Revelation 19

Revelation 19:1

The triumphs of the heavenly host in the fall of Babylon are described, and further illustrated, by a view of an attack made by Christ and his army, on the beast, which ended in an entire victory over him. Rev. XIX. throughout.

REV. XIX. 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:

REVELATION XIX. 1.

AND after these things, this affecting representation of the certain destruction of Babylon, as the seat of the antichristian kingdom, I heard the voice as of a great multitude in heaven, who seemed to be triumphing on this occasion, saying, Hallelujah; let the name of Jehovah, the most high God, be ever praised and exalted. Let this great salvation, and all the glory and honour, which can arise from this, and all his other wonderful works and the power so amazingly displayed in them, be ascribed to the

And rejoice in the marriage of the Lam

Lord our God. For his judgments [are] true and righteous, and we have lately seen a most glorious illustration of them; for he hath judged the great harlot, who corrupted the whole earth with the contagion of her fornication; and he has awfully avenged the blood of his faithful servant’s and martyrs, which hath been [shed] so profusely by her cruel hand. And a second time, at the conclusion of the hymn, they said, Hallelujah: and, looking down upon her ruins, they added, The smoke of her [torment] ascends for ever and ever; and God is pursuing the impenitent sinners he has destroyed in her, with far more terrible vengeance in a future state, than any they could endure while they continued in the body. (Isa. xxxiv. 10.) And the twenty four elders, and the four animals, so often mentioned before, who still appeared present, all down and worshipped God, who was represented sitting upon the throne, saying, Amen, Hallelujah, so let it be; let universal Hallelujahs, and everlasting praises, rise to thee, O thou ever adorable Jehovah, who art most worthy to receive them. And a voice came out from the throne, which said, in my hearing, Now praise our God in the most exalted strains of rapturous devotion, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great, in your various ranks and circumstances of life. Adore his great and magnificent name, so highly exalted, and, in these scenes of wonder, so gloriously displayed. And I heard [a sound] which was as the voice of a great multitude, and loud as the voice of many waters, when the waves of the sea are in a violent agitation, and like the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Hallelujah, for the Lord God Almighty, the omnipotent Jehovah, who is the Author and Support of universal nature, reigneth, and is about to exalt his kingdom among men to more visible splendour than it has ever yet worn. And we will now, in an especial manner, rejoice and exalt in the greatest transport of holy joy, and we will give glory to him, because the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife has prepared herself to meet him, being adorned with all those ornaments, which are most graceful in themselves,

which blessed are they who are invited.

and most agreeable to him. And he is going to espouse his church with circumstances of the highest festivity and solemnity. And it was given to her, that, in token of her virgin innocence and sanctity, she should be clothed in fine linen, pure and resplendent; and the fine linen, that I speak of, is intended to signify the righteous acts of the saints, whereby they are adorned in the sight of God, and an evidence given of the sincerity of that faith which interests them in the merit of what their Lord has performed, to which they ultimately owe their acceptance before him. And he said unto me, Write this down, as an important truth, in which all that read this book in future ages will be greatly concerned. Happy, [are] they who are invited to be guests at the splendid marriage supper of the Lamb, which is now prepared, and shall accept the invitation, so as to partake of its blessings. And he said unto me, These are the true words of God, and are to be regarded by thee, and all that read them, as an oracle which he hath inspired. (Compare 2 Cor. xi. 2.)

And while he was speaking to me in this manner, overawed by his majestic appearance, I fell before his feet, to pay homage to him. And he immediately interposed to prevent it, and said unto me, See [thou do it] not; for I am not worthy of such regard from thee, being a fellow servant with thee, and with the rest of thy brethren, who resolutely and faithfully keep the testimony of Jesus. Pay thine homage, in such expressions of it, to God alone. I am now sent for the service of that religion to which

The righteous acts of the saints.] So frequently evidently signifies; and, therefore, though I make no doubt but it is with regard to the obedience and righteousness of the Son of God, that all our righteous acts are accepted before God, and have accordingly referred to this doctrine in the paraphrase; yet I cannot suppose that these words have that reference which some have imagined, to the imputation of his righteousness to us. And I hope Christian divines will have the courage to speak with the scripture, even though it should be at the expense of their reputation for orthodoxy with some,

who profess, nevertheless, to make scripture their standard.

With thy brethren] The expression in the Greek obliges me to give the word this turn: σοκκενε σε και της αδειαζει σε. But Mr. Fleming understands it, I am one of thy brethren, which he thinks intimates, that this was the departed spirit of an apostle; perhaps of St. Peter or St. Paul, or his own brother James, though not in a form to be known. And, on the same mistaken principle, he thinks the person speaking, chap. xxii. 9, might be the spirit of one of the prophets, perhaps Isaiah, or Ezekiel, or Daniel. Flem. Christof. Vol. I. p. 81.

you and your brethren are making such considerable sacrifices; for the Spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus, and serves, in a glorious manner, to confirm his Divine mission to all that know and duly observe the circumstances of it; and that which I now reveal to thee, makes a considerable article of the proof. And a glorious vision immediately followed this; for I saw heaven opened; and behold, and observe it with due attention, a white horse appeared, and he that sate upon it [was] called Faithful and True, being indeed no other than the person speaking of himself elsewhere, as the Amen, the faithful and true Witness; and he judges, and makes war in righteousness, and not like the unjust conquerors of the earth, who are so ready to use their superior power to oppress all that fall under it. This was the glorious Prince, whose eyes [are] piercing as a flame of fire; and many diadems were upon his head, having also a mysterious name written upon them, which no man knows but himself; to signify, that there are mysteries in his nature, and in the administration of his kingdom, which it is impossible for men to find out. And, to express the irresistible power with which he triumphs over his enemies, and brings destruction upon them according to his pleasure, he [was] clothed in a garment dipt in blood; and his name is called, The word of God, the glorious and Divine Person, whom I have elsewhere spoken of, as in the beginning with God, and himself God, and the great Medium of Divine revelation in all ages. And the armies which are in heaven followed him, in token of being most willingly and entirely under his command, and they appeared [riding] on white horses, and themselves clothed in fine linen, white, and perfectly clean and pure, to denote their perfect innocence and righteousness. And he still retains this circumstance in the vision I at first saw of him, that there went out of his mouth a sharp sword, that with it he might smite the heathen; to signify the power of his word; and he shall govern them with a rod of iron; and he treadeth the wine press of the indignation and wrath of Almighty God, which was si nified by the blood staining

Who is King of kings, and Lord of lords:

his garments; to intimate, that he shall subdue the proudest enemies with as much ease as men burst grapes by treading them under their feet. (Compare Isa. lxiii. 2, 3.) And he hath upon his garment, and his thigh, that is, upon the sword which hangs upon his thigh, a magnificent and exalted name written, even KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS; to signify his universal empire over all the princes and potentates on earth, and in heaven.

And I saw a single angel, but one of great majesty and strength, detaching himself, as it were from the army in heaven, who followed the great leader of the Lord’s host on their white horses; and he was seen by me standing in the sun; and, to intimate the approaching slaughter and desolation which was so soon to come upon the enemies of the church, he cried with a loud voice, saying to the eagles, and vultures, and all the other birds of prey, which were flying in the midst of heaven, Come and assemble yourselves to the supper of the great God; for he is about to make a splendid entertainment for you; That ye may eat the flesh of mighty kings, and the flesh of famous commanders, who have led on their thousands to battle; and the flesh of the mighty soldiers, who have fought so courageously under their banners; and the flesh of warlike horses, that were advancing with so much intrepidity and rage to the battle; and the flesh of those who sate thereon, and were so ready to trust to their strength or their speed; and the flesh of all the promiscuous multitude, freemen and slaves, both small and great, who shall fall down together in the dust, and pour out their souls in blood, leaving their mangled carcasses for your prey. (Compare Ezek. xxxix. 17, 18.) And, to fulfill this awful decree of the great God, whose influence over all human affairs is supreme, and who knows how to work his own purposes, even by the greatest malice and rage of his enemies, I saw the beast appearing again, as at the head of the Antichristian interest; and the kings of the earth, who supported him, and gave their power unto him; and I saw all their armies gathered together, to make war with

Against whom the beast and the kings of the earth make war.

him who sitteth upon the white horse, and with all his army, even the host of heaven, which I mentioned as with him: insensible of his superior power, and madly borne on to their own destruction, they marched their feeble forces against him, and all his celestial legions. And the issue was such as might be expected; for the beast was taken captive, and with him also the false prophet, who had wrought so many fallacious signs before him, by which he had deceived those who received the mark of the beast, and those who worshipped his image; and they were bound fast in chains of Divine vengeance, and both of them were cast alive into the lake of fire which burnt so fiercely, enraged with stores of brimstone, to make the flames more durable, and more tormenting. And the rest, who had so insolently and foolishly followed the banners of these accursed leaders, were slain with the sword that came out of the mouth of the great Leader of the heavenly army, even him who sate on the white horse, described before, robed with light, and crowned with glory. And their carcasses were left unburied on the field of battle; and all the birds of the air, according to the invitation which the angel had given them, were satiated with their flesh.

IMPROVEMENT.

verse 1-3 Let us learn by what we have here been reading, to adore the Lord God Omnipotent, who reigneth over all, and who displays the truth and righteousness of his judgments, in his vengeance on the enemies of his church, even when he inflicts on them a torment, the smoke of which rises up for ever and ever. In the cer-

c Beast was taken.] What Brandt tells 14. Doctor Clarke observes, it is only said of other sinners, they were cast into the lake, and this he supposes intimates a distinction of punishment, severe in proportion to the faults of the punished; and he thinks it is illustrated by the words of Moses concerning Korah and his company, Numb xvi, 29. If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men, then the Lord hath not sent me, intimating, that there would be as much difference in their punishment, as between being executed in the common way, and swallowed up with an earthquake. Clarke’s Poeth. Sirm. Vol. I. p. 400, 401. 1-3 Let us learn by what we have here been reading, to adore the Lord God Omnipotent, who reigneth over all, and who displays the truth and righteousness of his judgments, in his vengeance on the enemies of his church, even when he inflicts on them a torment, the smoke of which rises up for ever and ever. In the cerc Beast was taken.] What Brandt tells 14. Doctor Clarke observes, it is only said of other sinners, they were cast into the lake, and this he supposes intimates a distinction of punishment, severe in proportion to the faults of the punished; and he thinks it is illustrated by the words of Moses concerning Korah and his company, Numb xvi, 29. If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men, then the Lord hath not sent me, intimating, that there would be as much difference in their punishment, as between being executed in the common way, and swallowed up with an earthquake. Clarke’s Poeth. Sirm. Vol. I. p. 400, 401. 1-3 Cast alive.] See the note on cha xx.

Reflections on the righteousness of God’s judgments.

tain assurance, that in due time he will plead his own cause, and rescue and exalt his people, let all his servants and people praise him, even all that fear him, both small and great, and labour to live that Divine life of gratitude, and joyful thanksgiving on earth, which may anticipate the pleasures and employments of the heavenly world. The time will at length come, when all of such a character shall celebrate the marriage supper of the Lamb; yea, when the whole society shall appear in his presence as one chaste virgin, whom he has espoused to himself; and whom, with unutterable delight, he places in his more immediate view, not only as arrayed in robes of pure and shining linen, which is the righteousness of the saints, but as perfectly free from spot, or blemish, or any such thing. He will admit them all to feast in his own presence; yea, to dwell for ever with him; so shall we ever be with the Lord. These are the true sayings of God. And though a consciousness of our own utter unworthiness of such honours, might be ready to detract from the credibility of these Divine assurances, or at least prevent us from giving so clear an assent to them, as we might otherwise do, yet let God be true, and every man a liar.

And, in the mean time, in the mingled scenes of adversity and prosperity, which attend the Israel of God, let us direct our believing eyes to him, who is faithful and true; to him, who both administers justice, and wages war in righteousness. Let us reverence his penetrating eyes, which are like a flame of fire. Let us rejoice in the diadems placed upon his head, to signify the extent of his dominion; and read with awe the inscription upon his vesture, and his thigh, The Word of God, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. As such let us pay our homage to him; and let the favour of lords, and kings, be as nothing to us, where his favour or his honour is concerned. The proudest of earthly potentates oppose his dominion in vain; in vain do they marshal their captains, and their mighty men; vain is the strength of horses, and of them that sit thereon, and the combinations of bond and free, though satan himself abet their rebellion, and inspire them with subtilty, and arm them with rage: their subtilty shall be defeated, their rage shall be repelled. The sword of the Lord shall devour them. The birds of prey shall at his pleasure be feasted with their carcasses; and the sad catastrophe of their bodies shall be only an imperfect emblem of the anguish and misery of their spirits, when plunged with the evil spirit that deceived them, they sink deep into the lake that burns for ever, and feel the terrors of the second death. Be wise now therefore, Oye kings, and be instructed, ye judges of the earth, serve the Lord with fear; and, sensible of his uncontrollable dominion, and your own weakness and imperfection, even while ye rejoice before him, rejoice with trembling. (Psal. ii. 10, 11.)

VOL. 6.

An angel shuts up the dragon for a thousand years :