Revelation 19

     19:1-4.  John had just witnessed in vision the reaction of the worldly to the fall of the great harlot.  Now, in a separate revelation, he hears the reaction of the saints of heaven (and earth, cf. 18:20) to the same righteous judgment.  “Hallelujah!”  (Praise Jehovah; used only in 1, 3, 4, 6 in all the NT).  “This is one of the great significances of our worship each Lord’s Day.  Our citizenship is in heaven.  We are part of the choir gathered around the throne” (Prutow).

     “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.  Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary…” (Ps. 107:1-2).

     And so they praised the Lord, for salvation belongs to our God alone, and his judgments are true and righteous altogether, and his bondservants are avenged and vindicated.  After all of God’s people again shout Hallelujah for the eternal destruction of their oppressor, the twenty-four elders, who represent all the elect before the throne, and the four living creatures, fall down and worship God who sits on the throne, saying, “Amen.  Hallelujah!”  (See Rev. 4-5 and notes, where this scene is first described, for more details on these elders, and living creatures, etc.)

     19:5-8.  John hears a voice from the heavenly throne commanding praise once more from all who fear the Lord.  And the great multitude that no man can number answers in deafening response, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.”  Rejoice, give glory to Him, for the waiting period is over.  The marriage of the Lamb has come, and the bride has made herself ready.

     The visions keep changing to show the contrasts between the kingdoms of this world, and the kingdom of heaven to which God’s people (Christ’s bride) belong.  The harlot was dressed as a harlot (17:4).  The pure virgin betrothed to the king has been given (8) clothes in keeping with her righteous acts of faithfulness (cf. Ps. 45:13-15; 2 Cor. 11:2).  The “filthy garment” of our own righteousness (cf. Is. 64:6; Zech. 3:3-4) has been removed from us, and by his grace we have washed our robes white in the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 7:14).

     19:9-10.  Who speaks to John?  Whoever it is, he speaks the true words of God, and so much resembles Christ that John fell at his feet to worship; a mistake he will make again!  (22:8 f.).  The angel with one of the seven bowls who began this sixth section (17:1) was dressed like Christ (15:6), but one would think John would recognize him.  This must be Christ’s angel of Rev. 1:1.  He will not accept God’s worship (as Jesus Christ himself does, 1:17) for he speaks as a fellow servant of John and all his brethren who hold to the true testimony of Jesus, which is the spirit of prophecy.  In contrast, the false prophet of v. 20 has been eager to provide us with an object of worship.

     19:11-21.  Here, the scene shifts again, but only in the symbols employed to gain a different perspective.  In one perspective, the Lamb comes for his bride, and invites his guests to the great heavenly marriage supper, but in this scene, heaven is opened, and our Savior rides forth conquering and to conquer (cf. 6:2).  It is the great decisive battle of Har-Magedon (cf. 16:16).  In reality, all Christ’s enemies fall together, but in John’s visions, we have seen first the great harlot fall (more than once).  Now we shall see the final end of the beast (out of the sea, 13:1) and the false prophet (the beast out of the earth, 13:11).  Cf. 16:12-16.

      19:1-16.  This is the Lord’s final triumphal entry, this time not coming on the colt of a donkey, but on a white war horse, and followed (14) by the armies of heaven (the Bride “terrible as an army with banners”, Song 6:4, 10, KJV).  His name is written, but none can truly know its meaning (though writ so large, 16) except himself (12; cf. 2:17).  It is ineffable (Ex. 3:14; Judg. 13:18).  Yet he is rightly called Faithful and True (11), and The Word of God (13).

     19:13.  His robe dipped in blood; cf. 14:20.  Be sure to read Is. 63:2-6!

     19:14.  The armies of heaven; cf. 1 Thess. 3:13; 4:14-17.

     19:15-16.  Cf. Ps. 2; 45:3-5; Hab. 3:12-15; Joel 3:13; Rev. 14:19 f.

     19:17-21.  This is a further view of the same event, the final judgment of God.  For those sealed by the Holy Spirit, there is prepared a great wedding supper (the same multitude being both Bride and guests, cf. 7 and 9; contrast this with vv. 17, 18; cf. Mt. 22:2-14, the parable of the king’s son’s wedding feast slighted.  However, there is another group called to assemble for the great supper of God.  The carrion birds come to eat the flesh of those slain by the sharp sword of God’s word (cf. Lk. 17:37).  With it, Christ has smitten the nations (15) who made war against the King of kings and his army, and the birds are called to be filled with the flesh of all those bearing the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.  And the beast and the false prophet who deceived the nations were both seized and thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with brimstone.  Then the birds ate their fill of the flesh of the slain.  We have seen the final judgment of the harlot, and now the two beasts.  Section 7 will reveal the final judgment of the dragon and the souls of men whom he has deceived.