Revelation 19
“In Revelation 16, John was shown the pouring forth of the final seven bowls which contained God’s wrath. At the pouring of the seventh bowl, God’s voice was heard from the Temple[5.2.73] saying, “It is done!” (Rev. 16:17). Even though judgment is said to be complete at the pouring of the final bowl, we saw that several more chapters were still ahead before the kingdom of God finally arrives on earth and Satan is bound in preparation for the Millennial Kingdom[5.2.39] to follow (Rev. 20:1-3). Revelation 17, 18, and 19 provide additional background concerning the judgment of Babylon and the overthrow of the kingdoms of man in favor of the kingdom of God and His Christ (Rev. 11:15).” (Garland’s Commentary)
1 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: 2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. 3 And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.
After these things: 18:1-4 covers things dealing with Babylon’s judgement and the command for God’s people to come out of her. This vision concludes the eschatological judgement of God and then moves on into the Millenial kingdom of our Lord.
There are a lot of aspects to ‘salvation’: here it is dealing with a salvation from Babylon…finally! And, also, the aspect of a soul’s salvation with Jesus Christ finally reigning not just in the hearts of man, but physically on Earth also!
The ‘great whore’ is most likely the religious entity involving ancient Babylon’s pagan belief system married up with Christianity in the form of the Roman Catholic Church, along with modern day liberal Ecumenicism. It is quite the monster; very nasty; an ugly thing! She has corrupted all of Christendom and all over the whole earth. She has tortured and murdered the Lord’s servants (true Christians) for many centuries.
“Alleluia” is a Greek transliterated term which means “Praise, Jehovah”!
4 And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. 5 And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. 6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Twenty four elders: 12 apostles and 12 sons of Jacob?
Four Beasts: Probably the Cherubim with 6 wings, eyes, 4 faces, and the wheels
Will we be here at this throne? “All ye his servants”…”the great multitude”?
This probably refers to the “General Assembly” of Hebrews 12 which is a vast majority of those in Heaven, that come from many nations (waters) (further explanation is given in verse 7).
7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
This great multitude is different than the ‘wife’ here. The multitude were declaring this great ‘alleluia’ about this coming marriage! They were excited about it! They were talking about some other group…the bride, the Lamb’s wife.
The espousal began when Jesus Christ (Groom) paid the dowry (His blood/death); since then the church (bride/wife) was to be preparing herself for the marriage ceremony; and the Groom is preparing her home in Heaven (My Father’s House, many mansions, the New Jerusalem); the procession or escorting will occur right after the Judgement Seat of Christ, and the consummation will take place; then the Marriage Supper of the Lamb celebration will begin for days, months, years….?
It may very well be, by the timing of this proclamation, that this event occurs near the end of the 7 year Tribulation. It may be that the Judgement Seat takes years to accomplish, and then the festivities can begin.
The Lamb’s wife (currently known as His churches) has had about 2000 years to get ready for this wedding! Each church has a good number of years to prepare the members. Purity, devotion, and obedience are key in preparing for this. How ready is this Bride (our church)?!
8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
What does a Bride wear to the wedding? A beautiful white wedding gown. Do the invited guests wear a wedding gown? No! There is a difference here. She, and she alone, was ‘granted’ this priviledge.
The wife, the Lord’s churches collectively, would be the only ones (apparently) that would be allowed to be arrayed in this clean, white, fine linen robe. The others in the great multitude (the General Assembly; the non-Bride NT saints, and, potentially O.T. saints) will not be granted this.
How “clean, white and fine” you are is how righteous you were. It is the righteousness of the “saints”, not Christ’s imputed righteousness. So, just how clean, white, and fine might you be dear church member? Do you qualify to be in the Bride of Christ?! Don’t just figure you are good to go by being a member on paper of this church. It is very dependent upon your personal righteousness! I believe that only those that were truly in the Bride (faithful, righteous members of one of the Lord’s true churches) will be granted the priviledge of wearing the clean, white, fine linen wedding gown.
9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
It will indeed be so ‘blessed’ to be called (invited) to this upcoming grand feast of the Lord Jesus Christ’s. A major aspect of the marriage festivities will be this supper (feast). It is the Lamb’s supper; He and His family (God the Father) are ‘putting on this grand event’; the supper is for Him and of course His newlywed Bride. It is hosted by His Father.
Jewish custom had only a few invited to the actual wedding ceremony: the immediate families and very close friends.
However, many more were invited to the marriage feast, to celebrate the marriage of the son.
It is universally accepted that a Bride does not need an invitation to her own wedding. She is the one sending out invitiations!
If all of the saved of all time would be at this Marriage Supper, no invitation (call) would be needed. Thus, I believe that not every ‘saved’ person will be allowed to enter into the wedding ceremony and supper. Furthermore, why is there so much emphasis put on being called (invited) and how blessed it is? It is because not everyone going to heaven will be allowed in to this event. If the guests will be so ‘blessed’, just think how incredibly blessed the Bride herself will be!
10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
We are not to worship anyone or thing other than God Almighty; we are definitely not to worship saints or angels!
This is probably a fellow Jew that was in Heaven explaining this to him; but the most recent antecedent is that of a mighty angel in 18:21. Prophecy is all based on the words and will of Jesus Christ; worship the One whom these words come from.
11 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. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
The phrase “I saw heaven opened” surely has some significant meaning. I believe it is speaking of the 2nd Coming. This is somewhat similar to the door being opened in 4:1, referring most likely to the Rapture. Now, as time moves on past the Marriage Supper and all the festivities in Heaven during the Tribulation, it is time for the 2nd Coming of Messiah; right at the end of the 7 year Tribulation.
Will King Jesus ride on a real horse? Is ‘horse’ referring to some hi-tech vehicle (space ship)? Jesus Christ is coming back first to judge and make war.
How does the beloved Saviour of the World look right now, and potentially for evermore? Chapter 19 describes Jesus’ 2nd Coming with Him having eyes as a flame of fire, many crowns on head, bloody robe…not the typical view that one would have of Jesus…
The crowns may symbolically represent His being the King of kings; the king of all nations.
The vesture dipped in blood may be representing His shed blood on the cross; or it actual occurs as a result of His slaying the millions on the Earth. The word ‘dipped’ is from the root of ‘baptidzo’ and thus seems to be a purposeful dipping…i.e. dipping the robe in His own blood that is kept in the Holy of Holies in the third Heaven!
However, consider the following – Isa 63:1 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
What have we learned about who wears this type of clothing? The Lord’s Wife. We also know that all holy angels appear this way too. And, it appears that Tribulational martyrs will wear this also. These may be the only ones who make up this army at that time. They are all riding white horses also. “And here we have the fulfilment of the prophecy of Enoch, the seventh from Adam, recorded in Jude 1:14 ‘Behold, the Lord cometh with 10,000’s of His saints.’ (Larkin)
This sharp sword must be the Word of God; all that The Word of God needs to do is to speak a word, and it happens! He will speak and there will be destruction. He may say “Cities of the earth, Be Destroyed”!
Rod – sceptre of rulership; Jesus Christ will rule from the Temple in Jerusalem for 1000 years. What He says will go; though, some will outwardly obey but will inwardly rebel.
Contrast with the Rapture where there are no white horses, no armies following Him, and no ruling the nations.
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
At this 2nd Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, this angel will appear with the sun as a backdrop; or, maybe there is some astronomical changes that this is referencing. This angel will order all the flesh eating birds in the world to assemble to eat the flesh of the fallen of the armies fighting in the Battle of Armageddon. This ‘supper of the great God’ is totally opposite that of the Marriage supper. There will be millions here at this battle. Interestingly, there are horses; and it appears that it is not a symbolic term for some type of transportation entity (i.e. jeep, humvee), because it has ‘flesh’. Maybe all the standard warfare vehicles are destroyed already and all that’s left are horses.
19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
The AntiChrist and the armies he has gathered have a truly futile goal in mind; to fight against Jesus Christ. But, also, they are going to fight against…You and me! Are you ready for that?! Will we fight against them, or will it just be Jesus’ words going forth?!…. Verse 21 may answer that for us.
Is this speaking of Armageddon? What other great battle is there at the end of the Tribulation?
The AntiChrist and the False Prophet are the first to go into this Lake of Fire; this is 1000 years before anyone else will go there!
The remnant, i.e. those of the armies of the Beast that are still alive, are now killed by the Word of God. And, there will be hords of millions of large birds flying overhead waiting for the great bloody meal!!!!