomers in this life

We’ve been made

victorious

Through the blood of Jesus Christ!

We’ve been made

more than conquerors

Overcomers in this life

We’ve been made

victorious

Through the blood of Jesus Christ!