Rev 19 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Rev 19:1-10: 19:1-10 This section expands the message of the sixth song of response (18:20 ; see study note on 18:1-24), which called for rejoicing. Various groups direct praises to the Lord. The praises can be divided into two sections: thankfulness for the destruction of the evildoers (19:1-4 ) and thankfulness for the reward of God’s people (19:5-8 ). Summary for Rev 19:1-2: 19:1-2 This scene focuses on what John heard rather than on what he saw. The first three-part praise comes from a vast crowd (cp. 7:9-10 ).

Summary for Rev 19:1-10: 19:1-10 ^a This section expands the message of the sixth song of response (18:20 ^b; see study note on 18:1-24), which called for rejoicing. Various groups direct praises to the Lord. The praises can be divided into two sections: thankfulness for the destruction of the evildoers (19:1-4 ^c) and thankfulness for the reward of God’s people (19:5-8 ^d).
Summary for Rev 19:1-2: 19:1-2 ^e This scene focuses on what John heard rather than on what he saw. The first three-part praise comes from a vast crowd (cp. 7:9-10 ^f).
19:2 ^g true and just (see 15:3 ^h; 16:7 ⁱ): In his righteous justice, God kept his promise of judging the great prostitute, who represents moral and spiritual corruption and persecution of God’s people.
19:3 ^j The smoke from that city: God’s people praise him once again as they see the evil city’s demise (cp. 14:11 ^k).
19:4 ^l In response to the first two praises (19:1-3 ^m), the elders and the living beings (see ch 4 ⁿ) again prostrate themselves before the enthroned God (see 4:10 ^o; 5:8 ^p, 14 ^q; 7:11 ^r).

• Amen! See study note on 5:14.
Summary for Rev 19:6-8: 19:6-8 ^s The focus of the final thunderous Praise the Lord! is that God reigns as the Almighty in complete supremacy (see 1:8 ^t; 4:8 ^u; 11:17 ^v; 15:3 ^w; 16:7 ^x, 14 ^y; 19:15 ^z; 21:22 ^aa).
19:7 ^ab the wedding feast of the Lamb: This event—the wedding of the Messiah with his bride, the church (see Isa 54:5 ^ac; 61:10 ^ad; Jer 31:32 ^ae; Ezek 16:7-14 ^af; Hos 2:16-20 ^ag; Mark 2:19-20 ^ah; 2 Cor 11:2 ^ai)—symbolizes complete victory and eternal fellowship.
19:8 ^aj finest ... linen: See study note on 15:5-6.

• the good deeds of God’s holy people: See Eph 2:8-10 ^ak; 2 Tim 3:16-17 ^al; Jas 2:18-22 ^am.
19:9 ^an Blessed are those: This fourth blessing in Revelation (see 1:3 ^ao; 14:13 ^ap; 16:15 ^aq) affirms the hope of the faithful.

• who are invited: God is in control and determines who will participate.

• wedding feast (cp. 19:17 ^ar): Jesus often used meals to explain the Kingdom (Matt 22:1-13 ^as; Luke 14:7-24 ^at), and he ordained a meal for the church (Mark 14:22-25 ^au; 1 Cor 11:23-26 ^av).

• These are true words: This oath asserts the reliability of the message.
19:10 ^aw The angel issues a stern warning against misdirected worship (cp. 22:8-9 ^ax).
Summary for Rev 19:11-20:15: 19:11–20:15 ^ay The drama moves into its climactic scenes: God’s enemies are defeated and punished in two episodes (19:11-21 ^az; 20:7-10 ^ba). Meanwhile, the faithful experience a 1,000-year resurrection (20:1-6 ^bb) followed by the final judgment (20:11-15 ^bc).
Summary for Rev 19:11-16: 19:11-16 ^bd Then I saw: John describes a new vision of Jesus Christ as the holy warrior and conquering King (see 14:1 ^be; see also Exod 15:1-7 ^bf; Pss 24:8 ^bg; 78:49-50 ^bh; Isa 59:16-17 ^bi). 19:11 ^bj The rider is both a judge and a righteous warrior (see Isa 11:1-5 ^bk). He is named Faithful and True: He embodies God’s authenticity and reliability (see Rev 19:2 ^bl; 21:5-6 ^bm).
19:12 ^bn His eyes were like flames of fire: See 1:14-16 ^bo; Dan 10:6 ^bp.

• Christ, wearing many crowns, is contrasted with the dragon, whose seven heads were each crowned (see Rev 12:3 ^bq).
19:13 ^br He wore a robe dipped in blood: This description may refer to (1) the blood of Christ’s enemies, signifying his total victory (Isa 63:2-4 ^bs); or (2) Christ’s sacrificial death for humanity (Rev 1:7 ^bt).

• The Word of God is John’s distinctive designation for Jesus (see John 1:1 ^bu, 14 ^bv).
19:14 ^bw Christ’s armies of heaven, dressed in victorious white and riding on white horses, contrast with the locust forces of the abyss (9:3-11 ^bx), the three frog-like evil spirits (16:13 ^by), and the defeated armies at Armageddon (16:16 ^bz; see also 19:19 ^ca).
19:15 ^cb From his mouth ... a sharp sword: See 1:16 ^cc; Heb 4:12 ^cd; see also Isa 49:2 ^ce; 2 Thes 2:8 ^cf.

• The iron rod represents Christ’s power as ruler and as supreme shepherd (see Pss 2:9 ^cg; 23:4 ^ch).

• God, the Almighty: See Rev 1:8 ^ci; 4:8 ^cj; 11:17 ^ck; 16:7 ^cl, 14 ^cm; 21:22 ^cn.

• His fierce wrath will crush his enemies like grapes in a winepress (Isa 63:2-4 ^co).
19:16 ^cp King ... and Lord: See 1:5 ^cq; 15:3 ^cr; 17:14 ^cs.
Summary for Rev 19:17-19: 19:17-19 ^ct Gather together for the great banquet: This feast upon the flesh of the armies gathered together to fight against Christ is contrasted with “the wedding feast of the Lamb” (19:7 ^cu). The enemies that form for battle are quickly destroyed (19:20-21 ^cv; see also 14:17-20 ^cw; 16:16-21 ^cx). Two feasts—the marriage supper of the Lamb (19:7-8 ^cy) and the “great supper” of God’s judgment (19:17-18 ^cz, 21 ^da)—provide two perspectives on the end of time. They illustrate the two sides of the Good News: grace and judgment, reward and punishment (cp. John 3:16-18 ^db).
19:20 ^dc beast ... false prophet See 13:1-10 ^dd.

• The fiery lake of burning sulfur provides a picture of eternal punishment (see 20:10 ^de, 14-15 ^df; 21:8 ^dg; see also Isa 66:24 ^dh; Matt 13:41 ^di, 49-50 ^dj; Mark 9:43 ^dk, 48 ^dl).

• God’s enemies are thrown into the fiery lake. The two beasts (Rev 19:20 ^dm) are followed by the dragon (20:10 ^dn) and then by death (20:14 ^do) and unsaved humans (20:15 ^dp).
19:21 ^dq The entire army of enemies is dispatched by the sword from Christ’s mouth (see 1:16 ^dr; 2:12 ^ds, 16 ^dt; see also Isa 11:4 ^du; 49:2 ^dv; 2 Thes 2:8 ^dw). While one side of God’s word (grace) leads to repentance, the other side (judgment) carries out the death sentence.