Hisgalus 19

1 9 After these things I heard, as it were, a kol gadol (loud voice) of a great, multititude in Shomayim, saying, "Praise Hashem! The Yeshu’ah (Salvation) and the Kavod (Glory) and the Gevurah (Power) is of Eloheinu!

2 “Because emes and tzedek are His judgments because He judged the Zonah Hagedolah who was corrupting ha’aretz (the earth) with the zenut (fornication) of her and He took vengeance on her who has on her hands the dahm of His servants."

3 And again they said, “Praise Hashem! The smoke of her ascends l’olemei olamim!” [YESHAYAH 34:10]

4 And the esrim v’arba’ah Zekenim (twenty-four Elders) fell down and the Arbah Chayyot (four living beings) and they worshiped Hashem who sits on the Kes (Throne), saying, “Omein, Praise Hashem!”

5 And a kol (voice) from the Kes (Throne) came forth, saying, “Say ‘Baruch Hashem Eloheinu,’ all you avadim (servants) of him and the ones with yirat Shomayim, ketanim (small ones) and the gedolim (great ones).” [TEHILLIM 134:1; 115:13]

6 And I heard, as it were, a sound of a great multitude and a sound like mayim rabbim (many waters) and a sound like mighty thunder saying, “ Baruch Hashem! Because Hashem Eloheinu reigns, El Shaddai.

7 “Let us have simcha and exult, and give kavod (glory) to him because has come the Yom HaChuppah, the Yom Nisu’im of the SEH (Lamb, SHEMOT 12:3; YESHAYAH 53:7 Moshiach), and His Kallah (Bride) has made herself ready.”

8 And it was given to her that she should be clothed with fine linen, bright and tahor (clean); for the fine linen are the Tzedakot of the Kadoshim. [YESHAYAH 61:10; YECHEZKEL 44:17; ZECHARYAH 3:4]

9 And he says to me, Write: "Ashrey are the ones having been summoned to the Seudas Moshiach, the Seudas Yom Nisu’im of the SEH” (Lamb, SHEMOT 12:3; YESHAYAH 53:7 Moshiach). And he says to me, “These are divrei Emes of Hashem.”

10 And I fell before his feet to worship him. And he says to me, “You must abstain from such. For I am a fellow eved with both you and your chaverim who hold on to the edut (testimony) of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach; worship Hashem! For the edut (testimony) of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua is the Ruach HaNevu’ah (prophecy).”

11 And I saw Shomayim having been opened, and, hinei, a sus lavan (white horse) and the one riding on it is called Ne’eman and Yashar, and in Tzedek [DANIEL 9:25] He judges and makes milchamah (war). [SHEMOT 15:3; TEHILLIM 96:13; YESHAYAH 11:4]

12 And the Eynayim of Him are as a flame of eish, and on the head of Him are many atarot, and He has a Name inscribed of which no one has da’as except Himself.

13 And He is robed in a kaftan dipped in dahm, and His Name is called, “The DVAR HASHEM.” [YESHAYAH 63:2,3]

14 And the Tzivos Hashem (the Army of Hashem), the Tzivos HaShomayim, were following Him on susim levanim (white horses). They were dressed in fine linen, lavan (white) and tahor (clean).

15 And out of the peh (mouth) of Him goes forth a sharp cherev, that with it He may strike the Goyim, and He will shepherd them with a shevet barzel, and He treads the press of the yayin of the fury of Charon Af of Hashem, El Shaddai. [YESHAYAH 11:4; TEHILLIM 2:9]

16 And He has on His kaftan and on His thigh a name inscribed: MELECH HAMELACHIM AND ADON HAADONIM.

17 And I saw one malach (angel) having taken his stand in the shemesh (sun) and he cried out in a kol gadol (loud voice), saying to all the birds flying in mid-heaven, “Bo! Gather to the Seudah Hagedolah of Hashem; [Jer 12:9; 46:10; Ezek 39:17; Isa 34:6]

18 “That you may eat the basar of melachim (kings) and the basar of captains and the basar of strong men and the basar of susim and of their riders and the basar of all, both, bnei Chorin and avadim and the ketanim and the gedolim.” [YECHEZKEL 39:18-20]

19 And I saw the Chayyah [Anti-Moshiach] and the melachim (kings) of ha’aretz and their armies assembled to make milchamah (war) with the One sitting on the sus (horse) and with the Tzivos Hashem (Army of Hashem).

20 And the Chayyah [Anti-Moshiach] was captured and, with it, the Navi Sheker (the False Prophet), the one having performed the otot (signs) before it, by which he deceived the ones having received the tav (mark) of the Chayyah [Anti-Moshiach] and the ones worshiping its Atzav (idol, image). These two were cast alive into the Agam HaEish (Lake of Fire) burning with gofrit (sulfur). [DANIEL 7:11]

21 And the rest were killed with the cherev (sword) of the One sitting on the sus (horse), the cherev (sword) having proceeded out of the PEH of Him, and all the birds were fully fed by their basar.

Hisgalus 19 Commentary

Chapter 19

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)

Verses 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.

Verses 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.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 19

This chapter contains the triumph of the saints over Babylon, and their thanksgiving to God because of his judgments on her; the marriage of Christ and his church, and a battle between him and his and her enemies, with the success of it. The congratulations are first of a promiscuous multitude in the church, ascribing salvation, praise, honour, glory, and power to God, because of the righteousness of his judgments, and because of the perpetuity of them, Re 19:1-3 and then of the four and twenty elders and four living creatures, who worship God, assent to what had been before said, and join in praising the Lord, Re 19:4 and then another voice out of the throne is heard, calling upon all the servants of the Lord, and those that fear him, whether small or great, to praise our God, Re 19:5 after which is heard the voice of a great multitude, stirring up one another to praise, because of the reign of the Lord God Almighty, and to rejoice and be glad because the time of the Lamb's marriage with his bride was come; who is described by her dress, the righteousness of the saints, comparable to fine linen, clean and white, Re 19:6-8 upon which an angel bids John write those persons happy who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb, and affirms these to be the true sayings of God; wherefore John, in a transport of joy, was just going to worship the angel, had he not been forbidden by him; from which he dissuades him, by observing that he was his fellow servant, that God only is the object of worship, and that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, Re 19:9,10 next follows a vision of a battle between Christ and his enemies; and first he the General is described, by the horse he sat upon, a white one; by the characters he bears, faithful and true; by what he did, judging and making war in righteousness; by his eyes, which were as a flame of fire; by his having many crowns on his head; by having a name, or names unknown, and particularly one, which is the Word of God; by his habit, a vesture dipped in blood; by the armies he was at the head of, riding on white horses, and clothed in fine linen; by a sharp sword coming out of his mouth, with which he should utterly destroy the nations; and by having a name on his vesture and thigh, King of kings, and Lord of lords, Re 19:11-16 upon which an angel is seen standing in the sun, and calling to all the fowls of the heaven to come to the supper of the great God, and to eat the flesh of kings, captains, mighty men, horses and horsemen, of all ranks, and degrees, Re 19:17,18 and next an account is given of the armies of the beast, and of the kings of the earth, that came to make war with the above warrior, Re 19:19 the issue and success of which follow; the beast and false prophet are taken, and cast alive into a lake of fire and brimstone; and the rest are killed by the sword of the above General, and the fowls have a feast of their flesh, Re 19:20,21.