Chapter Nineteen
OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER
1) To note the great joy in heaven over the fall of Babylon, and the
excitement over the preparation for the marriage of the Lamb and His
wife
2) To see the great victory Christ would have over the beast, the false
prophet, and their armies
SUMMARY
This chapter illustrates the ultimate defeat of the enemies of God's
people. John hears a great multitude in heaven rejoicing over the fall
of Babylon. The multitude is joined by the twenty-four elders and four
living creatures, and a voice from the throne calling upon all God's
servants to praise Him (1-5).
John then hears heaven rejoicing in preparation for the marriage of
the Lamb. His wife has made herself ready, and she is adorned in fine
linen, signifying the righteous acts of the saints. John is then told
to write that those invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb are
truly blessed. John falls down to worship the one speaking to him, but
is immediately rebuked and told to worship God (6-10).
The scene quickly changes as John sees heaven opened and Christ the
warrior king on a white horse, followed by the armies in heaven on
white horses. Described in terms reminiscent of His appearance in the
first three chapters, He is ready to strike the nations and rule them
with a rod of iron, even as He treads the winepress of the fierce wrath
of Almighty God. As inscribed on His robe and His thigh, Jesus is
truly "King of kings and Lord of Lords" (11-16).
With an angel standing in the sun and inviting the birds to gather for
the supper of the great God, John then sees the beast and his forces
gathered to make war against Christ and His army. But immediately the
beast and the false prophet (the earth beast of 13:11-18) are captured
and cast alive into the lake of fire. Their armies are killed with the
sword proceeding from the mouth of Christ, and all the birds were
filled with their flesh (17-21).
This chapter appears designed to reinforce the idea that Christ in His
kingly rule will defeat those who have been persecuting His people.
Just as Babylon the harlot would be destroyed, so the beast and false
prophet would be overcome. If the latter two represent the Roman
empire in its persecution against the church, this section with its
vivid imagery would have been fulfilled by 313 A.D. when Constantine
brought an end to Roman persecution.
OUTLINE
I. HEAVEN REJOICES OVER THE FALL OF BABYLON (1-5)
A. A GREAT MULTITUDE IN HEAVEN (1-3)
1. Praising God, attributing salvation, glory, honor, and power
to Him
2. Declaring His judgments on the great harlot as true and
righteous
a. For she corrupted the earth with her fornication
b. He has avenged the blood of His servants which she shed
3. Praising God, for her smoke rises up forever and ever
B. THE TWENTY-FOUR ELDERS AND FOUR LIVING CREATURES (4)
1. Falling down and worshipping God who sits on the throne
2. Saying "Amen, Alleluia!"
C. A VOICE FROM THE THRONE (5)
1. Calling upon all God's servants and those who fear Him
2. Calling upon both small and great to praise God
II. HEAVEN REJOICES IN PREPARATION FOR THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB (6-10)
A. A GREAT MULTITUDE IN HEAVEN (6-8)
1. Sounding like many waters and mighty thunderings
a. Praising the Lord God Omnipotent for His reign
b. Calling to be glad and rejoice and give God glory
2. For the marriage of the Lamb has come
a. His wife has made herself ready
b. She was arrayed in fine linen, which is the righteous acts
of the saints
B. A FELLOW SERVANT (9-10)
1. Telling John to write: "Blessed are those who are called to
the marriage supper of the Lamb!"
2. Proclaiming: "These are the true sayings of God."
3. When John fell at his feet to worship him, he is rebuked
a. "See that you do not do that!"
b. "I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have
the testimony of Jesus."
c. "Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of
prophecy."
III. CHRIST THE WARRIOR KING ON A WHITE HORSE (11-16)
A. HIS AWESOME DESCRIPTION (11-13)
1. As heaven opened, John sees Him sitting on a white horse
a. He is called Faithful and True
b. In righteousness He judges and makes war
2. As seen by John:
a. His eyes were like a flame of fire
b. On His head were many crowns
c. He had a name written that no one knew but Himself
d. Clothed with a robe dipped in blood
e. His name is called The Word of God
B. HIS GREAT RULE AND REIGN (14-16)
1. Followed by the armies of heaven
a. Clothed in fine linen, white and clean
b. Sitting on white horses
2. From His mouth, a sharp sword to strike the nations
a. He Himself will rule the nations with a rod of iron
b. He Himself treads the winepress of Almighty God's
fierceness and wrath
3. On His robe and thigh a name written: "King of kings, and
Lord of lords"
IV. THE FALL OF THE BEAST, THE FALSE PROPHET, AND THEIR FORCES (17-21)
A. THE DECLARATION OF AN ANGEL (17-18)
1. John sees an angel standing in the sun, crying with a loud
voice
2. Speaking to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven:
a. "Come and gather together for the supper of the great God."
b. "...eat the flesh of kings...captains...mighty men...horses
...all people, free and slave, both small and great"
B. THE END OF THE BEAST AND FALSE PROPHET (19-21)
1. John saw the beast, the kings of the earth and their armies,
gathered to make war against Him who sat on the horse and His
army
2. John saw the beast and false prophet captured
a. The false prophet who worked signs in the presence of the
beast
b. By which he deceived those who received the mark of the
beast and worshiped his image
-- Both were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with
brimstone
3. The rest of their forces were killed
a. With the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who
sat on the horse
b. All the birds were filled with their flesh
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