But along with that God warns of her ruin, and calls on His people (verse 4) to come out of her. They broke up the beast yet more than Babylon. And he said unto me, There was never a time in history in which such forces were drawn up against the Church as when the Revelation was written. The principle upon which this verse-by-verse study of Revelation proceeds, is that the contents of the book are, in the main, yet future and that the fulfillment of the greater part of Revelation cannot take place as long as the Church remains here on earth. You can be worried about the righteousness of my judgments. The particulars are reserved for a later point in this prophecy. (iv) There is fidelity. Then entire sorry results of human depravity will finally be vanquished. These are the faithful. It should be, "and shall be present. I agree one hundred percent. 3. to be worshiped (22:8-9; Acts 10:25-26). Salvation is simple. The elders do show us the heavenly heads of priesthood (embracing, as I believe, the Old Testament saints and those of the New); i.e., they are not limited to the church, Christ's body. He will tread the winepress of the anger of the wrath of God the Almighty. b. We know that the change of all those caught up takes place in the twinkling of an eye. 22:2-14; John 3:29; 2 Cor. The "things to come" are synonymous with death. On these I may say but a very few words. and could only be broken by divorce. Commentary on Revelation - [Chapter 18] - Theology First The woman was allowed to ride the beast to influence and govern the empire first, but at last to be the object of hatred to the ten horns and the beast, who expose, rob, and destroy her. It seems clear that the name is visible to all, and, therefore, probably the likeliest solution is that it was written on the skirt of the warrior Christ's robe, lying over his thigh, as he rode upon the white horse. "His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many diadems." What was easier than to turn the demons into angels and to worship them? "True and righteous are thy judgments, O Lord." Here it is the city described in itself, on which we need not now enlarge. The beloved city is Jerusalem; the camp of the saints, I presume, is a larger circle and embraces all of Israel and the Gentiles who, being converted, refuse Satan's deceit. unrighteousness. So He sent this revelation by the angel to John. Thus was concluded all dealing on the Lord's part with both soul and body, and all that pertains to either. Hence we have to own the divine source of government even when its holders abandon all such thoughts themselves, and maintain their rule in the world as a thing flowing from the people irrespective of God. PDF Verse By Verse Acts Through Revelation Cgeprginia She will despise everything really divine; she will only use whatever of God's word she can pervert for increasing her own importance, and gaining a greater ascendancy over the consciences of men, and enjoying herself more luxuriously in this world; for she will go far to obliterate all remembrance of heaven, and to make this world a kind of paradise which she embellishes, not with pure and undefiled religion, but with the arts of men and the idolatries of the world. . Revelation 19 begins with a multitude in heaven singing a doxology to God. This disposes of many a web of comments; for we find at once what is perfectly simple, what any child of God who believes this to be the word of God must own. "righteousness" was not ours until we received the Lord Jesus into our lives and From 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. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." For certain there are two great acts of resurrection, one when the Old Testament saints and the church are caught up to heaven, the other when Satan was bound after the beast and false prophet were thrown into the lake of fire, as well as Babylon judged. "Let him that heareth," then, "say, Come." (chapter 20). Sometimes, again, they have sought to turn it aside toward Jerusalem in her corrupt state. Revelation 19 - Verse by Verse Bible Study He with the glorified saints will have their home on high, but none the less shall they reign over this very world for the allotted time. Verse 5. - CBSC, the winepress . "WHITE" is a symbol throughout the book of Revelation for PURITY and VICTORY. "Let him that is unrighteous be unrighteous still: and let the filthy be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still." of the bride, the Lamb's wife. "I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled; and place was not found for them." Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready ( Revelation 19:7 ). They begin to worship, in a sense, the instrument that God has used. "And fire came down out of heaven from God, and devoured them. "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse." The common notion, therefore, that the coming of the Lord is at this point is an evident fallacy upon the face of this scripture that describes it, not to speak of others elsewhere. But a grave consideration soon disposes of both views by the relation to the beast, and more particularly by what will be shown a little farther on. "I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God" (alluding to this very city) "[is] with men." Calling is the, fruit of active grace on God's part towards man, and only towards him when fallen. It is not a syllogism that is wanted or that can satisfy here: only require, only believe, the word of God. It is no problem for the infinite God to reach to finite man. Yet it will be found imperfect, for reasons which, I think, will be clear to any unbiassed mind. But there is a message also for others. THE TE DEUM OF NATURE AND THE CHURCH ( Revelation 19:3-5 ), 19:3-5 And a second time they said: "Hallelujah! That is letting religion enter in. (faithful to Jesus). Let us rejoice and let us exult, and let us give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has prepared herself, and it has been granted to her to clothe herself with fine linen, shining and pure." Revelation. He is in charge of the Anastausus Ship, but he is facing a jail sentence of three and a half years in Greece because He gave a Bible to a sixteen-year old Greek boy and the boy accepted Jesus Christ as His Savior. So we find the Lord has room for all that is the fruit of His own grace only, for the appeal of grace, even when there is not the answer to it. The voice of this great multitude was as the voice of __________ ______________. Genesis. Bible Studies | Verse By Verse Ministry International He destroys the assembled rebels who have gathered together against Him. In short, Babylon, the disgusting counterpart of the holy city, in earthly ambition seeks the kings and the masses for her own present objects, while the other suffers now and will reign then. Therefore says the angel, "I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, that hath* the seven heads and the ten horns. As R. H. Charles puts it, it is essential to remember that the Heavenly Leader is this time, not the Slain One, but the Slayer. The thrones were already filled. And the marriage is the eternal The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy: The central theme of both (compare 1 Thess. Scholz's note ("rec. On the one hand, the return of Jesus Christ to the earth is the climax of all that has gone before in Revelation. I can hardly wait. Figuratively, with reference to the church. bride doesnt get invited, she invites. Out of his mouth goes this sharp sword, His word. That religious system has an incomparably nearer connection with this mysterious harlot than anything we have yet spoken of. Verse 9. "On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY ( Revelation 19:10 b). The chronological progression of events on earth resumes from Revelation 16:21. That is why religions fail. He will destroy His enemies with inflexible righteousness that the iron shepherds rod that will serve as His scepter pictures (cf. *It is the aorist in Greek, which in such a case as this it is difficult correctly to represent in English; for neither "reigned" nor "hath reigned" could convey that God had entered on His kingdom, but rather that it was past. It is an evident contrast with the state supposed in the wheat-and-tare field of Christendom which is found at the end of the age. So, it is the righteousness of Jesus Christ that is imparted to me through my faith in Jesus Christ. [shepherd] . But in this is shown what it is of importance to see the true nature of the kingdom or millennial reign. . In that place the sword seems to be an emblem of his words or doctrines, as penetrating the hearts of people; here it is the emblem of a work of destruction worked on his foes. "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heavens fled away." One of the great dangers of being in any kind of ministry where God is using you, one of the great dangers of exercising any spiritual gift, is that people so often look at the instrument that God uses. The ensigns of his authority, his coat of arms--a name written on his vesture and thigh, King of kings, and Lord of lords, asserting his authority and power, and the cause of the quarrel, Revelation 19:16; Revelation 19:16. This bloodthirsty picture is again far more in line with Old Testament apocalyptic expectations than with the gospel of Jesus Christ. The church cannot hear of Him as the bright morning star without at once desiring that He should come. "And to the bride was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousnesses of saints." "And the woman whom thou sawest is the great city, that hath kingship over the kings of the earth." The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, the witness of Jesus. The bride breathes out this word to the bridegroom; and the Holy Ghost it is that gives strength to her desire that He should come. The vials have all now been dispensed upon the earth of the judgment and the wrath of God. It "shall go into perdition," it is therefore added, "and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and shall be present." That is worship of God in unprescribed ways. "The ten horns which thou sawest AND the beast" would give unquestionably the right form of the verse. Here is a picture which is essentially Jewish. I believe that religion is man's endeavor to reach God. 19:5 And 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.". "And so here we see Him, clothed in a vesture dipped in blood. Judas returned the money to the priests saying, "I betrayed innocent blood" ( Matthew 27:4 ). believers at salvation, but the practical results of that righteousness in That city will be a constant remembrancer of those who went before restored Israel here below, as undoubtedly it will be used for their blessing during the millennium, but not for theirs only. And the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them (for he is Lord of lords and King of kings), and they that are with him, called, and chosen, and faithful.". Still God acts in a wisdom far above man, and holds to His principles even there. The relationship of the Christian and Christ must be the closest in all life. Here we have a repetition of the imagery of chapter 13. It will be a state of nature unexampled for the fruits of the earth and the enjoyment of all that God has made here below. The color of crushed grapes reminded the ancients of blood, death, and battle! Gen. 1; Isaiah 55:11; John 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:8) not a literal description. It is not his own blood, but the blood of his enemies that he tramples as he tramples out the rebellious. That an openly heathen metropolis, devoted to the worship of Mars, and Jupiter, and Venus, and other wicked monstrosities of pagan mythology should be irritated with the gospel which exposes it all, and should consequently seek to injure the faithful, was to be expected, and a necessary result, directly that the uncompromising spirit of Christ was known. The prophecy centers around the person of Jesus Christ. Blessed are those that are called to be a part in this. But there is a time coming when power will cease to be ordained of God; and this is the point to which the last condition of the beast refers. 18:20. I would like to say a few words about this "fine linen". Every strange coded word and phrase is meant for this generation. The Book of Revelation: Verse by Verse Commentary It is the judgment of the dead as such, who now rise and give account of their deeds. Revelation 19:1 "And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God:" In the last chapter, we saw the terrible destruction of commercial and political Babylon symbolized by its capital city of Babylon. The same imagery of a wedding picture's the Lord's relationship with His Church. worship him. Revelation 19:18 Commentaries: so that you may eat the flesh of kings In the first eight verses of Revelation 21:1-27 we have the new heaven and the new earth, but besides, awful to say, the lake of fire. At first reading, to some this sounds harsh, but it is referring to His ability to proect his sheep. Each of these three great attributes of God should awaken its own response in the heart of man. To the church the end is always near. There. Yet grace despised necessarily ends in judgment. The simple fact of conquering far and wide, and of exercising vast political power in the earth, does not constitute any title to such a name. God in His providence did sanction the great empires of old; and the principle continues as long as the church is here below. This is the last main section of the Book of Revelation. Jeremiah hears God say and appeal: "Return, O faithless children, for I am your master" ( Jeremiah 3:14). Revelation 29 Lessons. First, there are his servants. Now there was nothing more repulsive and fatal to paganism in every form than the truth revealed in Christ, which exposed every thing that was not itself not the truth, definite and exclusive. almighty: having unlimited power. When the second beast appeared, he even strove to put to death those who would not worship the beast, nor pay homage to his image, nor receive his mark. Christ is described by two words. Indeed it must be so, because, as we read in the end of the last chapter, there the lost were cast. But, in point of fact, in giving the description of Babylon, the Holy Ghost enters even more into an account of her relations with the beast, the imperial power of which we saw not a little last night. judgment seat of Christ (compare 1 Cor. The reason is given at the close; not only "by thy sorcery were all the nations deceived," but above all "in her was found [the] blood of prophets and saints, and of all the slain upon the earth.". He had His own self interest at heart when He told Eve not to eat of the tree. [email protected], Revelation chapter 19 and 20 *It now appears that the Cod. Here we find the term "Alleluia" used really for the first in the New Testament and it is used four times here. That is religion. When you couple that with "Lord", which means They would have a big dance and party, as they would crush all of the grapes, they would get the juice out of them.