KINGDOM BIBLE STUDIES

In the book of Revelation, in the nineteenth chapter, there is a great picture. The Spirit has painted it. It is the vision of the coming of the Christ. It is the story of the Lord's coming told in colors. It is the great truth and some of its related principles portrayed in graphic action.

"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. 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. And He was clothed in a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 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. And fle hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS" (Rev. 19:11-16). What a description is this!

Wonderful visions passed before the rapt gaze of the seer on Patmos' lonely isle. And none could have been more thrilling than the vision referred to in the text above. In the far upper spaces, midst the maze and whirl of mist and cloud, and vast throngs of beings, and reverberations of great rolling noises, appears a snow-white horse, which immediately attracts the attention of the apostle. Its arching neck clothed with thunder, its tossing mane, its dilated nostrils, its deep chest, its flashing eye, its superb grace as it pranced before him, made it the noblest horse and most magnificent which he had ever beheld.

But his glance passed swiftly from horse to rider; and though the snow-white charger eclipsed any animal John had ever seen, yet it was mounted by a person who, in form and feature and bearing, surpassed any man he had beheld, and his gaze was riveted by the unrivalled charm of his person. He was robed in crimson apparel, wore many crowns upon his brow, and from between his lips there flashed a gleaming sword; while as he guided his spirited charger his eyes blazed with the intense fire of a warrior. As John watched him, he saw him move irresistibly along a career of conquest. And, as he gazed, he recognized the rider as being his own well-beloved friend and master, Jesus Christ, whom he had so devotedly followed when, on earth, he walked slowly and wearisomely from place to place. Now, instead of being a pedestrian he was an equestrian, and instead of meekly submitting to his enemies he was overcoming them by the tremendous might of his powerful advance. It was a vision very real to the apostle; but it was recorded to teach, in symbolic form, the warrior spirit of Christ, and the great campaign upon which he had entered to conquer the world. The sphere of his movements, as perceived by the apostle, was this earth; and the time of his advance was over the globe and through all the centuries.

The, condition of Christ in the vision is very significant. He is mounted on a snow-white charger. This meant victory. The old Roman conquerors, when celebrating a brilliant conquest, rode down the avenues of the imperial city upon a snow-white steed, and received the plaudits of the people. The Lord is described as the Word of God emblematically riding on a white horse; it is the image of aggressive action, of a prosperous conquest over His foes. The horse in scripture represents strength, and fearlessness to accomplish its task. "He paweth the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men. He mocketh at fear, and is not affrightened; neither turneth he back from the sword. He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage; neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet. He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting" (Job 39:21-22, 24-25).

The horse is without equal for beauty in the animal kingdom. His body is alive with rippling muscles. His mane and tail are items of extreme beauty. The horse is among the most intelligent of animals and few creatures can equal his strength and swiftness. No animal is of greater service to mankind. For pleasure, for work, and for war the horse exceeds them all. The Greek word in our text intimates that this steed is a war horse of fine mettle. In Bible days the strength of armies was often reckoned by the number and greatness of their horses and chariots. In his prophetical account of the army of the Lord, Joel declares, "the appearance of them is as the appearance of HORSES; AND AS HORSEMEN, so shall they run" (Joel 2:4). "The horse is prepared against the day of battle" (Prov. 21:31). It is significant that in the scriptures you do not find horses mentioned in connection with agricultural purposes, but for riding or drawing chariots, and for use in battle. The oxen were used for plowing, etc.

His color is white, an emblem of the Christ's purity and divine holiness. White also bespeaks of light - illumination. These are the qualities that characterize, not only the firstborn son of God, but also His many brethren, the sons of God. In the messages to the churches, the out-called, challenging them to OVERCOME, we read, "I counsel thee to buy of Me ... WHITE raiment, that thou mayest be clothed" (Rev. 3:18). This is naught but the transfiguring glory of Christ, as it is written, "And He was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light" (Mat. 17:2). The light is the robe of divine majesty, the incorruptible life of God emanating from the nature of absolute righteousness.

And so Jesus Christ, astride of the snow-white charger, is put in a position where He is perpetually celebrating a victory. His march is a victorious march. His movements always meet with success. His plans are fulfilled, and His campaigns unfurl to the breezes the banners of triumph. Jesus Christ is going forth as a conqueror, and He does so with great power. It is no easy campaign upon which He has entered. The action in which He is engaged requires the greatest power; and His movements are energized with tremendous force. The Bible represents Him at times in conditions and possessed of moods when He sits and reclines in repose, already having accomplished His purposes. "But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God" (Heb. 10:12). But here in the saddle He is roused, every faculty excited, every source of strength summoned, and He is bearing forward for the purpose of accomplishing something not yet attained.

The horse in those times was regarded as the embodiment of speed. He who was mounted could get over a greater distance, do quicker work, than on foot. Thus with Jesus Christ. He was to carry on His conquests with great rapidity. Swiftly, as well as powerfully, would He move down upon the enemy; and wheeling His forces into line, would charge upon the opposing ranks, overcoming them by the impetuous energy of His movements, before they had recovered themselves from the surprise of His sudden and swift attack.

Once I heard a preacher say that he believed Jesus Christ would LITERALLY descend from heaven riding on a white horse. "Jesus Christ created the horse," he declared, "and if He chooses to charge through the clouds on one, He certainly can." Certainly He can! But I do not hesitate to add that lack of spiritual discernment is the greatest curse upon the Lord's people today. People are so afraid that someone will "spiritualize" away something in the Word of God, realizing not that they themselves are "carnalizing" away the Word of our Lord, for, said Jesus, "the words that I speak unto you, they ARE SPIRIT, and they ARE LIFE" (Jn. 6:63). Spiritual intelligence is the rarest of all spiritual things - and the least valued. In God's sight it is the only true wealth. How rare has true spiritual understanding become! The trouble with God's people today is with their ears and eyes. Like the Pharisees of Jesus' day they insist that they DO hear and they DO see. But they do not understand. Neither do they know. Two worlds exist all about us - the natural world and the spiritual world. The natural realm is the realm of man, but the spiritual realm is the realm of God. The carnal mind CANNOT understand the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, for they are SPIRITUALLY discerned. The greatest need among the saints today is for God to send forth into our hearts the spirit of wisdom and revelation to dispel the darkness of the natural mind that ever hangs as a veil about us, that lie may reveal to our wondering eyes those supernal things that pertain to HIS REALM.

Words utterly fail me to describe the scene of the Rider upon the white horse! It is so heavenly, so divine and wonderful, that it completely defies all human description. Behold! the open heaven, the white horse, the name Faithful and True, the righteousness of His judgment, the eyes of flame, the head bearing many crowns, the vesture dipped in blood. Hear the name The Word of God. See the armies of heaven following, which are the vast multitude of the enChrist sons of God, and their fine linen, white and clean, which is the righteousness of the saints, and their white horses, which bespeak the strength, victory and power of the Christ by which they conquer. Consider the sharp sword with the double edge that goes forth from His mouth, the spoken Word of God - a sword to smite the nations, not with cruel force and merciless slaughter, but with TRUTH and LIFE. Behold, too, the name inscribed in His vesture and on His thigh: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!

The book of Revelation is first and foremost a SPIRITUAL book. It is a book of spiritual realities communicated by means of signs and symbols. You will not read the fulfillment of its prophecies on the pages of Newsweek magazine, but you will see them manifest in the lives of men and women and in the great accomplishments of the Kingdom of God on earth. The Word of the Lord in its spiritual meaning does not describe for us the carnal warfare between nations. For what have wars between nations to do with the Kingdom of God? The battles beheld in spirit by the eagle-eyed seer of Patmos signify spiritual combats, combats between light and darkness, between spirit and flesh, between the carnal mind and the precious mind of Christ, between truth and error, between righteousness and evil, between life and death. A man must experience this combat within himself to become a spiritual conqueror and gain the crown of life. Our Lord, when in the world, carried on such spiritual warfare in an infinitely greater way than others, overcoming the compounded powers of the world, the flesh and the devil, and opening up the way to victory and triumph unto all who are willing to follow Him into the lifestyle of the Kingdom of God. Our Lord is a SPIRITUAL CONQUEROR!

The apocalyptic description of Christ coming out of heaven on a war-horse, magnificently attired - attended by armies of celestial horsemen - to fight the battle against the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him that sat on the horse and against His army," portrays no literal conflict with carnal weapons. it is not on any battlefield on earthly ground that the glorified Redeemer and His heavenly legions confront the banded hosts of earth and hell. We cannot go to the pages of Josephus or Tacitus or Wells, or any other historian, for the events which correspond with these symbols. Nor shall we find them in the headlines of the Washington Post or the Miami Herald! The scene, reveals one divine and sublime truth: CHRIST SHALL, CONQUER! The Kingdom of Christ is "not of this world" and does not conquer the nations in any such "pitched battle" as the armies of men contend for the mastery in. The Kingdom of Christ does not conquer the nations by blowing away millions of helpless souls with bullets and bombs and bloody savagery. I believe in no such way of deciding the question between Christ and antichrist - between "the Kingdom which the God of heaven has set up," and "all these kingdoms" which it is to "consume and destroy." Believing that "the weapons of our warfare are NOT CARNAL," but (just for that reason) almighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds," I believe the warfare itself to be not carnal.

Ah - is it not within the corridors of your own soul, precious friend of mine, that you must hear the hoofbeats of the great white steed thundering! He must ride right into YOUR EARTH, conquering all the territory of YOUR LAND. Don't you hear the clatter of the hoofs of that gallant charger as he bounds through your own world, carrying its Rider to grand battlefields and glorious victories within? Don't you see His sabre of truth flashing its dazzling light upon the eyes of your understanding, and swinging effectively in the direction of every cherished tradition and human interpretation? His victories are victories of peace over conflict, of joy over sorrow, of faith over fear, of righteousness over unrighteousness, of love over hate, of truth over error, of holiness over sin, of health over sickness, of power over weakness, of the image of God over the subterfuge of self, of life and immortality over corruption and death.

This is the conquest that is going on right now in that inner world of our hearts, minds and bodies. May the Holy Spirit deeply impress upon you this important truth: YOU WILL NEVER CONQUER UNTIL YOU ARE CONQUERED! You see, in the army of Christ all the vanquished have enlisted, and all of those that were once enemies, such as Saul of Tarsus who once opposed Christ and who now is one of the leaders of that army beyond the veil. As we look at the triumph of Christ we see that the vanquished and the conquerors merge as one. Saul of Tarsus went forth to war against Jesus, but he was struck to the ground outside Damascus, the sword was smitten from his hand, and he was conquered by the Son of Man. But in that conquest Paul was to realize his greatest victory and he, too, was to become a part of the ongoing triumph of Christ - a triumph which is even now proceeding into the heavenly city.

We don't have to wait until "some glad day after while" because the battle is going on right now. GOD ALWAYS CAUSES US TO TRIUMPH IN CHRIST (II Cor. 2:14). I want to tell you that is a life-changing concept and, yet, some who read these lines have never yet even begun to touch the hem of its garment. Our Captain, our King, our General has WON the victory! He has conquered death! He has conquered hell! He has conquered all the powers of evil! And now He brings that triumph to us! And we can receive the spoils of His warfare! How can we be winners and partakers of that victory? First of all we need to know that we can never be part of those that conquer with Christ until we have been conquered by Him. It was not until Saul had been knocked to his knees in the dust and all his own struggles and battles had been lost, that he entered into the victorious army of Jesus Christ. In that conquest Saul of Tarsus was slain and Paul the apostle rose up to take his place. Perhaps you are struggling in your spiritual life, you are trying to overcome, but the problem is you have never completely surrendered to Jesus Christ. That surrender cannot be simply by word. It must be in reality. There are those who offer Christ their praise and speak great swelling words of revelation in the gatherings of the saints, but go out and know that their life is not conquered by Jesus Christ.

When Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington he came up to Washington and his aides, each dressed in their finest military garb. Cornwallis began to extol Washington's virtues as a commander and military strategist and told him how impressed he was with the incredible maneuvers he had used. He continued in this way until suddenly Washington interrupted him and said, "Your sword, sir!" We will not experience the victory until first we have been vanquished by Christ and have surrendered our carnal weapons. The power of His Kingdom must reign supreme within. Our hearts are the seat of throne of God, because there He reigns. The royal seal is the image of Christ in the heart; and where this is in the heart it extends over the whole soul and body.

His eyes were a flame of fire. As John gazed upon Him, his attention was attracted to His eyes, which blazed like flames of fire. The spirit within was so aroused that it shone through His eyes. This description concerning the coming of the King of kings and the Lord of lords is most illuminating. George Hawtin has commented on this passage: "The eyes of the Son of God are completely different from all other eyes. The eyes of mankind and of every living creature are capable only of receiving light. Our eyes receive reflections and images of things that are without, but the eyes of our Lord not only receive reflections of things without, but are LAMPS OF FIRE, shedding abroad the light of God whithersoever they are turned. Every creature and everything upon which His eyes shall fall will receive the LIGHT OF GOD. 'They looked upon Him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed' (Ps. 34:5). Even in the hour of Christ's greatest humiliation when Peter had denied his Lord, the Lord turned and LOOKED upon him, and at that look the light of truth dawned upon this trembling and heartbroken man as he sat in his dismal despair and, being thus enlightened to the truth and to the knowledge of his guilt, he went out and WEPT BITTERLY in repentance and contrition. But this manifestation of the light of truth that shines as a burning flame from His eyes is merely a fleeting shadow of greater things to come. It is as a feeble candle in the night compared to the illuminating rays of the sun at noon.

"The day is coming and is near at hand when Christ shall be the Light of the World in the fullness of its meaning. His eyes run to and fro throughout the whole world and wheresoever He looks the light of heaven will shine. Upon whomsoever His eyes shall fall darkness will be dispelled from him and the light of Christ will shine upon him. Through long millenniums has the world sat in outer darkness and in the cold and gloomy shadows of death, but He who soon will come riding triumphantly through the open heavens has eyes burning as lamps of fire, before whose shining darkness and shadow will flee away forevermore" -end quote.

The One who has the eyes as a flame of fire is He who comes to judge and make war. To judge rightly He must see through and through, search all depths, look beneath all masks, penetrate all darkness, and try everything to its ultimate residuum. There is often something wonderfully luminous, penetrating, overawing, in the human eye. Men have been blinded by the look of kings. It is like the living intellect made visible, which seems to read all secrets at a glance. It is this infinitely intensified, flashing like a sword of fire that the apostle beheld in this Warrior Judge. It is an eye flame of Omniscient perception, a searchlight that penetrates to the inmost thought and intent of the heart, laying bare in its awful revelation every fiber of self, even in purposes supposed to be pure, scorching, burning, shriveling every hypocrisy, and withering away every breath of the flesh.

Oh the eyes of the Lord! the eyes of holiness, the eyes of infinite discernment, the eyes of depthless love and burning desire for those apprehended to be conformed to His likeness. They descend into the depths of the soul, the candle of the Lord, to search out and make known what is of soul and what is of spirit, and flash with their flame of sincerity, truth and shadowless righteousness. The Word of God is quick and powerful - living and active - sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder (separating) of soul and spirit, and of the joints and the marrow - the deepest part of our nature. And when the King of glory marches into our land He comes with eyes that are shining lamps of heavenly fire, ILLUMINATING mind and heart, revealing all that is there, destroying every selfish and secret motive, consuming every vestige of the carnal mind, purifying the deepest intents of the heart, and flooding the whole being with righteousness and purity and power. Some things in our lives are deeply hidden, but the eyes of the Lord, the dealings of God, are going to cause everything to surface and be brought out of the darkness. The fire of those eyes is such that all the dross is made to emerge. Do we really want the Christ to invade us through and through to thoroughly touch every area of our lives? We will never conquer until we are conquered! Praise God! This moment He is mightier in His elect than He ever was before. This moment He is conducting a campaign vaster, stronger, deeper, more overwhelming than ever before. He will direct it on from one degree of glory to another, until every human being will bow before Jesus Christ as their supreme Lord and King. He will shine forth the glorious light of His illuminating eyes into the darkened hearts of billions who never have known aught but shadows of death. His battlefield is the world. His warfare extends through the ages, down to the end of time. And He shall be victorious totally victorious - praise His worthy name!

"And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He might smite the nations." The sword that goes forth from the mouth of Christ is without doubt the sharp two-edged sword of the Word of God. His name is called THE WORD OF GOD. He is the LOGOS. "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made" (Ps. 33:6). This is He who was in the beginning. "In the beginning was the Word" (Jn. 1:1). This is the Word that was God. In Him was life and the life was the light of men. This is He of whom it is written, "He sent His Word, and healed them." This is the Word that is sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit. In this vision He is represented as being armed with a sword, two-edged and sharp, passing out of His mouth, indicating that His chief force lies in the action of His lips uttering words. His force is truth - truth expressed by His mouth in words. He goes forth to battle wielding only the weapons of truth. Christ does not come to avenge blood or slay in battle as other conquerors have done. His words smite all who hear them. As someone has said, it will smite them with conviction and bless them with conversion. The spirit which animates Him is the warrior spirit. His object is the conquest of the world. He has formed the resolution never to cease from His campaign until the whole world, a conquered realm, bows devotedly before Him as its rightful Lord and Master, and only true King.

It has well been written: "When we read, 'With it He will smite the nations,' our first thought must not be vindictiveness as so many preach. This sword of the Spirit does far more than kill. It pierces to the dividing asunder of flesh and spirit and discerns the thoughts of men and the intents of their hearts, and more often than not it brings repentance rather than judgment. The mighty outpouring of God's Word at Pentecost caused men to be pricked and cut and pierced to the heart until they cried, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?' And the answer of the word was quick and clear: 'Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost ... then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls' (Acts 2:37-41). When Stephen preached the Word, they were cut to the heart, and to Paul the Spirit said, 'It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.' That is the way His righteous sword is wielded. It kills only to make alive and wounds only to heal. It kills only those things that should die and makes alive the things that should live. Thus will He rule the world with an iron rod - the rod of true udgment and the sceptre of true authority" - end quote (The Page). Christ the Conqueror goes forth to conquer. He has a sword, and His sword comes out of His mouth, and He is riding the white horse, and the cutting edge of divine conviction is piercing multitudes of hearts.

The apostle Paul says, "Take the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God" (Eph. 6:17). Many commentators have noted that this is the only offensive weapon listed in the ARMOUR OF GOD. But I question that. A sword can be a defensive weapon in the hand of a man who has no offensive intentions or no heart for the battle. But I assure you, when the legionnaires of Caesar girded on their belts and fastened their breastplates in position and took upon themselves their helmets and picked up their shields and swords, they were not going forth to defensive warfare. They were going forth conquering as a conqueror, to travel across the face of Europe for imperial Rome, and to conquer all that came before them. How is Christ going to conquer? By His WORD!

When I speak, or write, I manifest spiritual influences; and the force of these influences is proportionate to the inner power, and their effect is proportionate to the state of reception of my hearers. Words are thus seen to be the representatives of spiritual forces. The action of spirit on spirit is inappreciable by the senses; but could we look behind the veil of nature when a crowd or a congregation is swayed hither and thither by the speech of one man, we should see that the influence exerted was as real and actual as muscular force. From this we learn that words are not mere sounds, but are the sheaths or cases of spiritual life, and on this ground we at once see the force of the Lord's declaration, "The words that I speak unto you, they ARE SPIRIT, and they ARE LIFE" (Jn. 6:63).

The Lord's speech is the manifestation and influence of His inner life poured forth upon those to whom He speaks. An incident in the life of Jesus, recorded in Luke, chapter seven, provides a picture in which may be discerned the POWER OF THE WORDS OF GOD. As He approached the gate of Nain there met Him a funeral procession, a widow's only son carried out to burial. Moved with compassion for the sorrowing woman He bade her dry her tears. The astounded crowd heard Him address the figure upon the bier: "Young man, I say unto thee, Arise!" The power of the speech of the Prince of Life pierced the realm of the dead! The lad sat up and began to speak. The tender Christ delivered him to his mother, and made effective His command, "Weep not!" Her son was not only brought back from the gates of the tomb, but was restored to her as a gift from the Lord BY THE POWER OF HIS WORD.

On another occasion Jesus had come up to Jerusalem to attend the feast. As He reached the city He came to the Pool of Bethesda and He looked into the pool. There were five porches around that pool. He passed through the porches, and at last came to a poor man, sick for thirty-eight years, who had been pushed away from the sacred spring. The man was startled as he heard the Voice. "Wilt thou be made whole?" He looked up into the face of a Man who was looking down at him, asking that strange question, "Wilt thou be made whole?" There went right down into his heart a strange sensation, his whole being vibrated like a harp when every string is touched by a master hand. "Wilt thou be made whole?" Gently he explained that he had no man to help him into the pool, but that others, when he was coming, step down before him. Then he waited with his eyes fixed upon the Man who had so strangely appealed to his will. He got ready, for the very next moment he heard the Voice of Him who is the Resurrection and the Life, of Him who is the Lord of lords and King of kings say, "Rise, take up thy bed and walk!" And in a moment there came into his body with that Word, power; and he rose, took up that bed, rolled it up and walked home, set free from the bonds of Satan who had bound him for thirty-eight years. Oh! the power of the flaming sword of the Word of God that proceeds out of HIS mouth!

As the Christ of God is a many-membered body, so is the sword that goes out of His mouth. The Word of God is spoken in the world today by the body of Christ on earth, and that Word flows forth as the sound of many waters. There are not to be two swords - one out of the mouth of the Lord, and the other out of the mouths of His ministers. There is one sword, and it is HIS. Our quotation of scripture and our knowledge of the Bible and our understanding of truth is not the sword of the Lord. The sword of the Lord is that Word which proceedeth only out of His mouth, and out of ours as we are MADE ONE IN HIM. The sword of the Lord bespeaks a purified people, holding forth the Word of Life in the power of the Holy Spirit, and how we praise God for this company!

This is not some carnal battle fought with carnal means, but the utterance of the Living Word of Truth which no man shall be able to disannul. Ah, how fleshly have been the swords by which the religious systems have conquered! These "Christian" countries even go to war with one another. These "Christian" armies send thousands into a fast hell. The "Christian" nations are on fire with brawls, party against party, faction against faction. These "Christians" have deceit and fraud, oppression and wrong, robbery and murder, in their streets. The "Christian" families are torn asunder with envy, jealousy, anger, domestic disputes, without number and without end. And what is most dreadful most to be lamented of all, are those "Christian" churches. Those churches that bear the name of Christ, the Prince of Peace, wage continual war with each other. Through long centuries this church has attempted to convert sinners by burning them alive. It has been drunk with the blood of saints and of martyrs. It has brought praise only to Satan. It is a false church, a false Christ, a false sword, a false word. This false sword, this spurious gospel is going forth conquering and conquer over the earth. True revival and true worship have all but fled from the harlot systems and can be found only in the hearts of the elect who love God and to whom the Word of the Lord is precious. All who have studied the history of the so-called church know of the abominations committed by this wanton and worldly system. They have conquered by sorcery, intrigue, murder, war and torture. They have made all nations drink of the wine of their fornication. And in this "enlightened" hour the lewd harlot of false Christianity stalks the earth still. False revivals abound. The false sword is wielded. The false gospel is proclaimed from the pulpits, from the printing presses, and over the air-waves. False prophets, false teachers, false shepherds, false apostles, false evangelists, false healers, false miracle workers, and false Christs abound together with all the marvelous works of trickery and deceit, insomuch that, if it were possible, even the very elect would be deceived. It deserves the abominations of the earth.

In contradistinction, the Spirit of God is forming and fashioning a people, a glorious company, from whose lips flash forth that CLEAR WORD OF THE LORD which shall cause the traditions and unrighteousness of man to utterly come to nought. It was said of our Lord and elder brother, "Never man spake like this man" (Jn. 7:46). "What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? FOR WITH AUTHORITY commandeth HE even the unclean spirits, and they do obey Him" (Mk. 1:27). "What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him!" (Mat. 8:27). That which was manifest in Jesus Christ shall also be seen in His many-membered-brethren-company. There are preview glimpses of this even in God's servants in the Old Testament. With what boldness did Elijah the prophet pronounce unto Ahab, "As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, BUT ACCORDING TO MY WORD" (I Kings 17:1). The pure and powerful Word of God shall cause His servants to ride victoriously. Nought shall be able to stand before the two-edged sword of H-I-S  W-O-R-D. How glorious shall be the advance of this mighty company!

Fear not. Have hope. Believe in hope! It is God's good pleasure to yet renew the face of the earth. Surely all these things shall come to an end. All the inhabitants of the world shall learn righteousness. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, nor shall they know war any more. The mountain of God's house shall be established on the top of the mountains. All the kingdoms of the world shall become the Kingdom of God. Then they shall not hurt nor destroy His holy place. They shall all be without spot or blemish, loving one another, even as Jesus has loved us. You are called to be a part of the firstfruits, even if the total harvest has not yet come. You are to love your neighbor as yourself. You are to love your enemies and bless them that curse you and do good to them that hate you. You are to wield the mighty sword of the Spirit. You are to ride forth in majesty as the expression of God's Kingdom on earth. You are to utter His burning Word of authority, smiting the earth with the rod of His mouth.

When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven He does not come alone. Even before the flood, Enoch prophesied of this appearing of the promised One, and said, "Behold the Lord cometh WITH TEN THOUSANDS OF HIS SAINTS to execute judgment upon all" (Jude 14,15). John saw, and writes, "The armies, the ones in the heaven, were following Him" (Rev. 19:14). Christ Jesus is the Head and the Leader as He goes before; His holy ones follow in His train. They are represented as armies. They come forth as a body of fighters. He has many under His command. The armies of the heavenlies are His, and He does battle with them, by them and through them, even "the called, and chosen and faithful." There is no infantry. There really is no cavalry, for all of the horses are white, and everyone who follows Him is of exalted rank. It is an army of princes, a host of mighty dignitaries. Moreover, they have no weapons, except the sharp two-edged sword that proceeds out of HIS MOUTH, which is the Living Word of God. They are dressed in white, for they are all righteous, cleansed by the crimson tide in which His cloak was dipped.

Again, I would share with you from the anointed pen of George Hawtin as he describes this glorious army. "This is the army of the SAINTS OF GOD, thousands upon thousands of blood-washed sons, all members in particular of the mystical body of Christ, and though they be so many, yet are they but one Christ. These are they of whom it is written: 'They that are with Him are called and chosen and FAITHFUL.' He who rides at the head of this heavenly host, which for six thousand years has been preparing, is the first begotten SON OF GOD, the firstborn from the dead, the PRINCE OF THE KINGS OF THE EARTH. He is the firstborn of MANY BRETHREN. He is the eldest in a vast family of God's sons. This, I declare, is the manifestation of the true body of Christ, the manifestation of the SONS OF GOD. These are they who during their life on earth went unto Him without the camp of the world's denominations and systems, bearing His reproach, that they might be received and taught as sons by their heavenly Father. Long ago amid the shadows of earth they heard and obeyed God's call, 'Come out of her, My people, and be separate; and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.' In their obedience God became their Father. As a Father He instructed them, broke them free from the blinding traditions and doctrines of men. He rebuked them as any loving father rebukes his children. He chastised them as a father chastises his son, for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? For if we receive not chastening, whereof all are partakers, then are we bastards and not sons. As a Father He fed them, and He fed them on His living word of life, they became partakers of the divine mind, the divine nature, and the divine will. The mind that was in Christ Jesus dwelt in them and as it increased they were thoroughly transformed by the renewing of their minds" - end quote.

But now the days of their rebuke and chastisement are over. The great Captain is mounted, and they are mounted too. He comes as Warrior, Judge and King, and they share with Him in the same character. They are warrior judges and kings with Him. They are clothed in fine linen, pure and white, which is the righteousness of the saints. They wear no armour. They are immortal and incorruptible and cannot be hurt.

In the Song of Solomon 1:9 the King extols the qualities of His beloved in these significant words: "I have compared thee, O my love, to a COMPANY OF HORSES in Pharaoh's chariots." The historical allusion here, is to Israel as they fled before the horses and chariots of Pharaoh. None knew better than the children of Israel how swift were those famous horses; but by the strong arm of Jehovah, the Israelites outran and outstripped them. There were many steeds in Pharaoh's chariots, and the virgins who make up the followers of the Lamb, while they are few compared to the many who are called, are as a GREAT COMPANY.

Pharaoh's horses were famous for their value and beauty. They were the swiftest and the surest footed of all horses. They could go up over the hills and down through the valleys; they could leap over obstacles, and they never fell nor stumbled. In battle they obeyed, though they plunged into the face of the enemy and into death. They bore the chariots of war, they drew the chariots of the pomp and glory, the grandeur of the king. Egyptian horses, especially from the royal stables, were magnificently decorated, particularly their heads and cheeks, with brilliant ornaments, sparkling jewels, glittering with gold and silver lace, and on their necks were chains of gold, composed, I fancy, of medals recording victories won and glories to be remembered. One historian has recorded that the Egyptian horses were even exported to the neighboring countries, and Solomon bought them at a hundred and fifty shekels of silver, from the merchants who traded with Egypt by the Syrian desert. Such a steed in a chariot, like that which Solomon had brought out of Egypt by his agents, was an object of great beauty to the eye, especially when adorned with the costly trappings then usual. Pure white and beautiful, they were indeed marvels of swiftness and symmetry; each one garnished with gold and precious stones worthy of a king's ransom.

As the Israelites outstripped the horses and hosts of Pharaoh, so the followers of the Lamb have obeyed their Lord's command with such fervor, that they have overtaken and passed all the adversaries. As Pharaoh's horses were famous for their speed and beauty, as they were sure-footed and bore the pomp and grandeur of the king, so the speed and beauty of God's elect are becoming marked, and they bear the glory of the King. It is through us, precious saints, that the power of Christ's redemption is manifested upon earth. It is through us that this salvation is put to the test, and men see what it will do. It is in our lives, that its power to give speed, strength and victory is manifested. It is because His beloved has pressed along after Him so swiftly, and been obedient to His voice though He did not lead her as she would have desired, that He has likened her to these famous horses. He has been teaching her that to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams. She has hearkened to each command of His voice and taken each step as He has directed. So fervently does she obey the voice of her Beloved, so eagerly does she pursue after Him, that finally she hears His voice whispering to her, "I have compared thee, O My love, to a steed in Pharaoh's chariots."

Unseen by her, unknown by her, His hand has upheld her as she ran. He has lifted her over all the hard places, He has established her steps that they should not be moved. He has kept her feet from slipping, He has lifted her over the precipices, so that many times she has not even seen them. Then after supporting her, and bringing her on according to the desire of her heart toward Him, He compares her to the swift steeds in the chariots of Pharaoh. The message is clear - how tenderly and graciously does our Lord address us. He keeps us faithful, and then He says: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant!" He spoke to, and dealt with Gideon so gently and encouragingly, when he was hidden in the winepress beating out wheat. The angel saluted him with: "Jehovah is with thee, thou mighty man of valor." Gideon did not appear to be either a mighty man or a man of valor, for he was hidden away for fear of the enemy. But it was not anything in Gideon that made him mighty; it was because Jehovah was with him. And the Lord led him on until His gentleness made Gideon great, and he really became a mighty man of valor. How preciously God woos us on; and as we yield that He may work in us, He ascribes to us the fruit of His own working upon and within us, for His work becomes truly our very own as we are made ONE IN HIM. Hallelujah!

Ray Prinzing has expressed the following words of inspiration and instruction: "One historical writer has pointed out that everyone of Pharaoh's horses were THOROUGHBREDS. There was no adulteration or mixture of some lesser strain, with some weakness showing up during the heat of the battle, or some renegade trait showing up during a race which would also cause a defeat. The Lamb was without spot and without blemish. And surely the purification process must be complete in us, the regeneration must include our whole being, we are to be an entirely NEW CREATION, a new thoroughbred species. That is why He is dealing with us so intensely to guard our spirit, He would have a virgin spirit, undefiled with anything that pertains to the spirit of the world. No trait or strain of the old nature left in this company of God's choosing. Old things have passed away, and behold, ALL things are becoming new. This is why, also, He has been calling us out of Babylon, and then been purging Babylon out of us, for it is written: 'Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain (Babylon), saith the Lord, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out Mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and I will make thee a burnt mountain. AND THEY SHALL NOT TAKE OF THEE A STONE for a corner, nor a stone for foundations' (Jer. 51:25-26).

"We await the day of HIS COMMAND. We do not wait for an escape out of the world, but we wait FOR HIM. 'For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout ... (I Thes. 4:16). The Greek word that is used here for SHOUT, literally means A WAR CRY. It signifies that the time has come when HE shall DO BATTLE against all unrighteousness. And for this day of battle He is now preparing His HORSE-HORSEMEN COMPANY. 'None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken: whose arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint' (Isa. 5:27-28). Hoofs like flint! This was a highly prized quality in a good horse, it meant that they could run farther in the battle, endure longer over the rough rocks, and not become lame. There shall be an ENDURING QUALITY in His elect, they shall be able to GO ON from victory to victory, and make progress over all the rough areas of testing and trial. Perhaps to us this is a rare and unique feeling, one we do not have every day, but there are those moments, when with the Psalmist you could say, 'By my God I can run through a troop, and leap over a wall.' During those times when the vision is so bright, and the sense of His anointing surges through you, you do find that 'perfect love casteth out all fear,' and IN HIM you are strong. Then the processings continue until what we have glimpsed BECOMES A LASTING REALITY" -end quote.

The army of the Lord is at this very moment in careful preparation. The mountains are full of horses and chariots of fire, which the King mustereth for the battle. His great command is FOLLOW ME. He rides the white horse of universal conquest. He goes on from conquering to conquer. Follow the King from victory to victory, from triumph to triumph in your own life; then you, who constitute the King's hosts, will move forward, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners (S. of S. 6:10).

You who have not yet surrendered to Him as King of kings, you who know Him as Saviour but have not crowned Him Lord of all within, don't you hear His trumpet pealing in your ears, sounding down through all the chambers of your soul's castle? You who have tried to be a good Christian, involved in the religious activities of the man-made church systems, but have not hitherto heard the call to come out of her and come up higher into the high calling of God in Christ Jesus - why do you stand out longer? Why not draw in your colors this day, and invite HIM to the supreme place in your heart and life, and enroll yourself among His followers from henceforth, to follow Him to the heights of Mount Zion; and then, when He celebrates His last victory, be among those who come with songs and everlasting joy to SHARE the fruits of His victory and chant His praise forevermore. Amen!

Next to Part 27

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