Rev 19:1-7 | Barnes | STEP | CHAPTER XIX ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER THIS chapter, as well as the last, is an episode, delaying the final catastrophe, and describing more fully the effect of the destruction of the mystical Babylon. The chapter consists of the following parts:-- I. A hymn of the heavenly hosts in view of the destruction of the mystical Babylon, . (a) A voice is heard in heaven shouting Hallelujah, in view of the fact that God had judged the great harlot that had corrupted the earth, . (b) The sound is echoed and repeated as the smoke of her torment ascends, . (c) The four and twenty elders, and the four living creatures, as interested in all that pertains to the church, unite in that shout of Hallelujah, . (d) A voice is heard from the throne commanding them to praise God, ; and (e) the mighty shout of Hallelujah is echoed and repeated from unnumbered hosts, . II. The marriage of the Lamb, . The Lamb of God is united to his bride--the church--never more to be separated; and after all the persecutions, conflicts, and embarrassments which had existed, this long-desired union is consummated, and the glorious triumph of the church is described under the image of a joyous wedding ceremony. III. John is so overcome with this representation, that in his transports of feeling he prostrates himself before the angel, who shows him all this, ready to worship one who discloses such bright and glorious scenes, . He is gently rebuked for allowing himself to be so overcome that he would render Divine homage to any creature, and is told that he who communicates this to him is but a fellow-servant, and that God only is to be worshipped. IV. The final conquest over the beast and the false prophet, and the subjugation of all the foes of the church, . (a) A description of the conqueror--the Son of God, . He appears on a white horse--emblem of victory. He has on his head many crowns; wears a vesture dipped in blood; is followed by the armies of heaven on white horses; from his mouth goes a sharp sword; and his name is prominently written on his vesture and his thigh--all emblematic of certain victory. (b) An angel is seen standing in the sun, calling on all the fowls of heaven to come to the great feast prepared for them in the destruction of the enemies of God--as if there were a great slaughter sufficient to supply all the fowls that feed on flesh, . (c) The final war, . The beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies are gathered together for battle; the beast and the false prophet are taken, and are cast into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone; and all that remain of the enemies of God are slain, and the fowls are satisfied with their flesh. The last obstacle that prevented the dawn of the millennial morning is taken away, and the church is triumphant. Verse 1. And after these things . The things particularly that were exhibited in the previous chapter. . I heard a voice of much people in heaven . The voice of the worshippers before the throne. Saying, Alleluia . The Greek method of writing Hallelujah . This word--αλληλουια--occurs in the New Testament only in this chapter, . The Hebrew phrase-- ? Hallelujah --occurs often in the Old Testament. It means properly Praise Jehovah , or Praise the Lord . The occasion on which it is introduced here is very appropriate. It is uttered by the inhabitants of heaven, in the immediate presence of God himself, and in view of the final overthrow of the enemies of the church and the triumph of the gospel. In such circumstances it was fit that heaven should render praise, and that a song of thanksgiving should be uttered in which all holy beings could unite. Salvation . That is, the salvation is to be ascribed to God. . And glory, and honour . Barnes on "Re 5:12" . And power . . Unto the Lord our God . That is, all that there is of honour, glory, power, in the redemption of the world belongs to God, and should be ascribed to him. This is expressive of the true feelings of piety always; this will constitute the song of heaven. (a) "great voice" (b) "Alleluia" (c) "Salvation"

Revelation of John 19:1-7

CHAPTER XIX

ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER

THIS chapter, as well as the last, is an episode, delaying the final catastrophe, and describing more fully the effect of the destruction of the mystical Babylon. The chapter consists of the following parts:--

I. A hymn of the heavenly hosts in view of the destruction of the mystical Babylon, Rev 19:1-7.

(a) A voice is heard in heaven shouting Hallelujah, in view of the fact that God had judged the great harlot that had corrupted the earth, Rev 19:1,2.

(b) The sound is echoed and repeated as the smoke of her torment ascends, Rev 19:3.

(c) The four and twenty elders, and the four living creatures, as interested in all that pertains to the church, unite in that shout of Hallelujah, Rev 19:4.

(d) A voice is heard from the throne commanding them to praise God, Rev 19:5; and

(e) the mighty shout of Hallelujah is echoed and repeated from unnumbered hosts, Rev 19:6,7.

II. The marriage of the Lamb, Rev 19:8,9. The Lamb of God is united to his bride--the church--never more to be separated; and after all the persecutions, conflicts, and embarrassments which had existed, this long-desired union is consummated, and the glorious triumph of the church is described under the image of a joyous wedding ceremony.

III. John is so overcome with this representation, that in his transports of feeling he prostrates himself before the angel, who shows him all this, ready to worship one who discloses such bright and glorious scenes, Rev 19:10. He is gently rebuked for allowing himself to be so overcome that he would render Divine homage to any creature, and is told that he who communicates this to him is but a fellow-servant, and that God only is to be worshipped.

IV. The final conquest over the beast and the false prophet, and the subjugation of all the foes of the church, Rev 9:11-21.

(a) A description of the conqueror--the Son of God, Rev 9:11-16. He appears on a white horse--emblem of victory. He has on his head many crowns; wears a vesture dipped in blood; is followed by the armies of heaven on white horses; from his mouth goes a sharp sword; and his name is prominently written on his vesture and his thigh--all emblematic of certain victory.

(b) An angel is seen standing in the sun, calling on all the fowls of heaven to come to the great feast prepared for them in the destruction of the enemies of God--as if there were a great slaughter sufficient to supply all the fowls that feed on flesh, Rev 19:17,18.

(c) The final war, Rev 19:19,21. The beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies are gathered together for battle; the beast and the false prophet are taken, and are cast into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone; and all that remain of the enemies of God are slain, and the fowls are satisfied with their flesh. The last obstacle that prevented the dawn of the millennial morning is taken away, and the church is triumphant.

Verse 1. And after these things. The things particularly that were exhibited in the previous chapter. Rev 18:1.

I heard a voice of much people in heaven. The voice of the worshippers before the throne.

Saying, Alleluia. The Greek method of writing Hallelujah. This word--αλληλουια--occurs in the New Testament only in this chapter, Rev 18:1,3,4,6. The Hebrew phrase-- ? Hallelujah--occurs often in the Old Testament. It means properly Praise Jehovah, or Praise the Lord. The occasion on which it is introduced here is very appropriate. It is uttered by the inhabitants of heaven, in the immediate presence of God himself, and in view of the final overthrow of the enemies of the church and the triumph of the gospel. In such circumstances it was fit that heaven should render praise, and that a song of thanksgiving should be uttered in which all holy beings could unite.

Salvation. That is, the salvation is to be ascribed to God. Rev 7:10.

And glory, and honour. Barnes on "Re 5:12".

And power. Rev 5:13.

Unto the Lord our God. That is, all that there is of honour, glory, power, in the redemption of the world belongs to God, and should be ascribed to him. This is expressive of the true feelings of piety always; this will constitute the song of heaven.

(a) "great voice" Rev 11:15 (b) "Alleluia" Rev 19:3,4,6 (c) "Salvation" Rev 7:10,12 Verse 2. For true and righteous are his judgments. That is, the calamities that come upon the power here referred to are deserved.

For he hath judged the great whore. The power represented by the harlot, Rev 17:1.

Which did corrupt the earth with her fornication. Rev 14:8; Rev 17:2 Rev 17:4 Rev 17:5; Rev 18:3. Compare Rev 9:21.

And hath avenged the blood of his servants. Rev 18:20, Rev 18:24.

At her hand. Shed by her hand.

(d) "true and righteous" Rev 16:7 (e) "avenged" Rev 18:20 Verse 3. And again they said, Alleluia. Rev 19:1. The event was so glorious and so important; the final destruction of the great enemy of the church was of so much moment in its bearing on the welfare of the world, as to call forth repeated expressions of praise.

And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. Rev 14:11. This is an image of final ruin; the image being derived probably from the description in Genesis of the smoke that ascended from the cities of the plain, Gen 19:28. On the joy expressed here in her destruction, compare Rev 18:20.

(f) "smoke" Rev 18:9,18, Isa 34:10 Verse 4. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts. Rev 4:4, Rev 4:6, Rev 4:7. As representatives of the church, and as interested in its welfare, they are now introduced as rejoicing in its final triumph, and in the destruction of its last foe.

Fell down. Prostrated themselves--the usual posture of worship.

And worshipped God that sat on the throne. Rev 4:2-3,10. That is, they now adored him for what he had done in delivering the church from all its persecutions, and causing it to triumph in the world.

Saying, Amen. Mt 6:13. The word here is expressive of approbation of what God had done; or of their solemn assent to all that had occurred in the destruction of the great enemy of the church.

Alleluia. Rev 19:1. The repetition of this word so many times shows the intenseness of the joy of heaven in view of the final triumph of the church. Verse 5. And a voice came out of the throne. A voice seemed to come from the very midst of the throne. It is not said by whom this voice was uttered. It cannot be supposed, however, that it was uttered by God himself, for the command which it gave was this: "Praise our God," etc. For the same reason it seems hardly probable that it was the voice of the Messiah, unless it be supposed that he here identifies himself with the redeemed church, and speaks of God as his God and hers. It would seem rather that it was a responsive voice that came from those nearest the throne, calling on all to unite in praising God in view of what was done. The meaning then will be, that all heaven was interested in the triumph of the church, and that one portion of the dwellers there called on the others to unite in offering thanksgiving.

Praise our God. The God that we worship.

All ye his servants. All in heaven and earth; all have occasion for thankfulness.

And ye that fear him. That reverence and obey him. The fear of the Lord is a common expression in the Scriptures to denote true piety. Both small and great. All of every class and condition-poor and rich--young and old; those of humble, and those of exalted rank. Compare Ps 148:7-13.

(g) "Praise our God" Ps 135:1 Verse 6. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude. In Rev 19:1, he says that he "heard a great voice of much people;" here he says he "heard as it were a voice of great multitude." That is, in the former case he heard a shout that he at once recognised as the voice of a great multitude of persons; here he says that he heard a sound not distinctly recognised at first as such, but which resembled such a shout of a multitude. In the former case it was distinct; here it was confused--bearing a resemblance to the sound of roaring waters, or to muttering thunder, but less distinct than the former. This phrase would imply

(a) a louder sound; and

(b) that the sound was more remote, and therefore less clear and distinct.

And as the voice of many waters. The comparison of the voices of a host of people with the roar of mighty waters is not uncommon in the Scriptures. Isa 17:12 Isa 17:13. So in Homer-- "The monarch spoke, and straight a murmur rose,

Loud as the surges when the tempest blows;

That dash'd on broken rocks tumultuous roar,

And foam and thunder on the stony shore."

And as the voice of mighty thunderings. The loud, deep, heavy voice of thunder. The distant shouts of a multitude may properly be represented by the sound of heavy thunder.

Saying, Alleluia. Rev 19:1. This is the fourth time in which this is uttered as expressive of the joy of the heavenly hosts in view of the overthrow of the enemies of the church. The occasion will be worthy of this emphatic expression of joy.

For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Jehovah--God Almighty--the true God. The meaning is, that as the last enemy of the church is destroyed, he now truly reigns. This is the result of his power, and therefore it is proper that he should be praised as the omnipotent or Almighty God-- for he has shown that he can overcome all his enemies, and bring the world to his feet.

(a) "for the Lord" Ps 97:1,12 Verse 7. Let us be glad and rejoice. Let all in heaven rejoice--for all have an interest in the triumph of truth; all should be glad that the government of God is set up over an apostate world.

And give honour to him. Because the work is glorious; and because it is by his power alone that it has been accomplished. Rev 5:12.

For the marriage of the Lamb is come. Of the Lamb of God--the Redeemer of the world. Barnes on "Re 5:6". The relation of God, and especially of the Messiah, to the church, is often in the Scriptures represented under the image of marriage. Isa 54:4, seq. Isa 62:4, Isa 63.5; 2Cor 11:2, Eph 5:23,seq. Compare Jer 3:14, 31:32, Hos 2:19-20. The idea is also said to be common in Arabic and Persian poetry. It is to be remembered also, that Papal Rome has just been represented as a gay and meretricious woman; and there is a propriety, therefore, in representing the true church as a pure bride, the Lamb's wife, and the final triumph of that church as a joyous marriage. The meaning is, that the church was now to triumph and rejoice as if in permanent union with her glorious head and Lord.

And his wife hath made herself ready. By putting on her beautiful apparel and ornaments. All the preparations had been made for a permanent and uninterrupted union with its Redeemer, and the church was henceforward to be recognised as his beautiful bride, and was no more to appear as a decorated harlot--as it had during the Papal supremacy. Between the church under the Papacy, and the church in its true form, there is all the difference which there is between an abandoned woman gaily decked with gold and jewels, and a pure virgin chastely and modestly adorned, about to be led to be united in bonds of love to a virtuous husband.

(b) "marriage" Mt 25:10 (c) "ready" Isa 52:1