revelation 19 explained verse by verse revelation 19 explained verse by verse

The absence of a temple is therefore no loss but a gain for this city. All who have looked back on the history know, that when the ten kings appeared, there was no beast or imperial power. Praise in heaven. So, The, nature of the case exempts of course the saints of the millennium;* and this very simply, because they are never said to die at all. In the . . Called: Those who are invited to the marriage supper are Israel, who will turn In the last chapter, we saw the terrible destruction of commercial and political I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright the morning star. Well, the folly of men today that think that they are able to fight against God and to come out victorious. Revelation 19 begins with a multitude in heaven singing a doxology to God. There is no doubt that THE RIDER ON THE WHITE HORSE In 19:11 IS CHRIST. It is impossible to refer it to the past with any show even of reasonable probability, I will not say of reality or truth. small and the great mean everyone which includes all human categories and From his mouth there comes forth a sharp two-edged sword, so that with it he may smite the nations, and he will control them with an iron rod. "And he had a name written, that no man knew but he himself." The "word" that comes from Gods mouth is to be used to conquor! There stands the solemn brand graven, not on the blasphemous beast, but on the forehead of its rider, "Mystery, Babylon the great." This is a mistake. I am accounted righteous by God because I believe and trust in Jesus Christ. The meaning is no more than this, that in the great battle of Armageddon, which was for the destruction of all the remainder of the enemies of the church, whether papists, or atheists, or Turks; men of all sorts and orders should be slain, and their dead bodies made meat for the fowls of heaven . The relationship of the Christian and Christ must be the closest in all life. This is the first resurrection.". And yet in such times John calls God pantokrator ( G3841) . marriage is the eternal union of the church with Christ following the Rapture Then the word is, "Award her even as she awarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she mixed, mix to her double. Why is the word "Lamb" used here to speak of Jesus? pl.") He had His own self interest at heart when He told Eve not to eat of the tree. Here accordingly we have them all. This is the second death." Stephen Armstrong. This very naturally filled him with intense wonder. There is no scriptural reason to infer that any saint dies during the thousand years, but rather the contrary. It is a time of strong delusion, be it remembered. The Old Testament points forward to Jesus, beginning in Verse 3. And they said Alleluia a second time; and her smoke goeth up unto the ages of the ages." 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. The white horse is the symbol of the conqueror, because it was on a white horse that a Roman general rode when he celebrated a triumph. It isn't that you have been faithful in your devotions, and you have witnessed to so many people, and read so many chapters of the Bible, and spent so many hours in prayer, and you have done all of the religious devotional things, not that at all. But the attempt, again, to apply what is said here to a future city of Babylon in Chaldea seems to me no less vain. Too bad, your unrighteousness Friday night. In verse 1, this great voice from heaven was whom? Whether it were the Old Testament saints and the church, or the Apocalyptic saints, if I may so distinguish them, it was in an instant that each were raised, but there was some space between them. (v) It may be that we shall never know the symbolism of the unknown name but H. B. Swete has the very fine idea that in the essence of the being of Christ there must always remain something beyond man's understanding. If not blessing it judges. Who are the persons thus invested with judicial authority of so glorious a nature and to reign, as we see later, with Christ? The word "church" (Greek ekklesia), appears nineteen times (in Revelation white, represents the righteousness of the church, which has now been judged and He knows 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. 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. How does God tell us to worship Him? And of course, this proselytizing law was prompted by the Greek Orthodox Church, and he has been sentenced to spend three and a half years in jail in Greece. Christ to earth. In her own course, and in the matters of her portion, the church does not know time at all. It was the barbarians who brought in the prevalent ideas of liberty as well as feudalism, and accordingly it is they that have firmly stood for freedom; so that all the efforts to reconstitute the empire which have been tried over and over again have hitherto issued in total failure. "So he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness" a thorough waste as to the knowledge or enjoyment of God. instead of one of the other names of Jesus, to show that we have been cleansed It is the fault, however, of the bad Greek text of Erasmus, Stephens, etc. Here is a grim picture of birds of prey being invited to come from all over the sky to glut themselves on the corpses of the slain. God said, "Light be," and light was. Revelation 19:3 "And again they said, Alleluia. With this we may compare Jesus' words at his arrest, when he said he could have had twelve legions of angels to fight for him ( Matthew 26:53). Matches the description of Christ in Revelation 1:16 . Thus (without speaking of the resurrection of the wicked at the close) there were certainly more acts than one, not to speak of the two witnesses put to death and caused to rise after three days and a half, when the spirit of life entered them, and they not only arose, but went up to heaven, as we know. 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath 7 made herself ready. Man converted will then not merely reach the natural term if I may so say of a thousand years, but pass that bound. for the smoke from her rises for ever and ever. The word used here for crown is diadema ( G1238) , which is the royal crown, as opposed to stephanos ( G4735) which is the crown of victory. The twenty-four elders were prominent in the early visions ( Revelation 4:4; Revelation 4:10; Revelation 5:6; Revelation 5:11; Revelation 5:14; Revelation 7:11; Revelation 11:16; Revelation 14:3) as were the four living creatures ( Revelation 4:6-9; Revelation 5:6-14; Revelation 6:1-7; Revelation 7:11; Revelation 14:3; Revelation 15:7). Hence He must have come back previously to both. So we are obliged to translate the single word, e.g. Reuchlin. That is, there was first the literal Babylon, of course; but here it is symbolical. "Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!". It is reigning. We shall find, on the contrary, its aspect is toward the universe, yet is there the special place of Israel; and quite right it is that it should be so. Although the words are the same as in the first chapter of the Fourth Gospel, the meaning is quite different and much simpler. What a solemn and weighty fact in the government of God! Those that do rise at the same time rise, no doubt, in a moment; but that there are to be various acts of resurrection is not only not contrary to scripture, but required by its own descriptions. Creature lights are gone. God loves you and receives you just as you are on the basis of His grace, love and mercy. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. Thus nothing can be simpler or more beautiful than the way in which this verse sums up the Revelation as a whole. I. elaborate than those of today. "I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled; and place was not found for them." From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. Though they are not the bride, they still are glorified and Isaiah 63:3. only place in the Bible where the word "omnipotent" occurs. 13:9; Rom. It is called "the first resurrection." on the other, she had, when she could, gone on increasing in both, until at last the blow of divine judgment came. "The dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." 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. being addressed here to add to the other 3 mentioned groups. It is the judgment of the dead as such, who now rise and give account of their deeds. | On His robe where it spreads out at His waist HIS TITLE is inscribed. shall be their shepherd, as in Revelation 2:27, Revelation 12:5 Of course in all three places the reference is to Psalms 2:9. We do not mend matters by hasty conclusions, we only complicate the truth. By and by, after our translation to heaven, He will work, and as vitally in those who bow to God, when it will be the reception of the prophetic testimony which is here owned to be none the less the testimony of Jesus. Then and thus is aggravated guilt in the case of this wicked son. Lastly was the wedding ceremony during which time the vows were exchanged. The same imagery of a wedding picture's the Lord's relationship with His Church. Revelation 19:7 "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the Christ is the Bridegroom at the marriage and his Church is the "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heavens fled away." Their praise is that the smoke of Babylon rises for ever and ever. Once Jesus enters the battle, it is soon over. So, Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. A single verse dispels clouds of arguments. But she has a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and the impurities of her fornication. Where Hallelujah occurs in the Old Testament it is translated by Praise God, but here in this chapter the original Hebrew form, transliterated into Greek, is retained. He is coming forth in indisputable human glory, but the greatest care is taken to let us know that He had that which was above man above the creature; for "no man knoweth the Son but the Father." The marriage He spoke it into existence. It is the divine judgment of man eternal judgment. He wrote several tracts and was instrumental in leading several Muslims from their religion to a real relationship with God in Jesus Christ. This disposes of many a web of comments; for we find at once what is perfectly simple, what any child of God who believes this to be the word of God must own. And the beast was taken" (taken alive), "and with him the false prophet that wrought signs in his presence, with which he deceived those that received the mark of the beast, and those that worshipped his image." It will help to show us that, whatever may have been the past conditions of Babylon, there is a future one; and it is in that future one that Babylon is to perish. THE AVENGING WRATH ( Revelation 19:14-16 ). This is what drove men to the idea of making the pope to be the beast. "True and righteous are thy judgments, O Lord.". The decem-regal division of the broken empire in the West, as all know, was long after Rome had ceased to be heathen. And He is called the True witness. That an openly heathen metropolis, devoted to the worship of Mars, and Jupiter, and Venus, and other wicked monstrosities of pagan mythology should be irritated with the gospel which exposes it all, and should consequently seek to injure the faithful, was to be expected, and a necessary result, directly that the uncompromising spirit of Christ was known. This bloodthirsty picture is again far more in line with Old Testament apocalyptic expectations than with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Revelation 19:6 "And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as To a Jew a word was not merely a sound; it did things. continually reigns. all there is about us already. 19:9-10a And he said to me: "Write! Each of these three great attributes of God should awaken its own response in the heart of man. Verse 10. After so many sorrows, trials, difficulties, dangers, how sweet to have such a word, and to know that He who speaks is the holy and the true, and surely about to come in the faithfulness of His love! The outer court represents the control of Jerusalem and Israel by Gentiles during the last half of the Tribulation period. The son is doubly guilty, because he saw his father's nakedness and felt it enough to hide. 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. 25:1-13; Luke 14:15-24). And the twenty-four elders [representing the church] and the four beasts [cherubim] fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia ( Revelation 19:4 ). Spirit of prophecy: The person and message of Jesus is the These are the martyrs of Revelation 6:1-17, those long since seen under the altar, poured out like burnt-offerings to God. "God is a spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth" ( John 4:24 ). The angelic host sings a second Hallelujah. Indeed it must be so, because, as we read in the end of the last chapter, there the lost were cast. the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.". . 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. We can see that, for instance, in the old story in which Jacob filched Esau's blessing from Isaac ( Genesis 27:1-46). And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword ( Revelation 19:15 ). 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. What is the sword? But, in point of fact, in giving the description of Babylon, the Holy Ghost enters even more into an account of her relations with the beast, the imperial power of which we saw not a little last night. There are probably but few, if any, here who do not understand it as the fore-shadow of a real resurrection. avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.". The Spirit of God implies that it is decidedly not the righteousness here which is by another, and we thereby imputed righteous, but righteousnesses personal and actual. They were judged every man according to their works. And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, nor sorrow, nor crying nor shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. ], "Those who believe in the reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ must also look for his return." true sayings of God.". This is what nations have been constantly occupied with, lest any one power should become the beast. ceremony. We have already come upon two vast multitudes in heaven, the martyrs in Revelation 7:9 and the angels in Revelation 5:11. This destruction of the last, most powerful empire in history marks the end of If ancient times failed fully to meet the requirements of the chapter, it is evident that the middle ages are passed without its fulfilment as a whole. Here we have described to us the visions of The Conquering Christ (19:11-16), the judgments of the beast and of the false prophet and of Satan (19:17-20:10), the judgment of the wicked (20:11-15), the visions of the New heaven, the New earth and the New Jerusalem (20:16-22;5). He sees the glorious creation of God and he worships the creation, rather than the creator.And so John is making the same mistake and the angel corrects him and says don't do that. Once again we must remember that this picture is demonstrably painted in Jewish terms. No one really knows what the vowels in Y-H-W-H were. The blessing given could not be taken back. They are not part of the body of Christ. It is the place that Jesus said God prepared for Satan and his angels. [Note: Lilje, p. It is not the enjoyment of all, but it is the hinge on which all depends. and in righteousness he doth judge and make war ( Revelation 19:11 ). Here occurs a remarkable change in the sequence of the visions, though easily understood; for it must be evident that there is nothing to follow this in point of time. The Jewish marriage consisted of three major elements: (3) The marriage feast (supper), as was discussed just before. . Of course the application to the Roman empire would be immediately in the mind of any Christian at Rome. And of course all of our finest scientific equipment could not locate such a thing there in the heart of the earth. (ii) It can equally mean the witness which Jesus Christ gives to men. linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.". She followed and had inherited the spirit of all, from the days of Cain, who had lifted up their hands against their righteous brethren. The Word of God is alive and powerful, if we would only realize the power of the Word of God. To this earth He is coming, and not merely to the new earth in the eternal state. But here there is none; a temple is for the earth. They lived, and were put therefore into a place and condition suitable for reigning with Christ, no less than the Old Testament saints and the church itself. Are we then to understand that the elders and the living creatures are together taken absolutely as the bride now? But is there any reason why we should content ourselves with the measure enjoyed of old? It is said that the judgments of God are true and just. they were saying. We find, accordingly, the four and twenty elders and four living creatures here brought before us for the last time. as the Complut. "Crowns and thrones may perish Kingdoms rise and wane But the Church of Jesus Constant will remain. It was ruled in general that the worldly powers were ordained of God. How can it be said that this vile, corrupt, idolatrous system of the last days was guilty of the blood of all martyrs? This remains true. The judgment on Rome is the guarantee that God never in the end abandons his own. And it is pretty well ascertained that there was a discussion among them, even to the suggestion by one of the most wicked of their emperors, whether Christ should not be owned and worshipped in the Pantheon, hundreds of years before Constantine, indeed from the earliest epoch of the gospel. took on His righteousness. Jesus replaced the filth with His righteousness. He will tread the winepress of the anger of the wrath of God. that those who were meant under the figures of the elders and of the living creatures assume the name and figure of the bride? (i) In certain circles of Judaism the angels had a very large place. But we can understand that the Lord could and did make that little go far, and do no little good. And their voice on this Polyglot, and all editions of the least critical value. ( Revelation 18:20). understand the testimony of Jesus, then you must preach and prophesy so that There is no uncertainty whatever in the case. After these things: This is a time key. Nothing of the sort can be plainer. 244.]. Third, he alone has the wisdom to find the right judgment and the power to apply it. Jesus Christ. It can govern and bless but not convert man. It was the religious leaders that prompted the persecution against the church in its beginning and throughout history.There is even at the present time, one of the leaders of the YWAM program who has been charged in Greece with a charge of proselytizing, because he gave a Bible to a Greek sixteen-year old boy, and he has been charged in the Greek courts with proselytizing. See note at Revelation 1:16 and note; Revelation 2:12, Revelation 2:16. goes . Verse 2. The fine linen, clean and One of the most approved axioms is, that kingdoms are just like men in this respect, that they begin, rise, and fall. He is urged to take up the same cry. It is not therefore a question of virtual idols suitable to ensnare the children of God, but of that which is adapted to the earth itself, thorough-going palpable idolatry. Revelation chapter 19 and 20 It was a unit of energy charged with power. It is not for His crime or guilt. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God ( Revelation 19:12-13 ). On that account it was altogether out of place to pay homage to him instead of to the God who had sent him to serve. This may suffice for Revelation 18:1-24. 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. The Spirit of God contrasts with the fall of Babylon the marriage. What is the "righteousness of the saints" that they are clothed with? You might get left. It is not his own blood, but the blood of his enemies that he tramples as he tramples out the rebellious. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come: and let him that heareth say, Come: and let him that is athirst come: let him that will take the water of life freely." 19:4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, "Amen. For that which comes distinctly before us in this one verse is the twofold fact, that the ten horns here contemplated receive their kingly power for the same hour or time as the beast, and not subsequently, when his rule was extinguished. Even the proclamation of the grace of God is powerless save it be brought home by the quickening energy of His own Spirit. So here He is sitting upon a white horse. Unhallowed love will end in hatred. So far they were right. Calling is the, fruit of active grace on God's part towards man, and only towards him when fallen. Revelation 19:9 "And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed [are] they which are [Note: Thomas, Revelation 8-22, p. 381, 567-85.] The abusso or abyss is probably in the very center of the earth, because it is called and correctly translated "bottomless pit." Biblical references. The white linen represents the good deeds of God's dedicated people; that is to say, it is character which forms the robe which arrays the Bride of Christ. Who said Amen, Alleluia as they worshipped around the throne? Otherwise, it is called in the scriptures, Gehenna, which is the final abode for the unrighteous dead. Have we not all heard of the balance of power? (Eph. He says: "The possession of the prophetic spirit, which makes a true prophet, shows itself in a life of witness to Jesus, which perpetuates his witness to the Father and to himself" A prophet's message lies in the personal witness of his life, even more than in the spoken witness of his words. He has avenged the blood of his servants at her hand ( Revelation 19:2 ). And the LAST WORDS (22:6-21). What is the righteousness of the saints? This is the declaration that is made all through the period of judgment, "true and righteous are thy judgments, O Lord".The concept that Satan brought to Eve in the Garden of Eden was that God was not fair, that God was trying to hold her back from something that was beneficial, that God was somehow trying to protect Himself. It is altogether unfeasible, and it shows how carelessly we read the Bible that people are not stopped by such an expression. It is the active word which carried out the commandment of God. 4:17; see Of course there must needs be a consultation with the kings, when the kings exist and become an accredited part of that empire, as rulers subordinate to the beast. . again. And so this is the hang-up of man as Paul said in Romans one, "They worshipped and served the creature more than the creator." _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); . This also is a no less important element for understanding the chapter. So we find the Lord has room for all that is the fruit of His own grace only, for the appeal of grace, even when there is not the answer to it. It was, as H. B. Swete puts it, like "the din of a vast concourse, the roar of a cataract, the roll of thunder.". The armies of the church militant on earth, and the church triumphant in heaven are not engaged in physical battles of guns and bloodshed, but in spiritual struggles for control of the minds and spiritual forces of men and women. the end of the Great Tribulation, just before the kingdom is established It is due to the exigency of a notion which fears and is irreconcilable with the truth in this place. "And the nations shall walk in the light of it." 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! Lord our God:". H. B. Swete says that this comprehensive phrase embraces "Christians of all intellectual capacities and social grades, and of all stages of progress in the life of Christ." called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. They are glorified saints, and not angels. 1 Thessalonians 2:10-12 Commentary. A seventh should follow; and what is more, the seventh was in one aspect to be an eighth. stench and the potential for disease. It is thus that God is wont to deal as a rule in His judgments, not necessarily on the one that first introduces an evil, but on those that inherit the guilt, and perhaps aggravate it, instead of taking warning by it. 8:38, Paul often used some of the most extreme things such as life and death to make a point. the church is the bride during the presentation feast in heaven, then comes to "Hallelujah!" And this is entirely confirmed byRevelation 17:1-18; Revelation 17:1-18, where it was told us that they are with Him when He comes. The picture is of all men sitting down at the Messianic Banquet of God. "righteousness" was not ours until we received the Lord Jesus into our lives and God is said to smite men with plagues, e.g. We may have a special task in it, but this is not the work for us, as it seems to me. It is really differing imagery a. Gods victory over a rebellious humanity and its satanic leaders is now pictured in a terrifying war (cf. 4:17). "I Jesus sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. 11:2; Eph. The friendships of the evil are not lasting. I say not on but over the earth. Jer. Revelation 19 In this chapter we have, I. I do know that whatever He does will be absolutely fair. used (in Gen. 19:28). With a rod of iron he shall break in pieces all their substance, He shall destroy the godless nations with the word of his. harlot), and avenging the blood of the martyrs (7:9-17). God in His providence did sanction the great empires of old; and the principle continues as long as the church is here below. This too must not be viewed as if it were a loss. cum cdd. "This is the first resurrection. Now the scene totally changes to heaven. A mysterious lawlessness inherits the well-known name of Babylon when Rome is brought forward; and it does not merely embrace Christian times, but the end of the age after the church has gone, when the course of divine judgment comes. In him was light; and that light was the life of man. He will execute the fierce wrath of God Almighty that these enemies must drink (cf. Accordingly, "Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me." Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.". Worship is for God alone. It does not mean persons merely, but the souls of beheaded persons. Revelation 19:1 "And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in 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).