Revelation chapter 19 depicts John hearing and seeing rejoicing in heaven, praising God's just vengeance on the prostitute Babylon, who is responsible for the deaths of prophets, martyrs, other saints and of all who have been slain on earth. John sees and hears a countless choir, redeemed by the Lamb, Jesus Christ. They, alonside the twenty four elders, the four living creatures, and the millions of other spiritual beings created by and faithful to the Creator, are praising God the Father for His just vengeance on the prostitute Babylon. They shout "Hallelujah!," used here four times and only used in Revelation chapter 19 in the entire New Testament. The great prostitute is condemned for two types of sin against a Holy God, she corrupted the earth through beguiling pleasures and secondly, she shed the blood of believers in Jesus Christ throught history. Finally, here at the end of history, in Revelation chapter 19, God enacts His righteous vengeance against the Harlot Babylon.
Revelation 19:1-5 English Standard Version
Rejoicing in Heaven
19 After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, 2 for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” 3 Once more they cried out, “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” 4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” 5 And from the throne came a voice saying, “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great.”
Revelation 19:2 English Standard Version
Rejoicing in Heaven
2 for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”
“Corrupted the earth,” in verse 2 above, reveals that instead of opposing and thereby lessening, the harlot Babylon promoted the sinful life and decay of the world by her own earthliness, allowing the salt to lose its flavor.
Matthew 5:13 English Standard Version
Salt and Light
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
“The blood of his servants,” in Revelation chapter 19:2 was literally shed by the Old Testament adulterous Jewish church by killing the prophets of God, and,virtually though not physically, by the New Testament apostate Church by all who, though called Christians, hate their brother, or love not the brethren of Christ, but shrink from the reproach of the cross, and show unkindness to those who bear it. In the scripture below, the "reproach of Christ," is the same meaning as the "reproach of the cross," in Rev 19:2, above. Moses was born a Hebrew, predecessors of Israelites, but was raised as a prince of Egypt. Hebrews 11;24-26, below describes how Moses, when he found out his real morther was actually a Hebrew slave, and gave up the riches and pleasures of being a prince of Egypt to live as a Hebrew slave.
Hebrews 11:24-26 English Standard Version
24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.
Revelation 19:7-8 English Standard Version
The Marriage Supper of the Lamb
7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
1 Corinthians 15:50-52 English Standard Version
Mystery and Victory
50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
The elect Church, the heavenly Bride of Christ, soon after the destruction of the harlot, is transfigured at Jesus Christ’s second coming, and joins with Him in His triumph over the beast.
1 Corinthians 15:50-52 English Standard Version
Mystery and Victory
50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
God, through his angel, spoke to John, in Revelation chapter 19:9-10. "Invited to," implies a calling into, to partake with Jesus, as Paul spoke to the church at Corinth. The marriage supper of the lamb is typified by the Lord’s supper.
Revelation 19:9-10 English Standard Version
9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” 10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
1 Corinthians 1:4-9 English Standard Version
Thanksgiving
4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
In Revelation chapter 19:10, "the true words of God," must surely be fulfilled, namely all the previous revelations to John.
John's falling down to worship the angel, is an involuntary reaction of immense joy at the so blessed prospect of being called to partake of the marriage supper of the Lamb, though the angel was correct to rebuke John, God alone, should be worshipped by created spirit beings and human beings.
This is a prime example of the corrupt tendencies of our fallen nature that, even John, in the midst of receiving such visions, should have fallen into a voluntary worshipping of angels, which Paul warned against. The angel emphatically tells John, "don't do that," reminding John that he is himself a fellow servant of God, just like himself and all believers. Worship only God!
"Is the spirit of prophecy," signifies that the angels words, are the result of the same Holy Spirit directing the angel’s testimony, as the same Holy Spirit that directs the words of all believers. Angels and believers are servants of Jesus, angels are spiritual servants, believers are human being servants.
Revelation 19:9-10 English Standard Version
9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” 10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
When the security of the world power, and the distress of the people of God, have reached their highest point, the Lord Jesus shall appear visibly from heaven to put an end to the whole course of the world, and establish His kingdom of glory. He comes to judge with righteous vengeance, the world power, and to bring to the Church redemption, transfiguration, and power over the world.
Revelation 19:11-21 English Standard Version
The Rider on a White Horse
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. 17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, 18 to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” 19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21 And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.
Revelation chapter 19:11-21 depicts the return of Jesus Christ to earth. His Second Coming, to righteously judge and destroy all evil on earth, and to handover the kingdom of God on earth to God the Father.
John sees heaven opened up, and behold!, he sees Jesus Christ Himself riding returning on a white horse, to reign on earth
Revelation 19:11-13 English Standard Version
The Rider on a White Horse
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.
The description of the rider on the white horse identifies Jesus Christ Himself as the rider.
Revelation 1:5 English Standard Version
5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood
Revelation 3:14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation.
Jesus' birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension was prophesied by Isaiah, hundreds of years before His birth, to come from the line of King David.
Isaiah 11:1-4 English Standard Version
The Righteous Reign of the Branch
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. 2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. 3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, 4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
Revelation chapter 19:13, the blood on His robe, is His own blood shed for even the ungodly, who trample on it, is a premonition of the shedding of their blood in righteous retribution. He sheds the blood, not of the godly, as the harlot and beast did, but of blood-stained ungodly, including them both.
Revelation 19:11-13 English Standard Version
The Rider on a White Horse
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.
Revelation 19:14-16 English Standard Version
14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
The armies of heaven, are transfigured believers, as described in Revelation 17:14 and 2 Thessalonians 2:8. Note that it is the Lamb, that does the conquering.
In verse 15, The fury of the wrath of “God the Almighty,” indicates God’s omnipotence is at play, no power has any hope of defeating God the Almighty.
Revelation 17:14 English Standard Version
14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”
2 Thessalonians 2:8 English Standard Version
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.
Revelation 19:17-18 English Standard Version
17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, 18 to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.”
An angel invited birds to gather for the “great supper of God,” which reflects an Old Testament covenant curse in Deut 28, for disobedience to God’s commands.
Deuteronomy 28:25-26 English Standard Version
25 “The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them. And you shall be a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. 26 And your dead body shall be food for all birds of the air and for the beasts of the earth, and there shall be no one to frighten them away.
Compare what happens to non-believers who are the “main course,” for the great supper of God, to the great joy for believers who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Revelation 19:7-9 English Standard Version
7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready;8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. 9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
Revelation 19:19 English Standard Version
19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army.
This “war,” called Armageddon in the Bible, takes place during the sixth bowl judgment, as described in Rev 16.
Revelation 16:12-14 English Standard Version
12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. 13 And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. 14 For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.
Revelation 19:20 English Standard Version
20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. “Alive,” signifies that they will exist forever in torment for all eternity, never experiencing any of the goodness of God.
The “false prophet,” is the same as the 2nd beast of Rev 13:11-17. The second beast’s name is changed here, because the destruction of the harlot Babylon, associated with the ecclesiastical power of the Roman Emperor’s proclaimed divinity and later the Roman Catholic Popes, whose pronouncements are considered as spoken by Christ. The beast, in its fully revealed state, as the “antiChrist,” will be the final embodiment of the political and military power of the fourth kingdom, Rome, in its last form of intensified opposition to Jesus Christ.
The false prophet will be the embodiment of man's unsanctified knowledge (worldly knowledge, man's understanding) and the cunning and subtilty of that old serpent, Satan. The first beast is political and military power, the false prophet is spiritual power of ideas contrary to the word of God. Both are beasts, the worldly Anti Christian wisdom serving the worldly anti christian powers.
The first law of God’s moral government is that judgment begins with the house of God, and will be executed on the harlot Babylon, the faithless apostate church, by the world governments with which she committed spiritual adultery. The second law is that the beast and 10 kings who were used by God to destroy the harlot Babylon, they themselves will be destroyed by Jesus Christ Himself at His second coming.
It is the folly of worldly governments, their leaders and followers, could actually believe they could defeat the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Revelation 19:21 English Standard Version
21 And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.
All believers living at Jesus’ second coming, will be glorified and join Jesus and join His heavenly army as they follow Jesus, on their own white horses, and watch as He captures the beast and false prophet and throws them alive to exist forever in the torment of hell.
The “rest,” that Jesus, kills the sword that came from His mouth, are every human being living at his second coming that had never before “declared Jesus is Lord.”
His second coming has been described in Revelation chapter 19.