Revelation 19 (New American Standard Bible)

Revelation 19

An Analysis of Chapter 19 by Jim

I. The first hallelujah: 1-2
II.  The second and third hallelujahs: 3-4
III. The call and the 4th hallelujah: 5-8

    A. The call from the throne room: verse 5

    B. The mighty response: verses 6-8

    1. The thunderous response

    2. The reason of the response

    3. The wedding feast

    IV. The angel and John: 9-10

    A. The angel's instruction: verse 9

    B. John's response and the angel's warning: verse 10

    V. The Battle of Har-Mageddin fought: 11-21

    A. The army of Right: verses 11-16

    1 . The white-horsed leader

    2 . The white-robed army

    3. The position and power of the Leader

    B. The Great Supper of God: verses 17-18

    1. The angelic invitation

    2. The guests and the food

    C. The army of Evil and its defeat: verses 19-21

    1. The allies

    2. The fate of the two beasts

    3. The fate of their allies

    In the former chapters we read that Babylon has fallen and that leaves something to sing about. Now we have the four hallelujahs and an invitation to a wedding feast. The Lamb's wife has survived Babylon and surpassed. The Harlot is gone! The reason she was successful was her military might and her ungodly religion.

    In this section the "beasts" are cast into a lake of fire but the Dragon (as we shall soon see) is only imprisoned.

    The Fourfold Hallelujah

    Verses 1-8

      1After these things I heard something like 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 BOND-SERVANTS 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."

     6Then I heard something like 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.

    Marriage of the Lamb

     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."8It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.


    Verse 1_______The meaning of the word "Hallelujah" is simple. It means "praise YHWH." The "Great Hallel" is the technical term from Psalm 104-109. These were songs sung primarily at the feasts of Passover and Tabernacles. The salvati0n of the cult of Emperors claimed that Caesar was the only way but this chorus says that is not true. Salvation comes from YHWY of the heavens and Him alone.

    Verse 2___ Why are these things so? Because His judgments (YHWH's) are true and righteous. We find this same thing in Romans 1:18 - 3:20. God will judge man according to his works. Another reason for praising God is "Because He judged" (once for all) the harlot who defiled

    This is from the word family of epheriren__the imperfect tense expresses the habit of defiling but He avenged 1st aor. tense indicative____Christians once and for all.

    φθείρω (phtheirō 5351)
    1. corrupt [verb]
    to spoil, corrupt, destroy, generally to bring into a worse state.
    2. defile -ed, -eth
    to spoil, corrupt, destroy; generally to bring into a worse state; to deprave.
    1Co 3:17
    3. destroy -ed, -est
    to spoil, corrupt, to bring into a worse state, deprave, mar.

    Verse 3___"Praise YHWY" __God's judgment brought an end to the wicked fornicator.

    Verse 4___We are back once again to the 24 elders. We saw them first in 4:4 and later in 5:8.

    Verse 5___"Another voice" joins. The small and the great are all the same in God's eyes. Being educated, wealthy, and cultured in no way places one in a more advantageous position with God. The poor and illiterate are just as valuable.

    Verse 6___And now we have a "vast crowd." They sang because our Lord and God "reigned." During the most intense persecution it would not be abnormal to question the "reign of God."

    Verse 7__This entire section is couched in the Peace Offering of the OT. God has invited people to a marriage. But the OT also speaks of God as the Bridegroom of Israel in Isaiah 54:6; Hosea 2:16; Ezekiel 16:8 and other places. In the NT Christ appears as the Bridegroom in Matthew 19:15; Mark 2:19f; Lk. 5:324.

    There are a few things about the Jewish idea of a Marriage Feast that should be noted.

    1. The Betrothal was of much more significance than the engagements of our culture.

    2. The interval is the specified period of time between the betrothal and the wedding feast. Sometimes during this period the Bridegroom will pay a dowry to the Bride's father.

    3. The Procession at the conclusion of the interval. Both parties dress in their finest and prepare themselves for the wedding feast.

    Here is the point I think_________

    God announced the great wedding feast in the OT. The betrothal took place when God sent Jesus to be heaven's missionary to sinful man. The dowry was paid by the atoning work of our Lord. We have been invited to the feast.

    John uses the "woman" metaphor 3 times. The Mother in chapter 12: the harlot in chapters 17 through 19 and the Bride of Christ from here to the end of the book.

    Verse 8___ The wife and Bride of Christ is the church. "She was given bright clean linen in order that she might be clothed______for the linen is the righteous deeds of the saints."

    Verses 9-10_______

    9Then 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."10Then I fell at his feet to worship him 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. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

    Verse 9___The command to "write blessed" the ones being called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Here are the implications. If one is not invited to the wedding feast, if one fails to show up, then that one is not blessed.

    Verse 10___ And now John is overcome by all of this. The lesson here is not to worship anyone but Jesus not even your preacher. They are fellow servants. "The spirit of prophecy" we are told turns out to be the words of Jesus. See 1st Peter 1:11.

    The Coming of Christ

     11And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.12His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself.13He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.14And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.15From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.16And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."

    Verse 11___Here we have some names for the rider of the white horse. He is "faithful and true" as related to righteousness. Get this, ____it does not matter what kind of feeling you have in your heart. Jesus (the rider of the white horse) is faithful and true in judging according to "righteousness." I think this is a heavenly scene.

    Verse 12___Some of the images in this verse are also found in 1:14.

    Verse 13___ The rider on the white horse is identified by His name. It is the "Word of God." See John 1:1__________

    Verse 14___ Those who follow the "Word of God" are pure and holy, because "He" is the source of their righteousness.

    Verse 15___In Hebrews 4:12-13 we find this same language. This is where the "Battle Hymn of the Republic comes from.

    Verse 16___Christ has one name which is known only to Himself. He is known as the "Word of God" to those who follow Him. He has another name on His garments and His thigh. Jesus is the "cosmic Lord."

    The Vultures are Circling___________



     17Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in mid heaven, "Come, assemble for the great supper of God,18so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great."19And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.20And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.21And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.

    Verse 17______The birds are summoned to eat the flesh of the dead Roman soldiers.

    Verse 18_____All classes of men have fallen in the destruction of the great city. None have escaped.

    Verse 19___John's vision included the beast, kings, and their armies.
    Verse 20___All of Christ's enemies receive the just and righteous punishment of God. This punishment is "eternal."

    Verse 21___ The "sharp sword" which proceeds from the mouth of the rider of the white horse "slays the rest." This is the extent of God's judgment. This is the final doom for those who have the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.

    by Lane Rogers____________