Revelation 19:11; Behold a White Horse, and He that Sat Upon Him

Revelation 19:11 (KJV)  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 

The white horse in an earlier vision had a rider who was quite different from this one (Revelation 6:2).

Revelation 6:2 (KJV)  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. 

The subsequent description assures that this warrior is none other than the Messiah. This time, white is a symbol of final victory, the one realised when Christ actively exerts the authority that is rightfully His (Kiddle, Ladd). At His first coming, He sat on a donkey, (Matthew 21:4-7), but in the day of His ultimate triumph He will sit on a white horse.

Matthew 21:4-7 (KJV)  All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 

After the white horse, John saw the one that sat upon him. In the future Christ will come as a Warrior-Prince instead of as a Lamb (Kiddle), the commander-in-chief of the host of heaven (cf. John 5:14) (Swete).

John 5:14 (KJV)  Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

“Faithful and true” is the title applied to the rider. “True” carries the connotation of correspondence to reality though it sometimes conveys that of reliability. Some prefer the latter meaning here (Ladd, Mounce, Ford), but the idea of “real” in this instance provides a better complement to “faithful”, which in itself carries the force of “trustworthy”. He is trustworthy in fulfilling His promises and is the true Messiah announced in the ancient (cf. Revelation 3:7, 14).

Revelation 3:7 (KJV)  And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

Revelation 3:14 (KJV)  And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

The same two adjectives describe the words of the one on the throne in Revelation 21:5 and of the angel-guide in Revelation 22:6. This is the first of the several titles in v11-16, a number of which occur earlier in the book, that specify the rider’s identity to be Jesus Christ.

Revelation 21:5 (KJV)  And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 

Revelation 22:6 (KJV)  And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. 

[Robert L. Thomas, Revelation 8-22 – An Exegetical Commentary, Moody, 382-383]