Revelation 19, The Final Destruction of Babylon and Return to Earth

Rev 19:1-5 (ESV) After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out,

"Hallelujah!
 Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
2 for his judgments are true and just;
for he has judged the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth with her immorality,
and has avenged on her the blood of his servants."

3 Once more they cried out,

"Hallelujah!
 The smoke from her goes up forever and ever."

4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, "Amen. Hallelujah!" 5 And from the throne came a voice saying,

"Praise our God,
all you his servants,
you who fear him,
small and great."



• NOTE: We are telling the story again but this time with a few more details (5 Hallelujahs and details about the second coming)
• "After this" refers to what?
• The destruction of Babylonianism or the Babylonian System. We see this in verse 2, referencing chapter 17 and the great prostitute (this is the first Hallelujah)
• The first Hallelujah focuses on what?
• I think this is the spiritual effect of Babylon
• The world view
• The opposition to anything that is commanded from God
• The second Hallelujah focuses on what?
• The destruction of physical Babylon. We see this in verse 3, referencing the actual fire that burns her
• The third Hallelujah  and rejoicing comes from two sources (possibly three)
• The 24 elders
• Possibly 12 representing the old covenant
• Possibly 12 representing the new covenant (the church)
• The four living creatures representing the angelic host
• And a voice from the throne? The son?
• What is the point of the third hallelujah?
• THOUGHT: Verse 5 says that it is not just men who have fought against Babylon but all of God's creation. The final verse reiterates that all servants are to praise God for what he has done
• APPLICATION: God has used 2+ chapters to describe the destruction of a city that doesn't even exist currently. But Babylon is more than a city, it is a way of thinking. And it is why the battle for the mind is the most important battle that is going on now.


Rev 19:6-10 (ESV) Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

"Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;
8  it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure"—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

9 And the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are the true words of God." 10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, "You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God." For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.



• The fourth Hallelujah refers to the coming marriage of the Lamb. The bride is the church and the marriage supper invitations go out (prior to the second coming)
• A Jewish marriage had four distinct steps
1. The father made the arrangements for the marriage and paid the bride price
2. A year or more later is the fetching of the bride
1. The father of the groom determined the timing
2. Prior to the fetching, the groom must prepare a place for her
3. The wedding ceremony. The bride undergoes a ritual immersion for ritual cleansing. The honeymoon lasts seven days. They are at the place prepared in the Father's house
4. The marriage feast (it can last seven days). This is at the wife's (bride's) family house
• This process is repeated for the church
1. God the Father makes the arrangement. The blood of the Messiah is the price
2. The rapture is the fetching (at the Father's time and Jesus prepares the place)
3. The ceremony occurs in heaven after the judgment of the saints
1. Ritual cleansing is the judgment of the believers (burning away of the wood and hay) see 1 Cor 3:10-15
2. The honeymoon was seven days long and was at the Father's home in the place prepared
3. The family and friends are kept away
4. The feast takes place on earth after the second coming
1. Usually at the wife's home (Earth)
2. Invites the family and friends (The OT saints and the tribulation saints)
3. Party is usually seven days in length
• Verse 7-8 show us that the bride has made herself ready. The marriage occurs prior to the second coming (also why the rapture could not occur at the end of the tribulation or in the middle since it would not include all tribulation saints)
• The marriage feast begins the millennial kingdom on earth
• The guests are bidden to come suggesting that they are not all in heaven. Who are the guests?
• The tribulation saints (Martyrs and those who live through the period) since they are not members of the church
• OT saints who are resurrected at the beginning of the millennium
Dan 12:1-2 (ESV) "At that time Michael, // the great prince who watches over your people, // will arise. // There will be a time of distress // unlike any other from the nation's beginning // up to that time. // But at that time your own people, // all those whose names are found written in the book, // will escape. // 2 Many of those who sleep // in the dusty ground will awake - // some to everlasting life, // and others to shame and everlasting abhorrence.

• John is caught up in the worship and starts to worship one of the angels
• He is strictly rebuked, why?
• Because Satan was an angel and he willingly took the worship of others
• Even this event seems to highlight Babylonian worldview and its effect
• We learn that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. What does that mean?
• It is all about Jesus
• The future centers on Jesus
• He is the object of everything and the true person to worship (as David said this week. It is not enough to believe in God now, the person must believe in God because of the work of Jesus, the son of God)


Rev 19:11-21 (ESV) Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12  His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15  From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, "Come, gather for the great supper of God, 18  to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great." 19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21 And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.



• What is the event? This is the second coming described in much more detail than previously
• How is Jesus described and what is the meaning of the descriptions
• On a white horse
• The Antichrist also rode a white horse
• Called faithful and true (in contrast to the Antichrist)
• Jesus judges and makes war (this is the second coming)
• His eyes are like flames of fire
• Goes back to chapter 1
• All-seeing; all-knowing; he judges man's sin
• His head has many diadem (king of kings)
• A name written that no one knows
• (unknown in John's day but may be made known on his return)
• People thought knowing a person's name gave them power over the person. No one will have power over Jesus
• Clothed in a robe dipped in blood
• In context, could be the blood of the enemies (called proleptic, anticipating his victory)
• He is not a redeemer here but a warrior and a judge
• Called the word of God
• Identifies as the second person of the trinity going back to Genesis and John
• The word is the instrument of Justice (the measuring rod)
• Armies of heaven follow (with an interesting description for an Army)
• Only arrayed in fine linen
• No weapons
• The sharp sword out of the mouth (also goes back to chapter 1)
• Strikes down the enemies of God (his Word)
• Treads the winepress of the fury of God's wrath (references back to previous discussion in chapter 16)
• On his thigh and robe is written: King of kings and Lord of lords
• The battle is … the campaign of Armageddon which starts at Bozrah
• An angel calls to the birds to eat the flesh of men
• Beast is captured and the false prophet (note: who only does miracles in the presence of the antichrist)
• Both thrown alive into the lake of fire (eternal torment)
• ALL the rest are slain by the sword that comes from Jesus' mouth
• This time, no one else fights, only Jesus
• APPLICATION: the key weapon that will end all battles and history is the word of God. How flippantly we handle such a powerful tool