Revelation

Lesson 12

Revelation Chapter 19

Comments, Questions and Discussions

COMMENTS

Introduction to chapter 19.

We have just witnessed, through John's writing the fall of the great city. Now we begin to look at the results of that fall or if you prefer the things associated with the fall. I want to note the Greek word "kai" at the beginning of a number of verses. This is a simple conjunction and in the KJV is translated "and" 8182 of the 9300 or so times is it found in the New Testament. With this in view I do not necessarily find sequential action is indicated by the word. The Greek "kai" is only translated "then" 20 times while "also" gets a whoppin 515 times. I'm not a Greeker, but it seems to me that sentence construction has little if anything to do with whether it is translated "and," "also," or "then." The Following verses in chapters 19 begin with the Greek work "kai" - 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, and 21.

In chapter 20 the verses are:

1, 2. 3. 4. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15.

And in chapter 21 we have:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27.

Keeping the preceding in mind, we do have textual indications which do place some sequence to the actions. Verse 2 of chapter 19 clearly places the events recorded in that context as coming as a result of the fall of the city.

I believe that the remaining visions of John tie all the major events together. Some are a result of the fall of the city, others happen concurrently, and still others were necessary for the destruction of the city to take place. Keep this in mind, and also keep an open mind as we proceed into the final chapters of this great book I will try to comment on most of what is revealed to John because I know that a full harmony of the events is necessary. The thoughts may not always be exactly right, but I believe the general theme and conclusions that the depicted destruction is of Jerusalem is consistent and correct. Also consistent is that this, along with the other events, brought about the time and situation when the marriage took place for the church to forever be the Lamb's wife. What was revealed to John by Jesus came to fruition in and about 70 AD and this glory in the church is now our status as Christians.

19:2 - "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"

Many read this passage and see only Rome because of the idol worship that Rome supported. Rome truly did require that Caesar be worshipped and that other deities be respected. Nevertheless, we must remember a couple of things before jumping to this conclusion. First and foremost, we have noted passage after passage that clearly point to Jerusalem and the temple as being what is considered in this great book. Secondly, Rome never knew anything else but false worship. Her fornication was part of her culture. This is not to say that God does not destroy wicked nations. He destroyed the nations of Canaan because of their wickedness. There was no sorcery and deceit (18:23) with Rome; she clearly advocated the worship of false gods. In a religious sense, the voice of the bridegroom and bride were never heard in Rome. (18:23) As far as I know, Rome was never utterly burned with fire except under Nero (18:8). We could point out other things which show that Rome is not being considered in this passage.

We do want to show that there is no reason for rejecting Jerusalem as the city being talked about. First, in Jerusalem, the leaders were not serving God. They were serving their own self interests. The main thing lacking was service from the heart. Through the influence Jerusalem had on the Jews in every nation, their vain worship spread over all the earth. In Colossians 3:5, Paul says covetousness is idolatry. Remembers these Jewish leaders were willing to kill Christ not to loose their place and nation (John 11:48-50). Second, Jerusalem was known for her persecution of the prophets. Stephen talked about it in Acts 7. Jesus talked about it at the end of Matthew 23. In what way would Rome be held accountable for killing the prophets? The fall of no city, other than Jerusalem, could set the stage for the marriage of the Lamb.

19:6 - "the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!"

This is the result of all the promises that have been fulfilled. This is the end spoken of by Paul in I Corinthians 15:24. This is the voice of all His servants both great and small (19:5). The praise is based on victory over all the Harlot, the great city that John calls Babylon that seduced God's servants to worship wrongly and killed those who taught God's word. The defeat of what city, other than Jerusalem, could bring about the praise of all the servants? There is nothing to limit the servants to that generation. This is all the servants and all who fear Him both great and small. This is, in my mind, the resurrection. This moment is what all the servants who longed for Christ looked for throughout the ages. The servants, throughout all her existence, that had lost their lives due to her evil ways and her persecution could now rejoice. The time for the marriage had come.

19:7 - "the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."

Again I must ask, "What city could set the stage for the marriage of the Lamb?" Only Jerusalem with the destruction of the temple could do this. The destruction of the temple dealt a final blow to worship according to the law of Moses. The time for a marriage had come. Note it says His wife has made herself ready. This is in accordance with Jewish marriages. There was a betrothal period, then the marriage.

We must consider Romans 7:1-6 in this marriage.
Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? 2 For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. 4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another -- to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. 5 For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. 6 But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.

Notice in this passage, which was written prior to the fall of Jerusalem, it says you have become dead to the law. It does not say the law is dead. This was the state of Jewish Christians in the New Testament writings. The law still existed. But by the body of Christ, they became dead to the law and were married (betrothed) to Christ. The betrothal was the state of Christians before the marriage which was to take place after a bidding of the Jews who refused to come, and then a bidding to those in the highways. (Matthew 22:1-14)

The highway bidding did not take place until the preaching of the Gospel which was during the period between the death of Christ and the time now in question. We have shown by substantial evidence that this time in Revelation was at the destruction of Jerusalem. Notice the promise in the parable to burn the city of the wicked who not only refused to come, but also killed his servants.

The Jews could become betrothed to Christ because they became dead to the law. In Revelation the law is dead by the destruction of the Jerusalem temple so that the marriage can take place. The voice of the bridegroom was to be heard no more in her. (18:23)

One final note to show that in the New Testament writings, the Christians were in a betrothal period. In II Corinthians 11:2, Paul tells his readers:
"For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ."

What would the destruction of Rome, or the Roman Catholic Church, or any thing other than Jerusalem and her temple have to do with setting the stage for the wedding of the lamb?

19:9-10 - "Then 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." 10 And 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."

Look carefully. The blessing of being called to the marriage supper is followed immediately by, "These are the true sayings of God." Then we have the identification of he who addressed John from the throne (vs 5), He was a fellow servant and was of his brethren who held the testimony of Jesus. Then finally we have, "For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

This puts the fulfillment of John's record of the revelation as pertaining to what has been declared by God. These things deal with the testimony of Jesus. These things reflect the spirit of prophecy which was the testimony of Jesus.

What did Jesus talk about? What did he do? Why was He the Word of God? Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies. Therefore, the statements just noted place the prophecies of Revelation as the fulfillment and completion of the work of God foretold through his servants the prophets.

ONLY JERUSALEM COULD BE THE CITY WHICH COULD DO THIS.

19:11-21 - "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."

There can be no doubt that this refers to Christ. The problem is determining when the events happen. Are they a result of the destruction of the city? Are they part of the circumstances which lead up to the great marriage and the associated supper? Remember in the introduction of this lesson, the conjunctions do not point to a sequence of events. Verse 17 supports the thought that these events lead up to the grand event of the marriage and the supper. Verse 17 concludes with, "Come and gather together for the supper of the great God." We also have an inference to this sequence in verse 10. In verse 10, the mention of the marriage supper of the Lamb has prompted John to worship the one speaking, but he is told not to. Instead John is to worship God, "For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

Based on these two statements and a careful reading of the text, I must conclude that this is the service of the Christ to bring about the completion of God's plan for man's salvation. I also believe the events depicted take place throughout the Old Testament and Gospel era and up to the destruction of Jerusalem. At Revelation's fulfillment, God's plan would be completed, man would have salvation and the enemies would be defeated.

Throughout the annals of history, the Messiah worked to bring about the victories and defeats of men, tribes, and nations. Justin Martyr in the second century argues very convincingly with Trypho, the Jew, that Christ was the angel who wrestled with Jacob, and that He was one of the men who came to Abram to tell of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorah and was He who spoke to Moses out of the burning bush. Many believe, the prince who addressed Daniel was none other than Christ. Certainly throughout the Psalms we see the influence on the writers to identify the King who rules with a rod of iron. Christ is viewed as the commander of the Lord's army who appeared to Joshua in Joshua 5:14-6:5. Many Jews and and early Christians, no doubt shared Justin's beliefs about this.

That there are spiritual victories as well as physical victories is pointed out by the "sword which proceeded out of His mouth." It is those killed with this sword whose flesh the birds were to eat. I don't pretend to understand all that took place here, but the Word of God is powerful and no one can stand against it. With this fact, we can see that all those who tried to stop the plan of God from being completed would be defeated in their efforts. This no doubt involved not only the events on earth but also the events in heavenly places, noted by Paul in Ephesians.

Earthly Jerusalem had lost the right to be Zion. It was time for the heavenly to prevail and the earthly to end. Those who fought for earthly Jerusalem to defeat the Roman armies were in opposition to God and His plan. From all over the world men of valor gathered to Jerusalem to fight for their holy city. As we have seen within the city, the leaders of the people destroyed themselves and others with no help from Romans. Truly the birds ate the flesh of those wicked people as multitudes lay dead on the streets of Jerusalem. The spiritual defeat was the defeat of sin and it's consequences as the Jewish atonement system was taken out of the way. Salvation was, is and forever will be in Christ the everlasting King of Glory. (Daniel 7:14; II Peter 1:11; Revelation 22:1).

19:20 - The beast and false prophet - "These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone."

I feel somewhat obligated to give some comments about this verse. It is a difficult verse and the identity of the beast and false prophet certainly seem more difficult when one reads this verse. Perhaps the difficulty is in who we have identified as the beast. Most say the beast was Nero or one of the other Caesars. Which one of the Caesars, however, was burned to death or was taken alive by God?

It is interesting that some in the destruction of Jerusalem were burned alive. Note the words of Josephus, in Wars of the Jews, book 6, chapter 5:
"Yet did two of these of eminence among them, who might have saved themselves by going over to the Romans, or have borne up with courage, and taken their fortune with the others, throw themselves into the fire, and were burnt together with the holy house; their names were Meirus the son of Belgas, and Joseph the son of Daleus."
Also from the same:
The soldiers also came to the rest of the cloisters that were in the outer [court of the] temple, whither the women and children, and a great mixed multitude of the people fed, in number about six thousand. But before Caesar had determined anything about these people, or given the commanders any orders relating to them, the soldiers were in such a rage, that they set the cloister on fire; by which means it came to pass that some of these were destroyed by throwing themselves down headlong, and some were burnt in the cloisters themselves. Nor did any one of them escape with his life.
A false prophet was the occasion of these people's destruction, who had made a public proclamation in the city that very day, that God commanded them to get up upon the temple, and that there they should receive miraculous signs of their deliverance.
Now, there was then a great number of false prophets suborned by the tyrants to impose upon the people, who denounced this to them, that they should wait for deliverance from God: and this was in order to keep them from deserting, and that they might be buoyed up above fear and care by such hopes.
Now, a man that is in adversity does easily comply with such promises; for when a such a seducer makes him believe that he shall be delivered from those miseries which oppress him, then it is that the patient is full of hopes of such deliverance. Thus were the miserable people persuaded by these deceivers, and such as belied God himself; while they did not attend, nor give credit, to the signs that were so evident and did so plainly foretell their future desolation; but, like men infatuated, without either eyes to see, or minds to consider, did not regard the denunciations that God made to them.

It is, of course, possible that these were spiritual beings and reflect the victory in heaven. What ever the meaning, we see the victory of God and the eternal punishment for those who fight against his purposes. Who can stand against God? Only in extreme arrogance would anyone even try.

QUESTIONS

LESSON 12

REVELATION 19

1. List the verses which begin with "then," now," or "and." Compare your list with the list on page one of the lesson for the Greek word "kai."

2. What showed that the Lord's judgments were true and righteous?

3. Explain, "Her smoke rises up forever and ever."

4. How did the servants, great and small, and those who feared him sound?

5. What does omnipotent mean?

6. What made it possible for the marriage of the Lamb to come?

7. Describe how His wife had made herself ready.

8. If the marriage had just come, how come the word "wife" is used?

9. If the church is the Bride of Christ, who were those called to the marriage supper?

10. Identify who spoke to John in verse 9.

11. What is the difference in meaning between, "The Word became flesh," and "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy?"

12. Who was on the white horse? Why do you say so?

13. What was the battle weapon? Was it literal or symbolic? What was the "rod of iron?"

14. What was served for supper? Who partook?

15. Did the beast and false prophet die a natural death?