We thank you, Lord, for having kept us
on all our ways till this day of
today.
And we ask you, Lord Jesus, to be
with us, that your holy name would be
glorified, and that you would be sanctified amongst
us.
Amen.
We will read the Lord's word out of
the book of Revelations.
Chapter 19,
verse 11.
After that I saw heaven opened, and behold,
a white horse appeared, and behold, the one
who was riding it is called Faithful and
True, and he passes judgment and wages war
in righteousness and holiness.
His eyes, like a flame of fire, and
on his head are many kingly crowns, and
he has a title inscribed which he alone
knows.
He is dressed in a robe dyed by
dipping in blood, and the title by which
he is called is the word of God.
And the troops of heaven, clothed in fine
linen, dazzling and clean, followed him on white
horses.
And he will shepherd and control them with
a staff of iron, and he will trade
the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath
and indignation of God the Almighty, the Omnipotent.
And on his garment and on his thigh
he has a name inscribed, King of Kings
and Lord of Lords.
We will stop there.
The God's mystery and the Bible's mystery is
an amazing thing.
Last night when I spoke to the distributors,
I said the Bible is a marvelous book
because it starts with, in the beginning, God.
Now in Hebrew, that word in the beginning
is an amazing word.
We are used to saying in the beginning,
God created heaven and earth, and that we
tend to think of the creation and his
creating the world.
And the emphasis seems to be on the
creation that he created.
In the meantime, in the beginning has an
astounding meaning.
In the beginning, in Hebrew means, he's the
first in time, position, order, rank,
whatever it may be.
He's the first and will always be the
first in everything.
And this man who is, or this being,
who is the first in rank, in order,
in position, he created heaven and earth.
I told them when I got to Basis
Abantu, I didn't look for water, I didn't
look for milk, I didn't look for these
projects.
I came with one aim, to seek God.
God.
And those who were together with me at
that time, were also of that mind, of
being of one heart, united, seeking nothing else
besides God.
But then if projects are started and work
is done, that is the gift of the
Lord.
And I pray that if you don't do
that, that this place will spit you out.
We've got no place for people that don't
want God with all their heart.
And if he's blessed you, that you still
seek him, like Abraham.
He had a son, and God said, let
me test him, whether his heart is with
his son or still with me.
And he said, you slaughter, you sacrifice a
son.
He could have said, oh God, I can't,
this is my only son.
But God said, so that he did it.
And then God said, alright.
And the past has proved that parents that
don't seek God with all their heart, where
the children become idols, they can't stay here
any longer.
They leave.
This is a place for people who put
God in the beginning, according to the Hebrew
language.
This is a place for people
who put
God in the beginning, according to
the Hebrew language.
Jesus needs to be my disciple and doesn't
hate father, mother, child, even his own life,
cannot be my disciple.
Jesus needs to be in the beginning.
Yesterday I related to the people of Swiss
Air.
You know, the Swiss people are very precise
and like things to run precisely.
And their planes were also flying very well.
It was going well.
Very time, yes.
Everything was neat and tidy, going well.
And the previous manager of the airlines, he
was pensioned.
He was a believer, a God-fearing man.
He was at all times and venues, he
would bring in God and talk about Him.
And even when he felt well, he was
thanking God.
And then someone else took his position.
And when the old man had left, The
new director, when he came in, he says,
Well, now we are free, we are tired
of all this God talk.
Now we can act as we think and
like how things should go.
And it only was ten years after that,
that Swiss Air was bankrupt.
I've seen Swiss people crying, crying, shedding tears.
It was part and parcel for them, after
ten years, bankrupt.
Because the new manager thought he could do
it, and not God.
That's what happened.
You remember, just a year or two ago,
they were bankrupt.
A few years ago, there was a Frenchman
who wondered why America was so prosperous.
And so he was going to investigate, to
try and find the secret of their success.
What is it that makes America work?
I'm telling you, I'm telling you, I'm telling
you, I'm telling you, I'm telling you, I'm
telling you, I'm telling you, I'm telling you,
I'm telling you, I'm telling you, I'm telling
you, I'm telling you, I'm telling you, I'm
telling you, I'm telling you, I'm telling you,
I'm telling you, I'm telling you, I'm telling
you, I'm telling you, I'm telling you, I'm
telling you, I'm telling you, I'm telling you,
I'm telling you, I'm telling you, I'm telling
you, I'm telling you, I'm telling you, I'm
telling you, I'm telling you, I'm telling you,
I'm telling you, I'm telling you, I'm telling
you, I'm telling you, I'm telling you, I'm
telling you, I'm telling you, I'm telling you,
I'm telling you, I'm telling you, I'm telling
you, I'm telling you, I am.
So he entered into the American homes and
when he was so to say greeted by
a Bible in every home and building he
entered into.
And so he came to the conclusion and
said that America is blessed because of the
Bible likewise England was blessed because of the
Bible, but because the Bible is not adhered
to anymore.
It's insignificant That's why we things see things
going down in every nation that pushes the
Bible Aside we see that it fades just
becomes a fake and there's no power left
in there in those people But in God
we trust And even on the notes they
and the money they have written in God
we trust And
even on some of our coins previously we
had emblems which signified For instance one which
had two birds on it signifying those That
the Lord said he will care even he
cares for the birds But now that has
been pushed aside and the truth of the
matter is in our country God is being
pushed aside, but there won't be any bright
future for anybody who pushes God aside Here
we find something amazing.
John relates that he saw the heavens opened
He saw it open And
behold a white horse that came down from
heaven to earth And the one
riding it is called faithful and true and
he passes judgment and wages war in righteousness
And so it is Jesus himself who is
riding this horse Whatever
you might be here on this world whether
you're an atheist or a beast or whatever
Above all things is this one who is
the faithful one who is riding a white
horse He
is called faithful and true just look at
the unfaithfulness of people But he is the
one who is and remains faithful A
white horse signifying purity cleanliness Comes
down to wage war here on earth Doing
it in righteousness He entered into Jerusalem riding
a cult of a donkey And a donkey
signifies peace But
here he comes riding a horse, a horse
denoting get ready to wage war going into
battle And
even we Christians are instructed to fight the
good fight of faith Believing is getting ready
for war to battle But it is the
good fight And
they are not involved in this good battle,
good fight It is a battle
against sin, against the wrong Someone can fight
against the wrong in other children's lives but
in his own children's lives he won't recognize
the wrong The
good fight of faith is the good fight
of the people Here we hear of Jesus
coming down from heaven on a white horse
Getting ready to pass judgment Not yet the
judgment day, indeed that is coming but now
he was preparing to wage a war in
righteousness He
comes
as a judge and as we see the
different sicknesses and diseases We see and know
of AIDS, that a person who does the
wrong he has got to pay consequences of
it And now we see how he now
comes with his judgment and a person has
got to suffer because of it In actual
fact I didn't mention AIDS, I said sicknesses
But that includes AIDS as well but there
are other AIDS as well He judges in
righteousness He
comes and judges in righteousness, not through human
righteousness or through man's eyes but know that
heavenly righteousness And his eyes are like flames
of fire And on his head are many
crowns He has a name inscribed which he
alone knows He is dressed
in a robe which is dyed by dipping
in blood and the title by which he
is called is the word of God An
artist could paint a picture for us He
comes down from heaven on this white horse
with his judgment He comes with his righteousness
and if you don't accept him, if you
want to ignore him, well he is coming
and he is coming with his righteousness His
robe is dyed with dipping in blood Which
signifies that he came down and died for
us and that he bought us with his
blood And
the troops of heaven clothed in fine linen,
dazzling and clean, followed him on white horses
And the troops of heaven, he is called
the God and the Lord The God of
the congregations and if he comes down to
wage war then these troops of heaven say
we won't leave him alone, we are going
with him And if he comes down to
wage war then these troops
of heaven say we
won't leave
him
alone, we are going with him Jesus spoke
about those who don't stand to the Lord's
side, who keep their swords from shedding of
blood But no, when Jesus does something we
need to stand to his side His
troops were on their white horses, they were
like him, what kind of a horse are
you riding?
Is it clean?
Is it sanctified?
Is it holy?
Is that what your life is like?
Is it holy?
Is that what your life is like?
These were dressed in fine linen, dazzling and
clean.
What are we dressed in?
Is it maybe the blood of this world?
The taste, the fashion of this world?
What are we dressing ourselves in?
And one day I already wondered whether I
need to speak to the parents how they
ought to dress their children and their daughters
Or maybe to the husbands, how their wives
should be dressed, but amazing that I should,
as a man, should need to teach you
that Not that we take the style of
this world where we show every curve and
corner of the body, but that a person
should be dressed modestly and respectfully We should
dress modestly and respectfully.
We
should
dress modestly and respectfully.
We should dress modestly and respectfully.
We
should
dress
modestly and respectfully.
We should dress modestly and respectfully.
So respectful.
That was somebody who was an unbeliever pointing
to somebody who was dressed so respectfully.
Clothed in fine linen, dazzling and clean, a
cleansed robe.
From his mouth goes forth a sharp sword
with which he can smite the nations.
And he will control them with a staff
of iron.
He comes with a rod of iron to
rule, so he is forcing the people, even
if they don't wish to, he is forcing
them with his rod of iron.
And his name is the Word of God.
Some people claim that we are very legalistic,
well then come to me and show me
what command or law we keep, which is
not found in the Bible.
We are free.
We are a free congregation, but if you
want to follow after sin, well then probably
you won't feel very at home here, but
we want to stand on the side and
to the side of the one who is
the Word of God, whose name is the
Word of God.
And on his robe and on his tie
he has a name inscribed, King of Kings
and Lord of Lords.
Amazingly, even if there are wars fought and
if things in the world go wrong, but
yet he stands and his word stands.
And in the Second World War, remember how
Hitler conquered one nation after the other, and
after they had taken over a huge piece,
then they had a great feast, a feast
of victory.
But what did that help?
Just after a few years they were conquered
and defeated.
He just won a few battles, but he
didn't win the war.
And there can be people who rejoice over
this and they dance over this and that
victory.
There can be many victories fought and maybe
people will say, well there is such a
turmoil even that battles and wages over Sizabantu.
Well, that times also go past, but if
we stand true to this one, to our
victor, our Lord, we will be standing and
victorious through it all.
The war may seem as if you've lost
a battle, but what is it?
You haven't lost the war.
The English, others, the French lost many battles,
but they won the war.
And we can't but lose, even if the
devil makes a feast and says, well, we've
won.
You haven't won.
The man who comes down from heaven on
that white horse with those flames of eyes.
He who is the word, he is the
victor, he is the judge and he'll come
and judge the nations and the people in
righteousness.
And sometimes I would think it's not only
the blood which he shed that was sprinkled
on his robe.
Maybe it's the blood of his enemies.
Your blood, if you're not on his side.
Like the blood of Jezebel in the Bible,
the harlot wanted just to attract men.
She dressed as she liked.
She used make-up as she liked.
She looked out of the window when men
passed by.
Her eyes followed men.
But what was at the last, she was
thrown down before the chariot and her blood
sprinkled against the wall and the dogs came
and ate her.
So we thank God, we who are on
his side, who are part of his victory.
And he has got a name which no
one knows.
But one day in eternity we will probably
know what that name is.
When he'll reveal that name to us, nobody
has heard it, nobody knows it, but he
knows that precious name.
And how precious it will be to us
who are faithful to him and fight the
good fight in righteousness right to the end.
Let us bow our heads.
We thank you Lord that we are able
to hear your word.
Even if things seem so evil and we
have people who are lawless.
For we know at any time the heaven
can open and that you can come down
on your white horse and you will come
with your judgment and even go into the
homes and there exercise your judgment.
And you will come down, you have got
the eyes that are like flames of fire
that can see even at night the things
that are done in darkness or behind closed
doors.
You will come and you will bring your
judgment.
We thank you Lord that you are the
one who is above all, the almighty.
And we pray Lord that as you are
riding that white horse that the horse that
we are riding will also be holy, sanctified
and cleansed that even our very garments that
we wear will testify to that.