Revelation 19

1 After these things I heard as a great voice of many trumpets [of many trumps] in heaven, saying, Alleluia; praising, and glory, and virtue is to our God;

2 for true and just be the dooms of him, which deemed the great whore, that defouled the earth [that corrupted the earth] in her lechery, and venged the blood of his servants, of the hands of her.

3 And again they said, Alleluia. And the smoke of it ascendeth up, into the worlds of worlds [into worlds of worlds].

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.

15 And a sword sharp on either side [And a sword sharp on each side] came forth of his mouth, that with it he smite folks; and he shall rule them with an iron rod. And he treadeth the presser of wine of strong vengeance [and] of the wrath of almighty God.

16 And he hath written in his cloak, and in the hip [And he hath written in his cloth, and in his hem], King of kings and Lord of lords.

17 And I saw an angel, standing in the sun; and he cried with a great voice, and said [saying] to all birds that flew by the middle of heaven, Come ye, and be ye gathered [together] to the great supper of God,

18 that ye eat the flesh of kings, and [the] flesh of tribunes, and [the] flesh of strong men, and flesh of horses, and of those that sit on them, and the flesh of all free men and of bondmen, and of small and of great [and small and great].

19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and the hosts of them gathered, to make battle with him, that sat on the horse, and with his host.

20 And the beast was caught, and with her the false prophet, that made signs before her; in which he deceived them that took the character of the beast [that took the mark of the beast], and that worshipped the image of it. These two were sent quick into the pool of fire, burning with brimstone.

21 And the others were slain with the sword of him that sat on [upon] the horse, that cometh forth of the mouth of him; and all birds were filled with the flesh of them.

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.