Revelation 21:9

9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, who were laden with the seven last plagues came, and he spoke with me, saying, "Come here. I will show you the wife, the Lamb's bride."

Revelation 21:9 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 21:9

And there came unto me one of the seven angels
Either the first of them, as one of the four beasts is the first of them, ( Revelation 6:1 ) or it may be the last, and very likely the same as in ( Revelation 17:1 )

which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues;
that is, the wrath of God poured out by them on the antichristian party; see ( Revelation 15:1 Revelation 15:7 ) ( 16:1 ) .

And talked with me, saying, come hither;
see ( Revelation 17:1 ) .

I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
The "Lamb" is Christ, who is often so called in this book; see ( Revelation 5:6 Revelation 5:7 Revelation 5:9 ) ( 14:1 ) ( 13:8 ) ( 21:23 ) ( 7:17 ) ( Revelation 19:7 ) and is the Son of God, the heir of all things, the Maker and Governor of the universe, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; and who, as Mediator, has all accomplishments and qualifications to recommend him as a bridegroom, such as beauty, riches, and wisdom: the bride, his wife, is not any particular believer, nor any particular church; not the Gentile church, nor the Jewish church only, but all the elect of God, consisting of the raised and living saints at the coming of Christ; who will make up one body, one general assembly, and be as a bride, prepared and adorned for her husband: these were first betrothed to Christ in eternity, and were openly espoused by him, one by one, at conversion; and now being all gathered in by the effectual calling, the dead being raised, and the living changed, and all glorified, the marriage is consummated, and they are declared publicly to be the bride, the Lamb's wife; (See Gill on Matthew 22:2). And now, though John had had a sight of her before, ( Revelation 21:2 ) yet that was but a glimmering one, at a distance, he being in the wilderness, ( Revelation 17:3 ) wherefore the angel calls him to him, and proposes to give him a clear, distinct, and particular view of her, in all her glory; and a glorious sight this indeed! to see the bride brought to the King in raiment of needlework, and the queen stand at his right hand in gold of Ophir. This is a sight of a quite different nature from that of the filthy strumpet, which the same angel proposed to give to John in ( Revelation 17:1 ) .

Revelation 21:9 In-Context

7 He who overcomes, I will give him these things. I will be his God, and he will be my son.

8 But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death."

9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls, who were laden with the seven last plagues came, and he spoke with me, saying, "Come here. I will show you the wife, the Lamb's bride."

10 He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and shown me the holy city, Yerushalayim, coming down out of heaven from God,

11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, as if it was a jasper stone, clear as crystal;