And I saw and behold a white horse, and he that sat on him had a bow, and a crown was given unto him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer. Revelation 6:2
During the recent winter Olympics, I would sometimes watch some of the action from the games, especially action involving Canadian teams or athletes. On one occasion, I watched the final game in women’s hockey, as Canada played against the United States for the gold medal. As I watched, I had no doubt that the Canadians would win. Even when the Americans were leading 2-0, even when the Americans almost scored into an empty net with less than two minutes to play, I had no worries at all. And it was not just because the Canadian women always defeat the American women in the Olympics. It was because I was watching a replay of a game that had been played several hours earlier, and I knew that the Canadians had won. When it comes to the great struggle between good and evil, between the Lord Jesus and the devil, between us and the forces of darkness, we know who is going to win, just as surely as if we were watching a replay.
The rider on the white horse is going forth to conquer. Our text does not say he is going forth to battle or to challenge the enemy. No, there is no doubt as to the outcome. This reminds us that there is no doubt as to the outcome in everything that God has done for us: our salvation, our victorious Christian life, and our entry into eternal rejoicing. Our salvation comes with the assurance that as undeserving sinners, we can rest on the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross. The dreadful knowledge that our sins deserve punishment is replaced with the joyful knowledge that the punishment has been burn by the Saviour and we are free. Based on the Word of God, our salvation is a great conquest over our fears and the great peril of being forever lost.
As Christians, we sometimes experience battles in which we take a beating. We allow our weaknesses to cause us to stumble and stray. But despite our weaknesses, God offers us victory every day. He has given to us all the resources to claim that victory. The Holy Spirit dwells within to enable us. The Word of God is available to feed and develop us. The Lord’s people are at hand to support and encourage us. In the face of all the enemies that encounter us, God gives us the means to conquer those enemies.
The final victory for each child of God is our entry into His presence. Once barred by sin and rebellion, we will find ourselves welcomed and embraced by the Saviour Who made our reception possible. Into that place where sin can never enter, we will find ourselves entering with rejoicing and great victory.
In our salvation, the Lord Jesus has conquered the penalty of our sin. In His daily preservation, the Lord Jesus is conquering the power of our sin. In the Glory, the Lord Jesus will forever conquer the very presence of our sin. -Jim MacIntosh