Revelation Chapter Nineteen
(Chapter 19 from Dr. Hyle's excellent book, Let's Study The Revelation)
"THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB"
Verse 1:
The scene is in Heaven after the destruction of political and ecclesiastical Babylon. Heaven is rejoicing in verse 1 because of the destruction of the great whore symbolizing all false religion. Imagine the joy of the redeemed when all religions contrary to the Bible are destroyed.Verse 2:
The first reason that they rejoiced was that the false religions had corrupted the earth and could do so no more.The second reason is that the blood of the martyred saints has been avenged.
Verse 3:
Notice the continued rejoicing. Also notice the number of times Alleluia is mentioned in these few verses.Verses 4-5:
Notice who does the rejoicing. First, the four and twenty elders who represent all those who have been redeemed. In other words, we shall rejoice after the battle has been won. A small idea of the great rejoicing was found when World War II was over. You perhaps remember the great rejoicing on the city streets when the war was over.Also rejoicing are the four beasts, or living creatures. We will join in with the living creatures and say "Amen" and "Alleluia." Also a voice will come out of the throne shouting, "Praise God."
Verse 6:
The multitudes join in the shouting. For the fourth time the word "ALLELUIA" is used. Our Lord is called "OMNIPOTENT," which means He is all-powerful. Even the united forces of the kings of this world could not defeat Him. Notice that He reigneth. He is going to be King over the whole world.Verse 7:
Notice the words, "LET US BE GLAD AND REJOICE." A wedding is a time of rejoicing. certainly there shall be tears of joy also.You will notice who is going to marry. The Bridegroom will be the Lamb, the bride will be His wife, or all the redeemed. Some seem to think that just one denomination will be the bride. This is not consistent with the teaching of the Bible. We are all members of His body and will be one with Him as His bride. Many have even gone so far as to say that only Baptists will be the bride. This is not so. Every saved Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, every saved Church of Christ, every saved Catholic, and those saved from every other denomination or no denomination will be a part of the bride.
Notice that the bride has made herself ready. She has prepared herself for the wedding. Two things a bride does in preparation.
First, she accepts the invitation of the bridegroom. Second, she makes herself as lovely as she can for the ceremony.Verse 8:
"GRANTED" in this verse means "given," picturing again that salvation and all that accompanies it is by the grace of God. You will notice the wedding gown of the bride. We will be arrayed in fine linen.The word, "RIGHTEOUSNESS," means "righteous acts." The fine linen, according to this verse, is the righteous acts of the saints. In other words your wedding gown at the marriage of the Lamb will be made of the good things that you have done for God here. I fear many people will have a pretty skimpy wedding gown.
Verse 9:
The word "BLESSED" in this verse means "happy and contented." The happy people in this world are those who are going to be at the marriage of the Lamb.You will notice that John says that these are the true sayings of God. Many try to disprove the literalness of the Book of Revelation. John says here that these are the true sayings, meaning they are the literal sayings of God.
Let us summarize briefly the marriage of the Lamb: The false suitors are eliminated-19:2. The place of the wedding is Heaven-19:1. Every formal wedding is characterized by the wedding music-19:1, 4-6. Every marriage must have a bridegroom. Jesus is the Bridegroom-19:7. Then we must have the bride-19:7b. The bride in this wedding is composed of all the saints. After each wedding there is a reception. This is found in verse 9 in the marriage supper. After the reception the bride and groom go on a honeymoon. The honeymoon is found in Revelation 20:6. We shall have a thousand years of honeymoon on earth with Jesus. After the honeymoon, the bridegroom takes the bride to their home. Read Revelation 21:2. Jesus will take us to the place He has prepared. ...And they lived happily ever after.
Verse 10:
John was so carried away with what the angel showed him that he fell at the angel’s feet to worship him. Immediately the angel rebuked John explaining that Jesus alone was worthy of worship.Notice the last few words in this verse. We find that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. In other words, prophecy is what Jesus loves to testify about. Many so-called Christians make fun of prophetic preaching and prophetic study. From this verse, however, we find that if we are to be like Jesus, prophecy must be close to our hearts.
THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS TO THE EARTH
Many times we call the rapture of the church the second coming of Jesus. That is not so. The second coming of Jesus to earth will take place after the seven years of tribulation on earth and the marriage supper in Heaven. Verses 11-16 deal with the true second coming of Jesus to the earth.
Verse 11:
He comes on a white horse. He presented Himself in Jerusalem on a white colt. The next time He comes to Jerusalem He will come on a horse.He is called "FAITHFUL" and "TRUE." The most wonderful thing about Jesus is that He is faithful...meaning that you can count on Him to come and to be on time. The greatest thing that can be said about a Christian is that he is faithful.
Notice the words, "MAKE WAR." The modernist says that God is not a God of war. Here it says that the purpose of His coming is partially to make war.
Verse 12:
He has many crowns on His head. The word "CROWNS" means "diadems." In history many kings after conquering many countries wore the crown of each country. The reason Jesus will have many crowns is that He will be King of every nation of the earth.He had another name that we do not know of. Here is something in Revelation that we cannot understand. God is always faithful to tell us what He does not want us to understand. When He does not make such instructions, we are accountable to learn.
Verse 13:
His clothing is dipped in blood, not in His blood, but the blood of those that He conquers. He is called the Word of God. This proves that this is Jesus. John 1:1.Verse 14:
Notice that someone is following Jesus. To distinguish who these armies are is simple. As it says, they are clothed in fine linen. In verse 8 we have already found that the bride is clothed in fine linen. Hence, we will come back with Him.We will be on white horses also. If one would doubt these horses to be literal, he might remember that Elijah was carried into Heaven by a horse and chariot.
Verse 15:
The sharp sword coming out of His mouth is the Word. He will simply speak and smite the nations. He will rule the nations. He will tread the winepress of the people of the earth. A winepress is the making of juice by trampling of the fruit under the feet. Hence, Jesus is going to trample this earth until the blood will be to the horses’ bridles, according to Revelation 14:20.Verse 16:
Written on His clothing will be "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." On the cross His enemies wrote Him a title of mockery. At His return He will be King of kings, and Lord of lords!
THE GREAT SUPPER OF GOD
Chapter 19 is a chapter of suppers. There are two suppers mentioned. You may take your choice of the one you want to attend. The first is the Marriage Supper of the Lamb discussed earlier. The second is the Great Supper of God discussed in Revelation 19:17-21.
Verse 17:
The angel announces the supper. Those that eat are the fowls that fly in the air. In this verse these fowls are summoned to the great supper.Verse 18:
In this verse we have the menu for the supper. Kings who forget God, military leaders and mighty men, and all those who forget God are on the menu for this supper. Those who attend the marriage supper of the Lamb will eat. Those who attend this great supper of God will be eaten.Verse 19:
Here is the closing battle of the age, the Battle of Armageddon. The Antichrist and the kings march against God.Verse 20:
Here is the result of the battle. The Antichrist and the false prophet will be taken and cast into the lake of fire.Verse 21:
The armies of the Antichrist and false prophet, after their leaders have been cast into the lake of fire, will be killed at the coming of Jesus.Their bodies shall lie in the Valley of Megiddo.
Then the fowls will come to supper. They will eat the dead carcasses of those killed in this battle. In other words, just as you see the buzzard on the highway carrying off a dead carcass of an animal, even so will the ungodly be eaten by the fowls in the air. This is the great supper of God.
More Life Changing Sermons by Dr. Jack Hyles:
Do you know for sure that if you died today, you would go to Heaven? You can know!
Click Here to find out how!
