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Revelation
Chapter Nineteen
Revelation 19
Chapter 19:2 clearly shews the aspect in which she is
judged-the great whore who corrupted; and God avenges the blood of His
servants. This judgment of Rome is the great joy of heaven. Hallelujah and
salvation are sung. The elders and four living creatures fall down and worship,
and the voice of the multitude proclaims the bringing in of the marriage of the
Lamb, when the false woman is set aside. Till then, though espoused, the
assembly was not thus actually united in the heavenly marriage of the Lamb.
Still there was no greater event could be than a judgment of Rome. No doubt the
beast had to be destroyed. Power, when God gave it scope, would soon do that,
But here the old corruptress and persecutor was set aside for ever. Heaven is
full of joy. There is no celebration of joy like this in the Revelation.
The rest of the book is simple and clear enough, for the mystery of
God is closed. I do not myself attach any importance to the distinction, as a
class, of those called to partake of the joy of that day. It means, I believe,
just that, according to the parable of the marriage of the king's son, the
guests are those who have share in the marriage joy. But several points have to
be noticed: God in power has come in to set up His reign.
The true though not yet the open seat of the power of
evil has been judged and destroyed. Two characters of evil, falsehood or
deceitful corruption and violence have existed since Satan himself began his
career, false in himself, he was a murderer to others. The mystery of iniquity
contained both, though hiding the latter and using others for it. Still she was
characterised by corruption and what was false. Direct violence was in the
hands of the beast. The destruction of that would, no doubt, relieve the earth
of oppression; but for heaven and all that was heavenly minded, the destruction
of this Christ-dishonouring, soul-enslaving, and soul-debasing corruption, was
joy and gladness, and the witness that divine power had come in. It had set
aside the worst evil, the corrupting what was God's, under pretense of being
what Christ had purchased for Himself, the one precious object of His especial
love. They sing "Hallelujah ! for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth!"
This was to make way for the introduction of what was His
own-the manifest power of His Christ. But, before that, the assembly must have
her place of association with Him in that-must have Himself: the marriage of
the Lamb is come. Till the evil woman had been set aside, this could not be.
This is the character of heavenly joy and redemption by which we are brought
into it. Man on earth is first good, then yielding to temptation. Redemption
supposes first evil, and even slavery to it, but then deliverance from it and
our being set beyond it, God having taken to Him His power. The assembly is
presented to Christ without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, cleansed and
white, suited to Christ. The apostle was disposed, in sight of all this
blessedness, to fall down and worship him who had revealed it. His mind was
thrown into devotion by these scenes. Its immediate object was the heavenly
messenger, and he turns to bow to him, but is forbidden. He was a
fellow-servant, and the same to all who had the testimony of Jesus; for the
spirit of prophecy, we are told, is the testimony of Jesus. The testimony not
to worship intermediate beings is the last warning left to a declining
assembly, as, so to speak, one of the first (in Colossians).
We now arrive at the great announcement of the coming of
Christ in power. Heaven, which had been opened on Jesus and to Stephen, now
opens for Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords. Holy and true He had been
known by faith, and the faithful and true Witness. The last He is now; not as
witness, but in judgment, save as judgment itself is the witness of His
faithfulness and truth. The characters in which He appears are plain but
all-important. It is first in general judgment but in the form of war, not what
we may call sessional judgment, but overcoming power. Sessional judgment is in
chapter 20 from verse 4. His eyes have the piercingness of divine judgment. He
had many crowns, witness of His various and universal dominion. But, though
thus revealed as man, He had a glory none could penetrate into; [1] of which He had the conscious power, but
which was not revealed. He was the avenger---His garment was dipped in blood.
All characterised Him, we may note here, according to that in which He is
manifested by the judgment itself It was the Revealer, the Word of God-His
eternal character-what He was before creation; now making it good in judgment.
The armies in heaven had not garments dipped in blood. They were
triumphant; they followed Him in His triumph, pure and perfect, His chosen,
called, and faithful ones. The vengeance of Idumea was not their part, though
they share His victory over the beast. The vengeance in Edom had a more earthly
character, and is connected more with Judah. The Assyrian is there (see Ps.
83), not the beast. The beast and the false prophet are destroyed by Him as
coming from heaven. He smites the nations with the rod of His mouth, He rules
them with a rod of iron: this the saints will have with Him. (Chap. 2:26, 27.)
He treads the wine-press too. [2] This is the part that is more earthly, as
Isaiah 63 shews. So He that sits on the cloud thrusts in His sickle on the
earth. It was an angel who cast the grapes into the wine-press, and the wine--[3] -it is not said, as by one sitting on the
cloud. The character of the judgment of the beast and the false prophet is
heavenly-it is the Word of God, the Lord from heaven; the wine-press is
earthly. He is publicly, officially, and intrinsically King of kings, and Lord
of lords. The beast and the false prophet are cast alive into the lake of fire:
this was a present final judgment-the rest were judicially slain. The final
judgment of these deceived ones is not said to take place here. Satan is not
yet cast into the lake of fire, but into the bottomless pit, where the legion
of devils besought the Lord they might not be sent. He is bound there so as not
to deceive the nations for a thousand years. There will be no seduction by
Satan during the thousand years.
[1] So
it was as to His Person and service. No one knew the Son but the Father. It was
the secret of His rejection. He was that, and so necessarily such in the world.
But the world under Satan's influence would not have that. In His humiliation
His divine glory was maintained in the unsounded depths of His Person. Now He
is revealed in glory; but there ever remained what none could search or
penetrate into-His own Person and nature. His revealed name was the Word of
God. As revealing God in grace or power so as to make Him known, we know Him.
But His Person as Son always remains unsearchable. His name is written, so that
we know it is unknowable-not unknown but unknowable. But He made good now the
character and requirements of God in respect of men-what they ought to be with
God, and what God was to them in their natural relationship, revealed in
respect of their responsibility. Judgment refers to these, and to ourselves.
[2] This
too He does alone- not that the saints may not be with Him as His cortege, so
to speak, but the execution of judgment is His. In Isaiah it is only said that
of the people none were with Him. In sessional judgment, judgment is given to
them.
[3] I
have already stated that the harvest is discriminative judgment: there is wheat
for the garner. The wine-press is vengeance, righteous vengeance.
── John Darby《Synopsis of Revelation》
Revelation 19
Chapter Contents
The church in heaven and that on earth triumph, and
praise the Lord for his righteous judgments. (1-10) A vision of Christ going
forth to destroy the beast and his armies. (11-21)
Commentary on Revelation 19:1-10
(Read Revelation 19:1-10)
Praising God for what we have, is praying for what is yet
further to be done for us. There is harmony between the angels and the saints
in this triumphant song. Christ is the Bridegroom of his ransomed church. This
second union will be completed in heaven; but the beginning of the glorious
millennium (by which is meant a reign of Christ, or a state of happiness, for a
thousand years on earth) may be considered as the celebration of his espousals
on earth. Then the church of Christ, being purified from errors, divisions, and
corruptions, in doctrine, discipline, worship, and practice, will be made ready
to be publicly owned by him as his delight and his beloved. The church
appeared; not in the gay, gaudy dress of the mother of harlots, but in fine
linen, clean and white. In the robes of Christ's righteousness, imputed for
justification, and imparted for sanctification. The promises of the gospel, the
true sayings of God, opened, applied, and sealed by the Spirit of God, in holy
ordinances, are the marriage-feast. This seems to refer to the abundant grace
and consolation Christians will receive in the happy days which are to come. The
apostle offered honour to the angel. The angel refused it. He directed the
apostle to the true and only object of religious worship; to worship God, and
him alone. This plainly condemns the practice of those who worship the elements
of bread and wine, and saints, and angels; and of those who do not believe that
Christ is truly and by nature God, yet pay him a sort of worship. They stand
convicted of idolatry by a messenger from heaven. These are the true sayings of
God; of Him who is to be worshipped, as one with the Father and the Holy
Spirit.
Commentary on Revelation 19:11-21
(Read Revelation 19:11-21)
Christ, the glorious Head of the church, is described as
on a white horse, the emblem of justice and holiness. He has many crowns, for
he is King of kings, and Lord of lords. He is arrayed in a vesture dipped in
his own blood, by which he purchased his power as Mediator; and in the blood of
his enemies, over whom he always prevails. His name is "The Word of
God;" a name none fully knows but himself; only this we know, that this
Word was God manifest in the flesh; but his perfections cannot be fully
understood by any creature. Angels and saints follow, and are like Christ in
their armour of purity and righteousness. The threatenings of the written word
he is going to execute on his enemies. The ensigns of his authority are his
name; asserting his authority and power, warning the most powerful princes to
submit, or they must fall before him. The powers of earth and hell make their
utmost effort. These verses declare important events, foretold by the prophets.
These persons were not excused because they did what their leaders bade them.
How vain will be the plea of many sinners at the great day! We followed our
guides; we did as we saw others do! God has given a rule to walk by, in his
word; neither the example of the most, nor of the chief, must influence us
contrary thereto: if we do as the most do, we must go where the most go, even
into the burning lake.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Revelation》
Revelation 19
Verse 1
[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:
I heard a loud voice of a great multitude — Whose blood the great whore had shed.
Saying, Hallelujah —
This Hebrew word signifies, Praise ye Jah, or Him that is. God named himself to
Moses, EHEIEH, that is, I will be, Exodus 3:14; and at the same time,
"Jehovah," that is, "He that is, and was, and is to come:"
during the trumpet of the seventh angel, he is styled, "He that is and
was," Revelation 16:5; and not "He that is to
come;" because his long-expected coming is under this trumpet actually
present. At length he is styled, "Jah," "He that is;" the
past together with the future being swallowed up in the present, the former
things being no more mentioned, for the greatness of those that now are. This
title is of all others the most peculiar to the everlasting God.
The salvation — Is
opposed to the destruction which the great whore had brought upon the earth.
His power and glory —
Appear from the judgment executed on her, and from the setting up his kingdom
to endure through all ages.
Verse 2
[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.
For true and righteous are his judgments — Thus is the cry of the souls under the altar changed into a song of
praise.
Verse 4
[4] And
the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God
that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.
And the four and twenty elders, and the four
living creatures felt down — The living creatures are nearer the throne
than the elders. Accordingly they are mentioned before them, with the praise
they render to God, Revelation 4:9,10; 5:8,14; inasmuch as there the praise moves from
the centre to the circumference. But here, when God's judgments are fulfilled,
it moves back from the circumference to the centre. Here, therefore, the four
and twenty elders are named before the living creatures.
Verse 5
[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.
And a voice came forth from the throne — Probably from the four living creatures, saying, Praise our God - The
occasion and matter of this song of praise follow immediately after, verses 6, Revelation 19:6 etc.; God was praised before,
for his judgment of the great whore, verses 1-4. Revelation 19:1-4 Now for that which follows it:
for that the Lord God, the Almighty, takes the kingdom to himself, and avenges
himself on the rest of his enemies. Were all these inhabitants of heaven
mistaken? If not, there is real, yea, and terrible anger in God.
Verse 6
[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.
And I heard the voice of a great multitude.
So all his servants did praise him.
The Almighty reigneth — More eminently and gloriously than ever before.
Verse 7
[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 the Lamb is come — Is near at hand, to be solemnized speedily. What this implies, none of
"the spirits of just men," even in paradise, yet know. O what things
are those which are yet behind! And what purity of heart should there be, to
meditate upon them! And his wife hath made herself ready - Even upon earth; but
in a far higher sense, in that world. After a time allowed for this, the new
Jerusalem comes down, both made ready and adorned, Revelation 21:2.
Verse 8
[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.
And it is given to her — By God. The bride is all holy men, the whole invisible church.
To be arrayed in fine linen, white and clean — This is an emblem of the righteousness of the saints - Both of their
justification and sanctification.
Verse 9
[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.
And he —
The angel, saith to me, Write - St. John seems to have been so amazed at these
glorious sights, that he needeth to be reminded of this.
Happy are they who are invited to the
marriage supper of the Lamb — Called to glory.
And he saith —
After a little pause.
Verse 10
[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.
And I fell before his feet to worship him — It seems, mistaking him for the angel of the covenant. But he saith, See
thou do it not|-In the original, it is only, See not|, with a beautiful
abruptness. To pray to or worship the highest creature is flat idolatry.
I am thy fellowservant and of thy brethren
that have the testimony of Jesus — I am now employed as
your fellowservant, to testify of the Lord Jesus, by the same Spirit which
inspired the prophets of old.
Verse 11
[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.
And I saw the heaven opened — This is a new and peculiar opening of it, in order to show the
magnificent expedition of Christ and his attendants, against his great
adversary.
And behold a white horse — Many little regarded Christ, when he came meek, "riding upon an
ass;" but what will they say, when he goes forth upon his white horse,
with the sword of his mouth? White - Such as generals use in solemn triumph.
And he that sitteth on him, called Faithful — In performing all his promises.
And True — In
executing all his threatenings.
And in righteousness — With the utmost justice.
He judgeth and maketh war — Often the sentence and execution go together.
Verse 12
[12] 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 his eyes are a flame of fire — They were said to be as or like a flame of fire, before, Revelation 1:14; an emblem of his omniscience.
And upon his head are many diadems — For he is king of all nations.
And he hath a name written, which none
knoweth but himself — As God he is incomprehensible to every
creature.
Verse 13
[13] And
he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word
of God.
And he is clothed in a vesture dipped in
blood — The blood of the enemies he hath already
conquered. Isaiah 63:1, etc.
Verse 15
[15] 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 shall rule them — Who are not slain by his sword.
With a rod of iron —
That is, if they will not submit to his golden sceptre.
And he treadeth the wine press of the wrath of
God — That is, he executes his judgments on the
ungodly. This ruler of the nations was born (or appeared as such) immediately
after the seventh angel began to sound. He now appears, not as a child, but as
a victorious warrior. The nations have long ago felt his "iron rod,"
partly while the heathen Romans, after their savage persecution of the
Christians, themselves groaned under numberless plagues and calamities, by his
righteous vengeance; partly, while other heathens have been broken in pieces by
those who bore the Christian name. For although the cruelty, for example, of
the Spaniards in America, was unrighteous and detestable, yet did God therein
execute his righteous judgment on the unbelieving nations; but they shall
experience his iron rod as they never did yet, and then will they all return to
their rightful Lord.
Verse 16
[16] And
he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD
OF LORDS.
And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh — That is, on the part of his vesture which is upon his thigh.
A name written — It
was usual of old, for great personages in the eastern countries, to have
magnificent titles affixed to their garments.
Verse 17
[17] 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;
Gather yourselves together to the great
supper of God — As to a great feast, which the vengeance
of God will soon provide; a strongly figurative expression, (taken from Ezekiel 39:17,) denoting the vastness of the
ensuing slaughter.
Verse 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.
And I saw the kings of the earth — The ten kings mentioned Revelation 17:12; who had now drawn the other
kings of the earth to them, whether Popish, Mahometan, or pagan.
Gathered together to make war with him that
sat upon the horse — All beings, good and evil, visible and
invisible, will be concerned in this grand contest. See Zechariah 14:1, etc.
Verse 20
[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.
The false prophet, who had wrought the
miracles before him — And therefore shared in his punishment;
these two ungodly men were cast alive - Without undergoing bodily death.
Into the lake of fire — And that before the devil himself, Revelation 20:10. Here is the last of the beast.
After several repeated strokes of omnipotence, he is gone alive into hell.
There were two that went alive into heaven; perhaps there are two that go alive
into hell. It may be, Enoch and Elijah entered at once into glory, without
first waiting in paradise; the beast and the false prophet plunge at once into
the extremest degree of torment, without being reserved in chains of darkness
till the judgment of the great day. Surely, none but the beast of Rome would
have hardened himself thus against the God he pretended to adore, or refused to
have repented under such dreadful, repeated visitations! Well is he styled a
beast, from his carnal and vile affections; a wild beast, from his savage and
cruel spirit! The rest were slain - A like difference is afterwards made
between the devil, and Gog and Magog, Revelation 20:9,10.
Verse 21
[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.
Here is a most magnificent description of the
overthrow of the beast and his adherents. It has, in particular, one exquisite
beauty; that, after exhibiting the two opposite armies, and all the apparatus
for a battle, verses 11-19; Revelation 19:11-19 then follows immediately,
verse 20, 19:20 the account of the victory, without one
word of an engagement or fighting. Here is the most exact propriety; for what
struggle can there be between omnipotence, and the power of all the creation
united against it! Every description must have fallen short of this admirable
silence.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Revelation》
Chapter 19. The Coming of Christ
The Wedding of
the Lamb
Blessed Are Those Who Are Invited
I. Praise of
Hallelujah
II. Come Riding
on the White Horse
── Chih-Hsin
Chang《An Outline of
The New Testament》
Chapter Nineteen General Review
OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER
1) To note the great joy in heaven over the fall of Babylon excitement over the preparation for the marriage of the Lamb and His wife 2) To see the great victory Christ would have over the beast, the false prophet, and their armies SUMMARY
This chapter illustrates the ultimate defeat of the enemies of God's people. John hears a great multitude in heaven rejoicing over the fall