This chapter opens with a great multitude in heaven giving praise. "Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power to the Lord our God! For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her." Again, they said, "Alleluia! And her smoke rises up forever and ever!" What an amazing thing that the smoke from fallen Babylon will rise forever and ever...just like the smoke of the torment of those who take the mark of the beast rises forever and ever. Revelation 19:4-6 continues the praise to God for who He is.
After this is the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. This event is the union of the Church and Jesus Christ. This is an event every Christian should strive to be a part of. Therefore, we should keep our garments always clean. Live holy lives...meaning live like Jesus lived when He was on earth. Don't get mixed up in the world. Keep our lamps on like the wise virgins in Matthew 25:4. Be willing to forgive others so God can forgive us. (Matthew 6:14)
The Church is to be a pure, spotless bride without blemish. Think about it for a minute. Suppose you go to a wedding. The church is decorated, the music is beautiful. The attendants are amazing-looking. The groom is handsome. The minister is standing ready to officiate the ceremony. The wedding march plays. The church rises in anticipation to see the bride. The crowd is silent with excitement; anticipating seeing the beautiful white dress, the long white veil, the beautiful bouquet, the delicate jewelry to accent the bride's beauty. But instead of seeing the bride described, you see a woman wearing a filthy, torn gown. Her hair is a mess. Her makeup is heavy. Her bouquet is poison ivy. How do you think you'd react? What about the groom? Can you imagine his shock and horror? So why would you present yourself like that to Jesus, the ultimate Bridegroom? "Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!" These are the true sayings of God. Being overwhelmed, John bowed to the angel in which the angel reminded him not to do it. He is a fellow servant of God like John.
What happens next is the event that the Tribulation saints have been looking forward to...the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. "Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire and on His Head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood and His Name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod or iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords."
The first time Jesus was seen, He was a baby in a manger. During His 33 years on earth, He looked like a regular Jewish rabbi. On the Cross, He was naked, beaten, whipped with blood flowing everywhere. For days after His resurrection, He is seen ascending into heaven. In the Rapture, He is in the clouds. Here at this coming, He is seen by everybody and is no longer a lamb, but a judge ready to deal with His enemies.
I should point out that the sword that comes out of Jesus's mouth is the Word of God. Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." And the many crowns are the crowns that ultimately are cast at His feet. Revelation 4:10 speaks about the 24 elders casting their crowns at Jesus feet while praising Him. Let us live in such a way that we have a crown to cast before Jesus's feet because in the end, He gets all the glory.
John then sees an angel standing in the sun and he cries in a loud voice saying to all the birds that fly in the mist of heaven, "Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great." The angel has described what will happen to those who will fight against Jesus in Armageddon. The beast, the kings of the earth and their armies gathered to make war against Christ and His army.
It will be a one-sided war in which Christ wins. The beast and the False Prophet are captured and cast alive into the lake of fire while the rest of the armies are killed with the sword that comes out of His mouth by Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. I know there will be much rejoicing when the Antichrist and False Prophet are thrown into the lake of fire. There will be great relief when their reign of terror finally ends. But it's not quite over yet.
