An Eye for Justice
Read Time: 2 min
Eagles have some of the best vision in the animal kingdom. These creatures can see four to eight times better than a person with 20/20 vision. An eagle’s color resolution and clarity are so sharp that it can spot a rabbit two miles away.
Christ is described here with “His eyes” being “like a flame of fire.” While fire in the eyes can describe anger, this emphasizes Jesus going forth in judgment—nothing escapes His eyes. The Bible explains, “There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13).
The “many crowns” affirm the supreme leadership or victories of Jesus, and the name “that no one knew except Himself” reminds us that there are qualities of God that we do not (and may never) fully understand. But why would our Lord wear “a robe dipped in blood”?
Some believe this indicates Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself on Calvary or perhaps the blood of His enemies. Another valid view is that Christ comes like a warrior with a reminder of the martyrs whose blood has cried, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (Revelation 6:10).
We know this rider on a white horse is Jesus because “His name is called The Word of God.” That’s a callback to John’s epistle (the same John who wrote Revelation), which said, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).
Christ does not bring a ragtag army full of dissidents and lawbreakers. The angelic army is pure, “clothed in fine linen, white and clean.” We, too, can be part of God’s army when we take on the righteousness of Jesus.
Heavenly Father, please come and bring justice to this earth. Please make right all the wrongs that have been placed on Your people.
For Further Study: Isaiah 63:1–4; Daniel 10:6; Revelation 1:14; 2:18
Key Bible Texts
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. (Revelation 19:12 KJV)