Revelation 19

The Marriage of the Lamb

(Revelation 19: 1-10)

Looking abroad on Christendom to-day, we see, on the one hand, that the great Christian profession is becoming increasingly corrupt, and will end at last in being supported by the political leaders who derive their power from the bottomless pit; in the language of the symbols, the woman will sit upon the beast. On the other hand, we see the true people of God becoming increasingly weak outwardly and insignificant in the eyes of the world.

In the face of the corruption of the profession, and the weakness among the true people of God, there is the ever present danger that we, who desire to be true to the light that has been given to us, may grow weary and faint in our minds; that our hands may hang down, our knees grow feeble, and that we may wander from the straight and narrow way into a wider and easier path.

In order that we may press on, in spite of every difficulty, and run with patience the race set before us, we continually find in Scripture that the Spirit of God directs our thoughts to the end of the journey. Thus, in this passage, having seen, in the seventeenth and eighteenth chapters, the final judgments of all the corruptions of Christendom, we are now carried in spirit to heaven to have unfolded before us the glory of Christ and the final blessing of His people. How good, then,

To look beyond the long dark night,

And hail the coming day

When Thou to all Thy saints in light

Thy glories wilt display.

(Rev 19:1) John can say, "After these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven." We are permitted not only to see the final judgment of the false church on earth, but there is also revealed to us the final blessedness of the true church in heaven.

Already, in Revelation 18: 20, we have heard that heaven together with saints, apostles, and prophets, are called to rejoice over the judgment of the false woman. Now we are permitted to hear heaven's response for "much people in heaven" are heard saying "Hallelujah." They speak too, with one voice — "a great voice." All the mind of heaven is one. As we sometimes sing, "No jarring note shall there discordant sound." Babylon had professed that salvation was alone found in her false system: she had arrogated to herself glory and power, as we read, "She hath glorified herself," and said in her heart, "I sit a queen." Heaven, with one voice, ascribes "salvation," "glory," and "power" to God.

(Rev 19:2-4) Moreover, heaven sees that the judgment of this false system is the vindication of the holy character of God. With one voice, heaven says, "True and righteous are His judgments." Looking back we see the arrogance the self-glorification, and display of power of this corrupt system that has been allowed to continue for centuries. We recall, too, the persecutions by which the blood of millions of God's people has been shed at the hands of the false woman, with no apparent intervention on the part of God. Seeing these things we might be tempted to think that God has been indifferent to the evil of the world and the sorrows of His saints. At last the day will come when it will be seen that the longsuffering of God does not mean that He is slack concerning His promise, or that He has not seen the sufferings, and heard the cries, of His people. In righteousness He will judge all the corruptions and avenge the blood of His servants. This intervention of God calls forth a second "Hallelujah" from the hosts of heaven.

Moreover, the saints fall down and worship God, and for the third time we hear heaven raise its "Hallelujah." The first Hallelujah is called forth by the attributes of God, the second Hallelujah for His holy judgments on evil; the third Hallelujah is worship for all that God is in Himself.

(Rev 19:5-7) The corruptions of earth having been dealt with and the blood of God's saints avenged, we are permitted to look by faith beyond all the judgments and see the glory of Christ and the blessing of His people. We see that the way is opened for the reign of Christ to be established, and the great day of the marriage of the Lamb is come. In view of these great events, a voice from heaven calls upon all God's servants, both small and great, to praise our God. With great delight heaven responds to the call, for at once John hears the praise of a great multitude like the impetuous rush of waters, and the sublime roll of thunder, saying "Hallelujah." This fourth Hallelujah is the expression of heaven's joy in that the glory of Christ is secured, and the desires of His heart fulfilled. His sufferings will have a glorious answer for the reigning time has come, and His love that led Him to die for the church will be satisfied, for "the marriage of the Lamb is come." We are thus permitted to see the fulfilment of all the counsels of God for Christ and His church. It is blessed to see that from the beginning of man's history, and through all time, God has ever kept before us the truths so dear to His heart concerning the Lamb and the bride.

Abel's firstling of the flock begins the story of the Lamb. Abraham takes up the story when he tells us that "God will provide Himself a Lamb;" Moses continues the story when, on the Passover night, he tells Israel to take a lamb "without blemish;" Isaiah foretells that Christ will be "brought as a Lamb to the slaughter." John the Baptist, looking upon Christ upon earth, can say, "Behold the Lamb of God;" Peter reminds us that we are redeemed "with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot;" and the apostle John brings before us the Lamb in the midst of the throne, as it had been slain, and carries us on to the glorious answer to all His sufferings, when the great day of the marriage of the Lamb is come.

Moreover, God has ever had before Him the church as the bride of Christ, to be at last presented to Him for the satisfaction of His heart. Before ever the fall came in may we not see in Eve, who was presented to Adam as one that was "his like," the great secret, now disclosed, that Christ was to have a great company of saints made like Himself and presented to Himself? Rebekah, the one in whom Isaac found comfort and love, keeps up the story of the bride. Again, we know how Asenath, Ruth, Abigail, and the bride of the Song of Songs, all present different pictures of the church as the bride of the Lamb. Throughout the ages and changing dispensations, the rise and fall of Israel, and through the Christian period with all the failure that has marked it — behind all — God has been carrying out His great purpose, and everything has been moving on to the great day of the marriage of the Lamb.

(Rev 19:8) That the bride "hath made herself ready" will surely indicate that the judgment seat is past. All the failure in her wilderness journey through this world has been dealt with, and nothing remains but that which has the approval of Christ. The bride will be displayed in fine linen, which, we are at once told, "is the righteousnesses of the saints" (N. Tr.). All that the saints have done for Christ, and in His Name, during the time of their sojourn on earth — all the sufferings, reproaches, and insults, they have endured, every cup of cold water given for His sake - will be remembered in this great day, and be found "unto praise and honour and glory." The smallest act that has Christ for its motive is a stitch in the garment that will adorn the church when at last it is presented to Christ without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. How good to realise that not one member of Christ's church will be absent in this great day. Both small and great will be there. Every one of the untold millions of the martyrs who suffered every form of violence and outrage in the days of pagan Rome will be there: all those who passed through yet greater horrors at the hands of Papal Rome will have a glorious answer to all their sufferings. The vast host of saints who through the ages have lived their lives in obscurity under the eye of God as the quiet in the land, and of whom we have no record in history, will at last be displayed in glory as forming part of the bride of Christ, "holy and without blemish."

Oh day of wondrous promise!

The Bridegroom and the bride

Are seen in glory ever;

And love is satisfied.

(Rev 19:9) Further we learn, not only will the church enter into the special place of blessing for which she has been chosen, but there will also be those who are blessed as being "called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb." A marriage supper cannot be confined to the Bridegroom and the bride; of necessity it includes the guests. At this great marriage feast, the guests surely represent the great host of the Old Testament saints who, though they form no part of the church called out from Jew and Gentile, during the Christian period between Pentecost and the Rapture, yet they will share in the resurrection of the saints as forming part of that great company that are spoken of as "They that are Christ's at His coming" (1 Cor. 15: 23), and will have their special place of blessing in the day of glory. All the long line of saints before the Cross will be there; Abel and the great army of martyrs will be there; Enoch, who walked with God, and the "ten thousands" of God's saints of whom he prophesied, will be there; Abraham and the "strangers and pilgrims" who turned their backs on this world to seek a heavenly country will be there; Moses, and all those who chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, will be there. In a word, all the great host of saints from the Garden of Eden to the cross of Christ, who have trodden the path of faith, "both small and great," of whom the world was not worthy, will be there, and have their part and blessing in the marriage supper of the Lamb.

These wonderful unfoldings of coming glory are closed with the assurance that "These are the true sayings of God." We can, then, be fully persuaded of their truth and heartily embrace them in the faith that rests on "the true sayings of God."

(Rev 19:10) Overcome by the glory of the angel that announces these great events, John falls at his feet to do him homage. At once he is admonished not to worship one that is a fellow-servant, but to worship God. The angel was but a servant to announce the true sayings of God, and thus lead us to worship God — the end of all true service. Moreover, we are reminded that "the spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus" (N. Tr.). Prophecy does, indeed, unfold to us the coming judgment of the nations, and the future blessing of God's people, but all is in view of the glory and honour of Jesus. The great end of "the true sayings of God" is Jesus. Well it is, then, in reading prophecy to have before us not simply future events but JESUS Himself.

JESUS, Thou alone art worthy

Ceaseless praises to receive;

For Thy love, and grace, and goodness

Rise o'er all our thoughts conceive.

The Appearing of Christ

(Revelation 19: 11-20: 3)

We have already learned from Revelation 11: 15-18; that with the sounding of the last judgment trumpet, the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. The record of this great event is followed by an important parenthetical portion of the Revelation that brings before us the leading persons and events during the time that immediately precedes the reign of Christ. After this parenthesis the prophetic history of coming events is continued in Revelation 19: 11.

(Rev 19:11) We are now told of the public appearing of Christ and His saints to establish His reign over the earth. John says, "I saw heaven opened." Whenever the heavens are opened it is in connection with Christ. When on earth "the heavens were opened unto Him" in order that at last heaven could look down and see on earth One in whom the Father found all His delight (Matt. 3: 16, 17). After the ascension, Stephen can say, "I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God." The heavens are opened now in order that believers on earth can look up and see a Man in the glory (Acts 7: 55, 56). In Revelation 4: 1 we see "a door opened in heaven" that John might pass in spirit into that scene of glory to find Christ, as the Lamb, the theme of universal praise, being the One who, as Creator and Redeemer, is worthy to receive "glory and honour and power" (Rev. 4: 11, Rev. 5: 9-14).

In this nineteenth chapter the heavens are opened that Christ may come forth to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. Hereafter we shall still see the "heavens open," that angels may wait upon Christ — the Son of Man — in millennial days, when under the reign of Christ, heaven will be in touch with earth (John 1: 51). In the vision, John sees "a white horse," the symbol of victorious power. His first coming was in circumstances of weakness and lowly grace, as a little babe. The next coming will be in power and glory. We know that the Rider on the white horse can only represent Christ, for who but Christ can be described as "Faithful and True." At His first coming He was marked by "grace and truth" that brought salvation to men. At the second advent He will come forth as Faithful and True to execute judgment; thus, at once, we read "in righteousness He doth judge and make war."

(Rev 19:12) His eyes as a flame of fire, surely speak of the searching gaze from which nothing is hid. The "many crowns" may remind us of His universal dominion and sovereign rights. Then we read, He had "a name written, that no man knew, but He Himself." The passage brings before us other names that, in some measure, we can know, for He is "called Faithful and True," and "His name is called The Word of God," and, again, He has "a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords." But if He comes forth as the Son of Man to reign, the glory of His Person as the Son of God is carefully guarded. As such, He is above man and beyond the comprehension of the creature, for "no man knoweth the Son but the Father" (Matt. 11: 27).

(Rev 19:13) His "vesture dipped in blood," would surely speak, not of His blood shed for sinners, but rather of the blood of rebels — the sign of their death under judgment. From the Gospel of John we know that, as the Word, Christ reveals the Father in grace and truth. Here we learn that He declares God in righteousness and wrath against the nations.

(V. 14) We now learn that the glorified saints will come forth with Christ at His appearing. From other Scriptures we know that when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven it will be "with His mighty angels" (2 Thess. 1: 7). Also we know that believers will come with Christ, for we read, "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory" (Col. 3: 4). Here the armies which follow Christ, would seem to refer to the glorified saints rather than angelic hosts. From Revelation 17: 14 we have learned that those who are with the Lord of lords and King of kings are "called, and chosen, and faithful," statements that could hardly be applied to angels. Further we read of these followers that they are "clothed in fine linen, white and clean," and thus morally fitted to accompany the King and Lord in His victorious power.

(Rev 19:15) Saints may accompany the Lord but it is He, Himself, who will execute judgment. It is His mouth that will speak the word that, like a sharp sword will destroy the wicked. It is His hand that will wield the rod of iron that, in fulfilment of the second Psalm, will break in pieces the apostate and rebellious nations. It is His feet that, with unsparing judgment, will tread "the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God."

(Rev 19:16) Thus, when He appears in glory dealing with all the enemies of God, it will be made manifest that He is, indeed, the "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS," the One of whom God has declared, "I shall give Thee the heathen for shine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession" (Ps. 2: 8).

(Rev 19:17, 18) The verses that close the chapter foretell the judgments that will immediately follow the appearing of Christ. In the ninth verse we have heard of the blessedness of the saints in heaven who will be called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Here we read of a very different supper — "the supper of the great God," that will take place on earth, to which those who prey on the remains of the dead are called to feast on kings, captains, mighty men, horses and their riders, free and bond, small and great, who will be overwhelmed in judgment at the appearing of Christ.

(Rev 19:19) If the King of kings comes to earth followed by the armies of heaven, the devil gathers "the kings of the earth and their armies," to make war against Him that sits on the horse and His armies.

(Rev 19:20) The issue of a conflict between Christ with the armies of heaven and the beast leading the armies of earth, can only be the overwhelming defeat of the forces of evil. In the course of the history of this world two men have been singled out for the special glory and honour of being taken to heaven without passing through death. When the world had abandoned itself to violence and corruption Enoch, who walked with God, "was not, for God took him." Again, when the nation of Israel was sinking into corruption and apostasy, the prophet Elijah was taken up into heaven. Now we look on to the time when an apostate world will be gathered together to make war against God and Christ, and we learn that the two leaders in this rebellion will be "cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone." As it has been pointed out, if God had interposed to show signal mercy in bringing alive to heaven two men who had stood for God, so now God interposes in overwhelming judgment to send alive to the lake of fire two men who had been leaders in evil under Satan. No further judgment at the great white throne is needed for the beast and the false prophet. Their eternal sentence is at once executed. The armies that followed them come under the governmental judgment of the King of kings, but not with such an immediate and terrible doom as that of the two leaders. They must yet appear before the great white throne.

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