I'm glad I was here tonight. Turn with me to Revelation 19
again. You know, it's amazing as you're
turning there. It's amazing. I know it's so. I understand
this. Unless God opens a man or a woman's
eyes, they just don't see. I know that. But it's amazing
to me. to read the words that Brother
Scott just read. It said, You believe not, because
you are not my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know
them. I give unto them eternal life.
You think, how does a man not see that? But they don't. The things of God are spiritually
discerned. If you believe tonight, thank
God Almighty that He showed you mercy, that He would open your
eyes, give you some understanding. Revelation 19 is picking right
up where we left off this morning. John saw, Scripture says in verse
11, he saw heaven opened. He perceived God's, Jehovah's
presence in grace and favor and mercy. I said this morning, that's
what God's people do. They perceive God in mercy. Heaven. He was on a white horse. He's the victor. The victorious
Savior. Faithful. I was thinking about
that when Brother Scott was saying, when he said, I give unto them
eternal life. If the Lord has any sheep that
has yet to be born, it may be some that have been born that
God has not called out of darkness yet. They are still sheep. But
if there are some that have yet to be born, Yet to come into
this world, physically speaking, is there any possibility that
God Almighty is not going to give unto those that He's everlastingly
loved and known? Is there any possibility that
He's not going to give unto them eternal life? No. Why? Because
He's the faithful and true witness. Faithful. faithful to His covenant, trustworthy. In righteousness, He judges,
distinguishes, makes war. He conquers all of His enemies,
calls out all of His sheep. His eyes, those eyes that are
as a flame of fire, for the same eyes as His people
find grace in. And upon His head many crowns,
many diadems. Everything that can be said about
Him is victorious. He conquers. He does. Obedient to the law. Substitute
for His people. He is the victor. That picture, glorious picture,
when David, young David, at times a shepherd, came into the camp
there, the camp of the nation of the Jews. There was a giant
who taunted the people, the nation of God. A picture of the true
Israel. And here Goliath comes out and
says, anybody defeat me. Anybody step up, I'll fight any
of you. I'll take on any of you. And
here's David, a picture of our glorious conqueror. Goes out
and picks up five stones, the Scripture says. Put one of those
stones in a sling and let it fly. And in one mighty blow,
conquered. that which opposed the people
of God." That is our Lord and Savior. One by one sacrifice,
He hath perfected forever them that believe. Now, tonight we
consider the continuation of the Scripture's revelation of
He who sat on the white horse. at this portion this morning
because I just, well, I just figured I wouldn't have time
to go and I didn't want to rush this point. But John said in
that last part of verse 12, and he had a name written that no
man knew but himself. How wonderful, how glorious is
the majesty and the sovereignty of our Lord and Savior set forth
here." He had a name written. No man. He had a name. He had
authority. That's what that word, name,
he had. I was thinking about that song, Gary, you sang, you
know, the name of Jesus. Oh, how wonderful is His name. It means His character that's
written, that's graved or described. He had a name, He had a character,
He had authority that no man knew, that no man perceived,
that no man understood but Himself. His name or His character was
of such holiness and sacred in His relationship to His Father
and to His people that no man apart from the triune God could
apprehend or could grasp hold of the truthfulness of that name. Matthew 11, 27 says, All things
are delivered unto me of my Father. And no man knoweth the Son. No man perceives the Son. We understand Him by revelation,
but we see through a glass darkly. We see through a veil. We know
Him, but no man, the Lord Jesus Christ says, knoweth the Son,
but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son. And He to Whomsoever the Son
will reveal Him. What do we know about Him? Well,
the Scripture says He hath a name written that no man knew. New
in completeness. New in totality. No man knoweth. but himself." His name is voiced
by many. Everybody voices the name. But his attributes and his perfections
are incomprehensible to any creature. No man knew. Nobody understands.
No attempt of mortal man will ever set forth or describe what
God says can be known. I sit and stand here. behind
a pulpit and doing what Almighty God has ordained that men that
God has called Bob to do. Preach the Gospel. And you hear
it, and you know it, and you know in part, and we prophesy,
Paul says in part, but what do we really know? The essence of
His name that nobody knows but Himself. It's the mystery. It's
the wonder. It's the marvel. of Him who is
the substitute for the bride. What do we know? No man knows.
No man knew this name written but He Himself. Matthew 27.45. Brother Scott read this this
morning. But that one verse, it says,
now from the sixth hour when the Lord Jesus Christ was hanging
on the cross, here He is. He's there. laying down His life
for the sheep. And the Scripture says, from
the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth
hour. What was happening? What was
actually going on? What is the complete understanding
of His name, His character? There He is. And people, we preach
Him, we preach the cross. Paul says, I preach Christ, and
what? Him crucified. That's what we
preach. But let me ask you something.
Here is the Lamb of God, God Himself, providing Himself a
Lamb. Here He is taking away the sin
of the world. Here He is being made sin. Can we perceive that? No man
knew His name, but He Himself. Can we enter in? It was darkness. Three hours or so over the land. Here is God. This is what Luther
said. Here is God Himself forsaking
God, the God-man. Luther says, how can that be?
Thy throne, O God. It's forever. That's what the
Jews, that's why they got mad at him, Jeff. They picked up
some rocks and said, we're going to stone you. He said, for what
do you stone me? Which work do you stone me? That's
what Brother Scott just read. They said, not for any works.
Because we said, we hear what you're saying. You're making
yourself be God. That's what he told them. I and my Father are one. on God. Who can understand that
name? Oh, nobody but Himself, the Godhead,
the Triune God. But we know this, Matthew 1.21,
Thou shalt call His name Jesus, Savior, for He shall save His
people from their sins. John said he had a name written
that no man knew. No man perceived, no man understood
the depth of it but He Himself. And He was clothed, verse 13,
John said, with a vesture dipped in blood. As we look with John
at Him who no man knew but Himself, we do see Him in the garment
of redemption. That's what we're preaching.
We preach Him, the Redeemer. He who has redeemed His people. Though we know Him not in the
fullness, in the understanding, the glory, we know this. Job says, I know that my Redeemer
liveth. Do you understand the fullness
of Him? No. But I know He lives. I know
who He is. He is who He says He is. He said,
I shall save my people. I shall give them eternal life. I will never forsake them. Do you understand that? No, but
I know Him by faith. I trust Him. I trust God. In that vesture of His glorious
substitution, the Father viewed Him as the surety. from the foundation
of the world. In John 10, Brother Scott just
read. John 10, verse 11-16. John chapter 10, verse 11. He
said, I'm the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd giveth His
life for the sheep. That word, for, right there means
In the stead of. In the place of. That's where we get the understanding
of the substitute. That's what I lay down my life
for. In the stead of. He's always
stood as the sheep's substitute. Slain before the foundation of
the world. Having made peace for us through
His blood, now He comes in judgment upon all of his enemies. And
his name, the Scripture says back in Revelation chapter 19,
he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood, and now his
name is called the Word of God. Now here is the open declaration
of what verse 12 says, no man knew but himself. You say, well,
I know his name. There it is. His name is the
Word of God. Explain that to me. Tell me the
depth of what that means. John, under the inspiration of
the Spirit of God, wrote, The Word was made flesh. Do we believe that? Absolutely. We believe that God Almighty
came into this world and veiled Himself in flesh, a body hath
thou prepared me." Here we see the Word, the divine expression
or communication of God Himself in His name, His character. But what do we know? Proverbs 25, verse 2 says, "...it
is the glory of God to conceal a thing. No man knoweth the Father,
But the Son, who is He? He is the Word of God, the communication,
the logos, the Word of God Himself, God-expressed, God-spoken. While men foolishly proclaim
to understand the Godhead, we know that we don't even perceive
His name. Who is He? He is our Lord. We bow before Him in adoration
and we admit Lord, as You say You are, You are. Lord, as You
say we are, we are. I can't even perceive the depth.
We talk about sin. He was made sin. The Scripture says sin, transgression
of the law. Can you enter into that? Can
you enter into the depth of what happened? concerning our substitute. And John said in verse 14, And
the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses,
clothed in fine linen, white and clean. Now without a doubt,
here is the church, the Lord's redeemed, following, accompanying
him who sat on the white horse. Here we assume, because they
are on white horses also, These are His people, victorious, pure,
white, holy in His righteousness. Following after Him, He, the
Lord Jesus, rides upon His white horse based upon His character,
His obedience, His purity, His holiness, and the army of heaven
that is with Him follows Him by His imputed righteousness. We are what we are by the grace
of God. We have nothing to boast in save
Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And they were clothed in fine
linen, white and pure. The Scripture says there, He
was clothed in verse 13, in a vesture dipped in blood. And what are
they in? They are in clothing that has
been washed white in that blood. There's the character right there.
There's him, the victor. That white raiment is throughout
this book set forth as the clothing of the redeemed. Look at Revelation
3, 4 and 5. Revelation 3, verses 4 and 5. The Scripture says, Remember
therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, repent,
If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief,
and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou
hast a few names, even in Sardis, which have not defiled their
garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they are
worthy." Now you just think about this. Thou hast a few names,
he says, even in Sardis. There's a few names, even in
Katy. West Virginia, that has not defiled
their garments, and they shall walk with Me." Look at Revelation
4. And round about the throne were
four and twenty seats, and upon the seats I saw four and twenty
elders. That's representative of the
entire church of the Lord Jesus Christ, sitting clothed in white. They had on their heads crowns
of gold. Look at Revelation 7. After this,
I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of
all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues, stood before
the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palms
in their hand." This is the armor, the clothing and the armor of
the saints. If God be for us, who can be
against us? If Almighty God has looked upon
His people, robed in the precious righteousness of the Lord Jesus
Christ who can be against us. God has justified us. God Almighty. We behold this vast army being
led by Him who is altogether wonderful. And we see truly that
all attention is upon Him The Scripture says, out of his mouth,
verse 15, go with 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 the wrath
of Almighty God. Now that one verse right there
is immense in what was being said. The more I read it, the
more I thought, my goodness, that one verse right there. Out of his mouth goeth a sharp
sword, that with it he should smite. This is the first thing
I know. I know this. I know that sharp
sword is his Word. We know that. That with it he
should smite the nation. That word, smite, right there,
means either gently or fatally. One of the two. That he should
smite the nations gently or fatally. The Word of God is the only weapon
of our warfare. What do we do? We preach the
gospel. What does this gospel do? It accomplishes the purpose for
which God sent it. That's what it does. This is
it. What else do we do here? Nothing.
What else do you offer here? Nothing. What do you got for
the kids? The gospel. What do you got for
the adults? The gospel. What do you got for
entertainment? We don't have anything for entertainment.
I'm not here to entertain you. I'm here to preach Christ. Preach Him. We'll go get entertained
after the services. But when we come together, right
here, Fed folks tell me, say, you know, you're just a different
person in the pulpit than you are out of the pulpit. Thank
you. I appreciate that. It's no funny business right
here. I'm not here to act silly. I can have just as much fun as
anybody. You know that. But when I step into this pulpit,
this is business. This is serious. We're here to
preach the Gospel. No time to play. This is it. It's in the mouth. It's the language
of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Gospel. This is the weapon that
conquers, that smites the nations, either His people, that conquers
His elect in mercy, gently, or shall judge His people in wrath.
With that Word, His Word goeth forth, the Scripture, and accomplishes. Paul said, I'm not ashamed of
the Gospel. It's the power of God unto salvation. Are you afraid somebody's going
to get mad? Well, they'll either get mad or they will rejoice
in Christ. But that's not my decision. Woe is unto me, Paul says, if
I don't preach the gospel. If I don't preach Christ. Hebrews
4.12 says, For the word of God is quick, it's alive and powerful,
it's operative. It operates. And it's sharper. I looked up that word sharper.
Sharper than any two-edged sword. You know what it means? Sharper.
Cutting with a single blow. Cutting with a single blow. Sharper. It doesn't take God Almighty
time after time after time after time after time trying, trying
to, you know, and somebody, I've heard people say, man, I thought
his knuckles were just white. It was just a... If Almighty
God comes to a man in power and says, follow me. You know what
that man's going to do, Jeff? When God Almighty calls, they
come. When He speaks, they hear. My
sheep hear my voice. When do they hear? Paul says,
when it pleased God to call me out of darkness immediately,
I conferred not with flesh and blood. I heard God sharper than
any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder
of soul and spirit, and the joints in the marrow, a discerner of
the thoughts and the intents or the understanding of the heart."
The Word of God exposes the difference between head knowledge and heart
knowledge. God's Word. Sharp. This is the weapon by which all
rebellion is going to be put down. The elect and the wicked. All of them. smite with His Word,
with that mouth, with that sword that goes out of His mouth. He
will smite the nations gently in mercy or in judgment, His
Word, both of them. And He shall rule, the Scripture
says. He will smite the nations. I know that that word means gently
or in judgment, in judgment, fierceness. He'll smite. "...And He shall rule them with
a rod of iron." Now you know when I first read that, I thought
of maybe someone that just rules unmercifully with an iron hand. That's not what that means. The
Scripture says, "...He shall smite the nations gently or in
judgment, and He shall rule them with a rod of iron." That means
He shall rule, He shall tend, or shepherd is what that word
is. He shall shepherd them with a
rod or with a scepter of iron of strength. He will either,
according to His purpose, mercy and grace, He will either rule
or shepherd with a scepter of strength. Turn over to Revelation 7, 17
before I go to the next part of that. Revelation 7, 17. The Scripture says, ìFor the Lamb
which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall
lead them unto living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe
away all their tears.î You see the word feed right there? It's
the same word rule in Revelation 19 where it says, "...and He
shall rule them, He shall feed them." Same word. That right
here in Revelation 19 verse 15 where it says, "...and He shall
rule them with a rod of iron." He's talking about His people.
He'll feed them. He'll shepherd them. He'll rule
them. in mercy and grace. Look at Hebrews
1.8. Hebrews chapter 1 and verse 8. Hebrews 1.8, But unto the Son,
He saith, Thy throne, O God. What were they going to stone
Him for? They said, We're going to stone You because You make
Yourself God. Well, the Scripture says, He
saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever. A scepter
of righteousness is the scepter of Thy kingdom." That word, scepter,
right there, is the same word, rod, in Revelation 19-15. The Scripture says, out of His
mouth, there goes the word sharp, sword, and with it He should
smite the nations, and He shall shepherd them with a scepter
of iron." He shall shepherd them with a rod of strength. The Lord, with the sharp sword
of His being, His Word, they're following Him that's conquered
them in power, in grace, in mercy, in compassion, And now, as they're
following Him as His army, He's coming to conquer and do the
other thing that His Word surely shall do. The Scripture says
in that last part that He should smite the nations and rule them
with a rod of iron, and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness
and the wrath of Almighty God. He treadeth. He tramples. Here is the fullness of the Word
in wrath. With the sword of His Word, He
rules, shepherds, but also all that are left to themselves who
believe not. He treads the winepress in absolute
justice. Turn over to Isaiah 63. Isaiah 63, verse 1, Who is this that cometh
from Edom with dyed garments from Basra, that is glorious
in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength?
I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art
thou red in thine apparel? and thy garments like him that
treadeth in the wine-fat. I trodden the wine-press alone,
and of the people there was none with me, for I will tread them
in mine anger, and trample them in my fury, and their blood shall
be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment
for the day of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of my
redeemed is come. And I looked, and there was none
to help, and I wondered that there was none to uphold. Therefore,
mine own arm brought salvation upon me, and my fury it upheld
me." Almighty God, in His own purpose and His own will, shall
by His own Word be a just Savior. He said, I'm a just God and I'm
a Savior. John says, I looked and out of
His mouth goes a sharp sword with it that he should smite
the nations and shall rule them with a rod of iron. And he treadeth
the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." This
is God. All who come, come by grace. All who refuse, choose to rebel. He said, you will not come. But His sheep come, why? Made
willing in the day of His power. No one who comes has anything
to say concerning their own ability. Lamentations 5.21 says, Turn
thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned. Renew our
days as of old. John saw Him. Who did he see? Well, he had a name, John said,
written that no man knew but himself. Here's the substitute. How do you know that he was speaking
of having a name that no man knew but himself? Because John
said he was clothed with 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 all those that he had smitten
gently in mercy and grace spoke to them, conquered them in power. He shall rule them." He'll shepherd
them with a scepter of strength. And on the other hand, he treadeth
the winepress of the fierceness and the wrath of Almighty God. This is who He is, God Himself.