Now begins the rejoicing. The good news for a grieving world is near. Revelation 19 begins with praise for God and joy that this world’s corrupt ways, symbolically referred to as Babylon and the beast, have finally ended.
Revelation 19:1 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:
What a shout of joy! The evils of this world are finally ending. Humanity has tried every variety of political, religious and scientific method, and none brought the salvation available only in God. Rather than a polluted world caused by human mismanagement, we have glory. Rather than the honor of scoundrels and dishonor of the weak, true honor is given to God, who only has the power to bring salvation to the world.
Revelation 19:2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.
No longer will there be the miscarriage of justice, but God’s righteous judgments. Fair punishment will come to a corrupt Babylonian system, apostate religion, blood-guilty oppression and one-sided injustice.
Revelation 19:3 And again they said, Alleluia And her smoke rose up for ever and ever.
Babylon’s smoke “rises” up forever, similar to a prophecy of the destruction of Edom (Isaiah 34:9-10), which was understood by Jews as symbolic of their oppressors, pagan Rome and its eventual destruction.
Revelation 19:4 And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.
God “sits” on the throne, present tense. The angels at God’s throne join in this anthem of praise.
Revelation 19:5 And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.
A voice invites the church to a time of praise.
Revelation 19:6 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 thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
All heaven and all saints join in praise of our God. This is a time of great joy for all, humanity and angels alike.
Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
The marriage of Christ to His bride the church is consummated. This metaphor of a marriage covenant between Savior and church, seems to be pictured in various stages throughout history and this is the final culmination.
Revelation 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
As white symbolizes purity in many cultures, so too does it symbolize the righteousness of the church, through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22; Romans 4:5; Romans 4:9; Romans 4:13; Romans 10:6; Romans 10:10; Galatians 3:6; Galatians 5:5; Philippians 3:9; Hebrews 11:7).
Revelation 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
The Lord’s Supper is a small picture of this great marriage supper. Recall the parable of the wedding feast, whereby many were invited but refused to come (Matthew 22:1-14).
Revelation 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. 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: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
This is a wonderful example of loyalty to God set by an angel, a fellow servant! Angels and men work together as servants of God. The spirit or purpose of prophecy is to make God’s will known, and it is most fully known in Jesus.
The White Horse
Revelation 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
No longer riding on the foal of a donkey (Matthew 21:1-7), but a white horse, Jesus comes to finally vanquish all evil, symbolized in the beast of antichristian governments, corrupt trade and the whore of counterfeit religion.
Revelation 19:12-13 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
This is obviously Jesus. The phrase the Word of God means many things, the spoken Word, the written Word, the Gospel, but when personalized, it refers to Jesus (John 1:1-3, 14)
Revelation 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
Are there animals in heaven? Interesting! It seems that resurrected saints are part of that victorious army.
Revelation 19:15-16 And 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: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.
World peace can come by no other means than to put down all evil with strong rule (Psalm 2:9). This will not be a democracy, where the worldly will of the people decides what is right or wrong. On the other hand, by our actions, we do vote for or against Jesus’ reign in our lives.
The reign of heaven will not be a self-serving kind of monarchy, where kings take from a peasant class and make them landless serfs. It will not be communism whereby party bosses become billionaires and ordinary people suffer in poverty. It will be divine rule by the only one qualified, with righteous justice for all.
Revelation 19:17-18 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
This is the end of all corrupt wordly systems symbolized by Babylon, whereby the powerful prey on the weak, and men seek only personal gain without love of neighbor. Instead, the birds will symbolically feed on them.
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 on the horse, and against his army.
The antichristian instinct of those caught up in a worldly, Babylonian system of selfishness and greed, is to fight against God in one last ditch, futile effort to prevent the reign of Christ.
Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Antichristian politics, wealth gained through exploitation, abominations of the earth, and counterfeit religion will cease permanently, symbolized by them being cast into a volcanic lake of burning sulphur.
Revelation 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
The sword is the Word of God, and symbolizes the criterion whereby their lives are judged. The word “remnant” is a hopeful description that at least some of them may finally repent and be converted (Romans 9:27; Romans 11:5).
For those suffering around the world under oppressive governments, employers antagonistic to people of faith, abandonment by relatives, abuse from spouses and courts, and maltreatment in apostate churches, this gives hope of final justice. It requires a hope that endures. It requires a faith that stands strong. Those on the side of Christ will win, and a wonderful eternity awaits.
