REVELATION CHAPTER 19

                                                        Revelation Chapter 19

The prostitute has been destroyed and in contrast to the mourning of the earthlings those in heaven rejoice. The shout of Hallelujah occurs four times. In response to the exhortation in 18:20 the saints in heaven rejoice because:

i. God has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth and avenged on her the blood of the saints (v2).

ii. God Almighty reigns and the wedding of the Lamb has come (v7).

In contrast to the demise of the prostitute the bride is now introduced.

There are two great multitudes mentioned here in verse 1 and 6. The second group is clearly the saints (God’s servants). Since the rejoicing is in response to the exhortation in 18:20 to rejoice because “God has judged her for the way she treated you.” It is likely that the first group is also the saints. The first group also bears a similarity to the great multitude of 7:9 who also ascribe salvation to our God (7:10) cf. 19:1. Here in 19:1 the first group ascribe glory and power to God in addition to salvation because God has now demonstrated his glory and power by condemning the great prostitute. The blood of his servants is now avenged and the cry of the martyrs in 6:10 has been answered.

Revelation 19 : 1-7

Rev. 19:1 After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!

Rev. 19:2 For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her."

Rev. 19:3 Again they said, "Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!"

Rev. 19:4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, "Amen! Alleluia!"

Rev. 19:5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!"

Rev. 19:6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!

Rev. 19:7 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."

Rev. 19:1 After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!

contrast to the mourning of the world over the destruction of Babylon we now have rejoicing over her destruction by those in heaven. This burst of praise is in response to the invitation for the saints, apostles and prophets in heaven to rejoice because God has judged the great city for the way she has treated them, 18:20. There is a description of her destruction given by the angel and then comes this burst of praise that continues through to verse 7 as all of heaven join in, in a glorious cacophony of praise. In Jer 51:48 there is joy in heaven and earth over the destruction of the actual city Babylon. The great multitude shown here are in heaven, and are probably the martyrs, see next verse, they could be the same group, also described as a great multitude in verse 6, which is all the saints (v5). A great multitude that no one could count standing in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb are also seen in 7:9, they also ascribe salvation to God and to the Lamb (7:10). This is the only place in the NT where Hallelujah (Praise the Lord) occurs (see v 3, 4, 6) it is a popular expression in the Psalms (Note: the uses of 'Praise the Lord' in the psalms).

Rev. 19:2 For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her."

- His judgements of the great prostitute are quite fair because she corrupted the world and shed the blood of God’s servants. God has answered the cry of the martyrs to God in Rev 6:10 to avenge their blood (cf. Deu 32:43, 2 King 9:7 and Psa 79:10).

Deu. 32:43 " Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people; For He will avenge the blood of His servants, And render vengeance to His adversaries; He will provide atonement for His land and His people."

Psa. 79:10 Why should the nations say, " Where is their God?" Let there be known among the nations in our sight The avenging of the blood of Your servants which has been shed.

The woman was found drunk with the blood of the saints, Rev 17:6. Also “In her was found the blood of prophets and of the saints, and of all who have been killed on the earth." (18:24). As in the third bowl the judgement of God are true and just (16:7), in the third bowl they (the earth dwellers) have shed the blood of your saints and prophets (16:6).

Rev. 19:3 Again they said, "Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!"

- Note that they shout Hallelujah. She shares the same fate as those who worship the beast (Rev 14:11), the devil, the beast and the false prophet (Rev 20:10) the smoke of their torment goes up for ever and ever. She meets the same fate as those two cities Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:28) and Edom (Isa 34:10). This is to be contrasted with the servants of God who will reign for ever and ever (22:5).

Gen 19:28 Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace.

Isa 34:10 It shall not be quenched night or day; Its smoke shall ascend forever. From generation to generation it shall lie waste; No one shall pass through it forever and ever.

Rev. 19:4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, "Amen! Alleluia!"

 - The twenty-four elders, as representative of the church, cry Amen (so be it). In 7:11-12 the elders and four living creatures also fell down in worship. This is the last time we hear the living creatures and elders.

Rev. 19:5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!"

Rev. 19:6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!

- There is a glorious sound as a great multitude of all God’s people join in praise, shouting (note, they were not singing), 'Hallelujah! For the Lord God Almighty reigns'. John describes their sound as the roar of rushing waters and like peals of thunder, their numbers are so many. In chapter 4 we found God reigning over the universe but to the saints on earth it seems that the political powers reign instead, but now God has demonstrated his reign in glory and power (v1) by destroying the great harlot; the destruction of the beast, false prophet and dragon occur later.

Rev. 19:7 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."

 - The wedding supper of the Lamb is alluded to in the last supper (Mat 26:26-29), when we eat this bread and drink this cup we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes when we shall drink it anew in his Father’s kingdom (1 Cor 11:23-26).

1 Cor 11: 23   For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;

1 Cor 11: 24   and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

1 Cor 11: 25   In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."

1 Cor 11: 26   For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.

They give God the glory, the new Jerusalem comes down from heaven it was God’s idea and God who brought his plan of salvation to fruition through the Lamb and the Spirit. The idea of the bride and bridegroom is alluded to in Isa 62:5,

Isa 62:5 For as a young man marries a virgin, So shall your sons marry you; And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So shall your God rejoice over you.

Mat 9:15 And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

 it is used in the parable of the ten virgins in Mat 25:1,

Mat 25:1 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

 and John the Baptist refers to himself as a friend of the bridegroom (John 3:29),

John 3:29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.

the bride is the disciples. When Jesus comes again it will be to collect his bride to be with him forever (1 Thess 4:16-17).

1 Thess 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

1 Thess 4:17   Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

The wedding of the Lamb is in contrast to the destruction of the whore in which the voice of bridegroom and bride will never be heard in her again (18:23). The bride, that is the church, has made herself ready for the wedding, for the wedding supper of the Lamb, see 19:9. The bride was previously described in 14:4-5 as pure virgins and blameless, see also Eph 5:25-26.

Eph. 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

Eph. 5:26        that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,

 The bride is described later in Rev 21:2 and 21:9 ff.

Hendriksen reviews the marriage customs of the Hebrews. ‘First comes the betrothal. This is considered more binding than our ‘engagement’. The terms of the marriage are accepted in the presence of witnesses and God’s blessing pronounced upon the union. From this day groom and bride are legally husband and wife (2 Cor 11:2).

2 Cor. 11:2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

 Next comes the interval between betrothal and the wedding-feast. During this interval the groom pays the dowry to the father of the bride if this has not yet been done (Gen 34:12).

Gen 34:12  Ask me ever so much dowry and gift, and I will give according to what you say to me; but give me the young woman as a wife."

Sometimes the dowry is in the form of service rendered (Gen 29:20).

Gen 29:20 So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her.

Then comes the procession at the close of the interval. The bride prepares and adorns herself. The groom, arrayed in his best attire and accompanied by his friends, who sing and bear torches, proceeds to the home of the betrothed. He receives the bride and conveys her, with a returning procession, to his own home or to the home of his parents (Mat 9:15; cf. also Mat 25:1 ff.).

Mat 9:15 And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

Mat 25:1 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

When the groom had to come from afar, the feast was at times spread at the home of the bride. Finally there is the wedding-feast, which includes the marriage supper. The usual festivities last seven, or even more, days.’

The bride is the church and Christ the bridegroom. The church is betrothed to Christ and Christ has paid the dowry for her with his own blood. The interval of separation is the current dispensation during which the bride makes herself ready. At the end of this dispensation the Bridegroom accompanied by his angels comes to receive his bride and the wedding feast begins. It does not last a few weeks but throughout eternity. In Christ the bride was chosen from eternity. Throughout the OT dispensation the wedding was announced. When Christ assumed our flesh and blood; the betrothal took place. The price, the dowry was paid on Calvary and now after an interval, the Bridegroom returns and the wedding supper of the Lamb begins (abridged from Hendriksen). Even now Jesus is preparing a place for his bride who he will come back for and who will be with him forever (John 14:2-3, 1 Thess 4:17).

John 14:2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

John 14:3            And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

 1 Thess 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

In his vision in Revelation 19:7–10, John saw and heard the heavenly multitudes praising God because the wedding feast of the Lamb—literally, the “marriage supper”—was about to begin. The concept of the marriage supper is better understood in light of the wedding customs in the

Time of Christ.

Wedding Customs

These wedding customs had three major parts.

The three "C" of bible weddings: Contract, Consummation, Celebration

I.          Stage 1: signing the "ketubbah" contract (Creating the marriage bond)

i.          The bride would chose her husband and her father would sign a legal contract with him called a "ketubbah".

ii.          Once this is signed the couple is 100% married but do not have sex yet.

iii.          Young children were often married, (arraigned marriage) but did not consummate until of age.

II.          Stage 2: The "chuppah": sexual consummation.

2 Corinthians 11:2 For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

i.       Up to 7 years later, the groom is able to raise the money as set out in the ketubbah contract and notifies the father of the bride, who then sets a date to consummate the marriage at the bride's home.

ii.    The bride waits with her maidens, for the arrival of the groom and his companions.

iii.   The couple enters the chuppah room and consummates the marriage while the companions of the bride and groom wait and celebrate outside or in the next room.

iv.   The groom hands the bloodied "proof of virginity cloth" to the witnesses chosen by the bride's parents, who then give it to the bride for safekeeping.

III.          Stage 3: The wedding feast

i.       After consummation, the entire wedding party walks to the house of the groom in a procession for a wedding feast.

ii. At the conclusion of the wedding feast, the couple has completed the ancient ritual of marriage.

1.     First, a marriage contract was signed by the parents of the bride and the bridegroom,

Gen 29:19 And Laban said, "It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me."

3 1-3 Solomon arranged a marriage contract with Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He married Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her to the City of David until he had completed building his royal palace and God’s Temple and the wall around Jerusalem

2.     And the parents of the bridegroom or the bridegroom himself would pay a dowry to the bride or her parents.

Jocob worked for 7 year for leah and rachel

Gen 29:18       Now Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, "I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter."..

Gen 29:27       Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years."

Gen 29:28       Then Jacob did so and fulfilled her week. So he gave him his daughter Rachel as wife also.

This began what was called the betrothal period—what we would today call the engagement.

This period was the one Joseph and Mary were in when she was found to be with child (Matthew 1:18; Luke 2:5).

Mat1:18          Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.

Luke 2: 5        to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.

The second step in the process usually occurred a year later, when the bridegroom, accompanied by his male friends, went to the house of the bride at midnight, creating a torchlight parade through the streets. The bride would know in advance this was going to take place, and so she would be ready with her maidens, and they would all join the parade and end up at the bridegroom’s home.

Gen 29:22       And Laban gathered together all the men of the place and made a feast.

This custom is the basis of the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1–13. The third phase was the marriage supper itself, which might go on for days,

as illustrated by the wedding at Cana in John 2:1–2.

Mat 25:6         "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'

John 2: Water Turned to Wine

1     On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

2          Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.

What John’s vision in Revelation pictures is the wedding feast of the Lamb (Jesus Christ) and His bride (the Church) in its third phase. The implication is that the first two phases have already taken place.

Contract

Isa 54:5 For your Maker is your husband, The LORD of hosts is His name; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth.

Eph 5:23         For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church;

Ehp. 5:25        Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

 The first phase was completed on earth when each individual believer placed his or her faith in Christ as Savior.

The dowry

The dowry paid to the bridegroom’s parent (God the Father) would be the blood of Christ shed on the Bride’s behalf.

2^nd day celebration

Why Lord gave blood

2 cor. 11:2      For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

 The Church on earth today, then, is “betrothed” to Christ, and, like the wise virgins in the parable, all believers should be watching and waiting for the appearance of the Bridegroom (the Second Coming).

Groom take bride to his house

The second phase symbolizes the rapture of the Church, when Christ comes to claim His bride and take her to the Father’s house.

3^rd Marriage Feast

The marriage supper then follows as the third and final step. It is our view that the marriage supper of the Lamb takes place in heaven between the rapture and the second coming (during the tribulation on earth).

Attending the wedding feast will be not only the Church as the Bride of Christ, but others as well. The “others” include the Old Testament saints—they will not have been resurrected yet, but their souls/spirits will be in heaven with us. As the angel told John to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:9). The marriage supper of the Lamb is a glorious celebration of all who are in Christ!

Who is the Bride - A verse of importance is found in Ephesians 5 v.32. The Apostle Paul, speaking to husbands and wives of their relationship together, likens the husband to Christ and the wife to the Church., He sums it up in v.32 by saying, "This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church," clearly indicating that the perfect picture of the relationship between the Lord Jesus and His Church is that of a bride and a bridegroom.

Revelation 19:11:16

11   Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.

12   His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.

13   He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

14   And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.

15   Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

16   And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

11   Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.

Rev 6:2           And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer

	Rev. 6:2	Rev 19:1
1	Not mentioned	Horse coming from hevean
2	White horse	White horse
3	He had a bow	out of His mouth goes a sharp sword (19:15)
4	a crown	many crowns (12)
5	a crown was given to him	on His head were many crowns (12)

1.     Christ’s First coming purpose is to make His bride to be pure before marriage. So he gave his pure blood and He made the chruch to be pure.

2 Corinthians 11:2

For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

In 4:1 there was a door opened in heaven and John was invited up to heaven; in 11:19 God’s temple in heaven was opened; in 15:5 the tabernacle was opened and out came the seven angels with seven bowls; here heaven itself is opened and Jesus is revealed coming in wrath upon the earth. We see here a fuller account of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ together with his army of saints in wrath against the world. The passage shows the heavens opened and Christ revealed as King of kings and Lord of lords. The world led by the antichrist (the beast), the false prophet and the kings of the earth with their armies fight against Him and his army, but he slays them with the word of his mouth. The beast and the false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire. Then Satan is bound for a thousand years, and there is the millennial reign of Christ. At the end of the thousand years Satan is let loose again and there is a final battle, in which Satan is defeated and cast into the lake of fire. This is followed by the general resurrection and the Judgement day and anyone whose name is not in the book of life is also cast into the lake of fire. Osborne notes that the rider has three names “Faithful and True”, a name that only he knows, and “Word of God”, he is also called “King of kings and Lord of lords”.

Rev. 19:11a - Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness

 John saw a door in heaven through which only he entered but now the whole of heaven is open so that all may see Christ.

The rider is clearly Christ, he is clearly identified in verse 13; his name is the Word of God and again in verse 16 where he is called King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

This title contrasts Him with those who deceive mankind (v20), the beast and the false prophet. He is the faithful witness (1:5), here he vindicates his followers by destroying His and the churches' enemies. This event is commonly taken to be the Second Coming for another interpretation see Sweet & Hailey.

Rev. 19:11b - and in righteousness He judges and makes war.

God is just in everything he does: Isa 11:4, 'but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked'.

Psa. 96:13 'they will sing before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth'. His description in (1:14) shows him with white hair indicating wisdom. In 16:7 there is the response from the altar 'true and just are your judgements' (also 15:3, 19:2). The theme of God as judge is frequent in the Apocalypse (Osborne). Now the rider on the white horse will make war on beast and the kings of the earth and their armies (19:19), just as the dragon makes war on the saints (12:17), and the beast makes war against the saints (13:7). This time, for the rider on a white horse, it is a just war, as Osborne states it is lex talionis (law of retribution, i.e. an eye for an eye, Exo 21:23).

Rev. 19:12 - His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.

Eyes like blazing fire fits the description of Jesus in Rev 1:14, cf.

2 Thess 1:7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,

 with them he sees the wickedness of the wicked, which he hates. He has many crowns (Gr. diadema) to indicate his royal authority, he is King of Kings (v16), the dragon wore seven royal crowns (12:3) while the beast wore ten royal crowns both of whom he now goes on to defeat (19:20, 20:10). He has a name written on him that only he knows, for 'only the Son of God can understand the mystery of his own being' (quoted by Wilson). There is more to Christ than we can know and only he can understand (xxxx).

Rev. 19:13 - He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

 His robe is dipped in blood because he is coming in wrath against the people world (Isa 13:9, 63:1-6). He has trod the winepress of God’s wrath, see v15 (Isa 63:1, Rev 14:19) compare with Jacob’s blessing over Judah ‘he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes’, Gen 49:11.

Gen 49:11 Binding his donkey to the vine, And his donkey's colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes.

His name is the Word of God (Logos), that is Jesus (Jesus is referred to as the Logos in John 1:1) cf. the sharp sword that comes out of his mouth in v15 and in v21, He is God’s last and final word to the world.

Rev. 19:14 - And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.

- The army of heaven refers to the saints, a parallel passage calls them his 'called, chosen and faithful followers' (17:14). They are dressed in fine linen, white and clean (cf. 3:5, 6:11, 17:14, especially 19:8), the bride of the Lamb, this does not refer to angels because they wore shining linen (15:6), there is no reference to angels in white (although the same Greek word lampros meaning bright is used of angels raiment in 15:6 and the saints in 19:8, in general white is used for the saints throughout Rev). See the army of the Lord in Joel 2:11, 'mighty are those who obey his command'. In 14:4 the 144,000 also follow the Lamb wherever he goes, the saints are followers of Jesus. These are in contrast to those in 13:3 who followed after the beast. Note that the army also rides white horses as does their leader. The armies of heaven are mentioned here because they, that is the church, share in our Lord’s victory. They are referred to again in 19:19 when the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gather to make war against the rider on the horse and his army.

Rev. 19:15a - Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations.

- The sharp sword (rhomphaia) is the word of God

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

he is called the Word of God (v13), it is His word which condemns people at the last day

John 12:48 Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."

It says in Isa 11:4 that 'with the breath of his mouth he will slay the wicked'

Hos 6:5 Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of My mouth; And your judgments are like light that goes forth.

Isa 60:12 For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish, And those nations shall be utterly ruined.

 See also the result of him using the sword in v21 in which the kings of the earth and their armies are 'killed by the sword (rhomphaia) that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse'. In the same way he overthrows the antichrist with the breath of his mouth, and destroys him by the splendour of his coming

2 Thess 2:8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.

 In 1:16 he has a sharp double-edged sword coming out of his mouth. In 2:16 he will fight against those at Pergamum who hold to the teaching of Balaam and the Nicolations with the sword (rhomphaia) of his mouth. We should not be surprised at Christ using the word of God to fight against his enemies since the universe was made at God’s command

Heb 11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Rev. 19:15b - nations And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron.

- This is another reference to the Messianic psalm 2:9, 'You will rule them with an iron sceptre ; you will dash them to pieces like pottery'. This could be a reference to the millennial reign of Christ and his saints who will also rule with him as a reward given to those who overcome in the letter to the church at Thyatira (2:26). However Mounce maintains that to rule with an iron sceptre means to destroy rather than govern in a stern fashion, this makes sense in the light of the many scriptures on the day of God’s wrath which indicate destruction, see especially Isa 11:4 and Psa 2:9b and also see Isa 13:9, Zep 1:15-18, 3:8. In the light of “strike down the nations” 15a and the carnage described in v21, destruction seems correct.

Rev. 19:15c He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

– Here Jesus and God are linked in wrath as in the sixth seal, it is called the great day of their wrath (5:17). Winepress is a common metaphor for God’s wrath

Isa 63:1-6 Who is this who comes from Edom, With dyed garments from Bozrah, This One who is glorious in His apparel, Traveling in the greatness of His strength? --- " I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save."

Isa 63:2 Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like one who treads in the winepress?

Isa 63:3 " I have trodden the winepress alone, And from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in My anger, And trampled them in My fury; Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, And I have stained all My robes.

Isa 63:4 For the day of vengeance is in My heart, And the year of My redeemed has come.

Isa 63:5 I looked, but there was no one to help, And I wondered That there was no one to uphold; Therefore My own arm brought salvation for Me; And My own fury, it sustained Me.

Isa 63:6 I have trodden down the peoples in My anger, Made them drunk in My fury, And brought down their strength to the earth."

Joel 3:13 Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; For the winepress is full, The vats overflow --- For their wickedness is great."

 he squeezes until there is no blood left, there is so much blood that it forms a lake, see also 14:19 for the great winepress of God's wrath. In verse 13 his robe is dipped in blood.

Rev. 19:16 - And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

This contrasts to the title of the harlot, who is BABYLON THE GREAT MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH, Rev 17:5. Compare with the same description of the Lamb in (17:14) and ‘I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill’ in the Messianic psalm, Psa 2:5.

Psa 2:5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure:

The kings of the earth gather against the Lord, but he over powers them because he is the King of Kings. He has the same title 'Lord of lords and King of kings' in the description of the battle against the ten kings and the beast in 17:14, he also has with him his called, chosen and faithful followers. In 1:5 he is described as the ruler of the kings of the earth, in this passage he openly demonstrates this in a final victory at his Second Coming. His title is on his robe so that it is visible to all. It is also a divine title used of God in

1 Tim 6:15 ‘the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords’.

Revelation 19:17-21

¹⁷        Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, "Come and gather together for the supper of the great God,

¹⁸        that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great."

¹⁹        And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.

²⁰        Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.

²¹        And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.

Rev. 19:17      Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, "Come and gather together for the supper of the great God,

Rev.19:18       that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great."

- The invitation is given here to the birds to eat, and in verse 21 we find that the 'birds gorged themselves on their flesh.' This is taken from Ezekiel's prophecy about Gog,

Ezek 39:4 You shall fall upon the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the peoples who are with you; I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.

Ezek 39:17  "And as for you, son of man, thus says the Lord GOD, 'Speak to every sort of bird and to every beast of the field: " Assemble yourselves and come; Gather together from all sides to My sacrificial meal Which I am sacrificing for you, A great sacrificial meal on the mountains of Israel, That you may eat flesh and drink blood.

see also David and Goliath,

 1 Sam 17:46, 'Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel',

see also the description of the judgement upon Pharaoh,

Ezek 32:3-10 "Thus says the Lord GOD: ' I will therefore spread My net over you with a company of many people, And they will draw you up in My net.

4     Then I will leave you on the land; I will cast you out on the open fields, And cause to settle on you all the birds of the heavens. And with you I will fill the beasts of the whole earth.

5     I will lay your flesh on the mountains, And fill the valleys with your carcass.

6     ' I will also water the land with the flow of your blood, Even to the mountains; And the riverbeds will be full of you.

7     When I put out your light, I will cover the heavens, and make its stars dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, And the moon shall not give her light.

8     All the bright lights of the heavens I will make dark over you, And bring darkness upon your land,' Says the Lord GOD.

9     'I will also trouble the hearts of many peoples, when I bring your destruction among the nations, into the countries which you have not known.

10   Yes, I will make many peoples astonished at you, and their kings shall be horribly afraid of you when I brandish My sword before them; and they shall tremble every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of your fall.'

The great supper of God should be contrasted with the wedding supper of the Lamb (19:9). As Osborne notes, ‘the saints will partake of the great banquet, and the sinners will be the great banquet’. For birds flying in mid-air see 8:13, 14:6. Also contrast the gathering of the kings of the earth (19:19) with the birds gathering together to eat the flesh of kings (v17, 18). Notice that it deals with all classes of people from kings to slaves, small and great, see also 6:15, in which there is the similar description of those classes of people who hide from the wrath of the Lamb in the sixth seal. This same battle is also described in

Rev 17:14 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.

when the beast and ten kings wage war against the Lamb, he has the same title King of kings and Lord of Lords, and in 20:8 when Satan and the nations of the earth (Gog and Magog) surround the camp of God’s people.

Chilton points out that to be devoured by birds is a basic aspect of the covenant curse Dt 28:26, 49.

(Deu 28:26 NIV)  Your carcasses will be food for all the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and there will be no one to frighten them away.

Jeremiah prophesied about this (against God's people) in Jer 7:33, who did not obey God (Jer 7:24).

Jer 7:33 Then the carcasses of this people will become food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and there will be no one to frighten them away.

The colourful language of Jer 7:34 ought to remind us of the destruction of the whore in Rev 18:23

Jer 7:34  I will bring an end to the sounds of joy and gladness and to the voices of bride and bridegroom in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem, for the land will become desolate.

A study of Jer 7:21 - 8:17 is instructive. The carnage is the result of sin. The birds are the result of slaughter due to military warfare, see Jer 34:20-22. Although, I think Revelation is referring here to the unsaved, rather than God's people.

v19 - And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.

- Here we see the conflict of two armies, one is an earthly one the other a heavenly one. This is a last attack on the people of God, see Ezek 38, 39 especially 38:15-16.

Ezek. 38:15-16 Then you will come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army.

16   You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land. It will be in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me, when I am hallowed in you, O Gog, before their eyes."

Jesus is ruler over the kings of the earth (Rev 1:5) this is fulfilled in v21. This is the battle of Armageddon mentioned in the sixth bowl (16:14) this clearly takes place at the Second Coming (16:15). The beast and the kings of the earth are mentioned in (17:12), as 'ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast'. His army are the saints and not angels, see v14, they are dressed in 'fine linen, white and clean' which refers to the saints. Compare this scene with 12:17 when the dragon makes war on the saints and 13:7 when the beast makes war on the saints and overcomes them.

v20a Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.

- There is no mention of a fight, just the capture of the beast and false prophet. The false prophet first appears in the sixth bowl (16:13) and is clearly identical with the beast out of the earth in Rev 13:11 who made the earth and its inhabitants worship the beast. He works by delusion and deceived the world by his miraculous signs (13:14), the miraculous signs are demonic (16:14). Osborne notes that this litany of their sins provides the legal basis for the judgement of them in the next clause. Signs and miracles do not always come from God, we should beware of signs and wonders we should be discerning to see if they come from false prophets, Mat 24:24.

Mat. 24:24  For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

We should note that the beast and false prophet are captured together because they act together as in Rev 13 where the beast out of the earth supports the beast out of the sea.

v20b - These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.

- The beast at last goes to his destruction, 17:8, 11. This is the end of the antichrist and the false prophet, the devil joins them later (20:10) followed by those who worship the beast or receive his mark (14:9).

Mark 14:9 And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, "Is it I?" And another said, "Is it I?"

The second of His enemies are destroyed before he hands the kingdom to his Father

1 Cor 15:23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming.

1 Cor 15:24    Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.

the first enemy was Babylon (17:16 ff.) who was also destroyed by fire. They will be tormented day and night for ever (20:10) in the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Mat 25:41 see also Isa 30:33).

v21a - And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse.

The rest of them should be contrasted with the rest of the woman’s offspring, namely the church of 12:17, these are the kings, generals, all people, i.e. the unsaved world, v18, who join with the beast and false prophet to fight against Christ and his followers. The sword is the word of God (see v13, 15) which pronounces judgement

John 12:48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him --- the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.

His word destroyed them,

2 Thess 2:8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.

Isa 11:4 But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.

. This is also referred to in 17:12-14 in which the ten kings and the beast will make war against the Lamb but He will overcome them.

v21b - And all the birds were filled with their flesh.

- The invitation given by the angel in v17, 18 to the birds flying in mid-air is now realised. This is imagery for final disaster, and is taken from

Ezek. 39:17-20, Nor will Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company do anything in the war, when they heap up a siege mound and build a wall to cut off many persons.

Ezek. 39:18     Since he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, and in fact gave his hand and still did all these things, he shall not escape.' "

Ezek. 39:19     Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "As I live, surely My oath which he despised, and My covenant which he broke, I will recompense on his own head.

Ezek. 39:20     I will spread My net over him, and he shall be taken in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon and try him there for the treason which he committed against Me.

Ezek. 32:4 Then I will leave you on the land; I will cast you out on the open fields, And cause to settle on you all the birds of the heavens. And with you I will fill the beasts of the whole earth.

This is the final indignity for men, they were not buried but the birds ate their flesh, just as the dogs ate Jezebel’s flesh and there was nothing to be found of her when it came time to bury her,

2 King 9:33-37 Then he said, "Throw her down." So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses; and he trampled her underfoot.

2 King 9:34     And when he had gone in, he ate and drank. Then he said, "Go now, see to this accursed woman, and bury her, for she was a king's daughter."

2 King 9:35     So they went to bury her, but they found no more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands.

2 King 9:36     Therefore they came back and told him. And he said, "This is the word of the LORD, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 'On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel;

2 King 9:37     and the corpse of Jezebel shall be as refuse on the surface of the field, in the plot at Jezreel, so that they shall not say, "Here lies Jezebel." ' "

this should be compared to the two witnesses who were also refused burial. Their punishment is not described here but later, 20:15. Compare the end here of the kings and their armies with the end of the prostitute whose flesh was also eaten (17:16) by the beast and ten kings.