Book of Revelation Commentary
Tom Lowe
8/8/17
Lesson: IV.C.5: THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB (Revelation 19:6-10)
(Revelation 19:6-10, KJV)
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.
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.
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.
9 And he saith unto me, Write, 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.
10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
Introduction
Considerable controversy has raged over the identity of the bride. Some claim the bride is Israel, others that she is the Church. It is true that in the Old Testament Israel was said to be the wife of Jehovah; but it was Hosea’s great lament that she was divorced for her unbelief and repeated infidelities. Though in a coming day the divorced wife will be forgiven, cleansed, and restored, that hardly satisfies the scene now described. What we have here is the bringing together at last of Christ and His Church. Paul declares that his ministry was to win believers to Christ through the preaching of the Gospel, so that, as the Church, they might be presented to Him as a chaste virgin (2 Corinthians 11:2). All believers from Pentecost to the rapture are seen collectively and symbolically as the bride of Christ.
The prophesized union between God and Israel is an event to take place on the earth, and must not be confused with the marriage of the Lamb to His Bride, which takes place in Heaven. Now I will not deny the possibility of two marriages, one at which the Church and Christ will be united and one at which Israel and Jehovah will be united. Nor is it impossible that each might attend the marriage feast of the other. But to fail to distinguish between the two of these actions only tends to confuse the whole issue.
Verses 6-10 describe the marriage supper of the Lamb, but the event does not occur at this point. This foreshadows the actual event, and its appealing description is meant to invite the readers to take part in the banquet.
Commentary
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.
“And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude,”
The multitude was singing, rejoicing, exalting, and giving glory to God in a time of celebration like nothing ever seen before, for it will celebrate the marriage of the Lamb, referring to Christ. This next great vision, the bride getting ready for her wedding, contrasts with the “great prostitute” of 17:1. His bride has made herself ready—the bride is the New Jerusalem (21:2, 9-10{4]), the Church, and the believers, those redeemed by Christ’s blood. The Church is the dearest object in the entire universe to the Lord of glory, for she is His bride. It is a recurring theme in the Pauline epistles. At the moment of conversion we are espoused to the Lord Jesus and receive the “engagement ring,” the earnest (security), of the Holy Spirit.
It was said of Babylon that “the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee” (18:23), but now that the harlot has been exposed and expelled, the true Church, which is the Bride of Christ, is brought into view. There has been no mention of the Church since chapter 4, where she is caught up to Heaven. During the tribulation, the saints were in Heaven preparing for this important event. I believe that the Church for whom Christ gave Himself, and which will be presented to Him “holy and without blemish,” is made up of those saints from Pentecost to the rapture (Ephesians 5:25-27{1]). This is the full and final union between Christ and his Church.
“and as the voice of many waters,”
John uses terms here that all can clearly understand. Most of us have been to the ocean or to great falls, and have heard the continuous roar of “many waters” breaking against the shore or rushing over the rocks and through the rapids.
“and as the voice of mighty thunderings,”
Even a little child knows the voice of “mighty thunderings.” In our summer thunderstorms the roar and rumble of the bursting thunder always gives me a fresh reminder that on that glorious morning the praises in heaven will be such as no mortal has ever heard! The noise will be beyond human imagination. Think of it! Millions of the redeemed, billions of angels, and the entire heavenly host will be shouting in thunderous voices, “HALLELUJAH! FOR THE LORD GOD OMNIPOTENT REIGNETH!”
“saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.”
It is the moment when every knee shall bow and “every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11). This is the moment anticipated by all the redeemed. When Jesus came the first time, He was rejected and nailed to the cross. When He comes again, all men, rich and poor, high and low, will bow in homage at His feet. Hallelujah!
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.
“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him:”
In our marriage ceremonies, at which a man and a woman are united in wedlock, it is the bride who gets most of the attention. The guests watch for her appearing. The organ plays, “Here comes the bride.” But here the multitude is heard in one united voice, saying, “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him.” Here comes the Bridegroom!
“for the marriage of the Lamb is come,”
The thought of the relationship between God and His people as a marriage goes far back into the Old Testament. Again and again the prophet thought of Israel as the chosen bride of God. “I will betroth you to me for ever,” Hosea hears God say, “I will betroth you to me in righteousness” (Hosea 2:19, 20). (Also see Isaiah 54:5 and Jeremiah 3:14.) Please notice the wording of this clause: it is not “the marriage of the Bride,” but “the marriage of the Lamb.” It is His joy that is especially in view—not the joy of the Bride. Never forget, precious believer, God saved you for Christ’s sake (Ephesians 4:30-32; 2:6, 7). God saves us for the sake of His only begotten Son, in whom He is well pleased.
The marriage symbolism runs all through the Gospels. We read of the marriage feast (Matthew 22:2); of the bride chamber and the wedding garment (Matthew 22:10, 11); of the sons of the bride chamber (Mark 2:19); of the bridegroom (Mark 2:19; Matthew 25:1); of the friends of the bridegroom (John 3:29). And Paul speaks of himself as betrothing the Church like a pure virgin to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2), and for him the relationship of Christ to His Church is the great model of the relationship of husband and wife (Ephesians 5:21-33).
This may seem to us a strange metaphor. But it conserves certain great truths. In any real marriage there must be four things which must also be in the relationship between the Christian and Christ.
There is love. A loveless marriage is a contradiction in terms.
There is intimate communion, so intimate that man and wife become one flesh. The relationship of the Christian and Christ must be the closest in all of life.
There is joy. There is nothing like the joy of loving and being loved. If Christianity does not bring joy, it does not bring anything.
There is fidelity. No marriage can last without fidelity, and the Christian must be as faithful to Jesus Christ as Jesus Christ is to him.
“and his wife hath made herself ready.”
There are two kinds of fitness (readiness), and the New Testament Church is the subject of both:
God, in the exercise of His sovereign grace, makes the Bride ready for Heaven and the glories of the Pearly White Cities. We read, “giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light” (Colossians1:12). Only God in His omnipotence, through His sovereign grace, could make the New Testament Church without spot or wrinkle, in order that she might enter the spotless Pearly White City.
All believers must make themselves ready to enter eternal glory… The home of the redeemed. That is, before the saints are ready to reign with Christ certain difficulties must be righted.
The Bible very clearly teaches that some who stand before Jesus will be ashamed of themselves. “And now, little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear (when He comes again), we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming” (1 John 2:28). Certainly, this verse refers to believers. There must be, therefore, a period of preparation at the judgment seat of Christ where the Bride will be given an opportunity to prepare herself, to be cleansed; and the believers will be rewarded according to the record of their works. There are many carnal Christians who lived worldly and indifferent lives, who will have to pass through the fires of that judgment seat before they are ready to return with the Lord to reign upon the earth. All mistakes and misunderstandings will be rectified, the dross will be burned, and the saints will be rewarded for faithful stewardship. This will precede the marriage of the Lamb. Thus, His wife has made herself ready, and will pass from the judgment seat of Christ into the loving presence of the Lamb to become His bride forever.
The bride is ready! In one sense the bride has always been ready. The moment a person accepts Christ as Savior he is ready. Paul says, “giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light” (Colossians1:12). On the other hand, our lives on earth have to be reviewed at the judgment seat of Christ. Though judgment is not particularly described in the Apocalypse, the light of that throne has now done its work, and the Church can be presented to Christ “not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing” (Ephesians 5:27). At the judgment seat all possible blemishes are smoothed away. The bride has made herself ready.
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.
“And to her (Christ’s Church) was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white:”
The Church, the Bride of Christ, is clothed in fine linen, pure and shining. There is a contrast with the scarlet and gold of the great harlot. The garments of the harlot signified her character, and the same is true of the pure white linen worn by the Bride signifying that she is spotless and without blemish.
In Old Testament times, it was customary for wedding guests to be given special clothes to wear to the banquet. It was unthinkable to refuse to wear these clones. That would insult the host, who could only assume that the guest was arrogant and thought the clothes were unnecessary, or that he or she did not want to take part in the wedding celebration. The wedding clothes picture the righteousness needed to enter God’s Kingdom—the total acceptance in God’s eyes that Christ gives every believer. Christ has provided these clothes of righteousness, but each person must choose to put them on in order to enter the Kings banquet (eternal life). This clothing also pictures “the righteous acts of the saints.” In addition to wearing what Christ has done for us, we will be wearing what we have done for Christ. HOW HAVE YOU PREPARED TO MEET CHRIST? HAVE YOU ACCEPTED HIS GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS?
“for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”
The original Greek text shows that the word “righteousness” is literally righteousnesses, or righteous deeds. Here the righteous deeds of these saints are not to be confused with the righteousnesses of God, which is imputed to each believing sinner at the time of conversion?“But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference” (Romans 3:21-22). No sinner can work for this righteousness, as it is received only by faith. It is true of all unsaved persons that “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6{2]). But when we receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, we can say,
“Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.”
However, what is in view here are the righteous acts of the saints, right doing while we are here on earth as saints. These “righteous acts” were not religious deeds done by believers so that they could be saved; instead, the acts reflected the fact that the saints had been saved in order to do good works (Ephesians 2:10{3]). It is sad, but true, that all saints will NOT be ready to meet Christ when He comes for His Church. Some will be ashamed before Him at His coming. Many saints are guilty of committing unrighteous acts. These are unfit garments to be wearing on their wedding day. So, while God has been preparing the earth for the reign of the saints, He must also prepare the saints to be presented to a prepared earth. The fact that the Lamb’s wife has made herself ready suggests that she was NOT ready before. Too many Christians have assumed the attitude that just because they are saved they can live careless lives but nevertheless go to Heaven. Now, it is true that when Christ appears at the Rapture, all saints of the Church Age, both living and dead, will be caught up to be with Him. But before they can reign with Him there must be a reckoning and a readiness.
We must confess to our shame that the Bride is not now ready for the wedding. There are many carnal, selfish Christians who lived worldly lives, and all such must pass through the fires of the “Judgment Seat of Christ” before they qualify to reign with Christ. The Judgment Seat, which follows the Rapture, will not be a happy experience for every Christian. I know that for some of us there will be loss and shame (Romans 14:10{5]; 1 Corinthians 3:11-16; 2 Corinthians 5:10). But we must all appear before Christ for the final inspection and necessary readiness for the marriage. The wedding gown, then, will be made up of the good works that remain after the testing of the Judgment Seat of Christ.
The next great event in store for the Church is the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). After the Rapture we will all appear at the judgment seat (2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15). After the judgment seat, the marriage (Revelation 19:7-10). After the marriage, we will return with Jesus to reign in the Kingdom (Revelation 20:6). The best is just ahead. I am so glad I am one of God’s children! If you are not, you CAN BE if you will simply trust the Lord Jesus and receive Him by faith. He will write your name in the Lamb’s book of Life (Romans 10:9, 10).
9 And he saith unto me, Write, 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.
“And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.”
The marriage supper is an event separate from the marriage. The marriage takes place in Heaven, but it would seem that the marriage supper occurs on the earth, the latter when the Bridegroom returns with His Bride. Those “which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb” are invited guests. Every wedding has its guests. Now the guests are not the bride. Certainly the bride is not invited to her own wedding supper, for she has a place of honor next to the bridegroom. It is quite possible that the guests here are the Old Testament saints and those saints who were saved during the tribulation. That is one view, but there’s also the point of view that says, “at this banquet there will be all those who have trusted Christ for salvation; they will come from every nation. Jesus had stated, “I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 8:11). John the Baptist, who died before the death of our Lord, will be there as one of the guests. You will remember that he called himself “the friend of the bridegroom” (John 3:29).
The point is that God has invited people to join Him at this great feast. “Blessed” are those who have accepted the invitation to the marriage supper. God awaits our response. Our presence at the celebration will be neither earned nor deserved. The angel declared that those invited to the wedding feast would be blessed because they had accepted the invitation. They simply responded to the invitation! From the angel, through John, to the written page, the invitation goes out to us. Tell others that there is still time to respond.
These words would have had particular meaning to John’s original readers. Facing persecution and even death, they had to wonder if blessings would indeed be theirs. The words of the angels, attributed to God would have been a good reminder to these believers (and to believers through the ages) that in His kingdom there is a different timetable and a different measure of blessing not determined by the particular circumstances of the moment.
Notice, there’s not a word about what is on the table! With Jesus there, the bounty of the banquet is scarcely worth a thought. Attention is drawn to the blessedness of being one of the King’s invited guests. The Church is the bride; the redeemed of other ages are the weddings guests, friends of the Bridegroom. In they come, rank after endless rank—the patriarchs, the prophets, the princes, the priests, the scribes, the sages, and the saints—all those whose names are written down in glory. They meet the Groom and the bride; they take their places at the table; they are full of joy; they are blessed of God.
“And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.”
This last part of verse 9 assures us that the information given can be depended upon: “THESE ARE THE TRUE SAYINGS OF GOD.” The basis of our faith and the grounds upon which we preach these things are not speculation. God has spoken—“Let God be true, but every man a liar.” There are those who spiritualize, symbolize, and explain away Revelation; but we can depend upon what God has said. In the Old Testament era, God spoke through holy men—the prophets. In the New Testament, God has spoken “in his son” (Hebrews 1:1, 2). How precious, blessed and assuring it is to have these words of confirmation of these grand and glorious heart-gladdening, soul-stirring truths concerning the glorious events just ahead. How glorious it is to have these words come from Jehovah God Himself.
10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
“And I fell at his feet to worship him.”
This passage confronts us with something which became very important in the worship of the Church. Evidently John was overwhelmed by the communications he had just received from Almighty God. As the result, he made a terrible blunder. It was usually Peter who said the wrong thing, but this time it is John, and he makes a terrible mistake. It was a serious breach of etiquette. He fell on his knees before the messenger to worship him; it was John’s instinct to worship the angelic messenger; but the angel forbids him to do that, because the angels are no more than men’s fellow-servant’s. Worship is for God alone. LOVE HIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART, SOUL, SPIRIT AND STRENGTH, AND WORSHIP HIM ONLY.
In Judaism there was increasingly stressed the transcendence (preeminence) of God, because it was increasingly felt that man needed some intermediary. Hence, there arose the prominence of angels.
When Jews came over to Christianity, sometimes they brought this special reverence for the angels with them, forgetting that with the coming of Jesus no other intermediary between God and man can be necessary.
A Greek came into the Church from a world of thought which made angel worship a real danger. First, he came from a world in which there were many gods—Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Aphrodite and the rest. What was easier than to keep the old gods in the form of angels? Second, he came from a world in which it was believed that God did not interest himself directly but made his contact through the daimons (demons), by means of which he controlled the natural forces and acted upon men. What was easier than to turn the daimons (demons) into angels and to worship them?
And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus:
These servants of Christ had testified of their faith in Jesus, and the angel said that the essence of prophesy is to give a clear witness for Jesus. Clear witness also means “testimony” (1:9; 6:9; 12:11, 17; 17:6; 20:4). All believers are, in a sense, prophets, because they testify of their faith. For many of the believers mentioned here, it had meant testifying to their own deaths.
John insists that angels are no more than the servants of God; and that God alone must be worshipped. Any other intermediary than Jesus Christ between God and man must be utterly opposed.
The statement, “I am thy fellow-servant” placed the messenger in the same category with John… they were both servants of their God, to serve Him and worship Him only. Certainly the spirit of the messenger at whose feet John would have worshipped does not correspond with the spirit of some officials, priests, popes, etc, on earth today. They permit men to kiss their hands and feet and fall upon their knees before them in homage and respect, which certainly in a sense constitutes worship. Millions the world over bow down to images instead of worshipping God through the one Mediator, the Man Christ Jesus, who now sits at the right hand of God the Father to make intercession for us (1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 1:1-3; 1 John 2:1, 2). Any person who bows before any other person in worship or in prayer is committing the sin of idolatry. We are to worship God, and God alone.
It was exceptional and startling that this angel should speak of the Lord of glory as Jesus. It would be impertinent were there not a reason for it. It is common in our day to hear people address Him in this way in prayer. Such a form of address is not common to the scriptures outside of the Gospels, and rarely, if ever, did anyone speak to Him in this way. He said, “Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am” (John 13:13). He is called Jesus frequently in the Gospels for His humanity is often in view. The use of the word “Jesus” by the angel, then, is significant. The Son of God in His humanity is the spirit, the sum, and the substance of prophecy. It all points to Him. As Son of man He came to earth, conquered death, and ascended into heaven. At God’s right hand, though Son of God, He is yet a glorified man. He retains humanity with His deity. It is “at the name of Jesus” that every knee will bow to confess Him Lord (Philippians 2:10).
“worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
The angel also tells John that these are the words of “God,” and this declaration prompts John to worship the angel himself. The angel’s response makes several things clear:
Angels are not to be worshipped.
Angels are fellow servants with Christians, all bearing witness to Jesus.
The testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
This phrase is both ambiguous and important. The ambiguity springs from the fact that the testimony of Jesus can bear either of two meanings.
It can mean the witness which the Christian bears to Jesus Christ. One Christian commentator put it like this, “The possession of the prophetic spirit, which makes a true prophet, shows itself in a life of witness to Jesus, which perpetuates His witness to the Father and to himself.” A prophet’s message lies in the personal witness of his life, even more than in the spoken witness of his words.
It can just as well mean the witness which Jesus Christ gives to men. On that interpretation the phrase will mean that no man can speak to men until he has listened Jesus Christ. It was said of the great preacher: “First he listened to God, then he spoke to men.”
This is the kind of double meaning of which the Greek language is capable. It may well be that John intended the double meaning; and that we are not meant to choose between the meanings, but to accept both of them. If so, we can define the true prophet as “the man who has received from Christ the message he brings to men, and whose words and works are at one and the same time an act of witness to Christ.”
The word “prophesy” means more than seeing and foretelling the future, although in some cases that is true (especially in the Old Testament prophets and in John’s case here). The main purpose of prophesy is to communicate God’s message. The entire prophetic message of God from the beginning of the world has pointed to Jesus. He is central to everything for this life and the next.
Scriptures and Special Notes
[1} “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:25-27).
[2} “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:6).
[3} “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).
[4} “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband”… And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God” (Revelation 21:2, 9-10).
[5} “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ” (Romans 14:10)
