As we approach the 19th Chapter of John’s Revelation we may be reminded of the situation of the church to which John was writing. They had been experiencing persecution and rejection at the hands of government and society for at least two generations. They saw a world that was completely given over to sin. The worldly culture promoted rebellion against God through any possible means. They had known no other world. These people had witnessed the martyrdom of many of their own fellowship as well as the martyrdom of deacons and apostles. These were a people who badly needed encouragement. They needed to know that the suffering that they experienced at the hands of this evil world because of their faith was not in vain.

Prior to Jesus’ ascension, He promised that He would return (John 14:3.) and that nobody would know the time of his returning (Matt. 24:43-44; 1 Thess 5:2.) Therefore, it is inappropriate for us to look at John’s description of the second coming of Jesus with an intent upon determining when it will happen, so there will be no attempt to do so here. Furthermore, the chronological sequence of events that surround the second coming of Christ is not clear. Many in the church have pigeonholed themselves into camps of thought as to this sequence, and defend their views to the point of argument. Such behavior is inconsistent with the gospel message of unity inspired by agape love. Even students at the nations’ respected seminaries divide themselves up by their millennial views.

John’s Revelation was not written to divide the church into doctrinal camps. Rather, his purpose was simple: to present the gospel in an apocalyptic style to a people who desperately needed encouragement.

Recall the apocalyptic style: People, places and things are not literally described. Instead, they are described by their attributes. Furthermore, those attributes are described using symbolic metaphor and imagery. First century readers understood much of the symbolism used in the apocalyptic genre because of its relatively common use. In some circumstances where the symbolism is not clearly understood, John immediately informs the reader what the symbolism represents. One should not get lost in the text by trying to focus on the symbols as the object of the writer. One must dig deeper to find what it is that John is describing in those symbols.

After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.

As John frequently does in the Revelation, he returns us to the throne where the multitude of the faithful are engaged in worship. In this way John continues to remind us that the wrath of God’s judgment is reserved for those who have chosen to place their trust in the things of this world rather than turn to Him in faith. We are also reminded that the faithful are safely gathered at the throne of heaven, celebrating the glory of God, while the judgments of the LORD are meted out upon satan, sin, and those who are immersed in it. Though the faithful are affected by the consequences of their own sin and the sin of others in this world, their experience is not the result of either God’s judgment upon them nor the result of His condemnation. There is no condemnation for those who have placed their faith in God (Romans 8:1).

for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants." ³And again they shouted: "Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever." ⁴The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: "Amen, Hallelujah!" ⁵Then a voice came from the throne, saying: "Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both small and great!"

In the previous Chapter, John describes the destruction of Babylon. What does Babylon symbolize? Prior to its destruction, it was the largest city in the region, infamous for its wickedness. Babylon is referred to as a home for demons and every evil spirit (18:2). Where do we see Babylon today? We see the spirit of Babylon throughout the world system. The decadence of Babylon is seen in all of our cities. Much of society has become like Sodom and Gomorrah, separated only by the remnant of faithful believers that inhabit them. Babylon is described as the mother of all of the sin and idolatry that so characterizes this world. Like the sin that so characterizes the sinner, she is the sin that characterizes all of the wickedness and godlessness of this world.

What does verse 2 say about God’s judgments upon satan, Babylon, and those that follow them? God’s judgments are just. He is not bringing His judgment upon the faithful, but upon the true source of sin and guilt: satan himself. John reminds the readers that God will judge, and will do so in a just and final manner. Their suffering at the hands of evil and wicked people will be vindicated. Those who seem to have the power in this world will face God’s wrath for their rebellion. Though the final judgment has not taken place in the lifetimes of the readers, God’s promise of justice can be relied on to the point that we can consider the justice already done. For this justice, the hosts of heaven praise God.

In verse 3, the host praises God by saying that the smoke goes up from “her” for ever and ever. One can perceive an image of a smoldering fire that continues to burn without end. Who is the one from whom this smoke eternally rises? The “her” is Babylon the Great, the harlot, the power of sin. The destruction of this evil world will be complete, and permanent. It will never be rebuilt.

The remainder of this passage contains more acclamations of praise.

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.

When the shouts of the hosts of heaven are described in John’s Revelation , it is often as the sound of rushing waters, or peals of thunder. This is not the sound of a few souls standing at the altar. It is the sound of a mighty sea of people shouting. This is quite a contrast to the worship that we experience as a church. Though there are some who shout praises during worship, for most congregations, such an outburst of praise is frowned upon as ignorant or a lack of self-control. There will come a time when Satan no longer can hold closed the lips of the elect. There will be a time when the persecution will stop, and all will be free to praise God, for all will truly see that He fully reigns, and Satan is thoroughly defeated.

There are multiple stages in the defeat of evil. The first was when Satan was cast out of heaven; the second is when Babylon is destroyed and God becomes King of the earth, defeating Satan on the turf he was given for God’s purpose.

We might recall that the first-century church was bound by Roman law to worship the Emperor as their lord and their god. The title used for God here, literally "Our Lord and our God," is the same title that the Roman Emperor Domitian demanded for himself. First century readers would have recognized this, and in doing so understand the folly of Domitian’s demand. It would also encourage them to know that the true authority is held by God, and God alone. The Emperor is no god, and is not even a good imposter.

Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. ⁸Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)

The metaphor of the bride goes back to the OT representation of Jehovah married to Israel (Hos 2:19, Isa. 54:1-8). Here the metaphor denotes the permanent communion of Christ with the community of men and women whom he has purchased with his blood. Though some dispensationalists would argue that this group is limited only to the saved from the post-resurrection period, this is only a speculation based upon the dispensational model. No such limit is stated in scripture. Consequently, if this limitation is not applied, the wedding of the Lamb refers to the consummation, or final union, of the redeemed of all ages with Christ. It is this event that is the focal event in John’s Revelation. It is surrounded by the defeat of evil and its eternal separation from all that is righteous. This is a simple and encouraging message.

John’s meaning of the metaphor of the fine linen is not as evident to first-century readers as are others in John’s text, so he inserts an explanation that defines it as the righteous acts of the saints. This should not be confused with the “filthy rags” righteousness of Isaiah 64:6. The righteous acts we perform for our own purposes and from our own power are as filthy rags. Many unsaved people (and saved for that matter) do great philanthropic acts for a variety of reasons both selfish and unselfish. The only truly righteous acts that we perform are those that are motivated and immersed in God’s agape love. The former works of the flesh are denounced by Paul whereas the latter works of the Spirit are promoted by the book of James as irrepressible indications of a life of faith. Paul and James do not disagree on the mode of salvation. They simply apply their use of the word “works” in a different manner. It is those works of the Spirit, made righteous by God’s agape love that are described here as bright and clean linen. This statement of clothing does not stand alone. We may also note that the bright pure raiment of the bride is in striking contrast with the harlot's clothing (17:4, 18:16).

Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'" And he added, "These are the true words of God."

All men are called by God, but when the time has come for the bride to come to the wedding supper of the Lamb, only the faithful are invited (Mt 22:3, Lk 14:8), and upon them this blessing is pronounced. There is an irony in that the church is the bride of Christ and at the same time is the guest at the wedding supper.

As is still true today, the ancient Greeks promoted a philosophy of relativism that rejects the concept of any singular and inviolable truth, replacing it with the belief that each person can formulate their own version of truth. By rejecting truth, this philosophy strips an individual of the solid foundation that truth provides, leaving them both to (1) wander throughout their lives searching for that truth, and (2) leading them to reject the truth they search for. This relativism is simply one more ornament in Babylon’s bejeweled gown, one more lie that looks attractive to the world but serves to draw people away from God. God’s Word is a foundational and inviolable truth upon which all mankind can rely. God’s Word is a gift that God has given to us that in it we can be saved from the judgment to come. Rather than face that judgment, those who have come to accept that truth find themselves blessed as they take part in the wedding supper of the Lamb.

At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

John is so overwhelmed by the magnitude of this message that he was about to fall and worship the angel, the one who brings the message to him. The angel reminded John that he is one with all of those brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus, and that he should worship God only. The error made by John is seemingly replicated today by far too many Christians. Rather than save our veneration for God, we often venerate those who bring the message, creating differing levels of righteousness or spiritual value. Just as the world does, we evaluate and judge, putting some of the faithful on pedestals while subjugating others. Some have raised the state of some of the faithful, including Mary the mother of Jesus, the apostles, and many others, to the point of veneration whereby people are called to pray to them. These have been raised to the point that they are considered intermediaries between God and man, a position reserved for Jesus alone.

I was recently interviewed by the chancellor of one of our well-respected Southern Baptist seminaries for an open faculty position. Before entering his office I was coached on where to sit, how to sit, where to place my hands, and how to speak. I was only to answer his questions, and never to speak without his particular request. Even the name I would use to refer to him was dictated. My entry into his presence was more formal then when I reported to the Lieutenant (3-Star) General Base Commander at Andrews AFB. In our first exchange of words I responded to his initial greeting with, “We have met before, but at the time you were preoccupied and looked through me.” The vice chancellor was amused by my candor and we were able start our meeting on level ground.

We are to reserve our worship for God, and God alone.

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.

We find ourselves herein thrust back into apocalyptic imagery reminiscent of Revelation 6:2. In our culture, horses are used for a variety of purposes, mostly recreational. As recent as three generations ago, the predominant use of a horse was as a power source in agriculture. At the time of this writing, the rarity and value of horses limited their use primarily by the military. Other animals were more efficiently applied to agriculture, but those lacked the speed, intelligence, and controllability of a horse. So, John looks into heaven and sees a white horse (white meaning) and a rider. This horse is given a clearly military connotation. Who is riding the horse? In true apocalyptic form, his given name is never revealed. Rather, he is referred to by metaphors pertaining to his attributes. First we see that he is Faithful and True. There is only one who is completely faithful and that one is Jesus There is only one who is completely true and that one is Jesus.

The white horse should not be equated or confused with the white horse of Revelation 6:2, one of the four horses which are metaphors for four attributes of God’s judgment upon satan and the world of sin. The earlier rider who carried a bow and was bent on “conquest” was one of the four plagues to be loosed upon the followers of the beast. However, in the same manner, the metaphor of the horse is used to identify the character of the one it is associated with, one with the power to execute the task He is to perform.

There is little that would encourage John’s readers more than to know that the authority of Rome and of the Jewish religious leaders is not the final authority, and that an event will take place to vindicate their suffering. Furthermore, it is the One, the person of Jesus who will vindicate their suffering. As Jehoshaphat stood and watched his enemies annihilate themselves when God fought the battle, the message here is clear that God is going to fight the winning battle over sin and death. Jesus’ nature is of true justice and with that nature He will judge the wicked. It is that judgment that will defeat the enemy, Satan.

His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. ¹³He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.

As we look at verse 12, let us not lose the context of the passage. The eyes of the rider are described as like a blazing fire. In this context we can note the ancient use of fire to purify, to separate. Their culture had a need for iron and bronze that was purified by melting it with fire. This process (smelting) would separate the pure metal from the impurities that would then be thrown away, never to be used. Likewise the eyes of the rider have power to separate the righteous from the wicked. These are eyes that look right straight to the heart of the person, revealing their true nature, their deceit, and judging their final, and eternal, state.

We may recall from apocalyptic metaphor that crowns are often used to refer to authority. A king would wear a crown that symbolizes his authority, his right to make judgments, and to rule. On the head of the rider are many crowns. Another way to refer to this is that he is “fully” or “completely” crowned, giving the connotation of complete authority. The rider has complete authority over all. Recall that His position on the white horse identifies his power to use that authority.

The second half of verse 12 states that he has a name that no one knows but He himself. Remember that this use of the word “name” is a reference to the nature of the one named. It is in this context that scripture admonishes us to believe on the “name” of Jesus to be saved. Even Satan believes in Jesus, but he rejects his “name.” Jesus “name” is the fullness of his nature and purpose. Who completely understands Jesus nature and purpose? We strive to understand, to be more like Jesus as Paul admonishes, and even through intense and concentrated prayer and Bible study we will never completely understand what Paul refers to as the “unsearchable riches” of Christ (Eph. 3:8).

He is dressed in a white robe dipped in blood. The use of symbolism here is obvious. What color is the robe? (White.) What has it been dipped in? (Blood.) What happens to the color of a robe if you literally dip it in blood? (It turns blood red.) Jesus’ robe is pure and spotless. Jesus is enclosed in purity. Furthermore that purity is bestowed upon him by way of the blood, his atoning act on the cross. Some argue that this is the blood of the conquered in battle. This interpretation represents a vast misunderstanding of the judgment that will take place. Jesus will not strike down the evil by the shedding of their blood, staining Himself in the process. He will utterly destroy them with the word of truth that will separate them from God for eternity.

Jesus’ name is applied the most literally in the last half of verse 13 as the “Word of God.” John often referred to Jesus as the Word, the Logos, most notably in John 1:1-2 and John 1:14. If there is any doubt as to the identity of the rider, such doubt should vanish here.

The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. ¹⁵Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. ¹⁶On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Following Jesus are the white-clad armies of heaven on white horses - a symbol of victory. Again they are clothed in white, clean linen, referring to the testimony of their righteous acts. The faithful reader will see himself as part of this army, part of this group who have been given “white robes.” The stage is set for a bloody battle. One would think that if this were a literal army, those dressed in white who follow Jesus will be an army of soldiers, brandishing powerful weapons, posed to do battle. If this were the case, we would be facing the responsibility to fight alongside Jesus in this final battle. Such an interpretation ignores the context and metaphors used here. How is Jesus going to fight? What is the source of Jesus’ sword?

The sword comes from his mouth. It is with the spoken word of truth that Jesus will judge the wicked. It is a truth that we already know, though we may not completely understand it. It is the truth that is now foolishness to those who do not believe (1 Cor. 1:18,23;2:14). The iron scepter is an allusion to Psalm 2:9 and is repeated in Revelation 2:27 and 12:5. The Psalmist makes use of the metaphor of the iron scepter shattering clay pottery. Pottery stands no chance against an iron hammer, and the powers of evil can gain no more ground against the truth of the Word of God.

Just as the fire is used to separate, the winepress is also used to separate, to remove from the grape that which is impure and undesirable, leaving behind the pure wine. It is in God’s nature to allow only that which is pure and holy into His presence, and all that is impure must be separated and rejected. It is this demand that is illustrated as the fury and wrath of God Almighty.

Again, the title on his robe and thigh is meant for Himself only, and challenges directly the title of the Roman Emperor, Domitian. It may be interesting to note that in Greek sculpture, the identity of the image was often carved on the robe and/or thigh. The first century Christian would recognize this metaphor.

And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God, ¹⁸so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great."

The image of the birds further epitomizes the gravity of the defeat of evil. Here is written a contrast between the feast of the birds and the marriage supper of the Lamb that was presented in verse nine. That the dead should be left unburied for the birds of prey to feast on added to the shame of the defeat of evil. In no way could the dishonor of the lost be more forcefully described than this. Again, the first-century reader is receiving a promise of vindication for the ironic experience of victory that evil seems to have in this world. Little has changed in the last 20 centuries. Satan is still prince of this world, and his fall will be great. That we can be sure of.

Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army.

It is this passage that is most often referred to as the final battle of Armageddon. If we interpret this as a literal armed conflict as some have done we will tend to ascribe it to specific places (such as the plain of Megiddo as some have done) or a stand made by a certain group of people. Do not lose sight that the battle is between God and the power of evil in this wicked world, and the participants are the evil for all ages. Again, the battle will be waged using one weapon: the truth of the Word of God that is pronounced by Jesus, the Word of God. That word will do the separating.

But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. ²¹The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

John describes the struggle of the Warrior on the white horse with the Beast, the False Prophet and the kings of the earth. The battle has been “fought” between the heavenly Warrior and his foes, but note that there is no real battle. The pronouncement of the Word simply destroys the enemy. They are destroyed in their death, and death in and of itself means separation, not necessarily annihilation. If it were annihilation, there would be no need for the eternal lake of burning sulfur, referring to extreme torment. If one is familiar at all with sulfur burns they understand the concept of the burning lake. If burning sulfur is to get on one’s skin, it continues to burn through, producing extreme pain and debilitating injury.

How were the beast, false prophet and their armies killed? By the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider. Simply by the Word. Christ spoke the judgment and it was so.

A literal aside might be amusing at this point: The beast and the false prophet were cast into the lake of fire, and all of the people were killed with their bodies left for the birds to eat. If the previous woes had literally taken place in the sequence of the text, these birds were quite hungry.

Christ’s return will take place with a purpose. It will bring an end to the age (Matt. 28:20.) where Satan and evil have had their reign. All the evil that we see empowered in society and government will be separated from God for eternity along with those souls who ascribe to their authority. The Word of God will bring the righteous to Himself for eternity.