Revelation 21:9

9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last troubles came to me, saying, "Come with me, and I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb."

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 Those who win the victory will receive this, and I will be their God, and they will be my children.

8 But cowards, those who refuse to believe, who do evil things, who kill, who sin sexually, who do evil magic, who worship idols, and who tell lies -- all these will have a place in the lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last troubles came to me, saying, "Come with me, and I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb."

10 And the angel carried me away by the Spirit to a very large and high mountain. He showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.

11 It was shining with the glory of God and was bright like a very expensive jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.