v.10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
John is so overcome with emotion that such great scenes are indeed “the true sayings of God” he wrongly feels the compulsion to worship the angel escorting him and is immediately reminded that only God should be worshiped. He will make the same mistake again (Rev.22:8-9).
“For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” True prophecy always surrounds Jesus Christ. Even the Revelation, despite its awesome and wondrous truths about future events, serves no other purpose than to rouse the hearer closer to Christ.
v.11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
John’s attention is now drawn to the open doors of heaven and beholds the Lord Jesus Christ coming in great glory with the armies of heaven.
“And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True.” These names define the nature of Jesus. For He is Faithful to keep His promises, He is True to His Word, and His Word is true.
“And in righteousness He judges and makes war.” The war speaks of the final stage of Armageddon wherein Jesus will battle against and destroy the armies of Antichrist (see notes—14:14-20).
“His eyes were like a flame of fire.” This speaks of the ability God has to see everything and miss nothing. The Bible says, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight, but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do” (Heb.4:13).
“And on His head were many crowns.” There are two Greek words used in the Revelation for “crown.” One is “Stephanos” (signifying royalty) used in connection with the Church (Rev.2:10; 3:11), the twenty-four elders (Rev.4:4, 10), Israel (Rev.12:1), Jesus Christ (Rev.14:14), the locust-demons (Rev.9:7), and the Antichrist (Rev.6:2). The other is “diadem” (meaning “as bound about the head”) which speaks of a crown meant to signify something less than royalty. It’s used in connection with seven worldly kingdoms and the ten yet-future kings that make up the heads and horns of the image of the beast (Rev.12:3; 13:1).
In this case, Jesus will be wearing many “diadems” at His Return. That is, He will wear the crowns associated with the kingdoms of man. Why, because as King triumphant, Jesus is showing Himself as the King of Kings against whom neither man nor kingdom can stand.
“He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.” For reasons known only to Him, Jesus will bear a name unutterable and unintelligible to others.
“He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood.” This is the blood of His enemies. For Jesus will severely judge and destroy their armies at Armageddon (see—Rev.16:21; Isa.63:1-4).
“And His name is called The Word of God.” This name has been His from the beginning (John 1:1, 14).
“And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.” These armies in heaven are the believers the Bible has long told will join with Christ in His Second Coming. (Check—Jude 14-15).