Revelation 19:4-14

4 And the four and twenty elder men and the four beasts felled down, and worshipped God sitting on the throne, and said, Amen, Alleluia. [And the four and twenty seniors and the four beasts fell down, and worshipped God sitting on (the) throne, saying, Amen, Alleluia.]
5 And a voice went out of the throne, and said [saying], All the servants of our God, say ye praisings to our God, and ye that dread God, small and great.
6 And I heard a voice [as] of a great trumpet [And I heard a voice as of a great trump], as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of great thunders, saying, Alleluia; for our Lord God almighty hath reigned.
7 Joy we, and make we mirth [Enjoy we, and glad we], and give glory to him; for the weddings of the lamb came, and the wife of him made ready herself.
8 And it was given to her, that she cover her with white fine linen shining; for why fine linen is the justifyings of saints. [And it is given to her, that she cover herself with white bisso shining; forsooth bisso be the justifying of saints.]
9 And he said to me, Write thou, Blessed be they that be called to the supper of the weddings of the lamb. And he said to me, These words of God be true.
10 And I felled down before his feet, to worship him. And he said to me, See thou, that thou do not; I am a servant with thee [And I fell down before his feet, for to worship him. And he said to me, See, that thou do not; I am thine even-servant], and of thy brethren, having the witnessing of Jesus; worship thou God. For the witnessing of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
11 And I saw heaven opened, and lo! a white horse, and he that sat on [upon] him was called Faithful and soothfast; and with rightwiseness he deemeth, and fighteth.
12 And his eyes were as flame of fire, and in his head many diadems; and he had a name written, which no man knew, but he.
13 And he was clothed in a cloak sprinkled with blood; and the name of him was called The Son of God. [And he was clothed in a cloth sprinkled with blood; and the name of him was called The word, or Son, of God.]
14 And the hosts that be in heaven, followed him on white horses, clothed with fine linen [clothed with bisso], white and clean.

Revelation 19:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.