Keys to Revelation – Chapter 19
Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New York
International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.
BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY
REV 19:1 After this I heard what [After this] – Beginning in REV 17:1
sounded like the roar of a great we saw the introduction of the city
multitude in heaven shouting: of Rome, the capitol city of the
“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory world, and the head of the wicked
and power belong to our God, world system. In chapter 18, the Fall
of Babylon (Rome) is revealed and in
REV 18:20 we, the Saints of God, are
commanded to rejoice over her final
fate, because of the way she had
treated God’s children in the many
generations previous.
[great multitude] – The redeemed of
God in heaven. Throughout the history
of man, it has only been a remnant
that has accepted God’s message and
believed. One just needs to look at
our generation to realize that very
few of any society really believe and
are saved. It has been estimated
that since the days of Adam and Eve
that approximately 41 billion people
have lived on this planet. If only
a remnant equal to 1% was saved, that
would make heaven’s population of
saints equal to about 400,000,000. Of
course, God is not finished calling
all of His servants yet so the number
will continue to grow.
[Hallelujah!] – There are only four
instances in the New Testament of the
term Hallelujah, all of which occur
in this chapter (vs 1, 3, 4, 6). The
OT word Hallelujah comes from two
Hebrew words (halal and Jah), and
means “Praise Yahweh!”
[belong to our God] – Salvation is of
God and not of man. All men turned
away from God and earned their place
in the torments of the Lake of Fire.
But, our God is a Gracious God, and
chose “some” to be saved (not many).
He also prescribed the exact manner
of salvation, it would not be of
works, but rather, of faith. A faith
that manifests itself in the three-
fold act of Believing in Christ,
Repenting of our sins, and Submitting
to the Lordship of Our Savior Jesus
Christ, the God of the Universe!
REV 19:2 for true and just are his [true and just] – There can be no
judgments. He has condemned the doubt that God judged rightly in the
great prostitute who corrupted the case of Babylon (Rome). In fact, He
earth by her adulteries. He has demonstrated great patience and
avenged on her the blood of his mercy waiting all these many years
servants.” while she committed her acts of
adulteries.
[avenged on her the blood] – God had
declared in DEU 32:43 that He would
ultimately avenge the blood of the
saints, “Rejoice, O nations, with His
people, for He will avenge the blood
of His servants; He will take ven-
geance on His enemies and make
atonement for His land and people.”
REV 19:3 And again they shouted: [smoke..goes up…for ever] – This is
“Hallelujah! The smoke from her not a reference to the city itself,
goes up for ever and ever.” but will be fulfilled by the eternal
judgment of the people who sinned in
and through the evil world system of
Babylon. It will be literal smoke
rising from the burning of the bodies
of these unbelievers in the endless
torment of the Lake of Fire.
REV 19:4 The twenty-four elders [twenty-four elders] – See comments
and the four living creatures fell on REV 4:4-11
down and worshiped God, who was
seated on the throne. And they
cried: “Amen, Hallelujah!”
REV 19:5 Then a voice came from [a voice] – Not the voice of the
the throne, saying: “Praise our Father, Son, or Holy Spirit, but
God, all you his servants, you who rather it is the voice of an angel
fear him, both small and great!” who commands us to praise “our” God.
[Praise] – Present tense and is a
command to “keep on praising” the
Lord.
[small and great] – Believers from
every socioeconomic level, and from
various stages of spiritual maturity.
REV 19:6 Then I heard what sounded
like a great multitude, like the
roar of rushing waters and like
loud peals of thunder, shouting:
“Hallelujah! For our Lord God
Almighty reigns.
REV 19:7 Let us rejoice and be [wedding of the Lamb] – For a proper
glad and give him glory! For the perspective of this event we need to
wedding of the Lamb has come, and remember the customs of the Bible
his bride has made herself ready. Times in regard to marriage. First,
there was the Betrothal, which was
a public declaration by the two
families that the two participants
were now betrothed, that is, legally
husband and wife.
Following the Betrothal came a period
of time that was used by the groom to
prepare a home for the bride (usually
a room in his father’s house). This
could be a year or so. The bride also
used this time to prepare herself for
the wedding feast. When the time was
ready, the bridegroom would travel to
the bride’s home and take her back
with him to the new home (room).
Shortly after the couple and the
families arrived at the new home the
wedding feast began and lasted for a
week or longer.
The Bride here is the Church (each
Christian from the Church Age) and
the Groom is Jesus. We were betrothed
on the day of our salvation as the
announcement was made on earth and in
heaven that we and Jesus were legally
married (committed) to each other.
Again, the Bride is the Church and
the guests are all the Old Testament
saints and the Martyred Tribulation
saints.
Jesus has been “preparing our rooms
in His Father’s house” (JOH 14:2-3)
and came back for us in the Rapture
of the Church. The wedding feast was
delayed until the Lord had taken back
the earth from the control of the
evil one.
REV 19:8 Fine linen, bright and [given her] – Most likely at the Bema
clean, was given her to wear.” Seat (Judgment Seat of Christ) the
(Fine linen stands for the brilliant garments of linen were
righteous acts of the saints.) given to each of the saints. When a
person is saved they receive the
righteousness of Christ, however,
their transformed life will be
evidenced by the actual righteous
acts they do by the Spirit (JAM
2:14-18).
REV 19:9 Then the angel said to [those…invited] – The Church is the
me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who Bride and the invited wedding guests
are invited to the wedding supper are the Old Testament saints (see
of the Lamb!'” And he added, “These MAT 8:11) and the martyred saints of
are the true words of God.” the Tribulation.
REV 19:10 At this I fell at his [worship him] – John is overcome by
feet to worship him. But he said to the tremendous picture of the coming
me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow blessedness of the Kingdom of God,
servant with you and with your and falls down and worships an angel.
brothers who hold to the testimony This only shows the humanness of the
of Jesus. Worship God! For the Apostle John. The angel quickly
testimony of Jesus is the spirit of informs John that angels are also
prophecy.” servants of God (HEB 1:4-14).
[spirit of prophecy] – The prophecy
that John was watching unfold was the
testimony of Jesus, not of angels,
therefore, God is the one who is to
be worshiped for such a revelation.
REV 19:11 I saw heaven standing [heaven standing open] – When a door
open and there before me was a is opened a person can see in or out.
white horse, whose rider is called John is now on the earth and can see
Faithful and True. With justice he into the third heaven, the residence
judges and makes war. of the Saints, the Angels and the
Throne Room of God. Remember, that
the First Heaven is the atmosphere,
and the Second Heaven is Outer Space
(see 2CO 12:2). John can see into
heaven as clearly as we can see a
cloud in the sky. The opening to
heaven is so wide that a whole army
can pass through.
[white horse] – A real horse, just
like the literal donkey that Jesus
rode into Jerusalem on (MAT 21). It
was prophesied hundreds of years
earlier that the Messiah would ride
into the city on a donkey (ZEC 9:9),
and here we listen to the spirit of
prophecy tell us that when Christ,
the Magnificent King, returns He will
be riding a white horse–Believe it!
[Faithful and True] – Our sweet Lord
and Savior is truly faithful. He is
faithful when we are faithless (2TI
2:13). He is faithful and true in
all of His promises to return to the
earth and establish His kingdom. He
will fulfill all of His promises made
to His people.
[judges and makes war] – The right-
eous vengeance that is about to be
enacted upon the Antichrist and his
followers will be harmonious with
truth and justice. He has judged
mankind and now makes war against
them.
REV 19:12 His eyes are like [eyes…blazing fire] – These are
blazing fire, and on his head are eyes of judgment that are burning
many crowns. He has a name written and all-penetrating, from which
on him that no one knows but he nothing can be hidden.
himself.
[many crowns] – The symbols of
royalty. These are kingly crowns
and should not be pictured as many
large crowns “stacked and balanced”
one upon another. Rather, they most
likely are various “bands” linked
together in a very lovely series of
crowns that is in proper proportion
to His head.
[name…no one knows] – It is foolish
to try to guess this name since it is
known only to Jesus. We could guess
that someday, when we are in our
eternal state, that we will be able
to comprehend what the meaning of
this special name.
REV 19:13 He is dressed in a robe [robe dipped in blood] – This is the
dipped in blood, and his name is blood of His enemies already defeated
the Word of God. by His wrath (see ROM 1:18 and REV
14:19-20). It will also be dipped or
splattered by the blood of those on
earth whom He fights against as He
returns (REV 19:21).
[name is the Word of God] – “In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God”
(JOH 1:1). “For the Word of God is
living and active. Sharper than any
double-edged sword, it penetrates
even to dividing soul and spirit,
joints and marrow; it judges the
thoughts and attitudes of the heart”
(HEB 4:12). Jesus is the living and
active Word of God that has come in
judgment to judge the thoughts and
attitudes of the heart.
REV 19:14 The armies of heaven [armies of heaven] – Comprised of
were following him, riding on white both the holy angels (MAR 8:38) and
horses and dressed in fine linen, the called, chosen and faithful
white and clean. followers (REV 17:14).
[riding on white horses] – Literal
white horses just like the one that
Jesus is riding on. The white horse
has always been used by conquerors,
and also symbolizes purity.
[fine linen] – See Rev 19:8
REV 19:15 Out of his mouth comes a [sharp sword] – Christ conquers by
sharp sword with which to strike the power of His Word and not by a
down the nations. “He will rule sword in His hand. “For the word of
them with an iron scepter.” He God is living and active. Sharper
treads the winepress of the fury of than any double-edged sword” (HEB
the wrath of God Almighty. 4:12). Literally, Christ does not
have a sword “sticking” out of His
mouth, rather this symbolizes His
Word, which will be used to strike
down the wicked on the earth. He
simply speaks their judgment and
they will die.
[rule…with an iron scepter] – This
rod is a shepherd’s staff used to
make the sheep conform to the rules
of the shepherd. Jesus will rule all
the nations of the earth during the
Millennium with an unyielding, firm
and absolute government that demands
total allegiance to God.
[wrath of God] – “It is a dreadful
thing to fall into the hands of the
living God” (HEB 10:31). Mankind is
under the delusion that God either
doesn’t care or is not able to deal
with man’s willful disobedience. But
God has simply been storing up the
wrath that each person deserves,
“Because of your stubbornness and
your unrepentant heart, you are stor-
ing up wrath against yourself for the
day of God’s wrath….” (ROM 2:5).
The day of God’s fury has arrived
and for those who have refused His
mercy He has nothing left but wrath.
REV 19:16 On his robe and on his [one His robe] – Most likely on His
thigh he has this name written: robe near His chest.
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
[on His thigh] – Not a tattoo but on
something attached to His thigh, like
the sheath of a sword or on that part
of the garment which fell open across
the thigh.
[KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS] –
One of the most beautiful and most
powerful passages in all the Bible.
Now let those in our day, who say
that a person can become a Christian
without submitting to the Lordship of
Christ, be filled with shame. For
to advocate that one can come before
the KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS,
refusing to repent and submit, all
the while asking for salvation, is
a doctrine straight from the pit of
Hell!
REV 19:17 And I saw an angel [standing in the sun] – The angel
standing in the sun, who cried in a was located at a place where all the
loud voice to all the birds flying birds of the air could see him — in
in midair, “Come, gather together the brightest part of the sky. Most
for the great supper of God, likely standing between the sun and
the earth.
[Come, gather] – The angel is calling
all the birds to a the great supper
of God where they can gorge them-
selves on the flesh of the fallen
enemies of God. This fulfills the
prophecy that was spoken through the
prophet Ezekiel:
EZE 39:17 “Son of man, this is what
the Sovereign LORD says: Call out to
every kind of bird and all the wild
animals: ‘Assemble and come together
from all around to the sacrifice I am
preparing for you, the great sacri
fice on the mountains of Israel.
There you will eat flesh and drink
blood.
EZE 39:18 You will eat the flesh of
mighty men and drink the blood of the
princes of the earth as if they were
rams and lambs, goats and bulls–all
of them fattened animals from Bashan.
EZE 39:19 At the sacrifice I am
preparing for you, you will eat fat
till you are glutted and drink blood
till you are drunk.
EZE 39:20 At my table you will eat
your fill of horses and riders,
mighty men and soldiers of every
kind,’ declares the Sovereign LORD.
EZE 39:21 I will display my glory
among the nations, and all the
nations will see the punishment I
inflict and the hand I lay upon them.
EZE 39:22 From that day forward the
house of Israel will know that I am
the LORD their God.”
REV 19:18 so that you may eat the In the time of judgment it makes no
flesh of kings, generals, and difference if you were rich or poor,
mighty men, of horses and their famous or unknown, free or a slave,
riders, and the flesh of all the wrath will know no favorites.
people, free and slave, small and
great.”
REV 19:19 Then I saw the beast and [beast…make war] – Even after the
the kings of the earth and their Lord God returns with magnificent
armies gathered together to make glory and power, Satan, through the
war against the rider on the horse Antichrist, tries to destroy Jesus.
and his army. But this time Jesus did not come to
die, but rather to rule with power
and authority.
One can imagine these evil armies
turning their weapons upon Christ and
His glorious army, thinking that they
will be easily killed as were all the
martyrs of the previous generations.
REV 19:20 But the beast was [beast was captured] – Before a laser
captured, and with him the false or a bullet was fired, Jesus had the
prophet who had performed the Antichrist and his false prophet
miraculous signs on his behalf. captured.
With these signs he had deluded
those who had received the mark of [thrown alive] – There is no soul
the beast and worshiped his image. sleep for the wicked. They will enter
The two of them were thrown alive the fires of torment with full
into the fiery lake of burning consciousness for all eternity.
sulfur.
[lake of burning sulfur] – The final
place for the wicked. It is a literal
place of torment and agony. God has
determined that these two evil men
deserved final judgment ahead of all
the others who will be thrown into
the lake of fire after the 1,000 year
rule (REV 20:15).
REV 19:21 The rest of them were [killed with the sword] – Here Jesus
killed with the sword that came out simply uses the words from His mouth
of the mouth of the rider on the to effect judgment and death upon the
horse, and all the birds gorged wicked.
themselves on their flesh.
Tony Capoccia
BIBLE BULLETIN BOARD
Box 130
Shreveport, LA 71110
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