Understanding Revelation (19:16)~Newton

"On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords."

(Revelation 19:16)

John has already told that when the beast and his army wage war against the Lamb they will discover that “He is Lord of lords and King of kings” (Rev. 17:14). For that reason, He conquers every power opposing Him. The collective might of all the lords of earth seeks to stand against Jesus Christ. They presently oppose Him: shutting down churches, throwing believers into prison, kidnapping and killing Christians, deriding the Bible and its gospel message, infiltrating churches with a watered-down gospel, persecuting the saints. But that opposition will fizzle before the presence of Him who is King of kings and Lord of lords! He is the One before whom every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father! (Phil. 2:10-11).

(Phil A. Newton)

Understanding Revelation (19:15)~Riddlebarger

"From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty."

(Revelation 19:15)

In (Isaiah 49:2) we read of the word of God, placed in the prophet’s mouth, and cutting like a sword. In (Isaiah 11:4) we read of the word of God’s mouth, striking the nations. Now these two verses are brought together to speak of divine vengeance. In (Psalm 2:9), the Psalmist speaks of Israel’s Davidic Messiah, who will break all of his enemies with a rod of iron. And then, in (Isaiah 63), we read of YHWH judging the nations as though he were stomping wine in a press, venting his fury. All of these are now brought together to demonstrate the severity of the divine judgment which is coming upon the whole world, as well as to remind us of the authority of the judge.

(Kim Riddlebarger)

Understanding Revelation (19:14)~Riddlebarger

"And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses."

(Revelation 19:14)

When Jesus Christ returns in judgment he does not come alone. The hosts of heaven follow after him, wearing the garments given them by their leader. As to the identities of those who accompany Christ, there are a number of texts which speak of an angelic army executing Christ’s final judgment.

In (Matthew 13:40-42) we read, “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” But given the fact that these people are clothed in white garments, and given the statement in Revelation 17:14 that the Lamb “will overcome [his enemies] because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers” it is likely that these are the saints who accompany Christ and his angelic armies on the day of judgment. Notice too, these soldiers do not fight in the great battle. But they do accompany the one who slays the wicked, who will strike the nations with his rod of judgment.

(Kim Riddlebarger)

Understanding Revelation (19:13)~Poythrees

"He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God."

(Revelation 19:13)

The name Word of God, as in John 1:1, reminds us of his role of power in creation (Gen. 1:3; Ps. 33:6) and providence (Ps. 147:15; Lam. 3:37-38; Heb. 1:3). By virtue of his divine and his Lordship over all, he has ability to wrap up in final form the history that he has ruled over from the beginning (Isa. 11:4).

The significance of the robe dipped in blood is ambiguous. Some think that Christ’s own blood, the blood the redeems the saints, is in view (5:9). This view is possible, because Christ’s sacrifice is the key to the working out of God’s plan for all of history, including its consummation (5:2-6). But the picture developed in 19:13 has close affinities with Isaiah 63:2-3, where God as the divine warrior spatters his garment with the blood of the enemies whom he tramples in the winepress (as in Rev. 19:15). The context in Revelation 19 is one where Christ destroys his enemies in blood, not one where he redeems the saints. Hence, the connection with (Isaiah 63:2-3) is the significant one.

(Vern Poythrees)

Understanding Revelation (19:12)~Newton

"His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself."

(Revelation 19:12)

 Here we grapple with the transcendence and incomprehensibility of our Lord. There are things about God that we do know. Each aspect of our knowledge, as long as it accords with Scripture, is something that God has revealed to us. Yet we have not plumbed the depths or soared to the heights of the knowledge of Jesus Christ in His essence or being. What John implies is that in this life and the next, we cannot exhaust the knowledge of Christ. 

The early sixth century writer, Andrew of Caesarea stated, “That his name is unknown signifies the incomprehensibility of his essence. By virtue of his works he is known by many names, such as Good, Shepherd, Sun, Light, Life, Righteous, Holiness, Redemption.” Further he wrote, “Similarly, he is called by terms of negation, such as Incorruptible, Invisible, Immortal, Unchangeable. However, according to his essence he is without name and is unapproachable, being known by himself alone with the Father and the Spirit”. Paul expressed it best after he wrestled with God’s sovereignty in salvation. “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!” (Rom. 11:33)

(Dr. Phil A. Newton)

Understanding Revelation (19:11)~Newton

"Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war."

(Revelation 19:11)

Here we see Christ, not as the gentle Lamb but as the Conquering Warrior and King. All of those rejecting Christ as “the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), will know Him as the terrifying Warrior that conquers every vestige of evil in the world. This fourth vision reinforces the certainty of Christ’s second coming and the finality of judgment on the unbelieving world. John has already introduced the second coming of Christ (Rev. 11:15-16; 14:1-5), yet in the typical fashion of apocalyptic writing, he introduces an idea only to return to it later with more detail, filling in the gaps in our understanding and amplifying the majestic picture before us. 

Those of us that were introduced to the idea of Christ’s return by cheesy movies and glamorized novels must unlearn some things! Jesus promised His return at the appointed time as an encouragement to His disciples (Matt. 24:29-31; John 14:3). Believers found comfort and motivation to faithfulness due to the promise of Christ’s return (1 Thes. 4:13-18; Titus 2:13-14; 1 John 3:1-3). Just as that was true for 1st century Christians, it is the same for us. As we consider the rebellious nature of the world that is so bent on the lusty pursuit of all manner of sin and unbelief, then it is a great consolation to know that one day Christ will return, judging the world and eliminating every trace of sin. When He returns, there will be no more unbelief! All unbelievers will face His wrath; though too late for eternal life, they will confess that He is Lord (Phil. 2:9-11). No more skeptics or atheists will denigrate our Lord or the gospel. The anxiety that we feel over our own weaknesses with regard to sin will be over. The grief that ladens us due to the wickedness in the world will be forever removed. “The Son of God appeared for this purpose,” John tells us, “to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). The finality of that work transpires at the Second Coming as the full measure of Christ’s conquering death at the cross will be applied.

(Dr. Phil A. Newton)

Understanding Revelation (19:10)~Riddlebarger

Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, "You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God." For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. 

(Revelation 19:10)

Moved by what he has just seen, John instinctively seeks to worship the angel who has brought such glorious news. But he must not worship the messenger, he must worship God! For blessed are all those who hold to the testimony of Jesus in the face of persecution and seduction, for they are now invited to the marriage supper of Christ the Lamb.

By holding fast to the message of what God has done for sinners in the person of Jesus Christ, we are even now preparing ourselves to receive the glorious gift Jesus Christ himself will give us, the wedding garment of fine linen, bright and clean. For our righteous deeds are wrought by Christ himself, as we testify to a dying world of the love and grace of Jesus Christ, while we resist the beast in our proclamation, “Jesus Christ alone is Lord,” and as we flee the harlot and her seductive ways.

(Dr. Kim Riddlebarger)

Understanding Revelation (19:9)~Newton

And the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are the true words of God."

(Revelation 19:9)

Think of these despondent brethren living under constant duress. The heavenly voice turns their attention away from Roman oppression to consider that they are part of “the marriage supper of the Lamb” because the Lord God invited them. He calls them to happiness in light of this divine invitation. The verb tense of “invited,” which is actually the word “called,”(Greek; kaleó) stresses that the Lord issued the invitation and that it is irrevocable (perfect passive participle). By His Spirit through the gospel, He has called us to the wedding feast of the Lamb! You have been singled out by God. So overwhelming is this reality that the messenger added, “These are true words of God.” Contemplate God’s great mercy shown to you, consider again the grace that He has given you, and worship with heavenly happiness.

(Phil A. Newton)

Understanding Revelation (19:7-8)~G.K. Beale

"The marriage of the Lamb has come, and His Bride has made herself ready, it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure"- for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints."

(Revelation 19:7-8)

A transformed life is not only the proper response but in fact a necessary response to faith. 

White clothes in Revelation, when worn by the saints, always signify a gift from God given to those with tested and purified faith, the idea of buying the clothes from Christ is used to encourage believers to identify with Christ's clothes, which means to identify with Him and not with the compromising world. Therefore, the white clothes are not merely  the saints' righteous acts but the reward for or result of such acts.

 The saints are clothed with pure linen as a symbol of God's righteous final, end-time vindication of them because, in spite of persecution, they persevered in righteousness on earth. The full-orbed meaning of the pure garments is that God's righteous vindication involves judging the enemy at the very end of time, which shows that the saints' faith and works have been in the right all along. 

This underscores the aspect of human accountability highlighted in verse 7 ["His bride has made herself ready."] Yet the readers can be encouraged to obey the exhortation with the knowledge that God has provided grace for them to clothe themselves now by the power of the Spirit. 

(G.K. Beale)

Understanding Revelation (19:7)~G.K. Beale

"Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready"

(Revelation 19:7)

The opening words of the verse, "Let us rejoice and exult", allude to (Psalm 118:22-24), where the rejoicing comes about because God has caused the stone the builders rejected to become the chief cornerstone. It also alludes to Jesus' words, "Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matt. 5:12). God has vindicated both His Son and those who follow Him. This section shows us that the existence of Babylon served as a necessary preparation for the bride's marriage to the Lamb. The oppression and temptation of Babylon were the fire God used to refine the faith of the saints in order that they be prepared to enter the heavenly city.

(G.K. Beale)

Understanding Revelation (19:2-3)~Billy Dempsey

"He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants." Once more they cried out, "Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever." 

(Revelation 19:2-3)

What this great multitude is saying is that God has perfected the salvation of His people in the destruction of the great prostitute and the following destruction of His and their enemies.  You know, what we need to hear echoed in those words is the promise that you find associated with the delivery of the Israelites into the land of Canaan - so many times that promise of “rest from your enemies.”  Rest from your enemies.  Part of the great glory of the latter part of David’s reign was that he has rest from his enemies.  The great glory of Solomon’s reign was that the nation had rest from their enemies.  Let me say this line again.  God has perfected the salvation of His people in the destruction of the great prostitute and the other enemies whose destruction is described in chapter 19 and chapter 20.  His glory is demonstrated, His power is revealed; He’s removed the one whose chief delight was to draw men away from God and seduce them to self-worship and self-exaltation.  He has avenged the blood of the saints that she spilled throughout history.  God perfects our salvation in the judgment of His enemies and ours and there’s great, there’s great delight in worship.  We get a little bit squeamish when our friends talk to us about all that killing that goes on in Joshua.  We get a little bit squeamish when we hear people talk about the God of judgment, the God of wrath.  Heaven is rejoicing over the just judgment of God.  They’re saying, “Hallelujah!  God has conquered His enemies!”

(Billy Dempsey)

Understanding Revelation (19:1) "GLORY"~Newton

After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, "Hallelujah! Salvation and [GLORY] and power belong to our God,"  

(Revelation 19:1)

“GLORY”:

Refers to the resplendence of God’s character. The Hebrew term means “heavy,” so, in this respect, glory refers to the heaviness or weightiness of God as God. Here we ponder the three persons of the living God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We think of the wonder of their distinctions in person and function, and yet, the absolute reality of the divine oneness as not three gods, but One God. We consider the character of our God: that He is holy and just; that He is faithful and true; that He is merciful and kind; that He is jealous and wrathful. No contradictions exist in Him. All that He is, He is with infinite perfection.

(Phil A. Newton)

Understanding Revelation (19:1) "Salvation"~Newton

"After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, "Hallelujah! [Salvation] and glory and power belong to our God,"  

(Revelation 19:1)

“Salvation” turns our attention to the whole redemptive work of God through His Son, the Lamb of God. That salvation is necessary brings us back to the condition in every person—sinful, separated from God, depraved in every aspect of our being, without hope and without God in this world, darkened in our understanding of ourselves and of God (Eph. 2:1-3; 2:12; 4:17-19). Yet out of our desperate plight, God had purposed before the foundation of the world to provide deliverance (which is the literal meaning of “salvation”). That’s one reason that John has reminded us of the names of the redeemed having been “written in the book of life from the foundation of the world” (17:8). Salvation was not God’s reaction to man’s condition but His intentional plan, His eternal covenant made before the foundation of the world. He planned and initiated salvation for His elect. He did even more! He secured it through the offering of His Son as the Lamb of God “who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). So, salvation belongs to God. It is not part of the human imagination and instigation; it is the display of God’s great mercy and grace through Christ. As we contemplate that salvation belongs to God, let us worship Him for every aspect: that He would consider such sinners as us; that He would purpose to save a people (even rebels) for Himself; that He would secure our salvation at such a great price of His Son bearing His own wrath on our behalf; that He would bring us into His presence forever.

(Phil A. Newton)

Understanding Revelation (16:2)~Hendriksen

"So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image."

(Revelation 16:2)

Throughout history, God is using every department of the universe to punish the wicked and impenitent persecutors of His people. Whoever refuses to be warned by the trumpets of judgment is 'destroyed' by the bowls of wrath. For one individual a certain calamity may be a trumpet of judgment, while for someone else that same event may be a bowl of wrath. Thus, the disease which hurled King Herod Agrippa I into hell served as a warning to others. Those who remain impenitent are cursed in the city and cursed in the field (Duet. 28:16). 

At times our Lord uses vicious and incurable ulcers or any other incurable disease to hurl the wicked into hell. These come from the first bowl. Think of Herod, and remember that throughout this entire time our Lord is constantly doing this very thing. For believers in Christ the afflictions of the flesh are never bowls of wrath (Rom. 8:28). For this reason we read that this plague afflicted only those who had the Mark of the beast.

(William Hendriksen)

Understanding Revelation (16:1)~Riddlebarger

"Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, "Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God." 

(Revelation 16:1)

The loud voice comes from the temple, indicating that everything which is about to happen will take place according to God’s plans and instruction. This is moment that those before the throne crying out, “how long O Lord,” have been so anxiously awaiting. The time has come for God to pour out his wrath upon all those who reject the gospel of Jesus Christ, who persecute his church, and who defile the heavens and the earth with their idolatry. As God brought the Pharaoh to his knees so that Israel could begin the journey to the promised land, so now God will bring the world to its end, establish the new heavens and earth so that his people will enter the heavenly city and receive their promised inheritance.

(Kim Riddlebarger)

Understanding Revelation (15:3-4)~Poythrees

"And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed." 

(Revelation 15:3-4)

The saints praise God for the greatness and awesomeness of his power, but also for his justice in these powerful, miraculous acts. God’s acts of judgment are never arbitrary or spiteful, but just payment for evil deeds.

When God manifests his greatness in his deeds, people from all nations see who he is. They may nevertheless continue unrepentant, as the Egyptians did during the plagues of the exodus. But there may also be a favorable response. Nations formerly in the darkness of paganism see the light of God’s revelation (Isa. 60:1-3). The coming of "ALL NATIONS", fulfilled in (Rev. 21:24-26), answers the promise to Abraham (Gen. 12:3) "I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." 

(Vern Poythrees)

Understanding Revelation (15:2)~Newton

"And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire-and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands."

(Revelation 15:2)

The background of verse 2 is found in Exodus 14. By God’s great mercy, the Red Sea separated God’s people from the object of His wrath—the Egyptians. They stood on the seashore and “saw the great power which the Lord had used against the Egyptians,” and they feared the Lord and believed Him (Ex. 14:31). Worship then took place through The Song of Moses, as they sang to the Lord of His greatness and strength in judging the Egyptians and delivering them by His strong hand.

But John’s picture is much greater. The scene moves from Sinai to heaven, from the Red Sea to “a sea of glass mixed with fire,” with the glass symbolizing God’s transcendent purity and the fire symbolizing divine judgment. Who are these people standing on the sea and worshiping, which is pictured by holding “harps of God” (or “harps for playing to God”)? It is those who had been victorious over the beast. How were they victorious over the beast? He’s already told us. “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death” (Rev. 12:11). Here are the redeemed—the saints, who had endured much at the hand of the beast to whom it was given “to overcome them” (Rev. 13:7). But here is the great message that underlies John’s description: the beast cannot overcome those eternally secured through the death of Christ. The events on earth often obscure the reality in heaven. The beast—that figure representing the governing world in opposition to God—temporally appears to defeat the saints. Yet the reality is that through the blood of Christ the saints have “been victorious over the beast and over his image and over the number of his name.” No aspect of the beast’s evil strokes is left (thus the repeated detail of overcoming him). The victory through Christ is complete!

(Phil A. Newton)

Understanding Revelation (15:1)~Newton

"Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished."

(Revelation 15:1)

In Revelation, there’s continuing prophetic layering as the Apostle gives us new snapshots in the massive tapestry of the world between the first and second advents of Christ. His concern is not to give us a chart or a chronological timeline; rather, John wants us to consider from various angles and multiplied experiences of the people of God, that the sovereign Lord is moving every detail of human history toward the grand culmination of the eternal reign of His Son. In that reign, the redeemed will find eternal rest and worship while the unbelieving will face eternal wrath.

God’s wrath unfolds at various stages throughout humanity until the final assize when His judgments are complete. That’s what John aims for in the prophetic language of the seven bowls. This great sign pictures “seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished.” We’ve already noted how the end of the seven seals (6:12-17; 8:1) and seven trumpets (11:15-19) bring us to the culmination of judgment shown by the great harvest in 14:14-20. The bowls of wrath do the same with language borrowed from Exodus 7-15. He intends to help us grasp the finality of judgment by what the Lord did to Egypt plague by plague until the last plague. The plagues in Egypt, then, are the type of which the last plagues are the antitype. Since the disciples viewed the “last days” as that period from Christ’s ascension to His return, therefore, the bowl plagues would extend throughout the course of the latter-day period, from Christ’s first to second coming. The full portrait of God’s wrath will be finished when all the bowl visions have been painted on the heavenly canvas. Then “the wrath of God is finished,” brought to the grand conclusion planned before the foundation of the world. 

(Phil A. Newton)

Understanding Revelation (14:19-20)~Riddlebarger

"So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia."

(Revelation 14:19-20)

The blood of judgment is depicting as flowing up to the horse’s bridle (stomach)–a symbol used in Jewish Apocalyptic writings for the complete and utter destruction of an army in battle–and for a distance of 1600 stadia, or about two hundred miles, which would cover the length and breadth of Israel. The entire land will be covered with blood several feet deep–an apocalyptic image of a judgment so horrific no one can fully comprehend it. In addition, John sees an angel who is in charge of fire. This calls to mind the imagery of the tabernacle and the temple throughout the Old Testament in which the blood of sacrificial animals was shed to the point where it visibly flowed down from the altar, before the animal’s remains were consumed by fire. 

Throughout this vision, God is reminding his suffering and persecuted church that he will indeed vindicate all those whom he calls to face the dragon who wages war upon God’s people through the sword of the state and through the lies of the false prophet. But those without faith who reject the Savior cannot grasp the true state of affairs. They may indeed put God’s people to death, and by doing so think that they triumphed over Christ and his kingdom. But such is not the case, for God now reminds John that everyone of the martyrs will be avenged. God will shed the blood of all of those who shed the blood of his people. They will die outside the city of God, which, as John will tell us later in (Revelation 21:27) is that place where, “Nothing impure will ever enter [the city of God], nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

(Dr. Kim Riddlebarger)

Understanding Revelation (14:17-19)~Riddlebarger

"Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, "Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe." So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God."

(Revelation 14:17-19)

The second image–that of the harvest of the grapes–beginning in (verse 17) and running through the end of the chapter, is clearly a reference to judgment upon unbelievers.

In (Isaiah 63:1-3), the prophet speaks of the winepress of God’s judgment upon sin. The image is a frightening one and clearly is in the background of John’s vision in (Revelation 14). God asks of Isaiah, [“Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.” Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress? “I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing. I trampled the nations in my anger; in my wrath I made them drunk and poured their blood on the ground.”]

One thing of which we should take note is the fact that the blood of God’s enemies–the wine which flows from the winepress– “intoxicates [them] and renders them senseless.” This theme in which God’s enemies drink in (or consume) God’s cup of wrath which is their own blood, also appears here in (Revelation 14), as John has already told us in (verse 10), that those who worship the beast “will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath.” What John depicts here, brings to fulfillment Isaiah’s prophecy, in which the Messiah who rears a robe soaked in blood–a reference to the cross–will also shed the blood of all those nations who reject him in the final judgment.

(Kim Riddlebarger)