Revelation Rider Will Return

At Crystal Sea Books we want to show that Christians can glorify God in a wide variety of ways including ways that are often used by Satan and the world in ungodly ways – such as music. We don’t have to settle for the world’s music of desperation and despair. Romans 8: 37 tells us that we are “more than conquerors through Christ who loved us.” So, part of what we are doing in this Bible in Song series is to illustrate that our minds can be elevated and God can be glorified if we put God first in our lives. And we think that the song, Revelation Rider by Crystal Sea, does that.

The original thought behind Revelation Rider was a super-simple one. In some Christian traditions, as a part of the service the church will recite what is often called “the mystery of faith.” The mystery of faith usually involves reciting the short declaration, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." This is sort of a shorthand way of proclaiming the mystery of Jesus’ death, resurrection, and future second coming. The term ‘mystery’ in the New Testament often refers to truths once hidden but now revealed in Christ. It encompasses God’s redemptive plan from the beginning, the Person of Jesus as fully God and fully man, and the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing about salvation. In this context, the ‘mystery’ does not suggest something permanently unknowable. Rather, it points to a divine truth that could not be understood unless God Himself revealed it - namely, that salvation and reconciliation to God have been accomplished through Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.

Without Christ’s death and resurrection there would not be a Christian faith. Additionally, the promise of Christ’s return tells us something supremely important – that our lives on this earth have a purpose. The promise of Christ’s return tells us that Jesus had a plan and a purpose for the earth – and us – before, as the scripture puts it, “the foundation of the earth.” It doesn’t take much observation to tell us that the world we live in is pretty messed up – that we live in a “fallen creation.” So, if all we could do is look about ourselves and see the crime, poverty, pollution, and desperation that is so evident it would be easy to become fatalistic, throw up our hands, and say, “what’s the point?” But Christ does not leave us in that condition.

Christ came the first time to fulfill the covenant of works that Adam failed and to fulfill the covenant of grace that makes it possible for his children to look forward to an eternity of bliss in heaven.

Christ’s first coming began the final stage of God’s plan of reconciliation. But the fact that Christ is coming again tells us that God is steering all human history toward a specified end that he has wisely determined. And that he will usher in that final end as the Revelation Rider. The book of Revelation is the final book of the Bible. And, fittingly, Revelation describes the end of this phase of history before God brings about the new heavens and new earth in which we will spend eternity. Revelation Rider’s song title is from Revelation 19:11-14 which say:

“Then I saw heaven open, and there was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True; it is with justice that he judges and fights his battles. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and he wore many crowns on his head. He had a name written on him, but no one except himself knows what it is. The robe he wore was covered with blood. His name is ‘The Word of God.’ The armies of heaven followed him, riding on white horses and dressed in clean white linen.”

There is no doubt that this rider is Jesus because the Apostle John who wrote Revelation also wrote John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

“’Listen!’ says Jesus. ‘I am coming soon! I will bring my rewards with me, to give to each one according to what he has done. I am the first and the last, the beginning and the end.’” Revelation 22: 12-13

 Jesus tells us that he is coming back and a significant reason for his return to give rewards to those who deserve them – that he is going to give “to each one according to what he has done.” This is a tremendous statement in general, but it's an especially powerful statement about why we are all here. This scene in heaven tells us that God had a plan and purpose for creating this heavens and earth and that we all have a role to play. Our lives have meaning because we are all part of God’s greater purpose. The fact that Jesus is coming again as the Revelation Rider reminds us that we are not cosmic accidents contrary to what the world tells us today. Christ’s certain return gives us a solid reason for having hope about our meaning in this universe.

As the chorus of Revelation Rider declares:

“Do you yearn for victory in a life full of woe? Then turn to the Light who conquers every foe. He rides a charging steed, carries a flaming sword, the immaculate, incarnate, all conquering Lord.”

We can have hope in this life because anyone can turn to Jesus at any time. The Bible gives us hope through a faith that is grounded on the solid rock of God’s promises – promises that we can validate because we are assured that the Bible passes the test of being the inspired word of an almighty, everlasting God. His plans are ever unfolding, revealing his love and power.

Excerpt from Revelation Rider Pt 2, Anchored by Truth.

Listen to the entire podcast on our page, Anchored Podcasts.