“Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:15-16).
Roman soldiers of the New Testament era typically employed two different types of swords. The first was a 9-inch (23 cm) dagger. This was effective for use in hand-to-hand combat, or as a practical tool for various tasks. The second was a 2-foot long (61 cm) sword carried in a sheath. This was a deadly and intimidating weapon, and a soldier who brandished it was someone who was prepared to inflict serious harm.
This second type of sword is in view here in Revelation 19:15. As mentioned earlier, this is one of five separate references from the book of Revelation that links Jesus with a sword that is sharp and/or double-edged (the others are Revelation 1:16, 2:12, 2:16, and 19:21). And just as we saw in Jesus’ earlier message to the church at Pergamum, this sword emerges from His mouth. So what is the link between this formidable sword and its location? Well, this reference might make better sense if we expand our focus to include our interactions with others.
For instance, have you ever been injured by the words that were spoken by someone else? Have you ever been cut by another person’s remarks? Those experiences remind us that the things others say may sometimes produce a harmful effect. With this in mind, we might consider the function of this sword and its impact upon others. Is it possible that Christ will subdue His enemies merely with a spoken word?
Consider the following Biblical references and their potential relationship to this passage…
“And take… the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17).
“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
Finally, we might also consider the well-known creation account from Genesis chapter one. There, the phrase “God said“ appears eight times in conjunction with God’s creative work. Thus, we should consider the possibility that the same divine power that brought creation into existence may also dismantle portions of it as well.
Image Attribution (1): Michel wal, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Image Attribution (2): No machine-readable author provided. Rama assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons