Revelation 19:11

The heaven opened (ton ouranon hnewigmenon). Perfect passive participle (triple reduplication) of anoigw. Accusative case after eidon. So Ezekiel ( Revelation 1:1 ) begins his prophecy. See also the baptism of Jesus ( Matthew 3:16 ; Luke 3:21 , but scizomenou in Mark 1:10 ). Jesus predicted the opened heavens to Nathanael ( John 1:51 ). In Revelation 4:1 a door is opened in heaven, the sanctuary is opened ( Revelation 11:19 ; Revelation 15:5 ), angels come out of heaven ( Revelation 10:1 ; Revelation 14:17 ; Revelation 18:1 ), and sounds come from heaven ( Revelation 19:1 ). Behold, a white horse (idou ippo leuko). Nominative case because of idou, not eidon. Cf. Revelation 6:2 for ippo leuko. The emblem of victory in both cases, but the riders are very different. Here it is the Messiah who is the Warrior, as is made plain by "Faithful and True" (pisto kai alhqino), epithets already applied to Christ ( Revelation 1:5 ; Revelation 3:7 Revelation 3:14 ). Cf. also Revelation 22:6 . In righteousness he doth judge and make war (en dikaiosunh krinei kai polemei). See Isaiah 11:3 . The Messiah is both Judge and Warrior, but he does both in righteousness ( Isaiah 15:3 ; Isaiah 16:5 Isaiah 16:7 ; Isaiah 19:2 ). He passes judgment on the beast (antichrist) and makes war on him. Satan had offered Christ a victory of compromise which was rejected.