revelation 19 explained verse by verse
"For God put [it] into their hearts to do his mind, and to do one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled." He destroys the assembled rebels who have gathered together against Him. Here we see the chaste virgin Idealists feel that Revelation relates primarily to the church between the first and second coming of Christ. THE TE DEUM OF THE REDEEMED ( Revelation 19:6-8 ). Pilate said, "I find no fault in Him. Just as the city of man's confusion was seen in her vile, degraded, and degrading relations with the beast, this city is seen in her pure and glorious relations with the Lamb. The simple fact of conquering far and wide, and of exercising vast political power in the earth, does not constitute any title to such a name. to Top, Other Books of the Bible Christianity teaches that God is reaching down to man; exactly the opposite of religious thoughts, man trying to reach God. If there was any Gentile power since John's day, which did not sustain but persecute and suppress Jerusalem, it was Rome, instead of being a gaudy harlot mounted on that vast empire. rather than differing reality. "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them (for he is Lord of lords and King of kings), and they that are with him, called, and chosen, and faithful.". There was judicial discernment with the distinct possession of all titles to sovereignty. And he shall rule them with a rod of iron - See the notes on Revelation 2:27; Revelation 12:5. The answer: because it's the final book of the Bible. The Gothic hordes were not yet incorporated with the empire, still less were they horns of the beast, nor did they give their power to it, but destroyed it rather. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. With a rod of iron He shall execute the severest judgment on the opposers of his truth. come (verse 15; 2:27; 12:5). Instead of judgment being executed on them, it was given to them. Worship God." 14:1-3; 1 Thess. Bad as pagan Rome was, it would be false to affirm that it ever had come out of the bottomless pit. In the Psalms of Solomon we have that picture: Behold, O Lord, and raise up unto them their king the Son of, At the time in which thou seest, O God, that he may reign, And gird him with strength that he may shatter unrighteous, And that he may purge Jerusalem from nations that trample, Wisely, righteously, he shall thrust out sinners from the. Although the words are the same as in the first chapter of the Fourth Gospel, the meaning is quite different and much simpler. "And no curse shall be any more: and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him." It is very evident, therefore, that the saints in a glorified state are here represented as following the Lord out of heaven. Then you may be very good all week long, and you put your little star behind each of the categories each evening. Again, to my mind it seems demonstrably true that the relation to the beast here brought before us must in all fairness be allowed to look onward to a later stage of Babylon. You can trust in this. 19:4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, "Amen. [issues, proceedeth, comes, came, goeth, comes out, ] . So here He is sitting upon a white horse. 4:6). Then comes not the destruction only of these rebels by divine judgment, but the dissolution of heaven and earth. The prevalence of all this in Judaism is underlined by the fact that certain Rabbis insisted that prayers must always be offered direct to God, and not to Michael or to Gabriel. The iron rod is showing his ability to protect them. "Why did the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing, for they have gathered together against the Lord and against His anointed, saying, Let us break His bands asunder, let us cast off His law from us; but He who sits in the heavens will laugh for He will have the nations in derision. The marriage between Christ and the church proclaimed and perfected, ver 5-10. He hath bound his loins and gone forth to war against those who hate him; kings and princes shall be slain; he will make red the rivers with the blood of the slainhis garments will be dipped in blood.". Godly people love righteousness and hate sin, for righteousness It may well be from that old Jewish idea that there came the idea of the marriage feast of the Lamb, for that indeed would be the true Messianic Banquet. The first were such as came out of heaven after Christ, being already raised from the dead and glorified. for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication ( Revelation 19:2 ). Thus the attempt to apply it during the pagan period is altogether futile on the face of the matter. pure and faithful, never a harlot, like Israel was (see Hosea chapter 2). The weapons of this warfare are described in Ephesians 6:12. Verse 5. Consequently Christianity, as being directly aggressive on the falsehood of heathenism, was of all things the most offensive to Rome. It is a description, and not one of the visions that carry us onward. They have the capacity to stand in the sun. Betrothal (often when the couple were children); (2) 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 6:17f). On him the blow comes, not on the wretched parent. To us, as His soldiers, Christ says "As My Father has sent Me so send I you." Is not this reason enough for saying that not even the shadow of solid ground appears for the system? remnant, a small company, when compared with the world and carnal professors; (chapter 20). They had cried to the Sovereign ruler to avenge their blood on their foes, but they were told they must wait a little for some others, their fellow-servants and their brethren, to die as they had. God in His providence did sanction the great empires of old; and the principle continues as long as the church is here below. The abusso or abyss is probably in the very center of the earth, because it is called and correctly translated "bottomless pit." There is the basis for my righteousness. The things in the present and in the future are all designed to help God's children. It is known as a divine feat in the theological term, which means the capacity of speaking things into existence. Christ needs no armies, whether of angels, or anyone else. Commentary on Revelation 19:11-21. Revelation 19:19 KJV | King James Version | New Christian Bible Study It is a question here of distinctive character, apart from that of time, for which we must search other scriptures. The "saved" is a term which, so far from belonging to the nations, is expressly applied to the Jewish remnant when it is a technical term. Worship: Only God is to be worshiped (compare 22:8-9; heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the What does this particular rendition of God mean? The army which he commands (Revelation 19:14; Revelation 19:14), a very large one, made up of many armies; angels and saints followed his conduct, and resembled him in their equipage, and in their armour of purity and righteousness--chosen, and called, and faithful. . Salvation is simple. And on his robe, and on his thigh, he has a name written--King of kings and Lord of lords. He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God Norris' Commentary on the Book of Revelation. Verse 3. He was a divine person, whatever new position He assumes for the world. The eternal smoke Babylon had once heard the varied testimony of God; for what had she not heard of truth? "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse." On the head of the victor Christ there are many crowns to show that he is lord of all the kingdoms of the earth. The principle upon which this verse-by-verse study of Revelation proceeds, is that the contents of the book are, in the main, yet future and that the fulfillment of the greater part of Revelation cannot take place as long as the Church remains here on earth. We must face difficulties; we must bow to the word; we must seek to learn through all. Commentary on Revelation - [Chapter 19] - Theology First The people mentioned here are distinct from the other beings in heaven, This web site explains the Book of Revelation, each individual scripture. and ever.". This description of the warrior Christ comes from two Old Testament passages put side by side. (19:6-9), are evidence of the Church being in heaven prior to the return of The marriage of the Lamb: The wife or bride of Christ is the church (Matt. It probably came to be so well known to even the simplest member of the Church through its special use as a response of praise in the Easter worship. Creature lights are gone. The glorified saints are to administer power in a way far beyond angels. Even the worst of governments is better than none. THE KING rides at the head of His armies. We have one final little battle here to take place in chapter nineteen. There are always those that say, "What about the people that haven't heard? From his mouth there comes forth a sharp two-edged sword, so that with it he may smite the nations, and he will control them with an iron rod. I do not acknowledge the language to be either difficult or ambiguous. Link with Johns vision of Revelation 19:11-16 a meditation on the Hymn "Crown Him with many crowns" and also the stirring Hymn "Onward Christian soldiers." sounds like a massive crashing of waves. Calling is the, fruit of active grace on God's part towards man, and only towards him when fallen. The presentation will take place in heaven following the Rapture (verse 7); and. In the . The day of the Lord on the world in no way sets aside His dealing with individual souls. So, God has judged the false religious system that corrupted the earth with her spiritual fornication. His blood-soaked robe signifies that his triumph has come through his death on the cross. Here we find the term "Alleluia" used really for the first in the New Testament and it is used four times here. Verse 6. But "out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron." Past history therefore in no way suits the prophecy. Various suggestions have been made. It was not uncommon for a monarch to wear more than one crown in order to show that he was the king of more than one country. And you could imagine the grapejuice stains all over your clothes after having spent a day treading the wine vat therein. The union of the church with Christ following the Rapture (see 1 Thess. After that we have the admonitions to the end of this book. Here occurs a remarkable change in the sequence of the visions, though easily understood; for it must be evident that there is nothing to follow this in point of time. I am not raising any question about the ten. But in the time really contemplated here all this political shuffling will be over. Leaving behind the subject of the power of evil in the world, the visions now move on to their climax. So, Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. What is it? Thus was concluded all dealing on the Lord's part with both soul and body, and all that pertains to either. All is then fixed. There never has been a like experience. But he ought to have withstood it I do not mean in vengeance (for that belongs to the Lord), but as holily hating the sin itself, yet withal in the deepest compassion for his parent. But we as properly say, "Come." It is altogether foreign to history. It isn't that you have been faithful in your devotions, and you have witnessed to so many people, and read so many chapters of the Bible, and spent so many hours in prayer, and you have done all of the religious devotional things, not that at all. He has, I think, exactly that class in view when He sanctions the calling him who hears to say "Come." It is the active word which carried out the commandment of God. In this way there never has been anything of the kind before. And as for the twelve tribes of Israel, they are merely written there, nothing more. And he said unto me, This is the This symbolic meal will take place at the establishment of the But here there is none; a temple is for the earth. In general this has been either passed over in the chapter, or some unsatisfactory inference has been flung out, which can only embroil the prophecy. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready ( Revelation 19:7 ). It is no problem for the infinite God to reach to finite man. STUDY NOTES--Revelation 19:11-16 --THE CONQUERING CHRIST. These would appear to be (save Judas Iscariot, of course) the twelve apostles that were peculiarly associated with Christ in His suffering path on the earth. Third, he alone has the wisdom to find the right judgment and the power to apply it. THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY ( Revelation 19:10 b). Then come others in the condition of separate spirits or souls, whom the prophet saw two different classes of them those beheaded for the witness of Jesus and the word of God, and those who refused the beast in every form, The proof of the third class should have been given a little more distinctly than in our version. I sometimes make snap judgments. It is necessary that we should all bear in mind, if we have not observed it before, thatRevelation 17:1-18; Revelation 17:1-18 does not pursue the chronological course of the prophecy. And so this is the hang-up of man as Paul said in Romans one, "They worshipped and served the creature more than the creator." God loves you and receives you just as you are on the basis of His grace, love and mercy. marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.". In any real marriage there must be four things which must also be in the relationship between the Christian and Christ. Again the righteousness of His judgment attested to. The picture is of the warrior Christ trampling the grapes so as to produce the wine of the wrath of God, which his enemies must drink to their doom. The Spirit of God contrasts with the fall of Babylon the marriage. I have already touched on the double force of the symbol mountains. Revelation 19:11 (KJV) - Forerunner Commentary - Bible Tools The word "church" (Greek ekklesia), appears nineteen times (in Revelation Certainly the ascription to the Lord of the fierce struggles of a human warrior is markedly avoided. Ezekiel works out the whole picture most fully in Ezekiel 16:1-63. What is there to hinder it? What makes it the more notable is this, that the rod of iron is promised to us not the sword. It is Christ Himself about to be displayed in His rights as King of kings, and Lord of lords; and this in the face of the world. He is the living Word, the active agent of God who expresses Gods will and carries it out. What is it, seven hundred and fifty million degrees Fahrenheit or something like that? 11:2; Eph. John 1:1-5; Revelation 2:16; Revelation 19:15, Revelation 19:21. cf. No hint whatever is given that they constitute the city, but there is the inscription of their names outside. A state of war has existed since the fall of Satan (compare verse 4, compare Dan. 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and, behold, a white horse, and he who is mounted on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. The voice includes himself among those who claim God as our God. "So he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness" a thorough waste as to the knowledge or enjoyment of God. The son is doubly guilty, because he saw his father's nakedness and felt it enough to hide. Revelation 2. Chapter 19 of Revelation is the only place in the Bible that this name describing God is used. Lit. Nor is there any real reason to wonder at their deriving help from partial light. Revelation 19 is the nineteenth chapter of the Book of Revelation or the Apocalypse of John in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. Here I am obliged to say that our authorized version, and not merely it, but our common Greek Testaments, are altogether wrong. which will take place on earth following the return of Christ (20:4; Matt. 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7, 14; 21:22). Rev. And the beast was taken" (taken alive), "and with him the false prophet that wrought signs in his presence, with which he deceived those that received the mark of the beast, and those that worshipped his image." groom prepared for his bride. There are times when John sees the Lord himself. It will be observed that in this case it is one of the angels that had the seven bowls who comes forward and says to John, "Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore (or harlot) that sitteth upon [the] many waters." In the midst of the broadway of it, and of the river, on this side and on that, [the] tree of life," bearing not merely as the original one did, but now according to the fulness of the provision of God's grace for man, for man in glory first, but for man on the earth also, but for man in glory "producing twelve fruits, in each month yielding its fruit: and the leaves of the tree for the healing of the nations." pl.") Then the prophet falls down to pay homage to the angel; and this gives rise to a weighty admonition. And there are times when the angel appears to John. Have we not all heard of the balance of power? a. He speaks and it is done. In that place the sword seems to be an emblem of his words or doctrines, as penetrating the hearts of people; here it is the emblem of a work of destruction worked on his foes. This too must not be viewed as if it were a loss. To be crowned with more than one crown may seem strange, but in the time of John it was quite natural. The two of them were cast alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone; and the rest were slain with the sword of him who rides the horse, with the sword which comes out of his mouth; and all the birds were glutted with their flesh. What does Revelation chapter 19 mean? | BibleRef.com heaven. To the Christian this book is not sealed. man's day. And I fell at His feet to worship him. He equally expresses what God is. At the end of this time he will be released for a short while (20:1-3). (verses 1-10), and returns with Christ in His Triumphal Second Coming (verses Some ancient authorities insert two-edged, from the parallel passage in Revelation 1:16. And so it is with this very Babylon that comes before us here. Up till now the visions have mainly been concerned with the power of evil and the sufferings of believers. At the same time the attempt to apply Babylon to ancient Rome is almost as unhappy; and for a plain reason. the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.". there is no sword proceeding out of our mouth; nor are the saints or heavenly hosts said to be arrayed in such a sort as the Lord. Here we have a repetition of the imagery of chapter 13. var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; Hence this certainly must be future. That was Jesus looking forward to the great Messianic Banquet. THE TE DEUM OF THE ANGELS ( Revelation 19:1-2 ), 19:1-2 After these things I heard what sounded like a great voice of a vast multitude in heaven. This testimony here is not Jesus giving it, but we believers who testify of the because of the number of people speaking. That is spiritually in chapter seventeen, that great religious system that corrupted the earth. In Php_2:9-11 we read of the name above every name which God has given to Jesus Christ because of his complete obedience; and there the name is almost certainly Lord. And of course all of our finest scientific equipment could not locate such a thing there in the heart of the earth. Again, that it supposes Rome after it had professed the name of Christ I think is not to be doubted, if only from the expression "mystery" attached to Babylon. There is no paradox in the message whatever. A New Translation from a Revised Text of the Greek Original. "And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and encompassed the camp of the saints, and the beloved city." which sword proceeds out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh ( Revelation 19:21 ). You might get left. "And the nations shall walk in the light of it." Whoever this angel is, he too had the testimony of Jesus. Observe another very important fact. Gen. 1; Isaiah 55:11; John 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:8) not a literal description. Whoever this angel is, he too had the testimony of Jesus. It is not a syllogism that is wanted or that can satisfy here: only require, only believe, the word of God. They themselves were to judge. Since then the world has not seen the imperial power to which all bow. Verse 10. Jesus replaced the filth with His righteousness. This would not be fitting for the church nor the Christian. Yet grace despised necessarily ends in judgment. they said, "because the Lord our God, the Almighty, has entered into his kingdom. others may live (see article . "The armies of heaven" wear the fine linen, white and pure" "which is the righteousness of the saints" (19:8). His Earthly Kingdom (see article . But what is also of consequence to observe is, that John saw souls the souls of those beheaded on account of the witness of Jesus, and on account of the word of God. I admit that there may be something more in the symbol than the literal hills of Rome, because they are said to be also seven kings. 9:7; He has many crowns, for he is King of kings, and Lord of lords. Book of Revelation Bible Study (Verse by Verse) - Cornerstone Fellowship But when Christ and the church peacefully reign, such is the imagery that suits "a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. A further account of the triumphant song of angels and saints for the fall of Babylon, ver 1-4. And I have to apologize sometimes for my judgments. There is no expression in the word of God which binds all to rise at the same instant. The church is the bride, It is of the seven in that point of view, because it is imperialism; but it is an eighth, because it has a diabolical source when raised up again. Christs Coming Kingdom). Why then is the book of life mentioned? It is called "the first resurrection." (1) This brings in idolatry, real shameless idolatry too, not merely that subtle working of the idolatrous spirit that every Christian has to guard against. Revelation 29 Lessons. Meanwhile the armies of the antichrist perish in battle (19-21).With the antichrist and the false prophet destroyed, only the first member of the evil trinity remains to be dealt with, Satan himself. But the church consists of souls called out from the earth, and is not of the world: consequently to the church the time is always at hand. wedding garment ready for the wedding. When God is so gracious, His word rich, full, and deep, it does seem sad to see His children content with just enough to save their souls, or keep them from positive starvation. They are not seen here as the bride. If alive before the thousand years, he will live after the thousand years; in fact, literally he will never die, though I do not doubt, on general principles, that the saints of the millennial earth will be changed at the very time when the heavens and earth disappear. 16:12-16). From the beginning, the church of God has been blessed with prophecy. 12:10; 13:9; and Roman - Utley. III. I will give to him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. Revelation 2:27; Revelation 12:5; Psalms 2:9; Psalms 45). This third description of judgment is an allusion to Isaiah 63:2-3; Jeremiah 51:33; Lamentations 1:15; Joel 3:13 (cf. (ii) A Greek came into the Church from a world of thought which made angel worship a real danger. Read the verses thoughtfully. 11:25-27). And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God ( Revelation 19:10 ): Now, John like so many people, we want to worship the instrument that God uses to bring His knowledge or love or grace to us. "Speak to the birds of every sort and to all beasts of the field. You 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 bulls. And you shall eat fat till you are filled, and drink blood till you are drunk at the sacrificial feast which I am preparing for you" ( Ezekiel 39:17-19).