@Re 19:1-21. THE CHURCH'S THANKSGIVING IN HEAVEN FOR THE JUDGMENT ON THE HARLOT. THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB: THE SUPPER: THE BRIDE'S PREPARATION: JOHN IS FORBIDDEN TO WORSHIP THE ANGEL: THE LORD AND HIS HOSTS COME FORTH FOR WAR: THE BEAST AND THE FALSE PROPHET CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE: THE KINGS AND THEIR FOLLOWERS SLAIN BY THE SWORD OUT OF CHRIST'S MOUTH.
1. As in the case of the opening of the prophecy, @Re 4:8 5:9,
&c.; so now, at one of the great closing events seen in vision. the
judgment on the harlot (described in @Re 18:1-24), there is a song of
praise in heaven to God: compare @Re 7:10, &c., toward the close of
the seals, and @Re 11:15-18, at the close of the trumpets:
@Re 15:3, at the saints' victory over the beast.
And--so ANDREAS. But A, B, C, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic omit.
a great voice--A, B, C, Vulgate, Coptic, and ANDREAS read,
"as it were a great voice." What a contrast to the lamentations
@Re 18:1-24! Compare @Jer 51:48. The great manifestation of
God's power in destroying Babylon calls forth a great voice of
praise in heaven.
people--Greek, "multitude."
Alleluia--Hebrew, "Praise ye JAH," or
JEHOVAH: here first used
in Revelation, whence ELLICOTT
infers the Jews bear a prominent part
in this thanksgiving. JAH is not a contraction of
"JEHOVAH," as it
sometimes occurs jointly with the latter. It means "He who Is": whereas
Jehovah is "He who will be, is, and was." It implies God experienced as
a PRESENT help; so that "Hallelujah," says KIMCHI in
BENGEL, is found
first in the Psalms on the destruction of the ungodly. "Hallelu-Jah"
occurs four times in this passage. Compare @Ps 149:4-9, which is
plainly parallel, and indeed identical in many of the phrases, as well
as the general idea. Israel, especially, will join in the Hallelujah,
when "her warfare is accomplished" and her foe destroyed.
Salvation, &c.--Greek, "The salvation . . . the glory . . .
the power."
and honour--so Coptic. But A, B, C, and Syriac omit.
unto the Lord our God--so ANDREAS. But A, B, C, and Coptic read,
"(Is) of our God," that is, belongs to Him.
2. which did corrupt the earth--Greek, "used to corrupt"
continually. "Instead of opposing and lessening, she promoted the sinful
life and decay of the world by her own earthliness, allowing the salt to
lose its savor" [AUBERLEN].
avenged--Greek, "exacted in retribution." A particular application
of the principle (@Ge 9:5).
blood of his servants--literally shed by the Old Testament adulterous
Church, and by the New Testament apostate Church; also virtually, though
not literally, by all who, though called Christians, hate their brother,
or love not the brethren of Christ, but shrink from the reproach of the
cross, and show unkindness towards those who bear it.
3. again--Greek, "a second time."
rose up--Greek, "goeth up."
for ever and ever--Greek, "to the ages of the ages."
4. beasts--rather, "living creatures."
sat--Greek, "sitteth."
5. out of--Greek, "out from the throne" in A, B, C.
Praise our God--Compare the solemn act of praise performed by the
Levites, @1Ch 16:36 23:5, especially when the house of God was
filled with the divine glory (@2Ch 5:13).
both--omitted in A, B, C, Vulgate, Coptic, and
Syriac. Translate as Greek, "the small and
the great."
6. many waters--Contrast the "many waters" on which the whore sitteth
(@Re 17:1). This verse is the hearty response to the stirring call,
"Alleluia! Praise our God" (@Re 19:4,5).
the Lord God omnipotent--Greek, "the Omnipotent."
reigneth--literally, "reigned": hence reigneth once for all. His
reign is a fact already established. Babylon, the harlot, was one great
hindrance to His reign being recognized. Her overthrow now clears the
way for His advent to reign; therefore, not merely Rome, but the whole
of Christendom in so far as it is carnal and compromised Christ for the
world, is comprehended in the term "harlot." The beast hardly arises
when he at once "goeth into perdition": so that Christ is prophetically
considered as already reigning, so soon does His advent follow the
judgment on the harlot.
7. glad . . . rejoice--Greek, "rejoice . . . exult."
give--so B and ANDREAS. But A reads, "we will give."
glory--Greek, "the glory."
the marriage of the Lamb is come--The full and final
consummation is at @Re 21:2-9, &c. Previously there must be the
overthrow of the beast, &c., at the Lord's coming, the binding of
Satan, the millennial reign, the loosing of Satan and his last
overthrow, and the general judgment. The elect-Church, the heavenly
Bride, soon after the destruction of the harlot, is transfigured at the
Lord's coming, and joins with Him in His triumph over the beast. On the
emblem of the heavenly Bridegroom and Bride, compare
@Mt 22:2 25:6,10 2Co 11:2. Perfect union with Him personally, and
participation in His holiness; joy, glory, and kingdom, are included in
this symbol of "marriage"; compare Song of Solomon everywhere. Besides
the heavenly Bride, the transfigured, translated, and risen Church,
reigning over the earth with Christ, there is also the earthly
bride, Israel, in the flesh, never yet divorced, though for a time
separated, from her divine husband, who shall then be reunited to the
Lord, and be the mother Church of the millennial earth, Christianized
through her. Note, we ought, as Scripture does, restrict the language
drawn from marriage-love to the Bride, the Church as a whole;
not use it as individuals in our relation to Christ, which Rome does in
the case of her nuns. Individually, believers are
effectually-called guests; collectively, they constitute
the bride. The harlot divides her affections among many lovers: the
bride gives hers exclusively to Christ.
8. granted--Though in one sense she "made herself ready," having
by the Spirit's work in her put on "the wedding garment," yet in the
fullest sense it is not she, but her Lord, who makes her ready by
"granting to her that she be arrayed in fine linen." It is He who,
by giving Himself for her,
presents her to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot, but holy
and without blemish. It is He also who sanctifies her, naturally
vile and without beauty, with the washing of water by the word, and
puts His own comeliness on her, which thus becomes hers.
clean and white--so ANDREAS. But A and B transpose. Translate,
"bright and pure"; at once brilliantly splendid and spotless as
in the bride herself.
righteousness--Greek, "righteousnesses"; distributively used.
Each saint must have this righteousness: not merely be justified, as
if the righteousness belonged to the Church in the aggregate; the
saints together have righteousnesses; namely, He is accounted as
"the Lord our righteousness" to each saint on his believing, their robes
being made white in the blood of the Lamb. The righteousness of the
saint is not, as ALFORD erroneously states, inherent, but is
imputed: if it were otherwise, Christ would be merely enabling the
sinner to justify himself. @Ro 5:18 is decisive on this. Compare
Article XI, Church of England. The justification already given to the
saints in title and unseen possession, is now GIVEN them
in manifestation: they openly walk with Christ in white. To
this, rather than to their primary justification on earth, the
reference is here. Their justification before the apostate world, which
had persecuted them, contrasts with the judgment and condemnation of
the harlot. "Now that the harlot has fallen, the woman triumphs"
[AUBERLEN]. Contrast with the pure fine linen (indicating the
simplicity and purity) of the bride, the tawdry ornamentation of the
harlot. Babylon, the apostate Church, is the antithesis to new
Jerusalem, the transfigured Church of God. The woman (@Re 12:1-6),
the harlot (@Re 17:1-7), the bride (@Re 19:1-10), are the three
leading aspects of the Church.
9. He--God by His angel saith unto me.
called--effectually, not merely externally. The "unto," or into,"
seems to express this: not merely invited to (Greek, "epi"),
but called INTO,
so as to be partakers of (Greek, "eis");
compare @1Co 1:9.
marriage supper--Greek, "the supper of the marriage." Typified
by the Lord's Supper.
true--Greek, "genuine"; veritable sayings which shall surely be
fulfilled, namely, all the previous revelations.
10. at--Greek, "before." John's intending to worship the angel
here, as in @Re 22:8, on having revealed to him the glory of the new
Jerusalem, is the involuntary impulse of adoring joy at so blessed a
prospect. It forms a marked contrast to the sorrowful wonder with
which he had looked on the Church in her apostasy as the harlot
(@Re 17:6). It exemplifies the corrupt tendencies of our fallen
nature that even John, an apostle, should have all but fallen into
"voluntary humility and worshipping of angels," which Paul warns us
against.
and of thy brethren--that is, a fellow servant of thy brethren.
have the testimony of
Jesus--(See on Re 12:17).
the testimony of--that is, respecting Jesus.
is the spirit of prophecy--is the result of the same spirit of prophecy
in you as in myself. We angels, and you apostles, all alike have the
testimony of (bear testimony concerning) Jesus by the operation of one
and the same Spirit, who enables me to show you these revelations and
enables you to record them: wherefore we are fellow servants, not I
your lord to be worshipped by you. Compare @Re 22:9, "I am fellow
servant of thee and of thy brethren the prophets"; whence the
"FOR
the testimony," &c. here, may be explained as giving the reason for his
adding "and (fellow servant) of thy brethren that have the testimony of
Jesus." I mean, of the prophets; "for it is of Jesus that thy
brethren, the prophets, testify by the Spirit in them." A clear
condemnation of Romish invocation of saints as if they were our
superiors to be adored.
11. behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him--identical with @Re 6:2. Here as there he comes forth "conquering and to conquer." Compare the ass-colt on which He rode into Jerusalem (@Mt 21:1-7). The horse was used for war: and here He is going forth to war with the beast. The ass is for peace. His riding on it into Jerusalem is an earnest of His reign in Jerusalem over the earth, as the Prince of peace, after all hostile powers have been overthrown. When the security of the world power, and the distress of the people of God, have reached the highest point, the Lord Jesus shall appear visibly from heaven to put an end to the whole course of the world, and establish His kingdom of glory. He comes to judge with vengeance the world power, and to bring to the Church redemption, transfiguration, and power over the world. Distinguish between this coming (@Mt 24:27,29,37,39; Greek, "parousia") and the end, or final judgment (@Mt 25:31 1Co 15:23). Powerful natural phenomena shall accompany His advent [AUBERLEN].
12. Identifying Him with the Son of man similarly described,
@Re 1:14.
many crowns--Greek, "diadems": not merely (Greek,
"stephanoi") garlands of victory, but royal crowns, as
KING OF KINGS.
Christ's diadem comprises all the diadems of the earth and of
heavenly powers too. Contrast the papal tiara composed of three
diadems. Compare also the little horn (Antichrist) that overcomes
the three horns or kingdoms, @Da 7:8,24
(Quære, the Papacy? or some three kingdoms
that succeed the papacy, which itself, as a
temporal kingdom, was made up at first of three kingdoms, the exarchate
of Ravenna, the kingdom of the Lombards, and the state of Rome, obtained
by Pope Zachary and Stephen II from Pepin, the usurper of the French
dominion). Also, the seven crowns
(diadems) on the seven heads of the dragon (@Re 12:3), and
ten diadems on the ten heads of the beast. These usurpers claim the
diadems which belong to Christ alone.
he had a name written--B and Syriac insert, "He had
names written, and a name written," &c. meaning that the names
of the dominion which each diadem indicated were written on them
severally. But A, Vulgate, ORIGEN, and
CYPRIAN omits the words, as English Version.
name . . . that no man knew but . . .
himself--(@Jud 13:18 1Co 2:9,11 1Jo 3:2). The same is
said of the "new name"
of believers. In this, as in all other respects, the disciple is made
like his Lord. The Lord's own "new name" is to be theirs, and to be "in
their foreheads"; whence we may infer that His as yet unknown name
also is written on His forehead; as the high priest had "Holiness to the
Lord" inscribed on the miter on his brow. John saw it as "written," but
knew not its meaning. It is, therefore, a name which in all its
glorious significancy can be only understood when the union of His
saints with Him, and His and their joint triumph and reign, shall be
perfectly manifested at the final consummation.
13. vesture dipped in blood--@Isa 63:2 is alluded to here, and
in @Re 19:15, end. There the blood is not His own, but that of
His foes. So here the blood on His "vesture," reminding us of
His own blood shed for even the ungodly who trample on it, is a
premonition of the shedding of their blood in righteous retribution.
He sheds the blood, not of the godly, as the harlot and beast did, but
of the blood-stained ungodly, including them both.
The Word of God--who made the world, is He also who under the same
character and attributes shall make it anew. His title, Son of God,
is applicable in a lower sense, also to His people; but "the Word of
God" indicates His incommunicable Godhead, joined to His manhood, which
He shall then manifest in glory. "The Bride does not fear the
Bridegroom; her love casteth out fear. She welcomes Him; she cannot be
happy but at His side. The Lamb [@Re 19:9, the aspect of Christ to
His people at His coming] is the symbol of Christ in His gentleness. Who
would be afraid of a lamb? Even a little child, instead of being scared,
desires to caress it. There is nothing to make us afraid of God but sin,
and Jesus is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.
What a fearful contrast is the aspect which He will wear towards His
enemies! Not as the Bridegroom and the Lamb, but as the [avenging]
judge and warrior stained in the blood of His enemies."
14. the armies . . . in heaven--Compare "the horse bridles,"
@Re 14:20. The glorified saints whom God "will bring with" Christ at
His advent; compare @Re 17:14, "they that are with Him, called, chosen,
faithful"; as also "His mighty angels."
white and clean--Greek, "pure." A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, and
CYPRIAN omit "and," which
ORIGEN and
ANDREAS retain, as English Version.
15. out of his mouth . . . sword--(@Re 1:16 2:12,16). Here in its
avenging power, @2Th 2:8, "consume with the Spirit
of His mouth" (@Isa 11:4, to which there is allusion here); not
in its convicting and converting efficacy (@Eph 6:17 Heb 4:12,13,
where also the judicial keenness of the sword-like word is included).
The Father commits the judgment to the Son.
he shall rule--The HE is emphatic, He and none other, in contrast to
the usurpers who have misruled on earth. "Rule," literally, "tend as a
shepherd"; but here in a punitive sense. He, who would have
shepherded them with pastoral rod and with the golden scepter of His
love, shall dash them in pieces, as refractory rebels, with "a rod of
iron."
treadeth . . . wine-press--(@Isa 63:3).
of the fierceness and wrath--So ANDREAS reads. But A, B,
Vulgate, Coptic, and ORIGEN read, "of the fierceness (or
boiling indignation) of the wrath," omitting "and."
Almighty--The fierceness of Christ's wrath against His foes will be
executed with the resources of omnipotence.
16. "His name written on His vesture and on His thigh," was written
partly on the vesture, partly on the thigh itself, at the part where in
an equestrian figure the robe drops from the thigh. The thigh
symbolizes Christ's humanity as having come, after the flesh, from the
loins of David, and now appearing as the glorified "Son of man." On
the other hand, His incommunicable divine name, "which no man knew," is
on His head (@Re 19:12), [MENOCHIUS].
KING OF KINGS--Compare @Re 17:14, in contrast with @Re 19:17,
the beast being in attempted usurpation a king of kings, the ten kings
delivering their kingdom to him.
17. an--Greek, "one."
in the sun--so as to be conspicuous in sight of the whole world.
to all the fowls--(@Eze 39:17-20).
and gather yourselves--A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and
ANDREAS read, "be gathered," omitting "and."
of the great God--A, B, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and ANDREAS read,
"the great supper (that is, banquet) of God."
18. Contrast with this "supper," @Re 19:17,18,
the marriage supper of the Lamb, @Re 19:9.
captains--Greek, "captains of thousands," that is,
chief captains. The "kings" are "the ten" who "give their power unto
the beast."
free and bond--specified in @Re 13:16, as "receiving the mark of
the beast." The repetition of flesh (in the Greek it is plural:
masses of flesh) five times in this verse, marks the gross
carnality of the followers of the beast. Again, the giving of their
flesh to the fowls to eat, is a righteous retribution for their not
suffering the dead bodies of Christ's
witnesses to be put in graves.
19. gathered together--at Armageddon, under the sixth vial. For
"their armies" in B and ANDREAS,
there is found "His armies" in A.
war--so ANDREAS. But A and B read, "the war," namely, that
foretold, @Re 16:14 17:4.
20. and with him the false prophet--A reads, "and those with him." B
reads, "and he who was with him, the false prophet."
miracles--Greek, "the miracles" (literally, "signs") recorded
already (@Re 13:14) as wrought by the second beast before (literally, 'in sight of') the first beast.
Hence it follows the
second beast is identical with the false prophet. Many
expositors represent the first beast to be the secular, the second beast
to be the ecclesiastical power of Rome; and account for the change of
title for the latter from the "other beast" to the "false prophet," is
because by the judgment on the harlot, the ecclesiastical power will
then retain nothing of its former character save the power to deceive. I
think it not unlikely that the false prophet will be the successor of
the spiritual pretensions of the papacy; while the beast in its last
form as the fully revealed Antichrist will be the secular representative
and embodiment of the fourth world kingdom, Rome, in its last form of
intensified opposition to God. Compare with this prophecy,
@Eze 38:1-39:29 Da 2:34,35,44 11:44,45 12:1 Joe 3:9-17 Zec 12:1-14:21.
Daniel (@Da 7:8) makes no mention of the second beast, or false
prophet, but mentions that "the little horn" has "the eyes of a man,"
that is, cunning and intellectual culture; this is not a feature of the
first beast in the thirteenth chapter, but is expressed by the
Apocalyptic "false prophet," the embodiment of man's unsanctified
knowledge, and the subtlety of the old serpent. The first beast is a
political power; the second is a spiritual power--the power of ideas.
But both are beasts, the worldly Antichristian wisdom serving the
worldly Antichristian power. The dragon is both lion and serpent. As
the first law in God's moral government is that "judgment should begin
at the house of God," and be executed on the harlot, the faithless
Church, by the world power with which she had committed spiritual
adultery, so it is a second law that the world power, after having
served as God's instrument of punishment, is itself punished. As the
harlot is judged by the beast and the ten kings, so these are destroyed
by the Lord Himself coming in person. So @Zep 1:1-18 compared with
@Zep 2:1-15. And Jeremiah, after denouncing Jerusalem's judgment by
Babylon, ends with denouncing Babylon's own doom. Between the judgment
on the harlot and the Lord's destruction of the beast, will intervene
that season in which earthly-mindedness will reach its culmination, and
Antichristianity triumph for its short three and a half days during
which the two witnesses lie dead. Then shall the Church be ripe for her
glorification, the Antichristian world for destruction. The world at the
highest development of its material and spiritual power is but a
decorated carcass round which the eagles gather. It is characteristic
that Antichrist and his kings, in their blindness, imagine that they can
wage war against the King of heaven with earthly hosts; herein is shown
the extreme folly of Babylonian confusion. The Lord's mere appearance,
without any actual encounter, shows Antichrist his nothingness; compare
the effect of Jesus' appearance even in His humiliation, @Joh 18:6
[AUBERLEN].
had received--rather as Greek, "received," once for all.
them; that worshipped--literally, "them worshipping" not an act
once for all done, as the "received" implies, but those
in the habit of "worshipping."
These both were cast . . . into a lake--Greek, ". . . the lake of
fire," Gehenna. Satan is subsequently cast into it, at the close of the
outbreak which succeeds the millennium (@Re 20:10). Then Death and
Hell, as well those not found at the general judgment "written in the
book of life"; this constitutes "the second death."
alive--a living death; not mere annihilation. "Their worm dieth not,
their fire is not quenched."
21. the remnant--Greek, "the rest," that is, "the kings and their armies" (@Re 19:19) classed together in one indiscriminate mass. A solemn confirmation of the warning in @Ps 2:10.