Revelation Chapter 19

From The Open Bible Project

19:1 After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, "Hallelujah! Salvation, power, and glory belong to our God:

• (1) This chapter has in summary two parts, one transitory or of passage to the things that follow, to the tenth verse, (Revelation 19:2-10), another historical of the victory of Christ over both the beasts, to the end of the chapter (Revelation 19:11-21), which I said was the second history of this argument, (Revelation 17:1). The transition has two places, one of praising God for the overthrow done to Babylon in (Revelation 19:4): and another likewise of praise and prophecy, for the coming of Christ to his kingdom, and his most royal marriage with his Church, thence to the tenth verse (Revelation 19:5-10). The former praise has three parts, distinguished after the ancient manner of those that sing: an invitation in (Revelation 19:1,2), a response or answer in (Revelation 19:3), and a close or joining together in harmony in (Revelation 19:4), all which I thought good of purpose to distinguish in this place, lest any man should with Porphyrius, or other like dogs, object to John, or the heavenly Church, a childish and idle repetition of speech.
• (a) Praise the Lord.
• (2) The proposition of praise with exhortation in this verse, and the cause of it in (Revelation 19:2).

19:2 for true and righteous are his judgments. For he has judged the great prostitute, who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality, and he has avenged the blood of his servants at her hand."

19:3 A second said, "Hallelujah! Her smoke goes up forever and ever."

• (3) The song of the Antiphony or response, containing an amplification of the praise of God, from the continuous and certain testimony of his divine judgment as was done at Sodom and Gomorrah, (Genesis 19:1-38).

19:4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne, saying, "Amen! Hallelujah!"

19:5 A voice came forth from the throne, saying, "Give praise to our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, the small and the great!"

• (4) The second place of praise, as I said See Geneva which first is commanded by God in this verse: and then is in most ample manner pronounced by the creatures, both because they see that kingdom of Christ to come, which they desire, (Revelation 19:6) and also because they see the Church is called forth to be brought home to the house of her husband by holy marriage, to the fellowship of his kingdom, (Revelation 19:7,8). Therefore John is commanded to write in a book the acclamation together with a divine testimony, (Revelation 19:9).
• (5) Out of the temple from God as in (Revelation 11:19).

19:6 I heard something like the voice of a great multitude, and like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of mighty thunders, saying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns!

• (6) Outside the temple in heaven.

19:7 Let us rejoice and be exceedingly glad, and let us give the glory to him. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready."

• (7) Namely, to that holy marriage, both herself in person in this verse, and also provided by her spouse with marriage gifts princely and divine, is adorned and prepared in the next verse.

19:8 It was given to her that she would array herself in bright, pure, fine linen: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

• (8) As an ensign of kingly and priestly dignity, which Christ bestows on us in (Revelation 1:6).
• (9) This is a gift given by the husband for marriage sake, and a most choice ornament which Christ gave to us, as to his spouse.
• (b) Good works which are lively testimonies of faith.

19:9 He said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" He said to me, "These are true words of God."

• (10) Namely the angel, as it appears by the next verse.

19:10 I fell down before his feet to worship him. He said to me, "Look! Don't do it! I am a fellow bondservant with you and with your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God, for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy."

• (11) The particular history of this verse is brought in by occasion, and as it were besides the purpose that John might make a public example of his own infirmity and of the modest sanctimony of the angel, who both renounced for himself the divine honours, and recalled all the servants of God, to the worship of him alone: as also (Revelation 22:8).
• (c) Who are commanded to bear witness of Jesus.
• (d) For Jesus is the mark that all the prophecies shoot at.

19:11 I saw the heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it is called Faithful and True. In righteousness he judges and makes war.

• (12) The second part of this chapter (as I said in) See Geneva is of the victory gained by Christ against both the beasts: in which first Christ is described as one ready to fight, to the sixteenth verse (Revelation 19:12-16), then the battle is shown to begin, there to the eighteenth verse (Revelation 19:17,18), lastly is set forth the victory, to the end the chapter (Revelation 19:19-21). In this place the most excellent properties of Christ as our heavenly judge and avenger shine forth, according to his person, company, effects and names.
• (13) Properties belonging to his person, that he is heavenly, judge, faithful, true, just, in this verse, knowing all things, ruling over all, to be known by no one, (Revelation 19:12), the triumpher and in essence, the Word of God, in (Revelation 19:13).

19:12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has names written and a name written which no one knows but he himself.

19:13 He is clothed in a garment sprinkled with blood. His name is called "The Word of God."

19:14 The armies which are in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in white, pure, fine linen.

• (14) The company or retinue of Christ, holy, innumerable, heavenly, judicial, royal and pure.

19:15 Out of his mouth proceeds a sharp, double-edged sword, that with it he should strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod.[38] He treads the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God, the Almighty.

• (15) The effects of Christ prepared to fight, that with his mouth he strikes the Gentiles, rules and destroys.

19:16 He has on his garment and on his thigh a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."

• (16) The name agreeing to Christ according to the former qualities, expressed after the manner of the Hebrews.

19:17 I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the sky, "Come! Be gathered together to the [39] great supper of God, [See Revelation Footnotes 39]

• (17) The second part, as I said in See Geneva. A reproachful calling forth of his enemies into battle: in which not themselves (for why should they be called forth by the king of the world, or provoked being his subjects? for that is not comely) but in their hearing, the birds of the air are called to eat their carcasses.
• (18) That is, openly, and in sight of all, as in (Numbers 25:4; 2 Samuel 12:11).
• (19) That is, through this inferior heaven, and which is nearer to us: a Hebrew phrase.

19:18 that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, 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 and slave, and small and great."

19:19 I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him who sat on the horse, and against his army.

• (20) The third part (as was said in) (Revelation 19:11) by the victory obtained by Christ. Two things pertain to this: his fighting with the beast and his forces, in this verse: and the event most magnificent, described after the manner of men, in the verses following. All these things are plain.

19:20 The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet who worked the signs in his sight, with 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 that burns with sulfur.

• (21) Namely, that beast with seven heads; (Revelation 13:1; Revelation 17:3).
• (22) That is, that beast with two heads; (Revelation 13:11; [{Revelation 16]]:14).

19:21 The rest were killed with the sword of him who sat on the horse, the sword which came forth out of his mouth. All the birds were filled with their flesh.