Two Things of Which You Can Be Sure – Revelation 19:1-21
19 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven, shouting, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God! (2) True and righteous are his judgments! He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and he has avenged the blood of his servants that was shed by her hand.” (3) And again they shouted, “Hallelujah!” The smoke from her judgment goes up forever and ever. (4) The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne, saying, “Amen! Hallelujah!”
(5) Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Give praise to our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both the insignificant and the prominent.” (6) Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like the peals of thunder, shouting, “Hallelujah! for the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns! (7) Let us rejoice and be exceedingly glad, and let us give him the glory, for the wedding day of the Lamb has come, and his bride* has made herself ready.” (8) She was granted grace to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean—the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints.
(9) Then the angel said to me, “Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he added, “These are true words of God.” (10) I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do so. I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who keep the testimony of Jesus; worship God! Indeed, the testimony of Jesus is one with the Spirit of prophecy.”
(11) Then I saw heaven opened, and there before me was a white horse, and he who sat upon it was called Faithful and True. With righteousness he judges and wages war. (12) His eyes are flames of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. (13) He is dressed in a robe splattered with blood, and his name is the Word of God. (14) The armies of heaven followed him upon white horses, dressed in fine linen, white and clean. (15) Out of his mouth came a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God, the Almighty. (16) On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
(17) And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying in mid-air, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, (18) so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of generals, the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and their riders; indeed, the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, both the insignificant and the prominent.” (19) Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled together to wage war against him who sat on the horse, and against his army. (20) But the beast was captured, along with the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf—by means of those signs he had deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with brimstone. (21) The rest of them were slain with the sword of him who sat on the horse, the sword that came out of his mouth. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.
*Literally, “his wife”
Now proceed to the next section of this study, entitled, Exploring the Passage.
