CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 19
NOTE: (Aug. 2017)
Here is the beginning of the transition from man's rule, (Satan controlled), to that of Jehovah Zebaoth (God of all peoples). It elicits great joy and praise to Him, who has for so long waited for the perfect timing to deal with "the mystery of iniquity"! The Hallelujahs from Heavenly hosts is predicted in (Psm. 89:1-5 and 104:35) and others!
What is about to begin is the ruthless judgement on the enemies of God, to fulfil O.T. prophecy; to deal with the Satanic beast and false prophet; as "King of Kings, and Lord of Lords".
(Aug. 2018) As Jerusalem has now been declared as Israel’s Capital city in the 70th year of its Statehood; much can be expected regarding prophecy fulfilment! (See: Biblical 7 and 70 Significance).
V.1 (a)After these things I heard a great voice of many people in Heaven, saying, "Alleluia The Salvation, and The glory, and the power, of our God are come:
V.2 For true and righteous are His judgements: for He had judged the great whore, which did corrupt the Earth with her fornications, and has avenged the blood of His servants on her.
V.3 And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up to the Ages of the Ages.
(a) The text implies many in a “crowd”; the Interlinear (Str. No. 3793) “a throng”, “a class of people”, "a multitude”. The cause of their great praise and jubilation is the destruction of the whore, which had wreaked such havoc in humankind on Earth. The prophecy of this joy, praise and jubilation in Heaven, (Psm. 104:35), here in this Chapter is the beginning of the fulfilment.
The praises of these people is joy that the Salvation, the glory, the honour and the power of Almighty God is now to be manifest over Earthly Creation, (see Chp. 12:4 (c)) & (Chp. 12:12 (a)).
V.4 And the (a)24 elders and the four (b)Zoa fell down and worshipped God That sat on the throne, saying, “(c)Amen; (d)Alleluia".
(a) See Rev. Chps. 4:4, 4:10, 5:8-14 & 11:16, and notes.
(b) See Rev. Chps. 4:6, 4:8, 4:9, 5:6, 5:14, 6:1, 15:7, 7:11 & 14:3, and notes.
(c) See Rev. Chps. 3:14, 5:14, and notes. Interlinear (Str. No. 281), renders; “trustworth”.
(d) Interlinear, (Str. No. 239) renders; “praise ye Jah!” “an adoring exclamation”.
V.5 (a)And a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all ye (b)His servants, ye that fear/revere Him, small and great”.
(a) Whose this voice is remains speculative. Dr. Bullinger refers to Psm. 22, in its fulfilment, which must be correct. That it comes from "The Throne", gives it full Authority, as The Throne and its location, is the ultimate source of all Power. The Scriptures say regarding the throne, "Heaven is the throne of God" (Isa. 66:1). Righteousness and judgement are the foundation of Thy Throne" (Psm. 89:14). "Christ Jesus is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God" (Heb. 12:2).
(b) That it refers to righteous Israel is implicit in the words "all ye His servants". The word "servants" almost always applies to Israel, see also Rev. 3:21. The True Church has the unique privilege of being "sons" (Rom. 8:14), in this Age, as opposed to servants, (but are servants by their love of the Lord), and by the washing in Christ’s Blood. Through all Ages are by implication servants by will!
In the Tribulation Age, the "Overcomers" also become sons, (see: Chp. 21:7).
However; in the broad sense and context, as mentioned above all who are truly of Christ's Body, are willing servants!
V.6 And I heard the sound of a crowd, and as the sound of many waters, and as the sound of strong thunder, saying, “(a)Alleluia: for the Lord our God Almighty Omnipotent reigneth.
V.7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give the glory to Him: (b)for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and (b)His wife has made herself ready”.
(a) What sweeter sound can there be, than to know that man’s rule has ended, and that of our loving Lord is beginning!
(b) As the writers have said previously, we are of the opinion that the wife of the Lamb is restored righteous Israel, (Jeshuron),
The most likely definition of the Bride of Christ, is all people, Jew or Gentile who accepted Christ as Messiah and Saviour up to Acts 28:28; and also, righteous OT Jews and Gentiles as per Hebrews, and probably many “Overcomers” of Revelation. These are joined by millions of 'dispersed' Jews, who are the remnants of the Diaspora. From these some appear to have a life on Earth in the flesh in the Millennial, (1000 years), with Temple Ritual and Service; and will form "Jesurun" (ideal and upright Jacob/Israel, Isaiah 44:2; and see; Duet.32:15; 33:5; 33:6.) and will eventually be “married” to Christ and (His Body; ie. post Acts:28-28 Christians).
The clear definition of the Body of Christ, is all people on Earth of all nationalities, who have trusted Christ Jesus for Salvation since Acts 28:28, (approx. AD60), and whose destiny is a “Glorified Body”, (Phil.3:20-21) as per Christ’s when they are raised or translated, at the return of Christ to Earth; (Matt. 24).
Most of Christendom’s teachers and commentators say that the “Church” is the Bride, however, seemingly to ignore Scriptural evidence to the contrary. The Apostle Paul states that the “True Church” is Christ’s Body! (1Cor.) but particularly 1Cor. 12:27, where Paul defines the pre- Acts 28:28 Corinthians as "The Body of Christ". As this statement is A.D. 57, and Acts 28: 28, is A.D. 63, Paul is clearly stating that pre. and post Acts 28 Christians are of the Body of Christ; the pre Acts 28:28 Christians are in the blessing of the promise to Abraham, as the post Acts 28:28 Christians are in the blessing of the "Mystery Church". It is the opinion of the writers that as stated both are the Body of Christ but with different functions after the revealing of Christ (Second Coming). It is our opinion that the former have Earthly function and the latter Heavenly function, however, as previously stated there is much discussion on this area.
As regards some of the comments and prophecies to the future Bride, some are as follows; Isa. 49:18 & 61:10, the whole of Isa. 62, but particularly 62:4-5. Also, Jer. 2:32 & John 3:29, (in this reference John is referring to The Lord’s own statement that He came “only to the lost sheep of Israel”!
V.8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine (a)linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the (a)awarded righteousness of the saints.
V.9 And he said unto me, “Write, (b)Blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb”. And he said unto me, “These are the true sayings of God".
(a) As per comments in V.7(b), and also in previous comments, “the linen, clean and white”, “the awarded righteousness of the saints”, it for and to the remnant of Israel, saved by their Messiah, at the end of their sufferings under Satan’s persecution, (see Chp. 3:18, and the whole of Chps. 1, 2 & 3). There are of course others who are not Jews who resist Satan, the beast etc., and who are not marked. Those are almost certainly included in the comments in Chp. 7:9-17. The preserved Jewish remnant of the persecution (Isa. 49:6), are in the writers view joined by many resurrected Jews at the beginning of the Millennial Reign. That they are Jews is confirmed by Acts 9:13, and the comment there!
(b) Israel prior to The Cross, and after up to Acts 28:28, are invited to partake of “The Bread of Life”, (Christ), but refused, led by the Jewish Sanhedrin!
Those who are invited to “the marriage supper of the Lamb” are therefore indeed “Blessed”. As to who these guests are, as traditionally they are the Bride and Groom's relations and friends, there must be a similarity at this Great Wedding supper.
Weddings in the western world tend to be rather rigid affairs; formal and reserved, at least in the early parts. The writers have experienced a Jewish wedding, and the experience is totally different to the western occasions. As soon as the formal ceremonial is complete, all the guests perform a dance called “the dance of joy”, where the women holding hands, rotate anti-clockwise, the men holding hands, rotate clock-wise outside the female ring. The music is exuberant and repetitive, the bride and groom are lifted shoulder high on chairs in the centre of the 2 circles, and slowly rotate. This continues for a considerable period of time, and even at the human level is exhilarating.
One can only imagine such a dance, when the Bride and Groom, are Christ and His Bride!!
V.10 (a)And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said to me, “See you do it not: I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of Prophecy”.
(a) The angel here strongly corrects John, and states clearly that worship should be to God only, and testimony (witness) to and of Jesus is the correct stance.
V.11 (a)And I saw Heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He That sat on him called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
V.12 (a)His eyes a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He has a name written, that no man knew, but He Himself.
V.13 (b)And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and (c)His name is called The Word of God.
(a) This clearly is Jesus the Christ (John 1:1), arriving in Power and Glory, about to defeat the great enemy Satan, particularly at Armageddon.
(b) The “vesture dipped in blood”; representing the “Blood of the Lamb”, “that takes away the sin of the world”! (Luke 22:44), (John 6:54), (John 19:34-35), (Col. 1:20), (Heb. 9.7, 9:12, 9:20, 9:22 & 10:19), (1Peter 1:2), (1John 1:7, 5:6), (Rev. 5:9, 7:14 & 12:11).
However; here He is shown to be ready for war and to judge! Christ Jesus is known for His gentleness, and that is what is mostly taught to children etc. The teachings that should be given to adults (but is not generally) is that Christ has a yet to be function of death and destruction of people and powers, to rescue remnant Israel, judge the Gentile Nations, divide people into “sheep and goats”; and to initiate the Millennial Reign!
These events are all to be hard and ruthless, and are necessary for Righteousness to prevail, and to bring to fulfilment the O.T. prophecies, oft repeated. Hence the descriptions in vs. 11, 12 and 13.
(c) “His name, The Word of God”; from the first use of this phrase “Word of God”, there are 25 occurrences until the last! The first to Samuel (1Sam. 9:27), the last, (Rev. 20:4). One of the most beautiful and moving usages is, (John 1:1-13). The most profound being, (John 1:14).
V.14 (a)And the armies in Heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and pure.
(a) These armies of white and pure linen clad (people)? are likely to be angelic, possibly the redeemed of His Body, or both.
V.15 (a)And out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should (b)smite the Nations: (c)and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: (d)and He treads the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God.
V.16 (e)And He has on His garment and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
(a) When our Lord was before His accusers, prior to His execution, “He opened not His mouth”; (Psm. 38:13), see also the Gospel accounts. Now has come a change, (Isa. 11) and many other references.
(b) “Smite the Nations”; (see whole of Isaiah 11, but particularly (11:4-5), and many other O.T. passages.
(c) See Rev. 2:27, 12:5, and notes. Also Psm. 2:9.
(d) See Rev. 14:19-20, and notes.
(e) This long awaited moment has arrived. The Messiah to the Jews, rejected by them during His flesh life, and after, finally at Acts 28:28; after which the life giving Gospel focused on the Gentiles (see: The Changing Mission of Paul because of Acts 28 ).
The Lord, Saviour to many millions who trust Him for Salvation (being made whole before God). He now arrives as predicted in O.T. prophecy to set up His 1000 years reign on Earth at Jerusalem, as KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS. This He will do after He has crushed the enemies of Israel, and of God the Father, Jehovah Zebaoth. See Zechariah, Isaiah, Jeremiah & Ezekiel, and touching most of the O.T. prophets! (See whole of Psm. 2).
V.17 (a)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 Heavens, “Come and gather yourselves together to the supper of the great God.
V.18 That you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and those that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great".
(a) Their feast will be just after the next verses, see V.21.
V.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.
V.20 (a)And the beast was taken and with him the false prophet that did 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 (b)the Lake of Fire burning with brimstone.
(a) See Rev. 4:7, 6:3, 11:7, 13:1, 13:11, 15:2, 16:13 17:8-11, 19:19-20, 20:10, and notes. Also 13:16-17, 14:9-11, 15:2, 16:2 & 19:20.
(b) C. of E. translates give “a”, which once again diminishes the meaning. The “Lake”, is especially designated by Almighty God for His judgements. It is also possible that it originates from the Holy Divine Fire from the Heavenly Temple.
V.21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of Him That sits upon the horse, which sword proceeds out of His mouth: (b)and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
(a) See above verses.
(b) See V.17 (a).
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