Revelation 19:2
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He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her
The servants of God include saints, prophets, and apostles—all those who fear and trust Him (Rev. Rev. 10:7+; Rev. 11:18+; Rev. 15:3+; Rev. 19:5+; Rev. 22:3+). The book of Revelation was given to His servants (Rev. Rev. 1:1+; Rev. 22:6+). It was God’s servants who were seduced to commit sexual immorality by Jezebel in the church at Thyatira (Rev. Rev. 2:20+). Those who serve God have been a prime target of persecution throughout history, but never more so than during the Tribulation. The Harlot was “drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus” (Rev. Rev. 17:6+). In her “was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth” (Rev. Rev. 18:24+). See commentary on Revelation 18:24.
Since she rode upon the Beast with seven heads throughout history and sat upon all nations, she influenced those on the earth to persecute the saints. Her persecuting role found its climax in the Tribulation when she influenced the earth dwellers to execute multitudes of martyrs who had the testimony of Christ (Rev. Rev. 6:9+; Rev. 7:14+; Rev. 12:11+; Rev. 13:7+, Rev. 13:15+; Rev. 15:2+; Rev. 16:6+; Rev. 20:4+).
It is God Who shall avenge His servants—they are not to avenge themselves (Mtt. Mat. 26:51-53). Yet Scripture records times when God’s judgment is carried out through human intermediaries. In the days of Jezebel, God anointed Jehu as king and avenged His servants at the hand of the king: “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I have anointed you king over the people of the LORD, over Israel. You shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel’ ” (2K. 2K. 9:6-7). Similarly, God’s judgment against the Harlot was carried out by the Beast and his ten kings (Rev. Rev. 17:16+). See commentary on Revelation 17:16 and Revelation 18:20.
Notes
1 Timothy Friberg, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller, Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 398.