Revelation 19

John T. Hinds Commentary On Revelation 19 BECAUSE OF BABYLON’ S FALL Revelation 19:1-10 In the preceding chapter three angels picture in vivid colors the fall of spiritual Babylon, and tell what the effects will be upon those deceived by her false religion; in this paragraph we have recorded the thanksgiving that will be expressed by the heavenly hosts.

(1) The Song of Triumph (Revelation 19:1-6) Revelation 19:1 —After these things.— After the symbolic act and words of the third angel (Revelation 18:21-24), John heard another loud voice, as of a great multitude, coming from heaven. The invitation was extended to saints, apostles, and prophets (Revelation 18:20) to rejoice over the harlot’s desolation. These verses contain the response to that invitation.

Revelation 19:1 —Hallelujah.— This word means “ praise ye Jehovah," and the song ascribes salvation, glory, and power to God. This is right because only by his permission can any blessing be received.

Revelation 19:2 —True and righteous are His judgments.— The final punishment of the great har­lot will come because she corrupted the earth with her false doctrines and because she caused the blood of saints to be shed. Her punishment will avenge that blood. A righteous God will allow only righteous punishment. A second time John heard the redeemed saints say, “ Hallelujah.”

Revelation 19:3 —For ever and ever.— Smoke continuing to go up without end means that this refers to the final punishment after the judgment.Revelation 19:4 —Fell down and worshipped God.—On the twenty-four elders and four living creatures see notes on Revelation 4:4-8. In addition to apostles, prophets, and saints, the spirit beings around the throne of. God rejoice over the final victory of the church. They give credit to God for the overthrow of Babylon. Another voice that appeared to come from the throne invited all servants of God to give him praise.

Revelation 19:6 —God, the Almighty, reigneth.—John next heard a voice as if coming from a multitude that sounded like many waters and mighty thunders; a grand chorus of all the spiritual hosts of heaven saying that God reigneth. This harmonizes perfectly with Paul’ s statement that at Christ’ s coming and judgment the king­dom will be delivered back to the Father. (1 Corinthians 15:23-24.) Then Christ will also become subject to the Father, and God will become all in all (verse 28), and his endless reign will begin. (2) The Marriage of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7-10) Revelation 19:7 —Let us rejoice and be exceeding glad.—The reason given here for rejoicing is that the “ marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.” The meaning is that the coming of the Lord to receive the prepared church is similar to a bridegroom com­ing for his bride. Marriage, as a symbol or illustration, is used four times in the New Testament, but each time to teach a different lesson— that is, some phase of marriage is used to illustrate a special feature of the relationship of saved people to Christ. (1) Romans 7:4 and Ephesians 5:22-32 show that the relationship of individuals, and the church as a whole, to Christ now is comparable to the natural relationship of marriage; therefore the saved are correctly represented as being spiritually “ married” to Christ. (2) In Matthew 22:1-14 the idea of a mar­riage feast is presented, and saved people are represented as guests. Nothing in the parable represents the wife, for the reason that the parable is constructed to teach the necessity of proper character. This is better done by the idea of guests suitably dressed. (3) In Matthew 25:1-13 the lesson is sufficient preparation for the Lord’ s coming in order to be ready. This is best presented by representing the saved as wise and foolish virgins. But in the parable these virgins are not the bride; in the application they represent the two elements of the church.

Again, the bride is left out of the parable, yet the church is the bride or wife. (4) In our text the lesson is the joy of being prepared for that eternal home Jesus has prepared for his own. This is like the joy of a bride going to the home prepared for her. These are the lessons based upon marriage as a symbol, and must not be confused, for all of them are true. When this passage is used as proof that the church is not “ married” to Christ now, the figures are jumbled and Romans 7:4 and Ephesians 5:22-32 are ignored.

In 2 Corinthians 11:2 Paul says, “ For I espoused you to one husband.” This is no contradiction of what has been said; for, if obedience to the gospel is represented here as an espousal, it would only be another comparison with the natural marriage which would, in some way, be similar to the spir­itual. It would not set aside any of the four mentioned, but just add a fifth, or another text to those given. The Revised text of Rom 7:4 gives “ joined to another” instead of “ married to another.” But the illustration is marriage, and verses 2 and 3 are talking about being freed from, and joined to, a husband. Joined to Christ then means as a spiritual hus­band. It must be allowed that these verses so present the case or Paul has used language that does not mean what it says. Revelation 19:8 —Fine linen, bright and pure.— As a bride adorns herself with fine linen, so Christians adorn themselves with “ righteous acts of the saints." Revelation 19:9 —Blessed are they.— That is, blessed are those bidden to the “ marriage supper of the Lamb.’ Those bidden are those who have washed their robes in Christ’ s blood (Revelation 7:14), and are faithful unto death (Revelation 2:10). Here again the saved are pre­sented as guests at a feast; the idea of bride or wife is not in this verse, though mentioned in verse 7. “ Marriage supper” clearly indicates the joys of heaven. Wedding feasts soon end; the joys of heaven are eternal. The angel next asserts that what he said were the true words of God; a solemn confirmation of fact. Revelation 19:9 —Fell down before his feet.—This was the customary way in showing great respect for a superior. John was overcome by the majesty of the scene and the deep significance of the words he heard, and gave way to this Eastern custom. The speaker, who doubtless was an angel, promptly forbade it on the ground that he was a fellow servant with John. As the papal church, symbolized by the harlot, worships saints, this incident may have occurred in the vision to teach that it is sinful to worship any creature. At least that is the lesson taught by it. Revelation 19:10 —The spirit of prophecy.—The angel not only declared him­self the fellow servant with John, but also “ with thy brethren.” In Revelation 22:9, a parallel - passage, he says “ with thy brethren the prophets.” The meaning is that this angel held a similar po­sition with John and other prophets in making known the will of God; that no one should worship a fellow servant. The angel then adds “ worship God.” The testimony to Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. That testimony is given by those endowed by the spirit, whether angels from heaven, prophets of old, or the apostles. They are servants; God is the object of worship. A VISION OF THE ARMYRev_19:11-16 Revelation 19:11 —And I saw the heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon called Faithful and True;—In 18: 1 to 19: 10 we have a most vivid picture of the final overthrow of evil under the symbol of Babylon. In this paragraph John is allowed to see a vision describing the Lord’s victorious army in this last struggle. This is not a new and later event, but a pictorial representation of the Lord’s part in the one just described. In this book we are frequently brought back to events already related for the purpose of giving additional information.

The white horse, as we have already seen, is a symbol of successful or victorious warfare. See notes on Revelation 6:2. Faithful and true are characteristics of Christ (Revelation 1:5 Revelation 3:14), and, in connection with other expressions in this paragraph, make it certain that the rider on the horse represents him. But for reasons given in the notes on 6: 2 the rider there is not Christ. These texts then are not parallel.

Revelation 19:11 —and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.—The prophets declared that “ righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the girdle of his loins." (Isaiah 11:5.) His decisions will all be just and his warfare in defense of the truth always right.

Revelation 19:12 —And his eyes are a flame of fire, and upon his head are many diadems;—His eyes were sharp, piercing, and bright, indicating his power to penetrate and see every object. He had on his head, not the “ crown”— victor’ s wreath— but the “ diadem" — symbol of his regal authority. “ Many" diadems indicate the universal nature of his rule, and the complete victory he was to gain over all in the last conflict. This idea is expressed more fully in verse 16.

Revelation 19:12 —and he hath a name written which no one knoweth but he himself.—John saw the name, for it was written, but where it was written is not stated. No one knew it means that no one could understand what it signifies. It probably is the same as the “ new name” (Revelation 2:17), which will be given those who over­come, and therefore will not be known till the final state is reached. This implies that it expresses some heavenly relation­ship which men in the flesh cannot understand.

Revelation 19:13 —And he is arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood:— The King James Version has the word “ dipped” in place of “ sprinkle.” This is a matter of textual criticism, and the Re­visers have decided in favor of “ sprinkle” as the correct read­ing. Some expositors explain this as referring to the blood shed in the last war, some of which would be sprinkled on the garment of the victorious rider of the white horse. This would indicate that the last conflict would be a destructive victory over the Lord’ s enemies. Others think the reference is to the shed blood of Christ through which he will gain the final over­throw of wickedness. If this is the reference, the word “ sprinkle” is still appropriate. Peter speaks of the “ sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:2.) As the first covenant was ded­icated by the sprinkling of blood (Hebrews 9:18-20), so the new covenant by the blood of Christ, figuratively called the “ blood of sprinkling” (Hebrews 12:24) because that was the literal way the blood of animals was applied.

Revelation 19:13 —and his name is called The Word of God.—Some commen­tators think this cannot be the same as the name mentioned in verse 12 or the new name of 2: 17, for the reason that this one had already been given and could not therefore be “ new.” To this others reply that it is not known by man in the sense that no one can fully comprehend its meaning— that is, no one can understand the full import of God’ s Son being called the “ Word.” Of course this is true in fact, and may be the correct view of the expression, though hardly probable. See verse 12.

Revelation 19:14 —And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and pure.—We should remember that the text describes what John saw in the vision; what it represents is another matter. There are two important questions regarding this heavenly army: (1) Who are included in it? (2) What part will they take in the con­flict? Without doubt the passage refers to the coming of Christ and the last struggle between sin and righteousness. Some think this army will be composed of angels only and base their conclusion on Matthew 16:27 Matthew 25:31; 2 Thessalonians 1:7. Others think it includes the martyrs and means the same as those mentioned in Revelation 6:9-11 Revelation 14:1-5 Revelation 20:4. Still others think this army will include the redeemed saints as well as those martyred.

It should be observed that this army clothed in white linen has no implements of war, which indicates that they are present as witnesses, not as actual fighters. There will be no fighting in the ordinary sense of that word, for all the wicked people in the world are no match for divine power. Under the withering touch of divine power 185,000 in the Assyrian army perished in one night without the touch of human hands. (2 Kings 19:35.) So the almighty power of Jesus, when he comes, will destroy Satan’ s army— a victory sudden and complete. The angelic hosts of heaven will be present to rejoice.

Revelation 19:15 —And out of his mouth proceedeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations:—Jesus said his kingdom was not to be defended with a carnal sword. (John 18:36.) Paul declares that Christians fight with the “ sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17.) The thing that proceeds from the mouth means words. God’ s words are even sharper than a literal sword. (Hebrews 4:12.) From all this it is evident that smiting with the sword in this emblem represents the victory Christ will gain by his word. As the worlds were created by the word of God, so by the word of Christ wickedness will be banished. This agrees perfectly with Paul’ s statement that when Jesus comes he will slay the law­less one with “ the breath of his mouth.” (2 Thessalonians 2:8.) Not carnal bloodshed; but Christ will speak the word and divine power will do the rest. This text shows that wicked nations will be here when Jesus comes else there would be none for the Lord to smite.

Revelation 19:16 —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.—Ruling with a rod of iron means in strict justice, whether in imparting favors or in inflicting punishment. This thought is expressed a number of times. (Psalms 2:7-9; Revelation 2:27 Revelation 12:5.) The setting of the expression in this text shows that it means a just reward to the wicked. The pre­ceding expression speaks of “ smiting the nations,” and the following one says that he will tread the wine press of God’ s wrath. Verses 17-21 show that the “ winepress” of God’ s wrath refers to the final punishment of the wicked, a scene pictured in Jude 1:14-15. The meaning is that as the treader presses out the wine from the grapes, so Jesus will inflict the fierce­ness of God’ s wrath against the wicked, but with absolute justice.

Revelation 19:16 —And he hath on his garment and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.—Seeing this title written upon the garment further identifies the rider of the white horse as Christ. Just as the kingdom (moun­tain of the Lord’ s house) is above or greater than all other kingdoms (Isaiah 2:2), so Christ’ s position as King is superior to all other kings. Legally and rightly that has been his position since he took his seat (throne) at God’ s right hand. (Ephesians 1:19-23; Acts 2:36.) This symbol represents him*as still having that authority when he comes to execute God’ s wrath upon the wicked. RESULTS OF THE Rev_19:17-21 Rev 19:17 —And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid heaven,—The sun is the brightest shining orb in the world, and an angel so brilliant as to be distinguished when standing in the sun is beyond human description. This angel announced the result of the final conflict in a most impressive symbol. The fowls here mean birds of prey— those that eat flesh, and the image is that of such birds hovering over a battlefield ready to consume the bodies of the slain.

Revelation 19:17 —Come and be gathered together unto the great supper of God;—In verse 9 the saved are invited to the “ marriage supper of the Lamb,” which evidently means the rewards to be given finally to the faithful; here the “ supper of God” means that the punishment of the wicked will be like giving to birds of prey bodies slain in battle. The picture of bodies thus consumed is the horrible emblem of the final destiny of the lost.

Revelation 19:18 —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 thereon, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, and small and great.—John sees in the symbol the birds assembled to the battlefield to consume leaders, com­mon men, and even animals. This means that the wicked of all classes will suffer the final banishment from God’ s pres­ence. There will be no chance for rulers to escape any more than the common man; young and old will meet the same fate.

Revelation 19:19 —And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat upon the horse, and against his army.—In Revelation 16:13-16 John sees three unclean spirits coming from the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet to gather the kings of the whole world to­gether for the last struggle—“ the war of the great day of God.” Here he sees that battle and its results. The hosts on both sides are assembled. This emblematic language means that evil on earth will be ended by the Lord at his coming, not that a real flesh and blood battle will be fought. This will include all kinds of evil represented by the beast and kings of the earth.

Revelation 19:20 —And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought the signs in his sight, wherewith he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that worshipped his image:—On the identity of the beast and false prophet, see notes on Revelation 16:13. The fact that this language shows the false prophet wrought pretended miracles in the sight of the beast and deceived them who had received the “ mark of the beast” indicates that the false prophet is the same as papal Rome. If so, then the “ beast” would be political Rome in its so-called Christianized form while dominated by the papacy. This shows that in the last conflict corrupt political powers and false religions will both be used by Satan in his final effort to destroy Christianity. In the symbol John sees them both taken— defeated. The false prophet is a general expression broad enough to include all false teachers, and by implication all false systems of religion.

Revelation 19:20 —they two were cast alive into the lake of fire that burneth with brimstone:—This means the end of these two kinds of wicked powers and the final punishment of those who sup­ported them. The lake of fire refers to the last and complete torment of those banished from God forever. (Mark 9:47-48; Revelation 14:10-11 Revelation 20:14-15.) The last reference says the lake of fire is the second death which will take place when death and Hades are cast into that lake. This is final in showing that this paragraph refers to the separation of the good and bad at the judgment.

Revelation 19:21 —and the rest were killed with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, even the sword which came forth out of his mouth: and all the birds were filled with their flesh.—This is what John saw in the vision. Seeing the armies that followed the beast and false prophet killed with a sword and the birds feeding upon their flesh means that those who practice sin in corrupt politics or religion will be condemned to everlasting punishment. Thus again in this symbol we have seen the final conflict between sin and righteousness end in the vindication of Christ and his teaching. A decision from which there is no new hearing. Revelation Chapter XIX by B.W. Johnson The Marriage Supper of the Lamb Summary—Rejoicing in Heaven. The Bride Preparing for the Bridegroom. The White Horse and the Word of God. Conquering the World for Christ. The Great Battle. The Beast and the False Prophet Taken.

Cast into the Lake of Fire.The nineteenth chapter of Revelation describes some of the events that precede the full acknowledgment of the reign of Christ among the children of men. These have been partly described in preceding chapters. In Revelation 14:6 the apostle points out the mighty strides of the gospel of Christ. In succeeding verses he announces the fall of Babylon, a mighty event is more fully described in succeeding chapters. In Revelation 16:13 the gathering of the united hosts of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, to the battle of Armageddon is pointed out. This is the battle in which shall take place the final overthrow of the allied powers which have exerted so malign an influence on the earth.

But before this catastrophe is fully explained the apostle brings in an delineation of the great spiritual apostasy under the form of a Harlot, then changes the symbol to a city, alludes to its fate, and in an episode, pictures the mourning over its destruction. In chapter 19, the opening part is a picture of heavenly rejoicings over the great victory about to be won, and then the events that lead up to the great battle are introduced. Revelation 19:1-5. After these things. Following the preceding scenes. I heard a great voice of much people. These songs of rejoicing and thanksgiving are seen in Revelation whenever any great triumph or blessing is about to come. See Revelation 5:13 Revelation 7:12 Revelation 11:15 Revelation 12:10. Revelation 19:2. For true and righteous are his judgments. This is shown by the judgments on the spiritual Babylon. Revelation 19:4. And the four and twenty elders. See chap. Revelation 4:4 Revelation 4:6, and notes at close of that chapter. Revelation 19:5. And a voice came forth from the throne. Not “ out of the throne,” as in the Common Version. The speaker is not indicated. It is a call to praise the Lord. Revelation 19:6-7. I heard… a great multitude. This is in response to the call from the throne. The Lord God omnipotent reigneth. This is demonstrated in the overthrow of the wicked. Revelation 19:7. For the marriage of the Lamb is come. The blessed union of the Lord with his chosen Bride, the Church. The consummation of this marriage is described in Revelation 21:2. His wife hath made herself ready. The Church has to prepare herself for this event before it can take place. The Lord will not accept a bride who is not purified and fit for the Heavenly Bridegroom. Revelation 19:8-9. To her was granted. By divine grace. That she should be arrayed. She must be arrayed in spotless white. What this white raiment is not left in doubt. It is woven by the pure and holy lives of the saints. Revelation 19:9. And he saith unto me, Write. This always implies a very important message. Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. The blessing is upon those who have a part in the blessedness of this holy union. Those will be called who have wedding garments pure and white of fine linen. See verse 8. Revelation 19:10. And I fell at his feet. In this passage and in Revelation 22:7-8, the apostle offers worship to a fellow creature, an angel. In each place the prohibition is prompt. This episode is introduced in order to teach the sinfulness of all creature worship. It is likely that the fact that the fate of a great apostate church, in which worship is offered to its human head, is being declared, is the reason why here this symbolical act occurs. Man created in God’s image is to worship only that which is divine. The testimony of Jesus. The angel declares himself of thy brethren. In Revelation 22:9, he adds, “ of thy brethren, the prophets.” Here the explanation is added that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. In testifying of Jesus the angel became one of the prophets. Revelation 19:11-16. And I saw the heaven opened. This implies the opening of a new vision. See Revelation 4:1 Revelation 11:19. Where a former vision is continued the formula is “ After these things.” We now have a series of pictures symbolizing the closing events that inaugurate the Millennium. The first of these is the one before symbolized by the angel that flies through heaven with the everlasting gospel, but now presented in a grand vision of the triumphant march of the Word of God. Behold a white horse. Always the symbol of conquest and triumph. See notes on Revelation 6:2. He that sat upon him called Faithful and True. It is the Lord, who comes as the Word of God. His conquests are effected by the word, but the march is really the march of Christ. Revelation 19:12. His eyes were as a flame of fire. See note on Revelation 1:14. Upon his head were many crowns. Diadems. All kingly authority is concentrated in his hands. He is King of kings. A name written that no man knew. Probably the new name of Rev 2:17, a name which will be disclosed to those invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 3:12). Revelation 19:13. He is arrayed in a garment sprinkled with. See Revision. The word in the best Greek MSS. is not Bebammemnon , but “ sprinkled.” The usual idea is that the sprinkled blood is that of his conquered enemies. I believe that the thought is the sprinkling of his own blood, the blood through which he conquers. Revelation 19:14. And the armies which were in heaven followed him. These armies are the armies of the saints, purified, holy, a conquering host, led by Christ to victory. Revelation 19:15. Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword. See note on Revelation 1:16. This symbolizes the word by which he achieved his conquests. He shall rule them with a rod of iron. See notes on Revelation 2:27 and Revelation 12:5. This implies not a stern, but a firm and lasting rule. He treadeth the winepress. He shall inflict God’s judgments on the sins of the earth. See notes on Revelation 14:17-19. Revelation 19:16. He hath on his vesture and on his thigh. This probably signifies that the name was written on his vesture, even on his thigh. The Greek may be so translated. King of Kings. Of the various titles given to Christ in this passage this is the highest and marks him as supreme. There are four titles given in the passage: (1) in verse 11; (2) verse 12; (3) verse 13, and (4) in verse 16. The sublime imagery of this passage portrays the spiritual march and conquest of Christ. A purified church, following Christ, holy and true, shall carry the word in triumphant power to the nations. The armies of the saints, all united under Christ, led by him, strengthened by him, hence invincible, are marching to the great final conflict with the hosts of evil. Revelation 19:17-18. And I saw an angel standing in the sun. And riding with the sun in his course. From this position in the heavens and riding through the heavens he can call all the fowls of heaven together. Unto the great supper of God. Unto the feast for birds of prey caused by the carnage of God’s judgments on his enemies. Revelation 19:18. That ye may eat. The picture drawn is that of the terrible slaughter of a mighty defeat, which leaves the earth covered with the slain of every degree. The conflict meant is that named in next verse. Revelation 19:19-21. I saw the beast. See notes on Revelation 13:1-10. This beast represents the world power opposed to Christ under its changing forms. The Roman Pagan Empire, and the Roman Papal secular power, are two forms. But it continues even after these forms pass away. The form in which it will manifest itself in this conflict will be better known when the fulfillment takes place. The beast marshals the kings of the earth as his supporters to oppose the Lamb and his armies. Revelation 19:20. And the beast was taken. It is the beast’s last appearance. He is now finally overthrown. And with him the false prophet. The false prophet, the beast, and the dragon have been named in Revelation 16:13 as calling the kings of the earth to the battle of Armageddon.

See notes there. This is the same conflict. Here the result of the conflict is given. That wrought the signs. This description identifies the false prophet. He is the lamb-like dragon of Rev 13:11, the false spiritual despotism, the apostate church.

This false prophet is now taken. They twain were cast alive into a lake of fire. In Revelation 18:8 it is said that Babylon shall be burned with fire. Here the false prophet, both symbols of the same power, is cast into the lake of fire. The symbol indicates utter destruction. What is cast into this lake is seen no more. Revelation 19:21. And the rest were killed with the sword of him, etc. This is probably symbolic. If these who had been sinners and supporters of the powers of evil were incapacitated for that support longer, it would be their death (separation) from that cause. It may be that this remnant were converted by the word. And all the birds were filled, etc. If this is a symbol its signification is that the victory was complete. THE COMING OF CHRIST.The coming of Christ, pictured in his chapter, has been seized upon by the advocates of his visible coming before the millennial period which is described in the next chapter. They insist that the passage embraced in verses 11-16 describes a personal coming which shall be visible to the eyes of all men, and which is the coming so often referred to in the Scriptures. To this it might be objected: (1) That the language of this description is all the language of symbolism. None expect that, when the Lord comes, he will be riding on a white horse with an army following him riding on white horses, and having a name “ written on his vesture and on his thigh.” The language is undoubtedly symbolic. (2) If this be his coming to judgment of which he spoke in Matthew 24:30; Luke 21:27; Matthew 25:31 and described by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, Revelation does not rightly describe it. He declares that he shall come on the clouds of heaven preceded and heralded by the trump of the archangel. The coming described in Revelation is not evidently the one meant by our Lord. (3) This personal, visible coming of the Lord is always associated with the Last Judgment.

See Matthew 25:31-34; 1 Corinthians 15:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:8, etc. The Scriptures only recognize one visible Return or Coming of Christ. Now, the Last Judgment is not reached in Revelation until we come to Revelation 20:11. Here it is placed after the Millennium. Hence, we must conclude that the Visible Return of the Lord does not take place before the Millennium, and that Revelation 19:11-16 describes a coming in power, the power of his Word, but not a visible coming. (4) Is it objected that in Revelation 20:11 nothing is said of the coming of Christ? It is said (Matthew 25:31) that when the Lord comes he shall be seated on the throne of judgment and in Revelation 20:11 John sees this throne and the Lord sitting on the throne.

He does not describe here his coming, but shows him already come and engaged in judgment.

Verse 1 SECTION VIRevelation Chapter Nineteen In this chapter, the judgment of the beast ridden by the harlot is presented, the presentation reaching its climax in the final destruction of both inRevelation 19:19-21, where the harlot is also mentioned again under the figure of the false prophet. This is the central one of three chapters, each of which is concluded with a description of the judgment day. Revelation 18 ends with the desolated whore at the judgment. Revelation 19 ends with the beast destroyed at the judgment. Revelation 20 ends with the dragon (Satan) destroyed at the judgment. This is the exact reverse order of their appearance in Revelation, beginning at Revelation 12:1. This book of Revelation is very neatly and skillfully organized, and the structure of it is a marvel of logical design and synchronization. The chronology of these three chapters is identical, each of them dealing with the entire Christian dispensation between the two Advents of Christ. The “forty-two months,” the “one thousand two hundred and three score days,” and the “one thousand years” are three different symbolical terms used in the successive chapters as the designation of the same chronological period, the entire dispensation, each of them reaching its terminus at the judgment. This chapter, therefore, is not “the beginning of the millennial age."[1] The only connection that it has with the millennium is that it prophesies of events throughout the whole current dispensation, which is the 1,000 years, the 42 months, or the 1,260 days, each of these expressions meaning the same thing. Thus, each of the three chapters (Revelation 18; Revelation 19; andRevelation 20) covers the same period of time ending at the judgment, as do also other sections of the prophecy. Prior to the narration of the destruction of the kings (the beast in his final phase, the period of the ten horns), presented in Revelation 19:11-21, there are two proleptic scenes of praise, the first (Revelation 19:1-5) looking backward to the destruction of the harlot, and the second (Revelation 19:6-10) looking forward to the destruction of the beast. Many commentators, notably Beckwith and Bruce, treat the first five verses as actually a part of the preceding chapter; but it makes little difference, for both outbursts of praise in heaven are very similar to other parenthetical and anticipatory scenes scattered throughout the prophecy. This chapter dealing with the sea-beast in the later phase of his existence, the period represented by the ten horns, is of very great significance, for it places the complete fulfillment of Revelation at least half a millennium later than this first phase which ended with the collapse of the pagan empire in 476 A.D. The narrow preterist view that all of Revelation was fulfilled in the time of the first generation receiving it is totally denied by this, as also by the fact that a period of time represented by a full thousand years is also represented as intervening prior to the final judgment in Revelation 20. The final judgment day is the key to understanding Revelation, for it appears no less than seven times within these 22 chapters. The greatest misunderstanding of Revelation apparent in the works of so many writers is their efforts to get rid of the various depictions of the final judgment. Every conceivable device of doing this has been utilized; but none of them, nor all of them, can remove the stark dramatic language which simply cannot logically apply to anything else except the judgment day. ENDNOTE: [1] James William Russell, Compact Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1964), p. 650. 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: (Revelation 19:1) Plummer thought that, “A new phase of the vision begins here”;[2] and perhaps this is correct, since the recapitulation of the whole time between the two Advents is again presented, this time with the focus upon the destruction of the sea-beast in his final manifestation of the ten horns. Hallelujah; Salvation, and glory and power … “The only times that Hallelujah actually appears in Scripture are on the four occasions in this chapter."[3] Like “Abba,” “Hosanna,” and a few others, it is a transliterated word from the Hebrew. It is also found in some translations of the Old Testament, where “Praise the Lord” is also used instead of it. [2] A. Plummer, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 22, Revelation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 447. [3] William Barclay, The Revelation of John (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1976), p. 169. Verse 2 for true and righteous are his judgments; for he hath judged the great harlot; her that corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.True and righteous are his judgments … It is appropriate for Christians to be reminded that the terrible judgments upon nations, cities, and individuals who spurn his mercies are “righteous.” The holy and righteous God cannot, nor will he, accommodate to human wickedness. “The moral law can no more be broken than the law of gravity; it can only be illustrated."[4] “There is nothing flabby or colorless about these anthems; the ring with stern joy at the judgment executed upon Babylon."[5] It is plain that the first part of this praise passage still has in view the destruction of the harlot related in the previous chapter. See next verse. For he hath judged the great harlot … The ultimate overthrow of all evil will take place at the final judgment, an event here viewed as in the past, the rejoicing throng being depicted in the vision as looking back upon it. This harmonizes with the understanding of the last paragraph of chapter 18 as a prophecy of the final judgment. [4] T. S. Kepler as quoted by Barclay, Ibid. [5] Albertus Pieters, Studies in the Revelation of St. John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1954), p. 262. Verse 3 And a second time they say, Hallelujah. And her smoke goeth up for ever and ever.The smoke for ever and ever … The final nature of the judgment depicted at the end of chapter 18 is indicated by this. “This refers to the final punishment of the wicked following the judgment."[6] “This Scripture also cries out against all forms of universalism which are so prevalent today."[7][6] John T. Hines, A Commentary on the Book of Revelation (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company, 1962), p. 265. [7] James D. Strauss, The Seer, the Saviour, and the Saved (Joplin, Missouri: College Press, 1972), p. 233. Verse 4 And the four and twenty elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God that sitteth on the throne, saying, Amen; Hallelujah.The four and twenty elders and the four living creatures … These come from the early chapters (Revelation 4 and Revelation 5) of the prophecy. Hendriksen understood the 24 elders as symbolizing “the entire church, and the living creatures as representing the cherubim”;[8] however, there is little use of pursuing their identity, because the rejoicing is clearly for the benefit of the saints on earth and is intended to show how they will rejoice upon their entry into heaven. “The violent hatred of Rome” shown in these passages is alleged by some to be “not Christian”; but Beckwith exploded such charges by pointing out that God’s hatred “is not of people, but of a corrupt anti-Christianity."[9] It is not Christian vengeance which is seen here, but divine retribution. The thing to keep in focus here is a vision of “God that sitteth on the throne.” [8] William Hendriksen, More than Conquerors (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1956), p. 214. [9] Isbon T. Beckwith, The Apocalypse of John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1919, p. 723. Verse 5 And a voice came forth from the throne, saying, Give praise to our God, all ye his servants, ye that fear him, the small and the great.Give praise to our God, all ye his servants … This is the message intended by the praise in heaven. The persecuted saints should praise God who still sits on the throne; and no enemy, either of good or of the redeemed, shall escape his judgment. Small and great … is an idiom for “all” of God’s true servants. The repeated Hallelujah’s are the keynote of all Revelation: Though the enemies of good rage against his people like savage beasts, and Baby]on exults in her insolence, “God remains supreme, keeping watch above his own,” and ready to call his foes to account when their rebellion has passed the point of no return.[10]Just as these first five verses look back to the judgment of the harlot, the next four look forward to the true Bride, the Lamb’s wife, to be glorified in subsequent chapters. It is impossible not to see that in these obvious and dramatic contrasts between the harlot and the true wife of Christ, the true nature of the harlot as “apostate religion” is revealed. ENDNOTE: [10] F. F. Bruce, A New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1969), p. 660. Verse 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 thunders, saying, Hallelujah: for the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigneth.This, together with Revelation 19:7, constitutes a proleptic or anticipatory announcement of the “Marriage of the Lamb,” an event that does not take place until the Second Advent.[11]The Lord our God, the Almighty reigneth … This is grossly misunderstood when it is thought to mean that God “reigneth” only after the harlot, the beast, and the dragon are destroyed. The word “reigneth” is the eternal present. Let any one in doubt go back to Revelation 4 and Revelation 5 and read them again. God has never left his throne. The Almighty … This is a characteristic designation for God in this prophecy. It occurs ten times in the New Testament; once it is in an Old Testament quotation (2 Corinthians 6:18); and the other nine times are in Revelation (Revelation 1:8 Revelation 4:8 Revelation 11:17 Revelation 15:3 Revelation 16:7 Revelation 16:14 Revelation 19:6 Revelation 19:15 Revelation 21:22).[12]The Almighty God is eternal, and there has never been the fraction of an instant when he was not in complete and universal control of the entire universe, nor has there ever been the slightest interruption of his eternal reign. Oh to be sure, rebels have flaunted his laws; but they never broke any of them! They merely illustrated them! “The Scriptures cannot be broken” (John 10:35). See full comment on this in my Commentary on John, pp. 265-267. The first clause in this verse is “John’s usual way of showing a new division."[13] “The first hymn (Revelation 19:1-5) looks backward; this one (Revelation 19:6-10) looks forward."[14][11] George Eldon Ladd, A Commentary on the Revelation of John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1972), p. 245. [12] William Barclay, op. cit., p. 173. [13] Isbon T. Beckwith, op. cit., p. 725. [14] Ibid. Verse 7 Let us rejoice and be exceeding glad, and let us give the glory unto him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. THE The marriage of the Lamb is come … “The marriage feast is the day of the Lord’s Second Advent."[15]The figure of marriage to represent the relationship between the Lord and his people is often used in the New Testament, but in various analogies. In Matthew 22:1-4, the Christians are guests at the wedding. InMatthew 15:1ff, they are certain of the bridesmaids. In 2 Corinthians 11:1-3, they are chaste virgins betrothed unto the Lord. In Ephesians 5:22-32 and in Romans 7:4, the analogy is that Christians are now married to the Lord. “When passages like this (Revelation 19:7) are pressed as proof that the church is not now married to the Lord, these figures are ignored."[16] Also, in this connection, it is exceedingly important to remember that the Jewish customs of marriage are those prominent in all of these usages.

The betrothal, which often took place as much as a year before the actual marriage, was fully equivalent legally to the marriage itself; during this period of waiting, the bridegroom was absent preparing a place for the bride (as inJohn 14:1-13), and any infidelity upon her part was considered as adultery; then came the great day of the marriage supper when the bridegroom and the bride began to live together. These and other peculiarly Jewish customs are all prominent in the New Testament employment of this metaphor. “The marriage supper,” here, comes after the long period of waiting is over, and the bride and the bridegroom are taking up life together. For further elaboration of this, see under the above references in this series of commentaries, also in my Commentary on Matthew, pp. 6-8. And his wife hath made herself ready … This verse shocks the “faith only” people, who at once “correct this” by the comment that she made herself ready “not by doing anything of her own,” and pointing out that “it was given to her, given by the pure grace of God, that she be clothed."[17] We might add that, of course, God gave her the clothes, but she had to put them on! That is what is meant by making herself ready. The whole analogy is beautifully exhibited in Matthew 22:12, where the wedding guests (Christians) had all received proper wedding garments, but one of them neglected to dress himself, with disastrous results for him; and so it will be for all who neglect to do the good works of the Christian life, which are a moment later identified as the wedding garments. By putting these on, the bride “worked out her own salvation” (Philippians 2:12); in this way she made herself ready. All of the ingenuity of people who do not believe it will never be able to eliminate this plain teaching of the word of God. We also add that no one could possibly believe in the free grace of God any more than does this writer! [15] James Moffatt, Expositor’s Greek New Testament, Vol. V (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1967), p. 464. [16] John T. Hinds, op. cit., p. 266. [17] R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. John’s Revelation (Minneapolis, Minnesota: Augsburg Publishing House, 1943), p. 542. Verse 8 And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright and pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.For the linen is the righteous acts of the saints … This clearly means that the righteous acts done by Christians are indeed the fine linen in which the bride must be arrayed. But are not these “given to her”? Yes, but not in any sense of her not having to do them. God gives his saints all kinds of righteous deeds through his holy commandments telling them what to do, and through the motivation to do them provided in the selfless example of our Blessed Lord. “The double nature of the process is here set forth, tit was given to her;’ the power came from God; and yet she arrays herself; the action is still voluntary."[18] “Righteous acts flow from a righteous character, which is entirely of the grace of God”;[19] but the righteous deeds do not do themselves! They are not done by the believer’s faith, nor by the Holy Spirit, but they are done by the believer.

Morris voiced a common view thus, “The white robes are not provided by any righteous acts on the part of the wearers,"[20] but this is true only in a certain limited sense. The metaphor of putting on the garments is also prominent here. The bride arrayed herself. “From one point of view, she made the dress herself; she worked out her own salvation."[21] The impact of this verse is so strong against the popular heresy of Solifidianism, that some of the commentators have reached for the explanation of last resort and called it “a gloss”! “It has the sound of some commentator’s explanation."[22] Of course, there is no evidence whatever of this verse being a gloss; and those who resort to such an allegation confess in so doing that it contradicts what they are teaching. [18] A. Plummer, The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 22, Revelation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 448. [19] Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Revelation (Chicago: Moody Press, 1968), p. 111. [20] Leon Morris, Tyndale Commentaries, New Testament, Vol. 20, The Revelation of St. John (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1969), p. 227. [21] Michael Wilcock, I Saw Heaven Opened (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1975), p. 172. [22] Isbon T. Beckwith, op. cit., p. 727. Verse 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they that are bidden to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true words of God.Blessed are they that are bidden … All people are bidden in the sense of being invited by the gospel of Christ to accept the salvation of God; but, in the New Testament, the “called” means those who “have accepted and obeyed the call.” “Bidden” means those who accepted God’s invitation through their believing and obeying the gospel. These are the true words of God … This may be understood as a solemn assurance that “all of the Scriptures” are the true words of God. There is no need to limit this to the invitation to the marriage supper; but that in itself encompasses the entire scope of God’s message to people in the Holy Scriptures. Verse 10 And 50fell down before his feet to worship him. And he saith unto me, See thou do it not: I am a fellow-servant with thee and with thy brethren that hold the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.This incident recorded here is of vast importance and significance. The background of its appearance in the vision, or perhaps the reason for God’s giving this, may have been the tendency to worship angels which is said to have prevailed in some quarters in the primitive church. Moffatt, for example, quoted Clement of Alexandria as saying that, “angel worship had for some time fascinated the Asiatic churches here and there."[23] The impact of what is taught by this, however, far exceeds the bearing it has in forbidding angel worship. And I fell down before his feet to worship him … In this instance, John actually was so carried away by the marvelous visions that he had seen that he impetuously fell down to worship the glorious angel who had aided in the revelations. This, at once, was revealed as sinful. And he saith unto me, See thou do it not … This clearly indicated the sinfulness of what John did in falling down before him. “I am a fellow-servant with thee and with thy brethren that hold the testimony of Jesus …” This is exceedingly interesting, for it gives angelic testimony to the high rank of the apostle John. “They that hold the testimony of Jesus,” as used here, is a reference to the Twelve Apostles. They alone, in the ultimate sense, held the testimony of Jesus; and that it is in that higher sense that the words were used here by the angel appears in the addition of the clause: “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” This forbids, therefore, understanding the brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus as merely the Christians of all ages who also, in a sense, are bearers of the glad tidings. The angel spoke of those Spirit-endowed people who were the chosen witnesses to bear the testimony through their writings in the New Testament to all generations. They were prophets; Christians are not prophets. Even a glorious angel is merely one of God’s servants, and therefore not to be worshipped by people. Worship is reserved for God alone. The acceptance of the worship by people on the part of Christ does not mean that other people may accept the worship of their fellows, but it identifies Christ as God come in the flesh. I am thy fellow-servant … Regarding the “service” which angels give to the redeemed, see in my Commentary on Hebrews, p. 31. Worship God … This means that only God is to be worshipped, either by an act of obeisance, prostration, or bowing down before the presence, or by any subjective adoration, the latter being not “worship” in the New Testament sense, but the emotional accompaniment of it. See thorough discussion of what worship actually is in my Commentary on Acts 208-211. If even one of the glorious angels of heaven may not be honored by a Christian’s bowing before his presence, how much less may any religious prelate allow people to kiss his ring, or the hem of his garment, or prostrate themselves on their bellies as when the entire college of Cardinals so prostrate themselves before the Pope? Such reverence given to a mere human being is a sin. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy … We regret that the vast majority have failed utterly to understand this. “There is no way absolutely to determine whether John is speaking of the witness given by Christ himself, or whether the witness is about Christ."[24] Ladd thought that, “It is the witness borne by the church to Jesus."[25] Beasley-Murray interpreted it to mean the “testimony which Jesus gives."[26] All such explanations fall short. Bruce was nearer the truth when he wrote: “Here New Testament prophecy is meant, as in the similar statement regarding Old Testament prophecy in 1 Peter 1:10 f.[27] This harmonizes completely with our view of it given in the fourth paragraph under Revelation 19:10. We see this clause as a qualifier of those whom the angel meant were his fellow-servants. He spoke of the Twelve Apostles, and this verse indicates that meaning, for the apostles alone were truly “prophets” of the New Testament. Barclay’s interesting comment on this is included here, not because it touches this vital meaning of the passage, but be cause it gives attention to the “double meaning” phenomenon often found in the New Testament. This is the kind of double meaning of which the Greek language is capable; and it may well be that John intended the double meaning. The true prophet is the man who receives from Christ the message he brings to men, and whose words and works are at one and the same time an act of witness to Christ.[28]We cannot accept the view that a true Christian, however effective his “witness,” is in any sense a possessor of the “spirit of prophecy.” The clause is a designator of the Twelve. We whole-heartedly agree with another of Barclay’s comments on this verse, thus, “God alone must be worshipped. Any other intermediary than Jesus Christ between God and men must be utterly opposed."[29] Angels are above all people, who are made a “little lower” than the angels; and, if it is sinful to worship an angel, how far greater is the sin of worshipping people, or of invoking their names in prayer, or of bowing down in the presence of images consecrated to them? Zerr, who is usually quite dependable, cannot be correct in his notion that, “There are some conditions when even a man may receive some form of worship."[30] One commentator even suggested that John got mixed up and forgot about relating this incident when he included it a second time in Revelation 22:8-9; and even J. W. Roberts wrote: “This scene is duplicated in Revelation 22:6 ff."[31] No! This is not duplicated there, where a most important and significant difference will be pointed out and discussed. [23] James Moffatt, op. cit., p. 465. [24] James D. Strauss, op. cit., p. 237. [25] George Eldon Ladd, op. cit., p. 251. [26] G. R. Beasley-Murray, The Book of Revelation (Greenwood, South Carolina: The Attic Press, 1974), p. 276. [27] F. F. Bruce, op. cit., p. 660. [28] William Barclay, op. cit., p. 177. [29] Ibid., p. 176. [30] E. M. Zerr, Bible Commentary, Vol. 6 (Marion, Indiana: Cogdill Foundation, 1954), p. 339. [31] J. W. Roberts, The Revelation of John (Austin, Texas: R. B. Sweet Company, 1974), p. 161. Verse 11 And I saw the heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon called Faithful and True; and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.A white horse, and he that sat thereon called Faithful and True … This seems to be one of the few places in Revelation where all the opinions meld into one. This is a description of the Lord Jesus Christ. We also identify him with the rider of the white horse in the first seal (Revelation 6:2). It is objected that those seals are judgments; but what is the scene here if it is not a judgment, not merely a judgment, but the final and last judgment? The judgment in the seals (Revelation 6:2) was due to the preaching of the truth, an odor of life to some, death to others; and this judgment is the final and total execution of the judgment determined by the preaching of the gospel, which always results in the salvation of some and the rejection of others, and culminates in the wicked being overthrown as in this judgment. The dark scenes of the balance of this chapter are objected to by many who find what they call their “Christian sensibilities” offended. They say this contradicts the conception of a gracious and merciful Christ; but such views are simply incorrect. “Everywhere in the New Testament, the element of victory through judgment is an inescapable aspect of Christ’s total work."[32]The warfare now to be described must be understood as that which is taking place between the hosts of Christ and Satan throughout the period of the world’s existence.[33]We reject the type of slander of this part of Revelation which declares that, “There is little or nothing that is specifically Christian in the whole section."[34] People with such views have merely overlooked the New Testament doctrine of judgment. Even Roberts overlooked the judgment here, thinking that John “expected a thousand year reign of the saints before the end of the world and the judgment."[35] He and so many others overlooked the recapitulatory nature of these chapters (Revelation 18; Revelation 19, and Revelation 20). It is true, of course, that the 1,000 years’ reign comes before the judgment, as the recapitulation in the next chapter shows. But the judgment here in this chapter is exactly the same as the judgment there. “This chapter does not give us a picture of the millennial age”[36] in Any sense of its being any different from the rest of the Christian dispensation. The chapter is a view of the whole “millennial age,” the “forty two months,” the “one thousand two hundred and sixty days,” etc., all of which are synonyms, symbolical representations of the total time between the two Advents of Christ, covering exactly the same time-period as that already covered in this prophecy, again, and again, and again. Keep in mind that Revelation 18 gave the overthrow of the harlot; this chapter gives the overthrow of the beast (in his phase of the ten kings, the final phase, that of the eighth head); and the next chapter (Revelation 20) gives the overthrow of Satan (the dragon). These three: the dragon (Satan), the sea-beast (world persecuting governments), and the harlot (the land-beast, also the false prophet), are the three great enemies of Christianity depicted in Revelation. Their destruction in these three chapters occurs in exactly the reverse order of their appearance in the prophecy (beginning at Revelation 12:1); and despite their overthrow being related in separate chapters and separate recapitulations, “All three go down together:"[37]They are all three destroyed simultaneously in the final judgment, and shall continue “alive” and active until the very last day of time. The circumstance that each is revealed in a separate vision should not lead us to think that there is an interval of centuries, either between their appearances (or their overthrow). In reality, all perish together by the Parousia of the Lamb.[38][32] George Eldon Ladd, op. cit., p. 151. [33] A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 449. [34] James Moffatt, op. cit., p. 466. [35] J. W. Roberts, op. cit., p. 158. [36] James William Russell, op. cit., p. 650. [37] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 547. [38] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 547,548. Verse 12 And his eyes are a flame of fire, and upon his head are many diadems; and he hath a name written which no one knoweth but he himself.And his eyes are a flame of fire … The glorious appearance of Christ here recalls the first vision of him with which the prophecy opened (Revelation 1). The flaming eyes suggest purity, truth, and omniscience. Many diadems … The vast and eternal authority of Christ as set forth in Matthew 28:18-20 is symbolized by these. Name … which no man knoweth but he himself … There are two excellent interpretations of this, either one of which, or both of which, may be correct. “The unknown name of Christ comports with the fact that his nature, his relationship to the Father, and even his relationship to humanity, transcend all human understanding."[39] Barclay thought it might be, “The sacred tetragrammaton, the sacred YHWH, the unpronounceable, unknown name of God."[40] The status of Christ as God in the New Testament makes this altogether reasonable and logical. The sacred Hebrew word for God is still not known to any man; and it would be appropriate enough applied to Christ. [39] G. R. Beasley-Murray, op. cit., p. 280. [40] William Barclay, op. cit., p. 180. Verse 13 And he is arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood: and his name is called the Word of God.Garment sprinkled with blood … The imagery of this is thought to reflect the figure of the winepress inIsaiah 63, but there the blood was the blood of the Lord’s enemies. As Caird pointed out, “The Rider’s garment is already soaked in blood before the battle begins."[41] Some point out that Christ has already won many victories before the one pointed out here; but we seem to be compelled to seek the meaning symbolized by the bloodstains in that eternal victory of the Cross, where the enabling victory of all that came afterwards was achieved. “His garment is dipped in blood because Christ shed his blood for mankind."[42]And his name is called the Word of God … “This is a title of Christ used only by the apostle John (John 1:1 John 1:14,1 John 1:1 1 John 5:7)."[43] The apostle is thus linked with all three writings. [41] G. B. Caird, The Revelation of St. John the Divine (New York: Harper and Row, 1966), p. 242. [42] E. M. Zerr, op. cit., p. 340. [43] Charles Caldwell Ryrie, op. cit., p. 112. Verse 14 And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and pure.And the armies which are in heaven followed him … Any literalism here, as in most of the prophecy, is impossible. We agree with Pieters that this does not symbolize Christians. “It is an idea alien to the Scriptures to speak of Christians going forth again to wage war on evil, after attaining a heavenly rest."[44] The Lord never depicted his sheep as organized in a campaign of destruction directed against the wolves! “The armies which are in heaven must be angelic armies."[45] This also corresponds to the oft-repeated mention of a host of holy angels participating in the final judgment (Matthew 13:41 Matthew 13:49,2 Thessalonians 1:7). The undeniable identification of the last part of this chapter with the final judgment is inherent in the makeup of this vast army. Caird thought these were Christians,[46] and Rist identified them as “the martyrs”;[47] but such views impose great difficulty in fitting them logically into the entire vision. [44] Albertus Pieters, op. cit., p. 204. [45] Ibid. [46] G. B. Caird, op. cit., p. 265. [47] Martin Rist, The Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. XII (New York-Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1950), p. 514. Verse 15 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.And out of his mouth proceeded a sharp sword … Again, all voices agree as one in seeing this as a symbol of the word of God (Hebrews 4:12-13; Ephesians 6:17 f). With it he should smite the nations … rule them with a rod of iron … These are not references to the merciful and benign reign of Christ through his saints on earth in the present dispensation, but to the final wrath and judgment of God upon the ungodly. He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God … This tells what Christ is depicted as doing in this scene. It is a picture of final judgment. “All three of the figures in this verse are representations of the word of Christ, by which he executes with indisputable authority the judgment of God."[48] No “battle” of any kind takes place here. The so-called Battle of Armageddon, as usually conceived, is nothing but man’s imagination. Christ needs no armies, whether of angels, or anyone else. His word which hurled the suns in space will execute his will when the time comes.

To be sure, the language here suggests Armageddon, the great spiritual conflict going on throughout history, the results of which will be announced and executed on the last day. Note that there is no fighting or conflict of any kind in view here. At the moment of this vision, the conflict is already over; only the judgment remains to be executed; the issues which were long ago determined are here to be revealed and executed in the final judgment of all people. ENDNOTE: [48] G. R. Beasley-Murray, op. cit., p. 281. Verse 16 And he hath on his garment and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS; AND LORD OF LORDS.KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS … This makes it mandatory to view the similar passage in 1 Timothy 6:15 as also being a plain reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. See comment on that reference in this series. This superlative title does not refer to what Christ will become after this so-called “battle.” “He will conquer the monster and the kings because he is already King of kings and Lord of lords."[49] This section teaches: That Christ is reigning; he is reigning through the power of his word; he is reigning in every heart that will yield to the gospel. When he comes in the clouds of his glory (with his angels, as here), the final stroke will be delivered.[50]See the dissertation on “The King of Kings and Lord of Lords” in my Commentary on 1Timothy, pp. 229-234. [49] Ibid. [50] Frank L. Cox, Revelation in 26 Lessons (Nashville: The Gospel Advocate Company, 1956), p. 113. Verse 17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid heaven, Come and be gathered together unto the great supper of God;An angel standing in the sun … The function of angels as aids in the final judgment is an oft-recurring New Testament phenomenon. See under Revelation 19:14. Come and be gathered together for the great supper of God … This is the counterpart of the Lord’s Supper, or the marriage supper of the Lamb, as it applies to the wicked. Very well, if people who are bidden to the marriage supper will not come, there is another supper prepared for them; and they shall surely be present for it! But why no battle? What happened to Armageddon? The answer provided by Eller for this is: Jesus in his death and resurrection did all that needed to be done, won the only victory that needs to be won, in order to take care of Evil once and for all.[51]Of course, “There is no cavalry kept in heaven, no literal supper of human flesh eaten by the birds."[52]These things must be understood symbolically. Eller pointed out one thing that may be intended. In the extensive attack upon God and the supernatural by the massive hordes of evil men on earth, “It is not the supernatural powers that get eaten, but people."[53][51] Vernard Eller, The Most Revealing Book of the Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1974), p. 178. [52] G. R. Beasley-Murray, op. cit., p. 278. [53] Vernard Eller, op. cit., p. 178. Verse 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 thereon, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, and small and great.Inherent in this is the fact that if people choose to live like animals, denying any image of God in themselves, or even that God exists, the final result will bring them to exactly the same end as that of a dead horse. It is the injection of that phrase “and the flesh of horses” which strongly emphasizes this point here. If man was born of evolution, being only material, then he has no more cosmic value than a worm or a dog. We shall not dwell on the revulsion that such an awful scene as this brings to mind. The utter horror of such a holocaust staggers the imagination. One thing should be pointed out: this is exactly the same scene, from a different viewpoint, that was described in Revelation 6:16-17; the same characters are here: kings, captains, mighty men, the bond and the free, the great and the small. It is another presentation (in vision) of the final judgment, described by the apostle John over and over, each picture closing a different prophecy, and each vision covering the same ground between the two Advents. “History attains its end in a complete division of the human race into two groups.."[54] These are the Church which is loyal to her true head, and the world which casts its lot in with evil. “Here we are dealing with the last judgment, nothing else."[55][54] G. R. Beasley-Murray, op. cit., p. 282. [55] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 557. Verse 19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat upon the horse, and against his army.I saw the beast … kings … armies … These are the same. This is the scarlet sea-beast of the seven heads and ten horns (Revelation 13:1). Note the mention of “the kings”; these are the “ten kings” (Revelation 17:11-17) who hate and burn the harlot (the seventh head of the beast), becoming themselves the eighth head; but this phase of the scarlet beast is relatively short, “one hour” symbolizing an indefinite but short time. There is no way to know whether such a symbol means years, decades, or centuries. All time with reference to eternity is only a day. The total and final end of the scarlet sea-beast is depicted here. How strange, how tragic is this situation in which the kings of earth unite in one terrible effort to destroy the anointed of God. How contrary this revelation is to the dreams of men and the foolish statements of their false prophets, that human society is ever progressing.[56]It appears certain that the prophecy here is of the near endtime, in which period it is prophesied here that wickedness will become very aggressive against righteousness. We find it impossible to disagree with the comment that: Never before has there been such a widespread revolt against all standards of decency and honesty. Never before have religious leaders advocated not only a “new theology” but a “new morality” which flouts God’s laws. The stage is being rapidly set for the end of the age.[57]It is this final, terminal opposition of evil to God’s will which is here styled a “battle.” It will not be a “battle” in any ordinary understanding of the word; but the final conflict will be so severe that it fully deserves the title. This is not the struggle that takes place after Christ comes, but the one that is going on now. “The warfare takes place while Christians are upon earth."[58][56] Wilbur M. Smith. Wycliffe Bible Commentary, New Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971). p. 1092. [57] Ralph Earle. Beacon Bible Commentary, Vol. 10 (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 1967), p. 608. [58] A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 450. Verse 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought the signs in his sight, wherewith he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that worshipped his image: they two were cast alive into the lake of fire that burneth with brimstone:And the beast was taken … and the false prophet … The false prophet (the harlot, the land-beast; all three terms refer to the same thing) was destroyed in the judgment scene of chapter 18, and the mention of the same thing being done here, under a different figure, is merely to show that this judgment is exactly the same as that. They two were cast alive into the lake of fire … There is no way to understand a statement like this as being anything else except a reference to the final judgment of the wicked as foretold by Christ (Matthew 25:41). Note that the destruction of the harlot, here called the false prophet, shall be simultaneous with the destruction of the scarlet sea-beast of Rev 13:1. This means that apostate Christianity will not perish before the final judgment. Both the harlot and the sea-beast (in the form of his eighth head) will be alive and doing a flourishing business when the end comes. Earle likewise stressed the truth that the two beasts of chapter 13 are the same as the beast and the false prophet here.[59] We have also identified the harlot with the second beast (land-beast).

Note that John says nothing here of any “battle.” “He may mean that there was no battle."[60] Of course, he could hardly mean anything else. And the wrath of the Gentile unsmote by the sword Hath melted like snow in the glance of the Lord! [59] Ralph Earle, op. cit., p. 608. [60] Leon Morris, op. cit., p. 232. Verse 21 and the rest were killed by the sword of him that sat upon the horse, even the sword which came forth out of his mouth: and all the birds were filled with their flesh.And the rest were killed with the sword of him … Of course, that was no literal sword, but a symbol of the word of the Lord. The word alone is all-sufficient for achieving the total purpose of the Lord Jesus Christ. But should not these armies that followed the beast, the kings and the false prophet have also been cast into the lake of fire? “You are right; they were; Revelation 20:15 says so."[61]This particular recapitulation of the warfare between Satan and Christ (Revelation 19:11-21) “has given special attention to the overthrow of the powers of evil."[62] “This covers the same ground as the vision of the seals,"[63] and other parallel visions of this prophecy. The whole pattern will again be repeated inRevelation 20 with another recapitulation of the warfare going on in this dispensation, with the focus upon the overthrow of Satan himself, and ending in exactly the same place all of the recapitulations have ended; namely, at the final judgment of the last day. The chronology of all these parallel visions lies principally between the two Advents of Jesus Christ. [61] R. C. H. Lenski, op. cit., p. 563. [62] A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 450. [63] Ibid. “THE BOOK OF " Chapter NineteenThis chapter illustrates the ultimate defeat of the enemies of God’s people. John hears a great multitude in heaven rejoicing over the fall of Babylon. The multitude is joined by the twenty-four elders and four living creatures, and a voice from the throne calling upon all God’s servants to praise Him (Revelation 19:1-5).

John then hears heaven rejoicing in preparation for the marriage of the Lamb. His wife has made herself ready, and she is adorned in fine linen, signifying the righteous acts of the saints. John is then told to write that those invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb are truly blessed. John falls down to worship the one speaking to him, but is immediately rebuked and told to worship God (Revelation 19:6-10).

The scene quickly changes as John sees heaven opened and Christ the warrior king on a white horse, followed by the armies in heaven on white horses. Described in terms reminiscent of His appearance in the first three chapters, He is ready to strike the nations and rule them with a rod of iron, even as He treads the winepress of the fierce wrath of Almighty God. As inscribed on His robe and His thigh, Jesus is truly “King of kings and Lord of Lords” (Revelation 19:11-16).

With an angel standing in the sun and inviting the birds to gather for the supper of the great God, John then sees the beast and his forces gathered to make war against Christ and His army. But immediately the beast and the false prophet (the earth beast of Rev 13:11-18) are captured and cast alive into the lake of fire. Their armies are killed with the sword proceeding from the mouth of Christ, and all the birds were filled with their flesh (Revelation 19:17-21).

This chapter appears designed to reinforce the idea that Christ in His kingly rule will defeat those who have been persecuting His people. Just as Babylon the harlot would be destroyed, so the beast and false prophet would be overcome. If the latter two represent the Roman empire in its persecution against the church, this section with its vivid imagery would have been fulfilled by 313 A.D. when Constantine brought an end to Roman persecution.

POINTS TO PONDER

• The great joy in heaven over the fall of Babylon

• The excitement over the preparation for the marriage of the Lamb and His wife

• The victory Christ would have over the beast, the false prophet and their armies

OUTLINE I. HEAVEN OVER THE FALL OF BABYLON (Revelation 19:1-5) A. A GREAT IN HEAVEN (Revelation 19:1-3)1. Praising God, attributing salvation, glory, honor, and power to Him 2. Declaring His judgments on the great harlot as true and righteous a. For she corrupted the earth with her fornication b. He has avenged the blood of His servants which she shed 3. Praising God, for her smoke rises up forever and ever

B. THE TWENTY-FOUR ELDERS AND FOUR LIVING (Revelation 19:4)1. Falling down and worshipping God who sits on the throne 2. Saying “Amen, Alleluia!”

C. A VOICE FROM THE THRONE (Revelation 19:5)1. Calling upon all God’s servants and those who fear Him 2. Calling upon both small and great to praise God

II. FOR THE OF THE LAMB (Revelation 19:6-10) A. A GREAT IN HEAVEN (Revelation 19:6-8)1. Sounding like many waters and mighty thunderings a. Praising the Lord God Omnipotent for His reign b. Calling to be glad and rejoice and give God glory 2. For the marriage of the Lamb has come a. His wife has made herself ready b. She was arrayed in fine linen, which is the righteous acts of the saints

B. A FELLOW SERVANT (Revelation 19:9-10)1. Telling John to write: “Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!” 2. Proclaiming: “These are the true sayings of God.” 3. When John fell at his feet to worship him, he is rebuked a. “See that you do not do that!” b. “I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus.” c. “Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

III. CHRIST THE WARRIOR KING ON A WHITE HORSE (Revelation 19:11-16) A. HIS AWESOME (Revelation 19:11-13)1. As heaven opened, John sees Him sitting on a white horse a. He is called Faithful and True b. In righteousness He judges and makes war 2. As seen by John: a. His eyes were like a flame of fire b. On His head were many crowns c. He had a name written that no one knew but Himself d. Clothed with a robe dipped in blood e. His name is called The Word of God

B. HIS GREAT RULE AND REIGN (Revelation 19:14-16)1. Followed by the armies of heaven a. Clothed in fine linen, white and clean b. Sitting on white horses 2. From His mouth, a sharp sword to strike the nations a. He Himself will rule the nations with a rod of iron b. He Himself treads the winepress of Almighty God’s fierceness and wrath 3. On His robe and thigh a name written: “King of kings, and Lord of lords”

IV. THE FALL OF THE BEAST, THE FALSE PROPHET, AND THEIR FORCES (Revelation 19:17-21) A. THE OF AN ANGEL (Revelation 19:17-18)1. John sees an angel standing in the sun, crying with a loud voice 2. Speaking to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven: a. “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God.” b. “…eat the flesh of kings…captains…mighty men…horses …all people, free and slave, both small and great”

B. THE END OF THE BEAST AND FALSE PROPHET (Revelation 19:19-21)1. John saw the beast, the kings of the earth and their armies, gathered to make war against Him who sat on the horse and His army 2. John saw the beast and false prophet captured a. The false prophet who worked signs in the presence of the beast b. By which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image – Both were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone 3. The rest of their forces were killed a. With the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse b. All the birds were filled with their flesh

REVIEW

1. What are the main points of this chapter?- Heaven rejoices over the fall of Babylon (Revelation 19:1-5)

• Heaven rejoices in preparation the marriage of the Lamb (6-10)
• Christ the warrior king on a white horse (Revelation 19:11-16)
• The fall of the beast, the false prophet, and their forces (Revelation 19:17-21)

2. What did John hear a great multitude in heaving saying? (Revelation 19:1)- “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!”

3. Why are God’s judgments on the harlot proclaimed as true and righteous? (Revelation 19:2)- She has corrupted the earth with her fornication

• She has shed the blood of His servants

4. What else does this great multitude in heaven say? (Revelation 19:3)- “Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!”

5. Who else joins end with a cry of “Amen! Alleluia!”? (Revelation 19:4)- The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures

6. What does a voice from throne proclaim? (Revelation 19:5)- “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!”

7. What did the voice of a great multitude cry out next? (Revelation 19:6-7)- “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!”

• “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”

8. In what was the Lamb’s bride adorned? (Revelation 19:8)- Fine linen, clean and bright (the righteous acts of the saints)

9. What was John then told? (Revelation 19:9)- “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’”

• “These are the true sayings of God.”

10. As John fell down to worship the one who spoke to him, what was he told? (Revelation 19:10)- “See that you do not do that!”

• “I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus.”
• “Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

11. List the descriptive features of the One sitting on a white horse (Revelation 19:11-16)- He was called Faithful and True, in righteousness He judges and makes war

• His eyes were like a flame of fire, on His head were many crowns
• He had a name written that no one knew except Himself
• He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood
• His name is called The Word of God
• He was followed by the armies of heaven, clothed in white linen and on white horses
• Out of His mouth goes a sharp sword with which He should strike the nations
• He will rule the nations with a rod of iron
• He treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of God
• On His robe and thigh was a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS

12. What did an angel standing in the sun say to the birds? (Revelation 19:17-18)- “Come and gather together for the supper of the Great God”

• “That you may eat the flesh of mighty men…horses…those who sit on them…all people, free and slave, both small and great.”

13. What did John see next? (Revelation 19:19)- The beast, the kings of the earth and their armies, gathered to make war against Him who sat on the white horse and His army

14. What happened to the beast and the false prophet? (Revelation 19:20)- They were captured and cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone

15. What happened to the rest of their armies? (Revelation 19:21)- They were killed by the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Christ

• All the birds were filled with their flesh Questions by E.M. Zerr On Revelation 191. In what place did John hear a great voice?

2. What did they ascribe to God?
3. State their estimate of His judgments.
4. To what judgment did this now refer?
5. What had she corrupted?
6. Ten what vengeance God had effected.
7. What did they again acclaim?
8. What rose up continuany?
9. Who then feU down to worship God?
10. Ten what they proclaimed.
11. From where did a voice come?
12. Ten what it said.
13. What did John next hear?
14. Whose reign did they acknowledge?
15. What did they bid all do?
16. Ten what event was about to happen.
17. What preparation had been made?
18. Tell what grant was made to her.
19. What does the linen represent?
20. Who were to be blessed?
21. Repeat their comment on the sayings of God.
22. At this where did John fall?
23. For what purpose did he do so?
24. Tell what the angel said to him.
25. What is the spirit of prophecy?
26. What did John see in the open heaven?
27. Name its rider.
28. What was his work?
29. On what principle was he acting?
30. Describe his eyes.
31. What were on his head?
32. What secret possession did he have?
33. How was he clothed?
34. State his complete name.
35. Who followed him?
36. How were they clothed?
37. What proceeded from his mouth?
38. Tell what use was to be made of it.·
39. Describe his rule over the nations.
40. Tell what he shall tread.
41. Repeat the name written on his vesture.
42. Where was the angel standing?
43. To what creatures did he cry?
44. State the invitation he made.
45. On what will the guest eat?
46. Whom did John see in a gathering?
47. Tell what they were to do.
48. What was done with the beast?
49. Who was taken with him?
50. What had this person done?
51. Tell what was done with both these.
52. What was done with the remnant?
53. State what was done with their flesh.

Revelation 19:1-2

Revelation 19:1. For several verses the vision will show the heavenly hosts rejoicing together over the victory that has been won over Babylon by the work of the Reformation. Alleluia means “praise ye the Lord,” and the exclamation is made in view of His great works. Salvation is to be ascribed to the Lord because no other has the power to save, and for that reason we should give all honor to Him and acknowledge that all power belongs to Him.

Revelation 19:2. The great voice is still speaking and acknowledging the righteousnes of God’s judgments. Those acknowledgements are general and now they will become specific. Judged the great whore refers to the overthrow of Babylon which was accomplished by the Reformation. Hath avenged the blood of his servants. This fulfilled the promise made to the souls under the altar (Revelation 6:11). Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerses 1-21. XIITHE VISION OF VICTORY(Chapter 19)There is a striking analogy between these scenes of the church emerging in victory from the period of persecution, described by John in this nineteenth chapter, and the deliverance of Israel from Babylonian exile, described by Ezekiel in the closing section of his prophecy from the thirty-sixth to the thirty-ninth chapters. The nation of Israel was comforted, and their release was described in terms of a figurative resurrection; and the return to their homeland was pictured as a “new heaven and a new earth.” (Isaiah 66:22) The closing chapters of Revelation from chapter nineteen to twenty-two follow the course of Ezekiel’s apocalypse of Israel returning from the seventy years of exile, but here the church was seen emerging from the period of persecution. The symbols are similar, and the parallel is evident. Verses 1-2. (1) The heavenly acapella chorus–Revelation 19:1-6. The great castrophe of Revelation, the fall of symbolic Babylon, Jerusalem, also called Sodom and Egypt, bringing an end to Judaism, was envisioned as having occurred. The harps and harpers ceased, giving place to a great voice of much people rejoicing over the vindication of divine justice, in answer to the cry of the souls of the slain under the altar, who as a martyred host responded in the alleluia (hallelujah) of the heavenly chorus. The word alleluia, in verse one, meant praise ye the Lord. In this equivalent it is used first in Psalms 104:35; thereafter it is used repeatedly to introduce and end the chapters in the Psalms. The word alleluia itself is used only in Revelation 19:1 Revelation 19:3-4 Revelation 19:6, which lends special significance to the chorus of the heavenly multitude praising God for Salvation from enemies, and righteous judgments on Jerusalem; and for avenging the blood of the martyrs. This was the reason for the ascription of special praise, as indicated in verse two.

Revelation 19:3

Revelation 19:3. Her smoke arose up for ever and ever. “Where there is smoke there is fire.” If the smoke ascends for ever the fire will be of the same continuance- Of course this is first applied figuratively to Babylon, meaning her downfall is to be permanent. It is next applied to the individuals who were leaders and supporters of the corrupt beast, who are destined to go into perdition where the fire is endless. Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 3. It was not the general or usual form of worship and praise, but a special hallelujah for true and righteous retribution on the harlot woman–apostate Jerusalem–and her affiliates. The words of verse 3 decreed that this judgment was a pronouncement of final doom on Jerusalem. And her smoke rose up forever and ever. This was the declaration that the old Jerusalem would never be restored. It is the parallel of the Lord’s declaration in Luke 21:24 : “And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled”–which meant that Jerusalem was permanently trodden down; for the times of the Gentiles. and the fulness of the Gentiles were commensurate with the entire gospel dispensation. A comparison of the preposition until with such passages as Luke 16:16; Galatians 3:19; Galatians 4:2; Hebrews 9:10 will exemplify that until signified termination. For further treatment of the times and fulness of the Gentiles in relation to Jerusalem, reference to GOD’S WORD (pp. 152-155), is suggested.

Revelation 19:4

Revelation 19:4. The four beasts (living creatures) felt happy over the victory of Christ because it was through His blood that they had been redeemed from sin. And the four and twenty elders had the same motive for praising God, because they represented the two organized systems of salvation that had produced the four living creatures. Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 4.Among the heavenly worshippers were listed the four and twenty elders of verse four, a symbol based on the twelve patriarchs and the twelve apostles, representative of the whole and true Israel of God–the church; as discussed in chapters 5, 8, 14, and Revelation 11:18. The song of praise was an anthem of victory for the whole church.

Revelation 19:5-6

Revelation 19:5. The voice thus far in these verses seems to have come from the people in general who respect the Lord. Now the voice comes out of the throne as if to acknowledge the congratulations just offered to God, and endorsing the idea that all servants of whatever degree or rank should praise Him.

Revelation 19:6. So many people of the civilized world had suffered under the oppression of Rome through the Dark Ages, that it explains why the voice of a great multitude was heard praising God. Voice of many waters is the same except it is in symbolic form, waters in figurative language being used to represent human voices in action. Omnipotent means almighty; God can do anything that is right. The difficulty of conquering the giant influence of the beast in Rome was regarded so great, that it brought to their attention the might of God and called forth these words of praise, and caused the declaration that He reigneth.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerses 5-6.The voice from the throne, in verses five and six, proclaimed in mighty volume that the Lord God omnipotent (Almighty) reigneth; which was manifested in the destructions of the Harlot woman, and the defeat of the persecuting agencies of the Roman beast. The universal aspect of this joyful victory was expressed in the refrain: Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great–all classes of men who were servants of God were bidden to rejoice. The greatness of the heavenly multitude joined in chorus as one voice, verse six, was not only a scene of awe and veneration, but was impressive of the magnitude of the significance attached to the end of Jerusalem and the Jewish state, and the removal of Judaism as the greatest obstacle to the expansion of Christianity from the path of the church. With the Harlot City, and the system of Judaism which she represented destroyed; there remained only the execution of judgment against political minions who had shared in her spiritual fornication s and abominations.

Revelation 19:7

Revelation 19:7. Marriage of the Lamb is come. The subject of marriage is spoken of in the Bible from two different angles, and unless this is understood we may think there are some contradictions. For instance, Christians are said to be married to Christ at the present time (Romans 7:4), and now our verse says the marriage is about to take place. In old times an engagement was regarded in the light of marriage as far as the moral obligation is concerned. That is why Genesis 19:14 speaks of the men who had “married his [Lot’s] daughters” when they were engaged to them.

And in Matthew 1:18 it says that Mary was espoused to Joseph, while the next verse calls him her husband. So Christians are actually only espoused (engaged) to Christ now. That is why Paul says “I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:2). But the actual marriage is what is meant in our verse. His wife bath made herself ready. This remark is based on the common practice that causes a woman to prepare her garments for the important occasion.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 7.(2) The marriage supper of the Lamb–Revelation 19:7-10.The symbolism expressed in the marriage of the Lamb of verse seven, signified the blessed union of the church with Christ, the Head. But the use of the symbol here did not signify that the church had not been thus related to Christ before this apocalypse. The apostle, in Romans 7:4, represented the marital union of Christ and the church as bringing forth the fruit of wedlock in spiritual offspring. If the marriage did not exist the fruit would be illegitimate. The marriage union of Christ and the church is not a single act or thing. Every union of a believer with Christ in baptism is marriage to Christ, and is representative of the whole relation. This marriage occurs every time one is baptized into Christ, and it is therefore always in process and is continuous. The accentuation on the marriage to’ Christ in this context was due to the interference of the persecutions with gospel evangelization. Now, that the persecutors were overcome, conversions to Christ would again prevail; hence, the renewed symbol of marriage. As the marriage itself is continuous, so must be the marriage supper, and it symbolized the continuous fellowship of all who are united to Christ; and it is as continuous as the baptism of believers and of the church itself. This part of the song of victory was based on the renewal of the interrupted fellowship of Christians by the afflictions and the tribulations of persecution.

Revelation 19:8

Revelation 19:8. This verse names the kind of raiment that is to be worn by the bride, namely, clean and white linen. Since that is figurative the apostle explains that it means righteousness, so the making of herself ready mentioned in the preceding verse, means she has followed a righteous life in preparation for her marriage. Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 8.The figurative clause his wife hath made herself ready was the symbol of victory over the evil forces of opposition –the verse declares that she was already his wife, and envisions the spiritual relation as a complete process, not as a single thing. That the Lamb’s wife should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white was explained to be the righteousness of the saints, the purity of the New Jerusalem church in contrast with the iniquities of the harlot Jerusalem, which had gone up in the smoke of destruction forever. This attire of clean and white vestures was a beautiful symbol of the character of all who are truly joined in union with Christ. They were the ones called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb, the equal in number of all who were in the married relation with Christ. This metaphor comparable to the illustration of the wedding garment in the parable of Mat 22:11-13, which was necessary to entrance into the feast; without which the intruder would have been cast out. The guests of the marriage feast were themselves the Bride in the parable, and parallel with they which are called unto the marriage supper in verse nine of this chapter. They were equal in number with the church itself.

Revelation 19:9

Revelation 19:9. This will be one marriage and accompanying “refreshments” at which there will be no human guests but the bride. Hence the blessing pronounced on those who are called to the supper, means in reality the people should become a part of the espoused bride by becoming Christians. Before going further in the comments it will be well to make some explanatory remarks as to the “hour of the ceremony.” Verse 7 says the marriage is come, when we know we will find that the work of the Reformation is to be gone over again by the vision. There will be no difficulty if the reader recalls that the book has more than once departed from the chronological order of events to take up some other period of the Christian Dispensation. Hence these preceding verses brought us down to the last day and announced the final marriage of Christ to his bride (the church). The vision will now take up some principles of a general character, then bring us again to the work just preceding the Reformation. Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 9.The angelic admonition in verse nine for John to write was addressed personally to him, by the voice from the throne, not by an angel, and indicated the distinguished honor of being’ the recipient of the revelation of these things of such tremendous significance. Having unfolded the visions in two parts, the closing scene of the second part put the emphasis on the state of blessed union with Christ of all who had overcome the trials and tribulations attending the fall of the harlot Babylon. Angels could have no higher or holier relation. The epilogue, these are the true sayings of God, meant that they were not mere words of John in visional narration, or of the angels; but they were the very words of God to the Seer; the directly inspired words of God. In this connection it was twice repeated that, He saith unto me. The equivalent of these words occurs several hundred times in the Old Testament, and is repeatedly affirmed in the New Testament. The positive affirmation of this verbal inspiration is affirmed throughout all the scriptures; but has been marred and mutilated by the sacrilegious pseudo-translations of the perverted new versions. They have been advertised as new translations, but they are in fact no translations. They ruin Revelation as they do all other portions of the verbally inspired word of God. The words of the angel had impressed John as a message direct from God; and verse ten stated that he fell at his feet to worship him. In bodily prostration John was about to worship the angel. But the angel refused the homage, saying, See thou do it not: I am a fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God. This testimony of Jesus had reference to the message of Revelation; and being a fellow servant with thy brethren was an expression of humility as expressed by John himself in Revelation 1:9.

Revelation 19:10

Revelation 19:10. The pronouns his and him refer to the angel who was sent to show the vision to John (chapter 1:1). It was natural for John to have this inclination toward worship of the angel, for the great vision shown made the apostle have a feeling of inferiority. There are some conditions when even a man may receive some form of wor ship from others (Luke 14:10), but under the present circumstances it would have been improper. The reader may see a complete explanation of the word worship at Matthew 2:2 in the first volume of the New Testament Commentary. I am thy fellowservant reminds us of Heb 1:14.

Of thy us of Heb 1:14. Of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus. This is equivalent to describing the ones for whom the angels are sent forth to minister. To have the testimony does not merely mean to have access to it (everyone has that), but it is those who hold themselves faithfully to it. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. This means that the subject of Jesus as the Saviour of mankind is the main thought running through all the prophetic writings. Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 10.The closing statement of this section, in verse ten, is: For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. The word spirit here does not signify the Holy Spirit, but rather the inner spirit, the vital element, the life and soul-the essence of the apocalypse was the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ to his servant John by his servants, the angels.

Revelation 19:11

Revelation 19:11. White horse symbolizes a war animal that is to engage in a war for purity. The rider was Christ who is described as Faithful and True. That is because the war in which He is about to engage (the Reformation) is a righteous one. Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 11.(3) The vision of Christ the conqueror–Revelation 19:11-16. After the symbolic Babylon, the Sodom-Egypt, apostate harlot-Jerusalem had been utterly overthrown; the temple demolished and Judaism removed; and the Jewish state terminated; all that Jerusalem represented no longer existent–then the visions of Revelation turned to the victory of the church over heathenism. The visions of this conflict were presented in the language of high symbols, and there is danger of literalism in their application. In verses eleven through fourteen, a name was given to the Rider of the white horse; he was called Faithful and True. He was the Christ himself, leading the procession of triumph, with a heavenly army consisting of the legion of martyrs and overcomers of persecution, to wage war against Caesar-worship and heathenism. With him in this glorious war of Christ against idolatry were the chosen faithful who shared the triumph of the procession of victory. He was identified as the same Rider of the white horse in Revelation 6:2; then going forth to conquer, but now in procession of victory over the emperial persecutors; to judge and make war against all heathenism. This war was to be waged by the sharp sword which proceeded out of his mouth–that is, a war on the heathen minions by the word of God, the two-edged sword of Heb 4:12, and the sword of the Spirit of Eph 6:17. His descriptions were put in symbols of a royal and ruling conqueror, which compared with the array of the Son of man in the midst of the seven churches in Revelation 1:13-16. The vestures of the Rider were dipped in blood, an imagery of the battle with the persecuting beasts who had slain the martyrs and had shed the blood of the saints. With the heavenly army Christ, the Rider, subsequent to the extermination of Judaism, was seen marching against the strongholds of heathenism.

Revelation 19:12

Revelation 19:12. Eyes of fire would signify that which is bright and penetrating. Many crowns. Actually no king wears more than one crown as far as the article as a unit is concerned, but in some way the ornamentations on it showed that Christ had won over all others. Name no man knew does not indicate some dark or mysterious secret, for verse 16 gives a great description of His name as written on his clothing. But no mere man can appreciate the name of Christ until he becomes His disciple. Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 12.In verse twelve it is stated that the Conqueror had another name–a name written which no man knew, but he himself–which indicated the things of God and Christ unrevealed to me. It compares with the statement of Jesus in Matthew 11:27 : “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.” Jesus Christ alone has “a name above every name,” which signifies a power over heaven and earth that no one can know but Himself –the sole owner of the name and the one possessor of the inherent power of the undefined and unrevealed name.

Revelation 19:13

Revelation 19:13. Vesture dipped in blood is because Christ shed his blood for the sake of mankind. The Word of God is the name which all men can read and hence is not a secret, but they cannot realize what it means unless they appropriate that name to themselves by wholehearted obedience to its commandments. (See the name at John 1:1.) Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 13.In verse thirteen, the Rider was called by a third name –The Word of God. The Word was not a name without significance. The same John of the apocalypse referred to the Son of God as the Word in the gospel of Joh 1:1-14. The word is the vehicle of conveying thoughts–and Jesus Christ was the full and complete expression of God’s will to man; the beginning and the end of all revelation; hence, his title The Word. The name The Word Of God, signifies the armament of the warfare in which he was in this vision to engage–it was the conflict of Christianity with heathenism, and the truth was the weapon against all error.

Revelation 19:14

Revelation 19:14. This is a symbolic picture of the war that is about to be fought against the beast that has been defying Heaven’s authority for 1260 years.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 14.In verse fourteen the armies that followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were the overcomers of the tribulation–redeemed from the period of persecution. In verse fifteen it was declared that the Rider would smite the nations and rule them with a rod of iron. The process of this smiting was indicated in God’s commission to Jeremiah 1:10 : “See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.” In the Revelation text the phrases, smite the nations and rule them with a rod of iron, were symbolic of the impact of the gospel on the heathen world. This inherent power and force of Christianity was prophesied in Psalms 2:1-3 : “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his Anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.”

Revelation 19:15

Revelation 19:15. The sharp sword is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12). Smite the nations with this Word by the work of the Reformation. Rule with a rod of iron. Iron is both firm and severe, and it will be used in the latter sense against the wicked nations who have been supporting Babylon. Treadeth the winepress is explained at chapter 14:10.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 15.The psalm prophecy is quoted by the apostle Peter in Acts 4:25-26 with this application of the effect of preaching Christ to the heathen world. The ruling with a rod of iron referred to the inexorable character of the law of Christ–the invincible word of God. The treading of the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of God was the symbol of the execution of the inflexible judgment of retribution. And in Revelation it was Almighty God, the supreme Judge of all men, who should formulate the sentence and render the judgment against the heathen nations.

Revelation 19:16

Revelation 19:16. King of kings and Lord of lords. King indicates supreme authority and lord means one who governs the conduct of others. Jesus was given these two titles because He had overcome all who opposed him. Having the title attached to his vesture (clothing) was on the principle of decorations given men who have distinguished themselves in the service of their country.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 16.In verse sixteen a fourth name was inscribed on the Rider–King of Kings and Lord of Lords. This was the highest title to be conferred. It symbolized the position and power over all kings and rulers of all rank in the heathen world, all of whom must yield to the invincible Word of God. This stage of the vision was in repetition of Rev 11:15 : The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ. It was the sublime apocalypse of the conquering Lord, and his victorious church. The conquest of “the kingdoms of this world” was spiritual, not literal; and it was to be accomplished by the spread of the gospel and expansion of Christianity over the heathen world, as stated in Matthew 24:31 and as prophesied in the second Psalm. The names and insignia attached to the Rider comport with the Psalm prophecy and with all the divine offices of the Christ Rider. His insignia were: the white horse, the diadems, the blood-dipped garments, the flaming eyes, and the inscribed name, unknown to men. His divine works were: to judge, to wage war, t o smite with a verbal sword, to tread the winepress of God’s wrath, and to rule with the inflexible iron rod of the inexorble law of the Christ.

Revelation 19:17-18

Revelation 19:17. When a man makes a great “killing” he often invites his friends to come and share the feast with him. The effects of the Reformation are symbolized in this and the following verse. It is especially appropriate to base the imagery on the fowls of the heaven, for they are generally thought to prefer feeding on the flesh of animals that have been slain and left on the field. (See Matthew 24:28.) The present case is one where the beasts were not killed and dressed as would be done ordinarily. They were to be killed to get them out of the way, and the birds might as well get the benefit of it since that is the kind of food they prefer. Standing in the sun was the appropriate place for the angel to stand where he could make his invitation to the creatures that live above the earth.

Revelation 19:18. Of course this is symbolical of the defeat and destruction that is about to be imposed upon Babylon (church and state). Yet it is appro-private to use the symbols named because the conflict is actually to be with kings and their captains and mighty men, and these made use of horses in their warfare.

Commentsby Foy E. WallaceVerses 17-18.(4) The great sacrificial Supper–Revelation 19:17-18.These verses represented a feast on the flesh of kings consumed by the birds of prey and was one of the most highly metaphorical sections of the entire series of visions. In Matthew 24:28, Jesus said: “For wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together.” This forecast was the Lord’s illustration of the siege of Jerusalem, which was the carcass; and the Romans were the eagles, whose armies swooped on Jerusalem to destroy and devour it. But in this vision the metaphor was reversed. The rulers of the persecuting powers, with all the forces opposing Christ and his church, were the victims of this supper of the Great God. The sacrifice of animals was the common method of celebrating victories; such as king Saul, without warrant, had presumptuously planned in celebration of victory over Amalek, as recorded in 1 Samuel 15:15; 1 Samuel 15:21. Here in this vision the eating of the flesh of kings, as the victims of the sacrificial supper, was symbolic of the victory of the saints over all the persecuting powers of the heathen governments, including all Roman tributaries which were the minions of the composite Roman beast. This symbolic representation was a repetition of the previous figurative descriptions of the fearful visitations of divine wrath on the wicked persecutors, which no kings or rulers of nations could withstand. The same metaphorical representation of the celebration of the return of Israel from exile, subsequent to the fall of Babylon, was employed by Ezekiel in Ezekiel 39:17-20 : “And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord God; Speak unto every feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood. Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan. And ye shall eat fat till ye be full, and drink blood till ye be drunken, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you. Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord God.“It is apparent that this sacrificial supper in Revelation was the vision of celebration for the triumph of the church over all the forces of heathenism. The inclusion in the metaphor of the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, 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 meant that no class or condition of men in the heathen society which formed a part of the forces of persecution and of opposition to the church, were exempt from retribution; but were all alike victims of this symbolic celebration of the victory over heathenism in the sacrificial supper of the great God.The vision of the angel standing in the sun, of verse seventeen, indicated not only the glory of this messenger of Christ, but the central station from which to summon the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven. The word heaven in the previous visions has designated the ruling authorities of the earth, or place of the nations. The reference to the fowls in the mid-heaven indicated that the birds of prey, symbolizing this awesome picture of visitation of divine wrath, were flying in the very midst of these evil authorities ready to descend on the carrion of the pagan persecuting powers, the defeated forces of heathenism. The foregoing descriptions were designed to symbolize that no class or condition, high or low, in the heathen world could stand against the spiritual forces of Christ, the Conqueror and Rider of the white horse–and from this imagery of spiritual victory over all the forces of heathenism, the vision turns to the scene of judgment and final banishment of the Roman beast and his subordinate beast, the false prophet, who had beguiled the people into the emperor-image worship, and who was the original source of the spiritual war delineated in the apocalypse.

Revelation 19:19

Revelation 19:19. Beast is Babylon and the kings are the inferior rulers under her. All mustered their forces to resist the attack of Christ through the Reformation.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerse 19.(5) The complete destruction of the persecuting power of the Roman beast and his subordinate false prophet– Revelation 19:19-21.The fact that these visions anticipated events before, during and after the destruction of Jerusalem, should be observed and retained in the mind, as the considerations advance from one stage and scene to another. The scene of verses nineteen to twenty-one reverted to the spiritual battle between the heavenly armies of the Rider, and the armies of the Roman beast–the heathen persecutor. It was after the destruction of Jerusalem; and after the evil forces of heathenism were diverted from the scene of Jerusalem and Judaism to converge on the church. But the vision saw the triumph of Christianity. It was declared in verse twenty that the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet . . . with which he deceived them that received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. This beast was the original first sea-beast of chapter 13–personified in the emperor, the source of authority for all the persecutions. The false prophet was identical with the second land-beast, of Judea and Palestine, described in chapter 13, as the subordinate of the imperia1 beast who seduced the inhabitants of Judea to worship the emperor. As previously postulated, the mark of the beast was submission to the decree for emperor worship and acceptance of the image of the emperor as deity and the worship of the Roman image in acts of idolatry for the emperor. After accomplishing the destruction of Jerusalem and the obliteration of the Jewish state, the vision represents the beast as having lost the battle against the church. The invincible spiritual forces of Christianity prevailed against all powers of heathenism, and both the beast and his satellite false prophet were taken; that is, captured and consigned to the bottomless pit of banishment, symbolized by the lake of fire burning with brimstone. The object of this vision was to symbolize the war of righteousness led by Christ Himself, the Head of the church, against the wickedness of heathenism. It described the progress of the persecution of the church, after the fall of Jerusalem, through the period of tribulation of Rev 2:10; and of the hour of trial in Revelation 3:10; in the deadly conflict with the heathenism of the Roman world. The entire second psalm is a magnificent prophecy of the defeat of all the cohorts of heathenism by the King whom God had set “upon the holy hill of Zion,” and is worthy of insertion here in its entirety: “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his Anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. Be wise now therefore, 0 ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.“This psalm was quoted more than once in the New Testament as having fulfillment in the universal expansion of the kingdom of Christ.

The messianic psalm finds its climax in these visions of Revelation where the “heathen raged” and “the kings of the earth set themselves . . . against his Anointed.” The rulers did “take counsel together,” and determined to “break their bands asunder,” and thus to scatter the forces of the Anointed; but “the Lord shall have them in derision” and “shall break them with a rod of iron” which was done in the descriptions and fulfillment of these visions. In this imagery the Psalmist foresaw the establishment of the kingdom of Christ, and the defeat of all heathen opposition by the gospel’s rod of iron–the invincible Word of Truth.

Revelation 19:20-21

Revelation 19:20. The lake of fire for the present is the destruction of Babylon, but in the day of judgment it will be the lake of fire that is unquenchable. The false prophet and miracles are explained at various passages preceding this.

Revelation 19:21. The remnant means the straggling individuals who were left as “die-hards” after the beast of Babylon as a unit had been given a death blow by the Reformation.

Comments by Foy E. WallaceVerses 20-21. The apocalypse of these last verses of chapter nineteen follows the same pattern in visions of the defeat of the hosts opposing Christ. The second Psalm decreed that thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel, and the apocalypse declared that they were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. One of these passages cannot be considered more or less literal than the other–both were figurative expressions which signified the utter end of the persecuting authorities of heathenism against Christianity. The phrase cast alive into a lake of fire was equivalent to burned alive, and it symbolized complete destruction. The signal triumph of the cause of truth represented by the burning alive of the beast and the false prophet did not symbolize the destruction of the Roman Empire, but of the persecutions waged by the emperors, which the beasts represented. The lake of fire was not literal any more than the beast was literal. Neither was subject to literal application–both were figurative. The beast symbolized the persecuting power of the Roman emperor; and casting him into a lake of fire signified the complete defeat of the heathen powers he represented in the war against the church; and it was accomplished by the sword that proceeded out of the mouth of Jesus Christ, the Rider of the white horse. The sword was not a literal steel blade; it was the Word of God, the weapon by which the church won the victories over heathenism and idolatry; and which is even yet the only righteous weapon in the warfare of the truth against error. The last passage of this chapter verse twenty-one, was the brief vision of the defeat of the remnant which had been slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse. This remnant symbolized the enemies of Christ other than the persecuting beasts. It represented all forms of error and evil and doctrines of antichrist that stood in the way of the church. They were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse; and the text identified the sword by the modifying phrase: which sword proceeded out of his mouth –the Word of God. By his word all forms of heathenism were exposed and the enemies of his cause, in the battle imagery, were slain, or defeated. They were figuratively slain, by a figurative sword: which sword proceeded out of his mouth–that is, by the teaching of the truth and the spread of the gospel. To complete the visional and metaphorical picture, chapter nineteen ends with verse twenty-one in the final statement: And all the fowls were filled with their flesh. As the birds devour the carrion, the truth consumes every form of error inimical to the cause of Jesus Christ. The Lord foretold that this result would follow the destruction of Jerusalem in Matthew 24:31 : “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” The equivalent declaration of the apocalypse is in Revelation 11:15 : “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” Another parallel to this Revelation passage is the reference of Paul in Ephesians 5:5 to the inheritance in “the kingdom of Christ and of God.” The kingdom is everlasting; the inheritance is eternal; and therefore the reign is forever and ever.These parallels between the Lord’s account of these events in advance of their occurrences, and the visions of John in anticipation of the same series of events, have formulated accumulative evidence throughout the book, that the apocalypses of Revelation were but the extension of the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew–the Lord’s own forecast of the events preceding and subsequent to the destruction of Jerusalem.