Revelation Chapter 19

Introduction to Chapter 19

Chapter 19 of Revelation concludes the 7-year tribulation period with the return of Christ and his Bride to rule and rein on the earth. The kings of the Earth and their armies along with Satan, the Antichrist and False Prophet gather in Israel. Their arrival is a prelude to war with the Lamb. New Babylon, the capital city of the Earth, has just been obliterated from existence( Chapter 18). Satan and his demonic forces inspire the mass of remaining humanity that somehow they will be able to defeat the Lamb. So they gather together for the final conflict.

Meanwhile in Heaven the “Bride of the Lamb”, the Church, is ready for marriage to the Lamb. The “Bema Seat” of Christ has purified the Church; righteous deeds of saints have been rewarded. With the Bride, ready the “Wedding of the Lamb” the time has finally come. The Church is married to Christ, joined in eternal union. Following the “Wedding of the Lamb” is the “Wedding Supper of the Lamb” where those who are invited to attend are called “Blessed”. With the Wedding and Wedding Supper of the Lamb complete, Christ and his church along with the Angels are preparing for their entry into the Earth. The second half of the 19^th chapter, Christ is seen riding a White horse, along with the saints riding white horses on their descent into the earth to take possession of the Earth from Satan and his demonic and human armies gathered around Israel.

Saints Alleluia in Heaven

¹After these things I ^£heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to ^£the Lord our God! ²For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.” ³Again they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!”

Revelation 19:1-3

After these….Following the destruction of “Babylon the Great”, the capital city of the Satanic kingdom, John hears a loud voice. (megas phoôneô)in heaven. John was just witnessing the destruction and burning of the great city, now John is in Heaven.

A great multitude… The voice John hears is coming from a “Great Multitude”. Who is this great multitude? The “Great Multitude” (polus ochlos)is used 3 times in Revelation. (7:9, 19:1,6). In Revelation 7:9 the “Great Multitude” are those who are killed during the “Great Tribulation. The Great tribulation is in the last half of the 7 year tribulation.

¹⁴And I said to him, ^£“Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.

Revelation 7:14

The great multitude shouting would include the saints killed in the first half of the tribulation. These saints are seen when the 5^th seal is opened in Revelation 6:9-11. They receive white robes and are told to rest till;

“until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed” Revelation 6:11b.

The completion of their death takes place during the 2^nd half of the tribulation period. These tribulation saints of the first Half (Rev 6:9) and the tribulation saints of the second half (Revelation 15:2) is the justification given for the annihilation of Babylon. (Revelation 18:20).

In the first verse of Chapter 19, we see in this “Great Multitude” the collection of “Tribulation” saints praising God for the destruction of Babylon.

Alleluia…. (Gr. alleôlouia...From the Hebrew words haòlal (Praise) and yaòhh (Shortened form of Yahweh, Jehovah). The saints in heaven are singing praise to the Creator, of the universe. This is the first time this word is used in the New Testament and it’s used 4 times in the 19^th chapter. (Rev 19:1,3-4,6).

His Judgments….The “Great Multitude” in praising God cheers the destruction of Babylon as righteous and true. There comes a time when God will judge sin.

The great harlot….The great harlot is the false religious system that existed from the time of first Babylon under Nimrod. In the end this system would make it possible for the worship of the Beast.

Corrupted the earth… Satan, who would be worshipped as god by the inhabitants of the Earth in the 2^nd half destroys the “Great harlot”, Satan incarnated, becomes the focus of all worship. With a world wide economic system in place in the 2^nd half of the tribulation, The Antichrist will become the focus corrupting the Earth through religious, economic and military might. Any who wish to survive must submit to the kingdom of the Beast operating out of future Babylon.

Avenged on her… The great harlot was the behind the killing of the saints. From the earliest times she deceived the inhabitants through her religious system.

Her smoke….The eternal judgment on those who dwelt in this city will continue forever. This is not referring to the city itself but to the inhabits of the city. The inhabitants of Babylon upon its incineration were taken to Hades to await the “Great White Throne” Judgment where the smoke of their torment will be eternal.

¹¹And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” Revelation 14:11

24 Elders & Angels Alleluia

⁴And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!” Revelation 19:4

Twenty four elders… (Gr. presbuteros... elder; as noun, a senior; specifically an Israelite Sanhedrist) The 24 are first seen in the Revelation 4:4, they represent the church or more probably the Church and Israel since the word for elder means senior. This term was used in the context of the Sanhedrin. Twelve of the twenty-four elders are the apostles thrones based on Matthew 19:28 with the other 12 representing Israel. This can also be seen in the description of the “New Jerusalem” which has 12 gates inscribed with the names of the 12 tribes of Israel. New Jerusalem 12 walls are inscribed with the names of the 12 apostles. These 24 elders represent the body of believers prior to the tribulation period. They representing Israel and the church, in Heaven, along with the “Tribulation” saints, give praise the creator.

Four living creatures… The four living creatures represent the angels in heaven who with the “Pre-Tribulation” saints both Old and New Testament shout Alleluia to the destruction of Babylon.

Praise from the Throne

⁵Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both^£ small and great!” Revelation 19:5

Voice came from the throne… The voice came from the throne can be none other then Jesus Christ who leads Heaven in praise. This fulfills the 22^nd Psalm which pictures Jesus as Suffering Messiah whose hands and feet were pierced, and garments divided one day leading the redeemed in praise of the Lord.

They^£ pierced My hands and My feet;¹⁷ I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me.

¹⁸ They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.

²² I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You. ²³You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!

Psalm 22:16b-18,22-23

The Lamb is seated on the Throne with the Father. (Revelation 3:21;5:13;7:15,17;22:3)

The Marriage of the Lamb

⁶And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the^£ Lord God Omnipotent reigns! ⁷Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” ⁸And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Revelation 19:6-8

I heard…John hears the response to the call of praise from the Throne of God.

Voice of a great multitude….The “Great multitude” is the servants of God and those who fear Him, both small and great. Who were called to praise in the verse 5. The voice of the multitude is all of Heaven in praise of God.

Let us be glad…This is a time of celebration because the marriage of the Lamb is about to take place. And all of Heaven watches and participates either through observing or being a part of the bride.

The marriage of the Lamb… (Gr. arnion …lambkin,) The Lamb is the suffering Messiah who died as a sacrifice for our sins. The word for lamb is used 30 times in the New Testament, 29 times in Revelation.

His wife…The question is who is the wife of the Lamb? The Bride of Lamb is a point of varied discussion amongst theologians. With two prevalent opinions; the first is that the “Bride of the Lamb” is the Church from the time of Pentecost till the rapture; the second is the Bride is all the redeemed believers from Adam till the end Return of Christ and eventually those who come to Christ in the Millennium.

Who is the Wife of the Lamb?

	The Church Alone	The Church & Israel
Wife	The Church is called the Wife of Christ (Eph 5:22-32) (2 Cor. 11.1,2)	Israel is called the Wife of Jehovah to be restored after a period of separation. (Isaiah 54:5-10)(Hosea 2:16)
Divorce	Israel was divorced as an unfaithful wife of Jehovah. (Jeremiah 3:8)(Hosea 2;2) Jerusalem is called an “Adulterous wife” (Ezekiel 16:30) The church is called a virgin (2 Corn 11:2)	Judah was not part of the divorce. Israel is promised restoration (Hosea 3:4)(Jeremiah 3:8,9) (Isaiah 50:1)
New Covenant	John the Baptist declared he is a friend of the Bridegroom. Distinguishing his period from the church period.(John 3:29)	The promises of the New Covenant are made to Israel(Jeremiah 31:31)
Position of the Church	The Church has replaced Israel in the covenant blessing after she rejected Christ (Luke 14:15-24) (Matthew 22:1-14)	The Church is grafted into the covenant blessings of Israel (Romans 11:17-24)
New Jerusalem		The New Jerusalem made up of all believers is called the “Bride of Christ” (Revelation 21:2
Clothing of the Bride	Fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. (Rev 19:8)	Old Testament Saints are described as wearing White after being purified (Dan 11:35,12:10) Old Testament saints are promised to shine like the stars for leading many to righteousness (Daniel 12:3) Tribulation saints are described as wearing white (Revelation 6;11; 7:9,13,14)
Rule on the Earth	Bride is to return with Christ to the earth. (Revelation 19:14)	Tribulation saints are to rule with Christ for 1000 years (Revelation 20:4) Old Testament saints are to reign on the earth (Daniel 12:13, Jeremiah 30:9) Apostles rule over 12 tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28)

Depending on how you distinguish Israel and the Church and how you read the scriptures you may conclude the “Bride of Christ” to include or exclude members outside of the church from Pentecost till the rapture. My personal opinion tends to include all the redeemed from Adam till the return of Christ as part of the “Bride of the Lamb”. Saints such as Job, David and Daniel foretold, and looked forward to the coming of Messiah. When the Messiah came their redemption was complete as our redemption is complete when we accept Christ. The promises made to the church are also made to Old Testament and Tribulation saints. This would not be the case if the Church was distinct as being called the “Bride of the Lamb”.

Made herself ready…How the church will make itself ready for the wedding supper of the Lamb is through the judgment seat of Christ.

⁹For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. ¹⁰According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. ¹¹For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹²Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, ¹³each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. ¹⁴If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. I Corinthians 3:9-15

¹⁰For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:10

The word for “Judgment Seat” is Bema which was an elevated platform which the speaker stood on in the city of Corinth. The bema was also a portable judgment seat in which the tribunal would judge. In this case the “Bema” judgment of Christ will not be for salvation, but for rewards, to the faithful. The rewards will purify the works of the Church and prepare the body of believers to take possession of the kingdom. Crowns, positions of authority, as well as rewards will be handed out to the body. Also works from false motives will be burned but salvation will not be lost.

There are 5 crowns mentioned in the scriptures… The Bible mentions at least five possible crown rewards. The rewards include:

a. The incorruptible crown—given to those who master the old nature (1 Cor. 9:25-27).

b. The crown of rejoicing—given to soul-winners (Prov. 11:30; Dan. 12:3; 1 Thess. 2:19, 20).

c. The crown of life—given to those who successfully endure temptation (Jas. 1:2, 3; Rev. 2:10).

d. The crown of righteousness—given to those who especially love the doctrine of the rapture (2 Tim. 4:8). e. The crown of glory—given to faithful preachers and teachers (Acts 20:26-28; 2 Tim. 4:1, 2; 1 Pet. 5:2-4).

Saints will also be rewarded for persecution and instruction.

“Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven…” (Mt. 5:11, 12).

“Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away” (1 Pet. 5:2-4).

It was granted….As a result of the reward the church will be purified and arrayed in her rewards. The rewards are a grant or gift from the Lord for good works done in the body.

⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹not of works, lest anyone should boast. ¹⁰For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10

Fine linen….Described as the “Righteous acts of the saints” the glory of the body of will shine as result of the deeds done by members of the body.

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

⁹Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.” ¹⁰And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:9-10

He said,…This is the angel John will later worship and be rebuked for.

Blessed are those (Gr. makarios … supremely blest; by extension fortunate, well off:—blessed, happy (X -ier). Those who are called to the marriage supper are the same ones called to be participants in the marriage. This is demonstrated by the Greek word for called, which is the same word (Gr. kaleoô) used in Matthew 22:9 to invite those from the highways to the wedding of the King’s son.

The distinction is made by many interpreters between those invited to the marriage supper as opposed to those who are part of the “Bride of Christ”. If the “Bride” is the church alone then the “Blessed” are seen as Old Testament and Tribulation saints but if the Bride is viewed to be inclusive then the Blessed guests invited are those who are part of the Bride. Called or invited out from the world into eternal union with the Lamb.

Marriage supper of the Lamb…Weddings play a prominent role in picturing the kingdom of heaven. Two parables Matthew 22:1-14 and Luke 14:16-24 picture the kingdom of heaven like a banquet. Matthew 22 is seen as a wedding and Luke 14 as a great banquet with many invited guests. In both Matthew and Luke the attending guest are results of an original group’s refusal to attend the banquet. The attending guests are pictured as those who accepted the invitation of salvation as a result of Israel rejection of Messiah. The dinner is for the saved church not for the non-church. This dinner takes place in Heaven and not on earth. The dinner will include the Old Testament saints as well as the New Testament saints but will exclude those who rejected the Messiah.

¹¹And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. ¹²But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 8:11-12

Following the “Wedding of the Lamb” and the “Wedding Supper” the host of Heaven including the saints and angels will prepare for their entry into the Earth. This begins in the 11^th verse as the Wedding Guests prepare to depart on white horses with their wedding clothes.

I fell at his feet…..John is overwhelmed by all the events and the presence of this glorious angel causes him to fall down to worship. The angels bear the glory, one day believers will have, following these events.

²Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. ³And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure… I John 3:2-3

If this glorious angel refused the Apostle John to bow before him how much less does man think they have the right for their fellow man to bow or worship before them.

I am your fellow servant…. The angels are our fellow ministers in the kingdom of God. The angel also calls John his brethren (Gr. adelphos... 1) a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother). Following the resurrection the angels will become part of our heavenly family

³⁰For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels ^£of God in heaven. Matthew 22;30

Worship God…The angel rebukes John attempt at worship and informs John that he is as John is a co-laborer in the work of God.

The testimony of Jesus…Jesus is the center of scriptures in both the old and new testaments. The angel is telling John that Jesus is the center of all worship and scripture.

³⁹You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. ⁴⁰But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. John 5:39-40

The 2^nd half of Chapter 19 opens with the most dramatic scene in the history of the world. The physical world collides with the spiritual world. The armies of heaven descend with the King of the Universe leading the charge as the armies of the earth are gathered in the land where Jesus Christ was rejected, Israel.

Following the “Wedding of the Lamb” and the “Wedding Supper of the Lamb” united Heaven enters the physical world to establish the “Messianic Kingdom”. The armies of the Earth have been gathered to Israel by Satan, the Beast and False prophet to battle against the “Lamb”. Israel as a nation has come to the realization that Jesus Christ, the one who was rejected earlier is their only hope. Jesus, the rejected Messiah, is Messiah and Lord. The nation Israel prays for his rescue from the surrounding nations.

As the armies of heaven descend, the Antichrist and False prophet are literally picked up from their location and thrown into the Lake of Fire. Those gathered from the nations against Israel melt away as Christ and the saints descend to the Earth. The blood from these armies flow throughout the land of Israel and birds are called to eat their remains. The souls are sent to Hades to await final judgment. The Messianic age is about to begin as the Messiah and his saints reign on earth.

The King of Heaven

¹¹Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. ¹²His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He ^had a name written that no one knew except Himself. ¹³He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

Revelation 19:11-16

Now I saw….Following John’s witness to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb, John now witnesses another amazing event, the sky opening and Jesus returning with the armies of heaven.

Heaven opened…. (Gr…mesouraneôma....mid-sky:—midst of heaven.) The word used literally means mid-heaven or the physical sky. John sees the physical sky opened as the spiritual realm of heaven descends to the physical.

A white Horse…. John sees a literal white horse and a rider. Animals in heaven, especially horses in the spiritual realm can be seen when Elijah was taken up into heaven with horses of fire. (2 Kings 2:11) We also see horses and chariots of heaven surrounding the army of Syria that comes take Elisha captive.(2 Kings 6:17) Again we see the faces of animals portrayed in the faces of the “Four living creatures” with three having an animal like appearance of an eagle, lion and ox. (Revelation 4:7-8, Ezekiel 1:10). Before Jesus was crucified he came to Jerusalem riding on a donkey this time he will ride on a heavenly white horse.

Was called… The rider was called faithful, meaning that his word can be trusted. The first time Jesus came he was rejected by Israel. Jesus promised his return would not come until Israel accepts him as Messiah. At the time Israel recognizes Jesus, the armies will come. This happens at the conclusion of the 7 year tribulation period.

³⁹for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

Matthew 23:39

The return of Christ is according to his word his word is faithful. The rider is also called true which means real, corresponding to what is actual. The idea of the “Second Coming” is seen as fiction by a skeptical, secular world. But in answer to this the rider is called True.

³knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, ⁴and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”

2 Peter 2:3

In righteousness… The return of Christ and all his actions are done according to equity, what’s deserved. The armies have gathered in rebellion and they will be judged by their own actions. The war against the Lamb will justify the Lamb’s war against them.

His eyes…. John description of the rider’s eyes like a “flame of fire” is repeated two other times in Revelation. (1:14;2:18). Fire in the scriptures has a dual connotation; holiness and judgment. The angel of the Lord appears in a “Flame of Fire” to Moses who is told to take off his shoes for he is standing on Holy ground. At night during the exodus journey God appeared in a pillar of fire. We also see the sacrifices in the temple burned by fire at the altar. Fire will test our works. (1 Corn. 3:13) And fire will be the eternal abode of the wicked in the Lake of Fire. (Revelation 20:10-15)

His head…. The rider is also described as having many crowns. The word for crown used here is diadem meaning rule. Jesus is returning to rule the earth. He will rule over the nations which is the reason crown is plural. The first time Jesus came was to die for the sins of mankind, this time he is coming to rule over mankind. The picture of the Suffering and King Messiah is seen throughout the Messianic prophecies. In Zechariah 9:9-10 and Isaiah 9:6-7 are two known verses.

⁶ For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

⁷ Of the increase of His government and peace

There will be no end,

Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,

To order it and establish it with judgment and justice

From that time forward, even forever.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this`

Isaiah 9:6-7

⁹ “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold, your King is coming to you;

He is just and having salvation,

Lowly and riding on a donkey,

A colt, the foal of a donkey.

¹⁰ I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim

And the horse from Jerusalem;

The battle bow shall be cut off.

He shall speak peace to the nations;

His dominion shall be ‘from sea to sea,

And from the River to the ends of the earth.’

Zechariah 9:9-10

Here we see the two natures of Messiah, one suffering and lowly, the other king and exalted. In the 19^th chapter we see the Son of Man returning as exalted King. Daniel 7:13 gives us this picture of Messiah as Son of Man and King over the Earth.

¹³ “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man,

Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.

¹⁴ Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples,

nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.

Daniel 7:13-14

In the 19^th chapter we witness the transition of Earth’s rule, from the kings of the Earth to the King of the Universe.

A name written…An unknowable name speaks to infinites of The Lord. Even with the Wedding and the Supper of the Lamb complete. Jesus is still beyond our grasp and understanding. A name that only he Himself knows reminds us the deity of the rider.

Was clothed…… Before Jesus was crucified he wore a scarlet robe splattered with his blood. The blood came on the robe as they placed a crown of thorns on his head. This time Jesus will return with a robe, dipped in blood, making it red from judging the nations. He will have many crowns not a thorn of crowns.

²⁸And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. ²⁹When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Matthew 27:28

The book of Isaiah pictured the coming of Messiah in Judgment of the nations for the redemption of his people. The blood of the nations will stain his glorious apparel. This portion of Isaiah tells the Lord will descend from the area of Edom, east of Jerusalem.

¹ Who is this who comes from Edom,

With dyed garments from Bozrah,

This One who is glorious in His apparel,

Traveling in the greatness of His strength?—

“I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”

² Why is Your apparel red,

And Your garments like one who treads in the winepress?

³ “I have trodden the winepress alone,

And from the peoples no one was with Me.

For I have trodden them in My anger,

And trampled them in My fury;

Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments,

And I have stained all My robes.

⁴ For the day of vengeance is in My heart,

And the year of My redeemed has come.

⁵ I looked, but there was no one to help,

And I wondered

That there was no one to uphold;

Therefore My own arm brought salvation for Me;

And My own fury, it sustained Me.

⁶ I have trodden down the peoples in My anger,

Made them drunk in My fury,

And brought down their strength to the earth.” Isaiah 63:1-6

His name…. Jesus was described as the Word in John 1:1. The word of God is when God has chosen to make himself known to his creation through his prophets. When God has entered the realm of man (Gr. logos (with the article in John) the Divine Expression (that is, Christ):—account, cause, communication) God has entered the Realm of man in the flesh. Christ will return to his creation to dwell with them and be in their presence. A picture of Messiah on the Earth in the Millennium Temple can be seen in Ezekiel.

⁶Then I heard Him speaking to me from the temple, while a man stood beside me. ⁷And He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever. Ezekiel 43:6-7

The Armies of Heaven

¹⁴And the armies in heaven, clothed in ^fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Revelation 19:14

Armies in heaven…The armies of heaven will be made up of saints and angels. Before the marriage of the Lamb, the saints were rewarded for their works done in the body with works of flesh being burned. Now the saints are prepared to serve in their capacity.

¹⁴Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, ¹⁵to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” Jude vs. 14

⁷ To execute vengeance on the nations, And punishments on the peoples;

⁸ To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron;

⁹ To execute on them the written judgment—This honor have all His saints.

Praise the LORD! Psalm 149:7-9 Thus the LORD my God will come, And all the saints with ^You. Zechariah 14:5b

Along with the saints all the angels will descend from Heaven.

³¹“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the ^holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. ³²All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. Matthew 25:31-32

Clothed… The clothing of the saints is the same mentioned in verse 8.

White horses…Like Jesus the saints will have white horses to accompany them on their desent from heaven.

Wrath of Almighty God

¹⁵Now out of His mouth goes a ^sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. ¹⁶And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Revelation 19:15-16

Out of his mouth….The judgment of the nations will not involve any physical strength between the forces of God and Satan. The word out of the mouth of Christ alone will be sufficient to destroy the assembled armies. This was prophesied in Isaiah 700 years before the birth of Jesus.

He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,

And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. Isaiah 11:4

Zechariah gives a vivid account of how the armies of the earth will be destroyed who are gathered in Israel. The armies of the earth will be gathered along the 181 (1600 furlongs) miles of Israel from the north to the south. The will concentrate around Jerusalem and Megiddo to the north. Then as Christ, the saints and angels appear in the eastern sky an amazing thing happens.

Their flesh will literally dissolve and their blood will begin to flow down the hills and into streams flowing the height of a horses bridle.

²⁰And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs. Rev 14:20

¹²And this shall be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet, Their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, And their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths.¹³It shall come to pass in that day That a great panic from the LORD will be among them. Everyone will seize the hand of his neighbor, And raise his hand against his neighbor’s hand; Zechariah 14;12-13

He Himself will rule… The government established on the earth after the return of Christ and the saints will not be a democracy but a benevolent theocracy. Jesus will be King Messiah who will bring peace to the Earth for the next 1000 years. (Millennium) The administration of nations and populations from those who survive the 7-year tribulation and the purging of sin will be done by the saints.

¹⁶And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. ¹⁷And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain. Zechariah 14:16

The saints will rule over cities and the nations during this 1000 reign of Messiah. This will be part of the reward for a faithful life in the body.

¹⁶Then came the first, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned ten minas.’ ¹⁷And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’ ¹⁸And the second came, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned five minas.’ ¹⁹Likewise he said to him, ‘You also be over five cities.’ Luke 19:16-19

²⁷ Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven,

Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’ Daniel 7:27

Treads the winepress….A winepress was a machine used to make wine. Grapes would be gathered and trampled underfoot, as the skin broke the crushed grapes the juice would flow into channels and collect in pools. Here the nations are gathered toward Jerusalem in the winepress of God’s wrath for sin. Joel 2600 years ago foretold of this future event and the gathering of the nations. Its called the valley of decision because it’s the result of making the wrong choice.

¹² “Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.

¹³ Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; For the winepress is full,

The vats overflow— For their wickedness is great.”

¹⁴ Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

¹⁵ The sun and moon will grow dark, And the stars will diminish their brightness.

¹⁶ The LORD also will roar from Zion, And utter His voice from Jerusalem; The heavens and earth will shake;

But the LORD will be a shelter for His people, And the strength of the children of Israel. Joel 3:12-16

As the armies of the Earth are gathering the remnant in the wilderness and Jerusalem seek the Lord with all their heart. Israel finally understand Jesus, the rejected Messiah, was really their King Messiah. Here Joel pictures this transformation of the nation who to this very day despises Jesus.

¹⁵ Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast,Call a sacred assembly;

¹⁶ Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babes;

Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, And the bride from her dressing room.

¹⁷ Let the priests, who minister to the LORD, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, “Spare Your people, O LORD, And do not give Your heritage to reproach, That the nations should rule over them.

Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”

18Then the LORD will be zealous for His land, And pity His people. Joel 2:15-18

As Israel cries out to Jesus, the Messiah an amazing thing begins to happen. The weak and frail are given the strength of a King David. Others receive supernatural power like angels which allow them to fight off the advances from the nations. Then out of the Eastern sky, they will see the “Glorious appearing” of the Son of Man. In addition, Israel will begin to weep as they realize the one who they so despised was indeed their Lord and Redeemer.

⁶In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a firepan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place—Jerusalem.

⁷“The LORD will save the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall not become greater than that of Judah. ⁸In that day the LORD will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the Angel of the LORD before them. ⁹It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

¹⁰“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. ¹¹In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the plain of ^Megiddo Zechariah 12:6-11

He has on… The nation emerges from the wilderness and Jerusalem and gathers around the Mount of Olives not far from where Jesus was crucified. On the cross was affixed the name to Jesus which read “King of the Jews”, which the leaders resented. This same Jesus will appear with a name

And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,

Which faces Jerusalem on the east.

And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two,

From east to west, Zechariah 14:4

Nations defeated

¹⁷Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the ^supper of the great God, ¹⁸that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, ^free and slave, both small and great.” Revelation 19:17-18

An angel standing… The angel is probably blocking the sun and shining brighter then the sun.

He cried…The bodies and blood of nations which were destroyed at the return of Christ will begin to putrefy the land. So birds from all over the earth are called to devour their remains.

A similar event happened in Israel 7 years before this event in the battle of Gog and Magog. Birds were called to eat the remains of the attacking armies who were destroyed in Israel.

Ezekiel 39:17-20.

Supper of the great God…The identity and recognition of the dead will be meaningless, as both small and great took part in the attack on the Lamb.

Judgment of Beast, False Prophet and armies of earth.

¹⁹And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. ²⁰Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. ²¹And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. Revelation 19:19-21

I saw the beast….The beast is actually two persons in one body. One is the individual who was in charge of his during the first ½ of the tribulation. And the other Satan who was cast out of heaven and incarnated the body of the beast. Satan used the beast and his kingdom as his natural extensions. Satan gathered the nations, kings and armies of the earth around Jerusalem for this final battle.

The beast was captured…The man and Satan who both dwelt inside the body of the beast was literally picked up from his location.

The false prophet….The third part of the Satanic trinity, the false prophet was also captured. Both the Beast and the false prophet were embedded with the armies who were surrounding Israel. Both were plucked up in the sight of their armies right before the return of Christ.

Lake of Fire…These two individuals became the first occupants of the lake of fire the eventual location where all who do not know Christ will one day go. Satan is sent to the abyss bound and weakened for the next 1000 years. (Isaiah 14:12, Revelation 20:1)

The rest were killed…The armies of the earth became food for the birds as noted earlier. But the souls of those killed went to Hell to await the “Great White Throne” judgment at the end of the millennium. (Revelation 20:11)