Revelation chapter 19

The Marriage of the Lamb

(Parenthetical, Rev. 19:1-10)

“And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Rev. 19:1-10).

This parenthetical passage is given after the vial judgments, but will be fulfilled in heaven when all the tribulation saints and the two witnesses are all caught up to heaven at the end of the Week. The return of Christ will take place at the seventh vial or soon after, and the marriage supper will be before He comes, so the passage must be parenthetical, explaining what takes place in heaven just before Christ comes back to the earth with the saints. The passage says, “And after these things” (after chapter 18) It is clear that these multitudes in heaven will be giving glory to God because He has already judged the “great whore” and the smoke of the destruction of Literal Babylon is at that time ascending up, (after these things). Hence this rejoicing is to be in obedience to the command of Rev. 18:20, calling all of “heaven, and ye saints, and ye apostles, and ye prophets” to rejoice over her judgment. Her smoke is to ascend to God “for ever and ever,” which term is used fourteen times in this book.

Next we have mention of the elders and living creatures worshiping God. This is the last time they are seen in Revelation. Then a voice from the throne says, “Praise our God, all ye servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.” After this is heard the a voice of a great multitude with a voice as of many waters and powerful thunderings saying, “Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” Then the angel shows John the marriage of the Lamb, while in Rev. 21:9 he shows him “the bride, the Lambs wife.”

“ His wife hath made herself ready,” shows that there are certain preparations to make in order to be ready. This seems clear from her white robe which is the righteous works of the saints. It is impossible to describe the wedding supper, as we have no description given us of it. The Greek for “marriage” means “marriage feast” and shows that the marriage supper will be just as literal and real as any we know of on the earth. Cf. Mt. 22:2; 25:10. The magnitude of such a wedding supper need not disturb the reader for “with God all things are possible” and if we can conceive of thousands eating here at some banquet we can understand on the same basis how innumerable companies will do so in heaven.

When John saw these things, he fell down to worship the angel as he would worship God, but was immediately restrained from doing so, and was told that he (the angel) also was a redeemed person and was a fellow servant, and of the brethren and of those who have the testimony of Jesus, which is the spirit of prophecy.

No Supper in the Air

The often repeated theory that the marriage supper will be in the air where Christ meets the saints at the rapture (1 Thess. 4:16,17), and not in heaven, and that He will remain in the air having His supper for three and one-half to seven years, is unscriptural. In the first place, there is no ground in the air to land upon and have such a banquet. It is clear that the supper takes place in heaven (Rev. 19:1-11), and it is also clear that after Christ meets the saints in the air He will immediately go back to heaven, with them, to present them before the Father (Jhn. 14:1-3; 1 Thess. 3:13). The supper in heaven is further supported by the fact that, after the supper, Christ will start from heaven with His saints (Rev. 19:11), to carry out the second advent, as in Zech. 14:5; Jude 14-15; Rev. 19:11-21. As before the rapture, they will not tarry in the air, and will continue to the earth to deliver Israel and set up a kingdom in the earth to remain forever.

The Second Coming of Christ

“And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Rev. 19:11-16).

The second coming of Christ is the chief theme of Revelation. We shall briefly state here the facts on the subject as found in the passage:

1. He is coming from heaven, Rev. 19:11, 14. Cf. Mt. 24:29-31; 2 Thess. 1:7; Dan. 7:13,14.
2. He is coming on a white horse, Rev. 19:11.
3. His appearance will be somewhat similar to that in the first vision, Rev. 1:12-18. Five of the eight characteristics of Christ dealt with in Rev. 1:12-18, 20 are enumerated here again in , Rev. 19:12,13.
4. His titles and names are “Faithful,” “True,” “The Word of God,” and “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS,” besides a name no man knows, but He Himself, Rev. 19:11-16.
5. He is coming with authority and for the purpose of judging and making war upon the nations (Isa. 11:4; 49:2), of treading them in the fierceness of the winepress of the wrath of Almighty God (Isa. 63:3; Rev. 14:17-20; 19:15), and of ruling (shepherding) them with a rod of iron, Psm. 2:9. Cf. Rev. 2:27; 12:5; Psm. 149:7-9.
6. He will command the armies of heaven who will follow Him on white horses, clothed in linen white and clean, which is the righteousness of the saints, Rev.19:14.

These six points sum up the glorious coming of Christ with His saints and angels to defeat the dragon, the beast and the false prophet with their armies, and to deliver Israel and establish a reign of righteousness on earth. Never will there be a more glorious event or a more beautiful sight than this spectacle of all the hosts of heaven, clothed in spotless white and in perfect order and rank, following Christ on white horses, anxious for the fray, to take vengeance on the enemies of God.

The Time of His Second Coming

Although we cannot know the day nor the hour of His second coming, we can know and should realize that it is to be a pre-millennial, and not a post millennial coming. That is, He is coming before and not after the 1,000 years reign of Christ on earth, Rev. 20:1-7.

Reasons for a Pre-Millennial Second Coming

1. The Antichrist, who is confessed on all sides to be pre-millennial, is destroyed with the brightness of Christ's coming (Rev. 19:11-21; 2 Thess. 2:. This fixes His coming as pre-millennial.
2. The coming of Christ is "immediately after the tribulation," Mt. 24:27-31. The tribulation is just before the Millennium, Mt. 24:15-31; Zech. 14.
3. When Christ comes He will seperate the tares from the wheat, but, as the Millennium is after this, He must come before the Millennium, Mt. 13:40-43.
4. The same conditions existing in the days of Lot and Noah will be in existent when Christ comes, Mt. 24:37-51; Lk. 17:22-37; 2 Tim. 3; 4:1-3; 2 Pet. 3:2-5.
5. When Christ comes, Satan will be bound, and since he is to be bound during the Millennium, there can be no Millennium until Christ comes (Rev. 20:1-7).

The time of Christ's second coming to earth, then, is immediately after Daniel's Seventieth Week and at the beginning of the Millennium (Rev. 19:11-21; Zech. 14; Mt. 24:27-31). It takes place at the beginning of "the day of the Lord," as is clear in all the passages in which this expression is found.

Signs of the Second Coming of Christ

There are many events as signs to come to pass and many prophecies to be fulfilled yet before Christ can come back to the earth. The following are some but not all to show us to know that we are even now only a few years from His coming to the earth, and, if this is near, how much nearer is the rapture of the Church? We are to expect in the future:

(1) The Revised Roman Empire and the Revived Grecian Empire, Dan. 2:38-44; 7:23,24; 8:20-25; 11:35-45.
(2) The revelation of the Antichrist after the Revised Roman Empire, and after the rapture of the Church, but before the revival of the Grecian Empire, which will be Antichrist's kingdom, Dan. 7:7,8, 24; 8:20-25; 9:27; 11:35-45; 2 Thess. 2:3-9; Rev. 6:1,2.
(3) The Seventieth Week or the seven-years covenant between the Antichrist and the "many" Jews (Dan. 9:27), during which time all of Rev. 6:1-19:21 will be fulfilled.
(4) Cry of peace and safety by the unbelieving world, 1 Thess. 5:1-9.

The Manner of His the Second Coming

There are four Greek words concerning the manner of His second coming which we will consider, together with the main passages in which each occurs.

(1) Parousia means "personal coming, immediate presence, arrival, advent or return." The word is used in this connection in Mt. 24:3, 27, 37, 39; 2 Thess. 2:8; 2 Pet. 3:4. It is translated "coming" in every one of these passages and refers to the personal appearence of Christ to the earth.
(2) Phaneros means "to shine, be apparent, to appear publicly, be manifest and seen." It is only used in this connection in Mt. 24:30.
(3) Erchomai means "to go or come." It is used generally relative to the second coming of Christ, as in Mt. 24:30, 42,43, 48; 25:13, 19, 27, 31; Jhn. 21:23; Acts 1:11; 1 Thess. 5:2; Jude 14; Rev. 1:7; etc.
(4) Epiphaneia means "advent, appearing, brightness, to give light or become visable." It is used in 1 Tim. 6:14; 2 Tim. 4:1, 8; Titus 2:13; Heb. 9:28.


The Battle of Armageddon or Supper of the Great God

The last part of Rev. 19 is devoted to the Battle of Armageddon or "the supper of the Great God." The idea that Armageddon must be fought between nations as any common war is wrong. When the last two world wars broke out some of the news papers printed flaming headlines reading "Armageddon!," or "Is it Armageddon?"

The Place Where Armageddon Will be Fought

The word "Armageddon" occurs only once in Scripture. It is the name of a place where the greatest battle of all time will be fought. The battle itself is mentioned many times in Scripture. The place, as we have seen, is where the three unclean spirits will gather the nations together to battle, Rev. 16:13-16. Armageddon is called "the valley of Jehoshaphat" in other places, which identifies the location of the battle from Mount Carmel southeast to Jerusalem, Joel 3.
Thw word "Armageddon" is from two Hebrew words, har, meaning "a mountain or range of hills, hill country," and megiddo, meaning "rendezvous," The two words put together (Har-Megiddon) refer to the Hill of Megiddo on the south side of the valley of Megiddo or Esdraelon (2 Chron. 35:22; Zech. 12:11) southeast of Mount Carmel. "Megiddo" was the capitol of a portion of Canaan that fell to Joshua (Josh. 12:21; 17:11; Judg. 1:27). It is at the entrance to a pass across the Carmel mountain range, on the main highway between Asia and Africa, and the key position between Euphrates and the Nile. It was the battle field of many ages and peoples.
This place will no doubt be the headquarters of Antichrist when he comes down from the north, after having conqured Russia and the countries of the north and east of the old Roman Empire. Revelation 16:13-16 says, "And he gathered them togrther into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon." There he will await the return of Christ who is expected to come from heaven to set His feet on the Mount of Olives and deliver Israel when half of the city of Jerusalem is taken, Zech. 14:1-5. The Devil "knoweth that he hath but a short time" (Rev. 12:12) and it will be common knowledge to the Antichrist and others that Christ is expected at the end of the 1,260 days of Rev. 12:6, 14; 13:5.
By some means, the Antichrist will have lost out in his control of Jerusalem toward the last part of the Week. He will have been personally directing his armies against the countries of the north and east and the Jews will get control of Jerusalem again and will be in possession by the time the Antichrist comes down from the north to destroy them. The two witnesses will have a hand in helping the remnant of Israel get control of the city by the use of the miracles they will be able to perform.
Ezekiel 38-39 is also clear that after Antichrist conquers Russia, Germany, and the other countries of the north and east of his empire, that he comes back from the north with these newly conqured countries and the ten kingdoms and other nations that cooperate with him, to destroy Israel and stop Christ from setting up His kingdom. These chapters in Ezekiel show that the Antichrist will come from Russia because he is "the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal," leading Russia and Germany and others down from the north into Palestine, but Dan. 11:44 shows he first conquers these countries of the north and east before he can be their chief prince and lead them down against the Jews.

The Time Armageddon Will Be Fought

1. At the time Israel will be safe in the wilderness and "Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof (called Edom, Moab, chief of the children of Ammon, including all the Arabian chiefs of the Arabian peninsula, Dan. 11:41; Rev. 12:614-17), shall say to thee, Art thou come to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?" Ezek. 38:1-16.
2. At the time Antichrist has completed his conquest of Russia, Germany, and the other countries of the north and east of his ten-kingdom empire, Dan. 11:44; Ezek. 38:1-16.
3. At the second coming of Christ to deliver the Jews and Jerusalem from the armies of the Antichrist, Joel 3; Zech. 14; Isa. 63:1-6; Jude 14; 2 Thess. 1:7-10.

The Combatants at Armageddom

The battle of Armageddon will not be an ordinary battle between two sets of earthly nations, as some teach. It will be a battle between the armies of heaven under Christ and the armies of earth under the dragon, the beast and false prophet. On the side of Christ there will be earthly Israel (Zech. 14:1-15), the angels of God (Mt. 25:31-45; 2 Thess. 1:7-10), and the resurrected saints of all ages (Zech. 14:1-5; Jude 14; Rev. 19:11-21). On the side of the Antichrist there will be the Devil and his angels and demons (Rev. 12:7-12; 16:13-16; 20:1-3), the ten kings (Rev. 17:14-17; Dan. 2:44; 7:19-27), the countries of the north and east of the ten kingdoms who will have been recently conquered by Antichrist (Dan. 11:44; Ezek. 38-39; Rev. 16:12), and many other nations that will cooperate with the Antichrist through the ministry of the three unclean frogs (Rev. 16:13-16; Zech. 14:1-5, 16; Ezek. 38-39).

The Purpose of Armageddon

The purpose of God will be to deliver Israel from total destruction by the Antichrist and the many nations under him (Zech. 14; Isa. 63:1-10), to punish the nation for their persecution of the Jews (Mt. 25:31-46), to set up a kingdom on earth with Christ as its head (Dan. 7:13,14; Lk. 1:32), to rid the earth of all rebellion and restore God's dominion on earth as before the fall (1 Cor. 15:24-29; Eph. 1:10), and to give man one more dispensational test before destroying every rebel on earth and establishing the eternal perfect state (Eph. 1:10; Rev. 20:1-10; 21:1-22:5; 2 Pet. 3:10-13). The purpose of man and Satan will be to stop God's plan in taking over the earthly governments, and to avert their own impending doom, should they be defeated (Rev. 12:12; 19:19-21; 20:1-10; Zech. 14:1-5.

The Length of Armageddon

According to Zech.14:1-14, the battle will only be one day long: “The Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: but it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.”

The Results of Armageddon

1. There will be total defeat to the armies of the earth and the spirit forces under Satan, Isa. 63:1-6; Rev. 19:19-20:3, Ezek. 38-39.
2. All the vast armies of the nations will be destroyed but “the sixth part,” Ezek. 39:2; Rev. 19:19-21; Zech. 14:1-15; Joel 3.
3. These armies will make carcases for the fowls of the heavens to eat for seven long months, Ezek. 39:4-24; Rev. 19:17-21; Mt. 24:27,28, 40-42; Lk. 17:34-37; Job 39:27-30.
4. The beast and the false prophet will be consigned to the Lake of Fire, Rev. 19:20; Dan. 7:11; 8:25; 11:45; 2 Thess. 2:8,9.
5. The Devil and angels will be consigned to the bottomless pit, Rev. 20:1-7.
6. Blood will flow up to the horses' bridles, Rev. 14:14-20; Ezek. 39:17-24.
7. Israel will be delivered and vindicated and God's eternal kingdom will be set up, Mt. 25:31-46; Dan. 2:44; 7:18, 23-27; Rev. 11:15; 20:1-10; 21:2-22:5.

Ways Antichrist's Armies are Destroyed

1. By the brightness of Christ's coming, 2 Thess. 2:8.
2. By the angels, Mt. 24:27-31; 2 Thess. 1:7-10.
3. By the saints, Zech. 14:5; Jude 14; Rev. 17:14; 19:11-21.
4. By hail and rain from heaven, Ezek. 38:22; Rev. 16:21.
5. By the Jews, Zech. 14:14.
6. By the beast's army slaying each other, Ezek. 38:21; Zech. 14:13.
7. By fire, brimstone, and pestilence falling from heaven, Ezek. 38:22; 2 Thess. 1:7-10.
8. By consumption of their own flesh, Zech. 14:12.
9. By the rod and sword of Christ's own mouth, Isa. 11:4; Rev. 19:15.

The Invited Guests

“And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God” (Rev. 19:17). See also Ezek. 39:17-23; Mt. 24:28, 40-42; Lk. 17:34-37.


The Supper of the Great God


This title is found in Rev. 19:17. In Rev. 16:14 it is called “the battle of that great day of God almighty.” God is to make a great supper for certain created beings. The supper will be closely related to the second coming of Christ and will be necessary to cleanse the land of all refuse of the battle of Armageddon.


The Destruction Of The Wicked

The armies of earth are no match for the armies from heaven. The sharp sword in Christ’s mouth (Rev.19:15) is symbolic of His authoritative word of command that destroys earth’s armies by divine power. Millions of men and their horses will be destroyed instantly. In keeping with this, John recorded that he saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all flying birds to gather together for the great supper of God to eat the carcasses of kings, generals, horsemen, and all people slain by Christ. An angel speaking in a loud voice invites all of the birds to feed on the results of the carnage which will shortly take place. This angel is declaring Christ's victory before the battle even begins. A similar passage is found in Luke 17:37 stating: wherever the corpse is, there the eagles (vultures) will gather.

The Supper Foretold

“That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great” (Rev. 19:18). See also Isa. 34:3; Ezek. 39:17-23; Mt. 24:28; Lk. 17:37.

This "supper" that this speaks of, is right after the battle of Armageddon.
What this is saying is that for those lying out there dead in the valley of Megiddo, it will not matter whether you were a general or a private. The birds will not know the difference. With God, there has never been a distinction. He is not impressed with your position in life. The birds will eat them all.
This reveals the extent of the massive slaughter. To have one's unburied body left as food for birds would be the ultimate indignity, especially for the mighty military commanders and the proud kings. The same fate awaits the God hating rebels everywhere in the world.

The Supper Gathered

“And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army” (Rev. 19:19). See also Rev. 14:14-20; 16:13-16; 17:14; Ezek. 38-39; Joel 3; Zech. 14; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Jude 14; Isa. 63:1-5.

The beast and his armies will gather to fight against Christ and His army. This beast is the Antichrist, the leader of the last and greatest empire in human history. The kings of the earth are those ten kings who rule the ten sectors which the Antichrist's worldwide empire is divided in to.
The Antichrist has gathered his armies to do battle with Jesus and His army. The formidable and seemingly invincible armed might of the beast, with all of its firepower, now awaits the arrival of the Rider on the white horse.
Ever since the beginning of time, the armies of God and the armies of the devil have been in mortal combat. The flesh and the Spirit have been in combat also. Isaac (Spirit) and Ishmael (flesh) are still in mortal physical combat through their descendants in Israel today. This Scripture above is speaking again of the battle of Armageddon.

The Supper Slain and Prepared

“And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth” (Rev. 19:20-21a). See also Isa 34, 63; Ezek. 38-39; Joel 3; Zech. 14; Rev. 14:14-20.

The outcome of this battle — referred to in Rev.16:14 as “the battle on the great day of God Almighty” — is summarized in Rev.19:19-21. Their former miraculous demonic power will no longer be sufficient to save them. Both of them will be thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
The world rulers — the beast and the false prophet — will both be captured. But before the battle can even begin, it's over. Not only that, but those two demonically empowered leaders, Antichrist and False Prophet, are dealt a terrible blow. Those two are thrown alive into the lake of fire.
The false prophet and the beast were used of Satan to perform his evil deeds. As the two most evil, vile and blasphemous people who have ever lived, it is fitting that they should be the first two to arrive in that awful place. And they will be there by themselves for a thousand years until the devil joins them at the end of the millennium. Then at the second resurrection (the second death) they will be joined by all unbelievers for all eternity.
This is the first mention in the bible of the "lake of fire". This is the final hell and the ultimate destination of Satan, his angels (or demons) and the unredeemed.
Hell has always existed, but this is hell's final form. Unlike Hades which was a temporary holding place, this is the final permanent place for incarceration and punishment.
We see here, the total victory over the beast and the false prophet. This shows here that the "KING OF KINGS" throws them into the "lake of fire". This "brimstone" is sulfur. This is final victory over the earthly manifestations of Satan's power.
The wicked who have died throughout the history of the world up to this point are in Hades (Lk.16:23). The fiery lake, a different place, was prepared for the devil and his angels (Mt. 25:41), and will not be occupied by human beings until later (Rev.20:14-15).
The armies themselves will be killed by Christ’s sword (Rev.19:21; cf. Rev.1:16; Rev.2:12, Rev.2:16; Rev.19:15). The number of dead will be so great that the vultures will have more than they can eat. The defeat of the earth’s wicked will then be complete, and will be finalized as later judgments search out the unsaved in other parts of the earth and also kill them (cf. Mt. 25:31-45). Then all of the rest who were with the Antichrist and the false prophet will then be destroyed and the rest of those gathered to fight against Christ.
Then suddenly it will be all over. Actually there will not be any war at all as we think of war. There will be just a word spoken from the Rider who sits on the white horse. That's the same One who spoke the heavens and the earth into existence at the very beginning. The One who spoke to a fig tree and it withered away. Who spoke to the howling winds and heaving waves and the storm clouds vanished and the waves were stilled. Who spoke to a legion of demons in a man and instantly they fled.

The Supper Eaten

“And all the fowls were filled with their flesh” (Rev. 19:21b). See also Ezek. 39:4, 17-23; Mt. 24:28; Lk. 17:37.

Now by His Word, the Beast is stricken where he stands. The false prophet windbag from the pit is stilled. Then they're hurled into the everlasting flames. Then another Word and all of the panic stricken armies stagger and fall down dead.
Then all the birds ate and were filled with the flesh of those who were killed.
The rest of the unredeemed throughout the world will be judged at the sheep and goat judgment which takes place at this time.
This is not just defeat, but is physical death for those who followed the beast and the false prophet. The Word of God defeated them. They actually die in the battle of Armageddon by the Words of Christ and not by an easy death as scripture tells us that the blood in that valley ran up to the horses bridles, about 4 to 5 feet deep for the entire length of the 184 mile valley.
The same inspired Word of God which so wonderfully describes the grace of God and the salvation which is available to all who believe is equally plain about the judgment of all who reject the grace of God. The tendency of liberal interpreters of the Bible to emphasize passages dealing with the love of God and to ignore passages dealing with His righteous judgment is completely unjustified. The passages on judgment are just as inspired and accurate as those which develop the doctrines of grace and salvation. The Bible is clear that judgment awaits the wicked, and the second coming of Christ is the occasion for a worldwide judgment unparalleled in Scripture since the time of Noah’s flood.