We begin the description of the conquering Christ. It is energised for weal or for woe." They had cried to the Sovereign ruler to avenge their blood on their foes, but they were told they must wait a little for some others, their fellow-servants and their brethren, to die as they had. When Christ at God's right hand was announced, even from the very beginning, He was ready to judge the quick and the dead. The closing phrase here is the description of the beast in its last state, in which it will come into collision with Babylon. It means here that his enemies would be certainly crushed before him - as grapes are crushed under the feet of him that treads in the winevat. And Jesus sits on the great white throne. 4:6). I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright the morning star. article Rapture). And I saw the beast [that is the antichrist], and the kings of the earth [which have been drawn by the demonic forces], and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army ( Revelation 19:18-19 ). We shall find that the scripture affords much light to decide the true bearing of the prophecy, and that no application to the past can possibly satisfy the conditions satisfactorily. The mighty angel. . The race was now in the resurrection state either for good or for evil; and thus it must be for ever. shed by them. Although there is such a levelling of human distinctions, and men have to do directly with God that is men raised from the dead or in their changed condition we still see the holy Jerusalem "the holy city, new Jerusalem," separate from the rest of those that fill the new heaven and earth. In any event, the name singles him out as the greatest of all rulers, the only true divine One and the universal King. All believers in "Behold I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book." Satan will bring forth an empire suited to his purposes, as it springs from Satanic principles which deny God; and this is part of what appears to be meant by the beast ascending out of the bottomless pit. But there is a time coming when power will cease to be ordained of God; and this is the point to which the last condition of the beast refers. There are times when John sees the Lord himself. This is a mistake. "And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood." [Note: Lilje, p. Antichrist and his henchmen are cast into the lake of fire; and all their supporters are slain, to await in Sheol the final judgment. Yet grace despised necessarily ends in judgment. "And he had a name written, that no man knew but he himself." "I will betroth you to me for ever," Hosea hears God say, "I will betroth you to me in righteousness" ( Hosea 2:19-20). Babylon symbolized by its capital city of Babylon. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. There is only one other place in the New Testament where these two verbs (chairein, G5463, and agallian, G21) come together--in Jesus Christ's promise to the persecuted: "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven" ( Matthew 5:12). Instead of judgment being executed on them, it was given to them. 19:9-10a And he said to me: "Write! It is not a righteousness of works. "* There is no thought of making such a paradox to perplex the mind. Then we have a description of Babylon given. When Jews came over into Christianity, sometimes they brought this special reverence for the angels with them, forgetting that with the coming of Jesus no other intermediary between God and man can be necessary. From Revelation 4 through 19 we have a section mainly concerned with God's judgment upon the world preceding Jesus' earthly reign, the period known as the "Messianic Woes" or the "Great Tribulation." a. God's judgments are announced by a seven-sealed scroll, seven trumpets, seven signs, and seven bowls that pour out God's wrath. He spoke it into existence. This tells what Christ is depicted as doing in this scene. . The angelic host sings a second Hallelujah. They were shouting, ' Praise the Lord our God! The actual picture comes from Isaiah: "The streams of Edom shall be turned into pitch, and her soil into brimstone; her land shall become burning pitch. A mystery clearly points to something undiscoverable by the natural mind of man a secret that requires the distinct and fresh light of God to unravel, but which when revealed thus is plain enough. Old Testament prophecy and New Testament preaching is the gospel of the Lord Preparations and celebrations were much more The word used for sitting down is the word for reclining at a meal. There was a Jewish belief that no man could know the name of God until he had entered into the life of heaven. It is not now lightnings and thunders and voices. Though the divine vengeance will chiefly fall upon the beast, and the false prophet, yet it will be no excuse to those who fight under their banner that they only followed their leaders and obeyed their command; since they would fight for them, they must fall and perish with them. distinctions. I admit that there may be something more in the symbol than the literal hills of Rome, because they are said to be also seven kings. But it is what each saint has, though the blessed thought here is that the church has it not merely in the way of each person possessing his own; the bride has the whole of it (that is, the church in glory). If you His instructions are to praise God. 135:1; 146:1). The elders do show us the heavenly heads of priesthood (embracing, as I believe, the Old Testament saints and those of the New); i.e., they are not limited to the church, Christ's body. No marriage can last without fidelity, and the Christian must be as faithful to Jesus Christ as Jesus Christ is to him. He will tread the winepress of the anger of the wrath of God. - WG, and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty . I say "righteousnesses," not "righteousness." "Crowns and thrones may perish Kingdoms rise and wane But the Church of Jesus Constant will remain. THE TE DEUM OF THE REDEEMED ( Revelation 19:6-8 ). V. An invitation given to the fowls of heaven, that they should come and see the battle, and share in the spoil and pillage of the field (Revelation 19:17; Revelation 19:18), intimating that this great decisive engagement should leave the enemies of the church a feast for the birds of prey, and that all the world should have cause to rejoice in the issue of it. This chapter explains how it was that Babylon was so offensive to God, and wherefore He judged her thus sternly. It is entirely in His hand, and in none other's. He equally expresses what God is. And the marriage is the eternal First, there are his servants. * Even the Complutensian editors give the right text here; and it would seem that Erasmus failed to use his MS. aright. Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, And out of his mouth proceeded 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 of the wrath of God, the Almighty. Let others speculate, if they will: I am persuaded that he who essays to conceive the details is merely striving to draw a bow beyond the power of man. 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and, behold, a white horse, and he who is mounted on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. John's age knew all about the perversion of justice; no one could expect justice from a capricious heathen tyrant. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. He has a name known to no one but himself. Verse 7. He is coming to trample the wine vat. As far as the display of government goes, it is according to God morally, and for His glory, though I deny not for a moment that there are elements of evil which are never allowed, but kept under if not expelled. - Hebrews 4:12; a sharp sword . By the seat of his empire; and that is heaven; his throne is there, and his power and authority are heavenly and divine. Men have been beguiled here and there, and from an early date, to set aside the true bearing of this chapter. A loveless marriage is a contradiction in terms. I sometimes judge without having all the facts in hand, and so my judgments are often wrong. All the sufferers, either in the early persecutions of Revelation 6:1-17, or in the later persecutions (see Revelation 15:1-8) up to Babylon's extinction, were now raised from the dead. Isa_1.20; Isaiah 49:2; Isaiah 66:16; This is the weapon God uses to conquor the nations! "Praise our God," it said, "all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great.". I don't know exactly what He will say. I take it, therefore, that God intended this analogy to be noted by us; that it is not a pursuance of the prophecy, but a description of the holy city previously named, just as the other was a description of the corrupt city, whose judgment had been announced. When God is so gracious, His word rich, full, and deep, it does seem sad to see His children content with just enough to save their souls, or keep them from positive starvation. Revelation chapter 19 and 20 Unlike the kings of the earth who wage war in selfishness, "in righteousness He judges and makes war.". Religions tell you that you have to do certain things in order to please God. Our most difficult task here is to discover the picture behind the statement that the warrior Christ has the name King of kings and Lord of lords written on his robe and on his thigh. 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. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. It is a precisely similar case here. There will be here upon the earth millions of people who have gathered together to war against Him at His coming. Apart from his return to purge his creation of evil, redemption remains forever incomplete." In short, it is not tropical language, as when it is said of the prodigal son "This my son was dead, and is alive again;" or of the restoration of Israel, which is compared to a resurrection from the dead for the rest of the world. is a myth. But here there is neither; and this again is an evidence of gain, not of loss. The son is doubly guilty, because he saw his father's nakedness and felt it enough to hide. (This takes you to our other website), News Links, Recommended Books, News Sites, and Bibles only place in the Bible where the word "omnipotent" occurs. . The final supper will signify the end of the Revelation 19:1 "And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in But you can go ahead and do these things without pangs of conscience trying to destroy God out of our society, out of our lives. The horns have constantly opposed each other, and even sometimes the pope. Next comes the marriage of the Lamb to his bride. It is no longer a question either of celebrating the ways and counsels of God, or of the war with the beast and king. This verse declares it, and there is no other interpretation that can stand even a moment's fair discussion. This "great voice" here is The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. Christ will strike down His enemies with a word that His long, tongue-shaped sword (Gr. "Hallelujah!" sound like "mighty thunderings". We must perforce therefore look for a still more complete development before the Lamb judges the beast after the ten horns along with it shall have destroyed Babylon. I will give to him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. The voice that comes from the throne is most likely to be understood as the voice of one of the cherubim. Here it is the city described in itself, on which we need not now enlarge. Click here to download Revelation 19 Keynote presentation: https://www.icloud.com/keynote/0QVjw78Q9AXs9vyAJw9plQoww#Revelation_19Click here to download Revel. and believers alive in earthly bodies in the kingdom. The temple would suppose a medium. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as a voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth ( Revelation 19:6 ). STUDY NOTES--Revelation 19:11-16 --THE CONQUERING CHRIST. It is suggested that it is actually written on his thigh, because it was sometimes the custom to engrave the titles of statues on the thigh. Second, he says: "Let us rejoice and exult." It will never happen. He has condemned the great prostitute But when Christ and the church peacefully reign, such is the imagery that suits "a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. The account given of Babylon inRevelation 17:1-18; Revelation 17:1-18 does not follow Revelation 14:1-20 or Revelation 16:1-21 in point of prophetic time, but differs from them in structure. It is not complicated, just bare all to God. [Note: Ladd, pp. And though they are but a seed, a His equipage: he is again described as sitting on a white horse, to show the equity of the cause, and certainty of success. In short, one may be described as corruption, and the other as violence. But first, the first five verses show heaven's response to the judgment of the They are joined by the twenty-four elders (Revelation 4). We have already come upon two vast multitudes in heaven, the martyrs in Revelation 7:9 and the angels in Revelation 5:11. For it is clear that, though principles might reign, to be priests is quite inconsistent with a mere figure. Consequently they sat upon the thrones at once; while the two latter classes, described in the rest of the verse, were still in the separate state "and the souls." 5:10). Here we learn at once of what His train consists. As Dr. John Paterson puts it in The Book that is Alive: "The spoken word in Hebrew was fearfully alive. "Flesh and blood," we know, "cannot inherit the kingdom of God." The New Testament is the "last will and testament" of Jesus, and to It has been remarked by another, and justly, that the expression "they shall be priests of God and of Christ" summarily puts out of court the interpretation that supposes a figurative resurrection. They "lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.". The effect of these their praises: when the angels and saints cried Alleluia, her fire burned more fiercely and her smoke ascended for ever and ever, v. 3. This also is a no less important element for understanding the chapter. It is a simple picture, not to be taken with crude literalness, but simply saying very beautifully that in his kingdom all men will enjoy the bounty of God. Echoing an earlier rabbinic comment found in the commentary of Rashi to the Songs of Songs (4:5) Ginzberg explainedthere is also a great bond of union between the first five commandments and the last five. (i) John sees Christ as the conqueror. The fine linen the bride is clothed in represents the righteous acts of the worship before the angel (compare 1:17; 22:8). linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.". The "testimony of Jesus" is what the whole Bible is about. There. The cosmic drama is drawing to a close. The events that are described within its pages were written for us today. In the tabernacle in The Church, the Bride of Christ, is clothed in fine linen, pure and shining. The salvation of God should awaken the gratitude of man; the glory of God should awaken the reverence of man; the power of God is always exercised in the love of God and should, therefore, awaken the trust of man. In the Ascension of Isaiah ( Isaiah 9:5) there is a saying: "Thou canst not bear his name until thou shalt have ascended out of the body." for they are singing a song that includes mention of salvation. 19:13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is the Word of God. Finally they will destroy her. No. is a word to him that hears. Revelation 19:13; Revelation 14:8; Revelation 14:10; Revelation 14:19-20; Revelation 16:19; Isaiah 63:1-6). there is a son in the family, who, instead of being admonished by his father's wickedness, takes license from it to indulge the same. Be wise now therefore, O you kings, be instructed, you rulers of the earth; kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish from the way,Psalms 2:10; Psalms 2:12. Revelation 19:3 "And again they said, Alleluia. 4:17; see not. And yet in such times John calls God pantokrator ( G3841) . And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS ( Revelation 19:15-16 ). 22:2-14; John 3:29; 2 Cor. Do not wonder at the vast numbers, or at their defection. Now we find the symbol of the bride brought before us, and the elders and the living creatures disappear. And I saw heaven open, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True ( Revelation 19:11 ). Revelation 11:15-19. for the smoke from her rises for ever and ever. . After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Alleluia! We have seen that these follow the Lord out of heaven, and are next seen enthroned. Acts 10:25-26). There is nothing like the joy of loving and of being loved. These remain as yet in the condition of separate spirits. The same was in the beginning with God. . It is not the enjoyment of all, but it is the hinge on which all depends. What is the sword? God. That was Jesus looking forward to the great Messianic Banquet. "After these things I heard as it were a great voice of a great crowd in heaven, saying, Alleluia, the salvation, and the glory, and the power of our God: for true and righteous [are] his judgments: because he judged the great harlot, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. In Wisdom there is a description of the plagues in Egypt, and in particular of the slaying of the first-born sons of the Egyptians: "Thine Almighty Word leaped down from heaven out of thy royal throne, as a fierce man of war, into the midst of a land of destruction, and brought thine unfeigned commandment as a sharp sword, and standing up filled all things with death; and it touched the heaven, but it stood upon the earth" ( Wis_18:15-16 ). Verse 1. That religious system has an incomparably nearer connection with this mysterious harlot than anything we have yet spoken of. The so-called Battle of Armageddon, as usually conceived, is nothing but man's imagination. God said, "Light be," and light was. come (verse 15; 2:27; 12:5). He was a medical doctor there. With this agrees His coming out of heaven in judgment of the earth, described inRevelation 19:1-21; Revelation 19:1-21. There is a contrast with the scarlet and gold of the great harlot. And it was so. the Bible). Whereas for the Jew, there are necessary dates and momentous changes that must take place; and hence, as Daniel represents the Jew, we have the difference kept up. Revelation 18. The glorified saints are to administer power in a way far beyond angels. "It used to be that they put the grapes in the vat and then they would crush them with their feet. This is of great importance. And there shall in nowise enter into it anything that defileth, nor making abomination and a lie: but only those written in the book of life of the Lamb." If some few have joined on one side, some are sure to help the other, because they are jealous of any one acquiring such a preponderant authority: and power as to govern the rest. (John 5:24 compared with Romans 14:1-23 and 2 Corinthians 5:1-21.). When Christ came personally to judge and govern the quick (Revelation 20:4), there were thrones; for the risen saints reign with Him. occasion and the downfall of Rome, is said to be "great" partly because of their On these I may say but a very few words. All is opened, and this because we have the Holy Ghost dwelling in us; "for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." Then we have another glorious description. "WHITE" is a symbol throughout the book of Revelation for PURITY and VICTORY. Although Hallelujah appears only here in the Bible, it occurs in a translated form frequently. (a) He is faithful. That God is holding back something good and He really isn't fair to you was the insinuation behind Satan's remarks. The scene now shifts from the earth where it has been (since chapter 6), to all the faithful believers saved by grace through faith up to the birth of the But here there is none; a temple is for the earth. The word of God, or the judiciary sentence of Christ according to it, and which he will fully execute, to the utter destruction of all his enemies; :- that with it he should smite the nations; the Gentiles, the Papists, the antichristian states, those that have adhered to Babylon, and have drunk of the wine of her fornication. These are representative of Verse By Verse Acts Through Revelation can be taken as capably as picked to act. For the fine linen is the righteous deeds of God's dedicated people. "And the dead were judged," but not out of the book of life, which has nothing to do with judgment. being addressed here to add to the other 3 mentioned groups. Return to Home Page The Psalmist says of the Messianic king: "You shall break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel" ( Psalms 2:9). to Christ in faith during the Tribulation (compare Jer. Moral unfitness has its just censure; but sovereign grace must be asserted also. Beyond controversy, however, it is a most unusual and abnormal reappearance, which is altogether exceptional in the history of the world. Jesus found Himself at opposition with the religious forces of His day and it was the religious people who prompted the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Bringing in history here embroiled the subject; and those who appeal most to its evidence are the very men who seem in this to ignore its facts. This is not unrighteous, but, on the contrary, the highest justice from a divine point of view. Revelation 19:4 "And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down The Sinai MS. has both. Third, he alone has the wisdom to find the right judgment and the power to apply it. "Hallelujah!" Like a novel, the storyline builds from front to back, with the characters, themes and plot elements introduced early and developed across many chapters. overwhelming understanding of Who this is. That kings had dallied with her, that the beast had once borne her up, will only turn to gall the more bitter to her, who, faithless to God, had staked the usurped and abused name of Christ to win what was now lost for ever. He destroys the assembled rebels who have gathered together against Him. The wrath of God is fierce! And here observe. There is going to be another supper, a supper prepared by God for all the birds. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. A lot of the persecution against the Christian has come from religion, religious leaders. The fallen angels are not called, and the holy angels never need to be they are kept. II. - CBSC, the winepress . In the first eight verses of Revelation 21:1-27 we have the new heaven and the new earth, but besides, awful to say, the lake of fire. "And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. Note that there is no fighting or conflict of any kind in view here. He is coming, and coming soon for us. Now, this law that has the backing of the Greek Orthodox Church, or it was instituted because of the Greek Orthodox Church against proselytization, is the law that they used to charge him.In Egypt it is a capital offense to lead a Muslim to a faith in Jesus Christ. faith during the Tribulation (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Zech. This appears to mean the word of the Gospel, by which his enemies are confounded, and his friends supported and comforted. Worship God." (ii) His name is Faithful and True. History is actually "His story." He doesn't want you to be religious. Five reasons for their praise emerge: (1) That righteousness that God puts on my account because I believe in Jesus Christ. Revelation 19 ( Rev 19:1) - 1 After these things I heard as it were a great voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, Hallelujah; Salvation, and glory, and power, belong to our God: This heavenly celebration (verses 1-6), which connects the events of chapter 18, reveal more than the celebration of the defeat of a certain city or belief system. The word "rule" is "to shepherd" them, and the rod of iron is the club the shepherd used to fend off the wolves, bears, lions, etc. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron - See the notes on Revelation 2:27; Revelation 12:5. These are the true sayings of God. Thus was concluded all dealing on the Lord's part with both soul and body, and all that pertains to either. and righteousness to the world. Verse 4. It is interesting to me how that God took such pains to protect the innocency of Jesus Christ at the crucifixion. The Jews had the idea that, when the Messiah came, God's people would, as it were, be entertained by God to a great Messianic Banquet. Raphael tells Tobit that he is the angel who brought his prayer before God ( Tob_13:12-15 ). Then you may be very good all week long, and you put your little star behind each of the categories each evening. At the pouring of the seventh bowl, God's voice was heard from the Temple saying, "It is done!" (Rev. "I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God" (alluding to this very city) "[is] with men." understand the testimony of Jesus, then you must preach and prophesy so that "Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, because his judgments are true and just, for he judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and has avenged upon her the blood of his servants.". We have been washed in His blood, and we have on our white The absence of a temple is therefore no loss but a gain for this city. Then go into each of the twenty two chapters of the Book of Revelation one by one. If you are a believer, do not be afraid, even if you know but little; for the Lord neither forgets nor slights those who may be comparatively unintelligent. "And he saith to me, The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues." Revelation 19 New International Version Threefold Hallelujah Over Babylon's Fall 19 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: "Hallelujah! Spirit of prophecy: The person and message of Jesus is the The same imagery of a wedding picture's the Lord's relationship with His Church. ", 2. To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Judas returned the money to the priests saying, "I betrayed innocent blood" ( Matthew 27:4 ). There was the sad register of undeniable sin on the one side; there was no writing of the name on the other side. They would have a big dance and party, as they would crush all of the grapes, they would get the juice out of them. Man alone is to blame who has misapplied it. The ensigns of his authority, his coat of arms--a name written on his vesture and thigh, King of kings, and Lord of lords, asserting his authority and power, and the cause of the quarrel, Revelation 19:16; Revelation 19:16. Little do they know, because they believe not what is here written, that it is about to come out of the abyss or bottomless pit. "Upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of the harlots and of the abominations of the earth.". I am your fellow-servant and the fellow-servant of your brothers who possess the testimony which Jesus gave. Scripture and facts refute all such theories. From the beginning, the church of God has been blessed with prophecy. 19:10b The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Together they join this great chorus proclaiming "Alleluia!". Take notice of this (which confirms the application just now contended for), that when John saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus, he wondered with great wonder. Now the Lord in the end here is really putting a lot of emphasis upon the fact that these are true sayings.