Revelation 19

1 post haec audivi quasi vocem magnam turbarum multarum in caelo dicentium alleluia salus et gloria et virtus Deo nostro est

2 quia vera et iusta iudicia sunt eius quia iudicavit de meretrice magna quae corrupit terram in prostitutione sua et vindicavit sanguinem servorum suorum de manibus eius

3 et iterum dixerunt alleluia et fumus eius ascendit in saecula saeculorum

4 et ceciderunt seniores viginti quattuor et quattuor animalia et adoraverunt Deum sedentem super thronum dicentes amen alleluia

5 et vox de throno exivit dicens laudem dicite Deo nostro omnes servi eius et qui timetis eum pusilli et magni

6 et audivi quasi vocem turbae magnae et sicut vocem aquarum multarum et sicut vocem tonitruum magnorum dicentium alleluia quoniam regnavit Dominus Deus noster omnipotens

7 gaudeamus et exultemus et demus gloriam ei quia venerunt nuptiae agni et uxor eius praeparavit se

8 et datum est illi ut cooperiat se byssinum splendens candidum byssinum enim iustificationes sunt sanctorum

9 et dicit mihi scribe beati qui ad cenam nuptiarum agni vocati sunt et dicit mihi haec verba vera Dei sunt

10 et cecidi ante pedes eius ut adorarem eum et dicit mihi vide ne feceris conservus tuus sum et fratrum tuorum habentium testimonium Iesu Deum adora testimonium enim Iesu est spiritus prophetiae

11 et vidi caelum apertum et ecce equus albus et qui sedebat super eum vocabatur Fidelis et Verax vocatur et iustitia iudicat et pugnat

12 oculi autem eius sicut flamma ignis et in capite eius diademata multa habens nomen scriptum quod nemo novit nisi ipse

13 et vestitus erat vestem aspersam sanguine et vocatur nomen eius Verbum Dei

14 et exercitus qui sunt in caelo sequebantur eum in equis albis vestiti byssinum album mundum

15 et de ore ipsius procedit gladius acutus ut in ipso percutiat gentes et ipse reget eos in virga ferrea et ipse calcat torcular vini furoris irae Dei omnipotentis

16 et habet in vestimento et in femore suo scriptum rex regum et Dominus dominantium

17 et vidi unum angelum stantem in sole et clamavit voce magna dicens omnibus avibus quae volabant per medium caeli venite congregamini ad cenam magnam Dei

18 ut manducetis carnes regum et carnes tribunorum et carnes fortium et carnes equorum et sedentium in ipsis et carnes omnium liberorum ac servorum et pusillorum ac magnorum

19 et vidi bestiam et reges terrae et exercitus eorum congregatos ad faciendum proelium cum illo qui sedebat in equo et cum exercitu eius

20 et adprehensa est bestia et cum illo pseudopropheta qui fecit signa coram ipso quibus seduxit eos qui acceperunt caracterem bestiae qui et adorant imaginem eius vivi missi sunt hii duo in stagnum ignis ardentis sulphure

21 et ceteri occisi sunt in gladio sedentis super equum qui procedit de ore ipsius et omnes aves saturatae sunt carnibus eorum

Revelation 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.