<< Previous | Index | Next >>"THE BOOK OF REVELATION" Exaltation & Victory! (19:1-21) INTRODUCTION 1. In chapter eighteen, the fall of "Babylon the Great" was... a. Proclaimed by a mighty angel with great authority - Re 18:1-8 b. Mourned by kings and merchants who had benefited through her corruption - Re 18:9-19 c. To be rejoiced over by those in heaven for her murder of apostles, prophets, and saints - Re 18:20-24 2. In chapter nineteen, we read of exaltation and victory... a. Heaven exulting over the fall of Babylon the harlot - Re 19:1-6 b. Heaven rejoices over the pending marriage of the Lamb - Re 19:7-10 c. Christ the warrior king on a white horse with His armies in heaven - Re 19:11-16 d. The fall of the beast, the false prophet, and their forces - Re 19:17-21 ["In the previous chapters we have seen the dragon, and the beast, and the false prophet persecuting the church, but in this chapter we see them completely overthrown, and the divine captain of our salvation leading his followers to victory." - David Clark, The Message From Patmos. So let's begin by noticing how...] I. HEAVEN REJOICES OVER THE FALL OF BABYLON (1-5) A. AS DESCRIBED IN THE TEXT... 1. A great multitude in heaven - Re 19:1-3 a. Praising God, attributing salvation, glory, honor, and power to Him b. Declaring His judgments on the great harlot as true and righteous 1) For she corrupted the earth with her fornication 2) He has avenged the blood of His servants which she shed c. Praising God, for her smoke rises up forever and ever 2. The twenty-four elders and four living creatures - Re 19:4 a. Falling down and worshipping God who sits on the throne b. Saying "Amen, Alleluia!" 3. A voice from the throne - Re 19:5 a. Calling upon all God's servants and those who fear Him b. Calling upon both small and great to praise God -- A scene reminiscent of that seen in chapters four & five! B. OBSERVATION AND INTERPRETATION... 1. The first vision in this chapter illustrates the great joy in heaven when Babylon the great is judged 2. She was judged for good reason: a. She corrupted the earth with her fornication! - Re 19:2; cf. Re 14:8; 17:1-2; 18:3 b. She shed the blood of God's servants - Re 19:2; cf. Re 17:6; 18:24 -- A scene that confirms the prayers of those seen in chapter six would be answered! - cf. Re 6:9-11 [But the joy in heaven was not limited to judgment upon Babylon the harlot. What John described next would certainly add to reasons for heaven to rejoice with great joy...] II. PREPARATION FOR THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB (6-10) A. AS DESCRIBED IN THE TEXT... 1. A great multitude in heaven - Re 19:6-8 a. Sounding like many waters and mighty thunderings 1) Praising the Lord God Omnipotent for His reign 2) Calling to be glad and rejoice and give God glory b. For the marriage of the Lamb has come 1) His wife has made herself ready 2) She was arrayed in fine linen, which is the righteous acts of the saints 2. A fellow servant - Re 19:9-10 a. Telling John to write: "Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!" b. Proclaiming: "These are the true sayings of God." c. When John fell at his feet to worship him, he is rebuked: 1) "See that you do not do that!" 2) "I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus." 3) "Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." -- Two reasons to rejoice: 1) God's omnipotent reign, and 2) the upcoming marriage of the Lamb! B. OBSERVATION AND INTERPRETATION... 1. More evidence of God's omnipotent reign will be soon be evident a. With the fall of the beast and the false prophet later in the chapter - Re 19:20 b. With Satan ultimately joining them in the lake of fire and brimstone - cf. Re 20:10 2. But before then we have the announcement of the marriage supper of the Lamb a. The bride metaphor is often applied to the church's relationship with Christ 1) Those in Christ are to be married to Christ - Ro 7:4 2) They have been "betrothed" to Christ - 2Co 11:2 b. But now "the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready" 1) Through the righteous acts of the saints - Re 19:7-8 2) With the aid of the blood of Christ, of course - cf. Re 7:13-14 c. In keeping with Jewish custom at that time, before a wedding a marriage supper is celebrated 1) As depicted in Jesus' parable of the marriage feast - cf. Mt 22:1-14 2) Here in Revelation, the marriage supper is shown to take place in heaven d. The marriage itself is not shown or described, but later the "New Jerusalem" is described as... 1) "the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God" - Re 21:2 2) "prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" - Re 21:2 3) "the bride, the Lamb's wife" - Re 21:9 4) "the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God" - Re 21:9-10 3. We also have what is an interesting rebuke of John - Re 19:10 a. John fell at his feet to worship the one speaking to him, he is rebuked 1) Later he will do the same to an angel, and is similarly rebuked - Re 22:8-9 2) In both cases He is told "Worship God" b. The apostle Peter gave a similar rebuke to Cornelius - Ac 10:25-26 1) Who had fallen at Peter's feet and worshipped him 2) To which Peter said: "Stand up; I myself am also a man" c. If one was rebuked for falling down at the feet of angels and an apostle... 1) How can one justify falling down at the feet of a pope, bishop, priest, etc.? 2) By saying it is not "worship"? Consider the definition of "worship" 3) Grk., proskuneo - "to prostrate oneself before someone as an act of reverence, fear, or supplication" - Louw-Nida -- With the announcement of the marriage supper of the Lamb, it would serve to motivate the churches who received this letter to remain faithful to Christ [As would the next vision, which is one of...] III. CHRIST THE WARRIOR KING ON A WHITE HORSE (11-16) A. AS DESCRIBED IN THE TEXT... 1. His awesome description - Re 19:11-13 a. As heaven opened, John sees Christ sitting on a white horse 1) He called "Faithful and True" 2) In righteousness He judges and makes war b. As described by John: 1) His eyes were like a flame of fire 2) On His head were many crowns 3) He had a name written that no one knew but Himself 4) Clothed with a robe dipped in blood 5) His name is called The Word of God 2. His great rule and reign - Re 19:14-16 a. Followed by the armies of heaven 1) Clothed in fine linen, white and clean 2) Sitting on white horses b. From His mouth, a sharp sword to strike the nations 1) He Himself will rule the nations with a rod of iron 2) He Himself treads the winepress of Almighty God's fierceness and wrath c. On His robe and thigh a name written: "King of kings, and Lord of lords" -- A graphic description of Jesus' authority and power over nations! B. OBSERVATION AND INTERPRETATION... 1. In his introduction, John described Jesus as "the ruler over the kings of the earth" - Re 1:5 2. Jesus also claimed to have authority to rule over the nations - cf. Re 2:26-27 3. Such authority over His enemies had been foretold in the Psalms - cf. Ps 2 and Ps 110 4. Paul wrote that Jesus was "far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come." - Ep 1:21 a. Also, that Christ "...must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death." - 1Co 15:25-26 b. And Jesus is "...the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords" - 1Ti 6:15 -- In judging unfaithful Jerusalem (Re 6-11) and pagan Rome (Re 13-19), Jesus manifested His kingly reign and authority over those who rebelled against Him and persecuted His followers [Which leads us to the final vision in chapter nineteen, with...] IV. THE FALL OF THE BEAST, THE FALSE PROPHET, AND THEIR FORCES (17-21) A. AS DESCRIBED IN THE TEXT... 1. The declaration of an angel - Re 19:17-18 a. John sees an angel standing in the sun, crying with a loud voice b. Speaking to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven: 1) "Come and gather together for the supper of the great God." 2) "eat the flesh of kings...captains...mighty men...horses... all people, free and slave, both small and great" 2. The end of the beast and false prophet - Re 19:20-21 a. John saw the beast, the kings of the earth and their armies, gathered to make war against Him who sat on the horse and His army b. John saw the beast and false prophet captured 1) The false prophet who worked signs in the presence of the beast - cf. Re 13:11-18 2) By which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image 3) Both were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone c. The rest of their forces were killed 1) With the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse 2) All the birds were filled with their flesh -- A graphic vision vividly depicting the demise of those who had persecuted the early church B. OBSERVATION AND INTERPRETATION... 1. This vision appears designed to reinforce the idea that Christ in His kingly rule will defeat those who have been persecuting His people 2. Just as Babylon the harlot would be destroyed (Re 17:16-18:24), so the beast and false prophet would be overcome! 3. Notice the two instruments used by Jesus to defeat the beast and false prophet: a. A sharp sword out of His mouth to strike the nations (Re 19:15) - a reference to the power of the Word of God to convict and convert sinful man? - cf. He 4:12 b. A rod of iron by which He rules the nations (Re 19:15) - a reference to His ability to place and displace those in positions of power? - cf. Ro 13:1-2; also Dan 4:17,24-26,34-35 -- Thus this vision demonstrates what was stated earlier: "These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful." - Re 17:14 CONCLUSION 1. If chapters 13-19 indeed depicts the Roman empire in its persecution against the church, then this section with its imagery was possibly fulfilled when the empire fell in 476 A.D. 2. If heaven rejoiced over the fall of Babylon (Re 19:1-5), we can just imagine the exultation in heaven when the beast and false prophet were cast into the lake of fire! 3. But one enemy yet remains, the one responsible for deceiving the nations to allow for Babylon the Harlot, the beast, and the false prophet: the one known as the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan! 4. What happens to Satan is revealed in the next chapter But from what we have read in chapter nineteen, on whose side would you want to be in this great conflict? Would you not want to follow the King of kings and Lord of lords, who is also called The Word of God? Do you not want to have the blessing of being called to the marriage supper of the Lamb? And when the marriage of the Lamb and His bride (the church) takes place, to be a part of that great body of believers who have been saved by blood of the Lamb? If so, then obey the gospel of Christ through faith in Jesus, repentance of sin, confession of faith in Christ, baptism into Christ for the remission of your sins, and then remain faithful unto death to receive the crown of life!<< Previous | Index | Next >>
Home Page
Have A Bible Question? | Want A Free Bible Study Course? | Looking For A Church Near You?
Want To Talk With Someone By Phone? | Want To Discuss The Bible By Email?
Search The Outlines
Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2020
