Chapter 19
After Babylon falls there is a massive praise party in heaven from what appears to be the same multitude of chapter seven. They have a specific song that they sing which is different to the song of the 24 elders. Four times in the New Testament the word hallelujah is used and all four occurrences are found in this chapter. . This is one of the great praise moments of heaven where the tribulation saints that were beheaded and killed for their testimony in Jesus praise God for the victory He has just carried out over Babylon.
They sing about the salvation, glory, honour and power of God and how through His righteous judgments, He has judged the great harlot and brought justice to their spilled blood. The 24 elders likewise also add to the chorus of praise-singing ‘amen’ and ‘hallelujah’.
Once again this would point to the fact that there are two distinct groups of people in view here. This would add more weight to the argument that the 24 elders are the raptured church and are distinct from the tribulation saints.
This is also the last time that you see the 24 elders mentioned in the book of Revelation. After this you see the bride of the lamb talked about which once again would point to the fact that the 24 elders are the Church, the Bride of Christ.
This bride has made herself ready. And the Bridegroom has prepared a place for us (John 14:2-3). This is in many ways the lead up to what all creation has waited for. For 2000 years already the bride has been adorning herself in preparation for her Bridegroom to come and collect her. And for 2000 years, the Bridegroom has been preparing a place for them to spend eternity together. The moment has come, the Bride is ready and the Bridegroom has taken His bride, the marriage supper of the lamb is about to take place.
The angel talking to John tells him to write down a blessing to all who are called to this amazing celebration (19:9). In Jewish weddings, the more wealthy the families were the longer the wedding banquet lasted. Jesus is taking His Bride to enjoy 1000 years of celebration on the earth. Whether or not the actual supper takes place in heaven or on earth is unclear but the celebration is the biggest of all eternity.
John falls at the feet of the angel and begins to worship him but the angel is very quick to correct him with one of the most important verses in regards to understanding prophecy, Revelation 19:10. “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
Rev 19:10 is not only a good proof text for Revelation but for everything we read in Bible prophecy. All prophetic Scripture always unveils Jesus. From the very first prophecy given in the Bible, Gen 3:15, all the way through the Old Testament and prophecies written in the New Testament, all of it points to the unveiling and revealing of Jesus and the testimony of all He is and has done.
This is also true of personal prophecy. If a personal word from someone or a prophet does not reveal the plans, purposes and finished work of Jesus then we are right to seriously question its validity. The spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus. Prophecy should always lead us to understand His Grace, Truth, lovingkindness and definitely always stand on the foundation of His finished work of salvation. Revelation itself, a prophecy from God (Rev 1:1, 22:19) unveils the majesty, character and nature of Jesus.
The epitome of His revealing follows on from this verse. Heaven opens, and Christ the redeemer proceeds on a white horse. Faithful and True is His name. He judges righteously and makes war in His justice. His eyes are like a flame of fire and on His head are many crowns of His sovereign, divinely royal majesty. He has a name that is yet to be revealed and He is clothed in a robe that is dipped in blood. He is the Word of God.
We too, arrayed in fine white linen and also on horse, come with our Lord as He strikes the nations with the fierceness of His wrath. The feet, like shining bronze, are now treading the winepress in the fullness of His power, the power of Almighty God. What is the most tremendous moment for those who believed will be the most ghastly for those who have rejected all attempts of His love. The time is up, no more opportunities. Justice has come and His name is King of kings and Lord of lords (19:16).
C.S Lewis summs this moment succinctly when he says ‘…this time it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature’. (Mere Christianity)
The beast, the false prophet, the kings of the earth and all the armies gather together to make war with God. Yes, that’s right. War with God. This is how hardened and deceived their hearts have become. So blinded by the rage and stupefied by their arrogance, the leaders of the world and their armies literally gather to try to fight God and His saints.
This is the fulfillment of Psalm 2:1-3,
1Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the Lord and against His Anointed,[d] saying,
3 “Let us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”
At this moment, the antichrist, (the beast) and the false prophet are captured and thrown directly into the lake of fire and with one word. Jesus, the Word, slays all the armies who gather to fight Him.
Interestingly, Jesus’ home town of Nazareth overlooks the Jezreel valley where part of this war takes place including Megiddo, commonly referred to as Armegeddon. On the one hand, He grew up overlooking the place where He will return with His bride and save His Jewish family which must have given Him great joy. On the other hand though, as creator of the universe it must have broken His heart knowing that this would also be the place where so many that He created and invited to become part of His family and to join the great wedding feast will ultimately be destroyed due to their blind hatred of Him and His Kingdom.
Babylon is gone. The antichrist is gone. The false prophet is gone and next satan will be locked up. Christ the King of Glory is here and evil has now been removed.
Here’s what we can live from these verses:
- We Are the Bride of Christ. We see there are two groups of saints in heaven in chapter 19. One are the Tribulation saints from Revelation 7 and the other are the ekklesia, the Church age saints represented by the 24 elders. This is the last time we see the 24 elders mentioned, after this the Church is referred to as the Bride of the Lamb. That will be a glorious day and an even better wedding feast when we attend the marriage supper of the Lamb. Today, let’s live holy lives in preparation for our Bridegroom, always ready for His appearance at any moment.
- The Spirit of Prophecy is the Testimony of Jesus. Whenever we engage with our prophetic gift or if we are ever reading a prophetic Scripture, let us always ask the question, ‘Where is Jesus in this?’ If we can’t see Jesus or if our prophecy doesn’t’ reveal the nature, character and finished work of Jesus then we need to go back to the drawing board and either re-read the prophetic text that we just read or if it is a spoken prophecy then we need to go back and hear from God again. Why? Because the spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus. Today, let’s live prophetically as the testimony of Jesus’ finished work in our lives and His message of hope to the world.
- He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords but let’s not wait for Him to turn up on the earth to live that way. Our lives are not our own. Our careers are not our own. Our dreams, hopes and aspirations are not our own. Jesus is sovereignly ruling over everything and the more we submit to His Lordship, the greater display of His majesty our lives will be. Our entire lives are to be lived to the glory of God and the majesty of His Christ. Today, let’s live fully submitted to King Jesus and His mission to reconcile the world back to the Father. Let’s tell our neighbours and loved ones about Him and His kingdom today so that the first time they meet Him is not on the day that He turns up on the earth.
