The Restrainer may be “restraining” far more than we have any idea! There will be strange things unleashed—some may already have begun, but are restrained until the Body of Christ has been removed from the scene...
[1] “And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God”: Meta tauta: (4X) Rev 4:1; Rev 7:1; Rev 18:1; Rev 19:1. “After the Church things...”
Alleluia is the Greek form of the Hebrew Hallelujah: (4X) only occurrences in NT are here in Revelation = “Praise Yahweh.” It occurs 24X in Psalms (Psa 146; Psa 147; Psa 148; Psa 149; Psa 150). First use: 1Ch 16:4 (Hebrew) to celebrate the ark of God in the midst of Zion.
Sung for three reasons: God has judged His enemies (Rev 19:1-4); God is reigning (Rev 19:5-6); The Bride is ready (Rev 19:7-10) Rom 8:18-23!
[2] “For true and righteous [are] his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore...”: The Dragon Lady again. “Rejoice over her” was commanded when she fell (Rev 18:20). This section is a response to that command.
[Believers are forbidden to avenge themselves (Rom 12:19).]
[3] “And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever”: That’s a long time.
God’s throne and altar are related to His judgments; Cf. Rev 19:3 with Rev 14:10-11; Rev 19:4 with Rev 5:6-10.
[4] “And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia”: This is the last appearance of the 24 elders. They become the Bride. The unique “Amen” speaks volumes: “verily, verily...”
[6] “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth”: Revelation, indeed, is the book of the throne (Psalm 110:1).
[7] “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.”
Israel? Wife of Yahweh (Isa 54:1, 4); Harlot (Eze 16:35). Hos 2:14-23; wife from whoredoms; gifts to lovers to prevent want; bought at slave market Hosea was to love her anyway.
His three children:
Divorced: Jer 3:8, 14; Hos 2:14-19; Isa 54:4-9;
Israel not cast away forever (Rom 11:1). The names of the children were changed (Hos 2:1, 14-15). Paul, in his definitive statement of doctrine called the Epistle to the Romans, spends three chapters hammering away on the theme that Israel is not cast away forever, but will be the path of blessing (Rom 11:11-12, 15). Israel appears 73 times in the New Testament—each time referring to national Israel.
High Priest forbidden to marry a divorced or widowed woman! (Lev 21:10, 13-14).
The Church (2Cr 11:2, Chaste virgin; Eph 5:22-23). Jesus is the Bridegoom (Jhn 3:22).
The Church is described as the virgin waiting for her bridegroom’s coming (2Cr 11:2; also, Eph 5:22-23). The Church is “engaged” to Him even though we have not seen Him (1Pe 1:8). One day He will return to take His bride to heaven (Jhn 14:1-6; 1Th 4:13-18).
[8] “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints”: Granted, not earned (Cf. Psa 45).
[9] “...Blessed [are] they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God”: Fourth of seven “beatitudes.”
Bridegroom: Mat 9:15; Mat 22:1-13; 2Cr 11:2; Eph 5:23-32.
Jhn the Baptist: Friend of Bridegroom, not the Bride (Jhn 3:29; Luk 16:16; Mat 11:11-13
Banquet: Isa 25:6-10; Isa 26:1-4, 19; Cf. Luk 22:15-16; Mat 26:39. Who are the “Guests?” [Mat 22 & Luk 14: these include the church; however, the Bride is not in view.]
Bride enjoys a unique relationship (Cf. Jhn 17:23-26). [Virgins of Mat 25:1-13 are not the bride.]
Many scholars suggest that the Old Testament saints apparently are not in view. Believers of the Old Testament era and the Tribulation. These distinctions are maintained in the Kingdom Age, but disappear in the eternal state..
[Some see this differently: they see Israel and the Church combined here. Israel is also figured in Hos 2:14-23; Isa 62:5. There are some outstanding scholars (Barnhouse, et al.) who suggest that both are in view. They certainly appear to be combined ultimately in the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 and Revelation 22.]
[10] “And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See [thou do it] not”: “Hora me”: two staccato words in the Greek. This angel was not about to be ensnared as was Lucifer in Isa 14.
Worshipping angels was wrong (Col 2:18) and John knew this. The angel was only a servant of God (Heb 1:14) and we do not worship servants (Acts 10:25-26). John was overwhelmed; and he even repeats this later (Rev 22:8-9)!
Jesus permits worship: Simon Peter (Luk 5:8); Thomas (Jhn 20:28); and Joshua (Josh 5:13-15), etc.
“The volume of the book is written of me.” Psalm 40:7.
[11] “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him [was] called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war”: Heaven opened; (as at His baptism).
Coming King: Psa 2; Psa 45; Psa 46; Psa 47; Psa 50:1-6; Psa 68; Isa 11; Isa 24:19-23; Isa 25; Isa 26:20-21; Isa 63:1-6; Isa 65:5-16; Dan 2:44-45; 7:9-14; Joel 3; Hab 3; Zech 14. His enemies know He is coming; Rev 12:12; Mat 24:29-30; Mat 26:64; Under Oath! Acts 1:11; 2Th 1:7-10. Enoch prophesied: Jde 14 (Earliest prophecy recorded).
Distinct from the first horseman of Rev 6.
Here He is not coming in the air to take His people home (1Th 4:13-18), but to the earth with His people, to conquer His enemies and establish His kingdom.
Faithful and True: (Rev 1:5; Rev 3:7, and to the last of the seven churches, Rev 3:14).
[12] “His eyes [were] as a flame of fire, and on his head [were] many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself”: Diadems, not stephanos. He has many sovereignties (Cf. Mat 28:18; Luk 19:12).
Note emphasis on His names (Rev 19:11-13, 16); “Secret name” same as “new name” in Rev 3:12?
| Matthew: | King of Kings | |
| Mark: | Faithful and True | |
| John: | The Word of God | |
| Luke? | [Son of Man...??] |
[13] “And he [was] clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God”: Vesture sprinkled (not “dipped”) in blood (A.T. Robertson correction): Isa 63:1-4; Rev 14:20.
“Word of God” familiar from Jhn 1:1-14. [He is even the Alpha and Omega (Rev 21:6; Rev 22:13) and Aleph and Tau of Zech 12:10, et al.]
[14] “And the armies [which were] in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean”: He leaves heaven to come to the earth for the last battle... He warned them of this while under oath before the high priest (Mat 26:64).
At Pentecost, Peter also referred to this day (Acts 2:19-20).
Armies: Jde 14; Zech 14:5. Angels are with Him (Mat 13:41; Mat 25:31; 2Th 1:7); but also we are with Him (1Th 3:13; 2Th 1:10; Heb 2:10; Col 3:4; Zech 14:5).
[15] “And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword...”: Sword (Isa 11:4; 2Th 2:8; Heb 4:12; Eph 6:17; Rev 1:16; Rev 2:16; Rev 19:15, 21. Also, Psa 149:6; Isa 49:2).
The Word is “living and powerful” (Heb 4:12); fulfills His purposes on earth (Rev 17:7; Rev 6:11; Rev 10:7; Rev 15:1). Enemies are consumed with the spirit of His mouth (2Th 2:8; Isa 11:4).
Rod of Iron: Psa 2:9; Rev 2:27; Rev 12:5. “When I begin I will also make an end” (1Sa 3:12).
[16] “And he hath on [his] vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords”: Gen 24:2, 9; Gen 32:25, 31-32; Gen 47:29; Cf. Dan 2:47; Deu 10:17; 1Ti 6:15.
[17] “And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God”: Luk 17:37; Mat 24:28.
[Verses following a mere index of previous passages, etc.] Satan was cast out, knowing he had but a short time (Rev 12:12).
[18] “That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all [men, both] free and bond, both small and great”: “Flesh” occurs 6X in this paragraph(Rev 19:18-21); Cf. Rev 14:14-20; Rev 16:13-16; Eze 39:17-20?
[19] “And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army”: Bizarre: knowingly making war against God! (Psa 2:1-9). The “battle” is the laughter of God against man’s arrogance.
Headquartered in Palestine (Dan 11:45), the Coming World Leader will go forth in great fury (Dan 11:44): Joel 2; Daniel 11; Isaiah 24 (note Isa 24:21). A great motorized army (Nahum 3:2), arrayed in red (!) (Nahum 2:3) will swing into the area.
Pre-requisite to the Second Coming: a petition by the remnant, taking refuge in the east: Hos 5:15, et al. (Re: Fruchtenbaum)
[There is not the slightest mention of any struggle...] 2Th 2:8.
[20] “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him... These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone”: They are still there 1000 years later (Rev 20:10). Two are cast alive into Gehenna [vs. two (Moses & Elijah?) taken alive into Heaven (Rev 11:12).]
[21] “And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which [sword] proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh”: [Note: there is no resurrection here. The rapture has already occurred. The “Second Resurrection” occurs 1,000 years later.]
Unbelievers, when they die, go to Hades, the unseen world, the (temporary) realm of the dead. Believers go immediately into the presence of the Lord (Phil 1:19-23; 2Cr 5:6-8). Hades will be emptied of its dead in Rev 20:13.
Jesus now takes the throne upon the earth—the Throne of David (Isa 9:6-7; Luk 1:32-33).