Revelation Chapter 19:1-10/Commentary

Revelation Chapter 19:1-10 Revelation 19:1 “After these things I heard, as it were, a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; 2because His judgments are true and righteous; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and He has avenged the blood of His bondservants on her. " 3And a second time they said, "Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever." 4And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, "Amen. Hallelujah!" 5And a voice came from the throne, saying, "Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great." 6And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude and as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. 7"Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready." 8And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9And he said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me, "These are true words of God." 10And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said to me, "Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

“The first ten verses of this chapter conclude the theme of the harlot’s fall and judgment (chapters 17-18). Heaven and the saints had been exhorted to rejoice over the harlot’s fall in 18:20, whereas the active rejoicing is now portrayed in the great outbursts of hallelujahs over the triumph and victory of righteousness and the defeat and destruction of evil” (Hailey p. 373).

19:1 “After these things”: Another vision is introduced (18:1). “This focuses attention on the events which followed the revealing of the harlot and her seductive wiles (chapter 17) and the judgment which befell her (chapter 18)” (Hailey p. 373). “I heard something like”: John is continually reminding us that he is involved in describing a vision. “A loud voice of a great multitude in 1

heaven, saying”: Many feel that is the same multitude mentioned in 7:9ff, that is the redeemed in heaven, Christians who have overcome and departed from this life. Remember, in 18:20 “heaven” was called upon to rejoice over the defeat of the harlot.

19:1 “Hallelujah”: Which means, “Praise ye Jehovah”. The only New Testament uses of this Hebrew expression are in this passage. The fact that the New Testament contains this word, as well as words such as Amen and Hosanna, reveals that the God who ruled in Old Testament times is the same God who rules today. “The rejoicing stands in bold contrast to the helpless weeping and wailing of the kings, merchants, and marines who mourned the fall and destruction of the great harlot city” (Hailey p. 373). Please note that God’s people are not to mourn the fall of this city, rather they are to praise God for the execution of his wrath upon her. “God’s will is to be performed on earth as it is performed in heaven” (Chilton p. 469). There is a great lesson here. God expects His people to be in tune with Him. When sinners repent, we need to rejoice as heaven does (Luke 15), and the same is true when the unrighteous enemies of God are destroyed. Are we in tune with heaven’s rejoicing and mourning?

19:1 “Salvation”: In the original the definite article appears before each noun, the salvation, the glory, and the power, which gives each a definite emphasis.

The term salvation reminds us that God is the author of our salvation and that there is no salvation apart from Him. “Who has the power which alone can save?” (Revelation 12:10). “And glory”: “Who should have the glory?” “Who should be given the praise?” “Who deserves to be honored?” “Power”: In bringing the mighty city down, God has once again revealed His Divine omnipotence as the ruler of the universe. “He is able to save His own and to bring the world opposition to naught” (Hailey p. 374). Let us reflect that the God who we serve has the power of save, defend the righteous, and punish the wicked. Let us also remember that all the praise belongs to Him. 19:2 “Because”: This word introduces the reason why God is deserving of such praise. “His judgments are true and righteous”: “They are genuine and just, proceeding from, and based upon, the character of God (15:3; 16:7)” (Hailey p.

374). “For He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality”: “In bringing about the fall of Babylon, Jehovah’s righteousness has been displayed, for this harlot had corrupted the entire earth with her whoring. Self-exaltation and leading people farther and farther away from God had been her chief delight” (Hendriksen p. 178). “To corrupt means to destroy by bringing to a state of moral decay, effected by the lusts of deceit (Ephesians 4:22): the time came to destroy them that destroy the earth” (Hailey p. 374). In like manner, today we see the media, Hollywood, and various other forces corrupting the earth. Yes, Christians need to pray that those who are corrupting the earth would be stopped! God takes very seriously those who pollute the world with moral filth.

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19:2 “And He has avenged the blood of His bondservants on her”: This would include the souls underneath the altar, who had been slain for the word of God and had cried for an avenging of their blood upon them that dwell on the earth (6:9ff). “The petition of the martyrs beneath the altar is now answered and their cause is vindicated” (Hailey p. 374). “One of the proofs that He judges righteously is what He has done to the great prostitute. She is a graphic example of the way God righteously judges. God had avenged His servants of the great Whore. The servants are not to take vengeance into their own hands (Romans 12:19) for it is such a temptation to develop spite. God is capable of rendering vengeance since He is not bothered by irrational emotionalism” (McGuiggan p.

275).

19:3 “And a second time they said, ‘Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever’” ”This is repeated for emphasis. To let us know of their deep feeling in the matter” (McGuiggan p. 275). Notice that the smoke associated with the fall of Babylon and the punishment of those who had worshipped the beast (14:10), is perpetual.

Indicating that the judgment that brought down Babylon did result in the eternal punishment of those who supported her. Compare with Jude 7; Isaiah 34:8ff.

Remember, one figure used of Babylon was a perpetually burning city and the other was that of a graveyard (18:2). Utter desolation is the point. Never again will this specific persecuting power arise against God’s people, keep that in mind when Premillennial writers argue that this Rome will be revived.

19:4 “And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God who sits on the throne saying, ‘Amen. Hallelujah!’”

Here is a second group of worshippers. At the last mention of this group they were before the throne (14:3; 4:4-8). Please note how heavenly creatures respond to God’s glory. We live in a time when the religious groups around us are contending for a very casual worship. Read the entire Bible again, do we ever find godly people worshipping God with a casual attitude? Let us do our best to keep reverence and godly fear in our worship!. “The whole heaven agrees with the song they heard. The cherubim Amen the notion of God’s righteousness and offer to Him the praise” (McGuiggan p. 277). Some believe that the twenty-four elders represent the entire church on earth, yet Christians have already been mentioned in 19:1 and will be mentioned in 19:5.

19:5 “And a voice came from the throne”: “As on several other occasions, the voice from the throne is anonymous” (Hailey p. 375). “Give praise to our God”: This is not the voice of Christ, for He is God as well as the Father (John 1:1).

Even though Jesus is not ashamed to refer to the redeemed as His brethren (Hebrews 2:11f), He is clearly has a different relationship with the Father than we do. When Jesus would speak about the Father, He would say “my Father and

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your Father” or “my God and your God” (John 20:17). “All you His bondservants”: This seems to be a clear reference to Christians who are alive on the earth (Revelation 1:1; 22:6). Thus we have the redeemed in heaven (19:1); the living creatures and the elders (19:4), and the saved on earth (19:5).

19:5 “You who fear Him”: Godly fear is a proper attitude for Christians; it is not old-fashioned and neither is it being legalistic. Compare with Isaiah 66:2. “The small and the great”: “The exhortation of the voice is to the church on earth, all who fear His name, with no class or intellectual distinctions” (Hailey p. 376). God is the author of salvation for all men, and no human being is beyond the need to bow before Him in reverence. There is a temptation in our world for successful and powerful people to somehow feel that they do not need God as much as the common man, yet re-read Luke 16:19ff.

19:6 “Then I heard something like the voice”: John once more reminds us that he is recording a vision. “The voice was as the awesome roar of a mighty tumbling cataract, as the peal of rolling thunder with its vibrations and reverberations” (Hailey p. 376). “The voice of a great multitude, and like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns’” With an overwhelming sound like voices of a great crowd, the roar of a great waterfall, or the sound of rolling thunder, John hears another Hallelujah chorus.

This great multitude may include all three groups previously mentioned, all the angelic host, or all the saved on earth.

19:6 “For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns”: Are we thankful that God reigns and do we presently rejoice in this fact? “In spite of all the opposing forces, God is always in control over His universe” (Hailey p. 376). “The Lord speaks of His Mastery! The Almighty speaks just of that—His illimitable power.

The Greek says Pantokrator. The thought is of awe-inspiring power. Barclay speaks of it as implying an ‘almighty grip’ on things. Rome was the ‘iron’ army. It stomped across the world crushing everything under its feet. Its legions were irresistible and kingdom after kingdom fell---king after king submitted. There was one king, however, who stopped them in their tracks—the Pantokrator!”

(McGuiggan p. 277).

19:6 “Reigns”: God has always reigned (Psalm 29:10). Yet here the idea is that in bringing down the harlot, God has once more publicly displayed the fact that He is in charge of this world. He has once again reasserted the proof of His Divine power, see 11:15.

19:7 “Let us rejoice and be glad and give glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready”

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Two women have already been introduced in this book: the radiant woman (chapter 12) and the harlot (chapter 17). Now a third is designated at the wife of the Lamb. Hailey believes that this is the radiant woman of chapter 12 under a new symbol, and her appearance gives fresh cause for rejoicing. The Lamb of course is Jesus and His bride is the church (Ephesians 5:23-25).

19:7 “For the marriage of the Lamb has come”: “In the Old Testament the relation of Jehovah to His people is often referred to as a marriage or as a husband and wife relationship (Hosea 2; Isaiah 50:1; Jeremiah 2:32; Ezekiel 16).

It is quite natural, therefore, that the close relation of Christ and the church should be expressed in this same sacred analogy. However, understanding of this passage rests upon an understanding of the Hebrew custom of betrothal and marriage. From the Hebrew point of view being engaged or promised in marriage was much more sacred and binding than in our society. Although they had not come together, Mary was called Joseph’s wife in her period of betrothal (Matthew 1:18,20)” (Hailey p. 377). Thus in the New Testament the church is presently viewed as a wife (Ephesians 5:22ff; Romans 7:4), but at the same time the church is also viewed as a pure virgin that will be given in marriage to Christ in eternity (2 Corinthians 11:2).

The time lapse between the arrangement for marriage and the wedding feast itself is indicated in the parable of the ten virgins. Thus, presently we are engaged to Christ and viewed as His future bride. The actual wedding feast will be eternity with God in heaven, and prior to that feast it is the responsibility of the bride to make herself ready.

Points to Note Some Premillennial writers seek to argue that the bride in this section is the physical nation of Israel that is completely converted at the end of time, yet such a view: 1. Is contrary to the context of the entire book of Revelation (1:1,1:3). 2.

Misses the point that Jewish and Gentile believers in Christ are now God’s people (1 Peter 2:5ff; Galatians 3:26ff). 3. Teaches the unscriptural concept of mass conversion by miraculous force.

Chilton argues that the marriage of the Lamb follows the destruction of the harlot, therefore, God divorced the unfaithful Jewish nation in 70 A.D. when He destroyed Jerusalem, yet the Jewish nation ceased to be God’s people when Jesus died on the cross, when the covenants changed and not in 70 A.D. (See Ephesians 2:11-22).

19:7 “And His bride has made herself ready”: Notice that the response from the bride is voluntary, this is not a forced miraculous conversion, rather this is the free willed response from those who love God.

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19:8 “It was given to her”: This indicates that God “has given the saints the power and responsibility to make proper preparations” (Hailey p. 378). In the New Testament what is “given” to God’s people are such things as the instruction concerning what qualities to remove and what qualities to put on as God’s people (Ephesians 4; Colossians 3).

19:8 “To clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean”: “The attire of the wife is presented in sharp contrast to that of the harlot. The harlot is arrayed in all the gaudy, sensuous apparel of the world, intending to seduce by worldly splendor” (Hailey p. 378). Compare with Ephesians 5:27; Matthew 22:1-13; Luke 14:15-25.

Thus we have the warning concerning keeping one’s garments (life) spotless (Revelation 3:4).

19:8 “For the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints”: “The white robe is not Christ’s righteousness imputed to the saints (Calvinistic doctrine), but their own righteous acts” (Hailey p. 378). Thus, the proper wedding garment consists of good works (Ephesians 2:10), shunning evil and doing good (2 Timothy 2:22).

19:9 “Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb’” John is instructed to write once more. The supper or wedding scene itself is not described. Hailey believes that the actual feast is described in chapter 21.

Those who are invited to the marriage supper are those who accept the call of the gospel, the bride is composed of individual guests who respond to the invitation of the gospel (Matthew 22:1-13).

19:9 “And he said to me, ‘These words are true words of God’”: They are genuine and can be absolutely trusted. Everyone builds their life and the future upon something, here is the only credible foundation for the future (Matthew 7:24ff).

19:10 “Then I fell at his feet to worship him”: Why did John fall down at the feet of this speaker? “Was John confused as to who the speaker was, thinking possibly it was Christ Himself? Or was he so overwhelmed by the awesomeness of the whole scene that impulsively he fell at the speaker’s feet as an act of homage?” (Hailey p. 379).

19:10 “But he said to me, ‘Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God” “The speaker offers a valid reason for not accepting worship when he announces that he is a fellow-servant with John and with his brethren” (Hailey p. 380).

“Would to God that everyone was so modest and aware of their station in life.

Here is some exalted angelic being who admits to being only another servant” (McGuiggan pp. 280-281). Let us be impressed that the angels are co-laborers

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with us and they view us as brethren! “Worship God”: Our praise is not simply to be directed to just anyone. Even though angels and other spiritual beings are majestic and impressive, only God is to be worshipped (Matthew 4:10). The very fact that Jesus accepted worship (John 9:35-38) reveals that He is equally God and equally worthy of our worship. If an angel is not to be worshipped (22:8-9), nor an apostle (Acts 10:25-26), it is clear that a mere man (such as the Pope) is not to be worshipped as well.

19:10 “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”: “The truth about Jesus and fulfilled by Him is the essence or spirit of all prophecy” (Harkrider p.

217). “The testimony given by Jesus is the word that the Spirit puts in the mouths of the prophets” (Gregg p. 445). Other passages teach the same truth, that what the Spirit revealed are the words of Jesus Christ (John 16:13; 1 Corinthians 14:37; 2 Peter 3:1-2). Compare with Revelation 1:3; 22:18. This was even true in the Old Testament (1 Peter 3:18-19). The revelation that Jesus gave forbids us to worship anyone except God (Matthew 4:10).

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